asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to keep a comprehensive list of the occasions upon which the nine closed-circuit television cameras referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Barking on 21st February—[Official Report c. 578]—and any similar equipment are used for purposes of crowd control.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify those Acts currently in force which are administered in a manner similar to that of the Employment Agencies Act 1973, whereby the enforcement of regulations made under the Act is financed from fees paid by licensees.

I am responsible for prescribing fees for licences or certificates under the following legislation:

• Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869;
• Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949;
• Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963;
• Licensing Act 1964;
• Local Government Act 1966;
• Public Expenditure and Receipts Act 1968;
• Theatres Act 1968;
• Firearms Act 1968;
• Gaming Act 1968;
• Pool Competitions Act 1971;
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1971;
• Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976.

Where the costs of enforcement are separately identifiable—for example, where compliance with regulations is enforced by an inspectorate—such costs are taken into account in prescribing the level of fee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table to show the number of crimes of violence in the Warwickshire Constabulary district for each of the past 10 years.

The information requested is available only from 1st April 1974 following local government reorganisation. Figures for the area covered by the Warwickshire and Coventry constabulary prior to 1st April 1974 are not comparable with those in the following table.

Indictable offences of violence against the person recorded by Warwickshire Constabulary
	No. of offences
1974 (1st April to 31st December)	319
1975	420
1976	459
1977	437

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in the light of his undertaking with regard to leading members of the Ku Klux Klan, the name of Mr. Duke was not made known to immigration officials in view of his known past associations with extremist groups in the United Kingdom and the declared intention of the Klan to ignore any ruling by the Secretary of State or the British Government.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Bassetlaw (Mr. Ashton) and Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 14th March.It would not be practicable to list all self-styled leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has about the whereabouts of Mr. Duke, in view of the numerous radio and television programmes he is able to do;(2) if he is satisfied that every effort is being made to find Mr. Duke, in view of the deportation order which he has issued; and if he is satisfied with the steps taken to interview his known contacts during the past week.

An order varying his leave to remain so as to require him to leave the United Kingdom by 14th March was served on Mr. D. E. Duke by the Metropolitan Police on Monday 13th March.I am satisfied that the police made every reasonable effort, consistent with the many other heavy calls on their resources, to serve the order on Mr. Duke who was at pains to avoid them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if officials of his Department have met representatives of the Church of Scientology to discuss the ban upon entry from the United States of America from the church both prior to and since he withdrew a ban upon their entry into Great Britain; and if so, if he will list the occasions.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave on 24th February to a Question by the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South East (Mr. Rost).—[Vol. 944, c.819.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are applied in deciding whether to issue visitors' permits to citizens of each of the following countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Yemen, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

The criteria to be applied are those set out in the Statements (as amended) of Immigration Rules for Control on Entry for Commonwealth Citizens and for EEC and other non- Commonwealth nationals, copies of which have been laid before the House. No distinction is made on grounds of nationality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take as a result of representations made to him by the West Mercia Police Authority about the inadequacy of the establishment of the force under its control.

As a result of my examination of the review of establishment, the police authority agreed that there should be a further examination of the need for alterations to the organisation of the force, and this is now nearly completed. HM Inspector of Constabulary and my officials are ready to discuss the issues with them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to improve television reception in Wales during the year; and if he will make a statement.

The continued extension of UHF television services is primarily a matter for the broadcasting authorities which tell me they plan to bring a further nine stations into service in Wales this year. It is estimated that the UHF services will by then be available to about 94 per cent. of the population of Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of the fact that during 1976–77 £376,054 was spent on police recruitment, to what extent there was a net increase in police recruitment during this year, and how much per police recruit this campaign cost.

During the financial year 1976–77, 10,143 police officers were recruited in England and Wales, a decrease of 473 over the previous year. Expenditure on the 1976–77 national recruitment campaign per recruit was £37,07. This figure does not take account of the cost of local force recruitment publicity, of which comprehensive details are not available centrally.

asked the Lord President of the Council which parliamentary buildings contain rooms used as offices by hon. Members and how many Members can be accommodated in each building.

The numbers of hon. Members which can be accommodated in parliamentary buildings are as follows:

Precincts	…	…	433
Norman Shaw North		…	125
Norman Shaw South		…	52
7 Old Palace Yard	…	…	20
3 Dean's Yard	…	…	22
2 The Abbey Garden	…	…	22

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the recent meeting of the Under-Secretary of State with the inner city partnership in Liverpool.

