asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 April.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall attend the annual dinner of the Ross McWhirter Foundation.

asked the Prime Minister if she will introduce measures to reduce public expenditure further.

We shall be reviewng our public expenditure plans later this year in the usual way.

asked the Prime Minister if she will introduce legislation to permit a Minister in one House of Parliament to speak in the other House.

No.

asked the Prime Minister what reply she has sent to the chairman of the Chemical Industries Association to his letter on the continuing comparative disadvantage in energy prices which the British chemical industry suffers as against its European and North American competitors.

I shall be replying shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Turriff, East Aberdeenshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit Ottawa.

I plan to visit Canada from 19 to 21 July for the economic summit.

asked the Prime Minister if she will review the aircraft that currently make up the Queen's Flight, with a view to their replacement.

I have recently reviewed with the Ministers concerned the possibility of buying new aircraft for the Queen's Flight. We reluctantly came to the conclusion that re-equipment should be deferred for the time being. The aircraft of the Queen's Flight have excellent safety records and many years of useful life ahead of them.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received from the Federal German Chancellor on the constitutional position of Northern Ireland.

None.

asked the Prime Minister what progress is being made in improving the efficiency and morale of the police.

The strength of the police service has increased by more than 6,000 in the last two years. Continuing efforts are being made to improve methods, with particular emphasis on preventive policing, and to make the most effective use of resources. Morale remains high.

asked the Prime Minister how many hon. Members she has seen on matters relating to factory closures since she last answered oral questions; and how many jobs are expected to be lost in the closures discussed.

Two; several thousand jobs were involved, many in closures which have already taken place.

asked the Prime Minister what new arrangements she is making for determining the salaries of the chairmen and members of the boards of nationalised industries.

I announced on 7 July 1980 that the Top Salaries Review Body would no longer be asked to advise on the salaries of the chairmen and members of nationalised industry boards and that in future these salaries would be determined by the Minister concerned in each case with the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service.Under the new, more flexible, arrangements which take effect from 1 April 1981, salary increases will be based on managerial and market considerations and not on traditional comparisons and ranking. Chairmen and non-executive directors will have an important role and will make recommendations on the pay of full-time board members to the appropriate Minister. Salary increases will normally take effect on the same date as those for the management staff in the industry concerned.Factors to be taken into account will include the need to recruit able enough people to the board, whether from inside or outside the industry; the need to retain and reward board members of experience and ability; internal differentials between board members and senior management staff; the performance of the industry; and the general economic climate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report evidence for the Government's view that an increase in the money supply is reflected in an increase in prices approximately two years later.

A discussion of the issues and evidence can be found in the memorandum submitted by Her Majesty's Treasury to the Select Committee on the Treasury and Civil Service on 21 November 1980—HC 163-III.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has given to the representations made to him by the Engineering Employers' Federation about the commercial practices of British Gas, British Telecom and the electricity industry.

These practices were raised with my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Ministers at the meeting of the National Economic Development Council on 1 April. The points raised are being pursued with the industries concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff in post in the Capital Taxes Office on 1 March; and what was the authorised complement.

The number of staff in post in the Capital Taxes Office on 1 March 1981 was 707; the authorised complement was 725.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff in post on 1 March in the Development Land Tax Office; and what further reductions are planned.

The number of staff in post in the Development Land Tax Office on 1 March 1981 was 118. On present plans it is expected that the complement will fall to below 100 by 1 April 1982.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the levels of exemption for income tax have been for each year from 1973–74 to date in respect of trustee savings bank interest on ordinary and special investment accounts, respectively.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total yield from the present duty on paraffin; and whether he has any estimate of the number of consumers from which it is obtained.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now give estimates of the effect of his Budget measures on the retail price index and the tax and price index compared with the values they would have if personal allowances were increased in line with section 22 (2) of the Finance Act 1977 and excluding the effect of increases in duties.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to include within the special value added tax scheme for antiques and works of art objects of the arts and crafts movement created between 1880 and 1930, together with furniture by Voysey, Mackintosh and other eminent designers of the period, in view of the fact that the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art has recently obtained ministerial agreement to bring such items within its terms of reference.

