Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Tuesday 29th June 1976

Devolution

77.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a ministerial broadcast on devolution to Scotland.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he can yet say at what stage in the forthcoming Session he proposes to introduce the Bill on devolution for Scotland and Wales; and if, in the light of the recent expression of opinion contained in the public opinion poll in Scotland, he will reconsider his decision not to hold a referendum on his proposals.

As my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council indicated in his statement to the House on 25th May—[Vol. 912, c. 270–3.]—the Government are determined to introduce the devolution Bill at the beginning of the next Session. I noted with interest the results of the recent opinion poll, but I do not consider that they make a referendum necessary.

Energy

Gas And Electricity Disconnections

73.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has made with the chairmen of gas and electricity boards about future disconnection policy.

My right hon. Friend has now received the comments of the Electricity Council and the British Gas Corporation on the recommendations in the report of the fuel payments inquiry. He is awaiting the views of the National Gas Consumers' Council and the electricity consultative councils. He will inform the House as soon as a decision is reached.

Offshore Supplies Office

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons are now employed in the Offshore Oil Supplies Office in Glasgow, and, of these, how many transferred from London.

At 1st June 1976 there were 115 staff in the Offshore Supplies Office, Glasgow, 18 of whom were transferred from London.

Nuclear Power Plant

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether it is Government policy to approve the grant of licences to companies to build small capacity nuclear plant for the production of electricity and/or process heat.

Planning permission from the appropriate authority and a nuclear site licence from the Health and Safety Executive would be needed for such plant. Each case would be considered. on its merits.

Home Department

Child Minding

74.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for illegal child minding in each of the last four years.

One person was proceeded against for offences under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948 in each of the years 1972, 1974 and 1975.

Parking Offences (Diplomatic Immunity)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases during each of the past five-year periods ending on the last available month for which records are available representatives of each of the embassies, high commissions and missions accredited to the Court of St. James's have been guilty of parking offences in respect whereof as a result of diplomatic immunity no fines have been paid; and how much would have been paid by each of these embassies, high commissions and missions concerned, had they not relied upon their diplomatic immunity.

The following table, compiled from provisional figures readily available from the Metropolitan Police, gives particulars of the total number of fixed penalty notices cancelled on grounds of diplomatic immunity from January 1971 to March 1976. It is not possible to give a breakdown by diplomatic mission of the final annual figures derived from statistical returns from all police forces in England and Wales. Owing to a major revision of the Metropolitan Police computer system, no figures broken down by diplomatic mission for the months June to September 1975 are available.The amount of fixed penalty specified in each notice was £2 in the case of those issued up to 31st August 1975 and £6 in the case of those issued subsequently.

FIXED PENALTY NOTICES CANCELLED ON GROUNDS OF DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY
					Number of notices cancelled
									January to May	October to December	January to March
					1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1975	1976
Afghanistan	…	…	…	…	46	65	106	42	6	20	36
Algeria	…	…	…	…	43	73	116	149	73	51	54
Argentine Republic	…	…	…	…	305	423	466	780	297	262	300
Australia	…	…	…	…	22	33	39	93	37	17	17
Austria	…	…	…	…	13	23	37	31	12	37	20
Bahamas	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	2	—	1
Bahrain	…	…	…	…	—	52	201	95	58	50	98
Bangladesh	…	…	…	…	—	4	214	409	135	88	125
Barbados	…	…	…	…	188	210	491	458	80	127	75
Belgium	…	…	…	…	60	125	293	270	61	42	41
Bolivia	…	…	…	…	8	17	28	85	56	28	23
Botswana	…	…	…	…	2	1	5	5	5	2	7
Brazil	…	…	…	…	—	—	412	493	167	141	324
Bulgaria	…	…	…	…	424	563	657	925	530	451	573
Burma	…	…	…	…	45	66	113	223	41	35	83
Cameroon	…	…	…	…	101	253	418	289	56	37	65
Canada	…	…	…	…	72	124	231	289	70	34	75
Chile	…	…	…	…	—	—	236	199	102	50	60
China	…	…	…	…	21	18	35	138	113	52	84
Colombia	…	…	…	…	8	39	75	35	13	33	64
Costa Rica	…	…	…	…	7	11	95	66	13	5	9
Cuba	…	…	…	…	898	1,747	2,163	2,708	1,246	755	1,110
Cyprus	…	…	…	…	437	1,185	2,069	2,191	748	655	926
Czechoslovakia	…	…	…	…	97	63	144	175	66	42	47
Dahomey	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	11	1	7	5
Denmark	…	…	…	…	45	74	213	258	55	49	47
Dominican Republic	…	…	…	…	52	58	44	52	23	29	26
Ecuador	…	…	…	…	129	261	336	207	126	49	80
Egypt	…	…	…	…	1,449	1,318	2,008	1,651	532	607	884
El Salvador	…	…	…	…	66	57	39	68	68	96	100
Ethiopia	…	…	…	…	117	247	281	222	38	42	28
Fiji	…	…	…	…	—	—	18	17	4	—	4
Finland	…	…	…	…	128	68	169	338	163	167	158
France	…	…	…	…	281	481	650	1,101	691	495	751
Gabon	…	…	…	…	55	14	62	99	41	76	89
Gambia	…	…	…	…	—	4	116	352	58	73	74
German Democratic Republic	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	51	44	33	34

					Number of notices cancelled
									January to May	October to December	January to March
					1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1975	1976
Germany, Federal Republic of	…	…	…	…	107	135	166	260	71	51	81
Ghana	…	…	…	…	596	1,394	1,574	1,209	422	341	452
Greece	…	…	…	…	304	737	1,575	1,327	297	299	525
Guyana	…	…	…	…	67	104	277	255	53	14	15
Haiti	…	…	…	…	13	16	28	26	6	3	10
Honduras	…	…	…	…	2	74	239	88	37	38	21
Hungary	…	…	…	…	714	1,042	1,363	1,375	329	250	323
Iceland	…	…	…	…	8	12	12	7	7	13	7
India	…	…	…	…	322	456	511	485	106	86	96
Indonesia	…	…	…	…	314	578	677	646	265	198	358
Iran	…	…	…	…	825	1,291	1,496	2,807	942	656	793
Iraq	…	…	…	…	243	100	290	345	111	164	279
Ireland, Republic of	…	…	…	…	156	136	152	99	51	38	34
Israel	…	…	…	…	218	170	599	954	387	222	286
Italy	…	…	…	…	117	145	217	301	130	102	96
Ivory Coast	…	…	…	…	280	275	349	279	92	95	157
Jamaica	…	…	…	…	197	791	991	831	432	328	474
Japan	…	…	…	…	21	25	78	272	194	132	275
Jordan	…	…	…	…	280	307	516	504	243	235	313
Kenya	…	…	…	…	52	319	305	436	177	110	173
Khmer Republic	…	…	…	…	4	17	23	47	14	—	—
Korea	…	…	…	…	111	632	1,217	1,047	368	352	342
Kuwait	…	…	…	…	288	420	925	886	307	183	322
Laos	…	…	…	…	20	4	13	20	3	4	3
Lebanon	…	…	…	…	96	91	90	169	91	37	80
Lesotho	…	…	…	…	7	8	12	44	26	33	79
Liberia	…	…	…	…	142	165	148	130	37	8	6
Libya	…	…	…	…	209	462	658	598	219	82	190
Luxembourg	…	…	…	…	4	3	18	24	13	7	7
Malagasy Republic	…	…	…	…	94	212	535	377	117	23	—
Malawi	…	…	…	…	73	175	288	118	65	36	31
Malaysia	…	…	…	…	481	521	1,041	1,160	344	264	371
Malta, Republic of	…	…	…	…	51	96	190	215	110	113	163
Mauritius	…	…	…	…	25	62	88	182	50	16	29
Mexico	…	…	…	…	166	306	398	363	225	190	197
Monaco	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	—	—	—	1
Mongolia	…	…	…	…	18	7	25	30	2	10	12
Morocco	…	…	…	…	242	292	206	257	71	46	43

					Number of notices cancelled
									January to May	October to December	January to March
					1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1975	1976
Nepal	…	…	…	…	4	1	9	11	7	7	4
Netherlands	…	…	…	…	15	11	13	19	8	8	6
New Zealand	…	…	…	…	4	—	—	—	4	—	1
Nicaragua	…	…	…	…	46	3	31	68	14	5	3
Nigeria, Federal Republic of	…	…	…	…	2,062	2,792	3,210	3,124	1,104	1,478	1,282
Norway	…	…	…	…	45	78	64	71	37	11	16
Oman	…	…	…	…	—	8	29	130	70	78	117
Pakistan	…	…	…	…	516	1,205	1,848	1,402	754	464	609
Panama	…	…	…	…	31	61	141	124	63	75	52
Paraguay	…	…	…	…	106	225	337	202	108	72	59
Peru	…	…	…	…	230	344	545	424	162	56	82
Philippines	…	…	…	…	19	33	54	155	45	27	32
Poland	…	…	…	…	314	548	858	1,549	483	268	543
Portugal	…	…	…	…	85	119	270	180	75	64	101
Qatar	…	…	…	…	—	12	115	336	205	195	435
Romania	…	…	…	…	31	85	253	341	185	232	257
Rwanda	…	…	…	…	—	—	3	—	—	—	—
Saudi Arabia	…	…	…	…	1,316	1,518	2,375	1,937	692	569	596
Senegal	…	…	…	…	272	156	192	190	22	50	61
Sierra Leone	…	…	…	…	223	298	546	614	358	182	259
Singapore	…	…	…	…	3	18	38	31	26	19	24
Somali Democratic Republic	…	…	…	…	167	43	91	43	40	29	29
South Africa, Republic of	…	…	…	…	5	23	28	6	7	10	48
Soviet Union	…	…	…	…	337	211	421	672	301	230	302
Spain	…	…	…	…	32	69	166	245	156	166	170
Sri Lanka	…	…	…	…	217	188	347	271	113	57	66
Sudan	…	…	…	…	43	214	273	453	207	227	330
Swaziland	…	…	…	…	—	—	15	60	17	23	59
Sweden	…	…	…	…	1	3	11	16	5	12	29
Switzerland	…	…	…	…	33	34	53	33	25	15	13
Syrian Arab Republic	…	…	…	…	—	—	14	139	76	22	45
Tanzania	…	…	…	…	38	82	259	389	196	151	117
Thailand	…	…	…	…	95	383	668	1,068	360	228	179
Tonga	…	…	…	…	—	1	1	7	4	1	2
Trinidad and Tobago	…	…	…	…	50	127	348	351	107	55	51
Tunisia	…	…	…	…	223	317	423	484	138	94	128
Turkey	…	…	…	…	615	1,207	1,070	1,052	320	181	251

	Number of notices cancelled
					January to May	October to December	January to March
	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1975	1976
Uganda	306	163	370	481	116	149	110
United Arab Emirates	—	—	105	119	181	70	65
United States of America	45	62	65	85	55	35	58
Uruguay	27	56	56	49	12	18	18
Venezuela	217	192	270	332	182	136	268
Vietnam	41	88	112	110	38	—	—
Yemen Arab Republic	23	65	259	282	57	53	57
Yemen, People's Democratic Republic	9	17	23	82	25	35	50
Yugoslavia	368	794	1,309	967	432	345	474
Zaire	71	178	330	378	164	131	167
Zambia	334	521	695	858	307	181	162
Commonwealth Secretariat	32	40	62	76	33	25	32
Eastern Caribbean Commission	—	—	5	—	—	—	—
EEC Commission	6	5	15	6	3	2	1
International Coffee Organisation	—	8	64	49	43	35	11
Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation	9	21	46	8	9	14	14
Western European Union	9	13	22	13	1	—	10
United Nations	—	—	—	—	1	—	17
Totals	20,661	31,892	48,798	52,839	20,398	16,106	21,013

Palestine Police

75.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if service in the Palestinian Police is now to be counted as war service for the purpose of police and other pensions, particularly in view of the proclamation made on 27th May 1942 by the High Commissioner for Palestine under Section 51 of the Police Ordinance, proclaiming that the police force should be a military force for the duration of the war.

No. It has been agreed that policemen and firemen may reckon war service for pension to the same extent that civil servants were permitted to do by the Superannuation Act 1946. That Act covered service in the Armed Forces of the Crown, the Merchant Navy and the mercantile marine. The Palestine Police Force was not one of the Armed Forces of the Crown.

Easter Bank Holiday

76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions Her Majesty's Government have held in the last two years with the British Council of Churches, with a view to establishing a fixed Easter Bank Holiday; what representations have now been received from the World and British Councils of Churches; and if he will now take a further initiative.

