asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the long delay in installing telephones in Leicester; what is the cause of this delay, and the delay in the installation of new telephones in the Newport, Salop, Exchange.

:I am sorry that 58 applications for telephones in Leicester and 58 in Newport are at present held up because of shortage of plant. Additional cables, and exchange equipment, are being provided.

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephones have been installed in the new town of Cumbernauld; and what steps are being taken to increase the provision of kiosks.

Five kiosks have been installed and two more will be erected as soon as we have access to the sites. More will be considered as the building of the town progresses.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephone installation are on the waiting list for the new town of Cumbernauld; how many private telephones have been installed; and what is the average waiting period for new installations.

:There are 32 applications on the waiting list and a further 103 orders under inquiry or being met. There are 757 working lines of which 226 were supplied during the last 12 months. These figures include 465 and 153 residential telephones respectively. The composition of the waiting list is constantly changing and while we cannot give a reliable average waiting period we can say that all outstanding applications will be met by or before March next.

asked the Postmaster-General why alterations and additions to existing telephone services in the London centre telephone area are taking as long as eight weeks; and what steps he is taking to give the telephone user better service in this regard.

I am sorry that there should be delays, but I assure my hon. Friend that very few take as long as eight weeks. Nevertheless, I am not satisfied with the present position, and I am having it re-examined as part of the plans announced in my recent Paper on the Inland Telephone Service.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the total value of orders for telephonic equipment placed in Scotland by the Post Office in each of the last five years; and what proportion this represented of total orders placed in each of those years.

I regret that we cannot readily provide the information for each of the five years. Over the period, the value of orders for this equipment placed in Scotland increased from £1½ million, or just over 1 per cent of all such orders, in 1958–59 to £1½ million, or nearly 1½per cent. of the total, in 1962–63.

asked the Postmaster-General how many automatic telephone exchanges in Scotland have been in use for over 30 years; what proportion this represents of the total; and how soon he expects to replace these exchanges.

There are fifteen such exchanges—1.5 per cent. of the total. There are none in Glasgow. Two will be replaced next year and the rest between 1964 and 1969.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of manually-operated telephone exchanges in Scotland; what proportion this is of the total; and whether he expects such exchanges to be converted entirely to automatic working by 1968.

146 are manually operated. This accounts for 12 per cent. of the total. I expect 84 of them to be converted to automatic working by April, 1968.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of telephone installations in East Suffolk during the last four years; and how many people are still on the waiting list.

:In round figures the number of telephones supplied during each of the last four years ending 30th November were 2,700, 2,800, 2,800 and 3,100. There are 192 applications on the waiting list and a further 700 in course of inquiry or being met.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephones are in use in the Lisburn area of County Antrim; and what has been the percentage increase in the number of such telephones during each of the past five years, respectively.

:There are 1821 telephone connections in use in the Lisburn exchange area. The percentage increases in each of the last five years were:

asked the Postmaster-General why he permits the office of the High Commissioner for Australia to use official envelopes marked O.H.M.S. for the purpose of sending to members of the public price-lists for the Australian Wine Centre.

:My right hon. Friend does not think that the use made of these envelopes by the Office of High Commissioner is a matter for him. Postage is paid on all these packets by the Office of the High Commissioner for Australia.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the dates during the past 12 years on which mailbag and post office robberies took place, and the amount of loss in each case.

:I regret that full information in the form requested by the hon. Member is not available: but the following statement shows the number of robberies of all kinds, that is thefts or attempted thefts in which violence was used or threatened, which are recorded as affecting the Post Office in each year since 1954–55, and the amount lost.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make a statement concerning the empty mail bags discovered recently in Cardiff, Magor, and in Minets Wood, Rogiet, respectively.

On 31st October a mail bag was found on the railway line between Severn Tunnel Junction and Magor. As well as unregistered packets two registered letters were in the bag. Five registered letters were missing. On the next day four mail bags were found in an enclosed private yard at Maindy, Cardiff. In this instance two of three registered letters enclosed in the bags had had their contents removed; the other was intact. Claims so far received in respect of all but one of the registered letters total £98 14s. 6d. The offenders have not so far been traced. The remaining bag was found empty on the 14th December: nothing has been found to connect this with any theft of mail. Police enquiries continue.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are now being taken to improve the reception of television and radio broadcasting in the Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor areas of South Down.

The B.B.C. hopes that the television and V.H.F. sound station it is building to serve Newry will also improve reception in Warrenpoint and Rostrevor. It hopes to have this station ready next summer.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will report on the progress made to give television coverage in the Weardale area, County Durham.

