Written Answers To Questions
Tuesday 12 June 1979
Defence
Nuclear Deterrent
2.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have recently taken place within NATO concerning the future development of the United Kingdom nuclear deterrent.
The United Kingdom has played a full part in the discussions on the modernisation of NATO's theatre nuclear capability, to which Britain makes an important contribution.
Quangos
7.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence for which quasi-autonomous national government organisations he is responsible.
There is no official definition of a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation. However, there are eight Ministry of Defence bodies listed in the directory of paid public appointments made by Ministers. All of them are part time and of an advisory nature.
Dispersal
20.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to speed up the dispersal of Civil Service jobs in his Department to Glasgow and the West of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
I have nothing to add to the answer given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Bottomley) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force.
Anti-Submarine Helicopter
23.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in conjunction with other European nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation towards the definition and development of a new anti-submarine warfare helicopter.
The Royal Navy and the Italian Navy have broadly similar requirements for a future anti-submarine warfare helicopter, and officials of the two countries are discussing the possibility of collaborating in a joint programme. The participation of France and Germany in such a programme will also be considered in the context of a wider European collaboration in helicopters. It is too early to say what might be the outcome.
Baor
22.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to equip BAOR to enable Her Majesty's forces to respond in kind to a chemical attack.
Defensive equipment supplied to our own troops provides the highest possible degree of protection against a chemical attack. There are no plans to equip BAOR with a retaliatory chemical capability.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
The purpose, composition, terms of reference and accountability of public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility are kept under regular review.
Hms "Warrior"
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of HMS "Warrior" now lying at Milford Haven.
Both the Maritime Trust and the "Warrior" Consultative Group of the London borough of Newham submitted to the Ministry of Defence, earlier this year, proposals for the preservation of the "Warrior". The dedication with which two such highly responsible preservation groups approached this task has been greatly appreciated by the Royal Navy.After careful consideration by the Admiralty Board it has been decided to offer the "Warrior" to the Maritime Trust. The trust's intention is that the "Warrior", after a lengthy process of restoration elsewhere, should be put on public display in Portsmouth. Portsmouth is the area recommended for further development of exhibits of historic significance to the Royal Navy, in a report by a working party of the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries published in November 1978—(HMSO ISBN 0 11 290323 1).
Baor
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to improve the capacity of BAOR to engage in house-to-house fighting.
The need for training in house-to-house fighting is well recognised and means of improving our training capacity in this field are at present under consideration.
Jaguar-Harrier Replacement
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the search for a Jaguar-Harrier replacement.
The initial phase of our studies into replacements for these aircraft is now complete. Further detailed studies to refine requirements are in hand, and we are discussing with our European allies, in particular the French and Germans, the possibilities for a collaborative solution.
Chieftain Tanks
asked the Secretary of for Defence what plans he has for the disposal of the 200 improved Chieftain tanks paid for by the Shah but not delivered to Iran.
My right hon. Friend is considering how best to dispose of partly completed tanks and other materials purchased as part of the Iranian order which has now been cancelled. This includes the possibility of finding other customers.
Service Doctors
asked the Secretary of for Defence if he is satisfied with the number of doctors in the Armed Forces.
There is currently a shortfall in the number of doctors in the Armed Forces. I am concerned that the present rate of recruitment and retention of Service doctors should be increased and I believe that the forthcoming pay award for Service doctors and dentists which will restore their full appropriate pay scales will be of significant assistance in this.
Home Department
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my field of responsibility.
Prison Officers (Pay)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase in the salary of prison officers would be needed to bring it to a comparable level with a police officer.
While differences in pay structures and conditions of service make strict comparisons impossible, the general position following recent pay awards is that the pay of police officers and prison officers is at a broadly comparable level, though police officers in London receive a special allowance of £650.
Magistrates
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present payment for loss of earnings and expenses paid to lay magistates; and when these payments were last increased.
The maximum rates of financial loss allowance payable to justices of the peace in England and Wales in respect of time in any one period of 24 hours over which earnings or benefit are lost or additional expenditure incurred are, where that time is not more than four hours, £6·20 and, where it is more than four hours, £12·40. These rates were introduced on 28 December 1978.
District Council Elections
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends postponing the 1980 elections for district councils in view of the delay that occurred in the Boundary Commission making its recommendations to the former Secretary of State for the Home Department; and if he will make a statement.
I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Spence) on 11 June. [Vol. 968, c. 10.]
Local Government Grants (Ethnic Groups) Bill
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to re-introduce the Local Government Grants (Ethnic Groups) Bill.
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Batter-sea, South (Mr. Dubs) on 11 June. [Vol. 968, c. 8.]
Firearms
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the number of cases, over the last 10 years, in which a firearm, purchased legitimately in the United Kingdom by a national of an EEC country has been subsequently identified as having been used in crime or for terrorist activities in an EEC country.
Such information is not recorded centrally.
Jurors
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate practices by police forces passing information to prosecuting counsel in respect of prospective jurors with previous criminal records; and if he will make a statement.
The practice is that, where the police have reason to believe that a potential juror may be disqualified, they may check records of previous convictions and inform the court authorities accordingly. Apart from this, it is established that the police should not check their records for information about potential jurors or pass such information to prosecuting counsel save in certain exceptional cases, broadly speaking ones involving serious offences with political overtones and serious gang offences, and then only on the personal authority of the Director of Public Prosecutions or his deputy.The guidelines involved were set out in a statement last year by the then Attorney-General. In view of reports that records of convictions of potential jurors may have been passed to prosecuting counsel in cases not covered by these guidelines, my officials have discussed the issues with representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Prison Population
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present population at each prison in the United Kingdom and the number which the prison was built to accommodate.
Details of the accommodation and population of individual prison department establishments in England and Wales are published annually as Appendix No. 3 to the report of the work of the prison department. The report for 1978 is expected to be published shortly. On 15 May 1979 the certified normal accommodation of prison department establishments was 37,890 and the prison population was 42,364.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally-abnormal offenders are in prison department establishments; and what are the numbers at each prison and the category of the Mental Health Act 1959 into which they fall.
On 31 December 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 519 persons held in prison department establishments who were considered by prison medical officers to be suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree which would warrant their detention in hospital for medical treatment under the Mental Health Act 1959. Of these, 389 were serving a sentence. A breakdown of the figures, by category and by establishment, is given in the following table:
| Sentenced | Unsentenced | Total (uncluding non-criminal) | ||||||||||||||||
| Establishments | M | SS | S | P | Total | M | SS | S | P | Total | M | SS | S | P | Total | |||
| MALES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Remand Centres | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ashford | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 1 | — | 6 | 5 | — | 1 | — | 6 | |
| Norwich | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | |
| Risley | … | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 |
| — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | 2 | — | 11 | 8 | 1 | 3 | — | 12 | ||||
| Local Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bedford | … | … | … | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | 5 | 9 | — | — | — | 9 |
| Birmingham | … | … | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | 11 | — | — | — | 11 | 15 | — | — | — | 15 | |
| Bristol | … | … | … | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 5 |
| Brixton | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | — | 13 | 13 | — | — | — | 13 |
| Canterbury | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 6 | |
| Cardiff | … | … | … | — | — | 3 | — | 3 | 5 | — | 2 | — | 7 | 5 | — | 5 | — | 10 |
| Dorchester | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Durham | … | … | 5 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 4 | 8 | — | — | 2 | 10 | |
| Exeter | … | … | … | 9 | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | 9 |
| Gloucester | … | … | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | |
| Leeds | … | … | … | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 4 |
| Leicester | … | … | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | — | 1 | — | 5 | 8 | — | 1 | — | 9 | |
| Lewes | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | — | 5 | 4 | — | 1 | — | 5 |
| Lincoln | … | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 |
| Liverpool | … | … | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| Manchester | … | … | 7 | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | 7 | |
| Norwich | … | … | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| Oxford | … | … | … | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| Pentonville | … | … | 5 | — | — | 5 | 10 | 4* | — | — | 3* | 7* | 9* | — | — | 8* | 17* | |
| Swansea | … | … | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| Wandsworth | … | … | 13 | — | — | 1 | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | 17 | — | — | 1 | 18 | |
| Winchester | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 6 | |
| Wormwood Scrubs | … | 38 | — | 5 | 5 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | — | 5 | 5 | 48 | ||
| 103 | — | 11 | 19 | 133 | 72* | 1 | 9 | 10* | 92* | 175* | 1 | 20 | 29* | 225* | ||||
| Sentenced | Unsentenced | Total (including non-criminal) | ||||||||||||||||
| Establishments | M | SS | S | P | Total | M | SS | S | P | Total | M | SS | S | P | Total | |||
| Adult Closed Training Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
| Albany | … | … | … | 2 | — | — | 20 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 20 | 22 |
| Blundeston | … | … | 2 | — | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 3 | |
| Camp Hill | … | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 | |
| Coldingley | … | … | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | |
| Dartmoor | … | … | 5 | — | 4 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 4 | 1 | 10 | |
| Featherstone | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | |
| Gartree | … | … | … | 2 | — | — | 24 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 24 | 26 |
| Hull | … | … | … | 3 | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 | 4 |
| Kingston (Portsmouth) | — | — | — | 9 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 9 | |||
| Long Lartin | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | |
| Maidstone | … | … | 6 | — | — | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 1 | 7 | |
| Parkhurst | … | … | 23 | — | — | 40 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | 40 | 63 | |
| Reading | … | … | 2 | — | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 3 | |
| Stafford | … | … | … | 4 | — | — | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 1 | 5 |
| Wakefield | … | … | 11 | — | — | 28 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | — | 28 | 39 | |
| 61 | — | 9 | 127 | 197 | — | — | — | — | — | 61 | — | 9 | 127 | 197 | ||||
| Young Persons Closed Training Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
| Aylesbury | … | … | 4 | — | — | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 3 | 7 | |
| Exeter | … | … | … | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Onley | … | … | … | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Swinfen Hall | … | … | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | |
| 7 | — | — | 4 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | 4 | 11 | ||||
| Closed Borstals | ||||||||||||||||||
| Feltham | … | … | 7 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 21 | |
| Rochester | … | … | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 22 | ||||
| Sentenced | Unsentenced | Total (including non-criminal) | ||||||||||||||||
| Establishments | M | SS | S | P | Total | M | SS | S | P | Total | M | SS | S | P | Total | |||
| FEMALES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Remand Centres | ||||||||||||||||||
| Pucklechurch | … | … | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | — | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | — | 2 | 1 | 9 | |
| Risley | … | … | … | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 4 | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | 1 | 7 | 8 | — | 2 | 1 | 11 | ||||
| Closed Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
| Durham | … | … | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | 7 | |
| Holloway | … | … | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7* | — | 5 | 8 | 20* | 10* | — | 6 | 10 | 26* | |
| Styal | … | … | … | 3 | — | — | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 5 | 8 |
| 8 | — | 4 | 9 | 21 | 7* | — | 5 | 8 | 20* | 15* | — | 9 | 17 | 41* | ||||
| TOTAL (MALE) | … | … | 179 | 1 | 22 | 162 | 364 | 80* | 2 | 11 | 10* | 103* | 259* | 3 | 33 | 172* | 467* | |
| TOTAL (FEMELE) | … | … | 12 | — | 4 | 9 | 25 | 11* | — | 7 | 9 | 27* | 23* | — | 11 | 18 | 52 | |
| TOTAL (MALE AND FEMALE) | 191 | 1 | 26 | 171 | 389 | 91* | 2 | 18 | 19* | 130* | 282* | 3 | 44 | 190* | 519* | |||
| * Includes five non-criminal cases—4 males and 1 female. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Category of Mental Disorder: M = Mental Illness; SS = Severe Subnormality; S = Subnormality; P = Psychopathic Disorder. | ||||||||||||||||||
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to remove mentally-abnormal offenders from prison.
