asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the report and accounts of the Crown Agents for 1979, have yet been published; and whether he will make copies available to hon. Members.

They were published on 10 June and arrangements have been made for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, in view of the announcement in the Overseas Pensioner of November last, of the final meeting of the advisory council of the Overseas Services Resettlement Bureau, he will make a statement on the Government's intentions with regard to the future of the bureau.

It is the Government's intention to wind up the bureau by the end of the current financial year as part of the policy to reduce public expenditure. The main purpose for which the bureau was created—to resettle members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service whose careers were terminated prematurely because of constitutional change—has now largely been discharged. Officers for whom the bureau presently caters will be able to use the services of the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission; they will also be informed of other facilities available to them.

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as repesenting the House of Commons Commission, to which of the following posts, in the service of the House of Commons, appointments are made by the House of Commons Commission; to which of these posts appointments are made by other means ; and if he will specify the method of appointment in such cases : Serjeant at Arms, Deputy Serjeant at Arms, Assistant Serjeant at Arms, Deputy Assistant Serjeant at Arms, Deliverer of the Vote, Deputy Deliverer of the Vote, Shorthand Writer to the House, Computer Development Officer, non-career Clerks, Secretary to Mr. Speaker, Counsel to Mr. Speaker and Second Counsel to Mr. Speaker; and what considerations are taken into account in such appointments.

No appointments are made directly by the Commission. The appointment of the Serjeant at Arms is in the gift of Her Majesty the Queen, who, before exercising her prerogative in this respect, invites informal discussions with Mr. Speaker. Responsibility for appointment to the posts of Deputy Serjeant at Arms and Deliverer of the Vote has been delegated by the House of Commons Commission to Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker is also responsible statutorily for the appointment of his personal staff.Appointment to the other posts to which the hon. Member refers is the responsibility of the Heads of the Departments concerned. The present Deputy Assistant Serjeant at Arms and Deputy Deliverer of the Vote were recruited with the assistance of the Civil Service Commission. The Computer Development Officer, who works for both Houses, was appointed on the recommendation of a board, the chairman of which was the chairman of the Computer Sub-Committee of the Services Committee and on which the House of Lords and the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency were also represented. The Shorthand Writer, who is also the Shorthand Writer to the House of Lords, is appointed by the Clerk of the House pursuant to the resolution of the House of 18 May 1813. Non-career Clerks are appointed by the Clerk of the House from among serving or retired civil servants whose names are put forward by the Civil Service Department.As regards the considerations which are taken into account in making these and other appointments in the House, it is the Commission's aim that these should follow broadly those recommended in the Bottomley report—see especially sections V and VI.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number by which school meals have fallen in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales between May 1979 and May 1980.

This information is not available, the spring and summer censuses having been discontinued.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the charges made for school meals by each local education authority ; which authorities charge more than the meal is worth ; and if he will issue advice to local education authorities to ensure that child nutrition is not disregarded.

The Department understands that the charge currently made by each local education authority in England for a traditional two course school meal is as follows :

Avon	40p
Barking	40p
Barnet	40p
Barnsley	35p
Bedfordshire	50p
Berkshire	40p
Bexley	40p
Birmingham	40p
Bolton	35p
Bradford	35p
Brent	35p
Bromley	50p
Buckinghamshire	40p
Bury	40p
Calderdale	35p
Cambridgeshire	45p
Cheshire	50p
Cleveland	40p
Cornwall	40p
Coventry	35p
Croydon	35p
Cumbria	45p
Derbyshire	40p
Devon	45p
Doncaster	35p
Dorset	45p
Dudley	35p
Durham	35p
Ealing	50p
East Sussex	40p
Enfield	50p
Essex	45p*
Gateshead	35p
Gloucestershire	45p
Hampshire	50p
Haringey	35p
Harrow	35p
Havering	50p
Hereford and Worcester	40p

Hertfordshire	50p
Hillingdon	40p
Hounslow	35p
Humberside	50p
ILEA	35p
Isle of Wight	40p*
Kent	40p*
Kingston	45p*
Kirklees	35p
Knowsley	40p
Lancashire	35p
Leeds	40p
Leicestershire	40p
Lincolnshire	50p
Liverpool	35p
Manchester	35p
Merton	35p
Newcastle	35p
Newham	35p
Norfolk	40p
Northamptonshire	55p
North Tyneside	35p
Northumberland	55p
North Yorkshire	50p
Nottinghamshire	40p
Oldham	35p
Oxfordshire	35p
Redbridge	45p
Richmond	50p
Rochdale	40p
Rotherham	35p
St. Helens	40p
Salford	40p
Salop	40p
Sandwell	40p
Sefton	35p
Sheffield	35p
Solihull	50p
Somerset	40p
South Tyneside	35p
Staffordshire	35p*
Stockport	40p
Suffolk	40p
Sunderland	35p
Surrey	40p
Sutton	35p
Tameside	35p
Trafford	45p
Wakefield	35p
Walsall	35p
Waltham Forest	35p
Warwickshire	45p
West Sussex	40p
Wigan	35p
Wiltshire	45p
Wirral	40p
Wolverhampton	35p
*These authorities charge secondary pupils 5p or 10p more.

