asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will act on the recommendations made to him by the Price Commission that the practice of recommending retail prices for small electrical goods should cease.

Yes. I do so by calling on the manufacturers and importers of small electrical goods to abandon this practice, and by advising the public not to allow themselves to be misled by it.The Report found that in the case of these particular goods the prices recommended by the manufacturers allowed for profit margins greatly in excess of those required by most retailers and that hardly anyone sold at these prices. Prices are on average 20 per cent. below the recommended prices, and in some cases as much as 30 per cent.I endorse the Price Commission's conclusion that in these circumstances the practice of recommending retail prices is more likely to mislead than to help the consumer. This is not to say that the system of recommended prices as employed in other sectors necessarily works against the public interest. As the House knows, on receiving its report on small electrical goods, I asked the Price Commission to carry out a wider fact-finding study of manufacturers' recommended prices to supplement the report by the Monopolies Commission in 1969 and to provide an up-to-date basis for the Government's consideration of the public interest. I have no wish to prejudge the outcome.However, so far as small electrical goods are concerned, I am satisfied that the present system should be discontinued. The consultations which my Department has held with representatives of manufacturers' and retail interests has revealed a good deal of support for this view, particularly from some of the retail interests. Some retailers and some manufacturers, on the other hand, appear anxious to retain the system. To them I say that in the face of the clear evidence that the retail prices recommended for small electrical goods are not a measure of value, they are rendering a disservice to their customers by continuing to support the system and will lose all credibility.In the meantime, I have three pieces of advice for consumers, and I am giving them the widest possible publicity, through consumer bodies such as Consumer Advice Centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux and Local Authorities Consumer Affairs Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the average price of the most popular variety of bread eaten, expressed in pence per lb., in West Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States of America, on the latest convenient date.

I have been asked to reply. The readily available information is shown below. I regret that this does not include the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia. The information for countries other than the United Kingdom is from their national publications, and these do not indicate whether the prices they quote relate to the most popular varieties. The characteristics of the bread vary between

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1) when Section 137 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 will come into force; (2) when Section 138 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 will come into force; and (3) when Section 139 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 will come into force.

I hope soon to make a detailed announcement about the next stage of implementation of the Consumer Credit Act. My present plans relating to these sections are to make an Order shortly making them effective sometime in the late spring.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the position of fishing vessels from the USSR, fishing within British limits since 1st January 1977.

The USSR is designated under Section 2(1) of the Fishery Limits Act, 1976.A Communication to the USSR—and other Third countries—from the Presidency of the EEC will shortly be sent specifying a limit on the number of their vessels which will be permitted to fish in the waters of Member States.

asked the Attorney-General how many cars have been re

During the year 1976 a total of 114 cases of unlawfully leaving motor vehicles unattended in the control zones in the Belfast area were reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland. Of these, directions to prosecute were given in 113 cases and a direction not to prosecute was given in one case.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to bring conditions for chief officers of the Ministry of Defence police up to the standards of those for other police officers in accordance with the agreement of 1974.

An agreement reached in 1974 to bring certain of the conditions of service of the Chief Officers of the Ministry of Defence police into line with those of the Home Office police has been put into effect. This agreement did not change the basis of assessment of the Chief Officers' pay scales which were linked by vertical relativity to those of the federated ranks of the Ministry of Defence police. The pay increase awarded in 1975 to the federated ranks of the Ministry of Defence police was not reflected by a similar increase to the Chief Officers because of the application of the Government's incomes policy as set out in the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation"—Cmnd, 6151. I have been having discussions with representatives of the Chief Officers about the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken, in his review of fire precautions on army land in Surrey, to obtain the views of the Surrey Fire Brigade; when this review started; and when his Department first approached the Surrey Fire Brigade for its advice about it.

The review of fire precautions undertaken within the Ministry of Defence covered all fires which arose at Ministry of Defence ranges and training areas last summer and the lessons which could be learned from them. This exercise which started on 12th August 1976 was countrywide and not restricted to Surrey. During the fire season and since, there has been close liaison between the local authority fire brigades and the military authorities and our estate surveyors. The views of a number of fire experts have been taken into account by the review body when formulating its recommendations.A meeting was held with representatives of the Surrey and Hampshire Fire Brigades by South-East Military District and our estate surveyors on 3rd May 1976 to discuss action needed to deal with the fires then occurring. A further meeting to discuss the lessons of last year's fire fighting was held on 13th January 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the direct impact energy of a rubber bullet, in the form most commonly used in Northern Ireland, at ranges of five yards, 15 yards, 25 yards, and 50 yards; and what is its muzzle velocity and weight.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many rubber bullets were fired in Northern Ireland in each of the calendar years from 1972 to 1976;(2) how many rubber bullets were fired in Northern Ireland in each of the calendar years 1969 to 1976, inclusive.

