asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is aware that if the new draft Building Regulations referred to in Command Paper No. 2279 are brought into force unamended, it will thereafter be illegal to arrange for a typical library in any building in Great Britain to be panelled in English oak or English pine or other natural timber; and whether he will give an assurance that anomalies of this kind will be dealt with before the draft Regulations are revised and laid before Parliament.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the Regulations, which are at the moment being drafted. Their application to panelling, as to other lining materials in building, is being considered in the light of the advice of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how much has been spent on Kensington Palace in each of the last 10 years; for how many Grace and Favour residences he is responsible; and how many public servants reside in them.

There are 16 Grace and Favour residences at Kensington Palace. The allocation of these residences is by Grace and Favour of the Sovereign but I am advised that none of the occupants is in the employment of Her Majesty's Government.Expenditure on Kensington Palace from the New Works and Maintenance etc. Subheads of the Royal Palaces Vote has been as follows:

	£
1953–54	54,621
1954–55	59,808
1955–56	29,565
1956–57	19,459
1957–58	19,129
1958–59	19,336
1959–60	22,549
1960–61	31,683
1961–62	28,728
1962–63	84,759

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what use will be made of the rooms in Kensington Palace now occupied by the London Museum when they are vacated; and what plans he has for their restoration.

The future use of the rooms in Kensington Palace now occupied by the London Museum is a matter for Her Majesty's pleasure. As the rooms are not likely to be vacated for several years, plans for their restoration have not yet been made.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how much has been spent on Number 10, Kensington Palace in each of the last 10 years; and if he will give the details of such expenditure.

The following is the information:

Year	Work	Cost to new works and maintenance subheads of the Royal Palaces Vote
		£
1953	Nil	Nil
1954	Repair, following extensive war damage, and modernisation.	2,500*
1955	Repair, following extensive war damage, and modernisation.	4,200*
1956	Repair, following extensive war damage, and modernisation.	800
1957	Repair, following extensive war damage, and modernisation (Settlement of final accounts.)	500*
1958	Repair, following extensive war damage, and modernisation. (Settlement of final accounts.)	400*
1959	Nil	Nil
1960	Redecoration and other services to prepare the accommodation for occupation by Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret.	4,428
	Maintenance etc.	388
1961	Maintenance, etc.	341
1962	Maintenance, etc.	71
1963	Nil	Nil
* This work and the repair and modernisation of war damaged accommodation in the North-West Stable Block were done as a single job and costs were not recorded separately; the figures shown above are therefore an approximation.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what advance has been made in the technique of industrialised building; and whether this method is likely to contribute to the construction industry in the near future.

The techniques of industrialised building are now well established in this country and are being increasingly used, especially in contracts for public authorities. They are already helping the building industry by increasing productivity and speeding construction. Wider use of these techniques is essential if the industry is to meet the demands with which it is likely to be faced.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what discussion he has had with the shipbuilding industry in Scotland on the development of standardised building units for domestic and commercial building.

As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan) on 10th December, 1963, thirteen Scottish shipyards have discussed the manufacture of industrialised building components with the Glasgow Inquiry Centre. An approach from another shipyard has just been received and is being dealt with.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when the new barracks at Ballymena will be completed.

The main part of the project for the modernisation of these barracks is now complete and the Army has begun to occupy them. Work is still in progress on some ancillary buildings. This should be finished by midsummer.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when and where regional figures for future building work will be published; and what guidance is available to local authorities, industry and other interested parties on the likely future load on the building industry in particular areas.

Figures of special interest to local authorities, industry and others are issued as Press notices as soon as they are available. Additional information also appears in the Monthly Digest of Statistics issued by the Central Statistical Office. The new information about future loads in particular areas will be made available in the same way. As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 18th February, we hope to publish the new information for the first time in May.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what joint research and experimentation he is undertaking with the Scottish Special Housing Association.

