asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what scientific papers his Department have published on the result of fowl pest research since the publication of the Plant Report.

Two papers have been published on work carried out at the Central Veterinary Laboratory, one relating to fowl pest vaccine and the other to laboratory diagnosis of the disease.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why a fowl pest vaccine of greater strength is not being made immediately available in the worst-hit areas.

Vaccines are always being improved; meanwhile the most urgent need is not for a vaccine of greater strengtth, but for a greater use of existing vaccine. There is evidence that the present vaccine will give good control of fowl pest if widely and properly used. This has been shown in East Anglia in recent months where a heavy incidence of disease has been reduced to very small proportions. On the other hand, in Lancashire and more recently in Cheshire and Shropshire, where insufficient use has been made of vaccine, numerous outbreaks occurred during the winter and continue to occur.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was spent by his Department on research into fowl pest during the last three financial years; and who much he estimates will be spent during the present year.

Precise information is not readily available, but it is estimated that the cost of research work which is being undertaken at the Central Veterinary Laboratory will average almost £15,000 during each of the years in question. This figure includes wages and salaries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the recently formed Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances includes at least two persons from Scotland; and why no person from Wales and no person from Ulster is included.

The members of this Committee, which was set up in February, 1954, are selected for their knowledge and experience, not on a territorial basis. The Committee is concerned with the use of toxic substances in Great Britain only and its remit does not extend to Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dogs died in Ministry of Agriculture laboratories as a result of tests to investigate contamination of fields by the drug fluoroacetamide; how the drugs were administered to the dogs; and what symptoms developed before death.

As I said in my statement to the House on 3rd February, three dogs died during investigations at the Central Veterinary Laboratories at Weybridge into the incident at Smarden, Kent. The dogs were given suspected water or flesh from suspect animals. The symptoms of fluoroacetamide poisoning are excitability, coma and convulsions in coma. It is reported that human beings who have recovered from this form of poisoning in the United States suffered no pain, and we have no reason to believe that pain was suffered by the dogs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will issue instructions that all soil taken from the Smarden area for dumping into the sea shall be placed in containers before being so dumped.

I understand that the firm has accepted advice to mix the contaminated material with cement in containers, in order to overcome the practical difficulty of transporting the material from Smarden to the edge of the continental shelf without leakage on the way. I can assure the hon. Member that the dumping will not harm fisheries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what chemical tests have been devised for testing plants suspected of containing fluoroacetates, when existing tests on grass show no detectable level of fluoroacetamide despite the fact that two of his experimental cows died after a few weeks from fluoroacetamide poisoning after grazing for a short while on an affected field.

The method of testing plants for fluoroacetamide and fluoroacetate residues devised in 1956 by Dr. Thompson of my Ministry's Plant Pathology Laboratory was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 1959, volume 10, page 388. Dr. Egan, and Dr. Wood of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist D.S.I.R. published a modified method in the same journal in 1960, volume 11, page 580. The level of detection is of the order of 0·1 parts per million using 100 gms. of plant material. The Laboratory of the Government Chemist is currently looking into more specific methods for the detection and determination of fluoroacetic acid, fluoroacetate and fluoroacetamide.Some grass samples taken in September 1963 showed evidence of slight contamination on analysis. This was confirmed in the case of one sample by means of feeding trials with a guinea-pig. A further sample taken on 8th January 1964 produced negative results when tested biologically. Grazing trials of cows to which my hon. Friend refers conducted on suspected pasture indicated that, for a period after 12th November 1963; a source of organic-fluorine was still available to these animals, but this may have been due to an overflowing pond.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if his veterinary laboratory is the only laboratory permitted to secure dogs which are painlessly destroyed after being subjected to intense convulsive symptoms in order to prove fluoroacetate poisoning; and if he will now prohibit the manufacture and use of fluoroacetates entirely.

The Ministry's Veterinary Laboratory is not the only laboratory permitted to use dogs for experimental purposes. My right hon. Friend has asked the Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances Used in Agriculture and Food Storage to review the rodenticidal use of fluoroacetamide and will consider whether any further action is called for in the light of the Committee's Report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that a dog, being the most susceptible creature known, is used to provide scientific proof whether an animal has died from suspected fluoroacetate poisoning, and that regulations were already in force last year which should have prevented the deaths of many pet animals in South Wales, if he will ban this product as a rodenticide.

My right. hon. Friend has referred the question of the rodenticidal use of this product to the Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances Used in Agriculture and Food Storage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he is aware that private veterinary surgeons have no conclusive method of distinguishing between the relatively common mineral deficiency disease of hypomagnesaemia in cattle, sheep and goats, and acute fluoroacetate poisoning in these animals, when presented only with the post-mortem findings and history of symptoms presented by the farmer, and likewise the distinguishing features at post-mortem examination between the relatively common virus encephalitis in dogs and acute fluoroacetate poisoning; and what research he proposes to initiate to clarify this position.

Many conditions of animals other than those mentioned require the use of laboratory techniques and apparatus before a conclusive diagnosis can be made.Veterinary surgeons in private practice who are faced with problems in farm animals such as those described, and who have insufficient laboratory facilities to resolve them, know that assistance may be obtained from the Ministry's Veterinary Investigation Service. The Ministry does not normally do work connected with domestic pets but it is prepared to help where a serious outbreak of poisoning is suspected.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dogs have been used for tests connected with contamination by the drug fluoroacetamide; over what period the tests took place; and where the dogs used in the experiment were obtained.

