asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will appoint a representative of the agricultural industry to the National Economic Development Council.

No. The members of the National Economic Development Council are not intended to represent particular industries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further action he proposes in the light of the report of the Halsbury Committee.

The Halsbury Report has raised a number of complex issues which we are at present considering. I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds the expenditure on trading stamps given free to the consumer by limited companies is allowed as a legitimate business expense.

The cost of trading stamps given free to customers by a trader is normally an expense incurred for the purposes of the trade and as such deductible in computing the profits for tax purposes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give consideration to reducing Purchase Tax on ice cream in order to alleviate hardship in the industry.

:I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Answer I gave today on this subject to the hon. Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will abolish the earnings rule on public service pensions for undermanned occupations to encourage pensioners to continue at or return to work when they are needed.

No. Public service pensions are intended to help maintain pensioners when they are no longer employed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that theatres subsidised by the Arts Council are required to pay Purchase Tax on costumes made by themselves or on their behalf; and whether he will introduce legislation to remit this tax on bodies receiving money out of public funds.

Subject to the £500 turnover limit, all manufacturers of chargeable goods for use in their businesses are required to pay tax thereon, and I am not prepared to bring forward proposals to relieve a particular class of manufacturers from this charge.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it is his policy that salvage money payable to officers and ratings in the Royal Navy should be treated as income for tax purposes, in view of the fact that salvage operations form no part of the normal duties of the crew of a ship of the Royal Navy and that moneys received by them for this work do not accrue to them as emoluments of an office or employment but are a fortuitous receipt.

:These payments are liable to tax as emoluments of their office or employment, and the fact that they are exceptional receipts affords no ground for exempting them from tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that post-graduate students receiving grants from sources other than the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have to pay Income Tax on their grants; and if he will take steps to remove this disability from such students who are engaged in identical work to those who receive grants from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

:If the hon. Member will send me particulars of the grants other than Department of Scientific and Industrial Research post-graduate studentships of which he is thinking I will look into the question whether they are covered by the exemption in the Income Tax Acts in favour of certain scholarships.

Pilkington asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the general review of central and local government financial relationships will be completed; and if he will make an interim statement, in view of the feeling that a change should be made.

:I cannot say when the review will be completed and I am not at present ready to make any statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to make the length of both passenger cars and goods-carrying heavy vehicles a determining factor in the taxation of such vehicles.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in each of the past three years, respectively, has been charged against public funds in respect of work done by the College of Arms.

The College of Arms is a self-supporting body which does not receive any direct financial assistance from public funds.The College and its officers from time to time undertake work for Government Departments, for which payments are made, but of which no details are centrally available. Government Departments are in this respect treated like any member of the public who seeks advice from the College of Arms.Garter King of Arms also provides certain services to the Government in a personal capacity as principal King of Arms. Payment for these services is by way of an annual honorarium.In each of the past three financial years this payment has been £735.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to what degree the staff/student ratio in physics teaching in universities deteriorated in the period 1957 to 1962; and what improvements he expects in the next quinquennium.

Separate figures for physics are not available. The staff/ student ratio in the Pure Science faculties in universities can be calculated in different ways. One method shows a change, between 1957–58 and 1961–62, from 1: 6.9 to 1: 7.0; the other shows a change from 1:9.7 to 1: 10.3. The recurrent grant to universities for the quinquennium 1962–67 was fixed on the assumption that the overall staff/student ratio would remain at about the 1961–62 level.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list in Hansard those persons who receive their wages and salaries through the Treasury, directly or indirectly, who have not received an increase in such wages or salaries since the date on which Members of Parliament's salaries were last raised.

The wages and salaries of all Civil Service grades have been increased since 1st July, 1957. It would require an unreasonable expenditure of time and public money to establish in detail the position in cases where the Treasury has an indirect interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not take the necessary steps to authorise the holders of Post-War Credit certificates to deposit such certificates with building societies or local authorities as a deposit for obtaining mortgages on houses.

Post-War Credits are repayable before the normal age in certain categories of hardship cases, but house purchase does not seem to me to be comparable to any of these categories, and I do not think it would be right to give it preferential treatment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not give an assurance that there will be no general reduction in taxation until all taxes and charges made on health and other welfare benefits and taxes on sweets and ice-cream have been abolished.

