asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places are available for the elderly in local authority residential homes and geriatric hospitals, respectively; and if he will provide comparable figures for each of the previous 10 years.

The information is as follows:

A. Places available for the elderly in local authority residential homes:—
At 31st December:
1967	7,766
1968	8,014
1969	8,450
1970	8,421
1971	8,060
1972	8,136
1973	8,532
1974	8,778
1975	Not available
At 31st March:
1976	8,979
1977	9,299 (provisional)

B. Number of designated geriatric beds (including contractual and joint user beds):—
At 30th September:
1967	8,532
1968	9,169
1969	9,393
1970	9,564
1971	9,690
1972	9,679
1973	9,834
1974	10,040
1975	10,017
1976	10,231
At 31st March:
1977	10,204

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase the numbers of places in local authority residential homes and geriatric hospitals for the elderly.

Within their capital allocations local authorities themselves decide on the level of provision to be made in residential accommodation for the elderly. The financial plans submitted to my Department indicate, however, that in the period to 1983 local authorities propose to provide some 900 new places, some of which may be to replace accommodation going out of use.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total of persons above the ages of 75 and 85 years of age, respectively; and what estimates he has made of the likely population in these age bands in 10 and 15 years time.

The most recent estimates by age groups relate to mid-1976. These, together with projected estimates based on them but referring to 10 and 15 years from the present year, are given in the table below:

POPULATION AGED 75 AND OVER, 85 AND OVER, SCOTLAND
	75 and over	85 and over
1976 mid-year estimate	242,000	41,000
1988 projected estimate	303,000	56,000
1993 projected estimate	297,000	64,000

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the present state of the timber production and processing industry in Scotland; what specific measures he is taking to improve its prospects; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend received a number of representations concerning the future of Scottish Timber Products Limited and one concerning cheap imports of chipboard. The Scottish Economic Planning Department has recently made a number of offers of financial assistance to companies in the timber processing industry and is ready to consider assistance towards any further project which has reasonable prospects of viability.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now completed his assessment of the loss and damage sustained by industry, agriculture, local authorities and the general public in the Highlands in consequence of the snow blizzards; and what plans he has to compensate those who have suffered from this natural disaster.

The heaviest losses are undoubtedly among hill farmers and weather conditions are still such that many of them do not know the extent of damage to stocks. The National Farmers' Union of Scotland accepts that it is too soon to make a firm assessment. I am anxious to get the information as soon as it is available and I shall then consider what help can be given from public funds including the offer of financial assistance recently made by the EEC. The Highland Regional Council is sending me today a statement of its extra costs. I shall pay local authorities involved a special grant of 75 per cent. of their excess costs over a reasonable threshold. I have not received any representations so far from industry or the general public.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) whether he will introduce legislation to abolish or reform the House of Lords and, in the latter event, arrange for the House of Commons to nominate a certain percentage of the membership of the House of Lords on the basis that 3 per cent. to 4 per cent. of the membership shall be from ethnic groups from the New Commonwealth.(2) what proposals he is seeking to make the House of Lords representative of the various ethnic groups of the existing and multi-racial population of Great Britain.

The Government have no proposals for introducing this Session any legislation to alter the present membership of the House of Lords.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will give for the longest and most convenient period of time the salary of hon. Members and nearest equivalent Civil Service grade at that time; to what extent increases have been made since in both the hon. Members' salaries and the civil servants; and to what extent hon. Members' salaries would have to be increased to date if all the recommendations of review bodies including the Boyle Report had been fully implemented.

The earliest date it is practicable to go back to is 1937. At that date the parliamentary salary was £600 per annum, equal to the salary of the higher executive officer grade in the Civil Service. Since that time the higher executive officer salary has increased by about 700 per cent. whilst the parliamentary salary has increased by about 950 per cent.In 1946 the parliamentary salary was increased to £1,000, equal to the salary of the principal grade. It has retained more or less the same relative position since then. The principal salary has increased by about 575 per cent., and the parliamentary salary by about 525 per cent. since 1946.If the last report on Members' pay from the Review Body on Top Salaries had been fully implemented, the current rate would be £8,000 plus pay supplements.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the Government's policies on smoking and health, he will ensure that House of Commons cigarettes are in the low tar bracket.

