asked the Secretary of State for Air when it is proposed to make use of the substantial number of new houses at Bruntingthorpe which have remained unoccupied for over a year.

These houses were originally built for the United States Air Force and their heating systems are very expensive to run. An examination is therefore being made of the possibility of modifying the heating systems so that tenants would find them more economical. I hope to have the results of this examination before the end of April.

asked the Minister of Defence under whose authority and with what instructions a British military advisory group is attached to the military forces of the South Vietnam Government.

There is no such group.

asked the Minister of Defence under whose authority and with what instructions a British military liaison group is attached to the United States authorities operating in South Vietnam.

There is no such group.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Royal Society about the financing by it of research professorships at British universities, when agreeing its grant-in-aid.

As my predecessor told the House on 28th June, 1962, the 1963–64 grant-in-aid to the Royal Society provided for the establish- ment of five Royal Society Research Professorships at British universities. I propose, subject to the approval of Parliament, to provide the Royal Society with additional funds in its grant-in-aid for 1964–65 to enable it to establish a further three professorships. This increase is in accordance with a proposal by the Royal Society and a recommendation in the Report of the Committee on the Organisation of Civil Science (Cmnd. 2171). The cost of this scheme, including supporting staff and research equipment, is expected to be some £45,000 in 1964–65, and. £75,000 in a full year of operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about an accident which occurred in the British Embassy, Washington when young British entertainers known as the Beatles, visiting the United States of America professionally, were manhandled by Foreign Office officials at an official function at the Embassy, to which they had been invited as guests.

After their performance in Washington, the Beatles were entertained at the Embassy Residence by the Ambassador and Lady Harlech. I am assured by the Ambassador that the suggestion that they were manhandled by anyone is quite untrue. The Ambassador has, in fact, received a letter from a representative of the Beatles thanking him for a delightful evening.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to require local authorities to insure home helps in their employment against accident and to take steps to relieve from liability in this respect those in whose homes they work; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities are already able to insure their employees against special risks. I do not propose to introduce legislation compelling them to do so.

asked the Minister of Health how many ophthalmic opticians, offering a service of not less than 38 hours per week, are under contract to the London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham Executive Councils, respectively; and how many sight tests, under the National Health Service, were carried out by them in 1961. 1962, and 1963, expressed in steps of 0–200 upwards.

I am obtaining such information as can be made available and shall send it to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health how many prescriptions were issued on EC10 forms by general practitioners for the drugs bendrofluazide, hydroflumethiazide and hydrochlorothiazide during any specific period in 1963; in what percentage of cases were the generic names given above used; and in what percentage these drugs were prescribed under trade names.

The estimated figures for the year ended 30th September last are:

Preparation	Number of prescriptions dispensed by chemists	Percentage of prescriptions using proprietary name
Bendrofluazide	530,000	85
Hydroflumethiazide	180,000	95
Hydrochlorothiazide	170,000	85

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit of his Department.

The only unit engaged wholly on research is the Artificial Limb Research Unit which includes two doc- tors and an engineer; but other officers of several professions throughout the Department conduct research in their own fields.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received from the Institute of Technicians in Venereology regarding official recognition of its membership within the National Health Service and on the appropriate Whitley Council; and what response he has made.

Representations have been received concerning the recruitment, training and pay of male V.D. Orderlies. The Institute has been told that my Ministry would study the staffing requirements at male clinics and this study is nearly complete. Pay is determined by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are taken to recruit male and female staff for St. George's Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland; and whether he is satisfied that the existing staff is adequate to meet the hospital services.

Advertising and talks to schools; yes.

asked the Minister of Health what is the patient capacity of St. George's Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland; how many patients are at present in the hospital; how many are on the waiting list; and what plans exist for more accommodation.

The hospital has accommodated up to 1,200 patients; 1,157; there is no waiting list; a sick unit of 40 beds should be completed in July.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will publish a White Paper on Her Majesty's Government's intentions with regard to resale price maintenance so that Members of Parliament may be fully consulted before a Bill is presented to Parliament.

No. I think that the Government's intentions are entirely clear. A Bill will be presented as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development (1) if he will give the countries of origin of the books and booklets, other than children's picture and painting books, imported during 1962 and 1963 as recorded on page 49 of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for December 1963, together with the quantity and value from each;(2) if he will give the names of the other foreign countries which supplied tea to the United Kingdom in 1962–63, as recorded on page 34 of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for December, 1963, together with the quantity and value from each;(3) if he will give the names of the other foreign countries which supplied the United Kingdom with £3 million worth of coffee in 1962 and 1963, as recorded on page 33 of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for December, 1963, together with the quantity and value from each;(4) if he will state the names of the other foreign countries, as recorded on page 16 of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for December, 1963, which supplied eggs in shell to the United Kingdom in 1962 and 1963, together with the quantity and value from each.

