asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consult interested bodies on the means of providing an animal breeding research facility for England and Wales, following the closure of the Animal Breeding Research Organisation.

No. The Agricultural Research Council is considering closing part of the Animal Breeding Research Organisation, but no decision about that has yet been taken.

asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the extension of the powers of the European Parliament.

The powers of the European Parliament are laid down in the treaties, and Her Majesty's Government see no need to amend them.

Perinatal and Infant Mortality Rates for West Glamorgan by Social Class of Father
	Social Class					All Social Classes*
	I	II	III	IV	V
1975–76
Perinatal rates†	25	17	20	17	47	22
Infant rates‡	14	13	13	16	32	16
1977–78
Perinatal rates†	12	16	17	18	25	18
Infant rates‡	9	14	12	11	15	12
*Including residual social groups not ascribed to a particular social class.
† Rate per 1, 000 total (live and still) legitimate births.
‡ Rate per 1, 000 live legitimate births.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has received from the Hunberside education authority for the closure or merger of senior high schools in Hull; and what reply he has sent.

Statutory proposals were published on 16 December 1981, and were submitted to my right hon.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, in view of the serious effect of the recent heavy falls of snow in the Principality and the fact that before the Government give any additional financial support the local authorities will have faced an increase in cost of up to 2½p in the £, he will urgently meet the Welsh Counties Committee for discussions as requested by the Secretary to the Welsh Counties Committee, Mr. M. H. Philips of Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

I have already agreed to the request of the Welsh Counties Committee, and a meeting of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance has been arranged for Monday 1 February. As regards a statement, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 20 January 1982 to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell).—[Vol. 16, c. 279.] The arrangements for financial aid to local authorities, which are not quite as the question implies, were described in my written reply of 18 January to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley).—[Vol. 16, c. 20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the perinatal and infant mortality rates, respectively, for each social class where babies were born into married households in West Glamorgan in each of the last five years.

Because of the very small numbers of perinatal and infant deaths involved, the rates at county level are calculated only for a period of two years, and should still be used with caution. The figures for 1975–76 and for 1977–78 are given in the following table. Figures for 1979–80 are not yet available.Friend, to cease to maintain the Amy Johnson and Riley high schools in September 1983; to establish a new mixed high school in the later's premises on the same date; and to reduce admissions to both schools from September 1982 by 79 and 133 places, respectively. The Department has acknowledged receipt of the proposals; but the statutory two-month periods for objections does not expire until 16 February and, if there are such objections, the authority has until 16 March to submit these and their comments to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secetary of State for Education and Science whether he has received a request from Humberside education committee for the construction of a new senior high school in Bransholme, Hull; what discussions have taken place with his Department; and what reply he has sent.

There have been discussions between officers of the authority and officials of the Department, but the authority has yet to publish statutory proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further progress has been made towards the introduction of a single examination for all 16-year-olds by 1987; when he expects to approve this; and if he will make a statement.

The joint council of GCE and CSE boards has recently published preliminary proposals for national criteria for a single system of examinations at 16-plus. The council hopes to submit final drafts to the Secretary of State by the end of this year, but it is too early to say when the proposals will be approved. My right hon. Friend will decide on the publication of a further statement by the Government when he has studied all the implications.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his replies to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 16 July, Official Report, c. 479 and 20 October, Official Report, c. 109, if he is yet ready to bring forward proposals to charge independent schools for membership of the national teachers' pension fund.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 20 October 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take regarding the growing numbers of school children being infected by hepatitis; if he is satisfied with the hygiene facilities in schools; and if he will make a statement.

The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 require every school to have adequate washing facilities. It is for teachers and parents to ensure that pupils make sufficient use of these in the interests of hygiene. Advice on health education, which is the responsibility of the local education authorities and the schools, is given in the Department's publication "Health Education in the School Curriculum".

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he will list those schools in the assisted places scheme which have agreed to publish their O and A-level examination results for the current year;(2) whether independent schools within the assisted places scheme are required to publish their O and A-level examination results.

All schools participating in the assisted places scheme are required to make available to parents applying for assisted places information on the public examination results obtained by pupils at the school in the previous summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many directives have been adopted under the European Communities' programme for dismantling non-tariff barriers to trade; which sectors these covered; and how many draft directives in this field are currently under discussion.

A total of 136 directives have been adopted under the European Communities' programme for dismantling technical barriers to trade and there are currently 95 draft directives under discussion.The principal sectors are motor vehicles, agricultural tractors, measuring instruments and dangerous substances.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will list in the Official Report those steel products, produced in the United Kingdom, which have been the subject of unfair price representations by the United States steel producers or calls for anti-dumping action.