Any changes in this area will depend on the results of the review which is currently taking place into the operation of the special VAT schemes for antiques and secondhand goods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now give his best estimate of the effect so far of the Civil Service pay dispute on the Government's income.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1981, c. 185]: Figures for the month of March confirm that over three-quarters of the expected tax receipts have been paid into the Exchequer accounts. Between £¾ billion and £1 billion of tax receipts have been delayed and will be credited to the new financial year, but the effect on the borrowing requirement has been offset by other factors, mainly on supply services, unrelated to the Civil Service dispute. The provisional outturn for the central Government borrowing requirement for the year as a whole will be published on Thursday 9 April, but it now seems likely that the outturn will be less than £½ billion higher than the estimate of £12,760 million published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. The net increase in the borrowing requirement presents no risk to overall economic management.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in view of the fact that the Eastern Electricity Board has been able to reduce its proposed increases in charges from 10 per cent. to 7·4 per cent., he will ask the chairman of the Electricity Council to examine how this has proved possible; and if he will seek to implement similar reductions on a national basis.

I am advised by the chairman of the Electricity Council that the reduction of the increases to be implemented by the Eastern Electricity Board is due to a reassessment by the board of its financial position in relation to its current three-year financial target to 1982–83. All boards have fixed their tariffs in relation to their three-year financial targets, but, as progress towards these targets differs between boards, there is no possibility of uniform tariff increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will examine the workings of section 37(8) of the Electricity Act 1947, in so far as it permits electricity boards to show undue preference in their tariff structure against supplying small users of electricity by the institution of standing charges as a substantial proportion of these customers' bills.

The setting of tariffs is the responsibility of area boards. I understand that it is the industry's policy that all tariffs should reflect as far as possible the cost of supplying different classes of consumer. This applies to the standing charge in tariffs for small users, which reflects the fixed costs of supply incurred by the industry irrespective of the amount of electricity consumed—for example metering, meter reading and billing. I am advised that in these circumstances there is no undue discrimination against consumers, though I appreciate that, as a consequence, the standing charge forms a higher proportion of the bill for small consumers of electricity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his projection for the change in demand for electricity during the next decade in Wales; if those estimates take into account the decrease in demand for electricity as a result of de-industrialisation; and if his Department has researched specifically into the Welsh economy or has calculated the Welsh component of the figures for the United Kingdom in arriving at these figures.

Electricity demands on the supply system in England and Wales are considered as a whole. The Department therefore does not consider or research separately any of the components of Welsh

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a list of all power stations in Wales generating electricity and operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board, their date of opening, their electrical generating capacity, their thermal efficiency over the last decade, the number of people they employ and the approximate date of decommissioning or their estimated lifetime.

This is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. I have asked the chairman of the board to write to hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total electricity produced in (a) Wales and (b) the United Kingdom for each year since 1970; and if he will provide information about the contribution of each source to the total electricity produced.

The information is given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the number of fires in buildings that have been caused through defective electrical wiring in the last year for which figures are available.

I have been asked to reply.Table 39 of "Fire Statistics United Kingdom 1979" shows that in 1979 local authority fire brigades attended 6,802 fires in occupied buildings in which electrical wiring was reported as the source of ignition of the fire. Of these, 5,398 were reported to have been due to faults in electrical supply circuits or in leads to appliances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to take any steps to restrict the entry into the United Kingdom of overseas members of the Unification Church.

Members of the Unification Church who are subject to immigration control may be admitted as visitors if they satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules; but they are not treated as missionaries or ministers of religion. We do not think it would be right to use powers under the Immigration Act 1971 to exclude people solely because of membership of the Unification Church if they would otherwise be admissible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons who were permanently or temporarily resident in the county of Clwyd during the past 10 years have been deported.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to publish the Parliamentaty Boundary Commission's report for the Merseyside and Greater Manchester metropolitan county areas.

I understand that the Boundary Commission for England hopes to publish provisional recommendations for Merseyside before the summer and for Greater Manchester by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of funding the Volunteer Centre; and whether he will review the need for this item of public expenditure.

