asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners on hunger strike have been forcibly fed; and how many have not been forcibly fed, since 17th July 1974.

Information is not available in the form requested. There is, of course, no objective definition of the term "hunger strike" and food refusal in prison has, in practice, ranged from the return of a meal on one day to persistent action involving the total refusal of all nourishment over a very long period. Instances of food refusal as a temporary means of protest, often abandoned after a few days, are unlikely by their very nature to involve a doctor in any decisions about admission to prison hospital for observation, or any clinical judgment about artificial feeding. For these reasons, such incidents, although carefully monitored and recorded locally, are not, and cannot sensibly be, collated in statistical form. Recently, however, we have begun to collect information centrally about those cases where a prisoner is admitted to hospital after persistently refusing food and drink. Eight such cases have been recorded since 1st October 1976. None has involved artificial feeding and in three of them normal eating has been resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners convicted of violent crime including armed robbery and kidnapping and not yet eligible to be considered for parole are currently held in open prisons;(2) how many prisoners convicted of violent crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping, are currently held in open prisons.

On 31st October 1976 there were 217 persons in open prisons who had been convicted of violence against the person, aggravated burglary or robbery. Of these, 50 had not yet reached their parole eligibility date, and 69 were serving sentences of life imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the steps he will take to circulate advice to housing authorities on the incorporation in new buildings of suitable measures to provide fall-out protection.

Complete protection would be prohibitively expensive; but a good measure of protection could be provided by householders by simple improvised means described in the booklet "Protect and Survive", copies of which are in the Library. Guidance would be issued to the public at an appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if identi-kit pictures built up by the police during criminal investigations have to be treated in the same way as photographs in relation to identification and identity parades.

No; the guidance issued by my Department to the police on the conduct of identification parades and the use of photographs for identification purposes (Home Office Circular No. 9/1969) does not apply to identi-kit pictures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many surveys, questionnaires, censuses or similar investigations have been carried out, either wholly or partly, at public expense, on behalf of or by his Department or by any public bodies for which he is responsible in 1974, 1975 and in 1976 to date, respectively, specifying their nature and purpose and the total cost to public funds.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Almost all such work relates to the operational needs of the police, prison, fire, probation and immigration services. Particular surveys carried out in 1974, 1975 and 1976 have included 10 in connection with community relations, 20 in connection with community programmes and 10 others. Among the latter were a large survey carried out for the James Committee on the business of magistrates' courts and the Crown Court, and work relating to fire losses and drowning accidents; some of them are still in progress. The total cost of the survey for the James Committee was £11,500. Most of the other surveys individually cost less than £5,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the powers he has to deprive British subjects of their nationality and the circumstances in which they may be exercised.

People who have obtained citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies by registration or naturalisation may be deprived of it in the circumstances set out in Section 20 of the British Nationality Act 1948, as amended by Section 4 of the British Nationality (No. 2) Act 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the monthly total of entry visas given to political prisoners in Chile was substantially lower in the first six months of this year than was anticipated by his Department despite the large number of applicants who have been waiting for six months or more.

No figure was set by my Department for admissions of refugees from Chile. During the first six months of this year. 119 letters of consent were authorised involving 297 people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he agrees with the findings of the Crawford Report on the fourth television channel; and if he will make a statement.

My predecessor indicated in the statement he made on 21st November 1974—[Vol. 881, c. 475]—that the Government accepted in principle the Crawford Committee recommendation on the use of the fourth television channel in Wales. I have nothing further to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member's Question on 16th November. —[Vol. 919, c. 448.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current ratio of prison officer staff to inmates in each of the penal establishments in England and Wales.

The ratio of prison officer staff to inmates in each of the penal establishments in England and Wales at 31st October 1976 was as follows:

Acklington Prison	1:2·40
Albany Prison	1:1·04
Aldington detention centre	1:2·29
Appleton Thorn Prison	1:6·125
Ashford remand centre	1:2·13
Ashwell Prison	1:6·08
Askham Grange Prison	1:3.93
Aylesbury Prison	1:2·55
Bedford Prison	1:2·34
Birmingham Prison	1:3.61
Blantyre House detention centre	1:1·95
Blundeston Prison	1:2·99
Bristol Prison	1:2·61
Brixton Prison	1:2·22
Brockhill remand centre	1:1·96
Buckley Hall detention centre	1:2·57
Bullwood Hall borstal	1:1·73
Camp Hill Prison	1:2·85
Campsfield House detention centre	1:1·55
Canterbury Prison	1:2·40
Cardiff Prison	1:2·94
Channings Wood Prison	1:2·90
Chelmsford Prison	1:1·43
Coldingley Prison	1:1·84
Dartmoor Prison	1:2·30
Deerbolt borstal	1:2·22
Dorchester Prison	1:2·64
Dover borstal	1:2·35
Drake Hall Prison	1:3·48
Durham Prison	1:3·15
East Sutton Park borstal	1:2·50
Eastwood Park detention centre	1:2·35
Erlestoke detention centre	1:1·32
Everthorpe borstal	1:3·56
Exeter Prison	1:2·93
Feltham borstal	1:2·13
Finnamore Wood borstal	1:2·58
Ford Prison	1:6·22
Foston Hall detention centre	1:2·06
Gartree Prison	1:0·91
Gaynes Hall borstal	1:3·69
Glen Parva borstal	1:2·10
Gloucester Prison	1:2·78
Grendon Prison	1:2·49
Guys Marsh borstal	1:3·50
Haslar detention centre	1:2·73
Hatfield borstal	1:3·55
Haverigg Prison	1:4·79
Hewell Grange borstal	1:1·96
Hindley borstal	1:3·11
Hollesley Bay borstal	1:3·31
Holloway Prison	1:2·48

