asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the approximate annual cost of increasing the basic rates of retirement pensions by 10s. per week and 5s. per week for all retirement pensioners; what would be the annual cost involved if such increases were introduced for male retirement pensioners aged more than 70 years and females over 65 years, or for male retirement pensioners aged more than 75 years and females over 70 years.

The immediate cost to the National Insurance Fund of an increase of 10s. a week in the rates of retirement pensions (including those for wives) without any increase in other insurance benefits or war pensions would be over £150 million a year for all pensioners, nearly £115 million if restricted to men over 70 and women over 65, or more than £70 million if restricted to men over 75 and women over 70. This cost would rise by 1983–84 to about £205 million, £165 million or £110 million respectively. A 5s. increase would cost half as much.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that the continuing increase in the cost of living has inflicted great hardships on old people; and if he will take steps to reduce these hardships by an early and appropriate increase in their retirement allowances.

It has never seemed desirable or practicable to adjust pensions at very frequent intervals to match small fluctuations in the cost of living, but I would remind the hon. and learned Member that over the last ten years the rise in the cost of living has been more than matched by increases in the rates of retirement pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the number of men and women old-age pensioners, respect- tively, in the Hull area; and what are the numbers in receipt of National Assistance.

Statistics relating to the number of retirement pensions are not available for particular areas, and statistics relating to payments authorised locally by the offices of the National Assistance Board are not available separately for men and women. At 25th September last, 974 non-contributory old age pensions, 810 supplements to such pensions and 11,460 supplements to retirement pensions were current in the area served by the Board's offices in Hull, which comprises the county borough and some adjacent districts. Some of the supplements provided for a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the number of old-age pensioners on National Assistance in the Hull area who are awarded the special coal allowance; what is the amount of the allowance; how much coal it will purchase; when this allowance was fixed; and whether, in view of the increased cast of coal, he will increase this allowance.

The number of discretionary allowances for extra fuel included in supplements paid by the Board to retirement pensioners in the Hull area is not available. The amount of the allowance depends on the circumstances of the case but is for the most part sufficient to buy an extra half-hundredweight of coal a week at the recently increased prices.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the amount of basic benefits included in the total benefits for National Insurance in 1961 of £934 million; how much extra benefit would be paid by an increase of 74 per cent. on this total basic figure; what would have been the credit balance if the level rate contribution of 6s. 3½d. for women and 7s. 3½d. for men had been changed to a uniform contribution of 7s. 8d. and a percentage payment of 4½ per cent. had been contributed by employers and by those earning salaries, wages and forces' pay on the basis of income indicated in the Government's Account of National Income and Expenditure for 1961, plus the self-employed contribution of 7 per cent., plus the extra above the 4½ per cent. contributed by those earning incomes up to £9, if the total of such incomes were supplemented by the Exchequer by one-seventh and if the £50 million from investments were added.

£934 million was the total amount of National Insurance benefits paid in the financial year 1960–61, when the standard rate was 50s. Excluding retirement pensions on the husband's insurance and all dependency increases, the amount was £802 million. Increased by 74 per cent. this would become £1,395 million. I cannot give the other amount for which the hon. Gentleman has asked because the income figures specified do not enable it to be calculated on his hypotheses.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much it would cost weekly, in aggregate, given the current level of unemployment, to raise the present unemployment benefit to the current average weekly earnings of all adult workers.

On the figure for April, 1962, which is the latest available, the average weekly earnings of adult male workers were 312s. 10d. If the standard rate of benefit were raised to this level, and other rates proportionately, the total cost would be over £6½ million a week.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many Commonwealth immigrants were in receipt of National Assistance at the latest available date.

I regret that this figure is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will reconsider the recent confirmation of the assessment of 30 per cent. disability pension in the case of the Chadderton man, whose name has been supplied to him, in view of the fact that he is unable to obtain any offer of employment through the disabled persons' register.

No. This case is the subject of an appeal to the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal, and it would not be proper for my right hon. Friend to comment at this stage.

asked the Minister of Health what would be the cost of an advisory service to help general practitioners to replan and redevelop their practices.

The cost would depend on the nature and terms of the service.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to establish the expert body to review evidence and offer advice on the toxicity of new drugs.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 6th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Dr. D. Johnson).

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to implement the recommendation of the Porritt Committee that patients who use private doctors should not be debarred from obtaining the drugs prescribed for them under the Health Service.

I have no proposals for legislation.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to expedite the issue of the new type patella-bearing limb.

I am in discussion with potential suppliers.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the 50,600 persons who committed suicide in the last 10 years did so as a result of an overdose of barbiturates; and if he will set out the number of barbiturate suicides in each of these 10 years.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will bring up to date the information given in columns 11 and 12 of HANSARD for 5th February, 1962 relating

asked the Minister of Labour how many school leavers in

Following is the information for England and Wales:to the weekly wage rates, adding to the list on this occasion welders in the constructional engineering, gas supply maintenance and shipbuilding industries.

The following is the information requested:Sunderland have been registered for employment since 15th October; and how many remain unemployed.

On 15th October 121 summer leavers were registered at the Sunderland County Borough Youth Employment Office; and on 12th November 63. I cannot say how many school leavers registered for the first time between these dates, but the number is likely to have been small.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of registered unemployed persons in Cardiff at the most convenient recent date; and what were the comparable figures for 1961 and 1960, respectively.

3,180 at 12th November, compared with 2,217 in November, 1961, and 2,166 in November, 1960.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the latest unemployment figures for Dagenham; and how these compare with the same period last year.

741 on 12th November, compared with 577 on 13th November 1961.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Commonwealth immigrants were unemployed at the latest available date.

29,725 on 6th November compared with 30,545 on 18th October.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospitals do not permit daily visiting of patients.

My right hon. Friend will have complete figures shortly.

asked the Minister of Health what study he has made of the effect of proposed reductions in local train services on the implementation of the Hospital Plan for England and Wales.

Assuming services withdrawn were little used, I conclude any effect will be negligible.

asked the Minister of Aviation what assistance he is giving towards the development of the Usworth airfield, Sunderland.

Technical advice is always available from my Department. Financial help could be given only if Usworth met the terms of the White Paper on Civil Aerodromes and Air Navigational Services.

asked the Minister of Aviation if the two aircraft which collided over Reading on 4th November last, with fatal consequences to the occupants, were both under ground control.

No.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Blind Landing Experimental Unit at Bedford.

Over 10,000 safe landings have now been made with the blind landing system evolved at the experimental unit at Bedford.The system is coming into use operationally in the Royal Air Force V bombers and Argosies and is also planned for the Belfast transport aircraft. Experimental orders have been placed by American and French interests.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the estimated landing speed of the proposed new supersonic airliner.

It is estimated that the landing speed will be close to that of the Boeing 707, i.e., in the region of 135 knots.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the new supersonic airliners are expected to operate regularly from London Airport; and how their take-off noise is expected to compare with that of the Boeing 707.

Yes. The aircraft will climb away from the airport at a steeper angle than the Boeing 707 and at the check point, it is estimated that the noise will be lower than that of the 707.On the ground at the side of the runway it is thought that the noise on take-off will be greater than that of the 707.

asked the Minister of Aviation at what distance from the take-off airport the new supersonic airliners would be expected to produce a supersonic bang; and what study he has made of the effect of this on residents near the airport.

Supersonic speed would not normally be attained until the aircraft was about 100 miles away from the airfield from which it had taken off. The sonic bang produced would not, therefore, affect residents near that airfield.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the anticipated cruising height of the Anglo-French mach 2·2 airliner.

It is estimated that the normal cruising height will vary between 55,000 and 60,000 feet.

asked the Minister of Aviation what would be the estimated dose in millirems sustained by the crew of an aircraft such as the mach 2·2 airliner in a typical year of maximum solar flare intensity on the North Atlantic route, giving the components due to galactic and solar radiation separately; what is the value in rad of each type of radiation within the above categories; what are the Relative Biological Effectivenesses assumed for each; and on what basis are the Relative Biological Effectivenesses calculated, and by whom.

The dose received by the crew of an aircraft such as the mach 2·2 airliner in a typical year on the North Atlantic route would be derived almost solely from galactic radiation, since warning systems on the ground and in the aircraft would enable exposure to solar flares of appreciable intensity to be avoided. On the evidence at present available, it is estimated (on pessimistic assumptions) that this dose would be rather less than half that internationally accepted as the normal maximum (5,000 millirems) for radiation workers. The following table sets out the components of this close and shows the values of Relative Biological Effectiveness recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the pollution of British rivers and beaches by untreated sewage and other polluting material; if he will make it an offence to discharge these into rivers and the sea; and if he will take powers to require all local authorities to install machinery for treating sewage wherever possible.

My right hon. Friend is aware that the disposal of sewage and industrial effluent is a problem in some areas but he does not think that any new powers are needed. The Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Acts provide adequately for the control of discharges into rivers. Discharge into the sea, through properly designed outfall sewers, may well be the best method of disposal in coastal areas and it would be wrong to prohibit it.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give the numbers of academic staff of the grade of lecturer and below, and of the grade of senior lecturer and above, respectively, in each of the colleges of advanced technology.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the overall ratio of full-time students to academic staff in each of the colleges of advanced technology.

The figures given below are based on the numbers of full-time staff in post and on the latest available estimates of student enrolments in the current academic year. Sandwich course students are counted as full-time, but the colleges also have varying numbers of part-time and evening students. The effect of taking all these students into account is shown in the righthand column.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that a number of education authorities have cancelled free school meals following the recent increase in National Assistance allowances; and whether he will ask those authorities to give those concerned the full benefit of the increased allowances.

I am aware that the increased National Assistance allowances may have the effect of making some pupils ineligible for free school meals under authorities' income scales. I am looking into the particular case the hon. Member has brought to my notice.The answer to the second part of the Question is that local education authorities know that I am always ready to consider proposals for the revision of their scales of assessment.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why the 3,000-ton auxiliary fleet tanker "Green Ranger" was towed, in winter conditions, from Plymouth to Cardiff when it could have been repaired in Plymouth.

Repair work on Royal Fleet Auxiliaries which we cannot undertake ourselves is normally awarded to firms as a result of competitive tendering. Eighteen firms, including one in Plymouth, were invited to tender for the refit of this ship, and the contract which included the cost of towing was awarded to the firm which submitted the lowest tender.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why naval radio equipment, valued at £500, was sold for £10 from Her Majesty's Dockyard, Devon-port; why, since it was of marginal value to a potential enemy, it was not dismantled before sale; and why, upon its recovery and return, the Admiralty paid £55 for it.

The equipment concerned was obsolete, no longer in operational use in the Fleet, and was sold as part of a "lot" of surplus naval stores at scrap value.Although the main equipment was dismantled, this unit was not so treated. A subsequent routine reassessment suggested that the unit might be of marginal value to an enemy, and steps were taken to recover it at the best price that could be negotiated. A review has been started to see whether any changes in procedure are necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state for each of the counties in Wales and Monmouthshire the cost of the schemes under the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act 1955, completed and approved up to 20th December, 1962, the grant paid or approved by his Department, and the number of schemes, with mileage for unclassified and unadopted roads, respectively.

I cannot give information up to 20th December, 1962, which is the final date for approval of schemes under the Act. The latest available information, showing progress in Wales and Monmouthshire to 30th September of this year, is set out in the table overleaf:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what mileage of roads, both unclassified and unadopted, in each of the counties of Wales and Monmouthshire, would require attention if the provisions of the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act 1955 were extended after 20th December, 1962.

I cannot say precisely. But the information which my Department has obtained in the course of the administration of the Act indicates that the mileage of roads in need of attention, and for which accepable schemes would be forthcoming if the Act were extended after 20th December, 1962, is very small.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will now change the title of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, there being no longer an Imperial General Staff, and direct that the holder of that office be called the Chief of Military Staff.

This title has been in use for over 50 years and I do not believe it gives rise to any misunderstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds 29 Commonwealth and Irish immigrants convicted in the Metropolitan Police District for living on immoral earnings were not liable for deportation under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act.

In 28 cases because they had been resident for more than five years in the United Kingdom, and in one case because the offence was committed before Part II of the Act came into force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total number of persons who have completed the full house-mother and house-father course for train- ing for residential work in children's homes promoted by the Central Training Council in Child Care since these courses began, the number of persons who have been awarded the Council's certificate in the Residential Care of Children, the number of these who are now employed in the Residential Child Care Service in local authority homes in England and Wales, and the approximate number of resident superintendents, house-parents and assistant house-parents in local authority children's homes in England and Wales.

2,335 persons have completed Central Training Council in Child Case courses designed primarily for house-parent employment in children's homes. 2,294 persons have been awarded the Council's certificate in the residential care of children. It is not known how many holders of the certificate are now employed in local authority homes. On 1st August, 1961, there were approximately 3,000 full-time residential staff employed on child care duties in local authority children's homes in England and Wales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to increase the amount which may be repaid by the Director of Savings on death without the production of the probate of a will or letters of administration from the sum of £100, referred to in form SB 202A issued by the Post Office Savings Department, to £500.

The present limit of £100 applies in many other fields besides the Post Office Savings Department. I am consulting with my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General and other Ministers concerned to see whether some increase in the limit would now be justified.

asked the Minister of Power what is the reduction of National Coal Board officials, administrative and management, compared with the reduction in underground workers during the last five years.

The National Coal Board estimates that the reduction in non-industrial staff in the last five years has been 12 per cent.; in underground workers 25 per cent.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when a further demonstration of a closed circuit television system to replace the present annunciator system will be arranged.

I have arranged for a further demonstration to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall on the 4th, 5th and 6th of December between 2.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. Two television viewing sets will be displayed there. One will be the set previously shown to Members last May and the other an improved set designed for the purpose. Only dummy messages will be displayed during the demonstration.Closed circuit television is completely secure. It has financial advantages over other systems and can more readily be extended to new accommodation. The sound indication of a change of message can be of any type and of any volume and messages can be transmitted at least as quickly as at present. I should welcome the views of hon. Members on the suitability or otherwise of this or any other system to replace the present annunciators which have reached the end of their economic life.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how much of the original sum allocated for nuclear marine research has been expended; and how long he expects the balance to last.

Expenditure for the first ten months of the programme is about £600,000. The balance is expected to last until about the end of 1963.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science when it is proposed to publish the Dunnett Report.

I assume that this Question refers to the Working Group on Marine Reactor Research set up jointly by the Minister for Science and the Minister of Transport in November 1961 and presided over by Sir James Dunnett.As was announced when it was set up, this group advises the Ministers concerned as occasion arises but is not required to make a formal report. I have nothing as yet to add to the information on the work of the group contained in my Answer to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Ely (Sir H. Legge-Bourke) on 27th November.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what assistance he is providing for the newly established Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa, in order to help it at the start.

Her Majesty's Government are making a grant of £40,000 towards the first year of operation of the Organisation and are ready to make available any technical advice asked for. Provision for the grant will be included in the Spring Supplementary Estimate. Meanwhile an advance of £40,000 is being made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the increased rate of unemployment in the Hull area; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce it.

I am aware that the rate of unemployment in Hull has increased in recent months. But, as I told the hon. and gallant Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, East (Commander Pursey) on 29th November, I am not taking any special steps to recommend firms to Hull in view of the priority which must be given to steering new industrial development to development districts.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the average number of vehicle accidents on trunk roads per mile in 1961 in England and Wales.

The precise information asked for is not readily available. Figures are, however, available of the numbers of persons killed or injured on all Class A roads (including trunk and Class I roads) during the 12-month period November, 1959, to October, 1960, since these figures were specially worked out by the R Research Laboratory. During this period there were on average 8 casualties per mile of Class A road, but this average conceals a large difference between roads in urban and rural areas.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the military doctors and surgeons attached to the Number 6 General Hospital between 11th August and 26th August, 1942.

The following are the names of the military doctors and surgeons who were attached to the Number 6 General Hospital between 11th August and 26th August, 1942:

• Colonel L. A. J. Graham.
• Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Lister.
• Lieutenant-Colonel R. Marnham.
• Major W. T. B. Joss.
• Major W. J. M. Brandon.
• Major C. Cockburn.
• Major W. N. Douglas.
• Major S. T. Falla.
• Major R. Mowbray.
• Major C. Raeburn.
• Major J. A. Ross.
• Major J. Rowatt.
• Major C. H. W. Gray.
• Major C. J. B. Murray.
• Captain C D. Anderson.
• Captain W. K. Badgett.
• Captain W. D. Beck.
• Captain V. Chadwick.
• Captain E. R. D. Eastman-Nagle.
• Captain L. Herbert.
• Captain J. Kay.
• Captain A. H. B. Rhodes.
• Captain C. J. Scott.
• Captain B. McN. Truscott.
• Captain A. Bennett.
• Captain W. F. Russell.
• Captain A. L. Tulk.
• Captain Wilkie.
• Lieutenant J. Crealey.
• Lieutenant J. C. Zindel.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will circulate in the Official Report the names of the military doctors and surgeons attached to the 19th General Hospital on 17th September, 1942.

The following are the names of the military doctors and surgeons who were attached to the Number 19 General Hospital on 17th September, 1942:

• Colonel J. R. McDonald.
• Lieutenant-Colonel D. W. Beamish.
• Lieutenant-Colonel E. R. Boland.
• Lieutenant-Colonel I. Aird.
• Major H. R. J. Donald.
• Major G. M. Komrower.
• Major J. C Nicholson.
• Major J. C. Dick.
• Major A. B. Smith.
• Major S. A. Maddocks.
• Major J. Swinney.
• Major J. L. M. Jeffares.
• Major W. A. Briggs.
• Major H. R. King
• Major Todd.
• Captain A. N. S. Watt.
• Captain K. C. Burrow.
• Captain C. F. Fairlie.
• Captain J. S. Prichard.
• Captain A. Young.
• Captain H. G. Hind.
• Captain P. H. Davison.
• Captain H. K. B. Armstrong.
• Captain W. J. D. Cooper.
• Captain J. C. Burns.
• Captain W. J. Taylor.
• Captain R. G. Williams.
• Lieutenant G. Boyes.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the military doctors and surgeons attached to the Number 2 General Hospital between 23rd October, 1943, and 15th November, 1943.

The following are the names of the military doctors and surgeons who were attached from the 23rd October, 1943, to 15th November, 1943, to the No. 12 General Hospital, to which I understand the hon. Gentleman is referring:

• Colonel A. J. Gibson.
• Lieut.-Colonel R. L. MacKay.
• Lieut.-Colonel H. A. Brettain.
• Lieut.-Colonel T. S. Heslop.
• Lieut.-Colonel A. H. Charles.
• Major J. C. Davison.
• Major G. E. Ennis.
• Major T. H. T. Gautby.
• Major F. L. Lydon.
• Major N. Wren.
• Major C. R. Morrison.
• Major A. G. Williams.
• Captain S. G. Abelson.
• Captain B. D. Berger.
• Captain W. R. S. Cowe.
• Captain D. Dean.
• Captain J. L. G. Hartley.
• Captain R. C. Meek.
• Captain P. W. Nathan.
• Captain J. B. Plews.
• Captain W. Recht.
• Captain G. R. C. Peatfield.
• Captain A. Zaslany.
• Captain J. C. Zindel.
• Lieut. P. Bernstein.
• Lieut. E. O. Blum.
• Lieut. M. Kanal.
• Lieut. Z. Krauss.
• Lieut. F. Krieger.