asked the Minister of Education whether he will reinstate the cuts made in the estimates of the colleges of advanced technology for the current financial year in view of Her Majesty's Government's acceptance of the Robbins Report.

No. Though the grants for recurrent expenditure by the colleges are less than the colleges requested for 1963–64, they are 13 per cent. higher than for the preceding year. The grants for next year are under consideration in the light of the Robbins Report.

asked the Minister of Education what schemes were retarded by the cuts in estimates made at the Birmingham College of Advanced Technology; how many schemes could proceed immediately if the cuts were cancelled; and if he will consider doing so.

The grant for this financial year exceeded that for the previous year though the increase was less than the college asked for. I understand that the college decided to extend the number of courses as proposed, but to modify research activities in a number of ways. An increased grant now would hardly affect development before the end of this financial year, but the size of the grant for next year is now under consideration.

asked the Minister of Education if he will now encourage the development of a fourth television channel specifically for educational and instructional programmes.

I recognise that there are educational grounds for such a development, but this is only one element in the whole question of broadcasting policy.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement on experiments in the use of television in teaching, such as closed circuits within schools, film libraries for use in school television, and other forms; and whether the information gained will be made known to all schools.

Major experiments in the use of closed circuit television in schools are in progress at Kidbrooke Comprehensive School, London, and Warblington Secondary Modern School, Hampshire. Further experiments are planned in other areas and in other types of institution. I have suggested to the Educational Foundation for Visual Aids that they should collect and publicise the results of these experiments.

asked the Minister of Education what is his policy for the size of classes in primary and secondary schools, in sets for O level subjects and in sixth forms; and whether he will make a statement.

My present aim is to ensure a maximum of not more than 40 pupils in a primary class or 30 in a secondary class and an average class size well below these levels. There should thus be room for some flexibility in staffing classes of different age groups, especially those to which the hon. Member has referred, and the special needs thus arising are taken into account in the quota arrangements. The way in which available teachers are in practice deployed between the age groups is a matter for individual local education authorities and schools to decide.

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the work of the National Extension College, Cambridge, and of the response from women graduates who wish to take up teaching, whether he will develop this experiment so as to reduce the teacher stortage; and whether he will make a statement.

While full professional training is the ideal, I welcome any measures well designed to reinforce the courses that are already being provided to prepare women graduates for entry or return to teaching. I shall watch this experiment with interest.

asked the Minister of Education how many applications to teach overseas under the terms of the Code of Secondment have been agreed to by local education authorities during the most recent convenient period.

During the academic year 1962–63, 129 teachers were seconded by local education authorities to teach overseas.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement on teacher supply in maintained and assisted schools.

In October, 1963, there were 282,100 full-time and 23,000 part-time teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools, an increase of nearly 4,000 and 2,000 respectively compared with a year earlier. The staffing of the secondary schools has improved rapidly over the last two years, and should continue to do so for the rest of this decade. The primary schools, where the position has also been improving, are beginning to feel the effects of much larger numbers of pupils and the increasing loss of young women teachers. The supply of new teachers will be substantially reinforced by the current expansion of the numbers in training colleges to 80,000 by 1970 and by the Government's acceptance of the Robbins Committee's proposals for the further expansion of higher education. I am also urging the maximum use of part-timers and married women returners.

asked the Minister of Education what proposals he has received from the Shropshire County Council for loan sanction or grant for the rebuilding and resiting of the Donnington and Donnington Wood Church of England School for the financial years 1964–65 and 1966–67.

I hope shortly to give final approval to the plans of the new building to house eight classes of the Donnington Wood Church of England Junior School which is included in the 1963–64 programme. No further new building for this school is in the 1964–65 programme. The Authority's proposals for the three following years have not yet been received but are expected by the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Education what was the size of the allocations for education minor works made to the London County Council for the years 1962–63, 1963–64, and 1964–65, respectively.

The allocations were £304,000 for 1962–63; £350,000 for 1963–64; £530,000 for 1964–65.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that Sherif Youssef Ahmed, a student at the Welsh College of Advanced Technology, has been deprived of his grant by the Iraqi Government and left without any means of subsistence; and if he will take special action to enable this student to continue his studies.

I have no power to assist foreign students. Local authority grants are restricted to students normally resident in England and Wales. But it is within the discretion of the Governing Body of the Welsh College of Advanced Technology to decide whether fees should be remitted on grounds of hardship, and whether a student should receive support from funds at the College's disposal.

asked the Minister of Education how many students have been admitted to the teacher training colleges in the current academic year.

