asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the percentages by which the original values of Civil Service pensions of £100, £300, £400, £600 and £800 commencing in October, 1940, had fallen by October, 1962, despite the increases granted by the Pensions (Increase) Acts; and what are the corresponding percentages for pensions of the same amounts com-

Pensions of

Year of Retirement

£100

£300

£400

£600

£800

Per cent.

Per cent.

Per cent.

Per cent.

Per cent.

October:

1940

…

…

…

…

(a)

24·5

24·8

28·9

29·5

1945

…

…

…

…

4·4

(b)

19·5

(b)

22·7

(b)

25·1

(b)

25·4

(b)

1950

…

…

…

…

14·7

19·3

20·4

21·1

21·4

1955

…

…

…

…

13·7

13·7

13·7

13·7

13·7

Notes

(a) This pension had increased in purchasing power by 0·7 per cent.

(b) Since these are hypothetical pensions, arbitrary assumptions have been made about war bonus for the purpose of Section 3 (2) of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1944.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what principles the Valuation Officer, Portsmouth, employed in determining the rate demand issued on 29th March, 1962, affecting a broiler house at Stoner Hill Farm, Froxfield, while omitting to rate other broiler houses in the same area.

The valuation officer has made proposals for the rating of all broiler houses which have been notified to him by the rating authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will secure from the University Grants Committee and publish in HANSARD the latest figures for the number of overseas students holding places in British universities and the proportion of places they hold; and how many of them come from the Commonwealth.

On the basis of the Ministry of Labour Cost of Living Index, Interim Index of Retail Prices and Index of Retail Prices, the percentages by which the original value of these Civil Service pensions had fallen by October, 1962, after taking into account previous Pensions (Increase) Acts, are shown in the following Table: it does not take into account the effect of the Pensions (Increase) Bill now before Parliament.

I would refer the hon. Member to page 2 of Cmnd. 1855 (Return from Universities and University Colleges) which was placed before the House this month by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. This shows that the number of full-time overseas students holding places in British universties in the academic year 1960–61 was 11,608, representing 10·7 per cent. of the total full-time students. 6,932 of these were from the Commonwealth.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend the Purchase Tax reduction applicable to motor cars to radio and television sets with a view to creating more opportunities for employment, especially in the development areas.

No. I gave the House on 5th November my reasons for the singling out of the motor car industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of exempting building societies from Profits Tax.

About £4 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between the British and the Japanese Governments, under which woollen garments imported from Japan would be free of quota and duty, is under discussion, if he is aware of the disquiet felt by employers of labour in the British woollen industry; and if he will give an assurance that the interests of British manufacturers will be safeguarded.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer my right hon. Friend gave to the Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Hirst) on 14th November. It is, however, not correct that the Treaty will result in woollen garments from Japan entering the United Kingdom free of duty; they will in fact continue to be liable to the appropriate m.f.n. rate.

asked he President of the Board of Trade why wool or woollen garments are not included in the list of sensitive items covered by the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation with Japan.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, under the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, wool garments are not included among the items for which quotas will remain, whereas woollen piece goods are.

Because there is no strong presumption that when restrictions are removed, there will be an immediate increase in imports of these products that will cause serious injury.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the provision of further advance factories in Wales.

None at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what measures he contemplates to arrest the growing unemployment in the Merseyside area;(2) whether, in view of the increasing unemployment on Merseyside, he will now resume measures to promote the bringing of fresh industry to the area under the provisions of the Local Employment Act.

As I told my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Bingham) last Tuesday, my right hon. Friend is considering whether, notwithstanding the additional employment which the developments being undertaken in Merseyside, particularly by the motor industry, may be expected to provide, he would be justified in making the facilities of the Local Employment Act again available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has issued a licence to the Blackburn Aircraft Corporation for the sale of a quantity of Buccaneer Mark 2 aircraft to the South African Government.

It is not the practice to disclose details of export licences for the supply of defence equipment to other Governments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what support he is giving to the proposal by the Federation of British Industries for the building of a national exhibition centre on the Crystal Palace site.

The Department and the Federation of British Industries are in close consultation on this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will invoke the anti-dumping regulations against the import of cut-price South African steel.