I have been asked to reply.The present House of Commons cigarettes are middle tar. We are inquiring into the possibility of substituting a low tar cigarette.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many packets of cigarettes are sold in the House each year.

I have been asked to reply.Approximately 50,700 packets of 20 cigarettes were sold in the Refreshment Department last year.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many persons in his office have completed 33 years in the Civil Service, are between the ages of 60 and 65 years and would be entitled to opt for pension before reaching 65 years; and to what extent the pension would be reduced by early option.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was achieved by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention Conference which concluded last week.

The protocols adopted by the conference contain provisions which should lead to a marked improvement in the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment. The provisions, which command a wide measure of international support, are capable of being implemented within a relatively short timescale, and every effort will be made to bring the protocols into force internationally as soon as possible.I am arranging for an unofficial summary of the new requirements to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussion with the managing director of Trellis Scott Limited.

Mr. S. V. Dunstan, managing director of Trellis Scott Ltd., came to see me recently. I conveyed to him the concern and anxiety which had been expressed by hon. Members, the Welsh Consumer Council and others about certain aspects of the lease offered to licensees at the Dinas Country Club and Caravan Park in Dyfed and, in particular, the short notice given to licensees as to whether to accept the terms of the lease. Mr. Dunstan assured me that:

(a) caravan owners who do not intend to accept the offer of a lease, and who have evidence of having paid rent until 31st March 1978, can keep their caravans at the site until that date. In the case of caravan owners who have already removed their caravans from the site, Trellis Scott Ltd. will seek a refund from the previous owners of the site of any rent paid for the period 1st January to 31st March 1978;

(b) a legally binding undertaking will be given in a letter to lessees that the upgrading of amenities on the site will be carried out; that is reconstruction of a heated swimming pool, site shop, club extension and tree planting scheme;

(c) caravan owners at Dinas not wanting to buy a lease can sell their caravan up to 15th March, provided it is in reasonable condition, without paying commission to Trellis Scott Ltd., to anyone wishing to take up a lease with the company. Leases granted on the introduction of an existing licensee will be at the reduced premium offered directly to that licensee;

(d) in the case of there being any legally enforceable agreements providing for 10 years' security of tenure by the previous owners of the Dinas site, Trellis Scott Ltd. will honour such agreements and seek compensation from the previous owners;

(e) caravan owners on any new site purchased by Mr. Dunstan or his companies will be given the option either of buying a lease at a specified price, or a short lease for three years at a nominal fee plus the interest on the loan the company must secure to finance the plot for those three years. Maintenance charges and annual rent will also be payable in each of the three years. At the end of that time licensees will be given the option of buying the lease at the original offer price;

(f) special consideration will be given to any case of real need or discernible hardship on the Dinas or Whiteford Bay sites.

I will keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will inquire into the frequency of requests from the police to the Post Office to provide lists of the destination, length and frequency of calls from private telephone numbers; whether he is satisfied with the present arrangements under which this is done; and whether he will make a statement.

I understand that such factual information may be provided in response to a request from the police if the information is vital to police inquiries in a matter of serious crime, and cannot be obtained from other sources, or where the police are investigating calls made by fraudulent methods with intent to avoid due payment to the Post Office, or offences under Section 78 of the Post Office Act 1969—which includes, for example, indecent, menacing and annoyance

Period			Wastage			Recruitment
			Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total
1st April 1974 to 31st December 1977	…	…	1,062	203	1,265	1,442	443	1,885
1st January 1977 to 31st December 1977		…	359	81	450	334	119	453

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 23rd February 1978.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Thursday 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women have left the West Midlands police force since its formation; how many left during 1977; and how many were recruited during the same period.

