asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he intends to introduce a Weights and Measures Bill, following the Report of the Committee on Consumer Protection.

We intend to introduce weights and measures legislation as soon as the Parliamentary timetable permits.

This means that we have to go on waiting, does it? Surely the Parliamentary Secretary realises that we cannot run a modern trading system on rules and regulations which are fifty years out of date? Has the Molony Committee made suggestions for improving the Bill which is standing on the stocks and which looks like standing on the stocks for some considerable time?

The fist part of the hon. Gentlemen's supplementary question gives the reason why we intend to introduce legislation as soon as the Parliamentary timetable permits. With regard to the second part, as I indicated some time ago, the Committee on Consumer Protection has not investigated weights and measures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he does not intend to publish the report of his inquiry into resale price maintenance.

The inquiry into resale price maintenance was carried out by officials of the Board of Trade. In accordance with long-established practice, reports by officials to Ministers are not published.

Will the hon. Gentleman agree that this is a very important matter in our trading system which the House will have to consider and come to a decision about? Will he also agree that before we can do that we must have the fullest possible information? If this information is valuable, is there any way in which it can be made known to the House? Or was this inquiry as futile and useless as the previous inquiry into shopping habits?

To deal with the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, I take note of what he says. In fact, we are considering that.

Would my hon. Friend agree that, since there have been three public inquiries into resale price maintenance in the last few years, it is unnecessary to have a Departmental one?

Of course, the situation changes both here and abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a full statement on his recent negotiations with Japan; what steps he took to safeguard United Kingdom world trade, standards of living and industrial conditions; and what action he will take to meet the growing competition from Japan.

My right hon. Friend visited Japan to study prospects for increased trade. The Commercial Treaty now under negotiation will provide safeguards against disruptive competition in the domestic market, while ensuring fair opportunities for our exporters in the expanding Japanese market and will thus help to improve our economy.

Is it intended that the conclusions of the negotiations should form the basis of a new trade agreement? If so, will that be submitted to the House?

It is our hope that these negotiations will lead to a new commercial treaty, but I cannot give an accurate picture of the timing yet.

While I have every sympathy with the motives behind my hon. Friend's Question, may I ask whether the Minister of State understands that British industry would be misled if it assumed that Japanese wages were of such a low character as to be comparable with the practice in Japan before the war and that false conclusions may easily be reached unless that is borne in mind?

Will the Minister of State inform his right hon. Friend that there is great uneasiness among those who are well informed on industrial affairs, because their sources of information are such that they know that great concern is being created in this country? Will he consult his right hon. Friend to ensure that any agreement that is arrived at will be submitted to the House for confirmation?

My right hon. Friend has made it plain that some safeguards will be needed and he has kept in close touch with the industries which will be affected. But we must recognise that this is an increasing market for our goods, and if we are to enjoy the benefit of their liberalisation we must consider liberalising to some extent here.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further measures and policies he has in mind, other than those contained in the Local Employment Act, to ensure a flow into Scotland of sufficient industry and new jobs to materially reduce the amount of unemployment and to counteract the accelerated loss of jobs which is likely within the next few years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further measures he has in mind, other than those contained in the Local Employment Act, to ensure a flow into Lanarkshire of sufficient new industry to reduce substantially the amount of unemployment and to counteract the accelerated loss of jobs threatened over the next few years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further measures he has in mind, other than those contained in the Local Employment Act, to ensure the flow into Glasgow of sufficient new industry to reduce substantially the amount of unemployment and to counteract the accelerated loss of jobs threatened over the next few years.

The measures most likely in the long run to bring about a high and stable level of employment in Scotland are those which the Government are taking to strengthen the economy generally. These measures are reinforced by the assistance which we have already provided and shall continue to provide under the Local Employment Act for development districts in Scotland, including those in Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that he and his colleagues have been saying that for the last ten years and that the position in Scotland has got steadily worse relative to the position south of the Border? Will he speed up the implementation of at any rate, the recommendations of the Toothill Committee with reference to the Local Employment Act? Whatever the hon. Gentleman may claim that the Local Employment Act has done, is it not the case that in Scotland we have lost almost as many jobs as that Act has created?

The Local Employment Act is designed to attempt to provide new jobs in areas of high unemployment. It cannot stop factories closing down for any reason. I simply do not accept for a moment that the situation in Scotland has got worse in relation to the country as a whole.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in Scotland we have 52,000 fewer men in employment than six years ago? Does that not show that the position has got worse? While we welcome everything that the hon. Gentleman can do, is he aware that we hope for very much more to be done under the Local Employment Act than has so far been done? Will not the Government themselves establish industry in areas of high unemployment? Will not the Government themselves set up factories there? [Interruption.] I wish the noble Lord the Member for Dorset, South (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) would keep his tongue still. Will the hon. Gentleman ensure that something is done to establish factories in areas where there is very high unemployment?

It is not part of the Government's policy to go into business in competition with private enterprise. With regard to the general and wider question, we are considering the recommendations of the Toothill Report and shall come to a conclusion as soon as possible.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that we regard his reply as most unsatisfactory? He indicated a moment ago—

Ask a question.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Can you not restrain the noble Lord the Member for Dorset, South (Viscount Hinchingbrooke), who sits there muttering like a half-wit?

I am not sure that mutual discourtesies will assist anyhow, or that the noble Lord the Member for Dorset, South (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) is the only hon. Member who occasionally mutters during Questions. I would ask hon. Gentlemen not to make speeches of supplementary questions. It is really a very anti-social practice because we cannot get on with other people's Questions.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is more unemployment in Glasgow than in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Swansea and two other English towns? Will he indicate the more definite action that the Board of Trade is prepared to take to relieve the very serious problem in and around Glasgow?

I did not intend to make the slightest suggestion that we were anything like satisfied with the position, but it is reasonable to point out that the additional new jobs arising from the grant of industrial development certificates last year in proportion to the total insured population were three times as great in Scotland as in London and southern and south-eastern England.

Will my hon. Friend confirm that as a result of the Local Employment Act a number of English manufacturing companies are now starting branches or setting up works in Scotland which will bring a great deal of employment to those areas, and is it not about time that some of our Scottish friends showed a little more enterprise?

I am certainly all in favour of the Scots taking a greater part in creating new industry, but the fact is that we can still do with a good deal more English industries going to Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new industries are planned for Scotland; what employment they are estimated to produce; and when they are likely to be in operation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new industries are planned for Renfrewshire; what employment they are estimated to produce; and when they are likely to be in operation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new industries are planned for Glasgow; what employment they are estimated to produce; and when they are likely to be in operation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new industries are planned for Lanarkshire; what employment they are estimated to produce; and when they are likely to be in operation.

There are now over 37,000 jobs in prospect from over 200 projects in Scotland covering a wide range of industries. Of these nearly 9,000 will arise in Renfrewshire, 4,000 in Glasgow and 7,700 in Lanarkshire. Some of these projects have already begun to recruit workers, some are under construction, some have received industrial development certificates but work on them has not yet started. All these jobs are expected to arise within the next four to five years, and about 30,000 within the next three.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that even Toothill estimates that during the next four to five years 62,500 new jobs will be required to meet the needs of Scotland? A considerable number of jobs, amounting to many thousands, have been lost in the last few weeks? Does not he appreciate that more drive is needed to bring to Scotland jobs even to replace those which are being lost at present?

The question is what industries are on the move and what industries want to find locations. We see to it that all those industries which are on the move are encouraged to come to the development districts, particularly those in Scotland.

The Minister has said that about 7,000 of the jobs he has mentioned will come to Lanarkshire. Does not he know that at this moment in Lanarkshire alone we have over 10,000 unemployed and that, if we have to wait for four or five years for those 7,000 jobs, many other thousands will be unemployed? Is he aware that the coal mining industry has almost come to a standstill in many areas of Lanarkshire, and now, week after week, fewer and fewer jobs are to be found in that industry? Does he realise that the people of Scotland and of Lanarkshire in particular are very bitter at the incompetence of the Government?

What the hon. Lady fails to give due weight to is the fact that one often hears in advance about jobs which are going to decline, but in the intervening period, of course, we are hopeful of getting further industries established at roughly the same rate as they have been coming during the past year. We are doing our best to secure that so that we shall be meeting the needs of those who will be made redundant.

Does not the hon. Gentleman realise that it is precisely because the Government have not done what he suggests they are doing that, when colliery after colliery closes in Lanarkshire, they are just hopeless at doing anything about it? If the Government are not willing to take much more active and decisive measures, Lanarkshire will remain a place with very heavy unemployment.

I do not at all accept what the hon. Lady says. The number of wholly unemployed in Lanarkshire at the last count was 8,794. There are 7,700 jobs in prospect, and of those 5,000 arise from industries to which assistance has been offered under the Local Employment Act at a cost of over £2½ million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the need to introduce a greater sense of urgency in industry to meet the growing menace to United Kingdom trade from countries with far lower standards than Great Britain; and what plans have been made by Her Majesty's Government in respect of this aspect of the export problem in order to bring about an increase in British export trade.

British industry is well aware of competition from many sources in its overseas markets. The Government, through their policies and the services they provide, do all they can to help exporters.

In regard to the special problems raised in the Question, will the hon. Gentleman undertake to ask the Minister of Labour to provide the Board of Trade with a number of international trade union reports in which these problems have been raised so that the Board of Trade can consider the matter in the correct perspective?

Yes, but the hon. Gentleman must face it that our biggest competition in world markets today comes from the United States and Germany, which have standards equal to our own. We must all want the poorer countries to get richer, and as they industralise themselves they will offer good opportunities to some of our industries while competing with others.

Might I point out to the hon. Gentleman that no one agrees with fair competition more than I do, but after we have built up our standards as a result of centuries of great struggle, many of us are concerned about this menace to them?

But by that argument the Americans would have to forbid all exports from us because their standards are higher than ours.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that on the basis of his argument there would be no future at all for the cotton industry of, for instance, Lancashire, and that in many parts of Lancashire, including my constituency, unemployment is now as high as 6–7 per cent., and that the Local Unemployment Act does not apply in that case? Are the Government doing nothing about it? Do they prefer to help the Americans and the Chinese in Hong Kong?

That is another question. We must bear in mind that a lot of the competition being met by our cotton industry is coming from countries in Western Europe which have standards equal to our own.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take additional steps to publicise, at home and abroad, the availability of the industrial site at Donibristle, Fife, and the advantages it offers to prospective users.

We shall continue to bring the advantages of Donibristle and other sites in Scotland to the attention of firms wishing to start production.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that everything possible is being done by his Department not only in this country but abroad? Can he say whether in the last few years the publicity issued by his Department in this connection has improved? Does he not know that it left a good deal of room for improvement a few years ago? Can he assure us that everything possible is being done in conjunction with the local authorities concerned?

I am satisfied that a very great deal is being done. I will certainly ascertain whether any more can be done. This is, of course, in itself an extremely attractive site, and will be more so after the new Forth Bridge is completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what measures he intends to take to bring new industries into Wingate, County Durham, in view of his decision to include this place among the development districts.

The facilities offered by the Local Employment Act will be available to industrialists moving to or expanding in the Wingate development district, as in other such districts listed under the Act. We shall do our best to bring these facilities and the advantages of the area to the attention of industrialists.

Can the hon. Gentleman say what is being done following the decision to make this part of my constituency a development district? Has the Board of Trade no idea of any industry being injected into the area? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is not medals but industry that we want?

We consider which places should be included in the development district list in relation to the amount of employment existing or expecting to exist in those areas. If they qualify from that point of view we put the places on the list, and then we do our best to bring industry into them.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in this small township the only remaining place of employment is likely to be closed? Is he aware that there is no other industry in the area at all?

That is precisely why we have put it on the development district list.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new industries have been brought into those parts of the County of Durham which are described as development districts since the Act setting up those areas was passed.

From 1st April, 1960, to 30th April, 1962, industrial development certificates issued for development districts in the County of Durham totalled sixty-nine, including six for firms new to these areas. In addition, three new firms were allocated Board of Trade factories.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that none of the sixty-nine has come to my area, which is included among the development districts? Why could we not have some of the sixty-nine?

I am afraid that I cannot tell the right hon. Gentleman without notice.

Then, will the hon. Gentleman look into the matter and on some future occasion advise me why we have been completely neglected?

The right hon. Gentleman must be aware that his area benefits, and is bound to do so, from developments in the area round about.

Is my hon. Friend aware that some of us in the North-East are not very enamoured of the results of the Local Employment Act and that I wish to emphasise again the vital necessity of getting new industries into the area of south-east Durham, especially my constituency, which has an unemployment rate of 6·4 per cent.?

I think that my hon. and gallant Friend's constituency has been a little more successful than that of the right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell). All the same, we are continuing to do our best for both.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet decided to grant Commonwealth preference for a further period from September, 1962, to products from the western part of the Cameroon Republic.

I cannot yet add to my reply to a similar Question by my hon. Friend on 10th April.

Since the problems have been known for many months, is it not time Her Majesty's Government made up their mind about this, especially when substantial British trade interests are involved in West Cameroon? Does not my hon. Friend realise that it is almost impossible to plan ahead if it is not known what preference is to be given?

My hon. Friend can count on most sympathetic consideration of the problem.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for encouraging the commercial exploitation in Scotland of the results of government-sponsored research through the agency of the National Research Development Corporation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what co-operation there is between his department in Scotland and the National Research Development Corporation in the sponsoring of science-based industries in Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increase it is proposed to make in the staff in Scotland of the National Research Development Corporation during the coming year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many projects have been developed commercially in Scotland through the agency of the National Research Development Corporation.

In discharging its duties to develop inventions the National Research Development Corporation has the responsibility for managing its own affairs, including the disposition of its staff and the placing of contracts. The Corporation places development contracts with those firms which it considers best suited for the work, but it does bear in mind the needs of Scotland. I understand that the Corporation informs the Scottish Council of inventions which are available for commercial exploitation, and is ready to negotiate licensing arrangements for their use by Scottish firms.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that this organisation could be developed much more substantially in a manner which would enable it to benefit areas such as those in Scotland which are in very urgent need of science-based industries?

It is entirely within the competence of the Corporation itself to decide which sort of firm is best capable of handling the products of research which have reached a certain degree of development.

Could not much more be done than this? Surely the Corporation could use its influence to ensure that firms should go to certain areas and enable them to do a double job—develop the industry and develop the area? Why should not the Government sponsor and finance industrial help to carry out their policy?

I am certain that the Corporation has this in mind. No doubt it will also take note of what the hon. Gentleman has said. At present the Corporation is collaborating in the development of hovercraft in Dumbarton and in the processing of hides.

Is there any possibility of enlarging the functions and the finances of the Corporation in order that it may do rather more and play a larger part?

It is essentially a research development corporation. It has adequate funds just now. So far, it has drawn about half of the total of £10 million available for it to draw by way of loan

asked the President of the Board of Trade what tariffs are levied against British-made small electric motors by Australia, Canada and the European Economic Community.

The Australian tariff on imports of British-made electric motors with a power of under 1 h.p. is 22½ per cent.; the Canadian is 15 per cent. The common external tariff of the E.E.C. on imports of British-made electric motors weighing 10 k.g. or less is at present 14 per cent., while the tariffs currently in force in the member countries of the E.E.C. are: France—15 per cent.; Germany—9 per cent.; Italy—14 per cent.; and Benelux—12 per cent.

I am obliged to my hon. Friend for that Answer. Accepting that the volume of our exports of products varies from country to country almost every year, may I ask whether he will agree that this pattern of figures is standard over a very wide range of products and shows that the Common Market tariff is already lower on many of these things than that of most Commonwealth countries? Can my hon. Friend hold out any hope that in all the negotiations which are going on at present any of the Commonwealth countries are prepared to consider lowering their tariffs against British exports?

That is a different question. I must in fairness say that we do have some preferences in some of these Commonwealth markets, and I am glad to say that our export trade is expanding healthily to all these countries, though unevenly in some. But I confirm that the common external tariff and the tariffs of Western Europe are barriers which we are surmounting in many fields.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the section of the Trade and Navigation Accounts dealing with electric motors shows that last year our exports to Canada were 15 per cent. greater than all our exports to the Common Market, that our exports to Australia were 75 per cent. greater, and that our exports to the Commonwealth were ten times as great as our exports to the Common Market? Does not my hon. Friend think that, when sniping questions are asked about Commonwealth trade, he should answer accordingly?

There is no question of sniping answers or questions. In the specific sector to which my hon. Friend the Member for Somerset, North (Mr. Leather) referred in his Question, our trade with the E.E.C. is four and a half times our trade to Canada—as would be expected because of the population—and two and a half times that to Australia.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why there will be no official British pavilion at the 1964 World Fair in New York.

This is an exhibition designed to interest the general public, and not a trade fair. Responsibility for any official representation, therefore, rests with the Foreign Office. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Lord Privy Seal to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Scotstoun (Mr. Small) on 20th March, 1961, in which he explained that, as a signatory to the 1928 International Exhibitions Convention, Her Majesty's Government must refrain from participating in this fair, which fails to comply with the terms of the Convention.

Is not this a wonderful example of passing the buck? Is it not the height of folly to miss a golden opportunity like this at a time when it is vitally urgent to boost British exports to the United States of America? Is it not obvious that the weary Willies and dreary dodderers in charge of our affairs have lost all sense of drive and initiative?

There are querulous questioners who fail to understand the drive behind British industry at present. There are plenty of fairs which receive the official support of Her Majesty's Government. What we are discussing is official support. There is nothing to stop any firm exhibiting at this fair if it decides to do so. We are bound by our signature to the Convention not to appear officially where the Convention is not being followed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take to help carpet manufacturers in Great Britain, many of whom have erected special machinery at heavy cost, to maintain and expand their exports to the United States of America, in view of the proposed import tax by the United States Government of up to 40 per cent. on carpets imported from the United Kingdom.

We have made strong representations to the United States Government, both before and after President Kennedy's decision to increase this duty, and consultations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade are now taking place in Geneva.

I welcome the assurance that further negotiations are taking place. Can my hon. Friend explain why the President gives so much lip-service to the need for lowering tariffs yet practises the very opposite?

We have made no secret of the fact that we deplore this decision. We think that it was taken on wrong grounds and was a wrong decision. We are, therefore, negotiating in the G.A.T.T. about the consequences.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what compensating advantages the United Kingdom has offered to Canada, Australia and New Zealand to offset the reduction of preferences on exports of manufacturing goods by these countries to the United Kingdom, as proposed by the Government to the European Economic Community in the negotiations in Brussels.

Particular aspects of the Brussels negotiations cannot be considered in isolation. It will be for the meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers in September to make their assessment of the general balance.

Is not this a rather extraordinary method of negotiation, by which the United Kingdom offers to the Six to give away or abandon arrangements which are advantageous not so much to us as to other Commonwealth countries? Were these other Commonwealth countries consulted, and are the Government offering them no countervailing concrete advantage in return?

I must repeat that the Commonwealth countries will, no doubt, judge the outcome as a whole. As my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal said yesterday,

"… full consultation was carried out …"—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th May, 1962; Vol. 659, c. 1343.]

What mandate have the Government to alter these preference arrangements? We heard nothing about it in our election manifesto.

In the case of Australia and New Zealand, our preference arrangements are part of agreements which are at six months' notice. Our preference arrangements with Canada also are at six months' notice under an exchange of letters. At this stage, in the middle of negotiations, when proposals have only just been put forward and have not even been fully considered, I repeat that the outcome as a whole must be judged, not individual strands of it.

Does this mean that the Government can abandon one after another these arrangements, which are valuable to other Commonwealth countries, without their approval, and just go on saying that the Commonwealth countries concerned must judge the thing as a whole at a later date? Is that really what the Government are doing?

The Government have made plain all the time that the whole outcome of the negotiations will fall to be considered by the Government and at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference. This is only one strand of it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates were issued for developments in Scotland during the first four months of 1962; and how much additional employment will be provided.

In the first four months of 1962, twenty-nine industrial development certificates were issued for developments in Scotland, which are expected to provide around 3,000 additional jobs.

That works out at an equal number of jobs below the estimated requirements of Scotland. Does not the hon. Gentleman think that, if we are to catch up with our heavy unemployment and stop migration, the number must be substantially increased?

I quite agree that we should like to see it increased.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the impending redundancy at Dundee gasworks, he will investigate the possibility of adapting the site to provide facilities for new industrial development.

No, Sir. We already have land and one empty factory in Dundee available for new industrial development.

Does the Minister realise that this is a case of a Government Board reducing employment and of his own Department failing, despite a great deal of notice, to provide alternative employment? Will he look into the matter again? Does he know that the site itself is very near to good road, rail and sea communications? If it is to remain derelict as a result of redundancy, will the Government take some action about it?

I do not think that the Government could undertake, wherever a nationalised industry declares a redundancy, themselves to offer alternative employment.

Is my hon. Friend aware that this site has very good road communications and has a railway siding already into it? It is, therefore, most suitable for any new industry which might be induced to come. If industries are making inquiries about where to go, will my hon. Friend offer this site in Dundee?

There is nothing to prevent the site being used or adapted. I understood that the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson) was asking that we should adapt a site in advance of demand.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to increase the number of new jobs being provided in Dundee under the Local Employment Act.

My right hon. Friend is well aware of the need for more employment in Dundee and will continue his efforts to steer new projects there. The facilities of the Local Employment Act are available for any firms prepared to go to Dundee or expand there.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the redundancy referred to in my Question No. 16, which is not a big redundancy, entails forty-seven people losing their jobs but that this number is substantially in excess of the number of jobs which the Government have so far been able to bring in during two years under the Local Employment Act? Is not this an abject failure, and will he do something more about it?

There are about 900 jobs at present in prospect from new building and other developments in the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects his Department to conclude its review of monopolies and restrictive practices policy.

As my right hon. Friend told the House on 14th February, he doubts whether the review of this complex subject will be completed before the end of the year.

Has not our recent experience of mergers and proposed mergers shown the complete weakness of the existing machinery as well as a lack of resolution on the part of the Government in dealing with these matters? Is it not important that there should be legislation introduced during the next Session? Will the report be speeded up with a view to preparing that legislation?

Work on the review is being speeded up, but I cannot hold out any hope, in view of the complex nature of the subject, that it will be completed before the end of the year.

Can the hon. Gentleman at least assure the House that the Board of Trade's review of this matter will take a shorter time than its review of weights and measures?

The review of weights and measures was completed some time ago. We hope that this matter will be completed in the course of this year.

Will the Board of Trade review the difference between legislation here in regard to monopolies and restrictive practices and such legislation in the Common Market, and publish the result of its review?

We shall certainly take account of circumstances in the Common Market and the regulations already made there.

Does the Minister's answer to me mean that, even when the review is completed, no action will follow?

Certainly not.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the number of new jobs created, over the past two years, in the Dearne Valley constituency area, excluding those in the coal mining industry.

Industrial development certificates have been issued in the last two years for projects in the two employment exchange areas covering the hon. Member's constituency which, according to the estimates of the firms concerned, should provide about 750 new jobs.

Does the Minister realise that the number he mentioned refers to the future and not to jobs created in the past two years? Is he also aware that employment in this constituency is in the coal mines and heavy industry? What is his Department doing for female labour and for men who have suffered sickness or accidents in the mines? Can he do something to attract light industry there?

Nearly all the 750 jobs I mentioned are for females and industrial development certificates for female-employing projects are, as I recently told the hon. Gentleman in reply to a Question, readily granted for his area. In fact I understand that the National Coal Board is anxious to recruit more workers and there is no threat of redundancy.

The hon. Gentleman does not seem to realise that the men I spoke about have worked in the mines and are now incapable of doing mining work. Cannot he do something for those men who are at present unemployed and do not seem to have any chance whatever of getting a job?

We realise that very fully. It is a problem we meet in many parts of the coal mining areas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will draw the attention of the heads of Government Departments to the advisability of obtaining independent outside advice from the management consultant profession on some of their problems of organisation and structure, with a view to improving operating conditions and facilitating economies.

I am satisfied that heads of Departments are fully aware that, in discharging their responsibilities for efficient management, they can have recourse to independent outside advice, if they wish to supplement the advice of their own specially trained organisation and methods officers.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that we have some first-rate management consultants in this country who advise not only British but American firms on organisational problems? Would he not go rather further and advise heads of Departments now to bring those people in from time to time to improve the efficiency and economy of our Government Departments?

I have the highest regard for the work of management consultants in this country. They are being used by more than one Government Department at present but most of the work in Government offices is more of the kind that can best be advised on by specially trained organisation and methods experts, whereas the management consultants are more likely to be of value on the industrial side.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review at the beginning of 1963 the quinquennial grant made to universities.

Academic salaries are to be reviewed in 1963, and if any improvements are then made, they will be reflected in appropriate increases in the recurrent grants.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that his reply is only partially satisfactory, that since his speech in the last debate certain universities have announced their inability to increase their number of students in the next academic year, or indeed to continue properly with their present expansion plans, and that it would be considered barbarically reactionary if the economic situation next year improves not to reconsider the quinquennial grant next year?

In fact the quinquennial grant for the next academic year will be 14 per cent. higher than the grant for the present year, so I do not see why it should cause difficulties. I have noted what has been said by many people on behalf of the universities. I hope that the last sentence of my reply will still some of their apprehensions.

Will the right hon. Gentleman help us to form an opinion on this matter by laying a White Paper showing item by item what the University Grants Committee asked for and what it got?

No. The hon. and learned Member is well aware that the practice of Governments has been not to disclose the confidential advice of the U.G.C.

Has it not been the practice of all previous Governments to give the University Grants Committee what it asked for?

No, Sir. It has never been understood that whatever the University Grants Committee asked for should be made available automatically by the Government.

Was not the Government concerned to ask the University Grants Committee to say how much would be involved by a certain expansion in the number of university students? Was not this answer of the Committee, showing what was necessary to achieve the Government's target, rejected by the Government?

The Government must preserve the right to determine the total amount of money made available to the universities. The Government are making available grants rising by 55 per cent. in order to cover a 35 per cent,. increase in students.

Is my right hon. Friend aware how pleased we are in Essex with the money the Government have given towards universities?

I am very glad to have one friend.

Does my right hon. Friend realise how responsible teaching staffs have been in that most of the pressure they are putting on is not for an increase in their own salary but to ensure that there are the capital sums to deal with the expansion of the universities and to deal with the necessary increase in places for students?

I appreciate that, because I think the attitude on the question of academic salaries has been a stern one, but this Question deals with recurrent grants, not capital grants.