asked the Lord President of the Council whether the Government have reached any conclusions about devolution and England in the light of responses to the consultative document "Devolution: The English Dimension".

The consultative document was published in December of last year and the Government are grateful to those bodies and individuals who have submitted views on it. We have considered these views carefully.In the field of constitutional change the Government recognise the sincerity and strength of conviction of those who advocate a regional structure of government in England. But any change of such significance would need to rest on a broad consensus of popular support which, as is clear from the consultations, does not exist at present. The Government do not propose to initiate any major constitutional change in England until there is evidence of much more extensive support for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the progress being made on the Government's waste and recycling campaign, so far as it lies within his Department's responsibility.

In close co-operation with the Waste Management Advisory Council and the Director of the National Anti-Waste Programme, my Department is continuing to promote public awareness of the need to avoid waste and to increase the recovery of waste materials. In this connection regular meetings are held with various sectors of the manufacturing and reclamation industries. The Director of the National Anti-Waste Programme has established with the Confederation of British Industries and the British Reclamation Industries Confederation a framework for future co-operation in implementing the programme. Particular attention in the programme is presently being given to packaging, the scope for waste wardens in industry and schemes for waste collection centres. In addition some 16,000 copies of the booklet "Save and Recycle" have been distributed and there are signs that voluntary bodies are increasingly assisting with the campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will give guidance to companies about the precise level of pay settlements which might disqualify them from receiving selective financial assistance under the Industry Act 1972, or whether this will remain a matter for the discretion of the Minister in each case.

Companies should be guided by the policies set out in the White Paper—"The Attack on Inflation after 31st July 1977" (Cmnd. 6882).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received that the Society of Civil and Public Servants be allocated a union seat on the reconstituted Post Office Board.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from several hon. Members, from the society itself and from a number of its members.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report those unions to be allocated seats on the reconstituted Post Office Board, giving an indication of the membership of each of these unions and which other unions connected with the Post Office will not be allocated seats.

I understand that inter-union discussions are still continuing on the allocation of these seats.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will give details of the Government's plans to introduce a redundancy scheme in the shipbuilding industry; and how many redundancies are envisaged in total and in each shipbuilding area.

The Government will introduce as early as possible a short Bill enabling schemes to be made by order for payments to employees of British Shipbuilders and Harland and Wolff Ltd. who are made redundant or transferred to less well-paid employment. Details of schemes are under discussion with the trade unions concerned. As to the second part of his Question. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont) on 10th November.—[Official Report, Vol. 938, c. 223–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether pursuant to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex on 7th November, the British Steel Corporation still intends to spend £900 million in the year 1977–78 on capital requirements, and still has an estimated deficit on internal resources in the year of £50 million, thus leading to the cash limit of £950 million.

Trading conditions in the steel industry are significantly worse than were expected early in the year and internally generated funds are correspondingly lower. To stay within its cash limit, the corporation is making compensating reductions in capital requirements, including working capital.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a further statement on the need for the proposed North-East and North-West Boards announced on Tuesday 8th November 1977 for the National Enterprise Board, in view of the fact that the National Enterprise Board is meeting its obligations under Paragraph 26(i) of the Industry Act 1975 National Enterprise Board (Guidelines) Direction 1975 of 7th December.

I have nothing to add to the announcement which my right hon. Friend made on 8th November 1977.—[Official Report, Vol. 938, c. 524.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what funds are at present available for investment purposes for the Northern Region office of the National Enterprise Board; and what funds have been invested in Northern industries since the office was established.

No limit has been set by the National Enterprise Board on the amount of its funds available for regional investment. The board has invested about £600,000 in companies in the Northern Region since its office was established there. The region, too, has benefited a great deal from the board's investment in companies based elsewhere but with factories in the region.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the progress so far of the mini replacement programme; when British Leyland intends to launch the new car; and whether he is satisfied that it is in the best interest of British Leyland for this programme to be continued.