Three dogs died during investigations into the Smarden incident, and a further three were used in investigations into the death of a number of domestic animals at Merthyr Tydfil. The tests took place between the end of September and mid-December. They were surplus to the requirements of the dog breeders from whom they were obtained.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he has taken on the report of the Food Standards Committee on the contents of meat pies.

My right hon. Friend is circulating proposals—probably in a day or two—for regulations to prescribe minimum meat content standards for meat pies, and inviting interested parties, whom my right hon. Friend is bound to consult, to let him have their comments by the middle of April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many agricultural attachés have been appointed to embassies abroad; in which countries they are serving; and to which Commonwealth countries have officers with similar responsibilities been appointed.

There are at present seven Ministry officers serving overseas, not counting two veterinary representatives in the Argentine. Three are serving with our Delegations to O.E.C.D., E.E.C. and F.A.O., respectively, and these officers also act as agricultural attachés in France, Western Germany and Italy respectively. There are also two agricultural advisers, equivalent to attachés, one in Australia and one in New Zealand, and two agricultural attachés in the United States and Denmark respectively, the latter also covering Holland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the anomaly created by the cancellation of the scrub clearance grant in that there is now a grant for converting scrub woodland to agricultural land, but none where it is intended to plant trees; and if he will take steps to remove this anomaly.

The Forestry Commission's scrub clearance grant was introduced as a supplement to the normal planting grant as a temporary measure in 1954 to help woodland owners to replant scrub areas resulting from wartime felling; because this objective had been largely achieved the scheme was ended last year. The Commission grant for planting trees continues to be payable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to large cattle feedlot enterprises.

With the important exception of the Small Farmer Scheme, the price guarantees and production grants benefit all producers of livestock without discrimination against any on account of size.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how farmers' incomes in England compare with those in Scotland.

My information on farm incomes in various parts of the country is obtained from surveys conducted by agricultural economists. The following table gives figures for 1962–63 for various types of farming in England and Wales and Scotland.

Type of Farming	Average acreage of farm	Average net income
	Crops and Grass	£'s per farm
England and Wales
Dairying	122	1,280
Livestock	159	1,328
Arable	229	3,316
Crops and Livestock	260	3,378
Mixed	239	2,402
Scotland
Dairying	166	1,306
Upland rearing	181	953
Cropping	248	3,123
Livestock with arable	172	1,366

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the recommendations of the Verdon-Smith Committee concerning the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme will be considered during the Price Review negotiations.

I cannot yet add to the replies which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leominster (Mr. Clive Bossom) on 14th January and to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Peart) on 18th February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a grant to the Wear and Tees River Board to assist in the Stokesley Flood Relief Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The Wear and Tees River Board has recently supplied further information in support of this scheme. Until this has been examined, my right hon. Friend cannot give a decision on grant.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the nation's egg output is now concentrated in units of over 2,000 birds; and what communications he has received from the Egg Marketing Board on the question of large-scale industrial production.

This precise information is not available, but in June, 1963, approximately 27 per cent. of laying birds on agricultural holdings in England and Wales were in flocks of 2,500 bird; or more. My right hon. Friend has received no communication about large-scale production from the British Egg Marketing Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the value of imports of cereals, meat and animal feedingstuffs increased in January 1964 over the corresponding figures for 1963.

The increase in the value of imports of cereals and the main animal feedingstuffs in January, 1964 compared with January, 1963 was nearly £8 million. The corresponding figure for meat was nearly £4½ million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the quantities of wheat, barley, oats, beef and veal, eggs, mutton and lamb, and pigmeat imported into the United Kingdom on average in the years 1936–37 to 1938–39 and in 1962–63.

The following is the information:

IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM YEARS BEGINNING 1ST JULY
'000 tons
—	Average of years 1936–37 to 1938–39	1962–63
Wheat (a)	5,100	3,730
Barley	939	292
Oats	83	52
Beef and veal (b)	627	393
Mutton and lamb (b)	344	363
Pigmeat (b) (c)	518	483
Eggs in shell	184	23
(a) In addit on the wheat equivalent of imports of flour was 577 thousand tons in the first period and 458 thousand tons in the second period.
(b) Includes meat from animals imported fat from the Irish Republic and slaughtered on arrival.
(c) Includes bacon in terms of pigmeat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants are employed in his Department whose duties include the provision of material for speeches.

No Ministry officer is specifically concerned with the provision of material for speeches. The work arises in the normal course of duties according to the nature of the speech.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what qualities of tea were imported from the Congo Republic and the Argentine Republic during 1963; in what form these teas reach the general public;

1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963
per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
44·5	44·0	39·6	38·9	39·4	38·3	30·8	33·9	35·7	36·1

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now reached agreement on new financial relations with the British Sugar Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Agreement has been reached with the Board of Directors of the British Sugar Corporation on new financial arrangements. These are being put to the Corporation's shareholders for their approval.The new arrangements have two main functions:

I understand that the tea trade normally classifies tea from the Congo Republic as "medium" or "plain" tea and that from the Argentine Republic as "plain" tea. I also understand that both Congo and Argentine teas are blended with other teas before being sold to the general public. I have no information on the number of brands which include tea from these countries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the British market for bacon was supplied by the home industry in each of the last ten years.

