asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection by how much retail prices have increased since February 1974.

The latest monthly rise is 1 per cent. and the latest year-on-year increase is 16·7 per cent. The latest three monthly rise is 4·6 per cent. That could be said to produce an annualised figure of 19·9 per cent. though it would not be statistically valid as an indication of the trend. This brings the increase since February 1974 to 72·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will pay an official visit to the consumer protection organisation in Leicester.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at the present time for such a visit but he would be prepared to consider this on a future occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when he proposes to seek to amend the Weights and Measures Act of 1963.

I hope to seek to amend the 1963 Act later this year in order to provide for the change-over from the minimum to the average system of control of pre-packaged goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will refer to the Director General of Fair Trading alleged abuses against consumers at one-day sales.

The Director General of Fair Trading is already considering this matter. If he is satisfied that such sales adversely affect the economic interests of consumers in a manner set out in Part II of the Fair Trading Act it is open to him to propose a suitable order under that Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what further steps he now proposes to take to implement the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

I hope shortly to make effective provisions imposing on creditors joint and several liability in respect of misrepresentations and breaches of contract by suppliers as well as those prohibiting the canvassing of cash loans, the sending of circulars about credit and hire to young people and the unsolicited sending of credit cards and similar items. Later this year I hope to make requirements about disclosure in credit and hire advertisements.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will seek powers to ban unrealistic and confusing recommended prices.

We are proposing to take appropriate powers under Clause 12 of the Price Commission Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what the Government predicted the rate of inflation, measured over the previous 12 months, would be in the months March 1974, April 1975, April 1976 and March 1977; and what the rate actually was at these times.

I am not aware that any predictions for those specific periods were given. The actual rates of inflation were: 13·5 per cent., 21·7 per cent., 18·9 per cent. and 16·7 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will introduce legislation forcing manufacturers of packaged food items to mark their goods with their recommended price at the time of manufacture.

Although the Price Commission Bill contains certain powers to deal with recommended prices following a report from the Price Commission, the Bill does not contain the express power to do what the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is his estimate of the amount by which the retail price index will increase following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget proposals to increase duty on petrol.

Higher duty on petrol which, after VAT, increased the price by 5½p per gallon, will add 0·3 per cent. to the retail price index.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he intends to take action on the review of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 by the Director-General of Fair Trading.

The recommendations of the report of the Director-General of Fair Trading are being carefully considered, and in due course I shall announce my intentions regarding their possible implementation.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will refer the profit margins of hair clinics providing hair transplants to the Price Commission.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he is satisfied with the working of present arrangements about misleading advertising.

The advertising industry's code of practice provides guidelines in an area where standards are difficult to define precisely. The Trade Descriptions Act and a number of other statutes are also relevant to certain aspects of advertising. I am satisfied that this system is working satisfactorily, although it is, of course, kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will review the powers of his Department in relation to the service and commission charges of caravan site operators.

Charges for services are within the scope of the Counter-Inflation Act 1973, and I am advised that commission charges to which the Mobile Homes Act 1975 refers are subject to control by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. I am discussing with my right hon. Friend certain other matters relating to caravan sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many representations he has received or have been received by the Price Commission concerning increased site rents and similar charges faced by the owners of holiday caravans during last year and during the first three months of 1977.

I have received 19 representations on this subject; I understand that the Price Commission has received about 200.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what are his proposals regarding a freeze on prices; and what discussions he has had with the TUC about the matter.

Under the Price Commission Bill, which received its Second Reading on 27th April, I will have power to freeze individual prices for up to 12 months, where the Price Commission so recommends. I have had a number or discussions with the TUC about the new policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will refer to the Price Commission the profit margin made by booking agents for the air fare to Rome for the European Cup Final and in particular the type of package that includes a Cup Final ticket.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many price increase applications were received from breweries in the United Kingdom, and the Lancashire area in particular, during the last 12 months; how many applications were appealed against; how many increases were allowed under the Price Code; and if he will make a statement.