21,000, which is 4,000 more than last year.

asked the Minister of Education what reply he has made to the letter from the Cardiff Trades Council about the difficulties of transporting children to and from school during peak hour travel.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Box).

asked the Minister of Education what survey he has made of the variety and value of educational visits and exchanges now available to school children in this country.

The Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges was set up by my predecessor and the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1948 to advise on and facilitate such activities and is continually reviewing this field.

asked the Minister of Education how far local education authorities employ persons charged with a special responsibility for activities, in the curriculum and extra-curricular, concerned with educational visits and exchanges and ideas of international understanding.

It is a matter for the individual authority to decide how to handle matters of this kind and I have no specific information.

asked the Minister of Education how many new nursery schools have been established in Wales so far this year; what were the comparable figures for the past two years; and how many are planned for 1964 and 1965.

No nursery schools have been established in Wales in new buildings this year nor in the past two years, but in 1962 existing nursery classes in Monmouth shire were reorganised to form a school. Three local education authorities in Wales are known to be preparing plans for the replacement of existing premises. In two cases building seems likely to commence in 1964.

asked the Minister of Education how many full-time first year apprenticeship courses and recognised pre-apprenticeship courses are now being conducted in Wales; what were the comparable figures for the past two years; and what steps he is taking to expand these provisions.

The latest available information is as follows:

Academic Year	Full-time 1st year apprenticeship courses	Full-time pre-apprenticeship courses
1962–63	16	16
1961–62	15	12

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the hon. Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice).

asked the Minister of Education how far the Curriculum Study Unit is taking into account the need to meet the growing demand for studies in world affairs, as evidenced by conferences at all school levels and in training colleges.

The Curriculum Study Group is not considering studies in world affairs as a separate subject in the curriculum. In Examinations Bulletin No. 1, edited by the group on behalf of the Secondary Examinations Council, however, a number of suggestions were made relating to studies of modern affairs in the teaching of history, geography and modern languages.

asked the Minister of Education what study he has made of methods of giving financial help to school-leavers and university students to attend courses in Russian language, as proposed by the Annan Committee in paragraph 108 of its Report.

I am satisfied that no special arrangements are needed. Local education authorities have an obligation to provide financial assistance for any study regarded by a university as an integral part of an undergraduate course. They have a discretionary power to assist school leavers to attend pre-university courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what action is being taken to provide more helicopters for use in the Far East.

The Commander-in-Chiefs requirements were met in full in November but the position is kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what proposals have been made by Middle East Command on his behalf for a settlement of the dispute with the Arab workers employed at the British base at Aden.

Local discussions with the Aden Trades Union Congress resulted in an agreement on 4th December that the strike called by the Forces Union on 23rd November would be brought to an end. Most members of the union returned to work on 5th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he has now reached a decision on the future of Greenham Common, at present used as a base by the United States Air Force; and if he will arrange for early consultation with the local authorities to ensure that the interests of the public are safeguarded.

No, but I hope to be able to make an early announcement. The interests of the local authorities will be borne in mind in reaching a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give figures for the latest convenient period to show the progress in recruiting for the Royal Air Force; and what success he is having in encouraging school leavers to take up a career in the service.

Yes. Recruiting has been satisfactory and we have broadly met our requirements. We have obtained nearly all the officers we needed and in most ground trades we have had many more applications than vacancies. In the first 10 months of 1963 we recruited direct from civil life 1,037 men and 1,267 women on initial engagements. In addition, we recruited 672 apprentices and 1,666 boy entrants and awarded 185 cadetships.The success we are having in attracting school leavers is illustrated by the figures for cadets, apprentices and boy entrants.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what categories of Royal Air Force serving men are now able to obtain their discharge without purchase.

Discharge without purchase has long been available in ground trades to all applicants with more than 16 years' completed service who can be spared by the Royal Air Force. Limited numbers of airmen in 13 trades where surpluses have currently arisen are temporarily being offered a free discharge irrespective of their length of service. The categories are:

• Engine Fitter.
• Air Radio Fitter (excluding senior and chief technicians).
• Air Radar Fitter (excluding senior and chief technicians).
• Air Radar Mechanic.
• Armament Fitter.
• M.T. Controller I.
• M.T. Fitter.
• R.A.F. General Duties.
• R.A.F. Physical Training Instructor (excluding Corporals and below).
• R.T.D.F. Operator.
• Lithographer
• Projectionist.
• Linquist (C).

Applications were invited from those serving in these categories on 15th November, 1963, and will be accepted up to the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if all the Thor missile sites have now been cleared and the Thor missile squadrons satisfactorily merged into the Royal Air Force; and what the total cost of the Thor operation has been, taking into account acquisition and building of sites, purchase of missiles and spares, training of Royal Air Force personnel and the annual maintenance of all sites.

