asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what recent estimates have been made of the proportion of Scottish-trained scientists who leave Scotland to obtain employment.

No figures are available which show the proportion of Scottish-trained scientists who leave Scotland to obtain employment.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what percentage of engineers and scientists employed in research and development in British industry is employed by industry in Scotland.

It has been estimated that for manufacturing industry this figure is of the order of 5 per cent.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether he will make a statement about the development of technical information services for industry.

In co-operation with the Ministry of Education the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research are initiating a scheme for extending industrial liaison facilities through the Colleges of Advanced Technology and Technical Colleges. The establishment of ten new industrial liaison centres has been authorised this year and a further expansion is planned for 1965 and 1966.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he will institute official researches to find what relationship, if any, there is between radioactive effects and physical and functional activities in the human species.

Extensive researches into the effects on man of exposure to radioactivity have long been undertaken in this country, particularly by the Medical Research Council, and elsewhere, and will continue.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science to what extent the limiting factor in the development of medical research is now lack of qualified scientists rather than lack of money.

Progress in medical research depends on new ideas of promise, which cannot be directly related to the supply of either scientists or money. However, I should expect the increasing number of qualified scientists to lead to the emergence of more first-class men and ideas, and thus to the continued expansion of medical research.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he has studied those parts of the Nature Conservancy Report dealing with vandalism and its results; and what special help he will afford this body in an effort to end such behaviour.

Of the references to vandalism in this Report, only one, on page 27, deserves special mention. This refers to damage to the Loch Lomond reserve, and was nearly all caused before the area was declared a reserve. The declaration of the reserve and the posting to the area of a full-time Warden, coupled with the Conservancy's programme of public education, will, I hope, greatly reduce the chance of repetition.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how soon he will inform the universities of the additional resources which will be made available to them to meet immediate needs.

I have nothing at present to add to the replies I have already given on this subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will appoint to the National Economic Development Council one member who is engaged in agriculture.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave him on Tuesday, 3rd December, 1963.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will extend to peacetime conditions the wartime concession under which Income Tax was not charged on salvage payments to officers and crews of ships not specifically employed on salvage work.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the wider studies of the practical and social issues of taxation of gambling, referred to in last year's Budget statement, are yet complete; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to complete his register of gaming institutions.

The inquiry into the circumstances of gaming is substantially complete and we intend to publish a summary of the information so far received as a White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will remove Purchase Tax from gas fires, in view of the fact that the Government are encouraging the use of gas fires for heating purposes.

I cannot at this time say anything about my right hon. Friend's intentions in regard to taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to abolish Schedule A Income Tax in respect of all householders.

No. We did this in last year's Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that taking the internal purchasing value of the £1 sterling as 20s. in October 1951, it had declined to 15s. 11d. in June 1957 and 13s. 9d. in October 1963; and what was the comparable figure for December 1963.

Yes, on the basis of the changes in the Index of Retail Prices. The comparable figure for December 1963 was 13s. 9d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what weekly periodicals were purchased by his Department for the discharge of his official duties in the week ending 18th January 1964.

All the publications necessary for the discharge of the official duties of Her Majesty's Treasury are taken regularly. It would be invidious for me to name them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken, or intends to take, to prevent the use of British capital in South Africa for the purpose of small arms manufacture, including the production of tear gas.

As South Africa is a member of the sterling area, I have no power to do this. It would, in any event, be ineffective.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce the use of the shorter birth certificate in connection with the payment of all Civil Service pensions.

The shorter form of birth certificate is already accepted for the payment of all Civil Service pensions, except childrens' pensions. In that case it is sometimes necessary to establish the exact family relationship to determine eligibility.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the debt owing to the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency by Richard Thomas and Baldwin has been converted into ordinary shares of that company; on what basis the conversion has been effected; and why this has been done.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn) on 22nd November, 1963.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has of the extent to which the cost of living has been reduced following the increase in number of supermarkets in this country during the last 10 years; and if he will give particulars.

I think that there is no doubt that the growth of supermarkets has had a favourable effect on the cost of living, but no quantitative estimate is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to publish the Richardson Report.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive the Richardson Committee's Report in the near future. I am not yet in a position to make any announcement about publication.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for reducing the tax on soft drinks.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which my right hon. Friend gave on 3rd December, 1963, to the hon. Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many persons have been refused permission to stay in Swaziland in the last 12 months, and for what reasons; and how many of them were holders of British passports.

120, for various reasons ranging from the fact that applicants wish to take employment which could be undertaken by an indigenous inhabitant to the possession of a criminal record. No records of applicants' nationality are kept, but it is known that at least 5 of the persons concerned held British passports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what aid is being given by his Department to the new University of Basutoland, the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland.

Up to £150,000 will be provided under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts towards the University's recurrent budget up to March, 1966; and additional grant in aid is being provided to the three High Commission Territories to enable them to contribute a further £78,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a decision has now been made on the textbooks to be introduced in Bechuanaland Protectorate school; when the changeover will take place; and if he will expedite the placing of the old South African textbooks in the Library.

Some changes have already been made, but further decisions await the report of an expert who is expected to visit the Territory for about three months in the Spring to advise on the syllabus for primary schools.Copies of such South African textbooks as are still in use in Bechuanaland are being forwarded and will be placed in the Library when they arrive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he received a letter from the Malta Labour Party proposing that the United Nations Commission should be entrusted with the task of supervising any election or referendum which may eventually take place and of seeing that human rights are respected; and what was his reply.

This was mentioned with other points in a letter dated 12th December concerning Dr. Borg Olivier's proposals for a referendum. In my reply I suggested that the Malta Labour Party should make their proposals direct to Dr. Borg Olivier.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will seek to convene in London a round-table conference as representative as possible of public opinion in Aden with a view to ending the state of emergency there and to expediting progress with the questions of the franchise and constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now make an announcement about extensions of the franchise in the Colony of Aden and about a date for the holding of the general elections.

The ending of the state of emergency is a matter for the Federal Government.The question of franchise is a matter for the Aden Legislature to whom I understand proposals will shortly be submitted by the Aden Government. I hope before long to hold in London the constitutional talks which had to be postponed in December due to the bomb incident.As regards the general elections, I would refer the Hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger) on 15th January.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will arrange to clean down the roof and walls of the Members' Entrance to the Members' Lobby of the House of Commons.

We are arranging for this work to be done during the coming Summer Recess.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will name the official residences for Ministers of the Crown at present maintained by his Department, and indicate the present occupants of them.

The following official residences for Ministers of the Crown are at present maintained by my Ministry:—

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what plans he has for moving staff of his Department out of central London.

The Headquarters of the Accounts Division of the Ministry will be moved from London to Hastings at the end of 1965 or early in 1966. About 1,000 staff will be employed in offices which the Ministry is to build in Sedlescombe Road North, Hastings. Over 600 of them will move from London.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what progress has been made in the discussions with the Government of Ghana regarding the new tax relating to Ghana pensioners.

Discussions with the Ghana Government proceed as quickly as possible. I would prefer not to comment further till they are complete. I would only add now that there is a Double Taxation Agreement with Ghana and I am sure that applications for provisional relief from pensioners who pay both United Kingdom and Ghana tax on their pensions will be sympathetically considered by the Inland Revenue authorities.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he will consider, as a matter of urgency, the publication of the Brundrett Committee Report on Overseas Mining and Geology.

Yes, I cannot yet give a firm date but I hope to publish the Report as a White Paper, together with the Government's views within the next three months.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he has refused to include Woolwich as well as Greenwich in the name of the proposed London Borough No. 6.

I am sure that a short and simple name is best and I have held to this rule throughout the London area save in the case of Kensington and Chelsea, where the arguments for a longer name seemed exceptional. Both Woolwich and Greenwich are and will continue to be famous and honourable names, but I was not persuaded that both these names should be included in the name of the new borough.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware of the concern felt by a number of persons, organisations and existing borough councils in the Greater London area at his decisions concerning new names for new borough councils in Greater London and new ward boundaries; and whether he will give an assurance that when these new councils are elected they will have the right of deciding these matters for themselves.

I accept that, where local opinions differ, it is impossible for everyone to be equally pleased by my conclusions regarding the names of the new boroughs and by those of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary regarding ward boundaries. Any London borough council which wishes in due course to propose an amendment, either to the name of the borough or to the warding arrangements, will find the appropriate procedures in Section 59 of the Local Government Act 1958, and Part III of the Frst Schedule to the London Government Act 1963, respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he will not introduce legislation to postpone the operation of the London Government Act 1963 until after the meeting of a new Parliament.

It would be wholly contrary to the interests of local government in London, and also of local government employees in London, to delay this reorganisation, which is based on the unanimous report of the Royal Commission and has been widely approved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent talks with leaders of the slate industry in North Wales.

We had a wide-ranging discussion on the problems of the slate industry, and I am now looking into some specific suggestions which were put to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how the Government's overseas trade and import policies are correlated with the National Economic Development Council's planning for economic growth.

The Government, in accepting the N.E.D.C. growth target, were well aware that the achievement of a sustained high rate of economic expansion is dependent on the success of their trade policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he is aware that concerted increases in prices throughout the British engineering industry are detrimental to the nation's economy and to the programme set out in the Queen's Speech; and if he will ensure that, in addition to the promised legislation on resale price maintenance, suitable legislation to make unwritten price agreements illegal is introduced before the General Election.

No.Price agreements, written or unwritten, which are registrable under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956, are not illegal but are within the jurisdiction of the Restrictive Practices Court. A White Paper to be published shortly will deal with the Government's conclusion that the Act requires amendment to deal more effectively with information agreements on prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what further development he envisages in trade with Poland, Czechoslovakia, Roumania, Hungary and Bulgaria; and if he will make a statement.

As the House is aware, most manufactured goods can be imported freely into the United Kingdom without quantitative restrictions. Among the main exceptions are the products of Eastern area countries.In the Debate on the Address I said that I was prepared to look very carefully at the possibility of a more flexible system for the control of imports from some of these countries if this were likely to increase the volume of trade in both directions. I have decided that, provided I can conclude satisfactory arrangements with Poland, Czechoslovakia, Roumania, Hungary and Bulgaria, the existing quota restrictions on the import of a number of manufactured goods from those countries should be removed; but I shall sanction this change only if the countries concerned will ensure that their goods enter the United Kingdom at prices which are not disruptive, and that they increase their trade with the United Kingdom. I shall of course reserve the right to reimpose quota restrictions immediately on any product if at any time I consider this is necessary. I am arranging for the industries principally concerned to be informed.Negotiations with the individual countries concerned will take place as soon as practicable. Those with Czechoslovakia are just beginning in London.These arrangements should enable the Eastern area countries to earn more sterling to finance increased exports from the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to ban driving schools for motorists where instructors claim to use hypnosis to enable pupils to pass the driving test.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will review his proposals of road schemes announced for the next five years concerning the extension from Manor Way of the Taff Valley trunk road so that the 1964–69 planned extension of this project to finish at Nantgarw shall proceed during this period to a convenient stage beyond the Treforest Industrial Estate, to relieve the dangerous traffic conditions on the estate which are a source of concern to the Pontypridd Urban District Council, the local road safety committee and the employees working on the industrial estate.

My trunk road programme now extends to 1967–68. When it is next rolled forward, I will consider whether a farther section of the Taff Valley road can be included.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will propose a visit to Mao Tse-tung, or, alternatively, invite the Chinese leader to visit this country.

We are already in constant touch with the Chinese Government through diplomatic channels and it is our policy to work towards an improvement of relations. But the timing of visits of this nature requires careful consideration. I do not consider an immediate meeting to be practical.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have yet completed their examination of the recommendation by the Royal Commission on the Press to set up a Press Amalgamation Court; what action they intend to take; and when they will take it.

I have nothing at present to add to the Answer which I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Ipswich (Mr. D. Foot) on 3rd December.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how the wages in Her Majesty's Dockyards compare with the national average of £16 14s. 11d., giving skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled wages separately.

The national average earnings for manual workers in October, 1963, of £16 14s. 11d. were related to an average working week of 47·6 hours. The corresponding figure for Her Majesty's Dockyards was £16 8s 3d. for an average working week of 47·5 hours. Separate figures are not available for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled men.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will give an assurance that the workers in Her Majesty's Dockyards will receive the recent wage awards granted to engineers, shipwrights, &c., in civil yards, and that it will be back dated to the date of the civil awards.

