asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of patients in England awaiting admission to National Health Service hospitals at the latest date for which figures are available.

Hospital in-patient waitting lists show only a small increase during the last six-monthly period for which figures are available. The figures for all specialities in England are:

30th September 1975	…	519,552
31st March 1976	…	583,851
30th September 1976	…	589,238*
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of discharges and deaths of hospital in-patient and the numbers of new hospital out-patient attendances during the latest period for which information is available; and how these figures compare with previous periods.

The latest available figures for England, which indicate continuing significant increases in hospital activity, are:

Period	In-Patient Discharges and Deaths	New Out-Patient Attendances
January-June 1971	2,567,000	3,890,000
July-December 1971	2,603,000	4,029,000
January-June 1972	2,603,000	3,981,000
July-December 1972	2,620,000	3,945,000
January-June 1973	2,486,000	3,956,000
July-December 1973	2,647,000	3,960,000
January-June 1974	2,581,000	3,920,000
July-December 1974	2,591,000	3,904,000
January-June 1975	2,470,000	3,366,000
July-December 1975	2,483,000	3,631,000
January-June 1976	2,606,000	3,681,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of Mr. Speaker's Conference in regard to the electoral registration of patients in mental hospitals.

The Speaker's Conference on Electoral Law recommended that the Representation of the People Act 1949 should be amended to place patients in mental hospitals on the same footing as those in general hospitals, and that an interdepartmental working party should be set up to consider the arrangements which would be necessary to implement this recommendation. In May last year the Government announced their acceptance of the recommendation in principle; and the working party has prepared a discussion paper setting out the practical problems identified so far and possible ways of tackling them, and this is being circulated widely for comment. Copies of the discussion paper are available in the Vote Office and a copy has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if there are any circumstances when a disabled person discharged from a hospital, on a day other than a Monday cannot receive a social security payment before the following Monday.

Almost all social security payments have a regular pay day, which may be Monday; and benefit is not normally paid for part of a week when a patient is discharged from a hospital. A payment of supplementary benefit can be made in cases of urgent need. If the hon. Lady has a particular case or point in mind, perhaps she will be good enough to let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what involvement his Department has with Community Service Volunteers in London; what development of this system he has advocated; and what greater use he foresees for CSV in the social services.

The Voluntary Services Unit of the Home Office co-ordinates the response of central Government departments to CSV and is responsible for the principal Government grant towards the administration expenses of the organisation's headquarters. Individual Departments are responsible for making grants to CSV projects in their particular field.My Department funds three CSV projects in the health and personal social services fields. One concerns the placing of volunteers in hospitals and the others concern children, placing volunteers in community homes for children and involving the children in these homes in voluntary service to the community. Additionally, under a pilot scheme just starting in five local authority areas throughout the country—two in London—an officer of CSV will work with the social services department to build up intermediate treatment applications of community service work. If these are successful, it is hoped that other local authorities may adopt the system and place in community service children who are in trouble or at risk. There is a need for all kinds of voluntary effort in the social services and local authorities arc encouraged to work closely with voluntary organisations; it is for each local authority to decide, however, how this should be done. So far as CSV is concerned, I shall continue to discuss any proposals from CSV which fall within my responsibility with the Voluntary Services Unit of the Home Office, because any extension of CSV's activities necessarily leads to an increase in their administration expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what compensation is to be paid to persons who have lost money through having to pay interest to creditors because of refunds held up as a result of computer delays at the Department of Health and Social Services Central Office, Newcastle.

There is no provision under the Social Security Acts for interest to be added either by the contributor in the case of contributions paid late or by my Department in the case of delay in making refunds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the total number of national insurance retirement pensions currently in payment and the number of supplementary benefits;

Up-to-date figures will be available shortly, and I will then publish them in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list expenditure by programme as a percentage of total expenditure, both current and capital, on health and personal social services in 1975–76, on the basis shown in figure 1 of the consultative document on priorities; and if he will indicate the provisional estimate for 1976–77;(2) if he will list expenditure by programme as a percentage of total current expenditure on health and personal social services in 1975–76 on the basis shown in figure 1 of the consultative document on priorities; and if he will indicate the provisional estimate for 1976–77.

Expenditure by programme for the health and personal social services is derived from the accounts and costing returns of the appropriate authorities. Some of the material for 1975–76 has not yet been received but when the analysis has been completed I shall be glad to send my hon. Friend further information. Because of changes in the form of accounting by health authorities since 1973–74, the basis of the analysis of the outturn for 1975–76 will be different from that used for figure 1 in the consultative document, and the figures will not be wholly comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfield that spares for the disabled person's invalid tricycle are still readily available; and if he is receiving complaints to the contrary.