The Government continue to keep in touch with the British Council of Churches about the Easter Act 1928. We understand that while the British and World Councils of Churches are aware of sensitivities which make precipitate unilateral action undesirable, they are going ahead with consultations on the matter.As regards the Easter Monday Bank Holiday, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Sir G. de Freitas) on 28th April.—[Vol. 910, c. 99.]

Fairs (Safety Guide)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the Guide to Safety at Fairs; and if he will make a statement.

The Home Office guide to safety at fairs has been published today. It is a comprehensive document covering such matters as the structural, mechanical and electrical safety of amusement devices, their safe operation and maintenance, and general fire safety requirements. The guide is not a set of statutory requirements, but has been designed primarily to assist local authorities in their task of ensuring that reasonable precautions are taken for the safety of people attending fairs and similar places of entertainment. The guide should also be helpful to fairground and circus operators, manufacturers of amusement devices and others who are concerned with safety at fairs.

London Boroughs (Aid)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the interests of improving race relations, he will seek to provide special financial assistance to areas such as Ealing, Brent, Bradford, Leicester and Newham, which have a large immigrant population, to help overcome their employment, housing, education and social welfare problems.

Problems in the fields mentioned are dealt with under the Government's main public expenditure programmes which have regard to the differing needs of different areas. Special assistance is available however under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to help local authorities with substantial numbers of Commonwealth immigrants in their areas to meet the cost of employing extra staff; and substantial sums have been paid under this provision to the authorities named.

Northern Ireland

Export Trade

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what special facilities or financial aid are available to assist Northern Ireland firms in marketing their products abroad in view of their remoteness from major markets.

The full range of Government export services is available to firms in Northern Ireland and the functions of the new Northern Ireland Development Agency include the provision of advisory services in relation to marketing. In addition the Northern Ireland Agricultural Trust has as one of its responsibilities the development of the marketing of agricultural produce outside Northern Ireland.Some funds from the Northern Ireland Special Assistance Grant are used by the Seed Potato Marketing Board to assist promotional activities in connection with the sale of potatoes abroad.

Civil Service (Cost)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the Civil Service in each of the last five years.

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the Northern Ireland Civil Service, for which I am responsible. The cost of salaries of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, which consists now of some 22,500 non-industrial and some 11,000 industrial staff, was as follows:

					(£ million at 1975 PES prices)
1971–72	…	…	…	…	42·5
1972–73	…	…	…	…	45·7
1973–74	…	…	…	…	60·3
1974–75	…	…	…	…	74·8
1975–76	…	…	…	…	85·9

These figures naturally reflect the reorganisation of local government in Northern Ireland and the absorption of employees from local government into the Civil Service from 1st October 1973.

Environment

Buses

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list all the bus services introduced to provide alternative transport to withdrawn railway passenger services; and how many of these bus services have been terminated since 1962.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

Epsom (Gipsy Site)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now give a date for a public inquiry to be held into the College Road gipsy site, Epsom; and what representations he has received since the matter was referred to him by Surrey County Council in January 1976.

The Epsom and Ewell Borough Council has objected to the pro-proposal under Section 8(2) of the Caravan Sites Act 1968. A decision will be made shortly, but I cannot say at this stage whether my right hon. Friend will give a direction which might lead to his calling a public inquiry. Representations have been received from the Nork Ratepayers' and Residents' Association, the Drift Bridge Area Association, the Association of Ewell Downs Residents and the Longdown Lane South Residents' Association.

Euro-Routes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report all those routes in the United Kingdom which the Government have supported for designation as Euroroutes by the EEC authorities.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe is proposing to designate a network of roads of international importance to strengthen relations between European countries. The proposed United Kingdom routes are as follows:

E01—Larne, Belfast to Dublin and Wexford.
E05—Greenock, Glasgow, Carlisle, Preston, Warrington, Birmingham, Warwick, Banbury, Oxford, Newbury, Winchester and Southampton.
E13—Doncaster, Nottingham, Leicester, Northamton, Luton to London Outer Orbital.
E15—Inverness, Perth, Dunfermline, Berwick on Tweed, Newcastle, Darlington, Doncaster, Grantham, London Outer Orbital, Maidstone, Folkestone, Dover.
E16—Londonderry, Belfast, Larne, across sea to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
E18—Craigavon, Belfast, across sea to Stranraer, Gretna, Carlisle and Newcastle.
E20—Liverpool Warrington, Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and Hull.
E22—Holyhead, Bangor, Colwyn Bay, Chester, Warrington, Manchester-Leeds (via E20), Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Immingham.

E28—Birmingham, Kettering, Cambridge, Ipswich.
E30—Fishgard, Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol, Swindon, Reading, London Outer Orbital, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich and Felixstowe.
E32—Colchester, Harwich.

Vehicle Licensing

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in the event of delay in the issue of a vehicle excise licence, what steps he takes to inform local police forces thereof.

None. If the need arises, the licensing authority is always ready to confirm the date of receipt of an application.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average delay between the receipt of an application form for a motor vehicle excise licence and its acknowledgement.

Acknowledgements are not usually sent. The average time taken to issue a licence in response to a postal application is three and a half days at the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Centre, and about two days at local authority Motor Taxation Offices. But the great majority of licences are issued over the counter at local offices or post offices.

Traffic Census (M1)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what questions were asked and to what proportion of drivers on (a) private and (b) commercial vehicles during the traffic census at the southern end of the M1 on Tuesday 15th June; and what was the cost to public funds.

The questions asked at the roadside interview survey carried out on Al/A41 to the south of M1 on Tuesday 15th June were as follows:

"Could you please tell me where you are going"

"Could you give me the precise address, please"

"Could you tell me the reason for your journey"

"Could you please tell me the precise address from which you have just come"

"Could you tell me the precise address at which this vehicle was garaged last night".

In some cases further questions would have been asked to elucidate the answers.

These questions were addressed to ( a) 7 per cent. of car drivers and ( b) 5½ per cent. of commercial vehicle drivers.

The cost to public funds was £650.

Immigrants

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what account the rate support grant takes of increases in the immigrant population subsequent to the 1971 census.

The distribution of rate support grant takes into account differences in the overall expenditure needs of local authorities. Some of the factors used to distribute needs such as high density of population and lack of basic amenities will reflect the needs of areas with concentrations of immigrant population.

Joint Purchasing Agreements

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the economic benefits, if any, obtained by local authorities and ratepayers from joint purchasing agreements made under the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970.

Local authorities are not required to provide my right hon. Friend with these details. But such information as I have suggests that worthwhile savings are being obtained by local authorities by the exercise of powers available to them under this Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the Layfield Committee's criticisms of the Joint Advisory Committee on Local Authority Purchasing and the Local Authorities Management Services and Computer Committee, he will make a statement on arrangements for monitoring the working and the economic effects of the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970.

The Joint Advisory Committee on Local Authority Purchasing and the Local Authorities Management Services and Computer Committee are both organisations established by the local authority associations and have no direct connection with the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970. Any decision on the need to review the workings of that Act must await further consideration of the Layfield Report.

Local Government Spending

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities were listed as overspent in their projections for 1976–77 in the preliminary returns discussed at the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 26th May 1976.

The overspend revealed by the returns relates to an excess over a national expenditure figure accepted in the rate support grant settlement, and was not used in discussion at the consultative council to identify an overspend in terms of individual authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which he regards as "spendthrifts".

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) on 18th June.—[Vol. 913, c. 288.]

Government Cars

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the former five Prime Ministers avail themselves of the benefits of a Government supplied car; and whether he will give a breakdown of the estimated costs of the £10,600 per annum which the supply of these cars cost the Exchequer.

Two former Prime Ministers have the use of allocated Government cars.Of the estimated average cost of £10,600 for a fully allocated car for the year 1976–77, £5,700 is for wages and overtime, £1,200 is for national insurance, retirement pensions provision and subsistence allowances; £1,600 is for fuel, repairs, maintenance, accident damage repair, uniforms and other operating costs; £900 is for garaging, garage facilities and custodial services; £800 is for depreciation, interest on the current net value of vehicles and provision for third party compensation; and £400 is for administration.

Rural Roads

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the recent roadways strategy document, whereby many rural roads would be downgraded to the detriment of the rural population if these roads ceased to be maintained.

These roads are the responsibility of the local highway authorities and the report, which is available in the library, has been made to the Association of County Councils. I have however, previously stated that, where economies are made, I expect their impact to be greatest on the less heavily trafficked roads although operations affecting road safety should be substantially unchanged.

Art Exhibition (Members Of Parliament)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for an exhibition by Members of both Houses to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I have arranged with the authorities of the House for this exhibition of paintings to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 5th to 16th July 1976. I am grateful to the hon. Member for his efforts in the matter.

Cars

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of cars per 1,000 population in Wales, Scotland and England, respectively.

The provisional figures for 1975 are:

				Private cars and vans
Country				per 1,000 population
Wales	…	…	…	253
Scotland	…	…	…	199
England	…	…	…	259

Forms

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many forms are issued by his Department, or by agencies of which he is the sponsoring Minister; how many people or organisations are invited to respond to each of them; and what, briefly, is the general purpose of each.

The Department of the Environment has about 200 forms which are completed by members of the public. The number of people invited to respond to each of these could not be determined without incurring disproportionate costs.

Motorways

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of motorway are now open in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, respectively.

At 1st April 1976 there were 1,185 miles of trunk road motorway and 55 miles of local authority motorway in England. Motorways in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the respective Secretaries of State.

Traffic (Surveys)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Social Survey Division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is seeking information on behalf of his Department concerning the ways in which people get from place to place; and what is the cost to public funds of getting this information.

By means of the National Travel Survey my Department obtains data on people's travel patterns together with information on individual and household characteristics, thereby providing an essential input to transport policies. The cost of this survey covering 15,000 households is £270,000.

Airedale Trunk Road

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to announce the date of the inquiry into the proposed Airedale Trunk Road.

The arrangements for the inquiry have not yet been settled. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

Highway Inquiry Rules

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made regarding the Highway Inquiry Rules recently made by the Lord Chancellor.

No representations have been received since the rules of procedure were made by the Lord Chancellor on 7th May.

Building Regulations Advisory Committee

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations represented on his Building Regulations Advisory Committee.

Members of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee are not appointed as representatives of particular bodies but as individuals who are expert in various aspects of building design and construction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on which dates since 1st January 1976 his Building Regulations Advisory Committee has met; and when he expects the committee to meet again.

The Building Regulations Advisory Committee met on 28th January, 24th March and 26th May. Its next meeting is planned for 28th July.

Concrete (Calcium Chloride)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the PSA is currently allowing or specifying the use of admixtures containing calcium chloride in reinforced concrete on its estate, or in buildings which will become part of its estate; and, if not, when its use was discontinued.

When the Property Services Agency purchases or leases a building it is subject to a professional investigation into all aspects of its construction, including the use of calcium chloride, before the transaction is completed. The use of calcium chloride in buildings constructed under the agency's direction has not been allowed or specified since September 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when each of the 11 buildings in the PSA estate, referred to in his answer on 21st June, was constructed.

The dates of construction of the 11 buildings are: Ministry of Works huts at Halton, 1944; Plawsworth, 1945; Crook, 1945; Harrogate, 1938; and Beverley—incorrectly given earlier as Birtly—1943: four buildings at RAF Finningley, about 1938; Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, Titchfield, 1971; and Warren Springs Laboratory, Stevenage, 1958.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report names of the local authorities referred to in his answer of 21st June 1976 (Official Report, column 405).

Over the past 12 years or so the Building Research Establishment has received information on some 30 instances of deterioration of reinforced concrete containing calcium chloride. Some of the buildings concerned are in local authority ownership, but details of the authorities concerned and of the location and use of the buildings are not readily available. The information was in any event given to BRE in confidence.

Foreign Lorries

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce appropriate legislation to ensure that all foreign lorries arriving at British ports are subject to safety and weight checks before being allowed to drive on British roads.

The Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act 1972 already gives these powers. The making of checks on all foreign vehicles would however involve excessive demands on manpower and cause unacceptable congestion in some ports.

Kilnwick Level Crossing (Accident)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order a public inquiry into the accident on 20th June at the Kilnwick level crossing.

The incident is being investigated by the police and a railway accident inquiry would not be appropriate.

Housing Finance

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what methods he will ensure the planned reduction in rate fund contributions to English housing revenue accounts from £124·4 million in 1975–76 to £62·4 million in 1977–78, as outlined in Written Answers of 2nd March (Official Report, columns 561–2).