My right hon. Friend informed the House on 26th May that he had authorised the National Enterprise Board to allow work on the Mini replacement programme to be resumed as soon as it was satisfied that sufficient tangible progress was being made towards measures which would put industrial relations at Leyland Cars on a new basis. The NEB announced on 1st June that it had done so. Information on progress with the programme and on the launch date is a matter for the British Leyland Board. My right hon. Friend stated his view on the future of the programme in the debate on the Address.—[Official Report, Vol. 938, c. 523.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish his estimate of the total cost to public funds of the proposed move of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist from London to Cumbria together with detailed estimates showing (a) the building costs, (b) the cost of relocating employees, (c) the cost of terminating existing contracts and of redundancies, (d) the expected annual operating costs, including those of accommodation, compared with present costs and (e) the costs and return from the sale, conversion or other use of the existing premises, and his present estimate of value of the overall benefit of his proposal.

The estimated costs and savings of the Government's dispersal programme as a whole—including accommodation costs—was announced by my right hon. Friend, the Lord Privy Seal on 29th July. Separate figures for distinct elements in the programme cannot be given at this stage, and it would be prejudicial to PSA's normal contract negotiations to publish individual estimates of building costs or surrender values.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how he proposes to keep the House informed of progress on the contract signed with the Chrysler Corporation and Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd.; and in particular if he will place in the Library the monthly reports which his Department receives from Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd. covering 11 significant indications of performance.

The monthly monitoring reports received by my Department are commercially confidential and it would therefore not be right for me to place copies in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will keep the House informed of the progress of Chrysler United Kingdom from time to time as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much has been paid to Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited, in total, by his Department up to 15th November 1977, following the 5th January 1976 agreement between the Government and Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited.

£41·5 million in respect of 1976 losses; £23·0 million of the guaranteed loan.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the members of the Methodology of Industrial Sector Energy Requirements (MISER); and when it last met.

I have been asked to reply. Current membership of MISER is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he has investigated the pricing arrangements for cartridge type non-renewable fuses for use in domestic locations; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no current plans to direct the Price Commission to examine the prices of these products but will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind. Complaints about price increases made by individual firms should be directed to the Price Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what powers already exist for children's panels to compel parents to pay for damage caused by their children; and how much has been paid under such compulsory powers, as opposed to voluntary restitution, in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Children's hearings have no powers to compel parents to pay for damage caused by their children, but in some cases hearings may suggest in the course of discussion with parents that some voluntary reparation might be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current number of persons registered as unemployed; what is the total cost of providing for them and their families by unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit; and what proportions of the total cost of such provision are met from the social security scheme and from general government revenue respectively.

On 13th October 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,457,000 persons were registered as unemployed. The estimated cost of benefits payable because of unemployment in 1977–78 is £1,382 million. This total includes £677 million for unemployment benefit payable from the National Insurance Fund and £705 million for supplementary benefit payable from the Consolidated Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider the establishment of a special statutory committee for district nurses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Smith) on 11th November.—[Vol. 938 c. 282.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present proposals for the commencement of building and the completion of phase II of the Halton General Hospital.

The Mersey Regional Health Authority plans to commence building in July 1980, with completion in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the total number of married women who would be in receipt of the non-contributory invalidity pension from November 1977 if it were disregarded for supplementary benefit purposes.

I regret that I have insufficient information to make an estimate. One aim of the non-contributory invalidity pension (NCIP) is to reduce reliance on means-tested benefits such as supplementary benefit. For people not in employment, this can be done by providing a benefit that does not depend on a means test but which is fully taken into account in assessing eligibility for means-tested benefits. I hope that all married women who are entitled to NCIP will claim it if they have not already done so. The fact that it cannot be disregarded for supplementary benefit purposes should not affect the numbers of beneficiaries of this new benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of extending the non-contributory invalidity pension for housewives to women between 60 and 65 years of age whose husbands have not yet retired, and how many women he estimates this provision might affect.

This information could be produced only at disproportionate cost. I should add that the main social security provision for people over pensionable age—60 for women, 65 for men—is retirement pension. Elderly people who became incapable of work before pensionable age and who have a non-existent or poor contribution record may continue to receive non-contributory invalidity pension beyond pension age. We have no plans to change this position.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he remains satisfied with the availability of family planning training to general practioners; and if he will make a statement.

