asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total strength of the Nottinghamshire Constabulary; and how much this is below approved establishment.

2,053 at 31st December 1977; 91.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Dpartment how many cases heard London magistrates' courts in a past recorded period have resulted in the suspension or loss of a taxi driver's hackney carriage licence under the provisions of Section 25(30) of the Act of 1843.

There have been three such cases during the past two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to seek to amend the section of the Act of 1843 which enables magistrates to suspend hackney carriage licences, although not driving licences.

The only section of the London Hackney Carriages Act 1843 which empowers magistrates to suspend licences is Section 25, which now refers only to hackney carriage drivers' licences. We have at present no proposals for amending this section.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for the production of pornographic materials involving children there were in each year since 1965 to date; and what was the average fine or sentence for each conviction.

From the information collected centrally, statistics of proceedings relating to pornographic material involving children cannot be separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the commission of inquiry into London taxi charges will commence its work.

I have been asked to reply.The conduct of the examination, initiated by the direction of my right hon. Friend on 12th December, is a matter for the Price Commission. I understand that it intends to contact the trade and other interested parties in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what statutory authority the police or immigration officers have power to arrest people whom they suspect entered the country illegally but have been here for several years.

Section 24(2) of the Immigration Act 1971 provides that a constable or an immigration officer may arrest anyone who has or whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to have entered without leave in contravention of Section 24(1)(a) of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what level of official within his Department authority is given to detain a suspected illegal entrant.

Authority to give directions for the detention of a person as an illegal entrant is vested by law in immigration officers—paragraph 16(2) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971. This power is normally exercised only with the prior agreement of a chief immigration officer; in the few cases where circumstances make this impracticable, confirmation of directions given must be obtained from a chief immigration officer as soon as possible thereafter. Where there is doubt about a person's status or there are strong compassionate considerations, authority for detention must be obtained from Immigration Service Headquarters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any independent review of the evidence against an alleged illegal entrant is available.

Section 16 of the Immigration Act 1971 provides that where directions are given under the Act for a person's removal on the ground that he is an illegal entrant, he may appeal to an adjudicator against those directions on the ground that in the facts of his case there was in law no power to give them on the ground on which they were given. Such an appeal may not be made while the person is in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the saving to public funds as a result of the non-payment of wages to firemen during the recent strike; and what is his estimate of the sum to be paid by his Department to the Ministry of Defence for the fire-fighting service provided by the Armed Forces.

The reduction in local authority expenditure, arising from the non-payment of wages to firemen during the recent strike, will not be known until the outturn of fire authorities' expenditure for the year ending 31st March 1978 is received later in the year. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence explained on 24th January in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Madden)—[Vol. 942, c. 1153–5]—it would be premature at this stage to try to give an estimate of the total extra cost incurred by the Ministry of Defence in providing assistance to fire authorities during the strike.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to remove the provision in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland Superannuation Scheme 1975 which prevents the war service of employees of Scottish agricultural research institutes and colleges who worked in Scottish universities until after 30th June 1950 and were previously insured under the Federated Superannuation Scheme for Scottish Universities from being taken into account in superannuation claims.

No. Members of the Federated Superannuation Scheme for Universities, including any who worked in Scottish universities until after 30th June 1950, who became employed in a Scottish agricultural institute or college after that date were given credit for their war service on joining the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland 1975 Superannuation Scheme provided they had superannuable cover for that service. Those without such cover were not entitled to such credit.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive part II of the report of the inquiry into the proposals to trunk/detrunk roads A94–92; when he expects to announce his decision; and if he will make a statement.

Part II of the report was received on 12th January and my right hon. Friend will announce the decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding his proposals for additional powers for local authorities to control off-street parking; and if he will make a statement.

Some 30 organisations and individuals responded to the consultation paper which the Scottish Development Department issued on 5th September last year. The proposal for control of privately operated public car parks was welcomed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Other representations concern the proposals in respect of private non-residential parking. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport first told the House on 21st November—[Vol. 239, c. 1189]—powers to control private non-residential parking are not being sought at the present time. Provisions to enable regional and islands councils to control privately operated public car parks are contained in the Transport Bill currently before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his decision on the line of route for the Stonehaven bypass; and when he expects to publish draft orders for the bypass.

The publication of the draft orders for the Stonehaven bypass will follow the announcement of my right hon. Friend's decision on the public local inquiry into the trunking/detrunking of the A94/A92.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate in tabular form how much Government aid has been given towards the upkeep of pony studs in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales for each year, during the past five years.

No Government aid has been given towards the upkeep of private pony studs in Scotland during the last five years. Although it is not a matter for me, I understand that this is true also for England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to be in a position to inform the House of the compensatory assistance from the European Economic Commission asked for following the judgment of the Court of the Community ordering the cessation of the United Kingdom pigmeat subsidy, first introduced by him with effect from 31st January 1977; and if he will make a statement.

