asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) if he will give a date for the return to free collective bargaining for civil servants;(2) when he intends to reactivate the Civil Service Pay Research Unit.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Ellis) on 7th November.—[Vol. 938, c. 11.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Reportthe details of overseas visits made by the Ministers and their entourages, and the costs, as supplied in his letter of 3rd November to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West.

In view of the considerable size of the table referred to I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many Acts of Parliament in the last three parliamentary Sessions have had clauses or sections, etc., not yet brought into force by appropriate commencement orders ; and if he will list them.

No central record of this information is kept and it could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister whether the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on the Criminal Legal Process are intended to cover (a) the whole process of criminal trial in whatever trial court up to and including sentence and in particular, plea bargain- ing, (b) the whole process of appeals against decisions in criminal courts, (c) the exercise of the discretion to prosecute, and (d) the question of police bail.

The terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure were given in my reply of 24th June to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mt. Gould). Interpretation of the terms of reference will be a matter for the Commission itself. Subject to that qualification, the Government envisage that, in the area of trial procedures, the Commission will concentrate on those aspects which are linked with the pre-trial and prosecution matters set out in the terms of reference: and these do not include sentencing or the appeal process. Item (ii) in the terms of reference will enable the Commission to consider the exercise of prosecution discretion, and item (i) the granting of bail by the police. The terms of reference also enable the Commission, if it so decides, to consider the various practices described as "plea bargaining ".

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions, if any, have been held since 1st August 1977 between his Department and the EEC Commission on the development of cheaper communication systems between member States.

There have been continuing discussions on the implementation of the Euronet data network.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the members of the Energy Thrift Committee; and how many times the Committee met in 1977.

The membership of the committee for Energy Thrift in Industry was published in February 1976 as part of its first report. The committee has not met in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many public telephone kiosks there are in England and Wales; and how many there were in 1957 and 1967, respectively.

This is a matter for the Post Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he intends to refer the question of profit margins on proprietary medicines and associated bodies to the Prices Commission; and what purpose he hopes that any reference would have.

On 12th September my right hon. Friend directed the Price Commission to examine prices, costs and margins in the production and distribution of proprietary non-ethical medicines. The purpose of an examination is to obtain from the Commission findings of fact relating to prices and charges in a particular field as well as indications of any matter which in the opinion of the Commission needs to be remedied.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people who left school in the summer of 1977 in Manchester are still unemployed.

On 13th October there were 1,244 school leavers under age 18 registered as unemployed in the metropolitan district of Manchester. The statistics do not distinguish between the different dates of leaving school but the majority left on or after 27th May this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to maintain power supplies to industry, particularly where continuous processing is involved.

We are assured by the Electricity Council that it aims to minimise disruption to industry, but of course it cannot guarantee continuous, supplies to any group of consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing the output of coal, the number of persons employed in coal mining and the average output per head employed for each of the past five years.

The following is the information:

Year	Production NCB mines (m. tons)	Employees* (thousand)	Average annual output per employee (tons)
1972	106·7	271·0	394
1973	117·5	257·3	457
1974	97·8	245·2	399
1975	114·9	247·9	464
1976	107·9	242·8	445

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, for each of the most recent five years for which figures are available, he will list the total of subsidies, write-offs of debt or capital and other grants, gifts or transfers of money, other than capital investment, made to the National Coal Board expressed as a sum per head of its employees, the total of new capital investment from public funds per head of the employees of the National Coal Board and the production of coal per head of employees of the National Coal Board.

The figures for production and for grants and write-offs are as follows :

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how much aid originating from the United Kingdom is being sent to Mozambique in the current year.

Expenditure in the financial year 1977–78 will be mainly in respect of British goods and services supplied under the 1976 programme loan of £5 million ; in the first half of the financial year, disbursements totalled £1,647,533.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what economic developments are planned for the Falkland Islands.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Sir N. Fisher) on 13th June. Since that date, a fiscal adviser provided by my Department has reported on ways on which the economy might expand and his report is being studied by the Falkland Islands Government. An adviser on sheepskin processing is also visiting the islands, and a team for the study of internal communications is leaving for the islands in the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Indonesian armed forces have been trained in British establishments in the past year; how many are currently undergoing training; and to what units they are attached.

It is long-established practice that we do not disclose specific details of the training which we provide for Service personnel from other countries. However, I can say that a few Indonesian officers have attended courses at Ministry of Defence establishments during the past year and that one of them is still undergoing training.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether

UNIVERSITY NON-CLINICAL TEACHING STAFF
		Salary rates at 1st October each year, with value at October 1970 price bases*shown in parentheses
		1970£	1971£	1972£	1973£	1974£	1975£	1976£
Lecturer minimum	…	1,491	1,641	1,764	1,929	2,264	3,174	3,333
		(1,491)	(1,493)	(1,500)	(1,501)	(1,505)	(1,667)	(1,532)
15th point† of scale		3,417	3,705	3,984	4,023	4,664	6,030	6,239
		(3,417)	(3,371)	(3,388)	(3,131)	(3,101)	(3,167)	(2,867)
Senior Lecturer/Reader minimum	…	—‡	3,852	4,143	4,368	4,853	6,234	6,443
			(3,505)	(3,523)	(3,399)	(3,227)	(3,274)	(2,961)
7th point§ of scale		4,401	4,734	5,088	5,337	5,942	7,526	7,735
		(4,401)	(4,307)	(4,327)	(4,153)	(3,951)	(3,953)	(3,555)
Professor⁑minimum	…	4,533	4,850	5,376	5,625	6,251	7,897	8,106
		(4,533)	(4,413)	(4,571)	(4,377)	(4,156)	(4,148)	(3,725)
RPI movement	…	100·0	109·9	117·6	128·5	150·4	190·4	217·6
*The real value has been calculated on the basis of the movement in the Retail Price Index (RPI).
†The Lecturer scale was extended from 15 to 17 points over the period 1971–73.
‡Prior to 1971 no minimum was specified in the Senior Lecturer scale.
§The Senior Lecturer scale was extended from 7 to 8 points in 1972.
║Except at a few universities, professors' salaries are not on incremental scales. Each university is free to fix individual professorial salaries subject to a prescribed minimum, and within a limit on the average of such salaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the Official Reportthe real value of salaries earned by (a) junior lecturers, (b) senior lecturers and (c) professors, or equivalent levels, in each EEC country Indonesian personnel have been trained at the SAS training centre near Hereford.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the Official Reportthe real value of salaries earned by (a) junior lecturers, (b) senior lecturers and (c) professors in British universities over each of the last seven years, taking 1970 as base.

Salary scales for non-clinical academic staff in universities in the United Kingdom cover (a) lecturers, (b) senior lecturers or readers and (c) professors. The following table shows, for selected comparable points on these scales in the past seven years, the actual rates paid at 1st October—which is the normal date for reviewing salary scales—together with the values at October 1970 prices.over each of the last seven years, taking 1970 as base.

The information is not readily available and could not be assembled on any coherent basis except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she has been able to offer the Elton Collection to the Greater Manchester Council; and what considerations have led to a decision in this matter.

My noble Friend the Minister of State with responsibility for the arts is awaiting the advice of the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries on the most suitable destination of this collection. A decision will not be taken until this advice has been considered. Factors to be taken into account include the wishes of the executors of the late Sir Arthur Elton's estate, the facilities for display, conservation, study and security which can be offered by the museums which have expressed an interest, and the relationships of the objects with the collections in those museums and with their localities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will announce the results of her review of capital grants to voluntary organisations in the Youth Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what decision she has reached on the future arrangements for the support from public funds of voluntary local youth service, village hall and community hall projects.

My right hon. Friend has decided, in the light of the representations she has received from the interested parties and the advice of the Youth Service Forum for England and Wales, that the present arrangements should continue. Local education authorities will be invited to submit their bids for a share of the 1978–79 programme allocation in the usual way.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish her Department's questionnaire on school curricula which has been circulated to local education authorities.

My Department has not circulated a questionnaire on school curricula to local education authorities. It is hoped that a circular asking local authorities to report on curricular arrangements in their areas will be issued before the end of the month. The document will be freely available from my Department as soon as it is issued, and copies will be placed in the Library at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects that Part II of the Children Act 1975 will be implemented; and what are the reasons for the delay to the present date.

I regret that I can give no indication at present of when we shall be able to implement Part II. Consultations are taking place, but the delay is due to the lack of the additional resources which would be required by local authority social services departments and the probation and after-care service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any form of transcendental meditation is in operation in any penal establishment; if there are any plans for the introduction of such a programme or pilot schemes; and if any such programme or scheme is currently being studied by his Department.

Training in the technique of transcendental meditation is not provided in any Prison Department establishment and there are no plans to introduce it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in theOfficial Reportas full and detailed a table of figures as may be available giving all wages, salaries, overtime cash and other benefits in kind, including clothing allowances, rent allowances, and pensions, etc., paid to the police, firemen, ambulance men and nurses, on as comparative basis as may be possible.

As regards the salaries and other benefits payable to the police and to firemen, I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to Questions he asked on 16th June—[Vol. 933, c. 222–3 and 225–6].Pay and conditions of service of nurses and ambulance men are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will inquire into the dangers of children being savaged by Alsatian dogs compared with the dangers of being savaged by other dogs and into steps to avert these attacks.

No. I am of course concerned that those responsible for dogs that may be dangerous should keep them under proper control, but I do not believe it would be useful to undertake the study suggested in my hon. Friend's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that the forms which passengers arriving at Gatwick Airport from Heathrow are invited to complete are those prescribed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and not under the Immigration Act 1971.

I have directed forms of landing and embarkation cards to be used as part of the controls under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976. Cards issued under the Immigration Act 1971 are not appropriate for this purpose, and the police have informed those concerned at Gatwick Airport of this. I believe that the right hon. Member was recently given a wrong card, but that he received a personal apology before leaving the airport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances he discusses individual investigations with chief constables.

