asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for amending the contract of service for NHS consultants.

:In April 1975 my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State agreed in principle to negotiate with the professions about a number of improvements in the consultants contract. Agreement on some of these matters was reached before the introduction of the counter-inflation policy in July 1975 prevented conclusion of further agreements for the time being, but within this limitation we are prepared to discuss the principles underlying the others.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many part-time consultants in the National Health Service have a maximum part-time contract.

I would refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to him on 10th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 75–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hours on average he estimates that maximum part-time consultants devote to the National Health Service.

I do not have sufficient reliable information to enable me to make an accurate estimate. Figures prepared in the autumn of 1974 suggested that maximum part-time consultants then devoted an average of about 55 hours a week to the NHS, including time spent travelling while on duty. That is the best estimate available, but I cannot say how accurate it was at the time or how well it reflects present working patterns.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has conferred with the TUC over the effect of the poverty trap.

I am regularly in touch with members of the TUC Social Insurance Committee and, in fact, met them on Monday 17th May, though this subject was not discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ameliorate the effect of the poverty trap on low-income families.

Steps already taken through 12-months awards for such benefits as family income supplement, free welfare milk and free school meals and the regular increases of income limits for benefits ensure that the effects of the poverty trap are very limited in practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he has had with interested parties about the increase in the numbers of low-income families who will be paying an effective marginal rate of taxation of 75 per cent. or over.

None. I have seen no evidence to suggest that the number of low-income families actually subject to a marginal tax rate of 75 per cent. is high or is increasing, and it is an objective of this Administration to contain the effects of the poverty trap by all practical means. On this I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold) today.My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer did, however, meet and discuss these matters with the Child Poverty Action Group on 12th May, as he said in his reply to the hon. Member for Harrow, Central (Mr. Grant) on 19th May 1976.—[Vol. 91, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an inquiry into the need for a positive policy on preventive dentistry.

The consultative document "Prevention and Health: Everybody's Business", published in March 1976, discussed preventive dental health measures and recognised fluoridation of water supplies as the best means of reducing dental decay in the community. This will be followed by a series of more detailed papers on specific aspects of prevention. We shall also consider any recommendations on preventive dentistry made by the Social Services and Employment Sub-Committee on the Expenditure Committee of this House, at present considering preventive medicine, and of the Child Health Services Committee chaired by Professor Court.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations have taken place between his Department and the Bedfordshire County Council about the girl in care who was allowed to continue working as a prostitute.

The county council has set up an independent inquiry which opened last week. County council officials consulted the Department on various points connected with the structure of the inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to reduce administrative delays and consequent frustrations in the National Health Service.

I have held a series of meetings and more are planned with regional and area chairmen in an endeavour to streamline the management system of the National Health Service within existing legislation and to eliminate duplication of effort between the various tiers of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that the supplementary benefit payable to a man with a wife and two children is £35·85—tax free—per week, while if the same man was working and earning a weekly wage of £35·85 he would pay £2·10 income tax and £2·06 national insurance contribution; and what action he intends to take to rectify this situation.

The comparison made in the Member's Question does not take account of all the factors involved. It is, therefore, misleading and does not itself call for action.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single people and heads of families are now estimated to have income below the level qualifying for supplementary benefit.

The latest information available is based on the 1974 Family Expenditure Survey and suggests that about 920,000 families in Great Britain had incomes below the supplementary benefit level but were not in receipt of supplementary benefit. Of these, about 680,000 were single people without children and 240,000 were other families. The figures do not indicate unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit since they include a considerable number who would be ineligible for other reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families in the care of the Avon County Council are in bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the latest date for which figures are available.

On 1st May 1976, 65 homeless families were in bed-and-break fast accommodation in Avon.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the up-to-date purchasing power of the retirement pension compared with March 1974.

On the basis of the Retail Price Index for April 1976, the latest date for which a figure is available, the purchasing power of the retirement pension is 14·7 per cent. higher for a single person and 13·4 per cent. higher for a married couple, than in March 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the capital cost of the plant which the Thames Valley Authority would need to install to secure the fluoridation of water and of the estimated annual cost per capita of securing this prophylaxis against dental caries; and if he will make a statement.

It is for those health authorities which decide to introduce fluoridation to make the necessary financial and other arrangements with regional water authorities. Capital and running costs of fluoridation will vary from one health authority's area to another, according to the nature of the water supply system, and average figures for the Thames Water Authority's area are therefore not available. We have earmarked £0·5 million annually to help health authorities provide the initial capital cost of fluoridation schemes, and the Department will shortly be issuing guidance about the necessary arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many new doctors in Great Britain qualified for hospital service in 1975–76.

During the year ended 31st December 1975, a total of 2,818 doctors who qualified in Great Britain or Ireland became provisionally registered—that is, were eligible to be employed as house officers in hospitals for the purpose of becoming fully registered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies he has made of the sums raised for the health services in France and the Republic of Ireland by lotteries, with a view to considering a policy applicable to the United Kingdom.