As the hon. Member is aware, prison medical officers have been urged to seek authority for the transfer to hospital of any prisoner in whose case such a course is considered to be justified. The Home Office is in constant touch with the Department of Health and Social Security about the difficulties which arise in obtaining suitable hospital vacancies.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally-abnormal prisoners are currently awaiting transfer to National Health Service hospitals; and what are the names of the hospitals, and the length of time each prisoner has been waiting.
| Regional Health Authority | Under 3 months | 3–6 months | 6–12 months | 12–18 months | |||||
| North-Western | … | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Oxford | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | 1 | — |
| North-East Thames | … | … | … | 2 | 2 | — | — | ||
| North-West Thames | … | … | … | 2 | 1 | — | — | ||
| South-East Thames | … | … | … | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | ||
| Trent | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | — | — | — |
| Wessex | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| West Midlands | … | … | … | … | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Yorkshire | … | … | … | … | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Welsh Health Authorities | … | … | 2 | — | — | — | |||
| 13 | 6 | 2 | 1 | ||||||
Emergency Powers Act 1920
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times a state of emergency has been declared under the Emergency Powers Act 1920; and what were the dates on
| Date of Proclamation | Date state of emergency ended | Nature of dispute | ||||||
| 31 | March 1921 | … | 26 | July 1921 | … | … | Coal miners' strike | |
| 28 | March 1924 | … | 1 | April 1924 | … | Bus and tram strike in London | ||
| 30 | April 1926 | … | 19 | December 1926 | … | General strike and coal miners' strike | ||
| 28 | June 1948 | … | … | 27 | July 1948 | … | … | Dock strike |
| 11 | July 1949 | … | … | 10 | August 1949 | … | Dock strike | |
| 31 | May 1955 | … | … | 21 | June 1955 | … | … | Rail strike |
| 23 | May 1966 | … | … | 5 | July 1966 | … | … | Seamen's strike |
| 16 | July 1970 | … | … | 4 | August 1970 | … | Dock strike | |
| 12 | December 1970 | … | 17 | December 1970 | … | Electricity workers' strike | ||
| 9 | February 1972 | … | 8 | March 1972 | … | Coal miners' strike | ||
| 3 | August 1972 | … | 2 | September 1972 | … | Dock strike | ||
| 13 | November 1973 | … | 11 | March 1974 | … | Coal miners' and electricity power workers' disputes | ||
Taxi Fares
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when
On 31 May 1979, 22 cases of sentenced prisoners recommended for transfer under section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959 to NHS hospitals remained unresolved following approaches to the relevant regional health authority.It would be inappropriate to describe any such prisoner as awaiting admission to a specific hospital, since although a vacancy would normally be sought in the hospital serving his home address, it is always open to a regional health authority to provide a vacancy for him in another hospital in its area. A breakdown of the 22 cases showing the areas in which vacancies are being sought and the length of time which has elapsed since the request for a vacancy was made is given in the following table:which emergency was proclaimed, the length of time each emergency lasted and the nature of the industrial disputes which precipitated the taking of emergency powers in each case.
The information is as follows:he will authorise an increase in London taxi fares.
I hope to be in a position to do so shortly.
Murder Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals found guilty of murder since 1965 have been released from prison.
203 in England and Wales.
Television Licence
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue instructions to the BBC that no further increase in the television licence fee will take place within a period of 12 months since the last application was granted.
I have not yet reached any decision about the size or timing of any necessary increases in the level of the television licence fees.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a scheme to abolish the television licence fee together with an appropriate payment to the BBC out of taxation.
No.
Illegal Immigrants
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the people held in custody for over three months under the charge of being illegal immigrants.
The following information relates to those held in detention on 1 June.Of those detained as illegal entrants on the authority of an immigration officer, one had been in detention for more than three months. He had entered in a false identity and in all the circumstances of the case it was considered necessary to detain him pending the completion of criminal proceedings of which he was the subject, and consideration of representations made on his behalf against removal. Directions for his removal have now been authorised and arrangements are being made accordingly.
House Of Commons
Envelopes
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will ask the Services Committee to investigate the possibility of introducing self-adhesive envelopes for the use of hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.
I have asked the Services Committee to investigate this possibility.
Recesses
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to announce the proposed dates for parliamentary recesses a year in advance and the date of the Summer Recess in the current Session two months in advance.
I fully recognise the need to give the House as much notice of proposed recess dates as possible. But I think my hon. Friend's suggestion would leave too little margin for the unforeseen and unforeseeable.
Former Members (Financial Entitlements)
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements are communicated to former hon. Members in regard to their financial entitlements as a result of their ceasing to be Members after the last general election.
A memorandum which contained details of the severance payment and winding-up allowance for defeated Members was sent to all Members on 3 April 1979, and I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend. After the general election, a separate letter was sent to all retiring and defeated Members about their superannuation entitlements.
Register Of Members' Interests
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he proposes to publish the Register of Members' Interests.
The Registrar of Members' Interests is sending out the necessary declaration forms to all hon. Members to enable a new register of Members' interests to be compiled. The subsequent publication of the register will be for consideration by the Registrar in consultation with any Select Committee on Members' Interests established by the House.
Objects Of Art (Loss Or Damage)
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will specify the sums paid under certificates of indemnity by the national museums, galleries and library in England in respect of claims for loss of, or damage sustained by, objects lent to them during the financial year ended 31 March, divided between (a) claims satisfied in respect of long term loans to the permanent collections and (b) claims satisfied in respect to loans to temporary exhibitions.
No payments were made in respect of long-term loans to the permanent collections. Payments of about £2,500 were made in respect of loans to temporary exhibitions.
Scotland
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my field of responsibility.
Community Land Act
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions he proposes to issue to local authorities which have acquired land under the Community Land Act, which it is proposed to abolish by legislation; if it is the intention of his Department to advise local authorities to offer this land to private developers as a whole; or if the local authorities will be given discretion in this matter.
Restrictions on the disposal of land by local authorities have already been removed by Scottish Development Department circular 29/1979, a copy of which will be found in the Library. Further advice about ending the community land scheme will be issued in due course.
Rail Closures
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take regarding the representations which have been made to him by the Grampian regional council on the proposals by British Railways to close the freight line between Fraserburgh and Dyce; and if he will give an assurance that British Railways will not be permitted to initiate closure proceedings until the fullest discussions have taken place between all interested parties who would be involved in the threatened closure.
It is for the British Railways Board to decide whether to retain or close any particular freight line in the light of its commercial judgment. I understand that the board is discussing the Fraserburgh-Dyce line with interested parties and that no final decision has been taken. Grampian regional council asked my right hon. Friend to provide financial assistance for the improvements necessary to retain the line, but he has explained that he has no statutory power to do so.
Nigg Bay Development
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if any money has been paid from his Vote to Cromarty Petroleum Ltd. in respect of the Nigg Bay development.
No such money has been paid.
Prime Minister (Engagements)
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for 12 June.
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 12 June.
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 June.
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for Tuesday 12 June.
I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson).
Q2.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.
This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet. Later I was present when Her Majesty the Queen welcomed the President of the Republic of Kenya. In addition to duties in this House I shall have further meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. This evening I shall attend a dinner given by Her Majesty in honour of President Moi.
Faversham
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Faversham.
I have no plans to do so.
Tuc And Cbi
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister when last she met the Trades Union Congress.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. Stoddart).
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister when last she met the Trades Union Congress and Confederation of British Industry.
I have not yet had an opportunity for meetings with the TUC or the CBI, but I met the General Secretary of the TUC on 31 May.
Edgeley
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister if she will visit Edgeley.
I have no plans to do so.
Quangos
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister for which quasi-autonomous national government organisations she is personally responsible to the House.
