asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current cost in wages, salaries and necessary services of keeping the House of Commons in session for each extra hour after midnight.

I have been asked to reply.This is a matter for the House of Commons Commission. I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Members for Bedford (Mr. Skeet) and Stretford (Mr. Churchill), respectively, on 15 and 24 July 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if there is to be a reduction in the grant made to the Arts Council in consequence of the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November; and if he will make a statement.

I must ask my hon. Friend to wait a little while. I shall announce the grants to the Arts Council and other bodies for 1981–82 as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the numbers who graduated from each Scottish college of education in 1980, giving a breakdown into (a) the primary sector and (b) the secondary sector, and the estimated number in each category who have now found employment in Scottish schools.

The provisional numbers of students who successfully completed teacher training courses at each Scottish college of education at the end of session 1979–80 are as follows:

College	Primary	Secondary
Aberdeen	100	195
Callendar Park	69	—
Craigie	64	9
Craiglockhart	49	56
Dundee	58	131
Dunfermline	—	131
Hamilton	69	54
Jordanhill	153	518
Moray House	146	370
Notre Dame	70	291
Total	778	1,755

Information about the numbers who have since found employment in Scottish schools is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of sheltered housing places available in Scotland, giving a breakdown by responsible district authorities.

Information on the number of sheltered houses provided by each district council, and the number of bed spaces, is given in the table below.A further 2,157 sheltered houses — 3,043 bed spaces—located in various districts are provided by the Scottish Special Housing Association, new town development corporations and housing associations. Details will be published shortly in

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the deficits of secondary teachers in mathematics, technical subjects, and all branches of science.

Information derived from the September 1980 school census is not yet available. Figures showing the position at September 1978 and 1979 are contained in Scottish Education Department statistical bulletin No. 6/C1/1980 of June 1980, a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many young people under the age of 20 years have been registered unemployed in Scotland for more than 26 weeks;(2) how many young people in Scotland are now employed by Government-sponsored job creation schemes.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of preparing the Gate Lodge at the UVF hospital, Upper Galwally for use as a police post.

Approximately £18,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to announce the next tranche of cash for De Lorean.

The final instalment of the loan of £14 million agreed in August is due for payment in December 1980. I have no proposals in respect of further assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money has so far been committed to the De Lorean car project.

The Northern Ireland Department of Commerce has offered selective assistance totalling £49·2 million, of which £20·7 million is in the form of repayable loans. The Northern Ireland Development Agency has subscribed £17·757 million in the form of redeemable preference share capital.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are actually currently employed in Northern Ireland on the De Lorean project.

I understand that the number employed on 24 November 1980 was 488.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money, commited to De Lorean, has been respent by it with Lotus Cars in England.

This is a commercial matter between the two companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of people on short-time working; and what is the estimated cost of the short-time working financial provisions.

Comprehensive statistics are not available. It is, however, estimated that, at 31 October 1980, about 27,100 people in Wales were being supported under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme. The cost of the scheme in Wales in the current financial year so far is about £8·3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current level of youth unemployment in the Port Talbot travel-to-work area, broken down into males and females; and what is the current number of job vacancies.

On 9 October 1980 — the latest date for which an age analysis is available—there were 1,789 young people—925 boys and 864 girls— aged 18 years and under registered as unemployed in the area. Comprehensive information on job vacancies is not available. On 7 November the number of vacancies notified and remaining unfilled totalled 177 at employment offices/jobcentres and three at careers offices, but since not all vacancies are notified these figures will understate considerably the level of total demand in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has of school leavers for each of the school leaving periods over the next 12 months in the Port Talbot travel-to-work area; and what estimate he has made of youth unemployment there in a similar period.