The Voluntary Services Unit provides a grant to the Volunteer Centre for its work in support of voluntary service in the community. The grant—which is reviewed annually—in 1980–81 was £430,625.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints about interference to essential services by citizens band radio on 27 MHz AM he has received in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Such complaints are received by the Post Office radio interference service, which acts as our agents in this matter. In the period from 1 September to 31 December 1980 it received 111 complaints of interference to the radio communications of essential services from the illicit use of citizens band radio operating in the 27 MHz band. Since 1 January these statistics have been collected on a monthly basis and the equivalent figures for January and February are 16 and 31 respectively.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what action has been undertaken by his Department to facilitate the implementation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation General Conference resolution to initiate a programme of study into various aspects, both organisational and cultural, of the culture of the Celtic people; and if he will make statement.

It is for the Director General of UNESCO in the first instance to take the necessary steps to start this programme, but we are keeping in touch with the UNESCO secretariat.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government will take an early initiative in the United Nations Committee on Disarmament, either by putting forward constructive amendments to the Soviet draft convention or by proposing an alternative draft; and if Her Majesty's Government will seek to persuade the United States Government to support any such initiative.

No. The Government remain willing to consider ways of enhancing the political or legal status of our assurance. But we see no prospect of agreement on a common assurance while the Soviet attitude remains unchanged.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government will consider introducing either of the following amendments to the United Kingdom's negative security assurances to non-nuclear weapon States: (a) to insert the word "nuclear" before "attack", in the phrase "except in the case of an attack …" or (b) to re-word the text, from "except" onwards, to read

"except under threat of a nuclear attack with weapons stationed in the territory of the Negative Security Assurances to non-nuclear weapon States".

No. Such amendments would change the whole basis of our assurance.

asked the Lord Privy Seal on what specific occasions since the United Nations Committee on Disarmament was set up, and in what terms, the United Kingdom's representative has sought clarification of the Soviet negative security assurance; and what were the terms of the Soviet explanations.

The Committee on Disarmament's working group on negative security assurances has been in existence since 1979. It does not issue verbatim records of its proceedings but the Soviet assurance has been examined and discussed, as have the assurances of other nuclear weapon States. The particular question of the operative status of the Soviet assurance was last raised by the United Kingdom ambassador in a plenary meeting of the committee on 19 March. The Soviet representative has not yet replied.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to accept the importance and urgency of reaching an East-West agreement on negative security assurances.

The Government accept the importance of giving effective assurances to non-nuclear weapon States. This is why the Government endorse the solemn British assurance given in 1978. Whilst we have no objection in principle to a common assurance, we see little prospect of reaching agreement, given the fundamentally different approaches adopted by East and West.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government accept that, in the context of the discussions in the United Nations Committee on Disarmament, the substitution of a clause reading

"except under threat of a nuclear attack with weapons stationed in the territory of the Negative Securtiy Assurances to non-nuclear weapon States"

No. Such a substitution would do nothing to make the Soviet assurance more acceptable as a draft for a common assurance.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what discussions have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and Rio Tinto Zinc regarding the proposed copper mine project in Panama.

Several British companies are interested in co-operating with the Panamanian authorities in their development of Panama's resources. Discussions between Government Departments and companies concerning opportunities overseas are held in commercial confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the amounts given for home improvement grants by each local authority in Wales for each year since their introduction.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received any representation about his proposal to make Education (Governing Bodies) Regulations for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science have consulted widely about the regulations which they propose to make jointly for application in England and Wales. We have received a number of comments and some requests for changes in the draft regulations and will consider all these before making the regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Merioneth, 30 March, regarding the use of facilities in his Department by the International Rugby Board, if he will ensure that no possible breach of the Gleneagles agreement could arise through provision by his Department of conference facilities for representatives of South Africa during meetings of international sporting bodies at the Welsh Office; and if he will make a statement.

The policy of my Department is to observe the Gleneagles agreement in all respects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion of petrol is sold through pumps not capable of measuring more than 99p per gallon.