The B.B.C. tells me it has found a suitable site for the Weardale station and is negotiating for its acquisition. The Corporation hopes to have the station in service by the end of next year.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will specify in the Official Report the frequency channels now allocated to the British Broadcasting Corporation for its second service; and what channels have been reserved for this service.

:Under the European Broadcasting Plan agreed at Stockholm in 1961, four frequency channels are reserved for use at each of the high-power U.H.F. stations in the United Kingdom. The only channel so far allocated to the B.B.C.'s second television service is Channel 33, for use at the Crystal Palace station. The allocation of further channels is being discussed with the broadcasting authorities, and I will make further information available as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will advance the date for the completion of the new television and very high frequency radio transmitter to cover Bute.

:This is one of the stations the B.B.C. hopes to complete about the end of 1964. It regrets it is unable to advance the date of completion.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether it is intended to acquire or develop a surface-to-surface guided missile system for installation in Her Majesty's ships.

As I explained in the debate on the Adjournment on 15th May last, in all the circumstances the development of naval surface-to-surface guided weapons cannot at present command enough priority to find a place in our defence planning.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how the intended compromise type of strike air craft designed to meet Royal Navy and Royal Air Force requirements will com pare in performance with contemporary fixed-wing aircraft under development for the United States and other navies.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the replies given on 20th November [Hansard, columns 986–989] and 11th December [Hansard, columns 371–372] by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will divert to Falmouth shipyard some naval repair work, in view of the high rate of unemployment at Falmouth.

:The shipyard at Falmouth has been given numerous opportunities, both this year and last year, to compete for refit work on Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. Thehon. Gentleman can be assured that they will continue to be given suitable opportunities in the future.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will make a statement on the provision of new helicopters in commando carriers and in frigates.

:Following Ministry of Aviation flying trials, both the improved commando version of the Wessex helicopter and the new anti-submarine Wasp have been given clearance for Service use. Substantial numbers of each are on order and deliveries are being made to the Royal Navy. We are particularly encouraged by the Wasp's progress. H.M.S. "Leander"—the lead ship for the new system—has had a Wasp aboard since September: its performance has been extremely satisfactory.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many squadrons are declared to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as operational; what number of ships is involved; and what is their class.

:The great majority of the Royal Navy ships in the active Fleet and operational reserve is declared to N.A.T.O. Precise details of our declarations are confidential.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many naval ships are under construction on the Clyde, excluding submarines.

Eight surface ships are being built on the Clyde for the Royal Navy and one for the South African Navy.

asked the Secretary of State for War in what respect the British sniper rifle calibre differs from the rifle calibre adopted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; and what effort has been made towards standardisation.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby) on 4th December, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for War how recruitment during the latest six-monthly period for which figures are available compares with a similar period in 1961 and 1962; and if he will make a statement.

8,807 adults were recruited from civil life during the six months May to October of this year. The comparable figures for 1962 and 1961 were 15,391 and 12,616.I have nothing to add to what I said on recruiting on 9th December.

asked the Secretary of State for War why an agreement has been reached with the Government of Hong Kong to surrender Whitfield Barracks in return for an undertaking to expend £1,182,000 on a new ordnance depot at Kai Tak.

Whitfield Barracks, which are old and in poor shape, are situated in the centre of Kowloon. New barracks to replace them will be built on the site of our present ordnance depot, which will be replaced by a new depot on a more suitable site at Kai Tak.In return for the surrender of the Whitfield Barracks site, the Hong Kong Government have undertaken to provide the land at Kai Tak free and to pay up to £2·876 million towards the cost of the new buildings for the Army.This is a satisfactory arrangement which is of benefit both to the Army and to civil interests in Hong Kong.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the 500 redundant employees of the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich, are between 40 and 50 years of age; how many are over 50; how many of the 3,800 employees will be over 50 when their services are dispensed with; and, in view of the long service that may have been given and of the fact that age in a high percentage of the cases will be a handicap in finding suitable alternative employment, what special action is to be taken to assist them to obtain alternative employment or financial assistance or both.

:We shall not know the ages of the 500 employees who are immediately redundant at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich, until the individuals have been selected in accordance with the normal redundancy rules.Of the total redundancy of about 3,000, I estimate that nearly two-thirds will be 50 or over by the time they become redundant. About four-fifths are established.We shall be able to offer an alternative job in the Government service, appropriate to his skill, to every established man; but not many of these jobs will be within reach of Woolwich. To those who do not wish to move their homes, and to all unestablished men, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and I will provide all possible help in finding new jobs, including facilities for retraining where needed. Courses could be arranged at the factory itself if necessary.The normal terminal benefits which are already weighted in favour of the older men with longer service will apply.

asked the Secretary of State for War what use has been made during the past 10 years of the 500 acres of land at the Woolwich Arsenal now offered to the London County Council.