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

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone kiosks were damaged by vandals in England and Wales in 1963; and what was the cost to the taxpayer.

I am sorry that this information is not available in the precise form asked for. In 1963 there were nearly 55,000 cases of damage in England and Wales which cost about £64,000 to put right. This cost has to be borne by telephone users generally.

asked the Postmaster-General how many prosecutions were successfully undertaken in cases of vandalism to telephone kiosks in 1963.

Three hundred and sixty-two.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the total sum of interest outstanding, the payment of which has been postponed, from Colvilles Limited for 1962 and 1963 in respect of loans to that company from the Consolidated Fund

£4,549,264.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he has yet received the Report of the Working Party on Building and Civil Engineering Procedure in Scotland.

The Working Party's Report is published today and copies are now available in the Vote Office. I should like to record my thanks to Sir William McEwan Younger and his Working Party for this valuable Report. I am now studying their far-ranging recommendations on this important subject.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he is proceeding with the erection of flats and maisonettes on the site of 54, Kensing on Park Road, London, W.11, for which local authority approval was granted in June, 1963.

The project is now in the detailed planning stage and I hope that construction work will start in the spring of 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details showing the total value of the school building programme for which Departmental approval was recently sought by each local education authority, the actual amount approved, what this represented as a percentage of the amount of the original application, and the total school population of each local education authority.

I am not yet in a position to publish details of the investment programmes for all education authorities. Some final allocations have still to be settled: this will be done shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a decision has yet been taken with regard to the Universities (Scotland) Acts of 1858 and 1889.

No. As the Prime Minister said in his reply to the hon. Member on 4th February the Scottish universities have been asked for their views on the Recommendation on this matter in the Robbins Report. These have not yet been received.

asked the Minister of Transport how many houses the British Railways Board intends to retain in order to facilitate the movement of its employees from one place to another when they are promoted.

The British Railways Board tells me that it is not its policy to retain houses for the specific purpose of facilitating the movement of its employees on promotion. It tells me, however, that between 13,000 and 14,000 houses are being retained for essential operating staff, and also to enable houses to be made available in areas where alternative railway employment can be offered to redundant staff.

asked the Minister of Transport what average price was obtained by the British Railways Board for the 1,662 houses sold by the Board since the beginning of 1961.

The British Railways Board tells me that in view of the great disparity in the type and quality of railway houses sold in the past three years, which range from cottages in rural areas to houses in large towns, and having regard to negotiations for the sale of house property in hand at the present time, it considers it would not be in its best interests to disclose the average price obtained for houses sold.

asked the Minister of Transport how many of the 1,662 houses sold by the British Railways Board since the beginning of 1961 were sold to employees of British Railways.

The British Railways Boards tells me that this information is not readily available, and that to provide it would entail a disproportionate amount of work.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the rise in road accidents during the month of November, if he will recommend to lighting authorities that there should be all-night lighting on all roads lit to group A standard.

It is for lighting authorities to decide where the local circumstances justify all-night lighting. In many cases all-night lighting is provided. I should not be justified in making recommendations to lighting authorities on the strength of the statistics of accidents for November, 1963, as those statistics do not show that the rise in number during the hours of darkness was any greater than during daylight, In considering applications for a contribution towards expenditure on trunk road lighting I already encourage the provision of all-night lighting in appropriate cases.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the recent accidents on the M.1, if he will arrange for lighting on a 10 to 15 mile trial stretch of this motorway.

No. I see little practical advantage in such a trial, since it is not our present intention to light rural motorways.

asked the Minister of of Transport if he will specify the grants he is providing to the Shropshire County Council for road improvements in The Wrekin in 1963–64, in particular in the area of Cold Hatton, Norton, Dawley and the Wellington-Hadley by-pass and if he will make a statement about the A.5 and access roads for the new town area of Dawley.

