asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he is yet in a position to announce the names of the members of the National Consumer Council, following the current review of membership.

Yes. The following have agreed to become new members of the Council:

• Mr. Alex Crawford
• Mr. Ken Glynn
• Councillor Dick Knowles
• Mrs. Pat Lambert
• Lord Peddie
• Mr. Brendon Sewill
• Mrs. Joan Young

The following have agreed to continue as members of the Council:

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when he expects to implement the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's Report on the Supply of Stockbroker's Services in Relation to Restrictions on Advertising; and whether he will make a statement.

Following the discussions which have taken place, at my right hon. Friend's request, between the Director General of Fair Trading and the Stock Exchange in the light of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report, I understand that the Stock Exchange's Council has passed a new rule which will give member firms much more freedom to advertise their services. In accord- ance with normal Stock Exchange procedure, the rule should become absolute in two weeks' time.In its report the Monopolies and Mergers Commission noted that the Stock Exchange's rules and regulations prevented stockbroking firms from using certain forms of advertising at all—e.g., radio and television, severely limited the content and the extent to which any Press advertising might be used to obtain business; and prohibited altogether the use of circulars—other than to existing clients—as a means of attracting business from investors.The Commission recommended that the Stock Exchange's existing rules on advertising should be terminated and should be replaced by a rule which, subject to any material statutory provisions, would permit any stockbroking firm of the Stock Exchange in the United Kingdom to use such methods of publicity as it thought fit, subject to certain constraints in respect of claims of superiority, inaccuracies, breaches of good taste and recommendations about particular securities.Under the Stock Exchange's new rule and associated code of conduct, which adopt almost all aspects of the Commission's recommendations and suggestions, member firms will be free to advertise their services through any of the media, including broadcasting, subject to the general constraints recommended by the Commission. They will, however, be required to seek approval from the Stock Exchange before issuing publicity material to persons other than their own clients, and there will be no change in the existing policy that no recommendations of individual securities may be made to non-clients.It is made clear to stockbroking firms that they will be expected to observe the British Code of Advertising Practice operated by the Advertising Standards Authority. Similarly, those who wish to advertise their services on radio and television will be expected to observe the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Code of Advertising Standards and Practice. At present the IBA code prohibits member firms of the Stock Exchange from advertising on radio and television. However, the IBA is in the process of altering its code to take into account the changes which have been made by the Stock Exchange.I am pleased that the Stock Exchange has been ready to amend its rule and code of conduct on advertising in this way, and I am satisfied that the new arrangements properly reflect the spirit of the Commission's report.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Japan.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 19th April.

asked the Prime Minister what communications he has had with the new Indian Prime Minister.

I have sent Mr. Desai good wishes on his appointment and have told him that I hope we shall meet at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in June.

asked the Prime Minister how many official receptions he plans to hold in 10 Downing Street during the month of June 1977.

As my hon. and learned Friend is aware, I propose to hold a reception for the participants in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at 10 Downing Street in June. Announcements of any other receptions will be made in the usual way.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his engagements for 28th April 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 28th April.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 28th April.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 28th April.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 28th April 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 28th April 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 28th April.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28th April 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 28th April 1977.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle).

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to discuss economic policy with the Prime Minister of Italy.

I look forward to seeing the Prime Minister of Italy at the Downing Street Summit Conference on 7th and 8th May when we shall have an opportunity to discuss these and other matters.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to see the United States President.

I look forward to seeing President Carter when we visit North-East England on 6th May and subsequently at the Downing Street Summit and the NATO ministerial meeting.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner), Official Report, 19th April, column 24, that due to the improvement in the work of the Liberal Party that the allocation of money to the Liberal Party should be doubled, he intends to introduce legislation to that end.

No.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent he has been involved in discussions as to the future of the power generating industry following the submission to him of the report by the CPRS in 1976.

I am in close touch with the situation.

asked the Prime Minister what members of Her Majesty's Government had agreed to go to the Bilderberg Conference in Torquay and in what capacity; if he will ensure that the Government will not be represented at future conferences of this type; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that this was a private occasion which all participants attended in a personal capacity. The question of representation of Her Majesty's Government or of their consent to the conference being held did not therefore arise.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the net overall cost to public funds per day per employee of the Civil Service for the provision of (a) meals, and (b) tea and coffee.

By direct subsidy about 2p, covering both meals and tea and coffee. In addition, as is the practice in most large organisations, some facilities, mainly premises, are made available without direct charge. It is not possible to cost these without incurring disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) in Luxembourg on 25th and 26th April.

I would refer my hon Friend to the statement I made to the House yesterday.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what total butter subsidy he expects to obtain from the current EEC negotiations.

The Community has now agreed to pay the full cost of a subsidy on Community butter of up to £187·96 per tonne in the United Kingdom from 1st May and £190·73 per tonne from 16th September to the end of March 1978. It has also been agreed that the subsidy will continue until the end of December 1978 at a rate to be determined.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the value of production of all forms of pigmeat during the last 12 months in the United Kingdom;(2) what is the total turnover of the pig industry plus auxiliary industries during the last year.