Hull Prison	1:1·23
Huntercombe borstal	1:2·60
Kingston Prison	1:1·50
Kirkham Prison	1:5·70
Kirklevington detention centre	1:2·93
Lancaster Prison	1:2·33
Latchmere House remand centre	1:1·72
Leeds Prison	1:3·69
Leicester Prison	1:2·14
Lewes Prison	1:2·63
Leyhill Prison	1:5·81
Lincoln Prison	1:3·03
Liverpool Prison	1:4·20
Long Lartin Prison	1:1·08
Lowdham Grange borstal	1:3·46
Low Newton remand centre	1:2·68
Maidstone Prison	1:2·26
Manchester Prison	1:4·69
Medomsley detention centre	1:2·70
Moor Court Prison	1:3·56
New Hall detention centre	1:2·60
Northallerton Prison	1:2·55
Northeye Prison	1:5·23
North Sea Camp detention centre	1:2·89
Norwich Prison	1:2·48
Nottingham Prison	1:2·44
Onley Prison	1:2·63
Oxford Prison	1:2·69
Parkhurst Prison	1:1·14
Pentonville Prison	1:4·24
Portland borstal	1:3·02
Preston Prison	1:4·17
Pucklechurch remand centre	1:1·77
Ranby Prison	1:4·90
Reading Prison	1:2·79
Risley Prison	1:2·17
Rochester borstal	1:3·15
Send detention centre	1:2·79
Shepton Mallett Prison	1:3·47
Shrewsbury Prison	1:2·22
Stafford Prison	1:3·82
Standford Hill Prison	1:4·40
Stoke Heath borstal	1:3·53
Styal Prison	1:2·37
Sudbury Prison	1:5·01
Swansea Prison	1:2·59
Swinfen Hall Prison	1:2·05
Thorp Arch Prison	1:5·62
Thorp Arch remand centre	1:2·91
Usk detention centre	1:1·68
Prescoed borstal	1:2·21
Verne Prison	1:4·44
Wakefield Prison	1:2·26
Wandsworth Prison	1:5·12
Wellingborough borstal	1:3·35
Werrington detention centre	1:2·57
Wetherby borstal	1:3·59
Whatton detention centre	1:2·43
Winchester Prison	1:3·29
Wormwood Scrubs Prison	1:3·71
* At 1st September 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what warnings are given to the owners of industrial and commercial premises and householders about the toxic properties of polyurethane foams and in particular the danger from isocyanite fumes, where such material is used or stored on their premises.

I have been asked to reply.I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that polyurethane foams do not possess toxic properties and in normal use do not cause danger from isocyanite fumes. The foams are, however, highly flammable, and toxic fumes, including isocyanites, are given off by the foams when they are on fire. The fire risks from polyurethane foams, and emission of toxic fumes from burning foam, are well recognised by Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate, and the dangers have been drawn to the attention of industry and commerce for a number of years. Warnings about these toxic fumes are given in the Health and Safety Executive Technical Data Note 29 (REV) entitled "Fire Risk in the Storage and Industrial Use of Cellular Plastics". This publication is available free to the public on application to the local offices of the Health and Safety Executive, and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.Specific information and warnings on the dangers have not been addressed to householders, but the above information is freely available to them.A film entitled "Polyurethane Foam: Fire Risk in Industry " has been made for Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate which makes reference to these dangers, and this film is available for hire from the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has regarding the use of sheep at Porton in 1975 for testing water cannon; and in what manner such tests took place.

Sheep are involved in experiments aimed at assessing the nature and treatment of possible injuries from various causes including water jets. All of the work is carried out under licence and is subject to Home Office inspection. All sheep involved in experiments for these purposes are anaethetised before use and are not allowed to regain consciousness.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments on living animals took place at Porton and elsewhere under his aegis in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.

For information covering the years 1970 to 1974 I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 18th April 1975 to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, East (Mr. Clemitson). In 1975 the total number of live animals used at the Porton establishments was 110,365. I will publish information on the number of animals used in 1975 at other Ministry of Defence establishments in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any experiments on living animals take place under the aegis of his Department other than at Porton; and, if so, where and how many.

Experiments on living animals other than at Porton take place at the following establishments within the Ministry of Defence: the Royal Army Medical College, Millbank; the David Bruce Laboratories, East Everleigh; the Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke; the Institute of Pathology and Medical Training, RAF Halton; the Institute of Aviation Medicine, RAF Farnborough; The Royal Naval Physiological Laboratory, Alverstoke.I will publish details of the number of animals involved in experiments at these establishments in the

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments on living animals at Porton in 1975 took place under licence; how many required additional certificates; and what they were.

All of the experiments at the Porton establishments in 1975 which involved animals were conducted under licence. The total number of experiments for which additional certificates are required is recorded by the Home Office, but no record is kept of the establishments or species involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what medical and scientific journals details of the experi- ments performed on animals at Porton are published.

Journals in which research involving animal experiments were reported in 1975 included: "Archives of Toxicology"; "Journal of Reproductive Fertility"; "Veterinary Record"; "Medicine Science and Law"; "Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology"; Journal of the Forensic Science Society "British Journal of Experimental Pathology"; "Journal of Pathology"; "Journal of Medical Microbiology"; "Journal of general Virology"; "Journal of Biological Standards"; "International Archives of Allergy and applied Immunology"; "Lancet"; "Journal of immunological Methods".

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what other animals were subjected to experiments at Porton in 1975; and to what experiments they were subjected.

In the table of animals used at the Porton establishments in 1975 given in reply to my hon. Friend on 9th November 1976—[Vol. 919, c. 142–3]—the final category covered fish. Records are not kept of the experiments in which they are involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he can confirm that contracts to British companies under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding of September 1975 will be awarded strictly on commercial criteria.

Yes, under the Memorandum of Understanding United Kingdom firms are allowed to compete on equal terms with United States contractors.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in reviewing and achieving economies in the United Kingdom level of research and development on defence against biological warfare announced last March in the Statement on the Defence Estimates; and what are his plans for the Microbiological Research Establishment at Porton.