Imports from South Africa this year have represented only about 1 per cent. of British production of bars and rods and 0·8 per cent. of production of plates and sheet, and 0·35 per cent. of production of billets, the categories mainly involved. Last year there were virtually no imports. It would be open to the British industry to apply for antidumping action against imports if it could show that these were being dumped and caused or threatened material injury to the industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure adequate employment of school leavers and women in the Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg area over the next five years.

There are at present estimated to be some 1,100 additional industrial jobs in prospect in the Port Talbot and Maesteg districts, of which some 450 would be for females. If my right hon. Friend considers that further employment opportunities are needed in the area, he will be prepared to grant industrial development certificates for suitable projects.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure that British manufacturers of engineering and other products have opportunities equal to those of their West European competitors to develop their sales to Rumania.

In the current trade negotiations with Rumania it is my right hon. Friend's object to secure for British exporters the widest opportunities for increased trade that are compatible with the general national interest.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the proposed closure of Sir William Gray's ship- repairing yard at Greythorpe, County Durham, what action he is taking to maintain employment opportunities in this area.

As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend decided to build an advance factory in the Hartlepools area. He will continue to do everything in his power to encourage new industrial development in the area, where, of course, all the facilities provided by the Local Employment Act are available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will build an advance factory in Birkenhead.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of workers employed in the factories managed by the Scottish Industrial. Estates Management Corporation; what is the proportion of males and females within that number; and what is the average employment provided per 10,000 sq. ft. of factory space.

77,855 in August, 1962. 63 per cent. of these were men and 37 per cent. women, and the average employment was 40 workers for 10,000 sq. ft. of factory space.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total area of factory space under construction, or approved for the provision of alternative employment in that part of the Scottish coal field in which collieries have been closed in 1962 or are planned to be closed in the next twelve months.

The counties mainly affected by closures in the Scottish coal fields are Ayr, Dumfries, Fife, Lanark and the Lothians. In these counties 3¼ million sq. ft. of new factory space is now under construction, over ½ million sq. ft. have recently been completed and a further 2½ million sq. ft. have been approved. These totals exclude new factory space which is not expected to result in additional employment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the area in square feet of each of the additional advance factories he proposes to build in Scotland and on the North-East Coast.

The factories in Sunderland and the Blaydon area will probably be approximately 25,000 sq. ft. in area; the others will be of about 50,000 sq. ft.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the size of the new advance factory to be erected in the Cumnock district of Ayrshire is to be; and what kind of industry it is likely to be used for.

Plans are being prepared for a factory of approximately 15,000 sq. ft. It will be suitable for a wide range of light industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of industrial building at present under construction in Great Britain is being carried out in Scotland.

Of the Great Britain total of industrial building known to be under construction at the end September, 1962, the proportion being built in Scotland was 7·9 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Tirade what is the estimated number of persons to be employed per 10,000 sq. ft. of industrial building for which industrial development certificates have been issued in the London and South Eastern Region and in Scotland, respectively, over the last completed year.

Estimated additional employment from industrial development certificates approved during the year ended 30th September, 1962 represents 14 persons per 10,000 sq. ft. of industrial building approved in the London and South Eastern Region, and 27 persons per 10,000 sq. ft. in Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the increase in employment of men and women, respectively, in Board of Trade-owned factories in Scotland between February, 1961, and February, 1962.

The number of men employed increased by 4,569, or 10 per cent. and the number of women by 1,065 or 3·7 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the increase in employment of men and women, respectively, in Board of Trade-owned factories in Lanarkshire between February, 1961, and February, 1962.

Excluding those in factories in Glasgow, the number of men employed increased by 631, or 6·5 per cent. There was no change in the number of women employed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of buildings at the former naval stores, Carfin, Lanarkshire, that has been converted for industrial uses; what employment they give; and how many of the buildings remain to be converted.

Five of the seven buildings are being converted for industrial use. Of the remaining two, one has been leased to the Lanarkshire education authority for use as an apprentice training school and one is temporarily being used for storage. More than 600 jobs will be provided.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will now give the date when Manchester University will be given permission to commence building a low-power nuclear reactor.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether he will now make a statement about the deferred grant for a nuclear reactor for the use of the universities of Manchester and Liverpool.

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has today offered a grant of £350,000 for the construction and installation of a low-power nuclear reactor for Manchester and Liverpool Universities. Further grants will be offered later towards equipment and the running costs of the reactor centre until 31st July, 1967.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science (1) what was the purpose of the recent visit to the Soviet Union of the Chairman and other members of the Atomic Energy Authority; and what conclusions they drew from the visit;(2) if he will state the nature of the collaboration existing between the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the Utilisation of Atomic Energy; and to what extent negotiations are taking place on further collaboration in the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

The Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority was invited to visit the Soviet Union by the Chairman of the State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the U.S.S.R. for the Utilisation of Atomic Energy.The purpose of Sir Roger Makins' visit was to return a visit to the United Kingdom by the Chairman of the State Committee in May, 1961; and to make arrangements for a further period of collaboration in the civil use of atomic energy under the agreement entered into by the Authority and the State Committee at that time. Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the successful operation of the agreement since May, 1961, and arrangements were made to continue the exchange of documents and scientific visits in the period up to the middle of 1964. The arrangements will then be reviewed again.The principal conclusion drawn by the team led by the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority was that a further period of collaboration with the U.S.S.R. would be of mutual benefit. I am glad that Sir Roger Makins has been able to reach agreement with the State Committee about this and to establish relations of confidence with them.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the number of naval architects attached to the Atomic Energy Authority.

Two naval architects are attached to the Authority's Marine Division at Risley; one from the British Ship Research Association and the other from Lloyd's Register. In addition, some preliminary design work is being carried out for the Authority by six leading ship-building firms, whose naval architects are available as required.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what research his Department is conducting into the causes and treatment of multiple sclerosis.

The Medical Research Council is supporting laboratory studies on the biochemical and immunological aspects of multiple sclerosis which may throw light on the cause of the disease, and is also undertaking clinical trials of possible methods of treatment. The Council has recently set up a Research Group on Demyelinating Diseases which is largely concerned with the study of multiple sclerosis.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what investigations he has made or plans to make into the effect which nuclear tests have had on public health both in the United Kingdom and abroad; and if he will issue a White Paper giving details of the nature and result of those investigations.

The Medical Research Council is supporting a wide programme of research on the effects of radiation including those from low doses such as may be produced by world wide fall-out. Similar research is in progress in many other countries. The second Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, published in September this year, gives a comprehensive account of present knowledge on the subject, and no purpose would be served by the publication of a White Paper at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what criteria he judged the claims put to him by the Prime Minister of Malta when he came to this country to seek assistance for the island of Malta; and if he will now, in the light of the developing situation there, consider increasing the amount of £100,000 which he offered.

As regards recurrent expenditure there seemed no financial reason why the Malta Government should not be able to balance the budget for 1962–63 without assistance from Britain; a balanced budget has in fact since been presented. As regards the capital budget some £12½ million grants and loans remain available from Her Majesty's Government for spending in this financial year and next, and to spend this money in the period would involve a much higher rate of expenditure than has been achieved in recent years.In these circumstances budgetary assistance did not appear to be justified, but I offered to help in certain other ways.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking to preserve law and order in the northern frontier provinces of Kenya.

Recent reports do not suggest that any exceptional measures are called for.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to appoint the chairman of the land board for Kenya.

Very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that there is uncertainty in Kenya about the extent to which British grants and loans are devoted to the compensation of expatriate officials, he will state the extent of grants, loans and other economic assistance provided by the United Kingdom, and the purposes to which they are devoted.

During the Kenya financial year 1961–62 the total of grants, loans and other economic assistance provided by the United Kingdom to Kenya amounted to £14·3 million. Of this, £98,000, representing less than three-quarters of 1 per cent. of the total, was devoted to compensation of expatriate officials. During the financial year 1962–63 it is estimated that the figures will be £16·7 million, £159,000 and 0·9 per cent. respectively. In addition to these sums, the Colonial Development Corporation's gross investment in Kenya in 1961–62 amounted to £300,000: and investment in 1962–63 is estimated at £200,000.Details of the various purposes to which these amounts are devoted are as follows:

	1961–62	1962–63
	£m.	£m.
Recurrent Aid
(a) Grant-in-aid of expenses of administration	2·0	1·1
(b) Famine and Flood Relief assistance	1·5(1)	1·3
(c) Cost of Military Forces	1·9	1·9
(d) Payments under the Overseas Service Aid Scheme	l·5(2)	2·3(3)
Development Aid
(a) Grants	2·4	4·3
(b) Loans	4·4	5·4
Technical Assistance Projects(4)	0·6	0·4
NOTES:
(1) Including £260,000 paid direct to British Service Departments.
(2) Including £98,000 paid in compensation.
(3) Including £159,000 in compensation.
(4) Including assistance to Royal College, Nairobi (£479 m. and £298 m. respectively) and assistance in education, mapping and surveys, training, visits by experts, the testing of agricultural machinery and broadcasting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what negotiations are taking place about the possible association of Grenada with Trinidad; and what progress has been made.

I have told the Government of Trinidad and the Government of Grenada that Her Majesty's Government have no objection to their having exploratory talks on this subject. The talks will not begin until the Prime Minister of Trinidad returns home in December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now state the steps to be taken to reinstate the farmer inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha on the island.

I hope to make a statement next week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the reasons given for their resignations by Mr. H. S. Husseiny, Aden Minister for Education and Information, Mr. A. S. Basendwah, Aden Minister of Health and Mr. A. A. Saffi, Aden Minister of Electricity.

Before the recent debate, Mr. Husseiny informed me that he and other Adeni Ministers would resign unless the merger plan which these Ministers had recommended last August was postponed. At the same time he informed me that he and other Ministers had been subjected to intimidation by opponents of merger. No other Ministers have in fact resigned; and I wish to pay my tribute to them far the steadfast manner in which they are holding to their opinions despite the improper pressures upon them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in response to requests from the Falkland Islands, he has now arranged for a survey of the possibility and cost of providing all-weather roads between the main settlements in the Colony.

A member of the Road Research Laboratory will visit the Falkland Islands between March and May, 1963, to investigate the feasibility of building roads between the main settlements in the Colony.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the number of registered unemployed in each region getting National Assistance; and how many of these are not drawing the full scale because of a limitation on assistance based on earning power.

On 30th October last the numbers of authorisations of weekly National Assistance allowances granted to persons registering as unemployed which were current in the area offices of the National Assistance Board were as follows:

England
Northern Region	20,861
East and West Ridings Region	10,810
North Midland Region	8,170
London (North) Region	19,038
London (South) Region	12,785
South-Western Region	6,542
Midland Region	14,947
North-Western Region	27,464
Wales	13,252
Scotland	32,170
Total	166,039

In certain cases the person to whom the authorisation related might recently have resumed work.Information about cases in which the allowance is restricted in amount by reference to earning capacity, in accordance with Regulation 5 of the National Assistance (Determination of Need) Regulations, 1948 (S.I. 1948, No. 1334), is obtained once a year on a sample 0basis, and the latest such information at present available relates to the end of 1961 and to the country as a whole. Of about 131,000 authorisations of allowances payable at employment exchanges which were then current, about 12,000 were so restricted.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will circulate in the Official Report details of the additional information which the then Minister of Pensions and National Insurance asked for to enable a reconsideration to be made of the case of Joseph Blakeman.

I cannot usefully add to what was said on this point in my right hon. Friend's Answer to the hon. Member's Question circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 25th October.

asked the Minister of Education what estimates he has of school leavers in the Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg area in the years 1962–1976; and how many left school in 1960, and 1961.

Statistics of school leavers, for individual areas, are not readily available for calendar years. In the educational year 1960–61, however, 643 boys and girls left school in the area of the Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg Divisional Executive.An exact estimate of school leavers in future years cannot be made without great expense of time and labour; in view of the known movements of the birth rate since the war however it can reasonably be assumed that the numbers of leavers in 1962 will be appreciably higher than either in 1960 or in 1961, and that there will then be a reduction of the number for a period of about 5–8 years, followed by a gentle but steady increase for the rest of the period.

asked the Minister of Defence how many retired officers of the three Armed Services, including the Indian armed services, are in receipt of retired pay under each of the seven retired pay codes; how many of those officers retired under the 1919 code had their retired pay reassessed because of war service; and in each case, how many of these officers are over 60 and 70 years of age, respectively.

—	1962	1960	1956	1950	1945	1919 re-assessed on account of 1939–45 War service	1919	Pre-1919
Number of officers in receipt of retired pay—
(i) Total	2,383	5,429	11,386*	6,709	16,965	4,672	5,584	16
(ii) Number over 60	7	92	939	2,285	8,802	4,529	4,808	16
(iii) Number over 70	—	6	17	73	1,803	3,022	3,263	15
* The fact that this figure is higher than that reported to my hon. Friend in March last, is attributable to a re-examination of the number of cases under this Code.

asked the Minister of Defence whether, in view of the new responsibilities laid upon the Royal Navy which will arise from the circumstances of the American blockade of Cuba, he will now accept for planning purposes the concept of a limited maritime war and re-adjust British defence priorities accordingly.

I have never doubted the importance of the Royal Navy in its diverse rôles.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will state the annual sums contributed by frontagers for the making up of roads in England and Wales.

Precise figures are not available. Some indication can be obtained from the loan sanctions issued for private street works. The amounts sanctioned were £2·3 million in 1959–60, £2·2 million in 1960–61, and £3·2 million in 1961–62. The information available suggests that the amount borrowed by local authorities represents roughly two-fifths of the total expense to frontagers, whether paid in a lump sum or by instalments.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what quantities of the anaesthetic fluothane solely manufactured by Imperial Chemical Industries have been purchased each year since 1955 by the hospital service; and at what annual cost.

Fluothane was not released for sale until 1957. I am informed that sales to hospitals have been:

——	Quantity	Value
	Quarter Litre Bottles	£
1957	3,461	55,455
1958	14,308	146,132
1959	33,460	335,046
1960	54,766	542,883
1961	70,961	699,274
1962 (to end of October)	76,742	648,212

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the lack of Parliamentary accountability in respect of those aspects of the Television Act, 1954, relating to programme organisation, he will take powers to enable him to control the allocation of programme contracts.

I would ask the right hon. Gentleman to await the forthcoming White Paper.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now change his policy in the design of postage stamps with a view to recognising the versatility and distinction of art, culture and science in British history and achievement.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has yet completed his consideration of the problem of providing old and poor people, living alone, with telephones at reduced rates; and if he will make a statement.

I am sorry that I cannot add at present to my reply to the hon. Member for Richmond, Surrey (Mr. A. Royle) on 14th November last.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of applicants for telephones in Aberdeen who are now on the waiting list; and what steps he is taking to reduce that number.

In the City of Aberdeen there were 27 applications on the waiting list at 30th September, and a further 233 under inquiry or in course of being met. All the waiting applications are in housing development areas, and most of the applicants' houses have not yet been completed.New cables are being laid and most of those at present waiting will be given service by the end of the year.Over 1,200 telephones have been installed in Aberdeen during the year ended 30th September.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will announce his proposals for a new Jewel House at the Tower of London.

It is proposed to construct a new Jewel House under the parade ground in front of the Waterloo Barracks at the Tower of London. Space for visitors waiting to see the Regalia and ancillary accommodation will be provided in the present barrack building. It is hoped to start work early in 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the estimated expenditure on the road programme for the financial year 1967–68.

The roads programme is necessarily flexible, and it would therefore be misleading to publish estimates of expenditure for individual years further ahead than those given in the White Paper on Public Investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the financial effect of the proposal to alter the method of calculating the distribution of the equalisation grant, by substituting the product of a penny rate for rateable value in relation to the amount of grant to be given to each local authority in Scotland.

By making allowance for properties on the valuation roll which are not productive of rates, the proposed change will eliminate anomalies in the distribution of grant which have hitherto arisen from taking the valuation of such properties into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce an examination in spoken English into the school leaving certificate in Scotland.

I am certainly anxious to secure a high standard of spoken English in the schools, but I do not think it would be practicable to try to test this in the examination for the Scottish Certificate of Education.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total amount spent, and the cost per acre, in acquiring land for motorways or trunk roads in urban areas and in rural districts during 1959, 1960, and 1961, respectively.

The total amounts spent on acquiring motorway and trunk road land in England and Wades have been:

• £1,309,586 in 1959
• £1,622,384 in 1960
• £1,875,977 in 1961

I could not give the cost per acre and a division between urban areas and rural districts without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.