The numbers of baton rounds fired operationally in Northern Ireland during each of the years in question are as follows:

• 1969, nil.
• From July 1970, 238 rubber rounds.
• 1971, 16,782 rubber rounds.
• 1972, 23,363 rubber rounds.
• 1973, 12,766 rubber rounds.
• 1974, 2,828 rubber and plastic rounds.
• 1975, 3,701 rubber and plastic rounds.
• 1976, 3,464 plastic rounds.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the impact energy of a plastic bullet at ranges of five yards, 15 yards, 25 yards, 50 yards, and 75 yards; and what are its dimensions, weight, and muzzle velocity.

The 25 grain plastic—PVC—round currently used in Northern Ireland weighs approximately 135 grams, is 3½ in. long and 1½ in. in diameter. Details of its kinetic energy and velocity are as follows:

The rubber baton round which was in service in Northern Ireland from July 1970 to the end of 1975 weighs approximately 150 grms. Details of its kinetic energy and velocity after direct fire are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1 what types of injuries, and how many, have resulted from the impact of rubber bullets used by the Army in Northern Ireland to the end of 1976; (2) what types of injuries, and how many, have resulted from the impact of plastic bullets used by the Army in Northern Ireland, to the end of 1976.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, on the basis of tests carried out prior to the introduction of plastic bullets and rubber bullets, respectively, into service, what levels of impact energy were regarded as providing an acceptable level of risk in each case.

In assessing an acceptable level of risk a wide range of factors were taken into account. To single out one factor alone would be misleading.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what numerical predictions were made of the likely death and injury rates from rubber bullets and plastic bullets, respectively, per thousand rounds fired, based on the tests carried out prior to introduction.

A report produced by surgeons in Northern Ireland and published in the British Journal of Surgery in 1975 indicated that of 33,000 rubber bullets fired up to the time of its inquiries, 40 substantial injuries had resulted including two fatalities. Comparable information on PVC bullets is not available. Assessments of this kind necessarily have to be broadly based but appear to agree reasonably well with such evidence as there is of experience in use.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether testing of rubber bullets on live animals was carried out during 1975 and 1976; and for what purpose.

No tests involving rubber bullets and live animals were carried out in 1975 and 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what test procedures were carried out on the rubber bullet and the plastic bullet, respectively, before their introduction into active service with the Army; and on how many subjects, on how many animal subjects—of which kinds—an what parts of the anatomy, at what ranges and where the tests were conducted.

Tests were carried out at the Chemical Defence Establish- ment Porton prior to the introduction into service of the rubber and plastic baton rounds to ensure that the rules governing their use were such as to minimise the risk of injury. The tests involved relevant parts of the anatomy of live sheep. The sheep were all anaesthetised and not allowed to regain consciousness. The number used for this purpose is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many explosions in which people have been injured are known or suspected to have been caused by gas leaks during the last three months; and what were the comparable quarterly figures for the previous two years;(2) of how many explosions known or suspected to have been caused by gas leaks during the Christmas and New Year holiday period he is aware; and what are the comparable figures for each of the last 12 months;

Statistics for the later months of 1976 are still subject to revision. I am therefore asking the Chairman of British Gas to write to the hon. Member as soon as these figures have been established.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) why the United Kingdom Offshore Operations Association is not represented on the Energy Commission;(2) why, if BNOC has been given a position on the Energy Commission, similar representation has not been granted to individual oil companies operating in the United Kingdom;(3) why 44 per cent. of the seats on the Energy Commission have been reserved for the TUC Fuel and Power Industry Committee.

The composition of the proposed energy commission has not yet been decided. My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement after he has completed the process of consultation to which he referred in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-East (Mr. Palmer) on 29th November 1976.—[Vol. 921, c 32.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the national average cost per household of: (a) gas and (b) electricity; and what are the extreme variations, above and below the

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the membership of the economic planning councils.