It is estimated that around 3,000 pupils will leave schools located in the area in the academic year 1980–81. Comprehensive information on numbers leaving in each of the main school-leaving periods is not available, but about 15 to 20 per cent, of leavers are expected to leave at, or before, the end of the Easter school leaving term. It is not possible to forecast future levels of unemployment since these depend on a great variety of economic factors and decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept for aircraft exercises above 200 ft. on overland flights; for how long detailed records of low flying are kept; what regulations are in force limiting the amount of night flying (a) below 200 ft. and (b) above 200 ft.; and what regulations have been made to limit the amount of flying exercises in the hours between 17.00 hours and 08.00 hours.

Records are kept of all flights below 2,000 ft. These go back for six months.There is no night flying below 200 ft. Flights below 2,000 ft. are not normally carried out between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours, and during other hours of darkness, low flying is kept to a minimum to limit disturbance to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits joined the RAF initial flying training schemes in 1978, 1979 and 1980 respectively.

The numbers entering basic training for pilots, navigators, and non-commissioned aircrew in the years in question were as follows:

	Numbers
1978	345
1979	513
1980	501

A small proportion of these were serving officers or airmen, transferred from other branches or trades; rather than recruits.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of those trained in flying over the United Kingdom are pilots from other than North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries.

The percentage of those pilots undergoing flying training who were other than RAF or NATO pilots in the period 1 January to 31 October 1980 was approximately 2 per cent., or, if flying instructor training is included, the percentage increases to about 3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what area by proportion of the total land area of the United Kingdom is now used for low-flying training.

Low flying is carried out throughout Great Britain except over such prohibited areas as conurbations, industrial centres, large built-up areas, specific locations such as hospitals, industrial hazards and tall masts, and in air space regulated for air traffic control purposes. It is not possible to define exactly what proportion of the total land area these represent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what regulations are in force to ensure that rural areas over which training takes place are not exposed to excessive noise and intrusive influence from aircraft exercises in terms of the upper limit of noise levels and duration of noise.

In areas where low flying is permitted, speed is normally limited to 450 knots below 500 ft. In addition there are severe restrictions on the use of re-heat at low level.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest current replacement cost of the most recently purchased tank, fighter aircraft and naval destroyer.

Currently estimated costs of the Challenger main battle tank and the Tornado F2 aircraft—neither of which is yet in service — and of a destroyer of the present type 42 class fitted with the weapons systems and equipments required by the Royal Navy, are in the order of £1½million, £14 million and £100 million, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current retirement pay for a general of the British Army.

An officer having served in the rank of general for at least one year and retiring on or after 31 March 1980 will, depending on his reckonable service after the age of 21 years, receive the following rates of retired pay:

Reckonable Service	£ pa
30 years	13,657
31 years	14,002
32 years	14,346
33 years	14,691
34 years or more	15,035

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will list the specific departmental economies of £16 million announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November.

The reduction of £16 million relates to all Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure programmes and includes £12 million in respect of aid expenditure — including aid administration. I do not expect that any existing aid commitments will be affected. The remainder will be found from other Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure, with the greater part falling on overseas representation and the diplomatic estate. There will be small reductions in the programmes for overseas information and other external relations. Planned expenditure in 1981–82 on the BBC External Services and the British Council will not be further reduced.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the British delegation to the Helsinki review conference in Madrid has raised the question of Jewish students in the Soviet Union.

The British delegation in Madrid is fully informed of the difficulties faced by Jewish students in the field of further education in the USSR. The issue will be discussed at an appropriate time during the detailed review of the human rights provisions of the Helsinki Final Act which is currently taking place.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what information he has of the EEC partners' diplomatic representation in Nicaragua; and when he intends to establish similar representation there.

Of our European Community partners Germany, France and Italy maintain resident Ambassadors in Managua. Re-opening an embassy in Managua must be considered in the light of economies to which we are committed, and continuing pressure on public expenditure levels. Meanwhile, Her Majesty's Ambassador in Costa Rica is accredited to Nicaragua.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make urgent representations to the United States Government concerning the proposed authorisation of the sale of military aircraft, armoured cars, artillery, light machine guns, mortars and ammunition to Guatemala under the foreign military sales cash programme, as outlined in the United States Department of Defence "Congressional Presentation Document: Security Assistance Fiscal Year 1981", in view of the possible danger of such equipment to the safety and security of Belize.