I make appointments to the following official bodies:
- Public Sector Pay Review Bodies (Top Salaries, Doctors and Dentists Remuneration and Armed Forces' Pay).
- Standing Commission an Pay Comparability.
- Civic Service Pay Research Unit Board.
- Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
- Security Commission.
- Three Advisers (civil service security appeal body).
- Political Honours Scrutiny Committee.
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister which quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations she intends to abolish and which she expects to maintain; and if she will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 22 May 1979 to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond).
Asian Community
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister what plans she has to meet leaders of the Asian community now living in the United Kingdom.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Reddish
asked the Prime Minister if she will visit Reddish.
I have no plans to do so.
Industry
British Aerospace
24.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the Government's policy in respect of research and development expenditure in both civil and military projects in British Aerospace.
Civil research and development which is directly related to British Aerospace's commercial activities is the responsibility of the corporation. The Department continues to fund certain work, related for example to energy conservation and the reduction of noise, which is necessary in the wider national interest; and the Government's policy towards the aerospace industry will pay full regard to the need for adequate research and development. The Ministry of Defence funds work which is necessary for defence purposes.
Nigg Bay Development
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if any money has been paid from his Vote to Cromarty Petroleum Ltd. in respect of the Nigg Bay Development.
No.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend is undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within the Department's field of responsibility. The composition, terms of reference and relationships between such bodies and Government and Parliament are reviewed as necessary.
Production
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will advise the establishment of yearly national awards for innovation in production methods similar to the Queen's awards for innovation.
My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so at present, but he will certainly bear the suggestion in mind.
Greater London
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement as to his policy towards en- couraging manufacturing industry wishing to remain in the Greater London Council area.
The Government are reviewing the assistance at present available to industry and the controls placed on it. Industry in London, as in the rest of the country, will benefit from our policy of creating a climate in which commerce and industry can flourish.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Attorney-General what proposals he or his noble Friend have for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which they appoint members other than civil servants.
There are no official bodies to which I appoint members. At the request of the Prime Minister, my noble Friend is undertaking an urgent review of all public bodies within his Department's field of responsibility.
Castrol Limited
asked the Attorney-General if he has yet received the report from the Director of Public Prosecutions in respect of Castrol Ltd. and the supply of petroleum products to Rhodesia.
No. The Director of Public Prosecutions is not making an investigation into any alleged supply of petroleum products to Rhodesia by Castrol Ltd.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
World Health Organisation
asked the Lord Privy Seal what action he intends to take arising from the World Health Organisation's report 'Controlling the Smoking Epidemic'; and if he will make a statement.
I am studying the recommendations in the report, which bear on the responsibilities of the Overseas Development Administration, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.
Foreign Language Broadcasts
asked the Lord Privy Seal how much Government aid is currently spent annually on foreign language broadcasts; and if he will itemise this expenditure.
The main estimate approved by Parliament for 1979–80 external broadcasting services expenditure, excluding capital expenditure, is £40,342,000. Of this £24,517,000 is estimated to be foreign language broadcasting, which can be itemised as follows:
| £000 | |
| Central European | |
| Czechoslovak | 1,004 |
| Finnish | 409 |
| Hungarian | 788 |
| Polish | 895 |
| East European | |
| Romanian | 675 |
| Bulgarian | 567 |
| Russian | 1,414 |
| Yugoslav | 631 |
| South European | |
| Italian | 440 |
| Portuguese | 339 |
| Greek | 420 |
| Turkish | 362 |
| Spanish | 398 |
| Maltese | 41 |
| French | 1,798 |
| German. | 1,578 |
| Eastern | |
| Persian | 537 |
| Hindi | 729 |
| Tamil | 65 |
| Nepali | 40 |
| Bengali | 395 |
| Urdu | 499 |
| Burmese | 333 |
| Far Eastern | |
| Chinese | 943 |
| Japanese | 374 |
| Vietnamese | 435 |
| Thai | 272 |
| Indonesian/Malay | 549 |
| Latin American | |
| Brazilian | 688 |
| Spanish | 1,236 |
| African | |
| Hausa | 403 |
| Somali | 319 |
| Swahili | 397 |
| Arabic | 4,544 |
| Total foreign language broadcasting | £24,517,000 |
Gibraltar
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has any plans to reopen discussions with the Government of Spain on the question of Gibraltar; if he has any plans to meet the representatives of the Government of Gibraltar to hear their views on the present situation; or if it is his intention to visit the territory at an early date to discuss the matter fully in Gibraltar with all interested parties.
Future policy in relation to Gibraltar is under consideration. Meanwhile, the closest contact continues to be maintained with the Gibraltar Government. My right hon. and noble Friend and I look forward to meeting the Chief Minister, Sir Joshua Hassan, in London on 6 July.
Commonwealth Development Corporation
asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the 1978 annual report and accounts of the Commonwealth Development Corporation have been published.
The report and accounts were published on 31 May, and copies were laid before the House on that date. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of both Houses.
National Finance
Tax Evasion And Avoidance
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of staff currently employed directly in detecting tax evasion and the total amount of evasion detected in the last available year, and the amount of money saved by their efforts.
In both the Inland Revenue and the Customs and Excise departments, the detection of evasion forms part of the normal duties of the majority of staff. Each department does, however, have specialist investigation units.In the Inland Revenue, about 120 staff are employed in 10 inquiry branch offices and about 70 staff in the four special offices established during 1976 and 1977. About 70 staff also work in the board's investigation office which handles certain cases of fraud, forgery and theft, including those relating to sub-contractors' tax exemption documents. The Inland Revenue estimates that, in the year to 31 October 1978, the yield of tax, interest and penalties arising from the detection of tax evasion amounted to about £70 million.In Customs and Excise, nearly 700 staff are employed in specialist investigation units, on cases of evasion of duty or tax or breach of prohibitions such as importation of drugs. Statistics of offences are published in the annual reports of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, of which the latest is for the year ending 31 March 1978 (Cmnd. 7455). In that year, court fines, costs and settlements under section 288 of the Customs and Excise Act 1952 (exclusive of arrears) for offences in relation to Customs and Excise duties and VAT amounted to £3·6 million. Control visits to VAT traders were estimated in 1978 to result in the detection of £50 million underdeclared tax. However, neither the penalties nor the under declarations can be attributed directly to fraudulent evasion as distinct from technical breaches of revenue law.No estimate can be made of the deterrent effect of the investigation work done by either Department.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has established any specialist offices to tackle tax evasion and avoidance; when the offices were established; what is the number of staff employed; and if he has plans to extend this service to taxpayers.
The Inland Revenue has for many years carried out complex anti-avoidance work at its head office, whilst the larger and more important cases of evasion have been handled by 10 inquiry branch officers around the country. In addition, certain cases of fraud, forgery and theft are investigated by the board's investigation office. The Revenue has also recently established four special offices to tackle other kinds of tax evasion and avoidance. The first was opened in Edinburgh in January 1976, followed by others in London and Manchester in June 1976, and a fourth in Birmingham in September 1977. The staff at present employed in these specialist offices totals about 260. The second London special office, with about 8 staff, will be opened shortly. There are no immediate plans to open more.The Customs and Excise has around 700 staff employed on specialist investigation work. Their work covers both evasion of tax and the detection of breaches of prohibitions such as the importation of drugs. It has not opened any new specialist offices in recent years, and has no current plans to do so.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
Small Businesses
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to reduce the amount of time that small businesses have to spend completing value added tax returns.
Changes made following the review of value added tax procedures by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise in 1977–78 should already have reduced the burden for small businesses. Those measures, which included the introduction of a much simplified return form, are described in the commissioners' report on the review (Cmnd. 7415, December 1978). However, I am aware of the continuing problems of small businesses and will keep the position under review.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the public sector borrowing requirement for each year since 1970; and what it is estimated to be for the current year.
Past figures are published in column 10 of Table 2.3 of Financial Statistics. The 1978 estimate in the May edition of Financial Statistics has been revised to £8,344 million. The estimate of the PSBR for the financial year 1978–79 is £9,227 million. For the forecast of the PSBR in the current financial year, I refer the hon. Member to the Financial Statement and Budget Report published today.
State Shareholdings
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total amount to be paid to merchant banks and others by the Government for facilitating the sale of State shareholdings.
No.
European Community Funds
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of finance in £ sterling received by the United Kingdom by way of loans and grants from the following EEC sources in the periods (a) 1978 and (b) since 1 January 1973 to date: the European Investment Bank, the European Coal and Steel Community, the Social Fund, the Regional Development Fund, and the European Agricultural Fund: (i)Guarantee Section and (ii) Guidance Section.
The information requested is as follows:
| £ million | ||
| 1978 | 1973–78 | |
| European Investment Bank loans | 286·3 | 1,165·3 |
| European Coal and Steel Community: | ||
| grants | 4·8 | 28·9 |
| loans | 212·9 | 854·3 |
| Social Fund | 62·6 | 157·0 |
| Regional Development Fund | 34·7 | 123·6 |
| European Agricultural Fund: | ||
| Guarantee Section | 313·0 | 1,182·4 |
| Guidance Section | 34·4 | 69·7 |
Objects Of Art
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if any further objects have been accepted in lieu of estate duty or capital transfer tax.
Yes, an oil sketch by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, entitled Jacob and Esau, and a panel by Giovanni Bellini, entitled The Madonna and Child, and a drawing by Francesco Di Giorgio Martini, entitled Adam and Eve, have been accepted in lieu of capital transfer tax. An announcement about their allocation will be made in due course by the Minister with special responsibility for the Arts after taking advice from the Standing Commission on Museum and Galleries.The total cost borne by the National Land Fund after allowing for relief from capital transfer tax and capital gains tax is £175,000.