I regret that information is not available in precisely the form requested. The farm gate value of pig-meat production expected during the farm year ended May 1977 as published in the White Paper "Annual Review of Agriculture 1977" (Cmnd. 6703) is £596 million. A significant proportion of processed pigmeat production is carried out by retail butchers and no precise information of the total value of retail sales of fresh meat and meat products is available. Some information is, however, available on the sales value of industrial-scale manufacture of pigmeat products and this is published in the "Business Monitor" (No. PQ 214), the latest of which covers sales up to the third quarter of 1976. I am sending the hon. Member a copy, and copies are available in the Statistical Section of the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the British pig industry ceased production, what would be the cost of importing the equivalent quantity of pigmeat from abroad.

United Kingdom production of pigmeat was 872,000 tonnes in 1976–77. It is neither reasonable to assume that the British pig industry will cease production nor possible to make any meaningful estimate of the cost of replacing this volume of supply by imports even if supplies were available on this scale.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total breeding herd of sows in the United Kingdom on 1st April 1976 and 1st April 1977, respectively.

The latest available pig census data for the United Kingdom relate to December 1976, when the number of sows, including in-pig gilts, in the breeding herd was 888,000 head compared with 845,000 head in December 1975.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the total number of pig farmers registered in the United Kingdom.

The June census records the number of holdings on which pigs are kept. The latest figures relate to June 1976, when there were 44,800 such holdings in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the average current loss per pork pig to British producers at present.

There are no official records. Average returns for producers of pork pigs recorded during March in the Meat and Livestock Commission's Pig Feed Recording Scheme were:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what study he has made of the evidence supplied to him of high vegetable prices and their failure to respond to supply and demand; if he will investigate the marketing arrangements for vegetables; and if he will make a statement.

Evidence about the supply and wholesale prices of vegetables is regularly collected and published by my Department. Vegetable production has been reduced by the abnormal weather of last summer and winter. Prices have risen due to the normal effects of supply and demand.Prices, margins and channels of distribution for fruit and vegetables were investigated by the Price Commission during 1974–75, and since last November the Commission has extended its monitoring of prices and distributors' margins for potatoes to cover cabbages, cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, carrots and turnips. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection said in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Callaghan on 22nd April—[Vol. 930, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts concluded between United Kingdom manufacturers and the United States Department of Defence or United States defence contractors and between United States manufacturers and United Kingdom defence contractors as part of the "Two-Way Street" defence sales programme.

It would be contrary to established practice to list individual contracts. An encouraging start has been made in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on Reciprocal Purchasing, and the Government will continue to give British industry its fullest support in seeking to secure orders in the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the cancellation by the United States Defense Department of a planned purchase of Hawker Siddeley Skyflash missiles because the United Kingdom has chosen the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod aircraft in preference to an American aircraft for the AEW rôle, if he will make a statement on the "Two-Way Street" arrangements between the United States and the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United States of America has cancelled planned procurement of Hawker Siddeley Skyflash missiles; and if this is because the United Kingdom has withdrawn from participation in the NATO AWACs programme.

There has never has been a firm order or inquiry by the United States Defense Department for Skyflash missiles, but the possibility of a limited purchase arose in the context of offset for British participation in the NATO AWACs programme. Although this no longer applies, Skyflash remains one of a number of equipments which we are hoping the United States might consider under the general "Two-Way Street" arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Air Force units or stations compete in the Ingpen Trophy.

Air Defence Ground Environment units in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Jetstream aircraft have been purchased by his Department; and how many purchases he plans in the next two years.

26 Jetstream aircraft have been purchased by the Department. We have no plans to purchase more Jetstream aircraft in the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the runways at Stornoway Airport; and if he will make a statement.

A programme of improvements to the airfield at RAF Stornoway, including extension of the main runway, is planned to start towards the end of next year. The improvements will provide the airfield with the facilities necessary for its military use in emergency. The airfield will continue to be available on the present basis for use by civil aviation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which jobcentres are scheduled to be opened in Great Britain in 1977 are relocated offices and which are new to the areas concerned.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, of the 100 jobcentres planned to be opened in Great Britain in the 1977–78 financial year, it is anticipated that approximately 20 will be sited in locations where there was no previous employment office. It is too early in the financial year to be able to give the locations of these offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobcentres scheduled to be opened in Great Britain during 1977; and what is their it location.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is planned to open about 100 jobcentres in the 1977–78 financial year. It is not yet possible to be able to give locations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list by region (a) the amount of money spent under, and (b) the number of establishments covered by the temporary employment subsidy.

