asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give details of the percentage of houses affected by smokeless zone orders in each year since the passing of the Clean Air Act, 1956.

Separate figures for houses covered in each year are not available. The following is the available information about houses and premises:

PREMISES COVERED BY SMOKE CONTROL ORDERS MADE DURING THE PERIOD 1957–1962
(1)		(2)	(3)	(4)
Year		Total Premises covered	Premises in Black Areas	Figures in column (3) expressed as percentage of all Black Area premises
1957	…	17,744	17,382	0·21
1958	…	62,472	56,161	0·68
1959	…	150,000	144,853	1·77
1960	…	380,233	366,070	4·46
1961	…	368,423	337,422	4·11
1962	…	552,635	498,143	6·07
Totals	…	1,531,507	1,420,031	17·30

NOTES:1. The percentages shown in column (4) above are percentages of the total numbers of premises in the black areas concerned. In practice it is not always necessary for all premises in a black area to be covered by smoke control orders. For example there may be some premises in areas of more open country where there is no serious smoke problem.2. The figures relate to the dates on which orders were made by local authorities. Orders have to be confirmed by the Minister, and there is a waiting period (for conversion of heating appliances) before they come into operation. Usually an order will come into operation in the year following the one in which it was made by the local authority.3. At the end of 1961, 87 per cent. of the premises covered by smoke control orders were dwellings. It is probable that something like this percentage of dwellings has been, and will be, covered by the orders made in subsequent years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will consider restricting future smokeless zone orders to the percentage increase of production of smokeless fuel in the area concerned.

My right hon. Friend never confirms a smoke control order unless he is assured by his right hon. Friend the Minister of Power that supplies of smokeless fuel will be adequate locally.It is not possible to keep demand from new smoke control areas rigidly in step with any percentage increase in production in the region concerned. Allowance has to be made for stocks and for the diversion of supplies from other sources.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has received an application from the National Parks Commission to designate the Cotswolds as an area of outstanding natural beauty.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in view of the high cost of erecting council houses in rural areas and of the difficulty of letting houses at a reasonable rent because of the relatively low earnings in rural areas, he will make additional housing grants to assist the smaller rural authorities to erect houses in rural villages for letting at reasonable rents without placing an excessive burden on the rates.

Additional subsidies are payable under the Housing Act, 1961, up to a total of £40 a year per dwelling, where an authority's financial resources are particularly limited. This arrangement has benefited Welsh rural authorities more than any others and has enabled them to continue or resume house building. I do not think that further provision is called for at this stage.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will list the 30 authorities which have declined to assist ex-Service men to obtain housing accommodation in their areas by not implementing his Department's circular of 1955 on this subject.

I do not think it would be fair to publish such a list nearly eight years after the circular to which the hon. Member refers. Some authorities were unable to comply with my predecessor's recommendation because of physical difficulties which may now have been overcome. If the hon. Member will send me details of any difficulties of which he is aware I will willingly pursue enquiries with the authority concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the deterioration in the numbers unemployed or working short time in the furniture and bedding manufacturing industries due to the continuing high level of Purchase Tax, accentuated by the recent reductions in Purchase Tax on motor cars and radio and television sets; and what proposals he has to stimulate consumer demand in these industries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the concern in the furniture industry with the decline in business and the high rate of unemployment, what proposals he has to stimulate consumer demand in its products.

I would refer to the replies given on 24th January by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to announcements of the sale of publicly-owned firms when the House of Commons is not sitting.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the announcement by the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency on 16th January of the sale of five small steel companies. During the Report stage of the Iron and Steel Bill in the House of Lords in 1953 an assurance was given on behalf of the Government that the Treasury would lay particulars of important disposal operations before Parliament as soon as practicable. This undertaking has been fulfilled in the case of all the Agency's disposal operations, including the transactions announced on 16th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that between 1951 and 1961 the £ sterling depreciated in purchasing value by 24 per cent., the index of retail prices rose by 41 per cent., and income from rent for landlords rose by 149 per cent.; and what action he proposes to take to prevent this continued rise in rents, in view of its inflationary effect on the economy.

I am aware of these figures. The figure for income from rent includes the rental income of local authorities and imputed rent on owner-occupied houses. It reflects not only increases in rent but also the large number of new houses, factories and other buildings erected during the period. There is need for the growth of all incomes to be kept in line with the growth of national production, but as a proportion of total domestic incomes rent is now only 5 per cent. compared with 9½ per cent. before the war.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that between 1951 and 1961 personal taxation rose by 92 per cent. and Purchase Tax rose by 51 per cent. and that during last year Purchase Tax again rose by 14 per cent.; and what action he proposes to take to reduce all forms of taxation.

Yes. The increase in the yield from personal Income Tax and Surtax is not out of line with the increase in personal incomes, and the increase in receipts from Purchase Tax is not out of line with the increase in consumers' expenditure generally. I would remind the hon. Member that Purchase Tax has recently been reduced on a wide range of articles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is aware that since 1951 the £ sterling has depreciated in purchasing value by 27 per cent.; what is the reason for this; and when the purchasing value of the £ sterling will be restored to its pre-1951 level;(2) whether he is aware that since 1951 the index of retail prices has increased by 47 per cent.; and what action he proposes to take to restore his index figure to its pre-1951 level.

The increase in prices and consequential fall in the purchasing power of the £ has been mainly due to the excessive growth in money incomes compared with the growth of national production. The Government's policy

AREA (SQUARE FOOTAGE) OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES ISSUED STANDARD REGIONS: QUARTERLY 1960 TO 1962
Standard regions
Area: Millions square feet
		Northern	North Eastern	North Midland	Eastern	London and South Eastern	Southern
1960
1st Quarter	…	0·9	1·8	1·4	3·5	3·7	1·7
2nd Quarter	…	1·2	2·9	2·2	1·7	3·6	1·6
3rd Quarter	…	1·2	2·1	1·6	2·5	3·3	1·3
4th Quarter	…	0·9	1·6	1·9	2·1	2·5	2·1
1961
1st Quarter	…	1·1	0·6	1·4	1·8	3·0	1·3
2nd Quarter	…	1·3	0·9	1·0	1·3	2·9	1·8
3rd Quarter	…	0·8	1·1	0·9	1·2	2·6	0·7
4th Quarter	…	3·4	0·7	1·1	1·0	1·6	0·7
1962*
1st Quarter	…	0·8	0·6	0·7	1·1	1·6	0·9
2nd Quarter	…	0·7	0·5	0·6	1·3	1·6	1·0
3rd Quarter	…	0·5	0·7	0·7	1·0	1·4	0·6
4th Quarter	…	0·9	0·5	0·5	1·2	1·2	0·6

—		South Western	Wales	Midland	North Western	Scotland
1960
1st Quarter	…	1·3	1·6	4·1	11·7	3·0
2nd Quarter	…	2·2	0·7	2·4	3·5	2·2
3rd Quarter	…	1·4	2·5	2·7	2·0	1·6
4th Quarter	…	1·3	0·8	1·7	2·3	1·1
1961
1st Quarter	…	1·2	0·6	1·4	3·1	2·6
2nd Quarter	…	0·5	0·6	1·6	1·7	0·8
3rd Quarter	…	0·6	0·9	1·2	1·4	0·9
4th Quarter	…	0·5	0·3	0·8	1·3	0·6
1962*
1st Quarter	…	0·8	0·7	1·2	1·0	0·9
2nd Quarter	…	0·5	0·2	0·9	1·2	1·1
3rd Quarter	…	0·5	0·6	1·0	1·3	0·8
4th Quarter	…	0·6	0·6	0·6	1·0	1·0
* The 1962 figures are provisional.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the amount of factory space sanctioned in each quarter from January, 1960, in London and the South East and in each other Board of Trade region.

The figures are as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he intends to take to expand the activities of the British Industrial Development Office in New York;(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the British Industrial Development Office in New York.

My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans for expanding the activities of the Office. It will move shortly to the new offices of the Consulate-General in New York.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what special benefits provided under the Local Employment Act have been granted to Sunderland since it was added to the list of active development districts.

Since the Board of Trade resumed acceptance on 8th November, 1962, of applications for assistance under the Local Employment Act for projects in Sunderland eight applications have been received of which two have been approved and six are under consideration. In addition one of the advance factories that I announced in November is to be built in Sunderland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many additional jobs will be provided in Coatbridge and Airdrie during 1963; and if he will make a statement.

