asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reviews have taken place over the last four years of the salaries of staffs in the service of magistrates' courts; what increments were granted; and what proposals he has for a further review.

Salaries of staff in the magistrates' courts' service are reviewed annually by the joint negotiating committee concerned. The increases given over the last four years have corresponded with those given to the staffs of local authorities and have been in accord with the Government's economic policies. Proposals for a further review would be

			1957–58	1967–68	1973–74	1977–78
			£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million (estimate)
Police	…	…	344·528	676·877	939·009	1,071·421
Prisons	…	…	41·981	113·57	202·007	233·342

Expressed as a percentage of the 1977–78 estimated expenditure the earlier years are as follows:

	1957–58	1967–68	1973–74
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Police	32·2	63·0	87·6
Prisons	17·99	48·67	86·57

The estimated total expenditure in 1977–78 represents £29·80 per head of adult population on police expenditure and £6·50 on prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if an hon. Member who wishes to visit a prison in his constituency has to give prior notice of his visit to the prison governor or to anyone else.

Prior notice is required and may be given either to the governor or the prison department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the reasons for the recent—1st April—30 per cent. increase in the fee for

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated total spending on (a) the Police Service and (b) the Prison Service in 1977–78; what each of these figures means in terms of spending per annum per head of the adult population; and how in percentage terms the 1977–78 totals compare with the expenditures in 1957, 1967, and 1973–74.

The table below shows total expenditure in England and Wales on police and prison services for the relevant years (at constant prices):renewing or varying a firearm certificate from £10 to £13, especially in view of the fact that the previous increase was from £3 to £10.

The increases in the standard fee from £4·50 to £10 in 1976 and from £10 to £13 in 1978 were the minimum required to cover costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report all the drugs which have been prescribed for hormone pregnancy tests in the last 10 years, together with the names of their manufacturers;(2) which of the drugs used in hormone pregnancy tests have been withdrawn from the market; when they were withdrawn; and what official reason was given for their withdrawal;(3) what consultations he has had with the Committee on Safety of Medicines about the use of hormone pregnancy test drugs; what advice he was given by the committee; and what action he took in the light of that advice;(4) if he has had discussions with foreign Governments on foreign manufactures about the use of hormone pregnancy test drugs both in Great Britain and abroad; and, if so, with whom he held these discussions;(5) if, in the light of facts disclosed in his letters to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, he will now hold an inquiry into the manufacture, testing and

Name		Licence Holder	Date product withdrawn from United Kingdom market	Reason given for withdrawal
Amenorone	…	Roussel Labs Ltd.	May 1977	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Amenorne Forte	…	Roussel Labs Ltd.	May 1977	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Disecron	…	British Schering Ltd. (never licensed under the Medicines Act)	March 1969	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Menstrogen	…	Organon Laboratories	March 1975	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Norlutin A	…	Parke-Davis and Company Ltd.	1975	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Norone	…	Roussel Labs Ltd. (never licensed under the Medicines Act)	January 1969	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Orasecron	…	Nicholas Laboratories Ltd.	June 1975	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Paralut	…	Wallace Manufacture Chemists Ltd.	Prior to 1971	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Pregornot	…	Marshall's Pharmaceuticals Ltd.	Not known	Not known
Secrodyl	…	Duncan Flockhart and Company Ltd.	February 1975	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Primodos	…	Parke-Davis and Company Ltd.	January 1978	Discontinued for commercial reasons
Norlestrin	…	Parke-Davis and Company Ltd.	Remains available for various gynaecological uses including contraception
Notes:
(1) Not all the products carried indications for pregnancy testing.
(2) Some indications for pregnancy testing were removed at a date earlier than withdrawal of the product.

In 1975 the United Kingdom Health Ministers acting as the licensing authority were advised by the Committee on Safety of Medicines that measures should be taken to ensure that indications for pregnancy testing were no longer included in the licences for such products and to require the insertion in all promotional literature of a warning about the possible hazard in pregnancy. The licensing authority accepted and acted upon the committee's advice.Adverse reaction warnings were issued by the committee to all doctors.The Committee on Safety of Medicines has exchanged information on the use of hormonal pregnancy tests with the World Health Organisation and with other drug

National Health Service prescription forms do not indicate the reason for the prescription, nor are they retained for more than about six months. I list below all drugs which, as far as is known, have been used or recommended for hormonal pregnancy testing in the last 10 years, together with the names of the licence holders and, where appropriate, the date and reason given for withdrawal.regulatory authorities. I have looked carefully into this matter and I do not think that an inquiry would be helpful.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, on the basis of the average industrial wage currently paid, what amounts are likely to be paid by a single man and woman for their State pensions during their working lives; how much gross would be paid in retirement pension in each case assuming an average life expectancy; and if he will give similar information for a married couple both working.