The information is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23rd February.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Radice).

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to visit Lewisham.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet Mr. van Agt at the meeting of the Netherlands.

I next expect to meet Mr van Agt at the meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen on 7th and 8th April.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Latin America.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next visit South Yorkshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC and CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) on 2nd February.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Radice) on 2nd February.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Confederation of British Industry.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale (Mr. Noble) on 7th February.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will seek to pay an official visit to Havana.

No.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to pay an official visit to Durham.

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister which Ministers are responsible for family policy.

All Departmental Ministers are responsible for ensuring that, where appropriate, their policies take account of family needs.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the state of recruiting of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve and of the need for more recruits; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve—TAVR—would play a crucial role in the nation's defence in war, both in reinforcing the peacetime strength of the British Army of the Rhine and in undertaking tasks in defence of the United Kingdom base.To carry out its role the TAVR has to be, and is, a modern, highly efficient force. It is well trained and, in general, issued with the same equipment as regular units. It is closely integrated with the Regular Army and training is carried out as often as possible with the regular units alongside which units of the TAVR would operate, including participation in NATO exercises.The TAVR is, of course, a part-time reserve whose members spend two weeks a year in camp and give up many evenings and weekends to train. At present it is recruited to about 83 per cent. of establishment. In order to improve on this a major national publicity campaign, fully backed by the Government, will shortly begin. I hope that this campaign will receive a good response throughout the country and in particular of employers and trades unions, whose active support is vital to TAVR training.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give, in addition to Ministers, top civil servants and chairmen of nationalised industries, the total list of persons or designated groupings of publicly paid persons who are enabled to claim tax free transport to and from their homes and their offices or place of employment at any date.

I can answer only for the Civil Service. All civil servants who, in normal circumstances, have discretion to use official pooled cars regularly for official purposes were referred to in the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 24th November 1977.—[Vol. 939, c. 825–6.] Apart from those, it is permissible for a civil servant, detained by official duties until after public transport has ceased to run, to be taken home in an official car.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what fee will be paid to Mr. Jack Jones, C.H., for attendance at meetings of the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure.

I am advised that Mr. Jack Jones, C.H., does not propose to claim a fee in respect of his membership of the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, on the basis that the cost of renewing one mile of single track railway costs £92,500 at July 1977 prices, what are the comparative figures for one mile of roadway with a tarmacadam surface and of a dual carriageway similarly surfaced.

The estimated cost of renewing a mile of single carriageway road varies between £65,000 and £140,000 at 1977 prices, depending on the strength provided, and is approximately twice the latter figure for dual carriageways.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of drivers and front seat passengers are estimated to use their seat belts after an advertising campaign; and for how long such an improvement can be detected.

The national average percentage of people wearing belts following a campaign has varied between 30·9 per cent. and 33·2 per cent. for drivers and between 30·8 per cent. and 36·5 per cent. for front seat passengers. There is normally a gradual reduction in the wearing rate after a campaign has ended, but surveys to detect the rate of reduction have not been carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with progress in attracting increased usage of public transport in the light of the need to conserve energy.

Reversing past trends is a slow process but I am hoping that a range of measures I am taking will have a significant influence on the increased use of public transport.

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

Soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, following the reply to the hon. Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden)—Official Report, 13th February 1978, c. 35—if he will now consider taking steps to restore the responsibilities of providing Road Fund licences to local authorities.

No. These cases have to be seen alongside the 4 million transactions of all sorts the centralised system deals with every month while maintaining a proper record of drivers and vehicles. The old system was failing to provide that record. Quite apart from the disruption which a further change would cause, it would be mistaken to return it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the operation of the Community Land Act in the light of the evidence that some local authorities are informing industrial developers or prospective tenants that 99-year leases will be extended to 125 years or converted to freeholds if the Community Land Act is amended or repealed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has evidence that local authorities are reaching unofficial agreements with developers to grant 125-year leases or freeholds for land disposed of under the Community Land Act; and if he will make a statement.