No authority is known to be charging the full cost of providing a school meal.My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to issue advice on nutrition to local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what number and proportion of those at universities who are assumed to receive parental contribution to their upkeep, receive full parental contribution and partial parental contribution, respectively.

I refer my hon. Friend to the survey carried out on behalf of my Department and the Scottish Education Department by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, a copy of which is available in the statistics section of the Library. This contains information concerning the proportion of students who receive their assessed parental contribution in full or in part; and relates to the 1974–75 academic year, the latest for which detailed information is available. Since that date there has been a significant increase in the proportion of dependent students attending universities who are assessed for a nil parental contribution. This has risen from 12 per cent. in the 1974–75 academic year to an estimated 31 per cent. in 1980–81.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, in the light of the growing practice of Departments replying to parliamentary questions that the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate time and cost, whether he will give a detailed explanation of the basis upon which such replies are given ; what is classified as disproportionate costs and time; and whether this applies to questions which are sponsored by Ministers.

I have been asked to reply.Guidance to officials requires them to draw to Ministers' attention any questions which would cost more than £50 to answer in full. It is for each Minister to decide in the circumstances of each case whether the cost would be disproportionate.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a random check on the purchase of typewriters, photocopiers and office furniture by Government Departments for the last month of the current financial year and provide any figures which are available in order to make a comparison with the level of purchases of these items in each of the months between September 1979 and February 1980.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 March 1980, c.149]: The information is as follows :

	February 1980	March 1980
	£m	£m
Typewriters	0·154	0·276
Photocopiers	0·053	0·148
Office furniture	2·400	2·900

The fact that the March figures are higher than those for earlier months should not be interpreted as reflecting an increase in demand. Amounts spent each month are governed by the incidence of billing rather than the volume of orders. Contractors tend to speed up their billing towards the end of the financial year, and accounts settled in March usually contain amounts for deliveries made earlier in the financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what reports he has commissioned from the University of Salford regarding water resources in Wales.

As part of its programme of investigation into the naturally recurring energy sources, the Department has commissioned the University of Salford to investigate the practical potential for small scale, run-of-river hydro-electric installations in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether it is economical to adjust naphtha crackers to make alternative feeds such as gas oil, propane and butane.

Olefin crackers designed to process naphtha have in some cases been adapted to accommodate other feedstocks such as gas oil, butane, propane and even ethane. The economics of such a conversion depend on the capital costs involved; the cost and availability of feedstocks; operating costs; and the value and mixture of the total yield of products. Yields will vary accordingly to the feedstock used.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average domestic user's average price per unit of electricity in January of each year since 1974; what it is as the result of the April price increase ; and what it will be following the August price increase.

The figures are as follows :

DOMESTIC AVERAGE PRICE PER UNIT (ENGLAND AND WALES)
Effective at :	p/kWh
January 1974	1·03
January 1975	1·42
January 1976	2·00
January 1977	2·40
January 1978	2·69
January 1979	2·87
January 1980	3·38
April 1980	3·97

Area boards are discussing with their consultative councils their proposals for domestic electricity prices to take effect from 1 August 1980. On the assumption that the increase will be about 10 per cent. the average will then be around 4·4p/kWh.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in the light of errors of judgment by the Central Electricity Generating Board in constructing three new oil-fired power stations, he will take steps to alter the status of the board and make it more formally accountable to his Department.

No. Proposals made by the CEGB for the construction of power stations in England and Wales already require my consent under the Electric Lighting Act 1909; and the board is required, under the Electricity Act 1957, to obtain my approval to any programme involving substantial capital outlay.Decisions to proceed with the construction of the three oil-fired power stations at Grain, Ince B, and Littlebrook D were taken in 1969–73 in the light of the best information available at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will delineate in detail the areas where the Institute of Geological Sciences currently is conducting its surface reconnaissance studies in connection with the possibility of dumping nuclear waste.

As regards reconnaissance in Wales, I refer the hon. Member to my replies to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas) on 7 May and to the hon. Member himself on 24 January. Surface studies in England and Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Scotland.—[Vol. 984, c.168–9 ; Vol. 977, c.328–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer relating to mental hospitals,Official Report, Vol. 985, c. 664, if he will list those mental hospitals where staffing levels are in need of improvement.

Virtually all our mental hospitals would benefit from improvement of staffing levels and I attach great importance to this objective. Unfortunately, resources in terms of both money and trained personnel are, and always have been, limited.I am not aware of any hospital where an acceptable standard within these constraints is not achieved.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the delay in the opening of the Spanish frontier between Gibraltar and Spain is due to a conflict of opinions on the Lisbon agreement or purely a delay in the administrative arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Lisbon agreement of 10 April, the aim was to complete not later than 1 June the practical preparations for the re-establishment of direct communications between Gibraltar and Spain and for the opening of negotiations. Although this timing proved impracticable both Governments continue to work for implementation of the agreement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he is satisfied that the needs of industry for people trained in computer skills are being adequately met;(2) how many computer programmers and analysts were in employment at the latest convenient date ; and how this compares with the figures for each year since 1970;(3) how many vacancies there were for computer programmers and analysts at the latest convenient date; and how this compares with the figures for each year since 1970 ;(4) what training programmes his Department runs for computer programmers and analysts ; how many people are currently being so trained ; and what plans there are to increase the numbers being trained and the programmes being run.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for an exhibition explaining the labour market in the United Kingdom to be displayed in the Palace of Westminster.