Because I do not think it would be sensible to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what development grants or loans were made to each

DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AND LOANS TO HIGH COMMISSION TERRITORIES
—		1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	Total funds available for 1963–66 (including new allocations)*
Colonial Development—Welfare Grants
Basutoland	Research	…	42
	…	123,089	500,489	454,468	1,703,000
Bechuanaland	Research	…	695	367	5,054
	…	171,472	410,211	496,758	2,428,000
Swaziland	Research	…	13,757	48,220	38,357
	…	338,904	819,182	454,125	2,487,000
Exchequer Loans
Basutoland	…	—	255,000	115,000	120,000
Bechuanaland	…	277,000	179,000	225,000	360,000
Swaziland	…	780,000	440,000	276,000	671,000
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Basutoland	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Not yet available. C.D.C. investment in the coming years will depend on what projects come forward.
Bechuanaland	…	95,000	70,000	Nil
Swaziland	…	1,825,000	1,900,000	1,640,000
* Assistance for research in this period will be provided from sources other than CD. & W. funds. Exchequer loan figures are in respect of existing commitments only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will replace the South African textbooks used in the schools of the Bechuanaland Protectorate by textbooks produced in the United Kingdom, similar to those supplied to West Africa; and if he will have examples of each type of textbook placed in the Library.

A revision of the syllabus of Bechuanaland Protectorate schools is

For the three years to March, 1966, Colonial Development and Welfare Grants funds of £1.703 million for Basutoland, £2.428 million for Bechuanaland and £2.487 million for Swaziland will be available. The annual rate of expenditure will depend on the speed at which these territories are able to carry out their projects. Applications by the territories for Exchequer loans will be considered as they are received. The level of Commonwealth Development Corporation advances is difficult to estimate because it depends on what projects come forward.Following are the figures:to be undertaken early in 1964, and I hope that this will result in the introduction of appropriate textbooks, from either Britain or other countries familiar with the Cambridge Syndicate's School Certificate examination. Sets of each type of textbook will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what restrictions are placed on immigrants of Asian origin into Swaziland.

There are at present no inhabitants of Asian origin; and immigration is limited to persons of the races which already reside in the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the widespread failure in the Seychelles of employers in observing minimum wage regulations; how many prosecutions have been taken in the Seychelles against employers failing to observe these regulations; and whether he will employ labour inspectors to ensure that the regulations are maintained.

None of the cases of alleged failure to observe the regulations which have come to our notice since 1961 have been substantiated and no prosecutions have been undertaken. The employment of additional labour inspectors is not considered necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made to re-establish a cotton ginnery in St. Vincent.

:The St. Vincent Government sought the services of a consultant from the Department for Technical Cooperation earlier this year to advise on the reconstruction of the cotton ginnery. This consultant is at present in St. Vincent and his report is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what financial and other arrangements have been made for Maltese emigrants to Australia and other oversea Commonwealth countries; and how these arrangements compare with those made for the emigration to such countries of British subjects from the United Kingdom.

Arrangements for emigration from Malta are the responsibility of the Malta Government. The main feature of those arrangements is the registration of prospective migrants in Malta, the securing of suitable employment opportunities abroad and the provision of assistance towards passage costs. Her Majesty's Government have agreed to increase to £300,000 the assistance they have offered for this purpose out of their general financial aid to Malta, to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member for Haltem price (Mr. Wall) on 14th May, 1963.Government assistance towards migration from this country is by way of an annual contribution to the Anglo-Australian Assisted Passage Scheme, and grants to a number of voluntary societies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects new elections to take place in Aden.

No date has yet been fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what consultations he has had recently concerning the future of Aden; and if he will make a statement.

:The High Commissioner has recently been here for consultations, and I am hoping to have a meeting with Aden Ministers in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what secondary school provision is available for the children of United Kingdom citizens in Hong Kong.

:About 1,500 places in all; 850, to be increased to 1,100 shortly, in a Government school; over 600 in an Army school; and some 50 in various private and aided schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the total number of persons and of families, respectively, now rehoused, and the number of housing units provided, by the Hong Kong Government during the past 15 years; what is approximately the number of persons now living in sub-normal conditions; what is the number of Chinese who entered Hong Kong and the New Territories from China in the past 12 months; how many of these were repatriated; and how many left Hong Kong for other destinations.

