asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in considering a long-term policy for agriculture, he will take into account the special problems of the dairy farmers in the South-West, whose land is unsuited to other types of farming.

The interests of dairy producers, like those of other producers, will be taken fully into account in working out the best arrangements for our agriculture as a whole. I would remind my hon. Friend of the special arrangements made to help small farmers, of which good advantage has been taken by dairy farmers in the South-West.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cheques his Department issued for deficiency payments for amounts in excess of £2 in 1961 and 1962.

Approximately 1·9 million and 1·8 million respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tuberculosis reactors were slaughtered in 1962; what was the average value for each reactor slaughtered; and what was the total cost of compensation paid out by his Department.

Eight thousand eight hundred and forty-six reactors were slaughtered by the Department during 1962. The average market value of each reactor was about £82. Some £538,000 was paid in compensation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ban the use of persistent chlorinated hydro-carbon insecticides.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Burden).

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will make a statement on the decline in recruiting for the Army and Royal Air Force.

There has been no decline in recruiting for the R.A.F., entries have been cut back to match requirements. Some decline in Army recruiting, as compared with the high rate of 1962, was anticipated, but even so the rate of recruiting this year has been disappointing. Steps are being taken to secure an improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for War what action he has taken to deploy a greater proportion of the Regular Army in Scotland, and to reconnoitre training areas in that country.

We are at present looking into the feasibility of stationing more military units in the North of England or Scotland. Some reconnaissances have already been carried out, and more will be necessary before this examination is concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the system whereby prison officers at Saughton Prison, Edinburgh, have to work on six days each week.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Wynn-Parry Committee on Remuneration and Conditions of Service of Certain Grades in the Prison Services, which reported in 1958, officers on discipline duties at Edinburgh Prison and other penal establishments in Scotland are conditioned to 84 hours per fortnight worked in 11 working days. The industrial, works and clerical grades in all establishments were given the opportunity of working a 5½-day week as an alternative, and in October last elected by a majority to do this. At a recent meeting of the Whitley Council the staff side proposed that these grades should revert to an earlier arrangement of alternate weeks of 5 and 5½ days but the official side was unable to agree.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men and women, respectively, staff Scottish prisons; how they are recruited; and how many of them are recruited locally.

On 1st June, 1,193 men and 99 women were employed in Scottish prisons and other penal institutions, of whom 62 men and 24 women were part-time. Full-time posts are advertised in the Press and appointments are made on the basis of a written test and interview. Part-time staff are recruited for local service as circumstances require.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken on the recommendations made in the First Report of the Development of Day Release Committee of the Scottish Technical Education Consultative Council.

The first part of the Report on the further development of day release on the present voluntary basis was commended to education authorities in a circular in April, 1962. No further action is being taken at present on the second part, recommending compulsory registration of young people training for skilled employment, in view of the broader proposals on industrial training contained in the White Paper presented to Parliament in December by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the new subjects which he announced on 11th June would be included in the ordinary grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education and the new two-year course for girls who want to become State enrolled nurses; and when each of these changes will come into effect.

Human anatomy, physiology and health will form a combined subject for examination in the ordinary grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education, which it is hoped to introduce in May, 1965. These subjects will also be included in the new two-year course for prospective enrolled nurses which education authorities have been asked to introduce at the beginning of session 1963–64

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take on the disparities between the salaries and conditions of service between English and Scottish probation officers.

I have made rules implementing an award of the Industrial Court which brings the salaries of basic grade probation officers in Scotland into line with those in England and Wales. On higher grades I expect shortly to receive the recommendations of the negotiating body.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans to increase the number of dental surgeons and dental assistants of all grades in Scotland, with special reference to their salaries and emoluments.

The Review Body's recommendations for the revision of dentists' pay are being implemented, and it is planned to provide places for 35 additional students each year at the dental schools in Glasgow and Dundee by 1967–68. This will be of help to the whole country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that a scheme to establish a pilot unit in a surgical ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where special intensive care could be given to certain types of seriously ill patients, has recently been rejected by the North Eastern Regional Hospital Board; what is the reason for the rejection; and what alternative scheme he proposes.

The Board accepts the concept of intensive care areas and is making provision for this purpose in the new surgical wing which is now being built at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. It does not consider that in all the circumstances a pilot scheme would be a profitable use of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now supplement Command Paper No. 2050 by the issue of a similar White Paper on Housing in Scotland.

This Command Paper, presented jointly by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government and myself, deals with housing in Scotland as well as with housing in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations are at present in force permitting inmates of Scottish prisons to work outside prison walls; in how many cases such permission has been granted during each of the last 10 years; and with what results.