I have made arrangements with the authorities of the House for such an exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 16 June to Friday 20 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what staff levels the Health and Safety Executive proposes for the hazardous installations group; and whether this will be achieved before the notification scheme comes into force in 1982–83.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 June 1980, c.132]: Twenty staff were in post in the hazardous installations group at 1 October 1979 and every effort will be made to achieve staffing levels required to meet the needs of the notifition scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what basis the Health and Safety Executive deals with planning applications; how long it is taking to process these applications ; what effects the proposed cuts in staff will have ; and if he will ensure that all hazard assessments are examined thoroughly.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 June 1980, c.132]: Arrangements exist whereby planning authorities may seek advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on the safety implications of certain proposed new developments in the vicinity of, or involving, installations containing large quantities of hazardous materials. These arrangements are informal in that there is no statutory obligation on local authorities to consult HSE.Certain types of planning application within specified zones around particular installations would normally be referred to HSE for comment and advice before the planning authority takes the application decision. In other cases the planning authority would use its discretion in deciding whether to consult HSE.Requests for advice on developments near to or involving major hazards installations are received from local planning authorities by HSE area offices, who deal directly with the more straightforward cases. No information is presently available on the average time needed to process such cases. Any more difficult cases may be referred to the major hazards assessment unit at HSE headquarters. The unit dealt with 469 cases in 1979. Analysis of a sample of such cases processed in December 1979 indicated that the median time needed by the unit to make a recommendation was 35 days.The final implications of cuts in staff-related expenditure in HSE have not yet been determined in relations to the group but every effort will be made to deal with planning applications expeditiously.At present there is no general requirement on operators of hazardous installations to submit safety assessments to HSE for scrutiny. Under the proposed Hazardous Installation (Notification and Survey) Regulations, such a general requirement will be created for installations containing more than specified quantities of certain hazardous materials. Such assessments will be properly examined in accordance with a priority based on the severity of the hazard.

asked the Prime Minister what will be the cost to the British taxpayer of hotel expenses for the two forthcoming Venice summit meetings.The Prime Minister : The estimated cost of hotel accommodation for the delegation, including support staff, is as follows :

European Council	£8,217
Economic Summit	£9,079

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that the political advantages of European Economic Community membership are shared equally amongst all the member States.

Yes. I am satisfied that all members of the European Community, including this country, derive important political advantages from their membership of it.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will tabulate for each European Economic Community country for each of the years 1978, 1979 and 1980 the financial outturns with regard to (a) net budget contributions and receipts, (b) the cost of common agricultural policy food and feed prices over world prices to the consumers of each country, (c) the value of common agricultural policy benefits to the producers of each country, (d) the extra cost of food (b) above less the benefits to producers (c) above, (e) the sum of (a) above budget contribution plus (d) above the net benefit or dis- advantage of the common agricultural policy and (f) the value, positive or negative, of (e) above per head of the population.

The information on part (a) in respect of 1978 and 1979 was contained in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary, to my hon. Friend on 25 February. For 1980, member States' net budget contributions are affected by the adjustment we have negotiated to the United Kingdom budget contribution. There are no Commission estimates yet of the extra contribution of other member States resulting from the settlement.The information requested in parts (

asked the Prime Minister what co-ordination there is between Government Departments in the training of people in computer skills.

I have been asked to reply.In developing and implementing programmes to supplement industry's training efforts to meet the demand for computer skills, the Manpower Services Commission acts in co-operation and consultation with Education Departments and the Departments of Industry and Employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of general Government expenditure on goods and services in the United Kingdom, both in money terms and as a percentage of gross domestic product, for each year since 1960; and what are the comparable figures for France, West Germany, Italy, the Benelux countries, Sweden, United States of America and Japan for each of these years.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will press for changes in European Economic Community policy, such that interest payments become due as a result of late payments from the European Economic Community.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the additional expenditure that will be incurred by the United Kingdom in accordance with article 235 of the Treaty of Rome as a result of the agreement with the European Economic Community to reduce the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Economic Community Budget by increasing Community expenditure in the United Kingdom ;