Details of Community measures were given in Press notices issued by my Department on 9th and 10th June and in a reply given to the hon. Member for Holland with Boston (Mr. Body) and others on 30th June 1977.—[Vol. 934, c. 523–6.] Copies of the Press notices are available in the Library of the House. My right hon. Friend made clear that these measures, which included the abolition of the accession compensatory amounts on our pigmeat imports and improvements in the scheme of aids for private storage, were helpful but were not enough, and he has continued his efforts to secure a fairer method of calculating the monetary compensatory amounts in this sector.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report in tabular form the total household expenditure on food expressed as a percentage of total consumer expenditure for the years 1900, 1920, 1940, 1960, 1976, and 1977.

The available information is as follows:Household expenditure on food as a percentage of total consumer expenditure at current market prices was:

1960	24·9
1976	19·1
1977	19·3

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Ministers (Fisheries) meeting in Brussels on 30th January.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes have been made in the composition of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee subsequent to those announced on 10th March 1976 in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Crewe (Mrs. Dunwoody).

I am glad to inform the House that Mr. J. A. Inverarity, a poultry farmer in Tayside, and Mr. D. G. Llewellyn, BVSc, MRCVS, a veterinary surgeon in practice in South Wales, have accepted our invitation to join the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee. They replace Mr. W. A. Biggar, who has retired from the committee for personal reasons, and Dr. M. H. Draper, who is relinquishing his membership following appointment to a post in the Department of Health and Social Security. I would like to acknowledge with thanks the valuable service the retiring members have given to the committee since its establishment in 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in view of recent explosions in the United States of America, he is satisfied with the safety of grain silos in the United Kingdom.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that he is satisfied that industry is well aware of the risks of explosion in grain silos and of the precautions necessary to eliminate or minimise those risks.Grain silos are subject to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, which places obligations on employers to ensure the safety of work-people and members of the public who may be affected by the work activity. The Act also imposes obligations on those who design, manufacture, import or supply plant for use in connection with work activities and on erectors and installers to ensure that it is safe when property used.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures showing the numbers of people under the age of 18 years currently registered as unemployed in Birmingham as a whole, and for each employment office area, respectively; and what were the numbers at the same time last year.

Information is given in the following table:

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE
Employment office area	January 1977	January 1978
Aston	400	567
Birmingham	569	544
Erdington	—*	64
Handsworth	367	379
Selly Oak	580	483
Small Heath	630	513
Sparkhill	133	192
Sutton Coldfield	89	148
Washwood Heath	448	447
Birmingham City (Total).	3,216	3,337
* Figures included with Aston.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers at the most recent school-leaving date in Birmingham registered as unemployed; and what was the corresponding figure at the same time last year.

The last school leaving date in Birmingham was 22nd July 1977. The unemployment statistics for that month were collected on 14th July, when there were 7,330 school leavers registered as unemployed. This compares with 6,839 registered as unemployed in July 1976. By August 1977 the number of school leavers unemployed had fallen to 7,009 and by January 1978, the most recent date for which statistics are available, to 1,450. This compares with 1,166 school leavers registered as unemployed in January 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are presently undertaking courses at Government training centres in the Birmingham area; how many are waiting to be admitted to such courses; and what were the corresponding numbers at the Same time last year.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 17th January 1978 there were 502 people undergoing TOPS training in skillcentres in the Birmingham area and 166 awaiting admission to such courses. On 21st January last year there were 416 people in training and 445 awaiting admission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been created in the county of Kent under the job creation scheme since 3rd June 1977; who are the sponsors; how many jobs are involved in each project; and what is the sum made available for each project.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that since 3rd June 1977 191 jobs have been created in Kent under the job creation programme. The sponsors are as follows:

Sponsor	Number of jobs	MSC grant
		£
Ashford Borough Council	12	15,678
Ashford Borough Council	6	8,733
Kent County Council	5	4,521
Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit	12	16,846
Dover District Council	11	15,361
Gillingham Borough Council	12	14,825
Gillingham Borough Council	12	14,825
St. John Ambulance, Gravesend and District Division	14	24,973
Gravesham Borough Council	5	5,031
Medway District Scout Council	40	49,658
Kent County Council	3	2,798
Medway Borough Council	30	36,142
Kent Area Health Authority	9	22,731
Shepway District Council	7	9,004
Sheerness Steel Co.	10	5,812
Bowles Outdoor Pursuits Centre	3	2,040

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will direct the Health and Safety Executive to undertake a detailed inquiry into the safety of frozen methane gas storage both below and above ground at the British Gas Corporation's methane terminal on Canvey Island;(2) what detailed research has been undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive into the problems of frozen methane gas storage at Canvey Island; what estimate the Executive has made of the implications of such problems for the adjoining residential area; and why the report on the totality of risk posed by this and other high fire hazard installations on Canvey Island commissioned by him nearly two years ago continues to be delayed.