The review of defence requirements has reached the conclusion that future military needs can be met adequately by a substantially reduced programme of research conducted by no more than a small team of about 10 scientists and their supporting staff integrated within the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton.The future of the establishment therefore turns primarily on the scale and range of civil requirements. These are being thoroughly assessed by the Government's Central Policy Review Staff, as part of a study of the need to achieve the most economic deployment of the country's resources and expertise for conducting biological research. The study will also take account of the investigation by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control of the feasibility and desirability of its being located at Porton. The study is expected to be completed around the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent estimate of the numbers living below the poverty line, as defined by his Department.

Approximately 126,000 if the criterion assumed is the numbers in receipt of supplementary benefits and family income supplements; most of these recipients would be heads of households with dependants.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the detailed cut-backs in the school programme in the Antrim, North constituency of Northern Ireland.

It is not possible to identify specific school building projects which have been affected by the recent cut-backs in public expenditure, as approvals to new building projects are compiled annually and take account of the financial position at the time. A reduction of £0·4 million in 1977–78 in funds available for educational building projects in Northern Ireland is not expected to have any material effect in the North Antrim constituency area.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the detailed cut-backs in the hospitals programme in the Antrim, North constituency of Northern Ireland.

The hospitals programme in the Antrim, North constituency has not been affected by the recent cut-backs in public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has used Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 in respect of Harland and Wolff Ltd. since it was taken into public ownership.

Harland and Wolff Ltd. was taken into public ownership in August 1975 under the Shipbuilding Industry (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1975. On one occasion since then Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 has been used in respect of the company. On 5th March 1976 performance guarantees under powers conferred by that section were given by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in extension of existing guarantees given previously by the Secretary of State for Industry to Maritime Fruit Carriers, to Coastal States Gas of Houston, Texas, that company having taken over from Maritime Fruit Carriers responsibility for two VLCCs—ships 1704 and 1705—in the Harland and Wolff order book.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, in the case of each of the countries currently receiving British aid where claims in respect of nationalisation and expropriation affecting the property of British subjects remains outstanding, what sums are involved, when the claims first arose and how much British aid has been made available to the country concerned since that time.

The following is a list of those countries currently receiving British aid where claims in respect of nationalisation and expropriation affecting the property of British subjects remain outstanding, showing the year from which the various measures date and the total of British aid made available since that time. The figures shown are cumulative totals from and including the given year, up to the end of 1975.

		Bilateral disbursements £ million
Country	Year	(gross)
Afghanistan	1975	0·19
Algeria	1962	1·18
Bangladesh	1972	25·99
Burma	1963	3·29
Congo	1970	0·09
Costa Rica	1972	5·66
Ethiopia	1975	2·91
Ghana	1973	4·31
India	1967	466·97
Indonesia	1962	43·33
Malawi	1966	81·06
Pakistan	1973	14·49
Somalia	1970	1·20
Sri Lanka	1972	10·04
Tanzania	1967	17·76
Uganda	1972	11·77
Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen	1967	8·27
Zaire	1973	0·25
Zambia	1969	43·10

Insufficient information is available to enable the total of outstanding claims to be calculated, since for the most part negotiations are being conducted by the claimants themselves. I am not in a position to make public details of individual claims which are known to us.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the recent visit of an official of his Department to Nicosia and Ankara to discuss Turkish compensation for property lost by British residents during the Turk invasion of Cyprus.

A senior official of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Cyprus and Turkey between 19th and 28th October. During this visit he pressed the Government of Cyprus, the Turkish Government and the Turkish Cypriot authorities in Cyprus to give early consideration to the British claims for compensation which have been, or are being, addressed to them. Individual claims against the Government of Cyprus and the Government of Turkey are being handed over by the High Commission in Nicosia and the Embassy in Ankara. The Turkish Cypriot authorities have been urged to set up their proposed Claims Commission and the Turkish Government have been asked to encourage Mr. Denktash to do so urgently. The Turkish Government have also been requested to make very early settlement in a number of cases, particularly those involving death.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement upon his fisheries talks with EEC Ministers at Brussels on 15th November.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 17th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 1327–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what size of fishing protection fleet would be required to police territorial waters of (a) 50 miles, (b) 100 miles and (c) 200 miles, respectively.

The size of the force when complete by the end of 1977, that is to say six DAFS vessels, 16 MOD vessels and four aircraft, was designed with the requirements of a 200-mile fisheries limit for the United Kingdom in mind. The question of assessing the force required for lesser limits, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many additional fishing protection vessels have been ordered in anticipation of an increase in fishing limits.

Arrangements for the future protection of the offshore interests of the United Kingdom, described by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Ministry of Defence in a statement to this House on 11th February 1975, involved five additional vessels for the Royal Navy, which have been ordered, and the redeployment of four existing aircraft. No additional vessels under my control were envisaged, as two modern vessels had been added to the fleet with the likelihood of 200-mile fishing limits in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of staff in his Department in each rank from and including assistant secretary upwards.

On 1st October 1976 there were 43 staff at the level of Under-Secretary and above, including senior professional officers as follows:

	Number
Permanent Secretary	1
Deputy Secretary	8
Under-Secretary	34

There were 70 officers in the Administration Group, one of Middle Executive Directing Grade and 69 Assistant Secretaries. In addition there were 77 officers of the professional technological, science and other groups with a salary maximum at or above the maximum of the Assistant Secretary scale.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to continue his grant to the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) now that the Scottish Development Agency has been established; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with the undertakings which I gave during the passage of the Scottish Development Agency Bill, the arrangements for the grant in aid to the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) for the purposes of industrial promotion will continue unaltered until the end of the current financial year, when they would, in any case, have been due for review. I also undertook that the arrangements for future years would be the subject of consultation between the Agency, when established, and the Council.I am happy now to announce that the two bodies have reached complete agree- ment upon these arrangements. The Agency will assume the responsibility hitherto exercised by the Council for coordinating Scottish industrial promotional efforts. The Agency proposes to convene a new consultative body which will include the interests at present represented on the Scottish Council's Consultative Committee, which will be disbanded, and the Agency will shortly be initiating discussions with the parties concerned.The Scottish Council will continue its own promotional campaigns and has undertaken to agree and co-ordinate its programmes with the Agency. To reinforce this section of the Council's overseas activity, and to maintain the momentum which has been so effectively generated in the past three years, the Agency will pay to the Council an annual grant of £100,000 from 1st April 1977 for a period of two years. During this period the Agency will build up its own capacity in the promotional field and will work out with the Council what arrangements might be appropriate for 1979 onwards.I would like to take this opportunity of paying a warm tribute to the invaluable work of the Scottish Council in this field, over many years, but particularly over the three-year period of current grant in aid; and I look forward to the important continuing contribution it will be making under the new arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on his plans for some association between kidney donor cards and the system of issuing driving licences; and what plans he has for increasing the impetus of the kidney donor card scheme in Scotland.

The question of associating kidney donor cards with the issuing of provisional driving licences is under consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. So far as the donor card scheme in Scotland is concerned, I would refer to the reply given on 10th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes).—[Vol. 919. c. 182.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of grants for roads in the Western Isles in 1975.

Most specific grants for roads were discontinued with effect from May 1975. Since then central Government financial assistance has been channelled through rate support grant which is not specifically allocated to individual services. In 1975, £189,000 of specific grant was paid in the Western Isles, mostly under the continuing township roads scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the amount paid to the Western Isles Islands Council for housing purposes in 1975.

The total of Exchequer subsidies paid to the Western Isles Islands Council for housing purposes in the period from 16th May 1975 to 31st March 1976 was £485,081.

Hughes asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will

Regional Hospital Board	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
	£	£	£	£	£
Northern	—	34	—	—	—
North-Eastern	—	—	—	38	—
Eastern	28	194	27	—	33
South-Eastern	—	77	—	50	68
Western	—	31	11	228	223
	28*	336	38	316	324

Regional Hospital Board	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74
	£	£	£	£	£
Northern	—	—	—	391	—
North-Eastern	22	—	—	21	—
Eastern	—	—	—	—	—
South-Eastern	32	30	13	59	400
Western	199	181	363	179	521
	253	211	376	650	921
* Estimated: the information available for this year is not comprehensive.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount recovered by legal action from defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the

The amount recovered from 1st April 1974 to the present time is as follows:

Health Board	£
Argyll and Clyde	86·25
Ayrshire and Arran	24·30
Dumfries and Galloway	61·00
Grampian	822·63
Greater Glasgow	929·75
Lothian	492·15
	£2,416·08

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount written off in respect of defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the regional hospital boards in Scotland for the 10 years preceding their demise.

The information is as follows:regional hospital boards in Scotland for the 10 years preceding their demise.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount written off in respect of defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the area health boards in Scotland since their inception.

The amounts written off in the two financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76 are are follows. Later information is not available.

Health Board	£
Argyll and Clyde	173
Ayrshire and Arran	36
Dumfries and Galloway	301
Grampian	1,429
Greater Glasgow	540
Highland	36
Lothian	347
Tayside	91
	2,953

There were no pay beds in the seven remaining health board areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the progress in making helicopter landing facilities available at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Defence recently advised the Grampian Health Board that it would not be able

		Direct taxes on income			Per cent
	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
Belgium	9·4	9·8	10·3	10·7	11·7
France	4·6	4·4	4·7	4·7	4·7
Irish Republic	7·1	8·6	8·1	8·1	..
Italy	5·1	5·3	5·7	5·4	..
Japan	5·8	6·2	6·5	6·9	7·1
Netherlands	11·5	12·0	12·5	12·7	12·7
United Kingdom	14·3	14·1	12·9	12·8	14·2
United States	11·3	10·4	11·6	10·9	..
West Germany	9·4	10·3	10·0	11·5	11·9

		Total social security contributions			Per cent.
	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
Belgium	11·2	11·5	11·6	11·9	12·0
France	14·5	14·7	14·8	14·7	15·1
Irish Republic	2·9	3·1	3·2	3·3	..
Italy	12·2	12·4	12·2	12·1	..
Japan	5·1	5·1	5·2	5·0	5·2
Netherlands	15·3	15·9	15·9	17·4	18·0
United Kingdom	6·3	6·1	6·3	6·5	6·9
United States	6·9	7·1	7·4	8·3	..
West Germany	11·5	11·8	12·3	13·1	13·2
.. Not available.

These percentages should be interpreted with caution. In some countries total personal income includes among current transfers grants to pay for personal health services, which in the United Kingdom

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the percentage of total personal incomes taken in income tax and employees' social Security contributions in the EEC countries, the United States of America and Japan in each of the latest five years for which figures are available.

The following table shows, as a percentage of total personal income, direct taxes on income and total social security contributions. Figures for employees' contributions alone are not available; and figures of total personal income are not available for Denmark or Luxembourg.are provided directly by the central Government. Also, the relative importance of indirect taxation in different countries affects such comparisons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many surveys, questionnaires, censuses or similar investigations have been carried out, either wholly or partly, at public expense, on behalf of or by his Department or by any public bodies for which he is responsible in 1974, 1975 and in 1976 to date, respectively, specifying their nature and purpose and the total cost to public funds.