The temporary release of prisoners may be authorised under Rule 28 (1) of the Prison (Scotland) Rules, 1952; the number of prisoners who have worked outside for varying periods with private employers under this power has increased from 7 in 1953 to 44 in 1962. It has also long been the practice for parties of selected prisoners to be allowed to work from time to time outside the prisons under the supervision of prison officers. On 14th June, 1963, some 46 prisoners were so working.These arrangements have assisted materially in finding suitable employment for prisoners and in preparing them for release.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the prison accommodation, amenities and facilities for adults and juveniles of each sex, respectively, in North-East Scotland; and what improvements he plans for them.

Peterhead prison has accommodation for 388 men and Aberdeen prison for 150 men and 9 women. Persons under 21 are not sent to Peterhead; at Aberdeen prisoners under 21 are so far as possible kept apart from adults, although there is no separate accommodation for them. Both establishments have the usual indoor and outdoor recreational facilities appropriate for the type of prisoner, together with educational classes and film shows.Extensive improvements, including better ablution facilities, are in progress at both prisons. At Peterhead a new hospital block is being built and a new room for visitors is planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the places and facilities for deep X-ray treatment available to patients in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Reply of 17th June to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir D. Robertson.)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the letter, dated 15th May, 1963, sent to him by six Scottish fishermen's associations, stating their revised views on fishing limits consequent on their meeting with him earlier this year, if he will now define his views on those limits in order to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary prosecutions.

I have taken careful note of the views expressed in the letter to which the hon. and learned Member refers; but I have nothing to add at this stage to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend on 29th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the Mackenzie Report, particularly to the recommendation for the merger of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board with the South of Scotland Electricity Board; and what action he proposes to take on this recommendation.

This report is being given the close and careful consideration which it requires, and I am not yet in a position to make a statement about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the national shortage of speech therapists, particularly in Aberdeen, that this shortage is due to their inadequate salary scale as contrasted with other qualified teachers and that local authorities are thus handicapped in discharging duties imposed on them by the Education Act, 1944; and if he will take steps to remedy the position.

I am aware that education authorities are unable to obtain all the speech therapists they require.Speech therapists who are not teachers are normally paid in accordance with salaries negotiated on the appropriate Whitley Council. I understand that new rates have been agreed on the Council and will be announced shortly.Certificated teachers receive additions to their normal salaries if they are employed by education authorities as speech therapists. I have no reason to believe that these additions are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for reviewing the organisation of the sheriff courts in Scotland.

It is my intention to set up, as soon as possible, a Committee of Inquiry with the following terms of reference:

(1) to inquire into the appropriate function of the sheriff court in the administration of the civil and criminal law of Scotland, and to consider its constitution and jurisdiction in relation thereto;

(2) to consider the number and distribution of sheriff courts;

(3) to inquire into the present organisation, practice and procedure of the sheriff court;

(4) to inquire into the existing rights of appeal from the decisions of the sheriff court in civil and criminal cases;

(5) to consider what changes, if any, might be desirable with respect to any of the said matters in order to secure the more speedy, economical and satisfactory dispatch of civil and criminal business;

and to report.

I am glad to say that the Lord Justice Clerk, the right hon. Lord Grant, has agreed to serve as Chairman. I hope to announce shortly the names of the other members.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make available the Report of the Committee appointed under the chairmanship of the right honourable the Lord Wheatley to review the arrangements for the award and withdrawal of certificates of competency to teach.

The Report will be published on Wednesday, 26th June, as a Command Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals for a water supply for the district of South Lochboisdale, Isle of South Uist, he has now received from Inverness County Council; whether the council intend to proceed with this scheme while engineering plant and contractors are working in the neighbourhood; what is the estimated cost of the South Lochboisdale scheme; and what will be his contribution to its cost.

I understand that owing to the heavier capital and running costs involved in extending the scheme on which work is now going on, the county council propose to supply South Lochboisdale from the North side of the loch, but consider that other schemes elsewhere must come first. The estimated cost is £18,350 but I have no details of the scheme yet and it is too early to say what grant it will earn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of crofts in each of the islands, by name, of the Outer Hebrides with acreages of approximately one, two, three, four and five, respectively, the number in each island with an acreage of between six and 10, and the number in each island with more than 20 acres.

Acreages		Lewis	South Uist (including Benbecula and Eriskay)	North Uist	Harris (including Bernera Scarp and Scalpay)	Barra(including Vatersay)	Total
About 1	…	146	5	5	6	29	191
About 2	…	475	4	11	12	25	527
About 3	…	586	10	14	20	11	641
About 4	…	580	11	11	56	64	722
About 5	…	528	26	15	54	22	645
From 6–10	…	1,009	155	93	131	202	1,590
From 11–20	…	203	344	205	122	82	956
Over 20	…	73	368	123	136	12	712
		3,600	923	477	537	447	5,984*
* There are in addition 34 crofts (3 in Lewis, 10 in South Uist, 3 in North Uist and 18 in Harris) for which the precise acreages have yet to be ascertained.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the County Council of Inverness intend to proceed with its water supply scheme for the Isle of Eriskay.

As soon as the county council can get the necessary materials delivered and shipped to the island.

asked the Minister of Transport what reply he has given to the proposal made to him by the Association of German Shipbuilders for a voluntary quota system among European shipbuilders to reduce the volume of excessive tonnage and so improve the world shipping and shipbuilding industries; and if he will make a statement.

No such proposal has been made to me.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received following his proposals to provide financial assistance for the British shipping industry.

The distribution of crofts in the islands of the Outer Hebrides for which acreages are entered in the register of crofts kept by the Crofters Commission is as shown in the following table:

None. The primary purpose of the scheme is to promote employment in the shipyards. Both the shipbuilding and shipping industries have made statements welcoming it.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to announce the members of the Advisory Committee which will decide on applications for credit facilities under the recently announced Government scheme; and whether he will announce the terms of reference of this Committee.

The names of the Chairman and three members of the Advisory Committee have already been announced. Apart from the Chairman, Lord Piercy, who is the Chairman of the Ship Mortgage Finance Company, they are: Mr. P. S. Beale of Samuel Montagu and Co.; Mr. A. G. B. Burney of Binder Hamlyn and Co; and Sir Leonard Paton, the Chairman of the British Shippers' Council. A fourth member, whose appointment is being announced today, is Mr. Henry Dumas, of Willis Faber and Dumas, who is also my Honorary Adviser on Marine Insurance.The Terms of Reference of the Advisory Committee are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport if he will extend the help which he recently announced for the shipping and shipbuilding industry to the industry of ship repairs.

No. I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bodmin (Sir D. Marshall) on 17th June.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for improving road communications between North and South Wales.

In the next two years I expect to undertake major improvements costing some £900,000 on these roads in Wales as well as a substantial number of smaller improvements which come out of the funds I allocate for maintenance.

asked the Minister of Transport what conclusions he has reached concerning the representations which have been made to him under Circular 100 procedure by the Bucks County Council in respect of proposed service areas on M.4 at Datchet.

I still consider it necessary to designate this site for a service area. In view of the county council's objections I have referred the matter to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government in accordance with the procedure. Our two Departments will now discuss with the council whether anything can be done to meet the council's point of view.

asked the Minister of Transport when the system of remotely-controlled illuminated warning signs on the M.5 will be in operation.

The design of equipment for the experiment is taking longer than we expected. I am afraid I cannot yet say when the system will be in operation.

asked the Minister of Transport how many roads have been designated by local authorities under Section 220 of the Road Traffic Act, 1960, as roads upon which it is illegal to take an unled dog; and what steps are taken to bring to the notice of dog owners the making of an order with regard to any particular road.

Since last November it has not been necessary for orders under Section 220 to be confirmed by the Minister. So I could not say without inquiry of all local authorities how many roads are now designated under this section. A local authority must publish in the local Press its intention to make an order, and exhibit copies of this advertisement on or near the roads concerned. After the order has been made it must also be published and signs must be erected so that people using the road clearly know that dogs must be kept on a lead.

asked the Minister of Transport what was his original estimate for the construction of the M.6 motorway; what is his present estimate; and what are the main reasons for the increase.

In 1960, the estimated cost of the 78-mile section of the M.6 between Dunston and the Preston Bypass was £50·24 million, including land; this was before tenders for all the sections had been obtained. The latest estimate is about £57 million.

asked the Minister of Transport what difficulties have been encountered in the construction of the M.6 motorway; and to what extent the original plans have had to be changed.

With one exception the difficulties encountered in constructing the M.6 between Dunston and Preston were either foreseen or are contingencies of a kind for which provision is normally made in large schemes. The exception is at Waltons Wood in Staffordshire, where difficulties arising from unstable ground have been greater than expected. Remedial works are in hand and will be completed in time to open this length of motorway together with the connected length in South Cheshire.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to sanction the pilot schemes for parking restrictions at six selected road junctions in Wembley.