I understand from the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the British Gas Corporation methane terminal on Canvey Island is one of the installations currently under investigation for the purpose of the report on the totality of risk in the area, and there is no reason, therefore, for a separate inquiry by the Health and Safety Executive. The need for further research will be considered when the report is available The investigation will include an assessment of the risks to the adjoining residential areas.As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member's Question of 16th December 1977—[Vol. 941, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he will list, in 1965, 1970, 1973, 1976 and the latest available date, within the nuclear power industry, the figure of accidents for fatal, serious, and non-serious accidents as a percentage of the number of individuals employed and the comparison of these accident rates with workers in the coal industry and with agricultural workers;(2) whether he will list in each of the last 15 years within the nuclear power industry the number of (

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will move to set up a Select Committee to examine the wages, conditions and terms of employment of homeworkers and to recommend changes in legislation which will help them to achieve the same rights as those of workers in industry.

I have nothing to add to the replies I gave my hon. Friend on 25th January.—[Vol. 942, c. 631, 626.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken to provide facilities for the treatment of multiple drug abusers by health authorities, following the recommendations of the DHSS Working Party on the Misuse of Drugs, Treatment and Rehabilitation Facilities Interim Report in September 1977.

The Interim Report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Treatment and Rehabilitation Working Group was sent to health and social services authorities and professional and voluntary organisations. Their comments were invited on the report by 31st January 1978, to allow them to be studied in the light of continuing consideration of priorities for health and social services. Meanwhile, where the recommendations carry resource implications, authorities can do no more than take them into account in determining their priorities within the limitations of available finance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the value of industrial injury benefits as a percentage of net average earnings for each year since 1946;(2) if he will update the table on industrial injury benefits given to the hon. Member for Walsall, South,

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to the State of supporting the wives and families of men in prison.

The annual cost at December 1976 of supplementary benefit paid to prisoners' wives with children was £7 million. A separate figure for wives without children is not available since claims by lone women without dependants are not separately analysed. As regards other benefits, such as family income supplement and child benefit, no information is available, since the fact that the husband is in prison is not required for administrative purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now reverse the threatened staffing reductions at the Department of Health and Social Security offices in all parts of the United Kingdom.

No. The reductions are in consequence of a number of economy measures which my right hon. Friend announced recently as part of the requirement on the Department to reduce annual public expenditure by £14·4 million. In

Health District						Urgent Cases	Non-urgent Cases
Worksop and Retford*	…	…	…	…	…	Within one week	13 weeks
Central Nottinghamshire†	…	…	…	…	…	1–2 weeks	7–27 weeks
North Nottingham*	…	…	…	…	…	2–5 weeks	11–130 weeks‡
South Nottingham*	…	…	…	…	…	1–2 weeks	24–30 weeks
* At 27th January 1978.
† At 31st December 1977.
‡ Newly appointed consultant.

Waiting times shown for non-urgent cases vary widely because patients are seen by different consultants at different locations. In addition, some consultants see non-urgent cases on the bases of clinical assessment rather than waiting time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision there is in Nottinghamshire of special hospital units for elderly people injured in falls; and whether there are any plans to increase that provision.

There is a unit of eight geriatric/orthopaedic beds at Basford Hospital, Nottingham, and a rehabilitation ward of 18 beds at Kilton Hospital which receives elderly patients on transfer from orthopaedic wards at Victoria Hospital, Worksop. Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) also plans to set up a unit of 18 beds at the General Hospital, Nottingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to give authority for a start to the building of the new hospital in Bridlington.

I wrote to the right hon. Member about this matter on 17th January. Subject to my right hon. Friend's

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the waiting times for orthopaedic consultations in each health district in Nottinghamshire for urgent and non-urgent cases, respectively.

The information is as follows:approval, it is for the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority to determine, within its agreed resources, when a start can be made on a particular capital development such as the new hospital at Bridlington.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the estimated cost of making child benefits payable to the parents of children resident overseas.

The cost of making child benefit payable to parents of children resident overseas not already attracting child benefit cannot be estimated with any degree of accuracy as statistics of the number of such children are not kept. However, at the rate of £2·30 payable from April 1978, a sum of the order of £50 million would probably be involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many severely disabled people have been granted attendance allowance; how many long-term sick people have been granted invalidity pension; and what is the estimate of the cost, respectively.