The rundown of the Thor missile sites is now complete and, except for a few items, all the equipment has been removed. Service personnel have been given suitable employment elsewhere in the Royal Air Force. The total cost to the United Kingdom of construction and maintenance of the system was of the order of £30–£35 million. I have no information about the cost to the United States Government which bore the cost of the missiles, spares and installation work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the wide variations between sentences imposed for cruelty to children and less serious assaults on adults, he will order a review of the treatment of cases of child cruelty with a view to the introduction of amending legislation.

The maximum penalties which the courts may impose for cruelty to children were increased as recently as last session by the Children and Young Persons Act, 1963, and I am not convinced that further legislation is necessary. The actual penalty imposed in a particular case, within the limits laid down by law, is entirely at the discretion of the court which has heard the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make the penalty for the offence of cruelty to children at least equal to that of cruelty to animals.

When Section 31 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1963, comes into force on 1st February next, all the maximum penalties for offences of cruelty to children will far exceed those for cruelty to animals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to introduce further mechanisation into his Department.

An electronic computer, acquired for the joint use of the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police, was delivered in November and is due to come into operation early in the New Year. The number of staff engaged in planning the conversion of work to automatic data processing operations is being increased. Other office machines will be added to the present range of modern equipment where their use can increase efficiency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the burden placed on ratepayers when local police authorities are required to prosecute incases involving nation-wide criminal activities, he will introduce legislation requiring the costs of such cases to be met out of the Exchequer.

While I appreciate that on occasion the costs of a particular prosecution may bear heavily on the local authority, I am not at present persuaded that the law requires amendment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take on the advice of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, because of the steady increase in the use of firearms in each of the last three years, the law relating to the possession of firearms without a certificate should be reviewed and the penalties increased.

A review of this and related matters by chief officers of police is in progress. When it is completed, I will decide what action, if any, is required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of cases in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years where criminals are known to have carried firearms.

No figures in this form are at present available for the United Kingdom. I feel sure that the committee which I set up to consider the criminal statistics will consider this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average amount of money given from public funds on discharge to prisoners who are without other means; if he is aware that, besides finding accommodation immediately after discharge, many prisoners have to visit three local offices of Government Departments, sometimes considerable distances apart, before they can obtain either employment or any further funds; and if he will seek to simplify this procedure.

Apart from small sums to cover subsistence during the journey to their home, most payments which prisoners receive from public funds on their discharge are made by the National Assistance Board. The amount which prisoners receive from the Board depends upon their circumstances. Much of the procedure for assisting prisoners on discharge is under active review following the recent report of my Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders on the Organisation of After-Care. Among other things, the report recommended that National Assistance, where it is due, should be paid to the offender before he is discharged, and the Board has agreed to give sympathetic consideration to this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he is aware of the organised immigration of peasants from India and Pakistan, whose fares and expenses are in the first place provided by financial agents, who are then repaid in Great Britain at high rates of interest; since both Indian and Pakistani Governments are short of sterling, if he will take steps to stop this form of operation in sterling; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is aware that citizens of India or Pakistan may borrow the money for their fare to the United Kingdom, but if they have applied for, and obtained, Ministry of Labour vouchers, or are otherwise eligible to come here, they cannot be refused admission on that ground. As regards the latter part of the Question, if subsequent remittances are sent to India or Pakistan through authorised channels the sterling will accrue to those countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take regarding the death of Brian Harry Thomas at Wakefield Prison on 4th April, 1963, and following the letter to him dated 27th November, 1963, from the hon. Member for Warrington.

I have had further inquiries made as the hon. Member requested in his letter, and I have sent him a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that certain newspapers contract with the accused or witnesses involved in criminal cases, prior to the hearings before the courts, to provide stories for publication, and that evidence before the courts might be conditioned to make such stories news worthy; and if he will introduce legislation to prohibit such contracts being made until the courts have adjudicated.

I appreciate the hon. Member's anxieties; but I am not convinced that legislation of the kind suggested is the best way of meeting them.

asked the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department if he will obtain a report on the working conditions of the Probation Service in Smethwick and West Bromwich; and whether he is satisfied with these conditions.

This is a matter for the probation committee; I understand that they are aware of the need for better accommodation and are trying to meet it.

asked the Secretary of Stats for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement on the application of the London taxi trade for increased fares.