Our Director General of Research and Development, Sir Donald Gibson, has been in touch with the Association. If opportunity offers, we will certainly undertake projects along with it.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works where the new Crown building for Oldham will be sited; and when building operations will commence.

No suitable site which is available for early development has yet been found, but investigations are continuing. We are also still looking out for suitable existing accommodation which we could take on lease.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many Grace and Favour residences there are at St. James's Palace; how many of them come within his financial responsibility; and what has been the expenditure on them in each of the last 10 years.

There are nine Grace and Favour residences at St. James's Palace. Expenditure for the last 10 years has been as follows:

Date	New Works and Maintenance Subheads of the Royal Palaces Vote
	£
1953–54	17,736
1954–55	13,204
1955–56	5,808
1956–57	6,320
1957–58	7,795
1958–59	5,070
1959–60	4,982
1960–61	4,759
1961–62	7,301
1962–63	13,567

My right hon. Friend is responsible for the repair and maintenance of the structure and services of all Grace and Favour residences which are part of the Royal Palaces, and for modernisation on change of occupation.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he hopes to implement his proposal to establish a building research and information association; and what co-operation in this project he is receiving from the building and civil engineering industry in Scotland.

As to the first part of the Question, I have nothing at present to add to my right hon. Friend's Answer to the hon. Member for the City of Chester (Mr. Temple) on 10th March. Consultations will, of course, cover the building and civil engineering industry in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will carry out a special survey of informed medical opinion in the coalmining areas on the causation of chronic bronchitis and emphysema and their association with pneumoconiosis and the adequacy or otherwise of existing social benefits available to those who suffer from such disabilities.

In order to determine complicated questions like this, it is necessary to have facts rather than opinions. These are best obtained from the kind of research that is being carried out by bodies like the Pneumoconiosis Research Unit of the Medical Research Council. As the hon. Member knows, there has been a substantial real increase in the value of the benefits since this Government took office.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what criteria he applies when considering the problem as to whether benefits in kind such as cheap fares are the best way to help old age pensioners to meet the present increased cost of living; and if he will now reconsider his decision.

I think it right for help to be given as far as possible in money which the recipient can use to his own best advantage.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has sent to the representations on the March, 1964, report of the City of Birmingham analytical laboratories, on the subject of the Birmingham drug-testing scheme.

That the implications of the report are being considered by my Department in the course of the current review of medicines legislation.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is proposing to take to remedy deficiencies in the maternity services so as to reduce the present infant mortality rate.

The services are being expanded and improved; mortality rates continue to fall.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the fourdrug treatment of leukaemia, devised by the National Cancer Institution, Washington, is being used in this country; and if he will make a statement.

Full details of this American treatment are not yet available but the four drugs concerned are used here in various combinations.

asked the Minister of Health what liaison exists between his Department and the Ministry of Labour in respect of securing both continuous medical and welfare service to alcoholics who have been receiving such service and also suitable employment, without which they may lapse again into alcoholism; and what consideration has been given to the need of rehabilitating alcoholics beyond the treatment received while in special hospital units.

Hospital authorities know that rehabilitation must be a single continuous process from the onset of sickness until final resettlement is achieved, and in the case of alcoholics as in other cases they seek to achieve the closest liaison at all stages with the officers on the Ministry of Labour who are concerned.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to report on the use of the binaural hearing aids to be used by adults served by the National Health Service.

Binaural hearing aids are provided under the National Health Service for some deaf children: my right hon. Friend is not at present considering supply to adults.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the total amount paid by hospitals in the north-west metropolitan region to outside contractors for cleaning services inside hospitals; and what study he has made of the possibility of establishing specialised cleaning services on a regional basis available for all hospitals.

The annual cost of contract cleaning is £76,724; no such study has been made.

asked the Minister of Health what action has been taken since the winter of 1962–63 to provide hospitals with emergency resources in electric power.