The average number of persons receiving benefit at any one time in 1977–78 is 280,000 for attendance allowance and 680,000 for invalidity benefit, including 135,000 receiving non-contributory invalidity pension for men and single women. The estimated costs for the year are £168 million and £725 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to encourage fluoridation.

As announced in the consultative document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England", I have earmarked £0·5 million a year to help area health authorities with the capital costs of fluoridation. This was intended both to encourage authorities to decide on fluoridation—as 85 out of 90 area health authorities have now done—and to give a practical expression of the Government's support for this valuable means of preventing dental decay in the community. I am sending the right hon. Gentleman a copy of a circular which informed health authorities of these arrangements, encouraged them to decide on fluoridation as part of their responsibilities for preventive health and summarised the authoritative report of the Royal College of Physicians which endorsed the safety and efficacy of the measure.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment has encouraged water authorities to comply with requests from health authorities to implement their decisions on fluoridation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the reasons given by area health authorities for rejecting fluoridation.

The five area health authorities in England, out of a total of 90, which have at present rejected fluoridation were not obliged to give a reason for their decision. In each case the issue was decided by a vote which represented the individual views of a majority of members at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled people have received the personal car allowance in each of the last four years.

The number of private car allowances in payment in England at 31st December in each year was as follows:

1974	18,647
1975	23,680
1976	19,891
1977	18,208

The reduction in numbers in 1976 and 1977 was largely due to the introduction of mobility allowance on 1st January 1976. Apart from cases in the pipeline at that time, private car allowances have not been awarded to National Health Service applicants since then, and, as mobility allowance is phased in, holders of private car allowances granted before 1976 are being enabled to apply for mobility allowance instead of private car allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give figures showing the incidence of cancer of the pancreas; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of new registrations of patients with cancer of the pancreas in England and Wales are as follows:

	Males	Females	Persons
1962	1,670	1,400	3,070
1963	1,904	1,579	3,483
1964	2,039	1,661	3,700
1965	2,109	1,737	3,846
1966	2,087	1,756	3,843
1967	2,046	1,877	3,923
1968	2,336	1,845	4,181
1969	2,277	1,972	4,249
1970	2,412	2,002	4,414

Information for years after 1970 is not yet complete.Several risk factors have been associated with pancreatic cancer. An association with cigarette smoking, at 10–15 per day, has been established and it has been shown that the median age for carcinoma of the pancreas is 10–15 years earlier in smokers than in non-smokers. The incidence of pancreatic cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus appears to be twice that in the general population. Diet may also be a contributory factor. Reasons for the increased incidence may include improved diagnosis, more complete registration and an increased number of people in the age range most at risk.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what contact his Department has had with the North-West Electricity Board over helping blind people to distinguish meter readers calling at their homes from people whose purpose is theft; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend will be glad to learn that, following consultation I have had with the North-Western Electricity Board, all electricity boards in the country are now to participate in a scheme for helping blind people to identify the boards' meter readers. All blind people wishing to be included in the scheme will be helped to identify genuine meter readers through the use of a mutually agreed password, or similar arrangement, in each individual case. I warmly congratulate the North-Western Electricity Board on its initiative, and have asked for publicity to be given to what is now a national scheme in all journals available to blind people. I hope that everyone in contact with blind people will help by drawing this new safeguard to their attention as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had regarding the provision of day care facilities for the children of home-workers.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to raise the level of earnings-related supplements; and if he will make a statement.

The range of earnings on which earnings-related supplements are calculated is governed by the lower and upper earnings limits for contribution liability in the tax year relevant to the claim. From 1st January 1978 the maximum supplement payable rose from £12·18 to £15·42, based on reckonable weekly earnings of £95 or more in the 1976–77 tax year. My right hon. Friend has no proposals for further increases in the rate of supplement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why there are no recognised facilities in the Merseyside Regional Health Authority area for the hospital haemodialysis of patients awaiting kidney transplants from dead people; and what steps are being taken to provide those facilities.

Facilities for the treatment of acute renal failure are available at Sefton General Hospital. These may be used for dialysis of patients awaiting a kidney transplant, up to eight of whom may be treated at any one time. These facilities will be increased by the introduction of the self-care unit at Mossley Hill Hospital to which I refer in my reply to my hon. Friend's other Question on this subject today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients in Merseyside per million are on hospital dialysis; how these compare with the national average; and what steps are being taken to improve the facilities on Merseyside.

Six. National figures are not collected on a directly comparable basis, but 42 patients per million population in the Mersey Region receive hospital or home dialysis compared with a national average of 47·5 per million.The Mersey Regional Health Authority is providing five additional dialysis machines each year for patients awaiting transplants. In addition to the facilities planned at Mossley Hill Hospital, a dialysis unit is to be provided in the new Royal Liverpool Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients are currently receiving treatment on renal dialysis machines in each of the area health authorities throughout England and Wales.