No local authority may dispose of any material interest in land—including the extension of a lease—without the consent of the Secretary of State. We have no evidence of an authority acting unlawfully in this respect. The worth of mere contingent promises must be judged by those who receive them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware that certain developers and companies are being offered leases of more than the 99 years permitted under the Community Land Act; if he will comment on this development; and if he will prevent such deals from taking place.

Negotiations with developers are a matter for the local authority concerned. Exceptions to the 99-years rule are considered by the Secretay of State on their merits, and a relatively small number of consents to longer leases have been given in exceptional cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken following the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in Case No. C35/77, Session 1977ߝ78.

An ex gratia payment has been sanctioned.The hon. Member's attention is also drawn to the Second Report from the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, Session 1976–77, and to the Government's observation in Cmnd. 7098 published on 10th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the £1 million fund allocated to the United Kingdom to meet the costs resulting from recent floods and snow will be allocated to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.

The EEC has decided to grant a maximum total of 1½ million eua—approximately £975,000—in relation to the damage caused by recent bad weather. The Government are considering to what purposes the money is to be put, and when that has been decided a further statement will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities are using distraint warrants and certificated bailiffs in rent arrears cases, following the ending of eviction in certain circumstances under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act.

This information is not available within the Department. I would be concerned, however, if local authorities were resorting to distraint unless they had already fully investigated the particular tenants' difficulties and tried other ways of recovering the arrears.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to bring forward amendments to the building regulations requiring an acceptable level of insulation in new public, commercial and industrial buildings.

My right hon. Friend hopes to lay regulations before Parliament shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to bring into force amendments to the building regulations to require an improved standard of insulation in new houses and flats.

My right hon. Friend will consider new regulations when the results of technical studies now proceeding are available later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total amount of money available for spending in Birmingham during the first 12 months of the operation of the inner city partnership policy.

For 1978–79, the Birmingham partnership has been allocated an additional £2½ million urban programme for new projects and for 1977–79 £11 million from the £100 million inner cities construction package. These sums are additional to the much larger sums available through the main expenditure programmes of central and local government, underpinned by rate support grant, of which Birmingham's needs element for 1978–79 is estimated to be over £110 million.Estimates of local authority expenditure for 1978–79 are not yet available. Information is not normally available on a district basis for county expenditure or direct spending by other Government Departments. However, discussions are taking place to see how far we can identify the total public expenditure within the partnership areas, including that of Birmingham, and subsequently to monitor it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of legal draftsmen employed in the Department of the Environment; and what action he proposes to take to increase this number in order to obviate the present delay in introducing agreed amendments to the local government superannuation scheme.

There are no legal draftsmen employed as such in my Department. The complement for lawyers employed on a common-service basis in my Department and the Department of Transport is 49. Experience has shown that proficiency in the drafting of Statutory Instruments is best acquired by working in a Government office. Because of the complexity of the subject matter, local government superannuation regulations need to be handled by an experienced draftsman. The small number of lawyers in post who are experienced draftsmen has to be deployed so as to meet all the requirements of both Departments, and at present no additional draftsmen are available for work on local government superannuation. I am operating under manpower constraints and I do not see immediate action open to me which would obviate the present delay in introducing agreed amendments to the local government superannuation scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the total value of temporary employment subsidy likely to accrue to the Cadbury-Schweppes Group in respect of the proposed relocation of 300 jobs at Moreton in Cheshire which are presently located in Birmingham.

Information about individual employers is regarded as confidential, and I regret that I am unable to publish the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to set up a job creation scheme for adults in Kirkby which would have the objective of providing 500 jobs involved in the renovation and repair of the housing stock.

No. The renovation and repair of housing stock is the normal responsibility of the local authority or, in the case of privately owned property, the owner. Such work would not be eligible for funding under the job creation programme or the special temporary employment programme which starts on 1st April 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from companies in the landscape industry concerning the impact of the job creation programme on their business.