The grants I have made to Shropshire County Council for road improvements and new construction schemes in The Wrekin in the financial year 1963–64 are as follows:

Grants for road works in The Wrekin 1963–64
	Grant £
A.442—Improvement from Waters Upton to Seven Stars Public House	52,739
C1.III—Footbridge on Railway Bridge at Ookengates	1,450
A.442—Improvement north of Ewdness for 1,100 ft.	7,493
B.5063—Construction of culvert at Bratton	600
B.5063—Improvement from Bratton to Shaw Birch Cross roads	345
C1.III—Improvement from Hurley Brook to Lee gate	338
A.518—Improvement on junction with A.41 at Newport	150

Grants have also been made to the county council for maintenance and minor improvement schemes in the county. Improvements to roads in relation to the New Town at Dawley, including the A.5, must be developed along with the plans for the new town. I am taking this into account in the preparation of my future programmes of road works for the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the total supplies, both home-killed and imported, of beef, lamb and pigmeat that will come on the market in the first three months of 1964 con pared with the same period last year and the average over the last five years.

Total supplies of meat in the first quarter of 1963, compared with a 5-year average for the same period, were as follows:—

'000 tons
—	Jan./March 1963	Jan./March Average 1959–1963
Beef and Veal	337·5	298·1
Mutton	16·6	17·9
Lamb	154·0	144·8
Pigmeat	283·1	265·8
Total	791·2	726·6

Forecasts covering January to March, 1964, indicate that supplies of beef and veal are likely to be somewhat less than in the first quarter of 1963, but above the 5-year average: mutton, lamb and pigmeat should be at about last year's level. Total supplies of meat are likely to be somewhat less than in the first quarter of 1963, when the market was of course disrupted by excessive supplies of beef, but above the 5-year average.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what special consideration he has given recently to the problems of the Harris Tweed industry weavers excluded from Unemployment Insurance Benefit as self-employed, while wholly dependent on the spinners and others for their livelihood; and what measures he is taking to bring them within Class I insurance benefits.

My right hon. Friend is not aware of any recent developments which would justify departure from the view that these weavers are properly treated as self-employed for the purposes of the National Insurance Act.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit of his Department.

There is no research unit as such in this Department, but a close liaison is maintained with research units in the Government Service and elsewhere doing work relevant to the Department's activities. In addition, my right hon. Friend's medical staff are encouraged to pursue, in the course of their normal duties, lines of research which attract their attention. There is also a statistician who is available to assist in research matters.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the man whose name has been sent to him, who was employed under an assumed name by the London County Council at Stamford House Remand Home from 29th May until 15th October, 1963, was in possession of a valid National Insurance card; what name was shown upon it; and how this card was obtained.

A card, bearing his true name, was issued to the man by a local Pensions and National Insurance Office a few weeks before the employment in question began.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what machinery he intends to set up to maintain consultation with the Secretary of State for Scotland on Scottish university matters, as suggested in paragraph 789 of the Robbins Report.

The existing arrangements for consultation with the Secretary of State for Scotland operate satisfactorily. These will be continued, as the Robbins Report envisages, and will be adapted or extended in the light of experience.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science (1) whether he will take steps to ensure that the future governing authorities of Scottish universities each contain a person nominated by the Secretary of State for Scotland from the ranks of qualified schoolteachers;(2) whether he will take steps to ensure that, under the enacting of any constitutions for university organisation to follow the repeal of existing university legislation, improved representation on governing bodies and committees will be given to teaching staff of non-professorial status.

The suggestions made by the hon. Member will be borne in mind at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the cost of railway warrants issued to military personnel stationed at the depôts near Barnard Castle during 1963, or some other convenient period.

Because of the moves of units, a disproportionate amount of time and effort would be involved in producing a precise answer, but the cost has been estimated at something under £10,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the difficulties experienced in recruiting an adequate strength for the Regular Army, what steps he is taking to ensure that full use is being made of the potentialities of the Territorial Army.

I defined the rôle of the Territorial Army in replying to my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrew, East (Miss Harvie Anderson) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, North (Sir Richard Glyn) on 22nd January. Except for the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve, the Territorial Army cannot be used to reinforce the Regular Army without a Proclamation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is satisfied that the regulations relating to fire and emergency exits are adequate having regard to modern building design and the use of new fabrics; and if he will make a statement.

Means of escape from fire in existing factories, offices, shops and railway premises are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. For other buildings the principal statutory provisions are Sections 59 and 60 of the Public Health Act, 1936. Proposals for the amendment of these Sections in relation to existing buildings have recently been circulated to interested bodies by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, along with other proposals for amending the law on fire precautions. The question of amending legislation in relation to new buildings will shortly become the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works and he has already given it preliminary consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is satisfied that the regulations relating to the safety factor of lifts are adequate, having regard to the greatly increased height of buildings now being erected; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no power at present to make regulations on this. The question of taking power to regulate safe construction of lifts in new buildings will be considered in the review of building law for which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works will shortly become responsible.