The investigation of crime, as successive Home Secretaries and the courts have recognised, falls within the operational responsibility of chief officers. Home Secretaries do not discuss with chief officers of police how they should conduct a criminal investigation into an individual case or what if any action should follow on the investigation. I may, however, call for a report on a particular investigation, e.g. in cases where the exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy may be involved, or ask to be kept informed of the progress of a particular investigation. I may also ask Her Majesty's inspectors to discuss with a chief officer the lessons to be learnt from a particular investigation after the case is closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Reportthe number of general practitioners serving the Harlesden, Stonebridge, Church End, Kensal Rise and Queens Park Wards inner city areas of the London Borough of Brent together with his estimate of the numbers likely to retire in each of the next five years.

Information on this basis is not available centrally. At 1st July 1977, there were 250 general practitioners offering the full range of medical services in the Brent and Harrow area. 55 over the age of 60, and most of these might be expected to retire over the next five years. Recent experience suggests that there is no difficulty in replacing general practitioners in this area who retire.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department is monitoring the side effects of the drug Trasicor (oxprenolol), manufactured by Ciba Ltd.

All drugs marketed in the United Kingdom are monitored for adverse reactions by the Committee on Safety of Medicines. The group of betaadrenoceptor blocking agents including Trasicor (oxprenolol) is subject to particular scrutiny by a panel of experts which is examining the scientific aspects of therapy with these drugs, in the light of the pattern of serious effects which was associated with the drug practolol. I am advised that evidence to date does not suggest that any of these beta-blocking agents will produce the same pattern.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish details of tricycles on issue and in reserve fleet at the latest date, giving separate figures for model 70s, pre-model 70s and electrics, and show how these compare with the same date 12 months ago.

Following is the information requested for England:

POSITION AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 1976
	On Issue	Reserve Fleet
Model 70	11,386	469
Pre-Model 70	6,048	1,655
Electrics	963	194
	18,397	2,318
POSITION AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 1977
	On Issue	Reserve Fleet
Model 70	12,122	852
Pre-Model 70	3,901	967
Electrics	732	115
	16,755	1,934

In addition, at 30th September 1977 there were 763 Model 70s, 83 pre-Model 70s, and 145 electrics in store, available for reallocation. The comparable figures for 30th September 1976 were 65, 36 and 127 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many invalid tricycle users have so far opted, under the provisions of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977, to switch to mobility allowance on special terms.

634 up to 3rd November 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now alter the salary structure arrangements so that a senior registrar anaesthetist applying for a consultant's post will not suffer a salary cut if his application is successful.

The salary structure of hospital doctors is a matter not for me but for the independent Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration. In its last report—May 1977, Cmnd. 6800—the review body drew attention to the problem of relativities between the earnings of senior registrars and newly-appointed consultants, and I have no doubt that it will be making appropriate recommendations as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for North Wales patients requiring treatment at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Liverpool.

Information about waiting times for patients from particular areas is not readily available. The total numbers of patients awaiting in-patient treatment at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Liverpool on 30th September 1977 were as follows:

Less than six months	403
More than six months but less than a year	241
More than a year but less than two years	96
More than two years	None

The average waiting time for outpatient treatment was 13 weeks.There is no reason to believe that the waiting times for patients from North Wales vary significantly from those stated above.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why Mr. Joseph Hyland of Salford, who has had his leg amputated, has had his claim for a mobility allowance refused because it it stated by the insurance officer that, although he is at present unable, or virtually unable, to walk because of physical disablement, such disability is unlikely to persist for at least 12 months.

Eligibility for mobility allowance is a matter for independent statutory authorities. The insurance officer is the first of these and Ministers are unable to comment upon or influence his decisions on individual claims in any way.I understand that Mr. Hyland has now appealed to a medical board against the decision given by the insurance officer and that arrangements are being made for Mr. Hyland's appeal to be heard as soon as posible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the many problems facing rural pharmacists, if he will make a statement on his proposals to meet these problems.

I am aware that some rural pharmacies, particularly those which dispense small numbers of prescriptions, have been facing serious problems. I am convinced that some of these difficulties stem from the present flat-rate system of NHS remuneration, which does not take account of the higher unit operating costs of smaller pharmacies and which results in larger pharmacies receiving considerably more than the NHS contract is designed to produce. In July, I proposed to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee that NHS remuneration should be paid on a differential scale which would improve the income of smaller pharmacies and offered to provide £5 million over two years to assist the transition. I estimate that 70 per cent. of all pharmacies, including most of those serving rural communities, would benefit under my proposals. Some pharmacies would get an immediate increase of over £1,200 a year. On 1st November the PSNC sent me counter-proposals, which I am considering urgently.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pharmacies have closed down in the West Yorkshire Area in 1974, 1975, 1976 and the latest figure in 1977 ; and if he will take action to correct the damage being done to patients who are compelled to travel a considerable distance to have prescriptions dispensed.