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th June 1976; Vol. 914, c. 35], circulated the following information:As a residual figure in a very large account, the projected trend in the rate fund contribution depends on the figures for revenue and expenditure on other items, as indicated in Cmnd. 6393. My guidance to, and discussions with, local authorities on these matters, including the expenditure to be taken into account for rate support grant next year, will be based on those assumptions.

Construction Industry Training Board

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what approximate current monthly rate of expenditure is incurred by the Construction Industry Training Board.

I have been asked to reply.I understand from the Manpower Services Commission that the estimated average monthly expenditure incurred by the Construction Industry Training Board in the current financial year is £2·1 million.

Defence

Sales

71.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what financial return his Department derives from the defence sales effort, to offset costs incurred and provide funds for further expansion.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23rd June 1976 to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Evans)—[Vol. 913, c. 523]—which provided the estimated receipts for overseas sales of defence equipment by MOD in recent years. The selling prices cover the cost of production of the items sold together with appropriate overhead costs including interest on capital employed. These receipts benefit the defence budget and the aim is to secure future overseas orders to the maximum extent possible. The effort devoted to defence sales is considered in the context of the Department's manpower planning.

Houses (North Weald)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the empty houses owned by his Department at North Weald he is prepared to sell or lease to the Epping Forest District Council; and if he will make a statement on the progress towards an agreement on this issue.

Eighteen houses at North Weald were recently offered on lease for two years to the Epping Forest District Council but were refused on grounds that the lease was too short. The district council's offer to purchase is at present under consideration.

Sales Exhibition

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the countries invited to send representatives to the British Army equipment exhibition at Aldershot; and which accepted;(2) if he will list the countries invited to send representatives to the symposium at HQRA Woolwich on Monday 21st June; and which accepted;(3) if he will name the representatives of Brazil who attended the British Army equipment exhibition.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) on 11th May 1976.—[Vol. 911, c. 125–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the success of the British Army equipment exhibition; and if he can give a preliminary estimate of the value of orders placed for equipment by countries which sent representatives.

The object of the exhibition was to display to potential customers, within the rules laid down by Her Majesty's Government, a wide range of British ground force equipment available for purchase. This it did successfully. The question of immediate orders did not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his policy to advise British suppliers of equipment shown at the British Army equipment exhibition to accept contracts from Israel and Arab countries alike.

Contracts are accepted, on merit, within the rules for defence sales Her Majesty's Government lay down.

Ranger Anti-Personnel Mine System

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the Ranger antipersonnel mine system is being offered for sale to all countries invited to send representatives to the British Army equipment exhibition at Aldershot.

All exports of defence equipment are considered for licences on a case-by-case basis within the rules Her Majesty's Government lay down.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Angola (Security Council Resolution)

72.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what vote was given on 31st March by the representative of Her Majesty's Government at the Security Council on the resolution deploring South African intervention in Angola; what reasons were given for his vote; and whether he will make a statement.

In company with the United States, France, Italy and Japan, Her Majesty's Government abstained on the resolution. Copies of Mr. Richard's two statements in the debate have been placed in the Library.

Belize

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps he intends to take to enable the people of Belize to achieve full independence in accordance with the resolution of the United Nations.

As my right hon. Friend told Parliament on 6th November 1975, our aim is to bring Belize to secure independence through negotiations with Guatemala. Since April we have been involved in negotiations with the objective of bringing Belize to independence as soon as possible.

Guatemala

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in recent months towards the improvement of relations between Great Britain and Guatemala.

The principal problem in relations between Great Britain and Guatemala is the dispute over Belize. We are currently involved in negotiations with Guatemala about the future of Belize.

Maputo Embassy Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs whether he will indicate, for each of the persons of seniority of third secretary or higher at the United Kingdom embassy in Maputo, how many have either direct commercial experience outside the Diplomatic Service or previously served in the Ministry of Overseas Development for a period of a year or more.

None. The ambassador has, however, considerable experience of commercial work within the Diplomatic Service from his service in missions at Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, Warsaw and Jerusalem. Embassy staff dealing with aid matters are fully briefed by the Ministry of Overseas Development before they take up their appointments in Maputo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list, for each Diplomatic Service grade, the number of staff at the United Kingdom embassy in Maputo, indicating also if appropriate, which are locally recruited staff.

The staff of the British Embassy at Maputo are as follows:

United Kingdom Based Staff
Ambassador	…	1
Second Secretary	…	2
Third Secretary	…	1
Accountant	…	1
Personal Assistant	…	1
Locally Engaged Staff
Commercial Officer	…	1
Typists/Clerks/Translators	…	4

European Community

Council Of Ministers

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a forecast of business in the Council of Ministers of the EEC during the month of July 1976.

A forecast of business likely to appear on the agenda of the Council in July has been deposited in the House.

Civil Service

Official Cars

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether, in view of the fact that former Prime Ministers are allowed the tax-free use of Government cars on grounds of security, he will make these provisions also available to all former Ministers for Northern Ireland;(2) whether, in view of the fact that former Prime Ministers are allowed free use of Government cars on security grounds, he will make these provisions also available to all former Ministers and existing Ministers who do not have the use of a Government car;(3) whether, in view of the fact that former Prime Ministers are allowed the tax-free use of Government cars on security grounds, he will make these provisions also available to all former Secretaries of State for the Home Department;(4) whether, in view of the fact that former Prime Ministers are allowed free use of Government cars on security grounds, he will make these provisions also alvailable to all former Ministers of Defence;(5) whether, in view of the fact that former Prime Ministers are allowed free use of Government cars on security grounds, he will make these provisions also available for all former Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

No. Special arrangements for the use of Government car service cars for security reasons are made only after an assessment of the threat against the individual concerned.

Peers (Official Appointments)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service haw many peers of the realm hold full or part-time official appointments with payments in salaries, fees or expenses; and what were the total amounts of such payments made to these persons for the last—or most convenient stated—financial year.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his Question of 21st January 1976—[Official Report, Vol. 904, c. 32.]—and also to the answers to his recent Questions put down to Ministers of the Government Departments sponsoring the official appointments in which he is interested.

Pensions

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the Civil Service Pay Research Unit is taking advice from independent bodies in its review of the cost of inflation-proofing Civil Service pensions; and how many representations he has received from outside bodies regarding the inadequacy of the present deduction from Civil Service pay for pension inflation-proofing.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 29th March. The Pay Research Unit is not concerned with the cost of inflation-proofing Civil Service pensions. The 1974 Pay Agreement provides for the Official and Staff Sides to review the provision to take account of differences in pension benefits with outside analogues annually on advice from the Government Actuary. This agreement is at present suspended. In the short time available for this answer I have not been able to trace any representations to me from outside bodies about the figure for adjusting for differences in superannuation benefits included in the 1974 agreement.

Public Relations (Staff)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish a table, under the headings of each Department concerned, of the 1,500 officers in Whitehall or its regional agencies who at present are employed in Government public relations, indicating the ditties of each.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 18th July 1975.—[Official Report, Vol. 895, c. 638–40.]—which included a table, by Department, of the 1,367 staff in post in the information officer group on 1st April 1975. The 1st April 1976 figures are not yet available centrally.Information staff are engaged on a variety of duties including general Government publicity, Press office work, recruitment advertising, exhibitions, internal information and making flilms. It is not possible to provide an analysis of information officers employed on particular duties without disproportionate cost.

Civil Service College (Edinburgh Centre)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will institute an immediate feasibility study into the future of the Edinburgh Centre of the Civil Service College, with particular reference to the proposals from the Local Staff Side Committee that the creation of a Scottish Assembly will give rise to a wide range of training needs, including those relating to the interaction of central departments, local authorities and other bodies, and that the centre should therefore be developed as a public sector staff college on a pilot basis; and if he will make a statement.

I will consider these representations in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. But I should point out that just as the future of the Edinburgh Centre of the Civil Service College is being considered in the context of the need to limit public expenditure any proposals for alternative use would have to be looked at in the same light.

Education And Science

University Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans his Department has for the expension of the university sector of education.

Plans for the expansion of higher education are set out in the White Paper on Public Expenditure (Cmnd 6393).

Physics Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of undergraduates reading physics; and how this compares with the figure for 1966–67.

In 1974–75, the latest academic year for which figures are available, the percentage of all full-time and sandwich course students reading physics for university or CNAA first degrees was 2·5. In 1966–67 the percentage was 3·3.

Overseas Students (Fees)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about overseas students' fees.

No.

Teachers (Employment)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the increase in the number of teachers unemployed, he will make arrangements for those student teachers who are finishing their training in the summer without any prospects of immediate employment, and existing teachers, to be offered further training in those specialities where there is a shortage of qualified teachers, namely, music and mathematics.

I have received a report from the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Training of Teachers about the retraining of newly qualified and existing teachers to teach subjects in which there is a continuing shortage and will shortly be consulting the local authority associations on its proposals.

University Of Wales Institute Of Science And Technology

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it remains his Department's policy to assist the removal of the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology from Cardiff to Llantarnam, Gwent; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypool (Mr. Abse) on 24th June.—[Vol. 913, c. 624–5.]

Pupil Costs (Redbridge)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average per capita cost per annum for a pupil attending maintained secondary modern, comprehensive and grammar schools, respectively, in the borough of Redbridge.

Details of expenditure and unit costs including unit costs for a secondary school pupil for individual local education authorities, are contained in the annual digest of education statistics published jointly by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and the Society of County Treasurers, copies of which are in the Library. Separate unit costs for different types of secondary schools are not available.

Industry

Textiles

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the textile and clothing industry has officially asked for assistance under the Industry Act; and, if so, what is his Department's attitude to this application.

The Government are considering a request from the wool textile industry for a further scheme of assistance in addition to the £18 million already allocated. They are also considering requests from the Lancashire cotton and allied textile industry and the British jersey fabric industry for schemes under Section 8 of the Industry Act 1972.

The Government have made £20 million available to the clothing industry under Section 8 of the Industry Act.

Assistance for employment-creating projects is already available to the textile and clothing industries under Section 7 of the Industry Act. The accelerated projects scheme under Section 8 can assist projects which have been shelved through lack of funds. These projects should be for new investment or modernisation, with a capital cost normally exceeding £500,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what aid is currently being given to the textile industry.

I give below the latest available figures showing identifiable financial assistance currently being given to the textile industry:

(a) Offers of assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, 12 months to 31st March 1976, £3·8 million;

(b) Regional Development Grants, 12 months to 31st March 1976, £10·8 million;

£13·6 million has been committed since the beginning of the scheme in July 1973, of which 7·5 million has been paid out to date.

(d) Research Associations, £480,000.

(e) One offer of assistance has been made under the accelerated projects scheme under Section 8 of the Industry Act.

In addition, 160 firms had applied for temporary employment subsidy up to 18th June 1976.

Postal Traffic

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the level of first and second-class postal traffic in each month of the year to 31st March 1976 compared with the corresponding month in the previous year.

I am advised that the Post Office does not produce separate monthly figures for first and second class postal traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the level of first and second-class postal traffic in the year to 31st March 1976; and how this compares with the previous year.

The Post Office tells me that during the financial year ended 31st March 1976 the provisional total of first class inland letters was 3,035 million—as against 4,353 million in the previous financial year—and the similar figure for second class mail 6,243 million—as against 5,881 million in the previous year. Hence, 32·7 per cent. were first class and 67·3 per cent. second class. I would emphasise that these figures are provisional and subject to audit.

Hs146 Aircraft

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he will announce his decision with regard to the development and manufacture of the HS146.

As I have assured hon. Members on a number of occasions recently, the Government are urgently examining the company's proposals for further limited Government expenditure to keep open the option of a future re-launch of the HS146. We shall announce our decision as soon as possible.

National Finance

Income Tax Thresholds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss in revenue if the income tax thresholds were raised to the supplementary benefit level for each person according to marital status and family size.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the loss in revenue would be if the income tax thresholds were raised to the family income supplement level for each person according to family size.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Child Allowances

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compare the rates and total cost, at current and at constant prices, of family allowances, welfare milk and free school meals in 1939, 1946 and 1976.

Complete figures for the years in question are not available.

		Current Prices			1974–75 Prices (1)
		1939–40	1947–48	1974–75	1939–40	1947–48	1974–75
		£	£	£	£	£	£
Rates of:
Family allowances (2)	…	Nil	0·25	0·90	Nil	0·96	0·90
	…			1·00			1·00
Child tax allowances (3)	…	75	72	240	366	277	240
				275			275
				305			305

			£ million		£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Cost of:
Family allowances (4)	…	…	Nil		57	344	Nil	219	344
Child tax allowances (5)	…	…	N/A		N/A	1,160	N/A	N/A	1,160
Welfare milk (6)	…	…	N/A	(8)	20	8	N/A	76	8
Free school meals (7)	…	…	1	(8)	1	22	4	5	22

Notes:

(1) 1939–40 and 1947–48 values increased in line with the General Index of Retail Prices.