:The main use for about 360 acres was storage and transhipment of explosives until 1957 and decontamination was in the main completed in 1960. A magazine, the wheel-testing track and married quarters for War Department constables are still in use in the remaining area. The unused part of this area is being decontaminated.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that a higher level of industrial employment will be needed in the Woolwich area; and what discussions his Department has had with the London County Council about the future of the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich.

:My Department has not had direct discussions with the London County Council about the future of the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich, but I would draw the hon. Gentleman's attention to my Statement of 4th December with regard to the Govern- ment's intentions for the future use of the site.The question of the level of industrial employment in the Woolwich area is for my right hon. Friends the Minister of Labour and the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his Department will have closed and cleared the Women's Royal Army Corps camp in Richmond Park by the autumn of 1964.

:Yes. I expect the site to be cleared by the autumn of 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are the respective rates of pay and allowances paid to members of the Royal Malta Artillery serving in the British Army of the Rhine compared with the rates of pay and allowances of comparable British forces serving in the British Army of the Rhine.

Maltese officers serving in the British Army of the Rhine receive the same rates as United Kingdom officers. Maltese soldiers serving in B.A.O.R. receive the usual rates of Maltese pay, plus an expatriation allowance which brings their total pay up to approximately scale B rate of United Kingdom pay.They receive the same rate of local overseas allowance as United Kingdom Service men and the same marriage allowance where they are officially accompanied by their family; otherwise they receive the Maltese rate of marriage allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for War when he hopes to achieve a target of 55,000 men for the British Army of the Rhine.

:The strength of the British Army of the Rhine will reach 55,000 as soon as possible. But our ability to attain this figure depends on a satisfactory rate of recruitment and on the military demands of other overseas theatres. I regret that I am therefore not prepared to give a precise date.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether Sydenham airport may be used as an alternative to Aldergrove for civil flights to and from Northern Ireland.

This possibility is being discussed with Short Brothers, the licensees of Sydenham, but details have still to be worked out.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will now make a statement about the manufacturing plans for the AW681 transport aircraft.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 27th November, 1963.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proposals he has for securing the revision of existing agreements with Scandinavian and Royal Dutch Airlines, affecting the operational use of Prestwick Airport.

The Scandinavian services through Prestwick are currently the subject of consultation with the other Governments concerned.I should therefore prefer not to comment further at this stage.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proposals he has for the management of the Highlands and Islands airports; and what decisions he has taken.

I am considering, first, the proposal from International Aeradio Limited to manage these aerodromes as agents for my Department and, second, that the Divisional Controller, Scotland, should continue to run them, but under new arrangements which would reduce present costs.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he is taking to make the ramp to the passenger exits at the civil airport at Aldergrove in County Antrim safer for passengers, who are in danger of slipping and falling on the slope leading to their aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

There is no special danger of passengers slipping or falling on the ramp, which has a very gentle slope and a non-slip finish.

asked the Minister of Aviation what would be the cost of installing a moving staircase to take passengers from the entrance to the exits on the first floor of the civil airport at Aldergrove in County Antrim.

:The cost of installing a single direction escalator from the concourse to the first floor, with the necessary building alterations, would be about £20,000. A single direction travelator from the ground level of the pier to the first floor of the terminal building would with necessary alterations, cost a further £26,000.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether, in the interests of the passengers concerned, he will take steps to bring London Airport within the area of the taxicab service for which Her Majesty's Government is responsible.

:I hope to include a provision applying the Hackney Carriage Acts to London (Heathrow) Airport in a future Civil Aviation Bill.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware that British air operators are in a disadvantageous position compared with their foreign counterparts over the licensing of aircraft for the carriage of inclusive tour traffic originating in the United Kingdom; and if he will take steps to rectify this.

:I believe that our licensing procedures leave British operators with substantial advantages in this business. Nevertheless, it is a rapidly changing branch of air transport, and I shall continue to watch developments very closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of crimes of violence against the person and the number of sexual offences, including rape, committed in the year 1962; what percentage of these offences was committed by juvenile offenders; and how these figures compare with those of 1961.

