asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the daily fees of the members of the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors.

The chairman's daily fee is £40, while each lay member receives £17 for a full day's attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many times the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors met during 1976.

Twice.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the administrative cost of the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors during 1976.

£120.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the salaries of the members of the Board of the Royal Ordnance Factories.

I am the Chairman of the Board of the Royal Ordnance Factories. The Deputy Chairman and other members are either serving civil servants or Army officers, who carry out this function as part of their normal duties. In addition, there are three Board members appointed from outside the Government service who each receive a salary of £1,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the administrative cost of the Board of the Royal Ordnance Factories during 1976.

The administration of the Board of the Royal Ordnance Factories is carried out by Ministry of Defence officials as a part of their normal departmental duties and the cost is not separately identifiable.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what reduction has been made in the number of Ton class vessels engaged on fishery protection; when the reduction was made; and why.

Although the total strength of the Home Division of the Fishery Protection Squadron fluctuates slightly from time to time because of the refit programme, there has been no reduction in the coverage of the coastal patrols.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the time of the vessels of the Fishery Protection Squadron is spent on fishery protection and oil protection duties as compared with other naval duties; and what is the annual cost of providing the squadron's protection services.

The ships of the Fishery Protection Squadron are employed practically full time on fishery and offshore protection work, but whilst on patrol opportunity is taken for the mine countermeasures vessels to practise their wartime rôle, and some of them participate occasionally in naval exercises.The cost of operating the ships of the Home Division of the squadron is approximately £3·5 million a year at September 1976 prices. On the same basis, the cost of operating the Offshore Division, when all five Island class ships are in service, will be approximately £2·5 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many meetings she has had with the officials of the National Association of Teachers of Further and Higher Education during the past two years; what arrangements exist to meet them during the next few months; and what rôle she envisages this section of education might play in the nation's education debate.

There have been three meetings since the foundation of the association in January 1976; they have requested another meeting in the near future. The association was involved in the first round of discussions on education, and will be represented at the regional conferences which are about to begin; it is expected to make a particular contribution to the consideration of matters related to education and training of teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will list the total capital expenditure on secondary schools for each economic planning region shown separately for each year since 1965, together with the expenditure per head of secondary school population;(2) if she will list the total capital expenditure on primary schools for each economic planning region shown separately, for each year since 1965, together with the expenditure per head of primary school population.

This information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost and use of staff time, and is not available in relation to financial years prior to 1970–71.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the total capital expenditure on nursery places for each economic planning region shown separately for each year since 1965, together with the expenditure per head of population aged 3 and 4 years.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Cambridgeshire County Council has returned to her Department details of its policy relating to the taking of places at, and the payment of fees of children attending, non-maintained schools; and whether she proposes to revoke approval in respect of any such places in view of the places expected to become available in maintained comprehensive schools.

In accordance with Circular 12/76 the Cambridgeshire Education Authority has submitted details of its present arrangements for the support of education at non-maintained schools. My right hon. Friend will be considering, after consultation with the associations of local education authorities, what action may be necessary in order to ensure that the arrangements of this and other authorities in this field are compatible with her policy for comprehensive education.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether his Department has recently received reports of oil pollution in Sutherland; and whether samples taken have been matched with samples from the recently announced Mesa Petroleum oil find in the Moray Firth area;(2) whether he has received any report from the Mesa Petroleum Company of a spillage of oil as required under its exploration licence; and what action his Department intends to take in this matter;(3) in the knowledge that oil operations are likely to lead to accidental spills, what effective safeguards his Department is taking to minimise risks to vulnerable wildlife, most especially with regard to oilfields close inshore and in areas of high wildlife value.

Rules incorporated in legislation and in licences require operators to exercise care in carrying out drilling and production operations in all seaward areas and to report any spillage which occurs. Further, the operators are expected to have contingency plans for dealing with spillages and to tackle them in the first instance. My Department is currently assessing the adequacy of these contingency plans and will take into account the proximity of the installations concerned to environmentally sensitive areas.I have no evidence that the accidental spillages from Mesa Petroleum's activities in the Moray Firth in September and December of last year were due to want of reasonable care. Further, the total quantity of oil involved was small—about 25 barrels—and the operator took remedial action in each instance. In the circumstances prosecution would not be justified. However, the operators did not, as required by the licence, report the September spillage forthwith. They did report the smaller December spill. My Department has written to the operator and all the licensees interested in the development drawing their attention to this breach of the licence and warning them such failures put their licence at risk. Further arrangements have been made to change the well testing procedure to reduce the risk of accident. Samples of oil taken from the beach at Loth Point in Sutherland do match closely oil from the Mesa field. Moreover. the operators have admitted responsibility.My Department will carefully watch the development of this field and any others similarly located.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the production and installation of the electricity or gas meter designed to function by the use of plastic tokens which are shredded after being inserted into the meter.