GROSS DOMESTIC FIXED CAPITAL FORMATION
Whole Economy
£ millions
			At current prices		At 1975 prices		Percentage of total domestic expenditure
			Private	Public	Private	Public	Private	Public
1960	…	…	2,542	1,648	11,895		9·8	6·4
1961	…	…	2,878	1,826	13,059		10·5	6·7
1962	…	…	2,870	1,963	7,291	5,799	10·0	6·9
1963	…	…	2,932	2,134	7,211	6,000	9·6	7·0
1964	…	…	3,458	2,583	8,421	7,027	10·3	7·7
1965	…	…	3,724	2,780	8,811	7,365	10·4	7·7
1966	…	…	3,785	3,138	8,689	7,909	9·9	8·2
1967	…	…	3,891	3,633	8,977	9,048	9·6	9·0
1968	…	…	4,407	3,793	9,815	9,050	10·1	8·7
1969	…	…	4,860	3,731	10,428	8,508	10·5	8·1
1970	…	…	5,352	4,110	10,704	8,725	10·5	8·1
1971	…	…	6,083	4,424	11,150	8,564	10·8	7·8
1972	…	…	7,087	4,506	11,782	7,949	11·2	7·1
1973	…	…	8,473	5,734	12,226	8,885	11·4	7·7
1974	…	…	9,697	7,229	11,765	8,921	11·2	8·3
1975	…	…	11,545	9,000	11,545	9,000	10·9	8·5
1976	…	…	13,534	10,050	11,822	8,789	10·8	8·0
1977	…	…	16,379	9,511	12,580	7,597	11·6	6·8
1978	…	…	19,869	9,462	13,641	6,918	12·5	5·9
1979	…	…	22,060	10,645	13,265	6,741	11·9	5·7

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of private sector investment, both in total and in manufacturing industry only, for each year since 1960, both at current prices and real 1975 prices ; what percentages these are of national expenditure for each year; and what are the comparable figures over the same period for public sector investment.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 June 1980]: The figures requested are shown in the following table.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the figures given in the answers in the Official Report, 14 May, columns 477–8 which show the total of value added tax from petrol and of value added tax from motor vehicle sales in 1979–80 of £1,225 million, differ from the total of £1,330 million given in the Official Report, 20 February, column 216.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 June 1980, c.201]: About half the difference is accounted for by reductions between February and May in the estimates of expenditure, and hence VAT, on petrol and motor vehicles. For the remainder. I regret that estimates of VAT on secondhand cars of about £50 million in 1979–80 and about £70 million in 1980–81 were omitted from the answer on 14 May to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state for both 1979–80 and 1980–81 the estimated gallonage of petrol sales, the estimated average retail price, the gross value added tax payable on the retail sales value and the net value added lax revenue ; and whether the volume of petrol sales for the purposes of the value added tax calculation given in the Official Report, 14 May, column 478 is consistent with the volume implied by the excise duty revenue given in each year.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 June 1980, c.201]: Statistics of deliveries of motor spirit are compiled by the Department of Energy and published in the Energy Trends series. The quantity delivered in 1979–80 was 18,964 thousand tonnes—about 5,600 million gallons. The Department does not publish annual forecasts of motor spirit deliveries.Reliable annual average retail prices of petrol for the two years are not available. The typical pump price, including VAT, of four star petrol in 1979–80 rose from about 88 pence per gallon in April 1979 to about £1·23 by March 1980. A typical pump price for four star petrol at the beginning of June was £1·35 per gallon.Not all petrol is sold to users through retail outlets and the gross VAT charged at retail is not known. Because businesses registered for VAT are able to deduct the VAT charged on their purchases, the estimates of net VAT revenue in my reply of 14 May to the hon. Member were derived from statistics and forecasts of consumers' expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of all local authorities which have accepted Vietnamese refugees for permanent rehousing, stating in each case how many families have been accepted.

The information requested is not immediately available but we shall reply to my hon. Friend shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has drawn up regulations, similar to those brought in by the Ministry of Agriculture, to prohibit the harvesting of antler velvet from live deer, both feral and kept in parks.

We have no power, under present legislation, to make such regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number of persons arrested, and subsequently charged, for drug offences, including the selling and "pushing" of heroin; how many of them were Iranians ; how many of these were subsequently deported ; and whether he will make a statement.

The latest information available relates to 1978 and is given in the following table :

PERSONS PROCEEDED AGAINST FOR OFFENCES INVOLVING CONTROLLED DRUGS
United Kingdom 1978
	Number of persons
Offence	All Persons	Persons recorded as being Iranian nationals
Unlawful supply of heroin	46	1
Possession of heroin with intent to supply unlawfully	37	4
All offences, all drugs	14,463	70

Details of Iranians deported for involvement in heroin trafficking are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance is available to help United Kingdom citizens coming to the United Kingdom from Zambabwe to settle permanently, in view of the restrictions on the export of capital from Zimbabwe.

No special assistance is available to such persons other than that provided by the normal statutory services. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that his officials have drawn the Zimbabwe authorities' attention to public concern in this country over the issue of funds, belonging to British citizens, which remain blocked in Zimbabwe and they have given assurances that they will wish to provide for the release of such funds as soon as their financial circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider bringing forward an amendment to section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 to enable payment to be made to meet a person's expenses in leaving the United Kingdom when that person wishes to do so, irrespective of whether such passage is judged by social workers to be in the person's interest.

We have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the teaching staffs that exist at each of the prisons covering the Greater London area.

The numbers of teaching staff at each of the London prisons, excluding voluntary teachers who are not employed on a regular basis, are as follows :

Brixton	16
Holloway	31
Pentonville	24
Wandsworth	35
Wormwood Scrubs	45 (plus two vacancies)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reason for delay in replying to the letter dated 28 April addressed to the Minister of State by the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury concerning prisoner K20529 at Lewes prison.