(2) Scheme introduced 1946. 1974–75 rates: 90 pence for second child, £1 for subsequent children.

(3) 1939–40 and 1947–48 figures adjusted for earned income relief. 1974–75 rates: under 11 years, £240; 11–15 years £275; over 16 years £305.

(4) Subject to income tax and in 1974–75 "claw-back".

(5) Data for 1939–40 and 1947–48 is insufficient to make reliable estimates.

(6) National Milk Scheme introduced 1940. Schemes subsequently changed extensively.

(7) Based on prices charged for school meals.

(8) Some limited schemes were operated by local authorities.

Public Debt Servicing

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of servicing: (a) Government debt, (b) nationalised industry debt and (c) local

DEBT INTEREST PAYMENTS
£ million
			1974–75	1975–76^*	1976–77†
Payments by:
(A) Central Government	…	…	2,212	2,886	4,061
Local Authorities to:
(B) Central Government	…	…	727	947	1,070
(C) Other	…	…	1,232	1,275	1,488
Public Corporations to:
(D) Central Government	…	…	1,040	1,248	1,419
(E) Local Authorities	…	…	117	146	130
(F) Other	…	…	472	520	912
(G) Public Sector = A+C+F	…	…	3,916	4,681	6,461
^* Provisional.
† As shown in Financial Statement and Budget Report, 1976–77.

Income Tax (International Comparisons)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparing the top rate of income tax in Great Britain with the 10 countries throughout the world which have the lowest top rate of income tax, excluding local income tax.

child tax allowances and provision of Estimates relating to financial years 1939–48 and 1974–75 are set out below:

authority debt in the financial year ended 31st March 1975 and 31st March 1976; and what are the anticipated figures for the year to 31st March 1977.

Following is the information:

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, from international sources available to him, he will publish a table showing the 10 countries throughout the world with the highest top rates of income tax, excluding local income tax.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparing the starting point for income tax in the United Kingdom with that of each of the 10 countries throughout the world which have the lowest starting points for income tax, exclusive of local taxation.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, from international sources available to him, he will publish a table showing the 10 countries in the world which have the highest starting point for income tax, excluding local taxation.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Resources (Growth)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reproduce in the Official Report, Table 1.1, "The Growth and Use of Resources, 1974–1979" Command Paper No. 6393, on the basis of the actual growth of resources in 1974 and 1975, the forecast growth in 1976, and the growth rate forecast by OECD for the remainder of the period.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mrs. Castle) on 24th June. Until revised estimates for 1976 are available, it will not be possible to reproduce a forecast to 1979 on the basis proposed by the hon. Member.

Social Services

Hospital Waiting Lists

13.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current waiting list for serious operations in National Health Service hospitals in Wales and England, respectively; and what is that number expressed as a proportion of population, respectively.

The total number of patients on waiting lists in the surgical specialties in England at 30th September 1975—the latest available figures—was 496,613. Of this total, 32,818 cases were classified as urgent. The great majority of the remainder were waiting for intermediate and minor types of operation. These totals represent 10 per thousand and 0·71 per thousand respectively of the population in England.

28.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average waiting period before admission to hospital for non-urgent treatment in 1974–75, 1975–76 and to date in 1976.

I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested. However, recent statistics available show that of a total of 482,680 patients on waiting lists in all specialties in England on 30th September 1975, and classified as non-urgent, 136,085 had been awaiting admission for more than a year. The latest information about the waiting times of patients who have been admitted to hospital is contained in the report of the Hospital In-Patient Inquiry for the year 1973—Preliminary Tables (Table 2)—which gives average waiting times for various diagnostic groups of patients in each of the former hospital regions. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the table.

47.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the number of people awaiting treatment at National Health Service hospitals has increased since March 1974.

National figures for March 1974 are not available. The number of patients on hospital in-patient waiting lists in all specialties in England increased between 31st December 1973 and 30th September 1975—the latest date for which national figures are available—as follows:

31st December 1973	…	…	508,617
31st December 1974	…	…	517,424
30th September 1975	…	…	519,552

The provisional figures for numbers on waiting lists at December 1975 show a considerable increase, following the increase in new out-patient attendances during the final six months of 1975. During the first half of 1975 new outpatient attendances, as well as admissions, were lower than usual mainly due to industrial action by doctors, and in consequence fewer persons were added to waiting lists.

48.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to introduce methods to measure hospital waiting lists.

The numbers on waiting lists are already collected and published. A more important factor is the length of time patients have to wait for admission. We have begun the collection of new statistics giving broad information about the variation in waiting times for in-patient admission in different specialities and areas.

Child Interim Benefit

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the number of families who would be worse off if they claimed child interim benefit.

Taking the financial effects over the full year from April 1976 for which the benefit is payable, it is only in unusual circumstances that a person could be worse off as a result of claiming, even where paying tax and receiving means-tested benefits; but precise numbers cannot be estimated.

Family Income Supplement

19.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether family income supplement will be raised in April 1977 when family allowances for all first children are introduced.

The hon. Member will be aware that the prescribed income levels and maximum payments for family income supplements are being increased from 20th July of this year. Announcements about any future uprating of family income supplement will be made at the appropriate time.

Low-Income Families

20.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when figures relating to 1975 will be released showing the number of low-earning families facing an effective marginal rate of taxation of 75 per cent. or over.

Figures for 1975 showing the numbers of families theoretically subject to high marginal rates of taxation will be ready before the end of September.

Handicapped Persons

21.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements he has made to receive regular information from local authorities on their progress in identifying handicapped people under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

I receive annual returns from local authorities which include numbers of disabled people registered. These are supplemented by information from officials of my Department who maintain close contact with authorities on the planning and provision of personal social services. I have now received the report by Professor Malcolm Brown and Mr. Ric Bowl on surveys in pursuance of Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 carried out by local authorities prior to local government reorganisation. I am grateful to them for the work they have done.I propose shortly to place copies of this report in the Libraries of both Houses, together with a brief commentary by my Department. I have also received a copy of a report on a survey undertaken of "Outset" in the City of London to identify its handicapped residents. I propose in the near future to discuss these reports and other matters relating to disabled people with the local authority associations.It is my intention also to discuss the reports with the all-party Disablement Group in the House.

Crumpsall, Delarneys And Springfield Hospitals

22.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to replace the existing structures of the Crumpsall, Delarneys and Springfield hospital complex with a modern purpose-built structure in conjunction with the Medical Research Council.

The replacement of hospital facilities in the Crumpsall, Delarneys and Springfield complex is a matter to be considered by the North-West Regional Health Authority and the Manchester Area Health Authority in working out their strategic plans for the development of health services which they have been asked to complete by January 1977. I am not aware of any proposal to involve the Medical Research Council.

National Health Service (Administration)

23.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the present administrative structure of the NHS.

We strongly attacked the previous Government's plans for the reorganisation of the National Health Service incorporated in the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 as bureaucratic and undemocratic. My present aim is to streamline the management of the National Health Service within existing legislation.

National Insurance (School Leavers)

24.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the change of law on the school leaving age, he will take steps to ensure that all young school leavers in full-time employment are given full national insurance cover.

National insurance cover is derived from contributions which become payable from age 16. Age 16 was adopted in order to simplify the scheme and to be consistent with other social security legislation. Since April 1975 the contribution conditions for benefits have been relaxed and school leavers in full-time employment will generally become eligible for benefits sooner than they would have done under previous legislation. Cover for industrial injuries benefits is not dependent on the payment of contributions and is available immediately a person takes up work as an employed earner.

Child Benefit Scheme

25.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received over the postponement of the child benefit scheme.

55.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received relating to child benefit provisions.

64.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning his decision to postpone implementation of the child benefit scheme; and what replies he has sent.

67.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received asking him to reconsider his decision not to implement the child benefit scheme.

I would refer the hon. Members to my reply earlier today to the hon. Members for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) and Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold).

40.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations have been made to him by the TUC over the postponement of the child benefit scheme.

58.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the TUC, or from individual unions, concerning the child benefit scheme.

I have received no formal representation from the TUC, but the child benefit scheme has been included within the continuing discussions between the Government and the TUC. I have had representations from the AEUW and the ASTMS about the postponement of the Child Benefit Scheme but, as I made clear in my reply earlier today to the hon. Members for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) and Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold) we are going ahead with the scheme but in a modified form.

66.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the Selly Oak Constituency Labour Party about the Government's decision not to implement the child benefit scheme.

A letter from the Secretary of the Selly Oak Constituency Labour Party was received in my Department on 23rd June. The letter passed on to me the text of a resolution deploring the Government's decision not to implement the Child Benefit Scheme. In fact, as I made clear in my reply earlier today to the hon. Members for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) and Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold), we are going ahead with the scheme but in a modified form.

Family Allowances

26.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now call all family allowances by the name child benefit.

Child benefit, paid under the Child Benefit Act 1975, will replace family allowances in April 1977.

Widows

27.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the provisions available to help widows who are bereaved before reaching the age of 50 years in order not only to consider the criteria of possible future employment as recommended in the Beveridge Report, but also the burdens of family responsibility which may be heavier on widows of this age than those over 50 years of age.

The family responsibilities of a widow with dependent children are already recognised by the payment to her of a widowed mother's allowance, for which she can qualify regardless of her age. Age-related pensions exist for women without children who are widowed between the ages of 40 and 49 and are a recognition of the fact that they may have difficulty in re-establishing themselves in well-paid employment.

Hospital Patients (Cost)

30.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the saving at current prices if the average length of stay of hospital patients—excluding geriatric and psychiatric patients—was reduced by one day.

The potential savings would be in the region of £50 million in prices as at November 1975, the latest date for which the calculation can be made. The achievement of these savings would be dependent on reducing the number of beds; otherwise expenditure would increase with increased turnover.

Retirement Pension

31.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the size of the retirement pension for Mrs. Wootten of 7 Stowell Crescent, Wareham, Dorset, which was first queried in October 1975, has not yet, despite continuing correspondence with the hon. Member for Dorset, South, been finalised; and in how many other cases in the last 12 months the assessment of retirement pension has been delayed by six months or more.

No records are kept of the time taken to determine the rate of retirement pension in individual cases, but I can assure the hon. Member that the case of his constituent, about which I shall be writing to him, is quite exceptional. Meanwhile I am glad to say that we have been able to decide the issue. Mrs. Wootten has been awarded pension at her full rate and the appropriate arrears have been sent to her.

32.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute an inquiry to establish whether the present and proposed rates of retirement pensions are adequate to enable pensioner households to purchase an adequate nutritive diet.

My right hon. Friend does not think such an inquiry is necessary. The Chief Medical Officer's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy is responsible for the nutritional surveillance of the population, including pensioner householders. It has found no cause for concern about the nutritional status of pensioner households.

52.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men first drew their pensions during 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.

I regret that the information is not available for 1972 or 1973. In the other years to which my hon. Friend refers, the estimated numbers of men awarded retirement pensions, including old person's pensions, were as follows:—

Year				Awards
1971	…	…	…	290,000
1974	…	…	…	265,000
1975	…	…	…	278,000

Ealing (Hospital)

34.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has had representations made to him concerning delay in completing a new hospital in the constituency of Ealing, Southall.

Yes, and I have written to my hon. Friend.

Hospitals (Staffing)

35.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he anticipates any hospital staffing difficulties during the holiday periods.

39.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that adequate hospital staffing levels will be maintained during the summer holidays in each region.

50.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to ensure that all emergency work is covered in hospitals during holiday periods.

These are matters in the first place for individual employing authorities. I am not expecting serious difficulties.

Attendance Allowance

36.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will announce the date from which he will authorise payment of attendance allowance to the foster parents of mentally handicapped children.

43.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will announce the date from which he will authorise payment of attendance allowance to the foster parents of mentally handicapped children.

The question of payment of attendance allowance to foster-parents where the child satisfies the medical requirements of the scheme is still under consideration.

Doctors (Emigration)

37.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what medical specialities the emigration of United Kingdom doctors is causing particular staffing problems.

45.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what specialities of medical treatment the emigration of United Kingdom doctors is causing staffing problems.

There are relative shortages in staff in geriatric medicine, psychiatry and the support specialties. Though these are due largely to rapid expansion in recent years, any emigration of doctors in these specialties naturally exacerbates the situation. There is some indication that this is most marked in anaesthetics, radiology and pathology, specialties in which world demand is high.