In the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, there were 15 net closures of pharmacies in 1975 and six in 1976. From 1st January 1977 to 30th September 1977 there was a net loss of five pharmacies. Comparable figures are not available for 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will encourage general practitioners to do more dispensing in their own premises; how many there are in the West Yorkshire Area; and how many of these have, and use, dispensing services.

The circumstances in which doctors supply medicines to their patients are set out in Regulation 30 of the NHS (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974. I should be prepared to consider changes in this regulation only if they were agreed by both the medical and the pharmaceutical professions and were in the interests of patients. A joint committee of the two professions under the chairmanship of Mr. C. M. Clothier, QC, is currently considering the arrangements for the supply of medicines in rural areas and is expected to report shortly.At 1st October 1976, there were in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire 886 general medical practitioners, of whom 52 provided a dispensing service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the rising price of spectacles and dentures available under the National Health Service ; and how these prices compare with the private sector.

Charges for spectacle lenses supplied under the NHS were increased on 1st April 1977 to £2·90 for each single vision lens and £5·50 or £6·15 per lens for bifocal lenses, depending on type. Charges for NHS frames range from £1·35 for the most popular type to £5·92. Overall, NHS optical charges still by no means cover the full cost of the NHS ophthalmic service. While we have no detailed knowledge of private optical charges, which h are for settlement between the optician and patient, we believe that in general they are substantially higher than NHS charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action lie proposes to take in the light of the recent report of the advisory council on the misuse of drugs, particularly in relation to the problem of multiple drug abuse.

The council's Working Group on Treatment and Rehabilitation recognised that many of its recommendations would need to be discussed further by those currently working with drug misusers. Accordingly, I have invited health and social services authorities and professional and voluntary organisations to comment on the report by 31st January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he intends to take in view of the failure so far to achieve the announced cut of £5 million in the Department of Health and Social Services for 1976–77.

I assume that the right hon. Gentleman is referring to the reduction of £5 million which my Department was required to make in its planned expenditure on administration costs in the financial year 1977–78 as a step towards achieving savings of £14·4 million in 1978–79.As the sum of £5 million has in fact already been withdrawn from the financial provision which would otherwise have been made for the current year, failure to achieve the cut could be regarded as occurring only if the economy measures introduced fail to result in departmental spending being contained within the reduced figure. I am confident that this will not be the case. The question of "failure" does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people of retirement age receive invalidity benefit rather than the State retirement pension ; what will be the cost of providing this category with the £10 Christmas bonus ; and if it is the intention to include those of retirement age in receipt of invalidity benefit within the Christmas bonus scheme.

Contributory and noncontributory invalidity pensioners over pension age are among the categories of beneficiary which the £10 Christmas bonus scheme covers. If their wives are also over pension age, these pensioners will qualify for an additional £10 payment in respect of them. There are an estimated 25,000–30,000 contributory invalidity pensioners over pension age, and the cost of paying the bonus to them will therefore be of the order of £¼million. Figures for non-contributory invalidity pensioners and for the overpension-age wives of either category are not, however, available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if, at the negotiations concerning a Common Fund, which are due to be held in Geneva, he will urge that the fund should be created as soon as possible, and not after all commodity agreements are negotiated:(2) if, at the negotiations concerning a Common Fund, which are due to be held in Geneva he will urge that the fund should cover all or most of the 19 commodities proposed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ;(3) if, at the negotiations concerning a Common Fund, which are due to be held in Geneva, he will urge that the fund should include finance for diversification and other measures designed to help poorer countries no longer to depend on one or two of the commodities ; and if he will strongly express the view that the producing and consuming countries should have an equal say in the running of the fund, and not allow it to be controlled by the World Bank.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he intends to publish the substantial interim report on Peachey Property Corporation Limited which his inspectors expect to make by March 1978.

My right hon. Friend will consider the question of publication when the interim report is received.

		1972	1973	1974	1975	1976
		'000 tonnes
A.	Beef and veal, mutton and lamb, pigmeat and poultrymeat, exported in carcase form, including cuts and offals	85·1	112·7	116·2	162·0	160·2
		Per cent.
B.	A. above as a percentage of the total meat exports including the meat equivalent of live exports	60·8	71·5	81·5	83·7	87·7

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the present market return to beef producers; and if he will make a statement.

Beef market prices are seasonally low, but the returns to beef producers are being sustained by payments of variable premium, underpinned by intervention. Our support arrangements are adequate and should contribute to market stability in the current period when the market is well supplied. Moreover, the present target price of 58·10p/five kg will increase over the winter to 63·45p/five kg next March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what authority monetary compensatory amounts on live cattle for further keep which are exported from Northern Ireland to the German Federal Republic are now demanded on shipment instead of on arrival as previously; what is the current relevant payment per hundredweight ; and if he will afford all necessary information and assistance to the only such exporter in Northern Ireland, of

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what annual weight of meat was exported in carcase form for each of the last five years; and what proportion this represented of the total export of meat from the United Kingdom.