Yes. This application, made to me last May, is for an increase in the scale of London taxi fares of about 32 per cent. overall. Despite rising costs these fares have remained unaltered for more than six years, and after thorough examination of the economic situation of the trade I am in no doubt that a substantial increase in fares is justified, and indeed necessary, if sufficient cabs are to be kept on the road. I do not think that the case for an increase as large as 32 per cent. has been made out, but I have decided that it is right to make an order providing for a new scale of fares which will represent an overall increase of about 25 per cent. I am in touch with the trade associations which submitted the claim about the most suitable meter scale to implement this, and about the date of the charge, which will not be before mid-January. I propose to take up with the trade at an early date the question of revising the law relating to the six-mile limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to bring into operation the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act, 1961, relating to the after-care of persons released from detention centres.

I have made an Order bringing these provisions into operation on 1st January next.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires were caused by bonfires or fireworks on 4th and 5th November.

The number of fires attended by fire brigades in England and Wales and caused by bonfires and fireworks was 154 on 4th November and 382 on 5th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what aproaches he has made to the Governments of Austrial and New Zealand to provide military forces for Sarawak and Sabah; and what have been the results.

I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. P. Williams) on 5th December.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware that certain grades of smokeless fuel are already in short supply in Dundee, and that all grades are dearer than the same grades in Glasgow and are now beyond the means of pensioners and many of the lower-paid workers; and what steps he proposes to take about this.

The Scottish Gas Board sells Gloco in Dundee at the same price as in Glasgow and there is plenty of it. Supplies of premium fuels are short but should improve when the new Rexco plant opens in Fifeshire. In heating value smokeless fuels are usually as cheap as the coal which they replace.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware that old-age pensioners and others on small incomes living in smoke-controlled areas in Glasgow find suitable solid fuel expensive; whether he will have discussions with the suppliers of such fuel with a view to reducing prices; and what is the reason for the size of the differential between summer and winter prices.

It is misleading to compare prices by weight only: if correctly used, solid smokeless fuel is more efficient than bituminous coal. It is for the suppliers to determine their prices and my right hon. Friend has neither grounds nor power to intervene. Solid fuel producers offer lower summer prices to encourage stocking.

asked the Minister of Power what contribution nuclear power stations are expected to make in meeting the nation's energy requirements over the next five years.

The nucelar contribution to electricity generation in the United Kingdom is expected to rise from about 4 million tons of coal equivalent in 1964 to over 10 million tons in 1968.

asked the Minister of Power, in view of the fact that the purchasers of John Baker and Bessemer Ltd. have notified their employees that no person's services will be terminated before the end of the year, and that this has the effect of denying these employees compensation under the Iron and Steel (Compensation to Officers and Servants) (No. 2) Regulations 1953, which do not apply to loss of employment after 31st December 1963, if he will make further regulations extending the period in respect of which compensation may be paid so as to enable these people, now facing unemployment, to benefit in the way Parliament originally intended.

I am considering this matter. If it should prove appropriate to extend the regulations this can be done with retrospective effect, under Section 24(2) of the Iron and Steel Act, 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what official discussions he has recently had regarding the introduction of racial discrimination into normal trade and commerce in Great Britain; and to what extent these discussions included the question of political discrimination.

It has been made clear to the Ambassadors of certain countries concerned that Her Majesty's Government strongly resent any attempt to exert pressure on British companies for political reasons. I have had no evidence in this connection of pressure for racial reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether, in pursuing his policy of attracting electronic industry to the North-East, he has reached an agreement with the Gateshead Council on providing houses for key workers for an electronics firm anxious to establish a factory for 300 workers on the Team Valley Trading Estate.

I understand that the Gateshead Council has now agreed to the firm's request for houses for key workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, in view of the policy of Her Majesty's Government to oppose discrimination against British firms, on political grounds, desiring to export, he will review the embargo placed on the export of certain goods to China, Cuba and East European countries.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many new industries have been established in West Stirling shire in this last five years; and how many people have been employed in those industries.

In West Stirlingshire, in the five years ended November, 1963, industrial development certificates were issued for 16 schemes with a total expected employment of 625. Of these, 11 schemes, with estimated employment of 495 have been completed. None of the industrial development certificates related to firms new to the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will restore the Ystalyfera and Pontardawe exchanges from the stop list to the full benefits of development districts under the Local Employment Act, in view of the persistent unemployment amongst disabled persons and the older age groups, and the recent further re dundancies created at the Perry Engineering Works.

I am aware of the difficulties in the Ystalyfera/Pontardawe area. But the rate of unemployment for the past three months has been appreciably lower than during the corresponding period last year. In December the percentage wholly unemployed was 3·5 compared with 4·7 in December, 1962. In the circumstances I do not think that it would be justifiable to renew acceptance of applications for assistance under the Local Employment Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will establish an advance factory in the Swansea Valley, in view of the persistent unemployment, as an incentive to new industries to replace industries which are now obsolete.