Junior Hospital Doctors (Contract)

38.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received from the Junior Hospital Doctors' Association over the junior doctors' contract.

I have sent the hon. Member a copy of my recent correspondence with the Junior Hospital Doctors' Association.

51.

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

63.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the revised Department of Employment advice on junior doctors' contracts.

Negotiations between the Departments and the professions on detailed amendments to the terms and conditions of service consequential upon the agreement reached last December are continuing. I am in close touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment on aspects relating to counter-inflation policy.

European Community (Harmonisation)

41.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he intends to make to the EEC Commission about harmonising social security systems.

I cannot usefully add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) on 14th June.—[Vol. 913, c. 45.]

Heating Allowance

42.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to increase the take up of heating allowances next winter.

This is a matter for the Supplementary Benefits Commission, which has power to make additions to the weekly rate of supplementary benefit in cases where there are exceptional circumstances. The number of additions to provide for extra heating has increased substantially and is continuing to increase. In November 1973, 503,000 supplementary beneficiaries—including 445,000 supplementary pensioners—were receiving such additions. By February 1975 the figure had increased to 744,000–644,000 pensioners—and by February 1976, the most recent date available, to 1,010,000–849,000 pensioners. Currently, over 50 per cent. of supplementary pensioners receive additions for extra heating.

Cash Credits

44.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to introduce a system of social security cash credits to replace tax allowances.

None.

National Health Service

46.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated growth of the National Health Service needed over the next five years to maintain current levels of service after taking account increases in the number of elderly and disabled.

It is estimated that an annual growth in National Health Service resources of about 1 per cent. will be required over the next five years to maintain current levels of service for the changing population.

Health Service Charges

49.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage increase in annual revenue would accrue if health service charges were increased to take account of the rise in price since 1973, assuming no change in demand.

Charges for pay and amenity beds in hospitals have been increased in line with costs since 1973. It is estimated that income from charges for the family practitioner services would increase by 34 per cent. if they were raised to take account of price rises since 1973.

Psychiatrists

53.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the distribution of consultant psychiatrists in England and Wales.

No. There are long-standing disparities in staffing levels between different parts of the country. The aim is to achieve a better distribution of consultants by encouraging a faster rate of growth in the parts of the country where staffing levels are lower, and by approving new consultant posts preferentially in such places.

Wendling Reception And Assessment Centre, Camden

54.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the gross cost of running Wendling reception and assessment centre in Camden, for the 12 months ended 31st December 1975; and what was the total number of child/nights spent at that centre during the same period.

I understand from the London borough of Camden, which provides Wendling observation and assessment centre, that the gross cost of running the establishment in the year ended 31st March 1976 was £72,400. During the same period the number of child/nights was 3,051, but the council asks me to point out that, following a fire in 1974, some of the centre's 14 places have been out of use.

Hospital Bed Occupancy

56.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has given to area health authorities about reducing the length of hospital bed occupancy.

The time a patient stays in hospital is a matter of clinical judgment. The steady reduction over the years of the average length of stay—for example, the fall was at the rate of 2·6 per cent. per year between 1970 and 1973—has followed earlier ambulation after illness, advances in medical technology and increasing effectiveness of the community services. Apart from such clinical factors, effective management of the use of hospital beds can contribute appreciably to shorter durations of stay and advice on this aspect has been frequently offered to health authorities. Their attention has been drawn to such factors as the desirability of planned admission and discharge of patients, and the presentation of clear and simple statistical information to assist consultants and others concerned in the use of hospital beds.

Montagu Hospital, Mexborough (Casualty Department)

57.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that the casualty department at the Mexborough Montagu Hospital is kept open, each day, from 6 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. as minimum hours of service until the requisite number of medical staff can be obtained for a 24 hour service.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 27th January.—[Vol. 904, c. 173–4.] At its meeting on 8th July, the Rotherham Area Health Authority will consider proposals on the opening hours of the casualty department of the Montagu Hospital, Mexborough, and in doing so will take account of comments received on its consultative document "Hospital Bed Provision 1977–78".

Sydenham Children's Hospital

60.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the future of Sydenham Children's Hospital.

Health authorities have been asked to draw up plans for both the short and the long term development of the services for which they are responsible. Mealwhile the area and regional health authorities concerned have been assessing the priority which can be given to the improvements now required at this particular hospital.

Family Allowances And Benefits

61.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the expected change in cost between 1st April 1976 and 1st April 1977 in administering help to families in the United Kingdom, including family allowances, child benefit and tax allowances.

The cost, expressed in annual terms, of administering family allowances, child interim benefit and child tax allowances as at 1st April 1976 is some £32 million, as compared with an estimated cost of £48 million at 1st April 1977 for administering child benefit and child tax allowances.

Mobility Allowance

62.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will reconsider extending the categories of entitlements to mobility allowance to cover those suffering from agoraphobia.

I recognise the problems of agoraphobics and of other groups to which my attention is frequently drawn. I am, however, sure that the priorities we have announced are right in present circumstances. The mobility allowance is being introduced to give assistance to those disabled people who are unable to walk, or virtually unable to do so, because of physical disablement. The allowance also ends the anomaly of the previous scheme under which help for those unable to walk depended on ability to drive.

Poverty Trap

65.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the Government's present attempts to eradicate the poverty trap.

In practice, the worse effects of poverty trap affect few families. We are satisfied that we are doing as much as possible, with the resources available, to minimise its effect.

Child Credit

68.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of paying a £2 child credit to the first child only in each family.

The extra cost of paying £2 for the first child only in each family, net of savings in social security benefits, would be about £635 million a year.

Sportsmen (Injuries)

69.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend Section 50(5) of the Social Security Act 1975 to include professional sportsmen as eligible for injury benefit if they sustain an accident whilst engaged in sporting events outside the United Kingdom.

Industrial accidents which occur in the countries of the EEC or in most of the other countries with which we have reciprocal agreements on social security are covered either under the United Kingdom Industrial Injuries Scheme or the corresponding scheme of the other country. A general extension to cover all such accidents overseas has been considered on a number of occasions but the conclusion has always been that such an extension would be impracticable, mainly because of the difficulty in establishing whether the conditions governing title to benefit were satisfied. That remains the position, but extensions of cover by way of reciprocal agreements will continue to be made whenever possible.

Smoking

70.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many working days were lost as a result of illness caused by cigarette smoking in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the cost to the nation in sickness benefit.

The information available relates to days of incapacity for work recorded in connection with national insurance claims. This information does not include the underlying cause or causes of the incapacity. Recorded days of incapacity for the three main groups of diseases which have been commonly associated with smoking, during the year 3rd June 1974 to 31st May 1975, are as follows:

Lung cancer (ICD 162, 163): 60,000.
Chronic bronchitis and Emphysema (ICD 491, 492): 10 million.
Coronary heart disease (ICD 410, 414): 6¾ million.
Total: About 17 million.

The cost of these days in terms of sickness and invalidity benefit expenditure—based on an average benefit rate and an "average" beneficiary—was approximately £41 million.

Hair Dyes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will refer to the Medicines Commission as a matter of urgency the need to control cosmetic products and prevent damage to health caused by the absorption of nitropheny-lenediamine hair dyes through the skin.

I have been asked to reply.Studies in the United States of America and the United Kingdom have shown mutagenic effects in some hair dyes. But long-term carcinogenicity tests have so far produced no evidence that these dyes produce cancer. Further studies are being carried out and I am keeping the matter under review in consultation with the Government's medical advisers. In the meantime, I do not consider there is any need to refer this matter to the Medicines Commission.I hope to be able to circulate later this year draft Regulations prescribing safety requirements for cosmetics generally, based on the EEC directive now nearing adoption.

Unemployment Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue a circular to all unemployment benefit offices in order to ensure uniformity of treatment in respect of applicants aged 16 to 18 years intending to take up vocational courses after the summer holidays.

Present instructions are designed to secure uniformity of treatment but, if my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, perhaps he would be good enough to let me know.

Health Services (Peterborough)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the percentage of surgical beds per 1,000 of population in the Peterborough Health District compared with Cambridgeshire as a whole, with Norfolk and with England and Wales;

(2) what is the provision of medical beds per 1,000 of population in the Peterborough Health District compared with Cambridgeshire as a whole, with Norfolk and with England and Wales;

(3) what is the hospital waiting list in all specialities in the Peterborough Health District compared with Cam-

			General Surgical beds per thousand population	General Medical beds per thousand population	Hospital In-patient waiting list at 31st December in all specialties
			General Surgical beds per thousand population	General Medical beds per thousand population	Number	Number per thousand population
Peterborough Health District	…	…	0·96	0·75	1,864	11·06
Cambridgeshire	…	…	0·52	0·51	5,515	10·20
Norfolk	…	…	0·58	0·35	10,796	16·60
England and Wales	…	…	0·65	0·64	553,283	11·25

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average list size of general practitioners in the Peterborough Health District compared with the figures for Cambridgeshire as a whole, with Norfolk and with England and Wales.

Provisional estimates of the average list sizes of all unrestricted principals as at October 1975 are as follows:

Peterborough Health District	…	2,500
Cambridgeshire	…	2,350
Norfolk	…	2,240
England and Wales	…	2,360

Children's Allowances

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost, in the current financial year, of paying non-taxable children's allowances at the rate of: (a) £5 and (b) £6 per week to all children under the age of 16 years, and to all children under the age of: (a) 18 years and (b) 21 years, who are in full-time education.

The estimated costs, net of savings in social security benefits, are set out in the following table:

Maximum age of children (in full-time education)	Assumed rate of children's allowance (per week)	Net Benefit cost (£ million)
18	£5	2,515
18	£6	3,160
21	£5	2,665
21	£6	3,340

These figures take no account of the consequential loss of tax to the Exchequer through replacing some taxable benefits with a tax-free allowance.

bridgeshire as a whole, with Norfolk and with the average for England and Wales.

The following figures relate to the hospital services managed by the district management teams and area health authorities concerned, and give the position in 1974. Figures for 1975 will be available shortly, and I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Benefits And Allowances

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated total net cost in the current financial year of each of the following: child tax allowances, family allowances, family incomes supplement, child additions to national insurance benefits, child additions to supplementary benefit, non-contributory invalidity pension and other non-contributory benefits.

The estimated costs of the specified benefits and allowances in respect of children in the current financial year are as follows:

	Million
Child tax allowances	£1,510
Family allowance (including child interim benefit)	£285
Family incomes supplement	£18
Child additions to national insurance benefits	£265
Child additions to supplementary benefit	£125
Child additions to non-contributory invalidity pension	£2
Child additions to other non-contributorv benefits	£5

The amounts for the benefits shown are net of tax.

Homeless Persons (Working Party's Report)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish and make a statement on the Interdepartmental Working Party Report on the Young Homeless.

I hope to make a statement regarding publication of this report in the near future.

Surgeons And Consultants (Retirement Age)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the long waiting lists for surgical attention, he will discourage area health authorities from retiring surgeons and consultants at the age of 65 years.

It is within the discretion of employing authorities to retain hospital medical staff beyond the age of 65 years, and they will no doubt consider doing so in any case where shortage of staff is a problem. Such shortages are by no means the only reason for long waiting lists, and in surgery, in particular, there is no difficulty in recruiting doctors to replace retiring consultants or to fill new consultant posts.

Hearing Tests (Audiograph Records)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue instructions to ENT departments of National Health Service hospitals to make available to the patient concerned a copy of the audiograph record of a hearing test upon request.

Audiograms are part of the confidential medical records of a patient, but a consultant can, at his discretion, give a patient a copy of his audiogram on request. My right hon. Friend does not feel that this is an appropriate matter on which to issue instructions to ENT departments.

Psychosurgical Operations (Wessex)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals within the Wessex Regional Health Authority are equipped and staffed to carry out psychosurgical operations; and which they are.

The Neurological Unit at Southampton General Hospital is the only unit equipped and staffed to carry out operations which would fall into this category.

Disabled Persons (Working Party)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the first meeting of the working party under the chairmanship of Lord Snowdon on disabled persons was held; how many times it has met; when he expects to receive a report; and if he will make a statement.

The Working Party on Integration of the Disabled is an independent body under the chairmanship of Lord Snowdon and financed by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases. The first meeting was held on 23rd October 1974 and I understand that 82 meetings have now been held. The final report is expected in the early autumn. I have a close interest in the work of the Committee and will carefully study its report when this is available.

Child Minders' Fees

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce an allowance where parents have to pay child minders' fees, especially in the case of one-parent families.

No.