The second meeting of the Liverpool partnership committee, which I attended, had a useful discussion of key issues and then decided to prepare a programme of action. The committee also made arrangements to ensure that local voluntary bodies, including representatives of trade unions and management, will be fully consulted and informed about this programme. The other items on the agenda were the urban programme for 1978–79, the Inner Urban Areas Bill, and proposals for new magistrates' courts.An expression of concern at the amendment to exclude county representatives voted for largely by Conservative MPs on the Standing Committee was also raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what action has been taken by his Department to monitor the assurances given by YKK Fasteners (United Kingdom) Limited, referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr of 4th June 1974, that over the next four years it plans to increase substantially the United Kingdom manufactured content of its products and correspondingly to reduce significantly its imports of both complete fasteners and components, and if he remains satisfied with the assurances;(2) if the estimates of imports and exports for the next three years given to his Department in late 1975 by YKK Fasteners (United Kingdom) Limited, and referred in the letter to hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr of 5th January 1976, are proving reliable; and what action he proposes to take.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is aware that between 1961 and 1974 London has lost some 500,000 manufacturing jobs, a rate of loss seven times that of the national average, and during 1976 the figure had risen to 550,000; and what action he has taken or intends taking to deal with this situation.

Between 1961 and 1974 the numbers employed in manufacturing industry in the Greater London Area fell by 500,000 and in addition its population also fell by almost 819,000.London as elsewhere is benefiting from the measures introduced by the Government to encourage investment in manufacturing industry and to promote employment. Moreover, the Government's inner city policy will encourage suitable industrial development in certain parts of London with particularly serious problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has received the final report of the feasibility study, conducted by Calderdale Council and the English Industrial Estates Corporation, into the conversion of a mill in Calderdale to smaller industrial units; if he has received full financial information associated with the scheme; how costs compare with conventional advance factory units; and if he will make a statement.

pursuant to the answer of the Minister of State—[Official Report, 13th March 1978; Vol. 946, c. 18]—gave the following information:I am compiling a comprehensive answer for inclusion in the

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give for the latest and most convenient stated date the total number of civil servants on the pension fund; to what extent these persons have to wait until they are 62 years of age before being entitled to pension; and how many of these have to forgo the first five years of their service for pension entitlement purposes.

On 1st January 1978, approximately 738,000 civil servants were covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. Those entering the scheme are not entitled to pensions before they complete five years' qualifying service, unless they have transferred accrued rights from some other pension scheme. Reckonable service is limited to 40 years at age 60, so that service given before age 20 does not count for pension entitlement when a person retires after a full career. Full-time unestablished service before 14th July 1949 reckons only at half its actual length.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the average amount of (a) uncertificated and (b) certificated sick leave taken by non-industrial civil servants each year.

I regret that this information is not available centrally, and to collect the necessary facts would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to receive the report of the commission of inquiry into sanctions breaking in Rhodesia; and whether it is his intention to publish the report.

Mr. Thomas Bingham, QC, has made considerable progress with his investigation into the supply of petroleum and petroleum products to Rhodesia. I discussed the timing of his report with him today, and he is aware that I regard his task as urgent, but I cannot yet forecast when he will be ready to submit his report. So far as publication is concerned, the Southern Rhodesia (United Nations Sanctions) (No. 2) Order 1968, under which the inquiry was established, placed certain restrictions on the disclosure of material produced for the purpose of the inquiry. I shall not be able to reach a decision on this until the report has been submitted and considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he commenced discussions with all concerned regarding the possibility of accepting into the United Kingdom a number of Vietnamese refugees at present in Hong Kong.

Discussions started on 20th January 1978.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the review on the export of live animals to be published.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Leeds, North-West (Sir D. Kaberry).

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection to what extent price increases recorded in the week ended 11th March 1978 in the Grocer of 138 foods including blancmange, cereals, jellies, preserves, pies, sauces and sausages, bringing the total of such increases since 1st January 1978 to 2,871, have increased or will increase the cost of living.

I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to my hon.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in view of the fact that in the week ending 11th March 1978, the price of bacon back rashers rose by 2p a lb., cut-through rashers by 1p a lb., and collar and hock bacon joints by 2p to 3p a lb., to what extent he estimates such increases will increase the cost of living.

