asked the Minister for Trade what was the United Kingdom's share of the Hong Kong import market for manufactures, standard industrial trade classification divisions 5–8, held by main manufacturing countries relative to the United Kingdom's share of world trade in manufactures by main manufacturing countries in 1981; and if he will compare this performance with similar performances by the Federal Republic of Germany, France and Italy in the Hong Kong market.

These comparisons are more readily made in terms of exports rather than imports. The information is as follows:

asked the Minister for Trade when he expects that Ministers will have completed their consideration of the recommendations of the office of Fair Trading relating to advertising by opticians.

I am giving attention to the restrictions on competition, particularly in relation to publicity, which the Director General has identified as an aspect of opticians' trading practices, and on which I have received many representations from consumers. I have taken up these matters with the General Optical Council, with the need to take early steps to reconsider those of its rules which affect competition and which can be changed under section 25 of the Opticians Act 1958. The General Optical Council has now informed me that, as a first step, the council's professional conduct committee has begun an immediate review of the council's rules on publicity, with a view to considering changes in the rules, and to laying proposals before the council on 23 June. I welcome this first step towards lessening the restrictions on competition which the Director General has identified.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will list the steps he has taken to warn anglers of the potential carcinogenicity of chrysoidine dye since his reply on 14 February, Official Report, c. 64; if he is now satisfied that anglers are being adequately warned and protected; if consideration is being given to banning its production; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend told the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Torney) on 8 March—[Vol. 38, c. 332] — the Department has written to five periodicals catering for coarse fishing interests asking them to draw their readers' attention to the advice of the DHSS committee on carcinogenicity about not putting chrysoidine-treated maggots in the mouth. We have also given this advice to the British Association of Fishing Tackle Makers and Distributors, the National Anglers Council and the National Federation of Anglers to enable them to inform their members. My hon. Friend does not consider that anything further is called for at present, but he will keep the matter under review.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has received representations about the potential dangers of some types of double glazing; and if he will introduce legislation to control the types available.

The Department has been asked to consider making legislation to cover the safely of replacement glazing sold to consumers based on the British Standard code of practice which came out last year (BS 6262). Before deciding whether legislation is necessary or would be practicable my hon. Friend intends to consult widely on the likely degree of voluntary compliance with and adequancy of the replacement glazing parts of the code.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will list all the countries who presently enjoy some form of trading associate status with the European Community; and whether any political considerations are taken into account in agreeing to such arrangements.

The European Community has a wide range of preferential trade agreements with a number of countries.There are association agreements, properly so called, only with Cyprus, Malta and Turkey. These agreements are distinguished by involving a commitment to eventual customs union. There are, however, also agreements with each of the member states of the European Free Trade Association — EFTA — providing, inter alia, for free trade in industrial products; an agreement with Spain providing for mutually preferential trade; co-operation agreements—which provide for non-reciprocal preferential access to Community markets, and for financial aid — with most other Mediterranean countries and with Jordan; an agreement with 63 African, Caribbean and Pacific developing countries—the Lomé convention—which provides, besides trade preference, for co-operation in the fields of general economic, industrial, agricultural and technological development; and the Community's generalised scheme of preferences—GSP—which offers reduced-duty or duty-free access for imports of some 1,700 items of processed agricultural and industrial products originating in developing countries. Fuller descriptions of the terms of most of the above agreements can be found in "British Business in Europe", June 1981, a copy of which is in the Library.In contracting any agreement with any third country, due account is always taken of all relevant considerations.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the practice of the principal banks of imposing substantial administration charges upon mortgagors who wish to convert a repayment mortgage with the bank concerned to a low-cost endowment mortgage arranged other than through that bank.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 April 1983, c. 19]: No.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the requirement by banks that where cheques have been lost in robberies such as the recent London security firm robbery, a charge is made to stop payment on such cheques; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 April 1983, c. 19–20]: No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the reason for the change to be made in the taxation of the allowances paid to civil servants; when the allowances concerned were first paid; how many people are now receiving them, and, on an annual basis; and what are (a) the ranges of the allowances, (b) the total sums involved and (c) his estimate of the extra revenue to be received by the Exchequer by the change in taxation on them.

Most of the allowances affected have been in payment for many years, but not necessarily to the current recipients. The most recent of the allowances affected was introduced in 1972. It is estimated that about 5,500 staff are receiving the allowances under consideration. The amounts involved range from £22·40 a year to £6,900 a year and are thought to total about £10 million a year. (The figure of £250 million quoted in the press is the total annual cost of travel and subsistence in central Government.) The tax treatment of these allowances has been raised as part of a routine review and is under consideration. I shall write to my hon. Friend when it has been resolved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the percentage reduction in the level of income tax that would be needed to reduce the income tax burden of the average tax payer to the level that prevailed in May 1979.

A married man on average earnings with no allowances or reliefs other than the married man's personal allowance paid 21·5 per cent. of his earnings in income tax in 1978–79 and will pay about 20·6 per cent. in 1983–84—a reduction of 0·9 percentage points.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs in (a) the industrial Civil Service and (b) the non-industrial Civil Service have been abolished since May 1979; and what percentages of the previous totals are represented by these figures.

Figures are not held centrally for May 1979. The following table shows the reductions that have been made in the number of industrial and non-industrial civil servants between 1 April 1979 and 1 January 1983.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reassess the scope for further action to increase public sector capital expenditure.

I refer my hon. Friend to the measures described in my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor's Budget statement on 15 March. The case for any further increases in capital expenditure will be considered, along with other proposals for expenditure, in the 1983 public expenditure survey.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure his Department will incur during 1983–84 to develop integrated local services to help elderly people with psychiatric disorders.

It is the responsibility of health and social services authorities to provide such services in response to local needs. The Government expect them to be given priority. The obligation of promoting priority services generally is being pursued with the health authorities in Wales through the new system of performance and financial reviews which we have instituted. In addition, we intend shortly to announce details of centrally funded NHS mental health developments and jointly financed social services developments beginning in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received from Welsh local authorities concerning the withholding of grant on the ground of excessive expenditure; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations about grant withholding from the Welsh Counties Committee, the Council for the Principality and six individual authorities. I am considering my response to these in the light of authorities' budgeted total expenditure for the current year, which in aggregate is approximately £23 million in excess of the sum of the individual authority total expenditure targets specified in appendix 12 of the "Welsh Rate Support Grant Report 1983–84". Every authority was notified of its expenditure target last December and knows that if its total expenditure exceeds this it is liable to grant withholding up to the limits set out in the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authorities in Wales have kept grammar schools and the selective principle.

Selection of pupils for grammar schools still exists in parts of one county, but the local education authority intends to arrange as quickly as possible for all pupils of secondary age to be educated in comprehensive schools only.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish the total Government grants given to BL and to car component manufacturers in the west midlands in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1982.

The main Government assistance to BL is in the form of equity funding, which has been advanced to cover the needs of the company as a whole as outlined in successive corporate plans. This funding has not been hypothecated to specific operations and it is therefore not possible to say how much has been spent in the west midlands. However, Government assistance for BL as a whole in the years in question was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the level of grant aid given to west midlands companies under section 8 of the Industry Act in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1982; and what proportion this represented of total investment by these companies in industry in the west midlands at those dates.

Total grant aid offered to west midlands companies under section 8 of the Industry Act in the years concerned was:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if there is any statistical relationship on a country-by-country basis between inward investment to the United Kingdom in industrial development and British overseas expenditure on promotional activities.

I regret that information on the totality of British overseas expenditure on promotional activity from all sources for inward direct investment by country is not available.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 19 April.

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

asked the Prime Minister when she next proposes to visit the west midlands.

I have at present no plans to pay a further visit to the west midlands.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what factors she will take into account in making her recommendation in respect of the impending appointment to the Archbishopric of York; and whether she will publish the names of the candidates put forward by the Crown Appointments Commission to allow public discussion about those candidates in the Church and outside before she comes to her conclusion.

My recommendation will be based on advice from the Crown Appointments Commission, the body set up for this purpose by the General Synod of the Church of England in 1977. That advice is confidential. These arrangements were set out in answer to a question on 8 June 1976 by the then Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) and were agreed by the then leaders of the major Opposition parties.

asked the Prime Minister in view of the fact that Members of Parliament in the House of Lords are enabled to hold chairmanships of nationalised industries, and other Exchequer paid offices of profit under the Crown, whether she will give the reasons why she will not introduce legislation to put them on the same footing as hon. Members of the House of Commons.

Because the membership and functions of the House of Lords are very different from those of the House of Commons.

asked the Prime Minister which Government Department will take the lead at the forthcoming UNCTAD III conference in June 1983; and what will be the level of United Kingdom ministerial and official representation.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Trade will head the United Kingdom delegation to UNCTAD VI in Belgrade. His deputy will be the appropriate under-secretary in the Department of Trade, who will be supported by a team of officials from the several Government Departments concerned.

asked the Prime Minister what discussions have taken place between officials on her staff and the British Broadcasting Corporation about the possibility of establishing a television transmitter on the Falkland Islands.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any estimates of how much the cost of the pressurised water reactor at Sizewell would rise because of over-runs in construction; what assessment he has made of the effect of over-runs in the construction period on the cost of constructing a pressurised water reactor at Sizewell; and if he will estimate the likely additional costs arising from a a one-year and from two-year over-run in the construction period.

The CEGB has published the relevant calculations in its evidence to the Sizewell 'B' inquiry, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is to be the source of the uranium now being sought by the British Civil Uranium Procurement Directorate for the uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurst.

For reasons of commercial confidentiality it would not be appropriate at this time to disclose the source of the material. I understand that in seeking the supply the British Civil Uranium Procurement Directorate pursued all the normal commercial sources of uranium in the Western world except for material from South Africa or Namibia.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which conservation organisations were consulted by his officials before the heather and grass burning regulations were laid before Parliament.

The review of the Heather and Grass Burning (England and Wales) Regulations 1949 attracted comments from over 30 organisations which included the following:

• British Field Sports Society
• Council for the Protection of Rural England
• Country Landowners Association
• Countryside Commission
• Dartmoor National Park Authority
• Exmoor National Park Authority
• Exmoor Society
• Game Conservancy Council
• Lake District National Park AL0
• Nature Conservancy Council
• Northumberland National Park Authority
• North York Moors National Park Authority
• Peak District National Park Authority
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the readiness of many parishes to bring forward projects for the painting of ecclesiastical edifices to provide work for the community programme, he will ensure that clearance of these projects by the British Decorators Association is not protracted.

The British Decorators' Association is an independent body. I hope that its members recognise the benefits which temporary work carried out under the community programme guidelines brings to people who have been unemployed for some time and clear projects as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement giving as much detailed information as may be readily available where his Department has helped or assisted in any stated way in obtaining equality of opportunity and employment of women in occupations formerly reserved for and in the near complete control of men.

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 allows certain training bodies to provide training or to give encouragement to women to enter areas of work where they have been under-represented in the previous 12 months. The Secretary of State designates training bodies for this purpose; to date, 29 such bodies have been so designated. In addition, the Manpower Services Commission runs a small programme of women-only training to help women to enter non-traditional areas of work, and sponsors a number of schemes in industry to this end. I shall write to the hon. Member in more detail about these activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the population, excluding pensioners and schoolchildren, is in employment in each of the following: (a) the United Kingdom, (b) West Germany, (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) the Netherlands, to the latest convenient date.

Following is the available information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Health and Safety Commission's advisory committee on toxic substances to submit its report on chrysoidine dye; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised by the chairman of the health and Safety commission that chrysoidine was considered by the advisory committee on toxic substances on 30 March 1983. The committee noted that chrysoidine was still under review by the Department of Health and Social Security expert committee on carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment. While the data available to that committee were not sufficiently comprehensive to exonerate chrysoidine of a possible carcinogenic effect, the ACTS noted that in the manufacture and industrial use of the substance adequate steps appeared to be taken to minimise the exposure of workpeople. The committee also noted that it IA as the use of chrysoidine to colour maggots used by anglers that appeared to be causing most anxiety. The committee considered this to be a matter primarily of consumer, rather than occupational, health and safety and asked that it be brought to the attention of the appropriate Departments.The committee is not submitting any formal report to the Health and Safety Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if any transfer of funds will be made from money allocated to the youth training scheme to finance the armed forces youth training scheme.

Because the youngsters in the armed services scheme would otherwise be eligible for the youth training scheme there will be an appropriate reduction in the youth training scheme budget, and a corresponding amount will be available for the armed services youth training scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he consulted the Manpower Services Commission about the proposals of Her Majesty's Government for an armed forces youth training scheme.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places have been offered by employers for trainees taking part in the youth training scheme; how many of these are in the private sector; how many in the public sector; and if he is satisfied that his target will be fulfilled.

I regret that while discussions are continuing between the Manpower Services Commission and employers and other potential providers of places, the information sought is not available. Most places will be with employers, but there are no separate targets for the public and private sectors. I have no doubt that the overall target of 460,000 entrants to the scheme in 1983–84 will be met.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has abandoned his plans to keep ethnic records of claimants for unemployment benefit.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 April 1983, c. 35]: No. New arrangements for assessing the ethnic origin of unemployed people, including proposals to collect these statistics at unemployment benefit offices, are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will collect statistics on the number of apprentices made redundant in (a) 1980, (b) 1981 and (c) 1982–83.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 April 1983, c. 35]: No. I have taken the opportunity of looking closely at this, but I am unable to provide the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what advice is given by his Department or the Manpower Services Commission to unemployed persons seeking employment outside the United Kingdom, in order to make such persons aware that by doing so they may forfeit their right to social security benefits in the United Kingdom on their return.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 April 1983, c. 35]: An unemployed person who asks for advice about entitlement to unemployment benefit whilst abroad or after employment abroad is issued with leaflet UBL 22. This gives only broad guidance on a very complex subject. If further advice is needed, the inquiry is sent to the Department of Health and Social Security overseas branch which will reply direct to the inquirer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present number of children in special schools for the handicapped in the maintained sector; and what were the figures in 1981 and 1979.

In January 1982, the latest date for which information is available, and in 1981 and 1979, the numbers of full-time and part-time pupils in maintained special schools and maintained hospital schools in England were:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the names and addresses of pregnancy advisory bureau centres currently registered by his Department; which bureaux are registered charities; which bureaux refer their abortion patients to nursing homes that are registered charities; and which bureaux refer their abortion patients to commercial clinics.

The names and addresses of the two pregnancy advisory bureaux currently registered by my Department are as follows. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service is, I understand, registered in England as a charitable trust; charities are not registered in Scotland. It is for individual bureaux to determine their referral of patients to approved nursing homes of charitable or other status.The British Pregnancy Advisory Service

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what effort is being made in the construction of the Scottish exhibition centre at Queen's dock, Glasgow, to ensure that Scottish companies are fully involved in this development.

In the case of the Scottish industrial exhibition centre, the Scottish Development Agency is following the practice it adopts in relation to all construction projects for which it has overall responsibility, namely, to seek to obtain the highest quality work at the lowest price, while having regard to the desirability of assigning work wherever possible to local contractors.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made any funds available in recent years to train and certify interpreters for the deaf in Scotland; and if he has any plans to make funds available in the future.

A course leading to a certificate in communication with the deaf was approved by the Secretary of State in 1980. This course is provided under the auspices of the Scottish Centre for the Education of the Deaf at Moray House college of education and the Scottish Association for the Deaf, and is subject to the proviso that the fees charged should reflect the full economic cost of providing the course. A grant was made in 1982 under section 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 in support of the headquarters expenses of the Scottish Association for the Deaf, including the salary of a full-time director, and will run for a period of three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to amend the cremation regulations so as to remove the requirement for two independent medical certificates as to the cause of death of a person who dies in hospital, where a post mortem is carried out and the cause of death certified as a result thereof.

I have at present nothing to add to my reply to the hon. and learned Member's question on 2 March.— [Vol. 38, c. 150.] Such a change would not require primary legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give political asylum to Mr. Selim Duzgun, a refugee from Turkey and a supporter of the national rights of Kurdish people in Turkey, in accordance with the provisions of the 1951 convention.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners died in prison in 1981–82 and in 1982–83; and what proportion of these deaths were of mentally-ill prisoners.

During the year 1 April 1981 to 31 March 1982, 60 inmates died in prison department custody. Four were considered by prison medical officers to be mentally disordered within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959 and of these three were diagnosed as being mentally ill. The corresponding figures for the year 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983 were 68; two; and two.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prison officers receive specialised training to enable them to deal with prisoners suffering from mental illness.

Prisoners diagnosed as suffering from mental illness are normally located in prison hospitals in the care of psychiatrically-experienced medical officers and prison hospital officers who have had training in the care of those suffering from psychiatric disorders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, nationally and for the Metropolitan police area, the numbers of persons arrested and charged with rape where the victims were below the age of 21 years and above the age of 60 years; how many were aged 70 years and above; and if in these cases he will give a detailed list, without disclosing the names of the victims.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 March 1983, c. 276]: The only readily available information by age of victim is for the Metropolitan police district and we understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that it is as given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the numbers of reported cases of rape nationally and in the Metropolitan police area, the number of cases where arrests took place and prosecutions followed and persons found guilty were sentenced and in these cases what were the sentences imposed; and in how many of these cases the convicted persons had more than one conviction for this offence.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 March 1983, c. 276]: The information readily available on offences of rape includes offences of aiding and abetting and attempts. The number of recorded offences of rape is published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales" both for England and Wales and for the Metropolitan police district—table 2.8 and supplementary table 3.1 of the issue for 1981. The only information readily available on arrests for rape is for the Metropolitan police district and is given in our reply today to another question from the hon. Member. The number of persons proceeded against in England and Wales for rape and the sentences imposed on those found guilty are published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales" — supplementary tables 1.1(A) and 2.1(A). Corresponding information for courts in the Metropolitan police district in 1981 is given in the following table. Information on those who had more than one conviction for rape could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been provided for the promotion and development of tourism in Northern Ireland from EEC funds in each year since 1975; and to what extent such funds have been additional to British Government expenditure.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what has been the cost of running nursery school provision in Belfast for each year since 1974;(2) how many new nursery schools have been opened in Belfast by the Belfast education and library board since 1974;(3) how many

Current expenditure by the Belfast education and library board on nursery schools has been as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total allocation of funds to the Belfast education and library board for (a) recurrent expenditure and (b) capital expenditure in each year since 1974.

The Belfast education and library board, which is 100 per cent. funded by the Department of Education, has made the following payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid in Government and European Community grants in respect of the new factory building running from Short Strand to Bridge End erected by the Sirocco works as a replacement for part of its previous factory.

Until October 1980 it was the practice of the Department of Commerce not to divulge the amounts of financial assistance provided to industrial companies and an understanding to this effect was written into all agreements between the Department and companies. In the present case the agreement was made in October 1979, and I regret, therefore, that I am unable to provide the information sought by the hon. Gentleman. No European Community grants were paid in respect of the investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if officials of his Department have held discussions with officials of the European Community in Brussels about the conformity of the proposed United Kingdom dim-dip regulations with the rules of the Common Market concerning restrictions on trade; and what was the outcome.

The Department has held discussions with European Commission officials about our proposed dim-dip regulations. It is clear that under the EC treaty we have freedom to introduce regulations along the lines of those we have circulated for comment. The question which has arisen is on the need to include an exemption for vehicles which have been approved to the relevant EC directive in respect of the installation of lighting devices. The legal advice I have had is that no such exemption is necessary, and this has been explained to the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement soon on his decision, following the public inquiry held in autumn 1982 on the route of the new Chelmsford bypass.