Children's Meals (School Holidays)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce an allowance for children's meals during holiday periods, where the parent has to meet the cost, when during school terms it may be possible for free school meals to be obtained.

No. I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the children of supplementary benefit recipients. Supplementary benefit scale rates are intended to cover all normal requirements, but the provision of free school meals during term time is disregarded in calculating entitlement to benefit. As with other "disregards", it would therefore be inappropriate for the supplementary benefits scheme to replace the additional benefit they represent when free school meals are not available.

Hospital Patients (Meals)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in order to provide additional finance for the National Health Service, he will seek to charge those patients whose income is sufficient to enable them to pay the economic cost of meals provided for them in hospitals.

A hospital meals charge on the lines suggested would present a number of difficulties and would be very expensive to administer. There are no plans at present to introduce such a charge.

Boscombe Hospital (Casualty Service)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now take steps to ensure that a full casualty service may be restored at Boscombe Hospital.

The Dorset Area Health Authority is responsible in the first instance for the planning and provision of health services in its area.Major casualty services for the East Dorset Health District are now concentrated at Poole General Hospital following full local consultations, and the area health authority therefore has no plans to restore a full service to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Boscombe.

Hospital Services And Community Care (Finance)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of funds available to the NHS is presently devoted to the provision of hospital services; and what proportion to the provision of community care.

Excluding centrally financed services, about 70 per cent. of NHS funds are used for the hospital services and about 30 per cent. for the provision of community care.

Preventive Medicine

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to increase the introduction of preventive medicine in schools, colleges, workplaces and elsewhere.

The Government's recently published consultative document "Prevention and Health: Everybody's Business" aims to stimulate interest in prevention in all sections of the community and to encourage health and local authorities and others to give greater attention to prevention in planning priorities and allocating resources. Responsibility for schools curricula rests with local education authorities, but I am aware that local authorities are co-operating closely with health authorities, the Schools Council and the Health Education Council in developing health education in schools. Discussions are in progress between officials of my Department and the Health and Safety Executive with a view to the publication later this year of a consulta- tive document on occupational health services, as the second in a series of specialised follow-up papers to "Prevention and Health: Everybody's Business".

National Health Service (Lottery)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in order to prevent the need for cuts in the National Health Service, he will seek powers to promote a national lottery, the whole of the profits of which would be allocated to the NHS.

Under present legislation such a lottery would not be lawful. I should be prepared to consider the idea further in the light of the Government's future policy on gambling in general.

Dentistry

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to exchange hospital and general practitioners in dentistry.

The question of such plans does not arise, since already a part-time hospital dentist may arrange to provide general dental services outside the hospital service and a general dental practitioner may undertake part-time clinical work in hospital in an appropriate hospital grade.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many dentists are employed: (a) full-time and (b) part-time in the school dental service.

It is not possible to identify the number of dentists employed solely in the school dental service as these officers also devote some of their time—about 5 per cent.—to the dental care of mothers and young children.The numbers employed in the school and priority services in England and Wales at 30th September 1975 were (

a) 1,197 full-time and ( b) 956 part-time. The whole-time equivalent of all staff was 1,485. There were, in addition, 98 administrative dental officers in post, a major part of whose duties are concerned with the adminstration of the school dental service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to encourage preventive dentistry among recent school leavers.

As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton) on 12th April, a great deal of information about preventive dentistry is available from dentists and other sources.I recognise, however, that there is a particular problem about continuing dental care when a child leaves school. I expect that the Child Health Services Committee will have something to say on this and I am meantime awaiting its report.—[Vol. 909, c.

419.]

Dental Rate Study Group

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the membership of the Dental Rate Study Group, and the dates of appointment of the members and the duration of such appointments in the Official Report.

Apart from the chairman, membership of the Dental Rates Study Group is not by appointment. The study group consists of representatives of the health departments and the dental profession in equal numbers under an independent chairman. The health departments are represented by seven civil servants who are directly concerned in their everyday duties with the general dental services. The dental profession's representatives are nominated by the General Dental Services Committee of the British Dental Association and comprise five general dental practitioners, a consultant statistician and an officer of the British Dental Association. There is no fixed duration for membership and the representatives change from time to time.The present chairman, an accountant unconnected with the dental profession or the health departments, was appointed in 1975 by the Secretaries of State for Social Services, for Scotland and for Wales.

Benefits (Non-British Citizens)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give, for the most convenient stated date, the total number of non-British citizens drawing social security benefits and the total amounts being drawn.

Details of payments made to non-British citizens are not recorded separately; this information is not therefore available.

Chronically Sick And Disabled Persons Act 1970

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the increase in the number of patients under 65 years of age resident in accommodation used for the care of elderly persons reported in the statement for 1974–75 under Section 17 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23rd June 1976: Vol. 913, c. 569], circulated the following information:The small increase in the year ending June 1975 is due in the main to the reclassification of some wards by some area health authorities. Until next year's figures are available, it will not be possible to say whether the increase represents a change in the general trend downwards. Since these statistics were first collected in October 1971, there has been an overall decrease of 31 per cent. in the number of younger handicapped patients unsuitably accommodated in wards for the elderly.

Prices And Consumer Protection

Cost Of Living

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what she estimates is likely to be the increase in the cost of living when the price check scheme ends.

The main influence on the cost of living in the latter part of 1976 will be the continued restraint on pay. The annual rate of inflation has fallen markedly since February, when the Price Check Scheme was introduced, from 22·9 per cent. to 15·4 per cent. last month; and the Government expect the fall to continue.

Price Code

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when she expects to announce changes in the Price Code.

I propose to publish on Wednesday 30th June a White Paper containing a consultative document on modifications proposed to the Price Code. Copies of the consultative document will be available in the Library and Vote Office from 3.30 p.m. tomorrow.

Consumer Representation (Nationalised Industries)

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when she expects to receive the National Consumer Council report of its review of consumer representation in the nationalised industries.

I have now received the report and will be studying it in consultation with my right hon. Friends. I have asked the National Consumer Council to publish it in the near future and shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library when the published report is available.

Trade

Cotton Shirts (Imports)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of imports to the United Kingdom of cotton shirts from: (a) South Korea, (b) Taiwan and (c) Hong Kong for each of the last 12 months.

Following is the information:

£'000
		Republic of Korea	Taiwan	Hong Kong
1975—
May	…	11	47	1,230
June	…	3	74	2,152
July	…	3	51	2,064
August	…	1	23	1,797
September	…	7	12	1,270
October	…	23	4!	2,621
November	…	47	100	1,400
December	…	39	4	2,006
1976—
January	…	33	39	1,623
February	…	116	132	2,266
March	…	21	37	1,799
April	…	9	51	2,013

Note: These figures cover both woven and knitted shirts.

Forms

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many forms are issued by his Department, or by agencies of which he is the sponsoring Minister; how many people or organisations are invited to respond to each of them; and what, briefly, is the general purpose of each.

The number of statistical forms issued by my Department to firms engaged in the distributive and service trades in 1975 was 344,000. Full details were given to the hon. Member for Harrow, Central (Mr. Grant) on 5th April 1976—[Vol. 909, c. 77.] The purpose of the inquiries is to provide a wide range of information about economic developments for use by the Government and by industry and trade and by the public generally. The statistics provide the basis, for example, for the quarterly national income accounts; statistics of the turnover of the retail and catering trades; statistics of capital expenditure, investment intentions and stock changes, and so on.

Brazil

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list any agreements on trade or contracts placed with British firms which provide improved opportunities for the expansion of exports from Great Britain to Brazil, which arose as the result of the visit of President Geisel to the United Kingdom.

During the State visit of President Geisel a number of economic co-operation agreements were concluded which will provide improved opportunities for the expansion of exports from Great Britain to Brazil. These were:

(i) A Memorandum of Understanding was signed concerning the Acominds steel works in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. British industrial and banking concerns will lead European participation in the construction of the steel works. Orders for British goods and services will be placed to the value of approximately i110 million;

(ii) An agreement was signed between the Brazilian State Steel Holding Company and a British bank for £50 million line of credit to finance the purchase of United Kingdom equipment for the Brazilian steel industry;

(iii) A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Brazilian Federal Rail Network and British participants for the supply and financing of equipment and services for the Belo-Horizonte/Volta Redonda railway, together with complimentary rail links. Orders for United Kingdom goods and services should amount to approximately £128 million;

(iv) An agreement on the transfer of technology relating to the construction of offshore platforms between a British firm and the Brazilian National Steel Company was ratified, and

(v) A British bank and Brazil's National Bank for Economic Development (BNDE) arranged a £20 million line of credit for the purchase of United Kingdom capital goods and equipment for medium-sized industrial projects in Brazil supported by BNDE.

Footwear

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will restore the full rate of duty on imports into the United Kingdom of footwear from Spain.

Yes. The full rate will apply from 1st July to imports from Spain of footwear and other industrial products.

Scotland

Housing (Western Isles)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the light of the survey carried out by Inverness County Council in 1972 showing a high percentage of the housing stock in Barra and South Uist as below tolerable standard, he is prepared to accord assistance to the Western Isles Islands Council to overcome this problem, on a proportional scale to that being allocated to areas in Glasgow.

Resources are available for the improvement of houses below the tolerable standard, whether in Barra and South Uist or elsewhere in Scotland.

Houses (Building Costs)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the construction costs of a one-, two- and three-bedroomed council house, respectively, in 1966, 1970, 1974 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

The estimated average construction costs of a one-, two-, and three-bedroomed local authority house in 1975—excluding site servicing and fees—were £8,380, £9,750 and £10,770 respectively. Details for earlier years are published in "Housing and Construction Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library.

Infant Mortality

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the current level of infant mortality in each health board area.

The infant mortality rates—i.e. deaths under one year—per 1,000 live births in each health board area of Scotland for 1975 are given in the table below.

INFANT MORTALITY PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS, HEALTH BOARDS, SCOTLAND, 1975 (PROVISIONAL FIGURES)
Health Board		Infant Mortality per 1,000 Live Births
Highland	…	18
Orkney	…	8
Shetland	…	7
Western Isles	…	21
Grampian	…	11
Tayside	…	12
Fife	…	16
Lothian	…	16
Borders	…	12
Forth Valley	…	19
Argyll and Clyde	…	21
Greater Glasgow	…	19
Lanarkshire	…	19
Ayrshire and Arran	…	19
Dumfries and Galloway	…	20
Scotland	…	17

Mentally Handicapped Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in the last five years central Government have refused (a) permission and (b) financial support for the provision of adult training centres and hostels for the mentally handicapped; and if he will list the projects thus affected.

The following projects in the field of mental handicap proposed by local authorities for the 1976–77 programme have had to be deferred; previously deferrals on financial grounds had not been necessary.

Fife

Senior Training Centre—Kirkcaldy.
Senior Training Centre—Methil.
Senior Training Centre—Glenrothes.
Senior Training Centre—Halbeath.

Grampian

Senior Training Centre—Inverurie.
Senior Training Centre—Stonehaven.

Highland

Hostel—Inverness.
Hostel—Sutherland.
Hostel—Dingwall.
Hostel—Fort William.
Senior Training Centre—Fort William.

Lothians

Senior Training Centre—Clermiston.

Tayside

Senior Training Centre—Forfar
Senior Training Centre—Perth.

Western Isles

Senior Training Centre/Hostel—Stornoway.

As some of these projects were at a fairly early planning stage it is by no means certain that building work on all of them would have started in the current year.

There is no direct central Government financial assistance towards the cost of local authority social work building projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that the programme planning group relating to the care of the mentally disordered can be given the same powers as the National Development Group in England and Wales, thus ensuring that the Scottish Office and the general public

						Rate Support Grants prescribed in Main Order	Rate Support Grants at November 1975 values
			Price base			£m.	£m.
1972–73	…	…	November 1970	…	…	256·10^*	491·71
1973–74	…	…	November 1972	…	…	350·07^*	571·66
1974–75	…	…	November 1973	…	…	412·02	609·79
1975–76	…	…	November 1974	…	…	632·98†	792·48
1976–77	…	…	November 1975	…	…	822·70	822·70
^* Excluding rate support in respect of local health services transferred to health boards on 1st April 1974.
† Figure for 16th May 1975 to 15th May 1976 on which grant for period to 31st March 1976 was based.

Roads, Drainage And Services (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what effects the public spending cut-backs on roads, drainage and other ancillary necessary services are having on local authority housing programmes; and what representations he has had on this matter.

The resources available overall for infrastructure should be sufficient for the timeous servicing of essential new local authority housing, and the few instances of apparent difficulty about which I have had representations either have been or seem likely to be satisfactory resolved.