None; I shall consider whether to initiate such studies in the light of the Government's future policy on gambling in general.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received to date in connection with the level of the death grant and the rise in funeral costs since the grant was last raised.

My right hon. Friend receives representations at the rate of about 300 a year on this subject, mainly from hon. Members and from individual members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will undertake a review of the death grant when the results of the Price Commission's survey of funeral costs are made known.

The Government will have regard to the Commission's findings, but any possible improvement in the death grant would have to be weighed against other claims on scarce resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has examined the four-wheeled vehicle for the disabled which GKN-Sankey proposes to manufacture; and if he will consider issuing this vehicle to disabled persons in place of the present three-wheeler.

My Department's staff have examined the prototype vehicle. As I know the hon. Member appreciates, the new mobility allowance is now the main benefit. If they wish, people who receive the allowance will be able to use it as a contribution towards the expenses of buying and running vehicles of their own choice including vehicles like the one to which the hon. Member refers. My right hon. Friend has no plans for issuing a four-wheeled specialised invalid vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled people, who originally qualified for an invalid tricycle under Category 3 of the previous vehicle scheme, have had their tricycles removed from them since 1st January 1976 on the grounds that they have lost employment.

Eight machines had been recovered by the end of April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date the present prescription charge was fixed; what would be the current charge if it was the same in real terms; and what proposals he has to increase the charge.

The main prescription charge of 20p has applied since 1st April 1971. The equivalent charge would now be about 39p. We have no plans to increase the charge; our intention is to phase out all prescription charges as economic circumstances and resources available for the health services permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the names of the members of the committee on the phasing out of pay beds.

This is the Health Services Board, for which provision is made in the Health Services Bill which was given a Second Reading only on 27th April. I am therefore not yet able to say when appointments will be announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further steps he is taking to secure reciprocal medical care for the self-employed in the EEC.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dorset, West (Mr. Spicer) on 2nd March 1976.—[Vol. 906, c. 529–30.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will complete his examination of the contribution and pension structure of the self-employed.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 12th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 213–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that all junior hospital doctors are employed.

Unemployment of medical practitioners generally is extremely small, and at any given time there are a number of vacancies in the hospital service nationally. I do not therefore consider that any special steps are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what percentage of unemployed people were in receipt of social security benefit in addition to unemployment pay on the latest available date.

The number of unemployed persons in receipt of unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit at 2nd February, 1976 was 147,000, which represented 12·2 per cent. of the total registered unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities are currently experimenting with schemes for fostering delinquent children with approved foster parents.

I have received information about experimental schemes run by the Berkshire, Kent and Devon County Councils and the city of Birmingham for the placement of disturbed children with specialist foster-parents as an alternative to community homes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations his Department has received about the work of pneumoconiosis medical panels.

In the main, such representations have been about individual cases. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council in its report on pneumoconiosis and byssinosis 1973 (Cmnd. 5443, paragraph 122) expressed itself as generally satisfied with the arrangements affecting the work of the panels, and as being of the opinion that the panels were carrying out a difficult and exacting task sympathetically and efficiently.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will hold a departmental inquiry into the prevalence of cot deaths and seek the most effective means of reducing them.

What is now needed is more research, and I would refer my hon. Friend to my replies to him on 10th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 73–75.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to finalise the junior hospital doctors' contract.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Wan-stead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) and the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the reasons for the reference of the junior doctors' contract to another Government Department.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Wan-stead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkins) and the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner). Government policy is a matter for the Government as a whole but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment is particularly concerned with aspects of this matter relating to counter-inflation policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will reduce the upper limit of income for national insurance contributions to £84 per week.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for extending the non-contributory principle in the field of national insurance benefits.

There is nothing which I can usefully add to my reply to my hon. Friend on this subject of 27th January.—[Vol. 904, c. 164–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to introduce legislation to alter the basis for calculating increases in long-term national insurance benefits.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider extending eligibility for a mobility allowance to those whose disability is caused by agoraphobia.

There is nothing can usefully add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 23rd March.—[Vol. 908, c. 98.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many family income supplement claimants are at present affected by the current maximum entitlement levels; and how many it is estimated will be affected by the new maximum levels announced on 7th April.

At the end of February 1976, the latest date for which information is available, about 6,000 families were receiving family income supplement at the maximum rate. Immediately after the uprating in July the number affected is expected to increase to 12,000, but this number will be reduced as claims expiring after the individual's 12-month award period are reassessed on the basis of current earnings.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the rôle of community physicians since the reorganisation of the National Health Service, especially in the field of health education.