Responsibility for the postgraduate education of general practitioners, including training in family planning, lies with the postgraduate medical deans of universities who are provided with funds for the purpose. The deans' attention has been drawn recently to the need for adequate provision of family planning training, and general practitioners continue to attend training courses, some of which are organised in association with health authorities who have overall responsibility for provision of family planning services.I have no reason to believe that the resources available for such training are inadequate to meet the demands of general practitioners who feel in need of training in family planning

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons were provided with free installation and rental of telephones in the last 12 months for which figures are available under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act in England and Wales.

Complete figures are not yet available for the year ending 31st March 1977, but it is estimated that about 12,300 households received assistance with the installation of telephones that about 1,300 received assistance with the installation of attachments for telephones already installed and that about 78,800 received assistance with telephone rentals. This last number excludes households where the telephone and/or attachments were installed during the year in question and where the whole or part of the installation costs were met by the local authority. The proportion of cases in which the whole cost was met is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total net weekly spending power of a single mother with two children aged 6 and 4 years when she is in receipt of supplementary benefit and earns £6 a week; and what earnings from full-time employment she would need in order to leave her with at least the same spending power, assuming that her child-minding expenses would be £8 a week, and other work expenses would be £2 a week, assuming in each case rent of £5·60 and rates of £2·20.

£31·61 and £31·22 respectively on the basis of the ordinary supplementary benefit scale rates effective from 14th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in the Official Report a list of the types and scale of financial assistance available to registered disabled persons over pensionable age.

The list below shows the main sorts of financial assistance that may be of help to people over pensionable age:

• Retirement pension^* £17·50.
• Invalidity Benefit^* £17·50.
• Sickness Benefit^* £17·50.
• Non-Contributory invalidity pension^* £10·50.
• Supplementary benefit^* †£17:90.
• Rate rebate††
• Rent rebate††
• Rent Allowance††
• ^*Basic weekly rate for a single person. Additions may be payable for dependants.
• †An addition for housing costs, and additions for exceptional circumstances may also be payable.
• ††The needs allowance used in the calculations is £2·60 a week higher for a registered disabled person than for other people.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the headings of all new help for disabled people, including decisions and actions, taken by all Government Departments since the appointment of the first Minister for the Disabled in March 1974.

The following is a list of the major decisions and actions taken by the present Government since March 1974 to improve the welfare and status of disabled people. I have arranged for copies of the list, together with detailed notes on some of the individual items, to be placed in the Library. The list shows that, despite the economic difficulties we have faced, the Government have accorded high priority to helping disabled people. There is still much to do, and all Government Departments concerned have consideration of further help under constant review.Invalid care allowance (ICA) for men and single women who look after severely disabled relatives.Non-contributory invalidity pension (NCIP) for men and single women.Extension of non-contributory invalidity pension to married women incapable of normal household work (HNCIP) (from November 1977).Mobility allowances for an estimated 100,000 new beneficiaries, including severly disabled children. Third increase in the amount of mobility allowance in next financial year.Benefit upratings will have added from November 1977 £2 billion extra to benefits received by chronically sick and disabled people.Legislation enacted for earnings-related invalidity pension, an easing of the age conditions for invalidity allowance and "home responsibility protection" for a person who has to stay at home to look after a relative needing care.New child benefit scheme—extra help for disabled children.Zero rating of VAT on aids and appliances for the disabled and also on medical equipment for donation to a hospital for the purpose of treatment or research.First-ever personal allowances for long-stay patients in mental hospitals.£7·3 million paid to Rowntree Trust Family Fund for disabled children.Extension of terms of reference of Rowntree Trust Family Fund to include all severely disabled children.Introduction of new behind-the-ear hearing aid for an estimated one million hearing-impaired people.Special hearing aids for children and young people.Extension of war pensioners' visiting scheme.Coal industry pneumoconiosis compensation scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why people are allowed to register first their national insurance number and obtain it before questions are asked as to birth and marriage certificates and similar matters.

Our local officers ask applicants for national insurance numbers to produce evidence of identity before a number is issued. According to the circumstances, this evidence may take the form of a passport or of a birth or marriage certificate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to bring to the notice of the public the risks to health in ear piercing which is performed inexpertly or in unhygienic conditions.