In 1962, 2,429 crimes of violence against the person and 2,079 sexual offences, including 42 offences of rape, were known to the police in Scotland; 13·5 per cent. of the persons found guilty of crimes of violence against the person and 22·2 per cent. of those found guilty of sexual offences were under 17.In 1961, 2,108 crimes of violence against the person and 2,108 sexual offences, including 40 offences of rape, were made known to the police; 17·1 per cent. of the persons found guilty of crimes of violence against the person and 17 per cent. of those found guilty of sexual offences were under 17.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the present situation in the Scottish herring industry; and what steps he is proposing to take to remedy it.

I am aware that drifter fishermen were disappointed with the markets at the Minch ports in November and decided to abandon the fishing this year earlier than usual. However, taking the year as a whole, I do not think that the picture is one of unrelieved gloom, or that any special action is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a White Paper setting out details of all the motorways, trunk and classified roads to be built under his road programme for the period up to 1968–69.

Below is a list of the schemes estimated to cost over £100,000 which have been provisionally selected for authorisation by 1968–69. As regards schemes for classified roads it is not complete, because further discussions must take place with local authorities in central Scotland about additional schemes arising out of the recent White Paper; and we have still to complete discussions with the highland local authorities about the next five years of the crofter counties programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses in each local authority area have been built to rent by private people or firms, excluding those built by local authorities or housing associations, since the Rent Act, 1957, was passed.

:Returns from local authorities indicate that apart from those provided by local authorities and housing associations a total of 2,107 houses were built for letting between June, 1957, and September of this year: of these 811 were built at Thurso by the Atomic Energy Authority. I am sending the hon. Member a list of the 85 local authority districts involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the fact that Aims of Industry has withdrawn its objection to the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board's Laidon scheme, and that there are no other objections, he has now given the board authority to proceed with the scheme.

:As there are now no outstanding objections, I have agreed with the Board that the inquiry already arranged to start on 6th January into the Fada-Fionn scheme will be extended to cover the Laidon scheme as well.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the High land Transport Board will start work.

The Highland Transport Board will have its first meeting on Friday, 20th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the population figures for Arran 25 years ago, 10 years ago, two years ago, one year ago, and at the present time.

The figures are as follows, that for the census of 1931 being given first as figures for 25 years ago are not available: 4,532 (census), 4,350 (estimate), 3,712 (census), 3,450 (estimate), 3,400 (estimate).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has now given to the recommendation, made by the Scottish Advisory Council on Child Care in its Report on the Staffing of Local Authority Children's Departments, that a committee of the advisory council should be appointed to advise him on training for child-care work; and if he will make a statement.

:I have accepted this recommendation, and a Training Committee of the Advisory Council has now been set up. The Chairman is Mrs. E. Verden Anderson, M.B., Ch.B., J.P. The following persons have agreed to serve as members of the Committee:

• Miss Marjorie A. Brown, M.A.
• Rev. A. J. Buchan, M.A.
• H. Fairlie, Esq., M.A., Ed.B.
• Miss E. Glen, S.R.N., S.C.M.
• Dr. Betty Hamilton, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., Ed., L.R.F.P.S. Glas., D.P.H.
• Miss G. Hamilton.
• J. T. Henderson, Esq., M.A.
• J. A. Mack, Esq., M.A.
• D. H. Millar, Esq., M.A.
• Professor Ross Mitchell.
• W. Montieth, Esq., M.A.
• Rev. P. J. Murphy.
• Miss J. E. Paterson, M.A., M.S., A.M.I.A.
• Miss A. Sinclair, M.A.
• J. A. Smith, Esq., M.A., Ed.B.
• F. H. Stone, Esq., M.B., M.R.C.P., F.R.F.P.S.
• A. M. Struthers, Esq., O.B.E., B.Sc.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to put into operation the pilot scheme for restricting parking at road junctions: and if, in view of the fact that the start of schemes such as that at the junction of Harrow Road and Rugby Avenue, Wembley, is being delayed by some local authorities not having selected their sites, he will take steps to expedite the work.

:All the sites for this experiment have been selected. The processes of formulating specific proposals, advertising them and examining objections received are taking longer than I anticipated. In addition, I want to use a new system of indicating the restrictions by signs, developed from the Worboys Report. The experiment will start as soon as I have completed consultations with representative organisations about this and the signs have been obtained. But I cannot at present say when this will be.

asked the Minister of Transport why he has not agreed to the proposed extension of the 30 miles per hour speed limit on the A.611 and B.6011 north of Hucknall, in view of the reply of the Parliamentary Secretary to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North, on this point on 31st July, 1963

:I could not agree to the proposed extension of the speed limit on these roads because they are not in a built-up area, and a 30 miles per hour speed limit would not be appropriate. On 31st July my hon. Friend spoke of placing warning signs on the main road farther from the junction. The highway authorities concerned have now done this.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he proposes to publish the report made to him by a group working with the Road Research Laboratory concerning various aspects of traffic congestion in towns.

:I am still considering this question.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to implement the proposals in the Buchanan Report for a revised grant system for urban roads which will offer the most favourable rates of assistance to local authorities prepared to tackle imaginatively the problem of traffic control and town redevelopment.

:I have this matter under consideration with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents, fatal and otherwise, have taken place on A.3 between the Black Fox Inn and Liphook since 28th March, 1962, when he last made a statement on this subject.

Between the 28th March, when I answer my hon. Friend's previous Question and 30th November, 12 accidents were reported to the police. Two of these were fatal accidents and four others involved personal injury.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a grant to help local authorities to employ highway and traffic engineers.

I think the employment of adequate professional staff is properly a matter far local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the average cost of installing a set of traffic signals at a crossroads.

£3,100.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) when he will fix the line of the southern by-pass to Beverley which is projected in conjunction with the new trunk road to Hull;(2) when he will authorise a new trunk road between Hull and Beverley.

The possible lines for a new trunk road between Hull and Beverley and a southern and south-western by-pass of Beverley are being examined by the East Riding County Council in consultation with my divisional road engineer. The routes will be put forward as planning proposals by the county council as soon as they are ready.

asked the Minister of Transport why his plans for the route of the London-Crawley motorway were not co-ordinated with those of the local authorities which have prepared schemes for the redevelopment of the former Croydon Airport; to what extent uncertainty over the line of the motorway will inhibit necessary redevelopment on the airport site; and why he has been unable to reach a decision on this during the four years for which the airport has been closed to flying.

:I co-ordinated my plans with those of the local authorities as soon as I possibly could. A line for the motorway proposed by Surrey County Council in 1959 ran west of the airport site, and was opposed by the localborough council. This, and major problems further south, convinced me that a further survey was needed. The consulting engineers appointed to make this survey examined the problem urgently, knowing that the Minister of Housing was shortly expected to confirm the general lines on which the site should be redeveloped, but also that his proposals would leave room for a possible motorway line across that large part of the site which is not being otherwise built upon. Immediately the consultants had taken their thinking far enough, contact was made with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Aviation and the local authorities. These contacts have been maintained in a way which will ensure that a redevelopment of the open part of the site is inhibited as little as possible. Planning on this scale necessarily takes time, and the pace at which it is done is of course closely related to priorities of construction.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish a list of the recommendations of the Rochdale Committee which can be implemented without legislation, and a list of the pro- posals which require Parliamentary approval before they are put into effect.

There are 141 recommendations in the report; in respect of a number of them it is not possible to say without detailed investigation whether their implementation would require legislation. The Government's conclusions on the main recommendations involving legislation are embodied in the Harbours Bill now before the House. If the hon. Member will let me know which recommendations particularly concern him, I will do my best to give him the information he requires.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will hold consultations with the port authority of Bristol and that of Newport before he takes a decision on the recommendations of the Rochdale Committee on the merging of the two ports.

:This is now a matter in the first instance for the National Ports Council, but I can assure the hon. Member that both the port authorities concerned will be brought fully into consultation before any decisions in this matter are taken.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will, in the public interest, issue a general direction to the Waterways Board requiring it to refrain from measures of reorganisation which would result in loss of employment opportunities in development areas.

No. The administrative reorganisation of its undertaking is a matter entirely within the managerial responsibility of the Board. I understand that it has decided to make certain changes in the course of the next two years for compelling reasons of operating efficiency and in pursuance of its statutory financial duty.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will specify the shipping interests whose representatives he is consulting on the possible revision of the Merchant Shipping Acts; and whether he will ensure that all the appropriate trade unions are invited to join in his Department's examination.

:The bodies participating with my Department in the detailed examination of Part II of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and other relevant provisions relating to seafarers are the Shipping Federation, the Employers' Association of the Port of Liverpool, the Mercantile Marine Service Association, the Merchant Navy and Airline Officers' Association, the Radio Officers' Union and the National Union of Seamen. I believe that these are the organisations having the main interest at this stage.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has given consideration to the provision of a harbour of refuge along either the north coast of Cornwall, or the north coast of Devon; and what decision he has reached.