I am satisfied that community medicine as a new and developing medical specialty is already playing a vital part in the management and planning of health services and will increase its influence as those doctors in training in the specialty come forward to take up specialist posts. I want to ensure that greater emphasis is placed on preventive medicine, including health education it future planning and allocation of resources. Community physicians will play a special part in this but health education should be the concern of all who work in the health service and not just community physicians.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the techniques used to identify those suffering from silicosis and associated lung diseases endemic to the quarrying industry; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The pneumoconiosis medical panels consider the occupational history, the medical history and reports, X-rays, lung function tests and their own clinical examination before diagnosing pneumoconiosis, which includes silicosis. They keep in close touch with the research that is continuing in this field. Since the end of 1975, all slate workers who claim disablement benefit in respect of pneumoconiosis have been given a full examination by a pneumoconiosis medical board.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he plans to visit Brussels to discuss exchange of medical staff within the EEC.

I have no plans for such a visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further steps he proposes to take to increase the number of places in community homes so as to ensure that schoolchildren do not have to go to prison.

It is for local authorities, acting in accordance with the plans of children's regional planning committees, to provide additional places in community homes in order to ensure that schoolchildren do not have to go to prison. They are fully aware of this obligation, and projects providing a further 85 secure places in observation and assessment centres are now building or about to start building shortly. In addition, authorities have put forward schemes providing some 90 secure places in such centres for inclusion in the capital programme for 1976–77. I hope soon to be able to write to authorities telling them which schemes have been selected for this year's programme. A large number of the places referred to will qualify for grants under Section 71 of the Children Act 1975 and I hope that continued use of this power will encourage other schemes of this nature. A circular inviting authorities to apply for these grants was issued on 18th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to improve the scope and standard of health education in order to reduce demands on the National Health Service.

I regard health education as an important part of preventive medicine. I hope that the Government's recently-published consultative documents "Prevention and Health—Everybody's Business" and "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England" will stimulate the widest general interest and will encourage health authorities and others concerned to give greater emphasis to preventive activities, including health education, in the planning of services and the allocation of resources. The Health Education Council continues to have the Department's full support.I propose to follow up the publication of "Prevention and Health—Every-body's Business" with a series of more detailed papers on particular aspects of prevention, the first of which will be published later this year and by other activities including a one-day symposium on the general theme "Involvement in Prevention" to be held at Imperial College, London on 22nd July 1976.The health education staff of area health authorities are primarily responsible for the planning and administration of health education activities in their areas and for collaboration with local authorities and voluntary bodies. About two-thirds of area health authorities in England have now appointed area health education officers and 220 health education officers are at present in post. Together with developments such as the growth planned on the number of health visitors, who play an important part in giving health education, and the growing interest in the subject generally, I believe that there will be increased emphasis on health education at the local as well as at the national level.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue a general direction to local authorities on the proper use of reception centres and alternative accommodation.

I prefer to await the promised legislation placing on housing authorities the responsibility for accommodation for the homeless and clarifying the related responsibilities of social services authorities. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, I shall of course be willing to consider the circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to monitor the joint financing of NHS and local authority services.

Health authorities in England have been asked to submit by 30th September 1976 the first of the periodic returns for which we shall call relating to their proposed and actual expenditure on jointly financed schemes. My officials will discuss the development of the programme as necessary with the health and local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions he is giving to local social security offices to ensure that applications for sickness benefit are properly vetted after the new form of medical certificate comes into effect.

The "doctor's statement" which family doctors will issue from October 1976 will provide the same medical evidence of incapacity for work as the "medical certificate", which it will replace. It follows that no change is contemplated in the procedure for determining entitlement to and payment of sickness benefit or in the present arrangements for vetting claims to the benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much financial assistance his Department has given to the Playgroup Movement for each year for the last three years.

Total grants given by the Department to voluntary organisations to assist the playgroup movement for the last three financial years are as follows: 1973–74, £58,000; 1974–75, £90,000; 1975–76, £110,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make available the substance of the discussions officials of his Department recently had with United States Government health officials concerning the discovery of an influenza virus in the United States of America similar to that which caused the epidemic in 1919.

As I explained to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman) on 17th May—[Vol. 911, c. 423–4]—officers of my Department received detailed information about the outbreak of "swine" influenza from the United States Government and from the United States Department of the Army in particular. Many discussions have taken place between experts internationally about this outbreak. Much information has been published and the World Health Organisation has circulated advice in the Weekly Epidemiological Record No. 16 issued on 15th April 1976, a copy of which is in the Library. I do not think it would be helpful to publish separately the substance of individual discussions by officers of my Department.As far as the general position in this country is concerned, I am now able to make a further statement to the one I gave to hon. Members on 6th April.—[Vol. 909, c. 147–49.]I have received the following advice from the Advisory Group on Vaccination against Influenza, which met on 20th May:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress he has made in identifying the number of disabled housewives who will be eligible for the non-contributory invalidity benefit.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) on 17th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 429.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his attitude to the proposals made in the Royal College of Physicians' Report on Clinical Pharmacology and if he will make a statement.