Some 750,000 persons (about 135,000 families) in 140,000 housing units.About 600,000 squatters remain to be resettled. In addition there is serious overcrowding in many of the older tenement buildings.In the past 12 months the number of persons entering from China exceeded the number leaving for China by about 29.000. 2,600 were repatriated.The number of Chinese who leave Hong Kong permanently for other countries is small, but exact figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how he has allocated the funds made available under Section 2 of the Commonwealth Development Act, 1963.

Full details of the allocations are given in a Circular Despatch which I addressed to Colonial Governments on 18th November. This will be published by the Stationery Office on 4th December as Colonial No. 357 and I am arranging to have copies placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will make a statement on the possible use of shipyards for the purpose of manufacturing building components.

On 30th April 1 announced in the House that I had set up three Inquiry Offices to put shipyards interested in producing building components in touch with architects, builders and their clients.The initial response from the shipyards was encouraging. Some 30 shipyards made inquiries and were put in touch with builders and others who might be able to make use of their facilities. As a result one shipbuilding firm has established a subsidiary company in co-operation with a builder to manufacture industrialised housing components in the North-East. Other shipyards have also moved into the building field and yet other projects are under consideration. The commercial initiative must, of course, lie with the firms concerned, once the technical possibilities have been explained to them.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when the restoration work on the Link House and the garden architecture of Chiswick House is to be completed.

Restoration of the Link Building and the Summer Parlour should be finished in 1964 and I expect to complete work on the garden structures in 1966.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he proposes to carry out further excavation at Avebury in the near future.

No. I propose to await the publication of a comprehensive report of the earlier excavations before making any further plans.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many official cars were in use to take members of Her Majesty's Government to a dinner in the West End recently to celebrate the winding-up of the Municipal Reform Association; who used these cars; and for how long they were engaged on this business.

Four official cars were used to take members of Her Majesty's Government to the dinner of the London Municipal Society on Wednesday, 20th November. These cars were used by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Minister of Housing and Local Government and myself. The cars were engaged on this business for 5 hours, 4½ hours, 4 hours and 4 hours respectively. The use of cars for social occasions of an official character is in accordance with the rules laid down. This was such an occasion.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he has taken in respect of his Department's own industrial staff to ensure the effective supervision of the safe conduct of work, as required by the Construction (General Provisions) Regulations 1961.

:I have had an investigation made into the arrangements for the safety at work of directly employed industrial staff. As a result of this I have decided to appoint as soon as possible a full-time Safety Officer in each of the Ministry's regions in England, and also in Scotland and Wales. They will be responsible to a Chief Safety Officer at the Ministry's Headquarters in London. These officers will be responsible for advising on all aspects of accident prevention. They will arrange the training of supervisors in safe working methods and ensure compliance with statutory requirements through regular inspection of Works establishments. These measures have the strong support of the Trade Union Side of the Ministry's Departmental Joint Industrial Council.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he is taking to expedite the Knottingley-Osgoldcross joint sewerage scheme, which has been subjected to continuous delay since 1948.

The Knottingley and Osgoldcross Councils first submitted a joint scheme to the Department in 1959; but the site proposed for the disposal works proved unsuitable and revised proposals were made and approved in principle in 1962. Detailed plans came in two months ago.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what representations he has received from the Association of Local Authorities concerning special benefits for those towns whose domestic ratepayers have suffered most as a result of the recent revaluation.

I have received no written representations from the associations, but this matter was raised in my confidential consultations with them about the Government's interim proposals.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will take steps to enable local authorities to purchase land for public purposes at a price based on fixed principles other than current market value, which may be enhanced as a result of public development.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when the first public inquiry will take place into the objections which have been received against the final proposals of the Local Government Commission for Wales.

I hope to arrange the first inquiry for the spring and others will follow. The local authorities concerned will be consulted about the arrangements.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many improvement grants were sanctioned by the Abertillery, Nantyglo and Blaina, and Abercarn urban district councils, respectively, in 1962 and in 1963 up to the most recent date; and

Authority		Discretionary Grants approved		Standard Grants approved		Total No. of these schemes completed up to date
		1962	1st Jan. 1963 to 31st Oct. 1963	1962	1st Jan. 1963 to 31st Oct. 1963
Abertillery U.D.C	…	10	5	44	48	90
Nantyglo and Blaina U.D.C.	…	10	34	35	18	61
Abercarn U.D.C	…	28	13	18	12	35

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he is taking to ensure that the corporation of Sunderland have sufficient land to continue their housing programme at its present rate.