Services for chronic renal failure are highly specialised and need to be provided on a regional or sub-regional basis and, therefore, not all area health authorities have a dialysis unit. The number of patients maintained on haemo

Region			In hospital	At home	Total	Patients on Dialysis per million population
Northern	…	…	103	80	183	59
Yorkshire	…	…	61	73	134	37
Trent	…	…	63	204	267	59
East Anglia	…	…	36	35	71	40
North-West Thames	…	…	67	119	186	53
North-East Thames*	…	…	101	247	348	94
South-East Thames	…	…	88	175	263	73
South-West Thames†		…	13	30	43	15
Wessex	…	…	10	69	79	29
Oxford	…	…	11	104	115	52
South-Western	…	…	44	128	172	55
West Midlands	…	…	60	73	133	26
Mersey	…	…	22	84	106	42
North-Western	…	…	25	101	126	31
England	…	…	704	1,522	2,226	48
Wales	…	…	27	122	149	53
Total	…	…	731	1,644	2,375	48
* Including St. Paul's Post-Graduate Hospital.
† Many patients resident in the South-West Thames Region are treated in neighbouring regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are waiting to receive treatment on renal dialysis machines in each area health authority throughout England and Wales.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many renal dialysis machines are in use through the National Health Service in England and Wales at the present time.

There is no central record of the number of kidney machines in use, but the total number of patients in England and Wales receiving treatment by haemodialysis on 30th June 1977 was 2,375.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the number of dialysis treatments was cut to 80 per month at Sefton General Hospital; and if he will now take steps to restore the facility to at least its previous level.

The number of treatments has not been reduced but is being held by the Liverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching) at the level of 80 per month which had been reached in March 1977. This is one of a number of measures taken by the authority to contain expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much the frequency of treatment per patient per week has been reduced at Sefton General Hospital as a result of the cut to 80 per month in the number of dialysis treatments given; if he is satisfied that this is in the best interests of the patients; and if any patient has suffered as a result of the cuts.

The frequency of treatment for some patients has been reduced from three times to twice weekly, but with each session being of longer duration than previously. I am advised that this is not an uncommon practice. A few of the patients at Sefton General Hospital have shown adverse effects, and in these cases the previous frequency of treatment has been restored.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the self-care dialysis facility at Sefton General Hospital is to come into operation.

The Mersey Regional Health Authority has agreed in principle to establish such facilities in the region. The ultimate location has yet to be decided, but for the time being it is intended that the new unit should be sited at Mossley Hill Hospital. Accommodation there will become available when the existing unit for training patients in home care dialysis moves to Sefton General Hospital in March 1978.

askd the Secretary of State for Social Services how many employees would be involved and what would be the additional cost to public funds of retirement for men at the ages of 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64 years, respectively, in the latest

TABLE 1
Reduction to age
64	63	62	61	60
240,000	490,000	730,000	970,000	1,190,000

It is unlikely, however, that a reduction in men's pension age could be restricted to employees and the costs set out below are based on a reduction in pension age for all male contributors.The cost of such a reduction would depend on the extent to which men took advantage of it and retired earlier in order to qualify for a retirement pension.On the assumption that the pattern of retirement amongst men in the five years

TABLE 2
Cost in £ millions
Reduction to age
64	63	62	61	60
£500	£1,000	£1,500	£2,000	£2,500

The estimated annual cost of paying basic unemployment benefit to the num-

TABLE 3
Cost in £ millions
Number of employees
	240,000	490,000	730,000	970,000	1,190,000
Cost of Unemployment benefit	£270	£550	£830	£1,100	£1,350

But it is not considered that these sums can be compared with those in Table 2. The maximum period for which a person on the unemployment register may receive unemployment benefit in any one spell of unemployment is one year, and many people on the register are receiving supplementary benefit, either on its own or in addition to unemployment benefit. Moreover, it is considered likely that, if men's pension age were reduced, not all the vacancies created by men retiring earlier would be filled, and, of those that were filled, not all would be by people on the unemployment register.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th December 1977; Vol. 940, c. 516], gave the following information:If the pension age of men in the State scheme were reduced below 65, the additional number of employees (Class 1 contributors) who would be of pension age is estimated to be as follows:following the new lower pension ages would be the same as the present pattern amongst men aged 65 to 70, the estimated additional annual cost to public funds in respect of men retiring earlier is given in the following table. This takes account of the additional cost to the National Insurance Fund, the loss of income tax revenue, and the savings in supplementary benefit, at current contribution and benefit rates.bers of employes in Table 1 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with all aspects of the recent advertising campaign to promote part-substitute brands of cigarettes, in view of the possible effects of any smoking on health;(2) whether any types of part-substitute cigarettes are not required to carry the Government health warning on their packaging or advertisement.