The document to which the hon. Member refers was submitted to Congress in February 1980 as a forecast of possible requests for arms sales and military training from foreign Governments. Any actual requests for arms sales are considered separately by the administration on their merits. The United States Government are well aware of Her Majesty's Government's concern that they should not sell military arms, equipment or ammunition to Guatemala as long as the Guatemalan armed forces maintain their threat against Belize and the defensive British garrison stationed there.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proposals he has received from the Corporation of Trinity House concerning changes in the regulations for pilotage in the Rivers Thames and Medway; and what estimate he has made of any consequent disadvantages these changes would have on the existing costs and arrangements for passenger and cargo transport within the respective port limits.

On 21 October, after discussions with my Department, Trinity House published draft byelaws for pilotage certificates and for exceptions from compulsory pilotage in the London pilotage district. Under the normal procedure anyone wishing to object to draft byelaws may do so within a stipulated period, in this case up to 19 November. I have received over 100 such objections in this case and I shall shortly be seeking the advice of the Pilotage Commission on any amendments it thinks should be made in consequence. It would be wrong for me to reach a judgment on the merits of the byelaws until I have that advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how much consumer demand for textiles and clothing products has risen or fallen in the second quarter of 1980 compared with the same period in 1979;(2) what was the increase in United Kingdom imports of textile products from the United States of America expressed as a percentage for the first nine months of 1980 compared with the same period in 1979 and 1978;(3) what was the rise or fall in the value of textile and clothing products imported into the United Kingdom, expressed as a percentage, in July, August and September 1980 as compared with those months in 1979; and by what percentage the volume rose or fell in the same quarter of 1980 as compared with the same period in 1979;(4) what was the increase in value of exports of textile products from the United Kingdom expressed as a percentage for the months of July, August and September 1980 in comparison with the same three months of 1979; and by what percentage the volume exported in the three months had risen or fallen on the figure for the three months in 1979;(5) what was the increase in value of exports of textile products from the United Kingdom expressed as a percentage on the 1979 figure for the first nine months of 1980; and what was the percentage increase on 1979 for volume, in the same period;(6) What was the increase in value of exports of clothing products from the United Kingdom expressed as a percentage on the 1979 figure, for the first nine months of 1980: and what was the percentage increase on 1979 for volume, in the same period;(7) what was the rise or fall in the value of textile and clothing products imported into the United Kingdom, expressed as a percentage, in the first nine months of 1980 as compared with the comparable period in 1979; and by what percentage the volume fell or rose on the first nine months of 1980 expressed as a percentage campared with the same period in 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when the United Kingdom will ratify the international convention on standards of training, certification and watch-keeping for seafarers 1978.

Our ratification today of this important convention indicates our strong support for the adoption of international requirements for watch-keeping and standards of training and certification as important contributions towards maritime safety and the prevention of pollution.The United Kingdom has now ratified all the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO) maritime safety and pollution prevention conventions—the first country to do so.

askedthe Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered changing the tax year end from 5 April to 31 March; and, if so, what were his conclusions.

The possibility of changing the end of the tax year has been examined by officials on a number of occasions, as well as by the Select Committee on Procedure in 1967–68. None of these reviews recommended a change and I am not persuaded that there is a case for reconsidering the question at present.

askedthe Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received representations from the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations concerning the apparent obligations on agricultural and breed societies to charge value added tax on entry fees for exhibitions held to improve the quality of breeding; and if he will make a statement upon the rationale for such a charge.

Yes, representations have been received about the value added tax charge on entry fees to livestock and other competitions organised by agricultural show societies. As regards the VAT liability of competitions generally, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the right hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. Steel) on 11 November.—[Vol. 992, c. 164]. In relation to livestock competitions in particular, a VAT registered farmer will be able, subject to the normal rules, to reclaim from Customs and Excise any tax incurred on competitions entered for the purposes of his business.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in future, Her Majesty's Treasury will use the word "billion" in its English, rather than its American, meaning when used in domestic documents and statistics.