I have recently completed a comprehensive review of the membership of the Northern, Yorkshire and Humberside, East Midlands, West Midlands and South-East Economic Planning Councils. Below is a list of the current members of each of the separate Councils. I hope to complete my review of the others shortly. I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those members who have served hitherto.

Average selling values to domestic consumers in Great Britain for the year ending March 1976, together with the regional extremes expressed as a percentage of the national average, were as follows:R. J. Bailey, Managing Director, Royal Doulton Tableware Ltd.D. Beavis, C.B.E., Chairman, West Midlands Gas.A. P. Berry, M.A. (Oxon) D.P.A., M.B.I.M., Director, Coventry & District Engineering Employers Association.Councillor J. A. W Bird, Leader, Wolverhampton M.D.C.Sir Robert Booth, C.B.E., T.D., Director, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Councillor F. A. Cholerton, Vice-Chairman Staffordshire C.C., Member, Stoke-on-Trent D.C., Chairman, West Midlands Planning Authorities Conference.Councillor J. H. G. Cotterell, Vice-Chairman, Hereford and Worcester C.C.Professor N. A. Dudley, Lucas Professor of Engineering Production, University of Birmingham.H. W. A. Francis, Vice-Chairman, Tarmac Ltd.Dr. I. F. Gibson, Economist; Member of Telford Development Corporation.F. C. Graves, F.R.I.C.S., Chartered Surveyor; Projects Controller, National Exhibition Centre.F. Griffiths, Divisional Organiser, AUEW.Sir Timothy Harford, Bt., A Managing Director of Singer and Friedlander Ltd., Merchant Bankers.Councillor J. Haynes, Member of Nuneaton District Council.Councillor Sir Michael Higgs, Chairman, Hereford and Worcester C.C.Professor D. Hinton, F.R.I.B.A., Professor of Architecture, University of Aston.J. T. Lally, J.P., President, Midlands Area, National Union of Mineworkers.F. W. Leath, J.P., Area Secretary, Association of Professional Executive Clerical and Computer Staff.B. Mathers, Regional Secretary, Transport and General Workers Union.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Government statistical reports and surveys have been prepared by sending questionnaires to ratepayers during the years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976.

My Department has no record of any report or survey being prepared from questionnaires sent explicitly to ratepayers in the period concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the fact Bristol is on the periphery of the South-West Region and is not regarded as a natural centre for that region by its inhabitants, he will, in any future local government boundary changes, encourage closer links between Cornwall and Devon, and Somerset and Dorset, rather than bringing forward proposals for regional government based on Bristol.

I have no current proposals for major local government boundary changes, or for regional government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of increased incidence of subsidence of houses in 1976, he will engage in studies to produce recommendations to minimise such disturbance in future.

The Building Research Establishment is already studying the problem of foundations, including the

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what general advice

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the numbers of publicly-owned houses in the United Kingdom, USA, and West Germany in each of the past 15 years, in total, and as percentages of the gross housing stock; how many residential units there are in the United Kingdom, USA, and Western Germany; and, in each of the past 15 years, how many, as a percentage, have been privately owned.

Following is the information:his Department would give to a local authority planning to build special accommodation for the elderly with dwellings below the pavement level and the local flood level; and if he is aware of any such plans other than those for Bolton Road, Chiswick.

MHLG Circular 82/69 stressed the need for local authorities to have regard to a wide range of matters in selecting sites for housing old people. The choice of sites must, however, be made by the local authorities in the light of local circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the plans for council dwellings for the elderly in Bolton Road, Chiswick which provide for some dwellings to be below the pavement level and the flood level.

My Department is discussing with Hounslow Council its proposals for this redevelopment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now name the panel of experts on whom Her Majesty's Customs officers may call when they have difficulty in identifying species of imported animals; and whether the same people will form the panel that will inspect premises under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act.

There is already a panel of experts appointed to advise on matters of identification of species and inspection of premises arising from the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and this panel will continue to act under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act. The present composition of the panel is:

• T. P. Inskipp—Fauna Preservation Society.
• Mrs. P. H. Napier—Primate Society of Great Britain.
• C. Platt—International Society for the Protection of Animals.
• P. Robinson—Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
• T. Sillars—Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
• N. H. Whittaker, MBE—Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any formal signed agreement under which the United Kingdom is a member of Interpol.

No.Membership of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) is not obtained by an inter-governmental treaty or agreement. The question of a formal signed agreement by the United Kingdom does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Interpol has access to the new National Police Computer at Hendon or to any computerised police records, either directly or indirectly.