I share the desire of the Royal College of Physicians expressed in its report that there should be an expantion of the clinical service rôle of specialists in clinical pharmacology. I accept that they can play an important part in specialist consultations on clinical problems and provide valuable advice to their colleagues on the effective and economic use of drugs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will refer union pressure against nurses and midwives on statutory committees of the Whitley Council for study by Lord McCarthy.

I am not aware of any such difficulties on the Whitley Council responsible for the pay and conditions of service of nurses and midwives, but this would in any case be an internal matter for the staff side to resolve.In some places, representatives of TUC affiliated unions are declining to participate in joint staff consultation with representatives of professional bodies. Lord McCarthy has already received evidence on the present operation and effectiveness of joint consultation. He will, no doubt, be commenting on this subject in his report, which my right hon. Friend expects to receive in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the further implementation of new benefits for the disabled.

Our new non-contributory invalidity pension first became payable in November. The number of beneficiaries is continuing to rise.Mobility allowance became payable to the 15 to 25 age group in January and was extended to adults up to age 50 in April. Announcements about the timetable for extension to children and to the over-50 age group will be made later.The new invalid care allowance will become payable in July. The fourth new benefit, already on the statute book and to be implemented as part of our phased programme, is the non-contributory invalidity pension for housewives which is due to start in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the effects of the White Paper on Public Expenditure on the hospital building programme in north-east Essex between the present and 1979 to 1980.

The effects of the White Paper on an individual locality cannot yet be estimated. The North East Thames Regional Health Authority and Essex Area Health Authority will be developing strategic plans for the next 10–15 years and operational plans for the next three years during 1976. They will consider priorities for capital expenditure in that context.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report of his Department's working party studying the problems of homeless young people in London.

I understand that the working group has completed its deliberations and will be sending me a copy of its report as soon as a finally-agreed text is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to announce the allocations of capital resources to regional health authorities for the year 1980–81.

Allocations to regional health authorities cannot be announced until the Government's firm decisions on public expenditure in the relevant year are taken. Capital allocations for 1976–77 were announced in February 1976 and planning assumptions for the years 1977–78 to 1979–80 are about to be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding the report of the committee of inquiry held to inquire into and report to the Northern Regional Health Authority on the circumstances, so far as health services are concerned, surrounding the deaths of four patients in the psychiatric unit, Darlington Memorial Hospital, during the period 28th July to 23rd August 1975.

Action on most of the conclusions in the report will be for the Durham Area Health Authority, which is considering the report as a matter of urgency. The authority has issued a Press statement setting out the action it proposes to take and I am sending the hon. Member a copy. In view of the distressing events in this unit and the disturbing nature of the inquiry's findings, my officials will be keeping me in touch with progress. They are also following up a number of points in the report which may have national implications.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many social work staff in social services' departments are currently employed at grades above that of senior social worker; and what proportion of the total social work staff this represents.

It is provisionally estimated that the whole-time equivalent of 2,800 senior directing, managing, professional and advisory staff were in post in England on 30th September 1975 but it is not known how many of them were social work staff. They constituted some 12 per cent. of the total number of senior staff and headquarters, are office and field social work staff and about 11 per cent. of the total number of all staff employed in local authority social service departments. The figures given are not directly comparable with those for September 1974 because the classification of senior staff has now been refined and senior social workers have been separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the estimated total National Health Service capital expenditure in London regional health authorities for the years 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980;(2) what was the total annual NHS capital expenditure in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the period 1965 to 1975;(3) what was the total annual National Health Service revenue expenditure for the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the years 1965 to 1975; and what is the estimated total for the years 1976 to 1980;(4) what is the estimated total National Health Service capital expenditure in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the years 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980, respectively;(5) what is the estimated total annual National Health Service revenue expenditure for the Wessex Regional Health Authority for the years 1976 to 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated

£ million
Regional Health	1974–75		1975–76		1976–77
Authority	Capital	Revenue	Capital	Revenue	Capital	Revenue
Northern	16·2	146·8	19·4	191·8	25·1	214·1
Yorkshire	16·7	166·2	26·8	216·9	25·3	248·2
Trent	30·6	182·5	38·9	242·9	41·0	281·4
East Anglian	11·3	77·3	14·7	102·9	12·6	118·8
North West Thames	18·0	212·9	20·2	274·5	17·0	299·8
North East Thames	21·4	231·9	21·9	300·4	22·3	328·4
South East Thames	20·0	208·7	26·2	275·0	24·9	307·7
South West Thames	16·1	171·3	23·1	223·2	28·5	243·0
Wessex	12·2	117·1	19·1	154·0	19·5	173·9
Oxford	18·5	98·6	16·7	129·3	15·0	146·2
South Western	18·4	143·5	17·4	186·6	19·2	214·4
West Midlands	28·0	224·2	33·5	296·6	28·2	338·7
Mersey	14·9	130·3	21·9	170·2	23·0	188·7
North Western	20·3	196·0	26·6	255·4	26·3	292·0

This information is not available for future years. Planning assumptions for 1977–78 to 1979–80 will be notified with the planning guidelines to be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what answer he has sent to the Lincolnshire Family Pratitioner Committee about his statement on the total National Health Service expenditure on 16th October 1975.