I have received 17 letters from member companies of the British Association of Landscape Industries expressing concern about the impact of the job creation programme on their business. I have drawn these to the attention of the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give an estimate of the number of landscaping contracts carried out under the job creation programme on behalf of local authorities in England and Wales in 1977, and of the number of jobs in the landscaping work thus provided under the programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that information is not readily available on which the estimates requested can be based. I am assured, however, that only a very small proportion of the work undertaken under the job creation programme involves landscape contract work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits have been issued during each of the past five years to enable staff of overseas banks to work in the United Kingdom.

The information is not available in the precise form requested and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost in staff time.Since the beginning of 1973 the numbers of work permits issued for overseas workers living abroad and permissions given to those already in this country for employment in insurance, banking, finance and advertising firms—including overseas companies established in business in this country—were as follows:

WORK PERMITS AND PERMISSIONS
Year	Number
1973	1,523
1974	1,485
1975	1,216
1976	1,021 *
1977 (January-June)	674
* Recorded issues. There would be some further issues—probably up to 100—not fully recorded because of industrial action affecting statistical work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainees are now undergoing training in sheltered employment; what plans the Government have to expand the number of trainees in sheltered employment; and if he will make a statement.

There were 174 trainees in sheltered employment, excluding Remploy, at 31st March 1977. Remploy trains its severely disabled employees on the job and normally has about 300 employees in training. An additional inducement to severely disabled people to enter training in sheltered workshops is that from 30th January 1978 the majority will receive more in basic training wages than under the old system of training allowances. There are plans to build new sheltered workshops and Remploy factories, which will result in a consequent increase of training opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the maximum period for which an employee may be statutorily required to continue in his employment after giving notice in writing to terminate his contract of employment.

The period of notice which an employee is statutorily required to give is one week. However, an individual contract of employment may require a longer period of notice to be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list

							Unemployment		Annual increase in
Country							Reference month	Rate*	Price Index†
								percentage	percentage
Canada	…	…	…	…	…	…	January 1978	8·3	9·1
USA	…	…	…	…	…	…	January 1978	6·3	6·7
Belgium	…	…	…	…	…	…	December 1977	10·2	6·5
Netherlands		…	…	…	…	…	December 1977	5·1	5·5
France	…	…	…	…	…	…	January 1978	5·6	9·1
Italy	…	…	…	…	…	…	October 1977	7·4	15·0
NOTES:
* The percentage rates are seasonally adjusted, with the exception of the figure for Italy, for which no adjustment is possible owing to a recent change in coverage.
† The annual increase in the consumer price indices relates to the period November 1976 to November 1977 for all countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is his intention to extend the job release scheme beyond 31st March.

Yes. I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement by my right hon. Friend to the House on 30th January 1978 that the special employment measures operated by his Department—which include the job release scheme—will be extended for a further year from 1st April 1978 to 31st March 1979.—[Vol. 943, c. 66–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many payments have been made in the parliamentary constituency of the Isle of Ely under the Manpower Services Commission's scheme of capital grants to employers of disabled people.

Advice from the Organisation of Economic Development and Co-operation is that the following countries—within OECD—have a national minimum wage: Canada, United States of America, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Italy.The latest available unemployment rates and annual increases in the consumer price indices for these six countries are shown below. Unemployment rates are not directly comparable owing to differences in coverage, concepts of unemployment, and methods of compilation by the national statistical offices.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no such payments have yet been made to employers in the parliamentary constituency of the Isle of Ely. I am disappointed to learn that there have been no applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered disabled persons are currently looking for employment in the areas administered by the offices at (a) Ely, (b) March, and (c) Wisbech.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that information, which relates to 9th February 1977, is as follows:

LOCAL OFFICES OF THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICE AGENCY AND NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED REGISTERED DISABLED PEOPLE
Ely	35
March	56
Wisbech	113