Interpol does not have direct access to the Police National Computer or to any computerised record system in this country. Inquiries from Interpol are made to New Scotland Yard and computerised records may be consulted before an answer is prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to introduce legislation to give statutory effect to his reply on hunger striking on 22nd November 1976, Official Report, column 920.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to a Question by the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 2nd August 1976—[Vol. 916, c. 533.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners went on hunger strike in British prisons in 1976; and how many were forcibly fed.

As explained by my hon. Friend the Minister of State in the answer given to a Question by the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 19th November last—[Vol. 919, c. 753]—there is no objective definition of the term "hunger strike". 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. Information is not, therefore, available in the form requested.Information about admissions to hospital in such cases has been collected from 1st October 1976. Since that date there have been 16 admissions to prison hospitals because of food refusal but none has involved artificial feeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of girls in 1971, 1974, 1975 and 1976 who were remanded or committed to remand centres following conviction but before sentence;(2) what was the total number of boys in 1971, 1974, 1975 and 1976, who were remanded or committed to remand centres following conviction but before sentence.

The information requested is shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek information about the findings of the various inquiries conducted in the United States of America concerning fraud, bribery, corruption and intelligence-gathering by persons connected with Mr. Sun Myung Moon in the light of the inquiries he is now pursuing in the United Kingdom in respect of the Sun Myung Moon Foundation and the various bodies connected with his Unification Church.

We are seeking further information from the United States about the inquiries conducted there into some aspects of the Unification Church. We are also continuing our discussions with other Departments concerned on the information we have already received. My right hon. Friend will write to my hon. Friend to let him know the outcome of these inquiries as soon as possible. As I have said on previous occasions, if we receive any evidence of criminal activities in this country we shall pass it to the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of the classes of offences proposed to be dealt with solely before magistrates' courts under the Criminal Law (Amendments) Bill [Lords], if he will circulate in the Official Report the number of convictions and acquittals, respectively, in contested cases before magistrates' and Crown courts separately in the last year for which figures are available.

This information is not immediately available but I am looking into the matter and will inform my hon. Friend of the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many hotels and boarding houses have (a) closed, (b) reduced their number of letting bedrooms below the qualifying level, or (c) been converted to self-catering establishments through inability to comply with the requirements of the fire officers acting under the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971;(2) if he will list, for all fire authority areas in England and Wales (

I do not expect to be in a position to supply up-to-date information about these matters until March, when all returns should have been received and collated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now take a new initiative and call a conference of all the parties involved to try and obtain a settlement of the dispute over police pay.

Discussions with the Police Federation are continuing and I hope that a solution to the present difficulties will be found.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recent case in the Court of Appeal, he will introduce legislation to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in order to clarify the law relating to the smoking and possession of cannabis leaf.

I shall consider the need for legislation once I have had an opportunity to study the full transcript of the judgment of the Court of Appeal and any views of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will review the fire risk category of Yateley, Hampshire.

Statutory responsibility for providing fire cover rests with the fire authority concerned, in this case the Hampshire County Council. The Home Office has recommended to fire authorities the standards of fire cover that should apply to the category of risk of the area concerned. I understand that the fire authority plans to review the fire risk category of the Yateley area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the budget available to the Voluntary Services Unit for 1976–77; and how much money remains unallocated.

The general budget available to the Voluntary Services Unit in 1976–77 was £2,159,000, of which £317,000 remains unallocated, thus allowing for applications made in the final quarter of the year. In addition, a total of £2,433,000 was made available for specific grants-in-aid.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the funds provided to each receiving body in the voluntary sector in 1975–76 by the Voluntary Services Unit.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish an annual report from the Voluntary Services Unit;(2) if he will make a statement on the work of the Voluntary Services Unit.

The Voluntary Services Unit is the Home Office division which advises on matters arising from our general responsibility for voluntary organisations. Its work includes acting as a channel of communication between voluntary organisations and Government departments, co-ordinating the Government response to voluntary organisations, encouraging voluntary effort, and making grants to organisations of national significance whose work spans the interests of a number of Government departments and /or does not fall within the responsibility of any individual department. Lists of the grants made by the Voluntary Services Unit are published from time to time but an annual report on the unit's day to day administrative work would be inappropriate.

asked the Lord Advocate what is the average lapse of time between the date of setting down and the date of hearing of a civil action for damages for personal injury in Scotland.