I regret that the information on the proportion of petrol sold is not available.About 70 per cent. of pumps are mechanical and incapable of measuring more than 99p per gallon without having their computing head redesigned. I understand that this has been done in the case of some 10,000 pumps, leaving 60 per cent. still incapable of measuring more than 99p per gallon and having either to have the facility of showing the price removed or to operate on the basis of half price posting.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he has had any representations from British shipping interests concerning piracy of, in particular, container ships awaiting berths in West African ports; and if he will make a statement;(2) if Her Majesty's Government have made any representations to West African Governments concerning piracy of, in particular, British container ships awaiting berths in West African ports; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been made by shipowners and the seafaring unions about attacks on British ships, most of which occur in the vicinity of Nigerian ports. Other European countries' ships have suffered similarly and three demarches have been made to the Nigerian authorities on behalf of the members of the European Economic Community. None has had any noticeable effect and action by Her Majesty's Government alone is unlikely to fare better. It remains to be seen whether more recently reported Nigerian intentions to introduce counter measures will achieve any lasting improvement. In the meantime, discussions will shortly be held with shipowners and seafaring unions to consider whether already recommended ship-board precautions against attacks can be made more effective without increasing the risk to crews' safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his estimate of expenditure by the Government on research and development and scientific and technological projects outside the United Kingdom in the current year; how much of this will be on European Economic Community research and development projects; and how this compares with 1980, five years ago and 10 years ago.

At current prices, the gross Government current expenditure for overseas extra-mural research and development was:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied that the sale price of £9 million for Prestcold Holdings agreed by BL Ltd. properly represents the valuation of Prestcold; and if he will make a statement.

Disposals, and the terms of disposals, are a matter for the commercial judgment of the BL board, though my right hon. Friend's approval was required—and given—under the NEB guidelines for the disposal of Prestcold. As I pointed out in reply to the hon. Member on Thursday 12 February—[Vol. 998, c.403]—the purchase price of Prestcold was arrived at on the basis of independent advice to BL from its merchant bankers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek discussions with the Foreign Ministers of the European Economic Community in order to propose an effective code of conduct for multinational companies.

The Government have endorsed the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises and are taking an active part in current negotiations for a United Nations code of conduct on transnational corporations. They do not believe that a separate initiative in the European Community would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received on the proposals concerning the regrouping of medical schools in London; how many of these were concerned with the expertise in centres of excellence in the specialised disciplines such as dental education at the London hospital and otology and audiology at the Royal national throat, nose and ear hospital; and if he will make a statement.

I have received many representations in the period since the publication of the Flowers report about most aspects of the proposals for the reorganisation of London medical education. In responding to them all, I have made it clear that the organisation of the medical schools and postgraduate institutes in London is a matter for the University of London.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of tuberculosis were registered in the borough of Barking and Dagenham in 1978, 1979 and 1980, respectively.

Cases of tuberculosis notified in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what way he furthers the Government's policy towards smaller firms through the procurement policy of his Department.

I am acutely aware of the need to help small firms. The Department maintains a close and constructive relationship with companies that supply the NHS—most of which are small firms—and with their trade associations. We do all we can to help them in selling to the NHS and abroad and in developing new products. I know that the Supply Council, which is responsible for procurement policy in the NHS, is wholeheartedly behind the Government's policy of using purchasing power in the public sector to enhance the competitiveness of British industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the considerations upon which he is spending £400,000 on a scheme for a nuclear war director in each of Great Britain's 16 regional health districts; what work they will do; and if he will consider whether the sum could be expended more effectively elsewhere in the Vote for which he is responsible.

The decision to allocate £400,000 for the appointment of staff within the 14 regional health authorities in England was based on the Government's decision to increase spending on home defence, announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department in his statement to the House on 7 August.—[Vol. 990, c. 790–95.]The task of those appointed will be to assist in the implementation of the Department's advice of 1977 on the preparation and organisation of the NHS for war. However unlikely the possibility of nuclear war may be, it would be irresponsible not to have plans for the health service to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the cost to the Exchequer would be of ending the overlapping benefits rule for working widows paying class 1 contributions under the age of 60 years.

On the assumption that all those who worked also paid full contributions, the estimated cost to the national insurance fund of paying contributory sickness benefit, invalidity benefit and unemployment benefit to widow beneficiaries under the age of 60 would be about £30 million a year. It would, however, be difficult to confine the abolition of the overlapping benefits rule to those widows under 60 and, as I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Whitehaven (Dr. Cunningham) on 25 February—[Vol. 999, c. 400–1]—the eventual cost of abolishing the overlapping benefits rule for all widows, including those over pensionable age, would probably be of the order of £3 billion.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many questions were asked in the census on the last three occasions in 1951, 1961 and 1971.

