asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to enable museums such as the Victoria and Albert to remain open seven days a week in order to sustain public interest.

I have great sympathy with the hon. Member's desire that the departmental Museums, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, should be open for as long as possible. The museums will do as much as they can with the resources and manpower available, but in the present economic situation they cannot be unaffected by Government decisions to limit expenditure and reduce the Civil Service. I do not share the view that public interest in the collections will be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the total number of passes in German for all boards for the A-level summer examinations in the years 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1975, respectively.

The following is the information:

GCE A-level passes in German Summer Examinations
1970	…	…	…	…	5,644
1972	…	…	…	…	5,666
1974	…	…	…	…	5,741
1975	…	…	…	…	6,225(1)
(1) Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of her report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art, 1974–75, she will institute a ministerial inquiry, in which the Treasury and the Minister responsible for the Arts are represented, into the causes of the dispersal abroad of works of art of national heritage importance.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The export of works of art is not a new development. As a result of the existing export control system, on which my right hon. Friend is advised by the Reviewing Committee, the great majority of works of national importance are retained in this country and bought by public collections, to which the Government give substantial acquisition grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she has responded to the proposals from the Schools Council for a common system of examining to replace the GCE O level and CSE, and for a new examination leading to the Certificate of Extended Education.

Yes. I saw the Chairman of the Schools Council yesterday and told him how I wished to proceed. I have asked for the co-operation of the Schools Council in a further period of study of the proposal for a common system of examining and have indicated that consultations with other interests, including employers, trade unions and further education, will be needed before a decision can be taken on the Certificate of Extended Education. My response is set out in detail in the following letter to the chairman from myself:Elizabeth House,York Road,London SE1 7PH01–928 9222FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATESir Alex Smith MA PhD,Chairman,The Schools Council25th October 1976Dear Sir Alex,

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action she proposes to take in the light of the Prime Minister's public speech on education at Oxford on 18th October.

I refer the hon. Member to my speech at Rotherham on 22nd October. I plan to promote debate on schools curricula and standards to which all concerned with the education service can contribute. My first step will be to hold discussions over the next three or four months with organisations representing teachers, their employers and both sides of industry. After that my Department will put forward proposals as a basis for further discussions to be organised in centres throughout the country. We shall review continuously the progress of our efforts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of producing "The Staffing of Public Libraries", Volumes 1 and 2 (Library Information Series No. 7); and what have been the practical results and use of the report.

The cost of the underlying research and of the publication of the report was approximately £59,500 less the proceeds of sale. For the first time the report provides a basis for assessing staffing requirements for libraries, and makes recommendations which enable library authorities to see whether they are using professional manpower for work which can be carried out by less highly qualified staff. Present public library staffing costs in England and Wales are about £85 million annually, and library authorities, faced with the consequences of the recent reorganisation, should find the recommendations of great value in the current circumstances of pressure on costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which of her Department's present responsibilities in Scotland will cease as a result of the implementation of the Government's devolution proposals.

As a result of implementation of the Government's devolution proposals the Department of Education and Science's present responsibilities in Scotland for the arts will cease.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she has now received a copy of the report of the Edinburgh University commission; and whether she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not received a copy of this report. I understand that the commission was not officially established by the university but that its report was to be considered on Monday 25th October by the university court.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied with the present arrangements for monitoring the possible illegal employment of schoolchildren.

I am confident that local authorities are exercising their present responsibilities in this field to the best of their ability.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time elapsing between eyesight testing of national health patients and supply of spectacles to them; and if he will seek to have that time reduced.

I regret that this information is not available. I am not aware of any unreasonable delays, but if the hon. Member has evidence to the contrary I should be glad to receive it and will look into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the future role of the smaller hospitals in the light of pending restrictions in public spending.

The consultative document on priorities for health and personal social services in England described the provision of district general hospitals, supported by smaller hospitals called community hospitals, to cater for patients who do not need or who no longer need the specialised services of a district general hospital. It was always recognised that the establishment of this pattern would be a long-term programme, and that progress would depend on local consultation and economic circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will institute a study into a flexible retirement age.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether phased retirement is in accordance with his policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is Government policy to introduce a flexible retirement age.

I would refer the hon. Members and my hon. and learned Friend to my Department's memorandum entitled "Pension Age", a copy of which has been sent to them. As that document makes clear, a flexible retirement age would give rise to a number of problems, notably of cost, and we have no plans for a further study.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the latest estimates for the net cost of reducing the pensionable age of men to 60 years, assuming 70 per cent. of the jobs vacated on retirement were filled by the unemployed; and what were the corresponding estimates for phased earlier retirement at 64 years, 63 years, 61 yea's and 60 years, assuming that over a 10-year period 90 per cent. of the jobs vacated were filled by the unemployed.

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is an extra £1,000 million a year. I regret that the estimates required to answer the second part of his Question are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the national provision for the early detection of breast cancer; what proposals he has for improving screening facilities for this disease; and if he will make a statement.

I am at present discussing with health authorities a review of the diagnostic facilities available for the early detection of breast cancer. Recommendations from the Breast Cancer Screening Trials Working Group, whose establishment my right hon. Friend announced last year, will be considered in the light of the limited resources available for new developments within the National Health Service and the competing claims for them. I hope to make a decision soon about any further breast screening trials.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will phase out the earnings rule.