The information is as follows:Association be raised without the consent of the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister of Agriculture and the Treasury. The Government have made it clear to the Corporation that this dividend is adequate and fair to share-holders in existing circumstances bearing in mind the extent to which these shares differ from ordinary company stock under the terms of the existing financial relations between the Corporation, the Government and the Sugar Board, which involve the share-holders in no commercial risks. The Government said, however, that they were prepared to make fresh arrangements under which shareholders would assume such a degree of the risks normally borne by equity shareholders that the Government would be justified in removing the present restriction on the dividend.The method of exposing shareholders to commercial risks and of encouraging the steady improvement of efficiency will be as follows. A formula has been agreed for calculating a "standard price" for sugar beet, i.e. a price which the Corporation ought to be able to pay and, taking one year with another, still make a reasonable return on their capital. If the Government require the Corporation to pay farmers a guaranteed price higher than the standard price then the Sugar Board will make up the difference to the Corporation. If, on the other hand, the standard price is higher than the guaranteed price the Corporation will pay the difference to the Sugar Board. This means that if the Corporation increases its efficiency its profits will rise; if it does not achieve the standard set then profits will fall —or it may make losses.The new financial arrangements will be incorporated in an Incentive Agreement made under Section 19 of the 1956 Sugar Act. If the shareholders accept the new arrangements this Agreement will be laid before Parliament as a Statutory Instrument. In the meantime I am arranging for a copy of the draft Incentive Agreement to be placed in the library.It is also proposed that there should be changes in the capital structure designed to recognise the rôle of the Sugar Board in the accumulation of reserves over recent years. Since 1st April 1957, the Sugar Board has been the source of the profits of the Corporation totalling £14·2 million and of this £5·5 million has been put to reserve for re-investment in the renewal and improvement of the Corporation's equipment. Just over half the Corporation's reserves have been accumulated in this way. Shareholders are being asked to approve the creation of an additional 5 million paid-up £1 shares; half of these will be distributed to existing shareholders (including the Treasury which owns 750,000 shares); and the other £2½ million will be given without payment to the Sugar Board. The Sugar Board will thus acquire 25 per cent. of the Corporation's equity and share to this extent in future profits. It will apply the dividends it receives to help keep down the cost of sugar to the consumer.The Articles of Association of the British Sugar Corporation will be amended to remove the need for Ministerial consent to dividends above 7 per cent. and to permit capitalisation of reserves if the new financial arrangements come into force.

asked the Minister of Labour how many recorded agreements exist throughout industry in respect of annual leave and Bank and public holiday entitlements how many of these provide for more than two weeks' leave and six Bank and public holidays per annum; and how many refer to salaried employees.

Information is not available about the number of collective agreements which deal with leave. It is estimated, however, that nearly 80 per cent. of employees are covered by collective agreements or statutory wages regulation orders which, amongst other things, provide for payment for annual and public holidays. About one-sixth of all manual workers are covered by agreements which provide for more than two weeks' annual holiday and six public holidays.Information is not available about the number of salaried workers covered by agreements which provide for more than two weeks' annual holiday and six public holidays.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement, by sexes and trades, of the numbers of unemployed persons in the City and County of Aberdeen now as compared with the corresponding figures during each of the last 10 years.

I regret that the information is not readily available and would take a considerable time to produce. In an endeavour to assist the

INDUSTRIAL ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBER OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN ABERDEEN AND THE REST OF ABERDEENSHIRE
		10th February, 1964
Industry		Aberdeen			Aberdeen County excluding Aberdeen
		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Agriculture and Horticulture	…	147	11	158	276	32	308
Fishing	…	161	—	161	158	—	158
Bacon curing, meat, and fish products	…	103	75	178	110	183	293
Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing	…	43	2	45	19	—	19
Spinning and doubling of cotton flax and man-made fibres	…	27	40	67	1	—	19
Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement, etc.	…	51	1	52	4	—	4
Timber	…	126	15	141	22	2	24
Construction	…	285	1	286	131	2	133
Sea Transport	…	107	—	107	25	—	25
Distributive Trades	…	327	246	573	86	82	168
Entertainment and Sport	…	70	17	87	6	—	6
Catering, Hotels, etc.	…	105	74	179	14	33	47
Private Domestic Service	…	5	36	41	11	52	63
Local Government Service	…	162	34	196	16	4	20
Other Industries and Services	…	633	365	998	237	160	397
Total, all Industries and Services	…	2,352	919	3,269	1,116	550	1,666

		11th February, 1963
Industry		Aberdeen			Aberdeen County excluding Aberdeen
		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Agriculture and Horticulture	…	151	17	168	300	17	317
Fishing	…	166	—	166	299	—	299
Bacon curing, meat, and fish products	…	88	49	137	132	123	255
Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing	…	405	3	408	26	1	27
Spinning and doubling of cotton flax and man-made fibres	…	25	31	56	—	1	1
Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement, etc.	…	95	1	96	16	—	16
Timber	…	127	3	130	60	1	61
Construction	…	794	1	795	583	2	585
Sea Transport	…	154	—	154	27	—	27
Distributive Trades	…	371	242	613	98	80	178
Entertainment and Sport	…	63	16	79	4	3	7
Catering, Hotels, etc.	…	133	92	225	22	25	47
Private Domestic Service	…	12	34	46	6	57	63
Local Government Service	…	196	23	219	25	1	26
Other Industries and Services	…	924	336	1,260	296	166	462
Total, all Industries and Services	…	3,704	848	4,552	1,894	477	2,371

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women, respectively, were registered as unemployed in January and February, 1964, at the Bridgend, Maesteg, Ogmore Vale, and Pontycymmer exchanges.