We have not yet seen copies of the petitions lodged by United States steel producers on 11 January 1982, but we understand that the United Kingdom products subject to both anti-dumping and countervailing petitions include:

• Plate;
• Cold rolled carbon sheet;
• Galvanised sheet;
• Structurals;
• Hot rolled sheet, coil, band and strip; and
• Cold rolled sheet, coil and strip.

A countervailing petition only is understood to have been lodged in the case of hot rolled carbon and alloy bars, cold finished carbon and alloy bars.

the Secretary of State for Trade whether arising out of the case between Mrs. Valerie Turner and the Prudential Assurance Company, he will seek to amend the law to reinstate the ability of insurance companies to arrange premiums and benefits according to the actuarial probabilities of different groupings of people, including classification by sex.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if guard dogs are used to improve the security of both St. Andrew's House and New St. Andrew's House.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consult interested bodies, including the National Farmers Union of Scotland, on the means of providing an animal breeding research facility in Scotland following the closure of the Animal Breeding Research Organisation.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to public funds of the NATO nuclear planning meeting at Gleneagles in October; if he will provide a detailed breakdown of costs incurred by (a) use and transport of Army bands, (b) consumption of food and alcoholic drinks and (c) the use of (i) RAF aeroplanes and (ii) British Airways helicopters to take guests from Edinburgh to Gleneagles; and if he is satisfied that the costs of the meeting were as low as possible.

The NATO nations host nuclear planning group meetings on a rotational basis and the United Kingdom's turn therefore arises at about six year intervals. The total cost to Her Majesty's government of the Gleneagles meeting attended by the Secretary General of NATO and 13 Defence Ministers and their senior civil and military advisers was approximately £170, 000. Of this the cost of the single RAF VC10 return flight from Heathrow to RAF Leuchars and the helicopter flights for senior delegates from Leuchars to Gleneagles was about £30, 000 and the hire of coaches for the band of the Scots Guards about £1, 400. The cost of food and drink cannot be separately identified from the total hotel bill without disproportionate effort. Bearing in mind the very high degree of security necessary my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is satisfied that the total cost of the meeting was entirely reasonable.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any charges are to be made to local authorities for the use of troops in the January 1982 snow emergency; and, if so what is the total;(2) what charges are to be made, and to whom, for the use of helicopters in the January 1982 snow emergency;(3) what is the total cost of the use of troops and army equipment to deal with the January 1982 snow emergency; and to whom this is chargeable.

I have placed in the Library a copy of a pamphlet entitled "Military Aid to the Civil Community" issued in the first instance in 1968 by the Ministry of Defence and revised in 1978 for the guidance of civil authorities and organisations who request the assistance of the armed forces. Military aid during the recent snow and flood conditions was rendered under the arrangements contained in the pamphlet. It is too early to say what charges will be raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the additional cost that would be incurred in the completion of the Tornado programme in the event of a 25 per cent. cut in the rate of delivery, expressed in 1982–83 prices.

I informed the House yesterday in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins)—[Vol. 16, c. 160.]—about detailed changes in the peak delivery rates for the Tornado programme. These will achieve important savings in the next three financial years. In reaching this decision we took account of the potential for additional cost, which was estimated as being well under one per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate the circumstances in which a low-flying United States Air Force training plane flew dangerously near to helicopters using the landing space in the West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen, on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 January; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. An investigation has been started. The initial evidence is that there was no danger of a collision and no "airmiss" report has been filed. I shall make a further statement when the investigation has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will issue a general direction to British Telecom that will ensure public telephone kiosks in rural areas will not be closed according to a fixed level of loss-making.

No. The provision of telephone kiosks is a matter for British Telecom's own judgment. The hon. Member will be aware that where a kiosk's annual takings are below £140—as compared with the average annual cost of running a kiosk of £2, 000—British Telecom's policy is to approach the local authority for a contribution. This policy is supported by the Post Office Users National Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will list both the number of days lost and the volume of production lost by the British Steel Corporation in each of those plants which has been required to suspend production or reduce its capacity due to the inclement weather conditions.

I understand that the BSC has not yet completed its assessment of the extent to which its operations have been affected by the recent severe weather conditions. But information of the detailed sort requested is in any case a matter for the corporation's management and should be sought directly from them.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his current estimate of the share of the market for citizens band radio and equipment supplied by British manufacturers; and what is his estimate of the total value of the British market.

Since a citizens band service has been permitted only since 2 November 1981, it is too early to form a reliable estimate of the size of the United Kingdom market. However, some 100, 000 licences have been issued up to 31 December 1981. The bulk of CB radio equipment being sold is imported, although some British manufacturers have in the past indicated their interest in producing this equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received proposals about security in Northern Ireland from the official Unionist Party; and what action he proposes to take on those proposals.

