asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the sum estimated by the Review Body on Doctors' Remuneration as the element in the total in respect of night and weekend duties and his estimate of the annual sum on average paid by a general practioner to a commercial deputising service and, where by partnership arrangements it is possible for a practice to contract out completely, he will now deduct from each doctor's pay cheque the difference between these two sums.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if a junior hospital doctor in receipt of overtime payments is eligible to accept service with a commercial deputising agency within the terms of his instructions to family practitioners' committees.

:The present regulations and guidance would not preclude a junior hospital doctor from seeking employment with a commercial deputising agency. However, the proposed code of practice for deputising services which is being negotiated with the profession provides for the appointment of a Professional Advisory Committee, one function of which will be to satisfy itself of the professional competence of applicants for employment by the deputising service and their suitability for the work. This will include ensuring that the maximum hours of duty for which they are to be employed are consistent with their providing an efficient service both in that capacity and in any other post in which they are currently employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will hold an inquiry into the working of the Oxford Regional Health Authority in view of its decision of Friday 14th October on the underfunding of services in Northamptonshire which results in discrimination against the citizens of Kettering and Corby districts as citizens of Northamptonshire.

:No. At the meeting to which my hon. Friend refers in his Question, the Oxford Regional Health Authority decided to allocate £102,000 additional revenue to Northamptonshire Area Health Authority for the year 1978–79 over 1977–78. It deferred consideration of how a sum of £350,000 available to it for 1978–79 might be allocated. I understand that at its meeting on 4th November it decided to allocate the whole of this amount to Northamptonshire Area Health Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when it is proposed to introduce a right of appeal from supplementary benefit appeal tribunal decisions to the High Court on a point of law; what progress has been made towards providing training courses for the tribunal chairmen; and whether a supplementary benefit appeal tribunal procedural guide has been prepared.

:My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate have made an order under Section 15(3) of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 granting a right of appeal on a point of law from supplementary benefit appeal tribunals to the High Court in England and Wales and to the Court of Session in Scotland. The order will come into force on 1st January 1978. This measure will not prevent further consideration of a second-tier appeal to a higher tribunal. No identifiable extra administrative costs are expected to be incurred as a result of the granting of a right of appeal.The provision of training courses for tribunal chairmen and the preparation of a guide to supplementary benefit appeal tribunal procedure are well advanced. Both matters have been under the general supervision of an advisory group representing various interests including tribunal chairmen, the Council on Tribunals, the TUC and the Government Departments concerned. The detailed planning of the training has been the special task of a sub-group under the chairmanship of Professor A. W. Bradley, Faculty of Law, Edinburgh University, and including two serving supplementary benefit appeal tribunal chairmen and a representative of the TUC. Professor Bradley has also agreed to act initially as course co-ordinator, and I am grateful to him and his colleagues for the work they have done.Starting this month, a series of weekend courses will be held at a number of training centres and universities, including one each in Scotland and Wales. Willingness to undergo training is now a condition of appointment or reappointment of tribunal chairmen; present chairmen should all have attended a course within the next year.The guide to supplementary benefit appeal tribunal procedure should be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office about the end of this year; it is intended primarily for the information, advice and assistance of the tribunal chairmen and members. Very considerable assistance has been given in its preparation by Mr. Desmond Neligan, OBE, a former national insurance commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is his intention to amend the General Ophthalmic Services Regulations during the present Session; and if he will make a statement.

:Yes, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now establish a central record of the cause of death when it occurs in children in care; and if he will now issue instructions to require notification to his Department in all such cases.

:No. There is no statutory power which would enable my right hon. Friend to require local authorities to report the deaths of children in care. I am satisfied that the existing informal arrangements whereby local authorities notify the Regional Social Work Service of the deaths of children in care in unexpected or unusual circumstances, are working well.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances the Supplementary Benefits Commission has decided to pay supplementary benefit to physically and mentally handicapped children who are still in receipt of full-time education; what action has been taken to draw this entitlement to the attention of children and their parents; and if he will make a statement.

:The Supplementary Benefits Commission has always been prepared to pay supplementary benefit to young people continuing their full-time education beyond the sixteenth birthday who are so handicapped, physically or mentally, as to be unlikely to be able to work. This is stated in paragraph 6 of the Supplementary Benefits Handbook, which is intended for those advising the parents of such children, including the staffs of special schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he now expects all persons who would like a behind-the-ear hearing aid on the National Health Service to be provided with one; and if he will make a statement.

:I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 7th November—[Vol. 938, c.17–18.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to improve and standardise antenatal records; and if he will make a statement.

:Experience has shown that a standard record is unsatisfactory in that it does not meet every clinician's needs. However the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists through its statistics and epidemiology committee is concerned about the standard of record keeping and has opened a library of maternity records which it can recommend for use to obstetric clinicians.A working party has also been established under the auspices of the Northern Regional Health Authority comprised of members of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and British Paediatric Association and of representatives of regions of my Department and of the Office of Population, Census and Surveys to examine the whole area of maternity data collection.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures are followed by local authorities in fixing the standard charge for persons in residential care.

:Guidance on calculating standard charges for residential accommodation is provided to local authorities from time to time by their representative associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what trials of the effect of large and small doses of alpha-tocopherol on human ailments have been undertaken; where these trials took place; when they were undertaken; how long they lasted; what dosages were given; under what conditions the tests were carried out; what were the results of the tests; and if he will make a statement.

:The licensing authority has not granted a clinical trial certificate under the Medicines Act 1968 for any preparations of alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E), although trials may have been conducted in other countries or by medical practitioners on their own initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to secure a reciprocal agreement with Canada on social security with particular reference to the recipients of British pensions resident in Canada who do not receive increases in their pensions.

:Officials of both countries met in London in July to explore the possibilities of an agreement in the light of recent Canadian legislation. These are still under consideration. I must, however, emphasise that any question of increasing the rates of British pensions paid in Canada will need to be considered in the light of the constraints on public expenditure in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate what percentage of the employer's total payroll will be payable in the employers' national insurance contribution and surcharge in the financial year 1978–79.

:The percentage rate of employers' contributions and the limit of earnings to which this will be applied in 1978–79 are still under consideration, as are all other rates and levels of contributions for that year. I regret therefore that it is not possible to make the required estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the cost in family income supplement payments if the definition of full-time work were reduced from 30 hours to (a) eight hours,(b)16 hours, and (c) 24 hours, respectively; and if he will give this information net of savings in supplementary benefit;(2) how many additional families would become eligible for family income supplement if the definition of full-time work were reduced from 30 hours to(

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the expenditure, excluding administrative costs, at November 1977 prices on the invalid vehicle service in, respectively, 1973–74 and 1977–78.

pursuant to his reply[Official Report26th October 1977; Vol. 936, c.730],gave the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the real increase in expenditure on disablement benefits since February 1974; and what is his estimate of the number of people who are now eligible for disablement benefits who were not eligible then.

pursuant to his reply[Official Report,26th October 1977 Vol. 936, c.729–30],gave the following information:I understand that the Question refers to social security benefits, which give help to disabled people and their families. A disabled person may be eligible for one or more of the whole range of social security benefits, but those of particular importance include retirement pension for the roughly 2½ million retirement pensioners who have some disablement; invalidity benefit; noncontributory invalidity pension; invalid care allowance; attendance allowance; mobility allowance; war disablement pensions; and industrial injury disablement benefit. At 1977 public exenditure survey prices, the increased expenditure on these benefits since 1973–74 is about £650 million.I regret that the information required to answer the second part of the question is not available. Non-contributory invalidity pension, including its current extension to married women, invalid care allowance and mobility allowance, have all been introduced as new benefits since February, 1974. The qualifying conditions for invalidity benefits have been modified and, as my hon. Friend will also appreciate, additions have been made to the list of prescribed industrial diseases.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the steps taken by the Government to alleviate unemployment in the Northern Region.

:I am satisfied that the Government's special employment measures which have so far benefited over 52,000 workers in Northern Region have provided valuable short-term help. These measures include the temporary employment subsidy, the job creation programme, the work experience programme, the youth employment subsidy, the job release scheme and the small firms employment subsidy.The region should also benefit from the youth opportunities programme and the special temporary employment programme which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 29th June.In addition, the allocation of an extra £400 million to the construction industry announced by the Chancellor on 26th October should further reduce unemployment in the region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the Government's progress in dealing with unemployment.

:While I am far from satisfied about the present level of unemployment, I am satisfied that the Government's policies to reduce inflation and to improve national investment. output and competitiveness. together with the special manpower measures to support jobs and training, offer the best prospects in present circumstances for a return to full and stable employment

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now introduce legislation to provide sanctions against any employer who exposes his work force to sound levels exceeding 85 dba.

:I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the Commission has agreed in principle that occupational noise legislation is needed.The Health and Safety Executive is preparing proposals for noise legislation taking account of the views of the Noise Working Party, whose membership includes TUC, CBI and independent members who are authorities in the field.At this stage, I cannot say what noise limit the Commission will propose to the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the number of special investigators employed in his Department to look into the abuse of unemployment benefit in each year since 1973.

:The number of special investigators employed in the Department of Employment on statistical dates in each year since 1973 is:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Reporta list of the average rates of pay for underground mineworkers, policemen, fireman and the average full-time male worker in manufacturing industry for each of the last 10 years, expressed at current values and as an index taking 1967 as the base, together with the annual increase in the retail price index on a similar base of 1967.

:I regret that the information requested is not available. My Department does not possess information from which average rates of pay of workers in particular occupational or industrial groups could be compiled.Information about total earnings for specific pay-periods is available from the New Earnings Survey once a year, but only from 1970 onwards. This information is being compiled and I will publish it in the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the average earnings of police officers, firemen, miners. vehicle builders, welders, draughtsmen, bricklayers and plumbers in Scotland, respectively, at the most recent date for which figures are available; if he will indicate by what percentage these totals exceed the comparable earnings of each category five, 10 and 15 years previously; and if he will make the same calculations in respect of the average earnings of all employees in Scotland.

:I regret that such information is not available separately for specific occupations within Scotland.

asked the Secretary of Employment if he will publish in theOfficial Reportthe numbers of men and women, respectively, excluding those over retirement age, who are working (a)30 hours or less per week.(b) less than 16 hours per week, and(c)less than eight hours per week, respectively; and if he will give this information for each year since 1971, breaking the figures down by marital status and number of dependent children.

:I regret that this Question would be disproportionately costly to answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if there has been any change in the instructions given to employment offices regarding the notification and collection of statistics on persons laid off in consequence of industrial disputes; and if he will summarise the advice given to his office in Glasgow about the recording of the numbers laid off in consequence of the recent strike at British Oxygen.

:The statistics on stoppages of work arising from industrial disputes do not include the numbers of workers involved, or days lost, at establishments other than those at which the disputes occur. There have been no changes in the procedures no; in the instructions given to the Department's local offices about the supply of statistical information on stoppages.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will take immediate steps to ensure that his Department's office in Cardiff produce the most up-to-date statistics available of unemployment in the various employment exchange areas of Wales.

pursuant to his reply[Official Report,26th October 1977; Vol. 936, c. 890],gave the following information:The numbers unemployed arc counted on a selected day in each month, generally the second Thursday. National and regional figures are given in a Press notice 10 days later and figures for local areas are available from that date. A table giving the unemployment figures for all employment office areas in Wales is prepared subsequently by the Manpower Services Commission's Office for Wales in Cardiff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will allow the county councils, in consultation with the district councils and the public, the greatest possible freedom in preparing their structure plans and determining the priorities for their areas before reaching any final decision.

:Yes. It is the responsibility of county councils to prepare structure plans in accordance with the statutory requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are being made by the Working Party for Heating and Energy Conservation in Public Sector Housing for the dissemination to local authorities of its findings and advice on domestic energy issues.

:The first of a series of domestic energy notes is being sent to local housing authorities this week. It deals with selection criteria for electric space and water heating for new housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when Lord Porchester's report on land use in Exmoor is expected to be completed.

:The report is being submitted to my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food today, and will be published by the end of the month.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, pursuant to his reply of 22nd November 1976 to the hon. Member for Chingford stating his intention to publish a revised version of the White Paper on Public Boards in 1977, when he now expects that White Paper to be published.

:It was published in May 1977 as Cmnd. 6803.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish his conclusions on the Annan Report.

:As announced in the Gracious Speech, the Government will be bringing forward proposals on the constitution, structure and organisation of broadcasting in the United Kingdom. I am not yet in a position to say when these proposals will be presented.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the cost to public funds of the arrangements made to broadcast the State opening of Parliament.

:The estimated costs incurred by the Department of the Environment were about £6,000. These costs are recoverable from the broadcasting authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the costs of operation the subsidies being paid to passenger trains between Nottingham and Grantham, Nottingham, Newark and Lincoln, and Nottingham, Derby and Leicester represent.

:I cannot say. Local passenger services benefit from Government support for the railway system as a whole. Subsidy is not given separately to individual services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedures are followed by social work departments in fixing the standard charge for persons in residential care.

:The fixing of standard charges for local authority residential accommodation is a matter for individual authorities in accordance with Section 22(2) of the National Assistance Act 1948, as read with Section 87(3) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Information about the procedures used by local authorities is not available centrally. Guidance issued in 1969 indicated that standard charges should reflect the cost of providing the accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the pay negotiations with the Scottish firemen.

:There are no separate negotiations on pay for Scottish firemen. The employees' side of the NJC recommended the employers' offer for acceptance by their delegate conference on 7th November, but the conference rejected the offer and voted to commence industrial action from 14th November.

d the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date the regional elections will take place in Scotland in 1978.

:first Tuesday in May.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Messrs Babcock and Wilcox about their employment position in Scotland: and if he will make a statement.

:There have been continuing discussions between the Government and Babcock and Wilcox on matters affecting the company, including the employment position. In addition my right hon. Friend the Minister of State met shop stewards from the company on 21st October. These discussions concentrated on progress with the Drax B Power Station orders and the prospects for future orders from other sources.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next plans to meet NATO Ministers for Defence.

:At the NATO ministerial meetings in December. The Eurogroup will be held on 5th December and the Defence Planning Committee meeting on 6th and 7th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from local authorities and members of the public regarding the recent NATO exercise involving low flying over North Wales.

:My Department has received four complaints to date from members of the general public. No complaints have been received from local authorities. Four Members of this House have raised matters connected with this exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about training facilities offered to foreign personnel at Special Air Service training centres in the United Kingdom.

:It is not our practice to disclose details of the training or operational arrangements of the Special Air Service Regiment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Indonesian personnel have been given training at the Special Air Service training centre near Hereford.

:No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that there are sufficient aircraft, surface craft and submarines on permanent patrol with a standby watch to protect British oil interests in British territorial waters against all eventualities, short of global nuclear war.

:The arrangements for protecting British oil interests offshore include surveillance and deterrent patrols by surface ships and aircraft and there are reaction forces ashore held ready at short notice to react to an incident. I am satisfied with these arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the Government's intentions in relation to the next generation of nuclear missiles.

:I take it that the hon. Member is referring to strategic nuclear missiles. As I have said on many occasions, the Government have no plans for a next generation to succeed the Polaris force, which has many years of effective life ahead of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his current consideration of a successor to the Polaris force; and if he will undertake that there will be no departure from the election manifesto pledge that Great Britain will not embark on any new generation of nuclear weapons.

:The Government have no plans for a successor to the Polaris force, which has many years of effective life ahead of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether British Army units serving in Belize are adequately equipped and supplied; and if he will make a statement.

:British Army units serving in Belize arc fully equipped and supplied to deal with any emergency which may arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the record of accuracy of the daily meteorological forecasts supplied by his Department for public use over the past 12 months.

:The accuracy of daily forecasts as verified by the Meteorological Office over the 12 months up to 31st July 1977 averaged 82 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian employees work at RAF St. Mawgan; and what is their average take-home pay.

:There are 227 civilian employees at St. Mawgan, and their average take-home pay is £40·69 per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up a review of the increasing financial problems of Service families and their connection with the matrimonial trouble and stress within the Armed Forces.

:I am keeping a close watch on the financial problems being experienced by Service men and their families, and evidence on pay is being presented to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. I cannot see that it would help to set up a further review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to call for an interim report from the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body.

:No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will initiate an inquiry into the pay and conditions of service of members of the Armed Forces.

:I have nothing to add to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) and the hon. Members for Beckenham (Mr. Goodhart) and Richmond, Surrey (Sir A. Royle).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the continuing state of fishery protection; and if he will make a statement covering the last six months of operations.

:Yes. In the last six months protection vessels of the Royal Navy and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland have carried out 1,085 boardings of fishing vessels within the extending British fishery limits. 996 of these boardings were of foreign vessels, and skippers of 24 foreign vessels have been convicted of fishery offences. We now have three Island Class vessels operational and the fourth will start her first patrol shortly. The fifth Island is expected to be accepted early next year. RN, RAF and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland resources used to enforce fishery protection measures have proved most effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a report on the role, experience and effectiveness of the Royal Air Force in connection with fishery protection.

:Nimrod aircraft of the Royal Air Force have continued to carry out their fishery protection roôle most effectively during recent months. Their rôle, and the manner in which it is carried out, remains much as I explained to the House on 2nd May—[Vol. 931, c. 191–196]—Ican, however, report that the aircraft's capability will be further enhanced by a recent decision to instal in each aircraft, mainly for search and rescue purposes, a VHF radio set which will allow direct communication with similarly equipped fishing vessels. The programme to fit these sets will start shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Departments' recruiting officers recruit less than 100 people each year.

:members of the recruiting organisations of the three Services work as part of larger integrated teams. It is not possible, therefore, to allocate specific recruiting achievements to individual officers. In the Official Reportdated 26th May 1977, Vol. 932, c. 610–18. I provided my hon. Friend with a list of all 288 careers information offices, indicating the number of people actually recruited by each one in the financial year 1976–77, the last full year for which figures are available. Of these offices, 154 recruited less than 100 people in 1976–77.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received any request from the United States authorities for additional air base facilities in the United Kingdom.

:The extensive deployment of United States forces to the United Kingdom results in a number of requests for additional facilities being received by my Department from time to time, and there are several at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions Fox armoured cars in use with Regular and TAVR units have overturned in accidents; and how many casualties have so far resulted.

:Fox armoured cars have overturned on 11 occasions while in service with Regular and TAVR units, resulting in two deaths and three cases of serious injury.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will pay an official visit to RAF Binbrook.

:My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the United Kingdom's gross national product is currently being spent on defence as compared with other countries in NATO.

:I would refer my hon. Friend to the table on page 13 of the 1977 Statement on the Defence Estimates, Cmnd. 6735, which gives a comparison among the NATO countries for 1976. Comparable figures for 1977 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the arrangements for the amphibious transportation of men and supplies; and if he will make a statement.

:Lift for the amphibious forces is provided by the assault ships HMS "Fearless" and HMS "Intrepid" supported by HMS "Hermes ", which has a secondary rúle as a Commando ship, and a number of landing ships logistic. These specialist vessels would be augmented, as necessary, by vessels taken up from trade. I believe these provide an effective method of transporting our amphibious forces although, naturally, we keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the arrangements for HMS "Dreadnought" to pass through the Suez Canal were cancelled.

:I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Colchester (Mr. Buck) on 7th November. —[Vol. 938, c. 48.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress towards navalisation of posts in the Royal naval dockyards.

:There has been no change in policy on the manning of management posts in the Royal naval dockyards. The present balance between civilian and naval officers will be broadly maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Bird class vessels have been withdrawn from fisheries protection duties and why.

:Two Bird class patrol craft, HM Ships "Kingfisher" and "Cygnet", were withdrawn from fishery protection duties in August in order that their performance on other operational tasks could be evaluated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the P & O Company over its design of Flower class frigates.

:Informal discussions have taken place between officials of the Ministry of Defence and the P & O Company about this design.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 8th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 8th November.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 8th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Tuesday 8th November 1977.

:I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Silvester)

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Rhodesia.

:No.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to have an audience with Her Majesty the Queen.

:It is not the usual practice to list my forward engagements.

asked the Prime Minister which are the policies in the Most Gracious Speech that will create a sustained growth of output.

:I refer the hon. Member in particular to those parts of the Gracious Speech about the priority which the Government give to further reductions in the rate of inflation, the need to use the benefits of North Sea oil to achieve a lasting improvement in our industrial performance and the Government's intention to continue to urge that the stronger economies should take the lead in promoting a sustained growth in the world.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit North Nottinghamshire.

:I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if the position on Great Britain's continued membership of the EEC outlined in his letter to Mr. Ronald Hayward, General Secretary of the Labour Party, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this matter.

:Yes.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next make an official visit to Scotland.

:I visited Scotland during the Summer Recess. I have at present no plans for a further visit.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to visit the West of Scotland.

:I had a number of engagements in the West of Scotland during my visit to Scotland in the Summer Recess. I have at present no plans for a further visit.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends to appoint the chairman and members of the Royal Commission on Pre-Trial Procedures.

:I shall make an announcement as soon as possible.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Teesside.

:I have no present plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Rossendale.

:I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a Minister with exclusive responsibility for encouraging exports.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now appoint an additional Minister at the Welsh Office.

asked the Prime Minister if he will dismiss the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will dismiss the Secretary of State for Defence.

:The hon. Members may assume that I do not intend to make any changes in ministerial appointments or responsibilities—including my taking on any of the existing responsibilities of other Minsters—unless and until I make a statement to the contrary.

asked the Prime Minister what changes he proposes to make at the Department of Transport, in the light of the communication sent to him by the Mayor of Worthing during the Summer Recess.

:The hon. Member may assume that I do not intend to make any changes in departmental organisation or responsibilities unless and until I make a statement to the contrary.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet members of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the leaders of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet the TUC.

:I refer the hon. Members and my lion. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold).

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the further developments during the Adjournment, he will ask the security services further to investigate the allegations made by his predecessor concerning the involvement of South African interests in British politics.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the light of developments during the Summer Adjournment, he will now set up a further inquiry by the security authorities into the allegations of South African interference in British political affairs made in the House by his predecessor on 9th March 1976, Official Report, columns 245–7, and about which he himself said that there was no doubt that as the investigation proceeded, and despite the persiflage that surrounded much of it, it would be found that attacks were being made against individual members of the Liberal Party,Official Report,20th May 1976, column 1704.

:No.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury.

:I expect to receive the Royal Commission's report by the end of the year.

asked the Prime Minister in what way he intends to encourage the development of industrial democracy in the nationalised industries, as mentioned in the Gracious Speech.

:As I told the House on Thursday 3rd November, the Government have asked the chairmen of the nationalised industries to consult the unions in their industries with a view to making joint proposals for improvements in consultation and participation. They will be submitting interim reports on the progress that they have made by the end of the year. Parliament has already enacted legislation to enable an experiment in industrial democracy to take place in the Post Office on lines agreed jointly by management and unions.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the Prime Minister of Israel.

:I shall meet the Prime Minister of Israel when he visits Britain from 20th to 23rd November.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the French Prime Minister.

:I have no immediate plans to do so, but I hope that M. Barre will be able to accompany President Giscard d'Estaing for the talks between us at Chequers on 12th and 13th December.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to visit Moscow.

:I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will call further meetings on the lines of those convened by his predecessor to assess the direction of his Government's industrial strategy.

:Since becoming Prime Minister I have chaired three meetings of the National Economic Development Council, two of which have been devoted to consideration of progress on the industrial strategy. In addition to a number of informal discussions, I invited the chairmen and representatives of the sector working parties to two special meetings at Lancaster House last June and July to hear from those in industry how together we should carry forward the industrial strategy. I shall arrange further meetings when necessary.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech at the Conference at the Central Hall, Westminster on Saturday 22nd October.

:I did so on 24th October.

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

:I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to make an official visit to Brussels.

:I plan to attend the next European Council meeting in Brussels on 5th and 6th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Gravesend.

:I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will take steps to hold a referendum in Scotland and Wales on the question of devolution before a decision is reached by Parliament.