No. No part of the Swansea Valley is within an active development district.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will set out in tabular form for each region the total amount spent on the construction of factories, the number of factories constructed, and the number for whom employment was

FACTORIES PROVIDED BY THE BOARD OF TRADE
—		England	Wales	Scotland
Expenditure		£'000	£'000	£'000
1945–31st March, 1952	…	14,261	16,039	16,008
1st April, 1952–31st March, 1960	…	950	7,818	10,709
1st April, 1960–30th September, 1963	…	9,040	7,146	11,830
Increase in Factory Space		'000 sq. ft.	'000 sq. ft.	'000 sq. ft.
December, 1946–31st March, 1952	…	9,322(a)	9,656(b)	11,079(c)
1st April, 1952–31st March, 1960	…	5,635	3,571	6,461
1st April, 1960–30th September, 1963	…	2,924	2,816	3,947
Increase in Employment
December,1946–December, 1951	…	28,519	17,027 (from December, 1948)	34,433
December, 1951–February, 1960	…	17,901	6,454	22,562
March, 1960–August, 1963	…	10,922	3,778	9,175
(a) Includes 3,418,000 sq. ft. taken over from other Government Departments.
(b) Includes 4,169,000 sq. ft. taken over from other Government Departments.
(c) Includes 4,432,000 sq. ft. taken over from other Government Departments.
Note: The increase in employment in Board of Trade factories in a given period cannot be directly related to the expenditure in that period.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what plans Her Majesty's Government are making for participation in the United Nations World Economic Conference next March; how the British delegation will be constituted; and if he will publish as a White Paper prior to the Conference the proposals which the Government will submit.

At Ministerial level the British Delegation to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development will be led by the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development. At official level the leader will be Sir Patrick Reilly.

Information relating to factory premises provided by the Board of Trade under the Distribution of Industry Acts from 1945 to 31st March, 1952, and 1st April, 1952 to 31st March, 1960, and under the Local Employment Act, 1960, from 1st April, 1960, to 30th September, 1963, is set out in the following table. Where information in the exact form of the question is not available, the nearest equivalent is given. Details for the separate regions of England are not readily available.at present Deputy Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign Office, and the Delegation will consist of officials from the Board of Trade, Foreign Office, Treasury, Commonwealth Relations Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and other interested departments. It is not proposed to publish a White Paper in advance of the Conference.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what are the figures for the last five years for the export of railway locomotives, coaches and waggons, respectively; to what destinations they were sent; and what was their value.

I am sending the details required to my hon. and gallant Friend and am also making a copy available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will take steps to set up a companies registry in Wales.

No. There is no sufficient need to justify setting up another companies registry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he has yet received the report of the Monopolies Commission on the supply of wallpaper.

Yes. I received the Report on 16th December. It will be laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development when the report of the Monopolies Commission on the supply of electrical equipment for mechanically propelled land vehicles will be published; and if he will make a statement.

The report is being published today. It covers the supply of eight separate classes of electrical equipment for motor vehicles, in respect of which a reference was made to the Monopolies Commission on 18th April, 1957;

(i) batteries.

(ii) ignition coils, magnetos, distributors, ignition suppressors.

(iii) dynamos, current voltage control units, starter motors.

(iv) windscreen-wiper motors.

(v) air moving devices for heating or ventilating equipment.

(vi) clocks, ammeters, equipment for indicating (whether by means of warning light, dial or otherwise) ignition, water temperature, oil pressure or fuel level.

(vii) headlamps, side lamps, stop lamps, tail-lamps, fog lamps, spot lamps, number plate illumination lamps, flasher indicator lamps, reversing lamps, horns, trafficators, relay units for lamps and horns, flasher units for indicator lamps or trafficators.

(viii) sparking plugs, compressor ignition heater plugs.

The Commission found that the "conditions" as defined in the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948 (as amended) prevailed in each of the eight classes of goods referred. They also reached certain conclusions as to the effect on the public interest of these conditions and of certain things done by the suppliers concerned. I am studying the Report and the Commission's recommendations.In accordance with the powers given to me under (

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, whether he has received the 14th Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the National Research Development Corporation.

Yes. As required by Sections 4(5) and 10(5) of the Development of Inventions Act, 1948, I have arranged for these documents to be laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, what proposals he has for directing or compelling industry to go to selected areas of high unemployment in Wales.