This would not be a sensible use of scarce resources at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further provision is being made for secure units in council homes, so as to prevent schoolchildren being remanded in penal service establishments.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend on 16th June—[Vol. 913, c. 193–4].—Since then six of the 85 places referred to there have been completed, and building work has started on four more projects which will together provide an additional 20 places. In the normal course of events all these places should have come into use by the middle of 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many trade unionists have been appointed to RHAs and AHA's; and what this is as a percentage of total members.

Following the recent round of appointments all RHAs contain at least one member appointed as a trades unionist, normally on the nomination of the TUC, and the same principle will be applied when AHA members are appointed next August. At present about half of the AHAs have a member appointed as a trades unionist. In addition both RHAs and AHAs have members who are known to be trades unionists, but their precise numbers cannot be determined without disproportionate cost. Because of this it is not practicable to give percentages.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the Government's progress towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Finer Report on One-Parent Families.

A detailed progress report in relation to the recommendations with-in the responsibility of my Department was given in reply to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Cordle) on 23rd March—[Vol. 908, c. 87–8].—Since then the following steps have been taken to help one-parent families:Child interim benefit has been put into payment for 1976–77, at a cost of £20 million, for first children in one-parent families; and the value of this benefit is being preserved by the payment of a premium of 50p on top of the £1 child benefit payable for all first children from next April; the Supplementary Benefit (Amendment) Bill has been introduced to raise the earnings disregard, for one-parent families, exclusively, from £4 to £6, net, from the middle of next month and an extra £70 million a year has been added to benefits paid to one-parent families in the uprating which also takes effect next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the recent pay agreement with junior hospital doctors.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the implementation of the pay agreement with the junior hospital doctors.

I welcome the recent agreement of the Joint Negotiating Committee for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff about pay in respect of the annual and study leave of junior staff, which has concluded the negotiations on the new juniors' contract on terms which are consistent with the counter-inflation policy, and brought an end to industrial action.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether a tax-free child benefit will reduce the effect of the poverty trap.

I regret that I cannot make a reliable estimate until the relevant details of the means-tested benefits, and of the tax arrangements, which will operate from April 1977, are known.

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

I made the following statement on 23rd September:

"The Government today decided to phase in the full child benefit scheme by 1979.

"We have accepted the recommendation of the joint Labour Party/TUC Working Party that the full child benefit scheme should be phased in over the next three years. Introducing the scheme in stages gets over the original snag—the sudden drop in take home pay during a period when pay restraint is linked with tax concessions. There was widespread recognition of the fact that an all-at-once transfer from the father's wallet to the mother's purse might undermine acceptance of the voluntary pay policy.

"That is why Stan Orme, the Minister for Social Security, and Joel Barnett, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, entered into discussions with the TUC and the Labour Party to find a way of bringing about this major social reform without risk to the pay policy. The three year phase-in does exactly that. There can now be no possible room for doubt about the Government's determination to introduce the full child benefit scheme at the earliest possible moment. I know that our decision will be warmly welcomed not only by seven million mothers but by all those who have for so long been campaigning for effective family support.

"Over the three years starting April 1977 the child tax allowance for children under 11 will be withdrawn, and allowances for older children correspondingly reduced. The money will be transferred to tax free child benefit paid to mothers. This will bring about the transfer of support for children from fathers to mothers, who do the housekeeping. It will also give the full benefit of the value of tax allowances to families too poor to pay tax.

"The immediate effect will be that child benefit, which will replace family allowances next April, will be tax free. Child tax allowances for 1977–78 will be reduced by the value of the tax and clawback which would otherwise have been levied on the benefit. This arrangement means that take home pay will fall only 70p, exactly the same amount as under the Government's earlier proposals. The benefit will be paid at the same level as earlier proposed—£1 for the first child and £1.50, as family allowances now, for the others. No extra expenditure is therefore involved. But the vital first step, establishing the structure of a tax free benefit and phasing out child tax allowances, will have been taken. Also, as I promised in the House of Commons, in April 1977 we will be modifying the Family Income Supplement scheme to eliminate losses of FIS following the introduction of Child Benefit.

"In the following year, 1978, CTAs will be reduced again and in 1979 the under 11 CTA will go entirely. Exactly how the withdrawal is staged between those two years will be decided later. But whole of the amount of the reduction will be added to the child benefit paid to the mother.

"Whether it will be possible as recommended by the TUC and Labour Party members of the Working Party to put any extra resources over and above this to raise the level of family support will have to be decided later in the light of economic and other conditions at the time.

"The phasing out of child tax allowances will apply generally, whether or not the family is receiving child benefit. This will include the parents of students. But adjustments will be made in the parental contribution scales for student grants to take account of the loss of CTAs. Child tax allowances will, however, be retained in full in 1977/78 for the parents of non-resident children. The longer term arrangements for these parents will be decided later.

"No legislation is required on child benefit itself since the Child Benefit Act was passed last year and regulations fixing the rate and the starting date were made this summer. Legislation will be introduced in next year's Finance Bill to exempt child benefit from tax and clawback and to reduce child tax allowance for 1977/78. The Inland Revenue will take account of these proposed changes in revising PAYE code numbers this winter for 1977/76 and this will be the subject of a later statement.

"We have already started our publicity campaign inviting families with only one child, and who therefore do not get family allowance, to claim the new benefit. It is particularly important that they do so now that CTAs are going to be reduced next April. Those who have a child 13 or over should claim now; for children aged 8–12 claims should be made in October, for those 2–8 in November and under 2s in December. Families already getting family allowance do not need to claim: most will get the new benefit automatically and the rest will have their books overstamped in February."