No part of the national insurance contribution is specifically allocated for retirement pension and payment of the contribution also confers title to other benefits.Assuming—

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he does not propose to submit the claims of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee regarding net profit margins to arbitration in a manner similar to the arrangement made recently in Scotland.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross) on 3rd April—[Vol. 947, c. 26–7.] I am not aware of any reference to arbitration on pharmacists' remuneration in Scotland since 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many objections from employees have been received by the Occupational Pensions Board to company applications to contract out of the earnings-related pension scheme.

I am advised by the Occupational Pensions Board that it has received 137 individual objections from employees and 74 objections from trade unions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many occupational and public service pension schemes and how many individuals are contracted out of the new State scheme.

The Occupational Pensions Board has received about 21,000 elections from employers intending to contract out, of which about 7,500 have been received in the last three weeks. 8,654 contracting-out certificates have been issued so far but it is not at present possible, without unduly delaying the certificate-issuing procedures, to state the number of schemes covered by these certificates. It is known, however, that about 70 public service pension schemes will be contracted out. I will ask the Board to let me have more precise information as soon as it is available and will then write to the hon. Member. The certificates already issued cover rather more than 6·6 million employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to introduce legislation to seek to simplify the procedure for consideration by the Health Services Board of applications concerning minor reorganisations in private hospitals, as recommended in the Health Services Board's report for 1977.

The Health Services Board, which was set up following the Health Services Act 1976, has been operating for just over a year and has as yet dealt with only a very small number of applications from private hospitals for authorisations under Part III of the Act (2 in 1977). I have therefore told the Board that I would prefer to consider its recommendation, together with any other points that it may wish to bring to my attention, when it has had more experience of the operation and effectiveness of Part III of the 1976 Act as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons injured in an accident died on the way to hospital in an ambulance in the last year for which figures are available.

I regret that information in this form is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the percentage of ambulance men who are adequately trained to provide emergency treatment required at the scene of accidents; and what is the comparative percentage in the United States of America and in West Germany.

Eighty-six per cent. of all ambulance drivers and attendants have been trained to give the full range of ambulance aid to accident and emergency patients. Another 12 per cent. employed exclusively on the transportation of sitting case patients are trained in first aid. Accident and emergency work comprises less than 10 per cent. of the total work load of the ambulance service. Figures relating to the services in the United States of America and West Germany, where the organisation differs from that in Great Britain, are not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in the discussions with the medical profession on a code of practice for family doctors deputising services.

My Department has reached agreement with the British Medical Association on the text of the code of practice and on the establishment of professional advisory committees to monitor standards and performances of these services.These committees will be appointed or approved by local medical committees. Members will be medically qualified and will include users of the deputising services. The committees will advise family practitioner committees on the professional and ethical aspects of the use and functioning of deputising services, and ensure that the general requirements of the code of practice are being implemented.The code of practice deals with the competence and sufficiency of doctors on duty; their supporting staff; transport; communications; the priority of calls and the response to be made to them; continuity of care; the maintenance of adequate records and the provision of information derived from them; and the provision of adequate information when dealing with formal complaints.Family practitioner committees will continue to be responsible for consenting to the use of deputising services, and, in consultation with local medical committees, imposing conditions and periodically reviewing those consents and conditions.The health circular and accompanying code of practice will be published this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the numbers of unemployed men with each of one, two, three, four and more than four dependent children.

I regret that information of this kind is not held centrally for Scotland. The latest available figures for Great Britain were given in my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 18th January.—[Vol. 942, c. 267–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates are available of the number of elderly people who do not qualify for a death grant; what would be the cost of including these in the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

We estimate that about 200,000 elderly people do not qualify for the death grant and that a further 1,300,000 qualify for a grant of only half the standard rate. As regards cost, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead on 16th June 1977.—[Vol. 937, c. 264–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what figures are available for the number of people who during 1977 had to seek supplementary benefit to pay funeral expenses; what were the corresponding figures three years ago, five years ago, and 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to Table 7.4 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission's annual report for 1976 (Cmnd. 6910), which sets out the information available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has recently received on the size of the death grant in light of the Price Commission Report on funeral costs.

None of the representations I have received about the level of death grant has related it to the issues discussed in the Price Commission report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the international passenger survey is still being carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys; if he will specify the cost of the survey in 1976, 1977 and 1978 to date; and at which airports the survey has been taken and the use to which the information so collected has been put.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes".The costs incurred by Office of Population Censuses and Surveys were: 1976—£514,000, 1977—£493,000 and for the first three months of 1978—£133,000.The main airports at which interviews are carried out are Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Ringway and Prestwick. In addition, interviews are carried out at seaports and smaller airports. The results are used to measure international tourism and migration and the contribution of tourism to the balance of payments, so helping in the development of government policies on tourism and international transport. Details are supplied to a wide range of specialist users and summaries are published.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to review the functioning of circular 21/73 on community services for alcoholics; and when he proposes to publish his conclusions.

The review of circular 21/73 has been deferred to take account of the report of the Advisory Committee on Alcoholism on the pattern and range of services for problem drinkers, which I have just received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his advisory committee on alcoholism will be publishing its report "Patterns of Services".

The report has recently been received and will shortly be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he is taking to implement the policy outlined in his Eleanor Rathbone Memorial Lecture on 27th January 1978 to cut down the toll of child deaths by discriminating in favour of localities where the needs are greatest;(2) if he is satisfied that the guidelines issued with local authority Circular (78)6 adequately fulfil the policy outlined in his Eleanor Rathbone Memorial Lecture on 27th January 1978, concerning positive discrimination in areas where perinatal and infant mortality rate are unacceptably high; and if he will make a further statement.

The guidelines issued to health and local authorities last month specifically refer to HC(78)5/LAC(78)2, which included the relevant section of the Eleanor Rathbone Memorial Lecture, as giving the most recent planning guidance on services for children; and I shall now be looking to authorities locally to consider the appropriate deployment of resources. More generally, I am seeking to persuade decision makers at all levels to concentrate resources on the disadvantaged. For example, on 4th April my Department held jointly with the Child Poverty Action Group a conference on reaching the consumer in the ante-natal and child health services, attended by some 230 people representing obstetrics, paediatrics and general practice; nursing, including health visitors; community health councils, social services, medical associations, women's and family organisations, and voluntary bodies; together with members of my own and other Government Departments. There was a most helpful exchange of views on the problems of improving the uptake of these services, particularly by disadvantaged families, and the means by which these could be overcome. Improved uptake of antenatal services, in particular, would help further reduce the number of perinatal and infant deaths, and I shall be considering carefully the various ideas put forward at this conference and how they can best be followed up.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the implications for local health and welfare services of any application by the United States Air Force to reactivate or change the status of any United Kingdom Air Base; and what action he has taken or proposes to take.

I have received two letters about the possible use of Greenham Common air base in Berkshire by the United States Air Force. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence informs me that he has received a request from the United States authorities to be allowed to base tanker aircraft at RAF Greenham Common, but no decision has yet been made. The request is now being considered, and all relevant factors will be taken into account before a final decision is reached.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will ensure that Members whose secretaries are contracted out of the State pension scheme are not thereby precluded from making use of the scheme for paying secretarial salaries through the Fees Office.

Yes. If they contact the Fees Office the necessary arrangements will be made.

Department			Television	Radio
			£	£
1974–75:
Ministry of Defence	…	…	1,313,300	7,000
Department of Employment	…	…	13,500	—
Department of Energy	…	…	1,019,900	—
Department of the Environment	…	…	1,785,400	15,800
Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland)	…	…	31,900	—
Department of Health and Social Security	…	…	80,600	2,000
Home Office	…	…	558,700	2,200
Department for National Savings	…	…	160,500	—
Scottish Office	…	…	199,000	4,000

asked the Lord President of the Council when he intends to introduce a Bill to implement all the recommendations of Report No. 8 of the Top Salaries Review Body, as promised to the right hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) on 2nd March Official Report, c. 665 and if, in preparing such a Bill, he will take into account the reply he gave to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West on 16th February 1978, and the proposals suggested in Early-Day Motion 252 sponsored by the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West, and supported by members of all the major parties in the House.

I have nothing to add at present to my replies to the right hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) on 2nd March—[Vol. 945, c. 665]—and to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) on 16th February.—[Vol. 944, c. 297–8.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish a list showing the amount of money spent by each Government Department on television and radio advertising, shown separately, for the last four years.

The amounts spent by Government Departments on television and radio during the last four years were as follows:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why he was not able to answer the Question of the hon. Member for Newham, North-West concerning overseas travel of Ministers, Official Report, 23rd March, c. 681; and when the hon. Member may expect the letter promised in reply.

The information required to answer my hon. Friend's Question is currently being collected and a full reply will be published in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many productivity deals have been made between the Coal Board and the National Union of Miners in the last 10 years; what was the average increase in pay which resulted from them; and what were the corresponding increases in productivity.

Since the introduction of the daywage system, and prior to the present incentive scheme, the only productivity schemes for mineworkers was the national production bonus scheme introduced in March 1975 for one year, which paid bonus on a quarterly basis when national production exceeded a predetermined level. As a consequence of production exceeding the basic quarterly level by 1·2 million tons a bonus of £2·90 per week was paid equally to all workers for the first quarter, but thereafter production was not sufficient to attract any bonus. The scheme lapsed in March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy who represented the United Kingdom at the United Nations International Symposium of State Petroleum Enterprises in Vienna in March; and what was the substance of any documents, reports or papers presented to the symposium by the United Kingdom.