I have had discussions and correspondence about security in Northern Ireland on a number of occasions with representatives of the official Unionist Party. I am always ready to consider suggestions and have responded to a number they have put to me. It would not be right for me to reveal the details of these exchanges, but action has been taken where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what respects the training and employment measures for Northern Ireland differ from those in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

Measures to stimulate training and employment in Northern Ireland and Great Britain have the same broad objectives and many similarities. To meet the special needs of Northern Ireland, however, the arrangements there have a number of special features, including:

1. direct apprentice training mainly for engineering and building trades in Government training centres in Northern Ireland—under review in the light of the new youth training programme:

2. financial assistance, through the training on employer's premises scheme, to new and expanding firms in the manufacturing and construction sectors in Northern Ireland to help train additional workers;

3. greater emphasis than in Great Britain's special measures for young people on both special community-based work preparation schemes and training projects in further education colleges;

4. employment and training opportunities for the long-term unemployed through "Enterprise Ulster", a statutory direct labour organisation:

5. the Northern Ireland training executive which provides common administrative services, co-ordination and cross-board training for Northern Ireland's industrial training boards—the industrial training board system is currently under review.

The recently announced plans for a new youth training programme—YTP—to be introduced in Northern Ireland in the autumn of 1982 are similar to the Government's proposals to develop training in Great Britain, as given in the White Paper "A New Training Initiative: A Programme for Action". The Northern Ireland youth training programme—YTP—will provide vocational preparation for 16 to 17-year-olds and a guaranteed year to each 16-year-old school leaver who does not find work and is itself, and its early introduction, a further indication of the Government's recognition of, and response to, Northern Ireland's special needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the increase or decrease in the population of each of the shire counties and the corresponding increase or decrease in Government grant to each of them since 1974.

Figures for the change in population of each of the shire counties over the period June 1974 to June 1980 are set out as follows with figures for the change in rate support grants to each county over the period 1974–75 to 1981–82.The grant figures are for the sum of rate support grants paid to county and district authorities in each year, and not to the county authorities alone. This is in order to discount the effects of different grant payment arrangements over the period. The grant figures for 1981–82 are those which I placed in the Library, pursuant to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) on 10 December—[Vol. 14, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to Cleveland (UK) Fifth International Drawing Biennial to he displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies on the pollutant effect of lead discharged from petrol-engined pleasure boats are available to his Department; and if any such reports were drawn to the attention of the Nature Conservancy Council's working group on lead poisoning in swans.

Neither my Department nor the NCC is aware of any such studies. However, a large number of pleasure boats use diesel fuel, and the NCC working group had facts available which clearly showed that the lead level in river water was extremely low. Furthermore, the evidence obtained from live and dead swans clearly showed poisoning by sizeable lead particles, and conversely that the level of dissolved lead in the water could not possibly have been the cause.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of rate support grant paid to the Greater London Council; and what proportion this represents of the total revenue.

The Greater London Council has recently notified my Department of a revision of its budgeted total expenditure for rate support grant purposes for 1981–82 to a figure of £455·8 million outturn. My right hon. Friend will shortly be laying before the House a supplementary report which will determine the various parameters for grant distribution in the current year. On the basis of these redeterminations and the GLC's revised budget, its grant entitlement for 1981–82 will be £139·4 million, or 30·6 per cent. of its revised budget. My Department does not have comprehensive information on the GLC's total revenue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why political parties are barred from using the former Scottish Assembly building for meetings, conferences, seminars and other meetings.

It is the long standing policy of Government Departments that Government premises should not be used by political parties or other organisations whose interests are primarily of a political nature. The former Scottish Assembly building, as part of the Government estate, is therefore not available to such bodies. An exception to this policy can be made where Members of the House who are engaged on parliamentary business may seek the use of accommodation for party consultations in connection with that business. This exception applies to Members in the Palace of Westminster.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Brent, East on 11 November 1981, Official Report, column 95, what progress is being made on the proposal to erect a memorial in London to the victims of concentration camps; whether he has consulted the Holocaust Foundation; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions are continuing with the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports so far have been submitted to him by the group of managers of financial institutions seconded to his Department to study inner city problems; and what action he proposes to take.

The purpose of the financial institutions group is to develop new approaches and ideas for securing urban regeneration. Members of the group are seconded as individuals. They do not, individually or collectively, represent their parent institutions.I have not asked the group as a whole to make formal recommendations. I shall, however, expect to receive suggestions and ideas—which may be addressed to private as well as to Government bodies—from the seconded managers during the course of the exercise. I do not propose to publish as a matter of course memoranda prepared by the managers: how each is best taken forward will depend on the circumstances of the case. I shall keep the House informed of progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will revoke the order now in force banning the shooting of wildfowl under section 7 of the Protection of Birds Act 1967.

In view of the improved weather conditions in England and Wales, I have today signed an order revoking the ban with effect from midnight tonight.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will allow sub post offices to issue private car licences.