I am aware that ear piercing for the wearing of ear ornaments by unhygienic methods is causing some concern, particularly when it is children whose ears are pierced. I am therefore asking the Health Education Council what help it might give in drawing the risks to the attention of the public and I welcome this opportunity to urge upon all those who seek to have their own or their children's ear pierced to have this done by persons able to provide a pain-free and hygienic service, such as a general practitioner willing to do it privately or reputable jewellers who have traditionally provided this service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the powers of the Medicines Commission laid down in the Medicines Act 1968 to promote closer liaison between the Commission and the relevant professional representatives; and if he will make a statement.

The Medicines Commission is so constituted that its members have wide and recent experience of acti- vities relevant to the Medicines Act; and the Act does not preclude close contact with representatives of relevant professions. I am confident that the Commission exercises its powers satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received from members of the public about the proposed closure of St. Nicholas Hospital, Plum-stead; and if he will list the firms and organisations which have made similar representations.

The following representations have been received:From members of the public: 259 letters and three petitions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those health districts in England and Wales which are likely to have (a) more acute hospital beds and (b) fewer acute hospital beds as a result of current rationalisation proposals and plans to redistribute resources.

In any district, and between districts, proposals for rationalisation and distribution of resources are matters currently being considered in detail by area and regional health authorities and I am not able to forecast the likely outcome either for particular districts or overall. Nationally, bed numbers for the acute specialties have fallen from 144,100 in 1972 to 138,100 in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish, on the same basis as his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 18th November 1976, Official Report, column 738–9, the total amount of bad debts incurred by pay bed patients which were recovered by each regional health authority in 1976–77 following instigation of legal action.

The accounts submitted to my Department by health authorities do not separately identify pay beds income recovered as a result of legal action, but I have asked regional health authorities to let me have details, which I will publish in the Official Report as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of places in community homes designated as secure in each of the regional planning committee areas as at 9th November 1977, indicating in each case how many of these places are available for boys and how many for girls.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 10th February.—[Vol. 925, c. 841–2.] The position is unchanged since then. Within the next few months, however, a further 36 places for boys, and 32 places for girls, will come into use at Aycliffe (Region 1), Southwood (Region 8), and Middlesex Lodge (Region 8).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the cost of preparing, printing and distributing the leaflet "Safety in the Home";(2) what was the cost of preparing, printing and distributing the leaflet "Keeping Fit in Retirement";(3) how many copies of each of the leaflets "Safety in the Home" and "Keeping Fit in Retirement" have been distributed.

The leaflet "Safety in the Home" is produced by the Health Education Council, which says that since June 1976 700,000 copies have been produced and printed at a cost of £16,850. 450,000 have been distributed in response to requests from health and local authorities. It is not possible to identify separately the cost of distribution. The leaflet "Keeping Fit in Retirement" is issued by the National Dairy Council and I have no information about its preparation, printing or distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish a table showing rates of

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report the accident statistics for invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission and adapted four-wheeled cars, respectively, in England, for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively;(2) if he will list in the

Following is the information:wheeled cars respectively, in England, for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively;(4) if he will list in the

For the information requested for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 28th March 1977. —[Vol. 929, c. 46–50.]Information relating to injury accidents involving invalid three-wheelers is now separately identified in the digest of statistics "Road accidents Great Britain" published annually by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The separate extraction of information from my Department's accident reports which would involve considerable work, has been discontinued. Individual accident reports continue to be carefully scrutinised, and my Department's arrangements for pursuing any evidence of recurring mechanical faults or defects remain unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total expenditure allocated to the capital cost, adaptation, insurance, servicing, attendance at breakdowns, repairs, reconditioning, garaging, making good accident damage, petrol allowance, maintenance allowance, carriage, driving tuition and maintenance of reserve vehicles, respectively, in relation to the supply by his Department of invalid tricycles and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, as at 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977 respectively;(2) what were the total amounts less capital cost, spent on invalid tricycle repairs, maintenance, garaging, tax, insurance, driving tuition, maintaining reserve vehicles and petrol allowances, under each respective heading as recorded by his Department as at 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972. 1973, 1974. 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively;(3) what were the total amounts, less capital cost, spent on the adaptation of four-wheeled vehicles, insurance, tax, driving tuition and maintenance allowances, under each respective heading as recorded by his Department as at 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively.