Wholesale prices for imported bacon rose by £30 per ton from 6th March 1978, and domestic bacon prices rose by the same amount a week later. It is difficult to assess precisely the impact of these increases on retail prices for individual cuts of bacon. An increase of 1p per lb. on the average price for all cuts of bacon would raise the RPI by about one-hundredth of 1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in view of the fact that back rashers have risen in price by 2p a lb., cut-through rashers by 1p a lb. and collar and hock bacon joints by 2p to 3p a lb., whether he will refer these price increases to the Price Commission for investigation.

		1. EXPORTS OF COMPLETE SLIDE FASTENERS
							£'000 f.o.b
1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
808	1,112	1,148	1,494	1,529	2,659	4,130	4,542

		II. EXPORTS OF COMPLETE SLIDE FASTENERS
							£'000 f.o.b
1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
1,227	1,238	1,312	2,047	2,461	1,680	2,235	2,613

III. IMPORTS OF COMPLETE SLIDE FASTENERS
£'000 c.i.f
	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
Grand Total	636	1,080	1,597	1,813	2,396	2,360	4,071	5,943
of which, consigned from:
Japan	190	466	1,073	1,229	1,889	2,017	3,290	4,798
Federal Republic of Germany	11	5	26	10	30	29	186	318
Hong Kong	303	472	319	304	232	129	185	273
Switzerland	52	42	56	110	77	86	142	190
Austria	0	0	1	0	6	0	4	58
Irish Republic	4	7	3	11	13	25	43	53
Sweden	4	2	6	15	1	0	31	43
Belgium-Luxembourg	1	1	5	8	0	1	30	37
Italy	0	0	3	13	11	3	9	36
Singapore	15	45	18	59	68	19	17	35
Taiwan	1	0	0	0	0	1	10	25
France	3	1	2	1	8	1	15	21
United States of America	27	14	15	26	26	24	43	16
Denmark	6	18	3	1	2	14	22	13
Finland	0	0	4	0	4	1	34	11
Canada	5	4	44	0	0	0	7	0
Other countries	14	3	19	26	29	10	3	16

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to direct the Price Commission to make a further examination of bacon. The Price Commission's report on prices, costs and margins in the importation and distribution of bacon was published on 21st February, and interested parties are currently being consulted about the report's findings.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will list values of total imports and exports of (a) semifinished and (b) finished zip fasteners for each of the past eight years, including the most up-to-date figures for 1977;(2) if he will list the value of imports of (

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is able to report any improvements in the arrangements to secure the safety of shipping in the English Channel.

The Department of Trade, in co-operation with the French authorities, has improved radar surveillance in the Dover Straits area and extended means of identifying vessels contravening the traffic separation scheme. These developments, the improvement of the safety record and measures for combating pollution in the event of an accident, together with future plans are described in a report, issued today, of the Anglo-French Safety of Navigation Group, copies of which are being placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total number of leaflets and forms issued by his Department in 1977; what were their names or classification numbers; how many were printed in each case; and what was the cost of printing them.

My Department issues many hundreds of different forms and leaflets for a wide range of purposes, many of them statutory, in connection with matters such as companies and patent legislation as well as in the marine and civil aviation areas and for the promotion of exports. Detailed information of the type asked for could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about the proposals for increased direct flights to Europe and other countries abroad; and if such flights will be from Prestwick Airport.

No. Proposals for new direct services or increases in frequency are a matter for airlines.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of raising the supplementary benefit earnings disregard to £10, £12 and £15, respectively.

On the assumption that all the existing disregard levels were raised to the figures suggested, the annual cost would be of the order of £15 million, £18 million and £22 million, respectively, for existing claimants. There would be an unknown additional cost for people attracted on to benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the increases in child benefit will affect families receiving means-tested benefits in April 1978.