Three surveys, two quarterly and one annual, are carried out regularly by the Board of Inland Revenue, requesting information which is supplied voluntarily by the general public. They are (a) a quarterly enquiry into pay and tax, in which a panel of employers give estimates of the total wages and salaries paid in the preceding quarter and of the PAYE tax deducted; (b) a quarterly enquiry into company profits, in which a panel of large companies provide estimates of their gross trading profits in the preceding quarter; (c) an annual enquiry in January of each year in which a representative selection of businesses provide estimates of their gross trading profits in their latest complete accounting period.The results of these enquiries are used in the provision of quarterly and annual estimates of wages and salaries and company profits for national income purposes, and in the estimation of tax due thereon for the purpose of budgetary forecasting. The total cost to public funds of these three surveys in the last three years is estimated at £20,000 for 1974, £29,000 for 1975 and £37,000 for 1976.Her Majesty's Customs and Excise carried out a survey by means of a questionnaire in 1975 to assist in a review of methods of presentation of external trade statistics. The estimated cost was £230.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are to be engaged as direct-entry principals into the Treasury; and what will be the amount paid to them in salaries.

The Treasury expects to recruit two principals from the current Civil Service Commission direct-entrant competition. Starting salaries of direct-entrant Principals are determined by the Commissioners within the principal salary scale.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of gross national product devoted to public expenditure in Great Britain when calculated according to the accounting conventions used in: (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) the Netherlands, (d) Sweden and (e) the United States.

This exercise, if it were possible, would require an excessive expenditure of official resources. I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer i gave to the hon. Member for Horsham and Crawley (Mr. Hordern) on 25th October 1976—[Vol. 918, c. 54–6]—which showed comparisons between a number of countries on a National Accounts basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a full statement on the statistical basis of the claim that the £ sterling is undervalued.

Any assessment must necessarily rest to a large degree on judgment, related to a wide array of economic and statistical indicators.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he obtains up-to-date information from overseas posts regarding the export prices charged by Great Britain's principal competitors for manufacturers, so as to facilitate the management of the £ sterling; and whether he can give an estimate on that basis of the comparative increases in export prices for manufacturers over the course of the current year.

Our main sources of information on manufactures export prices of our principal competitors are the UN and OECD secretariats. No up to date information is available for most competitor countries; but we estimate that United Kingdom manufactured exports have been 4 per cent. more price competitive in the third quarter than in the first quarter of this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a council tenant renting a garage or parking space from the local authority does not pay value added tax on the rent of the garage or parking space, but as soon as he starts to purchase his council house he has to pay value added tax on the rent for the same garage or parking space; and if he will make a statement.

The grant of facilities for parking a vehicle is chargeable with VAT at the standard rate. Where a garage is let by a landlord to a tenant as part of, or in conjunction with, the letting of domestic accommodation, the combined rent is regarded as exempt from VAT under the provisions in Group 1 of Schedule 5 to the Finance Act 1972. I am writing to my hon. Friend in fuller explanation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects discussions to take place between the Inland Revenue and members of the Joint Taxation Sub-Committee of the Accepting Houses Committee and the Issuing Houses Association on the treatment of gains and losses in foreign exchange arising from borrowings in foreign currency.

The Inland Revenue hopes that as part of its programme of consultations it will be possible for it to arrange a meeting with members of the sub-committee before the end of the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, further to his answer on 8th November, Official Report, column 76, giving the short-run effects of each Budget and mini-Budget since March 1974, he will now publish the full consequences of each Budget or mini-Budget.

The long-run effects of changes in fiscal measures take a number of years to come through. The nature of these effects is not known with any degree of certainty. It would, therefore, be very difficult to quantify accurately the "full consequences" of each Budget and mini-Budget since March 1974. As a result, I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 8th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish estimates of the real after-tax increases in income enjoyed since February 1974 by a married man with two children under 11 years of age on (a) average earnings (b) £5,000 per annum in February 1974 (c) £7,500 per annum in February 1974 (d) £10,000 per annum in February 1974 and (e) half average earnings.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss in revenue in 1976–77 if the maximum rate of tax on earned income were 50 per cent.

If earned income is treated as the lower slice of any mixed income the estimated loss of revenue for 1976–77 would be about £235 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss in revenue to the Exchequer in 1976–77 if the maximum rate of tax on earned income were reduced to 50 per cent. and the other present rates were reduced also as indicated: present 35 per cent. to 20 per cent., present 40 per cent. to 25 per cent., present 45 per cent. to 30 per cent., and present 50 per cent. to 35 per cent., and all rates currently above 50 per cent. to 50 per cent. as a maximum;(2) what would be the loss in revenue to the Exchequer in 1976–77 if the maximum rate of tax on earned income were reduced to 50 per cent. and the rates were reduced also as indicated: 35 per cent. to 15 per cent., 40 per cent. to 20 per cent., 45 per cent. to 25 per cent., and 50 per cent. to 30 per cent., and all rates currently in excess of 50 per cent. to 50 per cent. as a maximum.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th November 1976; Vol. 919, c. 291], gave the following information:If earned income is treated as the lower slice of any mixed income the estimated costs for 1976–77 would be about £6,900 million, £9,150 million and £4,700 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are paying income tax at a rate of 50 per cent. and above; and how many are paying income tax at a rate of less than 50 per cent.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 18th November 1976], gave the following information:The estimated number of taxpayers paying income tax for 1976–77 at a marginal rate of 50 per cent. or above—excluding the investment income surcharge—is about 700,000. The corresponding number paying at less than 50 per cent, is 20·3 million. Married couples are counted as one tax unit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the expected level of savings coming into the building societies, the insurance companies, the pension funds and other savings institutions, excluding the clearing banks, in 1976; and what are the projections for 1977.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th November 1976; Vol. 919, c. 374–5], gave the following information:It is not the practice to publish forecasts for these flows. The table below shows the figures so far available for the flows of funds into these institutions in the first part of 1976 for the same group-

ing as in the answer to my hon. Friend's Question—[Vol. 919, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether it is the Government's intention to invite State oil to become a participant in the proposed North Sea gas pipeline network.

At their meeting in September, the Norwegian Minister for Industry and my right hon. Friend agreed regularly to exchange information on the progress of our studies and to consider co-ordination of our plans. Consideration of Norwegian participation in any scheme shown to be viable is not therefore ruled out.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many surveys, questionnaires, censuses, or similar investigations have been carried out, either wholly or partly, at public expense, on behalf of or by his Department or by any public bodies for which he is responsible in 1974, 1975 and in 1976 to date, respectively, specifying their nature and purpose and the total cost to public funds.