The Electricity Council is undertaking research into the acceptability of token-operated prepayment meters to consumers. Until the results of this research are available in about two years' time it would be premature to undertake the production and installation of a commercial meter, but the Council has drafted a technical specification which is now in the hands of meter and other manufacturers. In order to avoid duplication, the British Gas Corporation will be kept informed of the result of the Electricity Council's studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the draft directive referred to in the memorandum of November 1976 on EEC proposals for licensing of commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend is referring to the EEC proposals on the adjustment of national taxation systems for commercial vehicles. The only draft directive published by the Commission (R /1435/68) has been deposited in the House. My memorandum of November 1976, which was also deposited, sets out the changes of substance now under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been spent on the existing motorway safety programmes.

Expenditure in the first 10 months of the current financial year was as follows:

Installation of signals and telephones (new and existing motorways)	£1·6 million
Safety barriers (for updating earlier motorways)	£1·2 million
Lighting—installation on new and existing motorways	£1 million
Lighting—maintenance (including electricity)	£0·8 million
Publicity at service areas	£17,000

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what safety programmes the Transport Road Research Laboratory is presently working on for motorway control.

Relevant work includes a study of the types and frequency of incidents which interrupt normal traffic flow, and development and appraisal of methods for predicting or rapidly detecting bad weather and other problems. Studies are also being made of drivers' needs for information, and of their behaviour on high-speed roads, especially in fog. Strategies for the control of traffic on high-speed roads are being examined; and current work on motorway signals covers both the effects of present signals on driver behaviour and safety, and the development of new signal symbols which might be used to give drivers more information. Provision of traffic information by radio is also being studied.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons were employed in the Transport Road Research Laboratory in 1976, 1975 and 1974; and how many are employed now.

Including industrial workers, there were 1,060 staff at the laboratory on 1st April 1974, 1,059 on 1st April 1975 and 1,086 on 1st April 1976. The current figure is 1,044.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total budget of the Transport Road Research Laboratory in 1976, 1975 and 1974.

The gross expenditure of this laboratory in the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76 was £8·3 million and £10 million respectively. In the first nine months of the current financial year, to 31st December 1976, it was £6–6 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the uncertainty created in Warwickshire by recently published statistics in connection with the projected M40 motorway between Birmingham and Oxford, he will state (a) whether the project is still a viable one, (b) if so, what are the likely dates of commencement and completion and (c) what is the likely overall cost at current prices.

I am not aware that any recently published statistics cast doubt on the viability of this scheme.Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory processes and to the availability of funds at the time, work is expected to commence on the Banbury and Warwick sections of the M40 during the period 1980–82 and on the section from Waterstock to Banbury between 1983 and 1985. Each section is expected to take some two years to complete.The total cost of the M40 extension between Waterstock and Umberslade is estimated to be £96 million at November 1976 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce his decision on the Sheffield-Manchester motorway proposal.

Following a detailed study of road communications between Manchester and Sheffield, my right hon. Friend has come to the conclusion that a comprehensive new route over the whole length would not be justified on economic grounds. However, there is a strong case for relieving the communities on either side of the Peak District National Park of their present burden of heavy traffic, and the public will be consulted on possible routes for bypasses to Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwistle in the west, and Stocksbridge and Deepcar in the east. For the central section of route, including almost all of the length across the National Park such selective and limited improvements to the existing A628 road as may become necessary should be sufficient to meet traffic needs up to the end of the century.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the megalithic sites in the care of his Department.

The list of megalithic sites in my care is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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.

42, 25, three and two respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the Fareham Bail Hostel has been in use; where it is located; how many men are resident and for what average length of stay; what restrictions on their movements locally there are; and what are the most serious charges on which they are held at present.

Dickson House, 77, Trinity Street, Fareham, opened as a bail hostel in December 1974 and at present provides 11 places. The average length of stay of men on bail from magistrates' courts in three weeks and from Crown courts two-and-a-half months. Residents are encourage to find employment while at the hostel and there is no restriction on their movements, but they must be in the hostel by 11.30 p.m. The most serious charges in respect of which present residents are bailed are actual bodily harm and burglary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department assuming a constant rate of inflation at the level of the last 12 months, what will be the total cost to public funds of the imprisonment of the convicted IRA murderers sentenced by Mr. Justice Cantley to serve 30 years' imprisonment.