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on behalf of how many registered disabled people in the parliamentary constituency of the Isle of Ely the £30 job introduction allowance has been paid since it was introduced.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, by the end of January, no registered disabled people in the parliamentary constituency of the Isle of Ely had been helped by the job introduction scheme. I am disappointed to learn that there have been no applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, other than the two projects listed in "Department of Employment Research 1976–77", any externally commissioned research was funded by his Department in the field of incomes policy in the last year; which organisation carried out the research; what was its purpose; what was the cost to departmental funds; whether any similar research was commissioned in the previous financial year; whether any similar research is being undertaken in the current financial year; and why these projects were not listed in the annual reports of research.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report 13th February 1978; Vol. 944, c. 77], gave the following information:Last year my Department commissioned an independent research organisation, Industrial Facts and Forecasting Limited, at a cost of £17,240, to carry out a small-scale qualitative survey of the practical problems encountered by negotiators in applying the then currrent pay policy. A somewhat similar survey was carried out the previous year by Opinion Research Centre. A further survey was planned this year but encountered difficulties in piloting. These projects were not listed in the Department's annual reports of research because they were conducted anonymously in order to reduce the risk of bias in the results. Their cost was, however, included in the published total for external research.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of taxpayers who are earning less than the unemployment and supplementary benefits to which they would be entitled if they were not working.

I regret that it is not possible to make such an estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that since 1971 the number of immigrants in the London Borough of Newham has increased from 28,000 to a figure between 42,000 and 46,000 and that this is causing stresses on the social services, including health, maternity and child welfare; and what action he has taken, or intends taking, to resolve these problems.

I am aware that the number for Newham residents from ethnic minorities may have risen since 1971, though the figures quoted by my hon. Friend for the present are unconfirmed estimates.For health services, the City and East London Area Health Authority (Teaching) takes account of the full range of health needs in Newham, including those that relate specifically to ethnic minorities; and I know that the Social Services Committee of the London Borough of Newham plans on a similar basis.Grants are available under the urban programme for areas of special social need, and Newham is already receiving assistance from this source.Grants are also available under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for authorities on which special demands are made as the result of the presence of large numbers of immigrants. More generally, we are discussing the needs of ethnic minorities for a variety of services, including the health and personal social services, in the Advisory Council on Race Relations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the progress of his Department's talks with the Distillers Company concerning children on the Y list.

As my hon. Friend knows, I share his deep concern that this affair should be satisfactorily resolved as swiftly as possible. To this end, my Department is continuing discussion with the interested parties. I hope to be able to make a further statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Leys Clinic, Ballard Road, Dagenham, can have essential repairs carried out.

The Barking district management team is arranging for the roof to be repaired and is considering what other work is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce a comprehensive incomes scheme for disabled people along the lines of the industrial injury scheme.

I am fully aware of the pressures for such a scheme. The Government will consider all proposals which are put to them for extending new help to disabled people. My hon. Friend will appreciate that further progress in this field, as in all other areas of public expenditure, is dependent upon the availability of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken following the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in Case No. C98/77, Session 1977–78.

This case concerned delays in the supply of an invalid three-wheeler, some of which were attributable to my Department. The procedures for supply of invalid vehicles are kept continuously under review and improvements are made as necessary and as resources permit. Thus in January 1977 all staff involved in the supply of vehicles had their attention specifically drawn to the importance of avoiding delays. Following the case to which the hon. Member refers, certain procedural changes were made in order to improve the monitoring of progress in such cases. My Department is always ready to look into any particular case in which delay is said to have occurred, and to do all it can to expedite action.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be, at current and at 1978 prices, the net weekly gain or loss per child in a four-child family, by comparison with April 1975, when child benefit is increased to £2·30, after taking into account both the increase in the charge for school dinners and the reduction in child tax allowances, and assuming that the family has earnings equal to (a) 50 per cent., (b) 100 per cent., (c) 200 per cent. and (d) 300 per cent. of average male manual earnings.