Although the store of spares, holding some 2,100 articles against fluctuating and unpredictable demands, is not immune from delay on the part of suppliers, only five items are temporarily in short supply at the moment, and this is being rectified. It will never be possible, without wasteful overstocking, to ensure that every item is always immediately available, but there is no reason to fear abnormal difficulty. If a tricycle user would be immobilised because a necessary spare is not immediately available, the normal practice is to replace the tricycle, temporarily or permanently. If my hon. Friend has any particular case of difficulty in mind, I shall be very glad to have it looked into.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that any replacement vehicle for disabled people is produced in the United Kingdom, in view of the fact that Great Britain is a major manufacturer of vehicles and has many unemployed workers.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Esher (Mr. Mather) on 10th January.—[Vol. 923, c. 425–6.] The factor she mentions will certainly be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that disabled people referred by his Department for medical examination are not sent to doctors whose premises involve the use of steps or stairs.

I am advised that claimants are not referred for examination in practice premises which arc known to be unsuitable. If my hon. Friend has a particular instance of difficulty in mind I shall be grateful if she will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in his negotiations with the Advertising Standards Authority he will ensure that the rule in the cigarette advertising code prohibiting advertisements linking smoking with manliness is extended to advertisements linking smoking with femininity.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the loss to the Exchequer in the United Kingdom, in England and in Scotland, respectively, if the 8 per cent. levy on the self-employed were abolished.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on Wednesday 2nd February 1977.—[Vol. 925, c. 197.] The levy in Northern Ireland would raise the sum by a further £2 million. It is estimated that one-tenth of the Great Britain levy comes from Scotland, but I regret that separate proportions for England and Wales are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the extra cost to his Department of allowing the community dental service, under permissive powers, to use any spare capacity in any locality to treat mentally handicapped or physically disabled persons requiring dental care.

I regret that it is not possible to estimate what might be the extra cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every day by his Department in order to keep himself and senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: the Scotsman, the Glasgow Herald, the Press and Journal, the Daily Record, the Scottish Daily Express and the Dundee Courier and Advertiser;(2) how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every week by his Department in order to keep him and his senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: the

My Department buys the following Scottish newspapers for use at headquarters and the Department's Central Office in Scotland:

Copies
3	The Scotsman.
3	The Glasgow Herald.
1	The Aberdeen Press and Journal.
1	The Daily Record.
1	The Scottish Daily Express.
1	The Dundee Courier and Advertiser.
1	The Sunday Post.
1	The Sunday Mail.
1	The Scottish Sunday Express.

In addition, the Department's local offices in Scotland buy their own local newspapers to keep themselves and ministers informed of appropriate Scottish regional matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he is not prepared to compensate Mr. S. E. Webb, formerly of 21 Keepers Croft, East Goscote, Leicestershire, for his Department's failure to pay him sickness benefit in respect of the period 4th November 1974 to 18th January 1975 and from 14th April 1975 until 12th January 1976, in view of the fact that Mr. Webb was successful in his application for determination by him.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the fact that the failure of his Department to pay sickness benefit to Mr. S. E. Webb led to his incurring substantial financial hardship for which he remains uncompensated, and notwithstanding the Report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, he will reconsider his decision not to pay compensation to Mr. Webb.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish, for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, the number of births in Plymouth and Devon hospitals and maternity homes to parents whose residence is in Cornwall.

The number of births registered during the 12-month period ending September 1976 occurring in hospitals and maternity homes to mothers usually resident in Cornwall were 913 in Plymouth and 81 elsewhere in Devon.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in line with his recent policy pronouncement urging management in the NHS to cut costs, he will review the situation whereby the Suffolk Area Health Authority received 89 official circulars between September and December 1976, with a further four in preparation, ignoring local authority and pay circulars.

The matter is being tackled energetically and significant progress has already been made. The number of official circulars issued by my Department to health authorities during 1976 was 40 per cent. fewer than in 1975. Of those issued between September and December, 10 related to health policies. The remainder consisted mainly of notices of primary concern to management, including items of information about equipment, staff training, changes in fees and charges and the like.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding his policy on proposals from regional or area health authorities to regroup areas or districts both as part of and supplementary to his call for savings of 5 per cent.; and if he will indicate the kind of support which any such proposals should have to merit the attention he is giving to one from Merseyside.

The Government have made it clear that they do not favour any general reorganisation of the National Health Service at this stage. Where, however, a health authority considers that structural changes in its locality—for example, changes in district boundaries —would lead to more effective or more economical delivery of services, we would be willing to consider changes, provided that there had been the fullest possible consultation with all those likely to be affected by the proposals, notably local authorities, community health councils, teams of officers, staff representatives and professional advisory committees. But I could not give any general undertaking on the kind of support which might secure consent to change; each proposal would need to be considered on its own merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether broadly backed proposals from Suffolk regarding the rôles and costs of the area and district health authorities could be encouraged by him to serve as one of a number of pilot schemes to guide the Royal Commission in its deliberations.