Separately numbered questions in the 1951, 1961 and 1971 censuses in England totalled respectively 18, 25 and 29, but some of the separately numbered questions were divided into two or more parts and the questions had explanatory notes of different degrees of length and complication. In each of these censuses there was an extra question in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and which Departments utilise the information or any part of it contained in the census; and whether the Inland Revenue has access to any information contained in individual census forms other than aggregated detail.

It is unlikely that there is any major Government Department that does not make use of the statistical results of the census.The Census Office will not pass any information about identified persons or households to the Inland Revenue or to any other body or person outside the census organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for how many years census forms are retained; and what space is required to accommodate all the returns made.

The decennial census forms or copies of them are retained indefinitely; except that the 1931 census forms were destroyed by fire early in the war. The forms for 1881 to 1971 occupy some 70,000 linear feet of shelving at secure but low-cost storage centres. Microfilm copies of the forms for the earlier decennial censuses—that is before 1881—may be viewed by the public at the Public Record Office. The forms for the 1966 sample census have been destroyed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, although the prescription of drugs for pregnant women in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy has been substantially reduced, if he will publish a statement as to the toxicity and tetrogenic effects of effective drugs such as Debendox that control vomiting in early pregnancy.

The Committee on Safety of Medicines is aware of no scientific evidence to indicate that any drugs that might normally be prescribed for the treatment in vomiting of pregnancy, including Debendox, may cause harm to the foetus. However, it is impossible to give a categorical assurance that any drug is "safe" and it is for that reason that the CSM has recently recommended that drugs should be given during pregnancy only if they are clinically essential. Warnings about the use of individual drugs during pregnancy are available to doctors from a number of sources, including product data sheets.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are now covered by all types of public sector pension schemes; and how many are employed and how many are retired and drawing their pensions.

Preliminary figures from the Government Actuary's 1979 survey of occupational pension schemes show that of the 7·45 million employees in the public sector, about 5·6 million were members of pension schemes. 1·8 million former employees were receiving pensions and 0·5 million pensions were in payment to widows and dependants.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the special factors which caused him to allow medical practitioners to increase category D fees by at least 15 per cent. having regard to the limitation placed upon the level of the National Health Service and public services pay rises to half that percentage or less.

I understand that "category D" is a term used by the British Medical Association to describe certain medical work not paid for from public funds. Accordingly, the fees recommended for such work by the association are a matter for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider rewarding consultants in accident and emergency services and child and adolescent consultants with an increase in the number of merit awards available for distribution amongst their increasing numbers.

The overall number of awards is recommended each year by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration and there are not specific quotas within this total for any particular group. My right hon. Friend receives advice on the allocation of awards from an independent committee: it has agreed to keep a careful watch on the distribution of awards between specialties.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish in the Official Report, on the basis of the most up-to-date information, a table showing the mortality rates attributed to the use of the intra-uterine device as a contraceptive among women in the United Kingdom, other member European Economic Community countries and, for the purposes of comparison, in such other World Health Organisation nations whose figures are readily available;(2) if he will publish in the

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the sum recovered through liable relatives procedures involving single mothers on supplementary benefit in Wales; and what is his estimate of the cost of recovery, showing salaries, court costs and other costs, separately.

A figure for the sum recovered in Wales is not available.The Department employs about 140 staff in Wales on work connected with recoveries from liable relatives. As I said in my reply to the hon. Members for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) and for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara) on 27 March—[Vol. 1, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the section of the supplementary benefit handbook and the relevant section of departmental guidance to supplementary benefit officers which sets out that a mother is not obliged to answer questions about the father of her children.

It would not be appropriate to publish the whole of the relevant section of the instructions, which is concerned with the protection of public funds. But a relevant sentence in which the hon. Member will be interested says:

"whatever her reasons, do not press the claimant to give details of the APF—alleged putative father—unless she wishes to do so."

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases of interviews with single mothers in Wales information about a sexual relationship was used in subsequent proceedings.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. MacNamara) and Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 27 March—[Vol. 1, c. 436.] In 1980, there were 105 cases from Wales prepared for proceedings under section 19 of the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to make available on the National Health Service as of right to patients who require it the fingertip electronic machine known as the Canon Communicator.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to provide the Canon Communicator for patients who are unable to speak or write due to physical disability and include it in he appropriate National Health Service tariff.