No such comparison will be possible until the tax arrangements operating in 1978–79 are known, and details of average earnings in April 1978 are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many retirement pensions are currently being paid to (a) men and (b) women;(2) how many retirement pensions are currently being paid to (

In November 1976, the latest date for which figures are available, 2,962,000 men and 5,455,000 women were receiving national insurance retirement pensions, including old person's pensions. Of these, 161,000 men and 435,000 women were receiving pensions at less than the standard rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why asbetosis is excluded from the list of complaints exempted from payment for National Health Service prescriptions.

The list of medical conditions which qualify for automatic exemption from prescription charges is the maximum on which agreement is possible with representatives of the medical profession. However, sufferers from asbestosis who are housebound can claim exemption on the grounds of having a continuing physical disability which prevents them from leaving home except with the help of another person. Exemption is also available on grounds of age or income; and where exemption cannot be claimed the prepayment certificate is available for those who need frequent prescriptions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff at the level of principal and above in his Department are working on smoking and health full time.

									General Medical Practitioners*	Average list size*
Barnet	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	151	2,191
Brent and Harrow			…	…	…	…	…	…	251	2,262
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow						…	…	…	345	2,241
Hillingdon		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	93	2,519
Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster						…	…	…	247	1,921
Barking and Havering				…	…	…	…	…	173	2,443
Camden and Islington				…	…	…	…	…	214	2,141
City and East London				…	…	…	…	…	296	2,232
Enfield and Haringey				…	…	…	…	…	234	2,336
Redbridge and Waltham Forest					…	…	…	…	212	2,258
Bromley		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	134	2,394
Greenwich and Bexley				…	…	…	…	…	189	2,368
Lembeth, Southwark and Lewisham						…	…	…	386	2,265
Croydon		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	145	2,343
Kingston and Richmond				…	…	…	…	…	146	2,278
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth					…	…	…	…	307	2,281
* At 1st October 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the total number of patients registered with general practitioners in the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority for each of the past five years.

The number of patients on the lists of general medical practitioners providing the full range of general medical services at 1st October of the year stated are given below. Figures for 1977 are not yet available.

Year	Number of Patients
1973	460,700
1974	464,200
1975	449,000
1976	447,600

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is still considering the setting up of a children's committee in respect of children in hospital;

None. This work is part of the Department's wider action on health and prevention of ill health.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the number of general practitioners and the average number of patients per general practitioner in each of the area health authorities in Greater London.

The table shows the number of general medical practitioners providing the full range of general medical services and their average list size:and, if so, when a decision will be announced.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Sir G. de Freitas) on 13th February.—[Vol. 944, c. 24.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements are made to protect retirement and other contributory benefit rights of sick and disabled people who are unable to work; and if he will make a statement.

From April 1975 credited contributions for weeks of incapacity for work or unemployment have been available to all under pensionable age, except married women who have chosen not to pay full contributions. Credits are also available to people in receipt of invalid care allowance. There are certain conditions on the use of credits if sickness or unemployment benefit is subsequently claimed. Otherwise, provided a person satisfies the minimum conditions for paid contributions, he need suffer no loss of entitlement to basic benefits, including basic retirement pension, because of incapacity or unemployment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the situation whereby the amount assessed under Schedule D can, over the life of a business, exceed the amount of profits earned.

I recognise that this can happen under the existing "preceding year" basis of assessment for Schedule D. The Inland Revenue is currently studying the implications and feasibility of moving to a form of current year basis of assessment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next intends to meet the Governor of the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the Governor of the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next intends to meet the Governor of the Bank of England.

I maintain close contact with the Governor of the Bank of England, meeting him on a regular basis and also as and when circumstances require.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the operation of existing levels of taxation, in the light of the need to restore incentive and a sense of responsibility in British society.

I hope it will be possible to reduce the burden of personal taxation. I accept the need to improve incentives. But I believe the case is often grossly exaggerated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual revenue raised from vehicle excise duty.