As regards the Government's attitude generally to the marketing of cigarettes containing substitute material, I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 7th December 1977.—[Vol. 940, c. 748–50]. I am not aware of any breaches of the Code of Advertising Practice, which governs the form and content of cigarette advertisements, nor of the Labelling Code, which provides for the inclusion, without exception, of the Government health warning on all cigarette advertisements and packets, in respect of any brand of cigarette containing substitute material.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to tackle the growing problem of food poisoning; and if he will make a statement.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27th January 1978; Vol. 942, c. 822], gave the following information:I am glad to say that, while final figures are not yet available, the indications are that the number of food poisoning incidents in England notified for 1977 will be lower than that for 1976. Nevertheless, the Government attach great importance to all possible measures being taken to reduce the incidence of food poisoning.What is required is, in our view, not so much the adoption of fresh measures as the strengthening of efforts along existing lines; in particular, there is need to impress on all those engaged in handling food the importance of maintaining good hygiene and food safety. Within the limits of available resources officers of local authority environmental health departments give advice and guidance to this end in the course of their food inspection duties and as part of wider education measures. In addition, my Department publishes a variety of material stressing the importance of this subject and giving appropriate advice. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food also accepts the importance of taking steps to reduce the incidence of infection in live animals and feeding stuffs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the total number of persons at present visiting or passing through the United Kingdom, who are entitled to any form of diplomatic privilege on their own account or as members of families or staff of foreign diplomats and internatinal organisations; and what is his estimate of future entitlement to such privileges.

There is no formal procedure for the notification to the Secretary of State of persons visiting or passing through the United Kingdom who are entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities. It is accordingly not possible to give an estimate of the number of such persons who are present in the United Kingdom at a particular time, nor to estimate the number of people likely to be visiting the United Kingdom in the future and to whom privileges and immunities would be due.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the precise terms of reference of the Overseas Information Department of his Department in relation to journalists and broadcasters writing and broadcasting in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The terms of reference of Overseas Information Department are:

"The provision of guidance and background briefing on matters of general concern affecting the Government's policy".

Background papers are produced by the department for the use of our missions overseas, but copies are also sent to a broad range of people in the United Kingdom, including journalists and broadcasters who have expressed a special interest in having them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the OfficialReport the total annual cost of the Commonwealth Secretariat; what proportion 35 borne by the United Kingdom Government and its other members, respectively; which members are up to date in making their contributions; which members have failed to pay theirs; and how much is owing in each case.

The estimated total cost of the Commonwealth Secretariat for the year ending 30th June 1978 is £2,150,690.The contribution of the United Kingdom under the scale agreed between Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1965 is 30 per cent. of the net annual budget.Contributions payable by member Governments for the current year are as follows:

Country	Per cent.	£
Australia	10·30	221,418
Bahamas	0·75	16,123
Bangladesh	1·50	32,245
Barbados	0·75	16,123
Botswana	0·75	16,123
Canada	20·06	431,228
Cyprus	0·75	16,123
Fiji	0·75	16,123
The Gambia	0·75	16,123
Ghana	1·50	32,245
Grenada	0·75	16,123
Guyana	0·75	16,123
India	4·74	101,895
Jamaica	1·50	32,245
Kenya	1·50	32,245
Lesotho	0·75	16,123
Malawi	0·75	16,123
Malaysia	1·50	32,245
Malta	0·75	16,123
Mauritius	0·75	16,123
New Zealand	1·90	40,844
Nigeria	1·50	32,245
Papua New Guinea	1·50	32,245
Seychelles	0·75	16,123
Sierra Leone	1·50	32,245
Singapore	1·50	32,245
Sri Lanka	1·50	32,245
Swaziland	0·75	16,123
Tanzania	1·50	32,245
Tonga	0·75	16,123
Trinidad and Tobago	1·50	32,245
Uganda	1·50	32,245
United Kingdom	30·00	644,907
Western Samoa	0·75	16,123
Zambia	1·50	32,245
	100·00	2,149,690
Nauru—Special Contribution	—	1,000
	100·00	2,150,690

Information about actual payment of assessed annual contributions is held by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which deals directly with the Commonwealth Governments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the precise terms of reference of the Information Research Department of his Department in 1975 and 1976 in relation to journalists and broadcasters writing and broadcasting in the United Kingdom.

The terms of reference of Information Research Department in 1975–76 were:

"Responsibility for the compilation of information reports for Her Majesty's Missions abroad."

Background papers were produced by the department for the use of our missions overseas, but copies were also sent to a number of interested people in the United Kingdom, including some journalists and broadcasters.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when, and for what reason, the operation of the Information Research Department of his Department was terminated.