Value Added Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how many pence per week a 1 per cent. increase in VAT would put up the cost of living of the average family, and of the family on half average income and double average income, respectively; what percentage increase in the retail price index this represents; and what are the similar figures for a 5p increase in petrol tax and a 5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound.
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25 May 1979; Vol. 967, c. 302], gave the following answer:Analyses of the incidence of indirect taxation are made annually and published in "Economic Trends" of which copies are available in the Library of the House. The analysis for 1977 was published in January 1979 and is the latest available.It is estimated that a 1 per cent. increase in the rates of VAT would increase the expenditure of a family with an average original income of £90 per week by about 40p per week. An additional 5p excise duty on petrol, would, with VAT at its present rate, increase the expenditure of the same family by about 18p. Corresponding figures for a family with half and double average income (before income tax and cash benefits) would be about 25p and 6p and 60p and 29p respectively. The 1 per cent. increase in VAT and the additional duty and VAT on petrol would increase the Retail Price Index by about ½ per cent. and ¼ per cent. respectively.It is estimated that a 5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound would, once all the effects had worked through to the retail stage, raise the cost of living of the average income household by a little more than 20p per week, the household with half the average gross income by a little more than 15p per week and the household with double the average gross income by about 30p per week, and that this devaluation would increase the general index of retail prices by about ¼ per cent. Since, on average, household income rises with household size, the differences between the figures would be less if the same calculation were done on a per head basis.
Public Bodies
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the actual or estimated costs to the latest and most convenient date since their inception and the costs in total of the establishment and running of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Office of Fair Trading and the National Consumers Council; and what would be the actual or estimated savings to the Treasury on an annual basis if these were abolished.
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11 June 1979], gave the following answer:The estimated net costs from inception to 31 March 1979 are shown in the table below. The last column of the table, which shows the net provision in Estimates for 1979–80, gives an indication of the annual saving which might ultimately be achieved if the bodies and all their functions were abolished.
| Estimated net cost from inception to 31 March 1979 | Net provision in estimates for 1979–80 | |
| £ million | £ million | |
| Equal Opportunities Commission. | 4·0 | 2·6 |
| Office of Fair Trading | 3·2 | 1·6 |
| National Consumer Council | 1·9 | 0·8 |
Pay
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost in the current financial year of pay and salary increases announced by Her Majesty's Government, to the police, the Armed Forces and the salaries so far affected by the Top Salaries Review Body Committee; and if he will list them.
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11 June 1979],gave the following answer:£230·5 million. This comprises three elements: (i) £4 million as the cost of implementing the recommendations of the 11th report of the Top Salaries Review Body; (ii) £115 million as the cost of paying from 1 May the second stage of the Edmund-Davies award to the police (the second stage would otherwise have been payable from 1 September at a cost in this financial year of £42 million less); (iii) £111·5 million for paying the final stage of the 1978 Armed Forces Review Body recommended salaries from 1 April 1979 instead of 1 April 1980 as the previous Administration had planned. (The cost of paying the second stage of the 1978 Armed Forces Review Body recommended salaries and updating these salaries, a decision announced by the previous Administration, will be £322 million in this financial year).
Northern Ireland
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
Upper Galway, Newtownbreda (Development Application)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the publication date will be of the findings of the public inquiry held on 12, 13 and 14 December concerning the application by the police authority for Northern Ireland to develop land at Upper Galwally, Newtownbreda, owned by Cooke rugby football club and others, as a sub-divisional police headquarters with 108 bed temporary accommodation, 100 bed residences, motor pool, print unit and car parking spaces.
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11 June 1979];gave the following answer:An early decision on the application is expected. Copies of the report of the Planning Appeals Commission on the public local inquiry will subsequently be made available, on request, to interested parties.
Environment
Bathing Areas (Designation)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue instructions to water and local government authorities to implement the EEC directive concerning the designation of bathing areas; and what are the reasons for the delay of nearly four years in their issue.
I cannot answer for the actions of or lack of them by a previous Administration. I am examining the issue now, and will announce shortly how we mean to proceed.
Housing Act 1974 (Loan Charges)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the amounts paid or projected to be paid from the Exchequer under section 78 of the Housing Act 1974 and from local authority rate funds, respectively, in each year from 1973–74 to 1978–79, in 1978 survey prices, in England and Wales, in respect of the loan charges assumed to have been incurred by local authorities in respect of house renovation grants paid to private owners.
The information requested as regards Exchequer payments for England and Wales is as follows:
| 1978 Survey Prices | |
| £ million | |
| 1973–74 | 124·9* |
| 1974–75 | 97·3* |
| 1975–76 | 116·2 |
| 1976–77 | 111·2 |
| 1977–78 | 100·3 |
| 1978–79 | 101·0 |
| These figures include payments made under legislation prior to the Housing Act 1974. | |
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment where in Table 2.7 of Cmnd. Paper No. 7439 are included the amounts paid and projected to be paid from the Exchequer under section 78 of the Housing Act 1974 and from local authority rate funds, respectively, in respect of the loan charges assumed to have been incurred by local authorities in respect of house renovation grants paid to private owners.
Table 2.7 of Cmnd. 7439 shows capital expenditure on improvement grants. The loan charges to finance that expenditure are included in the total local authority loan charges shown in Table 4.6.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
An urgent review is already in hand.
Atmospheric Emissions
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for tests to be conducted to determine the carcinogenic and radiation dangers inherent in the discharges into the atmosphere from normal operations at fossil-fired and nuclear power stations.
Discharges to the atmosphere from fossil-fired power stations are subject to the requirements of Her Majesty's Alkali and Clean Air Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. Tests relating to the carcinogenic potential of power station ash have been negative but further work is being carried out by the Central Electricity Generating Board. The results of extensive surveys of air pollution published by the CEGB and the Department of Industry confirm that the impact on the local environment is small. The significance of the trace quantities of radioactive materials emitted is minimal in comparison with naturally occurring background radiation levels and the effect on health is negligible.The generating boards systematically measure and analyse radioactive discharges to the atmosphere from nuclear power stations, and independent checks are made by the appropriate Authorising Departments. The results of this work are summarised in the Annual Survey of Radioactive Discharges in Great Britain, published by this Department.The effects of ionising radiation on health were summarised in the 1977 report of the United Nations scientific committee on the effects of atomic radiation. Further investigatory research in this country is being carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board and the Medical Research Council.
Education And Science
School Meals
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the overall net cost in 1979–80 of the school meals service.
About £390 million for England and Wales, at November 1978 prices, and taking account of a 5p increase in the school meal charge this autumn.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he plans to increase the price of school meals.
I refer the hon. Member to today's Budget Statement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
Trade
Seal Skins
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will seek to impose a ban on the import of seal skins into the United Kingdom.
No. While I understand very well the concerns of the hon. Member, there is no authoritative agreement that seals, particularly in Canada, are threatened as a species. Whether a ban on imports of skins would be consistent with our international obligations is also open to question. On the other hand, unilateral action would undoubtedly adversely affect our commercial interests and external relations without, in all probability, stopping the annual hunt of seals.
Paper And Board Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the implications for the United Kingdom paper and board industry of Greek accession to the EEC; and what transitional arrangements are involved.
Imports of paper and board from Greece already enter the EEC duty free. Greek tariffs and other non-tariff barriers on imports from the EEC will be phased out progressively in the five years after Greek accession. The overall implications for the United Kingdom industry are likely to be small, though there should be some increase in export opportunities.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility. The composition, terms of reference and relationships between such bodies and Government and Parliament are reviewed as necessary.
Dc-10 Aircraft
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what consultations he is holding with British airlines which operate DC-10 aircraft which are at present grounded.
I have not been approached by the airlines on this matter. Certification of airworthiness is the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Consumer Advice Centres
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on the future of the grants for consumer advice centres.
I am not satisfied that this grant scheme, which provides for the payment of the full running costs of specialist consumer advice centres, is cost effective as a method of providing an advisory service. I have, therefore, decided to terminate the scheme at the end of this financial year.I recognise that this may lead to closure of some centres and so increase the work load of other advisory services. I shall be consulting interested bodies on the implications of this. In particular, the citizens advice bureaux may well have a greater part to play in the future. I shall welcome their proposals as to how they can meet this objective. I am anxious to encourage the CAB movement because it is a voluntary service which is both effective and economical.
Knitwear
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what reply he has sent to the Scottish Knitwear Council and the unions associated with the knitwear industry concerning its problems, with particular reference to protection from imports from low cost producers and a more equitable distribution of quotas throughout the EEC.
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24 May 1979; Vol. 967, c. 221–22], gave the following answer:The hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Lambie) has written to me enclosing a letter from the Scottish Knitwear Council and the trade unions in the knitwear industry. I replied to him on 30 May and I have arranged for the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) to receive a copy of my reply.
Transport
Roads (Traffic Statistics)
asked the Minister of Transport (1) what was the vehicle traffic in 1978 in Great Britain by the following classes of road: Motorways and M roads, trunk roads, principal roads, B roads, C roads, unclassified roads, all roads in (a) built up areas and (b) non-built up areas;(2) what is the estimated annual mileage by class of vehicles in 1978 in Great Britain for private cars, vans and taxis, motorcycles, buses and coaches, goods vehicles and all motor vehicles.
I regret that the information requested is not yet available, but I will provide my hon. Friend with the figures as soon as possible.
Liverpool Inner Ring Road
asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the names of individuals and organisations who have written to his Department objecting to the proposed Liverpool inner ring road during the past year.