Hospital Boards reviewed their emergency electrical supply arrangements in the light of advice given by my Department and about £1 million has been spent on new plant.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that hospital management committees in the Manchester region are refusing to allow employees to have unpaid leave to serve on local authorities; and whether he will issue instructions that sympathetic consideration should be given to such applications.

I am aware of a case where the employee concerned has been granted nine days special leave without pay in accordance with a Whitley Council agreement but not the further special leave without pay which may he granted at the employing authority's discretion. This is a matter for the employing authority to decide.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in the North-East Metropolitan Region and by regional hospital boards in other regions in the improvement of comfort and amenities in out-patient hospital waiting rooms and in the provision of attendance time-tables for patients.

Regional Boards are well aware of the need to improve the standards of out-patient departments, and real progress is being made. Patients are seen by appointment at all hospitals in the North East Metropolitan Region.

asked the Minister of Health how many additional maternity beds will be provided as a result of projects to be started this year.

Approximately 1,500, which will provide for more than 50,000 additional hospital confinements a year.

asked the Minister of Health how many additional maternity beds will be brought into use this year; and to what extent they will meet the expected increase in the birth rate.

Six hundred and forty-one new maternity beds are expected to be added this year. They should provide for some 19,000 additional confinements a year. This will more than cover the additional births expected this year.

asked the Minister of Health what consultations he has had with the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board regarding cervical cytology services in the region; and if he will make financial provision to enable the Board to develop such services.

There is constant liaison between the Board and my Department on this, as on other subjects; as regards the second part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) on 26th March.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the cost of providing board and lodging for resident nurses at hospitals administered under the National Health Service;(2) what is the total amount of contributions towards board and lodging paid by nursing staff at hospitals administered under the National Health Service.

Precise information is not available but the costing analyses which I have indicate that the cost exceeds the contribution.

Date		Port			Number of Landings	Quantity of Fish	Value
						(tons)	£
12th March, 1964	…	Hull	…	…	1	54	4,226
		Aberdeen	…	…	1	80	4,890
13th Match, 1964	…	Grimsby	…	…	2	104	8,784
17th March, 1964	…	Grimsby	…	…	2	117	10,774
18th March, 1964	…	Grimsby	…	…	2	123	13,207
		Aberdeen	…	…	2	83	8,003
19th March, 1964	…	Grimsby	…	…	1	48	4,815
		Aberdeen	…	…	2	85	6,121
20th March, 1964	…	Grimsby	…	…	1	44	3,714
		Aberdeen	…	…	3	107	9,612
21st March, 1964	…	Aberdeen	…	…	1	34	2,939
23rd March, 1964	…	Grimsby	…	…	2	126	9,893

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that steps have been taken to restrict the supplies of beef entering this country from overseas, what steps have been taken to control the shipment of beef cattle overseas from the United Kingdom.

Last year's agreement with Argentina, covering the period to 31st March, 1964, did not result in restrictions as shipments fell short of the quantities specified. There are thus no quantitative restrictions on the imports of beef, except from certain Easten bloc countries, nor have any restrictions been placed on the trade's freedom to export. The current shortage of imported beef is due to difficulties in the exporting countries and increased demand from other importing countries for the supplies available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why, in view of the high level of supplies of home-killed beef, the price of this type of beef has risen; why wholesale prices have risen; and to what extent the

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many attempts have been made since 11th March by Faroese fishing vessels 10 land fish in British ports; when they occurred; where they occurred; and what were the results.

The following table gives the information required:export of home-bred beef is causing the present high prices at home

The main reason for the present high price of beef, both home produced and imported, is that world demand is strong and imported supplies in recent weeks have been running at a lower level than usual. This has more than offset the increase in home production, so total supplies are lower and wholesale prices consequently higher.In February this year exports were running at a weekly average of 1,600 tons. This compares with average weekly supplies of 24,800 tons. Most of the demand on the Continent has been for poorer quality meat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that all subsidies paid on livestock which are eventually exported from this country should be refunded to Her Majesty's Treasury.