I regret that my statement on 16th October 1975—[Vol. 897, c. 769]—did not make it clear that the figures I gave related to hospital and community health services only. I will circulate in the Official Report a revised table including information about expenditure on family practitioner services.

The provisional actual capital and revenue expenditure of regional health authorities in England on hospital and community health services in 1974–75 and the estimated capital expenditure and revenue allocations in 1975–76 and 1976–77 are set out below. Regional hospital boards' expenditure for earlier years was given in my replies to hon. Members on 21st May 1975—[Vol. 892, c. 483–6]—and is also set out in Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England at tables 2.7 and 2.10, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the increase in the numbers of mentally ill and mentally handicapped people being visited by health visitors, what training programmes are in operation to equip health visitors for this type of work.

Preparation for these aspects of health visitors' work is included in the training course leading to the health visitor's certificate. Increased emphasis was placed on these subjects in the revised syllabus introduced in 1965. In addition, provision is made in the programes of refresher courses, which are particularly directed to health visitors who have been qualified for some time, for courses dealing with problems of mental illness and mental handicap.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many mentally ill and mentally handicapped persons have been visited by health visitors in 1967, 1973, 1974, 1975 and to the latest available date.

I regret that information is not yet available in respect of 1975 or later. The figures for England for the earlier years are: 1967, 20,600; 1973, 52,000; 1974, 48,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take additional steps to publicise in simple terms social service benefit entitlements, for example, by arranging for the distribution of explanatory leaflets to the homes of all disabled, handicapped, and registered unemployed persons; and if he will make a statement.

We are constantly looking for new ways of describing social benefits in simple terms. Since October we have printed 1 million leaflets specifically for handicapped people and 1¾ million for unemployed people. Local authority social services departments, health authorities and citizens' advice bureaux have been asked to distribute the booklet to handicapped people; the leaflets for the unemployed are available at offices of the Department of Employment. These are among the simplest and most direct methods of spreading knowledge of benefits, and we are always prepared to reprint leaflets in bulk as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to enable him to assume responsibility for the provision of services to the severely mentally ill and mentally handicapped and also to the physically ill and physically handicapped; and if he will make a statement.

I would not wish central Government to take direct responsibility for provision of personal social services. These are properly the responsibility of local authorities which are in a position to assess needs in individual cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total annual National Health Service revenue expenditure on services for the mentally ill and for the mentally handicapped for the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the years 1966 to 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total annual National Health Service revenue expenditure on services for the mentally ill for the North Western Regional Health Authority for the years 1966 to 1976;(2) what was the total annual National Health Service revenue expenditure on services for the mentally handicapped for the North Western Regional Health Authority for the years 1966 to 1976.(3) what was the total annual National Health Service revenue expenditure on services to the mentally ill in the North-West Thames Regional Health Authority in the years 1965 to 1975.

The revenue expenditure on services in hospitals devoted wholly or mainly to the mentally ill or mentally handicapped for the years 1965–66 to 1973–74 by the East Anglian, Liverpool, Manchester and the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Boards is shown in the tables below.Corresponding information is not available for 1974–75 and 1975–76 in respect of the regional health authorities which took over from the boards. Revised cost statements, introduced on reorganisation of the service, were not submitted by all health authorities for 1974–75; the cost accounts for 1975–76 have not yet been received in my Department.National Health Service Expenditure on services for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped other than in hospitals wholly or mainly for them is not separately identified in the annual financial or cost accounts of health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated total annual revenue expenditure on services for the mentally ill for the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the years 1977 to 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the estimated proportion of total National Health Service capital expenditure for the years 1977 to 1981 which will be spent in the Mersey Regional Health Authority on services for the mentally handicapped;(2) what is the estimated annual National Health Service capital expenditure in the Mersey Regional Health Authority on services for the mentally ill for the years 1977 to 1981;(3) what is the estimated proportion of the total annual National Health Service capital expenditure in the Mersey Regional Health Authority for the years 1977 to 1981 for services for the mentally ill;(4) what is the estimated total annual revenue expenditure on services for the mentally ill for the Mersey Regional Health Authority for the years 1977 to 1981;(5) what is the estimated total annual revenue expenditure on services for the mentally handicapped in the Mersey Regional Health Authority for the years 1977 to 1981.

Planning capital and revenue expenditure on particular services in particular localities is for the health authorities concerned within planning guidelines and total resource assumptions provided by my Department. Revenue and capital allocations have been notified to RHAs for 1976–77 and resource assumptions for subsequent years will be notified very shortly together with general planning guidelines. Health authorities have been asked to draw up plans for the future development of services and deployment of available resources in keeping with this guidance, which will reflect national priorities proposed in my Department's recent consultative document on "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services".