The number of surveys, questionnaires, censuses or similar investigations undertaken by my Department in recent years, partly or wholly at public expense, is as follows:

1974	18
1975	11
1976	3

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in view of the fact that the small sums set aside for research and development into wave power, geothermal and other forms of energy constitute a limitation on the amount of work being carried out, he will increase them.

The sums so far allocated are those considered appropriate to the stage of development and the potential contribution to our energy needs of the energy sources concerned. The allocation will be kept under review as the research and development work progresses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice she has given to local education authorities concerning the integration of school transport with general public transport.

My right hon. Friend is considering all aspects of school transport, in consultation with her right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport as well as all educational interests concerned. At the local level there is much to be gained by the closest possible co-operation between the education and transport authorities, and advice has been given by the Department of Transport to local authorities concerning transport supplementary grant which has emphasised the need to consider school and other public transport requirements together.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will introduce central funding for equipment needed by schoolchildren along the lines of the Aids for Work Scheme operated by the Employment Services Agency.

The provision of educational equipment in schools is a matter of local responsibility. I am unable in any case to do so as my Department has no powers to pay specific grant to local education authorities—except for the removal of air-raid shelters.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people were employed in the public educational service in 1970, 1973, 1974 and at the most recent available date; and what was the total wage and salary bill in each of these years.

The number of local education authority employees in England Wales as published by the Department of Employment for the years in question are as follows:

June	Full-time	Part-time
1970	588,000	518,000
1973	684,000	598,000
1974	716,000	615,000
1975	739,000	651,000

Provisional figures for June 1976, provided by the Joint Manpower Watch, are 752,000 full-time and 639,000 part-time staff.Expenditure, including Employers' National Insurance and Superannuation contributions, is as follows:

Financial Years	£m outturn prices
1970–71	1,150
1973–74	2,000
1974–75	2,850
1975–76	3,700

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list in the Official Report the number of grades and salary scales in the Civil Service.

There are some 1,400 grades in the non-industrial Civil Service alone. Information about the salary scale for each could be assembled only at disproportionate cost

	Flat Rate	Salary Scale
Grade	Salary	Minimum	Maximum
	£	£	£
Permanent Secretary	20,175*†
	18 675*†
	17,175*†
Deputy Secretary	14,000*†
Under Secretary	12,000
Assistant Secretary		8,650	11,000
‡ Senior Principal		7,750	9,350
‡ Principal		5,680	7,450
‡ Senior Executive Officer		4,900	5,900
‡ Higher Executive Officer		3,900	4,700
‡ Executive Officer		1,885	3,670
‡ Clerical Officer		1,200	2,540
Senior Principal Scientific Officer		8,650	9,798
‡ Principal Scientific Officer		5,514	7,205
‡ Senior Scientific Officer		4,185	5,778
‡ Higher Scientific Officer		3,254	4,454
‡ Scientific Officer		2,149	3,527
‡ Assistant Scientific Officer		1,276	2,560
‡ Principal Professional and Technology Officer		6,280	7,450
‡ Professional and Technology Officer Grade I		4,720	5,930
‡ Professional and Technology Officer Grade II		3,925	4,720
‡ Professional and Technology Officer Grade III		3,450	3,925
‡ Professional and Technology Officer Grade IV		2,425	3,450
* These rates are those actually in payment, i.e., they exclude the second stage of the increase authorised for the Higher Civil Service following the Government's acceptance of the recommendations in Report No. 6 by the Review Body on Top Salaries (Cmnd. 5486) in December 1974.
† These rates do not attract London Weighting.
‡ A pay supplement of £6 per week (£5 for Officers aged 17 and £4 for Officers aged 16 or under) within a cut-off point of £8,500 per annum is payable to members of these grades.

asked the Minister of State for the Civil Service whether, as a means of reducing Government expenditure, he will move to amend the resolution governing allowances for peers so as to introduce a means test to ensure that peers will only receive their £13·50 a day tax-free allowance where they can establish that their other income falls below the national average wage.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the present arrangements in the Civil Service for the payment of staff while they are sick, including the individual's entitlement to national insurance benefit; and how his tax position is affected.

The arrangements, originating before 1857, allow civil servants who work regularly at least 18 hours a week and provide medical evidence of incapacity up to six months sick leave on full pay during any period of 12 months followed by six months on

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will provide examples of specified target audiences which he now considers will be reached cost-effectively by means of Government advertising in the Morning Star.

The target audience for any campaign is defined by the policy-making Department and media recommendations are made in the light of their requirements. It would not be possible to explain every hypothesis or imponderable, but, as a broad generalisation, the Morning Star would be considered in planning the media schedules for any advertising in which the objective was to reach the maximum possible numbers of the adult population through national newspapers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to raise the £175 rateable value upper limit eligibility for obtaining improvement grants, at least in all classified housing action areas.

