asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1945 (a) the number of ships in the Royal Navy and (b) the tonnage of ships in the Royal Navy.

Numbers and tonnage of ships of mine countermeasures vessel size and above in the Royal Navy in 1946, 1956, 1966 and 1976 respectively are as follows:

		Number	Tonnage
1946	…	1,220	2,413,000
1956	…	486	1,182,000
1966	…	228	581,000
1976	…	147	456,000

Figures for the remaining years could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent it is planned (a) to increase, or (b) to decrease, the total number of industrial workers at Chatham Dockyard by the end of 1976 and 1977, respectively.

The currently approved industrial manpower target for the General Manager's departments at Chatham for both 31st March 1977 and 31st March 1978 is 4,500. No change in this is planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that British regulations and penalties imposed to prevent the importation of animals which might carry rabies into the United Kingdom are adequately publicised at all continental cross-Channel ports.

Posters in the main European languages explaining United Kingdom regulations to control rabies have been distributed by Her Majesty's missions and consular posts in Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain to yacht clubs, travel agents and other outlets through which potential cross-Channel travellers might pass. Our missions have been aided by the active co-operation of the local authorities and have confirmed that the posters are displayed by recipients. The official overseas information services have also put the message across to the public in these countries through the local Press and television.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many voluntary organisations now run hostels for discharged prisoners; how many hostels there are for men and women, respectively; and what is the number of places for each sex;(2) what progress has been made in voluntary after-care for discharged prisoners since 1968; which organisations have been involved; and what proposals he has for developing this;(3) what grants are to be paid during the current financial year by his Department to voluntary bodies for after-care work; and if he will list in the

Much progress has been made since 1968. The number of grantaided hostels for discharged prisoners run by voluntary organisations increased from 55 providing 619 places at the end of 1968 to 204 with 2,077 places at 31st March 1976. The following table gives details:

Hostels
Male	…	…	…	…	118
Female	…	…	…	…	20
Mixed	…	…	…	…	66
Total	…	…	…	…	204
Places
Male	…	…	…	…	1,361
Female	…	…	…	…	117
Mixed	…	…	…	…	599
Total	…	…	…	…	2,077

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what sum is being spent on prison aftercare and on discharge during the current financial year;(2) what sum is being spent on borstal after-care and on discharge during the current financial year.

Prison and borstal aftercare is part of the responsibility of the probation and after-care service and the expenditure is not separately identifiable. The estimate of expenditure of £1,032,000 in the current financial year on discharge from all penal establishments cannot readily be apportioned between prisons and borstals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total sum to be spent during the current financial year by his Department on penological research; and what are the current projects being studied by his research unit.

It is expected that £310,000 will be spent in the current financial year by the Home Office on penological research; in addition some research is carried out by prison medical officers and prison psychologists in the course of their normal duties. Projects on sentencing and the treatment of offenders conducted by the Research Unit are as follows: sentencing in magistrates' courts; monetary penalties; supported work scheme; treatment evaluation; IMPACT (Intensive Matched Probation and After-Care Treatment), social inquiry reports; probation services and residential provisions; life sentence prisoners; arsonists; job satisfaction of prison officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the total sum spent on penological research during the current financial year is going to non-Home Office bodies; and what research projects are currently in hand.

It is expected that £310,000 will be spent in the current financial year by the Home Office on penological research. Approximately 47 per cent. of this sum will be going to non-Home Office bodies. The following research projects on this subject are supported by Home Office grants: a study of life-sentence prisoners; evaluation of Long Lartin Prison; a study of the relevance of education to the resettlement of offenders; industrial rehabilitation of offenders; standardised tests of literacy and numeracy of prisoners; post-release experiences of discharged prisoners; lead intoxication and delinquency; studies of selected drugs; prisoner flow models; location and distribution models; cost effectiveness of security devices.

SUMMARY OF INTERNAL-EXTERNAL COST OF PENOLOGICAL RESEARCH 1976–77
External	…	…	…	£147,000
Internal	…	…	…	£163,000
Total	…	…	…	£310,000

After reference to Finance Division the internal costs have been calculated on the basis of the Treasury ready reckoner (basic staff costs) at November 1975 prices. The external costs are as submitted to the Treasury in November 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many long-term men and women prisoners, respectively, received resettlement leave prior to discharge each year from 1970 to 1975.