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the expenditure on mental health in Great Britain, compared with other countries in the EEC, at the latest available date.

The information on which to base such a comparison is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total annual National Health Service capital expenditure on services for the mentally ill in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the years 1966 to 1976;(2) what proportion of the total annual National Health Service capital expenditure for the years 1966 to 1976 was spent on services for the mentally handicapped in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority;(3) what proportion of the total annual National Health Service capital expenditure in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority was spent on services for the mentally ill for the years 1966 to 1976;(4) what was the total annual National Health Service capital expenditure on services for the mentally handicapped in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority for the years 1966 to 1976;(5) if he will list, for the North East Thames Regional Health Authority, for each of the years 1965 to 1975 and as estimates for 1976 to 1980: (

As regards the years 1965–66 to 1973–74, I would refer my hon.

£000
		Total National Health Service expenditure on hospital and community health services	Expenditure on services for
			Mentally handicapped	Mentally ill	(b)as percentage of (a)	(c) as percentage of (a)
		(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)
North East Thames Regional Health Authority
Capital
1974–75 (provisional)	…	21,418	1,132	1,836	5·3	8·6
1975–76 (estimated)	…	21,871	1,791	2,537	8·2	11·6
1976–77 (estimated)	…	22,300	627	659	2·8	3·0
Revenue
1974–75	…	231,944	—	—	—	—
1975–76 (allocation)	…	300,400	—	—	—	—
1976–77 (allocation)	…	328,385	—	—	—	—
East Anglian Regional Health Authority
Capital
1974–75 (provisional)	…	11,258	553	163	4·9	1·4
1975–76 (estimated)	…	14,715	1,262	376	8·6	2·6
1976–77 (estimated)	…	12,600	—	—	—	—
Revenue
1974–75	…	77,289	—	—	—	—
1975–76 (allocation)	…	102,900	—	—	—	—
1976–77 (allocation)	…	118,772	—	—	—	—

Figures of capital expenditure for 1976–77 and of revenue expenditure on services for the mentally handicapped and the mentally ill are not available.As regards the forward years, planning of capital and revenue expenditure on particular services in particular localities is for the health authorities concerned within planning guidelines and total resource assumptions provided by my Department. Capital and revenue allocations have been notified to regional health authorities for 1976–77 and resource assumptions for subsequent years will be notified very shortly together with general planning guidelines. Health authorities have been asked to draw up plans for the future development of services which will reflect the national priority proposed in my Department's recent consultative document on priorities for health and personal social services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to improve the provision of day

In the consultative document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England", we have proposed that as a first priority in the mental handicap field the growth of local authority services should be maintained at the rates required to achieve the White Paper targets by the early 1990s. This would entail an additional 2,400 training centre places each year for persons aged 16 and over, and an additional 1,000 residential places for all purposes, including an element for short stay care.The National Development Group for the Mentally Handicapped is studying two related aspects: a review of day services for mentally handicapped adults, including those over 16 who are severely mentally handicapped, and the co-ordination of services for family support, with particular reference to short stay care.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many places are available in adolescent units for mentally-ill people under the age of 18 years; how many people under the age of 18 years are currently in adult wards in mental hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

At the end of 1974 there were 588 in-patient places in special psychiatric units or wards for adolescents in England and Wales, an increase of 63 places on 1973. I do not have more recent information on the numbers of people aged under 18 in adult wards in mental illness hospitals than that given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 21st May last year.—[Vol. 892, c. 512.]—Arrangements are being made to collect in future annual statistical returns information on the number of in-patients aged under 16 in wards for adults in mental illness hospitals

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has offered to regional health authorities concerning arrangements for holidays for persons suffering from severe mental illness.

No general guidance has been given to health authorities. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Friend on 21st May 1975—[Vol. 892, c. 518–9.]—local authorities have powers under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to make arrangements for holidays for mentally disordered persons where they consider this to be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will advise the appropriate authorities to assist persons who are rendered housebound by a mental illness such as agoraphobia and who are in need of a telephone to overcome their isolation.

The effect of Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948, as amended, is that Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act applies to people who are mentally ill. As authorities have already been made aware, they are required to consider applications for assistance in the light of individual circumstances. Advice about assistance with telephones was issued by the former local authority associations. Where a need for a telephone is accepted under Section 2, it is the duty of the authority to make arrangements accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will advise the appropriate authorities to provide sheltered accommodation for mentally ill and mentally handicapped people; and if he will make a statement.