Association	Project address	Number of units	Total estimated cost
			£
Chalice	Convent of the Assumption, Ramsgate	255	2,850,000
Columbus	Stround Coppice, Freshwater, Isle of Wight	33	551,000
Russell	de Walden Lodge, Meads Road, Eastbourne	53	642,000
Orbit General	Tonbridge Road, Maidstone	36	544,000
Paddington Churches	Barton Lane, Abingdon	235	3,014,000
Hilden	Dyers Road, Warren Lane, Stanway, Colchester	112	1,499,000
Mid-Essex	Powershall End, Witham	101	1,362,000
Pinecroft	Roman Road, Boreham	97	1,750,000
Warden	Brookside Road, Katherines, Harlow	57	705,000
Cheltenham and District	Marsh Lane, Cheltenham	46	594,000
Devon Community	Headway Cross, Teignmouth	56	639,000
Devon Community	Rowes Farm, Willand	20	295,000
London and Quadrant	Briar Hill, Northampton	164	2,003,000
Loughborough and District	Leicester Road, Shepshed (Phase II to V)	436	4,500,000
Sutton	Rectory Farm, Northampton	102	1,322,000
Derngate	The Paddock, Little Billing, Northampton	52	591,000
Orbit	Locksley Road, Wellesbourne	188	2,032,000
Sutton	Malinslee Six, Telford	134	1,470,000
Rural Midlands	Luston, Leominster	42	506,000
Mercian	Brookside, Sturchley, Telford	44	481,000
North British	Corporation Farm, Harrogate	100	1,051,000
Ebor	Cambridge Hotel, Scarborough	40	372,000
Bradford and Northern	Elland Road, Ripponden	24	267,000
Lovett	Howe Lane, Gox Hill, Lincolnshire	50	533,000
Preston Rose	Clifton House, Watling Street Road, Fulwood	85	862,000
Second Collingwood	The Croft, Middleton	95	659,000
First Northern Counties	Scale Hall Farm, Lancaster	240	2,902,000
These projects comprise 2,897 units, with a total estimated cost of £33,996,000. Expenditure in 1977–78 was estimated at £11,600,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in such form as is most convenient the information available to him about the sums spent by county councils and metropolitan counties on staff removal expenses during the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76, indicating what proportion of this expenditure is accepted by him for rate support grant.

This information is not available to my Department.

As I said on 15th November in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris), the limits are kept under continuous review. I have no proposals for early increases. —[Vol. 919, c. 342.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in the Official Report the 27 housing association schemes involving 2,807 homes at a cost of £11·6 million from which he has withdrawn approval.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time taken to process a rent assessment case through all the statutory procedures.

I regret that the information requested is not available for the whole country and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information has, however, been obtained for the West Sussex Rent Registration Area and the Surrey and Sussex Rent Assessment Panel Area, in which there was a case that was the subject of recent correspondence between the hon. Member and myself.In the West Sussex Rent Registration Area the average time taken by the rent officer to process a case is eight weeks. In the Surrey and Sussex Rent Assessment Panel area, where objections to the rent officer's decisions are dealt with and which includes the West Sussex area, the average time taken is seven weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in any proposed legislation to increase charges for dog licences, he will continue to exempt crofters' and farmers' working does.

The Working Party on Dogs recommended that only guide dogs for the blind should be exempt from the licence fee. Consultations on these recommendations are still in progress and no decision has yet been taken on implementing any of them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will unify the charges for sewage disposal, whether from cesspools or by way of the sewerage system, in order to achieve a greater measure of equity for ratepayers.

The question of cesspools and septic tanks was raised in the Government's consultative document on the review of the water industry. I am considering the comments received on this and the other topics raised in that document and intend to publish a White Paper in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the numbers of British personnel and German personnel employed by the Property Services Agency in Germany; and what are the grades of pay and conditions of service.

At 1st October 1976 the numbers of personnel employed by the Property Services Agency in Germany were:

Non-industrial
United Kingdom civil servants	303
Locally engaged	860
Industrial
Local engaged	2,810

The civil servants are subject to the normal conditions of service and receive the pay and overseas allowances appropriate to United Kingdom civil servants employed in Germany and comprise:

Executive Director Lower Band	1
Director B	1
Senior Principal	1
Superintending Professionals	5
Principal Professional & Technology Officers	15
Profesional & Technology Officers I	75
Professional & Technology Officers II	126
Professional & Technology Officers III	26
Senior Executive Officers	5
High Executive Officers	15
Executive Officers	23
Clerical Officers	8
Others	2

The locally engaged staff range from tradesmen of all kinds to translators and executive staff. Their conditions of service and pay are laid down in the Collective Tariff Agreement, the parties to which are the German trade unions and the Federal Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment(1) whether he will seek to set up a nuclear waste disposal corporation;(2) whether he will set up a nuclear waste management advisory committee to advise him on the disposal of radioactive wastes.

The Government are considering these and other recommendations of the Royal Commission on Environment Pollution and will be announcing their decisions as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to announce the Government's view of the recommendations contained in the Stevens Report; and if he will make a statement.

Consultation with parties interested in the report has not yet finished. I cannot yet say when it will be possible to announce any conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to announce the Government's view of the recommendations contained in the Verney Report; and if he will make a statement.

Consultation with the bodies interested in the report has not yet finished. I cannot yet say when it will be possible to announce any conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will review the position whereby if a tenant applies to the rent officer for registration of a fair rent and the rent is reduced, such reduction is retrospective to the date of application, whereas if an increase is fixed, such increase is only payable after registration of the rent and the serving of notice on the tenant.

This is for consideration in the current review of the Rent Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the current administrative cost to local authorities in England and Wales of dealing with planning, applications; and if he will introduce legislation to enable those authorities to make charges for such work.

The estimated cost for 1976–77 is about £60 million. As was said in the statement on the Dobry Report, we do not propose to introduce legislation authorising charges for planning applications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to seek to amend the Mobile Homes Act in order to give security of tenure to holiday caravan dwellers; and whether he will make a statement.

No. The problems of the holiday caravan owner are being considered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps his Department is taking to investigate the findings of research information indicating a significant differential incidence of cancer among female staffs of surgical operating theatres, compared with other functional groups within the hospital service.

There have been reports of increased incidence of certain types of cancer in operating department staff, but so far none of these has been confirmed. A national study into the epidemiology of possible risks from working in operating departments is in progress.The main theory to account for these possible risks is exposure to waste anaesthetic gases. In July guidance was issued to all health authorities advising them how to reduce pollution from waste anaesthetic gases in operating departments and asking them to put the necessary work in hand in this financial year. Improved methods of controlling and monitoring atmospheric pollution in operating departments are being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what grounds his Department is refusing to pay the sum of £200 awarded to Mr. Ernest Albert Dobson of Peterborough for special health needs by the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.