I have written today to the hon. Member. The delay arose from the need to make inquiries outside the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in appointing black members to the board of visitors at Brixton prison.

All those nominated for appointment to the board of visitors at Brixton prison, who include several members of the ethnic minorities, have been invited to meet the governor and chairman of the board and to learn something of the work of the board. When it has been possible for all those nominated to visit the prison, we shall consider filling the vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the White Paper on nationality law.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 1 May to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham).—[Vol. 983, c.1595–96.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take steps to prevent any further decline in the engineering industry in view of the total of hundreds of redundancies announced in the current year by Halifax firms of Butler Machine Tool Co. Ltd., John Stirk and Sons Ltd., Warner and Swasey Turning Machines Ltd. and the Asquith division of Stavely Machine Tools.

The health of the engineering industry, including the machine tool sector, depends on the general strength of the economy and its ability to satisfy the home and export market. The Government's economic and industrial policies are designed to promote the long-term prosperity of United Kingdom manufacturing industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list annual Government expenditure at the latest available date on promoting research into more efficient battery car production.

The Department has given no assistance specifically for the purpose of promoting research into efficient battery car production. The Department does, however, support research, development and experimental programmes aimed at electric vehicles more generally, including their traction batteries and electrical drive systems.Support for these activities was £1·971 million for financial year 1979–80 and amounts to £2·804 million for the three years to March 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the activities of the personal social services council which have been transferred and those which have had to be abandoned now that, by his decision, the council has ceased to exist.

A small group of staff prepared to pursue plans for work on ageing and later life, collaboration in community care and intermediate treatment has transferred to the National Institute for Social Work, as has the secretariat of the joint committee for children. Most of the council's other work in hand was completed before its closure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of patients receiving drugs from their doctor pays prescription charges under the personally administered arrangements ; and what percentage would pay if the same prescriptions were dispensed by a pharmacist.

Under paragraph 44· 13 of the statement of fees and allowances governing the remuneration of general practitioners in the National Health Service, a prescribing general practitioner may personally administer to patients certain specified items—currently vaccines, anaesthetics, injections, diagnostic reagents and pessaries. No prescription charges are paid by the patients. Figures of the number of patients to whom items are personally administered under this provision are not available. Whether or not patients would pay such charges if the same items were dispensed by a pharmacist would depend on whether the patient came within an exempted category for prescription charges. Dispensing doctors collect prescription charges from patients for whom they dispense but figures are not available to show what percentage of their dispensing relates to items personally administered under paragraph 44·13.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are (a) the percentages paid to dispensing doctors in respect of medical practice expenses for premises allowance and ancillary staff allowance, respectively, (b) the additional percentages paid to dispensing doctors in respect of the same premises and ancillary staff which is included in their dispensing remuneration and (c) the net profit margins per prescription paid to dispensing doctors, given that the full cost of premises and 70 per cent. of the cost of the first two ancillary staff have already been reimbursed as medical practice expenses.

It is not possible to answer the question in the form requested.General practitioners receive payments in respect of the practice premises they provide ; in the case of practitioners who dispense, any additional amount paid in respect of accommodation used for dis- pensing is not separately identified. General practitioners may also receive a payment of 70 per cent. of the salaries of ancillary staff, up to a maximum of two whole-time equivalents per doctor engaged on qualifying duties, which can include dispensing duties. These direct reimbursements are notified to the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body which recommends the level of the fees and allowances, including fees for dispensing, which makes up the remuneration of general practitioners.The majority of general practitioners who dispense are paid on the drug tariff basis ; this provides for a dispensing fee per prescription, plus a 10½ per cent. on cost payment related to the net ingredient cost of the drugs or other materials they dispense, which is also reimbursed along with VAT paid by the doctor. They also receive a container allowance per prescription. None of these payments includes any specified percentage in respect of premises or ancillary staff costs. It is not possible to give a figure for net profit margin per prescription as information on doctors' dispensing expenses is not collected separately from their other expenses. In its latest report—Cmnd. 7903—the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body took the view that any double payment to dispensing doctors in respect of ancillary staff employed in dispensing was likely to be minimal.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East, how many of the gainers in the reply to the hon. Member's previous question,Official Report, 10 December 1979, col. 482–4, will not now be gainers because of the decision not to increase short-term social security benefits and therefore not to increase in real terms short-term supplementary benefit rates.

It is estimated that between 200,000 and 230,000 claimants would not now be gainers on November 1978 information. The amount of the loss is 20p per single person per week and 25p per married couple at 1979 benefit rates. At 1980 benefit rates the loss is 25 or 30p.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a breakdown of the distribution to each local authority of the £2 million per year for the provision of secure units under the Children Act 1975, indicating how much each authority has actually spent on the provision of such accommodation.