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether an amendment will be sent out with the leaflets on child benefit.

An amending leaflet to explain the changes in the child benefit scheme that was announced on 23rd September is being prepared for use with the child benefit leaflet "claiming for one child" at present available at post offices. This new leaflet will replace the information slip now on display in post offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the net cost of raising the additional payment for children in one-parent families under the child benefit scheme by: (a) 50p per week, (b) £1 per week and (c) £2 per week; and how many families he would expect would get the full benefit of such increases assuming no change in the regulators for sickness benefit, family income supplement, and other means-tested benefits.

The estimated net cost of raising the 50p per week additional payment of child benefit for one-parent families is as follows:

(a) by 50p per week	…	…	£6 million
(b) by £1 per week	…	…	£12 million
(c) by £2 per week	…	…	£24 million

I regret that the available information does not permit a precise answer to the second part of the Question, but in the circumstances envisaged by my hon. Friend only a minority of one-parent families would gain the full benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many civil servants are now employed in keeping and checking records of national insurance contributions.

Records Division of the Department's Newcastle Central Office employs 4,811 people on maintaining national insurance records and supplying information from them to local offices. The records deal with contributions and benefit matters as an integrated process, and a detailed breakdown is not available. The contributions work done in local offices includes a small element of checking which is not separately calculable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many foreigners received supplementary benefit in the last year for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many foreigners were refused supplementary benefit in the last year for which figures are available.

Claims made by people from overseas are not recorded separately and this information is not, therefore, available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the current provision for the mentally handicapped in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

No. Our general policy for improvement of services is set out in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" as I indicated in my reply to a previous Question by the hon. Member on 27th July.—[Vol. 916, c. 209.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the National Development Group for the Mentally Handicapped to complete its review of the provision of day services for mentally handicapped adults, including the rôle and functions of adult training centres and special care.

I understand the National Development Group's work on this is well advanced and that it hopes to issue a pamphlet of advice on local authority day services for the mentally handicapped within the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the staff establishment of the DHSS office at Northfield, Birmingham.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 19th October.—[Vol. 917, c. 392.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if organisations which previously advised him to withdraw the invalid tricycle have now informed him that their views have changed.

I have had representations from a number of organisations over a period of years. On different occasions different points have been emphasised. If my hon. Friend has a particular organisation in mind, he may like to write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from disabled organisations concerning his recent decision to withdraw the personal vehicle service.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun), the hon. Member for Shoreham (Mr. Luce) and my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the arrangements for paying out supplementary benefits to claimants who present themselves in person at DHSS offices.

Yes, but if my hon. Friend has any specific case in mind I will be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on proposals for attaching a kidney donor card to driving licences.

A final decision on the proposals is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. Although sympathetic to the aims of the proposals, we have reluctantly concluded that practical difficulties would prevent us from approaching existing licence holders in this way except at disproportionate expense. It may, however, prove possible to send out a special kidney donor card with first provisional licences, and the Departments are examining this option.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to deal with the shortage of donor kidneys for transplants; and if he will make a statement about the proposal of the Kidney Research Unit for Wales Foundation that the kidney donor card scheme should be updated to allow donor cards to be attached to lifetime driving licences.

My Department will continue to promote kidney donor cards and where possible to encourage clinicians to be aware of the need for kidneys and to co-operate with transplant teams in the identification of potential donors. A final decision on the proposal of the kidney Research Unit for Wales Foundation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. Although sympatheic to the aims of the proposal we have reluctantly concluded that practical difficulties would prevent us from approaching existing licence holders in this way except at disproportionate expense. It may, however, prove possible to send out a special kidney donor card with first provisional licences, and the Departments are examining this option.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had concerning the need to secure kidney donor card distribution with all new driving licences.

This is a matter on which a final decision is for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. Officials of the Departments have examined the feasibility of distributing kidney donor cards with all new driving licences, but we have reluctantly concluded that practical constraints would not permit this except at disproportionate expense. The possibility that a donor card might be sent out with first provisional licences, thus enabling us to approach approximately 1 million drivers a year, is being examined.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department is considering issuing new guidelines to local government social services departments on the subject of taking children into care; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities are bound to take into care children and young persons committed to their care by the courts. They also have a duty to receive into their care children who satisfy the conditions of Section 1 of the Children's Act 1948. I have no intention of issuing new guidelines on the subject in the immediate future but should always be prepared to consider doing so if the need arose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children are at present in residential nurseries.

At 31st March 1976 some 1,750 children in the care of local authorities in England were resident in community homes for children under the age of 7—residential nurseries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding the number of registered unemployed persons receiving neither unemployment benefit nor supplementary benefit.

Leaving aside those whose claims to benefit have not been decided on the day a count is made, persons who are registered as unemployed may not be receiving benefit for a number of reasons. Unemployment benefit is not payable if a person has not completed his three waiting days; if he has exhausted his title to benefit; if his contribution record is deficient; or if he is unable to show that he is capable of and available for work. Moreover, a person may be disqualified for receiving benefit for up to six weeks if, for example, he has lost his employment through misconduct, has left an employment voluntarily without just cause, has without good cause refused an offer of suitable employment, or has neglected to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of suitable employment.Supplementary benefit is payable only if a person's resources fall short of his requirements. It is not payable, for example, to a man whose wife's earnings are sufficient for the family's support, nor is it payable to a married woman living with her husband, though her requirements would be taken into account on any claim made by him.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report those local authorities which are failing to comply with their duties under Section 9 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.