The pilot scheme covers 380 junctions in 64 local authority areas in Greater London. I hope to introduce it as a complete scheme in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Transport for what reasons he has rejected the request of the Wombourn Parish Council for pedestrian crossings at the junction of Ounsdale Road and Station Road; and whether, in view of the danger particularly to children at this point, he will now authorise the provision of these crossings.

It is the responsibility of the appropriate highway authority to initiate proposals for pedestrian crossings on classified roads.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now consider the construction of a subway under the A.20 at its junction with Hever Road, West Kingsdown.

I have already done so, but my conclusion was that the scheme I described to the hon. Member on 22nd May was the better answer. Work on this Improvement has already started and should be completed during the summer.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the annual net revenue from street parking meters in each year from the inception of the scheme; and what proportion of this money has been spent in providing other facilities for the motorist.

The administration of parking meter schemes, including the collection of meter charges, is the responsibility of the local authorities concerned. I understand that the annual net revenue in each financial year from meters in the London Traffic. Area was:

• 1958–59—£3,700
• 1959–60—£13,800
• 1960–61—£77,100
• 1961–62—£141,500;
• 1962–63—£160,500 (provisional).

Outside London, the net revenue to 31st March, 1962 (the first year) was £33,623. Figures for 1962–63 are not yet available.The surplus revenue must by law be applied to the provision and maintenance of parking accommodation off the highway. I do not know what proportion has actually been so applied as my own control is related only to 4-yearly periods. But a good deal of such parking space has been provided in recent years. Several new car parks have been opened since meters were introduced including, in London, the Park Lane, Audley Square, Shoe Lane and Upper Thames Street garages with a combined capacity of about 2,300 cars. More are in preparation.

asked the Minister of Transport what he has decided about the future of Marlow Bridge.

I am glad to say that the County Councils of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, as highway authorities, have accepted my comprehensive proposals for the construction of a by-pass of Marlow, including a new bridge, and for the repair of the present bridge. The by-pass will be included in my programme of classified road schemes for the period 1965–68. The old bridge will be repaired on lines agreed between the county councils and my Department so as to be safe for vehicles weighing up to five tons. I understand that tenders will be invited within the next few months.

asked the Minister of Transport why it is now necessary to take l·03 acres of open space for the proposed roundabout at the junction of Harrow Road and Bridgewater Road, Wembley, instead of the 0·93 acres previously stated; if he is aware that this land was given to the borough for use as open space and is being used for that purpose now; and if he is satisfied that traffic signals would not solve the problem at a much smaller cost.

In fact, the area of land needed for the roundabout has been reduced by redesign from 1·04 acres to 0·94 acres. Middlesex County Council, which is the highway authority, is satisfied that such a roundabout is the right answer and my engineers agree with it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to provide that the penalty of disqualification to drive as a result of committing three offences in two years under Part I and Part II of Schedule 1 to the Road Traffic Act, 1962, shall be applied only when the first offence is committed after 29th May, the date on which he has declared that this part of the Act shall come into operation.

No. Section 5(3) of the Road Traffic Act, 1962, provides that a minimum period of six months disquali- fication shall be imposed where a person who is convicted of an offence specified in Part I or Part II of Schedule 1 has within three years immediately preceding the commission of the offence and since the coming into operation of that subsection been convicted on no less than two occasions of such an offence and particulars of these earlier convictions have been endorsed under Section 7. The operation of this provision is thus expressly related to the date of the convictions for the two earlier offences and not to the date on which they were committed. The Act has been on the Statute Book since 1st August, 1962, so that the public have had ample opportunity to become aware of this provision and of the fact that I could bring it into operation at any time by order. The provision in effect provides that in assessing the consequences of the third conviction certain previous convictions shall be taken into account. There is nothing unusual in this. Taking these points into consideration and the fact that the Act was so recently approved by Parliament, I see no reason why it should now be amended so as to exclude from its operation cases where one or more of the offences has been committed before the 29th May, 1963.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the continued interference with television and radio reception, he will refuse in future to issue a certificate of roadworthiness to a motor vehicle not fitted with a suppressor.

No. I do not consider that the vehicle testing scheme could suitably be used for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now state the names of the personnel, terms of reference, functions and dates of sittings of the Rochdale National Ports Council.

I hope to make an announcement about the names of the members of the National Ports Council within the next few weeks. The Council's functions were described in the statement made by my hon. and gallant Friend on 6th March. Dates of sittings will be a matter for the Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether tyres, other than pneumatic tyre casings specially constructed to be bullet proof or to run when deflated, are included in the list of items embargoed for export to Eastern bloc countries.

No, with the exception of tyres for aircraft which are specially designed for military purposes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that Australia is putting a tariff on imported British paper, thereby affecting the British paper-making industry and increasing unemployment in Great Britain, particularly in North-East Scot- land; and what steps he is taking to protect the industry which now employs approximately 100,000 workers.

I am aware that the Australian Government have imposed new duties on paper and board. If the British industry considers that it is not being given the trading opportunities provided for under our Trade Agreement with Australia, I shall be ready to examine its case and consider taking it up with the Australian Government.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what the outcome of the inquiries into the suspected sabotage on H.M.S. "Diamond" in Chatham Dockyard recently has been; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Board of Inquiry has not yet been received in Admiralty: inquiries are still proceeding.

asked the Minister of Education what estimates he has made of the increase in the number of teachers required if the school leaving age were raised to 16 years forthwith, and of the total cost involved.

The immediate raising of the school leaving age is not a practicable proposition and I have not therefore had occasion to estimate the cost involved.The Government are however pledged to announce a decision with regard to the raising of the school leaving age before the end of the present Parliament. Any estimates of the cost involved and the demand for additional teachers will be made in the context of this decision.

asked the Minister of Education what projects have been supported financially from his research fund since its inception.

Since its inception in 1962–63 the following grants have been

Institution			Project			Approximate Cost	Estimated duration of project
						£
Department of Education, Sheffield		…	Programmed learning (0 level mathematics) and teaching machines.			13,000	3 years
Department of Sociology, Manchester			Effects of home life on school performance.			10,000	4 years
Department of Education, Leicester		…	Experiments by serving teachers with programmed learning in primary schools.			1,000	3 years
Department of Industrial Administration, Manchester College of Science and Technology.			Observation of mathematics teaching in secondary modern schools.			1,500	1 years
Institute of Education, Nottingham		…	Education of the deaf	…	…	2,500*	2 years
Department of Education, Swansea		…	Teaching of educationally sub-normal children.			5,000	3 years
Institute of Education, London		…	New methods of marking examination papers in English.			1,000	1 years
Department of Education, Birmingham (in association with Department of English, Leeds).			Oral English tests in the Certificate of Secondary Education.			6,000	3 years
Brunel College of Technology	…	…	Learning of intellectually complex material			20,000	5 years
Educational Foundation for Visual Aids			Contribution to audio-visual aids experimental development unit.			15,000	3 years
National Foundation for Educational Research.			Merits of block and day release		…	20,000	4 years
National Foundation for Educational Research.			Effects of streaming in primary schools.			58,000	5 years
Institute of Christian Education		…	Religious attitudes in sixth forms of grammar schools.			400	1 years
Department of Chemistry, Sheffield		…	Evaluation of programmes in A level chemistry.			150	2 years
Institute of Education, London		…	Contribution to experiments with Initial Teaching Alphabet.			4,300	1 years
Department of Education, Manchester			Sixth form curricula …		…	25,000	4 years
Department of Education, Birmingham			Methods of programming		…	8,000	2 years
Department of Education, Swansea		…	Analysis of data on co-education in secondary schools.			500	1 years
School of Education, Manchester		…	Careers of teaching training students			12,500	5 years
Department of Education, Leicester		…	Effects of streaming in secondary schools.			225	2 years
Department of Audiology, Manchester			Social adjustment of deaf children			5,000†	3 years
Moor House Special School	…	…	Analysis of data on speech defects			2,000	2 years
* Together with £2,500 from the Dulverton Trust.
† Together with contributions from the Gulbenkian Foundation and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the qualifications required for the trade of nursing attendant in the Royal Air Force; and what is the kind and length of training provided in the service for this trade.

Candidates must pass a test to show that they have the capacity

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many nursing attendants there are at present in the Royal Air Force; and how far the figure is short of requirements.

1,616 against a requirement of 1,804.

asked the Minister of Aviation when the Annual Reports of the British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways for the year 1962–63 will be published.

I understand that the Coporations' Reports will be published in the early autumn.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the United Kingdom contribution to the finances of the International Labour Organisation in 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963; what contribution will be made in 1964; what is the United Kingdom assessed share of the regular budget; and what contribution is made by the United Kingdom to voluntary funds sponsored by the organisation.

$903,092, $976,581, $1,044,150, $1,311,040, $1,482,714 (provisional); 9·22 per cent. (provisional); none. The International Labour Organisation's budget for 1964 and the assessed shares of member States are both subject to approval by the International Labour Conference which is now in session, and this is why the figures relating to the United Kingdom contribution in 1964 and the United Kingdom assessed share of the budget are described as provisional.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will publish an advisory leaflet on the dangers of using silicone wax polishes on ancient woodwork and furniture.

No