"Resettlement" leave as such is not granted. Terminal home leave or pre-parole leave is granted shortly before discharge to help prisoners to readjust to life outside prison, to renew home ties and to seek employment. The combined figures for men and women are:

Year					Terminal Home Leave
1970	…	…	…	…	1,932
1971	…	…	…	…	1,823
1972	…	…	…	…	2,204
1973	…	…	…	…	1,983
1974	…	…	…	…	2,335
1975	…	…	…	…	2,034

Year					Pre-Parole Leave
1970	…	…	…	…	349
1971	…	…	…	…	602
1972	…	…	…	…	581
1973	…	…	…	…	911
1974	…	…	…	…	1,093
1975	…	…	…	…	1,754

Separate figures for men and women could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made as a result of the decision made in 1968 to convert Albany, Gartree and Blundeston for use for long-term, high security risk prisoners; and which new prisons also have these facilities.

Perimeter security and security of buildings have been improved at Gartree and Albany to accommodate category A prisoners and they have served as dispersal prisons since 1969 and 1970 respectively. Long Lartin has similar standards of security and has received category A prisoners since 1973. Blundeston was not selected as a dispersal prison, but Hull, Parkhurst, Wakefield and Wormwood Scrubs also form part of the dispersal prison system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministry of Defence camps have been converted for use as secure or semisecure accommodation for prisoners since 1966.

Since 1966 the following closed establishments have been, or are being, provided by conversion of former Ministry of Defence camps and by associated new building:

• Acklington, Northumberland (i) Category C Prison (ii) Young Offender Establishment (Castington).
• Channings Wood, Devon, Category C Prison.
• Deerbold, Co. Durham, Young Offender Establishment.
• Haverigg, Cumbria, Category C Prison.
• Northeye, East Sussex, Category C Prison.
• Ranby, Nottinghamshire, Category C Prison.
• Stradishall, Suffolk, (i) Category C Prison (Highpoint) to be developed into Category B Prison (ii) Detention Centre (Northridge).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportions of the total prison population are serving sentences of up to six months, six months to three years, three to five years, and five years and over, with life sentences shown separately.

The information that is readily available is as follows:

Prison Population	Proportion in each sentence band, 1975 England and Wales
Up to and including 18 months	37·5
Over 18 months and up to and including 4 years	32·9
Over 4 years and up to and including 10 years	11·5
Over 10 years	1·2
Life (including H.M.P.)	3·8

The remainder of the prison population comprised remand and civil prisoners. Detention centre and borstal trainees are excluded from the above table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what use the 25 places for women prisoners at Grendon Underwood are now being put.

Grendon Prison has never contained women prisoners. The 25 places originally intended for use by women were converted in June 1969 for the use of young male offenders.

1. Schemes where work was in progress at the end of financial year 1972–73:
Place and type of establishment
Acklington	…	Northumberland	…	Category C prison	Work in progress
Blundeston	…	Suffolk	…	New cell block to prison	Completed
Bristol	…	—		New cell block to prison	Completed
Channings Wood	…	Devon	…	Category C prison	Work in progress
Castington	…	Northumberland	…	Young Offender establishment	Work in progress

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are now accommodated one, two and three persons to a cell; and how many of those sharing cells are longterm prisoners.

On 9th May, the latest date for which this information is available, there were 11,935 prisoners accommodated one to a cell, 11,008 two to a cell and 4,746 three to a cell. 13,699 other prisoners were in non-cellular accommodation or in prison hospitals. I regret that no information is collected which would show how many of those sharing cells were long-term prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present average daily number of prisoners in penal institutions.

The total prison population in England and Wales on 15th June was 41,622. The average daily prison population for the financial year 1975–76 was 40,343.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present prison capacity without overcrowding.