These four men were sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that they should be detained for a minimum period of 30 years; it cannot be assumed that they will be released in 30 years' time. Based on the total expenditure on prisons in England and Wales in 1975–76, the average annual cost of a prisoner is about £4,000. But, bearing in mind the inevitable preponderance of fixed costs of a prison system dealing with a population of some 40,000, it would not be meaningful to use this figure —with or without any hypothetical assumptions about inflation—for calculating the additional coast of maintaining four extra prisoners over the next 30 years or so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list in the Official Report the names of those convicted of terrorist offences who have been released on licence on parole or whose sentences have been remitted since 1st March 1974; what were the offences for which each such person was convicted and what was the sentence imposed in each case; and how many persons convicted of terrorist offences are still in prison.

There is no category of terrorist offences in Great Britain; and it would require disproportionate effort to examine the records of offenders since 1st March 1974 to determine who had committed terrorist type offences. As regards prisoners whose offences were connected with Irish Republican organisations, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to a Question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Teesside. Middlesbrough (Mr. Bottomley) on 16th February—[Vol. 926, c. 239-241].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will lend the good offices of the ACAS to resolving the industrial dispute involving Essex firemen.

ACAS is an independent body. Any question of assistance from ACAS, should it be necessary, would be a matter entirely for the parties to the dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the industrial action by Essex firemen will not prevent emergency action where required.

Statutory responsibility for providing fire cover rests with the fire authority concerned, in this case the Essex County Council. I have no reason to believe that the council is unable to carry out this responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women were allowed to settle in the United Kingdom for marriage in each of the last 10 years from (a) the new Commonwealth and Pakistan, (b) each of the countries of the Indian subcontinent, (c) the Old Commonwealth,

SPOUSES ACCEPTED FOR SETTLEMENT ON ARRIVAL
		New Commonwealth and Pakistan	India	Bangladesh	Pakistan	Old Commonwealth	Foreign Nationals (excluding citizens of Pakistan)	U.S.A.
Men
1973	…	Not separately recorded.
1974	…	517	110	3	11	71	137	67
1975	…	1,445	535	13	94	322	488	230
Women
1973	…	Not separately recorded.
1974*	…	1,961	531	55	477	51	377	99
1975	…	8,592	2,200	867	2,516	215	1,131	241
* 1st September 1974 to 31st December 1974.

PERSONS ALLOWED TO SETTLE FOLLOWING MARRIAGE BY REMOVAL OF TIME LIMIT
		New Commonwealth and Pakistan	India	Bangladesh	Pakistan	Old Commonwealth	Foreign Nationals (excluding citizens of Pakistan)	U.S.A.
Men
1973	…	120	4	Nil	4	33	2,287	581
1974	…	1,515	261	14	102	364	3,035	702
1975	…	3,598	1,104	34	515	602	4,729	923
Women
1973	…	2,302	906	15	103	436	2,942	555
1974	…	3,498	1,249	46	155	512	3,176	576
1975	…	4,151	1,450	86	366	617	3,609	589

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many marriages in 1975 and 1976 involving immigrants were considered to be marriages of convenience by his Department; and from which country the immigrants came.

The operation of the Immigration Rules as they stand does not permit any precise figures to be given, but I am satisfied that there is substantial abuse by people from a wide range of nationalities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the figure of 6,000 in paragraph 34 of the Franks Report was compiled; and (d) foreign countries including Pakistan and (c) the United States of America.

People admitted subject to a time limit, including male fiances and female fiancees may be accepted for settlement by reason of marriage to someone settled here. The following tables give the readily available information on husbands and wives accepted for settlement on arrival, and on people accepted for settlement by removal of time limit following marriage to someone settled in the United Kingdom.what would be the figure if all United Kingdom passport-holding dependants of voucher holders were omitted.

The numbers of those accepted for settlement as parents, grandparents, or distressed relatives are not recorded separately, but they are included in those described in the published immigration statistics as "others accepted for settlement on arrival". I understand that the estimate given in the Franks Report was derived from the data given for this category in "Control of Immigration: Statistics—1975", (Cmnd. 6,504), less the number of United Kingdom passport holders (UKPH) arriving with special vouchers—who are included in the category—and a small number of dependent children aged between 18 and 21. It is estimated that, excluding the dependants of UKPH special voucher holders in this category, about 3,600 citizens of New Commonwealth countries or of Pakistan were admitted for settlement as parents, grandparents or distressed relatives in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he had before he authorised the release on licence on parole of Miss Anna Mendleson in November 1976.