The operation of Information Research Department was terminated on 30th April 1977, as a result of a reorganisation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office information departments undertaken for both policy and economy reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the recruitment in the United Kingdom of mercenaries to fight overseas, indicating whether or not Her Majesty's Government are prepared to accept responsibility for the safety and welfare of any recruits in any exigencies;(2) if he will make a statement on the recruitment of mercenaries on behalf of the FNLA in the United Kingdom; and if he will take steps to end this, seeking if necessary the assistance of friendly Powers.

The Government have made it clear on numerous occasions that they condemn mercenary recruitment of this sort. They are doing all they can to discourage British nationals from engaging in such activities. They have under consideration the report of the Diplock Committee on the recruitment of mercenaries in the United Kingdom.Although the Government protect the legitimate interests of United Kingdom nationals overseas, their power to assist those engaging in military operations as mercenaries is severely limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to reply to the hon. Member for Ashfield's letter of 30th November 1977 about Mr. Charles Nuttall of 63 Silk Street, Sutton in Ash-field, Nottinghamshire, whose house was seriously damaged by a gas explosion on 3rd January 1977 and who has received no compensation whatsoever.

The hon. Member was sent a letter on 6th January 1978 apologising for the delay. A substantive reply was sent to the hon. Member on 25th January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South on 11th January 1978 that he was unable to say how many journeys had been made by civil servants of his Department to other parts of the EEC on business consequent on the United Kingdom's membership of the EEC, if he will now take steps to discover and publish this information in the Official Report, together with the cost of these journeys.

No. Records about journeys made by civil servants in my Department are kept in order to exercise control over such journeys. Information in the form requested could be extracted from the records only at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent he is collaborating with the EEC over new refinery construction and extensions in the United Kingdom; and whether, in reaching his decisions, he is giving proper weight to the representations made by existing refiners.

This topic has been discussed by the EEC Energy Council on several occasions and I have undertaken to consult both sides of the refining industry before giving my final view. My first tripartite meeting on this and other refinery problems was held on 24th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what security precautions are taken on the flights carrying plutonium from Carlisle to Wick; and what precautions have been taken against an air crash and against terrorist attacks, respectively.

It would not be in the public interest to give details of the security precautions taken. So far as air crashes are concerned, as indicated in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to another Question from my hon. Friend today, packages conveying plutonium are required by law to withstand without loss of integrity severe accident conditions such as would be experienced in the event of an air crash.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what improved terms and benefits he has achieved as a result of his renegotiating the terms of the agreement made with the oil companies operating in the North Sea by the previous Government.

As a result of negotiations with my Department and BNOC, 44 companies have now entered into agreements providing for majority state participation in fields being developed under first to fourth round licences. Through these agreements we have obtained access, usually through options for BNOC of up to 51 per cent. of production, to secure supplies of petroleum produced from the licensed areas. BNOC has also become a member, with an effective voice through a vote, of the relevant operating committees that manage the development and production of petroleum from the licensed areas. BNOC is thus fully involved in the running of virtually all the producing fields. This will lead to the further benefit of informed advice from BNOC to me on matters relating to development of our petroleum resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when the Government will announce their intentions following consideration of the recommendations on harnessing solar energy of the Select Committee on Science and Technology published in 1977.

The third Report from the Select Committee on Science and Technology, on the Development of Alternative Sources of Energy for the United Kingdom, published in September 1977,

Hinkley
	Dungeness 'B'	Point 'B'	Hartlepool	Heysham
Date of original estimate	31st March	31st March	31st October	30th November
	1965	1966	1968	1970
Originally expected date of completion of commissioning	1971	1973	1974	1976
Assumed commercial operation date of No. 1 reactor	Early 1980	Operating	Early 1981	Early 1981
Original estimate at prices at dates given above (£m.)	89	95	92	142
Cost overrun as a percentage of original estimate (excluding effects of inflation)	120	33	87	35

Nuclear power stations in Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will undertake an investigation into the extent of racialist activities at schools in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Informal inquiries made by my Department indicate that such activities are not at present widespread. Local education authorities and head teachers are well aware of the attempts that have been made in some areas to propagate extreme political views among secondary school pupils and can be relied on to respond appropriately to any such activities which might occur in their schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list the original overall price, if that is different, the original date of completion, the actual or estimated cost overrun and the actual or present estimated date of completion for all advanced gas-cooled reactor nuclear power stations.

I am advised by the Central Electricity Generating Board that the information on construction costs, excluding nuclear fuel, and commissioning dates for its four advanced gas-cooled reactor power stations is:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present position in respect of proposals for the future secondary school education of children who live at Womersley, in the Selby district of North Yorkshire.