In the changes to the administration of vehicle excise duty introduced over the last two years we have increased the number of sub post offices handling vehicle licensing work from 400 to 1, 400. These are additional to the 1, 600 Crown offices which can deal with applications. We have also extended the range of the work handled by post offices to cover virtually all relicensing. This additional service to the public has been widely welcomed.I am keeping the present arrangements under review to ensure they provide a satisfactorily convenient and economical service. If there is evidence that any particular area is being poorly served, I will certainly consider its needs sympathetically.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many spot checks under sections 8 and 9 of the Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 carried out since the introduction of the Transport Act 1980 have resulted in an absolute prohibition on a vehicle being driven on the public highway.

The information requested, available only for the period 1 April to 30 September 1981, is as follows:

	Number of inspections	Number of immediate prohibitions	Percentage of immediate prohibitions
Periodic inspections with prior notification	28, 990	1, 298	4·48
Spot check without prior notification	8, 666	695	8·02

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the number of spot checks carried out under sections 8 and 9 of the Public Passenger Vehicle Act 1981 reflect the relative age profile of the fleet concerned.

No. Every PSV has an annual check and may, in addition, be subject to a spot check based either on random selection or on the operator's record.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy that older public service vehicles should be subject to more frequent testing under sections 8 and 9 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981.

Under new testing arrangements, which came into force at the beginning of this year, all public service vehicles will have to be tested annually, starting at one year old. This will mean that many vehicles will be tested more frequently than they were under the informal testing system based on sections 8 and 9 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act. This is in addition to the spot checks on PSVs carried out by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total number of examinations and spot checks carried out under sections 8 and 9 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 in the county of Cumbria for each of the public transport operators since the Transport Act 1980 came into force.

I regret that information in respect of individual public transport operators could not be provided except at disproportionate expense. The overall figures for the county of Cumbria for the period 1 April 1981 to 31 December 1981 are as follows:

Periodic inspections (with prior notification)	490
Spot checks (without prior notification)	236

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of the provisions of the Transport Act 1980, he is ensuring that independent operators on network routes of passenger service vehicles formerly used as private coaches have sufficient maintenance and repair facilities and capabilities to meet the demand on their fleets; and whether full examinations have taken place of premises concerned.

Yes, of course. The licensing of public service vehicle operators is the responsibility of the traffic commissioners for the area in which the operating centres of the vehicles used under the licence are located. The traffic commissioners are required to satisfy themselves that licence holders meet stringent criteria, including the provision of adequate facilities or arrangements for maintaining in a fit and serviceable condition the vehicles proposed to be used under the licence. I have every confidence in the way the traffic commissioners discharge this task.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether any additional public moneys have been provided to assist independent bus operators in the county of Cumbria.

Not by my Department, except that operators of any new stage carriage services can be eligible to claim additional fuel duty rebate and new bus grant. The provision of revenue support is a matter for the county council which presumably will want to assist bus operators, whether public or private, who agree to provide in the most effective way those uneconomic but socially necessary services which the county council wishes to see provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will be able to announce the precise route of the Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge bypass.

Detailed proposals for the route of the bypass will be included in draft orders under the Highways Act 1980 which at present we aim to publish in late 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the need for the introduction of a Bill to enable the Greater London Council to continue to run its scheme for concessionary fares for the elderly and disabled in its present form; and if he will make a statement.

I have received 21 letters calling for continuation of concessionary fares in London. I announced in the House of Commons on 18 January that the Government were willing to legislate to give the GLC the same powers as other local authorities to operate a concessionary fares scheme.—[Vol. 16, c. 32.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to set a minimum level of fines for overloading or using defective or dangerous heavy lorries which eliminates the possibility of commercial benefit to the operator of allowing the offence to be committed.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the dangers of lorries jack-knifing, he will seek to make it compulsory for all vehicles of over 30 tonnes to be fitted with ABS anti-lock braking systems.

The Construction and Use Regulations allow for the optional use of anti-lock braking systems as a means of providing braking stability. However, they are not fully proven under all conditions of service and therefore on present evidence I do not feel justified in making them compulsory.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the information derived from the experience of the statutory tests of motor vehicles of over three years of age is of value in achieving improvements in the design and manufacture of motor vehicles;(2) if, with a view to promoting vehicle safety, he will publish a detailed analysis of the results of motor vehicle Ministry of Transport tests.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 January 1982 c. 154]: My Department analyses a sample of 2 per cent. of the 15 million tests carried out each year in the MOT scheme. Tables prepared on the basis of this sample are published regularly in "Transport Statistics Great Britain", showing pass and fail rates for the main groups of vehicles tested, together with the percentage of failures due to particular types of defect—brakes, lights and so on. Information about vehicles over three years old is of limited value in identifying weaknesses in design and manufacture because such weaknesses normally come to light in newer vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appeals against refusal of application for mobility allowance were outstanding on 1 January, or the nearest convenient date; and how this figure compares with the position 12 months earlier.