I received advice from the Local Review Committee and the Parole Board; and had available when making my decision professional assessments from those who had been concerned with Miss Mendleson's case during her term of imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list in the Official Report the criteria which the Parole Board is required to take into account when deciding whether to recommend a prisoner for release on licence.

On 18th December 1975—[Vol. 902, c. 701]—the then Home Secretary informed the House that copies of new detailed criteria for the grant of parole which had been agreed with the Parole Board were being placed in the Library of each House. These criteria, which were included in the Parole Board's annual report for 1975 laid before Parliament, are currently being used.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce a scheme under VAT regulations which would restrict to an amount related to the profit margin the tax payable on transactions in second-hand furniture (non antique), second-hand electrical appliances and similar goods by registered traders.

Schemes of this kind have been introduced for particular classes of goods where there would have been a serious distortion of trade due to the charging of VAT on the full value of the goods as they passed at successive stages between VAT registered traders and private individuals. I have no evidence that such a distortion of trade has occurred with second-hand (non-antique) furniture or second-hand electrical appliances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total spending of all social work departments in the United Kingdom in the latest year for which figures are available.

Total expenditure on personal social services in the current financial year is estimated at £1,028 million at 1976 Survey prices. This includes expenditure by central government departments and local authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that parents with children over the age of 19 years in full-time education who are not entitled to the child benefit allowance should not have their child tax allowance reduced.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of making the lower personal allowance available to retired women between 60 and 65 years of age who are unmarried; and if he will make a statement.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th February 1977; Vol. 925, c. 878], gave the following information:I assume my hon. Friend means the single age allowance. Information on which to base a precise figure is not available, but the estimated cost of giving this allowance to retired women aged between 60 and 65 is in the region of £50 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what gross earnings a married man, with three children and no further allowances, where he is the sole earner reaches a marginal rate of 50 per cent. income tax, and assuming that he is on PAYE, at what point he reaches the 50 per cent. marginal rate on all his withholding deductions.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11 th February 1977; Vol. 925, c. 878], gave the following information:Assuming that the children are not over 11 years of age, he would be liable to pay income tax at a marginal rate of 50 per cent. if his earned income exceeded £8,381. Since national insurance contributions are not payable on earnings in excess of £95 a week, this is also the point at which the marginal rate for all deductions from income reaches 50 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to his answer in the Official Report, 9th February 1977, c. 723–4, to the hon. Member for Horsham and Crawley (Mr. Hordern) if he will publish in the Official Report the same information for the United Kingdom.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th February 1977; Vol. 926, c. 302], gave the following information:The information is as follows:

Gross Income			Net income after income tax and National Insurance Contributions
£			£
2,500	…	…	2,103·50
5,000	…	…	3,588·20
7,500	…	…	5,143·70
10,000	…	…	6,374·20
15,000	…	…	8,145·45
20,000	…	…	9,479·70
30,000	…	…	11,314·50

The figures relate to a married couple with two children not over 11 years of age. Family allowance of £78 has been included in the net income figures where it would be to the taxpayer's advantage to claim it—i.e., for gross income levels up to and including £10,000—and for these cases tax on family allowance and "clawback" have been taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy toward the sanctions breaking operations conducted to procure trade for the trade organisations of the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and East Germany.

Her Majesty's Government deplore sanctions breaking by any country, organisation or individual. Under paragraph 21 of Security Council Resolution 253 of 1968, the United Kingdom has a special responsibility to inform the United Nations Sanctions Committee of all apparent breaches of sanctions which come to our notice, so that the United Nations Secretary-General can invite those concerned to investigate. It was in accordance with this obligation that last September we drew the Committee's attention to the fact that we had information suggesting that official trading agencies in certain East European countries had been engaged, through the intermediary of three Swiss companies, in trade with Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he is satisfied that the symbol kg/cm² can easily be found on tyre pressure gauges in normal use in the United Kingdom.

Most tyre pressure gauges are at present marked in pounds/ square inch, though gauges indicating kg/cm² also are not uncommon. From 1st January 1980, new equipment should be marked in either the pascal or the bar, both of which units appear in the EEC Units of Measurement Directive but upon which a final choice has not yet been made in this country. Existing equipment will be legally allowed to remain in use.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he is satisfied that the new metric or SI units are well enough known internationally, and that the pascal is a recognised unit.