:I am considering proposals which were the subject of a local inquiry earlier this year. I hope to announce my decision very shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many housing associations have been formed in Swansea; what units they propose to construct; what price per acre was paid for the land on which they are to be constructed; and at what average rent they are to be let.

Under Section 7 of the Housing Act 1961, one association—the Cambrian Housing Society Ltd.—have had one scheme approved in Swansea for building to let at cost rents. The scheme will provide 80 3-bedroom and 15 2-bedroom houses, with garages. The price paid per acre for the 16.1 acre site was £2,174. The average rent for the houses including garage is expected to be £4 17s. 6d. a week, exclusive.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Treasury which

The following is the answer:of the two types of marine nuclear reactor under development has been selected for installation in a British prototype nuclear-powered merchant ship.

The Working Group on Marine Reactor Research is still examining the merits of various reactor systems and the cost of developing them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new hospitals were built in Scotland in 1962; and how many have been built so far in 1963.

:One new hospital was completed in 1962, and two substantially rebuilt hospitals have been brought into full use in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the fishermen's top price for herring at Ullapool virtually never obtains the home market minimum price of 97s. for bulk or 99s. for boxed herring; and what proportion of the herring landed at Ullapool is sold on the home market.

:During the period 1st September to 23rd November this year out of a total landing of just over 25,000 cran of herring at Ullapool some 6,600 cran were sold at or above the price of 97s. for bulk or 99s. for boxed herring. In addition, over 9,000 cran were sold for quick freezing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why herring of good quality landed at Ullapool fetch a much lower price than herring of similar quality landed at Oban.

:According to my information, the quality of herring recently landed at Oban has been in general better than that of the catches landed at Ullapool and I have no reason to believe that the difference of prices between the two ports reflects anything other than the buyers' assessment of the quality of the catch.

			Amounts allocated in Estimates			Expenditure
			Trunk Roads	Classified Roads	Total	Trunk Roads	Classified Roads	Total
1956–57	…	…	1,204,000	1,382,000	2,586,000	704,790	976,107	1,680,897
1957–58	…	…	2,185,000	1,785,000	3,970000	1,391,533	1,505,379	2,896,912
1958–59	…	…	2,716,000	3,531,000	6,247,000	2,177,441	1,968,785	4,146,226
1959–60	…	…	3,407,000	3,090,990	6,479,990	3,295,193	3,062,162	6,357,355
1960–61	…	…	3,401,000	3,420,000	6,821,000	3,789,965	3,554,337	7,344,302
1961–62	…	…	4,135,000	3,350,000	7,485,000	4,371,423	3,294,718	7,666,141
1962–63	…	…	5,823,000	4,245,000	10,068,000	5,854,487	4,335,935	10,190,422
1963–64	…	…	7,202,000	4,560,000	11,762,000	Not yet available

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the market for bacon in Great Britain is supplied from Scotland.

About 3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of the Forth Road Bridge; and what will be the annual cost of borrowing and repayment of this sum over a period of 60 years.

The cost of the Forth Road Bridge is likely to be about £19.5 million, of which £14 million will be met by Government loan. The Forth Road Bridge Order, 1958, provides that the loan should be repaid within 30 years, but that if at the end of that time any of the money is still outstanding, the repayment period will be extended for a further

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amounts were allocated and spent, respectively, on Scottish road programmes, excluding the Forth Road Bridge, for each year from 1956 till the present day.

:The amounts allocated in the Roads, etc. (Scotland) Estimates, and the amounts actually spent on the major improvement and new construction of trunk and classified roads in Scotland, excluding the Forth Road Bridge throughout, were:period not exceeding 30 years. Ignoring the need for additional borrowing to cover deficits arising in the early years, the current cost of repaying the loan on an annuity basis over 30 years at 6¼ per cent, would be about £1,044,000; and over 60 years about £899,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total expenditure incurred to date by Glasgow Corporation by way of compensation for. or the acquisition of, housing, commercial, industrial and other properties in the Anderston and Pollokshaws areas, to permit redevelopment of these areas.