This Department has received representations from the hon. Member himself, and the hon. Members for Liverpool, Toxeth (Mr. Crawshaw), Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Thornton) and Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. Alton) as well as from the following individuals: Mr. R. Mann, Mr. K. Mann, Mr. J. Waddington, Mr. J. Clarke, Mr. F. R. A. Evans, Mr. M. George, Mrs. A. Munoz, Mrs. M. E. Alcayenza, Mr. L. Chareunsy, Mr. J. P. Hearty, Mr. G. N. W. Gay, Mr. Robin Bloxsidge, Miss Florence Gersten, Mr. Brian Wood, Mr. M. Pugh Thomas, Miss B. A. Smith, Mr. Joseph Corbett, Mrs. M. Lanzawth, Mrs. V. Lacerez, Mrs. A. Smith, Mrs. A. Meza, Mr. J. W. H. Watt, Mrs. R. Hidden and Sister Maura O'Carroll.
asked the Minister of Transport if he has received representations from the Vauxhall neighbourhood council concerning the proposed Liverpool inner ring road; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.
I have not received any representations but I have familiarised myself with the views of the council expressed to this Department during the period of office of the last Government.
asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated total cost from central and local government expenditure, respectively, on the construction of the proposed Liverpool inner ring road to the most recent available date.
The latest estimates considered by Merseyside county council put the total costs at about £40 million. I cannot say how the county council's costs of carrying out its proposal would be shared between central and local government.
asked the Minister of Transport what effect the Government's policy on cuts in public spending will have on the proposed Liverpool inner ring road.
I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement in the House today. It is too soon to say what effect his proposals may have on individual local authority projects.
asked the Minister of Transport if he will agree to meet a delegation from the Liverpool anti-ring road committee.
I am fully aware of the committee's views on the proposed road, which I am considering together with other representations. The road is a local road and the responsibility of Merseyside county council. I do not think therefore that it would be helpful to meet the committee.
asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on opposition to the construction of the proposed Liverpool inner ring road and the campaign for a public inquiry, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange.
My right hon. Friend and I have been made aware of certain local opposition to Merseyside county council's proposals both by the hon. Member and through direct representations. We are considering these representations and would not wish to make a statement at this time.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
I have set in hand an urgent review at the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
asked the Minister of Transport what research has been carried out by his Department into the problem of water spray during wet weather from heavy goods vehicles, especially on motorways; and whether he has any proposals to obviate this hazard on motorways.
Research has been carried out on both road design and vehicle modifications with the aim of reducing spray. Several stretches of pervious road surfaces on motorways and trunk roads have been tested over the past five years, and the results are currently being evaluated. Tests of experimental mudguard designs and airflow devices on heavy goods vehicles have been carried out, and a report of these is being printed for publication. The general conclusion of the report is that no satisfactory solution has yet been found to the problem of spray. However, further work on vehicle design is to be carried out in collaboration with the University of Southampton in the current financial year, and we are at present engaged in evaluating certain devices developed by individual firms.
Vehicle Excise Duty
asked the Minister of Transport how many Civil Service posts he expects to retain in the event of any decision not to proceed with the abolition of vehicle excise duty.
As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer repeated in his Budget Statement today, we shall be reviewing the whole operation of VED. The review will take account of methods of administration and costs.
Employment
Strikers' Incomes
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the percentage of strikers' expenditure which comes from each of the following sources (a) union strike pay, (b) supplementary benefit, (c) tax refunds, (d) personal savings, (e) borrowing and (f) other earnings.
My Department has made no assessment of the percentage of strikers' expenditure which comes from the sources listed above. However, published surveys indicate that the proportions vary considerably according to the means of the individual and the circumstances of the dispute in which he or she is involved.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average weekly amount currently paid in strike pay by the unions; and how this compares with strike pay in 1960.
The information cannot be provided in the form requested without incurring disproportionate cost. Some indication of the level of strike benefit payable by major unions today can be obtained from union rule books. These show that the level of strike benefit varies widely from union to union. However, of those unions with 100,000 or more members which specify in their rule books the amount of dispute benefit payable, the average specified amount is in the region of £7·50 per week.
Employment Protection Act
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to amend or repeal those sections of the Employment Protection Act which are a disincentive to employers, especially those in small businesses, from taking on new staff.
I have set in hand a review of the provisions of the Employment Protection Act with this in mind, and will be entering into consultations in due course. There are, however, two provisions which have been the subject of many representations by employers as constituting an unreasonable burden, particularly on small employers, and a disincentive to recruitment, and which could both be amended without primary legislation. The first provision is the qualifying period of 26 weeks' service at present set for complaints of unfair dismissal, and the second is the requirement of 60 days for notification to my Department and also for consultation with the trade unions on redundancies of between 10 and 99 people.The Government believe that there is a strong case for extending the qualifying period of service for complaints of unfair dismissal from 26 weeks to 52 weeks. There is also a case for extending the period to 104 weeks for employees under 18. A year is a much more reasonable period within which an employer can assess the suitability of a new employee, and the longer period for employees under 18 would mean that employers can take on young people without worry.There is also good reason to believe that a 30-day rather than a 60-day period of consultation and notice of redundancies of less than 100 employees would be a more practicable and realistic requirement on small firms. We are consulting the CBI, TUC and other appropriate organisations on these two proposed changes.
Self-Employed
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of self-employed people in Great Britain at the present time; and what are the corresponding figures for the last five years.
The estimated number of self-employed persons (with or without employees) in Great Britain in each of the years 1971 to 1975 (the latest year for which information is available) are given in the following table. Estimates for 1976 and 1977 will be published later this year.
| Great Britain—Number of self-employed (with or without employees) | |
| thousands | |
| 1971 | 1,842 |
| 1972 | 1,835 |
| 1973 | 1,884 |
| 1974 | 1,864 |
| 1975 | 1,825 |
Industrial Tribunals
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of claims heard by industrial tribunals have failed and what percentage have succeeded during each of the last 12 month periods for which records are available; and what were the average compensatory and basic awards.
This information is available only for cases of unfair dismissal, equal pay, sex discrimination and race discrimination. It is as follows:
| UNFAIR DISMISSAL | ||
| Upheld per cent. | Dismissed per cent. | |
| 1973 | 37 | 63 |
| 1974 | 37 | 63 |
| 1975 | 38 | 62 |
| 1976 | 36 | 64 |
| 1977 | 31 | 69 |
| EQUAL PAY ACT 1970 | ||
| Upheld per cent. | Dismissed per cent. | |
| 1976 | 30 | 70 |
| 1977 | 25 | 75 |
| 1978 | 30 | 70 |
| SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 | ||
| Upheld per cent. | Dismissed per cent. | |
| 1976 | 20 | 80 |
| 1977 | 22 | 78 |
| 1978 | 21 | 79 |
| RACE RELATIONS ACT 1976 | ||
| Upheld per cent. | Dismissed per cent. | |
| 13 June 1977— | ||
| 30 June 1978 | 8 | 92 |
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
Working Week
asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what evidence he bases his view that reducing the working week to 35 hours will increase unemployment.
The view ascribed in this question to my right hon. Friend is an over-simplification of a complicated question. But it is true to say that to bring about shorter hours in the United Kingdom alone, unaccompanied by offsets to weekly rates or substantial improvements in output per worker, would lead to a loss of competitiveness and the result could be a net loss of jobs.
Microelectronics
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men in full-time employment and how many women in both full and part-time employment he estimates will be directly employed in the microelectronic industry by 1985.
It is not possible to give any estimate of likely future employment levels in the microelectronic industry. These will depend on the share of the market for microelectronic devices that existing United Kingdom-based semiconductor manufacturing companies are able to obtain and the extent to which new companies, either British or overseas, consider it appropriate to establish manufacturing bases in the United Kingdom.
Energy
Oil Supplies
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in the event of the fuel oil shortage continuing to an extent where further restriction of supplies becomes inevitable, he will adopt policies which ensure that high priority is given to the food manufacturing industry.
We attach great importance to security of supply of fuel to the food industry in general, and it will certainly receive special consideration should any form of control be necessary.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is aware that there is almost a complete shutdown of all service stations in East Aberdeenshire due to the acute shortage of petrol and derv; and if he will take such steps as are necessary to alleviate this position especially as there is such an increase in road traffic in that constituency due to the oil and gas industries' increased activities.
Our investigations do not suggest that the situation in East Aberdeenshire is as desperate as my hon. Friend has represented; filling stations today are open and selling petrol. Any specific cases where the allocations are considered to be inequitable will be investigated.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition and terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
I am at present reviewing all the official bodies for which I am responsible, in accordance with the request made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to all Ministers in charge of Departments.
Selby Coalfield
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from West Yorkshire county council about transportation problems related to the Selby coalfield: and what response he has made.
The West Yorkshire county council has written to me drawing attention to the fuel saving potential of an alternative shorter route for transporting coal from the Selby coalfield to the power station at Drax. Energy saving is, however, only one of a number of factors affecting the routeing of coal from Selby. The Department of Transport has received separate representations from the council and is co-ordinating the Government's response.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Butter
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what conditions area health authorities are permitted to buy supplies of intervention butter; and what regulations govern the subsequent sale of such butter to National Health Service employees.
Under the provisions of Community regulation 1717/72, as amended, non-profit-making organisations, including area health authorities, are permitted to buy supplies of intervention butter on a number of conditions, the most important of which is that the butter will be made available only to consumers for which the authority is responsible. We are examining the question of sales to employees and I will write to the hon. Member on the subject shortly.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
Irish Cattle Imports
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest estimate of Irish cattle to be imported into the United Kingdom during the next six months; and if he will make a statement.
The level of these imports depends on a number of market factors and I regret that it is not possible to estimate the numbers which will be imported in the next six months.
East Germany
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of EEC support for agriculture in East Germany in 1979.
The EEC does not support East German agriculture. A protocol to the Treaty of Rome provides that the application of the Treaty shall require no modification of the treatment of trade between East Germany and the German Federal Republic. Consequently import levies and Customs duties do not apply to this trade. The protocol also requires that any measures taken must not conflict with the principles of the Common Market and not injure the economies of other member States. The quantities and other arrangements involved are a matter for the Government of the Federal Republic.