The Secretary of State is considering proposals made by the North Yorkshire Education Authority under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944 for the reorganisation of secondary education in Selby. These could affect children living in Womersley, who at present transfer to secondary schools in Doncaster. I will write to the hon. Member once a decision has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether she will take action under Section 99 of the Education Act 1944 to prevent Nottinghamshire County Council from reducing the number of secondary school teachers in its employment by 69 in 1980–81 and 96 in 1981–82;(2) whether she will take action under Section 9 of the Education Act 1944 to prevent Nottinghamshire County Council from reducing the number of primary school teachers in its employment by 679 in the next four years.

The Secretary of State is able to take action under Section 99 only if she is satisfied that a local education authority has failed to discharge a duty imposed on it or for the purposes of the Act. The Act does not lay down specific criteria for staffing levels, although local education authorities are required to employ teachers suitable and sufficient in number to provide full-time education appropriate to the ages, abilities and aptitudes of their pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the route chosen for the Long Sutton bypass.

I hope that it will be possible to make an announcement in March.

asked the secretary of State for Transport whether lie is satisfied with the progress British Railways are making in improving productivity and manning.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied with the progress British Railways are making in improving productivity and manning.

On the whole, yes—although I prefer to be cautious about saying I am satisfied with anything

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when next he proposes to meet the Chairman of British Railways.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the Chairman of British Railways.

I refer my hon. Friend and hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Members for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. Crawford), Dunbartonshire, East (Mrs. Bain) and Reading, South (Mr. Durant).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next proposes to meet the Chairman of British Railways to discuss fares and the level of passenger subsidy to be paid in future years.

These are matters which come up from time to time in the course of my informal meetings with the Chairman.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which major trunk road schemes, with contracts as yet not let, he intends to re-examine in the light of the revised traffic forecasts for use in COBA.

All of them.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, following publication of the Government's recent White Paper on public expenditure, he will estimate the amount of money to be spent on motorways and trunk roads in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire up to 1982; and if he will make a statement.

About £13 million for Hertfordshire and £2 million for Bedfordshire, subject to any alterations to the programme arising from the current review. The Hertfordshire figure is particularly high because of the M25, which is top priority in the programme, and schemes in London and on the A1 and M1.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to meet representatives of railway commuters.

Hon. Gentlemen are the very effective representatives of those of their constituents who are railway commuters and, happily, we meet frequently.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway track have become disused by British Railways in each of the past 10 years; and how many such miles have, since becoming disused, been taken over by railway preservation societies.

Track mileage is not available, but the total route mileage that has become disused over the last 10 years is 2,058. Railway preservation societies have so far taken over about 130 miles of former BR route.Following is the information on route mileage:

1968	748
1969	405
1970	310
1971	161
1972	120
1973	118
1974	61
1975	38
1976	73
1977	24 (January-September)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railways in England have now been electrified.

From 6th February, when the greater northern outer suburban line becomes operational, there will be 2,084 electrified route miles on British Rail in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will be prepared to examine future electrification schemes submitted by British Railways using the COBA techniques he intends to apply to motorway schemes.

I have agreed to review with the Railways Board the general case for further main line electrification. This review will cover, among other questions, the appropriate criteria for main line electrification schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied with the efficiency of British Railways.

I am never wholly satisfied with anything.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway, on the M1 between London and the M6 turn-off are not lit; and how much it would cost to light up that stretch of motorway; and if he will now, as a safety measure, take steps to have the lighting put into operation as soon as is possible.

There are 28 miles of the M1 between London and the M6 turn-off which are not lit. The cost of lighting this length would be about £1·8 million, plus an operating cost of about £85,000 per year. Consideration is being given to lighting the junction with the M6.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he will take to help road hauliers come to local agreements about the use of tachographs in lorries.

There are no legal obstacles to local agreements, but they are a matter for the transport industry itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to implement the Report of the Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Belper (Mr. MacFarquhar) on 10th January—[Vol. 941, c. 716–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on proposed road safety legislation.

Legislation is not possible in this Session, but I am doing all that I can to improve road safety, within the existing provisions of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent urban roads, especially those with gas mains, are regularly used by vehicles too heavy for them.

Highway authorities already appreciate the need to ensure that roads on to which heavy vehicles are diverted by a traffic management scheme are capable of carrying those vehicles. However, in view of the anxieties expressed in the King Report, we shall be issuing a reminder.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for nationalising the road haulage industry.

None in this Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the International Hauliers Federation about the operation of foreign travel permits.

I have received no direct representations, though reports of the Federation's activities have reached me from various sources.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what were the total economic costs of road accidents for the calendar year 1977; and what were the corresponding costs for railway accidents during the same period.

Approximately £500 million for road casualty costs and £5 million for rail casualties.