No. To do so would cause needless confusion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, as a contribution to the reduction of bureaucracy and administration at home and within the EEC, he will arrange to deduct the rebates from the United Kingdom's net contribution from the sums which he transmits to the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

No. That would not be compatible with the arrangements negotiated on 30 May and subsequently.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the total public expenditure cost of the pay of local authority, Health Service and central Government employees in the fiscal year 1980–81 on the assumption that all settlements made and implemented between 12 November and 4 April 1981 were at the average rate of (a) 6 per cent. (b)10 per cent., and (c) 15 per cent.;(2) what is his estimate of the total public expenditure cost of the pay of local authority employees, Health Service employees and central Government employees in the fiscal year 1981–82 on the assumption that all

£ billion
	6 per cent.	1980/81 Average Settlement 10 per cent.	15 per cent.	6 per cent.	1981/82 Average Settlement 6 per cent. 10 per cent.	15 per cent.
Local authorities	0·08	0·14	0·21	1·3	1·8	2·5
Health Service	0·02	0·04	0·06	0·4	0·7	1·0
Other Central Government	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	0·6	0·9

The figures in the table for 1981–82 include the extra National Debt costs arising in that year as a result of the full year cost of 1980–81 settlements which were staged or had operative dates after the start of that financial year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the budget of the EEC in (a) the calendar year 1980 and (b) the calendar year 1981.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1980]: I refer the right hon. Member to the "Public Expenditure White Paper"—Cmnd. 7841—and to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 26 November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will show separately all schemes which are partially funded by the EEC under the scheme to refund United Kingdom contributions, showing the amount of EEC funds, and United Kingdom Government funds, the date of the scheme first being sanctioned and the date of EEC funds being sanctioned for each specific scheme.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1980]: As explained by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal on 27 October—[Vol. 994, c. 96–99] — Community refunds under the supplementary measures regulation will be related to certain public sector investment programmes in the United Kingdom rather than to specific schemes. Details of Community support for these programmes, and of the total costs of the programmes, will be made available when the Commission takes the relevant decisions.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1980]: United Kingdom public expenditure on wages and salaries in 1980–81, excluding the cost of settlements made and implemented after 12 November 1980, is estimated to be about £15 billion by local authorities, almost £7 billion by the Health Service and about £8 billion by other central Government Departments—mainly the civil service and Armed Forces. If there was no change in numbers of employees, and average settlements of 6 per cent., 10 per cent, and 15 per cent, between 12 November 1980 and 4 April 1982, pay expenditure in the financial years 1980–81 and 1981–82 would be higher by:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the monthly total of interest paid on the national debt; and how this figure compares with the same month in each of the past five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1980]: Interest paid on the national debt for the month of October 1980 and in each of the past five years was as follows:—

	£ million
October
1975	194
1976	286
1977	179
1978	305
1979	383
1980	408

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the amount spent each month since May 1979 on unemployment and unemployment-related benefits by (a) central Government and (b) local government.

I have been asked to reply.Expenditure on unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit to the unemployed is shown in the following table. Local authorities do not pay any allowances that are related specifically to unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has no plans to amend the Water Act 1973 so as to provide water authorities with the power to grant rate relief to charitable bodies.

Financial relief to charities is provided through the taxation system. Water authorities' charges, unlike, for example, general rates, are not a tax but a price for services provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest expectation of the likely take-up of the new legislative provision for shorthold tenancies; and whether he will seek to withdraw or restrict this in the light of representations received from local authorities and others.

The shorthold provisions in the Housing Act come into operation today. It is not possible to predict how many shorthold lettings there will be. I have no intention of withdrawing the shorthold provisions as this would deny short-term rented accommodation to those in need of it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the fact that the current repayments on a £25,000 council house over 25 years will be £55 a week without discount, £37 with 33 per cent, discount and £27 per week on the maximum discount of 50 per cent., he will indicate how many houses are to be sold on each of these bases.