The information is as follows:

Appeals to	1 January 1982	2 January 1981
Local tribunal	45	20
Medical board	3290	2120

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to how many persons awards of mobility allowance were made for the first time during 1981; and how his figure compares with the number made in 1980.

39, 200 and 56, 600, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of those persons in receipt of mobility allowance, whose allowance was reviewed during 1981, had the allowance stopped; of these, what proportion took their application for renewal to appeal; and, of those appealing, what proportion did so successfully.

Reviews of mobility allowance are carried out by medical boards when a report suggests that the claimant may no longer satisfy the medical conditions for the allowance. In 1981, fewer than 200 such cases were reviewed from a total number of beneficiaries which reached over 210, 000 by the end of the year, that is less than 0·01 per cent. Of these reviews, some 80 per cent. resulted in withdrawal of the allowance. Information about subsequent appeals is not available.As to those cases where a renewal claim is made on expiry of a previous award, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 18 January 1982.—[Vol. 16, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has yet completed the analysis of cases in which payment of supplementary benefit is suspended pending an appeal referred to in paragraph 4.32 of the annual report of the Council on Tribunals.

Officials will be supplying the information to the Council on Tribunals in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what benefits are now purchased by national insurance; what benefits were purchased by national insurance on 3 May 1979; what benefits are now related to the level of contribution; and what benefits were related to contributions on 3 May 1979.

There has been no change since 3 May 1979 in the following list of benefits which are provided from the national insurance fund:

(1) Retirement pension

(2) Widow's benefit

(3) Sickness benefit

(4) Invalidity benefit

(5) Maternity benefit

(6) Unemployment benefit

(7) Industrial injury benefit

(8) Industrial disablement benefit

(9) Industrial death benefit

(10) Other industrial injury benefits

(11) Guardian's allowance and child's special allowance

(12) Death grant

(13) Pensioners lump sum payments.

There has been no change in benefits which are related to the level of contributions, except for the earnings-related supplement payable with short-term benefits, which was established from 3 January 1982, subject to continuing rights for certain claimants until 30 June 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to make available up-to-date figures on the failure to take-up benefits by persons entitled to them in respect of (a) supplementary benefits and (b) all other social security benefits to replace the 1978 figures at present used.

An estimate of the take-up of supplementary benefit based on 1979 family expenditure survey data is expected to be available shortly.The two other social security benefits where failure to take-up entitlement is a significant problem are one-parent benefit and family income supplement—FIS.The latest estimate of take-up of one-parent benefit relates to data at December 1980. For details of that estimate I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Leek (Mr. Knox) on 24 November 1981.—[Vol. 13, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now withdraw his proposal to end central funding of the publication "Community Health Council News" and continue free distribution of the paper to community health councils; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the withdrawal of central funding for "CHC News"; what replies he has sent; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been received from four hon. Members, the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales, and three individual community health councils, all in support of continued central funding for "CHC News" and the associated information service. We have considered these carefully, but in our view it would be more appropriate for CHCs as independent statutory bodies to fund services such as these through their own budgets. The Department is discussing with officers of the association how the transition from central to subscription funding might best be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many death certificates issued in the three months ended December 1981 mentioned hypothermia; and what are the comparable figures for the same period for each of the previous 10 years.

The numbers of death certificates issued in the December quarter 1981 which mention hypothermia are not available. Figures for the December quarter for the previous 10 years are as follows:

1971	99
1972	126
1973	148
1974	128
1975	150
1976	203
1977	138
1978	144
1979	82
1980	156
1981	n/a

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how often hypothermia was given as a cause of death for each of the last 10 years; and what is his estimate of the actual number of people who have died as a result of hypothermia, or where it is a contributory cause, for these years.

The total number of deaths in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available where hypothermia was mentioned as a cause of death are as follows:

1971	420
1972	492
1973	437
1974	401
1975	511
1976	585
1977	613
1978	708
1979	824
1980	596

These figures include the cases where hypothermia was mentioned by the doctor or coroner as a contributory cause of death. It is known that the number of deaths rises in cold weather, but this increase is not necessarily associated with the specific syndrome of hypothermia.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of infective jaundice were reported in 1981; and what are the figures for each of the last 10 years.

Notifications of infective jaundice in England and Wales for 1971 to 1981 are shown in the following table. Figures for 1981 are provisional.