No. The fatstock guarantee payments are intended to ensure that the producer receives a guaranteed price when selling on our free market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the loss of good agricultural land in England and Wales and in the area covered by the South East Study, respectively, over the past 10 years.

The net reduction from all causes in the area of crops and grass, excluding rough grazing between June, 1953, and June, 1963, was 108,000 acres (0·44 per cent.) in England and Wales, and 47,000 acres (0·65 per cent.) in the area covered by the South East Study. I regret that there are no estimates of the quality of the land.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Covent Garden Market Authority has now completed its studies of alternative sites for the market; and what recommendation it has made.

The Covent Garden Market Authority has now concluded that an efficient and economic market to replace Covent Garden Market could be built at Nine Elms, Vauxhall, and has sought my consent to the promotion of a Bill to amend the Covent Garden Market Act, 1961, so as to enable the Authority to rebuild the market there. I am giving urgent consideration to this recommendation.

NUMBERS EMPLOYED (EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT) AT MID YEAR IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IN SCOTLAND
—	Great Britain				Scotland
	1952	1955	1958	1963	1952	1955	1958	1963
Agriculture and horticulture	703·9	655·7	599·7	509·9	93·8	89·8	84·1	74·3
Forestry	22·4	23·5	22·5	21·4	7·3	7·9	6·9	6·7
Fishing	29·5	25·8	23·2	22·4	10·2	10·1	10·0	9·7
Coalmining	791·0	784·7	781·5	616·9	93·6	92·6	96·9	66·9
Shipbuilding and ship repairing	206·3	206·7	200·7	152·4	51·3	52·0	49·9	33·6
Marine engineering	75·2	81·5	79·5	58·8	23·8	24·2	23·4	17·3
Textiles	911·6	954·3	874·9	776·4	112·8	117·7	101·9	97·9
Railways	531·4	499·5	490·8	411·2	57·9	56·9	56·1	44·4
Locomotives and railway track equipment	86·5	78·0	73·5	56·9	14·1	11·1	8·5	3·7
Railway carriages and wagons and trams	82·6	83·9	85·0	61·6	7·0	9·3	10·0	4·7

asked the Minister of Labour when he proposes to publish the report of the Court of Inquiry on Busmen's Wages and Conditions.

The Report of the Committee of Inquiry will be published at 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 15th April.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the average monthly figures for unemployment in Scotland in 1951, 1955, 1959, and 1963.

Following is the information:

SCOTLAND
Average number of persons unemployed
1951	1955	1959	1963
53,400	51,100	94,900	104,800

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in table form the manpower employed in the years 1952, 1955, 1958 and 1963 in the following industries, namely, agriculture, forestry, fishing, coalmining, shipbuilding and marine engineering, textiles, railways, and locomotive, carriage and wagon construction; and if he will state the corresponding figures for Scotland.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the average loan charge, the average interest charge, and the average rent, all stated

—	Dumbarton				Helenburgh				Dunbartonshire
	1951		1963		1951		1963		1951		1963
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
1. Total loan charges per house per week	10	4	24	5	12	10	25	1	10	11	28	7
2. Total interest charges per house per week	7	2	20	2	8	6	18	9	7	7	20	11
3. Average weekly rent of Council houses	8	7	13	4	10	2	19	8	9	5	15	2

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average loan charge, the average interest charge, and the Average rent, all stated in weekly terms, for a council house in 1951 and 1963, respectively, for the City of Glasgow

The following is the information:

—	1951		1963
	s.	d.	s.	d.
1. Total loan charges per house per week	10	7	25	5
2. Total interest charges per house per week	7	4	20	2
3. Average weekly rent of corporation houses	9	3	12	2

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects the plans for the new layout of Tower Hill to be carried out.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the proposals for Tower Hill south of Speaker's Corner. This area cannot be closed to traffic until the proposed new alternative route between Tower Hill and Lower Thames Street is completed; this is expected by 1967. Meanwhile, discussions are proceeding between the local authorities concerned and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works about the laying out of the pedestrian area as soon as practicable.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is satisfied that existing legislation is adequate to implement, in respect of designated expanded towns, the land purchase procedures applicable to new towns, in order that land prices in the former do not increase, following the announcement of Her Majesty's Government's proposals in the South-East Study and similar plans and if he will make a statement.