The International System (SI) of Units was first adopted by the General Conference of Weights and Measures in 1960 and most of the units are very well known internationally. Some of the unit names which have more recently been incorporated into the system are not yet in widespread use and are still relatively unfamiliar. The pascal is in this category.

						Estimated Requirement	Current number of Volunteers
Mobile grades
Under-Secretary	…	…	…	…	…	1	3
Assistant Secretary	…	…	…	…	…	3	1
Senior Principal	…	…	…	…	…	5	3
Principal	…	…	…	…	…	22	11
Senior Executive Officer	…	…	…	…	…	57	18
Higher Executive Officer	…	…	…	…	…	101	44
Executive Officer	…	…	…	…	…	200	130
Total	…	…	…	…	…	389	210
Non-mobile grades
Clerical and below	…	…	…	…	…	426	68
Total	…	…	…	…	…	815	278

These figures are not yet static. They will change with normal movement between posts and as further volunteers come forward among existing staff or on transfer from other Department. Recruitment of new executive officers is already based on their acceptance of eventual employment in Cardiff from 1979 onwards. The bulk of staff required in non-mobile grades will be recruited locally.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will have consultations with his counterparts in the EEC with a view to drawing up a European shipbuilding policy to meet competition from Japan and South Korea.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many staff of the Export Credits Guarantee Department volunteered for dispersal to Cardiff;(2) if he will list the grades of the staff of the Export Credits Guarantee Department who volunteered for dispersal to Cardiff;(3) what is the total number of staff in the Export Credits Guarantee Department who are required to be dispersed to Cardiff;(4) if he will list by grade the number of staff in the Export Credits Guarantee Department who are required to be dispersed to Cardiff.

Following is the information:

The European Community is already discussing such a policy, both in the Council of Ministers and in meetings of experts from member States. My hon. Friend the Minister of State is also having urgent discussions with his colleagues in member States on this difficult problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if it is his intention to augment the NEB funds by supplying part of British Leyland's requirements under Section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 for the period up to 1979–80.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the view of the Industrial Development Advisory Board on the funding of British Leyland by the NEB; and whether he agrees with its view.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's statement of 3rd August.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will explain the role of the National Enterprise Board in the last stage of the industrial strategy agreed at the meeting of the National Economic Development Council on 2nd February 1977; and what action the NEB is to take over the five priority sectors, namely, industrial engines, construction equipment, office machinery,, electrical components and domestic electrical appliances.

The Council agreed that the NEB had a particularly valuable role to play in carrying forward the industrial strategy. Proposals for the NEB's action on the priority sectors will be considered by its Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has examined with the European Economic Community the possible rôle of Community institutions in promoting the sale and lease-back of Concorde and the A300 Airbus, bearing in mind the rising unem-

Duration of unemployment in weeks						Males	Females	Total, Males and Females
One or less	…	…	…	…	…	57	24	81
Over 1 and up to 2	…	…	…	…	…	71	44	115
Over 2 and up to 3	…	…	…	…	…	49	28	77
Over 3 and up to 4	…	…	…	…	…	56	26	82
Over 4 and up to 5	…	…	…	…	…	53	19	72
Over 5 and up to 6	…	…	…	…	…	63	20	83
Over 6 and up to 7	…	…	…	…	…	43	21	64
over 7 and up to 8	…	…	…	…	…	43	26	69
Over 8 and up to 9	…	…	…	…	…	36	16	52
Over 9 and up to 13	…	…	…	…	…	113	51	164
Over 13 and up to 26	…	…	…	…	…	229	81	310
Over 26 and up to 39	…	…	…	…	…	139	64	203
Over 39 and up to 52	…	…	…	…	…	112	11	123
Over 52	…	…	…	…	…	103	31	134
Total	…	…	…	…	…	1,167	462	1,629

I have been asked to reply.This is primarily a matter for the manufacturers of the aircraft concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for those unemployed in Fareham; and what are their categories in length of term of unemployment, physical category and area of domicile.