I should not favour change merely on the ground that it provided an opportunity for experience through experiment. But we should certainly be willing to consider proposals from Suffolk which could lead to more effective or economical delivery of services, provided that there had been the fullest possible consultation with all those likely to be affected by the proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce NHS cash limits for 1977–78.

Health authorities are being informed of their cash limits within the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate, in the latest period for which figures are available, the proportion of all planning applications which are determined within the two-month statutory period; and what steps he proposes to take to improve this figure.

About two-thirds; local planning authorities were advised by circular last year of working methods which help to speed up decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Leader of the Council of the City of Liverpool on the city's financial problems; if he is prepared to consider granting more financial aid to Liverpool in the light of the possible impending rate increase of up to 40 per cent. and rent increases; and if he will make a statement.

I visited Liverpool in September and discussed a number of matters with the council, including financial problems, and have subsequently kept in touch with the situation. The Government cannot make special arrangements to take account of what appears to be unrealistic budgeting in previous years by particular local authorities. However, under this year's rate support grant settlement the relative needs of Liverpool have been more fully recognised, than in any previous year; Liverpool's percentage share of needs element has increased by 12 per cent., one of the highest increases in the country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the United Kingdom is now covered by 1:25,000 second series Ordnance Survey maps; and when he expects (a) the whole of the country to be covered by such maps, and (b) each of the national parks to be so covered.

About a quarter of the total number of sheets in the 1:25,000 second series has already been published and the whole of Great Britain is expected to be covered by 1990. Under the present programme, coverage of the national parks with this new mapping is expected to be completed as follows: Lake District and Peak District, 1980; North York Moors, 1981; Snowdonia, 1982; Pembrokeshire coast, 1983; Brecon Beacons and Exmoor, 1984; Yorkshire Dales, 1985; Dartmoor and Northumberland, 1986. Some 1:25,000 second series sheets have already been published for some of these areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the present compensation arrangements for owner-occupiers affected by compulsory purchase orders.

The basis of compensation was reviewed generally prior to the Community Land Act, 1975, when it was decided that for owner-occupiers the government provisions in the Land Compensation Acts of 1961 and 1973 should continue to apply. I do not consider that a further review is called for at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he plans to hold with local authorities following his address to the Labour Party's Local Government Conference about the structure of local government, held in Harrogate on Saturday 29th January.

The Government have already invited comments from local authorities on the Consultative Document "Devolution: The English Dimension".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when and how he intends to respond to the Sixth Report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution on Nuclear Power and the Environment.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on private sector rents for domestic accommodation.

We will be considering in the housing policy review and in the review of the Rent Acts whether any changes are desirable in the Rent Acts and related legislation. We have come to no conclusions as yet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is still the Government's intention that rebated rents should cover over 50 per cent. of costs by the end of the decade.

It is the Government's intention that council rents should in future meet a higher proportion of housing costs than at present, but the date by which any particular percentage of costs is achieved depends in the short term on a number of factors, mainly movements in housing costs, and particularly in interest rates, and on counter-inflationary policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he hopes to be able to legislate on rent-restricted properties.

It is not at present possible to forecast the timing of legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he ex- pects to publish the findings of his Review of the Rent Acts.

In the course of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reactions he has had to his consultation document on the working of the Rent Acts.

The consultation paper invites the submission of evidence and comments by 30th April 1977. It has already prompted a number of letters from individual landlords and tenants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his proposals to review the housing legislation introduced by the Government, in the light of the fall in the availability of rented accommodation following the passage of this legislation.

A consultation paper inviting evidence and comments from organisations or individuals who wish to contribute to the review of the Rent Acts was published on 31st January. The Government's objectives in carrying out the review are set out in paragraph 14 of the paper. The decline of private renting is attributable to many factors and has continued at different rates under successive Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what subsidy is payable to local authorities on the acquisition from Government Departments and other public authorities of residential properties subject to tenancies; whether there has been any, and if so what, change in practice in recent years; and what steps he proposes to ensure that residential tenants of properties owned by Government Departments or public authorities are not evicted from their homes to facilitate the sale of such properties when they become surplus to requirements.

Since 1975 subsidy has not normally been paid on the acquisition cost of tenanted properties where no works of repair, improvement or conversion are intended. It is not the practice of Government Departments nor, so far as I Know, of other Public authorities to evict tenants for the Purpose suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much housing association grants have been cut for 1977–78; and by how much they will be cut for 1978–79.