Following is the information required:

NUMBERS OF MEN AND WOMEN REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT THE BRIDGEND, MAESTEG, OGMORE VALE AND PONTYCYMMER LOCAL OFFICES
—	13th January, 1964		10th February, 1964
	Men	Women	Men	Women
Bridgend	555	132	195	132
Maesteg	660	110	161	114
Ogmore Vale	26	33	18	31
Pontycymmer	79	37	42	30

asked the Minister of Labour how many work permits were granted to immigrants under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act during the last six months of 1963; and how many of these were granted to immigrants from India and Pakistan.

Between 1st July, 1963 and 27th December, 1963, a total of 21,741 vouchers were issued, of which 15,542 were in respect of citizens of India or Pakistan.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications for work permits under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act were outstanding or waiting to be dealt with on 31st January 1964; and how many of these were applications from India and Pakistan.

On 31st January, 1964, nearly 290,000 applications for vouchers were outstanding, of which about 270,000 were in respect of citizens of India and Pakistan.

asked the Minister of Labour which ports are at present members of the National Dock Labour Scheme; how many employers are involved; what is the average number of employees in each port; which ports at present do not operate the scheme; how many employers are involved; and what is the average number of employees in each port.

The following information has been supplied by the National Dock Labour Board about the number of registered employers and dock workers at 18th February, 1964, in ports to which the Dock Labour Scheme applies. I regret that there is no comparable information for ports outside the Dock Labour Scheme.

Port/Area	Number of Registered Employers	Number of Registered Workers
Newcastle	24	414
Dunston (including Gateshead)	1	48
North Shields	10	208
South Shields (including Pelaw and Jarrow)	7	277
Blyth	3	167
Sunderland	10	195
Seaham	3	29
TYNE AND WEAR	58	1,338
Middlesbrough (Dock and River Tees)	37	974
Hartlepools	14	213
MIDDLESBROUGH AND HARTLEPOOLS	51	1,187
Hull	118	4,170
Goole	31	405
HULL AND GOOLE	149	4,575
Grimsby	74	1,583
Immingham		115
GRIMSBY AND IMMINGHAM	74	1,698
Boston	17	226
Wisbech	18	59
King's Lynn	27	226
WASH PORTS	62	511

Port/Area	Number of Registered Employers	Number of Registered Workers
Yarmouth	30	108
Lowestoft	9	36
Ipswich	21	90
East Anglia	60	234
Surrey Docks	451	3,417
Upper Pool		2,726
Tilbury		1,959
Northfleet		388
Royal Docks		7,304
India and Millwall Docks		3,201
London Docks		2,656
Lightermen		3,535
LONDON	451	25,186
Rochester	41	366
Chatham
Strood
Whitstable		20
Queenborough		10
Sittingbourne		8
Sheerness		44
MEDWAY AND SWALE	41	448
Southampton	26	1,821
Poole	13	90
Weymouth	2	123
SOUTH COAST	41	2,034
PLYMOUTH	26	129
Fowey	34	67
Par		51
Charlestown		6
Falmouth (with Penryn)		21
Truro (Newlyn, Mousehole, St. Ives)		4
Penzance (with Porthleven)		22
Hayle		15
Portreath		3
CORNWALL	34	189
Bristol (City Docks)	77	482
Avonmouth		1,459
Portishead		12
Sharpness	15	122
Gloucester	22	31
BRISTOL AND SEVERN	114	2,106
Newport	23	664
Cardiff	47	486
Barry	15	247
Port Talbot	7	166
Swansea	23	647
SOUTH WALES	115	2,210

Port/Area	Number of Registered Employers	Number of Registered Workers
Liverpool (A.B.C.)	116	10,681
Birkenhead	1	2,099
Bromborough	1	119
Liverpool	118	12,899
Garston	6	582
Widnes		6
GARSTON AND WIDNES	6	588
Salford	3	2,183
Partington	1	64
Ellesmere Port	3	266
Runcorn	2	68
Weston Point		43
MANCHESTER	9	2,624
PRESTON	10	462
FLEETWOOD	5	224
Barrow	2	66
Whitehaven	9	26
Workington		58
Maryport		3
Silloth		18
CUMBERLAND AND BARROW	11	171
Ayr	12	65
Troon		7
Irvine		7
Ardrossan		73
AYRSHIRE	12	152
GREENOCK	7	240
GLASGOW	21	2,127
Aberdeen	19	479
Dundee (including Tayport)	8	259
Methil	6	56
Kirkcaldy	3	63
Burntisland	2	28
Grangemouth	17	555
Leith (including Granton)	25	591
EAST SCOTLAND	61	1,552
TOTALS	1,555	63,363

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls, respectively, were registered as unemployed at the Bridgend youth employment office in January and February; and how many were recent school leavers.

The information is as follows:

—	January, 1964		February, 1964
	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls
1. Number of young persons registered as unemployed	84	153	52	138
2. Number of young persons registered for first employment (included in 1 above)	9	13	4	16
3. Christmas, 1963 school leavers unemployed (included in both 1 and 2 above)	2	Nil	1	3

asked the Attorney-General what action he is taking regarding Messrs. Fendar Limited, following the new evidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for Leith.

Information and complaints regarding Fendar Limited are still being received. These are being passed immediately on receipt to the police for investigation. One agent of Fendar Limited has already been successfully prosecuted for obtaining money by false pretences. Investigations are continuing into the company itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the assistance given to refugees from Rwanda by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees; and what help has been given to the High Commissioner by Her Majesty's Government.

Since 1962 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has invested more than £360,000 in international funds to help finance settlements for 132,000 Rwanda refugees in Burundi, the Kivu Province of the Congo, Tanganyika and Uganda.As a result of recent events in Rwanda, a further 4,000 new refugees have arrived in Burundi and a further 8,000 in Uganda. The High Commissioner's Executive Committee decided on 29th January to allocate £35,000 for the immediate relief of these new refugees. The High Commissioner has been assured of Her Majesty's Government's support in his efforts to relieve and resettle these unfortunate people. During 1962 and 1963, his contribution to their relief formed part of a total budget of £4·2 million, towards which Her Majesty's Government paid £300,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what notice Her Majesty's Government have received from the Government of Libya regarding the termination of the Anglo-Libyan Treaty.

None, Her Majesty's Government have, of course, noted the Libyan Government's statement, as reported in the Press, that they do not intend to renew the Treaty when it expires.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he received regarding the extent to which the present political authorities are in effective control of the major part of Viet-Nam before deciding to recognise those authorities as the Government of the Republic of Viet-Nam.

Her Majesty's Ambassador at Saigon reported that the new Government of Viet-Nam enjoyed with a reasonable prospect of permanency, the obedience of the mass of the population, and effective control over as great a part of the national territory as its predecessor.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that it is the officially stated policy of the Government of Viet-Nam in Saigon to exterminate all neutralists as traitors; and, in view of the fact that this is contrary to article 14(c) of the Geneva Agreements of 1954, what action he is taking as co-chairman of the Geneva Conference.

The hon. Member may be referring to a statement by the Chairman of the Military Revolutionary Council of Viet-Nam broadcast on 30th January.In fact, the present Government, like their immediate predecessor, have taken various conciliatory measures including the release of a number of political prisoners. It would be reasonable to expect that they will not in fact adopt such a draconian policy as a literal interpretation of the remark of the Prime Minister of Viet-Nam might suggest.If the Viet-Namese Government were to take action on the statement, it would be for the International Control Commission in Viet-Nam to decide whether, in its view, Article 14(

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now make a statement, for the guidance of British fishing fleets, on the claims and agreements reached by the nations with fishing fleets in the North Sea as to territorial fishing limits, and other matters in dispute, following the recent international conference in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what decisions have been reached at the European Fishing Conference; and if he will make a statement.

The European Fisheries Conference has just ended this morning. I will make a statement to the House tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the new evidence recently disclosed in Germany regarding the policy of genocide as carried out by Hitler's government, and the decision of the London Sessions Appeal Court on 7th February, 1964, that a man who uttered public incitement to genocide, by shouting his approval of Hitler's policy, was not guilty of an offence, if he will now reconsider his policy regarding Her Majesty's Government's adherence to the United Nations Convention on Genocide.

Her Majesty's Government are not convinced that they should reconsider their decision not to accede to the Convention.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the appointment by the United Nations of the ad hoc committee of inquiry into the situation in Oman; and whether he will use his good offices within the United Nations to facilitate this investigation.

This Committee was set up on 28th February and has not yet approached Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty's Government will give sympathetic consideration to any requests from it on matters which fall within our competence.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to ensure that no hearing aid shall be supplied without a doctor's prescription.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if, in addition to the free offer of a Medresco hearing-aid to National Health Service patients, he will make available a variety of post-aural aids.

No. I do not think the additional expenditure would be justified.

asked the Minister of Health if he will establish, under the National Health Service, hearing centres at which all the services at present provided by commercial centres may be offered.

A full range of services is already available to National Health Service patients at hospital diagnostic clinics and hearing aid distribution centres.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to ensure that no hearing aid shall be fitted or sold by any person who has not passed examinations approved by the Minister to qualify him to give this service.

No.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average cost for each plastic ear mould supplied by the National Health Service; what is the estimated cost of the new skeletal mould; and if his policy is to make skeletal moulds available in due course.

I understand that the retail price of skeletal moulds is about 3 to 4 guineas. My right hon. Friend is not considering making them available under the National Health Service. I cannot disclose contract prices, but plastic moulds are many times cheaper.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that fluoridation of public water supply helps to prevent dental caries if administered during embryonic and early post-natal life, by hardening certain enamel tissues, what research has been undertaken into the possibility that fluoridation causes pathological hardening of bony tissues other than teeth in later life.

The research undertaken is reviewed in Appendix 8 of the Report on The Conduct of the Fluoridation Studies in the United Kingdom and the Results Achieved after Five Years (Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects No. 105) and in other standard works on the subject. No harm to health has been found from the fluoridation of water supplies at one part per million.

asked the Minister of Health how many local health authorities have now reached a decision on fluoridation of water supplies; how many have decided to proceed; how many have rejected fluoridation; and if he will give similar figures for water authorities.

Thirty-three local health authorities in England and Wales have informed me that they have decided to approach the water undertakers. Information on the other parts of the Question is not centrally collected, but I understand that more than 60 local health authorities have passed resolutions in favour of fluoridation and under 30 against.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what aspects of the general practitioner service, its future rôle, system of payment, level of remuneration, practice expenses, conditions of service, and capital provision, are currently under examination by the Review Body, by himself, by a departmental working party or by any other body for which he is responsible; and if he will delineate the precise scope of each form of inquiry;(2) whether the Review Body has undertaken to reconsider in the immediate future the remuneration of all doctors or only of general practitioners.

It is for the Review Body to keep the remuneration both of hospital doctors and of general practitioners under review but no claims are at present before it.All aspects of general medical practice other than the quantum of remuneration are within the scope of the Working Party which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are setting up in agreement with the profession.

asked the Minister of Health where hostels are to be built in the next 10 years in Hertfordshire for the mentally ill; and how many places will be made available in each hostel.

The county council's plan provides for hostels with 30 places each at Hitchin, St. Albans, Watford, Welwyn Garden City and in East Hertfordshire.

asked the Minister of Health where it is proposed to build junior training centres for the mentally subnormal in Hertfordshire during the next 10 years; how many are under construction at the moment; how many residential places will be provided in each centre; and how many non-residential places will be made available in each centre.

The county council's plan provides for a new centre with 80 places at Welwyn Garden City and extensions to the existing centres at Hemel Hempstead and Stanstead Abbots by a further 10 and 24 places respectively. Centres with 80 and 75 places respectively are now now under construction at St. Albans and Watford. None of these will be residential.

asked the Minister of Health where it is proposed to build adult training centres for the mentally subnormal in Hertfordshire during the next 10 years; how many are under construction at the moment; how many residential places will be provided in each centre; and how many non-residential places will be made available in each centre.

The county council's plan provides for centres at Hoddesdon, St. Albans and Welwyn Garden City with 100 places each, and at Stevenage and Watford with 120 places each. A centre with 80 places is now under construction at Hemel Hempstead. None of these will be residential.

asked the Minister of Health where it is proposed to build hostels for the mentally subnormal in the next 10 years in Hertfordshire; and how many residential places will be provided in each hostel.

The county council's plan provides for such hostels as follows:

• Bushey—one with 20 places.
• Hemel Hempstead—one with 20 places.
• Hitchin—two with 30 places each.
• Hoddesdon—three with 30 places each.
• St. Albans—one with 30 and one with 20 places.
• Stevenage—one with 30 places.
• Watford—one with 30 places.
• Welwyn Garden City—one with 8 and one with 30 places.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the recovery of those crippled in accidents or by disease is impeded by the enforcement of the rule prohibiting the issue of a car if there is no garage for it to be kept in, in respect of those who apply for a free three-wheeled invalid car under the National Health Service; and if he will take action to remedy this position.

No. A motor tricycle may be supplied before a garage is available if it is urgently required and if parking facilities exist.

asked the Minister of Health how many disabled men and women are at present staying in rehabilitation centres because homes with garages cannot be found for them.

I know of none but if the hon. Member has any particular case in mind. I will gladly make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Health what aspects of the remuneration and terms of service of dental practitioners are at present under examination by the Review Body; when the examination began; and when he expects to receive recommendations.

The Review Body has stated its intention to give further thought to the basis of remuneration of general dental practitioners and to possible alternatives to the present system, so that if it could find a more satisfactory system it would be able to consider recommending it in a subsequent review. I cannot say when any recommendations will be made.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that lack of privacy is a hardship to some patients in general wards of National Health Service hospitals; and how far expert advice has been sought in devising means to deal with this problem.

Yes. The Ministry's Building Note on Ward Units allows for at least 20 per cent. of beds to be in single rooms. All hospital boards were consulted on this standard, which is also in line with the Report by the Committee on Staphylococcal Infections in Hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health when he now expects agreement upon the hospital engineers' salary revaluation.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Health what study he has made of the evidence, sent to him by the hon. Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge, concerning deficiencies in the hospital facilities available in the area of the Ipswich and East Anglia Hospital Board; and if he will receive a deputation, at an early date, supported by senior consultant and nursing staff, to express their views on the subject.

I have considered all the material sent to me at the instance of my hon. Fiend. The regional board, which is responsible for deciding priorities among competing claims on their resources and for planning the hospital services of the area, is examining various possibilities and would be glad to receive any further suggestions.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what additional short-range and long-range trooping and freighter aircraft have been introduced into Transport Command during 1963–64; and what additions are planned for introduction during 1964–65.