Specific information is not available. It is estimated that the average lapse of time between the date when the judge allows proof or jury trial and the date when that proof or trial begins in civil actions for damages for personal injury is about nine months in the Court of Session. In the sheriff courts it is about three months.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when tax relief on national insurance contributions was withdrawn: (a) for unemployment and sickness benefit, (b) for retirement pensions and (c) for NHS contributions; and what would be the cost of restoring tax relief on national insurance contributions.

Tax relief for that part of the national insurance contribution relating to (a) unemployment and sickness benefit was withdrawn in 1949, (b) retirement pension in 1965, and (c) NHS contributions in 1957. The estimated cost of giving tax relief as total national insurance contributions paid by employees, self employed and non-employed in 1976–77 would be about £1,000 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any co-operative societies or companies in Northern Ireland persistently fail to make VAT returns.

There is a small minority of businesses in Northern Ireland, as in other parts of the United Kingdom, who fail to make VAT returns. Persistent offenders are prosecuted. Some of the persistent offenders are companies; but no separate classification is kept to show whether any are co-operative societies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of public expenditure is currently represented by debt interest; and to what extent he estimates that proportion would rise in 1977–78 and 1978–79 if present interim rates are maintained.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will estimate the total number of staff in the Inland Revenue that would be saved if there were self-assessment for Schedule D taxpayers.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 18th January 1977; Vol. 924, c. 109], gave the following information:I regret that it is not possible to make an estimate without some indication of the terms on which such a system would operate, including a judgment of the extent of the auditing of returns and payments which the Inland Revenue would need to do.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information age allowance tax thresholds given to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on 7th April 1976 [Official Report, column 224.]

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, by how much the tax threshold could be raised for an expenditure of £900 million at 1976 prices.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will estimate the total number of staff in the Inland Revenue that would be saved if the old age pension and the age allowance were raised on the same day.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 18th January 1977; Vol. 924, c. 110], gave the following information:No staff would be saved unless the national insurance retirement pension and age allowance were raised from the beginning of the fiscal year following a period of notice which enabled the Inland Revenue to take account of the increases when the PAYE codings were fixed, a task normally carried out in the previous autumn. In that event the saving would be about 350 staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will estimate the total number of staff in the Inland Revenue that would be saved if capital transfer tax, capital gains tax, stamp duty and development land tax were abolished.

pursuant to his reply [Offical Report, 18th January 1977; Vol. 924, c. 110], gave the following information:If no alternative tax were introduced in place of any of the taxes in question, the number of staff saved would be about 4,300.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether and under what circumstances payments to employees in respect of fares to work, or the provision of transport on non-economic terms, are liable to tax.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20th January 1977], gave the following information:Payments to employees in respect of fares to work are taxable as part of their emoluments, except where the expense is necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. The excess of the cost of providing transport on non-economic terms over the fares, if any, paid is taxable as a benefit in kind where the employee earns £5,000 a year or more.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has given to the CBI representations objecting to the draft Inland Revenue proposals to reduce the amount of tax relief available to business men making export-promoting visits abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends additional functions to be conferred on the Labour Relations Agency as provided for in Article 16 of the Industrial Relations (NI) Order 1976.

Yes. Having consulted organisations representing employers and

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20th January 1977]. gave the following information:My right hon. Friend will be taking these representations, which the Inland Revenue have discussed with the CBI, into account in deciding what changes should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the prison population and of total prison receptions in Scotland for each of the past five years consist of convicted persons who have been sentenced to imprisonment without the alternative of a fine.

Information on all persons received into prison establishments, including young offenders institutions, borstal institutions and detention centres, expressed as percentages is set out in the table below:employees I propose to transfer to the Labour Relations Agency conciliation and arbitration functions which are now performed by the Department of Manpower Services, subject to the making of satisfactory arrangements with the Agency for their continued performance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the non-dependent members of a supplementary benefit claimant's household to whom a rent share was attributed were under 18 years of age; and how many were aged between 18 and 21 years in 1975 and 1976.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of the non-dependent members of a supplementary benefit claimant's household to whom a rent share was attributed were in full-time work; and how many were on supplementary benefit in 1975 and 1976;(2) in how many cases where the rent share rule was applied to supplementary benefit claimants the special "£10/£12" low earners' rule was applied in 1975 and 1976.