Up to 12th November, 1963, Glasgow Corporation had spent £596,046 on the acquisition of property in the Anderston Cross area, and £221,252 in the Pollokshaws area.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to maintain a sub-post office in the Hurdsfield clearance area of Macclesfield.

:There are five other post offices within half a mile of the Hurdsfield clearance area. In these circumstances, and as many people formerly living in the area have now left it, I am sorry that my right hon. Friend would not feel justified in maintaining a sub-post office there.

asked the Postmaster-General when the subscriber trunk dialling system will be available to the people of Newbridge, Abercarn and Blaina in the Newport section.

I plan to introduce subscriber trunk dialling at Newbridge and Abercarn during 1966, and at Blaina after 1970.

asked the Prime Minister what study he has made of the copy sent to him of a resolution passed by the National Executive Council of the National Union of Journalists expressing concern over the contraction of the Press involved in the recent closure of five English and Scottish newspapers, and the imminent closure of a sixth; what reply he has sent; and whether Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation to set up a Press Amalgamations Court on the lines proposed by the Shawcross Commission on the Press.

I share the concern expressed by the National Union of Journalists with regard to the closure of certain newspapers. The Government are considering the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Press that a Press Amalgamations Court should be established. It presents serious difficulties. I am replying in this sense to the letter I have received from the Union.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Lord Chancellor's Department are failing to send spare copies of Ministerial replies to hon. Members; and whether he will take the necessary steps to ensure that this Department carries out the same policy as other Government Departments.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor regrets that, owing to an oversight, the hon. Member was not sent a spare copy of a recent letter addressed to him by the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Prime Minister whether, as a means of resolving the question of Members of Parliament's salaries, he will take steps to associate Members of Parliament's salaries with those of certain judges, as laid down in the Judicial Offices (Salaries and Pensions) Act 1957, making such amendment retrospective to the date in 1957, when this Act became operative.

I do not think this is the way to resolve the question of the salaries of Members of Parliament.

Freeth asked the Secretary of State for Air how many of the Green-ham Common Air Base married quarters are in Hampshire, and how many are in Berkshire; and whether all the single quarters are in Berkshire.

Of the 72 married quarters belonging to this station, 51 are at Bishop's Green in Hampshire. The remainder, and all the single quarters, are in Berkshire.

asked the Minister of Aviation what plans he has for the use of Nutt's Corner Airfield in County Antrim; whether he intends to dispose of the land; and if he will make a statement.

Nutt's Corner Airfield closed for flying on 25th September, 1963, when the civil air services were transferred to Aldergrove. I have no long-term use for the airfield and it is my intention to dispose of the land and such buildings as have value as soon as possible. Some of the surplus land will be required for new road construction, and some may be transferred to the Government of Northern Ireland for their use, but a very substantial area will be returned to agriculture, in accordance with the recommendations of the Belfast Regional Survey and Plan. This land will be offered to the former owners at current market value and such as they do not wish to re-acquire will be sold in the open market.

asked the Minister of Aviation what were the aircraft noise figures recorded at the control point for each of the aircraft referred to in his answer on 24th October to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington.

Only turbo jet aircraft are monitored on take-off. One Boeing was not recorded; the figures for the remaining aircraft were:

	(BST	Aircraft Type		PNdB
31st July	2302	Comet	…	98
	2312	Comet	…	102
	2323	Boeing	…	100
	2344	Boeing	…	*113
1st August	0010	Comet	…	98
	0012	Caravelle	…	96
	0103	Comet	…	94
	0114	Comet	…	97
	0139	Caravelle	…	100
	0205	Comet	…	98
	0210	Caravelle	…	101
	0214	Caravelle	…	106
	0217	Comet	…	100
	0225	Comet	…	99
	0231	Comet	…	101
	0311	Caravelle	…	98
	0342	Caravelle	…	101
	0455	Caravelle	…	103
* There are grounds for believing that this recording was inaccurate and that no infringement of noise limits in fact took place.

asked the Minister of Aviation what were the times of takeoff to the east from No. 5 runway at London Airport of the aircraft referred to in his Answer of 24th October to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington.