I am aware of one local authority, the London borough of Southwark. Because of a shortage of staff this authority is temporarily unable to fulfil its duties under Section 9 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 for certain categories of children. It is, however, continuing to make social inquiry reports for the courts on juveniles on the active case loads of its social workers and in non-accidental injury cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement concerning the current level of stockpiles of vaccine to cope with a possible outbreak of New Jersey strain influenza.

Approximately half of the emergency reserve of 1 million doses of monovalent vaccine referred to in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Made!) on 25th May—[Vol. 912, c. 109–10]—is ready for distribution to selected holding depots; the remainder should be available for distribution within two to three weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what other countries in the EEC have a form of supplementary benefit similar to the United Kingdom's.

Each of the other EEC countries has social assistance provision, but none has a comprehensive system comparable to the Supplementary Benefits scheme administered by a single national agency. I would refer the hon. Member to the comparisons drawn in Chapter 19 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission Annual Report 1975 (Cmnd 6615).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for the introduction of a weekly benefit for severely handicapped children; and if he will make a statement.

Attendance allowance is now being paid for 40,000 severely handicapped children. We are also in process of extending the new mobility allowance, which already covers older children, to handicapped children aged between 11 and 14. We estimate, that when the 5–10 year-olds are included a total of up to 30,000 handicapped children will benefit from this allowance. Children receiving the higher rate of attendance allowance, together with mobility allowance, will be receiving £17·20 a week from November. A few years ago, as my hon. Friend is aware, they would have had no specific cash help at all.The Government have already provided £8·5 million, with a promise of a further £4 million, to the Family Fund to help relieve stress in families with a handicapped child. We are now funding a research unit at York University to consider the support, both cash and services, provided to such families. I am unable to make any further announcement about cash benefits at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now reintroduce the pensioners' £10 Christmas bonus.

No. A bonus payment is bound to be arbitrary in coverage, and to exclude many deserving groups. A general increase in benefits, such as will take place next month, is a better and fairer method of distributing the resources which are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the general quality of medical and hospital equipment; and what steps his Department takes to ensure that such equipment is of a high standard.

I am satisfied with the general quality of medical and hospital equipment, but there is always room for improvement. There are many safety standards which manufacturers are required to meet. Any instances of defective equipment are reported to my officers, who arrange for speedy rectification throughout the National Health Service. My Department is also active in association with industry and hospital staff in the development of safety standards and in the evaluation of equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from consultants about the next stage of incomes restraint.

I have received no specific representations about what may happen after the end of the present stage of counter inflation policy, but I have discussed some of the issues involved with the British Medical Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to issue instructions to medical journals on advertising.

I have no plans to issue instructions to medical journals on advertising. I am, however, concerned about the cost of sales promotion by pharmaceutical companies, which includes advertising in medical journals, and which is reflected in the prices of medicines supplied under the National Health Service. I announced on 22nd July a reduction in the level of sales promotion costs accepted under the voluntary price regulation scheme, from a current 14 per cent. of the value of the industry's sales to 10 per cent. by 1979. As my hon. Friend indicated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 8th July—[Vol 914, c. 653]—I am also concerned to improve the quality of advertising to doctors, and I am pursuing this in discussions with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on difficulties arising out of labour disputes connected with psychiatric rehabilitation.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to recent difficulties at the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on a dispute between the management and staff of a voluntary organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the retention of separate hospitals for children.

It is the Department's policy that children should be cared for in children's departments in district general hospitals. This enables a consultant paediatrician to be concerned with the welfare of the children and allows the children to be nursed by those trained and experienced in the care of sick children. It also provides access to the specialised diagnostic facilities of district general hospitals. Facilities in certain specialised fields of care for children need to be provided at regional or sub-regional centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has had about his proposal to give independent recognised trade unions exclusive rights to appoint 50 per cent. of the management of occupational pension funds.

I have received a total of some 150 representations about the Government's proposals for occupational pension schemes. I, or my Ministerial colleagues in the Department, have discussed the proposals with the representatives of seven organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any hospital region has indicated to him that it will exceed the cash limits on its expenditure.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is now his estimate of the total cut-back in current as well as capital expenditure in the health and hospital services, expressed per capita, to meet restrictions imposed by his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, giving a comparative breakdown by region and area health authority.

The reductions in public expenditure arising from the measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer last July did not require a reduction in the current expenditure on hospital and community health services. The estimated reduction in capital expenditure in England for these services is 30 pence per head in 1977–8. The total reduction will be one of the factors to be taken into account when the 1977–8 funds are allocated to the health authorities; meanwhile it is not possible to give a comparative breakdown by region and area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has plans to increase the number of fraud specialists.

The size and organisation of the staffing resources provided for fraud work are under review at present and, as I stated publicly on 21st September 1976, despite severe restrictions on manpower we shall aim to increase the number of fraud specialists if we are satisfied that more are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his latest measures to end fraud and abuse of social security benefits.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my public statements of 29th July 1976 and 21st September 1976, in which I described further steps being taken, including a six-point action plan on which the specialist Headquarters Unit is working. However, we are never satisfied. The procedures are under constant review and we are always glad to consider constructive suggestions from any source.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the report of the Working Party on Allocation of Resources within the Health Service.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden) on 12th October.—[Vol. 917, c. 78–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to follow up the endorsement by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 18th September of the proposal by the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Cordle) for the introduction of international medical credit cards.