Detailed questions about the number of price increase pre-notifications and the results are for the Price Commission. The average increase in beer prices in the year to March 1977 was 21 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many increases in the price of home heating oil have been asked for, and how many approved, under the Price Code; and what has been the total percentage increase since 1970.

Questions about the number of price increases notified to the Price Commission are for the Price Commission itself. Up to March 1977 the price of home heating oil rose by 276 per cent. over the average for 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will now lay down a standard price for a standard loaf of bread, to be charged universally irrespective of geographic location, to overcome current discrimination in bread prices against such areas where lack of competition allows the wholesaler to charge the retailer higher prices than could otherwise be justified.

The costs of producing and distributing a standard loaf of bread must be expected to vary considerably between different areas and shops. A standard price for such bread would inevitably either be higher than was necessary in some circumstances or be so low that its sale would be unprofitable in other circumstances. I do not, therefore, think that the hon. Member's suggestion would be in the interests of consumers generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection by what date he intends to phase out the sale of banger-type fireworks.

The voluntary agreement reached with the firework manufacturers in 1975 will result in banger production in 1977 being reduced to half of that in 1975. I have arranged to discuss future arrangements with the manufacturers in June or July this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will make a statement about the latest rise in manufacturing output prices which equals a year-on-year inflation rate in excess of 20 per cent.

The all-items output index rose by 1 per cent. in March to stand at 20¼ per cent. on a year-on-year basis. The main upward pressure continues to come from food due to the huge surge in input costs, particularly for coffee, tea and cocoa. Over the past year tea and coffee prices have soared by over 200 per cent. and cocoa by well over 100 per cent. It is important not to confuse the output index and the retail price index. The output index relates to items manufactured in this country and excludes a large proportion of consumer purchases, such as rents, fares and various services, which go into the retail price index.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what discussions he has had with Governments of countries in the EEC and the Commission about restriction of cheap imports of cutlery and silverware: and whether he is satisfied that such restrictions are as effective in the United Kingdom as elsewhere in the Community.

I have had no such discussions. The Japanese have renewed for 1977 their long-standing restraint on exports of stainless steel tableware to the United Kingdom which is working satisfactorily. Most, though not all, other members of the EEC have restrictions on imports of cutlery; except in two cases these restrictions apply only to imports from Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his Department's surveyors have refused to license fishing vessels unless their inflatable liferafts (a) are of United Kingdom manufacture and (b) contain instructions in English; and whether he regards their action as carrying out the Department's stated intention of acting reasonably in interpreting the regulations.

My Department has no record of a fishing vessel certificate being refused solely on the grounds in question. Under the Fishing Vessels (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975 inflatable liferafts, including those of foreign manufacture, must comply with the standards for life-saving appliances and equipment therein which require, inter alia, survival instructions to be printed in English. Certain approved types of inflatable liferafts of foreign manufacture are accepted under the rules. These requirements embodied in the 1975 rules are not new: they have applied since 1958 to all liferafts carried on board fishing vessels. My Department has permitted some flexibility in the implementation of the rules with particular regard to inflatable liferafts and any owner experiencing difficulties in this connection should seek the advice of the local fishing vessel surveyor.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what changes in the regulatory framework governing international civil aviation he intends to support following the special air transport conference in Montreal sponsored by the International Civil Aviation Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

The Special Air Transport Conference was not concluded until 27th April and its recommendations will now have to be put before the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation for consideration. Accordingly, no immediate changes in the regulatory framework governing international civil aviation are envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent public funds are being used to finance research into the development of anti-misting kerosene as a safer aircraft fuel; when he expects the fuel to be ready for marketing; and whether he is satisfied that adequate funds are available for this project, having regard to the need to ensure minimum casualties in aircraft accidents.

A programme of research into anti-misting kerosene (AMK) has been in progress in the United Kingdom since the late 1960s supported by the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Industry. Payments last year by Her Majesty's Government were approximately £190,000. Initial fire suppression trials with AMK are encouraging, but a number of technical and economic problems have still to be overcome. Should sufficient progress be made, the question of adopting such a fuel would have to be approached on a world-wide basis and the resulting international agreements could take many years to bring about. This timescale is not significantly affected by the level of contributions from Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the detergents and dispersants so far supplied for use in the North Sea on the Ekofisk spill.