Netherthird Renovation Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made by the SSHA, the local authority and tenants in determining the central heating

can be made aware of recommendations made to parent bodies.

The Programme Planning Group on Mental Disorder was set up jointly by the Scottish Health Service Planning Council and the Advisory Council on Social Work whose recommendations I shall be glad to consider. I see no need to alter the powers of the Programme Planning Group.

Rate Support Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total level in real terms of rate support grants given to Scotland in each of the last five years.

Following are the amounts determined in the main rate support grant Orders and revalued to November 1975 values using the Retail Price Index.system for the association's Netherthird renovation programme.

This is a housing management matter within the responsibilities of the Scottish Special Housing Association.

Master Of Education Degree

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Government have issued any instructions to local authorities in Scotland to discontinue their policy of the payment of M.Ed. students' fees.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the total cost to the Government in each of the last five years of the payment of M.Ed students' fees in Scotland;(2) how many M.Ed graduates there have been in Scotland in each of the last five years.

I have been asked to reply.The estimated cost to the Government of the fees of M.Ed. students supported by the Social Science Research Council at Scottish institutions in the last five years is as follows—

				£
1971–72	…	…	…	NIL
1972–73	…	…	…	660
1973–74	…	…	…	648
1974–75	…	…	…	864
1975–76	…	…	…	1323

The number of students achieving the M.Ed. degree in Scotland in this period is not available.

Electricity (Output Per Employee)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated kWh output per employee in the electricity industry in Scotland for the year 1975–76.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statistics given in the recently published annual reports of the Scottish Electricity Boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of employees in the electricity industry in Scotland per million kWh supplied in: (a) 1975–76 and (b) 1970–71.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statistics given in the annual reports of the Scottish Electricity Boards.

Travelling People

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites have been made available by local authorities in Scotland for travelling people; how many are situated in each local authority area; and if he will list the names of the sites and the location.

Two sites have so far been provided for travelling people in Scotland—one at Heathery Knowe, Coat-bridge; and one at Duddingston, Edinburgh.

Probation

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to allow the construction of probation homes and hostels in Scotland and to permit local authorities to establish day training centres which can be use in conjunction with probation orders.

Regional and islands authorities already have sufficient powers for these purposes under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

Social Workers

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from professional organisations, and in particular from the British Association of Social Workers, regarding the employment of qualified social workers.

None.

Scottish Assembly (Printing)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the printing and publishing of the proceedings of the Scottish Assembly when it is established and, in particular, the facilities available at Her Majesty's Stationery Office printing works in Edinburgh for the purpose of printing Assembly reports and other documents.

Officials of my Department have had consultations with HMSO about the printing and publishing of a report of the Scottish Assembly proceedings. No final decision on this matter can be taken until the wishes of the Assembly itself are known.

Wales

Hill Land

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on how hill land eligible for support grant is defined.

Land in England and Wales which was eligible for the full range of hill subsidies before 1st January 1976 was re-defined as a "Less-Favoured Area" under Directive 75/268 EEC. This definition appears in the Farm and Horticulture Development Scheme (SI 1976 No. 743) The Farm Capital Grant Scheme (SI 1976 No. 547) and the Hill Livestock (Compensatory Allowances) Regulations 1975 (SI 1975 No. 2210) and reads as follows:

"Less-Favoured Area" means land:
(a) Which is situated in an area included in the list of Less-Favoured Farming areas adopted by the Council of the European Communities under Article 2 of the Council Directive No. 75/268/EEC of 28th April 1975 (Official Journal No. L 128, 19 May 1975 P.1.) and consists predominantly of mountains, hills or heath and
(b) which is, or by improvement could be made, suitable for use for the breeding, rearing and maintenance of sheep or cattle but not, in the opinion of the appropriate Minister, for the carrying on, to any material extent, of dairy farming, the production to any material extent, of fat sheep or fat cattle or the production of crops in quantity materially greater than that necessary to feed the number of sheep or cattle capable of being maintained on the land."

Regional Aid

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the number of projects, and their value, which he has supported from each county in Wales to date, for submission to the EEC Regional Fund.

The following table gives for each county in Wales the number and total estimated cost of schemes submitted for European Regional Development Fund grant aid.

County		Number of Projects	Total estimated cost £'000's
Clwyd	…	27	21,949
Dyfed	…	19	5,798
Gwent	…	58	29,307
Gwynedd	…	34	5,088
Mid-Glamorgan	…	42	15,773
Powys	…	13	1,993
South Glamorgan	…	16	3,799
West Glamorgan	…	12	4,037
Totals	…	221	87,744

Note:

The figures shown include projects currently before the Commission on which decisions have not yet been taken.

A470 (Cardiff—Cefn Coed)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made to complete the new A470 road from Cardiff to Cefn Coed; and if he will make a statement.

Factory						Number of suggestions to industrialists	Position
Caernarfon No. 2	…	…	…	…	…	111	Allocated
Gaerwen Nos. 1 and 2	…	…	…	…	…	22	Vacant
Bala Units (4 units)	…	…	…	…	…	31	Two allocated Two vacant

The advance factories in Gwynedd at present under construction and at the

Following the announcement in January of my right hon. and learned Friend's preferred route for the remaining sections between Abercynon and North of Cefn Coed, detailed engineering design work has been proceeding. Draft Orders under the Highways Acts will be published by the Department as soon as possible. The start of work depends on the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and on the availability of funds.

Local Government (Employment)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons were employed: (a) by district councils in Wales and (b) by county councils in Wales at the latest convenient date.

The total number of local government employees in Wales at December 1975, the latest date for which information is available, is provisionally estimated to be 99,795 full-time and 43,999 part-time. Separate totals for counties and for districts are not identified in the published figures.

Welsh Language

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the annual running cost for each year, since its establishment, of the Welsh Language Council.

November-March 1973–74 £3,800; 1974–75 £13,700; 1975–76 £16,600.

Advance Factories (Gwynedd)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many inquiries he has received by prospective tenants relative to each of the advance factories available for letting in Gwynedd since 1974; and in how many cases these led to a factory being let.

The details for completed advance factories for which first occupants were being sought are:planning stage together with other vacant Government premises will continue to be brought to the attention of all suitable industrialists inquiring for space.

Local Government (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish a table showing the revenue and capital budget of each of the 37 district councils in Wales for the present financial year;(2) if he will publish a table showing the revenue and capital budgets of each of the eight county councils of Wales for the present financial year.

The new returns of revenue expenditure, which the Government have called for by 16th July, will be published in due course. Local authorities are not required to submit advance information on how they propose to spend their capital allocations.

Employment

Self-Employed Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those Common Market countries which have Government Ministers or other special governmental provision specifically to deal with self-employed affairs; and what steps he is taking to create similar provision in the United Kingdom.

Such comparisons are interesting but they are not necessarily relevant to the situation of the self-employed in this country, and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the then Prime Minister, to the hon. Member for Somerset, North (Mr. Dean) on 11th December 1975.—[Vol. 902, c. 647–9.]

Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will take steps to ensure that more localised unemployment figures than those currently obtainable will be made available in the near future to Welsh local authorities.

I have no plans to require the collection of more localised statistics than those now collected for local employment and careers office areas.

London

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest total of unemployed people in the Greater London area, whose last employment was in the building industry.

At 13th May, 22,323 people who last worked in the construction industry were registered as unemployed in the Greater London area.

Job Creation Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many additional staff have been approved for local authorities for the undertaking of work associated with the job creation scheme.

The Government do not approve staff numbers in local government, for job creation or for any other purpose; it is for local authorities themselves to determine the number of staff they employ. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that by 11th June, up to 9,597 jobs had been provided by projects sponsored by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of money allocated to the job creation programme; and, of this, how much has been allocated to Scotland.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that £75 million has been allocated to the Job Creation Programme. £16 million has been provisionally allocated for projects in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the future of the job creation programme in Wales.

By the week ending 18th June, 314 projects, involving just under 3,000 jobs, had been approved for Wales, with total funding of £4!2 million. The programme has recently been extended until September 1977, and the Manpower Services Commission will welcome further applications from any organisation in Wales which can provide new worth while jobs.

Training (Young Persons)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase the training facilities for young people (a) on Merseyside, (b) in Kirkby, (c) in Ormskirk and (d) in the North West.

In 1976 the Training Services Agency plans to provide directly short vocational courses for about 1,000 unemployed young people in the Agency's north-west region. The extent to which this may be increased will depend on demand from young people, local labour market conditions and the availability of suitable training facilities. Fifty-three per cent. of the training places currently available in the North-West are on Merseyside, including Kirkby and Ormskirk, for which separate statistics are not available. Young people in the North-West can also expect to benefit from the effects of the financial incentives which are again being offered through the TSA and Industrial Training Boards for employers prepared to engage additional employees for long-term training.

Asbestos

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what decision has been reached by members of the Asbestos Advisory Committee, established to consider the dangers to health from asbestos, about the conduct of their inquiry.

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the Advisory Committee on Asbestos decided at its first meeting on

Skillcentre (formerly Government Training Centre)	Number of training places at 7th June 1976	Number of people awaiting training at 7th June 1976	Number of people who completed training under the training opportunities scheme during 1975	Number of people sponsored by their employers who completed courses in 1975
Cardiff (including Treforest and Tremorfa annexe)	450	320	491	75
Llanelli	175	106	219	16
Port Talbot	369	94	383	142
West Gwent	187	132	236	56
Wrexham	207	166	144	36
Newport	164	155	—	—
	1,552	973	1,473	325

23rd June that, in order to expedite progress, working groups should be set up to cover four main areas: medical aspects, environmental monitoring, legal and administrative controls, and the production and use of asbestos. These working groups will report back to the main Committee.

The Committee welcomes contributions and representations from interested parties, preferably by 31st August 1976. These should be sent to the Secretary, Advisory Committee on Asbestos, Health and Safety Executive, Baynards House, Chepstow Place, London W2 4TF.

The Committee has decided that its proceedings will not normally be open to the public. However, the Committee will provide opportunities for interested parties to make oral contributions on issues raised by the working groups which, it is felt, ought to be the subject of wider public debate. On some of these occasions the Committee believes that the degree of public interest may be such that it might be appropriate to open the proceedings to the public.

Wales

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many training places there are at each of the Government training centres in Wales; how many persons passed through these centres during 1975; and how many persons are currently on the waiting list for a place at these centres.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is as follows:

Bournemouth

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the total number of unemployed males and females, respectively, in the Bournemouth employment area currently notified to his Department; and what were the comparable figures for the last five years;(2) what is the total number of job vacancies in the Bournemouth area currently notified to his Department; and what were the comparable figures for the last five years.

Following is the information available:

BOURNEMOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AREA
		Unemployed		Notified vacancies remaining unfilled
		Males	Females	Employment Office	Careers Office
June:
1971	…	1,550	196	945	298
1972	…	1,768	249	1,006	269
1973	…	1,114	203	1,554	643
1974	…	1,106	150	1,328	563
1975	…	2,596	397	920	72
1976^*	…	5,897	1,235	846	149
^* Provisional.

The unemployment figures include young people registered at the Bournemouth Careers Office.The vacancy figures relate only to those notified to the Employment Office and the Careers Office. Because of possible duplication, the separate series should not be added together nor do they constitute a measure of total vacancies in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many pupils in the Bournemouth employment office area who left school in the summer of 1975 and at Easter 1976, respectively, remain registered as unemployed.

I regret that the precise information is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. On 10th June, 141 school-leavers were registered as unemployed in the Bournemouth area and the majority of these would have left school on or since 28th May 1976.

Textile Workers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many textile workers are currently unemployed.

At 13th May, 26,999 people who last worked in the textiles industries were registered as unemployed in Great Britain.

Disabled Workers (Remploy)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many disabled workers were employed at the Bridgend Remploy factory at the latest convenient date; and what were the comparable figures for each of the last five years;(2) how many disabled workers were employed by Remploy Ltd. at the latest convenient date; and what were the comparable figures for each of the last five years.

Following is the information:

				Bridgend Remploy factory	Remploy Ltd.
31st March:
1976	…	…	…	146	8,313
1975	…	…	…	150	8,123
1974	…	…	…	133	7,897
1973	…	…	…	122	7,763
1972	…	…	…	129	7,532
1971	…	…	…	129	7,478

Industrial Tribunals

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases have been heard before industrial tribunals in each month since the passage of the Employment Protection Act.