On 15th June 1976 the certified normal accommodation was 36,714.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the prison building programme announced in 1973 (Official Report, 3rd May, column 1,443) has been completed, is in progress, or has been cancelled or postponed.

The major schemes in the prison building programme listed in the Official Report for 3rd May 1975, under the headings then used, together with statements of the present position are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost per inmate of new prison buildings for top security categories.

On the basis of the latest available estimate of the cost of building a new dispersal prison for 447 prisoners, with associated staff housing, the cost per place would be about £31,600.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the projects on the building list (Annex A) submitted to the Select Committee on Estimates (Sub-Committee on Social Affairs) in December 1966 have been completed.

The following projects have been completed:

• Long Lartin, Worcestershire: Closed prison.
• Erlestoke, Wiltshire: Additional unit for detention centre.
• Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire: Extension of remand centre.
• Dover: One new borstal inmates living block.
• Bristol: New prison block.
• Ashwell, Leicestershire: New prison block.
• The Verne, Portland, Dorset: Additional living accommodation in training prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons—for the latest convenient period or periods—were admitted to the United Kingdom as employees or dependants of employees of the High Commissions of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan; and how many are known not to have left the United Kingdom after ceasing to be so employed.

The available information is in Column 8 of Tables 1(a) and 1(b) of Cmnd. 6504 (Control of Immigration: Statistics, 1975). Statistics are not kept of those who seek to remain after ceasing their employment with diplomatic Missions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what form the admissions for settlement of the spouses of patrials who are not themselves patrial are recorded; and whether any separate record exists of such entrants for each year since 1966, respectively.

They are recorded in the same way as all other spouses admitted for settlement, and not as a separate category. The status of patriality had no existence in law before the Immigration Act 1971 took effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action he has taken to arrange for all invalid tricycles involved in accidents to be transported to, and examined for mechanical defects at, independent non-Department of Health garages, and to be inspected by police vehicle examiners;(2) what action he has taken to advise police forces over the handling defects and unsafe mechanical condition of invalid tricycles now in use; what safety test reports and statistics have been provided to them; and what advice such authorities have been given in connection with prosecuting drivers who are involved in accidents or driving offences due to such defects.

The enforcement of the law and regulations relating to road traffic, including the investigation of the circumstances and causes of accidents, is entirely a matter for individual chief officers of police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the total number of prosecutions and convictions, respectively, in relation to driving offences involving drivers of Department of Health and Social Security invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission models and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, listing the numbers under each category of offence, for the years ended 31st March 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively;(2) if he will list the total number of prosecutions and convictions, respectively, where drivers of invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, pleaded not guilty to driving offences on the grounds that their vehicles were unsafe or mechanically defective, listing the numbers under each category of offence, for the years ended 31st March 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances Professor Marat Vartanyan, the Soviet Union's chief personal psychiatric expert and practitioner, has been allowed to enter the United Kingdom; for what purpose and for how long; and if he will make a statement.

Professor Vartanyan applied for and was granted a visa to attend a conference in London on psychiatric ethics, organised by the World Psychiatric Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce the necessary legislation making it illegal for Members of the House of Lords to hold an office of profit under the Crown on a similar basis to that which now operates with regard to Members of the House of Commons.

I have been asked to reply.There are no plans contemplated for legislation such as my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list all the increases in price of a unit of electricity since 1960;(2) if he will list all the increases in price of a therm of gas since 1960.

It would not be feasible to list all the changes in prices made in each tariff of the various electricity and gas authorities since 1960. Percentage changes in the indices for electricity and gas as estimated for use in compiling the general index of retail prices are shown below. These changes reflect mainly changes in tariffs but they also include, though to a lesser degree, changes in patterns and scales of consumption.

ANNUAL PERCENTAGE INCREASE ON PREVIOUS YEAR IN RETAIL PRICE INDEX*
			Electricity	Gas
1961	…	…	5	8
1962	…	…	5	4
1963	…	…	7	2
1964	…	…	5	4
1965	…	…	8	1
1966	…	…	3	3
1967	…	…	2	1
1968	…	…	12	7
1969	…	…	—	4
1970	…	…	1	-1
1971	…	…	10	9
1972	…	…	7	6
1973	…	…	2	1
1974	…	…	22	5
1975	…	…	44	15
1976 (May)	…	…	23	20
* The figures show the percentage change between each year and the previous year in the annual average level of the Retail Price Index.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what additional capital the Government will make available to the radiochemical Centre Limited.