Statistics in this form are not collected and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why Northwick Park Hospital received an allocation of resources in excess of its requirements; and, as none of its services have felt the effect of public expenditure stringency, if he will advise the area health authority to transfer funds to alleviate the distress in the Brent Health District.

There is an agreed sum to cover additional NHS costs at North-wick Park Hospital in respect of support for the Medical Research Council's clinical research centre. Otherwise decisions on distributions of funds between Harrow and Brent Health Districts are the responsibility of the area health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings have been made to the most recent available date following the ruling by the Registrar General to refuse public access to registers of births, deaths and marriages held in the custody of the Superintendent of Registrars.

There is no statutory provision for public access to registers in the custody of superintendent registrars.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to make his statement on the question of brain damage and the whooping-cough vaccine.

I hope to do so very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of claimants drawing regular weekly additions for heating, sub-dividing this total between those who are pensioners, and other claimants and further classifying, all information according to whether claimants are receiving 70p, £1·40 or £2·10 weekly additions.

The information requested is not yet available.In May 1976, before the introduction of the current rates, 574,000 supplementary beneficiaries—including 515,000 pensioners—were being paid additions at the lower rate; 268,000–238,000 pensioners—the middle rate; 19,000–16,000 pensioners—at the higher rate, and 239,000–143,000 pensioners—at other rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update Table 1.36 in Social Security Statistics 1974.

Following is the table:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the numbers of families claiming free welfare milk on grounds of low income for each quarter since July 1974, distinguishing between those claiming by the passport system and those making direct application.

Figures of those claims to supplementary benefit or family income supplement which might have resulted in automatic entitlement to free milk are not available but the table below gives the total number of direct claims—successful or otherwise—rounded to the nearest 500 made from August 1974 for free milk in England on grounds of low income.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the number of students whose contribution record would currently entitle them to unemployment benefit if they were available for work.

For the financial year 1977–78 it is estimated that the weekly average number of students registered as unemployed whose contributions record would, under current legislation, entitle them to unemployment benefit will be about 90,000 during the Easter and Christmas vacations and about 60,000 during the summer vacation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers of unemployed claimants drawing supplementary benefits for each year since 1960; and if he will express this total as a percentage of claimants drawing supplementary benefit.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his policy towards the expenditure of public funds on waste disposal units in hospitals;(2) if it is his policy to encourage the installation of waste disposal units in hospitals when pig farmers are prepared to utilise that waste to feed their pigs.

The policy is to encourage the responsible health authority to make its own decision and of course to arrange for the disposal of waste in the most economic manner possible in the light of local circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recourse is available to those trainee nurses at Great Ormond Street Hospital who, as a result of an administrative error in calculating the date on which they were required to register, find themselves prevented from taking their examinations because their qualifying courses are three days short; if he will ask the General Nursing Council to review the matter; and if he will make a statement.

The General Nursing Council has a statutory responsibility for the conduct of examinations of student nurses and the conditions for the examinations are governed by the Nurses Rules, which are approved by Parliament and have the force of law. The Council has no discretionary power to waive the rules to meet the circumstances of the Great Ormond Street nurses, whose training at the hospital started a few days too late to enable them to sit the final examination in February 1977. They will of course be eligible to take the next examination in June.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of the waste disposal unit at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Running costs are limited to electricity consumption and are not separately identifiable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the whooping-cough vaccination now prescribed under the NHS is the same as the vaccination now withdrawn in West Germany.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 29th November 1976; Vol.921, c. 63], gave the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the names, ages, qualifications and two immediately pre

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the names of all the manufacturers of whooping-cough vaccine whose vaccines are available under the NHS and what discussions he has had, with all of them, on the incidence of brain-damage suffered by some children who have been vaccinated against whooping-cough.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10th January 1977; Vol. 923, c. 431–32], gave the following information:I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his further Question on 18th January.—[Vol. 924, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will present a table showing at November 1976 survey prices the changes in estimated current and capital expenditure, respectively, on the personal social services for the years 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 following each policy decision since January 1973.

Pursuant to his reply[Official Report, 18thJanuary 1977; Vol. 924, c. 151–52], gave the following further information:vious appointments or jobs, of the highways panel inspectors.

Following is the present list of those members of the panel of fee-paid inspectors who may be invited to conduct local inquiries into trunk road and motorway schemes, together with the other information requested: