asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit inner city areas.

I have no immediate plans to do so but expect to visit a number of cities during the course of the year.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 April.

In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having meetings with ministerial colleagues and others throughout the day. This evening I shall have a meeting and working dinner with Secretary Haig.

asked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government intend to restore the 5 per cent. cut for unemployment benefit in lieu of taxation, having regard to the fact that benefit will be taxed from July 1982.

We cannot restore the 5 per cent. abatement of unemployment benefit in 1982. But as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has made clear, we will keep the matter under review.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Aberystwyth.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will order an inquiry into the conduct of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in recent years and the sufficiency of the advice and information supplied to Ministers.

I do not think that so wide an inquiry would be appropriate. I believe, however, that there should be a review of the way in which the Government Departments concerned discharged their responsibilities in the period leading up to the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. I am considering the form which this review might take, and I will make a statement to the House in due course.

asked the Prime Minister if she will ensure that no treaty relating to the status of the Falkland Islands is concluded without the prior consent of Parliament.

The Government have given repeated assurances that no agreement affecting the status of the Falkland Islands will be concluded without the consent of the Islanders and of Parliament.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will seek the assistance of His Holiness the Pope to mediate in the Falkland Islands problem.

We have made no request for mediation. As part of our wide international representations, we have approached the Holy See asking their support in the international condemnation of the Argentine invasion.

asked the Prime Minister if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to act at all times over the situation in the Falkland Islands in accordance with the wishes and resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations.

Her Majesty's Government comply with mandatory resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

asked the Prime Minister why correspondents from Scottish newspapers who are members of the Scottish Daily Newspaper Society were excluded from consideration for the list of correspondents selected to accompany the British Fleet to the Falkland Islands; and whether she will issue appropriate instructions to the Ministry of Defence to make provision for correspondents from Scottish newspapers to cover any Ministry of Defence activities that concern readers in Scotland as well as in England.

Scottish newspapers are represented in the press party accompanying the Falkland Islands task force.

asked the Prime Minister how many ships have been requisitioned under the Requisitioning of Ships Order 1982; how compensation is to be assessed upon loss and damage; and before what tribunal claims should be made.

Five ships have been requisitioned so far, the "Canberra", "Elk" and "Salvageman", "Irishman" and the "Yorkshireman"; further requisitions are likely. Compensation would be assessed and paid under sections 4 and 5 of the Compensation (Defence) Act 1939, and the provisions about tribunals in sections 7 and 8 of that Act would also apply if necessary.

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.

I have had no such meetings since 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards games between British teams and Argentina in the World Cup in June.

We have not yet formulated specific advice.

asked the Prime Minister whether any inquiries, formal or informal, have been made of the Government of South Africa as to the possible availability of facilities or supplies in that country for the support of naval operations currently contemplated in the South Atlantic.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the 1981 police detection rate for serious crimes for each metropolitan county council area police force; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the failure of the Metropolitan Police to answer correspondence either to hon. Members or their constituents, he will seek powers to ensure that they are more publicly accountable; and if he will make it his practice to ensure that all correspondence to the Commissioner and the Metropolitan Police is answered promptly.

I am answerable to Parliament, under the existing arrangements, as police authority, for the overall efficiency of the Metropolitan Police. I know that the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is concerned that correspondence should be dealt with promptly and I am asking him to review the current procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department from what date the Metropolitan Police began collecting statistics which allowed them to produce in March 1982 figures of ethnic origins of victims and perpetrators of violent crime.

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all of the recommendations that call for action by him of each of the reports made in this Parliament by the Select Committee on Home Affairs and indicate with respect to each recommendation the action he has taken.

The full information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The reports of the Select Committee on Home Affairs that contain recommendations are listed below, together with the replies setting out the Government's actions and intentions on specific recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners, by age and sex, were contained in police cells on each night in 1982.

So far this year only adult male prisoners have been confined overnight in police cells. The estimated figures up to and including the night of 4 April, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers and the types of murder committed for each year since 1970.

In the case of homicide it is not possible in the absence of a court decision to distinguish between offences of murder, manslaughter and infanticide. The information readily available relates to offences currently recorded as homicide; Information by apparent method of killing and apparent circumstances is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—tables 4.3 and 4.5 of the volume for 1980, Cmnd. 8376.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many known murders were committed in England and Wales; and how many of these were detected and how many convictions resulted in (a) 1980 and (b) 1981.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 30 March, what was the best of the last three years of service of pay that will have accrued to Sir David McNee prior to his retirement; and whether he will take steps to ensure that his two-thirds of pension thereof will be limited to his not accepting any further employment in public or private employment.

This will not be known until later this year. The pension, to which Sir David has contributed throughout his career, is payable under the police pension regulations and cannot be made subject to conditions on the lines proposed. If he subsequently accepted a public appointment, adjustments might be made to the salary for the post.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will initiate research into the reasons why 49 per cent. of all complaints against the police in England and Wales in 1980 and 54 per cent. of the complaints against the Metropolitan Police were withdrawn.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure has been incurred by his Department on the "pay your TV licence" publicity campaign in (a) the national press, (b) the provincial press, (c) television, (d) radio and (e) elsewhere.

Present estimates of the cost of the latest campaign in February and March 1982 are (a) nil; (b) £112,000; (c) £462,000; (d) nil; (e) £74,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amounts of CS gas and plastic or rubber bullets have been distributed to the police; and what quantities of each are now held by each of the 43 police forces.

Some 5,000 baton rounds and 1,000 CS projectiles of a type suitable for use in public disturbances though only as a last resort, are held in police forces. We do not think that it would be appropriate to give details of the distribution of this equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the new or additional initiatives taken by each of the 43 police forces to develop community policing over the last year.

The information is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will propose amending the British Nationality Act to ensure that when the Act comes into operation the Falkland Islanders remain full British citizens.

It is estimated that almost all the Falkland Islanders are citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. The majority also have the right of abode and will become British citizens on commencement of the British Nationality Act 1981. No Falkland Islander, whether he has the right of abode or not, will have any difficulty over admission to this country.My right hon. Friend has no plans for amending legislation but will keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an assurance that any resident of the Falkland Islands who was either born in the United Kingdom or whose parents were born in the United Kingdom will be allowed to emigrate and settle in the United Kingdom if they so desire.

Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies by birth in this country or by descent from a parent born here are exempt from immigration control, have the right of abode, and are free to enter and to settle in the United Kingdom if they wish.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the residents of the Falkland Islands are classified as British dependent territories citizens under the British Nationality Act 1981; if British dependent territories citizens may settle and seek employment without delay or screening in the United Kingdom under the immigration rules; and if he will make a statement.

Under the British Nationality Act 1981 all citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies connected with the Falkland Islands will become British dependent territories citizens and approximately 1,400 will also become British citizens. When the Act comes into operation, which I expect to be on 1 January 1983, admission to the United Kingdom of citizens of the British dependent territories will be subject to the same requirements of the immigration rules as presently apply to non-patrial citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. However, I have made it clear that in the present circumstances no Falkland Islander, whether he has the right of abode or not, will have any difficulty over admission to this country; Falkland Islanders will be admitted for settlement and there will thus be no restriction on their taking employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Government policy so far on the optimum length of service in any one post of prison governor.

There is no optimum length of service in any one post of prison governor. Regular moves to different types of establishments are an essential part of career development for the grade but the overriding factor in determining moves must be the operational needs of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the provision of a means of secondary access for D wing in Her Majesty's prison, Gartree was not carried out two years ago when the wing was being refurbished.

The provison of secondary access for D wing had not been agreed two years ago and consequently there were no detailed drawings, contract and financial provision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the work on C wing at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree to be completed; and if this will include the provision of a secondary access.

All work, including the secondary access, should be complete by March 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why seven prison governors have been appointed to Her Majesty's prison, Gartree in the last 13 years; and whether changes of such frequency were carried out on the basis of any fixed policy.

It is policy to have continuity at senior management level at all establishments but moves for career, promotion and operational reasons have to take place and it is not possible to plan on the basis of fixed tenures for particular posts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life prisoners it is intended will be accommodated at Her Majesty's prison Gartree; and what proportion life prisoners will be of the total of prisoners accommodated therein.

Gartree is to be developed as a third main centre for life sentence prisoners in the early assessment stage of their sentence, in which work it will be supplementing the role of Wormwood Scrubs and Wakefield. The build-up will be gradual as medical and other facilities have to be provided, and will be in step with the increase in the overall population of the prison. It is expected that the life sentence prisoners in the main centre will eventually comprise approximately one-third of the inmate population. There will continue to be a number of life sentence prisoners among the long-term population in the prison, in addition to those held for assessment in the main centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers' houses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree are unoccupied at the moment; and how many of these are to be sold.

There are 93 unoccupied prison department houses at Her Majesty's prison Gartree; 31 are being sold; the sale of some others is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prisoners and of staff at the moment at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree.

On 2 April 1982 there were 174 prisoners, and 202 staff in the prison officer class

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policy of sale of unrequired prison officers' houses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree is to be adopted: whether preference in such sales will be given to prison officers; and what discounts off the market value will be given to prison officers who are sitting tenants.

There are 224 prison department houses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree, 83 of which are adjacent to the prison and the rest in Market Harborough and elsewhere. The quarters adjacent to the prison have, because of their location, been earmarked for improvement and retention as long-term stock. Other quarters elsewhere are gradually being sold as they become vacant or as occupants express an interest in buying them.Prison officers wishing to purchase the quarters they occupy, if not earmarked for long-term retention, or surplus vacant quarters, may do so at current market value.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have written to him on the subject of ethnic minorities and magistrates' clerks in the last six months.

None so far as we are aware.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report his reply to a letter to his Department received in November 1981 from the chief executive of Leicester city council on the compulsory instruction of magistrates' clerks in understanding the way of life of ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement.

We have been unable to trace the receipt of any such letter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Her Majesty's Government are considering taking steps to introduce the compulsory instruction of magistrates' clerks in understanding the way of life of ethnic minorities.

There are at present no plans to introduce compulsory instruction of magistrates' clerks on any matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the raising of the cost of nationality applications, he will make arrangements to waive charges in the cases of applicants who are unemployed, long-term sick or otherwise on low incomes; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a question by the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Callaghan) on 2 February.—[Vol. 17. c. 94.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the tribunal of inquiry on the Crown Agents.

I have now received the tribunal's report and arrangements are being made for it to be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the review of controls over replica firearms, which he announced on 15 June 1981, Official Report, c. 729, has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

My Department, together with chief officers of police, has re-examined what effective controls could be devised to prevent the misuse of replica firearms. This review, which was carried out in consultation with officials from the other Government Departments involved, has been completed.I fully share the concern which has been expressed about the use of devices which resemble firearms in the course of crime. The extent of this misuse is difficult to determine—particularly when the weapon is not located by the police—but the figures available show that the percentage of serious offences in which firearms were reported to have been used which were known to involve imitation firearms has been about 2½ per cent. on average each year over the period 1974–80.A real difficulty about controlling "look alike" firearms is that there are already millions of toys in circulation, many of which resemble actual weapons. Measures to achieve conspicuous dissimilarity could be easily circumvented and, in any event, criminals could still make model guns which under conditions of stress have been shown to be capable of convincing a person who was threatened by one. Moreover, it is already an offence under the Firearms Act 1968 to possess an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence or to resist or seek to prevent arrest, and such offences carry a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment.I have concluded that it would be neither desirable nor practicable to bring "look alike" firearms under further control.By virtue of case law, imitation firearms which are incapable of discharging a missile but are nevertheless capable of being readily converted to fire live ammunition, may fall within the scope of the existing legislation. I regard it as important that such imitations should be subject to the same controls as actual firearms and that the law on this point should be clear. I therefore welcome the initiative of my hon. Friend in promoting a Bill to achieve this; it has the full support of the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list in the Official Report each local authority which has appointed full-time advisers in the subject of religious education.

The appointment of advisers is a matter for the employing local education authorities and information in the form requested is not collected by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department will undertake research into schoolchildren's attitudes towards religious education and into its effects of minimum provision of religious education on the educational credibility of that subject amongst, in particular, 14 to 16-year-old pupils; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to undertake any such research. We have made clear, in "The School Curriculum" and elsewhere, the significance that we attach to religious education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider seeking to amend the sections of the Education Act 1944 relating to school assemblies so that more flexibility, both as regards the frequency and the nature of acts of worship, might be possible in the future; and whether he will undertake discussions with the General Synod's board of education on this matter.

The Education, Science and Arts Committee recommended in its second report, Session 1981–82, that the Secretary of State for Education and Science should begin discussions with all interested bodies, including the Church authorities, about guidance to schools on the school act of worship, and that these discussions should recognise that legislative changes might be necessary. My right hon. Friend is now considering the Committee's report, and will publish the Government's responses to its recommendations in the usual way.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will issue a circular to local education authorities stressing the importance of adequate provision for religious education in schools, at the level of in-service training, and in the release of teachers who wish in mid-career to obtain a religious education qualification; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to issue a circular to local education authorities stressing the importance of adequate provision for religious education. Local education authorities are responsible for determining the level of release for in-service training of all kinds having regard to the resources available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the certificates in religious education being planned for the Church of England colleges of higher education; and whether there are any similar proposals to introduce such a course in all other colleges of higher education.

I understand that the Church of England colleges are still discussing the possible introduction of such certificates, which would be an option additional to the normal BEd or PGCE syllabus for intending teachers of religious education and teachers planning to work in Church of England voluntary schools. Certificates are already available at Chester college and at S. Katherines's college, a constituent part of Liverpool institute of higher education. The Catholic Teacher's Certificate is available on a similar basis at all Roman Catholic voluntary colleges. The provision of certificates in religious education at other colleges is a matter for colleges themselves to determine.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce proposals to increase the availability of short courses of religious education for teachers of other specialities, either as part of initial training or of in-service provision.

The content of initial teacher training courses is a matter for providing institutions and their validating bodies. The Government have no plans to encourage these institutions to include additional elements in their courses of professional training or to seek ways of increasing the provision of short in-service courses in religious education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will estimate the percentage of religious education currently being taught by teachers with no professional qualifications in the subject.

I refer my right hon. Friend to my reply to his question on 11 March.—[Vol. 19, c. 480.] In maintained secondary schools in England and Wales in 1977 some 29 per cent. of the timetabled tuition in religious education which was provided by full-time teachers was by teachers with no qualification in the subject. Comparable information is not available for other types of school or for teaching of religious education outside timetabled periods.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what methods are adopted by his Department for the assessment of religious education in maintained primary and secondary schools in England and Wales; what criteria are used in making such assessments; and how this method of assessment compares with the assessment of other main school subjects.

In their visits to county and certain voluntary schools Her Majesty's inspectors assess religious education, as they do other subjects of the curriculum, in terms of the appropriateness of the teaching to the age and maturity of the pupils. They also take into account the scheme of work in the subject, the resources available and their use.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department will undertake a survey of secondary pupils' attitude towards subjects on the school curriculum and the ways in which those attitudes may be affected by the absence as well as by the presence of examinations; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to undertake such a survey. Examinations can serve as a useful stimulus to good performance, but they should be designed and used to serve the education process; and some parts of the curriculum do not lend themselves to external assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to make mandatory the additional allowances payable by local education authorities to disabled students; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to make mandatory on local education authorities the payment in full of the maximum allowance payable under The Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations to disabled students. Payment will therefore continue to be on the basis of individual need up to the prescribed maximum. My right hon. Friend does, however, intend to increase the maximum from £250 to £500 from the academic year 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards local education authorities which refuse to provide any form of non-advanced further education for severely handicapped young people between the ages of 16 to 19 years; and if he will make a statement.

Local education authorities have a duty under the Education Acts to make or secure provision, either in further education or schools, for the handicapped as for others aged 16 to 19 years but not necessarily in whichever of the two sectors an individual prefers. This interpretation of the law has not, however, been tested in the courts. The right hon. Member may already be aware that the report by central and local government officials entitled "The Legal Basis of Further Education" and made available to both Houses last June, contained proposals for revising and clarifying the law on further education. My right hon. Friend is now considering these proposals in the light of comments received thereon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards local education authorities which accept their duty to provide further education for handicapped young people who are above school leaving age but below 19 years, but who refuse to pay the accommodation fees of severely handicapped young people who they have agreed need residential placement outside the local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

The securing of this provision is a matter for local education authorities, which also have discretion on the extent to which they assist with the costs. My right hon. Friend understands that few if any authorities require a contribution towards tuition fees but some may do so for associated boarding and travelling costs.The right hon. Member may already be aware from the report " The Legal Basis of Further Education" published last June that it contained in paragraph 28 a proposal for the home local education authority—where it had agreed to a placement of a student with another authority or with an independent institution—to provide the board and lodging cost and provide or assist with the provision of travel costs. My right hon. Friend is currently considering the report's proposals in the light of the wide range of comments he has received and will inform the House of the outcome as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many full-time and part-time students from overseas—as defined for fee purposes in higher education generally—are contained in the full-time equivalent students for 1980–81; and what fees they were charged.

In 1980–81 the number of overseas students on full-time and sandwich courses of higher education was:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now able to announce the universities' equipment and furniture grant for the academic year 1982–83.

The universities' equipment and furniture grant to be distributed by the University Grants Committee for the 1982–83 academic year will be £83·6 million. This is a cash limit.The academic year 1982–83 spans the financial years 1982–83 and 1983–84. Provision for equipment and furniture grant for the 1982–83 financial year consistent with this announcement is included in the estimates for Class X (Education and Science, Libraries and Arts) Votes published on 9 March, which are subject to parliamentary approval in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made in negotiations for access agreements for walkers to walk over the Arans in Mid-Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the first one and a half miles of the long-distance route along Offa's Dyke, north of the A494 Mold-Ruthin road, following the summit of the Clwydian range, approved by him, is yet open for public access.

I understand from the Countryside Commission that the local authorities concerned have recently agreed on an alternative route for this section of the path and that the commission will shortly be submitting a report to me for consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cause of the large cavity in the A55 trunk road at the Holway, Holywell; what steps are being taken to reopen the road; what is his estimate of the reopening time and if he will make a statement.

Investigations indicate that the collapse was due to the presence of an old mine shaft which will have to be capped. Work started on Monday 5 April and is expected to take four weeks. A Bailey bridge was opened on 4 April, which allows single-way working.

Responsibility for making access agreements rests with the Snowdonia National Park Authority. I understand from it that negotiations are taking place with individual farmers in the area with a view to arranging suitable agreements.The park authority is also continuing its discussions with the Aran Society and has reached agreement with it for a guided walk in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present position regarding public access on foot to the Nantlle ridge.

I understand from Snowdonia National Park Authority that one access agreement has been completed and that others are expected to be concluded within the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each county where a review of the definitive map is in progress (a) the date of review, (b) the total number of objections (c) the number of objections for which inquiries have been held and (d) the number of objections for which decisions have been issued.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, bearing in mind the propensity for landslips and shafts on the A55 in the Holywell, Clwyd, area, he will bring forward the starting date for the Holywell bypass; and if he will make a statement.

The recent subsidence was unrelated to the only other slip in recent years and remedial work is in hand. The Holywell bypass scheme is being dealt with as quickly as design and statutory processes will permit. Subject to their satisfactory completion, I hope that work might start towards the end of 1984 or by the beginning of 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for every local authority in Wales its actual housing investment expenditure so far compared with the total housing investment programme allocation available to it for the last full financial year, with the combination of its total housing investment programme allocations and housing capital receipts and with the combination of its total housing investment programme allocation, housing capital receipts and other capital receipts.

The information requested is based on information provided by local authorities for the first nine months of 1981–82. Prescribed proportions of certain housing capital receipts—for example 50 per cent. in

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute changes in order to allow a person who remains at home to his own physical and mental detriment to be removed to a place of care and safety, by making the invocation of section 47 less cumbersome and hazardous for the practitioner involved while keeping to a substantial extent the personal freedom of the ill individual.

I know of no evidence to suggest that the operation of section 47 of the National Assistance Act 1948 is cumbersome or causes difficulties. If the hon. Member has such evidence and will send me details, I will gladly consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has studied the research work being undertaken at Ruhr university on the connection between changes in the acidity of the fluid surrounding the lungs and cot deaths; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has not yet had the opportunity to study the report of the research carried out at Ruhr university. A major multi-centre study into post-neonatal deaths, including cot deaths, has been commissioned by the Department. This study has investigated both the epidemiological and pathological aspects of this problem and a report is expected shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about introducing a blindness allowance equivalent to the mobility allowance during the last 12 months.

We have received a number of such representations from organisations representing blind people, from various hon. Members, and from members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the forthcoming revision of the community homes regulations will begin; and by when he expects revised regulations to be published.