The Housing Corporation has been asked to make public expenditure savings of £57 million in 1977–78 and a corresponding reduction in 1978–79 of which the exact amount has not yet been determined. However, negotiations are proceeding for the Housing Corporation to obtain private sector loans which will substantially reduce the impact of the public expenditure savings and enable them to preserve the main priorities of the housing association programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received in response to his proposal to bring in legislation to enable the expansion of work by direct labour departments of local authorities.

My right hon. Friend and I met a deputation from the contractors' and sub-contractors' organisations on 11th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals for introducing new rules to deal with the tendering and accounts of local authority direct labour departments.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring forward proposals to arrest the decline in the population and the job opportunities in Central London.

In reply to the Question from the hon. Gentleman on 19th January [Vol. 924, c. 305]—I said that the Government were considering the problems of the decline in population and job opportunities in Inner London as part of their review of inner city areas. I hope to make a statement on the outcome of this review in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his guidelines to the regional water authorities on measures to restrict public spending on water supply.

The notes of guidance deal simply with the moratorium on new construction work. A copy has been placed in the Library, and copies are freely available on request to my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consult the CBI over the rate support grant in 1977–78.

There would be little point in consultations over an order which has already been approved by the House. The CBI has made no approach to me, but I would always be willing to consider any matters of local government finance it wished to raise with me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of recent events in Lambeth and elsewhere, he will seek powers to ensure that houses which can still be made fit for occupation at reasonable cost are not demolished without his prior consent.

No. It is the Government's policy that existing housing should be preserved to the fullest possible extent, but the application of this policy to particular cases is essentially a matter for the local authority concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much housing subsidies have been cut in real terms for 1977–78.

There is no such cut. The estimated total cost of housing subsidies in England for 1977–78, including rate fund contributions but excluding rent rebates and rent allowances, is £1,203 million at 1976 Survey prices, which is £118 million more than the corresponding estimate for the current year on the same price basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he will give to local authorities about the procedures they adopt in collecting rate arrears.

None. These procedures are clearly defined in Part VI of the General Rate Act 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to alter the limits to environmental exposure of the public from radiation, following the twentyfold reduction in such limits by the Government of the United States of America.

The Government's policy is set out in the White Paper "The Control of Radioactive Wastes" (Cmnd. 884). This is to ensure, irrespective of cost, that no member of the public shall receive more than the relevant dose limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and to do what is reasonably practicable, having regard to cost, convenience, and the national importance of the source of the discharge, to reduce doses far below these levels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to make any recommendations to the metropolitan county councils over the levels at which they set their rate precepts for 1977–78.

No. The joint departmental Circular (DOE 120/76) sets out as much guidance on rate levels as I think Government can usefully give for 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on his proposals for dealing with the problems of the inner cities.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Eyre) and Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen) on 19th January 1977.—[Vol. 924, c. 199.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in pursuit of his policy of relieving areas of urban blight, if he will consult the gas, electricity and railway boards for the sale, at reasonable cost, of surplus land in the inner city areas to local housing authorities for the purpose of house building schemes.

There are long-standing arrangements under which these boards offer surplus land to local authorities. The purchase price is a matter for negotiation within the normal rules for public sector acquisition, but since 1st August 1976 authorities have had the benefit of being able to buy net of any development land tax.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the future of new towns.

As indicated in my reply on 14th February to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove and Redditch (Mr. Miller), I expect to make a statement about my review of decentralisation policies and reappraisal of the new town programmes within two months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report progress on the redevelopment of London docklands in the context of recent Government statements concerning inner city areas.

The problems of the London docklands area are being considered along with those of other areas, as part of the Inner Cities Review. The implementation of the dockland strategy is the responsibility of the Docklands Joint Committee and the London authorities involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of his departmental staff of the rank of Under-Secretary or above have had experience of not less than a year in an executive position in local government; and what proportion this represents.

15 staff comprising 15·6 per cent. of the total strength at this level have had more than a year's professional experience in local government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the allocations being determined for 1977–78 are sufficient to meet the special housing needs of the older development areas, including Tyneside.

No; but I am satisfied that the priority which we are giving to areas of greatest need in making allocations for 1977–78 should enable local authorities to make substantial progress towards meeting their housing needs, even though more will remain to be done in many areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now make an announcement about the level of charges for sewage disposal.

Preliminary forecasts of charges in 1977–78 supplied to me by the water authorities indicate very small average increases in sewerage charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the accumulated occupational pension fund commitment of local authorities in England and Wales; and what estimate has been made of its growth to 1980.