I regret I am unable to give precise information in the form requested. As at 22nd April 1977 the estimated cumulative total of subsidy commitment—assuming 12 months payment in each case—is shown below:

	(a)	(b)
	Estimated cumulative total of subsidy commitment (assuming 12 months payment)	Total approved applications (cumulative total)
	£
Northern	13,645,300	15
Yorkshire and Humberside	23,059,200	33
South-Eastern	29,383,200	54
South-Western	12,166,150	29
Midlands	44,651,900	60
North-Western	58,634,850	83
Wales	16,199,450	24
Scotland	29,115,650	44
Totals	226,855,700	3,46

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the current average wage in the Borders region of Scotland;(2) what is the current national average wage.

The following New Earnings Survey estimates for April 1976 are the latest which are available covering all occupations in all industries and services. They relate to the average weekly earnings of full-time workers whose pay for the survey pay period was not affected by absence.

	Borders Region of Scotland	Great Britain
	£	£
Men aged 21 and over	59·10	71·80
Women aged 18 and over	42·50	46·20

The percentage standard errors of the averages given in the reply are:

	Borders	Great Britain
Men	3·0	0·1
Women	5·6	0·1

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimated breakdown of the total costs, including administration, postage, etc., of his scheme for rebated fuel bills; how many extra officials will be required to run the scheme; and how many people are likely to benefit from it.

Although returns to date suggest that the £25 million set aside for this scheme will not be fully taken up it is not possible at this stage to add to my reply to the hon. Member of 14th February.—[Vol. 926, c. 48–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many claims under the electricity discount scheme have been received at the latest available date; and how much of the original £25 million allocated has been taken up.

By 22nd April claims from some 850,000 households to a total value of £5·6 million had been reported to Departments. This is still below the level of claims expected at this stage, though a considerable increase on the figures I gave to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) on 21st March. I would urge all electricity consumers who are receiving supplementary benefit or family income supplement to claim the discount as soon as their electricity bill arrives.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the likely stockpiling of plutonium resulting from reprocessing nuclear waste in Great Britain over the next 10 years.

On the basis of an annual throughput of 1,450 tonnes annually at Windscale, about 25 tonnes of plutonium would be produced, over 10 years. This would be stockpiled, except so far as it was required for use for approved purposes—for example, for fuel fabrication.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the uranium requirements of the United Kingdom is at present mined in Namibia.

Information on the proportion of our uranium requirements being mined in Namibia is confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide an up-to-date list of the universities and colleges which have now indicated their willingness to take part in the Centres of Excellence Scheme; and if he will publish the names of the 30 or 40 centres to which he referred in column 1363 on 6th April during the debate on the White Paper.

Over 230 universities and colleges in England and Wales have shown an interest in the establishment of centres of sporting excellence, and nearly 90 of these are able to offer sports facilities and/or coaching and tuition of a high standard.As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 25th October 1976, some centres meeting the requirements of centres of excellence have been in existence for many years. New centres operating or under consideration are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment under what provision of law the Minister of State responsible for sport and recreation ordained refusal of terrace tickets to Chelsea football supporters.

The football authorities have recommended, at my request and with their complete agreement, that no terrace tickets should be allocated to supporters of Chelsea Football Club for the club's away matches until further notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his decision to overrule his inspector's recommendation against granting planning permission to Home-Pac Limited of London, N.W.7 involves a change of Government planning policy with regard to protecting the residential amenities of North-West London.

The decision involved no change in planning policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what economic factors he considered in reaching a decision to overrule his inspector's recommendation against granting planning permission to Home-Pac Limited of London, N.W.7, to erect a steel chimney in a residential area.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why it took him a year to reach a decision to overrule his inspector's recommendation against granting planning permission to Home-Pac Limited of London, N.W.7, to erect a steel chimney in a residential area.

The appeal against refusal of planning permission for two chimneys was dealt with at the same inquiry as two appeals against enforcement notices relating to a chimney which had been erected. There were complicated legal issues to be considered. It was also necessary to go back to the principal parties about a challenge to the validity of the notices in the light of proceedings in the High Court which the council had initiated on an earlier decision relating to the same development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the revenue raised from licensing dogs covers all the administrative costs.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he is in a position to give more information about the incidence of otters in England at the present time; and what their relative decline has been;(2) whether he is in a position to give more information about the incidence of otters in Wales at the present time; and what their relative decline has been.

As I told the hon. and learned Member in my reply to him on 28th February, a joint working group of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Society for the Promotion of Nature Conservation is assessing the status of the otter in Great Britain. I understand that the group has now virtually com- pleted its work and intends to publish its report at the end of next month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in the light of the Layfield Committee Report relating to the rating of properties which comprise a shop and living accommodation.

My right hon Friend is at present considering the committee's recommendations and hopes to make an announcement about the Government's conclusions in the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the increase of violent crime in rural areas, he will avoid any redeployment to the inner cities of rate support grant for the police service that results in a reduction of crime prevention in the rural counties.

Rate support grant is a block grant for all services within the relevant expenditure of local authorities. When deciding on its distribution, I take into account a wide range of needs factors which are applicable to both urban and rural areas. Specific police grant covering 50 per cent. of expenditure on police services is paid on expenditure properly incurred and is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the recommendation of the Directors of Prison Administrations as set out in Council of Europe Press Release, B (77) 14, 21st March 1977, calling for more widespread use of prison leave.