Notifications of infective jaundice in England and Wales for the years 1971 to 1981
Year	Notifications
1971	14, 142
1972	12, 269
1973	8, 073
1974	7, 620
1975	5, 756
1976	5, 963
1977	5, 123
1978	4, 675
1979	3, 216
1980	5, 143
1981*	9, 661

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated revenue for 1981–82 from national insurance contributions; what amount is necessary to finance the new earnings-related element of retirement pensions in the current year; and what is his estimate of the proportion of the total yield of national insurance contributions required for earnings-related pension provision in future years.

It is estimated that the revenue from national insurance contributions for 1981–82 will be £14·77 billion and that £20 million of this will be required for purposes of the earnings-related element of retirement pensions. The Government Actuary is currently preparing his quinquennial review, which will cover the question of future revenue requirements of retirement pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he plans to give any extra help to people on supplementary benefit to help with their fuel bills; how many people he expects to help; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will extend additional heating payments to all pensioners, people on supplementary benefit and those in receipt of rent and rate rebates and rent allowances.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) yesterday.—[Vol. 16, c. 186.] I cannot say how many supplementary benefit claimants might be entitled to special payments because of the severe weather.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will secure commercial time on independent television to advertise the availability of the additional assistance under the Supplementary Benefits Single Payments Regulations 1981 for those persons, including pensioners, in receipt of supplementary benefit who are faced by substantial heating bill increases due to inclement weather.

No. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 21 January—[Vol. 16, c. 170]—in which I gave details of the measures being taken to publicise the assistance available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member

	Revenue Cash Limits		Capital Cash Limits
	£ Million	Growth per cent	£ Million
Northern	524·0	2·45	41·9
Yorkshire	584·9	1·95	48·6
Trent	702·4	3·00	55·5
East Anglian	292·1	3·25	27·6
North-West Thames	650·7	0·30	36·7

The report of the structural engineers on structural defects in the cardiac unit building at the hospital for sick children was received by the board of governors in December 1981 and by the Department in January 1982. It is a substantial document of 16 volumes, each of around 200 pages, and is at present being studied by professional officers in the Department.Concurrently the board's project manager and design team—including a new and recently appointed firm of architects—are considering how the proposed remedial works should be carried out and are preparing a revised estimate of their cost in collaboration with the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Heddle) on 26 October, Official Report, c. 283–4, if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the review of the household duties for non-contributory invalidity pension for married women.

The review has not yet been completed, but I hope to be in a position to bring the matter before the House shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his replies to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North-East on 6 May, Official Report, c. 75, 22 October, Official Report, c. 183, and 16 December 1981, Official Report, c. 163, if the committee of inquiry set up by the board of governors into the sale of blood plasma through the national heart hospital has yet submitted its report; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is able to announce the revenue and capital cash limits for 1982–83 for regional health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Next year the Government will be making available to regional health authorities £8, 000 million revenue expenditure—an increase of 1·7 per cent. over the previous year—and £600 million capital expenditure. The following table shows regional revenue and capital cash limits for 1982–83 and each region's percentage addition of revenue growth.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take in response to the comments in the seventeenth report from the Committee on Public Accounts about the need for greater accountability of English health authorities to Parliament.

I am introducing new arrangements to ensure better accountability for the NHS. I believe that it is both desirable and practicable to secure the maximum delegation of responsibility for the delivery of local health services to district health authorities while at the same time achieving true accountability from the district authorities through the regional health authorities.Accordingly, each year Ministers will lead a departmental review of the long-term plans, objectives and effectiveness of each region with the chairmen of the regional authorities and chief regional officers. The aims of the new system will be to ensure that each region is using the resources allocated to it in accordance with the Government's policies—for example, giving priority to services for the elderly, the handicapped and the mentally ill—and also to establish agreement with the chairmen on the progress and development which the regions will aim to achieve in the ensuing year. Successive reviews will thus enable Ministers to measure the progress made by regions against the agreed plans and objectives, as well as to determine action necessary in the year ahead.The new system will be established in 1982–83. My Department is also conducting a pilot scheme in one region using indicators of performance in the delivery of health services. These will enable comparison to be made between districts, and so help Ministers and the regional chairmen at their annual review meeting to assess the performance of their constituent district health authorities in using manpower and other resources efficiently. With these arrangements I shall be able to hold regional health authorities to account for the ways in which resources are used in their regions and for the efficiency with which services are delivered. In turn, the regional health authorities will hold their constituent district health authorities to account.The reviews will concentrate on major issues, leaving district health authorities with the primary responsibility for decision-taking in providing local operational services within agreed policies. In addition, in order to ensure that they have adequate influence over certain matters for which the regional health authorities are responsible—for example, the provision of regionally-managed support services—I have asked the RHAs for reports on the arrangements in the region for involving the districts in these matters.The object of these new arrangements is to ensure that the Health Service obtains the maximum amount of direct patient care and the greatest value for money from the resources which the Government have made available to the NHS.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has yet decided how to spend the money saved by abolishing injury benefit and improving the benefits provided under the industrial injuries scheme as foreshadowed in the White Paper "Perform of the Industrial Injuries Scheme"—Cmnd. 8402.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Social Security tabled an amendment yesterday to the Social Security and Housing Benefits Bill. It will make disablement benefit available 15 weeks after an accident or the development of an industrial disease. This will be of substantial benefit to the more seriously disabled who will no longer have to wait 26 weeks before getting the benefit and its supplements. In addition, by providing a standard date from which benefit can be paid, the change will simplify the scheme.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether consultations took place between the United States State Department and the Foreign Office prior to the revocation of the visa of the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley); and whether his Department made representations on this matter.