We have not yet received the inspector's report, but I hope we can announce a decision in the early autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has studied the report produced by epidemiologists at St. Thomas's hospital, London on health care provided by various health authorities, sent to him by the hon. Member for Nuneaton; what conclusions he has reached; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. The research was funded by the Department. It is not a comparison of health care provided by various health authorities; rather the research attempts to measure the incidence of deaths from diseases where it is believed that death can be prevented by medical intervention. I endorse the researchers' conclusion that the reasons for the unexplained variations in mortalities merit further investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has estimated the savings possible from all types of drug price control.

No. Prices have been subject to control through the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme and its predecessors for many years. We are at the moment reviewing the operation of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with progress of the new guidelines on contracting-out for cleaning services in National Health Service hospitals.

Consultations with Health Service and other interests are still taking place on the draft circular. It is therefore too soon to judge progress. A number of constructive suggestions have however been received and will be considered before advice is issued to health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what figure child benefit and one-parent benefit was payable in November 1978 and at what figure it will be payable in November 1983; and whether he will compare the figures in real terms.

In November 1978 the rates of child benefit and one-parent benefit were £3 and £2, respectively. From November 1983 the figures will be £6·50 and £4·05. If, by way of illustration, there were to be an increase in the retail price index of 6 per cent. between November 1982 and November 1983, the real value of the November 1978 rates would then be £5·12 and £3·41.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what percentage the allocation made to the Southend health authority is above or below the recognised distribution formulae; and if he will make a statement.

The most recent assessment by the North East Thames regional health authority shows Southend health authority to be some 20 per cent. below its revenue target.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the resources going into the National Health Service have improved in real terms measured against the retail price index in the current year compared with 1978–79.

Yes. The increased cost to the economy of NHS expenditure growth between 1978–79 and 1983–84 is expected to be about 17·5 per cent. in real terms when measured against the retail price index.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons, including dependants, are now estimated to be living on supplementary benefit.

Approximately 7 million at December 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will increase the maximum single payment limit available under the supplementary benefit regulations for assistance with home repairs and maintenance.

Yes. As I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Mrs. Knight) on 31 March—[Vol. 40, c. 259–60]—a proposal to increase the limit on the cost of repairs that can be met by a supplemenatry benefit single payment from £225 to £325 was included in the proposed amendments to the supplementary benefit regulations which my right hon. Friend has asked the social security advisory committee to consider.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people will benefit from the £1,500 supplementary benefit disregard for life insurance policy to be introduced in November.

We have no firm information, but the number of people at present excluded from supplementary benefit by virtue of the surrender value of a life insurance policy is probably very small. For those few, however, the change can result in a very substantial improvement in their income, as well as enabling them to retain the protection afforded by the policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will change the regulations for registering for unemployment to allow unemployed men and women not to register on two of the fortnightly dates per year, thus enabling them to take holidays.

No. We have no immediate plans to remove the requirement that unemployed claimants must show that they are still available for work, if they are to be entitled to benefit for a period when they are on holiday.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the allocation of resources in 1978–79 for joint financing; and how it compares with the expected sum for 1983–84.

In 1978–79 joint finance allocations were £34·5 million. The Government have progressively increased this figure to £96 million for 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people lost money as a result of the new housing benefit system introduced on 1 April.

I refer the hon. Member to the information contained in my letters of 16 December 1982 to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kempton (Mr. Bowden) and the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, (Mr. Rooker) copies of which were placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will encourage fuller implementation of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Newton (Mr. Evans) and for Aberdare (Mr. Evans) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the operation of the present guidelines on cleaning, catering and laundry contracts.

Presumably the hon. Member is referring to the guidelines issued for consultation as announced by my right hon. Friend on 17 February 1983 — [Vol. 37, c. 484.] As stated by him in his reply to the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Stott) today, it is too early to comment on their progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many private contracts have been made with cleaning or catering companies since the introduction of the new guidelines on private contracting in the National Health Service.

As the new guidelines have been recently issued on a consultative basis and a new health notice has not yet been issued, it is not possible to answer this question.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the average reduction in cost, in percentage terms, in respect of those contracts for private cleaning and catering services in the National Health Service so far agreed.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings have been identified as a result of the new guidelines on private contracts for cleaning services in the National Health Service.

It is too early to know. The new guidelines have been recently issued on a consultative basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what responses he has received to date to his proposals to allow the private sector to tender for contracts for ancillary services in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

We called for responses on the draft circular by 31 March 1983, but some health authorities have found that date difficult to meet and we are still receiving and considering further responses. The consultation process is, of course, concerned with the technical details of the policy. There is no reason why authorities should not be proceeding now with examining the cost effectiveness of their services and inviting tenders where appropriate. I am glad to say many authorities are considering doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to publish regulations arising out of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Bill [Lords], concerning guidelines for private and voluntary registered homes.

A consultative note with proposals for regulations to be made under this measure in respect of the registration of residential care homes was issued earlier this month, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. We intend to make the regulations themselves towards the end of this year. At that time we hope that a working party under the auspices of the centre for policy on aging will have completed its current work on the preparation of a code of practice to supplement the legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to encourage the removal of mentally handicapped children from National Health Service hospitals.

My concern is that every mentally handicapped child should receive the help appropriate to his or her needs. The steps we are taking are designed to achieve this. For the small number of children who need continuous residential health care, we are encouraging health authorities to provide small homely units in the community; and £3 million of additional funds is being made available in each of the three years 1983–84 to 1985–86 to help health authorities with special problems. There is every reason to expect a good response to this initiative. Regional health authorities are being asked to monitor district progress in identifying and reviewing jointly with local authorities the needs of mentally handicapped children in their hospitals, and to report progress for the annual reviews with Ministers that we have established.For children in need of residential care whose needs can be met by voluntary organisations or local authorities, with health service support where appropriate, we have taken other steps. These include an allocation of £1 million to match money raised by voluntary bodies to care for mentally handicapped children in the community. Several schemes have already been approved and more are in the pipeline. In addition, changes in the joint finance rules will boost local authority or voluntary body care, and £15 million of joint finance funds is being centrally reserved over the next five years for pilot projects of community care which are likely to include schemes involving mentally handicapped children.There are now fewer than 2,000 mentally handicapped children in hospital, compared with 3,287 at the end of 1978, and I am confident that the measures I have outlined will help to bring about a better pattern of care, including flexible support for children living in their own homes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to deal with theft and fraud in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 28 March 1983—[Vol. 40, c. 42.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the payments made by his Department are cashable in post offices.

All social security benefit payments made by books of orders or uncrossed girocheques are encashable at post offices. During 1981–82 over 950 million order book foils and over 100 million girocheques were cashed at post offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current profit allowed to pharmacutical companies dealing with the National Health Service.

The target profit used in setting the prices of any pharmaceutical company is assessed having regard to the contribution which it makes to the economy, including foreign earnings, investment, employment or research. The actual target profits set for individual companies are a matter of commercial confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will reduce the present profit allowance for pharmaceutical companies selling to the National Health Service.

The rate of profitability allowed to the industry as a whole as well as to individual companies is being examined as part of the review of the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost to the Exchequer of publishing "Health Care and its Costs".

Much of the material which the document contains is collected and analysed as part of the Department's normal work load, and has for some years been regularly provided to the Social Services Committee. The review is published as a priced document by HMSO, which has priced it commercially to cover publishing costs. The cost of copies distributed directly by the Department, mainly to the NHS, was about £9,000. The cost of the time spent specifically on preparing the material for publication by those officials working directly on the review is estimated at £16,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to improve physical security measures when wage payments to National Health Service staff are being made.

We issued a circular to health authorities last December requiring them to review their security requirements. As part of this review I would expect them to look closely at the security arrangements for the payment of staff wages.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in order to seek to achieve a degree of uniformity throughout the United Kingdom, he will issue guidance to local authorities on the level of allowances for foster parents.

We have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last met the chairman of the Wandsworth health authority.

I last met the chairman of the Wandsworth health authority on 17 August 1982.My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State also met him on 17 February 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what resources will be available to local authorities for operation of the Mental Health (Amendment) Act.

Our view remains that the operation of the Act will make no significantly greater demands on local authorities. Additional funds are being allocated to the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work for its extra work arising from the introduction of approved social workers, and this will be of benefit to local authorities.