This proposal will be examined with other similar suggestions under consideration by the Council of Europe Committee on Social Security, on which the United Kingdom is represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the forthcoming increase in social security benefits takes full account of inflation.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what improvements are to be made to the maternity services in the Northallerton area.

The North Yorkshire Area Health Authority's strategic plan proposes that the provision of a new maternity unit should be included in phase I of the redevelopment of the Friarage Hospital. The feasibility of making interim provision in existing accommodation at the Friarage Hospital is currently being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress he has made in working out the necessary administrative arrangements for introducing the non-contributory invalidity pension for disabled housewives; and if he will make a statement.

The pilot exercise to study a test of incapacity for normal household duties has been completed. It is my intention to arrange for the results and conclusions to be discussed with the hon. Member and his colleagues in the All-Party Disablement Group in the House, and also with the Disablement Income Group, in the near future. I am grateful to the hon. Member and his colleagues for their continuing help in this important matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the amount of money the Gov- ernment will have saved by November 1977 from not having introduced the noncontributory invalidity pension for disabled housewives at the same time as for other recipients.

My hon. Friend will be aware that it was never the Government's intention to include disabled housewives from November 1975. If it had been thought possible to pay the non-contributory invalidity pension to housewives from that date, net expenditure between then and November 1977 might have amounted to about £35 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of disabled housewives who will qualify for non-contributory invalidity pension; and what is his latest estimate of the gross cost and net cost, respectively, of its introduction at November 1976 rates.

Such estimates as can be made depend on the 1968–69 survey "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain". The details were given in paragraph 12 of the House of Commons Paper (No. 276) on Social Security Provision for Chronically Sick and Disabled People, issued in September 1974. The gross full-year cost of paying the November 1976 rate of non-contributory invalidity pension to an estimated 40,000 housewives with husbands in work would be £19 million. If married women whose husbands were not working claimed non-contributory invalidity pension in place of an increase of benefit paid to the husband, the gross expenditure on the housewives' part of the new benefit would rise to about £21½ million in a full year at November 1976 benefit rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of households containing a disabled housewife who will become eligible for non-contributory invalidity pension. which are at present in receipt of supplementary benefit; and what proportion of these households he expects to be raised above the supplementary benefit level by the introduction of the disabled housewives benefit.

I regret that information on which to base the estimates for which my hon. Friend has asked is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the progress in establishing an assessment procedure for disabled housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension.

Following evaluation of a useful pilot exercise, the conclusions we have reached about the system for determining incapacity for housework will be discussed with my hon. Friend and his colleagues in the All-Party Disablement Group, and also with the Disablement Income Group. The discussions in which my hon. Friend himself took part contributed greatly to the preparatory work, and I am grateful to all who gave me their help.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which groups of organised workers, employers' associations and political parties at the latest convenient date have made representations to him in favour of pensions equal to the basic wage, or average wage paid to all workers, together with earlier retirement schemes and evidence; and what assurances he has given to these groups.

No such representations have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why no reply was sent within a reasonable time to the letter sent by the Cambridgeshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) reference number REJ /AC D/01/80 of 18th June to his Department, receipt of which was acknowledged, dealing with private pay beds; and whether he will make a statement.

The representations in the letter from Cambridgeshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) of 18th June about private pay beds were considered and dealt with at length by my right hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Devon-port (Dr. Owen) in Standing Committee D on 29th July. I have also written to the Chairman of the Medical Execu- tive Committee of the Cambridge Area Health District and to the AHA to explain the misunderstanding which occurred between the Department and the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will call for a report from the regional health authority as to the adequacy of medical provision in the Runcorn New Town and Old Town area.

No. I am satisfied that there is no need for any such report. Mersey Regional Health Authority has this month selected phase II of Halton General Hospital as its first priority for major capital development in the region. The RHA has also approved the provision of a new health centre at Hall-wood which will improve the facilities already provided by the Cheshire Area Health Authority for primary health care in the Halton Health District.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he will take following the auditor's report that £4,020 was charged to public funds, of which the assessed extra costs were £2,663, for keeping cats on premises of the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases by a member of the nursing staff during the period from August 1971 to March 1976.

I am informed that the Board of Governors of the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases has taken serious note of the report of the Department's auditors, and is considering the steps to be taken to recover the appropriate amount.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrest any changes in the structure and provision of services at the Willesden General Hospital until such time as the legal position between the Brent Community Health Council and the area health authority has been resolved.

I am satisfied that nothing irreversible is being done by the Area Health Authority pending resolution of the legal position.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services with which countries the United Kingdom have negotiated bilateral agreements which entitled United Kingdom nationals, including the self-employed, to medical care in those countries; and with which other countries negotiations are still pending.

Bilateral reciprocal agreements which provide urgently required medical treatment for all United Kingdom visitors have been negotiated with Austria, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Czechoslovakia, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia and USSR and are being considered with the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Israel and Japan.Bilateral agreements with Denmark, the German Federal Republic and Gibraltar provide similar cover for persons not within the scope of the EEC social security regulations, which apply only to employed persons and their families.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to monitor the surveys of chronically sick and disabled people undertaken under the Job Creation Programme; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend will be aware that the Manpower Services Commission has responsibility for ensuring that the projects provide suitable work for those employed, and it is for the local authority or voluntary body sponsoring the project to ensure that the information collected meets its requirements. It is too early to form any opinion of the value of the surveys, but I shall be inquiring about progress in England at the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the net benefit to a married couple with, respectively, no child, one child of 11 years of age, and two children of 11 and five years of age, who would otherwise be dependent on supplementary benefit with no other relevant income if: (a) the husband qualifies for invalid care allowance, (b) the wife eventually qualifies for non-contributory invalidity pension and (c) if the husband and wife both qualify, respectively, for invalid care allowance and the non-contributory invalidity pension.