The following table shows the numbers of people registered as unemployed at 13th January in the Fareham employment office area, analysed by sex and by length of time unemployed. The unemployment statistics are not analysed specifically by area of domicile, but most unemployed people register at the employment office nearest to their homes. Analyses of the total number unemployed according to physical category are not made. However, of the total of 1,629, 74 were registered disabled persons. Excluded from this analysis are seven severely disabled registrants who are only considered capable of employment under sheltered conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost (a) directly in strike action and (b) indirectly as a result of stoppages &c. caused through strike action in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The statistics show that the aggregate number of working days lost in stoppages in progress in the years 1974, 1975 and 1976, were 14,750,000 6,012,000 and 3,286,000 respectively. The figure for 1976 is provisional.The official statistics of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes include: (1) workers directly involved in the disputes; and (2) workers indirectly involved who, although not themselves parties to the disputes, are laid off at establishments where the disputes occur.The series compiled for working days lost consists of the aggregate of days lost

Year and Project	Architect	Architect's fees £	Associates	Fees £
1973–74—
1. Mandeville Childern's Home, Craigavon.	McCormick & Co.	285	—	—
2.Community House, Tandragee	McCormick & Co.	94	—	—
	Totals	379		—
1974–75—
3.South Tyrone Hospital, Dungannon, Nurses' Home and Training School.	Houston & Beaumont	900	—	—
4. Ballymena Old People's Home and Flatlets, Ballymena.	W.D.R. & R.T.Taggart	2,366	—	—
5(a). Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, Rheumatology Unit.	Fees paid in 1975–76(see below).	—	Murland & Partners	2,265
			W.A. Stevens	3.922
6(a). Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick, Occupational Therapy Building and Greenhouses.	McKinstry & Partners	722	Fees paid in 1975–76(see below)	—
	Totals	3,988		6,187
1975–76—
5(b). Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, Rheumatology Unit.	Samuel Stevenson	7,156	Fees paid in 1974–75 (see above).	—
6(b). Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick, Occupational Therapy Building and Greenhouses.	Fees paid in 1974–75 (see above).	—	Williams & Shaw	198
7. Holywood Day Centre, Holywood.	Gerald R. Smith	463	—	—
8. Maghera Old People's Home Maghera.	W. & M. Given	1,217	—	—
9.Brefne Children's Home	Robinson & Patterson	5,784	Adair & Agnew	2,226
	Totals	14,620		2,424
	Grand Totals	18,987		8,611

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the total amounts paid by way of architects and associated fees in 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1975–76 in respect of abandoned building projects which were sponsored or approved by district councils, education and library boards, health and social services boards, fire authorities, police authorities, and electricity services; and if he will list the names of the projects, the fees involved and the architects to whom the fees were paid.

The information in respect of the Northern Ireland health and social services boards is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the cost of the administration involved in the payment of flat-rate unemployment benefit, earnings-related supplement and supplementary benefit, to the unemployed in 1974. 1975 and 1976.(2) what was the cost of the administra tion involved in the payment of all benefits to the unemployed in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

Expenditure figures for calendar years are not readily available, but the cost of administration involved in the payment of flat-rate unemployment benefit, earnings-related supplement and supplementary benefit to the unemployed by financial year is estimated to be as follows: 1974–75, £80 million; 1975–76. £125 million; 1976–77, £165 million.It is not possible to estimate the administration costs involved in the payment of other benefits to which persons unemployed may be eligible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) under what circumstances his department pays for hire-purchase debts in respect of refrigerators; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what the cost has been to public funds;(2) under what circumstances his Department pays for hire-purchase debts in respect of carpets; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what the cost has been to public funds;(3) under what circumstances his Department pays for hire-purchase debts in respect of curtains; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what the cost has been to public funds;(4) under what circumstances his Department would pay a hire-purchase debt for a person on social security in respect of a cocktail cabinet;(5) under what circumstances his Department pays for debts in respect of gas bills; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what the cost has been to public funds;(6) under what circumstances his Department pays for hire-purchase debts in respect of furniture; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what the cost has been to public funds;(7) under what circumstances his Department pays for debts in respect of electricity bills; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what the cost has been to public funds.

The policy of the Supple. mentary Benefits Commission on meeting hire-purchase commitments and fuel debts is clearly set out in their Administration Paper No. 4, "Exceptional Needs Payments", a copy of which is in the Library. The other information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) under what circumstances his Department pays for car insurance for a person on social security;(2) under what circumstances his Department pays for new tyres for cars belonging to persons on social security;(3) under what circumstances his Department pays for new spare parts for cars belonging to persons on social security;(4) under what circumstances his Department pays for car servicing for cars belonging to persons on social security.

Except for the very rare cases mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member on 2nd February—[Vol. 925, c. 195–6]—the Supplementary Benefits Commission does not meet the cost of car repairs or replacement parts or tyres. It does not in any circumstance help with car insurance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) under what circumstances his Department will pay for the installation of a telephone for a person on social security, other than for a disabled or chronically sick person;(2) under what circumstances his Department will pay for telephone bills for persons on social security other than chronically sick or disabled persons;(3) what was the largest amount paid by his Department in respect of any one telephone bill for a person on social security in 1976.