The number of council houses sold at any given rate of discount will depend solely on the number of tenants with the appropriate discount entitlement who wish to buy their homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many councils have issued leaflets on council house sales; and what proportion of these have encouraged sales or discouraged them.

I have not sought this information from local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is satisfied that the powers of selectivity in relation to block grant, provided under the Local Government Act 1980, will enable counties like Essex to receive an amount which takes note of past reductions in expenditure;(2) if he is satisfied that the formula for settling block grant now permits him to take account of those authorities which have reacted positively to earlier requests to reduce expenditure.

The Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 requires the Secretary of State to determine the main components of the grant distribution according to general principles applicable to all authorities. Within this framework block grant will provide a fair and consistent incentive to authorities which economise and which keep their expenditure within reasonable limits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the revised 1980–81 expenditure in Kent, Essex and Hampshire, respectively; and how this compares with expenditure in 1976–77.

The table below gives the total local rate and grant-borne expenditure as shown in the revised budgets for 1976–77 and 1980–81 respectively for the three authorities requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many full-time local authority staff there were at June 1980 in Kent, Essex and Hampshire, respectively; and how these figures compare with the numbers in June 1977.

Information on manpower in individual local authorities is available centrally only in the Joint Manpower Watch returns published since March 1980, copies of which are in the Library. Figures for June 1980 were published on 18 September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the names of the ministerial appointees to the boards or committees of each national park authority; and if he will indicate the years of their retirement.

Present ministerial appointees to the English national park boards and committees are as given in the following list, with the year in which the current term of appointment of each member expires. Some will retire on 31 March the year shown; I expect to invite others to serve for a further term in due course.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for appointments to the Welsh national parks.

	Year
North York Moors
Mr. D. Adams	1982
Mr. R. Bettinson	1982
Dr. A. Devlin	1981
Mr. B. Krengel	1982
Professor J. Patmore	1983
Mr. H. Phalp	1981
Mr. H. Ventress	1982
Maj. P. Walker	1981
Vacancy
Yorkshire Dales
Mr. N. Ayling	1982
Mr. D. Brook	1981
Mr. R. Brown	1982
Dr. R. Disney	1981
Mr. A. Gemmell	1982
Mr. D. Joy	1982
Mr. J. Willson	1982
Peak District
Mr. W. Brooke-Taylor	1983
Mr. L. Brownsey	1983
Mr. J. Elliott	1983
Mr. G. Hodgson	1981
Dr. P. Jackson	1982
Mr. J. Lambe	1981
Mrs. J. Potts	1982
Mr. P. Scott	1982

	Year
Mr. G. Smith	1982
Professor J. Tarn	1982
Professor A. Willis	1981
Dartmoor
Professor V. Beynon	1982'
Mr. P. Browne	1983
Mrs. H. Drake	1983
Mrs. B. Goodman	1982
Mr. B. LeMessurier	1982
Mr. J. Pope	19831
Mrs. F. Wilkinson	1981
Lake District
Mr. J. Allen	1981
Mr. J. Baxter	1982
Mr. I. Brodie	1982
Mrs. M. Capstick	1982
Mrs. J. Corlett	1983
Dr. G. Halliday	1982
Mr. J. Morris-Eyton	1982
Mr. W. Rawling	1983
Mr. G. Wingate	1982
Exmoor
Mr. C. Chapman	1982
Mr. J. Crothers	1981
Mr. J. Dean	1982
Mr. D. Jones	1983
Mr. J. Luttrell	1981
Mr. M. MacEwen	1981
Mr. J. Pugsley	1982
Northumberland
Dr. K. Ashby	1981
Mr. J. Calvert	1981
Mr. J. Clark	1982
Mr. R. Dower	1982
Mr. T. Hardy	1981
Dr. J. Richardson	1982
Mr. W. Richardson	1982
Mr. T. Tynan	1981
Mr. N. Vinson	1983