Her Majesty's Government have not so far been requested by the Norweigian Government to send any of their resources for clearing the spill. A Warren Spring Laboratory vessel in the area for research purposes is equipped with approved dispersant, as are two vessels sent to the scene by the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade which companies he has so far consulted on the provision of antipollution materials or services, following the Ekofisk affair; and if he will indicate which of those consulted is already supplying goods and services.

Prior to this incident my Department had consulted suppliers of approved concentrate dispersants on the availability of additional stocks in the event of a major emergency. Since this incident all major manufacturers have been consulted again to confirm the position. I shall send to the hon. Member the names of the manufacturers of the Department's existing stocks.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what systems, other than detergents, and dispersants are being considered for use as anti-pollutants in connection with the Ekofisk incident.

My Departments resources for combating oil at sea are based on dispersants, which have been proved to be effective in North Sea conditions. Warren Spring Laboratory is currently undertaking a two-year evaluation programme of the more promising oil containment and recovery equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if the medical defence bodies are carrying out insurance business as defined by the Insurance Companies Act 1971; and, if so, whether he will ask for any assurance or an undertaking over their administration and financial status.

My officials and legal advisers have been continuing their discussions with major medical defence bodies as to whether they are carrying on insurance business as defined in the Insurance Companies Act 1974. Until this question has been resolved it would not be appropriate for me to seek assurances or undertakings about their administration and financial status. The bodies have, however, indicated that they intend to ensure that their financial position is such that they would meet the requirements of the Insurance Companies Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what inquiries he is making in respect of the helicopter crash in Plaistow on 27th April last; when he expects to receive any such report; if it will be made public; and what statutes lay down safety standards for helicopters.

A team from the Accidents Investigation Branch of the Department of Trade commenced work at the site on the day the accident occurred and the Chief Inspector of Accidents will decide whether an inspector's investigation will be carried out when the team has reported to him. In any case, an AIB bulletin containing the circumstances and facts relating to the accident will be published in the normal way and, if an inspector's investigation is ordered, a full report will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Trade in due course. In that event the Secretary of State will decide whether, in accordance with normal practice, the report will be published.The relevant statutes concerned with safety standards for helicopters are the Air Navigation Order 1976 and the regulations made thereunder.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he intends to publish the NEDO report on the rôle of the nationalised industries in the economy and the study of industrial democracy in the nationalised industries.

I have been asked to reply.The NEDO report "A Study of UK Nationalised Industries" was published on 18th November 1976. The Government will publish their conclusions on the issues raised in a White Paper this year. This White Paper will also take account of the Government's own study of industrial democracy in the nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proposals there are for the increase in the quota for yarn and cloth imports from Bangladesh.

The United Kingdom's long-standing quota on cotton yarn from Bangladesh expired on 31st March 1977. Imports of this product, which are not giving rise to immediate concern, will now be closely monitored by surveillance licensing and should imports threaten to reach disruptive levels the reintroduction of a quota will be immediately considered for urgent action.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, what have been the United Kingdom's imports of yarn and cloth, respectively, from Bangladesh annually since it became independent.

There have been no imports to the United Kingdom of cotton fabric (SITC 652) in the years since independence for which statistics are available—since 1973; and only 45 metric tons of cotton yarn—in 1976. Imports of other cotton products, for which detailed statistics could be provided only at disproportionate cost, are very small.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many disabled people have been employed in the Civil Service during the last 12 months; and how many Civil Service employees have registered as disabled during the same period.