The Government have decided to provide £5 million additional capital for this company, of which £2 million will be made available in the current financial year and £3 million in 1977–78. It will be provided through the issue of further shares to be taken up by the Atomic Energy Authority. The expenditure in 1976–77 will be met within the existing public expenditure provision by offsetting savings from two Votes: Class IV, 6 and 8. There will be a switch between the relevant cash limits blocks. Thus cash block DEN2 is increased to £125·4 million and DEN3 is reduced to £47·7 million. Expenditure in 1977–78 also will be met from the White Paper total. The extra capital is required to support the radiochemical centre's planned expansion programme and in particular the construction and development of a new manufacturing facility at Cardiff.

asked the Secretary of State if he will give details of the number of hours of overtime worked by underground workers in the coal industry for the years 1965, 1970 and 1975.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board, and I am asking the Chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a

				Acreage '000 acres		Percentage increase of (ii) over (i)
Country				1975–76	1976–77	Per cent.
				(i)	(ii)	(iii)
Belgium/Luxembourg	…	…	…	304	247	-18·8
Denmark	…	…	…	210	200	-4·8
France (Metropolitan)	…	…	…	1,384	1,431	3·4
Germany (Federal Republic)	…	…	…	1,077	1,119	3·9
Irish Republic	…	…	…	82	84	2·4
Italy	…	…	…	642	697	8·6
Netherlands	…	…	…	341	346	1·5
United Kingdom	…	…	…	481	511	6·2
EEC	…	…	…	4,521	4,635	2·5

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much sugar has been imported into the United Kingdom from the EEC in each month of 1976; how much was imported from the EEC in 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972 and 1971; and what are the relevant totals from each member country.

Yes. A verbatim record of the National Energy Conference is being prepared for publication, and I shall place a copy in the Library as soon as it is available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage increase in beet sugar planted is planned in the EEC for this year and each of the next five years; and what will be the increase in each member State.

The following table lists for the EEC as a whole and for each member State (i) the acreage planted to sugar beet in the 1975–76 crop year, (ii) the best estimate available of the acreage planted in the 1976–77 campaign, and (iii) the percentage increase of 1976–77 estimated plantings over 1975–76 plantings. No forecasts are at present available for the period after 1976–77.

The amounts of sugar, raw and refined, imported into the United Kingdom from the EEC as a whole and from each member country between 1971 and 1975 are shown in Table I below. Table II gives the correspondence figures for each month of 1976 for which information is available. All figures are in long tons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current cost per ton of sugar imported into the United Kingdom from the ACP countries; and what was the price in each year from 1971.

The average value per ton of raw sugar imported into the United Kingdom from the ACP countries during May 1976, the latest month for which figures are available, was £213·5. The corresponding figures, in £ per ton, for each of the years between 1971 and 1975 were as follows:1971, 54·4; 1972, 65·0; 1973, 71·6; 1974, 112·6; 1975, 247·8.The above prices are dervied from the trade accounts. They do not take account of any compensatory amounts payable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current cost per ton of sugar imported into the United Kingdom from the EEC; and what was the price per lb. in each year from 1971.

The average value per ton of sugar imported into the United Kingdom from the EEC during May 1976, the latest month for which figures are available, was £182·5 for raw sugar and £230·6 for refined sugar, or 8·1 and 10·3 pence per lb. respectively. The corresponding figures for each of the years between 1971 and 1975, in pence per lb., were as follows:

• Raw sugar: 1971, 2·3; 1972, 2·8; 1973, 5·0; 1974, 6·6; 1975, 8·6.
• Refined sugar: 1971, 2·4; 1972, 3·7; 1973, 4·6; 1974, 8·9; 1975, 10·5.