With the agreement of the trades unions, it was decided last year that wage rates in Her Majesty's Dockyards would no longer be related to those negotiated in the engineering and shipbuilding industries. Under the new scheme, they are being assessed every six months on a broader basis, by comparison with the average of a wide range of rates extending over private and public employment. This will be of appreciable advantage to employees in the Royal Dockyards as shown in the following table:

asked the Minister of Aviation what recent studies have been made of the annual radiation dose attributable to cosmic radiation which is likely to be received by the crew of the Anglo-French supersonic airliner on North Atlantic routes; and if he will cause these studies to be published.

My Department is continuing to study the scientific evidence available on this subject and is also preparing a programme of tests, which will extend over the next few years, to investigate conditions at high altitude. There is nothing new that it would be useful to publish at the moment.

asked the Minister of Aviation, what studies have been made by the Royal Aircraft Establishment of the possibility of designing a compact scintillation counter suitable for use in V-bombers and in commercial airliners.

Studies have been undertaken at the Royal Aircraft Establishment into the problems of radiation affecting the operation of high-flying aircraft, and a radiation warning meter suitable for airborne use is being developed.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the latest estimate of the average annual dose attributable to cosmic radiation received by a crew of a British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 707 aircraft operating in northerly latitudes; and if he will publish the evidence on which this estimate is based.

The position remains as stated in the Answer given to the hon. Member on 19th November, 1962. B.O.A.C.'s experience is similar to that of other airline operators.

asked the Minister of Aviation what medical history records are kept by the British Overseas Airways Corporation relating to the crews of Boeing 707 airliners operating in northerly latitudes; and to what extent these differ from those of the population in general.

This is a matter for the management of B.O.A.C. If the hon. Member will apply to the Corporation I understand they are ready to provide the information required.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls, respectively, under the age of 18 years, were registered as unemployed in each exchange area in Caernarvonshire at the January count.

Unemployment figures for boys and girls are collected for Youth Employment Office areas in Caernarvonshire. The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that paragraph 25 of the Hospital Plan for England and Wales, Command Paper No. 1604, does not clearly define responsibility for decisions about small hospitals, what directions he has issued to regional hospital boards about small hospitals.

Proposals for closing or changing the use of any hospital are submitted to me before final decisions are taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of each hospital board of management in the area of the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board are over the age of 70 and 80 years respectively; and what is the average length of service of each group.

The number of board of management members in these age groups is as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of members of the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board, stating their qualifications, place of residence and length of service on the Board; and how many are over 70 years of age.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which hospitals in Fife presently provide orthopaedic beds; how many there are in each hospital; and what alteration in the provision of such beds will be made in 1965, 1966 and 1967, respectively.

The following table shows the number of orthopaedic beds in, or planned for, hospitals in Fife:

The following table shows for each member his place of residence and length of service on the board. Members are appointed because of their personal qualities and experience. The main fields of experience taken into account in making the appointment in each case are listed. One member of the board is over 70. There are two vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the representations made to him by the hon. Member for Bristol, South, concerning the inconvenience to the travelling public caused by the movement of unescorted or inadequately escorted Army wide-load vehicles in the Salisbury Plain area of Wiltshire; and what action he proposes to take to mitigate this inconvenience in the interests of road safety and freer movement of road traffic in that area.

I realise the need to cause the minimum of inconvenience to other road users, and at least three days' notice of the move of awkward loads is given to local authorities and to the police. Wherever practicable such vehicles are accompanied by police or by military escorts. Because of manpower difficulties, however, it is not always possible to provide escorts. Army drivers are required by standing orders to give careful consideration to other traffic at all times and to pull off the road at the first opportunity if traffic accumulates behind them.

asked the Secretary of State for War what discussion there has been between his Department and the Hampshire County Council in connection with the proposed new town at Bordon.

The Hampshire County Council has informally mentioned the question of the proposed new town to my Department from time to time as having a bearing on other problems under discussion. There have been no formal discussions so far.

asked the Secretary of State for War what use is made of the training land owned by his Department immediately west of the proposed new town area at Bordon; how often it is used; and if he will release it for civilian development as part of the new town.

These areas are used by the Army Mechanical Transport School and the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering for advanced driver training and the recovery of vehicles, including tanks. They are used most days of the week, and are essential for the training of troops of the Bordon Garrison. There is a continuing military requirement for the whole of this land for the foreseeable future.