A representative of the British National Oil Corporation attended the symposium as an observer. No presentations were made on behalf of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, in view of the large amount of coal in stock, if he will give a general direction to the chairman of the National Coal Board that the mining of coal by opencast working should be gradually phased out by not opening out any new sites and that such coal deposits should be kept as a strategic reserve.

No. Current stocks of coal are not, in general, regarded as excessive and an annual opencast output of 15 million tons remains the agreed target. But a new site can be developed only with my right hon. Friend's authority and the need for the coal is always taken into account in considering the National Coal Board's applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report those bodies and individuals from whom he received representations or whom he consulted in the course of preparing the draft Electricity Bill now published as Annex B to Cmnd. Paper No. 7134.

Following publication of the Plowden Report in 1976, I received comments on its recommendations from the individuals and organisations listed below. In addition, I had discussions during the preparation of the Bill with a wide range of people, including management and unions in the industry.LIST OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS WHO SUBMITTED COMMENTS ON THE PLOWDEN REPORT

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what further progress has been made in the development of the proposed Park Colliery, Staffordshire, and if he will make a statement.

There have been further discussions between the National Coal Board and the Central Electricity Generating Board. The NCB's planning work has continued and I expect the Board to be in touch with me about the project soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate for the completion of the power stations at Ince B and Isle of Grain; and when generation will commence.

I am advised by the CEGB that it aims to commence generation at Grain in 1978 and at Ince B in 1979, and to complete both stations in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is now able to announce the university grants for 1978–79 and later years.

I am today announcing grants both for recurrent expenditure and for furniture and equipment in the universities.Following the pattern of the announcement that I made last year I intend to give the amount of recurrent grant for 1978–79 and provisional indications for the following three years, on the same price basis as the grant for 1978–79. I must emphasise that the figures for later years should be regarded purely as a basis for planning; like the figures in Cmnd 7049 they do not represent firm commitments and are subject to revision. In successive years the indicated grants will be revalued; that for the first year would then be settled in the form of a cash limit while those for later years would remain provisional indications of grant only.The universities recurrent grant for the academic year 1978–79 will be £619 million. This is to be a cash limit. Like last year's grant, it includes local authority rates payable by universities. The provisional figures for later years at constant prices are:1979–80, £635 million; 1980–81, £648 million; 1981–82 £670 million.In arriving at these figures the following assumptions have been made:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken during the last 12 months by the Northamptonshire County Council to provide sites under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.

I cannot add to the answer which I gave my right hon. Friend on 9th January. If he requires further information I suggest that he should get in touch with the county council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what length of Hadrian's Wall and castles is owned by his Department; what information he has on the mileage owned by the National Trust and the conservation trusts and public bodies respectively; and what mileage is still in private ownership.

Only a mile or so of Hardian's Wall is in Crown ownership, but my Department has in its care under deeds of guardianship about 10 miles of intermittent lengths, with associated mile-castles and turrets, and three major Roman forts.I understand the National Trust owns about 3 miles of the wall which is not in guardianship. A conservation trust owns two forts and a further one is owned by a local authority.The remainder of Hadrian's Wall which has not been destroyed or covered by urban development and road building, amounting to about seven miles, is in private ownership.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete his consultations on the housing Green Paper.

The many responses to the Green Paper, some of which arrived well after the closing date of 1st December, are still under appraisal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will reconsider, as a matter of urgency, the role which local authorities ought to undertake in collaboration with the other services when different parts of the country are struck by emergencies such as recent flooding and heavy snowfalls.

I am considering what lessons can be learnt from recent emergencies and whether local authorities need fresh advice on how to deal with them. Initial reports from the affected areas indicate that the response of the local councils and other agencies was generally very prompt and effective, and that the advice already available to them in the circular issued on 2nd September 1975 (ES7/1975) by the Home Office jointly with my Department (DOE Circular No. 80/75) and the Welsh Office (Circular No. 146/75) has proved to be satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing improvement grants were allocated in the Waveney district in each of the last ten years.

Assistance towards the conversion or improvement of 29 council owned and 259 privately owned dwellings was approved in the Waveney District Council area during 1977. Corresponding figures for earlier years appear in local housing statistics issues 10, 14, 18, 22, 25, 29, 33, 37 and 41, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his approval has yet been given for the sale of Frank Barnes School, Finsbury to St. Luke's Parochial Charity.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 20th March.—[Vol. 946, c. 440–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those organisations and individuals who made a formal response to him on the initial policy document of the Birmingham Inner City Partnership Committee.

About 65 organisations and individuals including my hon. Friend have sent in comments on the initial policy paper. I will send my hon. Friend a full list of respondents. I understand that the leader of the inner city team proposes to write to my hon. Friend and other respondents later this week with a factual report on the various comments received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any estimate has been made of what addition would be needed on the building cost yardstick to include the cost of a chimney provision in new council houses.

The housing cost yardstick does not relate to dwellings of any particular specification or type of construction. It is estimated that the provision of a brick chimney stack in a typical three-bedroom five-person house will add between 2 per cent. and 5 per cent. to the cost, depending on whether it is centrally placed or on a party wall.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to say how EEC funds for the relief of recent storm damage are to be disbursed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Newens) on 22nd March—[Vol. 946, c. 85.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with local authorities in Eastern England concerning the disbursement of EEC moneys for the repair of recent storm damage.

My Department is still receiving information about the losses sustained and expenditure incurred in the areas of all the local authorities affected by bad weather this winter. This information will be used in allocating our own special financial aid to the councils, and, together with information being obtained by the Department of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in disbursing the supplementary sums offered by the EEC in accordance with the formula I announced on 22nd March. There have been no formal consultations with the local authorities in any part of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why applications for home improvement grants must be refused for a period of one year to purchasers of properties that have previously been rented.

This condition was introduced by the Housing Act 1974 to prevent abuses. The Green Paper on housing policy (Cmnd 6851) has proposed that its mandatory application in general improvement areas and housing action areas, which in practice has caused some hardship, should be abolished.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the procedure outlined in "Policy for Roads, England 1978" will enable early decisions to be taken in respect of schemes about which uncertainty has existed for long periods of time, such as the completion of the M3 motorway in the Winchester area.

Our intention is that the new policies set out in the White Papers published last week will help speed up road planning and lead to earlier decisions. We have not yet received the inspector's report on the M3 inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with county authorities to organise road diversions on major trunk roads at holiday times in order to minimise delays of traffic during holiday periods; and what discussions he had with regard to the A1 and the Catterick reconstruction with the North Yorkshire Highway Committee before the Easter holiday.

Such discussions are held whenever necessary and particularly where road works are likely over a holiday period. Before work started on the A1 near Catterick in January there was a meeting between representatives of the contractors, the county council and the police. As a result, a programme was agreed under which the work will be completed in 20 weeks. Although this entailed closure of one carriageway over Easter the accepted programme has the advantage that it will avoid closure at the Spring Bank Holiday and should see work completed by mid-June, before the main summer holiday period begins.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department monitors the various concessionary fare schemes operational throughout England and Wales.

A detailed survey of concessionary fares schemes for elderly, blind and disabled people in England and Wales was carried out in 1976. Our officials will shortly be discussing with the local authority associations the arrangements for a further survey to obtain up-to-date information.

				1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78
				£	£	£*	£*
Cotswold DC	…	…	…	12,000	18,000	13,000	15,000
Cheltenham BC	…	…	…	36,750	44,180	46,710	46,710
Forest of Dean DC	…	…	…	24,096	28,096	32,124	33,124
City of Gloucester DC		…	…	41,140	51,216	53,930	53,930
Stroud DC	…	…	…	51,092	75,528	58,675	58,700
Tewkesbury BC	…	…	…	—	37,800	30,000	Not Known

I regret that information for 1973 is not available.(outturn prices;

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what factors emerged during the course of repairs on the Severn Bridge which causal the cost of repairs to escalate from £200,000 to £750,000 within nine months.

The cost of the rocker strengthening is in the main directly related to the time required for completion of the works. There was no previous experience of this type of repair and the original estimate of £200,000 in March 1977 was made when design work which included unusual features had barely commenced and the time for completion of the works was estimated at 16–20 weeks. Progress was kept under review and in September 1977 when the full extent and character of the work became apparent it was estimated that the work would take about 38–40 weeks and cost

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his intention to enhance the role of the counties in running concessionary fare schemes.

Counties have already full powers to operate concessionary fare schemes under Section 138 of the Transport Act 1968. The use they make of those powers is of course a matter for them, but we welcome particularly efforts to secure greater co-ordination at county level of schemes already provided by individual districts.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much the various district authorities in Gloucestershire have spent on concessionary fares in each of the years 1977, 1976, 1975, 1974 and 1973.

Our latest information about districts' expenditure on concessionary fares for the elderly, blind and disabled is:about £400,000. In January 1978, because of adverse weather conditions and when the contractors' programme was known, the estimate was again revised to £750,000 and 56–58 weeks' completion.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is currently the total annual salary and wage bill of the Scottish Development Agency.

The gross cost of salaries and wages for the financial year ending 31st March 1978 was £3,101,239.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to publish a White Paper on Scottish roads; if he proposes to change the roads inquiry procedure; and if he will make a statement.

As announced in paragraph 286 of the 1977 transport White Paper (Cmnd. 6836), there will be an annual statement on roads in Scotland. This will be incorporated in the annual report of the Scottish Development Department which will be presented to Parliament later this year.Revised arrangements for all public local inquiries including those on roads, were set out in SDD Circular 14 of 1975. These are always kept under review but my right hon. Friend does not propose to make any further changes at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he plans to make available a fund of approximately £21 million for the improvement of tenement property in Scotland; if so, what sums have been allocated to each region and district in Scotland; and what criteria he has used in making this allocation.

Capital expenditure in Scotland on grants to private persons and investment by public authorities on the improvement of houses—including tenements—is now of the order of £100 million annually. I am not clear precisely what point the hon. Member has in mind, but if he cares to write to me I shall be glad to look at it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to remove the anomalies caused by the fact that the rules of entitlement to free schools meals are not the same in Scotland as in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Amending milk and meals regulations are being laid before the House today. When these are in operation the qualifications for entitlement will be similar on both sides of the border. In particular, mortgage payments and life assurance premiums will become deductible in the calculation of net family income. I am asking the local authorities to take steps to publicise these changes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients are on the waiting lists for admission to hospital in Bute and North Ayrshire; and how many have been waiting for more than one year.

At 28th February 1978, 726 patients were on waiting lists for admission to hospitals in the North Ayrshire Health District and the Island of Bute—643 for Kilmarnock Infirmary and 83 for the Victoria Hospital, Rothesay. The number who had been waiting for more than one year is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will supply the right hon. Member for Down, South with the text of the leaflet recently issued to the public by the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland.

I have sent a copy of the text to the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list which 10 countries have received the most British military aid of all kinds over the last 25 years.

Apart from the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme, whch is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Her Majesty's Government do not normally provide military aid in the sense of assistance given free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to institute a public inquiry into any application by the United States Air Force to reactivate or change the status of any United Kingdom air base.

No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 3rd April 1978.—[Vol. 947, c. 74–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to order the next batch of 27 Category 1 and Category 2 Instrument Landing Systems ground installations for the RAF.

The purchase of further category 1 and category 2 instrument landing systems ground installations for the Royal Air Force is under consideration. If a decision to proceed is taken, the order will probably be placed before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many wholesalers have been prosecuted in the last full year for supplying alcoholic drinks to illegal drinking clubs; how much each has been fined; and what steps he is taking to prevent the supply of alcoholic drinks to illegal clubs.

During 1977 five prosecutions were brought against wholesalers for supplying alcoholic drinks to illegal drinking clubs. Fines ranged between £40 and £20. There was one conditional discharge. The enforcement of the law relating to the supply and consumption of alcohol is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the community associations which are supported or established out of public funds and which have obtained drinking licences; and how many of these community associations cater for young persons.

The following community associations have been assisted from public funds and are registered clubs:COMMUNITY CENTRE AND RELATED CLUB AS REGISTERED UNDER THE REGISTRATION OF CLUBS ACT (N.I. 1967)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Government have complied with article 6 of the directive adopted by the European Council of Ministers on 17th February 1975 on the approximation of the laws of member States relating to collective redundancies.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultation took place with local employers in deciding the courses to be offered at the Kidbrooke and Charlton skillcentres.

The Manpower Services Commission informs me that it is not feasible to hold consultations with individual employers when planning the course mixes for new skillcentres. In the case of the Charlton skillcentre, and the linked Kidbrooke annexe, discussions about the courses to be provided took place initially with the MSC's employment service and were followed up with local organisations including the local authority, whose industrial liaison officer was kept in the picture as planning of the course mixes proceeded. The South-East London industrial consultative group, which includes representatives of local employers, has been kept informed of progress on the projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of disabled persons employed by local authorities, showing those authorities which have accepted the full quota and those which have not.

This information was published in the November 1977 issue of the Department of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons are registered and not in employment in each employment exchange area.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that information about each of its 980 local employment offices and jobcentres could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, on 9th March 1978, 203 registered disabled people, or 19·0 per cent. were unemployed in the area of Hartlepool, compared with 72,847 or 13·7 per cent. nationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Greenwich Community Industry Scheme is likely to be provided with an office in the borough; and what steps are currently being taken to secure suitable premises.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the borough councils of Greenwich and Lewisham have entered into a partnership whereby the community industry places allocated to their respective areas are administesred from one unit. This has been done in order to cut overheads and reduce expenses normally met by the local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the latest available figures for Haydock, Merseyside, residents travelling into the St. Helens travel-to-work area for their employment;(2) what are the latest available figures for Haydock, Merseyside, residents travelling into the Wigan area for their employment.

The latest information is from the 1971 Census of Population and is for Haydock Urban District, before local government reorganisation, and which is part of the Wigan travel-to-work area. In 1971 290 residents of Haydock worked in the remainder of the Wigan travel-to-work area and about 2,650 worked in the St. Helens travel-to-work area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what safety precautions are to be taken whilst the chemical Kepone is transported from Southampton to Pontypool; if he will take steps to see that safety standards for dealing with dangerous chemicals in Wales are equivalent to those in force in the United States of America; and what information he has on how many drums of Kepone Re-Chem International intends to deal with and on any methods which are being used which are different from those normally used in the United States of America.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of hours spent each week by local employment offices in compiling the statistical returns and reports they are obliged to render.

About 26,200 hours of staff time per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will specify the statistical returns and reports to be rendered by local employment offices during the period January to June 1978; and give the number of civil servants involved in collating, processing and publishing the statistics; and what is the estimated annual total cost involved.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why he has referred the question of abolition of the Fur Wages Council to the

'000, Seasonally adjusted
					March 1974	August 1977	Latest date*
United Kingdom†		…	…	…	582·5	1,410·3	1,400·0
United States‡	…	…	…	…	4,633·0	6,926·0	6,090·0
Japan‡	…	…	…	…	694·0	1,143·0	1,111·0§
France†	…	…	…	…	445·0	1,216·0	1,042·2
West Germany†	…	…	…	…	480·0	1,066·0	1,007·0§
* March figures for the United Kingdom and West Germany, February figures for the United States and France, January figures for Japan.
† Numbers registered at employment offices.
‡ Numbers unemployed obtained from a labour force sample survey.
§ These have been estimated using the actual numbers unemployed and the seasonal constants calculated from the 1977 data.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the purchasing power in 1976, as a percentage of the purchasing power in 1938, of the annual remuneration of a representative selection of professors and manual workers, including university professors and miners.

In 1976 the average salary of university professors was about eight times the 1938 level. The corresponding figure for average weekly earnings of full-time manual men in all the industries and services covered by the Department of Employment's regular inquiry was about 19½ times. This inquiry does not include miners for whom comparable figures are not readily available. The change in purchasing power would depend on the change in the effect of income tax and national insurance contributions as well as the changes in retail prices. The effect of tax and national insurance contributions would depend on

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers unemployed, using national definitions, in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, France, and West Germany in the following months; March 1974, August 1977, and at the latest available date.

The numbers unemployed, seasonally adjusted, using national definitions, which are not comparable owing to differences in concept, coverage and method of compilation, are given below:family circumstances. In 1976 retail prices were about seven and a half times the 1938 levels.

asked the Attorney-General if he will publish details of the boards, commissions, committees or other types of organisations established by his Department since October 1974, giving in each case the purpose of the organisation, the chairman's and members' salaries and expenses, and the total cost of the organisation for each year since 1974.

A working party was established by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor in September 1976 to consider the procedure for litigation relating to personal injuries. The chairman and members are not paid a salary in respect of their membership of the working party but are allowed travelling and subsistence expenses incurred in that respect. The cost of the working party is not separately recorded.

asked the Attorney-General how many people have been employed, and at what total cost,

	Staff numbers
1st April 1972	1,317
1st April 1973	1,500
1st April 1974	1,568
1st April 1975	1,733
1st April 1976	1,813
1st April 1977	1,906

The staff number for 1st April 1978 and the cost for the financial year 1977–78 are not yet available.

asked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied that adequate advice is being proferred to police authorities about the use of the Public Order Act in relation to racialist offences in cases where evidential difficulties inhibit prosecutions under the Race Relations Act.

The police authorities are advised both by their own solicitors and, as occasion arises, by the Director of Public Prosecutions. I am satisfied that adequate advice is available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will initiate action against France in the EEC Court of Justice on the subject of the restrictions placed on the advertising of Scotch whisky and other grain spirits as being a discriminating practice contrary to the provisions of the Treaty of Rome.

The Commission in a reasoned opinion on 26th January 1978 stated that the discriminatory aspects of in administration of the Crown courts in each year since the courts reorganisation based on the Beeching Report.

The number of staff, including circuit administrative staff, serving the Crown courts on 1st April in each year is set out below together with the direct cost charged to the Lord Chancellor's Vote.

	Cost £ million
1972–73	8·6
1973–74	10·5
1974–75	12·0
1975–76	16·5
1976–77	19·0

these restrictions were contrary to the Treaty of Rome. It will be for the Commission to initiate action in the courts if France does not comply.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the fiscal discrimination against Scotch whisky and other grain spirits in the member countries of the EEC; will he further state if the EEC Commission is initiating proceedings against these member States for this discrimination, and if he will make a statement.

There is fiscal discrimination against Scotch whisky and other grain spirits in France, Denmark and Italy. In France, whisky, gin and vodka are subject to a higher rate of consumption tax than brandy or rum and additionally pay a manufacturing tax; in Denmark, excise tax on spirits discriminates in favour of Acquavit and Schnapps; and in Italy, taxation on spirits, the cost of State seals for bottled spirits and liquers, and VAT are all higher on cereal and can-based spirits than on grape and fruit-based spirits. The Commission has taken infraction proceedings against all three countries and reasoned opinions confirming breaches of the EEC Treaty have been or are about to be issued. It will be for the Commission to decide whether and when to initiate proceedings in the European Court if these countries do not remove the discrimination.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what discussions have recently taken place between the British and United States authorities on changes in the advance booking conditions of charter flights; if it is the policy of the United Kingdom to dispense with the advance booking requirement altogether; and if he will make a statement.

As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) on 20th March, delegations representing the United Kingdom and United States aeronautical authorities met in Washington between 6th and 17th March to settle, inter alia, the draft of a bilateral charter agreement as provided in Annex 4 of Bermuda 2, signed on 23rd July 1977. The advance booking period for charter flights has in general been reduced to 21 days. It is certainly not our policy to do away with that advance booking requirement.

						£ million
	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
NET UNITED KINGDOM DIRECT INVESTMENT OVERSEAS (EXCLUDING OIL)
Total to:
World	546	676	737	1,621	1,575	1,094
Developing countries* of which:	132	82	86	248	245	324
Main developing countries with GNP per capita of more than $280 in 1976§ ≑	122	55	59	187	161	266
In agriculture, forestry and fishing in:
World	5	5	17	9	20	-7
Developing countries*	4	5	11	15	11	-2
NET EARNINGS† FROM UNITED KINGDOM DIRECT INVESTMENT OVERSEAS (EXCLUDING OIL) IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Overseas branches	71	64	70	101	146	131
Overseas subsidiaries and associates	162	156	184	286	319	385
Total net earnings of which:	233	220	254	387	465	516
Dividends and interest remitted by overseas subsidiaries and asssociates‡	66	78	78	114	138	137
* As defined by OECD (includes Portugal).
† Net of overseas tax and depreciation.
‡ Figures of remittances of earnings by overseas branches are not available.
§ GNP per capita of $280 or less in 1976 is used by the International Development Agency to determine those countries qualifying for the most concessional terms for financial assistance.
≑ Covers Portugal, Western Europe other than EEC and EFTA, Ghana, Libyan Arab Republic, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rhodesia, Seychelles, Sudan, Zambia, Middle East, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Argentina, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Fiji.
Separate figures are not readily available for other developing countries with GNP per capita of more than $280 in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will set out in tabular form the totals of net United Kingdom private investment overseas for each year from 1970 to the latest available full year; how much in each case went to developing countries with per capita incomes below and above the international poverty line, respectively; and how much went into agriculture and rural development;(2) if he will set out in tabular form for each year since 1970 (

The information available relates to net direct investment overseas by the United Kingdom, excluding oil, and is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list those countries in which Great Britain holds major investments, and the total value of such investments in each case.

The information available relates to the book value of net direct investment overseas by the United Kingdom, excluding oil, insurance and banking, and the latest figures for individual countries relating to the position at the end of 1974 are published in Table 1 of "Business Monitor", M4, 1974 supplement, census of overseas assets 1974, a copy of which is in the library.

					Amount of investments insured in developing countries with a per capita GNP of:
Financial year				Total amount of investments insured during year	More than $280 p.a.	Less than $280 p.a.	Amount of insured investments in agriculture and rural industries
				£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
1972–73	…	…	…	0·8	0·8	—	—
1973–74	…	…	…	5·8	4·7	1·1	1·6
1974–75	…	…	…	19·4	18·6	0·8	0·4
1975–76	…	…	…	8·5	4·4	4·1	0·3
1976–77	…	…	…	17·1	10·0	5·4	0·6
1977–78	…	…	…	12·2	11·1	0·8	0·6

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied with the rate of return on capital employed in manufacturing industry.

No. In our view industry should become more profitable, and the Government's economic and industrial policies are designed to encourage this.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the level of investment in the private sector of the manufacturing industry in North Humberside; how this compares with the level of five years ago; and whether he will make a statement.

Industrialists investing in North Humberside have been able to qualify since last April for development area incentives. In addition, North Humberside benefits from the national measures which the Government have taken to increase investment in manufacturing industry. Separate figures for

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will set out in tabular form the totals of investment insurance cover provided by Export Credits Guarantee Department for each year from 1970 to the latest available full year; how much in each case went to insure investments in developing countries with per capita incomes below and above the international poverty line respectively; and how much went to insure investment in agriculture and rural development.

I am not sure precisely what the hon. Member has in mind by "international poverty line". Taking as reference point a per capita GNP of $280 in 1976, the figures are as follows:industrial investment in North Humberside are not available but the recent trend in investment in manufacturing industry in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region appears to be upwards.