asked the Secretary of State for Environment if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the current basic weekly wage and (b) the average weekly earnings of local authority manual workers, as follows—Group A: car park attendant, cleaner, dining room assistant, domestic assistant class 1(R), lavatory'1 attendant, school cleaner and school crossing patrol. Group B: bath attendant, domestic assistant class 2(R), paper and salvage baler, park attendant class 2, road labourer, school meals supervisory assistant and street sweeper Group C: assistant gardener/arborist/nurseryman, driver of pedestrian controlled sweeper machine, groundsman's assistant and stoker. Group D: assistant cook—school meals, staff canteens and day nurseries—pool attendant and storeman. Group E: crematorium assistant, gardener, groundsman, nurseryman, refuse collector and stoker. Group F: cook, crematorium attendant, driver/plant operator, skilled roadman and skilled sewerman.

I understand that the current basic rates of pay for these groups of employees are:

Group	Basic Weekly Rate
A	£54.45
B	£55·50

Group	Basic Weekly Rate
C	£57·20
D	£60·40
E	£62·89
F	£66·11

Information on the average weekly earnings of the separate groups is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be making a local authority improvement for sale scheme in exercise of his powers under section 108 of the Housing Act 1980.

An improvement for sale for local authorities scheme has now been made. Details of the scheme have been sent to all authorities by means of a joint circular from the Department of the Environment — circular 20/80—and the Welsh Office—circular 41/80— copies of which have been placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Transport what work was being carried out by the recently retired member of his Department who has become a consultant to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents; and whether he sought permission to take up the consultancy.

This officer was my Department's expert in road accident investigation and prevention. His work on that subject included running training courses for local

Adult male, not contracted-out, paying standard rate contribution
	Weekly contribution		Weekly contribution as a percentage of weekly wage
Weekly wage	Employee £	Employer £	Employee Per cent.	Employer Per cent.
£123·80	8·36	16·96	6·75	13·70

Adult male, contracted-out, paying standard rate contribution
	Weekly contribution		Weekly contribution as a percentage of weekly wage
Weekly wage	Employee £	Employer £	Employee Per cent.	Employer Per cent.
£123·80	5·83	12·42	4·71	10·03

Adult female, not contracted-out, paying standard rate contribution
	Weekly contribution		Weekly contribution as a percentage of weekly wage
Weekly wage	Employee £	Employer £	Employee Per cent.	Employer Per cent.
£74·70	5·04	10·23	6·75	13·70

Adult female, contracted-out, paying standard rate contribution
	Weekly contribution		Weekly contribution as a percentage of weekly wage
Weekly wage	Employee £	Employer £	Employee Per cent.	Employer Per cent.
£74·70	3·75	7·91	5·02	10·59

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current state of the discussions on the draft European Community directive on general practitioners.

Draft proposals for a European Community directive on general medical practitioners are at an early stage of discussion. A working group from member States has held an initial meeting and expects to meet again early in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion employees' and employers' national insurance contributions bears to the average industrial wage; how this proportion compares with our European Economic Community partners; and if he will make a statement.

The tables which follow show the proportions of the average weekly wage in August 1980^* for adult manual workers in manufacturing industries represented by employees' and employers' national insurance contributions which include the national insurance surcharge in the case of employers:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the reason for the 12 months' time bar on claims for maternity grant.

The absolute time limit which applies to most social security benefits, was increased from six to 12 months in 1969 following the recommendation of the national insurance advisory committee. "Report on the Question of the Time Limit for Obtaining Payment of Benefit"—Cmnd. 3591, April 1968. Its view was that the overriding limits was essential if the initial time limits for claiming were not to be abused.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes, and at what cost, he is considering introducing in order to counter the high perinatal mortality of babies born to teenagers in the lower socio-economic classes and from disadvantageous social backgrounds; and what study he has made of measures undertaken in Sweden, where perinatal mortality is well under half of that in the United Kingdom.