Wales
Motorways And Trunk Roads
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report all motorway and trunk road
| ESTIMATED REQUIREMENTS FOR 1979–80 | |||||||||
| Year of authorisation to year of completion | Current estimate of total cost £'000 | Probable expenditure to 31 March 1979 £'000 | 1979 survey prices £'000 | Outturn prices £'000 | |||||
| Schemes in progress: Trunk Roads (Contracts let by 31 October 1978) | |||||||||
| Treffgarne Bridge (0·7 kms.) | … | 1978–79 | 785 | 270 | 490 | 549 | |||
| Cefn Brynich including Cross Roads (1·4 kms) | … | … | 1978–79 | 707 | 248 | 421 | 473 | ||
| Castell Heli Bridge (2·0 kms.) | … | 1978–79 | 900 | 366 | 510 | 573 | |||
| Rhiw Bridge (1·6 kms.) | … | … | 1978–79 | 559 | 476 | 9 | 10 | ||
| Goytre Hall Diversion (1·9 kms.) | 1977–79 | 627 | 540 | 85 | 95 | ||||
| TOTAL | … | … | … | 3,578 | 1,900 | 1,515 | 1,700 | ||
| Proposals to Start (Contracts let after 31 October 1978) | |||||||||
| Pontargothi By-pass (1·8 kms.) | … | 1979–80 | 502 | — | 190 | 213 | |||
| Western Avenue Stage I Access to Industrial Estate (0·4 kms.) | … | 1980–81 | 990 | — | 108 | 121 | |||
| Pont Dolgefeiliau Stages I and II (2·1 kms.) | … | … | … | 1978–79 | 744 | 100 | 600 | 674 | |
| White Hut-Maes-yr-Helmau (1·6 kms) | … | … | … | … | 1979–80 | 645 | — | 300 | 337 |
| Furnace Bridge-Eglwys Fach (2·0 kms.) | … | … | … | … | 1979–81 | 734 | — | 165 | 185 |
| G S Junction at Aston Hill (1·0 kms.) | … | … | … | … | 1980–81 | 865 | — | 62 | 70 |
| Total | … | … | … | 4,480 | 100 | 1,425 | 1,600 | ||
Hill Farmers
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what special steps he proposes to take to assist Welsh hill farmers, by way of subsidy or otherwise, in view of the very substantial ewe and lamb losses they suffered during the recent winter and of the quadrupling of their feeding costs during the same period.
Together with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the other agriculture Ministers, I am currently considering proposals from the farmers' unions for further aid to hill livestock producers.
Milk Production
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated additional annual amount that the average
schemes with a total cost of between £500,000 and £3,000,000 in the same format as the appendix on page VI-16 of the Supply Estimates 1979–80.
The information requested is as follows:age Welsh milk producer will have to pay if the new proposed EEC milk levy comes into effect.
It is estimated that the Commission's proposal for a 2 per cent. levy would cost the average Welsh milk producer with a herd of 35 cows an additional £280 per annum, and £190 extra for each additional 1 per cent. levied.
Water Rates
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any proposals for reducing the incidence of water rates in Wales, particularly in the case of elderly persons living on their own.
I shall be making a statement when the Price Commission report on the Welsh Water Authority is published on 13 June and will send my hon. and learned Friend a copy. Section 30(5) of the Water Act 1973 requires water authorities not to show undue preference to any class of persons, and I have no plans for introducing rebates on water rates, which may be taken into account when assessing supplementary benefit.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
School Transport
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the practice of local authorities interpreting the statutory walking distance for school transport in the rural areas of Wales; and if he will make a statement.
It is for individual local education authorities to determine the basis on which the statutory provisions relating to school transport are applied.
Social Services
Fraud Detection
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of staff currently employed directly in detecting social security or benefit fraud, the total amount of fraud detected in the last available year and the amount of money saved by their efforts.
Some 435 special investigators based on my Department's regional offices investigate the more complex cases. In 1978–79 they investigated some 38,000 cases, of which 17,700 were found to be fraudulent. Estimates of benefit savings must of necessity be broadly-based but might be put, on cautious assumptions, in the region of £10 million a year, though some recent data suggest that, on alternative and perhaps more realistic assumptions as to the length of time wrongful benefits continue if not discovered, this estimate might reasonably be doubled.As regards the local offices of My Department, most staff in them are concerned to some extent with the prevention and detection of fraudulent claims for social security benefits. About 1,000 man-years (including part-time posts) are currently used in those offices to investigate suspected social security fraud cases. Reliable figures about the benefit savings attributable to their work are, again, not available, but the total of such savings is thought to be somewhat higher than the total savings achieved by the special investigators.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the estimated given savings resulting from employing special investigators, and estimated cost of employing special investigators; and if he will present the costs as a percentage of the saving for each year since 1974.
The cost of employing special investigators in my Department has been estimated as follows:
| £ million | |
| 1974 | 1·7 |
| 1975 | 2·1 |
| 1976 | 2·5 |
| 1977 | 2·7 |
| 1978 | 3·4 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the number and type of cases investigated by special investigators, setting out the outcome of the investigations, for each year since 1976.
Special investigators in my Department mainly investigate the type of case which is beyond the scope of local office resources, e.g. those which demand substantial travelling, protracted observations, or investigation outside normal office hours.Their investigations are not confined to any particular type of offence (though generally they are not employed on individual girocheque fraud) but the table attached shows a breakdown of the completed investigations for the years
| SPECIAL INVESTIGATION | |||||||||
| 1976* | |||||||||
| Type of Offence (Supplementary benefit cases, save for (g) below) | Completed investigations | Allowances withdrawn or reduced | |||||||
| (a) Undisclosed Income: Earnings of claimant or dependant as Employee | … | … | … | … | … | … | 12,006 | 4,618 | |
| (b) Undisclosed Income: Earnings of claimant or dependant from Self-employment | … | … | … | … | … | 6,311 | 2,411 | ||
| (c) Undisclosed Income: Other income or capital assets | … | 417 | 158 | ||||||
| (d) Fictitious desertion | … | … | … | … | … | … | 1,724 | 785 | |
| (e) Undisclosed Cohabitation | … | … | … | … | … | 9,123 | 3,712 | ||
| (f) All other cases of suspected fraud or abuse | … | … | 284 | 108 | |||||
| (g) Contributory Benefit cases | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | ||
| Total | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | 29,865 | 11,792 |
| 1977–78† | |||||||||
| (a) Undisclosed Income: Earnings of claimant or dependant as Employee | … | … | … | … | … | … | 14,108 | 5,143 | |
| (b) Undisclosed Income: Earnings of claimant or dependant from Self-employment | … | … | … | … | … | 7,498 | 2,748 | ||
| (c) Undisclosed Income: Other income or capital resets | … | 319 | 117 | ||||||
| (d) Fictitious desertion | … | … | … | … | … | … | 2,150 | 975 | |
| (e) Undisclosed Cohabitation | … | … | … | … | … | 9,916 | 3,987 | ||
| (f) All other cases of suspected fraud or abuse | … | … | 249 | 114 | |||||
| (g) Contributory Benefit cases | … | … | … | … | … | 1,847 | 440 | ||
| Total | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | 36,087 | 13,524 |
| 1978–79† | |||||||||
| (a) Undisclosed Income: Earnings of claimant or dependant as Employee | … | … | … | … | … | … | 14,642 | 5,471 | |
| (b) Undisclosed Income: Earnings of claimant or dependant from Self-employment | … | … | … | … | … | 7,801 | 3,125 | ||
| (c) Undisclosed Income: Other income or capital assets | … | 339 | 116 | ||||||
| (d) Fictitious desertion | … | … | … | … | … | … | 2,097 | 926 | |
| (e) Undisclosed Cohabitation | … | … | … | … | … | 9,920 | 3,936 | ||
| (f) All other cases of suspected fraud or abuse | … | … | 202 | 96 | |||||
| (g) Contributory Benefit cases | … | … | … | … | … | 2,847 | 682 | ||
| Total | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | 37,848 | 14,352 |
| * Calendar year. | |||||||||
| † Twelve months beginning in February. | |||||||||
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many special investigators have been employed by his Department for each year since 1970.
The number of special investigators in post in my Department as at the 31 December each year since 1970 is as follows:
| 1970 | 248 |
| 1971 | 278 |
requested, by broad categories of supplementary benefit offence. Until comparatively recently, special investigators were concerned with supplementary benefit cases only. However, contributory benefits have increasingly required their attention, and this has been reflected in these figures, from part-way through the 1977–78 year. The contributory benefit cases are not analysed by offence categories.
| 1972 | 285 |
| 1973 | 314 |
| 1974 | 336 |
| 1975 | 362 |
| 1976 | 383 |
| 1977 | 398 |
| 1978 | 435 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of cases (a) investigated, and (b) where the allowance was withdrawn or reduced for family allowances/child benefit, retirement pension, unemployment benefit, other national insurance benefit, and supplementary benefit in each year since 1974; and if he will detail the number of claims to each of these benefits over the same time period.