The times were as follows:

Date/Time (B.S.T.)				Aircraft Type
31st July
2302	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
2306	…	…	…	Britannia.
2308	…	…	…	Boeing 707-436.
2312	…	…	…	Comet 4.
2314	…	…	…	Britannia.
2323	…	…	…	Boeing 707-321B.
2344	…	…	…	Boeing 707-321C.
2346	…	…	…	Britannia.
2347	…	…	…	Vanguard 953.
2357	…	…	…	Vanguard 951.
2358	…	…	…	Vanguard 953.
2400	…	…	…	Viscount.
1st August
0004	…	…	…	Viscount.
0010	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0012	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0013	…	…	…	Vanguard 951.
0015	…	…	…	Viscount.
0029	…	…	…	Viscount.
0038	…	…	…	Britannia.
0047	…	…	…	Viscount.
0103	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0114	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0116	…	…	…	Argosy.
0127	…	…	…	DC-3.
0130	…	…	…	Vanguard 953.
0139	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0158	…	…	…	Vanguard 953.
0205	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0210	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0211	…	…	…	Convair340.
0214	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0217	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0218	…	…	…	Argosy.
0225	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0227	…	…	…	Viscount.
0231	…	…	…	Comet 4B.
0244	…	…	…	DC-4.
0311	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0330	…	…	…	Viscount.
0342	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0345	…	…	…	Convair 440.
0354	…	…	…	L-1049G Super Constellation.
0358	…	…	…	Convair 440.
0402	…	…	…	Vanguard 953.
0455	…	…	…	Caravelle.
0634	…	…	…	CL-44D-4.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of public unawareness on the matter, if he will issue a statement making clear the responsibilities of local authorities to register all persons eligible for the electoral roll and of landlords to make a return for this purpose of all those who have been resident in their accommodation for six months or more.

Much publicity is obtained in the Press, through the sound and television broadcasting services, and by means of Post Office slogans, for the preparation of the electoral register. In addition electoral registration officers arrange local Press and poster publicity. The form which electoral registration officers send each year to the occupiers of property makes it clear that the law requires a return to be made of all persons resident in the premises on the qualifying date.

Davies asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what steps he intends to take to encourage industry into the Rhondda development district; and if he is satisfied that sufficient regard is being paid by the Board of Trade Advisory Committee to social accountability in determining their decisions on applications made for assistance under the Local Employment Acts.

:All the facilities of the Local Employment Acts are available in the Rhondda development districts, and I shall continue to do everything in my power to encourage suitable industrial development there. I am satisfied that the Advisory Committee always deal with cases submitted to them as helpfully as they properly can.

Location				Factories producing manufactures	Employment in manufacturing	New factories being built	Enquiries for factories*
Bridgend	…	…	…	84	4,941	Nil	15
Fforestfach (Swansea)			…	15	4,835	Nil	Nil
Hirwaun	…	…	…	22	4,059	Nil	33
Treforest	…	…	…	62	11,728	Nil	8
Wrexham	…	…	…	13	3,380	Nil	11
* For twelve months ended 31st October, 1963.

It is not proposed at present to establish any new industrial estates in Wales. None of the present estates is in a development district. In addition to these estates the Board of Trade has many factories in Wales on individual and group sites. New factories are being built on such sites in development districts as required.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what were the number of applications for assistance under the Local Employment Acts in the Rhondda development district during the past 12 months, the types of applications received and the results of such applications up to the latest available date.

:Six applications have been received, relating to five projects. Four are applications for building grants and two are applications for plant and machinery grants. Three of the projects have been approved in principle, subject to the statutory consultation with the Board of Trade Advisory Committee in respect of the building grants. The other two are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development in which areas industrial estates are situated in Wales; how many factories in each location are producing manufactures; how many people are employed in these factories; how many new factories are under construction on these industrial estates; how many inquiries for factory tenancies have been made; and if it is proposed to construct any new industrial estates in Wales.

The required particulars for Board of Trade industrial estates in Wales are:

asked the Minister Without Portfolio what was the cost of the Report, prepared for the Central Office of Information, by S. H. Benson, Ltd., in connection with publicity for development districts.

The total cost, including travel and other expenses, was £1,899 7s.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of mineworkers employed in the county of Monmouth in January, 1952; and what is the number now employed.

Figures for this area are available only for mid-year. In 1952 there were 25,900 employees in coalmining compared with 20,300 in 1962, the last date for which figures are available.

Davies asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of registered unemployed, male and female, and the number of registered unemployed disabled, male and female, in each of the Ferndale, Porth and Tonypandy employment exchanges at the latest available date.

The following table contains the information requested. Separate figures are not available for the area of the Porth office, and they are included in those for the Tonypandy employment exchange.

UNEMPLOYMENT ON 11TH NOVEMBER, 1963
—	Unemployed		Unemployed disabled
	Males	Females	Males	Females
Ferndale	195	73	89	14
Tonypandy	602	205	183	20

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of boys and girls under the age of 18 years registered as unemployed at each of the Ferndale, Porth and Tonypandy youth employment offices at November 1961, 1962, and 1963; and what was the number of November, 1963, school-leavers without a first job.

The figures are not available for each of these offices separately. Figures for the Tonypandy Youth Employment Office, including Ferndale, Porth and Treorchy, are as follows:

Date	Young Persons under 18 years registered as unemployed
	Boys	Girls	Total
November, 1961	36	15	51
November, 1962	109	52	161
November, 1963	81	34	115

The November 1963 total included 35 school leavers registered for first employment; 32 of these left school at the end of the summer term.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the number of vacancies for unemployed persons, the number of vacancies for disabled persons and the types of work offered at the Ferndale, Porth and Maerdy employment exchanges at the latest available date.

:There were no unfilled vacancies at the Ferndale Employment Exchange at 6th November, 1963, the latest available date. Maerdy is in the Ferndale Exchange area and has no Ministry of Labour office of its own. Separate figures are not maintained for Porth which is an out-station of the Tonypandy Employment Exchange. The number of unfilled vacancies at Tonypandy (including Porth) was 25 for men and 17 for women. The men's vacancies included 18 for colliery workers and 3 for salesmen. The women's vacancies included 6 in the medical and dental services, 5 in factory work, and 4 in retail distribution.Separate figures are not maintained for vacancies for disabled persons. There is a wide range of jobs which they are capable of doing and it is the practice of our Disablement Resettlement Officers to scrutinise all vacancies notified by employers to see if any of them are suitable for unemployed disabled persons.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of unemployed persons registering at the Ferndale, Porth and Tonypandy employment exchanges in November, 1963, who had exhausted benefit and were in receipt of National Assistance paid through the employment exchange; and how many have registered and have

Office	Numbers registered as unemployed on 28th November, 1963 whose title to unemployment benefit had been exhausted and in respect of whom:
	National Assistance was being paid	The National Assistance Board has since 1st November, 1963, advised that National Assistance is not payable
FERNDALE
Employment Exchange	114	3
TONYPANPY
Employment Exchange	255	4
(including Porth Part-time Office).
Totals	369	7

asked the Minister of Transport how many vehicles have been checked for the emission of diesel smoke by inspectors of his Department during the past 15 months on the roads of Britain; how many of these vehicles have been found to be emitting excessive smoke; and what penalties were imposed on the offenders.

:During the last fifteen months 50,559 diesel-engined vehicles were observed at nation-wide roadside checks. 5,684 were considered to be emitting too much smoke; of these 138 were issued with immediate prohibition notices and3,170 with delayed prohibition notices. The remainder were dealt with by warning letters to the operators and subsequent visits by vehicle examiners.A number of local checks have also been held, but lull figures of the penalties imposed are not available. At local checks held between June and October, 1963, 180 immediate and 1,863 delayed prohibition notices were issued in which excessive smoke was a feature.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the development of a roadside meter for measuring smoke emission by motor vehicles.

There is no immediate prospect of a meter being developed which could be used from the roadside to measure smoke emitted from motor vehicles. There are, however, meters which work by attachment to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle to be tested; the possibility of using them as a means of enforcing a statutory standard of smoke emission on roads is being investigated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make regulations to provide that exhaust pipes on all motor vehicles should be constructed so that fumes and vapour are emitted in a downward direction near ground level.

:No. In my view the design of motor vehicle exhaust pipes is best left to the discretion of the manufacturers. In some circumstances downward pointing exhaust pipes have disadvantages.