The present arrangements for home leave in England and Wales are broadly compatible with the conclusions of the Conference of Directors of Prison Administrations. With due regard to resources we shall give full consideration to any further proposals in this area which may eventually be agreed in the Council of Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether those civil servants who would assume executive power in the activation of Civil Defence emergency plans are subjected to any form of security vetting.

No civil servants would assume power under existing plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Wormwood Scrubs Prison over each of the last three years;(2) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Rochester Prison over each of the last three years;(3) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Winchester Prison over each of the last three years;(4) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Risley Prison over each of the last three years;(5) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Parkhurst Prison over each of the last three years;(6) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Manchester Prison over each of the last three years;(7) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Liverpool Prison over each of the last three years;(8) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Leeds Prison over each of the last three years;(9) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Holloway Prison over the last three years;(10) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Grendon Prison over each of the last three years;(11) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Dartmoor Prison over each of the last three years;(12) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Durham Prison over each of the last three years;(13) what was the cost of drugs prescribed in Cardiff Prison over each of the last three years;

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the usual practice adopted by his Department concerning the admission of wives and relatives of husbands now resident in the United Kingdom but born in other countries where such wives are additional to the first wife still existing and the relatives' children are born from other than the first existing wife; and on what grounds he permits a man to bring in four wives and 12 children.

Practice is governed by the Immigration Act 1971 and the Immigration Rules. These provide for the admission for settlement of someone who is the wife or the dependent child of a sponsor already settled in the United Kingdom, subject only to the possession of the necessary entry clearances and in certain cases to the availability of support and accommodation.A wife's entitlement stems from a marriage which is valid under the law of this country. While ultimately only a court can decide whether a marriage that has taken place overseas is valid in United Kingdom law, it is my understanding that a marriage will be recognised as valid, even if polygamous, provided that it was one that each of the parties had the capacity to contract under the law of his or her domicile, and the marriage was a valid one under the law of the territory where it was contracted.Any dependent children of such a valid marriage, whether or not polygamous may also lawfully claim settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement on the action that the Government propose to take in the light of the Law Commission's report on the matrimonial jurisdiction of Magistrates' courts.

Legislation to implement the Law Commission's recommendations will be introduced when parliamentary time permits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has recently held over future immigration policy.

Immigration policy is kept under continuing review, and the Government receive advice and representations on it from a wide range of sources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement setting out the Government's full and final response to the Erroll Committee's Report on Licensing Law Reform.

The Government have yet to complete their consideration of the committee's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost to public funds of the security arrangements for the Bilderberg Conference at Torquay.

The police arrangements, as part of normal police responsibilities, involved officers who would otherwise have been engaged in other duties; but no significant additional costs to public funds were incurred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to control prostitution in massage parlours and similar establishments.

The Criminal Law Revision Committee will be looking at the law on prostitution as part of its current review of the law on sexual offences. I shall ask it to give particular attention to the application of the law to prostitution in massage parlours and similar establishments.

asked the Lord President of the Council, in the light of the increase in average earnings in February 1977 by 11·4 per cent. against the 16·2 per cent. increase in prices during the same period, whether any increase was made in the salaries of hon. Members during this period; and how much the purchasing value has fallen since the last adjustment in the basic rate.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the annual increases in earnings and prices between February 1976 and February 1977. During that period, hon. Members' salaries were increased by £312 per annum subject to their total earnings not exceeding £8,500. This represented a 5·4 per cent. increase. Since June 1976 when Members' salaries were last increased, their purchasing value has fallen by 11·6 per cent. up to mid-February 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extent the Department of Agriculture is responsible for the fencing around State forests in Northern Ireland.

There is no legal obligation upon any landowner to erect boundary fencing unless the land is utilised for grazing livestock, when he is legally obliged to prevent his stock from straying on to neighbouring property. The Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture does not normally own livestock and is, therefore, under no legal obligation to fence the boundary of the forest land it owns, although on a small number of areas of leased land it has accepted an obligation to maintain boundary fencing for the period of the lease. However, the Department seeks to maintain good relations with adjoining landowners, and boundary fencing on woodlands is normally erected and maintained jointly.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when it is intended to vest the lands and premises needed for the Glendermatt link road in Londonderry; and what is now the expected date of the contract being placed and the completion date.

The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment hopes to give public notice in June of its intention to acquire the land for the road. Considerable rehousing of tenants will be required, and it is unlikely that the contract for the road works could be placed before 1979. The planning of a contract would also be subject to financial resources being available. A road scheme of this nature usually takes about two years to complete.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will set out in the Official Report the rates of pay and allowances payable to members of the British delegation to the European Parliament.