Although every suspicious case is investigated, records are
| DETECTED BENEFIT FRAUD—EXCLUDING ITINERANT FRAUD, ORGANISED FRAUD, AND FRAUD CONCERNING INSTRUMENTS OF PAYMENT | ||||||||
| 1974* | 1975* | 1976† | 1977–78† | 1978–79† | ||||
| Family allowance or Child Benefit | 689 | 704 | 655 | 371 | 282 | |||
| Retirement Pension | … | … | 2,750 | 2,291 | 1,687 | 975 | 746 | |
| Unemployment Benefit | … | … | 7,886 | 11,380 | 17,113 | 19,878 | 24,695 | |
| Other Contributory Benefit | … | 7,577 | 7,591 | 7,015 | 7,290 | 8,143 | ||
| Supplementary Benefit | … | … | 15,152 | 17,537 | 21,085 | 27,988 | 33,073 | |
| TOTALS | … | … | … | 34,054 | 39,503 | 47,555 | 56,502 | 66,939 |
| Number of Claims— | ||||||||
| Family allowance or Child Benefit | 384,745 | 369,144 | 350,482‡ | 573,658‡ | 661,292‡ | |||
| Retirement Pension | … | … | 618,106 | 622,034 | 608,996 | 589,835 | 583,764 | |
| Unemployment Benefit | … | … | 3,218,000 | 4,427,000 | 4,775,000 | 4,600,000 | 4,383,000 | |
| Other Contributory Benefit | … | 11,991,100 | 11,739,819 | 12,855,625 | 12,255,813 | 13,330,958 | ||
| Supplementary Benefit | … | … | 4,951,593 | 5,226,200 | 5,609,185 | 5,777,233 | 5,547,396 | |
| TOTALS | … | … | … | 21,163,544 | 22,384,197 | 24,199,288 | 23,796,539 | 24,506,414 |
| In addition a small number of benefit fraud cases were referred to the police:— | |||||||
| Contributory Benefit (excluding unemployment benefit) | … | 24 | 51 | 237 | 230 | 213 | |
| Supplementary Benefit | … | … | 94 | 91 | 197 | 698 | 736 |
| * Calendar year. | |||||||
| † Twelve months beginning during February. | |||||||
| ‡ Estimated figures due to staff dispute. | |||||||
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) investigations, (b) reductions or withdrawals of allowances, and (c) prosecutions took place for unemployed claimants drawing national insurance benefit, and supplementary benefit for each year since 1970.
There is no record of the number of investigations in which no fraud was found. The following are the details of cases of detected unemployment benefit fraud:
| Year | (a) Investigated | (b) Prosecuted |
| 1970 | 10,941 | 1,005 |
| 1971 | 12,441 | 1,342 |
| 1972 | 14,531 | 1,791 |
| 1973 | 11,040 | 1,505 |
| 1974 | 7,886 | 1,285 |
| 1975 | 11,380 | 1,681 |
| 1976 | 17,113 | 2,376 |
| 1977–78 | 19,878 | 3,540 |
| 1978–79 | 24,695 | 3,049 |
not kept of cases where evidence of fraud is not found. The numbers of detected benefit fraud cases are shown in the table attached, which also shows the number of claims.
Information about the number of cases where the allowance was withdrawn or reduced is not available and the cost of producing them could not be justified.
A considerable number of people drawing supplementary benefit are prosecuted for earnings offences, but it is not possible to provide separate figures showing how many of these prosecutions are of registered unemployed (i.e. available for work) people receiving supplementary allowance because they have no title to unemployment benefit.
Cohabitation
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants have been investigated for suspected cohabitation; in how many cases the benefit was reduced or withdrawn; and how many claimants have been prosecuted for each year since 1966.
The information requested is not available. The only records of these investigations relate to those carried out by special investigators in relation to supplementary benefit, and for these I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Written Question on that subject today. Separate records of prosecutions for this type of offence are not kept, and the information could only be extracted at disproportionate cost.
Medical Certificates (Fees)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has now received the latest guidance issued to family doctors by the British Medical Association on the reasonable level of fees chargeable to National Health Service patients in respect of medical certificates; and if he will publish this in the Official Report.
The guidance issued by the BMA to its members on the level of fees for the provision of private medical certificates is not a matter for my Department.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for reviewing the relevance, composition, terms of reference and accountability to Parliament of the official bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants.
At the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, I am undertaking an urgent review of all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.
Hospital Closures
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his policy towards hospital closures.
I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 11 June.
Medical Records
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether National Health Service patients have the right to see their medical records.
Patients have no automatic right to see their medical records. Medical records are compiled by doctors to assist them in the management and treatment of a case. It is a matter of clinical judgment for the doctor concerned to disclose to his patient such information as he considers necessary and advisable in the circumstances.
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of claims for supplementary benefit made in each year since 1966.
The information is in the table below. The figures include claims resulting in a continuing award, those resulting in a single payment and those resulting in no award.
| GREAT BRITAIN | |
| Calendar Year and Number of claims | |
| Thousands | |
| 1966* | 3,600 (3,200) |
| 1967 | 4,940 |
| 1968 | 6,080 |
| 1969 | 6,690 |
| 1970 | 6,080 |
| 1971 | 6,430 |
| 1972 | 6,900 |
| 1973† | 4,540 |
| 1974 | 4,900 |
| 1975 | 5,130 |
| 1976‡ | 5,710 |
| 1977 | 5,740 |
| 1978 | 5,600 |
| * Claims to national assistance included in the total in brackets. | |
| † The method of recording claims changed in 1973 in that persons who received continuing benefit after an initial immediate payment were not recorded as having made two claims. Subsequent figures cannot therefore be compared with those up to 1972. | |
| ‡ Includes estimated data. | |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the table on page 51 of the committee on abuse of social security benefits and detail the sum for each benefit which has been fraudulently claimed.
The table mentioned showed the available figures for net losses recorded in 1971–72 in respect of overpayments which were legally recoverable. However, as forecast in paragraph 154 of the report, a revised and uniform basis for the analysis of net losses was instituted from the 1972–73 financial year, with the result that figures produced thereafter are not comparable with the figures given for 1971–72. The table below, which is derived from the revised form of analysis and also includes benefits which have been introduced subsequently, shows the latest figures available—that is, for 1977–78. An extra line has been added to the original table showing the war pension data.These figures do not represent the total amount of legally recoverable overpayments incurred during the year, but the
| IRRECOVERABLE OVERPAYMENTS OF BENEFIT RECORDED IN 1977–78 | ||||||||
| Total | Fraud on the part of the claimant or other person not being a servant of the Department | |||||||
| £ | £ | |||||||
| Family Benefits | … | … | … | … | … | 446,702 | 36,753 | |
| Unemployment Benefit | … | … | … | … | 2,860,730 | 437,972 | ||
| Sickness and Invalidity Benefits | … | … | … | 2,475,511 | 420,406 | |||
| Maternity Benefits | … | … | … | … | 61,419 | 6,840 | ||
| Windows' Benefits | … | … | … | … | … | 265,873 | 120,422 | |
| Retirement Pension | … | … | … | … | 590,652 | 60,495 | ||
| Industrial Injury Benefits | … | … | … | 237,648 | 24,732 | |||
| Others | … | … | … | … | … | … | 211,519 | 7,757 |
| Supplementary Benefits | … | … | … | … | 9,935,553 | 2,802,052 | ||
| TOTAL (excluding War Pensions) | … | … | 17,085,607 | 3,917,429 | ||||
| War Pensions | … | … | … | … | … | 61,943 | 6,904 | |
| TOTAL | … | … | … | … | … | … | 17,147,550 | 3,924,333 |
Regional Secure Units
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which regional health authorities have not yet sent in plans for regional secure units; and what are their reasons for the delay.
East Anglia, South-West Thames and North-West Thames regional health authorities have not so far submitted proposals for regional secure psychiatric units for departmental approval.East Anglia has identified a possible site but decided to defer any further action, including consultation with local interests, pending the appointment of a consultant in forensic psychiatry. Such an appointment was recently made and I understand the consultant will take up the post in September.South-West Thames has been undertaking local consultation on a proposal to provide a unit at Netherne Hospital. Its earlier proposal for a unit at Royal Earlswood hospital was dropped following local opposition and hence planning had to start again.North-West Thames had difficulty in identifying a possible location for a unit, but has been exploring the feasibility of a
amount of such overpayments which the Department decides in that year that it has no prospect of recovering. The actual overpayments may have occurred in that or any previous year. The individual amounts which make up the figures may be the whole overpayment in the case, or that part of it which remains after a partial, usually staged, repayment.
particular site. It is engaged in confidential and informal staff discussions on this.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the 1979–80 special revenue allocation for regional secure psychiatric units for each regional health authority and the total received for each regional health authority since 1976; and how much has been spent so far by each regional health authority on providing regional secure units.
The amounts of each region's special revenue allocation for regional secure psychiatric units in 1979–80 and the total received by each region since 1976 are as follows:
| RHA | 1979–80 | Total since 1976 |
| £'000 | £'000 | |
| Northern | 465 | 1,646 |
| Yorkshire | 535 | 1,889 |
| Trent | 685 | 2,420 |
| East Anglia | 270 | 954 |
| North-West Thames | 520 | 1,833 |
| North-East Thames | 560 | 1,973 |
| South-East Thames | 545 | 1,917 |
| South-West Thames | 435 | 1,541 |
| Wessex | 400 | 1,408 |
| Oxford | 330 | 1,168 |
| South Western | 475 | 1,673 |
| West Midlands | 785 | 2,767 |
| Mersey | 375 | 1,328 |
| North Western | 620 | 2,183 |
The special allocations first made to the regions in 1976–77 were uplifted each year to take account of price rises and were built into the regions' allocations in the knowledge that the rate of progress in establishing permanent and interim secure facilities would be uneven throughout the country—for example public and staff attitudes on the location of interim and permanent units have delayed progress to varying degrees. The provisional amounts which each region has so far been able to spend on the provision of permanent and interim secure facilities and necessary preliminary work is set out below. The balances are meanwhile used for the improvement of services, primarily in the psychiatric field—including making special arrangements for difficult patients.
Provisional Total (from 1976–77 to 1978–79) Regional Health Authority | £ |
| Northern | 69,421 |
| Yorkshire | 449,000 |
| Trent | 6,300 |
| East Anglia | 124,200 |
| North-West Thames | 335,000 |
| North-East Thames | Nil |
| South-East Thames | 234,000 |
| South-West Thames | 51,793 |
| Wessex | 628,000 |
| Oxford | Nil |
| South Western | Nil |
| West Midlands | 273,300 |
| Mersey | 428,784 |
| North Western | 496,000 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is proposing to take to get regional secure psychiatric units established; and what is his policy towards the units.
The Government accept that there is an urgent need for secure psychiatric units to be established in each region, and will continue to press for these to be treated as a priority by the health authorities concerned.
Eraldin
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he is taking to discover the total number of people who have been disabled by Eraldin (Practolol);(2) whether he has been advised that adverse effects from the drug Eraldin (Practolol) can begin after treatment of the drug has ended; and what was his reaction to this advice;
(3) what is his estimate of the number of people who have suffered from serious adverse reaction to Eraldin (Practolol);
(4) what is his estimate of the number of people who have died as a result of adverse reaction to the drug Eraldin (Practolol).
The Committee on Safety of Medicines' reporting system is designed to identify adverse drug reactions. By May 1979, the Committee on Safety of Medicines had received from doctors approximately 2,300 reports of patients who had developed suspected adverse reactions to Eraldin, of which 36 referred to deaths. Most of these suspected reactions occurred before or during 1974 when a possible association with Eraldin was first recognised.There is evidence that adverse reactions to Eraldin have developed after treatment with the drug has been stopped. A proportion of the reports no doubt relate to events which would have occurred independently or which were due to concurrently administered drugs and bear only a coincidental relation to treatment with Eraldin. At the same time, there may be some cases where adverse reactions to Eraldin have not been reported.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he proposes to take to establish why the Committee on Safety of Medicines issued its yellow warning, after a delay of months following th reports of adverse effects, of Eraldin (Practolol);(2) why the Committee on Safety of Medicines took no action to warn doctors when Imperial Chemical Industries first informed doctors of the possibility of adverse reactions to the drug Eraldin (Practolol);(3) if he will now institute an independent inquiry into the circumstances in which the drug Eraldin (Practolol) was marketed, promoted, and adverse reactions reported; and if he will make a statement.
When Eraldin complications were first recognised, the Committee on Safety of Medicines agreed that Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd, should advise doctors of the possibility of adverse reactions. Subsequently, however, when the reports of adverse reactions to the drug increased in both severity and number, the committee decided to issue its own warning to doctors.The implications of the Eraldin incident have been examined by the Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines, both of which are independent advisory bodies, and I am satisfied that there is no need for an additional inquiry at the moment.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many community health councils have sought the people who were damaged by the drug Eraldin (Practolol); what proportion this was of the total numbers of community health councils; and what steps he proposes to take to encourage the rest to seek the people so damaged who are as yet unaware of the reason for their disability.
I do not have the information. The identification and reporting of a suspected adverse reaction is primarily a matter for the patient's doctor, and I do not think that community health councils should take over this function.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people who suffered from adverse reactions to Eraldin (Practolol) have received any payment; what discussions his department have had with the people who made the payment; and what was the maximum, minimum and average payment made;(2) how many people who claim to have suffered from adverse reactions to the drug Eraldin (Practolol) have been awarded any payment; how many claims have been rejected; and how many claims are being considered;(3) what discussions he has had with Imperial Chemical Industries about the adverse effects of the drug Eraldin (Practolol); what subjects were discussed; and what conclusions were reached.
The secretariat of the Committee on Safety of Medicines is in continuous contact with the pharmaceutical industry over medical aspects of possible adverse reactions to drugs. In the case of Eraldin, discussions with ICI Ltd. covered a wide range of subjects relating to the investigation of reports of suspected adverse reactions.
Compensation for adverse reactions to specific drugs is a matter for the parties concerned. I understand that ICI Ltd., the manufacturer of Eraldin (Practolol), has voluntarily established a compensation scheme but this is not an issue for discussion with my Department.
World Health Organisation
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he intends to take arising from the World Health Organisation's report "Controlling the Smoking Epidemic"; and if he will make a statement.
We are studying those recommendations which bear on the responsibilities of the Department of Health and Social Security and will consider them as part of our general review of the policy in this country on smoking and health. The report, published towards the end of May for the advice of governments, was drawn up by an international group of experts and does not necessarily represent decisions or the stated policy of the World Health Organisation.I hope to attend the fourth world conference on smoking and health in Stockholm next week, where issues arising from the report will no doubt be discussed.
Retirement Pension
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now bring forward by three months the retirement pensions and other increases scheduled for the autumn.
My right hon. Friend will refer to our proposals for this year's up-rating of social security benefits in his Budget Statement later this afternoon.
Special Hospitals
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a full breakdown of the number of patients in the special hospitals who are awaiting transfer to National Health Service hospitals, by age, sex, time waiting and the hospital at which they are presently located.
Following is the information (as at 30 April 1979) in respect of patients who are thought by their responsible medical officers to be suitable for transfer to a less secure hospital:
Period of waiting
| |||||||||||||||||
Under 1 year
| 1–2 years
| 2–3 years
| 3–4 years
| Over 4 years
| Total
| ||||||||||||
Hospital
| Age
| Male
| Female
| Male
| Female
| Male
| Female
| Male
| Female
| Male
| Female
| Male
| Female
| ||||
| Broadmoor | … | 20 and under | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 21–30 | … | … | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | |||
| 31–40 | … | … | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | — | |||
| 41–50 | … | … | 6 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 9 | 1 | |||
| 51–60 | … | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |||
| Over 60 | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Total | … | … | 14 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 21 | 2 | |||
| Rampton | … | … | 20 and under | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 21–30 | … | … | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 | — | 4 | — | 5 | — | 29 | 6 | |||
| 31–40 | … | … | 12 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 31 | 16 | |||
| 41–50 | … | … | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | |||
| 51–60 | … | … | 7 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 18 | 6 | |||
| Over 60 | … | … | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 7 | 1 | |||
| Total | … | … | 33 | 13 | 26 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 100 | 38 | |||
| Moss Side | … | … | 20 and under | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | |
| 21–30 | … | … | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | |||
| 31–40 | … | … | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | |||
| 41–50 | … | … | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 51–60 | … | … | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |||
| Over 60 | … | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Total | … | … | 10 | 5 | 6 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 8 | |||
| Park Lane | … | 20 and under | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 21–30 | … | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |||
| 31–40 | … | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |||
| 41–50 | … | … | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |||
| 51–60 | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | |||
| Over 60 | … | … | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | |||
| Total | … | … | 4 | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | |||
| GRAND TOTAL | … | 61 | 19 | 38 | 11 | 20 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 149 | 48 | ||||
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide a full list of those hospitals that have refused to admit patients from the special hospitals and give the reasons for the refusals.
No. To attempt to compile such information the Department would have to contact most health authorities and many individual hospitals. This would be a very lengthy and costly exercise, which would not produce a clear-cut result because of the difficulty of defining refusal to admit patients from the special hospitals.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how many patients each of the special hospitals is overcrowded; what are the consequences that flow from this; and what steps he proposes to take to eliminate overcrowding.
The number of patients for which the special hospital buildings are appropriate varies from time to time because of the mix of patients and the number of wards out of use for redecoration etc. Currently, the figures for Broadmoor hospital would be about 600 patients, for Rampton about 1,050, Moss Side about 400 and the Park Lane advance unit 70, but these figures include accommodation in specialised wards which by their nature cannot necessarily be fully occupied at all times. The number of patients resident on 1 May 1979 was as follows:
| Broadmoor | 703 |
| Rampton | 894 |
| Moss Side | 375 |
| Park Lane | 69 |
Drag Monitoring
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he proposes to take to establish a watchdog organisation to check on any inadequacies of drug monitoring;(2) what steps he proposes to take to ensure the close involvement of patients in the checking of adverse reactions to drugs;(3) if he will outline in the
Official Report the latest proposed scheme for checking adverse reactions to drugs such as Eraldin (Practolol); and if he will give his views of the proposed scheme.
The Committee on Safety of Medicines, an independent body of experts, is responsible for promoting the collection and investigation of information relating to adverse reactions to drugs, and I see no need to establish an additional body.It is currently in consultation with the appropriate professional organisations and the industry on proposals for the improved post-marketing surveillance of drugs to complement its present system of voluntary reporting by doctors of suspected adverse reactions to drugs. The Committee proposes that doctors would be asked to provide details of all significant clinical events occurring to a sample of monitored patients in the hope that analysis of the case histories would provide early recognition of any adverse reactions.In the light of these proposed improvements and the difficulty a patient has in distinguishing between an adverse reaction to a drug and a spontaneously-occurring illness. I do not think it would be helpful to involve patients more directly in the monitoring of suspected adverse reactions.
Hillingdon Hospital
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the six-month waiting period at Hillingdon hospital facing patients requiring treatment for urological conditions, what is his policy for improving the resources available to the speciality in terms of operating time and beds.
I understand that there are waiting lists at Hillingdon hospital for all surgical specialities. The area health authority is exploring ways of reducing these, in particular the possibility of introducing day surgery or five-day wards. The allocation of operating sessions and beds between specialities in a particular hospital is a matter for local decision.
Hearing Aids
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the new type of body-worn National Health Service hearing aids were issued in Sheffield in 1977, 1978 and 1979 up to 31 March; and how these figures compare with the figures for Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Liverpool, Cardiff and Bristol.
I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the hearing aid known as BW61, which only became available in August 1978 for limited categories of patients.Comparisons between the numbers of issues made by the various hearing aid centres in the cities listed by the hon. Member would be misleading. This is because the catchment populations of hearing aid centres vary widely, in some cases extending beyond the area health authority boundaries.Following are the issues for the regions concerned and Wales, for the period August 1978 to 31 March 1979:
| Trent | 78 |
| Yorkshire | 230 |
| North Western | 320 |
| West Midlands | 349 |
| Northern | 181 |
| Mersey | 91 |
| Wales | 96 |
| South Western | 174 |