Coatbridge and Airdrie form part of the North Lanarkshire group of employment exchange areas, within which there is a well-established pattern of travel-to-work. For these areas there are now some 6,700 jobs in prospect from new building and other developments reported to the Board of Trade. Over 3,000 of these are estimated to arise during 1963, including about 1,000 from projects within the Coatbridge-Airdrie area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the prospects of securing tenants for the two factories on the Hirwaun Trading Estate, Aberdare, which are now vacant or in the process of becoming vacant.

These buildings have already been drawn to the attention of several industrialists. Efforts to find suitable tenants able to provide appropriate employment will be continued and I hope that these will eventually be successful.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the rapid increase in unemployment in the area of the Aberdare and Mountain Ash Employment Exchanges, he will now consider placing the area covered by those two exchanges within the provisions of the Local Employment Act, 1960.

I do not consider that the future prospects in the Aberdare area would justify my adding it to the list of development districts under the Local Employment Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the amount of all forms of linoleum exported to each of the Commonwealth countries in the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962, respectively.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when elections in Kenya for the regional assemblies will be held.

As soon as the constitutional preparations have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the committee of inquiry into the position of Bailey's, Malta, has completed its work; and when the report will be published.

I cannot yet add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 22nd January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what assistance Her Majesty's Government are giving to Sarawak for relief measures in view of the devastation caused by the recent flooding in the eastern districts.

As a token of sympathy Her Majesty's Government are contributing $M.100,000 (approximately £12,000) to the Colony's flood relief appeal fund. An advance will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund pending the submission of the necessary Supplementary Estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement of his recent meeting in London with representatives of the Bahamas Legislature; and what decisions were reached on the relevant constitutional changes.

There has been no such meeting. I would, however, refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Irernonger) on the 22nd January.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a further statement on the possibility of shipyards playing a part in industrialised building.

On 2nd January I announced the appointment of a team of technical experts to carry out a rapid inquiry into whether spare capacity in shipyards can be devoted to the manufacture of the components or systems of construction needed for housing and other types of building. The inquiry is now in progress and the team is visiting some selected shipyards although the team's findings will, of course, apply to the shipbuilding industry generally. I expect to receive its report at the end of February.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will send the four-man team, which has visited the Tyne and Clyde shipyards, to the Humber ship-repair yards, to investigate the possibility of producing building products in these yards.

No. The inquiry is at present in progress and the yards being visited have been carefully selected in consultation with the industry, as a representative cross-section of the shipbuilding industry.As was stated in announcing the appointment of the Team, this is a feasibility study on a technical basis, and whatever conclusions I may reach when I see the final report at the end of February will, therefore, apply to the shipbuilding industry generally.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware that a number of building trade operatives in Hull travel 50 miles to Leeds and other areas to obtain higher pay and better conditions; and what steps he is taking to ensure that building employment is provided in Hull to retain the full local building force in the city.

There is a shortage of skilled labour in Leeds where the construction industries have a very heavy load of work. The men from Hull will help them to meet this. Men in the construction industries are expected to travel and it would not be practical to take special measures to employ all the men in the construction industries in the areas in which they live.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what schemes for public buildings he is at present considering which would help alleviate the problem of the 5,447 unemployed in Hull.

Work has just started on the erection of a Custom House at Hull, at an estimated cost of £145,000. The Building is expected to be completed by June, 1964.

asked the Postmaster-General what the plans are for the transfer of the Savings Certificate Division from Holloway to Durham; and if they are going according to schedule.

The building up of an office in Durham, occupying temporary premises at first, will begin this year and continue in succeeding years. The rate of progress and the date of the main move depend chiefly on the provision of a large permanent building, the arrangements for which are not complete. I cannot yet, therefore, give a precise timetable, but we hope that the whole operation will be completed within about six years from now.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now arrange for parcels weighing more than 15 lb. to be accepted in the inland postal service.

Yes. I havedecided that the weight limit for inland parcels shall be increased from 15 lb. to 22 lb. as from the 18th February. I hope that many of our customers will find this change useful. The charges will be:

• For parcels over 15 lb. up to 18 lb.—5s. 9d. and
• For parcels over 18 lb. up to 22 lb.—6s. 6d.