:The answer to the hon. Member's Question is in the negative. The initiative in a matter of this kind ought to come from the local interests concerned.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to publish the results of the special studies of rural transport; and what further action he proposes to take about this problem.

:A report is now ready for publication. Copies will be available to Members in the Vote Office tomorrow morning. The report will also be on sale to the public then.I am circulating the report to the representative organisations of the local authorities and transport operators. I shall welcome their views.I propose in the first place to have preliminary consultations with the County Councils Association and the bus operators. I shall extend these consultations as appropriate.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the proposal to extend the Victoria Line from Waltham-stow, Hoe Street, to South Woodford or Woodford, in order further to relieve congestion on the Central Line, is being considered by the Passenger Transport Planning Committee for London; and when he expects to be in a position to make a statement thereon.

:A Passenger Transport Planning Committee for London has been set up by the British Railways Board and the London Transport Board to formulate long-term plans for public passenger transport in the London area. I understand that the proposal to which my hon. Friend refers is one of several under consideration by the Committee, which will in due course report to the Boards. I would not expect to make a statement on the proposal before it was referred to me by the London Transport Board.

asked the Minister of Transport, if he will give instructions that the Greater Manchester area survey on transport, land utilisation, future sites for housing, and movement of population, should be a comprehensive survey, and that, as in the Merseyside survey, the British Railways divisional manager and his staff should be invited to co-operate.

The major local authorities in the Manchester area and I have agreed that a comprehensive transport survey should be undertaken in their conurbation. The scope of the survey and other arrangements will be decided by a Steering Committee consisting of representatives of the local authorities, Government Departments and transport operators concerned. The British Railways Board has been closely associated with the proposals for the survey and will be represented on this Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport what further action he is considering to ensure that exceptionally wide, heavy or cumbersome loads carried by motor vehicles do not cause undue delay to the ordinary motorist.

Last year I made regulations which imposed new restrictions on the movement by road of abnormal loads. Under these regulations, a due balance is being kept between the needs of industry and the avoidance of undue delays to other traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport what record he has of the overloading of heavy transport motor lorries; and what progress he has made with action to rectify this problem.

None, since present regulations do not lay down maximum loads for individual vehicles. A scheme is being worked out for prescribing an authorised gross weight for each goods vehicle.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will refuse to grant approval for capital expenditure and to sanction any changes or closures on all railways within a 12-mile radius of Manchester until he receives the results of the transport and utilisation of land survey which is to be carried out in the next two years in the Greater Manchester area.

:No. In the Manchester area, as elsewhere, changes in the pattern of railway services may be fully justifiable in their own right. In such circumstances it would be wrong to suspend action to await the results of a survey. I shall be in close touch with the survey in the Manchester conurbation and shall be able to assess its relevance to proposals which come before me. Where railway passenger closures are concerned, I shall in any case have before me the views of local authorities and others who have made representations or objections. Where further studies are needed before I can reach a decision, I shall not hesitate to commission them.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now come to a decision on the Railway Board's proposal to close the Woodside to Sanderstead line to passengers.

Yes. I am now satisfied that, in spite of the other transport services available in the area, some hardship to users would exist at the present time if the closure took place. On this basis I have decided that formal consent should be refused. It may be that on a review of the situation in connection with some future proposal the matter might appear differently, although this would seem unlikely for three years at least.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) whether he has now made a decision on the type of aircraft to replace the Hunters in the Royal Air Force;(2) what steps he has taken to interest North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies in the possibilities of the Hawker P1154; what response he has received; and if he will make a statement on the future development of this aircraft.

No. I am not yet in a position to make any further statement. Her Majesty's Government have argued the merits of the Hawker P1 154 both in international N.A.T.O. discussions and in contact with N.A.T.O. governments individually.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what adjustment in the retail price of milk he intends to make in order to provide the funds for the special financial arrangement for quality premiums announced recently.

The precise amount of the funds required for the special financial arrangements for quality premiums, to which my right hon. Friend referred on 2nd December in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) will not be determined until the time of the Annual Review. But it will not require an increase in the retail price of milk of more than ½d. a pint for one month, if as much.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what contribution will be paid by the Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society towards the Amble Marshes drainage scheme; what acreage is occupied by this bird sanctuary; and what way it will be improved;(2) if he will arrange with the river board concerned for the special charge to the Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society for the Amble Marches drainage scheme to be substantially reduced, or remitted altogether, in view of the fact that the society did not ask for the scheme, and have few financial resources.