Our embassy in Washington and the State Department were in touch about the visit that the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley) had proposed to make to the United States of America. The State Department was made aware that the hon. Member is an elected Member of this House and of the European Parliament. The decision whether or not to allow him entry to the United States of America was a matter for the American Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he proposes to take any action against the South African Government for their treatment of the British subject Steven Kitson.

Her Majesty's embassy, on the instructions of my right hon. and noble Friend, has drawn the attention of the South African Government to Mr. Kitson's allegations of ill-treatment, expressed our concern and asked that the allegations be investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recurrence of national disasters which are dependent upon charitable appeals when they occur, he will now take action to establish a permanent national disaster fund out of Exchequer funds.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to his other question on this subject given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18 January.—[Vol. 16, c. 19.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the conclusions of his review of appeals under the Immigration Act 1971.

Comments on the Home Office discussion document were invited from interested organisations, and these are now being considered. It is too soon to say when our conclusion will be announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his statement in the Official Report, 10 December 1981, column 1004, how he intends to implement Lord Scarman's recommendation that lay persons should have the right to make random visits to police stations to check interrogation and detention procedures.

As I explained in my statement on 10 December, I shall consider how best to implement this recommendation in the light of the local consultations that are to take place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached from his consultations on Lord Scarman's recommendation that racially prejudiced behaviour by a police officer should be a disciplinary offence.

The recommendation is to be discussed at a meeting of the police advisory board on 26 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the visit made earlier in January by immigration officers to check the immigration status of workers at Smiths Meters in Streatham Vale.

Following extensive inquiries, officers of the Immigration Service and the Metropolitan Police visited Smiths Meters Ltd., S.W.16, on 6 January. Immigration officers wished to interview 18 named individuals believed to be employed by the company and whose immigration status was in doubt. Of the 18, one was not employed by the company, two had not attended for work on that day and four left the premises by climbing over a fence. Of the remaining 11 people, nine were found to be in breach of the immigration laws, and one required regularisation of his stay. Subsequent inquiries have led to the identification of a further three people in breach of the immigration laws. A warrant, issued under the Immigration Act 1971, had been obtained prior to the operation, which was conducted in strict accordance with the guidelines set out in my statement of 12 December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the standard of administration of the National TV Licence Records Office in respect of the increase in licence fees which he announced on 1 December 1981.

Yes. If, however, the hon. Member is aware of a particular difficulty of which he will let me have details, we should be happy to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of the finding of the Bloomsbury and Marylebone county court on 27 January 1981 that two police sergeants attached to Hampstead police station, did, on 6 November 1977, falsely imprison and maliciously prosecute Mr. Trevor Rhone, and that they subsequently lied to the magistrates, the police investigating officer and the county court, what disciplinary action has been taken against the officers concerned; and why it has taken the Commissioner of Police so long to reach a decision in this matter.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, following the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions in July 1981 that there was insufficient evidence to justify criminal proceedings against the officers concerned, the Commissioner's consideration of the question of disciplinary proceedings revealed the need for additional inquiries on this aspect. These and the consideration of the outcome have been completed and the papers are now to be sent to the police complaints board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will commission a report on the growth of vigilante gangs in Greater London.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that no vigilante gangs have been encountered on the streets in his force area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to prevent vigilante gangs in London pre-empting the role of the Metropolitan Police.

We are confident that the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and his officers will take whatever action may be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to make membership of a vigilante group a criminal offence.

We are satisfied that the police have sufficient powers to deal with any such groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration his Department has given to the growth of vigilante groups and the consequent problems in enforcement of law and order; and if he will make a statement.

My Department gives close attention to all matters affecting the enforcement of law and order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be in a position to reply to the letter dated 26 November 1981 from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Stechford, about the child of a Ugandan national living in the United Kingdom; and whether, and on what date, he requested information from the British High Commission in Kampala in connection with that letter.