None.

asked the Minister of Health how many firms of public relations consultants or advertising agents he has authorised, or whose authorisation by hospital managements he has approved, to make collections publicly or privately towards a hospital magazine donation service; and if he will make a statement about his policy of inviting subscriptions, in view of the provisions of the National Health Service Acts.

None. As regards the second part of the Question, hospital authorities have been advised that they should neither directly nor indirectly invite subscriptions.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects building to commence on the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley.

During 1965–66.

asked the Minister of Health if a new psychiatric unit is to be part of the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley; and when it is expected to be ready for service.

Yes; I hope in 1968–69.

asked the Minister of Health if it is the intention of the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board to appoint a psychiatric team before the new psychiatric unit is built in Barnsley.

Staff will be appointed to bring the unit into use as soon as it is completed.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds are available in the Barnsley group of hospitals for the chronic sick; how many persons are on the waiting list; and what is the average length of waiting time before admission is obtained.

At 30th September, 1963, the figures were 187 and 60. I cannot give an average waiting time but there were 156 admissions from the waiting list in the previous twelve months.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total of persons awaiting admission to Barnsley hospitals, specifying the waiting list and the type of operation required at each hospital; and whether he is satisfied that sufficient progress is being made to reduce the waiting list.

The figures at 30th September, 1963, were:

—	Beckett Hospital	St. Helen Hospital	Totals
General Surgery	384	40	424
Gynaecology	—	186	186
Ear, Nose and Throat (Tonsils and Adenoids)	38	439	477
Ear, Nose and Throat (Other)	165	—	165
Orthopaedic Surgery	281	—	281
Ophthalmology	90	—	90
General Medicine	2	4	6
Chronic Sick/ Geriatric	—	60	60
Others	80	—	80
	1,040	729	1,769
This represents an improvement of nearly 20 per cent. over a year earlier, but all hospital authorities are considering what steps they can take to reduce waiting lists further.

asked the Minister of Health what changes in population have taken place by migration in each region between the years 1944 and 1951, and between 1951 and the latest date, respectively.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the agreement for the building of additional trawlers for operation from North Shields was conveyed to the firm of trawler owners concerned.

I understand that there are two such applications for the building of 9 trawlers now under consideration by the White Fish Authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to prevent further sales to the public of meat coloured through the application of nicotinic acid, details of which applications and sales have been supplied to him in October, 1963, by the medical officer of health of the Deptford Borough Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to prevent the use of red powders, particularly those containing nicotinic acid, for the purpose of making meat appear to be fresher than it actually is.

The Food Standards Committee have considered the treatment of fresh meat with substances to improve its colour. They consider that the practice deceives the customer as to the freshness of meat and may in some cases mask deterioration of it. Together with the Food Additives and Contaminants Sub-Committee, they will be giving further consideration to these substances and the implications of their use, including the possible dangers to health, and they recommend that meanwhile the practice should be suspended. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I accept this recommendation, and propose to make regulations accordingly. The Food and Drugs Act, 1955, requires that the interests concerned be consulted before such regulations are made. This will be done.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what extensions he contemplates in the work of the Forestry Commission and what information he has of the development of private forests in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The Forestry Commission hope to maintain their current rate of new planting in Wales, which is of the order of 9,000 acres annually, for some years to come. Private planting in Wales in recent years has been at the rate of about 3,500 acres annually. Some 53,000 acres of private woodlands are in the Forestry Commission's dedication and approved woodlands schemes.In his statement on forestry policy on 24th July this year my right hon. Friend explained that the Forestry Commission would continue to concentrate on acquiring land in the upland areas where the expansion of forestry can bring considerable social and employment benefits.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a further statement regarding the workers declared redundant by Messrs. Ransomes and Rapier and the progress made by the officers of his department in Ipswich in finding alternative employment for those who require it.

Although no discharges will take place before 27th December, 186 of the redundant workers are now known to have found other work.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will set out in tabular form for each region the number of unemployed at the latest available date.

The following is the information required:

Number unemployed on 9th December, 1963
Region	…	Number
Northern	…	57,741
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire	…	34,498
Eastern and Southern	…	33,549
London and South Eastern	…	68,263
South Western	…	26,022
Wales	…	28,693
Midlands	…	45,538
North Western	…	74,299
Scotland	…	91,184
Great Britain	…	459,787

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are employed at the Remploy Factory, Pogmoor, Barnsley; how these figures compare with the past four years; and whether he will extend the works with a view to taking more of the disabled workers of Barnsley and district who are unable to find satisfactory employment.

The number of severely disabled employees at the Barnsley Remploy factory at present and at the corresponding time in the past four years are as follows:

1963	…	…	…	72
1962	…	…	…	76
1961	…	…	…	76
1960	…	…	…	76
1959	…	…	…	72

There are no plans for extending the Remploy factory at present, but local authority plans will provide more employment for severely disabled people in the area.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were in civil employment in Wales and in England, respectively, at the latest convenient date: how these figures compare with the figures for a year ago; and what were the comparable figures in 1951.

It is estimated that there were 954,000 employees in employment in Wales and 19,401,000 in England at mid-1962, the latest date for which figures are available, compared with 953,000 and 19,193,000 respectively, at mid-1961 and 910,000 and 17,538,000 at mid-1951. Corresponding figures for the numbers in civil employment, which include the self employed, are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were in civil employment in Barry at the latest convenient date; how this figure compares with the figure for a year ago; and what was the comparable figure in 1951.

It is estimated that there were 19,100 employees in employment in the areas of the Barry and Llantwit Major employment exchanges at mid-1962, the latest date for which figures are available, compared with 19,500 at mid-1961 and 17,800 at mid-1951. Separate figures are not available for Barry. Figures for the numbers in civil employment which include the self employed are not available for employment exchange areas.

asked the Minister of Labour when the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act will come into operation.

I intend to bring most of the provisions of the Act into operation on 1st August, 1964. Certain administrative provisions, including the registration of premises under Section 49, will be brought into operation a few months earlier.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement about the issue of priority vouchers under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962.

Yes. Stricter rules are being applied for the issue of Category A vouchers to ensure as far as possible that the job offered is genuinely available and that the Commonwealth citizen in question is coming to this country for that job. The issue of Category B vouchers is being limited to persons with the following skills or qualifications: doctors, dentists and trained nurses; teachers who are eligible for the status of qualified teacher in this country; university graduates other than the above and holders of certain other professional qualifications who can show that they have been employed for at least two years in work which in this country would be appropriate to their degree or other qualifications; female shorthand typists and building trade craftsmen.

asked the Minister of Defence from what date the recently-announced improvement in pensions will be paid to Armed Service widows whose husbands died before 4th November, 1958.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which the Prime Minister gave on 17th December to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward).

asked the Minister of Defence whether, in the light of the reduction in arms expenditure of £240 million a year by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, he will reduce Great Britain's expenditure on armaments.

No. Our defence expenditure is directly related to our defence commitments. These have not ben affectd by the announcement to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if Her Majesty's Government will assume responsibility for the future payment of pensions to ex-Gold Coast civil servants.

No. The pensions of former Gold Coast civil servants continue to be met by the Ghana Government which is responsible for them. As I assured the House last Tuesday, I am deeply concrned that the interests of these pensioners should not be adversely affected by any special taxation introduced in Ghana. I cannot say more while our consultations with the Ghana Government are incomplete.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Minister of Public Building and Works at Peebles on 23rd November, regarding the need for Commonwealth co-operation on migration, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister what changes he has to announce in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Yes. My hon. Friends the Members for Halifax (Mr. Maurice Macmillan) and for Gravesend (Mr. Peter Kirk) have resigned their places as Members of the United Kingdom Delegation on their appointments as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Under-Secretary of State for War respectively. I have appointed the hon. Members for Aldershot (Sir Eric Errington) and Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke), who are Substitute Delegates, in their places. I have also appointed my hon. Friends the Members for Keighley (Mr. Marcus Worsley) and Kirkdale (Mr. Norman Pannell) to serveas Substitute Delegates.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report of the Plowden Committee.

I received this Report on 17th December.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether his plans for an increase in the number of universities include a new university in Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes) on 19th November.

asked the Postmaster-General what special stamp issues he proposes to make in 1964, in addition to the Shakespeare issue; and what the denominations of the Shakespeare issue will be.

On 1st July special stamps in the 2½d., 4d., 8d. and 1s. 6d. denominations will be issued to mark the 20th International Geographical Congress which is to be held in London during that month. On 5th August special stamps in the 3d., 6d., 9d., and 1s. 3d. denominations will be issued to mark the 10th International Botanical Congress which will be held in Edinburgh during that month. The denominations for the Shakespeare issue will be 3d., 6d., 1s. 3d., 1s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. In addition to these stamps we shall also be putting on sale on 23rd April, 1964, two specially designed pictorial Air Letter Forms with a Shakespeare theme.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will now make a statement about the collapse of a partly completed officers' mess building at Stanhope Lines, Aldershot, in July.

Yes. Immediately the collapse occurred I asked the Building Research Station to make an independent report. In order that advantage can be taken of the lessons to be drawn from this failure, I am, with the agreement of my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Science, including a technical statement by the Building Research Station in a Return to the House today. The contractor has accepted responsibility. He is reconstructing the buildings without added cost to public funds, to a design approved by my professional officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that Stirling Town Council recently granted planning permission for a large new office block without giving the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland an opportunity to see and comment on the plans, despite a request from the Commission that they should do so; and what action he proposes to ensure that similar requests are complied with in future.

I am aware of the circumstances and deplore the lack of co-operation by the town council. I have asked the Commission to let me know of any other case where a local planning authority does not comply with such a request so that I may consider whether a direction would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the success of television in the teaching of medicine and surgery in hospitals and the recent demonstrations in the Royal Infirmary and elsewhere; and whether television is to be made available to Scottish teaching hospitals for this purpose.

Yes. Provision is being made in all new major teaching units for the installation of television equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to make known the results of experiments of television closed circuit teaching in schools, supplemented by video tape libraries and other auxiliaries; and whether he will start such developments in Scotland.

Experiments in teaching by means of closed circuit television have been undertaken in Glasgow and Dundee, and in a smaller way at one or two other centres. My Department is keeping in close touch with developments, and I shall be very ready to help in making the results known as soon as the appropriate stage has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fatal road accidents occurred, in each of the last five years, which involved public lighting standards and telegraph poles erected on kerbs.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations he approved concerning the wearing of uniform by school attendance officers either during the school day or in the evening when attending local management committee meetings; and if he will make a statement.

None. This is entirely a matter for education authorities. Mr. Dempsey asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many attendance officers were employed in Lanarkshire in 1948 and 1963 respectively; what was the total number of schools at these respective dates; and what was the respective school populations during the same periods.

The information is set out in the following table.

LANARKSHIRE EDUCATION AUTHORITY
	1948	1963
(a) Number of school attendance officers	{40 full-time 4 part-time	{29 full-time 2 part-time
(b) Number of schools	231	285
(c) Number of pupils	88,839	103,992

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many owner-occupiers of business premises he estimates will pay Schedule A tax in the fiscal years 1963–64 and 1964–65, respectively.

The liability of an owner-occupier of business premises to tax under Schedule A for the year 1963/64 is in general confined to cases where a ground rent, feu duty etc. from which tax is deductible is payable in respect of the premises. I regret that no information is available as to how many owner-occupiers of business premises will be liable to tax under Schedule A for 1963–64 under this rule. Tax under Schedule A will not be chargeable in any case for the year 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take the necessary steps to require tax inspectors to allow, as a concession, the net annual value of owner-occupied business premises as an expense against Schedule D, whenever the premises are subjected to Schedule A tax.

I am not clear exactly what the hon. Member has in mind, but I am not aware that any concession on the lines he suggests is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what recent action Her Majesty's Government have taken to support United Nations civilian operations in the Congo.

In view of the difficult condition of the Congolese economy and the consequent need to continue United Nations operations, Her Majesty's Government have contributed $500,000 towards the cost of maintaining United Nations civilian operations in the Congo during the remainder of 1963. Parliament will be asked in due course to vote this amount during the current finanical year by means of a Supplementary Estimate on the Foreign Grants and Loans Vote. In the meantime payment has been made by means of an advance from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action he proposes to take to relieve high officers of internal ional organisations and the chief representative of the European Coal and Steel Community who are resident in the United Kingdom from the non-beneficial portion of rates on their residences, in order to bring their rating privileges into line with those granted by long practice to diplomats of comparable rank.

The question of rating relief for high officers of international organisations and the Chief Representative of the European Coal and Steel Community who are entitled to privileges normally accorded to diplomatic personnel of comparable rank has been under consideration for some time and Her Majesty's Government have come to the conclusion that no good purpose is served by denying to these persons the rating privilege which has been granted to diplomats of comparable rank on a reciprocal basis since 1892. Two European organisations, the Western European Union and the European Coal and Steel Community, and one other organisation, the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation, with a total of four such persons resident in the United Kingdom, are at present affected. In the case of two of these organisations it has now become evident that the United Kingdom is in breach of its international obligations in not according rating relief to the persons concerned.To put the matter right legislation will be needed to amend the International Organisations (Immunities and Privi- leges) Act 1950 and the European Coal and Steel Community Act 1955. The Government propose to introduce legislation when the opportunity occurs and meanwhile, on an extra-statutory basis, to meet the non-benefical portion of the rates on residences occupied by all such persons from Voted moneys. The Government consider that this action is justified in order to ensure that the cost of rating relief does not fall on the local authorities.