Two Bills currently before Parliament, the Criminal Justice Bill and the Children's Homes Bill, have implications for the conduct of residential accommodation for children. Revision of the Community Homes Regulations 1972 is consequential on the enactment of this legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will undertake a study of the possibility of introducing a partial incapacity benefit for disabled people who cannot work full time or work at reduced rates for reduced earnings.

The position is kept under review but, as we have made clear on many occasions, resources are not available for the introduction of any new benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of extending invalid care allowance to disabled married women at 1981–82 benefit rates.

The gross annual cost of extending the benefit to all married women would be of the order of £100 million. The net cost would be considerably less because of savings from the offset of dependency and supplementary benefits. No firm estimate is available but the net cost could be expected to be at least £40 million. It is not known how many of these married women are disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now consider extending the starting age of eligibility for mobility allowance to children aged two to five years; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to do so. Resources are not available for any extension of entitlement to benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update to the latest available date the information on family income supplement provided in his reply to the hon. Member for Grimsby on 20 July 1981, Official Report, columns 34–5.

The information is shown in the table following. It relates to 29 December 1981, the latest date for which such information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the net cost in a full year at 1982–83 benefit rates of raising child benefit to (a) the level of child support provided for long-term national insurance beneficiaries, (b) the level child support would have been had the uprating method not been changed and (c) the supplementary benefit children's scale rates; and in each case what the net cost would be if child benefit were made taxable.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services further to his answer on 18 March, Offical Report, column 160, if he will estimate the numbers for England, as a whole of (a) the children who are of an age when the health of their teeth may benefit from fluoridated water supplies living in areas where that water is fluoridated and (b) the numbers of persons over 16 years of age whose teeth cannot benefit.

Information on the number of children living in areas where water is fluoridated is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Expert dental opinion is that the benefit of fluoride to the teeth of children and adults is continuous.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Great Britain (a) have no teeth of their own or (b) have half their own teeth missing, breaking down the answer into regions.

The adult dental health survey for 1978 gives the percentages of people with no natural teeth as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the earnings limit of £45 a week for dependent wives of retirement and invalidity pensioners is to increase in November by the same amount as the earnings limit for retirement pensioners.

No. The two rules serve different purposes and the intention is to maintain the rule for dependants of retirement and invalidity pensioners at its present level until it again represents a reasonable test of dependency. The level of earnings at which a dependency addition is completely extinguished does of course go up as benefit rates increase, and the level will from November be £66·70 for retirement pensioners and £65·85 for invalidity pensioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances bust enlargement operations are available under the National Health Service.

The decision about whether a particular treatment should be given under the National Health Service depends on the medical assessment of the patient's needs, in the light of the availability of resources and other demands being made on them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now list in the Official Report for each of his Department's local offices serving the Lambeth, Central constituency the current number of persons employed; and if he will give, where available, the comparable figures for 1979, 1980 and 1981.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now list in the Official Report for each of his Department's local offices serving the Lambeth, Central constituency, the current number of non-pensioner and pensioner claimants; and if he will give comparable figures for 1979, 1980 and 1981 where available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of extending the proposed funeral grant to persons in receipt of the following (a) unemployment benefit, (b) attendance allowance and (c) invalidity benefit.

Preparation of estimates providing for each benefit to be added to the list of qualifying benefits under the three separate options in the consultative document would involve disproportionate cost. It has, however, been broadly estimated that if option 1 and option 2 were extended so as to include recipients of sickness and unemployment benefit, and invalidity pension, the total benefit cost in each case would be of the order of £22 million. This allows for the fact that some beneficiaries would be in receipt of more than one qualifying benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of people who will not be eligible to receive the new funeral grant because they are not claiming supplementary benefit to which they are entitled; and what would be the total additional expenditure necessary to pay funeral grant to those persons.

Preparation of estimates in respect of the three different options set out in the consultative document would involve disproportionate cost. The basic problem of extending entitlement to the cases specified would be to identify at the time of bereavement that they had some unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit, and who were not receiving some other qualifying benefit, without imposing a new means test which our proposals are designed to avoid. There would be nothing to prevent simultaneous claims for supplementary benefit and the new funeral grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what expenditure has been incurred in the last 12 months on publicity for major social security benefits in (a) the national Press, (b) the provincial Press, (c) television, (d) radio and (e) elsewhere.

The amount spent on publicity for social security benefits during the past 12 months was: