asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the fall in the numbers engaged in manufacturing between June, 1966, and the latest convenient date; and what was the increase in the numbers employed by central and local government during the same period.

It is provisionally estimated that between June, 1966, and April, 1968, the number employed in manufacturing industries in Great Britain fell by about 369,000. Excluding Post Office employees, the numbers of industrial civil servants decreased by 7,000 and the numbers of non-industrials increased by 41,000 during the same period.Information about the numbers employed by Local Authorities and in Police Forces is available only at June each year; between 1966 and 1967 the numbers increased by 94,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has made of the number of people actively seeking employment at the present time.

On 10th June about 507,000 persons were registered as wholly unemployed and seeking employment through employment exchanges and youth employment offices. In addition about 80,000 employed persons are registered as seeking alternative employment. I have no means of estimating the number of persons who are seeking employment but are not registered.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what study has been made of the extent to which increases in welfare benefits have encouraged unemployed people not to seek work.

No special study has been made of this subject so far as I am aware. In the experience of my officers, the great majority of unemployed people registered at the employment exchanges are willing and anxious to obtain work.My right hon. Friend the Minister of Social Security is concerned and is taking action about the very small minority who abuse social security benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, between June, 1966, and June, 1967, what was the drop in the numbers employed in manufacturing, and what was the increase in the numbers employed by central and local government, respectively.

It is estimated that between June, 1966, and June, 1967, the numbers employed in manufacturing industries fell by 276,000 and that the numbers employed by local authorities and in police forces increased by 94,000.Excluding Post Offices employees, the numbers of industrial civil servants decreased by 2,000 and the numbers of non-industrials increased by 25,000 during the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the average percentage which administrative costs bear to total income among the training boards which have issued figures so far.

Three per cent, for the year ended 31st March, 1967, including the cost of training advisory services as well as purely administrative services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will seek powers to ensure that women obtain equal pay when the present period of wage restraint ends.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she has now taken to implement the proposed timetable for the introduction of equal pay for equal work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will now announce the date and place of her proposed conference with both sides of industry to work out a seven-year timetable for the advance towards equal pay for men and women doing equal work.

I announced last week that I proposed to enter into immediate discussions with both sides of industry with a view to agreeing a timetable for phasing in the full implementation of equal pay over an appropriate period. I have invited leaders of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress to join me in discussions at the earliest convenient date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she has taken about the recent industrial action by women employees of the Ford Motor Company to obtain equal pay; and if she will make a statement on her policy with regard to equal pay in the light of this dispute.

As the House will know, I have appointed a Court of Inquiry under the chairmanship of Sir Jack Scamp. At its initial sitting on 27th June, the court made an appeal for an immediate return to work. I pursued this point in discussions on the following day with representatives of the employees on strike, the unions concerned and the company. As a result of these discussions and in the light of the fact that a full and impartial investigation into the dispute is to be carried out by the Court of Inquiry and of the calling of a meeting of the Ford National Joint Negotiating Committee today to discuss the relativity between women's and men's rates it was agreed that an mmediate resumption of work should be recommended to a meeting of the employees concerned. This recommendation was unanimously accepted by the employees concerned yesterday and there has been a full return to work this morning.The Government fully support the principle of equal pay and welcome settlements which make progress towards equal pay within the framework of the prices and incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimate of the annual increase in salaries and wages in order to achieve her aim of equal pay for women within seven years.

Depending upon the definition used, broad estimates prepared by my Department indicate that equal pay might be expected to add directly between 3 and 5 per cent. to the national wage and salary bill. Spread over a period of seven years this would very roughly entail a cumulative addition of one half to one per cent. each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she has now made contact with the Confederation of British Industry and the trade unions for the purposes of implementing equal pay for equal work; and if she will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to similar Questions earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what is the average annual increase in wages in percentage terms required to make the earnings of female workers in the pottery industry equal to those of male workers doing the same work within the next seven years;(2) what is the average annual increase in wages, in percentage terms, required to make the earnings of female workers in the catering industry equal to those of male workers doing the same work within the next seven years.

Information is not at present available on the numbers of women doing the same work as men in these industries, nor on their respective earnings. Studies of the cost implications for particular sectors of applying equal pay are being carried out by a joint group of officials from the C.B.I., the T.U.C., and my own Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what plans her Department have to facilitate the obsorption of 2,000 men who will become redundant upon the closure of the Bradford Colliery, Manchester;(2) whether she will consult with the National Union of Mineworkers and the National Coal Board on the future of those currently employed at Bradford Colliery, Manchester.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what consultations took place between her Department and the National Coal Board prior to the Board's announcement of its intention to close Bradford Colliery, Manchester, in September 1968;(2) how many men and women will lose their employment on Bradford Colliery, Manchester, being closed in September 1968; and what action she is taking to provide alternative employment by that date.

The National Coal Board keep us informed of all proposals for colliery closures through my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power.There were 1,433 men and 11 women employed at the colliery on 1st June. It is understood that the N.C.B. will be able to offer about 200 jobs in other areas. My regional and local officers will consult closely with the Coal Board and the N.U.M. over arrangements for dealign with the redundancies and will take all possible steps to find alternative work for those affected, including setting up a special employment office at the colliery.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what opportunities will be available to miners made redundant by the proposed closure of Bradford Colliery, Manchester, for retraining in other occupations.

Most of the retraining required is likely to be at operator level, and can best be given by employers with the help of the Industrial Training Boards. Those miners who want and are suitable for the accelerated training for skill given by Government Training Centres can obtain it at the Manchester Centre, which is within daily travelling distance, or at any of the remaining 38 centres where the trade of their choice is taught.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many wholly unemployed were registered in the Northern Region in the years 1962, 1963, 1967 and 1968, giving the highest and lowest figures for each of those years.

Following is the information:

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED IN THE NORTHERN REGION
	Annual Average	Highest	Lowest
1962	45,955	60,535	38,955
1963	60,539	72,005	50,510
1967	51,711	57,597	46,801

	Average for first six months
1968 (January-June).	58,713 (provisional)	61,069	55,903 (provisional)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many men over 40 years of age are unemployed in the Northern Region and Hartlepool, respectively; how many have been out of work for more than six months and 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the future prospects of this age group.

Detailed age analyses of the unemployed register are made only in January and July each year. They relate to the wholly unemployed and exclude casual and temporarily stopped workers.At 8th January, 1968, there were 915 men over 40 years of age registered as wholly unemployed in the area covered by the Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland Employment Exchanges. Of these 427 had been registered for more than 26 weeks, and 277 for more than 52 weeks. Comparable figures for the Northern Region were 24,272, 11,006 and 6,912, respectively.Like my hon. Friend, I am very concerned about the difficulties which face older men in the present economic climate. My local officers are doing all they can to persuade employers to select staff on merits, rather than age.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is aware that recent figures show that the unemployment position in the Northern Region has considerably worsened over the past year; and what steps Her Majesty's Government are now taking to reverse this trend.

I am aware that the number of unemployed in the Northern Region is now some 15 per cent. higher than it was a year ago. The introduction last year of the Regional Employment Premium and additional incentives to industrial expansion in places where collieries, are closing are recent measures designed to reinforce existing policies for

NUMBERS OF STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES 1960–67
Country	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967
Australia	1,145	815	1,183	1,250	1,334	1,346	1,273	…
Belgium	61	38	40	48	41	43	74	…
Canada	274	287	311	332	343	501	617	…
Denmark	82	34	26	19	40	37	22	…
Finland	44	51	46	66	76	29	150	…
France	1,494	1,963	1,884	2,382	2,281	1,674	1,711	…
Federal Republic of Germany (inch West Berlin)	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…
India	1,583	1,357	1,491	1,471	2,151	1,910	2,210✶	…
Ireland	49	96	60	70	87	89	112	…
Italy	2,471	3,502	3,652	4,145	3,841	3,191	2,387	…
Japan	1,063	1,401	1,299	1,079	1,234	1,542	1,252	…
Netherlands	121	43	24	104	53	60	20	…
New Zealand	60	71	96	60	93	105	145	…
Norway	12	19	8	8	3	7	7	…
Sweden	31	12	10	24	14	8	19	…
Switzerland	8	—	2	4	1	2	2	…
United Kingdom	2,832	2,686	2,449	2,068	2,524	2,354	1,937	2,116
United States of America	3,333	3,367	3,614	3,362	3,655	3,963	4,405	…
Sources: United Kingdom: Department of Employment and Productivity.Other countries: I.L.O. Year Book of Labour Statistics 1967.
✶Provisional. … Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish tables showing the total labour forces for the years 1960 to 1967 of each of the countries listed on page 880 of the Ministry of Labour Gazette of November, 1967,

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish tables for the years 1960 to 1967 showing the total number of disputes in each year resulting in a stoppage of work in the countries listed on page 880 of the Ministry of Labour Gazette of November, 1967, from information available to her from international sources.

Owing to differences in concept, scope, methodology and presentation it cannot be assumed that figures for different countries are comparable.

Owing to differences in concept, scope, methodology and presentation it cannot be assumed that figures for different countries are comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will seek powers to inquire into the gainful employment of the members of the hereditary peerage aged between 21 and 65 years of age.

I do not see what benefits would be derived from such an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the percentage of registered disabled persons in England and Wales, respectively.

Registered disabled persons in England are 2·5 per cent. of the estimated total civilian labour force; in Wales the percentage is 3·8. Registration under the Disabled Persons Acts is, of course, voluntary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will list the privately owned firms which have to date been employed by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in a research, consultancy or advisory capacity.

I do not think it would assist the Board's enquiries to provide the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what information she has regarding the movement of salaries of directors of private companies during the past 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what information she has regarding the movement of salaries of directors of public companies during the past 12 months.

Comprehensive information about the remuneration of directors is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what increase in the level of the Retail Price Index has occurred since devaluation.

The Index of Retail Prices rose from 120·4 on 14th November, 1967, to 124·9 on 21st May, 1968, that is by 3·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what information she has regarding the movement of wages of workers not involved in collective bargaining agreements during the past 12 months.

Only a relatively small proportion of manual workers are not covered by collective agreements or statutory wages regulation orders—for example those employed in private domestic service and unlicensed residential establishments—and I regret that I have no comprehensive information about movements in their wages.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what information she has regarding the movement of salaries during the past 12 months.

The results of the annual inquiries carried out each October by my Department show that the average earnings of administrative technical and clerical employees rose by 4·6 per cent. between October, 1966, and October, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will take steps to ensure that the salaries of senior officials of nationalised industries are sufficient to prevent their being attracted away to private industry by the offer of higher salaries.

The remuneration of senior officials in nationalised industries is a matter for each Board to determine, but I would ask my hon. Friend to refer to the Answer which I gave at the end of Question Time to a Question about the treatment of the highest levels of remuneration under the policy for productivity, prices and incomes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will make a statement on the latest position of the wage claim in the engineering industry.

Further negotiations have taken place between the parties but no agreement has yet been reached. I am watching the situation closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will state the reasons why unemployment in the North East has worsened in comparison with Scotland and Wales over the past year.

The higher level of unemployment in the North East compared with Scotland and Wales reflects the impact of colliery closures in Northumberland and Durham earlier this year and a lower level of activity in the construction industry, reinforced by shipbuilding redundancies not yet absorbed by the new work now in prospect.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many increases in prices in the nationalised industries have been referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

Eight references to the Board have been made involving proposals for increases in prices by nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is aware that approximately 7·4 per cent. of the male and 2·3 per cent. of the female labour force is unemployed in south-east Northumberland; and whether she will make a statement on Government policy to deal with this problem.

I am aware that unemployment is above both the regional and national levels and that employment for men is a persistent problem in this part of Northumberland. Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth and Seaton Delaval are now in Special Development Areas, with additional incentives for industrial expansion. They should all benefit from the recent decision to build an aluminium smelter and coal-fired power station at Lynemouth in both of which my hon. Friend and other Members from the North-East have taken such a deep interest. Furthermore, Government regional policies will continue to give high priority to encourage economic growth in such places.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many sheltered workshops for epileptics exist in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively; and how many people are employed in these workshops.

There is only one sheltered workshop specifically for epileptic men and women; it is in Scotland, and employs 46 people. But many other people suffering from epilepsy are employed by Remploy Ltd. and other sheltered workshops.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has made of the cost to public funds of the investigation into the salary of Mr. Jocelyn Hambro.

The cost has been negligible. A letter has been sent to Mr. Hambro.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what percentage of the total yield of training levies, on average, is required for the administrative costs of training boards.

2·9 per cent. for the year ended 31st March, 1967, including the cost of training advisory services as well as purely administrative services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity in how many months since January 1967 the seasonally adjusted total of wholly unemployed has exceeded 500,000.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) in how many cases have the salary increases of directors and staffs of merchant bankers operating in the United Kingdom been referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes during the current financial year; what were the corresponding figures for 1966–67; if she will undertake to refer to the Board all such salary increases not yet so referred; and if she will make a statement;(2) in how many cases have salary increases of foreign exchange dealers and their staffs operating in the City of London been referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes during the current financial year; what were the corresponding figures for 1966–67; if she will undertake to refer all such increases not yet referred to the Board; and if she will make a statement.

No cases involving the salaries of any of the categories mention have been referred to the Board. So far as a future reference is concerned I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today on the general question of the relationship of the highest levels of remuneration to the Government's policy.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied that lighting standards in the Chamber of the House and its working precincts are adequate; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he is taking to bring about the urgently required improvement in lighting standards within the Palace of Westminster, recommended in the report of the Ministry of Public Building and Works dated 1st January, 1967.

I am aware that the Report of the Ministry of Public Building and Works dated 1st January, 1967 stated that the lighting standards within the Palace of Westminster do not reach the level usually provided in modern buildings. The Services Committee both last Session and this considered the implications of this Report but decided not to recommend any change.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what plans he has for increasing in the next Session the number of specialist Select Committees; and whether the recruitment of the necessary staff is now being undertaken.

A number of possible subjects for Select Committees have been put forward for consideration, but the Government have not yet decided on the proposals they will put before the House next Session. I am very conscious of the need to ensure that our Committees are adequately staffed, and every effort is being made to recruit four additional Clerks before the commencement of next Session.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations have been made by hon. Members to the House of Commons (Services) Committee on the question of opening to the public the dining facilities in the House during the Summer Recess.

I have been asked to reply. None, except from the hon. Member.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, what is the distribution of office accommodation or desk space between Mem- bers, secretaries and others within the Commons part of the precincts of the Palace of Westminster.

There are 363 desks allocated to Members in this part of the precincts, and 83 desks for their secretaries. Apart from that for Officers and other servants of the House, the only other accommodation provided in the precincts is that for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Messrs Thomas Cook.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will explore the possibilities through the United Nations of establishing an international treaty similar to the Nuclear Test Ban Agreement, to cover chemical and microbiological warfare.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what I said in the House on 19th June. We think that when the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee reconvenes, it should work for further measures in the nuclear field to follow up the Non-Proliferation Treaty, but that it should also give serious consideration to non-nuclear disarmament problems.A priority here will be for the Committee to consider what can be done in regard to chemical and biological weapons, with a view to strengthening and bringing up to date the existing agreement in this field, the 1925 Geneva Protocol.—[Vol. 766, c. 1108–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he will circulate to all members of the British diplomatic service, whether in the Foreign Office or in missions abroad, a copy of the Report on the Effects of Nuclear War prepared for U Thant by an international committee of experts, including Her Majesty's Government's representative and presented by him to the United Nations General Assembly in October, 1967.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Prime Minister on 20th June.— [Vol. 766, c. 170–171.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement as to the present position concerning negotiations for the payment of Roumania's, Bulgaria's and Hungary's bonded debts; what progress he has made in discussions and in drafting a Bill concerning the Baltic bonds and gold; and when he intends to reopen the question of the Tsarist debts to citizens of this country.

As regards the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the replies my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs gave to the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) on 15th March, and to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Sir. W. Teeling) on 24th July, 1967 and 29th April, 1968.A Bill concerning the distribution of the assets which were the subject of the recent Anglo-Soviet claims agreement is ready for introduction but I regret that time cannot be found for it in this Session.I cannot yet say when it may be possible to re-open discussions of pre-1939 Anglo-Soviet claims with the Soviet authorities, but my right hon. Friend is considering this matter now that we have reached an agreement with them on the post-1939 claims.—[Vol. 760, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether representations have been made to the Soviet authorities about the expulsion of Miss Hammond, Mr. Careswell and Mr. Broughton.

No representations have been made. Whatever the motives of these young people may have been they were engaging in activities which, as their own statements make clear, they knew were certain to get them into trouble with the Soviet authorities. They might, indeed, have found themselves in much more serious trouble.Much as we may regret the fact that the Soviet authorities do not permit the kind of peaceful activity in which these three people were trying to engage, it is most important that everyone should be aware of the Soviet attitude and of the possible consequences of infringing the Soviet regulations. This places a special responsibility on any persons or organisations who may be in a position to advise or influence people, especially young people, visiting the Soviet Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government will take to prevent the breach of the nuclear test ban agreement by a major leak from an underground test explosion.

The responsibility for underground test explosions belongs to the State which carries them out, and I am sure that these States take seriously the obligations that they have accepted under the Partial Test Ban Treaty. Her Majesty's Government would not regard lightly any breach of the Treaty.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the cost of bringing the fast reactor at Dounreay back into commission after its breakdown in July 1967; and at what date it began to operate following the leak in the coolant circuit.

The cost of bringing the Dounreay Fast Reactor back into commission was £105,000. This figure does not include the wages and salaries of the employees engaged on the remedial work, who were diverted from other duties.The reactor began operating again on 19th June, and was bought to full power on 22nd June.

asked the Minister of Technology what proportion of the computer industry is in England and in Wales, respectively.

There is no manufacture of computers in Wales. The industry is located mainly in England and Scotland, with one factory in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement regarding the use to which the Land Fund will be put in respect of historic buildings.

The Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act, 1953 enables my right hon. Friend (and in Scotland and Wales my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State) to acquire, repair, and dispose of buildings of outstanding architectural or historic interest. It also empowers them to pay grants to local authorities to aid them in acquiring other statutorily listed buildings. Expenditure under both these powers is reimbursable from the Land Fund.The Government intend to make greater use of these powers. Expenditure in the next few years is, of course, bound to be limited by the urgent need for economy in public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received against his Department's closing Mr. Neill's Summerhill School; and whether he will give an assurance that it will not be closed.

I have received one representation from a member of the public who was under the impression that the Department was considering the closure of Summerhill School. This is not the case. Like all independent schools it is, of course, subject to inspection and the possibility that action may be taken under the various provisions in Part III of the Education Act, 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what international collaboration he has arranged with research institutes in other countries, and particularly the Soviet Union, with a view to studying production of synthetic proteins and carbohydrates;(2) what research he has sponsored for the synthetic production of proteins and carbohydrates; and what has been the outcome of this research so far.

None on synthetic production of edible proteins or carbohydrates: but I am aware of a great deal of activity, in this country and in other, directed to extracting protein from unusual sources including some hitherto regarded as "waste" and evaluating its potential as feed.At Rothamsted work is proceeding on protein from plant material, and other A.R.C. institutes are studying other sources, the use of compounds such as Urea as replacements for protein, supplementation of vegetable protein by synthetic amino-acids.The National Agricultural Advisory Service collaborates in evaluation and trials work. A number of commercial firms are; also active in the same general field using other materials, including a limited amount of work on meat and fish analogues using protein derived from vegetable sources. Similar work is going on overseas, and the United Nations Economic and Social Council is seeking to bring together all available information on work in progress to increase the production of edible proteins.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Bootle pupils from both county and voluntary schools have passed the 11-plus examination this year; and if all have been allocated places in grammar or comprehensive schools.

All the 386 pupils in Bootle who passed the 11-plus examination this year have been offered places in grammar or comprehensive schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Bootle girls now attend Mater Mis-ericordiae High School, Maricourt Comprehensive; how many will be transferred to this school this year; and what provision is to be made for further Bootle girls to be admitted to Maricourt this year and next year.

Three hundred and seventy-six Bootle girls at present attend the Mater Misericordiae School. Final decisions have not yet been taken on the number of Bootle girls to be transferred this year to Maricourt Comprehensive, which will come into being in September by the amalgamation of Mater Misericordiae and St. Paul's schools. Subsequent admissions of Bootle girls will be arranged by the Governors and the Lancashire and Bootle Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if all girls from Bootle and Lancashire Local Education Authorities to be transferred to Maricourt comprehensive school this year have had to pass selection examinations.

Lancashire pupils have been allocated to this school without selection, in accordance with that authority's approved scheme for the reorganisation of Roman Catholic schools in Division II. The allocation of pupils from Bootle is on the basis of that authority's current selection procedure. I understand that the school governors are reviewing the applications of some selected pupils who were not offered places in the original allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how many international swimming contests involving national teams took place in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively, in 1967 and in each of the previous four years.

This information is not available in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what grants and other assistance was provided by his Department towards the promotion of swimming in 1967; and what was the comparable figure in 1966 and 1965, respectively.

Grants are made by my Department towards (a) the recurrent costs of administration and national coaching schemes of the governing bodies of swimming in England and Wales, (b) the capital costs of swimming pools provided by local voluntary organisations, and (c) the costs of participation in international events overseas.The figures for the last three years are:

		1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
		£	£	£
(a)	…	5,700	8,850	10,883
(b)	…	14,971	21,542	25,829
(c)	…	—	300	290

Provision of facilities for swimming is made predominantly by local authorities whose expediture in this respect is relevant expenditure for the purposes of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what were the reasons for the advice which his Department gave last week that Scottish students studying at local colleges in England should be treated, for the purpose of hostel and accommodation charges, on the same basis as colonial or foreign students; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd) on 27th June.—[Vol. 767, c. 108.]

asked the Attorney-General how many prosecutions since 1945 have been conducted for infringements of the Official Secrets Act against those who, by virtue of their office or duties under the Crown, fell within its scope.

There have been 30 such prosecutions since 1945. Of these, 12 were for offences under Section 1, and 17 for offences under Section 2, of the Official Secrets Act, 1911; and one was for an offence under Section 7 of the Official Secrets Act, 1920.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions the door-to-door selling activities of United Clearing Limited, the papers of which have already been sent to him.

I have already referred these papers to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he is yet in a position to announce the terms of reference, composition, venue and exact date and estimated duration of the July Gibraltar Constitutional Conference.

We are planning for constitutional discussions to open in Gibraltar on 16th July under the Chairmanship of my noble Friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs. The composition and procedure of these talks will be settled with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Gibraltar later this week. The discussions will probably last several days but it is impossible to be definite in such matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT all the remaining overseas dependent territories of the United Kingdom, showing the size, population, per capita income and juridical status, of each.

Details of the size, population, and juridical status of each of the dependent territories are to be found in the Commonwealth Office Year Book 1968, a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has studied the report at a recent conference of the Institute of Weights and Measures, details of which have been sent to him, that certain biscuit manufacturers were decreasing the size of their products and raising their prices; if he will investigate this matter; and whether he will make a statement.

We are looking into this report and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he is taking to increase the number of pure Charolais cattle in the country, in view of the potential contribution of this breed, both to meat production and to the export trade.

The British Charolais Cattle Society have asked for further imports of Charolais cattle to be authorised and we are considering their representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish figures showing the number of qualified doctors who have joined the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, respectively, by direct entry, in each of the last five years.

Following is the information:

	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967
Royal Navy	22	9	16	8	7
Army	84	31	29	8	9
R.A.F.	57	22	29	13	4
Total	63	62	74	29	20

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many candidates were rejected by the Regular Commissions Board in each of the last five years.

The numbers are as follows:

Year	Attended RCB	Passed	Failed
1963	1,806	886	920
1964	1,925	875	1,050
1965	2,167	896	1,271
1966	2,043	814	1,229
1967	1,965	647	1,318

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many cadets entered Sandhurst without two passes at A Level, G.C.E., in each of the last five years.

The numbers are as follows:

	UK entry to RMAS	No. 2 pass at A level GCE
1963	402	208
1964	448	211
1965	454	204
1966	438	206
1967	366	131

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many local authorities have reported that they have taken on additional commitments in relation to the National Health Service (Family Planning) Act 1967;(2) how many local authorities have now reported on action taken or proposed as a result of the National Health Service (Family Planning) Act 1967; and how many local authorities have not replied.

125 out of 160 local authorities who have so far replied report increased activity as a result of the 1967 Act; 44 have still to reply.