Allowances paid to Member of the European Assembly are the concern of that Assembly. However, I understand that the following are payable.Subsistence: 3,000 Belgian francs per day.Travel: 12 Belgian francs for each of the first 400 kilometres and 5 Belgian francs for each subsequent kilometre.Secretarial Assistance: Reimbursement of the cost of privately engaged secretarial assistance within a limit of 520 units of account per month.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) what she anticipates will be the effect on the efficiency of her Department's rural development programme arising from the transfer of posts to Glasgow, in view of the permanent understaffing of the National Savings Bank and the rapid staff turnover in that department;(2) if she expects the proposed transfer of personnel to Glasgow and the loss of efficiency which this move entails to have any effect on her Department's relation ship with other donor countries, multilateral agencies and aid-receiving Governments;(3) if the proposed transfer of posts to Glasgow will affect the process of implementing her Department's rural poverty focused programme, particularly as the move will separate many of the functional departments from the geographical departments; and what effect these changes will have on the morale of staff committed to the programme.

As I informed my hon. Friend on 21st March—[Vol. 928, c. 370]—I am confident that my Department will still be able to implement our aid strategy effectively, though there will inevitably be some loss of efficiency. I do not expect that there will be any marked effect on our relationships with other donors, multilateral agencies or recipient Governments or on rural development programmes.My hon. Friend referred to the National Savings Bank. I am assured that the staffing position there is now satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what, if any, administrative problems would be involved if all caravan owners were required to license their caravans annually, in the same way as motor cars are required to be licensed annually.

Other things being equal, there would be two main administrative problems: (a) refunding vehicle excise duty for the lengthy periods which most caravans spend off the road each year; and (b) enforcing vehicle excise law bearing in mind that even when they are on the move caravans are nearly always parked off the road.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about his discussions with the pharmaceutical industry.

The House will be aware that over the past three years the Government have been discussing with the pharmaceutical industry the cost of sales promotion, undesirable sales promotion practices and, more recently, the future operation of the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme which controls the profits of companies working in the industry.Despite the strong opposition of the industry, I announced last July that I would be disallowing as a cost for VPRS purposes any sales promotion expenditure this year in excess of 12 per cent. of sales. In 1974 sales promotion amounted to 14 per cent. of sales. I also announced that I intended to reduce the percentage I would accept by 1979 to 10 per cent. At the same time I said that I was considering exempting from this limit advertisements in certain types of journal. Objection has been made to this proposed discrimination and I have now decided that all journals should be treated alike. I will be discussing the implication of this with the industry. I hope that this restriction of sales promotion expenditure will lead to less glossy literature falling on doctors' doormats. I believe that doctors will welcome a more manageable post bag.I am now able to announce that I have reached agreement with the pharmaceutical industry on the no less important matter of the quality of sales promotion material. It is now agreed with the industry that all advertisements except for a limited class of abbreviated advertisements will have to contain a list of specific information including the basic cost of the preparation to the NHS. Full advertisements will have to be in line with data sheets, which will in future have to be approved by the licensing authority. Data sheets will have to be placed before the doctor in any discussion with a company representative. This was recommended by the Sainsbury Committee in 1968 and this recommendation will now be implemented.It is also agreed that samples other than those required to enable a doctor to recognise a preparation will be supplied only when a doctor has requested them in writing. And even then the cost of such samples will not be allowed against profits. Similarly, any gifts to doctors will be disallowed in calculating profits. The same would apply to any hospitality given to doctors other than modest hospitality at independently organised medical symposia.All advertising material will have to be approved by a doctor nominated by the firm, who will be personally responsible for certifying that it is correct and factual. Regulations will be made to prohibit the use of misleading graphs, govern the presentation of multi-page advertisements and prevent the misuse of such words as "safe". The industry has agreed to establish machinery to make a sample check of advertisements as they appear for conformity with the new and stronger code of practice. Two independent doctors will join the code of practice committee which adjudicates on alleged breaches of the code.The new agreement will be reinforced by legal controls in new regulations made under the Medicines Act about which I will shortly be consulting the professions. This new agreement will much more effectively protect doctors from exposure to misleading advertisements or undesirable sales practices.Parallel to this discussion of sales promotion, I have been having discussions with the industry on certain aspects of the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme. Under the existing scheme, the average profitability of the industry has been steadily reduced. In 1969 the return on capital as shown in returns made to my Department was 21 per cent. By 1975 it had dropped to 15 per cent. This is no more than the average for British industry as a whole. Drug prices in Britain are now in general lower than for any other country for which we have information. No longer can firms get away with making exorbitant profits at the expense of the NHS.Pharmaceutical firms now fully participate in providing the necessary information on their costs and profits at the end of each financial year. The main difficulty which has arisen is that excessive profits are not revealed until after the end of the year when they have been made. This can lead to difficult and protracted negotiations.The changes in the prices regulation scheme which I have agreed with the industry include a new requirement for each company to submit a financial forecast at the beginning of each year, so that I have advanced warning of unacceptably high profits. I will therefore be able to discuss corrective changes before, and not only after, the profits are actually made. I am satisfied that this new agreement strengthens my powers to ensure that the profits made in the industry are fair and reasonable. The scheme will in future be known as the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.The industry has represented to me that in these circumstances the original Clause 49 in the Patents Bill, which provides for the compulsory licensing of pharmaceutical products, is now unnecessary. It is argued that firms are being discouraged from investing in this country through fear that other firms may use this clause to obtain access to their patents. What is at issue in the new circumstances is primarily the distribution of profits between firms. I will, of course, still have powers under the new bill to use any patent for the service of the Crown. I am satisfied that the agreement which I have reached with the industry and the further important power already in the Bill make it unnecessary for the Government to propose the reinstatement of the compulsory licensing provision which was deleted in another place.Now that the outstanding issues have been settled, I look forward to a significant improvement in relations between the Government and this very important innovative industry, whose continued success is vital for the National Health Service and for the economy of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in extending the scope of the EEC Social Security Regulations to include self-employed persons.