Both the invalid care allowance and the non-contributory invalidity pension are of most help where no help whatever was given previously. Thus, in the circumstances quoted, with the family totally dependent on supplementary benefit, it is unlikely that there would be any net cash gain.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will include in the next annual report "Research and Development Work on Equipment for the Disabled" an appendix describing world-wide work on the production of specialised vehicles.

In this field, experience shows that most of the many projects started fail to reach production stage. I am considering my hon. Friend's suggestion and will be writing to him as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of wage earners with marginal tax rates, taking into account increased national insurance and loss of means-tested benefits as well as income tax, in excess of (a) 50 per cent., (b) 75 per cent. and (c) 100 per cent.; and what percentage of all wage earners this figure represents.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage increase in gross earnings a man with a wife and two children, earning £40 per week would require in order to increase his net weekly spending power by 14 per cent., which is the current rate of inflation, taking into account tax and national insurance and adjustments to rent and rate rebates, and assuming that he is due for reassessment for FIS within one month.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will compare the FIS entitlement with the tax liability and the national insurance contribution for a married man with two children earning £35 per week.

I shall publish the answer in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has made any grants to the British Deaf Association under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968; and if he will make a statement.

I am glad to announce that I have recently authorised payment of a grant to the association amounting to £133,400 over a period of four years commencing next January. This is designed to enable the association to set up pilot courses to train people in manual communication skills and also to publish a definitive book of British sign language.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when guidelines are laid down by his Department for the introduction and evaluation of new psychotherapeutic treatments;(2) if he is satisfied with the use of new psychotherapeutic techniques are adequately monitored;(3) what steps his Department takes to check the effectiveness and ethical standards of new psychotherapeutic techniques.

As regards the NHS, it is in general the responsibility of the doctor, in consultation with the other professional staff concerned, to organise an appropriate programme of treatment and care for his patient, in the light of present knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of treatment and the wishes and condition of the patient. Evaluation of the effectiveness of psychotherapy presents considerable difficulties, but there have been a number of relevant studies in America and elsewhere and some in this country. The Medical Research Council is currently seeking research projects in psychotherapy.In 1973, following a recommendation in the report of the professional investigation into medical and nursing practices on certain wards at Napsbury Hospital, the then Secretary of State requested the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Royal College of Nursing and the British Psychological Society to set up a joint working party to formulate ethical guidelines for the conduct of behaviour modification programmes. I understand that the working party is now completing its report. A committee set up by a number of independent bodies to pursue the possibility of statutory registration of non-medical psychotherapists is also considering ethical requirements.I have recently published a consultative document on the Review of the Mental Health Act 1959 which includes some suggestion about the protection of patients and about consent to treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the number of people who will be in receipt of mobility allowance at the end of the current financial year and the end of each of the next five financial years, respectively;(2) what is his estimate of the total expenditure on the mobility allowance in the current financial year and in each of the next five years, respectively.

There are at present over 27,000 people in receipt of mobility allowance. By the end of next March, it is reasonable to expect that there might be of the order of 35,000–40,000 beneficiaries. Expenditure on the new allowance in the current financial year might, therefore, be of the order of £7·5 million. Numbers likely to be in receipt of the allowance in subsequent financial years, and the expenditure in those years, can only be conjectural at this stage. They will depend upon how many claimants are found eligible in each successive age group, and also upon the numbers who eventually transfer from vehicle service benefits once the necessary legislation is passed. In a full year, when the new allowance is fully phased in, we expect the cost to my Department, at the current rate of benefit, to be of the order of £26 million for about 100,000 new beneficiaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he will take to ensure that any money allocated by the Government for services to disabled people will, in fact, be spent by local authorities on those services;(2) if he will consider allocating the money budgeted by the Government for services under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to local authorities as a specific grant on the basis of the regional variations in handicap revealed in the survey by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys;(3) what consultations he has had with local authorities about the proposal for a 9 per cent. per annum increase in services provided under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 in the document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England"; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's contribution to personal social services expenditure is made through the rate support grant, a block grant which the local authorities themselves allocate to their various services, and any change to this system is a matter for discussion and consultation in the light of the report of the Layfield Committee.I met the local authority associations last week to discuss issues arising from the consultative document on priorities and there are to be further detailed discussions with the associations. A statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he intends to take to level up the services provided by local authorities under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

As my hon. Friend is aware, the Act places responsibility for providing these services on local authorities. The guidance I give to authorities is designed to promote a more uniform level of service. I shall be meeting local authorities to discuss what further guidance I can usefully give to them in the light of the conferences I have held with a wide range of interested organisations, including this year's Sunningdale Conference at which some senior representatives of local government were present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what consultation he has had with local authorities or local authority associations about means testing the services provided under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970;(2) if he will introduce legislation to amend Section 29(5) of the National Assistance Act 1948 in order to regulate the charges which can be made by local authorities for services provided under Section 2 of the (2) Mr. Ashley asked the Secretary of State for Social Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, so that the purpose of Parliament in laying a duty on local authorities to meet recognised needs is not affected by means tests;(3) what evidence his Department collects about the means tests operated by individual local authorities for services provided under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970;(4) what advice he has issued to local authorities about the practice of means testing for services provided under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

I understand that the total amount of expenditure recouped is very small. My hon. Friend's Questions will be kept in mind in our contacts with local authorities; and I should be glad to inquire into any particular problems he might wish to raise with me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the expenditure on aids, adaptations and telephones for disabled people by local authorities in each of the last five years at November 1975 prices.