The information is as follows :

GRANTS FOR THE PROVISION OF SECURE ACCOMMODATION UNDER SECTION 64A OF THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS ACT 1969
Authority	(a) Amount approved	(b) Amount paid
Durham	748,017	748,017
Northumberland	108,804	27,356
Rotherham	37,000	29,214
Leeds	766,000	718,285
Humberside	10,000	9,361
Sheffield	2,000	—
Salford	91,220	54,705
Liverpool	199,644	171,360
Lancashire	605,520	365,103
Cheshire	425,897	138,177
Bolton	34,545	34,545
Manchester	240,000	—
Wolverhampton	82,050	76,397
Birmingham	431,595	35,581
Coventry	80,888	80,888
Hereford and Worcestershire	Not yet decided	—
Derbyshire	99,174	63,355
Lincolnshire	62,535	49,264
Northamptonshire	7,609	—
Nottinghamshire	176,026	—
Leicestershire	138,290	—
Cambridgeshire	84,581	84,581
Bedfordshire	80,000	80,000
Oxfordshire	152,642	143,642
Buckinghamshire	30,343	27,818
Berkshire	37,532	—
Southwark	246,000	33,700
Hackney	185,864	54,236
Hammersmith	245,225	240,129
Hillingdon	204,607	204,607
Lambeth	768,577	688,577
Newham	292,584	108,248
Greenwich	174,566	—
Wandsworth	145,000	—
West Sussex	167,000	—
Hampshire	318,672	153,166
Devon	388,884	268,884

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beds are to be retained in the homoeopathic unit of Mossley Hill hospital, Liverpool; whether he regards this as adequate; and when a new consultant is to be appointed.

The homoeopathy service in Liverpool is an area-managed regional specialty and the Mersey regional health authority and the Liverpool area health authority (teaching) are discussing urgently the level of provision needed. The AHA(T) have given an assurance that there will be a consultant in charge of the homoeopathy facilities but difficulties in finding a suitable candidate for a permanent appointment may mean that, for the time being, there will be a locum appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest figure for the amount of investment per head of population in the National Health Service (a) for the United Kingdom (b) for the West Midland region, (c) for the Southern region and (d) for the Sandwell area health authority.

Capital and revenue expenditure per head of population in the National Health Service in 1978–79 was as follows :

(a) for the United Kingdom—£138

(b) for the West Midlands regional health authority—£118

(c) for the southern regions—£138

(d) for the Sandwell Area health authority—£84

NOTES

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how far he has proceeded with negotiations to set up a British showcase hospital; and why he considers that such a proposition would help the National Health Service in general.

We have initiated no such negotiations. The Government are, however, anxious to encourage partnerships between the NHS and the private health sector, and to encourage exports of British medical equipment and supplies. A proposition on the lines mentioned by the hon. Member, therefore, deserves consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement as to the content of the leaflet on child immunisation ; if he is satisfied that a fair balance has been achieved between emphasis on the advantages of having children so protected and on the possibilities of adverse physical and mental damage following such procedures ; and what protection is given to the medical adviser whom the parents consult in the event of untoward reactions occurring.

In the light of our current knowledge I am satisfied that the leaflets issued by the Department and by the Health Education Council provide suitable advice on possible risks of adverse reactions to vaccinations and present a fair balance of risk against benefit from vaccinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now increase financial assistance for the repair and maintenance of hospitals and other National Health Service buildings; and if he will make a statement.

All the available revenue resources for 1980–81 for the hospital and community health service have been distributed to health authorities and boards of governors in the form of cash limits. Apart from some minor sums, no resources have been retained centrally for later allocation for specific purposes such as the repair and maintenance of buildings. Health authority cash limits are global sums within which each authority is free to determine in the light of local circumstances the proportion which it needs to spend on repairs and maintenance of its estate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now extend mobility allowance to mentally handicapped children under 5 years of age.

The present state of the economy does not allow for the introduction of new benefits or for the extension of scope of existing ones.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to trace those eligible for mobility allowance who have not claimed it.

Since its introduction, mobility allowance has been the subject of a series of national press advertising campaigns, the most recent one being last autumn. As a result, over 130,000 people have been awarded the benefit and this figure represents more than the number originally estimated to be entitled. A further 25,000 awards have been made to people in the former car allowance or invalid vehicle schemes. I am considering the need for a further advertising campaign, to remind 65-year-olds that it is essential for them to claim before their 66th birthday, if they think they are entitled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to extend mobility allowance to those under 5 years old and to the mentally handicapped ; and if he will make a statement.

The present state of the economy does not allow the introduction of new benefits or the extension of existing ones. I should emphasise, however, that mobility allowance is not designed for, or restricted to, particular diagnostic groups and that it would be available to a mentally handicapped person who is unable or virtually unable to walk.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's recent visit to Liverpool.

I have not recently visited Liverpool but I did meet the chairman and certain senior officers of the area health authority (teaching) in London on 16 May. I do intend to visit Merseyside in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate has been made of the number of doctors, nurses and other medical staff who will be taken from hospitals in the National Health Service when the new private hospital in Sudbury Hill, Harrow is built by American Medical (Europe) Ltd.; if the fact that there is a serious shortage of operating theatre nurses in the National Health Service can be taken into account before registration is approved ; if he has received a report from the Health Services Board on this project ; and if he will make a statement.