Discussions being held on this matter within the Community have progressed to the stage where it is hoped that the EEC Commission may shortly be able to propose to the Council an amending regulation which will cover self-employed persons. In addition, a recent judgment of the European Court has enabled a small number of self-employed persons who have previously been employed and paid employed persons' contributions to be regarded as within the scope of the existing regulations under certain conditions.Self-employed persons affected by this recent judgment of the European Court are those resident in this country who, though being over pension age and not yet retired, have a provisional title to a pension and have at some time in their life been employed persons and paid employed persons' contributions under the United Kingdom Social Security Scheme; and self-employed persons under pension age resident here who, in certain circumstances, have recently been employed persons and have paid employed persons' contributions under the British scheme within a period varying from nine months to two years and nine months prior to the date on which they claim benefit under the EEC regulations.Self-employed persons who think they may fall into either of these categories and who wish to take advantage of the EEC regulations for the purpose of covering themselves for urgent medical treatment whilst visiting another member State should obtain the necessary form of application in leaflet SA 28 obtainable from all social security offices, from which further information can be obtained, if necessary, about other benefits covered by the regulations.It is the Government's policy to press for the extension of the EEC regulations to cover all United Kingdom citizens.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the Woodroofe Review Body to issue its next report.

The Seventh Report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, chaired by Sir Ernest Woodroofe, was sent to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 4th April. The Government are considering the re-report and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners were admitted to hospital suffering from hypothermia in the latest 12 months for which figures are available, in England and Wales; and how many died of it.

Information on hospital admissions is not available, but in the 12 months from October 1975 to September 1976 the total number of deaths of people over retirement age—men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over—in England and Wales in which hypothermia was given on the death certificate as the sole or main cause of death was 19.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what has been the overall annual cost to date of the additional administrative staff employed in the National Health Service since reorganisation;(2) what increase there has been to date in the number of administrative staff employed in the National Health Service since reorganisation;(3) what proportion of the annual cost of the National Health Service is represented by administration.

The term "administrative staff" has been taken to refer to staff employed in England within the purview of the National Health Service Administrative and Clerical Staffs Whitley Council. At 30th September 1973, when community health staff were employed by local health authorities, the total staff employed in the services now covered by the National Health Service was 77,108—whole time equivalents. At 30th September 1975, the latest date for which figures are available, the total was 91,865, an increase of 14,757. The wage and salary bills for staff employed by local health authorities prior to reorganisation are not separately identifiable from the accounts of these authorities and it is therefore not possible to give the overall annual cost of the additional staff. The proportion of the annual cost of the National Health Service represented by administration defined in terms of the salaries of these administrative staff was 6·6 per cent. in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has considered the provision of low-interest loans for disabled drivers to enable them to buy their own cars.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to what I said in the course of the Supply debate on disabled persons (mobility) on 26th April.—[Vol. 930, c. 1051–65.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has received any requests for financial assistance to set up a national organisation for parents with the object of reducing the incidence of child battering; and what replies were sent.

One application for a grant to organise a national parents' anonymous association has been received. In reply my Department welcomed the work being done by local groups of this kind in providing mutual support for parents but expressed the view that they are most effective when set up locally by those with a special interest in and commitment to them. We are not satisfied that there is at present a rôle or general demand for the central organisation proposed in the application but will certainly reconsider the matter if a clear need for one emerges later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services why family allowances have not been paid to Tony and Terry Roach of 6 Marlborough Court, Haverhill, Suffolk; and why the application for family allowances made in November 1976 and repeated on two subsequent occasions, has not been acknowledged.

An order book for the allowances due was sent to Mrs. Roach on 26th April, together with an apology for the delay. I shall be writing to the hon. Member in reply to his letter of 13th April as soon as our inquiries into the reasons for the delay have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under which sections of or schedules to the Social Security Act 1973 the police are excluded from the administration of that Act.