The above prices are derived from the trade accounts. They do not take account of any compensatory amounts payable.

asked the Secretaray of State for Wales what was the original estimated money cost of providing bilingual road signs throughout Wales; what is the current money cost; and what the real increase has been, taking into account inflation since the programme was originally announced.

The original estimated cost was £3·3 million which is equivalent to expenditure of about £7·2 million at current prices. The programme is now expected to cost some £10 million giving an increase in real terms of £2·8 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider proposing legislation to extend to Northern Ireland the Employment Protection Act, the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Amendment) Act and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.

Provisions corresponding to many of the provisions of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974 as amended by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Amendment) Act 1976 and of the Employment Protection Act 1975 are contained in the Draft Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 which Parliament has already approved. Further legislation bringing the law of Northern Ireland more fully into line with those acts and legislation corresponding to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is now being prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons remain on rent or rates strike in the Province.

It is not possible to distinguish between persons on rent and rates strike and ordinary debtors. However, at 31st March 1976 there were estimated to be over 30,000 tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in arrears with payment of rent and rates, and 40,000–45,000 owner-occupiers and tenants of privately owned houses owing rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many registered disabled persons, men, women and young people were unemployed at the latest date that figures are available.

2,083 registered disabled persons were unemployed at the last count date, on 10th June 1976. There were 1,733 men, 331 women and 12 boys and seven girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied that he offered equality of opportunity to all who were interested in the post of Chairman of the Northern Ireland Fair Employment Agency; and what selection techniques he employed in making his choice.

Yes. The selection was made on the basis of fitness for the job.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he hopes to announce further appointments to the Northern Ireland Fair Employment Agency.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a Question from the hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. van Straubenzee) yesterday.—[Vol. 914, c. 641–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which newspapers, journals, &c. he advertised for applicants for the position of Chairman of the Northern Ireland Fair Employment Agency.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, from 1st January 1975 to 1st June 1976, how many retirement pensioners' books have been lost or through clerical errors have been delayed in being returned to the Post Office.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st July 1976; Vol. 914, c. 257], gave the following information:In that period, 590 books were reported lost while in the custody of the pensioner and 138 in transit from the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services to Post Offices. Information on the number of books which were delayed in their return to Post Offices because of clerical error could not be provided without a disproportionate use of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list separately the number of successful candidates in the recent 11-plus selection examination in Northern Ireland from (a) State primary schools and (b) voluntary Church schools.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th June 1976; Vol. 914, c. 25], gave the following information:The selection procedure results for individual schools are not made public. However, the information in respect of the number of entrants and the percentage of qualifiers in each education authority area is as follows:

Area Board				1976 Number of entrants
Belfast	…	…	…	6,395
North-Eastern	…	…	…	6,180
South-Eastern	…	…	…	5,169
Southern	…	…	…	4,146
Western	…	…	…	5,354
Northern Ireland	…	…	…	27,244

Area Board				1976 Percentage qualified
Belfast	…	…	…	22·75
North-Eastern	…	…	…	25·82
South-Eastern	…	…	…	27·45
Southern	…	…	…	27·30
Western	…	…	…	25·94
Northern Ireland	…	…	…	25·66

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further measures he is proposing to take to combat terrorism in Northern Ireland, in view of the continuing high level of terrorist activity.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st July 1976; Vol. 914, c. 257], gave the following information:I gave the Government's view in the debate on security on 14th June—[Vol. 913, c. 42–100]—and I shall be setting out the Government's view of the development of security in the debate taking place today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, (1) if he will consider setting up special clinics to deal with the problem of addiction and dependence on toxic solvents by way of sniffing; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has been informed of the decision of the Central Regional Authority to set up a de-intoxication centre to deal with the problem of glue sniffing and solvent inhalation; when he was informed; and if he has taken action to have similar centres set up in other areas.

I have seen Press reports about a proposal to set up a deintoxification centre but have not received any information from the Central Regional Council. Where cases of glue sniffing come to notice efforts are made by the health, education and social work services to educate and counsel children in the risks of this practice. I am considering whether any further guidance on this matter needs to be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received to make the inhalation of toxic substances an offence.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many deaths have occurred of schoolchildren as a result directly or indirectly attributed to the inhalation of toxic solvents.