The Employment Protection Act received the Royal Assent on 12th November 1975. The number of cases heard by tribunals since 1st November 1975 is as follows:

		England and Wales	Scotland
November 1975	…	1,180	131
December 1975	…	1,289	106
January 1976	…	1,205	162
February 1976	…	1,550	143
March 1976	…	1,383	124
April 1976	…	1,634	129
May 1976	…	1,455	184

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, by employment category, the number of cases that have been heard by industrial tribunals since the passing of the Employment Protection Act.

I regret that comprehensive statistics of this kind are not collected.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment at how many places in the United Kingdom industrial tribunals are held; if he will list them; and if he will list the number of full-time and part-time staff employed at each location, together with their total annual salaries and wages.

Industrial tribunals are held at 26 principal locations in Great Britain. In addition regular sittings are held in 32 other locations; and occasional sittings are held in other places when required. The 26 principal locations, together with details of full-and part-time staff employed at those locations, excluding chairmen and lay members of the tribunals, are:

		Full-time	Part-time
England and Wales
London (3 offices)	…	189	6
Ashford (Kent)	…	12	—
Brighton	…	5	1
Birmingham	…	31	1
Shrewsbury	…	3	—
Bristol	…	14	—
Bury St. Edmunds	…	16	5
Bedford	…	3	—
Cambridge	…	4	—
Cardiff	…	18	1
Exeter	…	9	1
Leeds	…	20	3
Liverpool	…	16	—
Manchester	…	40	1
Newcastle	…	19	—
Middlesbrough	…	4	—
Nottingham	…	11	—
Derby	…	2	—
Leicester	…	2	—
Sheffield	…	14	—
Southampton	…	12	—
Sub-total England and Wales	…	444	19
Scotland
Glasgow	…	34	—
Dundee	…	3	—
Aberdeen	…	3	—
Edinburgh	…	5	—
Sub-total Scotland	…	45	—

Salaries and wages for the staff for the financial year 1975–76 totalled about £1,020,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of cases brought before industrial tribunals since the passage of the Employment Protection Act; and how many have found in favour of the employee and the employer, respectively.

The Employment Protection Act received the Royal Assent on 12th November 1975. The number of cases heard by industrial tribunals in the period 1st November 1975 to 28th May 1976 was 10,675. Comprehensive information as to the outcome of cases is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the people now appointed to serve, as chairmen and as representatives of employees and employer interests, on the panels of industrial tribunals.

I have arranged with the Lord Chancellor for a list of chairmen to be published in the Official Report. A list of panel members appointed between 1965 and 1975 is available in the House of Commons Library. A revised list is in course of preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if there are circum- stances under which employers can claim costs of fighting cases before industrial tribunals; and, if so, on how many occasions these circumstances have pertained since the passage of the Employment Protection Act.

An industrial tribunal has power to award costs where in its opinion a party, whether employee or employer, has acted frivolously or vexatiously. Information about the number of occasions on which this power has been used is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working man-hours he estimates have been lost by people having to appear before Industrial tribunals since the passing of the Employment Protection Act.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the operation of industrial tribunals following the passage of the Employment Protection Act; if he has any plans to allow employers to bring cases before the courts, such as happens in the Federal Republic of Germany; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied with the operation of the industrial tribunals. Employers, like other parties, can appeal on a question of law arising from any decision of an industrial tribunal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal; and a further appeal lies with leave to the Court of Appeal, or as the case may be, the Court of Session. The Government has no plans to alter these arrangements.

Unfair Dismissal Complaints

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have appealed on more than one occasion to an industrial tribunal against an alleged unfair dismissal.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of alleged unfair dismissal have been brought to the attention of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service since the passing of the Employment Protection Act; and what percentage have thereafter come before industrial tribunals.

The Employment Protection Act received the Royal Assent on 12th November 1975. During the period 1st November 1975 to 28th May 1976, 20,770 applications relating to alleged unfair dismissal were referred by the central offices of the industrial tribunals to the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service. On the basis of past experience some 40 per cent. of these applications are likely to have been heard, or to be heard, by industrial tribunals.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Animal Products (Processing Fees)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons the annual fee for inspecting animal product processing plants was increased from £6 in 1973 to £57!24 in June 1976, including VAT.

The present increase from £25!35 plus VAT to £53 plus VAT is being made—after 22 months' standstill—so as to provide for the full recovery of the cost of the service. This accords with the rules for Government fees and charges which were explained by my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster-General in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Warley, East (Mr. Faulds) on 5th April.—[Vol. 909, c. 86–7.]

Rabies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of increased risk of rabies as evidended by recent prosecutions for importation of animals, if he will now make the penalty for the importation of animals illegally into the United Kingdom the immediate killing of the animal upon detection of this crime.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 6th May.—[Vol. 910, c. 448.] Recent prosecutions for illegal landings are evidence of an increased awareness of the rabies threat by the public, the enforcing authorities and the courts, rather than of an increase in the risk itself.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now ban the importation of all live animals into the United Kingdom, in view of the increased evidence of risks of the disease spreading to the United Kingdom.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 14th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 310.] To deprive all owners of the safe alternative of importing animals through quarantine, irrespective of the circumstances, would tend to encourage illegal importations, thereby increasing the rabies risk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of evidence of increased risk of rabies entering the United Kingdom, if he will now allow vets to vaccinate dogs on demand against rabies.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) and to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes)—[Vol. 910, c. 351; Vol. 912, c. 317.]—on 4th and 27th May respectively; also to paragraph 46 of the Ministry's explanatory memorandum of 19th May, copies of which I sent to my hon. Friend and other hon. Members who had indicated an interest in rabies. Copies of the memorandum are also available in the Library of the House. I see no justification for changing our anti-rabies policy, which is in line with the World Health Organisation's recommendation for rabies-free countries and which has recently received the unequivocal support of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and of the British Veterinary Association.

Poultry

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much extra water per bird will be required when the new EEC regulations on poultry slaughter are put into operation.

The use of water is inseperable from clean and hygienic food production. The EEC poultry meat hygiene directives do not specify a particular quantity of water to be used per bird and neither will our proposed implementing regulations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the effect of the new EEC regulations on poultry slaughter of spent laying birds.

The proposals for regulations which we have circulated are intended to apply to the slaughter of spent laying birds as to other classes of poultry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest estimated cost per pound for implementing the new poultry hygiene regulations.

These costs are currently estimated at an average of about one-third of a penny per lb. They would not, on our proposals, have to be met fully until 1979–80 and there would be some offsetting savings for those in the industry who at present employ quality control staff to fill the gap created by the absence of an official poultry meat inspection service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representatives he has received about the scope of the new poultry meat directives; and if he will make a statement.

Most of those who have made representations now accept the general purpose of the proposed regulations. The remaining differences which are under discussion centre mainly on the restricted sale of certain types of uneviscerated poultry and on the method of introducing and supervising an inspection service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes to introduce an Order giving effect to EEC directive on the preparation of chickens; and under what statutory powers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy toward the new Community regulations for poultry hygiene; and if he will make a statement.

Proposals for regulations to implement the EEC directives on poultry meat hygiene were sent on 10th December 1975 to representative bodies as a basis for consultation. A number of points on which representations were made are still under consideration. The regulations would be made under the powers conferred by Sections 13 and 123 of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 and Section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.

Indian Potato Shipment

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he prohibited the re-export of a shipment of Indian potatoes valued at £1½ million, which were imported under a Ministry of Agriculture licence issued to Graham H. Davies Ltd., but refused as a normal import on arrival.

Exports of potatoes other than seed potatoes have been banned since mid-October 1975, on account of the supply situation. I am looking into the circumstances of the case raised by the hon. Member.

Sugar Beet (North-West Region)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the name and address of the independent agricultural consultants who are carrying out a survey of the possibilities of growing sugar beet in the North-West Region of England;(2) which organisation, or organisations, commissioned the survey being undertaken by an independent firm of consultants into the possibility of growing sugar beet in the North-West Region of England;(3) if he will publish the results of the survey into the possibility of growing sugar beet in the North-West Region of England, at present being conducted by an independent firm of consultants, when he receives it;(4) when he expects to receive the report of the independent consultant on the possibility of growing sugar beet in the North-West Region of England;(5) what advice he gave regarding the terms of reference to the independent consultants at present carrying out a survey on the possibility of growing sugar beet in the North-West Region of England.

This survey has been commissioned by the Sankey Sugar Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Manbre Sugars Ltd. The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service of the Ministry has given technical advice on the way the survey could be conducted, but the terms of reference, choice of consultant, timing, and publication of the survey are at the discretion of the company.

Overseas Development

Mozambique

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what other member countries of the United Nations, in addition to the United Kingdom, have promised specific amounts of aid to Mozambique; and how much these amounts are.

Countries which have publicly announced bilateral development assistance for Mozambique include:

Australia—Aus$1 million
Canada—Can$3 million
Netherlands—US$4 million
New Zealand—N.Z.$120 thousand
Nigeria—US$1!6 million
Sweden—US$18 million
Trinidad and Tobago—TT$100 thousand
United States of America—US$12!5 million.

In addition, Botswana, Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Guayana, India, Kenya, Norway, People's Republic of China, Portugal, Swaziland, Uganda, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and Zambia are understood either to have made contributions (for which figures are not available) or to have initiated discussions about development assistance.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development whether he intends that the whole of the initial £5 million loan to Mozambique should be tied to specific purchases of British goods and services, following his Oral Answer to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) and the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Bell) on 14th June; and, if not, what sum will be tied in this way.

It is expected that the initial £5 million loan will be used entirely for the purchase of British goods, which will have been specified and agreed before any disbursement of funds is authorised.

Ministerial Appointments

asked the Minister for Overseas Development whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving the full and part-time appointments made by his Department which are held by peers of the realm, the names of the holders, and salaries and expenses paid to the holders of these appointments and when such appointments were made.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th June 1976; Vol. 913, c. 141], gave the following information:The appointments are as follows:

Name		Appointment		Date of Appointment		Salary	Expenses^*
Lord Grey of Naunton	…	Deputy Chairman, Commonwealth Development Corporation	…	1st July 1973	…	3,165	200
Lord Campbell of Eskan	…	Member, Commonwealth Development Corporation	…	1st April 1968	…	1,000	—
Lord Walston	…	Member, Commonwealth Development Corporation	…	1st September 1975	…	1,000	—
Lord Greenwood of Rossendale	…	Member, Commonwealth Development Corporation	…	1st June 1970	…	1,000	—
Lord Garner	…	Chairman, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission	…	1st May 1968	…	—	75
Lord Balogh	…	Economic and Social Committee for Overseas Research	…	January 1968	…	—	—
Lord Balogh	…	Governor, Institute of Development Studies (Governing Body)	…	20th April 1966	…	—	—
Lord Balogh	…	Governor, Queen Elizabeth House (Governing Body)	…	10th October 1967	…	—	—
Lord Kearton	…	Member, Tropical Products Institute Advisory Committee	…	1st April 1965	…	—	—
^* Approximate amount for year 1975–76.

Volume 914: debated on Tuesday 29 June 1976

Written Answers To Questions

Devolution

Energy

Gas And Electricity Disconnections

Offshore Supplies Office

Nuclear Power Plant

Home Department

Child Minding

Parking Offences (Diplomatic Immunity)

Palestine Police

Easter Bank Holiday

Fairs (Safety Guide)

London Boroughs (Aid)

Northern Ireland

Export Trade

Civil Service (Cost)

Environment

Buses

Epsom (Gipsy Site)

Euro-Routes

Vehicle Licensing

Traffic Census (M1)

Immigrants

Joint Purchasing Agreements

Local Government Spending

Government Cars

Rural Roads

Art Exhibition (Members Of Parliament)

Cars

Forms

Motorways

Traffic (Surveys)

Airedale Trunk Road

Highway Inquiry Rules

Building Regulations Advisory Committee

Concrete (Calcium Chloride)

Foreign Lorries

Kilnwick Level Crossing (Accident)

Housing Finance

Construction Industry Training Board

Defence

Sales

Houses (North Weald)

Sales Exhibition

Ranger Anti-Personnel Mine System

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Angola (Security Council Resolution)

Belize

Guatemala

Maputo Embassy Staff

European Community

Council Of Ministers

Civil Service

Official Cars

Peers (Official Appointments)

Pensions

Public Relations (Staff)

Civil Service College (Edinburgh Centre)

Education And Science

University Education

Physics Students

Overseas Students (Fees)

Teachers (Employment)

University Of Wales Institute Of Science And Technology

Pupil Costs (Redbridge)

Industry

Textiles

Postal Traffic

Hs146 Aircraft

National Finance

Income Tax Thresholds

Child Allowances

Public Debt Servicing

Income Tax (International Comparisons)

Resources (Growth)

Social Services

Hospital Waiting Lists

Child Interim Benefit