I regret that this information is not available. The local government superannuation funds are valued quinquennially, the most recent valuation date being 1st April 1974, and valuations should strictly be completed within two years. 1st April 1974, was also, however, the date on which the revised local government superannuation scheme entailing substantial changes in benefit came into operation, and also that from which the superannuation funds were regrouped into less than a quarter of their previous numbers. These changes caused unavoidable delays in providing the materials for valuation, and too few of the 87 valuations necessary have yet been completed for any reliable estimates to be based on them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will define the statutory responsibility of metropolitan county councils and district councils for the designation of the green belt.

Green belts are designated in the development plan for the area. Existing development plans prepared under the Town and Country Planning Act 1962 are the responsibility of the county planning authority. Under the new system provided by the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, as amended by the Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act 1972 and the Local Government Act 1972, the county council is responsible for the preparation of a structure plan which indicates the general location of any green belt areas. The local plan will define the precise boundaries of the green belt area and will normally be prepared by the district council. The development plan scheme prepared by the county planning authority designates the planning authority by which each local plan is to be prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is currently in hand in his Department relating to the historic sites and objects at New River Head, London, EC1.

I am aware of local concern about various historic structures situated on land owned by the Thames Water Authority at New River Head. I understand that some necessary repair work is to be carried out on some of the structures, and that problems relating to others are to be discussed by representatives of the Islington London Borough Council and the Thames Water Authority. My Department is in close touch with both the Greater London Council and the borough council, so that we can help with advice if it is sought, or take any necessary action under the Planning Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report figures breaking down the cost of the treatment and disposal of sewage in each of the regional water authority areas.

I regret that the information required is not available within my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the commitment contained in Circular 89/75 to review the housing cost yardstick quarterly and the fact that in the last two quarters of 1976 no increase was given, if he will indicate whether a rise in the housing cost yardstick is proposed in the first quarter of 1977.

The quarterly reviews are based primarily on movements in tender prices, and the data for the next review, due 23rd March, are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Robinson Committee on councillors' attendance allowances, has reported; and if he will make a statement.

No; but my right hon. Friend has asked Mr. Robinson to report expeditiously.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has now had, after the conference arranged by the South Yorkshire County Council, with the Chairman of the British Waterways Board, shipping companies, and other commercial interests with a view to setting up a joint venture company to promote South Yorkshire navigation between Hull and Rotherham or Sheffield and link up with the canal and inland waterway systems of the community.

I have received no such approaches on this subject since the conference to which the hon. Member refers. Any commercial initiatives are the responsibility of the British Waterways Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities, development corporations and housing associations that have used polyurethane ceiling boards in homes they have had constructed.

This information is not readily available. The Department does not keep records of the details of the specifications any of these bodies use for their dwellings.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals are being considered to reduce the opening hours of the Wellington House Museum at Hyde Park Corner.

This museum is an outstation of the Victoria and Albert Museum and, therefore, will be subject to the Civil Service staff economies. One of the ways by which staff may be saved is by reducing opening hours. The Director is considering with his staff whether it will be necessary to reduce the period during which the museum will be open to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will conduct an inquiry into Marxist bias in Open University degree courses.

No. The content and presentation of courses, at the Open University as at all other universities in this country, are entirely the responsibility of the university authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers were provided with short and long-term in-service training at St. Mary's College, Fenham, in the academic year 1975–76.

34 teachers attended one-term full-time courses and 28 a full-time course of five weeks; 43 teachers were following part-time courses of two or three year's duration. Shorter courses of between one half-day and 18 days in length were also provided; the college estimated in March 1976 that these would be attended by some 1,180 teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many provincial museums and art galleries have previously been helped by the provision of exhibitions from the regional services department of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

For the last year 69 exhibitions were sent out by the museum's loan service, and these were shown on 297 occasions in 119 towns. In addition, 194 collections of objects were sent to 846 exhibitions in 152 colleges of art and polytechnics during the last academic year. The cost of obtaining this information for earlier years would be disproportionate, as exhibitions have been circulated by this museum since 1854.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted prisoners there are in England and Wales whose offences were connected with Irish Republican organisations; and whether he will make a statement about their conduct and treatment.

There are 93 prisoners connected with Irish Republican organisations serving prison sentences in England and Wales for terrorist offences. The offences committed by these prisoners include, murder, multiple murder, attempted murder and causing explosions. Seventy-five of the prisoners are in the highest security category, Category A.As regards their treatment, allegations have been made from time to time—e.g., in an article in the

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how-many convictions there have been for murder and manslaughter in each of the years since 1965; what has been the average sentence for each category in each year; and whether any prisoners have been released since 1960 who have committed murder under diminished responsibility.