One Argosy aircraft and a squadron of Wessex helicopters have been added to the medium- and short-range transport resources of Transport Command in 1963–64. More Argosies are planned to be introduced in 1964–65.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will state the accident rate of Transport Command for each year since its inception, specifying the number of aircraft accidents, the number of fatalities, and the accident rate per million passenger miles.

It is not the practice to give information about accident rates for R.A.F. aircraft. I can, however, say that in the last 10 years there has been only one accident in the transport squadrons of Transport Command in which passengers have been killed. Details of this were given to the House on 6th March, 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will take steps to negotiate an agreement with British European Airways for leave travel by officers and other ranks of the Royal Air Force similar to the arrangements he has negotiated with British Railways for rates of travel which are not available to the public.

For reasons which have already been explained to my hon. and learned Friend this would not be practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Chinese people are admitted to Hong Kong from the Chinese mainland per day, or per week, to remain as residents or to pass through; whether they have to receive visas from the Chinese Government; and how many are admitted as refugees without visas.

My right hon. Friend is consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether self-loading rifles are to be issued to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force; and with what rifle of what calibre they are to be armed.

The Royal Marines, Royal Air Force Regiment Units and certain elements of short-range transport formations of the Royal Air Force are already equipped with the 7.62 mm. F.N. self-loading rifle.The rifle used by other combatant elements of the Royal Air Force and carried in Her Majesty's ships for the equipment of seaman landing parties are No. 4 303" Lee-Enfield.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what expenditure on plant, machinery, buildings and civil engineering, respectively, is proposed for Her Majesty's Dockyard, Rosyth, in the next three years.

It is planned to spend about £1·3 million on plant and machinery and £1·75 million on building and civil engineering at Rosyth Dockyard in the next three years.

asked the Minister of Aviation when the South African authorities placed an order in this country for six anti-submarine Wasp helicopters; whether these helicopters can be fitted with machine guns, carry light loads of military equipment, act as ground-air liaison machines, and carry out reconnaissance; what is the name of the manufacturers; what is the purchase price; what was the date when permission for the export of these helicopters was granted by Her Majesty's Government; and what were the dates when they were exported.

The Wasp helicopter is manufactured by the Westland Aircraft Company. It is designed to carry only naval weapons but in its rearch and rescue rôle can also carry two casualties. It is not designed to carry machine guns and would need substantial development and modification for that purpose. In common with all helicopters it could be used for ground-air liaison and reconnaissance duties. The contract in question was signed in July, 1962. The formal export licences were issued between October, 1963, and January, 1964, and the first four machines were shipped during January, 1964. It is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to disclose the purchase price of arms orders.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will state the number of people killed and seriously injured in scheduled air services and chartered aircraft accidents separately, for each of the last five years, and up to the latest convenient date in the current year.

The numbers of passengers and crew killed and seriously injured in the five years 1959 to 1963 inclusive, in accidents to aircraft on the British Register, engaged on public transport flights were as follows:

—	Killed	Seriously Injured
1959
Scheduled flights	—	3
Non-scheduled flights	46	1
1960
Scheduled flights	—	8
Non-scheduled flights	3	2
1961
Scheduled flights	29	26
Non-scheduled flights	73	—
1962
Scheduled flights	13	5
Non-scheduled flights	112	3
1963
Scheduled flights	—	2
Non-scheduled flights	—	—
1964 (up to 1st March)
Scheduled flights	83	—
Non-scheduled flights	—	—

In addition, two ground staff were killed, one in 1962 and one in 1963, when they walked into turning propellers, and a traffic clerk was seriously injured in 1963, when he fell from an aircraft as it was about to leave the apron.

asked the Minister of Aviation on what date reports were first received from the manufacturers indicating that the T188 aircraft would not achieve its designed speed.

There has never been any reason to think that the Bristol T188 would not in the course of development have achieved its full designed speed. As the hon. Member was informed on 27th February the aircraft has yielded a good deal of valuable information. A review of the programme in the light of changing requirements showed that the time and cost involved in carrying it through as originally planned would be excessive in relation to the value of the additional information it would yield, and it was therefore terminated. Proposals for further tests with the T188 are now under consideration.

asked the Minister of Defence what proposals he has for increasing the pensions of Service men retired before 31st January, 1964, following the recently announced increases in pay for the Armed Forces.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. David James) on 3rd February last.

asked the Minister of Education how many specialists there are in the teaching of educationally subnormal children.

A total of 1,454 teachers have attended or are attending one year supplementary or special advanced courses in the teaching of handicapped pupils—other than blind, deaf or partially hearing. Some of these teachers have since undertaken other work or left the profession. There are also shorter courses organised by the Ministry and by Institutes of Education and local education authorities, but the number of teachers who have attended these is not known.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that a penalty of £50 has been imposed by the Cardiff education authority on parents prematurely withdrawing a child from high school; and by what authority such penalties are imposed on parents by local education authorities.

I have no knowledge of any particular case. I am aware that in common with a number of other local education authorities Cardiff require parents of a child entering grammar school to sign an undertaking to keep him in school until the end of the school year in which he reaches the age of 16. This is not a requirement under the Education Acts. Such an agreement and its enforcement is a matter entirely between the local education authority and the parents concerned.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will carry out an investigation into the merits of the changes proposed in the education structure of the city of Cardiff.