The estimated yield for 1977–78 is £1,032 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to introduce two lower rates of income tax below the present standard rate.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received any representations for a reduction in the basic rate of income tax.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of exempting the interest on the first £500 and £5,000, respectively, from taxation.

I understand that the hon. and learned Member wishes to know the cost of exempting the interest on the first £500 or £5,000 of a child's savings.I regret that statistics are not available which distinguish the income from children's investments, and it is therefore not possible to derive an estimate of the cost of exempting part of this income. However, the single person's allowance is available to each child, and tax would therefore not be due on any interest received, where total income was less than £945 a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss of revenue if tax rates were altered to start at 15 per cent. on the first £500 of taxable income, and to increase by 5 per cent. on each extra £500 thereafter, with a maximum of (a) 50 per cent. and (b) 60 per cent.

About £3,250 million under (a), and £2,700 million under (b), in 1977–78.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in order to give more realistic and acceptable examples of future income tax changes, he will base examples of changes on the median earnings of manual men and not average earnings of all men.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received any representations for changes in Government accounting methods.

Yes. We receive a wide variety of suggestions on many issues, including from time to time possible changes in public expenditure presentation and accounting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue instructions to his Inland Revenue that reminder notices of a threatening character are not in future to be sent to taxpayers without the express authority of the head of Department concerned to be given in each individual case.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the final demand notices which the Inland Revenue issues in respect of tax which remains unpaid despite at least two earlier applications. It is right that at that stage the taxpayer should be told clearly the consequences of continued failure to pay, and these notices accordingly include a statement of the Inland Revenue's intention to take legal proceedings for recovery of the tax if it is not paid within seven days. I see no reason for requiring the issue of notices of that kind to be specially authorised.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will report the progress the Government have made in fulfilling their obligations to the trade union movement under the terms of the social contract.

The social contract is a continuing process of discussion and collaboration between the TUC and the Government which has enabled the country to make progress in tackling a wide range of economic and social problems.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further discussion he proposes on the possibility of a stage 4 pay policy.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given him on 26th January.—[Vol. 942, c. 1574–5.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Inland Revenue to publish the results of its consideration of "Income Tax and Sex Discrimination"; and, if so, when.

The Inland Revenue will submit the results of its consideration of this matter to my right hon. Friend, who will in due course, in the light of all the reactions to this document, determine the most appropriate means of making known the Government's views.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the taxation revenue from North Sea oil during the year ending 5th April 1979; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars on 30th November.—[Vol. 940, c. 257–8.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer if tax relief were to apply to mortgages up to £40,000, rather than £25,000.

I regret that the information on which to base a reply is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with current progress of the incomes policy.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what schemes he has introduced to assist small business with regard specifically to working capital.

The measures announced last October in the small firms package put together by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will be of assistance in easing the financial position of small companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1945 in terms of constant 1970 prices the percentage of average male national earnings represented by the tax threshold for, a single person, a married couple and a married couple with two children, respectively.

The percentages are the same in constant prices as in current prices. The figures for 1976–77 and for earlier years are, therefore, as given in the reply to the hon. Member on 25th November 1977—[Vol. 939, c. 949–52.]The figures for 1977–78 have now been updated to the mid-year, using the figure of earnings in October 1977, and are as follows:

A. TAX THRESHOLD AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE MANUAL EARNINGS
Single person	Married couple	Married couple with 2 children aged under 11
24·4	37·6	47·1

B. TAX THRESHOLD AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE EARNINGS IN ALL OCCUPATIONS
Single person	Married couple	Married couple with 2 children aged under 11
22·2	34·2	42·8

In 1976–77 and earlier years, a married couple with two children received a family allowance, so that couples receiving earnings at the percentages quoted of average earnings would have been liable to pay tax on their total income including family allowances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to halt the manufactures of forged sovereigns outside the United Kingdom; how many have been discovered to date; what method can be used to identify them; and if he will detail the countries in which they have been distributed.