The maximum weight limit for parcels to the Irish Republic remains unchanged at 15 lb.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what new major research projects have been started within the Medical Research Council in the last five years; and by what number its staff has increased.

In the last five years the Medical Research Council has set up 27 research units and nine research groups, details of which have been given in the Council's Annual Reports. During this period the Council also decided to establish a Clinical Research Centre to be linked with the new district hospital to be built by the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board at Northwick Park, Harrow, and the detailed planning is now well in hand. The Council's total staff has increased from 2,213 in 1957–58 to 2,772 in 1961–62.These totals do not include grant-holders or people working in the Council's Research Groups, who are generally members of staffs of universities or medical schools; nor do they include the staffs of institutions supported by block grants from the Council.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many new research projects have been the subject of application for grant from the Medical Research Council in each of the last six years; in how many cases a grant was made; and what were the annual sums involved.

Year		Number of Applications for New Research Projects	Number of Awards	Total expenditure of the Medical Research Council on current Grants
				£
1956–57	…	152	134	171,292
1957–58	…	171	138	201,483
1958–59	…	153	134	211,695
1959–60	…	231	206	241,770
1960–61	…	273	236	326,749
1961–62	…	335	259	481,038

This table relates only to the Council's scheme of temporary research grants and does not take account of the support provided for medical research through its research units, research groups, training awards, and grants for special departmental apparatus. The last column gives the Council's total expenditure in each year on current grants; to give the figures corresponding to new awards in each year would require further analysis of a very lengthy and complicated nature.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how much has been spent by the Medical Research Council in each of the last five years in

Year			Expenditure				(5)Percentage of Total Gross Recurrent Expenditure, including Special Departmental Apparatus
			(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
			Temporary Research Grants	Special Departmental Apparatus	Research Groups	Total of (1) plus (2) plus (3)
			£	£	£	£
1957–58	…	…	201,483	—	—	201,483	6·6
1958–59	…	…	211,695	—	—	211,695	6·3
1959–60	…	…	241,770	—	—	241,770	6·4
1960–61	…	…	326,749	58,077	5,107	389,933	8·2
1961–62	…	…	481,038	40,131	40,531	561,700	10·2
NOTE: The above Table excludes the Council's major expenditure which is undertaken in its own establishments many of which are housed within, or attached to, university departments. It also excludes special grants to institutions such as the Institute of Cancer Research.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science why the Atomic Energy Authority has proceeded with the development of the reactor regarding which information has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Tynemouth.

The information sent me by my hon. Friend is not sufficient to enable me to identify the reactor concerned, but I assume that it relates to one for marine propulsion. Both the reactor systems for marine propulsion now under development by the Atomic Energy Authority are considerably more advanced technically than any of the system which were under consideration some four years ago.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration has been given to the proposed causeway across

New university research projects set up before the 1957 review cannot be readily identified, but over the past five years the Medical Research Council's expenditure on research grants to universities has been as follows:the Firth of Clyde, and what action he proposes taking to examine the desirability of such a proposal.

The Clyde Navigation Trust has commissioned an engineering study of the practicability of constructing a barrage across the Clyde; I cannot come to any realistic decision until this study has been made and its conclusions have been thoroughly examined.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a supplementary general grant to local authorities to meet all or part of the extraordinary expenses which their roads committees have had to meet because of the cold weather.

Local authorities in county areas receive Exchequer grants in respect of their expenditure on maintaining classified roads. The normal grant allocations include some provision of snow clearing, salting and gritting and the repair of frost damage. I am, however, prepared to consider sympathetically applications by these local authorities for additional allocations to take account of their unusually heavy expenditure this winter.

asked the Minister of Transport when the proposed by-pass at Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, is likely to be built.

I cannot say when it will be possible to include this scheme in the programme. There are many more urgent needs to be met.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made on the establishment of a consortium of local education authorities in London and the Home Counties for the purchase of science apparatus for schools and colleges and for other development work; and which authorities are participating.

The inaugural meeting of the Governing Body for the Consortium will be held next week. Initially membership is open to the 19 authorities represented at the Conference of Chairmen of Education Committees of London and the Home Counties, and the following have accepted membership so far:

Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, London, Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex (East), Sussex (West), Brighton, Croydon, East Ham, Hastings, Southend-on-Sea, West Ham.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to remedy the shortage of public health inspectors.

The Public Health Inspectors Education Board is responsible for keeping the level of recruitment under review, and I see no reason to intervene.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech of the Minister for Science at Sheffield on 14th December, referring to the responsibilities of the research councils to give money to first-class scientific brains for first-class projects, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

My noble Friend was referring to the support given by the research councils to promising research projects put forward by research workers in universities, colleges, and other research institutions. This is fully in accord with the Government's policy of promoting scientific and technical progress.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement indicating the range of responsibilities of the Lord President of the Council.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave to similar Questions on 24th January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the course of the forthcoming Price Review, he will initiate discussions with representatives of the agricultural industry on an alternative policy to that agreed by the European Economic Community.

The Price Review discussions will be concerned with the operation of our existing arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether Her Majesty's Government will make any provision in the Price Review for the extra expenses of farmers, incurred by the snow and frost over the last weeks.

Weather risks are normally carried by the farmer. It is not yet possible to assess fully the effects of the severe weather since Christmas and in any case I cannot anticipate the decisions to be reached as a result of the forthcoming Review.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many serving flag officers and general officers, Royal Marines, have qualified at the Joint Services Staff College and the Imperial Defence College; and what percentage this is of the total number of officers of flag and general rank now serving.

Nine have qualified at the Joint Services Staff College, 24 at the Imperal Defence College, and 3 have qualified at both colleges. Flag officers in the Medical, Dental and Instructor Branches do not attend these courses and are not included in the corresponding percentages which are approximately 12, 32 and 4.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many serving officers of the rank of air vice-marshal and above have qualified at the Joint Services Staff College and the Imperial Defence College; and what percentage this is of the total number of officers in these ranks still serving.

Nine have qualified at the Joint Services Staff College, 44 at the Imperial Defence College, and 17 others at both. Taking into account that officers of the Medical, Dental and Education Branches do not attend these courses, the corresponding percentages are about 10, 50 and 20.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will introduce and sponsor in the North-East a scheme, similar to the Electronics in Scotland Scheme, in an effort to spread and expand the electronics industry in the North-East and to retain those graduates who are being trained at the two regional universities and two major technical colleges in employment in the North-East.

The special problems of the North-East are very much in the forefront of the Government's mind at the present time and I should be happy to discuss with my colleagues any firm proposals for expanding the electronics industry in the region which the hon. Member may care to put forward. He is, however, already well aware of the factors which determine the placing of contracts by my Ministry.

asked the Minister of Defence what steps he is taking to check the anti-recruiting campaign and the distribution of pacifist literature at British Services bases and barracks conducted by the Committee of 100; and what action is being taken regarding the persons who distributed recently amongst British Service personnel parcels of pacifist literature printed in the United States of America.

I am satisfied that the existing Regulations are adequate. I know of no pacifist literature printed in the United States of America having recently been distributed amongst Service personnel. If my hon. and gallant Friend has any information to the contrary I should be grateful if he would let me have it so that I can pursue the matter.

asked the Minister of Defence what specific methods have been introduced in the past five years to increase common use and co-operation among the three defence Services.

As was stated in the 1962 Statement on Defence (Cmnd. 1639) increasing stress is now laid on mutual support and assistance between the three Services in the interests of economy. The principal method by which the common use of administrative and support facilities is achieved is the agency arrangement under which one Service acts for one or both of the others. Increasing use is to be made of arrangements of this kind as a result of the studies carried out by an inter-Service Committee established for the purpose.Closer co-operation in the operational sphere has been achieved by the introduction of the Unified Command organisation in the Middle East and Far East and by the designation of the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Near East, to be responsible for all British forces in that command. A Joint Service Staff has been established in the Ministry of Defence to advise the Chiefs of Staff on all aspects of Joint Service operations including training.

asked the Minister of Defence what percentage of the total instructional programme at each of the Service Staff Colleges is spent in studying the problems of the other two Services; and how much this percentage has increased during each of the past five years.

The percentage of the total instructional programme spent at each of the Service Staff Colleges in studying the problems of the other two Services with details of increases over the past five years are as shown below:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the numbers of persons under and over 18 years of age.