:I have been asked to reply.No. Both the Scotland Bill and the Wales Bill contain provision for an advisory referendum to be held after the legislation has been enacted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will visit the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.

:My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer given on 24th February 1977 on EEC Directives on VAT, whether any agreement has been made which prohibits the United Kingdom from raising the exemption limit for VAT to an amount greater than 5,000 in 1972 indexeed for subsequent inflation or any other limitation.

:The Sixth Directive on value added tax was agreed by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on 17th May 1977 and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Article 24.2 (c) of that directive restricts increases in the registration exemption limit for VAT to those which would

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the current composition of the NEDC.

:Following is the current composition of the NEDC:The Rt. Hon. Denis Healey, MBE, MP, ChairmanLord Allen of Fallowfield, CBEMr. D. BasnettThe Rt. Hon. Anthony Wedgwood Benn, MPThe Rt. Hon. Albert Booth, MPSir George BurtonThe Rt. Hon. Edmund Dell, MPMr. G. A. DrainMr. H. B. Greenborough, CBEThe Rt. Hon. Roy Hattersley, MPMr. A. A. Jarratt, CBMr. J. L. Jones, MBEThe Rt. Hon. Harold Lever, MPSir Ronald McIntosh, KCBMr. M. J. MethvenSir Jeremy Morse, KCMG

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the net effect in financial terms of United Kingdom membership of the EEC since September 1975.

:The United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community budget for the period September 1975 to September 1977 was £457·4 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all agricultural levies on imports into the United Kingdom imposed as a consequence of the Treaty of Accession with the EEC are paid into the EEC Budget.

:Under Article 2 of the decision of 21st April 1970 on the replacement of financial contributions from member States by the Communities' own resources, revenue from agricultural levies constitutes own resources to be entered in the budget of the Communities. The United Kingdom has been contributing to the Community budget under the above decision since 1973, subject to the limitation laid down in Article 130 of the Treaty of Accession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the gross domestic product per capitain England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, at the last date for which the figures are available;(2) what was the gross national product

:Gross domestic productper capita—derived from the sum of all factor income from production—in England, Scotland and Wales is estimated to have been £1,686,£1,602 and £1,455, respectively, in 1975, the latest year for which estimates are available.Estimates of gross national product are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will set out in tabular form the names and addresses of all firms or organisations which he has agreed should be blacklisted from official contracts, or otherwise penalised with official sanctions for breaches of the pay limits in (a) stage 1, (b) stage 2, and (c) the current pay round; what were the dates on which a public announcement was made, in each case; to which Department he allocated responsibility for implementing his decision; and what was the specific nature of the sanctions imposed in each case.

:No. The withholding of public contracts or other forms of discretionary assistance is a matter between the Government and the firm concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in theOfficial Reporta table showing for 1973–74 and 1977–78 the effective rate of tax plus social security contributions for a man with two children aged under 11 years having income, all earned, equivalent to the national average earnings, twice the average, and three times the average, making necessary adjustments for family allowance and child benefit.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in theOfficial Reporta table showing for 1973–74 and 1977–78 the effective rate of tax plus social security contribution for a man with two children aged under 11 years having income, all earned, equivalent to the average for full time adult male workers (new earnings survey), twice the average, and three times the average, making necessary adjustments for family allowance and child benefit.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost for a full year at 1977 prices of a reduced rate tax level of 25 per cent. on the first £1,000, £1,500, £2,000, £3,000, £4,000 of taxable income; and what would be the cost in each case of reducing the standard rate of income tax to 30 per cent. on the remainder of the present standard rate band.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an estimate for the real take-home pay of the average industrial worker for 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, and 1977–78 on a basis 1945–46 equals 100, comparable with figures given in Written Answer,Official Report, 22nd July 1977, c.773–4.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his reply of 4th May 1977, he will now update the table he then published in theOfficial Reportin answer to the Question of the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit), which showed changes in the real take-home pay of the average worker.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state, or estimate, what percentage of income was paid in income tax and employee's national insurance contributions, respectively. and in total, by a single man and by a married man with two children under 11 years, each having average earnings in 1973–74, 1976–77 and 1977–78, on a basis comparable with Written Answer, Official Report,16th December 1975, c. 565.