On 23rd April 1974, in local authority circular 19/74, my right hon. Friend renewed the statutory direction originally given to local authorities in August 1959 to make arrangements for, among other things, the provision, whether in premises managed by the council or otherwise, of residential accommodation—including residential homes, hostels, group homes, minimum support facilities or other appropriate accommodation—for persons who are or have been suffering from mental disorder. The local authorities concerned will be assisted in meeting this duty by the provisions of the Housing Act 1974, which increased the assistance available from housing authorities for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will advise regional and local health authorities of the need, when informing themselves of the number and needs of permanently and substantially handicapped people, to include those who are severely mentally ill or mentally handicapped.

I assume my hon. Friend has in mind the mandatory duty which Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 placed on local authorities—not on health authorities—to inform themselves of the number and needs of handicapped people in their areas. As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend on 21st May 1975, it has already been made clear to local authorities that this duty extends to persons who are suffering from mental disorder, and irrespective of whether the disability is permanent and substantial.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total expenditure by local authorities on all services in the last five years for which figures are available; what proportion in each year was spent on the personal social services, on domiciliary or day centre services for the young, the physically handicapped, the mentally handicapped, the mentally ill and the elderly, respectively; what proportion was spent on residential care for each of these four groups; and if he will make a statement on his plans for allocation of expen-

	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75
	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Total local authority expenditure	4,054	4,167	5,785	7,459
Proportion spent on—	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
(a) Personal Social Services	6·0	6·5	6·8	7·7
(b) Domiciliary or day care for the—
(i) Elderly	0·30	0·15	0·16	0·20
(ii) Younger physically handicapped	0·38	0·09	0·10	0·10
(iii) Mentally handicapped	0·48	0·28	0·29	0·30
(iv) Mentally ill		0·02	0·02	0·02
(c) Residential care for the—
(i) Elderly	1·72	1·41	1·48	1·62
(ii) Younger physically handicapped		0·08	0·09	0·10
(iii) Mentally handicapped	0·18	0·14	0·16	0·18
(iv) Mentally ill		0·03	0·04	0·04

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of applying the mobility allowance to the registered blind under the age of 65 years.

The medical criterion for mobility allowance is related to walking ability. To receive the allowance, the disabled person must be unable to walk, or virtually unable to do so, because of physical disablement. This criterion includes those whose mobility difficulties are related to blindness or other sensory deficiencies, or to mental handicap and agoraphobia, only where overall the effect of these and other disabilities is such as to make them unable or virtually unable to walk.I estimate that to extend eligibility for mobility allowance to all registered blind people between the ages of 5 and the pensionable age of 65 for men and 60 for women, which are the age limits for the allowance, would cost something of the order of £7 million a year.

The personal social services were formed with effect from 1st April 1971. The available information for the years 1971–72 to 1974–75 for England is shown below. The future development of the personal social services is discussed in the consultative document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England" published on 24th March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the newly registered blind persons is over the age of 65 years; if he will conduct a campaign to educate older people in the desirability of having their eyes examined regularly; and if he will make a statement.

Eighty-two per cent. of blind persons in England first registering during the year ended 31st March 1975 were aged 65 and over. The Health Education Council, which is financed by my Department, issues a booklet entitled "Living with Age" which mentions the optical problems of the elderly.The Optical Information Council, a private non-profit-making body financed by the optical industry and profession, produces a leaflet "Eye Care and the Elderly" which is distributed through elderly people's clubs. It also produces a poster and recently issued a booklet entitled "Insight" on the general workings of the eye. All these publications are designed to encourage people to have regular eye examinations.I shall be keeping my hon. Friend's suggestion of a campaign in mind and will seek opportunities to refer to the importance of regular eye examinations for the elderly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of the electronic machine which enables a blind person to read the printed word; how many machines are being used by his Department for research and teaching purposes; what is the availability of these machines for blind persons; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that an Optacon (Optical to Tactile Converter) machine, to which I assume my hon. Friend is referring, now costs about £1.800; that about 45 Optacon machines are in use throughout the United Kingdom—including one used by a blind computer operator in my Department; and that a further 20 are expected to be brought into use during the current financial year.Information on the number of machines used for research and teaching purposes is not available, but two machines are used at the training centre set up by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Others are supplied by the Employment Service Agency through the RNIB to blind computer programmers. Further professional uses to which the Optacon might be put are being evaluated by the RNIB, which is also keeping itself informed of the development of other new electronic machines.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what additional benefit is added to the supplementary benefit scale for blind persons; when this was last increased and by how much: what would be the additional benefit required to bring the purchasing power up to the same position at the time of the last increase and his estimate of the total cost of such an increase; and if he will make a statement;(2) why the special supplementary benefit for blind persons was not increased at the same time as increases were made in the supplementary benefits scales.