For the available information for the years ended 31st March 1970–1976, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 30th June 1976.—[Vol. 914, c. 216–18.] The figures for the year ended 31st March 1977 were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total numbers of invalid tricycles and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, which were purchased by his Department in the years ended 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively.

Approximate numbers of new vehicles delivered, whether to new beneficiaries or as replacement vehicles to existing beneficiaries, in England, where as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list what future contracts have been placed, either by his Department or by AC Cars, respectively, for the purchase of engines from Steyr-Daimler-Puch Limited in Austria, rear suspension assembly parts from Applicazioni Industriali Fiat Om of Italy and automatic transmission parts from Salisbury Industries of the United States of America, respectively.

It is not the normal practice to publish details of the Department's contractual arrangements. I take this opportunity to renew the absolute assurance that it is the intention that the necessary supplies of replacement parts will continue to be secured to maintain the existing three-wheeler fleet into the early 1980s. So far, no insuperable problems have been encountered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis of the causes of death of the 129 children who died while in the care of local authorities in England durng 1975–76, together with a comparative analysis of the causes of death among the child population of the same age group during that year and the figures showing the death rate per thousand for each group.

Statistics of the causes of death of children in the care of local authorities are not collected centrally, there being no statutory requirement for local authorities to provide this information. The death rate of children in care during the year ending 31st March 1976 was 1·4 per thousand and the death rate of all children under age 18 in England was 1·1 per thousand. These rates are not directly comparable because the age structure and background of children in care differ from those of children under 18 in the community.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what new procedures for recording instances of brain damage following vaccination have been instituted since his statement of 14th June that compensation would be paid following the report of the Pearson Commission; and if he will make a further statement.

None. This is, however, only one aspect of a very complicated matter on which we shall only be able to reach conclusions after we have considered the report of the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimate of the number of 15-year-old children in the United Kingdom who are tuberculin-positive.

No reliable estimates are available of the number of 15-year-old tuberculin-positive children.However, in 1975, the latest year for which figures are available, 649,708 people in England and Wales were tested under the schoolchildren's and students' scheme, of whom the vast majority were in the 11 to 13-year-old group. 50,437 were found to be positive, and 554,912 were vaccinated, which will have led to their becoming positive also.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his Department's policy towards rubella vaccination of infants;(2) what action he is taking to increase the take-up of rubella vaccination by girls in independent schools; and if he will make a statement.

Vaccination against rubella was introduced in 1970 on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and is offered to all girls between their eleventh and fourteenth birthdays and to women of child-bearing age who have been shown to be sero-negative by a preliminary blood test. The joint committee does not consider that rubella vaccination of infants is advisable because there is some doubt as to whether the antibody response will still be effective when the girls reach the age for child-bearing.Independent schools are not covered by the school health service and are free to decide whether they wish to accept advice issued by my Department. Information is not available on the rubella vaccination programmes adopted by these schools but the normal NHS facilities are, of course, available to their pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what restrictions are imposed upon the National Development Team for the Mentally Handicapped; if its members are subject to the Official Secrets Acts; and if he will make a statement.

The Development Team for the Mentally Handicapped is available on request to advise health and local authorities in England about their services for the mentally handicapped. Its reports, and any action consequent on them, are for the authorities which seek the team's help, though the team keeps my Department informed of significant matters which arise. Within this frame of reference the team operates independently of, though assisted by, my Department, and I do not impose any restrictions on it. All members of the team, including those recruited for specific tasks, are reminded that they are subject to the Official Secrets Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many recipients of British pensions resident in Canada do not receive increases in their pensions.

About 22,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the estimated additional cost to Great Britain of a reciprocal agreement with Canada relating to pension increases; and what offsetting financial benefit would accrue to Great Britain.

The additional cost would be about £9 million a year if all British pensions paid in Canada were brought up to the rates payable from November 1977 to pensioners in the United Kingdom. The amount of any financial benefit accruing to Great Britain would depend on the precise terms of any agreement but is likely to be much less than the cost of paying British pensions in Canada at full United Kingdom rates, as the number of such pensions would greatly exceed the number of Canadian pensions payable in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the interests of effective protection in the United Kingdom, his Department is monitoring the effect of the current immunisation campaign in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

The Chief Medical Officer wrote to doctors on 28th October 1977 conveying the most recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the use of influenza vaccine, which I assume my hon. Friend has in mind. In formulating its advice, the joint committee took into consideration the recent experience in the United States of America of its influenza vaccination campaign.I am placing a copy of the letter from the Chief Medical Officer in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in connection with policy on assistance to the disabled, what information he has regarding the first year of operation of the General Working Incapacity Act (AAW) in the Netherlands.