I would refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to his Question on 15th November 1976.—[Vol. 919, c. 405.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action his Department takes when it is discovered that social security benefit given in respect of clothing, judged to be needed by an officer of his Department, is then spent by the social security claimant on clothing or other goods other than that for which the benefit was granted;(2) what action to reclaim the money is taken by his Department in cases where it is shown that benefit granted by his Department in respect of exceptional needs is then spent by the claimant on alcohol;(3) what action to reclaim the money is taken by his Department in cases where it is shown that money paid by his Department to, or on behalf of, a person on social security in respect of furniture is spent on buying or hiring a television set.

As I made clear in my reply to the hon. Member on 15th November 1976—[Vol. 919, c. 406–7]—no further payment is made for the item concerned if any evidence of misspending comes to light; and any subsequent exceptional needs payment would be closely controlled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many Giro cheques issued in respect of necessary furniture by his Department were made out to the name of furniture dealers and how many to the name of the person due to receive the furniture;(2) what was the largest amount paid in any one week in the last 12 months for which figures are available to any unemployed person in respect of supplementary benefit, including cash and kind;(3) what was the largest amount paid by his Department in respect of any one electricity bill for a person on social security in 1976;(4) what was the largest amount paid by his Department in respect of any one gas bill for a person on social security in 1976;(5) how many exceptional needs grants in the last 12 months for which figures are available were over, respectively, £25, £50, £100, £150, £200, £250, £300, £400, and £500;(6) what was the highest amount paid in the last 12 months for which figures are available to any one person or family in respect of exceptional needs grant; and what it was for;(7) if he will list the top 20 items or needs for which exceptional needs grants were made in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

This information is not available, or would be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why a social security benefit payment of £21·85 was made to a market trader who earns approximately £100 a week.

Without further details I cannot answer the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the saving to public funds if all communications from his Department to persons on social security were sent by second-class post instead of by first-class.

No such estimate has been made because the majority of items sent by first-class post are benefit payments due, or inquiries relating to benefit payments due, for which second-class post would be unacceptable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons in the last 12 months for which figures are available were given money by his Department in circumstances where the claimant has found a new job but has no money and does not receive any pay until the end of the week or month.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons had any part of their mortgage interest paid by his Department in 1976.

The information in the form requested is not available. In December 1975 some 98,000 claimants were having mortgage interest taken into account in their supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, for the purposes of his answers to parliamentary Questions, the Supplementary Benefits Commission is taken to be included in his Department.

The functions and constitutional position of the Commission are described in chapter 1 of its annual report for 1975, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Department of Health and Social Security Ministers answer for the Commission in Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the largest amount paid in any one week in the last 12 months for which figures are available to any one individual in respect of unemployment benefit; and whether that individual or his family were in receipt of any other social security benefit at the same time in cash or in kind.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what total estimate he has made of the cost of running his Department and all other bodies for which he has responsibility in 1977–78, including all wages, pension, heating, lighting, rates, telephones, maintenance and all other costs whatsoever.

It is estimated that for 1977–78 the total administration cost of running the Department and the social security scheme, including superannuation and supporting services provided by other Government Departments, will be of the order of £710 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when an announcement will be made on the proposed dental charges increase.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead) on 17th February.—[Vol. 926, c. 306–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for the last period of 12 months, for which figures are available, what percentage of appeals relating to the right to, and the amount of, supplementary benefit, was decided in favour of the appellant in England and Wales, and in each region of England and Wales, respectively; and for the same period and on a national and regional basis, what percentage of appeals was decided in the appellant's favour when he (a) attended and (b) did not attend the tribunal and (c) was represented by a solicitor, a social worker, or a friend.

Figures for the 12 months period ended 30th September 1976 are shown below. Information about the attendance and representation of appellants is not available on a regional basis; the percentages shown relate to England, Scotland and Wales as a whole.

ENGLAND	Favourable Decisions (per cent.)
All Regions	20
Northern	22
Yorkshire and Humberside	18
East Midlands and East Anglia	24
London, North	22
London, South	18
London, West	20
South-Western	22
West Midlands	22
North-West (Manachester)	18
North-West (Merseyside)	19
*WALES	21
Attendance and Representation:
Appellant attended	32
Did not attend	9
Represented by solicitor	40
Represented by social worker	52
Represented by friend	33
*Wales is not sub-divided into regions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the costs of hearing aids of the body-worn and behind-the-ear types, respectively; how long it normally takes to supply each when cases of need are established; and why 14 months have elapsed, without a constituent of the hon. Member for Twickenham having been fitted with a behind the ear aid at the West Middlesex Hospital.