This hospital development did not require prior authorisation by the Health Services Board under the Health Services Act 1976, and the board was not, therefore, required to consider any effects on NHS staffing. The Act does not require a report to my right hon. Friend. Registration by the area health authority under the Nursing Homes Act 1975 is concerned with standards of care and facilities, not with the effects, if any, on NHS services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the hospital stock was built (a) pre-1850, (b) pre-1900, (c) pre-1925 (d) pre-1950 and (e) pre-1960.

Information is not available exactly in the form sought. The last detailed survey of the age of hospital stock was carried out in 1972. This showed an estimated percentage age distribution of hospital stock in England as follows :

Pre-1850: 6 per cent.; 1850 to 1899: 27 per cent.; 1900 to 1918 : 16 per cent. ; 1919 to 1948 : 22 per cent. ; 1949 to date 23 per cent.; age not known : 6 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what records his Department keeps of the state of hospital buildings and equipment; and what it would cost to bring hospitals and their equipment up to standard.

Records of the state of hospital buildings and equipment are not held centrally. This is a matter for individual health authorities. The last detailed survey of hospital stock was carried out in 1972. Based on information from this survey it is estimated that £200 million at 1979 prices needs to be spent to bring hospitals in England up to a good standard in terms of their physical condition.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the expected lifespan of hospitals ; how many buildings and what equipment are still being used beyond their estimated lifespan ; and what percentage this represents.

The expected lifespan of hospitals varies according to design considerations. In general, the expected lifespan of hospitals currently under construction is approximately 100 years. Engineering plant and equipment usually has an average expected lifespan of 30 years. Few of the older hospitals have not been substantially altered or improved during their lifetime. Records are not held centrally of the hospital buildings and equipment which are being used beyond their originally designed lifespan.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to lay the regulations required under the Social Security Act.

My right hon. Friend intends to lay before Parliament around the middle of July those regulations to be made under the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976 as amended by the Social Security Act 1980 which affect the calculation of weekly supplementary benefit. Regulations dealing with single payments will be laid shortly thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the correct re-detention rate for violent offenders released prematurely from Broadmoor hospital.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1980, c.65]: I regret that information in the form requested is not available. In the five years 1 January 1975 to 31 December 1979, 391 patients from Broadmoor hospital were discharged into the community or transferred to local hospitals. In the same period 15 patients were re-admitted to the hospital from the community, 20 from local hospitals, 17 from the courts and four from prisons. It is not possible to identify readily the number of these who had left Broadmoor hospital during the five-year period or in how many cases the re-admission followed an offence involving violence. There may also be former Broadmoor patients who, after a period in the community, have been detained in local psychiatric hospitals under the provision of the Mental Health Act 1959 and some may be serving prison sentences, but the number of such ex-patients is not available centrally.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he envisages equalisation of national aids to fishing or the prohibition of national aids as part of a common fisheries agreement.

I expect that the provision of national aids will be discussed in the context of the negotiations on the common fisheries policy. It would be premature to speculate on the outcome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many ships owned by Effluent Services Ltd. have been given licences to dump cyanide; and how often its vessels have been monitored to check on the content of the waste they dispose of.

Licences are issued to a company rather than for a vessel. Effluent Services Ltd has been granted five licences to dispose of cyanide-bearing salts since the introduction of the Dumping at Sea Act 1974. Check inspections were carried out on four occasions. In addition, the company has carried out a few disposal operations on contract in cases where the licence has been held by the manufacturer producing the waste. Recent developments involving treatment of live waste make it less likely that there will be application for licences for disposal at sea and my Department does not expect to issue any licences in 1981.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Department takes against shipowners who dump cyanide at sea without notifying it and recording the consignment in their register.

Under the Dumping at Sea Act 1974 it is an offence to dump waste at sea without a licence and a breach of the licence conditions not to provide a return of the waste dumped. The public register is maintained by the licensing authority in accordance with the Act. My Department is aware of only one case of unlicensed disposal of cyanide at sea. In that instance the company was also guilty of other illegal disposal practices and was prosecuted by the police. Generally, the action taken by my Department in cases of unlicensed dumping or failure to comply with the conditions of a licence would depend on the nature of the offence but could include withdrawal of the licence or prosecution.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the cargo of cyanide dumped by the "Rudyard", referred to in a letter of 25 April from the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill, appears in the register kept of authorised dumping.

Yes. I should add that the total quantity of the three licences mentioned in my letter of 25 April has since been amended to 1,180 tonnes, but in fact only 995 tonnes were actually dumped under these licences.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the cargo of cyanide dumped by the "Rudyard", referred to in a letter of 25 April from the the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill, was covered by a licence under the Dumping at Sea Act 1974.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases have been brought against shipowners suspected of unauthorised dumping of cyanide at sea under the terms of the Dumping at Sea Act 1974; what penalties were imposed ; and how many authorised licences have been granted since 1974.

Twelve new or renewed licences have been issued since 1974. One company has been prosecuted by the police for a number of offences which, though not specified, included the unlicensed disposal of cyanide at sea. The company was fined a total of £2,600, £1,900 of which related solely to the dumping offences. My Department is not aware of any other instances in which cyanide has been dumped at sea without a licence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost in cash terms to the consumer of 5 per cent. increase in food prices per annum resulting from the recent EEC agreement.