The following table gives the information which is available to meet

CONVICTIONS FOR MURDER OR MANSLAUGHTER AND CUSTODIAL SENTENCES GIVEN, ENGLAND AND WALES
			Murder			Manslaughter
					Sentenced under section 53(1) of Children and Young Persons Act 1933		Sentence
			Found Guilty	Sentenced to Life Imprisonment		Found Guilty	Average custodial sentence‡(years)§	Life	Hospital or Restriction Order
1965	…	…	57	40*	†	79	3·8	12	25
1966	…	…	72	70	†	110	4·7	5	32
1967	…	…	63	60	†	95	4·5	11	30
1968	…	…	74	68	†	89	4·4	2	36
1969	…	…	75	69	†	88	4·2	8	34
1970	…	…	97	87	10	109	4·0	12	39
1971	…	…	97	87	10	118	4·4	13	41
1972	…	…	79	72	†	124	4·3	8	47
1973	…	…	90	82	8	127	4·3	11	39
1974	…	…	112	105	7	155	4·8	22	33
1975	…	…	107	101	6	169	4·3	16	29
* In 1965, 15 people were sentenced to death.
† Precise numbers not readily available.
‡ Determinate sentences only.
§ Excluding those sentenced under section 53(2) of Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will undertake to publish the report on the disturbances at Albany Prison, Isle of Wight, which took place in September 1976.

Penal establishments are required to make reports to the Home Office on certain types of incident as a matter of routine, and I or my officials frequently ask them for additional reports—for example, to enable me to reply to correspondence from hon. Members. Reports of this kind are a normal part of internal Home Office business, and they are made in confidence. I am not, therefore, prepared to publish the report made by the Governor of Albany prison on the disturbance on 16th Septem-

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with chief police officers on the subject of reductions in police expenditure; and, in particular, what replies and comments he made about cut-backs in police cadets, civilian aides and operational police equipment, including police cars.

The representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers were told that I appreciated the difficulties which the reductions in expenditure had brought for the police, although the service had in fact been treated relatively favourably in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's review of public expenditure for 1977–78. Advice on the way in which these reductions might be achieved was given in the Home Office Circular of 30th November 1976, but I made it clear that the detailed implementation of the cuts was a matter for local decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, with regard to the Metropolitan Police District, he will publish his estimates of (a) the reduction in the number of police cadets over the next two financial years, (b) the reduction in the number of civilian aides and the transfer from operational police duties of uniformed officers to fill the gaps arising therefrom, (c) the approximate reduction of overtime working and the consequences for the pay of Metropolitan Police officers and (d) the reduction, if any, in the numbers of police cars whether by cuts in new purchases or by the non-replacement of older vehicles due to go out of service.

I understand that the Commissioner has not yet completed detailed planning to achieve the reductions in expenditure on civilian staff—including traffic wardens and cadets— required by Home Office Circular 191/ 1976. The circular does not itself require any reduction in overtime working; the Commissioner is currently reviewing the level of overtime in the force but he has not yet reached any conclusion. There will be no reduction in the number of vehicles in the Metropolitan Police District during 1977–78. No decisions have yet been reached on reductions required in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) to what extent doctors participate in the committal, or oversee prisoners who are committed, to segregation units, isolation cells or psychiatric cells in Her Majesty's prisons;(2) how many prisoners in the United Kingdom have padded cells; and which prisoners are concerned;(3) how many prisoners who have been in segregation units, isolation cells or psychiatric cells in Her Majesty's prisons have attempted or committed suicide while in these cells or after release from these cells;(4) what is the daily schedule of prisoners in segregation units, isolation cells or psychiatric cells;(5) which prisons in the United Kingdom have segregation units, isolation cells or psychiatric cells; and how many prisoners of what ages and sexes have been in such cells since October 1975;(6) what is the difference between segregation units, isolation cells or psychatric cells and those cells known as control units.

As regards accommodation used for segregating prisoners from the rest of the prison community, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 7th February—[Vol. 925, c. 524–5]. There has been no control unit since 23rd October 1975. There are no "psychiatric cells".A protected room may be used for a violent prisoner, but only with the authority of the medical officer and for such period of time as he may direct. There are 52 protected rooms in the 41 prisons listed below. Seven of these rooms were occupied on 10th February 1977, but occupancy varies day to day and even from hour to hour.A prisoner may not be confined to a cell as punishment unless the medical officer certified that he is fit, and prisoners so confined are visited each day by the medical officer, as are prisoners segregated because they have a record of violence.The daily routine of prisoners who are segregated varies according to the facilities available at the prison, but would include the statutory entitlement to exercise for those whose health permits it.It is not possible except at disproportionate cost to ascertain how many prisoners have occupied segregated accommodation since October 1975 or how many of those have committed or attempted to commit suicide either at that time or subsequently.The prisons with protected rooms are:

Bedford	Maidstone
Birmingham	Manchester
Blundeston	Northallerton
Brixton	Nottingham
Bristol	Onley
Canterbury	Oxford
Chelmsford	Parkhurst
Dartmoor	Pentonville
Dorchester	Portsmouth
Durham	Preston
Exeter	Reading
Gartree	Shrewsbury
Gloucester	Stafford
Grendon	Swansea
Haverigg	Thorp Arch
Hull	Wakefield
Leeds	Wandsworth
Leicester	Wetherby
Lewes	Winchester
Lincoln	Wormwood Scrubs
Liverpool

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask police authorities to advise him of the cuts in police cover that they estimate will result as a result of the curtailment of overtime; and if he will publish this advice or a summary thereof in the Official Report.

No. Increases or decreases in police cover can arise from any causes, and it would not be practicable to assess separately the effects of any single factor in comparable terms for the whole of England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from chief officers of police on the effect on police pay of the reduction in paid overtime to police officers in their respective police areas; and if he will publish this information or a summary thereof in the Official Report.

No. The level of overtime in any force is a matter for decision by the chief officer of police, and varies with operational requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct an investigation into the employment by the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service of immigrants who have been refused permission to take employment in the United Kingdom.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of prosecutions for forging during 1976; and in how many cases such prosecutions resulted in convictions.

In England and Wales in 1975, 4,496 persons were tried for offences of forgery or of uttering a forged document and 4,302 persons were convicted. Figures for 1976 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of his answer to the hon. Member for Louth's Question, No. 234 of 27th January, how many copies of "The Cost of Industrial Change" have been sold to date; and what income has accrued therefrom.

It is estimated that approximately 1,925 copies have been sold up to 11th February, including 1,500 copies sold for redistribution to retail outlets. Net receipts from these sales are expected to be £896.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the rates of candidates' election expenses for (a) national and (b) local government were last fixed; taking the £ sterling at 100p at that date, what is the current value of the £ sterling; if he will consider making any increases in these expenses; and if he will make a statement.

The limits on candidates' expenses at parliamentary and local government elections —apart from GLC elections—were last raised in February 1974 and April 1974, respectively. Taking the £'s value at 100p in February 1974, its purchasing power in December 1976 was 60·5p. It would be appropriate for a Speaker's Conference to consider the question of an increase in the limits for parliamentary election expenses, but the Government are considering the introduction of legislation to increase the limits for local elections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now answer Questions concerning the British Broadcasting Corporation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to Questions from the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) on 14th February.—[Vol. 926, c. 25.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution he intends to make from central government funds to the Hampshire police authority to cover the exceptional costs falling to that authority of policing the Royal Fleet Review in Portsmouth from 24th to 28th June 1977, which will otherwise fall on the Hampshire ratepayer.

In accordance with the standing arrangements for police grant, the costs of policing will attract a specific grant of 50 per cent. and are taken into account in fixing the level of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects consultations with the Greater London Council to take place about the Maxwell Stamp Committee's Report on the London taxicab trade; and whether he will make a statement.

Consultations with the Greater London Council about the report of the Maxwell Stamp Committee are in progress. I hope to make a general statement on the position when these consultations have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy about the treatment of mentally ill prisoners in prisons and remand homes; and how many transfers to (a) Broadmoor, Rampton and Moss Side, and (b) other psychiatric hospitals, have taken place in each of the last three years.

Treatment by psychiatrically qualified medical staff is available for all inmates in need of such treatment in penal establishments, including those awaiting the allocation of outside hospital beds in accordance with the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1959. The following table shows the number of cases during the last three years in which directions were given under Sections 72 and 73 of the Mental Health Act 1959 for the transfer to psychiatric hospitals of inmates found to be suffering from mental disorder:

	1974	1975	1976
Transfers under Section 72 of the Act (sentenced inmates)
To Broadmoor Hospital	5	9	4
To Rampton Hospital	13	9	9
To Moss Side Hospital	—	3	2
To other hospitals	26	23	27
Transfers under Section 73 of the Act (other inmates)
To Broadmoor Hospital	2	2	2
To Rampton Hospital	—	1	1
To Moss Side Hospital	—	1	1
To other hospitals	10	10	11

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were, at the latest convenient date, in prison or remand home hospitals; and what proportion this figure represents of the total prison and remand home population.

On 9th January 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, some 1,016 prisoners, about 2·5 per cent. of the total prison population—were located in hospital accommodation within Prison Service establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will reconsider his decision about the staff of Winchester Prison arranging a prison dog display at the Combined Cadet Force tattoo, in view of the fact that the officers concerned have agreed to provide their services free so that there will be no public expenditure involved.