Telex messages were sent to the British High Commission in Kampala on 9 and 21 December 1981 seeking details of the refusal of entry clearance for the child. In his reply of 13 January the entry clearance officer said that entry clearance had been sought for a four-week visit and had been refused in July 1981 as he had not been satisfied that the child would leave the United Kingdom at the end of this period. On 19 November an organisation in Birmingham had written to the entry clearance officer to say that the child was in fact seeking to come to the United Kingdom for an indefinite period to join his parents and the child and his guardian had been given an appointment for further interview. This appointment had not been kept and the entry clearance officer will now arrange a second appointment. When he has been able to obtain full details of the application he will refer it to the Home Office for a decision.I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any changes in the guidelines relating to the interception and monitoring of telephone conversations have been made since his answer on 5 March 1981, Official Report, column 404.

No. I have made it clear that Parliament will be informed of any changes to the arrangements for interception set out in Cmnd. 7873.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with representatives of take-away and fast food shops with regard to amending the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill with respect to a later closing hour for such establishments than that proposed by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with the undertakings which I gave during the Committee stage of this Bill, the Home Office has sought the views of all three organisations representing takeaway and fast food shops on proposed additional safeguards for the operators of these shops. We are also consulting the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Boundary Commissions for England and Wales to complete their reviews of parliamentary constituencies; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's view is that any general election held in the autumn of 1983 or later should be based on up-to-date constituency boundaries. To this end, I and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland intend to present Orders in Council giving effect to the new constituencies as soon as possible after the reports of the boundary commissions are received. Each report must and will be dealt with as soon as it is received.I understand that the English and Welsh commissions hope to complete their work by the end of 1982 and will submit their reports to me as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders detained in (a) Feltham borstal, (b) Rochester borstal, (c) Glen Parva young offenders centre, (d) Everthorpe borstal and (f) Aylesbury prison on the most recent convenient date have previously received treatment for mental disorder.

This information would not be obtainable without the examination of a large number of individual records and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders detained in (a) Feltham borstal, (b) Rochester borstal, (c) Glen Parva young offenders centre, (d) Everthorpe borstal and (e) Aylesbury prison on the most recent convenient date are receiving treatment for mental disorder while in custody.

On 13 January 1982 the numbers of inmates currently receiving treatment for mental disorder were five at Feltham borstal; none at Rochester borstal; three at Glen Parva young offenders centre; none at Everthorpe borstal; and none at Aylesbury young prisoner centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders detained in (a) Feltham borstal, (b) Rochester borstal, (c) Glen Parva young offenders centre, (d) Everthorpe borstal and (e) Aylesbury prison on the most recent convenient date have reading ages of less than 10 years.

On 13 January 1982 the numbers of inmates with a reading age of less than 10 years were 61 at Feltham borstal; 37 at Rochester borstal; 209 at Glen Parva borstal and young prisoner centres—a comparable figure for the remand centre is not available; 51 at Everthorpe borstal and 31 at Aylesbury young prisoner centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders detained in (a) Feltham borstal, (b) Rochester borstal, (c) Glen Parva young offenders centre, (d) Everthorpe borstal and (e) Aylesbury prison on the most recent convenient date are attending remedial education classes.

On 13 January 1982 the numbers of inmates currently attending remedial education classes were 51 at Feltham borstal; 27 at Rochester borstal; 76 at Glen Parva young prisoner centre and remand centre—a comparable figure for the borstal is not readily available; 48 at Everthorpe borstal and 30 at Aylesbury young prisoner centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders detained in (a) Feltham borstal, (b) Rochester borstal, (c) Glen Parva young offenders centre, (d) Everthorpe borstal and (e) Aylesbury prison on the most recent convenient date are unable by reason of physical incapacity to take a full part in the regime.

On 13 January 1982 the numbers of inmates unable by reason of physical incapacity to take a full part in the regime were none at Feltham borstal; 20 at Rochester borstal; one at Glen Parva young prisoner centre and remand centre; 15 at Everthorpe borstal and one at Aylesbury young prisoner centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders detained in (a) Feltham borstal, (b) Rochester borstal, (c) Glen Parva young offenders centre, (d) Everthorpe borstal and (e) Aylesbury prison on the most recent convenient date are expected not to return to a family home on release.

This information would not be obtainable without the examination of a large number of individual records, and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the extent to which fire service time and manpower were involved and at what cost in the rescue of the potholers in Yorkshire on Sunday 3 January; and whether action has been or is to be taken to reclaim the costs involved.

We understand that the fire service was not involved in this rescue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the North Yorkshire police as to the extent police time and manpower were involved, and at what cost, in the rescue of the potholers in Yorkshire on Sunday 3 January; and whether action has been or is to be taken to reclaim the costs involved.

We shall write to the hon. Member when the relevant information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his consideration of the report into matters connected with the case of the Yorkshire Ripper.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in the House on 19 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number of his staff who have been found guilty of motoring offences for which the courts have imposed penalties, where such persons have subsequently been required to resign their Civil Service appointments after paying the fines or court penalties.