In the six years to 1975 the death of one male aged 15 was recorded—in 1975—as due to the inhalation of glue vapour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the potato crop for the current season and the yield expected, with a comparison with previous years.

It is too early to forecast the likely size of this season's crop as this is dependent on weather conditions during the next few months. Plantings by registered producers in Great Britain are at present estimated at more than 190,000 hectares compared with 189,000 hectares in 1974 and 180,000 hectares in 1975. In Scotland the planted area is somewhat higher than last year and growing conditions have so far been favourable. Total production in Great Britain was 6,494,000 tonnes in 1974 and 4,292,000 tonnes in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current weekly cost of keeping a man (a) in prison and (b) under supervision on a probation order.

It is not possible to distinguish the cost of probation super vision in Scotland from that of other duties carried out by local authority social workers in the community, but a Home Office estimate of the cost to the probation service in England and Wales in 1974 of supervising a single probationer worked out at under £3 a week. In the year ending 31st March 1974 the average weekly cost in Scotland of keeping a person in prison was £35·98. Later figures are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he takes to ensure that the money given to voluntary organisations is used in a manner for which such grant was made; and what system of monitoring is applied to present and projected schemes.

Officers of my right hon. Friend's Departments keep in close touch with grant-aided voluntary organisations about their functions and activities. Projected schemes are thoroughly studied before grant is offered. In the case of capital grants for the construction or adaptation of buildings or the purchase of equipment, etc., receipted accounts must be submitted before grant is paid. My right hon. Friend also reserves the right to recover part or all of any grant should the use of premises be changed or should other grant-aided facilities be disposed of. Revenue grants are given either in respect of the appointment of specific officers or towards general administrative expenses. Full payment of grant is made only after the examination of audited accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that grants given to voluntary organisations arc being used in such a way as to provide benefit in every part of Scotland.

The grants made by my right hon. Friend are normally directed towards the headquarters expenses of national voluntary organisations, and he is satisfied that these grants are in general of benefit to Scotland as a whole. In addition, in certain circumstances, grants may be made towards the cost of purely local projects put forward by voluntary organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many voluntary organisations which are in receipt of Government grant and operating in Scotland restrict their activities in terms of race or religion.

No voluntary organisation to which my right hon. Friend gives grant restricts its activities in terms of race. A number of grant-aided organisations are connected with particular religious denominations or bodies; but, wtih the exception of certain establishments providing education for children, the facilities which they offer are normally available to all.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on education in Clackmannanshire/Clackmannan district for each year since 1970; and what is the proposed figure for 1977.

Current expenditure in Clackmannanshire, including loan charges and capital expenditure met from revenue, was as follows:

£ 000 at out-turn prices
1970–71	…	…	…	2,033
1971–72	…	…	…	2,282
1972–73	…	…	…	2,692
1973–74	…	…	…	3,011
1974–75	…	…	…	4,263

As regards Clamannan district, there is no central collection of information which would permit an analysis by districts of a region's expenditure on education.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what requests he has received to date from local authorities for grants under Section 72 of the Children Act 1975;(2) if he will give details of grants he has made under Section 72 of the Children Act 1975.

Grampian, Highland and Dumfries and Galloway Regional Councils have inquired about the availability of grant under this provision, and we shall be in touch with them and with other local authorities as soon as possible about the details of the grant scheme that is being prepared. No grants have yet been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions, in each year since 1973, children have been detained in prison or other adult accommodation because of the unavailability of places in List D schools or other establishments that provide for young offenders in Scotland.

Children are not placed in prisons or other penal establishments because of a lack of places in List D schools or other establishments. Some children are, however, placed in prisons by court order for short periods pending a court appearance, or in other penal establishments following court sentences imposed under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what research the recommendation in the consultative document that there should be an increase in places in young chronic sick units and residential accommodation for the physically handicapped was based; what consultation he has had with housing authorities and housing associations about more appropriate forms of non-institutional care; and if he will make a statement.

