Thnks to all above - I've used
SELECT TEMP_LL
SELECT DISTINCT per_no,&myflagfield as flagval FROM TEMP_LL where FSIZE('myflagfield') = 0 INTO table TEMP_A
SELECT DISTINCT flagval,a.ref_id,srnamedisp,a.perno,a.dsid,nprime,G_toneplnu,;
G_Efoot,g_recno,b.primary as e_primary;
FROM...