asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement upon his official tour of Australia and New Zealand with regard to the fishing industry.

The programme for my visit to Australia and New Zealand did not include any significant aspects of their fishing industries. I did, however, take the opportunity of looking over a fish-processing establishment at Timaru in New Zealand, and of having one or two informal discussions on fisheries with some of the leaders concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the shortage of trained telephonists in the Royal Air Force.

There was a shortage of 61 trained telephonists in the Royal Air Force on 1st October, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in the case of a member of Her Majesty's Forces who travels on leave by air at his own expense between London and Belfast, he will take steps to credit such person with the amount saved to public funds by the non-use of the free leave warrant issued for travel on this route by rail and ship.

No.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in which trades or occupations wages and salaries have risen most to produce the 8 per cent. increase so far this year, a rate of 12 per cent. per annum; how much national production and the cost of living have risen, respectively, in the last year; what correlation there is between these factors; and how he proposes to stop these increases.

In the second quarter of the year the total national wage and salary bill was 8 per cent. higher than a year previously, but it is not possible to analyse this increase by industry or occupation.Between the first half of 1964 and the first half of 1965 national production in real terms rose by about 2½ per cent. and total incomes rose by over 6½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what amount of the short-term debt has been repaid in the last three months; how much remains to be repaid; when it is due for repayment; and what rate of interest it is carrying;(2) from what main sources the £1,000 million overseas borrowings were made during the past year; when they are due for repayment; what interest they carry; and if there is an option to redeem them before the final date.

Two drawings were made from the International Monetary Fund; the equivalent of £357 million in December 1964 and of £500 million in May 1965. Both drawings were accompanied by parallel Swiss credits equivalent to £28 million and £14 million respectively. The December 1964 drawing is repayable within 3 years, and that of May 1965 within 3 to 5 years of the date of drawing. The basis on which the I.M.F. charges for the use of its resources is set out in International Financial Statistics, a copy of which is available in the Library. The drawings can be repaid at any time.As is known, at the end of the second quarter this year £129 million was outstanding under the reciprocal swap arrangement with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Further short-term assistance was taken in July and August. There were repayments in September and October. It is not customary to disclose the terms of such arrangements nor to give at this time figures of transactions since June.

asked the Minister of Health what percentage of married women are estimated to be at work in Heywood at the most recent date for which the information is available; and if he will give the same information for the urban districts of Royton, Crompton, Milnrow, Wardle, Littleborough, and Whitworth, respectively, and for the country as a whole.

Information in the precise form asked for is not available but the following figures are derived from the 1961 Census of population:

Percentage of the enumerated population of married, widowed and divorced women who were economically active* in April, 1961
Heywood	45·6
Royton	45·2
Crompton	52·9
Milnrow	48·6
Wardle	39·1
Littleborough	45·6
Whitworth	51·9
England and Wales	29·0
* The economically active are those people who are in the week before the census either had a job or were out of employment but intending to get work.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what further steps he proposes to take to keep the public aware of the dangers of cigarette smoking, as promised in the National Plan, and to curtail advertisements for cigarettes;(2) what steps he proposes to take to intensify the campaign to restrict smoking in public places, as promised in the National Plan.

These matters are under active consideration, but I am not at present in a position to make a further statement.

asked the Minister of Health what percentage of men and women over 65 years of age are estimated to be at work in Heywood at the most recent date for which information is avail- able; and if he will give the same information for the urban districts of Royton, Crompton, Milnrow, Wardle, Littleborough, and Whitworth, respectively, and for the country as a whole.

Information in the precise form asked for is not available but the following figures are derived from the 1961 Census of population:

Percentage of the enumerated population aged 65 and over who were economically active* in April, 1961
	Males	Females
Heywood	15·9	2·7
Royton	24·3	4·6
Crompton	31·0	6·2
Milnrow	22·2	11·9
Wardle	20·3	4·0
Littleborough	32·7	3·7
Whitworth	23·4	3·7
England and Wales	24·6	5·5
* The economically active are those people who in the week before the census either had a job or were out of employment but intending to get work.

asked the Minister of Health what is the value of contracts for tobacco placed by each of the regional hospital boards, respectively; what tobacco products are purchased, and for what purpose.

Regional Hospital Boards do not place contracts for tobacco. Hospital authorities have been advised that it is undesirable, in general hospitals, for cigarettes and tobacco to be displayed for sale but some latitude is allowed in psychiatric and geriatric units.

asked the Secretary, of State for the Home Department how many wage snatches, bank robberies and other similar crimes of violence took place in the first nine months of 1965; and what were the corresponding figures for the previous five years.

The information is not available on a national basis, but I am arranging for the figures to be provided for the Metropolitan Police District and will write to the hon. Member as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the statistics of murders to be kept in such a form for at least the next five years as to distinguish between capital and non-capital murders as if the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Bill had not become law, and so as to enable the tables published on 17th June 1965 to be continued with the same distinctions and classifications.

Yes. The distinction between capital and non-capital murders will of course have to be based on an estimate of what would have been the result of proceedings under the Homicide Act 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused to Portland and Weymouth residents by the hold up of traffic on the Portland to Weymouth road, in respect of 49 prison and Borstal escapees in a single year; and if he will take steps to avoid this.

I have written to the hon. Member explaining the reasons for the measures taken. Every effort is made to keep delays to a minimum; in future al additional borstal officer will be made available for duty whenever it becomes necessary to set up a traffic check point during a peak travelling time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now announce the terms of reference together with the names of the Chairman and other members of the independent committee which the White Paper, Command Paper No. 2742, on the Child, the Family and the Young Offender, stated would be reviewing the organisation and responsibilities of the local authority personal social services.

I hope to be in a position to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms had been surrendered at the conclusion of the three-month amnesty; how he has disposed of these; and what profit has accrued to his Department.

The returns of firearms and ammunition handed in to police forces in England and Wales during the amnesty are not yet completed, but I will write to the hon. Member when I have the information.Chief officers of police have been advised that surrendered firearms other than Service weapons (which should be returned to the Armed Forces) and antiques or collectors' pieces (which should be given to reputable collections or sold to reputable dealers) should be destroyed. Accordingly no question arises, in general, of any payments to my Department.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what financial inducements she is offering to British doctors to go abroad; and what purpose this offer serves.

It is part of the Government's policy of technical assistance for developing countries to contribute to the emoluments of British doctors and other professional people willing to take up appointments overseas. This help is offered in various ways including the Overseas Service Aid Scheme, regional programmes of technical assistance and by way of a scheme for additional training for young doctors prepared to serve overseas. In addition the salaries of some medical men serving in overseas universities are supplemented.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether the Law Commissioners propose to review the present divorce law, including the appropriateness of applying the principle of the matrimonial offence and the innocence or guilt of spouses, and the desirability of any of the proceedings concerning marriage between the parties to that marriage being held in public.

No. The Law Commission's programme makes it clear that what the Commission proposes is a preliminary examination of matrimonial law, family inheritance and property law and jurisdiction with a view to seeing how further consideration of the questions involved can best be undertaken.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent telephone subscribers on the Orpington exchange are being asked to share a line against their wishes; and what plans he has for improving the service.

I am sorry that the information desired is not readily available.1,868 of the 12,747 connections on Orpington Exchange are provided by shared service. The exchange is nearing exhaustion. Interim relief measures and a permanent extension, involving building work, have been planned.In our experience many subscribers find sharing offers a fully acceptable service and, indeed, prefer it at the lower rental. Our ultimate aim continues to be the removal of compulsory sharing and the provision of exclusive service to all who want it. It will, however, take some years to build up the plant needed for freedom of choice to be given, and meantime some subscribers will have to be asked to share against their wishes, both at Orpington and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Power on how many occasions during the last 10 years there have been major accidents, such as to cooling towers, at installations connected with power stations.

No major accident comparable to the collapse of cooling towers at Ferrybridge, has occurred previously.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Central Electricity Generating Board that they shall review the safety of their installations, particularly cooling towers, connected with power stations.

No. I am satisfied that the Board has the question of safety constantly in mind.

asked the Minister of Power what inquiries he makes, in giving capital sanction for new power stations, as to the safety of the installations connected with them; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend gives consent to power stations under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, and capital sanction to programmes, not to individual projects. In the case of conventional stations he does not make any special inquiries into safety aspects before granting consent. In the case of nuclear power stations the Board is subject to the licensing provisions of the Nuclear Installations (Licensing & Insurance) Act, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the circumstances in which Her Majesty's Government intend to continue the imposition of tolls on some bridges in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave on 11th November, 1964, to the hon. Members for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) and Dunfermline Burghs (Mr. Adam Hunter).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to encourage the promotion of suitable industrial mergers.

The National Plan makes it clear that it is the Government's policy to assist in the promotion of industrial mergers where these will help increase competitive efficiency.At the same time, it is a purpose of the Monopolies and Mergers Act, 1965, to safeguard the public interest against mergers which might be harmful to it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of importing United States cinema films for screening by the British Broadcasting Corporation and independent television for the years 1963 and 1964, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is now the total indebtedness of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

On the assumption that the Question relates to the total liabilities, assumed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department, the figures as at 30th September, 1965 were:

On Commercial account (Section 1 of the Export Guarantees Act, 1949, as amended)		£1,145m.
On National Interest Account (Section 2 of the Export Guarantees Act, 1949, as amended):
Under Export guarantees	£353m.
Under economic assistance loans to overseas countries	£275m.	£628m.

These figures do not include potential commitments in respect of offers of guarantees not yet accepted or balances of economic assistance loans not yet drawn by the borrowing governments.

asked the Minister of Transport when he received a report from the Transport Users' Consultative Committee, East Midland Area, concerning the proposal by the British Railways Board to discontinue railway passenger services from Desborough and Rothwell; and what suggestions are contained in it for alleviating hardship which would be caused to passengers if he approved the withdrawal of these services.

I received the Committee's report on 28th October. By long standing agreement with the consultative committees their reports to me are confidential.

asked the Minister of Transport when construction work will start on the extension to M.4; which section between Maidenhead and Lidding-ton will be completed first; and what is the detailed time scale of the entire project.

This will depend on the time required to complete the statutory procedures, the availability of funds and an appraisal of priorities at the time. The M.4 is due to be completed by the early 1970s.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all new major road projects which have been delayed as a result of the Government's recent economic measures, the cost of each project, and the savings expected during the first six months after these postponements.

The following is a list of new construction and major improvement schemes (on motorways, trunk and classified roads) which had target starting dates between August, 1965, and January, 1966, and which did not qualify for exemption from deferment.It is probable that the starting date of some of these projects would have been delayed for reasons unconnected with the Government's economic measures. Allowing for this, it is estimated that schemes to a total value of some £55 million (£48 million Exchequer, £7 million local authority) will have been subject to postponement as a result of these measures. It is estimated that the reducion in Exchequer expenditure in the financial year 1965–66 as a result of these postponements will be of the order of £7 million.

Motorway and Trunk Road Schemes
		Estimated Cost £000
M.1	Tankersley—Darton	7,320
	Darton—Harbury	7,210
	Lowering of A.580	1,500
M.4	Chiswick—Langley Lighting	120
A.66	Crackenthorpe Diversion, Westmorland	142
A.5	Newton Bridge, Brownhills, Staffordshire	135
A.46	Syston to Thrussington, Leicestershire	420
A.38	Blue Linhay Hill to East Caton Cross, Ashburton, Devon	275
A.38	Lee Mill—Westover, Ivybridge, Devon	169
A.31	Tricketts Cross to Hampshire County Boundary, Dorset	111
A.34	Newcastle-under-Lyme Bypass, Southern Section, Staffordshire	380
A.56	Daresbury Diversion, Cheshire	429
A.68	Widening through Garforth, West Riding	124
A.12	Woodbridge Road/Heath Road, Ipswich, Suffolk	100
A.10	Mitcham's Corner, Cambridgeshire	104
A.38	Red Cross Hill—Trehill Lodge Kenn, Devon	368
A.38	Drumbridge — Chudleigh Knighton Bridge, Devon	346
A.6	Cat Row to Oakfield Drive, Bolton, Lancashire	103
A. 127	Hall Lane Cross Roads, Essex	238
A.38	Staffordshire Boundary to Mickleover Link, Derbyshire	1,609

CLASSIFIED ROAD SCHEMES

Estimated Grant Value £000

Surrey

…

…

…

Maidstone-Guildford (A.25) Bletchingley and Nutfield

…

109

Coventry

…

…

…

Binley Road, A.4114

…

…

…

…

…

…

100

Bolton

…

…

…

Farnworth and Kearsley By-Pass

…

…

…

…

1,958

Lancashire

…

…

Farnworth and Kearsley By-Pass

…

…

…

…

1,786

Northumberland

…

…

Weldon Bridge Diversion, A.697

…

…

…

…

308

West Riding

…

…

Horbury By-Pass

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

252

Loughborough

…

…

New Road between A.6 Derby Road and A.60

…

…

93

Southend-on-Sea

…

…

I.R.R. Northern Section

…

…

…

…

…

…

731

Southend-on-Sea

…

…

Ring Road, Part Eastern Section

…

…

…

…

141

Ashford

…

…

…

A.292 Diversion of East Hill

…

…

…

…

…

147

Hertfordshire

…

…

Southern Link Road, Hatfield New Town

…

…

…

312

Greater London Council

…

High Street, Feltham

…

…

…

…

…

…

87

Hillingdon

…

…

…

Cowley Road, Uxbridge

…

…

…

…

…

…

240

Richmond

…

…

…

Heath Road, Twickenham

…

…

…

…

…

96

Hampshire

…

…

…

Ringwood to Bournemouth Spur

…

…

…

…

1,065

Surrey

…

…

…

Dorking By-Pass to Folly Lane, A.24

…

…

…

…

409

Surrey

…

…

…

A.31 Farnham By-Pass Extension

…

…

…

…

360

Plymouth

…

…

…

Crownhill junction

…

…

…

…

…

…

580

Reading

…

…

…

Bridge St. Bridges A.33

…

…

…

…

…

…

120

Birmingham

…

…

Coventry Road, Clay Lane-City Boundary

…

…

…

400

Dudley

…

…

…

Stourbridge Road (A.461)

…

…

…

…

…

152

		Estimated Cost £000
A.6	Blackrod By-pass to Dog Holes Farm, Lancashire	100
A.64	Malton By-pass (Eastern Section) North Riding	447
A.38	Cutwell Cross to Carew Arms, Ugborough, Devon	134
A.38	Ashburton By-pass, Devon	134
A.6	Dicconson Lane to St. John's Avenue, West-houghton, Lancashire	120
A.1	Long Bennington By-pass, Kesteven, Lincolnshire	779
A.6	Stoughton Drive, Leicester City Boundary, Leicester shire	102
A.34	Stone Road/Scalishall Road Roundabout, Stafford	100
A.37	Diversion at Crocken Hill, West Sussex	98
A.127	Rayleigh Weir Roundabout, Essex	98
A.3	Hogslodge to Gravel Hill, Hampshire	99
A.33	South of Popham, Hampshire	99
A.1	Westmains Diversion, Belford, Northumberland	137
A.4	Rosedale Crescent to Reading Boundary, Berkshire	170
A.38	Beare Diversion, Devon	99
A.69	Scarrow Hill Improvement, Cumberland	150
A.583	Ribby Corner, Lancashire	151
	High Wycombe By-pass Contract II	4,156
		28,376
	Other schemes estimated to cost under £100,000 each	1,680
		30,056

asked the Minister of Labour what reports he has received from the factory inspectorate regarding the accident to the water-cooling towers under construction at Ferrybridge power station; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a preliminary report from the Superintending Inspector of Factories concerned which I am studying. I expect to receive a further report within the next few days.