The CAP prices package is estimated to raise consumer expenditure from around £26·7 billion to £26·9 billion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the increase in the minimum price under the feed and pea scheme from £125 per metric ton to £140·19 per metric ton; what effect the increase will have on British exporters ; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations from the National Farmers Union, the United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association, the Grain and Feed Trade Association and the British Edible Pulse Association which expect the new price to make the crop uncompetitive both as raw material for feed manufacture in this country and as exports. It is too early to say whether this will prove to be the case since much depends on the price of alternative raw materials. Nevertheless, arrangements are being made to consider this problem with the Commission in the near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is proposing to have discussions with the Spanish Government on the impact on the British fishing industry should the Spanish Government's application for accession to the European Economic Community be accepted ; and if he will make a statement.

I am fully aware of the possible implications of Spanish accession for the British fishing industry and the Government's attitude to the negotiations will be framed accordingly. I expect to continue to meet the Spanish Ministers responsible to discuss these and other matters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is proposing to have preliminary discussions with the Spanish Government on the impact on the British agricultural and farming industries should the Spanish Government's application for accession to the European Economic Community be accepted ; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I have already had preliminary discussions with the Spanish Minister of Agriculture on matters of mutual interest including those relating to the accession of Spain to the European Community and we hope to have further discussions this summer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why imported potatoes are not subject to the same inspection procedures as homegrown potatoes.

The Potato Marketing Board lays down and enforces quality standards for home-grown potatoes. The board has no powers to inspect imported potatoes. However, all food imports, including potatoes, are subject to the provisions of the Imported Food Regulations 1968, as amended, and all sales of food are covered by the general provisions of the Food and Drugs Act 1955.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he estimates that imports of potatoes have contributed materially to the present collapse of the trade in ware potatoes.

Yes. Although the volume of imports so far this year is not markedly different from last year, it seems clear that the low prices of imported new potatoes, aggravated by subsidies from certain exporting countries have contributed significantly to the weakness of the market for both main crop and new potatoes. This is why I have taken action to ban imports of new potatoes from certain countries whose potato exports were receiving substantial export subsidies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will meet the president of the National Farmers Union to discuss in particular the threat to Great Britain's potato crop from the Colorado beetle.

My noble Friend the Minister of State met the chairman of the National Farmers Union potatoes committee on 22 May to discuss recent finds of Colorado beetles on imported produce. We have not received any request for a further meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will reconsider the removal of the cut-off dates for imports of early potatoes in July, August and September, particularly in view of the threat to Great Britain's potato crop from the Colorado beetle.

The requirements of the Import and Export (Plant Health) (Great Britain) Order 1980 include officially approved cleaning, packing and transport arrangements for potatoes in the exporting countries. We are satisfied that these arrangements provide very good safeguards against the introduction of Colorado beetles in potato imports.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the workings of the European Economic Community plant health frontier directive.

The directive came into force only on 1 May and it is too soon to form an opinion on its workings. However, I believe that the harmonised approach will contribute to improved plant health standards in the Community.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to make a further statement on the future of the orange badge scheme of parking concessions for disabled people.

A number of difficult issues have been raised by the consultations and I am still considering them. I hope to make a statement quite soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify by reference to the Town and Country Planning Act and any related legislation, the special arrangements needed to protect the additional 2,500 acres stated to be necessary for the development and expansion of Stansted airport.

The future of the possible additional area of 2,500 acres at Stansted will have to be considered in the light of the report of the inspector who will conduct the inquiry into the British Airports Authority's proposals for the expansion of the airport. The land concerned could, if appropriate, be formally safeguarded by means of directions restricting the grant of permission made under article 10 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977; directions requiring consultations before the grant of permission made under article 15; and/or through the inclusion of suitable provisions in the development plans for the area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 7841, shows the net cost of the savings bonus and loan scheme and other lending for England in 1980–81 at £1 million when the previous year's White Paper had estimated the cost of these items for 1980–81 at £55 million, both figures at 1979 survey prices; and what is the reason for the reduction.

At 1979 survey prices, the reduction in estimated public expenditure for England from £55 million net—public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 7439—to £1 million net—Cmnd. 7841—on the savings bonus and loans scheme for first time purchasers—"Homeloan"—and other lending is due to a revised estimate of the number of people expected to claim the benefits of the scheme. The figure of £1 million incorporates estimated expenditure of some £4 million on "Homeloan", less some £3 million residual repayments under other lending.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to ensure that the Southern water authority budget is one of nil growth in expenditure in real terms in the year 1981–82.

We have impressed upon water authorities the need to make economies but it is too early to comment on budgets for 1981–82. Over the past five years the increase in the average domestic bill in Southern water authority has been well below the increase in the retail price index.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to restructure the boards and managements of the water authorities to ensure greater public accountability.

We have no such intention at present, but we shall be considering the position in the light of the current review of consumer arrangements for nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will revise, as far as water services charges are concerned, the system of equalisation which results in areas with higher rateable values being severely penalised.

Equalisation of charges within water authority areas is a matter for each water authority to decide within the limits of existing legislation. We have no proposals to change the law.