The Cardiff Education authority has now referred to my Department its proposals for the reorganisation of its secondary schools. All aspects of the scheme are being considered and the authority will be advised of my views as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education what plans he has for sending his inspectors to investigate the suitability of the present system of school examinations in the city of Cardiff.

I have no plans for such an investigation. Such examinations are entirely within the discretion of the authority.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to encourage further education colleges to provide short intensive courses in foreign languages for business firms, with the emphasis on oral proficiency.

A number of colleges already provide intensive language courses of this kind and many have installed, or plan to install, language laboratories. I am sending a circular to local education authorities and colleges today asking them to extend the provision of such courses, and in particular to put on special courses for small numbers of students at times and in places convenient to business firms where a demand exists for such a service. The circular contains detailed information about the facilities available for instruction in foreign languages other than the four main Western European languages and Russian, for which facilities are available on a wide scale. It also asks the colleges to continue and extend the provision of short courses in various aspects of exporting. The Federation of British Industries, which has been consulted in the preparation of the circular, believes that the informa- tion it contains will be helpful to business firms and proposes to draw attention to it at an early date in an appropriate publication of its own.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adolescent girls with behaviour difficulties are resident in approved schools due to the shortage of suitable boarding schools.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many of the planning permissions granted in 1962 were for developments by local authorities.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what has been the average annual rate of increase, expressed as a percentage, of exports of all kinds of engineering products over the last five years; and what have been the corresponding percentage figures for engineering imports.

The annual percentage increases were as follows:

UNITED KINGDOM TRADE IN ENGINEERING PRODUCTS* PERCENTAGE CHANGE OVER PREVIOUS YEAR
—	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963
Imports	21	37	8	8	5
United Kingdom Exports	6	7	7	3	9
Over the five years 1958–1963, the average compound rates of increase were 15 per cent. for imports and 6 per cent. for exports.
* Section 7 plus Division 86 of the Trade Accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what was the average price per ton of engineering exports of all kinds in 1963; and what was the corresponding figure for this class of imports.

For a large range of engineering products, weight is not recorded. It is estimated, however, that, excluding new aircraft and sea-going vessels, imports were valued at approximately £1,100 per ton and United Kingdom exports at approximately £900 per ton in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will express as a percentage the increase of exports of engineering products of all kinds during the last three months over the corresponding three months of 1962–63; and if he will give the corresponding figure for imports of engineering products of all kinds.

The increases in the value of trade in engineering products—Section 7 plus Division 86 of the Trade Accounts —during the three months ended January, 1964, compared with the three months ended January, 1963, were 10 per cent. and 22 per cent. for United Kingdom exports and imports respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement about the proposed regional studies of North-West England and the West Midlands.

The North West Study will cover the standard region (Lancashire, Cheshire, and the High Peak District of Derbyshire); and also Cumberland and Westmorland. The West Midlands Study will cover Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.Each study will include an examination of the principal economic and related social characteristics and trends in the areas in question and will pay particular attention to population change, employment, land use and communications.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what research is being carried out into the possibility of synergism and the potential effects of commonly used pesticidess with such commonly used drugs as sedatives, tranquillizers, analgesics and steroid hormones, which are administered over prolonged periods, in man.

The Research Committee on Toxic,Chemicals—the Frazer Committee—has recently drawn attention to the need to evaluate further the toxicological significance of the presence of pesticides in human body tissues. This evaluation will fall primarily to the Medical Research Council which will have regard to the particular problem raised by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the average weekly supplement received from the National Assistance Board during 1963 by those in receipt of such supplements to their National Insurance retirement pension.

22s. 3d. in December, 1963. This figure is obtained only once a year.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many weekly allowances were paid by the National Assistance Board in the week ended 31st December 1963; how many of these allowances were paid as a supplement to those already receiving some form of National Insurance benefits; and how many were paid as a supplement to those receiving retirement benefit.

1,970,750 weekly allowances from the National Assistance Board were in payment on 17th December, 1963; 1,406,650 of these were to people already receiving national insurance benefits, including 1,100,348 to people who are receiving retirement pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what increases in consultant and supporting staff, expressed in numbers of whole-time equivalents and in percentages, are recommended by the committee appointed to review the medical staffing structure of Scottish hospitals; whether he accepts the recommendations; and how long he anticipates it will take to implement them.

The consultant staff in post at the end of 1961—when the Wright Committee started work—consisted of 513 whole-time and 448 part-time consultants, in addition to 136 with honorary contracts. These figures include about 90 senior hospital medical officers in receipt of special allowances for doing work of consultant status. The Committee's recommendations would involve an addition of about 260 posts, whole-time and part-time, to these figures. It also recommended that normally all part-time posts should be on the maximum of nine sessions; this would in itself involve increasing the effective consultant establishment by the equivalent of about 40 posts. As regards supporting staff, the Committee's recommendations involve an increase of about 250 posts over 1961.Iam at present discussing the Report with the interests concerned and I can- not yet say when I shall be able to reach a decision on the recommendations, or how long it would take to implement them it accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that for some years proposals have been made for the improvement of trunk road A.7 at Howdenburn and Wilton Hill, and at The Dunk, to the north and south of Hawick, Roxburghshire: and what proposals he now has for eliminating the existing dangers, which have resulted in serious accidents in recent weeks, one of which was fatal.