The numbers of registered disabled persons employed in the Civil Service are collected once a year, and the latest available figures show that as at 1st June 1976 the total was 15,211. The hon. Member will appreciate that this figure relates only to those disabled people who are registered and who have informed their Departments of this fact. Registration by a disabled person is voluntary, and likewise there is no obligation to inform the employer of registration. We do not record the number of serving civil servants who choose to register as disabled. However, I can say that 112 registered disabled persons were recruited to non-industrial posts in the Civil Service during the year ending 31st December 1976.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if any Government special advisers have been appointed since 21st February.

One special adviser has been appointed since 21st February. Mrs. M. Sidgreaves is now special adviser to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development. In addition, Mr. D. Lipsey has left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is now a member of the Policy Unit at Number 10 Downing Street.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service on how many occasions in the past three years disciplinary action has been taken against members of the Home Civil Service concerning irregularities in the handling of immigration matters.

I have been asked to reply.In the past three years disciplinary action in respect of irregularities in the handling of immigration matters has been taken against six Home Office officials; in addition two officers have been allowed to resign before the completion of disciplinary proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the two otters recently found dead on arrival at Heathrow Airport were licensed by his Department; and if he intends granting any further licences to the importing zoo.

At the time this import took place there were no conservation controls on the import of European otters. A licence is now required for such imports under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976. All applications for licences under the Act are considered on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what change has taken place in the statutory position regarding the use of wheels and turbines for water abstraction by local water authorities.

None. There has been no change of substance to the law dealing with the licensing of water abstractions since the Water Resources Act 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment from which Department of Government the Property Service Agency leases car parking space in the Euston Central complex at the annual rental of £25,200; and when this rent is due for review.

The car parking space held by PSA in the Euston Centre complex forms part of its lease on Euston Tower and is rented from a private landlord and not from a Government Department. The rent payable under this lease was due for review from March 1977, and negotiations are currently taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average weekly rent for a three-bedroomed council house in London.

About £7.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reach a decision on the proposed Ramsden Road housing action area in the London borough of Wandsworth.

The Department wrote to the London borough of Wandsworth on 29th April saying that the Secretary of State would not intervene and that the declaration was to stand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what percentage of the total 105 allocation for the year 1975–76 went to the Greater London Council, Camden, Islington, Lambeth, Southwark, Birmingham and Liverpool respectively;(2) what percentage of the total allocation for Section 105 and associated purposes for the year 1977–78 has been allocated to the Greater London Council, Camden, Islington, Lambeth, Southwark, Birmingham and Liverpool, respectively.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is encouraging English local authorities, with powers under the Community Land Act, to celebrate the first anniversary of the Act's operation as the Land Authority for Wales is doing.

I have not done so, but it is a notable occasion nonetheless.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make a decision on the 105 applications for the Holy Cross area of Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the council to decide which schemes are undertaken and whether one of them should be in the Holy Cross area of Liverpool.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated amount of funds which will be allocated to Liverpool inner areas to help in the renewal of the inner areas and assist the construction industry.

The Liverpool authorities have already been asked to submit construction programmes involving the expenditure of £11 million which is their share of the inner city construction package for 1977–78 and 1978–79 announced in the Budget. This expenditure will serve to launch the new inner city policy. Moreover, I hope to meet the Liverpool authorities shortly to discuss the partnership arrangements through which the wider programmes of inner city measures will be determined. Agreed programmes will attract subsidy through the new urban aid programme, and Liverpool will, of course, get its share of the £1,000 million which is to be spent over the next decade.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are made for fishing by anglers in regional water authority reservoirs; and what representations he has received concerning public access for fishing.

Section 20 of the Water Act 1973 requires water authorities to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to put their rights to the use of water, and associated land, to the best use for recreation purposes. I understand that around two-thirds of all water authorities' reservoirs are already used by anglers. I have had no recent representations concerning public access for fishing, but if my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind he may care to write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the large numbers of overseas tourists who congregate in the vicinity of Big Ben, he will take steps to remove the dirt, bird droppings and general filth that at present disfigures No. 1 Bridge Street; and what are his plans for the future of this prominent building.