Section 64 of the Social Security Act 1973, which relates to the modification and winding-up of occupational pension schemes by order of the Occupational Pensions Board, specifically excludes from its provisions public service pension schemes. Section 65 provides instead that the power to modify or wind up such schemes shall be exercised by the responsible Minister of the Crown or Government Department designated by the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the costs to the Exchequer of payment of the child benefit as an additional benefit to those in receipt of widows' pension, State retirement pension and supplementary benefit.

Payment of child benefit is made to those in receipt of widow's pension, retirement pension and supplementary benefit, but the dependency increase with widows' and retirement pensions for the first child was reduced to take account of the introduction of child benefit, and the payment was also taken into account in assessing title to supplementary benefit. To pay £1 a week additional dependency benefit in each of these cases would cost in the region of £34 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what level of pension would now be required to take account of inflation since the last increase.

The General Index of Retail Prices rose by 6 per cent. between November 1976 and March 1977, the latest date for which a figure is available. The standard rates of retirement pension would have to rise to £16·20 a week for a single person and £26 for a married couple to take account of this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date the Health Services Board is required to complete its report on the phasing out of pay beds; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, West (Dr. Phipps) on 21st March—[Vol. 928, c. 412-13]—concerning the time limit for the submission by the Health Services Board of its first report on the phasing out of pay beds from NHS hospitals. The Act sets no final date for the completion of the board's work.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Health Services Board held its first meeting; and on how many occasions it has met since then.

I have asked the chairman of the board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of producing Health Service Catering Manual, Volume 4; and how many were printed and circulated.

The cost of producing and printing 10,000 copies of Volume 4 of the Health Services Catering Manual was £4,750. 6,000 copies have been sent to health authorities for initial distribution to staff who purchase or handle fresh fruit and vegetables.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Anglo-Soviet Round Table set up as a result of the visit of the then Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the USSR in February 1975.

In the Anglo-Soviet Joint Statement of 17th February 1975 the British and Soviet Governments resolved to set up an Anglo-Soviet Round Table whose members would be distinguished representatives of public life, science, culture, commerce, the Press, and other fields. The first meeting of the Round Table was held in London on 24th and 25th October 1975. The second meeting took place in Moscow on 19th and 20th October 1976. A third meeting is expected to be held in London later this year.The Anglo-Soviet Round Table has proved to be a valuable non-governmental forum for the exchange of views on international and bilaterial questions such as detente, arms limitation, trade and international economic affairs. Exchanges such as these contribute both to the consolidation of a safer and more productive relationship between Britain and the Soviet Union, and to the wider process of detente.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to draw to the attention of the Russian Government the applicability to the African continent of their pledge contained in the joint United Kingdom/USSR statement of 17th February 1975 to establish detente on a firm basis throughout the world.

The Soviet Government are in no doubt of our view that detente requires the exercise of restraint and responsibility in policies towards crisis areas, whether in Africa or anywhere else. The Government have consistently maintained, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister emphasised in a speech as recently as 17th April, that detente is indivisible and that lack of restraint by outside powers in the third world will inevitably have an adverse effect on public confidence in detente within Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his estimate of the additional cost to public funds of his recent announcement regarding changes in assisted areas.

Some £3·5 million a year once the full savings from the creation of the new intermediate areas have been realised.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what were the total sums made available by his Department in each of the last three financial years to British industry by way either of grant or loan at non-commercial interest rates.

The total of grants and loans made by my Department to private industry in the last three years at 1976 Survey prices was as follows:

	£m
1974–75	663
1975–76	606
1976–77 (Estimate)	599

Departmental records do not distinguish between loans made at commercial and non-commercial rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will detail all the circumstances, actual and expected, which led him to designate the Grimsby employment office area a development area.

I took into account the record of unemployment, current unemployment, prospects for employment in fishing and other activities, the industrial structure, current and prospective investment, the area's potential for industrial development, the relevance of the incentives available in the development areas to the encouragement of this development, and the grading, and prospective grading, of other areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many offices of British Shipbuilders are to be designated; and where they are;(2) why it is necessary for the administration of British Shipbuilders to be conducted from two separate office locations.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's answer on 20th April to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett)—[Vol. 930, c. 96–7].

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the cost to public funds of the running of each office of British Shipbuilders.

The cost of running their offices will be borne by British Shipbuilders.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the expected cost of the London office of British Shipbuilders; where it is to be situated; what rates will be paid on its premises; how many staff will be employed there; and what functions will be performed there.

These will be matters for British Shipbuilders.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish a table showing a comparison of the export or foreign currency earnings of the motor vehicle, whisky and tourist industries in each of the last 10 years.

Figures of export sales of the motor vehicle industry and of exports of whisky are given in the following table:

Exports
£ million (fob)
	Motor Vehicle Industry*	Whisky†
1967	495‡	122
1968	622‡	177
1969	762‡	167
1970	808	194
1971	957	227
1972	885	228
1973	1,056	260
1974	1,296	326
1975	1,724	367
1976	2,232§	437
* Export sales of principal products of the motor vehicle industry as defined by Minimum List Heading 381 of the Standard Industrial Classification, 1968. Sales based on overseas trade statistics.
† Commodity information from overseas trade statistics.
‡ Estimated.
§ Provisional.