The recommendation is based on conclusions drawn by my Department on the probable need for residential or hospital places over the next few years. It derives from contacts with health and local authorities, the returns made under Sections 17 and 18 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Person Act 1970, the known need for additional short-term care to provide temporary relief for families and other factors, including the uneven spread of provision over the country. Only a small proportion of the most severely disabled people will require care in a sheltered environment and this is reflected in the very small increase in such accommodation proposed.With my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction, I am aware of the need to encourage housing authorities and housing associations to build a greater proportion of dwellings specifically designed for disabled people. In this connection, our two Departments have been discussing jointly with various local authorities a special project designed to evaluate the type of provision and the level of health and social service support needed to enable severely disabled people, who would otherwise have to live in institutions, to stay in their own homes in the community.The views of the All-Party Group on Disablement, of which the hon. Member is Secretary, are most welcome on this issue and on all matters affecting disabled people in the consultative document.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now shift the onus from the patients to the dentist to establish the fact that treatment is being given privately and not on the National Health Service; if the dentist should be required to give an estimate of the costs before treatment when the patient elects to accept private charges; and if he will reissue the Guide to Dental Treatment, Leaflet NHS 4.

My right hon. Friend has no power under present legislation to impose on general dental practitioners the requirement my hon. Friend suggests. The British Dental Association, which represents most general dental practitioners, advises its members to ensure as far as possible that a patient clearly understands the basis of any contract for the provision of treatment before treatment is commenced. The arrangements made for the provision of private dental treatment are entirely a matter for agreement between the patient and the dentist concerned.A revised leaflet NHS 4 (Guide to Dental Treatment Under the National Health Service), to replace the current version, is in print and should be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the scientific basis for recalling a patient every six months for dental check-ups; if he will seek further advice on the period for satisfactory recalls; what is his estimate of the saving to the NHS if recalls were on a yearly basis; and if he will make a statement.

The statement on dental remuneration for practitioners in the National Health Service general dental services provides that for any patient of 21 years and over the fee for "clinical examination, advice and report" is not payable where the dentist has been paid or is entitled to be paid for treatment of the patient under this item carried out at any lime during the preceding five calendar months. However, this is not a mandatory period for recalling patients and the time which elapses between dental examinations does not depend on this provision. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise. While some dentists do recall patients routinely they are not required to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department expects to despatch copies of the Report of the Joint Working party of the Royal College of Physicians of London and the British Cardiac Society which he has agreed to send to all medical practitioners.

The report is being distributed on 5th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any limit is placed upon the number of appointments which may be made by consultants contracted to the National Health Service.

No, but under exceptional local circumstances it may temporarily not be possible for a consultatnt to make the usual number of appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what obligations are placed upon consultants contracted to the National Health Service to accept referrals of National Health Service patients.

Consultants in contract with the National Health Service are obliged to provide hospital and specialist services under the National Health Service Acts, including diagnosis and treatment of patients referred to them at the hospitals, health centres and clinics specified in their contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what restrictions are placed upon the freedom of choice of general practitioners in referring National Health Service patients to consultants.

There are no formal restrictions. However, a general practitioner will naturally take account of such considerations as the distance the patient would have to travel and the time he would have to wait for an appointment when deciding to whom he should be referred.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if there is any obligatory procedure to be followed by general practitioners in referring National Health Service patients to consultants.

A general practitioner is obliged by his terms of service to refer a patient as necessary to any other services provided under the Health Service Acts. There is no obligatory procedure for referral to a consultant; it is usual to refer the patient to an individual consultant, but occasionally it is more appropriate to refer him to a hospital department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is issued to general practioners on the procedure to be followed when seeking to refer National Health Service patients to consultants.

No general guidance on this procedure has been issued. Many hospitals issue a form of referral letter and agree with general practitioner representatives locally on mechanisms for dealing with urgent cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many immigrants received settlement grants in the latest year for which figures are available;(2) what was the cost to public funds of settlement grants for immigrants in the latest year for which figures are available;(3) what steps are taken to monitor how immigrants spend settlement grants.

My Department does not pay settlement grants to immigrants.