The information requested is set out below:whom the right hon. Member for Down, South has given him particulars, in dealing with the consequences of this change.

In the case of live cattle exported from the United Kingdom to the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom MCA charge falls due on the completion of export formalities in the United Kingdom and the German MCA charge is payable on entry into the Federal Republic of Germany. This procedure has not changed since June 1973. Under the provisions of the Agricultural Levies (Export Control) Regulations 1977 exporters are required either to provide an adequate guarantee or to pay the MCA charges at the time of export. The current rate of MCA on live cattle exported from the United Kingdom is £16·972 per 100k/g.I have given instructions that all necessary information and assistance should be provided to the Northern Ireland exporter concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will encourage fisheries and fisheries research in the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic now that so many traditional fishing grounds are closed to British vessels.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 26th October.—[Vol. 936, c. 817.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the meeting of the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) in Brussels on 7th and 8th November.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the regulations to be laid before Parliament to implement Commission Document R/2023/67 concerning the notification scheme for chemicals.

I have been asked to reply.Negotiations on the Sixth Amendment to the 1967 EEC Directive on the Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances (R/2203/76) are still in progress and it is not possible to say when the directive will be adopted or regulations laid before Parliament concerning the proposed notification scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when it was decided that the rite opposite Westminster Abbey which was designated as the site for the new Colonial Office would not be required for that purpose.

1958.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the total number of local government staff; and how the figure compares with each yearly total since 1970.

The numbers of full- and part-time employees in local authorities in England and Wales. include- ing police, but excluding police civilians, traffic wardens, police cadets, agency, magistrates' courts and probation staffs, on 18th June 1977 were 2,555,000.Comparable figures for each year since1970 were:

Mid June	Thousands
1970	2162
1971	2234
1972	2340
1973	2454
1974	2443
1975	2556
1976	2574
1977	2555

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in devising amendments to building regulations to ensure facilities for disabled people in new buildings following the undertakings given during the passage of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

We are taking part in the revision of the British Standards Institution's code of practice on access for the disabled; when complete, this might form a basis for building regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's latest estimate of the aggregate underspending by local authorities in England and Wales on their current budgets; and if he will publish figures showing the estimated underspending by each authority.

It is now estimated that the volume of current expenditure by local authorities in England and Wales in 1977…78 will be about £90 million—at November 1976 prices—less than that forecast in the Government's Public Expenditure Plans (Cmnd. 6721). Because there is no forecast of expenditure by individual authorities it is not possible to say by how much any individual authority has underspent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent his Department and the Property Services Agency have an interest in Wisley Airfield, Surrey, and if he will make a statement.

Wisley Airfield is surplus to Government requirements. The Department's Property Serfvices Agency is managing the property and making arrangements for its disposal. My right ron. Friend would also be responsible for deciding any planning appeals which might come to him regarding the future use of the airfield.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what allocation has been made between departmental programmes of the £400 million additional expenditure on construction for 1978–79 announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26th October ; and if he will make a statement.

The additional expenditure will be divided between Departmental programmes as shown in the following table.These increases will halt the decline in Departmental construction programmes and will give scope for modest increases in some sectors in 1978–9. Further increases in construction expenditure over existing plans totalling some £181 million will be made in 1979–80. This will keep these programmes at a steady level, and should produce greater stability for the industry. Most of the increases will affect the building sector, but civil engineering will also benefit from the increased expenditure on roads and some of the other environmental services.A large part of the expenditure will be undertaken by local authorities. The Department concerned will be working out the allocation of the sum prescribed to individual local authorities in accordance with normal procedures.In England housing will receive about half of the money available. This will enable housing authorities and housing associations to restore some of the cuts that had to be made in 1976, and put the housing capital programme back onto a rising trend.The additional expenditure on other environmental services will include £5million for the British Waterways Board to undertake urgent repair and main- tenance work and a further £4 million for the urban programme. In order to assist the construction industry I have also decided not to introduce any scheme for imposing fees for building regulation aplications in 1978–9. This will however mean that local authorities in England and Wales will forgo an estimated £13 million in revenue in that year, and I shall therefore be allowing local authorrities an additional £13 million out of the £400 million to count as relevant expenditure for the purposes of the rate support grant settlement which I shall be making shortly.The following is the table:

£million at 1977Survey Prices
Defence	8·0
Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry2	0·3
Employment1	1·0
Energy1	0·7
Trade1	8·0
Transport3	23·0
Housing3	150·0
Other Environmental Services3	33·5
Home Office Services2	5·0
Lord Chancellor's Department Services2	3·0
Education3	26·0
Health and Personal Services3	37·0
Property Services Agency1	3·5
Other public services1	1·0

Programmes within the responsibilities of the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive £76 million. £24 million is still unallocated and available for other purposes. Further announcements will be made in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the Fraenkal Report on the British Waterways Board's operating and maintenance costs ; and if he will make a statement.