It is not the practice to disclose the price of commodities obtained under Government contract.The waiting time for patients for whom a hearing aid is prescribed varies between hospitals. I am advised that, except in cases of urgency, it is about six months at the West Middlesex Hospital both for body-worn and behind-the-ear hearing aids.The behind-the-ear aid is at present available free of charge under the National Health Service to patients falling within the priority groups laid down in the guidelines issued by my Department. We are having to proceed by priority groups because possibly as many as 1 million hearing-impaired people will be entitled to the new aid.I am advised that the hearing aid centre at the West Middlesex Hospital has not issued the hon. Gentleman's constituent with a behind-the-ear aid because she is not regarded as coming within any of the priority groups, and that the hospital authorities have fully explained the position to her.I am consulting the Advisory Committee on Services for Hearing-Impaired People on how we might, within available resources, phase into the programme the very large number of elderly hearing-impaired people who are not included in the present categories.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make a full review of all the circumstances in which Mr. James Harvey has been in psychiatric institutions since 1932 and details of which have been sent to him; and if he will place in the Official Report details of all such patients who first entered hospital in 1930 to 1940.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the land surplus to the area health authority's requirements at the Belmont and Henderson Hospitals site has been offered to the Greater London Council; and if during the course of an Adjournment debate on 5th November 1974 his hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda (Mr. Jones) confirmed that any surplus land would be offered to the London borough of Sutton and not solely to the Greater London Council.

The surplus land at the Belmont and Henderson Hospitals site was offered both to the Greater London Council and to the London borough of Sutton in accordance with the standard rules for the disposal of Government land, as was indicated in the hon. Member's Adjournment debate on 5th November 1974.—[Vol. 880, c. 1036.]—Since both councils expressed interest, the land was allocated to the Greater London Council as successors to the London County Council which formerly owned the land.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when estimates of the December 1976 figures for working families subject to a 75 per cent. or higher marginal rate of taxation on a pay rise of £1 or more will be available;(2) how many working families were subject to a marginal tax rate of 75 per cent. or more on a pay rise of £1 at the end of June 1976.

The next estimate, following the December 1975 figure which I gave in my reply to the hon. Lady on 8th February—[Vol. 925, c. 626–7]—will relate to December 1976. I hope that it will be possible to provide this estimate by the end of 1977 or shortly afterwards.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many poor families face an effective marginal tax rate of (a) up to 25 per cent., (b) up to 50 per cent., (c) up to 75 per cent., (d) up to 100 per cent. and (e) over 100 per cent. for the latest date for which figures are available.

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH THEORETICAL MARGINAL TAX RATES FOR A £1 PAY RISE, AT DECEMBER 1975.
Thousands(rounded)
	Range of marginal tax rate
	0–25	26–50	51–75	76–100	Over 100
Estimated number of families with	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	All
(a) Relative net resources less than 100 per cent.	60	70	10	None	None	140
(b) Relative net resources less than 120 per cent.	70	210	40	20	20	360
(c) All working families	80	5,120	200	40	50	5,480

(i) "Relative net resources" are defined as net weekly income less rent addition divided by the supplementary benefit scale rate times 100. Net weekly income is defined as gross income less tax less national insurance contributions less superannuation contributions less work expenses. Rent addition is defined as, for a householder, the attributable share of rebated housing costs and, for a non-householder, the prevailing supplementary benefit standard addition.

, pursuant to his replies [Official Report, 24th January 1977; Vol. 924, c. 489; 27th January 1977; Vol. 924, c. 727] gave the following information:The following table gives estimates of the numbers of families with children and with the head in full-time employment or self-employment, who theoretically are subject to the marginal tax rates stipulated by my hon. Friends. Line (

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cigarettes are sold in National Health Service hospitals in the United Kingdom each year; and what steps he is taking to discourage smoking in hospitals.

I regret that the information requested is not available. I shall shortly issue fresh guidance to health authorities on measures to limit and discourage smoking in hospitals and other health premises.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras South may expect a reply to her letter of 22nd

December 1976 about the problems of research at University College Hospital into the disease of thalassaemia.

I replied to my hon. Friend on 15th February, and investigations into costs are in hand.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the information in his possession making charges and allegations that the Treasury deliberately arranged and assisted in creating financial difficulties to ensure the initiation of an incomes policy, he will appoint a committee of inquiry into these matters.

No.