For the tourist industry, the most appropriate information is the expenditure in the United Kingdom by overseas residents which is shown as the credit item of the travel account of the balance of payments. Information is given in Table II of the publication "United Kingdom Balance of Payments 1965–75". The latest figures for 1975 and 1976 are £1,123 million and £1,628 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what have been the net earnings from tourism over the last five years.

Figures for international tourism earnings and expenditure are given in the travel account of the United Kingdom balance of payments statistics published in the March 1977 issue of Economic Trends (page 84). Revised figures for 1976 show earnings of £1,628 million from foreign residents and expenditure abroad of £1,008 million, giving a positive balance of £620 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, from international sources available to him, he will list the countries in Western Europe which have a ministry of tourism.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 10th January in relation to countries within the EEC. I understand that there is a Ministry of Tourism in Malta and Turkey, a Ministry of Commerce and Tourism in Portugal and a Ministry of Information and Tourism in Spain.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the conferences he has officially attended during April.

My right hon. Friend attended the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers conference in Scarborough on Sunday 24th April.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much local authorities are expected to borrow from the Public Works Loan Fund during the coming financial year.

The forecast in the Financial Statement and Budget Report of net issues from the National Loans Fund via the Public Works Loan Board to local authorities in 1977–78 is £700 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the purchase of a licensed taxi-cab incurs VAT whereas it was exempt under the purchase tax system.

VAT applies to all motor vehicles, whereas purchase tax was restricted to cars. Proprietors of London-type taxis who are registered for VAT can deduct the tax paid on their cabs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the operation of income tax rebates to eliminate the disincentive to work for persons on high incomes during the last quarter of the financial year.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would have been the estimated extra revenue in each case in 1976–77 if sickness benefit, unemployment benefit and maternity benefit had been treated as earned income for tax purposes.

Information on which to base a precise calculation is not available, but it is estimated that the tax for 1976–77 would be approximately as follows:

	£ million
Sickness benefit	160
Unemployment benefit	180
Maternity allowance	15

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will have consultations with the hon. Members for Cornwall about the functioning of the economy as it affects their area.

My right hon. Friend and I are ready to consider representations on the functioning of the economy in their constituencies with any hon. Members who have something constructive to say.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to issue a floating rate Government bond.

The necessary preliminaries have been set in hand for such a bond. An issue will be made as and when market circumstances are appropriate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the national organisation representing the self-employed following his Budget Statement.

My right hon. Friend had no representations from such an organisation about his Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make arrangements for refund of the whole or part of the taxes on petrol to disabled people who are dependent upon their invalid motor vehicles for transport.

I note the right hon. and learned Member's concern. However, the drivers of invalid motor vehicles are exempted from the vehicle excise duty; and the Government's statutory commitment to uprate most social security benefits at least in line with prices also helps to protect those who are receive if them, including the disabled, from the effects of indirect taxation and the price of petrol.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any special regulations exist whereby disabled persons can invest capital without interest being regarded as liable to taxation; and, if so, what is the largest sum which can be invested in this manner.

There are no special tax exemptions for interest on investment by disabled persons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average rate of return on fixed interest national savings compared with the latest estimate of the current level of inflation.

It is not possible to average the returns on different national savings instruments without a knowledge of the investor's tax position, since some instruments pay tax-free interest and some pay taxable interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount in national savings attributable to savers in Scotland.

Separate net national savings figures are not available for Scotland, but the provisional net savings for the whole of the United Kingdom in 1976–77, excluding accrued interest, was £694·3 million. Provisional figures for gross receipts in Scotland including deposits in the National Savings Bank and Trustee Savings Banks in the 12 months ended 31st March 1977 were £1,062 million compared with £8,159 million for the whole of the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the £16·50 per day tax-free expenses allowed as an attendance payment to members of the House of Lords is worth over £25 per day gross to the overwhelming majority of the recipients, that to many it is worth between £44·07 to £97·06 per day; and whether, in the interests of his wages, prices and incomes policy, he will make these payments conditional upon a peer proving that his other public and/or private income payments are below £5,000 per annum.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Lord President to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker) on 22nd March.—[Vol. 928, c. 468.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider issuing indexed Government bonds specifically for pension fund investment.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now arrange for a further issue of indexed linked shares purchasable by pensioners.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional systems of tax credits and incentives, such as have been proposed by President Carter for the United States of America, are now being considered in the United Kingdom to encourage energy conservation, including solar energy and heat pump systems, as well as improved insulation and use of waste heat by individuals, small businesses and large industrial undertakings.

The incentives already in existence comprise all those which, within existing constraints, including public expenditure, have so far been shown to be cost effective. However, the Government naturally keep this important matter under constant review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list from European and international sources available to him tax credit and incentive schemes now being operated by the member countries of the Community and members of the OECD to encourage energy conservation by both individuals and companies.