The future use of No. 1 Bridge Street, and other buildings in this area, is at present under consideration. Until this is resolved it is not proposed to clean the stonework of this building, but any offensive dirt will be cleared away.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, further to his statement of 6th April on inner cities, he has been in touch with local authorities about the £100 million construction programme announced in the Budget speech.

I have invited the prospective partnership authorities for Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester/Salford, Docklands and Lambeth—the counties and districts, the GLC and the London boroughs concerned—to put forward programmes of construction works in their inner areas of the kind set out in the Chancellor's Budget Statement. The appropriate health authorities will be asked to participate. The Secretary of State for Education is in touch with the Inner London Education Authority.The relevant authorities have been asked to consult together and to submit programmes of additional construction expenditure not exceeding:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the towns and cities in the United Kingdom which have been (a) bypassed during the last 15 years and (b) given a relief road during the last 15 years.

I have been asked to reply.Records containing this information in respect of trunk roads in England are not help centrally, nor are they in the form requested. The information could, therefore, only be provided at disproportionate cost. Moreover, many bypass and other roads and almost all town relief roads are the concern of local highway authorities.Roads in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend the respective Secretaries of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the steps which must be undertaken to secure amendments to the Treaty of Rome; and how many member countries have to concur in any proposed amendment.

Article 236 of the Treaty, the text of which is available in the Library, reads:

"The Government of any Member State or the Commission may submit to the Council proposals for the amendment of this Treaty.

If the Council, after consulting the Assembly and, where appropriate, the Commission, delivers an opinion in favour of calling a conference of representatives of the Governments of the Member States, the conference shall be convened by the President of the Council for the purpose of determining by common accord the amendments to be made to this Treaty.

The amendments shall enter into force after being ratified by all the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements".

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people applied for visas in order to attend the Bilderberg Conference in Torquay; and how many of these he granted.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what line of the Estimates for 1977–78 provision is made for interest-free loans to members of the Diplomatic Service for purchasing cars; and how much is included in the figure for that purpose in the 1976–77 and 1977–78 columns of Supply Estimates 231–II.

There is no provision in Supply Estimates for loans made to members of the Diplomatic Service to purchase cars as in each case the sum involved is placed in a suspense account which is cleared as repayments are made.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for an actuarial investigation to ascertain whether the life expectation of hon. Members, compared with an appropriate control group or groups of the population, is unfavourable or has deteriorated during the last 25 years.

I doubt if a special investigation of this kind would be justified, but I shall send the right hon. Gentleman such information as is available to the Government on this matter.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the pension and other retirement benefits available to Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom, the other countries of the EEC, Switzerland, Japan, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

I am having this information collected and I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he is aware that the telephone numbers for the private offices of Ministers, as printed in the last edition of the Palace of Westminster telephone directory, are frequently wrong: why some of those numbers, notably those with the prefix 224 as in the case of Ministers at the Department of Health and Social Security, are not yet in operation though listed nearly six months ago: and if, for the convenience of hon. Members and the parliamentary switchboard, he will take steps to ensure that the directory is corrected.

I shall arrange for this matter to be dealt with.

asked the Lord President of the Council if, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 28th April, column 1497, that the wording of Early-Day Motion 304 is based upon a remark wrenched from its context, he will publish in the Official Report or place in the Library a copy of his speech setting the remark in context.

No. So far as I am aware, there is no text of the speech in existence, since it was delivered without notes. But perhaps I might refer the hon. Member to the report of the meeting by one national newspaper, The Times, which did actually have its reporter at the meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men were employed in the fishing industry in Scotland at the latest count; and how many were employed at the same date in 1974.

My Department collects figures only at the end of each year. The figures for 1974 and 1976 are:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many crofts and agriculture holdings are administered by his Department.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland adminsters 1,794 crofts and 1,515 other agricultural holdings, including 123 crofts and 95 other properties on behalf of the Forestry Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of arrests and detentions by each regional police force of persons under the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and in how many cases application was made for detention to be extended by a further five days and in how many cases it was refused.

The numbers of persons arrested and detained in each region in Scotland between 29th November 1974 and 22nd April 1977 under the authority of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 were:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future health service building programme.

, pursuant to his reply—[Official Report, 7th April 1977; Vol. 929, c. 653], gave the following information:The programme of major hospital building projects announced by my predecessor on 20th April 1970, with additions announced on 22nd June 1971 and 25th April 1972, now requires extensive updating and revision and, at my request, health boards have carried out a review of the schemes which they inherited from the regional hospital boards and on which building has not yet begun. Boards were asked to submit proposals for adjustments to the programme to take account of changes in planning timetables or in the priorities which schemes were designed to meet. In addition to reviewing hospital projects, they were also invited to submit proposals relating to larger health centres for possible inclusion in the major programme.I have now examined proposals submitted to me by the health boards in the light of the resources likely to be available for the major building programme in the years immediately ahead and I am authorising the boards to continue planning or to put in hand, at the appropriate time, the planning of the major schemes in the three bands listed below. These bands are not related to financial or calendar years but denote the order in which schemes are expected to start. It will be possible to move schemes from one band to another if this is considered necessary in the light of actual progress on planning and medical and other developments.To facilitate the longer-term planning of the development and rationalisation of hospital services, I am also authorising health Boards to institute, as resources permit, preliminary planning on a number of schemes at the hospitals in the provisional list below. These provisional schemes will be subject to subsequent review.Health boards are also being authorised to proceed with the planning of the health centres listed below which have been accepted for financing from the major building programme.In addition to the schemes in the major programme, health boards, from their ordinary building programme allocations, finance smaller schemes selected by them on their own decisions about priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures showing the net weekly spending power of a single mother with two children not over 11 years of age in April 1976 and in April 1977, assuming in each case weekly earnings of £25, £30, £35 and £40.

Yes, as soon as the information can be assembled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table similar to Table 5.31 of Social Trends No. 7, comparing the numbers of families and of persons with low net resources in 1960, 1970, 1974 and 1975.

Yes, as soon as the information can be assembled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies have been made to investigate the possible connection between consumption of aflatoxin and liver, kidney and colon tumours in animals and human beings; and what is the current state of knowledge on this issue.

A number of studies have been carried out in different parts of the world where both contamination of food by aflatoxins and the incidence of liver cancers in humans are high. Although a general correlation has been demonstrated it has not been proven that aflatoxin is the causative agent. A study in the United States of the incidence of liver, kidney and colon cancer in humans did not reveal any positive correlation with exposure to aflatoxin. There is no doubt, however, that aflatoxin is a carcinogen in many species of animals, producing tumours of the liver, colon and lungs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's estimate of the minimum sum necessary to feed, house and clothe (a) a single person, (b) a married couple and (c) a married couple with two children.

My Department does not make such estimates, because they would involve too much subjective judgment. The supplementary benefit ordinary scale rates are intended to cover all normal day-to-day living expenses other than rent. These weekly rates are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many British subjects resident in Spain are in receipt of State retirement pensions; and in how many cases the pension payable is less than that currently payable in the United Kingdom.

At 31st December 1976, 5,553 British retirement pensions were in payment to persons in Spain; no record of their nationality is kept but the great majority are thought to be British. As a result of the reciprocal agreement on social security between the United Kingdom and Spain, pensions based on British insurance are payable in Spain at the rate which would apply if the pensioner were in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, from the statistics available to his Department, he is satisfied that it is still possible for a single retirement pensioner to provide himself or herself with food, heating, housing and clothing if the pensioner receives no other source of income.

It has never been the position, since the inception of national insurance, that a single householder has been expected to manage on an income consisting of retirement pension alone. Anyone in this situation will be eligible to claim a supplementary pension, which includes an element to meet the cost of rent and rates and, in certain circumstances, a heating addition also. From next year, however, the build-up of rights under the Government's new earnings-related pension scheme will begin to create a situation in which a steadily increasing number of people are able to retire on national insurance pensions which are above the supplementary benefit level.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors are currently being paid a salary by the Liverpool Regional Health Authority and yet are not being allowed to practice.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision is made by him for the maintenance and repair of privately purchased wheelchairs.

The longstanding principle under successive Administrations is that a privately purchased wheelchair may be maintained and repaired at public expense if it would have been provided at public expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will show the net weekly spending power on the basis of the figures published in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 10th November 1975, column 540, and as amended Official Report, March 1976, column 96, of (a) a civil servant, (b) a member of the Armed Forces, (c) a car worker and (d) an agricultural worker, assuming that (a), (c) and (d) are paying rent of £6·40 and rates of £2 and that (b) has housing costs of £8·40, with a wife and two children and whose income is normally £60 per week when sick and when in receipt of tax refunds.

In view of the disproportionate expense involved, I regret that I cannot provide an answer to the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he had during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia about arrangements for the treatment of Saudi Arabian patients in National Health Service hospitals.

At the request of the Saudi Arabian Minister of Health I described the nature of the arrangements which the Government envisage for the treatment of private patients within and outside the NHS, consequent on the passing of the Health Services Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the action of the North-West Regional Health Authority in reducing overtime payments to junior hospital doctors.

Junior hospital doctors do not receive overtime payments but salary supplements for duties outside the first 40 hours each week according to whether they are required to be working or standing by at hospital or on call available for work. Their contracts are entered into prospectively and as individual doctors' contracts expire it is the duty of employing authorities when filling the vacated posts to reassess the amount and degree of availability to be contracted for in each post in the light of experience of the actual requirements of the post. In doing so the North Western Regional Health Authority has been acting in accordance with this procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health centres have been built in the Trent Regional Health Authority area over the past three years; how many additional plans for such health centres have had to be cancelled because the general practitioners have refused or withdrawn their support; and if he will make a statement on what action he intends to take to ensure these health centres are built and brought into operation.

Thirty health centres have been completed and starts made on a further 15. Two schemes have been abandoned because of withdrawal of support from medical practitioners. Regional health authorities are required to achieve a minimum level of capital expenditure on health centres and other capital schemes designed to improve primary care services, but a health centre can be established only where general medical practitioners are willing to use it as their main surgery.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether a married woman may exercise her option to pay reduced national insurance contributions in any full tax year, after a year or some years in which she has opted to pay the full contributions.

A married woman may do so only if she gives written notice by 11th May 1977 and provided she was married before 6th April 1977. An election so made will be effective from 6th April 1977, and remain effective, unless revoked, from year to year. However, an election will lapse at the end of any two successive tax years, falling after 5th April 1978, during which the married woman has not been liable to pay a contribution and has not been a self-employed earner. Once an election has ceased to be effective there will be no further opportunity to have reduced liability for contributions in later tax years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish his estimate of the cost of extending the entitlement to dependency increases in benefit to the wife, as is currently applicable to male benefit claimants, in the Official Report.

Extending entitlement to dependency increases of benefit to a wife, on the same terms as now apply to a male benefit claimant, would cost an estimated £10 million immediately, rising over a period of years to about £50 million at current benefit rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received the report of the Doctors' and Dentists' Pay Review Body; and, if so, when it will be published.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the right hon. Gentleman on 28th April.—[Vol. 930, c. 394.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the average number of monthly registrations of heavy goods vehicles during 1976; and what was the actual number of such registrations in January, February and March 1977, respectively.

The monthly average number of motor vehicle licences issued to general goods vehicles during 1976 was 178,500; the actual number in January 1977 was 183,600. Later figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the average number of cancellations of registrations of heavy goods vehicles per month during 1976; and what was the actual number of such cancellations during January, February and March 1977, respectively.

The monthly average number of motor vehicle licences cancelled for general goods vehicles during 1976 was 14,800; the actual number for January 1977 was 12,700. Later figures are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable he now envisages in respect of the proposed stretch of the M25 in the Beaconsfield constituency for (a) a public inquiry into the proposed route and any variation of it or alternative to it (b) the commencement of construction and (c) the completion of construction and of separate stages of construction.

