asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he proposes to introduce legislation to amend the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876 in view of the Report of the Departmental Committee on Experiments on Animals, Command Paper No. 2641, which states that the provisions of the Act have not matched up to modern scientific and technological requirements, and that administration has not kept pace with recent scientific advance; and when he will introduce this measure.

I have invited interested organisations to give me their views on the Committee's recommendations, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement about new legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he proposes to implement recommendation 80 of the Littlewood Committee's Report concerning the breeding of animals for the purpose of vivisection.

This recommendation is one of many made by the Committee for the control of the supply of animals for experimentation and would require legislation. I am awaiting the views of interested bodies before reaching any conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why, on Sunday, 17th October 1965, a lorry without a road fund licence and not exhibiting a registered licence plate was allowed to drive into Kerballa Street, off Club Row; why this vehicle was allowed to be used as a meeting platform for the Greater Britain Movement; why it was allowed to drive off; and why the persons in control of this vehicle were not apprehended and charged when a complaint was made by a member of the public to a senior officer present and in attendance at the meeting.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that consideration is being given to possible proceedings in respect of the use of the vehicle concerned on the day in question.It is not illegal to use a vehicle as a platform from which to address a public meeting, and the police have no powers to arrest a person without a warrant for using a motor vehicle without exhibiting a revenue licence or registration mark.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police and vehicles were used in and around the vicinity of Kerballa Street, off Club Row, Bethnal Green, on Sunday, 17th October, to keep order at a public meeting organised by the Greater Britain Movement; and why these policemen took no action against the owners of the large number of vehicles within this area using unlicensed transport.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that a total of 48 police officers and two police coaches were deployed to keep order at this meeting. During the morning of the same day police in the street market area reported 11 persons for using motor vehicles which did not have revenue licences displayed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions he has received detailed information of cars and vehicles being used on the roads whilst unlicensed and contrary to the law; what has been the number of such vehicles notified to him; why prosecutions have not been instituted; if he is aware that in several instances these vehicles have been used illegally for almost 12 months, even after warnings have been given; and what action he proposes to take to end this continued evasion of the law.

On the relatively few occasions on which information has been received by my Department about the use of vehicles on the roads whilst unlicensed it has been sent on to the appropriate authorities. It is the responsibility of the chief officer of police concerned to decide what action the police should take in cases which are reported to them. In the Metropolitan Police District the police forward particulars of such cases to the Greater London Council as the local taxation authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why prosecutions have not been instituted against the owners of vehicles with licence initials SRK, number supplied, and initials OO, number supplied, in view of the fact that they have been used consistently on the roads since January 1965 with no road fund licence; and on what dates the last road fund licences were issued in each case.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that evidence of the unlicensed use of both vehicles has been obtained and reported to the Greater London Council, who are the appropriate licensing authority, for any necessary action.The information before the Commissioner indicates that at the time the first vehicle referred to by my hon. Friend was reported it had not been licensed since December, 1964, and that the other vehicle at the time of reporting had last been licensed from 16th March to 30th June, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what increase or decrease in staff there was in the Department under his control in the period 16th October, 1964 to 15th October, 1965; and what increase or decrease he anticipates in the period up to 15th April, 1966.

The staff of the Home Office has increased by 555 since October, 1964. I expect a further increase of about 450 by April, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many men or women to date have been given more than one opportunity to go on the hostel scheme.

I cannot give a precise number, but a few prisoners have been on the hostel scheme more than once.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he is satisfied that the hostel scheme is fairly administered; and if he will give an assurance that no prisoner has been able to use exceptional influences to bring about his early release from the hostel scheme.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many men and women, stating each separately, have been in prison for more than 10 years.

The information immediately available relates to the position on 25th June, when six men and one woman were serving sentences in prisons in England and Wales which had been imposed before 1st January, 1955. Of these, five men had been in prison continuously since that date and one man and one woman had been released on licence and subsequently recalled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress to date in negotiations for an extension of the six-mile London taxi fare limit, and an acceptable standard fare for journeys between London Airport and Central London.

Discussions with representatives of the trade have shown that there is substantial support for the regulation of fares for the balance of all journeys over six miles on the basis of double the ordinary tariff applying up to six miles. My right hon. and learned Friend has decided to adopt this standard. Legislation will be required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will authorise the enrolment of approved traffic wardens as special constables, so that they could assist when needed in traffic control or to prevent dangerous parking, so as to release more police for crime prevention, in view of the fact they are already paid by, and under the control of, the police authorities.

Traffic wardens already carry out some of the functions normally undertaken by the police in connection with the control and regulation of road traffic, and enforce the law in regard to various parking and obstruction offences. I have indicated to police authorities and chief constables my view that wardens should be used to the maximum extent in both these fields, and they have already provided valuable relief to the police. I shall keep under review the question of further extensions of their functions, but I do not think it would be appropriate to confer on them the full powers of special constables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether parents of Commonwealth immigrants resident in Britain, who for reasons of age or illness are unable to maintain themselves, and whose child or children resident in Britain are their sole means of support, will normally be permitted to enter this country.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether children under the age of 16 years, who are orphaned or whose parents are unable to maintain them by reason of illness, and whose brother or sister resident in Britain is their sole means of support, will normally be permitted to enter this country.

My right hon. and learned Friend is ready to consider sympathetically any case of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that in September, 54,319 Commonwealth immigrants were admitted into the United Kingdom, including from Cyprus 1,248, Ghana 1,127, Hong Kong, 1,172, India 6,242, Jamaica 2,080, Malaysia 1,516, Malta 1,021, Nigeria 1,948, Pakistan 1,940, and Trinidad 1,038, when his policy of restricting all immigration to less than 10,000 per annum will be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

The only category of Commonwealth immigrant whose admission is subject to a numerical limit is those who come here for employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to ensure that all vehicles carrying inflammable, toxic and explosive chemicals are clearly marked; and what proposals he has to ensure that proper instructions are displayed to suggest the required form of action in the case of accident.

The carriage by road of explosives and acetylene is controlled by regulations made under the Explosives Act, 1875, and that of petroleum spirit, petroleum mixtures, carbon disulphide and certain gases when compressed in metal cylinders by regulations made under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act, 1928. The regulations contain requirements as to marking. The question of extending these controls and applying them to a wide range of other substances carried by road is being examined by the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances which was set up recently.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the figures of 155,076 East Europeans and 107,991 West Europeans resident in the United Kingdom at January, 1961 include those who became British citizens between 1945 and that date; and how many Europeans received British nationality during that period.

Those figures do not include any persons who had acquired British nationality by 1st January, 1961. The number of Europeans naturalised in the United Kingdom between 1945 and that date was as follows:

West Europeans	38,048
East Europeans	50,991
Total	89,039

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how he calculates the figure of £800 as the cost of keeping each young delinquent for one year in an approved school; and what steps he is taking to arrest the rising cost of such treatment.

The average annual cost is calculated by dividing the total cost of providing and running the schools, including capital expenditure, by the number of children in them. Salaries and capital works make up nearly 70 per cent. of the total, and the rising cost is mainly due to increased salaries and works on expansion and modernisation. A close control of expenditure is exercised and no more is approved than is necessary to ensure the efficient management of the schools and the well-being of the children.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations have been made to him as to the need for an official form of agreement for completion by both parties when au pair girls come to this country; and what has been his reply.

I have had under consideration a proposal made to me by the Employment Agents Federation of Great Britain for the introduction, on a compulsory basis, of an official form of agreement for completion by the parties to every au pair arrangement. I have advised the Federation that I do not feel able to accept the proposal in its present form and I have suggested further discussion with officials.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will reconsider his decision to refuse entry into Great Britain of members of the Vietnamese National Liberation Front.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I have given today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Freeson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what supervision is exercised over known drug addicts to prevent them from selling drugs obtained through the National Health Service.

None; but a person who sells narcotic drugs without authority commits an offence under the Dangerous Drugs Regulations and is liable to heavy penalties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he continues to keep Prisoner 6810 Holmes in confinement after the completion of his original sentence.

Holmes has not completed his sentence, which is one of life imprisonment. He was released on licence on 13th February, 1964 and recalled to prison on 10th July, 1964. My right hon. and learned Friend has not so far felt able to authorise his release on licence for a second time, but he is reviewing the case again.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were charged with armed robbery during the year commencing 1st November, 1964; and how this number compares with the previous year.

The Criminal statistics for England and Wales do not record separately offences of robbery in which the offender was armed.In the Metropolitan Police District the provisional number of persons charged in respect of offences of robbery or assault with intent to rob in which firearms or supposed firearms were involved was 62 in the period 1st November, 1964 to 31st October, 1965. The figure for the previous 12 months was 52.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were charged with murder during the year commencing 1st November, 1964; and how this number compares with the previous year.

182 persons were indicted for murder during the year ended 30th June, 1965, which is the latest complete year for which figures are available. The figure for the year ended 30th June, 1964 was 162.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to provide that purchasers of motor vehicles who wish to collect their vehicles from the works should be allowed to do so, and not have to pay a delivery charge.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) which of the new factories which his Department propose to establish in Scotland will be nearest to Berwickshire; and how near that will be;(2) which of the new factories which his Department proposes to establish in Scotland will be nearest to East Lothian; and how near that will be.

Of the new factories announced by me on 24th September the nearest are in Lanarkshire, at Newmains and Douglas, both some 40 miles away.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an assurance that he will take steps at the Copenhagen Conference to impress upon the other European Free Trade Association countries the need to reduce the obstacles which are put in the way of British motor car exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been received during the past three months from the British motor industry with regard to the difficulties placed in the way of their exports into Switzerland; and what steps he is proposing to take to bring this matter to the notice of the Swiss representatives at the Copenhagen Conference.

The Copenhagen meeting took place a week ago. As regards obstacles to British car exports, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answers I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd) and other hon. Members yesterday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that the Exchange Telegraph News Agency has announced its intention to close its home and Parliamentary news services at the end of this year, with the result that the only remaining major news agency in the field will be left in a monopoly position, if he will refer the news service industry to the Monopolies Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the danger of monopoly in some fields of news reporting; and whether he will refer the news service industry to the Monopolies Commission.

I am not satisfied that this is an appropriate case for reference to the Monopolies Commission. But I am making further inquiries to ascertain how far the facilities available to the public will be affected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, in the Board of Trade Journal of 29th October, 1965, the January, 1965, figure for the Index of Industrial Production was omitted; and if he is aware that this omission conceals the fall of production that has taken place during the first eight months of 1965.

Standard practice for this monthly table was followed in giving figures for each of the latest six months. Figures for earlier months are readily available in the Monthly Digest of Statistics. From these it will be seen that production this year has been about 3 per cent. higher than the average for 1964.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the Report of the Geddes Committee on the Shipbuilding Industry.

I hope to receive the Report of the Shipbuilding Inquiry Committee about next February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the number of industrial development certificates issued in the Cardiff and Barry areas, respectively, in each of the years from 1961 to 1965, inclusive.

The figures are as follows:

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES APPROVED
Year	Numbers for Cardiff Area*	Numbers for Barry Area†
1961	19	3
1962	8	1
1963	14	5
1964	18	1
1965 (nine months Jan.-Sept.)	4	6
* Cardiff County Borough and Penarth Urban District.
† Barry Municipal Borough and Cardiff Rural District.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the equity capital of firms engaged in the production of paint in this country is now held or controlled from overseas as a result of the foreign acquisition of the British Paints Company.

About 1 per cent. of the total equity capital of the companies so engaged, which include some large companies for whom paint manufacture is only one among a number of activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds are available from his Department to maintain students on approved courses overseas; and what request he has received from the Woolwich Polytechnic for their market research course.

The University and Other Awards Regulations, 1965 provide that students attending an educational establishment abroad as part of their designated course continue to receive grant from their local education authority. Payment of grant is not continued, however, for periods of industrial, professional or commercial experience in a sandwich course and this was explained to the Head of Department at Woolwich Polytechnic when he inquired on 14th January, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in considering his plan for a University of the Air, he will incorporate the technical facilities and teaching programmes already available at Strathclyde University for broadcasting education television.

A University of the Air would, as far as possible, consult and co-operate with existing educational agencies and institutions including the University of Strathclyde.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in his plan for a University of the Air, it is his intention to use the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Television Authority or to use a new channel for educational purposes.

The Government are now studying the technical, organisational and financial implications of a University of the Air. Until these investigations are completed no definite commitments can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make provisions for building to commence of the new college of training which has been planned by the West Riding County Council Education Committee to replace the Swinton Day Teachers Training College, so that the latter can be used as a comprehensive school for which it was built several years ago.

Because of the measures for the deferment of capital expenditure which were announced by the Government on 27th July last, the start of work on the new buildings approved for the college has had to be postponed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further approvals and authorisations are required before work can begin on the extension to Bolton-le-Sands Church of England School; and when it is anticipated they will be given.

None so far as the Department is concerned. Final approval was given in a letter to the Lancashire local education authority dated 25th October, and work may begin immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what initiative his Department has taken to stimulate research into undulant fever.

Undulant fever in man, and contagious abortion in cattle, are both due to infection with organisms of the genus Brucella. Cases of undulant fever in this country at the present time are commonly due either to infection from raw milk, or to direct contact with infected cattle.Brucellosis in cattle has been the subject of research under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Agricultural Research Council for many years. As a result, contagious abortion in cattle, which was formerly one of the most serious causes of cattle losses, has been effectively controlled. Research directed towards the better control of Brucella is still in progress and is kept under review by the Council. Veterinary research workers co-operate with workers on human undulant fever in the Public Health Laboratory Service and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing how many schemes for the reorganisation of secondary education on comprehensive lines have been approved by the Government since 15th October, 1964, how many existing schools have been included in such reorganisation schemes; and what type of schools will be set up as a result of these approved reorganisation plans.

The following table lists schemes for secondary reorganisation which have been approved since 15th October, 1964. The list does not include the many individual comprehensive schools which have been established in various places as part of an Authority's normal provision and not in pursuance of a general reorganisation scheme.

SECONDARY REORGANISATION SCHEMES
Authority	Number of existing secondary schools involved	Type of reorganisation (Age-range)
(1)	(2)	(3)
I. ENGLAND
Bristol (Portway)	2	11–18
Bristol (East)	9	Two-tier
Darlington	9	11–16 and VIth Form College
Doncaster	11	Two-tier
Kent (Gravesend)	15	Two-tier
Leicestershire (Quorn Rawlins)	2	Two-tier
Lincolnshire (Louth)	5	Two-tier
Newcastle (West and part of East)	14	11–18
Stoke-on-Trent	—	VIth Form College
Suffolk East (Felixstowe)	2	Two-tier
Wakefield	7	Two-tier
II. WALES
Cardiff	42	Two-tier

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Commonwealth immigrants have been granted vouchers to teach since the passing of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962; and how many of these are at present holding teaching appointments with local education authorities, or at universities and colleges of advanced technology.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour tells me that 6,488 vouchers had been issued by the end of October, of which 157 were in Category A and 6,331 in Category B. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Commonwealth students are

						1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65
Universities (Great Britain)			…	…	…	7,157	7,546	7,544	7,870
Further Education (England and Wales):
advanced courses		…	…	…	…	3,609	3,813	4,365	4,817
other courses	…	…	…	…	…	4,967	5,507	5,530	6,098
Central Institutions (Scotland)*:
advanced courses		…	…	…	…	300	530	458	156†
other courses	…	…	…	…	…			63	51
Teacher Training Colleges (England and Wales)						450‡	463	458	469
Teacher Training (Scotland)			…	…	…	122	133	149	127
Total		…	…	…	…	16,605	17,992	18,567	19,588
* The number of oversea students in Scottish "Further Education Centres" is not known.
† The sudden decline of numbers is explained by the granting of university status, in 1964, to two Central Institutions (Royal College of Science and Technology and Scottish College of Commerce).
‡ Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the recurrent and non-recurrent expenditure, respectively, of the following categories of educational institutions, respectively, are met by grants from his Department, local education authorities, and other public funds, that is to say: universities, including halls of residence; colleges of education, voluntary bodies; other direct grant institutions in the fields of higher and further education; and residential colleges of adult education.

In view of the varying circumstances of these institutions I will write to my hon. Friend giving the details.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state in detail how the figures in the White Paper

The table below gives the number of full-time and sandwich students from Commonwealth countries, in higher and further education in Great Britain, for the autumn terms of the last four academic years. The figures for Scotland have been supplied by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Figures for the current academic term are not yet available.on immigration were arrived at; and what consultations took place with local authorities, the Trades Union Congress, and the Employers' Confederation beforehand.

The Government decided on the rate of issue of vouchers as part of its general policy, as set out in the White Paper on Immigration. As the White Paper made clear, there are two aspects to this policy, one relating to control on the entry of immigrants so that it does not outrun the country's capacity to absorb them, and the other relating to positive measures designed to secure for the immigrants and their children their rightful place in our society.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of unemployed persons in the employment exchanges at Cardiff, Barry and Penarth, respectively; and if he will supply the figures in the categories, male and female, persons in the age groups 55 to 59, and 60 to 65 years of age, respectively.

The numbers of persons registered as unemployed at the Cardiff, Barry and Penarth Employment

—				Aged 55 to 59		Aged 60 to 64		Aged 65 and over		Total aged 15 and over
				Males	Females	Males	Females	Males	Females	Males	Females
Cardiff	…	…	…	151	19	324	9	14	—	1,630	275
Barry	…	…	…	31	11	68	5	17	—	321	149
Penarth	…	…	…	10	8	36	—	—	—	98	20

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of disabled persons registered at the employment exchanges at Cardiff, Barry and Penarth.

At 19th April, 1965 the latest date for which information is available, the numbers of persons registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, at the Cardiff, Barry and Penarth Employment Exchanges were 4,797, 590, and 200 respectively. At 11th October, 1965, the numbers of disabled persons registered as unemployed at the three Employment Exchanges were 425, 70 and 14 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour, how many of the 2,884,000 working days lost through strikes in the year ended 30th September, as compared with 2,379,000 in the previous year, were due to official and unofficial strikes, respectively; how many were in the nationalised industries; in view of the fact that wages are higher than a year ago, what were the main causes of these strikes; and what he is doing to prevent their repetition.

Certain stoppages are known to have been official but it is not known whether the remainder were unofficial. Figures of stoppages known to be official are available but only on a calendar year basis. Of 2,277,000 days lost through all stoppages in 1964, about 700,000 were lost in stoppages known to have been official. The figures relate

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take to prevent restrictive practices in the shipbuilding industry in Scotland, which have caused the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company to go into liquidation; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday to a question on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour when he hopes to set up an Agricultural Training Board under the Industrial Training Act 1964 as recommended by the National Farmers Union, the National Farmers Union for Scotland, the Agricultural Apprentices Council and the Agricultural Workers Union.

Discussions are now going on with the industry and I hope to be in a position to establish a Training Board for Agriculture not later than the middle of next year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the report made by finance ministers and central bankers, meeting recently in Paris under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, after their scrutiny of the British economy; and what steps he proposes to take in the light of this advice.

The Economic Survey of the United Kingdom published by the O.E.C.D. in June, 1965, is one of a series on the economies of member countries. It has no doubt been widely studied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking 100 as the figure for investment per head in England and Wales, what were the figures for Scotland for the most recent year, in respect of education, hospitals, roads and housing, respectively.

Taking 100 as the figure for investment per head in England and Wales, the figures for Scotland for the financial year 1964–65 in respect of the services listed were as follows:

Education	112
Hospitals	122
Roads	119
Housing	187

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the maximum pensions, including increases under the Pensions (Increase) Acts, for 40 years' pensionable service now payable to pensioners who retired on 31st March in the years 1939, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1949, 1952, 1955 and in each subsequent year, respectively, from the following Civil Service grades, namely, clerical officer, executive officer, higher executive officer, senior executive officer, chief executive officer, principal and assistant secretary, all figures being based on outer London scales.

For the years 1949 to 1964, the figures are those given to the hon. Member in my reply of 19th January, 1965. For the years 1939, 1941, 1943 and 1946 the figures are as follows. London rates of pay have been used for all figures up to 1960, because these correspond most closely with the outer London rates which were first introduced after that year. As before, special and time-consuming calculations would be required to produce figures for chief executive officers.

PRESENT 40 YEAR PENSIONS (INCLUDING INCREASE UNDER SECTION 2 OF 1962 ACT) BASED ON OUTER LONDON MAXIMUM PAY SCALES
	Retirements at 31st March
	1939	1941	1943	1946
	£	£	£	£
Clerical Officer	360	360	360	364
Executive Officer	483	490	490	494
Higher Executive Officer	569	577	577	580
Senior Executive Officer	719	721	721	724
Principal	887	887	887	889
Assistant Secretary	1,144	1,169	1,181	1,184

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the revenue of a general tax concession similar to that in the United States for employee thrift schemes.

I regret that no estimate can be given.

asked the Chancellor of the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the revenue of giving tax freedom to sums up to £28 per annum per worker allotted by a company for an approved scheme for employee saving and investment on the lines of the 312 DM Law of Western Germany.

I regret that no estimate can be given.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will announce the outcome of discussions with the staff side of the National Whitley Council on measures to ease the difficulties of civil servants who are compulsorily transferred and who are unable to provide housing deposit, in pursuance of the undertaking given to the staff side two years ago.

I am glad to say that a non-industrial civil servant who is compulsorily transferred and who has to move his house as a result is now eligible for an advance equivalent to three months' salary, which will be recoverable from salary over a period up to 10 years. Such advances will be made available where it is shown that help is necessary to bridge the gap between the price of a house at the new station and the amount which the individual can realise from his own resources, including the maximum mortgage available. This scheme came into operation on 1st September and fulfils a pledge which was given to the staff side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council in November, 1963, by the previous administration.

asked the Postmaster-General what licensing arrangements he has agreed with news agencies; what variation has been necessitated by the reduction in the services of Exchange Telegraph; and if he will give an assurance that it is not his policy to support a monopoly system of home and Parliamentary agency reporting.

The Post Office has a Licence and Agreement with the Exchange Telegraph Company for its operations. It also leases some circuits from the Post Office to enable it to conduct this business. No variation in this agreement has been sought by the company since its recent announcement concerning the curtailment of its services.With regard to the latter part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to my hon. Friends the Members for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins) and Kettering (Sir G. de Freitas).

asked the Postmaster-General what was the average weekly volume of mail carried by rail to Forfar station over a one-year period to the latest convenient date.

The figures are as follows:

Letter bags	468
Parcel bags	579

asked the Postmaster-General why no map is available for publication of the 73 Post Office communication towers erected or proposed which are in excess of 100 feet in height; and if he will issue such a map for study by local authorities and organisations concerned with the preservation of rural amenities.

My hon. Friend the Assistant Postmaster-General wrote to my hon. Friend explaining why publication of a map is not feasible. The fullest discussion takes place with local authorities and amenity bodies about individual towers and a comprehensive map is not needed for that purpose. I am writing further to my hon. Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General if the persons have yet been apprehended who smashed the telephone kiosk equipment at the Cowley Drive Post Office, Woodingdean, Brighton on the night of 23rd–24th October.

No.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether, in order to ensure greater safety on landing in difficult weather conditions, he will make regulations to provide that Vanguard airliners should be equipped with completely automatic blind landing systems as are being fitted to Tridents.

Further research and development are necessary before a completely automatic landing system will be certificated for civil operation. Some of the Trident aircraft in operation by British European Airways are fitted with equipment which it is believed will go a long way towards meeting the objective of a fully automatic blind landing system but at present it is used only within certain limiting conditions of visibility. The Vanguard, unlike the Trident, was not designed for the installation of this equipment.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will issue a general direction to British European Airways prohibiting the use of jet aircraft on internal services.

B.E.A. have no present plans to use jet aircraft on internal services.

asked the Minister of Aviation, what is the present system, for individual airlines, of laying down minimum weather conditions for landing at airports; and whether these minima vary from airline to airline.

Operators of public transport aircraft registered in the United Kingdom are required to establish, in respect of each type of aircraft used, minimum weather conditions appropriate to every aerodrome of intended departure or landing and to every alternate (and in relation to each runway which may be selected for use). In establishing minima, the operator has to take account of a number of matters, such as the performance of the aircraft, the crew, and the characteristics of the aerodrome in question, including the dimensions of the runways and the availability of aids for approach and landing.Operators of public transport aircraft registered abroad are required to furnish particulars of their limitations, according to weather conditions, on the use of aerodromes in the United Kingdom.Because of variations in the circumstances that have to be taken into account, the minima do vary from airline to airline.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is satisfied with the present system of measuring visibility at airports during fog whereby an employee is stationed near the start of each runway, counts the lights he can see, and telephones the visibility to the control tower; and what research is in progress to establish a scientific method of measuring visibility.

The present system is scientifically sound and, at present, we know of no better way of measuring what is known as Runway Visual Range (RVR).Instrumental methods are not necessarily better. A transmissometer for instance can measure the opacity of the atmosphere over about 200 metres, but various corrections have then to be applied to the result to allow for such factors as background brightness and runway lighting intensity so as to derive in practical terms what the pilot is actually likely to see. At present, therefore, we prefer the present system. The Meteorological Office is nevertheless conducting trials of the latest instrument techniques and they will certainly be adopted if they are shown to be of value.A considerable amount of research is also proceeding at the Blind Landing Experimental Unit, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment and at a number of airfields into various other methods of supplementing and improving present procedures, for example into the siting of RVR observing positions, into the value of increasing the number of such positions, and into means of providing information on possible variations in visual range during the final stages of descent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give an assurance that the increase in the Ministry of Labour wage index for male wage earners in manufacturing and industrial grades since the last Service pay increase was awarded to other ranks will be fully reflected in the forthcoming Service pay awards in accordance with the formula accepted in paragraph 251 of Command Paper No. 570;(2) if he will give an assurance that the increase in analogous Civil Service rates of pay since the last pay increase was awarded to Service officers will be fully reflected in the forthcoming Service pay awards in accordance with the formula accepted in paragraph 251 of Command Paper No. 570.

I cannot anticipate the outcome of the review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will state the amounts saved to public funds by the non-use of a rail and sea warrant between London and Belfast in the case of an officer and other rank, respectively, in Her Majesty's Forces.

Between £4 2s. 2d. and £5 10s. for first class travel and between £3 18s. 10d. and £4 16s. for second class travel.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will give details of the new assisted house purchase scheme for ratings of the Royal Navy.

The Long Service (Advances of Pay) Scheme for naval ratings, which I forecast in the House last March, came into effect on 1st September this year. It is designed to help Leading Ratings or above, and their Royal Marine counterparts, who re- engage or have re-engaged for pension, to buy their own homes.Briefly, the terms are as follows. Advances can be obtained up to the sum of 12 per cent. of the purchase price of the house, plus £100 to cover legal and survey fees, etc., or up to the amount of the terminal grant payable to a Leading Rating on 22 years' service, whichever is the lower. At present rates this will permit a maximum advance of £557. The advances, which will be recoverable from pay, will be interest-free. Repayment will be at the rate of 10 per cent. per year over the last 10 years of service. In cases where less than 10 years remain to be served, repayment will still be at the 10 per cent. rate, the balance being recovered from the terminal grant which is payable on final discharge. Recovery will be waived in cases of death or invaliding, and to cover this there will be a very small annual charge. As soon as a married man who qualifies for the scheme has found a house he would like to buy, he arranges a mortgage, obtains the services of a solicitor, and applies to his commanding officer for an advance.Naval families are often faced with serious problems of housing and separation. I hope that this scheme will help many of them to secure a permanent home. Indications so far are that the introduction of this scheme has been well worth while.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the spoil ground of the Admiralty where rubbish from the Admiralty is tipped, in view of the fact that such rubbish is often returned to surface and within the past week contained bottles of poison which were distributed along some miles of the coast and required the services of the police and other civilian officers.

The disposal of garbage from H.M. ships and H.M. Dockyard at Devonport is carried out by a civilian contractor, who, using his own lighters and tug, deposits the sinkable material at sea in either the spoil ground which is about seven miles North East of Eddystone Lighthouse or the dumping ground to the West of Rame Head.Special instructions are normally given to the contractor about the disposal at sea of any normally buoyant receptacles to ensure that they do not float. Alternatively, the receptacles are first rendered sinkable before being handed over to the contractor.A recent incident involving the Navy was the disposal of a number of condemned tins of ferric chloride, to which I presume my hon. Friend is referring. I am sorry to say that in this case not all the tins were punctured, and as a result, some were washed ashore.A Naval inquiry has been held to prevent any future mistakes of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will review the arrangements within his Department for the employment of civilian personnel in support of the Armed Forces.

I have decided to set up a committee to examine the employment of civilians in support of the Armed Forces, and to recommend whether any changes are desirable in the balance between military and civilian personnel in the interests of greater economy and efficiency and, if so, how they should be achieved. Sir Henry Wilson Smith has agreed to become chairman of the committee, whose members will include a senior retired officer of each Service, a retired civil servant with experience of industrial affairs, and a representative of the trade unions. I am in consultation with the chairman before approaching other members to join the committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to see that the central telephone exchange in the Ministry of Defence is aware of the extension numbers of the private offices of the Ministers of Defence for the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, respectively, in order that honourable Members may be able to get in touch with such Ministers without undue delay.

Staff of the telephone exchange in the main building of the Ministry of Defence already have details of the extension numbers of the private offices of the Ministers of Defence for the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, and every effort is made to ensure that hon. Members who ask for Ministers by name or by title are connected to the appropriate office without delay. I regret, however, that delays sometimes occur owing to pressure of traffic and shortage or inexperience of operator staff.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Wellington, New Zealand, on 24th September 1965, on the question of Great Britain entering the Common Market represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food made no public speech on this subject in New Zealand. If, however, the hon. Member is referring to the answers which my right hon. Friend gave to questions at a Press conference on 24th September the answer is "Yes".

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet decided upon the composition of the Electoral Commission for Mauritius and the date for its departure.

I am afraid that it is too soon for me to add anything to what I said to my hon. Friend in reply to his supplementary question of 28th October. I am however most anxious for the Commission to visit Mauritius as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities have been made available to the United States Armed Services, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other United States agencies in territories for which Her Majesty's Government are responsible, and under what conditions; what further facilities have been requested; and whether he will make a statement.