Health authorities have the power to provide aids such as the Canon Communicator but provision in individual cases is dependent upon the recommendation of a hospital consultant and upon local decisions regarding the use of financial resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in which languages the census forms are available; and if the census forms in England are available in the Welsh language.

Census forms for use in Wales are available either in English or in Welsh; in England the forms are available only in English.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the future of the children's ward of the Ida Darwin hospital, Cambridge.

I understand that discussions have been arranged locally about deployment of nursing staff within the hospital, and that following these the area health authority (teaching) will consider proposals at its next meeting. I gather that no closures are envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of nursing staff at the Ida Darwin hospital, Cambridge, currently employed; and what was the number employed there on 15 March 1980, 1979 and 1978, respectively.

The information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to ask Cambridgeshire area health authority (teaching), which is responsible for management of the hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the material benefits that will accrue to the mentally handicapped in the Cambridge area health authority in 1981; and to what extent these derive from any additional provisions to mark the International Year of Disabled People.

I understand that Cambridgeshire area health authority (teaching) and the county council propose to use joint financing funds to develop services for the mentally handicapped by establishing a group home, by improving nurse staffing, and by developing lodging provision for adults and relief foster care for children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been (a) the budget and (b) the actual expenditure of Cambridge health district in each of the last three years; and what is its present financial situation.

Allocations to Cambridge district are the responsibility of Cambridgeshire area health authority (teaching) and the information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may care to contact the authority direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of recruitment of nurses in the Cambridge health district; and if he will make a statement.

Staffing and recruitment of nursing staff is the responsibility of Cambridgeshire area health authority (teaching). The hon. Member may care to contact the authority direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of speech therapists available to children with speech problems in the Ely area; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to ask Cambridgeshire area health authority (teaching), which is responsible for the provision of health care in the Ely area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of diabetics who look to Doddington hospital for treatment and support and the number of weekly clinic hours available now and in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to ask Cambridgeshire area health authority (teaching), which is responsible for overseeing the detailed arrangements for patient services in the Peterborough health district.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the survey by the Medical Research Council, which indicates that intelligence quotient deficits have been found in London schoolchildren with normal blood lead levels; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce proposals to reverse the trend of increasing real costs of education at constant standards.

Although expenditure per pupil is planned to increase, the Government's expenditure plans do in fact provide for a reduction in current expenditure on education at constant prices of some 10 per cent. by 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what overall reduction in the number of university students in the United Kingdom the Government expect to result from the cuts in Government grant to the universities.

The number of home students in universities in Great Britain in 1981–82 is expected to be about the same as in 1980–81. Nothing definite can be said at this stage about overseas student numbers in 1981–82, but they are likely to be lower than in 1980–81. Universities in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his review of higher education includes those colleges primarily funded by the local education authority.

My right hon. and learned Friend is currently considering future arrangements for the funding and management of higher education outside the universities, including that provided in institutions maintained by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the standards being achieved by primary schools in the maintained sector.

Yes, generally, although Her Majesty's Inspectorate has identified areas of weakness in primary schools' curriculum; we have proposed remedial action in our paper of guidance "The School Curriculum".

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent his policy of increasing awareness among secondary school pupils of career opportunities in industry is being successful.

I believe that schools are becoming increasingly aware of the career opportunities offered by industry, and of the need to give pupils a better understanding of the economic base of our society and the importance to Britain of the wealth-creating process. The Government's paper "The School Curriculum", published on 25 March, stresses that it is a major function of the schools to prepare pupils for all aspects of adult and working life.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will bear in mind, when considering applications for school closures, whether there was a narrow majority in the vote in council and the proximity of the May election.

My right hon. and learned Friend will continue to consider all proposals which fall to him for decision on their merits. Among factors he will take into account are the volume and substance of any objections and other representations made. If such representations include the matters referred to by the hon. Member, my right hon. and learned Friend will take note of them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many secondary schools of approximately 350–450 pupil size in the maintained sector have been closed in the last two years; and how many proposals for closure have been put to him by local education authorities.

This information is not available in the form requested by my hon. Friend. During 1979 my right hon. and learned Friend approved proposals by local education authorities to cease to maintain four secondary schools with between 350 and 450 on roll; the corresponding figure in 1980 was two. The total number of approvals in respect of secondary school closures was 16 in 1979 and 29 in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the anticipated number of qualified teachers leaving colleges of education in 1981.