The report will be published today. The very extensive terms of reference are briefly summarised as being to assess the cost of operation and maintenance of all the waterways as required to comply with the board's statutory and other obligations. The report provides a very detailed analysis of the condition of the waterways controlled by the board. It shows that the board has not been able, within its available financial resources, to comply fully with those obligations, and it identifies a backlog of maintenance on the commercial and cruising waterways amounting to £37·6 million at 1974 prices—equivalent to about £60 million today—of which £3 million for urgent works should be spent within the immediately following three year period in the interests of public safety. The balance of the arrears should be dealt with over a further period of 12 years. Substantial expenditure is also recommended on arrears of maintenance in London, has met; what was theThese are very considerable sums, and as the White Paper on the water industry made clear, they have to be considered in the context of the future of the waterways and its relationship to the water industry.Meanwhile the board has taken steps to deal with the most urgent problems within their existing resources. In addition, the Government made available an extra £600,000 early this year, and in August provided a further £750,000 to be spent in the current financial year specifically for arrears of urgent maintenance.I have now approved as part of the £400 million construction package announced by the Chancellor a further

STOCK OF DWELLINGS: ESTIMATED AGE DISTRIBUTION: DECEMBER 1976
Percentage
					Date of construction
					Pre 1890	1891–1918	1919–44	Post 1944	Total
England	…	…	…	…	17·4	14·1	23·2	45·3	100·0

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions since spring 1974 the working party, set up to study the problem of proliferation of radio masts in London, has met; what was the date of its last meeting ; and if he will instruct it to issue an interim report, bearing in mind that more than three years have now passed.

The working party has met on five occasions, the last being in July 1975. It will be meeting shortly to consider a draft report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment allocation of £5 million to be spent in 1978-79 for urgent arrears of maintenance involving public safety.The Fraenkel recommendations were not related to specific measures required on individual waterways, but were extrapolated on the basis of sample studies. It will therefore be necessary to examine actual requirements in relation to individual waterways from the point of view of public safety. The British Waterways Board will be asked to do this as a matter of urgency.I am arranging for copies of the Fraenkel Report to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of houses in England were built before 1900, 1914 and 1939, respectively.

Statistics in the form requested by the hon. Member are not readily available but I give below data extracted from the more comprehensive information contained in issue 21 of Housing and Construction Statistics, a copy of which is in the Library.whether the Manchester Ship Canal benefits from the Treaty of Rome as an inland waterway.

I have been asked to reply.I am making inquiries on this matter and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport under what criteria persons are given an orange badge to allow them special parking facilities.

Badges are issued by local authorities. The entitlement criteria are set out in the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) Regulation 1975 as follows:

" 5. A disabled person shall be eligible to apply for the issue to him of a disabled person's badge for one or more motor vehicles, if he is a person who—

(a) by reason of his disability, uses a motor vehicle suppiled to him by the Department of Health and Social Security, the Scottish Home and Health Department or the Welsh Office, or is in receipt of a grant under section 33(3) of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968(a) from such a Department ; or

(b) by reason of disability uses a motor vehicle which is exempted or is eligible to be exempted from any duty under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971(b) by virtue of section 4(1)(g) or 7(2) thereof ; or

(c) has amputation or absence of a limb which causes considerable difficulty in walking ; or

(d) suffers from defects of the spine or of the central nervous system or other motor defect which makes control of the lower limbs difficult ; or

(e) has some other permanent and substantial disability which causes considerable difficulty in walking: or

(f) is registered as a blind person under the National Assistance Act 1948(c); or

(g) is dependent upon the use of a wheelchair outside his home."

There is also provision, in the regulation, for the issue of badges to institutions caring for the disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of Soviet economic warfare on Western shipping and on his talks in the USSR.

I have been asked to reply.Western shipping is suffering adverse effects as a result of rate-cutting and the provision of excessive capacity on certain trade routes by the USSR.As regards my recent talks in the USSR, and possible further steps which might be taken to defend our shipping interests, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Johnson) on 8th November.—[Vol. 938, c. 94.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Gov- emment have any proposals to put sterling back into the EEC currency snake at its current exchange rate.

I have no proposals of this sort. I do not think it would be sensible for sterling to rejoin the European snake in its present form

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue from import duties of mutton and lamb, and beef, respectively, imported into the United Kingdom in 1976 and in the first half of 1977.

Detailed information is not readily available in the form asked for. However, net protective duty charged on imports of meat and edible meat offals was £24·7 million in 1976 and £14·5 million in the first half of 1977.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the Government's expectations with regard to the contribution likely to be made by the Belfast firm of James Mackie and Sons to net overseas earnings in 1977–78 and 1978–79.

No. It is not for the Government to forecast the production or exports of a private sector organisation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the total net overseas earnings of British manufacturing industry during the financial years 1977–78 and 1978–79; and what public funds are involved in the total operation, showing the guarantee of credits separately.