The supplementary benefit entitlement of blind claimants is assessed by reference to special scale rates which are £1·25 a week—£2·05 for a married couple where both are blind—higher than the scale rates which would otherwise apply. The blind scales are increased at each uprating along with the other scale rates, although the margin by which they exceed the other scales has remained at the same level in cash terms, apart from a small adjustment at the time of decimalisation, since 1962 when it was increased from £1·125—£1·875 for a married couple, both of whom are blind. From 1962 to November 1975, when the current rates were introduced, the scale rate for a single householder who is blind increased from £4·10 to £12·15, an overall increase considerably greater than the movement of prices over the same period. It will be further increased, subject to the approval of Parliament, to £13·95 from November next. The great majority of blind supplementary beneficiaries are assessed on the basis of the long-term scale rate, which for a single householder is currently £14·95 and will from November 1976 be £16·95. To increase the £1·25 margin itself in line with the movement of prices up to November 1975 would involve an increase of £2·15, at a cost of the order of £4½ million a year.The preferential margin, which is unique to the blind, is largely historical in origin and now represents something of an anomaly within the supplementary benefits scheme. Since the special scale rates were introduced in 1948, when national assistance replaced the former blind domiciliary schemes administered by local authorities, many other forms of disablement have been recognised. In the Government's view it is preferable to concentrate additional resources as these become available on non-means-tested benefits. and in accordance with this policy we have much improved the provision made for the disabled generally. Within the supplementary benefit scheme we think it appropriate to provide for the extra expenses of disablement on an individual basis through the discretionary powers of the Supplementary Benefits Commission. Where, in an individual case, the extra needs of blindness exceed the margin the excess may be provided for in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated total acreage occupied by mental handicap and mental illness hospitals with more than 200 beds in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority.

209 and 520 acres respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for the London North Region for the years 1965 to 1975: (a) the total annual capital expenditure on social services, (b) the total annual capital expenditure on services for the mentally ill within the social services' provision and (c) the total annual capital expenditure on services for the mentally handicapped within the social services' provision.

The personal social services were formed with effect from 1st April 1971, and for the years since then it is possible to show only the figures for (a) and the figures for (b) and (c) combined. These are:

LONDON NORTH REGION
	(a)	(b) + (c)
	£ millions	£ millions
1971–72	3·1	0·7
1972–73	5·4	1·4
1973–74	8·7*	1·7*
1974–75	8·4	1·6
* Excludes Luton CBC for which figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the likely future trends of after-care facilities.

I take it that my hon. Friend has in mind after-care facilities for the mentally ill. The likely future trends are discussed in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill", in particular Chapters 2 and 4.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what rules govern the use of DHSS benefit books as security from money loans; and if he is satisfied with the present regulation on this matter.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas) on 5th December 1975—[Vol. 902, c. 226.] The practice described is illegal and I am satisfied with the present provision for dealing with it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is his intention to introduce legislation, when economic conditions permit, to reduce the age of retirement for men from 65 to 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

This is a hypothetical question which I am not in a position to answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to publish the names of persons appointed to the panel which will comprise the National Development Team.

The development team panel has yet to be set up. The membership is not envisaged as being appointed on a long-term basis but as consisting of a relatively large number of specialists of a variety of disciplines most of whom are likely to serve for short periods at a time. It is not therefore practicable to publish a panel list. The names of associate directors of the team who will hold longer-term appointments were given in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 17th March.—[Vol. 907, col. 545–6.]Two pilot visits by the team are to be carried out, starting next month. Following this, further visits will be arranged and appropriate panel members appointed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that persons who are both blind and deaf automatically qualify for an attendance allowance.

While it is for the Attendance Allowance Board to decide whether any person satisfies the medical conditions for an attendance allowance, I was informed last year of the board's general view that a person with no guiding vision and also no useful hearing would usually qualify for a certificate at least enabling the lower-rate allowance to be awarded.I then informed all the major organisations representing the blind and the deaf that the board would reconsider new claims from likely beneficiaries whose claims had been rejected. I shall be grateful if my hon. Friend will let me have details of any particular case in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute a national inquiry into the condition, treatment and staff-patient relations within psychiatric hospitals.

My hon. Friend wrote to me about this proposal on 17th May and I shall be writing to him shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time that National Health Service patients have to wait to see a consultant in the orthopaedic departments of hospitals in the Liverpool Area Health Authority after their referral by their own general practitioner.

Averages are misleading since waiting time vary according to the consultant. The following figures indicate the range of waiting times at 31st March for non-urgent orthopaedic out-patient appointments at hospitals in the Liverpool Area.

Sefton Hospital	12–13 weeks
Royal Southern Hospital	6–8 weeks
Broadgreen Hospital	15–16 weeks
Liverpool Royal Infirmary	1–16 weeks
Mill Road Hospital	4–6 weeks
Alder Hey Hospital	3 weeks
Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital	1–3 weeks

Urgent cases are seen without delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between his Department and the Health and Safety Commission with regard to the dangers arising from the use of asbestos in hospitals and clinics; and if he will make a statement.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, by regions, the latest figures for disposable family income; and what is the Scottish figure as a percentage of the average for the United Kingdom as a whole.