:The question of a contribution by the society towards the cost of the scheme is a matter between the society and the river board and I understand that they have reached agreement on the amount. This would be a contribution, not a special charge. I understand that the society has about 47 acres and that the river board have made arrangements with the society for the drainage outfalls to discharge as the society wish. The scheme would make possible the agricultural improvement of the land if at any time the society so desired.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what objects, beneficial to the area concerned, he had in mind when approving the Amble Marshes drainage scheme in North Cornwall.

:Among the benefits which my right hon. Friend considered were the improvement of land for agricultural purposes, the alleviation of the regular winter flooding of the roads serving the village of Chapel Amble and the flooding of several houses there, and the improvement in the sewage disposal from 33 houses involving 150 people. There would also be savings in other work on the river.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present average value of land to be improved by the Amble Marshes drainage scheme in North Cornwall; what is the total acreage involved; and what is the cost per acre for carrying out the scheme.

The scheme would benefit about 217 acres substantially and about 60 acres slightly. The present average value of the 217 acres is estimated to be £31 10s. 0d. per acre. No estimate has been made for the value of the 60 acres. The scheme is estimated to cost £23,290. Since the benefits are not limited to agricultural land but include the alleviation of flooding of roads and houses and improvements in sewage disposal, it is not possible to give a meaningful figure for the cost per acre.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many houses in the Village of Chapel Amble have been flooded in each of the last five years; and how often this occurred in each year.

I do not have this precise information, but I understand that four houses have been flooded on numerous occasions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what Government grant is payable towards the cost of carrying out the Amble Marshes drainage scheme; what cost will be borne by the county rate for Cornwall; and how much will be contributed by the beneficiaries.

:The normal rate of grant for approved work by this board is 35 per cent. but an extra 15 per cent. is paid for tidal or sea defence works. The latter would account for about two-thirds of the total estimated cost (just over £23,000) of this scheme. I understand that the River Board expect the cost for the County of Cornwall to be about £3,900 and to obtain about £4,700 from beneficiaries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what directives he has given to river boards regarding damage to nature reserve and to bird sanctuaries when considering drainage schemes.

Underpresent arrangements, which date from 1955, each river board is informed of National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest where there might be a conflict of interests between the river board and the Nature Conservancy. In any such case the river board is asked to consult the Conservancy if any drainage scheme is contemplated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how frequently river boards refuse requests from the Nature Conservancy when they make representations on the probable harmful effects of drainage schemes.

:I regret that we do not have this information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to issue a White Paper giving the estimated cost of the Government's programme over the next few years.

:I must ask my hon. Friend to await the statement I hope to make at the end of Questions today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the general public is intimidated in its desire to play bridge by the operation of Section 2 of the Finance Act, 1963; and if he will introduce amending legislation.

No. This Sectionmerely required gaming organisers to provide certain information; nothing in it need deter bridge players, in clubs or elsewhere, from playing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the concern of householders who have received Schedule A tax demands for 1963–64, accompanied by an inadequate explanatory leaflet, he will consider issuing a memorandum setting out which categories of householders are completely exempt, and which categories will still have a liability for the year 1963–64.

:No. I do not consider that the leaflet referred to is inadequate. An explanation was also given in a broadcast on 15th December by an Inland Revenue spokesman in the British Broadcasting Corporation's programme entitled "Can I help you?".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the practice of the Inland Revenue to exempt from any liability under Schedule A for the year 1963–64 owner-occupiers who do not sub-let any part of their premises.

:Under the Finance Act, 1963, an owner-occupier is not liable to tax under Schedule A for the year 1963–64 unless either (a) he lets part of the property at a rent, or (b) he is liable to pay a ground rent, rent charge or similar payment from which he is entitled to deduct tax. In case (a) he is liable for tax on the rent in accordance with the same law as applied for previous years; in case (b) the relief from tax under Schedule A is restricted to the excess of the net annual value of the owner-occupied property (or the owner-occupied part of the property) over the relative ground rent, etc.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of repaying all outstanding post-war credits.

About £280 million of which £26 million is interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations he has made to the Government of Ghana about the imposition of a tax of 7s. in the £ sterling on all pensions taken out of that country.

:I have nothing to add at present to the answers given to my hon. Friends the Members for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) and Isle of Wight (Mr. Woodnutt), on 11th and 12th December, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he is aware of the imposition by the Ghana Government of a tax of 7s. in the £ on pensions deriving from Ghana; and what reply he has received to the representations made to the Ghana Government on this matter by Her Majesty's Government.

:I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. van Straubenzee).

asked the Minister of Education what steps his Department is taking to implement the work of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in promoting world understanding through education.

:My Department is in regular consultation with many bodies, including educational and teachers associations, which help to further U.N.E.S.C.O.'s work in this country. The Council for Education in World Citizenship, which receives an annual grant from the Ministry, has co-operated especially closely with U.N.E.S.C.O. in this particular matter.Among the activities directly undertaken by my own Department have been the publication of a pamphlet called

asked the Minister of Education what further consideration has been given to those recommendations of the Roberts Report, Command Paper No. 660, published in September, 1959, not requiring legislation, in view of the debate on 1st March, 1961; and whether the advisory committee which the Parliamentary Secretary indicated would be set up to study Welsh problems has been set up.

:Most of the recommendations in the Roberts Report need legislation to implement them, and I shall introduce a Bill as soon as I can. It would not be appropriate to appoint in advance of it the advisory councils proposed for England and Wales, but the possibility of establishing a bilingual library school in Wales is being examined. Capital expenditure on library premises and equipment has also increased considerably during the last two years. I hope that all public library authorities will continue to make use of the guidance given in the report on standards of public library service which my Department published a year ago. Another report on inter-library lending was published at the same time, and in the light of it I am considering whether regional and national cataloguing arrangements can be improved.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement about the starting date for the final stage of the new Crawley Hospital.

The regional board hopes to start in about two years from now.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to secure that, when persons who have been sent for specialist treatment to hospitals a long way from their homes die, the cost of sending home their remains is met by the hospital authorities.

I am sending the hon Member a copy of the memorandum issued to hospital authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on Recommendation 375 on the abolition of visas for refugees, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly on 23rd September, 1963; and what action Her Majesty's Government has taken or contemplates taking in regard to it.

Her Majesty's Government take the view that in respect of refugees the balance of advantage rests with the visa system, which enables necessary enquiries to be made before a journey is undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards the alteration of wards within Fareham, on the lines approved by the local authority last July.

This is a matter for the Hampshire County Council, which is, I understand, making arrangements to hold a local inquiry in accordance with Section 37 of the Local Government Act 1933.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in order to check prevailing land speculation in South Wales, he will approve no further direct advances to housing associations in the area; and whether he will approve only such advances as are made by local authorities whose representatives shall have a majority of members upon the committee of management of the appropriate housing association.

:I do not accept the suggestion that housing association schemes in South Wales, directly financed under Section 7 of the Housing Act, 1961, involve land speculation: the first part of the Question does not therefore arise. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No".

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what practical steps have been and are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to discourage the movement of population to the South-East.

:Industrial development certificates are not granted for projects which would significantly increase employment in the South East. In addition, the Government have taken a wide range of measures to steer industry from the South East to the development districts. By the provision of Board of Trade factories and financial assistance under the Local Employment Act, 1960, we have in the past 3½ years aided the establishment or expansion of projects to provide over 100,000 jobs in the development districts. Since the introduction of standard grants under the Local Employment Act, 1963, and of the free depreciation scheme applications for such assistance have increased very substantially. Furthermore, the comprehensive programmes for development and growth which are now in hand in Central Scotland and North East England may be expected to bring about a significant reduction in the movement of population to the South East.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost if widows' pensions were granted to women widowed after the age of 40 years on attaining the age of 50 years.

About £14 million a year, when the transition was complete, assuming that the new rule applied also to widowed mothers who were over 40 when their title to widowed mother's allowance ceased.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost of upgrading the pensions of the 10s. widows to accord with the increased cost of living since 1946.

The increase would be 8s. 9d., costing about £3¼ million a year.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost of abolishing the earnings rule in regard to all pensions payable under the National Insurance Scheme.

At present, over £110 million a year.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he has considered Resolution 256 on international voluntary service which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 19th September 1963; and what action her Majesty's Government has taken or contemplates taking in regard to it.

Yes. Resolution 256 does not invite action by Her Majesty's Government. It draws attention to the outcome of the Seminar held at Strasbourg in July. This was a meeting of non-governmental bodies interested in voluntary service.My Department is fully informed about the Seminar, at which it was represented by an observer; and is in constant touch with the British voluntary societies who are interested in the further work arising from its decisions. A representative of those societies is a member of the Continuing Committee set up by the Seminar.The decisions of the Seminar on future action are welcomed by Her Majesty's Government. My Department will keep in touch with the work of the Continuing Committee, leading to the next session of the Seminar.