Facilities available to the United States in the Caribbean under the Defence Agreements of 1941 and 1961 were described by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in answer to Questions by the hon. Member for Banbury, (Mr. Marten) and the hon. Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Snow) on 11th February this year.Facilities provided for the National Aeronautics Space Administration are:

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what further progress he has made in having removed the restrictions imposed by the Ceylon Government on remittances to individual British shareholders of rupee and sterling companies incorporated in Ceylon.

In his Budget speech on 9th August the Ceylon Finance Minister said that the moratorium on the remittance of interest, profits and dividends was a hindrance to Ceylon's attempts to encourage foreign investment and stigmatised it as wrong in principle and unsound in that it caused the accumulation of liabilities. The Minister authorised

asked the Prime Minister if he will name those Ministers in the present Government who have written to the Press between 1st August and 31st October on matters within their official responsibility; the journals in which such letters have been published; and the dates of such publications.

Yes. The following is the information:the remittance in August of the equivalent of Rs.2 million as an earnest of his Government's intentions in this regard.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to what extent the Commonwealth Arts Festival Society has drawn upon Her Majesty's Government's two guarantees totalling £130,000 which were announced in November, 1963, and in April of this year.

The Society's audited accounts are not yet available. Her Majesty's Government have however made advances to a total of £100,000—including £88,000 from the Civil Contingencies Fund—to assist the Society in meeting expenditures in excess of receipts. I understand it is likely that the remaining £30,000 will be required before the Society's accounts are finalised.The House will be asked, in due course, to approve a Supplementary Estimate in respect of this service.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the Regional Study of the Yorkshire and Humberside Region will be published.

Work is going ahead, but it is too soon to say when the results will be available for publication.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will submit the

—			Wages and salaries	Dividends on ordinary and preference shares	Rent	Prices of Industrial ordinary shares
			Percentage changes on a year earlier
1951	…	…	+11	+8	+2	+3
1952	…	…	+7	-3	+9	-9
1953	…	…	+6	+8	+13	+11
1954	…	…	+7	+10	+10	+31
1955	…	…	+10	+9	+8	+14
1956	…	…	+9	+3	+8	-7
1957	…	…	+6	+6	+7	+5
1958	…	…	+3	+5	+17	-1
1959	…	…	+5	+14	+9	+37
1960	…	…	+8	+18	+8	+22
1961	…	…	+8	+15	+8	+3
1962	…	…	+5	+4	+6	-7
1963	…	…	+5	+6	+7	+11
1964	…	…	+8	+13	+5	+7

The figures in columns 1, 2 and 3 are derived from the annual National Income Blue Books.The figures in column 4 are based on the F.T. Actuaries price index of industrial

As the hon. and gallant Member may be aware, my right hon. Friend referred the whole system for determining the pay of Government industrial workers, including dockyard workers, to the National Board for Prices and Incomes on 21st October.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will show in table form the yearly increase in wages and salaries, dividends, rents, and share values, for each year from 1951 to the present time.

The table below gives annual percentage increases in wages and salaries, dividend payments on ordinary and preference shares, rents and prices of industrial ordinary shares for each year from 1951 to 1964.ordinary shares (10th April, 1962=100), which has been linked to two previous Actuaries Investment Indices (31st December, 1957=100 and 29th December, 1950=100).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proportion of grant received by the British Council is used to pay for advance information on visits of English assistants to Königswinter.

Each year since 1960 the British Council, in co-operation with the Department of Education and Science, has arranged a short introductory course at Königswinter for British Assistants teaching in German schools. The Council circularises each assistant with details of the course. The cost of doing so is very small.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent cases of undulant fever are notified to his Department; and how many have been reported in the past year, compared to the previous five years, for adults and children rospectively.

My Department is aware of cases reported by the Public Health Laboratory Service. The number reported in 1964 was 124; the numbers for the years 1959 to 1963 were respectively 87, 84, 101, 97 and 136. The sub-division between adults and children is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many citizens of Eire took up residence in the United Kingdom between 1945 and 1964, inclusive.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that young doctors completing their training are offered financial inducements to go abroad; and if he will take steps to ensure that sufficient doctors are available to meet the need for more doctors in expanding towns.

I am aware of the arrangements to recruit a small number of doctors for a short term of service in the developing countries overseas and would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 26th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Snow). The intake to our medical schools has been steadily increasing and the Government will be taking steps to expand still further the number of medical school places.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the complete breakdown of the casualty services on certain weekends at the Llwynypia Hospital; and what steps are being taken to remedy this situation.

I understand that the accident and emergency department at this hospital was closed at two weekends, because of shortage of medical staff. A doctor is now available to cover weekends.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the delay on a housing contract between the approval of councils in South-East Northumberland to the authorisation by the regional officers of his Department and the ultimate approval of the contract.

Housing tenders submitted to the Northern Regional Office of the Department by authorities in South-East Northumberland have been dealt with in 4–17 days. Longer time has been taken only in two exceptional cases where it was necessary to ask the local authority for more information. I do not know what time elapses between the Department's approval of the tender and the Council's ultimate decision on the contract.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the proposed issue of £500 million 6 per cent. Exchequer Stock 1970 at 99 per cent., what is now his policy on the provision of 3 per cent. mortgage loans to house buyers; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add at present to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) and my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 3rd August.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he will take to bring to the notice of the 800,000 tenants of private landlords affected by the decontrol provisions of the Rent Act, 1957, the new protections afforded them by the 1965 Rent Act.

My right hon. Friend intends that when the Rent Bill 1965 has become law its provisions will be given intensive publicity. A free leaflet summarising the provisions of the Bill will be available through local authorities and Citizens' Advice Bureaux. More detailed information will be given in a question and answer booklet which will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and will be available from bookshops everywhere, at 9d. A team of mobile cinemas will also be used to publicise the inauguration of the new Rent Assessment machinery as this is brought into operation in the various registration areas.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the result of his consultations with the Secretary of State for Defence on the release of Northolt aerodrome for social purposes.

These consultations are still in progress.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when it is proposed to build in North Lincolnshire the new city of 750,000 inhabitants; why he has chosen this site; why the existing towns of Scunthorpe, Brigg, Grimsby and Cleethorpes, where water, gas, electricity and sewerage services are established, are not to be increased in size; if he will seek to defer the proposed local government boundary changes until this major decision has been made; and if he will make a statement.

There is great potential for growth on the south bank of the Humber; and the special review referred to on page 97 of the National Plan will include among its urgent tasks a study of the possibilities offered by Humberside and by other areas which might be suitable for large scale development. Any specific proposals will have to be considered in the light of that review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will anticipate the Report of the Maud Committee by making an interim award to relieve the financial hardship being experienced by elected members of the larger municipal authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on the present maximum loss of earnings per diem allowance of £2 10s. payable to elected representatives of local authorities; and what consideration he has given to making an interim award to relieve financial hardship at present incurred by councillors and aldermen of the larger municipal authorities in discharging their public duties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will anticipate the Report of the Maud Committee by making an interim award to relieve the financial hardship being experienced by elected members of the larger municipal authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will anticipate the Report of the Maud Committee by making an interim award to relieve the financial hardship being experienced by elected members of the larger municipal authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will anticipate the Report of the Maud Committee by making an interim award to relieve the financial hardship being experienced by elected members of the larger municipal authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will anticipate the Report of the Maud Committee by making an interim award award to relieve the difficulties being experienced by elected members of the larger municipal authorities.

The Maud Committee is considering whether the basis for making payments to councillors should be changed—which would entail a change in the law. Meanwhile this is governed by the financial loss allowance regulations and as I explained to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Ron Lewis) on 26th October, the Government would not think it right at the present time to increase the rates; but will review the position next year.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources whether it is his policy, after the day which he proposes to appoint under the legislation foreshadowed in Command Paper 2771, that demands should be made for payments of the proposed levy in respect of sales of land and developments taking place between 22nd September, 1965, and the said appointed day; and whether grants of planning permission for inclusion in development plans during the said period will render the land in question liable to compulsory purchase by the proposed Land Commission.

No levy will be demanded in respect of sales of land completed or of development of land started in compliance with the relevant building and planning controls before the appointed day. In reply to the second part of the Question the Land Commission will be able to use compulsory purchase powers where these are needed in order to bring land forward for development whether the grant of planning permission or the inclusion of proposals in a development plan occurred before or after the appointed day.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps she is taking to assist the economic development of Gibraltar.

Under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts £1 million is being made available by way of grant over the next three years for general development in Gibraltar, with a further £200,000 in loans, should they be required. Schemes submitted by the Gibraltar Government for the use of part of the grant have already been approved, and others are under consideration.The Commonwealth Development Corporation hopes to present this week the report of its two experts who visited Gibraltar to advise on the setting up of a development corporation. The costs of this visit as well as the greater part of the costs of the Gibraltar Study Group, a consortium of British and Gibraltar companies which is presently preparing a comprehensive development plan for the territory are being met from the Vote for Bilateral Aid. I hope that the latter report will be in the hands of the Gibraltar Government in about six weeks' time. We have also undertaken to recruit and pay a land use expert for a year's work in Gibraltar, and to provide training in this country for eleven civil servants from the territory.One of the housing advisers to my Ministry has recently visited Gibraltar and his report is now being studied by the Government there.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps she intends to take in the case of expatriate pensioners who were appointed to local government and other similar posts overseas by either the Crown Agents or equivalent agencies to bring their pension supplements into line with those granted to former officers of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service under the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1962.

Legislation to extend to expatriate pensioners of overseas local government and similar bodies the benefits provided under the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1962, is not contemplated.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development why, now that she has accepted responsibility for pension supplements for overseas pensioners from certain territories under Statutory Instruments 1083 and 1496 of 1965, the starting date for such supplements is not 1st January, 1963, as for the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1962.

The general purpose of a pensions increase measure is the relief of hardship arising from increases in the cost of current maintenance, and it would be inconsistent with this purpose if retrospection were granted in cases where it is decided to admit to benefit new categories of pensioners, remove anomalies or improve existing awards.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons in the County Borough of Bournemouth are over 70 years of age; how many in this age group receive National Assistance; and how these figures compare with national averages.