The Government's latest forecasts of economic prospects to end-1978 were released on 26th October 1977. Details of public expenditure plans were published in "Public expenditure to 1979–80 "(Cmnd 6393) of February 1977, and in the" Financial Statement and Budget Report 1977–78 "of 29th March 1977. Details of the value of guarantees issued by ECGD are published in its statutory return to Parliament every quarter. All of these are available in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Reportfor each year since 1971 the numbers of men and women, respectively, in part-time employment, excluding those over retirement age, whose earnings were too low for them to be liable for income tax; and if he will present this information as a proportion of all men and women, respectively, in part-time employment, excluding those over retirement age, breaking the figures down by marital status and number of dependent children.

The information requested is not available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current investigation by the Inland Revenue City 20 Office into the tax affairs of Smithfield market meat porters.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of gross domestic product was taken by tax and national insurance contributions in 1973, 1974 and 1976 ; and whether he

TAXES
		Including social security payments			Excluding social security payments
Percentage of GNP at factor cost
		1970	1973	1975	1970	1973	1975
Australia*	…	28·8	29·7	…	28·8	29·7	…
Belgium	…	38·7	40·5	44·7	27·2	28·	30·9
Canada	…	37·2	37·2	37·7	33·9	33·9	33·6
France	…	40·7	40·6	41·3	25·9	25·2	24·6
Germany	…	38·6	42·5	41·9	27·2	29·2	27·8
Italy	…	33·4	32·9	34·1	20·5	19·2	18·8
Japan	…	21·6	22·6	22·4	17·6	18·5	17·0
Netherlands	…	44·4	49·8	53·1	28·2	30·3	32·1
Sweden	…	45·9	49·0	52·1	37·3	39·2	41·9
United States	…	32·9	33·4	32·6	26·4	25·8	24·7
United Kingdom†	…	43·4	37·2	40·8	37·4	31·1	33·5
*Fiscal years beginning on 1st July of year indicated.
†Consistent with data given inNational Income and Expenditure1966–76.

The table below shows the percentage of gross national product at factor cost represented by taxes, including and excluding social security contributions, in the OECD countries. Since data in respect of 1976 are not yet available for countries other than the United Kingdom, figures for 1975 have been included.In the United Kingdom, taxes including social security contributions represented 39·8 per cent. of GNP in 1974 and 40·5 per cent. in 1976. Excluding social security contributions, the percentages were 33·1 and 32·9 respectively. An estimate for the current year is not available.Although every effort has been made to ensure comparability between the figures for each country, it should be borne in mind that there is no single, precise, definition of the term "taxes and social security contributions ". The figures of relative tax levels should be regarded as broadly indicative of the degree of Government involvement in the provision of services, the redistribution of income and the pursuit of other economic policy objectives in each country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, or estimate, for 1973–74, 1976–77 and 1977–78, the proportion of gross domestic product at factor costs and market prices absorbed by (a) income tax (including child benefit adjustments), (b) income tax plus indirect taxes and excise duties, (c) income tax plus indirect taxes and excise duties plus employees' social security contributions, and (d) Government revenue as a whole.

As a percentage of GDP
	At factor cost			At market prices
	1973–74	1976–77	1977–78	1973–74	1976–77	1977–78
Income tax*	11	15	12½	91½	13	11
Plus indirect taxes†	23	26	25	20	23½	22½
Plus employees' contributions	26	29½	28½	23	26	25
Total government revenue from taxation‡	38	41	40½	33½	36½	35½
Source: National Accounts data.
*Net of cost of family allowances, child interim benefit and child benefit. This is not the usual procedure as strictly speaking the cost of family allowances and child benefit forms part of public expenditure.
†Indirect taxes comprise all Customs and Excise duties, vehicle excise duty, stamp duty and SET or National Insurance surcharge where applicable.
‡Government revenue as a whole is taken to be taxation revenue and consists of company taxes, capital taxes, local authority rates and employers' contributions in addition to the taxes already specified. The cost of child benefit is again netted out.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he now expects the yield from income tax to be in 1977–78 compared with 1976–77 ; and how much of the reduction, if any, is due to the changes made in the last Finance Bill and the proposed changes he announced on 26th October, respectively.Mr. Robert Sheldon,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are engaged working with the 128K ICL 1902 computer for the Inland Revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to what causes he attributes the shortfall in public expenditure in 1976–77; and what he estimates the shortfall will be in 1977–78.Mr. Joel Barnett,

asked the Chancellor of the Chancellor of the Exchequer what saving in general Government expenditure results from a fall of 1 per cent. in the average interest rate paid by general Government.Mr. Joel Barnett,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the next public expenditure White Paper (a) will cover the full five-year survey period and (b) will include an analysis of the growth and use of resources over the full five-year period.Mr. Joel Barnett,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the public expenditure White Paper will be published.Mr. Joel Barnett,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the successive forecasts he has made of the public sector borrowing requirement in 1978–79, specifying the date, anticipated size of the public sector borrowing requirement on each occasion and the causes of any revisions.Mr. Joel Barnett,

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, columns 773–4.Mr. Robert Sheldon,

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.Mr. Robert Sheldon,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his replies of 16th December 1976, 2nd March and 4th May 1977, he will now update the tables he then published in theOfficial Reportin answers to Questions from the hon. Member for Chingford, which showed changes in the real value of take home pay of an average worker.