The decision of the Department relates only to official sponsorship. Subject to acceptable arrangements being made locally to safeguard the minimum operational needs of the prison, officers, with their dogs, would, of course, be free to attend in their own time and at no cost to public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to state the expenditure on drugs by the prison hospital service in each of the past three years.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a Question by him on 26th July 1976 adding only that the final figure for 1975–76 is £277,918.—[Vol. 916, c. 14.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now seek to obtain consent to treatment from prisoners in prison hospitals for those medical procedures which would require consent in NHS hospitals.

The ethical code of practice for doctors in the prison medical service is the same as for any other registered medical practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many doctors are employed by the present hospital services; and how many of these have specialist psychiatric qualifications.

95 whole-time and 84 part-time doctors are employed in the prison medical service, of whom 59 have psychiatric qualifications. In addition there are 72 visiting psychotherapists; and seven Consultant psychiatrists are employed jointly by the Home Office and the Area Health Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nursing staff are employed by the prison hospital services; and of that number, how many have the following qualifications, respectively, SRN, SEN and RMN.

686 prison hospital officers and 147 nurses are employed in the prison nursing service. Complete records of qualifications are not available centrally, but available information shows numbers qualified as follows:

Hospital Officers
15	SRN*
41	SEN
8	RMN
* Including five who also hold RMN.
Nurses
86	SRN*
35	SEN
1	RMN
* Including eight who also hold RMN.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many beds are available for sick prisoners in the prison hospital service.

On 31st December 1976 the total number of hospital beds in all Prison Service establishments in England and Wales was 2,076.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the light of Recommendation 793 and Recommendation 803 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Her Majesty's Government will support the use of the Council of Europe as a clearing house between the member States of the Community and the other member States of the Council of Europe not belonging to the Community on all matters relating to European solidarity.

Her Majesty's Government agree that the Council of Europe has an important part to play as a means of communication between the Community and western European countries. We are in broad agreement with Recommendations 793 and 803 which are now being considered by the Council's Committee of Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the number of visits made by officials of his Department to Mary Tyler during her period of imprisonment in India, indicating for each the length of the visit and the extent to which each visit was monitored by the Indian prison authorities.

Officials made a total of 26 visits to Miss Tyler. Each visit, which required a three day journey from Calcutta, lasted on average between one and two hours. On each occasion an English-speaking prison officer was present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any of the reports dispatched by his officials in India concerning Mary Tyler laid any emphasis on the suggestion of her alleged Left-wing political beliefs.

The reports were objective and were primarily concerned with Miss Tyler's welfare—i.e., the reasons for, and conditions of, her detention and the efforts made to secure her release or early trial. Action on behalf of United Kingdom citizens abroad is not affected by their political beliefs.

asked the Secretaary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he proposes any changes in his Department's procedure, following his Department's handling of Mary Tyler's imprisonment.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the help given by his Department to Mary Tyler during her imprisonment in India; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The British High Commissioner in Delhi and the British Deputy High Commissioner in Calcutta made repeated representations to the Government of India and to the Government of Bihar seeking the release or early trial of Miss Tyler. These representations were rejected on the grounds that Miss Tyler refused to be tried separately from colleagues who had been arrested on similar charges. Committal proceedings started on 30th June 1973, and on 25th August 1974. Miss Tyler was moved to Jamshedpur for trial. Further representations were made at the highest level and on 4th July 1975 the Public Prosecutor informed the court that he was to withdraw all charges against Miss Tyler on instructions from New Delhi. Miss Tyler arrived at London Airport on 7th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased by his Department in order to keep himself, and senior civil servants, informed: The Times, Financial Times, Yorkshire Post, and Birmingham Post, respectively.

The following are purchased for use of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London:

The Times	…	…	135 copies
Financial Times	…	…	97 copies
Yorkshire Post	…	…	3 copies
Birmingham Post	…	…	4 copies

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every day by his Department in order to keep himself and senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: The Scotsman, the Glasgow Herald, the Press and Journal, the Daily Record, the Scottish Daily Express and the Dundee Courier and Advertiser.

Three copies of The Scotsman and two copies of the Glasgow Herald are purchased for the use of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. No copies are purchased of any of the other listed newspapers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every week by his Department in order to keep him and his senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: the Sunday Post, the Sunday Mail and the Scottish Sunday Express.

No copies of any of the three listed newspapers are purchased for the use of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps were taken by officials of his Department to help Mary Tyler to see her husband, in respect of her request whilst imprisoned in India.

United Kingdom officials took up a request by Miss Tyler to see one of her fellow prisoners with the Indian authorities, who did not, however, recognise that the person concerned was legally married to Miss Tyler.