Net actual expenditure by local authorities in England on the provision of aids, adaptations to homes and telephones for the disabled and elderly during each of the last four years was as follows:

						1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76*
						£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Aids	…	…	…	…	…	0·890	1·190	1·818	2·288
Adaptations	…	…	…	…	…	1·095	1·982	2·723	3·275
Telephones	…	…	…	…	…	0·781	1·491	2·367	3·265
Expenditure on these services in 1971–72 cannot be separately identified.
* Provisional.

Information is not available to revalue the figures to November 1975 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will obtain details from health authorities relating to the number of cotton cellular blankets which they are using in places of high fire risk in their respective areas; and if he will publish the results, together with their plans for phasing these out.

No. The determination of high fire risk areas and the plans for phasing out cotton cellular blankets in use in these areas is a matter for health authorities to decide. To obtain this information centrally would require a disproportionate use of staff resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department will now take additional measures to deal with the problems of homeless young people.

The problems of homeless young people concern a number of Government departments. My Department is co-ordinating the Government's response to the recommendations of the Working Group on Homeless Young People, whose report has been sent to all local authorities in England and Wales, and will be arranging consultations with the local authority associations to consider what more can be done to help homeless young people without incurring additional expenditure. It will also continue to assist voluntary organisations with a national rôle in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue an advice to all family practitioner committees that a complainant who has submitted a case shall be informed of the address of his community health council and that this body may be able to assist him in presenting his problem.

No. As part of a general review of the service committee procedure my Department has recently invited all interested bodies, including family practitioner committees and community health councils, to comment on a paper summarising the various proposals for modification of the procedure which have been put forward from various quarters in recent years. Comments have specifically been invited on the question of assistance to and representation of parties at service committee hearings. I do not think it would be appropriate to issue advice on particular aspects of the procedure while this review is in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many operations in National Health Service hospitals in Southampton have been performed on (a) National Health Service patients and (b) private patients, in the last year for which figures are available; (c) hernias and (d) gall bladder complaints;(2) what is the average delay for private patients who seek operations for (

Precise figures for operations performed are not available. However, the Southampton and South-West Hampshire Health District estimates that an average of 17 hernia and nine gall bladder operations are performed in Southampton hospitals on NHS patients each week. Over the last 18 months no private patients have had hernia operations and only one a gall bladder operation. There is no record of the waiting time for operations for private patients with these complaints.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients are currently on the waiting list for operations in Southampton for (a) hernias and (b) gall bladder complaints; and what is the average delay in each case.

294 NHS patients are awaiting operation for hernia, and 100 for gall bladder complaints.Meaningful figures for average waiting times cannot be given since the length of time a patient may have to wait depends upon the priority attached to the case; urgent cases are of course treated without delay. In Southampton hospitals at present non-urgent hernia cases usually wait between six and 18 months, but one patient has been waiting 22 months; gall

				Total expenditure on FIS £m.	Expenditure per head of population per annum*
Great Britain	…	…	…	12·0	22p
Scotland	…	…	…	1·7	33p
Wales	…	…	…	0·6	22p
England	…	…	…	9·6	21p
English Regions:	…	…	…
Northern	…	…	…	0·7	22p
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	…	…	1·3	27p
East Midlands and East Anglia	…	…	…	1·2	22p
South East	…	…	…	2·3	14p
SouthWest	…	…	…	1·1	26p
West Midland	…	…	…	1·1	21p
NorthWest	…	…	…	1·9	29p
* Based on Mid 1974 population estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many youth treatment centres exist at present; and what is the total number of places they provide.

There is at present one youth treatment centre—at Brentwood, Essex—which provides 33 places for the care, control and long-term treatment of highly disturbed boys and girls. A second centre, which will provide a further 62 places, is being built at Birmingham and is due to be completed next summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many eye tests were undertaken by opticians under the National Health Service in the Leek parliamentary constituency in each of the past six ears.

Information in the form requested could not be provided without disproportionate expenditure in staff bladder cases normally wait seven months, but a small number have waited up to 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the annual expenditure on family income supplement in £ millions and per head of the population in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, England and each of the English regions in the last year for which figures are available.

The latest available information is for the financial year 1974–75:costs. However, the number of sight tests carried out under the general ophthalmic services by ophthalmic opticians in the former Staffordshire Executive Council Area, and from April 1974 in the larger Staffordshire Family Practitioner area, in both of which the Leek constituency is included, were as follows:

STAFFORDSHIRE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AREA
Calendar Year
1970	…	…	…	60,700
1971	…	…	…	63,500
1972	…	…	…	66,200
1973	…	…	…	69,100
To 31st March 1974	…	…	…	16,800

STAFFORDSHIRE FAMILY PRACTITIONER COMMITTEE AREA
Calendar Year
From 1st April 1974	…	…	…	93,000
1975	…	…	…	131,800

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the light of the indictment brought by a grand jury in the United States of America of kidnapping by brainwashing and of the evidence submitted to Senator Dole's committee of inquiry, he will study the widespread use of sophisticated brainwashing techniques by pseudo-religious cults and their medical implications in the United Kingdom.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the prosecution of two members of the New York "Hari Krishna" temple and to the United States Congressional enquiry into the activities of the Unification Church. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is awaiting information from the USA about the enquiry, and we shall consider, when such information is available, whether any action would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider extending the provision of heating allowances to pensioners and other low-income groups who are not receiving supplementary benefit.