A public inquiry into proposals for the section of the M25 in the hon. and learned Member's constituency has been programmed for the spring of 1979. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of funds at the time, I expect construction of the whole section of the M25 between the M4 and Maple Cross to start in late 1981 and to be completed in late 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will now propose new safety measures for motorways, in view of the increasing number of accidents, fatalities and injuries taking place on them.

Motorways remain much the safest roads on which to travel. The rate of accidents has in fact gradually fallen over the last seven years, and in 1975 there were 10 fatal or serious accidents on motorways per 100 million miles travelled, compared with 32 on other roads outside built-up areas. We are continuing to improve older stretches with lighting, safety barriers and modern signalling and to remind drivers of ways to avoid accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what increases in traffic flows at the Hogarth roundabout, Chiswick are estimated to arise from the increase in passenger and freight traffic expected at Heathrow in the next three, five, seven and 10 years.

Predictions of Heathrow traffic flows at the Hogarth roundabout, Chiswick are not available. Future levels of airport traffic at this junction will be influenced by, for instance, the extension of the London Underground system to Heathrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it has been necessary to close sections of the M27 motorway through the parish of Chilworth for repair work within 15 months of its opening; and how long it will take for the repairs to be completed.

A section of the westbound carriageway of the M27 Chilworth Link has been closed to avoid danger to traffic while repairs are carried out to an earth slip which has affected a 100-metre length of hard shoulder and verge. Repairs are expected to take three months to complete.Additionally, there will be lane closures over the next six months on the Ower to Chilworth length and Hursling Link to enable the original contractor to repair cracks in the concrete carriageway.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has recently approved for investment in new rolling stock for British Railways.

I have recently approved the construction of 250 electric multiple unit vehicles for the Southern Region at an estimated cost of £33 million, and 14 high speed trains for Western Region's London-West of England services, at an estimated cost of £24 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the membership and activity of associations, the names of which have been supplied to him by the hon. Member for Wallasey.

The hon. Member supplied me with names of Organisations referred to in a radio broadcast. I have obtained a transcript of that broadcast and referred it to the police, who are responsible for investigating any allegations that criminal offences may have been committed. If the hon. Member has any additional information I hope she will pass it direct to the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be in a position to publish the Fowler Report on the Hull Prison riot.

I shall arrange for the report to be published in full as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent formal complaints he has received about the handling of immigration by officials in his Department.

Representations against decisions and complaints about the operation of official procedures in individual cases are received from hon. Members and others from time to time. If my hon. Friend has any particular matter in mind I should be glad to look into it if he would let me have the details.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that there is adequate machinery to counter illegal immigration; what consideration has been given to the increase of penalties; and whether he will make a statement.

All reasonable and practicable measures are taken to prevent illegal entry; these are continuously reviewed and modified in the light of experience. As I told the House on 9th February, we are also considering measures to ensure that all applicants for employment are entitled to take it. Illegal entry can already lead to summary removal, and, on conviction, to a sentence of up to six months' imprisonment. The organisers face sentences of up to seven years' imprisonment as well as unlimited fines. The courts have not hesitated to pass substantial sentences in such cases. I keep the penalties under review, but I see no need at present to increase them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accidents have been reported to retained firemen under training during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Fire authorities do not report all accidents to firemen under training; but in 1976, in England and Wales, 22 retained firemen suffered injuries in drills, training and duties other than Fire Service operations, causing absence from duty for one month or more.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the authorised establishments for the regular police force in the area now covered by the Cambridgeshire Constabulary in the years 1964 to 1976.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been deported to (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; how many have appealed against exclusion orders; and how many appeals have been successful.

My predecessor and I have made 97 exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. Notice of the making of an exclusion order has been served on 89 people, 83 of whom have been removed, 60 to Northern Ireland and 23 to the Irish Republic. 19 of the 89 made representations objecting to the order and my predecessor revoked the order in five of these 19 cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for selling fireworks to children under the age of 16 years were instituted in the year ended 31st December 1976.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he