One of the objects of the child benefit scheme is to reduce dependence on means-tested benefits. This aim has to be seen, however, in the context of ensuring, as far as possible, that families receiving means-tested benefits do not lose in the transition to universal benefit. With these considerations in mind, the arrangements for dealing with the increases in child benefit from 3rd April 1978 will be on similar lines to those made last year.Child benefit and the one-parent family premium child benefit increase will continue to be taken into account in assessing supplementary benefit. A small number of families will be lifted off supplementary benefit in April, but they will normally be able to continue to receive other benefits such as free school meals and free milk and vitamins by direct claim on grounds of low income. Existing discretionary powers will be used to protect from net income loss all families receiving free milk and vitamins by direct claim on grounds of low income.Child benefit and child benefit increase will continue to be disregarded as income in the calculation of family income supplement. This means that there will be no reduction in FIS awards in April and therefore no loss of the other means-tested benefits, such as, for example, free school meals and free milk and vitamins, which are received automatically under the FIS "passport" arrangements. The result will be some small over-compensation, and this will be one of the factors which will determine our proposals for the uprating of FIS in the autumn.Families in receipt of rent rebates, rent allowances or rate rebates—"housing benefits"—for which my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales are responsible, will have their housing benefits reduced following the increase in their income from child benefit, but will still gain on balance.These arrangements resolve the core of the problem and virtually eliminate the possibility of net losses in April. The only families at risk are a relatively small number at the top end of the qualifying income scale receiving free school meals by direct claim. However, the qualifying income scale was substantially increased last year by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Scotland. Since the general rule is that entitlement to free school meals is granted for 12 months at a time and is not therefore affected if the family income goes up in that period, very few, if any, families would be liable to lose their entitlement to free school meals solely as a result of the net gain from the increased child benefit.I am placing in the Library a note on the April 1978 changes. This reply is reproduced in the note, which also includes four tables showing the net gains by families paying tax at the current—34 per cent.—basic rate who are receiving (i) no means-tested benefits and (ii) housing benefits. I am also arranging for copies of this note to be sent to a number of organisations with an interest in this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to reach a decision on the future management of the Lichfield and Tamworth hospitals.

This is a matter for the Birmingham and Staffordshire Area Health Authorities in the first instance, and I hope they will shortly be able to reach agreement. Any proposal to change the existing arrangements will need my right hon. Friend's agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are registered as blind in the whole country and in the Lowestoft constituency; how many in both cases are housewives; and how many are in receipt of a pension other than the housewives non-contributory invalidity pension.

Provisional figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show that, at 31st March 1977, 112,935 people were registered as blind. In Scotland, comparable figures have not been collected centrally since 31st March 1974, when there were 10,063 registered blind people.Statistical information relates to the area of social services authorities and figures are not available for Lowestoft, but the provisional number of registered blind people in Suffolk at 31st March 1977, was 1,151. I regret that the remaining information requested is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why tenders for the Manchester Royal Infirmary development specify temporary operating theatres.

The North Western Regional Health Authority has not yet invited tenders for the geriatric medicine block at the Manchester Royal Infirmary but has issued an advertisement by way of advance notice to possible contractors. The advertisement mentions the possibility that the block may need to include two temporary operating theatres, the purpose of which would be to take the place of existing theatres at the infirmary during upgrading and structural strengthening of the present buildings. The regional health authority is at present considering whether this temporary provision will in fact be needed in the new block or whether alternative arrangements can be made to maintain theatre services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of his reply to the hon. Member for Louth of 8th March, what percentage of Class 4 national insurance contributions paid after 6th April 1978 will be attributable to the earnings-related pensions scheme.

None. The introduction of the new pensions scheme on 6th April next does not alter the position that no specific benefit entitlement derives from the Class 4 contribution. The earnings-related Class 4 contribution was introduced to avoid raising the flat-rate Class 2 contribution to a level which would bear excessively on those with low earnings.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total sum paid by the self-employed in Class 4 national insurance contributions in the financial years 1975–76 and 1976–77; and what is his estimate of the amount payable in the current financial year.

Receipts of Class 4 national insurance contributions in Great Britain, including the national health service element, in 1975–76 and 1976–77 were £27 million and £87 million, and it is estimated that £124 million will be received in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many dentists give treatment under the National Health Service in the Lowestoft constituency: and how this compares with the number on a per capita basis in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Numbers of dentists are not recorded for constituency areas. On the latest available information, the ratio of National Health Service general dental practitioners to population in the Suffolk family practitioner committee area is 1 to 4,150 compared with 1 to 4,016 for England.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he proposes to take to ensure that family practitioner committees act on the advice contained in his circular CHC(FP)(77)21;(2) how many family practitioner committees allow observers from community health councils to attend the whole of their meetings in pursuance of the advice contained in his circular CHC(FP)(77/2);(3) If he will list in the

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Grocott) on 14th December 1977.—[Vol. 941, c. 231.] At a recent check there were 44 family practitioner committees in England—about half of the total—which invited community health council observers to their meetings, though none gave these observers an automatic right to attend the whole of their meetings. Decisions as to the subjects of discussion from which such observers are excluded are a matter for local consideration. There are some matters relating to individual patients and practitioners which family practitioner committees generally regard as inappropriate for discussion with observers present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why his Department refuses to answer questions from general medical practitioners, and specifically Dr. Robert Bowles of Lyme Regis, on matters relating to the national and private pension schemes available for doctors and ancillary staff, including receptionists.