I understand that the award has not been implemented because the Supplementary Benefits Commission considers the Appeal Tribunal's decision to be wrong in law and it proposes forthwith to seek leave of the High Court to apply for an order of certiorari to have it quashed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the total weekly value, in cash and in kind, of benefits that are within one week available to a citizen of the Irish Republic, aged 30 years, unemployed, with a wife and six children, aged between 7 and 15 years, who has no means of financial support when he lands in the United Kingdom, assuming he is provided with a council house at average cost; and what the same man would receive in each of the other EEC countries, respectively.

A national of an EEC country who goes to another member State and registers there for employment would normally be entitled to receive for up to three months continued unemployment benefit and family allowances of the EEC country in which he was last insured. Otherwise, a citizen of the Irish Republic, in the circumstances quoted, would, on the assumptions shown—including having six children—and if registered as available for employment or if incapable of work, be able to claim supplementary benefit of £59·25 weekly and free school meals valued at £4·50 weekly. If benefit were awarded the usual arrangements for assisting him to get work would apply. Comparable information about his entitlement elsewhere in the Community cannot be provided; social assistance is not administered centrally in the other EEC countries and benefits could therefore vary according to the locality of residence. Assumptions (i) two children aged 7–10, two aged 11–12 and two aged 13–15; (ii) an average rent addition for an unemployed claimant; (iii) application of the scales of requirement which came into force on 15th November 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the proposed cuts by hospital authorities in the four Thames regional health authorities.

Decisions on regional allocations for future years have yet to be taken; health authorities have, however, a responsibility to ensure that expendi- ture in the current year is kept within the cash limits notified to them. All health authorities are reviewing their services and preparing plans for future development within the resources likely to be available. The Thames authorities are planning on the assumption that regional resources will continue to be restrained. They are, therefore, seeking ways of providing services more economically whilst at the same time enabling more resources to be progressively channelled to the localities and services where the need is greatest.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families, with children, in full-time work have incomes below the supplementary benefit level.

I will publish the figures for 1975 in the Official Report as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men who are fathers of eight or more children are in receipt of social security benefits, namely, supplementary benefit, rent and rate rebates and free school meals and milk.

About 1,000 men with eight or more dependent children were receiving supplementary benefit in December 1975. The number of such families receiving free milk is not known. Questions about rent and rate rebates and free school meals are for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Education and Science respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will confirm that an unemployed man with a wife and two children whose rent is £4·72 and rates £1·90 would have a net spending power of £36·64 per week when on supplementary benefit after 15th November; and how this compares with the same week one year earlier.

No. From 15th November 1976 an unemployed man with a wife and two children aged 4 and 6 receiving supplementary benefit would have a net weekly spending power of £30·02 after payment of rent and rates. A year previously the family would have had a net weekly spending power of £25·84.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will confirm that a man with a wife and two children whose previous wage was £55 per week and whose rent is £4·72, rates £1·90 and work expenses £1·75 will have £8·62 more spending power if unemployed in the week beginning 15th November 1976 than in the same week one year earlier.

No. A man with a wife and two children aged 4 and 6 and with earnings of £55 per week who became unemployed in the week beginning 15th November 1976 would have a net weekly spending power of £37·16. A man in similar circumstances who became unemployed a year earlier in the week beginning 17th November 1975 would have had a net weekly spending power of £32·50, that is £4·66 less. In making his calculation the hon. Gentleman has not taken into account the figures published on 8th March 1976 which amended the figures he was given on 11th November 1975. —[Vol. 907, c. 96–102; Vol. 899, c. 540–46.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will confirm that a man with a wife and two children and whose rent is £5·38 and rates £2·18 will have a net spending power of £52·23 for an indefinite period when on supplementary benefit, regardless of his previous earnings; and if he will compare this figure with his net spending power for the same week one year earlier.

I assume the hon. Gentleman has in mind the family consisting of a man, wife and four children, for which information was given in my reply of 15th October 1976. —[Vol. 917, c. 245–50.]—From 15th November 1976 the net weekly spending power of such a family, while receiving supplementary benefit, would be £44·66 after payment of rent and rates. A year previously the family would have had a net weekly spending power of £38·64.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will confirm that a man with a wife and two children whose previous wage was £25 per week and whose rent and rates are average and whose travelling to work expenses are £1·75 will have £7·70 more spending power if unemployed in the week beginning 15th November than in the same week one year earlier.

A married man with two young children and with previous earnings of £25 who became unemployed in the week beginning 15th November 1976 would have a net weekly spending power—that is, after he had met his rent and rates—£7·70 greater than a man in similar family circumstances who had become unemployed in the week beginning 17th November 1975 after previously earning £25 if in the former case he has a rent of £4·72, rates of £1·90 and the work expenses mentioned by the hon. Member and in the latter case a rent of £4·33, rates of £1·64 and work expenses of 75p a week; and if, but only if, in both cases there was full entitlement to the appropriate flat-rate unemployment benefit and entitlement to the family income supplement, rent rebate, rate rebate, free school meals and free welfare milk was fully taken up.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount written off in respect of defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the regional health authorities in England since their inception.

The accounts submitted to my Department by health authorities do not separately identify the bad debts written off in respect of defaulting pay-bed patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount recovered by legal action from defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the regional health authorities in England since their inception.

The accounts submitted to my Department by health authorities do not separately identify pay-bed income recovered as a result of the institution of legal action. However, details of the amount recovered in 1975–76 has been obtained from health authorities. The total amount involved was £170,703. I gave a breakdown by regional health authority in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on Thursday 18th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount recovered by legal action from defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the regional hospital boards in England for the 10 years preceding their demise.

The accounts submitted to my Department by the former regional hospital boards did not separately identify these amounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the total amount written off in respect of defaulting pay-bed patients by each of the regional hospital boards in England for the 10 years preceding their demise.

The accounts submitted to this Department by the former regional hospital boards did not separately identify these amounts.