None. So far as I am aware, the Netherlands authorities have not yet published a report on the operation of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date the Child Benefit Unit received a claim for child benefit from Mrs. L. M. MacCutchan, 19 Prince Park, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire; when a payment was made; and when it is now proposed to issue a payments book.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as my inquiries are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average useful life of the frames of National Health Service children's spectacles; and whether he is satisfied with their design and durability.

Information indicating the average life of NHS children's frames is not available. Children's growth rates, and the ways different children handle their glasses, make it impossible even to speculate on the average useful life of a child's frame. However, all NHS frames are manufactured to British Standards and we are satisfied that the form and durability of children's frames is reasonably adequate for their purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken for the Child Benefit Branch to process claims for child benefit; how many claims have so far been received; how many claims are still outstanding; and whether he is satisfied with the efficiency of the Child Benefit Branch.

The information is not all readily available, but I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

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 practitioner 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.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th November 1977; Vol. 938, c. 49], gave the following information:I regret that information about payments to general practitioners is not available in the form requested, and I have no information on which to estimate the annual amount paid on average by general practitioners to deputising services. The amount paid by family practitioner committees to practitioners in 1976–77 for out-of-hours responsibilities was about £30·7 million, an average of about £1,280 per year per practitioner. I am writing to my hon. Friend about the general position.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many times the Committee of Ministers on energy conservation met in 1977; when the next meeting is arranged; and which departmental Ministers are eligible to attend.

The Committee of Ministers on Energy Conservation has met five times in 1977. The next meeting will be in December, and Ministers representing the following Departments are members of the Committee: Home Office; Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Department of Education and Science; Department of Industry; Northern Ireland Office; Department of the Environment; Scottish Office; Welsh Office; Ministry of Defence; Department of Employment; Department of Health and Social Security; Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Department of Prices and Consumer Protection; Department of Transport.Other Departments are kept in touch with the Committee's work and their Ministers may attend if they wish. The Chairman of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation is also able to attend. The Committee meets under my chairmanship.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if the local constabulary is informed when plutonium is transported through areas for which it is responsible; and what advance notice is given;(2) what facilities exist for co-operation between the Atomic Energy Authority special constables and the local police (

The Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary works in close consultation with the police forces of the areas concerned, both in relation to the movement of plutonium and the protection of nuclear sites for which that Constabulary is responsible, but it would not be in the public interest to give details of the arrangements. The AEA Constabulary is not, however, responsible for nuclear power stations owned by the generating boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving the number of persons in his Department who were, on 1st November 1977, in receipt of salaries of £135 or more per week; how long they have received such salaries; and what were their designations or gradings.

The number of employees in this Department who were, on 1st November 1977, receiving salaries of £135 or more per week was 239. Of this number, 137 were administrative grades and the remainder were in the scientific, professional and technology grades. Information on the length of time they have received such salaries cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now give, at November 1977 prices, the latest equivalent to the figure of £400 million at March 1976 prices given in "Coal for the Future" of the possible annual expenditure to achieve coal production of 170 million tons by the end of the century, which had risen to £470 million at March 1977 prices at 24th June 1977.

The equivalent figure at November 1977 price levels is £510 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now give, at November 1977 prices, a revised estimate of the cost of "Plan for Coal", which was originally £1,400 million at March 1974 prices, £2,440 million at March 1976 prices, but was subsequently revised to £3,150 million on the basis of changed assumptions, and £3,710 million at March 1977 prices; and whether he will break the latest figure down into major projects and other expenditure.

The equivalent total figure at November 1977 prices is £4,040 million. The breakdown between major projects and other expenditure is:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the difference between the statistics given in his answer to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) Official Report, 9th November, column 103, which indicate an increase in productivity amongst persons employed in coal mining and those given in his answer to the hon. Member, Official Report, 9th November, column 104, which indicate a fall in National Coal Board employees productivity over the same period.