I refer the hon. Member to the preceding reply given to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the amount of moneys paid per annum of public funds to Lord Carver before his appointment for duties in Rhodesia; and what is the rate of pay for this new appointment.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many List D school places are (a) currently in use, and (b) available in each local government region in Scotland.

The information is as follows:

Region	Number of children on schools' rolls at 16th October 1977	Total number of places available
Strathclyde	691	755
Tayside	258	322
Lothian	239	311
Central	105	132
Grampian	83	85
Fife	35	50
	1,411	1,655

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received that List D schools in Scotland be administered nationally, rather than regionally; and if he will make a statement on proposed future administrative patterns.

A number of organisatins which were consulted by my right hon. Friend about the future of the List D schools have expressed opposition to the proposed transfer of the schools to the local authorities, while others are in favour of this proposal. My right hon. Friend intends to make a further statement when the consultations are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many positions on children's panels are currently vacant, giving a breakdown region by region.

Children's panel advisory committees are at present reviewing the number of panel members which will be needed in their respective areas in 1978, and until this work is completed no information is available on the required number of new appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to extending the powers of children's panels; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is considering the comments received from a number of bodies which have been consulted about possible changes in the powers of children's hearings. Consultations are also in progress on recommendations on this subject which are contained in recent reports of the Committee on Truancy and Indiscipline in Schools, the Committee on Reparation and the Working Party on Football Crowd Behaviour. My right hon. Friend will announce his conclusions in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) at what date he decided not to advertise building and construction contracts worth more than £400,000 in the local and trade Press ;(2) how much money he expects to save in consequence of his decision not to advertise building and construction contracts worth more than £400,000 in the local and trade Press ;(3) what steps he has taken to inform firms which normally tender for building and construction contracts to his Department that it is no longer his policy to advertise these contracts in the local and trade Press.

There has been no change in Welsh Office policy on the invitation of tenders for building and civil engineering work. Firms invited to tender are selected from lists of contractors of known or ascertained financial standing and capability and not by public advertisement. Since 1st July 1973, however, the Welsh Office has been required to make known its intention of inviting ten- ders for schemes costing over £415,000 to the Official Publications Office of the European Economic Community for publication in the Official Journal.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether it is an EEC requirement that building and construction contracts worth more than £400,000 may not be advertised in the local and trade Press.

No, provided that publication does not precede dispatch of the notification required under the directives of the European Economic Community to the Official Publications Office of the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consider the establishment of a pedestrian crossing on the A525 Denbigh-St. Asaph trunk road at Denbigh in the vicinity of the Colomendy Estate and, if necessary, have an inquiry made into the feasibility of installing such a crossing.

The provision of a pedestrian crossing near the Colomendy Estate on the A525, which is not a trunk road, is primarily a matter for the Clwyd County Council. The hon. and learned Member has also writen to my right hon. and learned Friend on the subject, and a reply will be sent as soon as the inquiries of the Council are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is yet in a position to forecast when he may announce his decision regarding the route of the new A55.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. and learned Member for Denbigh (Mr. Morgan) on 26th October 1977.—[Vol. 936, c. 789.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average weekly unrebated council house rent in Wales payable in April 1976 and April 1977, respectively; and what was the average weekly male manual earnings at those times.

Estimates, based on an incomplete response by local authorities, indicate that the average weekly net unrebated council house rent payable in Wales was £4·46 in April 1976 and £5·14 in April 1977. The Department of Employment New Earnings Survey shows that average weekly male manual earnings at those times were £65·40 and £72·20 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when it is proposed to effect necessary road improvements to the A5 trunk road in the vicinity of Llangollen Golf Club, Clwyd.

							LA and NT	Other Public Sector	Private	Total
Second Quarter 1977 Starts
Starts	…	…	…	…	…	…	1,192	581	2,098	3,871
Completions		…	…	…	…	…	1,900	29	2,190	4,119
Third Quarter 1977*
Starts	…	…	…	…	…	…	820	377	1,683	2,880
Completions		…	…	…	…	…	1,604	95	1,775	3,474
Under construction			…	…	…	…	7,585	1,958	11,070	20,613
*Third quarter figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the state of the pig industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The pigmeat industry in Wales has been facing the same difficulties as the industry in the rest of the United Kingdom, leading to a reduction in the breeding herd. The prospects for pig producers have improved recently with firmer prices and reductions in feed costs. We are, however, continuing our efforts to secure a fairer system of monetary compensatory amounts so as to improve the competitive position of all sectors of the industry including the processors.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is aware that Ruthin, Clwyd, has been denuded of local government offices in consequence of local government reorganisation ; and what steps he proposes to take to establish offices of central Government Departments and agencies in the town as some

Tenders have been invited. Work is expected to start early in 1978.