My Department has not refused to answer questions from general practitioners. We have no record of Dr Bowles approaching the Department on this matter. Information will shortly be sent to family practitioner committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the expenditure on health, expressed in per capita terms, of numbers employed in the National Health Service in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

Revenue and capital expenditure of health authorities and boards of governors in England, expressed per capita of the number—whole-time equivalents—of persons employed, for each of the relevant years, is as follows:

Year				Expenditure per capita
				£
1972–73	…	…	…	2,475
1973–74	…	…	…	2,819
1974–75	…	…	…	3,951
1975–76	…	…	…	4,830
1976–77	…	…	…	5,225

Expenditure on the family practitioner services, which comprises payments made to doctors, dentists, chemists and opticians under contractual arrangements, and the numbers of contractors providing such services have been excluded from the calculation of the foregoing figures.The figures for the years prior to National Health Service Reorganisation —1972–73 and 1973–74—are based on the expenditure and numbers of staff of the former hospital authorities and local health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many medical insurance schemes have been sold for which his Department has agreed reimbursement of doctors' contributions as employers of medical staff since 15th February 1978;(2) if he will detail the potential liability for medical insurance pension schemes to be funded by his Department.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) on 13th March.—[Vol. 946, c. 51–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now list the people he has invited to assist his Department's review of the wheelchair service; when invitations to submit evidence will be sent out to voluntary organisations; and if he will make a further statement.

My Department is in touch with a number of disabled people to ascertain their willingness to assist with the review. I will write to my hon. Friend about this as soon as possible. Invitations to submit evidence were issued to 59 organisations between 24th February and 6th March. It is too early to make any further statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average number of women on an obstetrician's list.

Obstetricians do not have lists as such. The ratio of the number of women giving birth in England in 1976 to whole-time equivalent consultants in gynaecology and obstetrics in that year was 964:1; and the ratio to general practitioner obstetricians was 33:1.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many special care units for the newborn there are in each health district; how many are planned for 1978; and where they are to be located;(2) how many intensive care units for the newborn there are in each health district; how many new units are planned for 1978; and where they are to be located.

Circular HC(76)40 suggested that there should be a two-tier system of provision:

(i) special care units associated with maternity and children's departments of district general hospitals, and

(ii) combined special and intensive care units which, as well as providing special care, would look after the small proportion of babies whose healthy survival depends on highly specialised techniques. It was envisaged that

	Number of Special Care Baby Units (SCBUs)	Combined Special and Intensive Care Units (combined S and ICUs)	Units Planned for 1978
			SCBUs	Combined S and ICUs
	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Northern Regional HealthAuthority		Neonatal Intensive therapy units—2 in Newcastle.	None	None
Hartlepool	1
North Tees	1
South Tees	1
East Cumbria	2
South West Cumbria	1
West Cumbria	2
Darlington	1
Durham	1
North West Durham	1
South West Durham	1
Northumberland	2
Gateshead	2
Newcastle upon Tyne	2
North Tyneside	1
South Tyneside	1
Sunderland	2
Yorkshire Regional Health Authority		None	None	St. James's Hospital, Leeds
Hull	1
Beverley	2
Grimsby	1
Scunthorpe	2
Northallerton	1
York	1
Scarborough	1
Harrogate	1
Bradford	2
Airedale	1
Calderdale	1
Huddersfield	1
Dewsbury	1
Western Leeds	2
Eastern Leeds	2
Western Wakefield	1
Eastern Wakefield	1
Trent Regional Health Authority		Nottingham City Hospital	None	None
Central Derbyshire	1
North Derbyshire	1
South Derbyshire	—
East Leicestershire	2
North West Leicestershire	—
South West Leicestershire	1