As the hon. Member will know, the Social Services Committee has recently examined the whole question of perinatal and neonatal mortality and its report makes certain recommendations aimed at improving services for mothers and babies at risk. The Government are preparing their response to the Committee's report and this will be made available to the House shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he- will introduce legislation to ensure that all children from 16 to 19 years of age in full-time education and for whom a child benefit is paid shall be automatically entitled to free prescriptions; and if he will make a statement.

Most young people of 16 to 19 years continuing in full-time education qualify for exemption on low income grounds, since it is their own income, and not that of their parents, which is taken into account in determining entitlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children over the age of 16 years and in full-time education are estimated to be entitled to exemption from prescription charges; and how many children in this category are claiming free prescriptions.

In the United Kingdom in 1978, the latest period for which figures are available, approximately 1·5 million young people of 16 years and over were in full-time education. Since entitlement to exemption for prescription charges for this group is assessed on income grounds only, those with a significant personal income would not be entitled to exemption. I regret that figures for prescriptions dispensed free of charge on income grounds do not separately identify those people in full-time education.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the evidence that only a small percentage of children between the ages of 1 and 4 years attends the child health clinics, he will mount a campaign to stress the importance of the early detection of abnormalities through periodic health surveillance.

In 1979, 45 per cent, of children aged beween 1 and under 5 attended child health clinics and 75 per cent, of that age group were seen by health visitors. We naturally hope to improve on these figures but my right hon. Friend has no plans to mount a national campaign. In March this year the Department made available for information a paper on "Prevention in the Child Health Services", which stressed the need to ensure that health surveillance reached all children and suggested ways of improving take-up, for example, through health education in schools and by making clinics more accessible and attractive. In particular, it suggested that local groups working, with disadvantaged families might help in publicising services, giving encouragement to such families to register with a general practitioner and introducing them to their local clinic and health visitor.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the Government plan to restrict the use of ECT treatment in the United Kingdom following the recent measures introduced in the United States of America.

We have no plans to do so and I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Stevens) on 1 May,—[Vol. 983, c. 645.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will ensure that full and informed consent is obtained from patients before ECT treatment is undertaken.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Stevens) on 1 May.—[Vol. 983, c. 645–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures available of those patients who underwent ECT treatment in National Health Service hospitals.

The total number of ECT treatments carried out in National Health Service hospitals in England in 1979 was 160,005: the total number of courses completed in 1979 was 24,428. Information on the number of patients receiving ECT is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide compensation to those victims of ECT who have suffered due to the treatment.

Electro-convulsive therapy is a recognised form of treatment which is of value in dealing with certain forms of mental illness. It is open to anyone who feels he has suffered as a result of ECT to pursue the matter through the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deliveries were carried out by community midwives in hospitals and how many deliveries were carried out by hospital midwives, in the last year for which figures are available.

In 1979, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 636,884 hospital confinements, of which 24,200 were conducted by domiciliary midwives.I regret that the other information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the numbers of community midwives for each area health authority and each regional health authority for the years 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Precise information about the number of community midwives is not available centrally. Information about midwives employed solely on the district on a whole-time equivalent basis as at 30 September in each year is available from "Primary Health Care Services; Health Visiting, Nursing and Midwivery Staff Statistics; England" for each of the years 1976, 1977 and 1978. Copies of these have been placed in the Library. The figures for 30 September 1979 are as follows:

Authority	WTE
Northern RHA	194·6
Cleveland AHA	44·0
Cumbria AHA	6·0
Durham AHA	42·0
Northumberland AHA	—
Gateshead AHA	17·0

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been achieved in instituting a national screening programme to detect congenital hypothyroidism in new-born babies.

Earlier this year the standing medical advisory committee warmly welcomed a report by the joint standing sub-committee on screening in medical care which set out the evidence in support of screening for congenital hypothyroidism and concluded that there was a clear need to introduce screening at the earliest opportunity. The Department is currently considering how a national screening programme might best be organised and my right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement soon.