My right hon. Friend has no plans for any such extension. My hon. Friend will be aware that pensions and other social security benefits are being increased next month, and will know of the Government's intended electricity discount scheme, which will cover recipients of family income supplement as well as of supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which matters his Department will be responsible for in England, but not in Scotland after the implementation of the Government's devolution proposals; and whether all such matters are presently the responsibility of the Scottish Office so far as they affect Scotland.

The NHS and personal social services: at present the Scottish Office has responsibility in Scotland for both of these.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he proposes to take to provide additional funds in the North-West Region so as to enable more people under 50 years of age to receive treatment for kidney failure;

Renal dialysis services are funded from the overall capital and revenue allocations made annually to regional and area health authorities. Health authorities themselves are responsible for determining which developments can take place locally within their financial resources and having regard to all other priorities.The North-Western Region's forward plans include proposals for additional renal dialysis treatment facilities for patients of all ages to be provided, if possible, within the next five years at three further centres: Hope Hospital, Salford; North Manchester General Hospital; and Preston Royal Infirmary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the earnings rule for pensioners so that earnings may be averaged across the year; and whether he will refer the matter to the National Insurance Advisory Committee.

No. I wrote to the hon. Member on this issue on 12th August, and I cannot usefully add to that letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money has been expended in each of the last three years by the Supplementary Benefits Commission using its discretionary powers under Section 13 of the Supplementary Benefit Act 1966 to pay benefit in an urgent case to any person; and what guidance, if any, is given to officers about the circumstances in which they should use these discretionary powers.

I regret that this information is not available. Because of the varied and wholly exceptional situations in which urgent need may arise, specific guidance cannot be given, and officers are given a wide discretion to take whatever action they consider essential at the time. They are, however, expected to satisfy themselves as far as possible that there is no other way in which the person can get over his difficulty, and that a payment is essential to prevent serious hardship.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provisions have been made by the Hampshire County Council for the residential care of the mentally handicapped in its area.

Hampshire County Council is currently providing 260 residential places for adults in 11 units, and 28 for children in two units.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of hostels with residential accommodation built in each region between 1st January 1974 and 30th September 1976 to house the mentally handicapped.

The information in the form requested is not available centrally, but the numbers of new homes—hostels—for the mentally handicapped given final approval in each region during the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76 are as follows:

Region
Northern	…	3
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	16
North Western	…	5
West Midlands	…	5
East Midlands	…	7
London, North	…	9
London	…	5
Southern	…	7
South-Western	…	2

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many neurosurgical beds are available in hospitals in each of the regional health authority areas in England and Wales; what is the optimum figure in relation the DHSS standard in each area; and how many beds are currently operative.

No national standard for the number of neurosurgical beds is laid down centrally; health authorities submit plans in accordance with the needs of their region, which may be discussed with my Department. In advising on plans in the Thames Regions a co-ordinating group of the Department and regional representatives has accepted figures of 25 beds per million population for neurosurgery and a minimum of 60 neurology/neurosurgery beds in a unit for efficient working. In 1975 the number of neurosurgical beds and their average occupancy in England and Wales were as follows:

Region	Available beds	Average occupancy
Northern	138	90
Yorkshire	134	109
Trent	76	62
East Anglia	41	31
North-West Thames	36	34
North-East Thames	155	137
South-East Thames	55	42
South-West Thames	82	67
Wessex	39	30
Oxford	22	19
South-Western	103	86
West Midlands	113	94
Mersey	113	95
North-Western	152	116
Preserved Boards of Governors	58	45
England	1,317	1,065
Wales	58	43
England and Wales	1,375	1,108

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how salaries and working conditions for (a) neurosurgeons, (b) neuroradiologists, (c) neurophysiologists and (d) neuropathologists in the National Health Services compare with remuneration for similar responsibilities in the United States of America, Canada, the Middle East and other countries in the EEC.

Detailed information on the remuneration and working conditions of doctors working in individual specialties in other countries is not readily available, and the basis of remuneration differs widely from country to country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons qualified as (a) neurosurgeons, (b) neuroradiologists, (c) neurophysiologists and (d) neuropathologists in each of the last five years or, as appropriate, entered the National Health Service in these capacities; how many went abroad to take up positions with these qualifications; and how many are currently in training.

Information on the number of persons appointed to paid consultant posts in the National Health Service in England and Wales for the first time in these specialities is given in the table below. During the year ending 30th September 1975 three paid senior registrars and two paid consultants in neurosurgery, but none in neuropathology or neurophysiology, left the grade stating an intention to go abroad. At 30th September

Speciality				1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Neurosurgery	…	…	…	3	4	3	5	4
Neuropathology	…	…	…	0	2	2	5	0
Clinical Neurophysiology	…	…	…	4	1	1	2	4

The figures given are the number of staff appointed to paid consultant appointments during the 12 months ending 30th September of the year stated.