The land purchase procedures applicable to new towns contained in Section 6 and the First Schedule of the Land Compensation Act, 1961, which provide that the compensation paid by public authorities for land acquired by them within the area of the new town shall exclude the value due to the scheme Dr to the prospect of it, are also applicable to areas defined in an approved development plan as areas of town development.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will appoint a Member of Parliament to the committee appointed to study how to attract and keep the best people in local government.

As I explained in reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Whitlock) on 17th March, the Members of the two committees were proposed to me by the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give the values of the projects submitted for the school building programmes for 1965–66 by each local education authority; and what are the corresponding values of the projects he has approved.

Following is the information:

1965–66 MAJOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMMES
—	Value of Local Education Authorities' Proposals	Value of Approved Programmes
	(£000)	(£000)
Northern Region
Cumberland	1,097	580
Carlisle	370	278
Durham	4,202	1,574
Darlington	90	not yet settled
Gateshead	471	49
South Shields	422	112
Sunderland	1,030	375
West Hartlepool	322	78
Northumberland	2,946	1,402
Newcastle upon Tyne	1,257	729
Tynemouth	240	123
Westmorland	73	63
Yorkshire North Riding	1,004	846
Middlesbrough	1,171	400
Yorkshire—East and West Ridings
Yorkshire East Riding	673	342
Kingston upon Hull	1,557	660
York	229	178
Yorkshire West Riding	5,015	3,864
Barnsley	322	61
Bradford	717	486
Dewsbury	143	108
Doncaster	487	68
Halifax	249	96
Huddersfield	666	375
Leeds	1,215	641
Rotherham	610	not yet settled
Sheffield	1,112	493
Wakefield	708	not yet settled
North Western Region
Cheshire	6,996	2,499
Birkenhead	842	217
Chester	170	112
Stockport	196	180
Wallasey	286	87

—	Value Local of Education Authorities' Proposals	Value of Approved Programmes
	(£000)	(£000)
Lancashire	6,261	4,086
Barrow	76	87
Blackburn	591	348
Blackpool	549	204
Bolton	272	291
Bootle	127	72
Burnley	344	82
Bury	258	183
Liverpool	2,575	1,051
Manchester	2,845	1,118
Oldham	494	218
Preston	270	114
Rochdale	335	234
Salford	634	180
Southport	400	207
St. Helens	354	125
Warrington	135	76
Wigan	216	280
North Midland Region
Derbyshire	6,003	1,174
Derby	402	258
Leicestershire	2,266	1,035
Leicester	464	320
Lincolnshire—Holland	237	92
Lincolnshire—Kesteven	562	293
Lincolnshire—Lindsey	818	329
Grimsby	390	403
Lincoln	315	72
Northamptonshire	1,633	773
Northampton	422	58
Nottinghamshire	1,475	1,123
Nottingham	622	217
Rutland	263	88
Midland Region
Herefordshire	408	123
Shropshire	976	761
Staffordshire	6,537	1,801
Burton-upon-Trent	269	207
Smethwick	85	102
Stoke-upon-Trent	915	not yet settled
Walsall	275	217
West Bromwich	413	509
Wolverhampton	584	348
Warwickshire	2,075	1,193
Birmingham	3,553	1,739
Coventry	1,248	626
Worcestershire	1,468	911
Dudley	386	27
Worcester	582	122
Eastern Region
Bedfordshire	1,490	943
Luton	1,105	254
Cambridgeshire	557	204
Essex	6,093	3,939
East Ham	263	269
Southend-on-Sea	327	230
West Ham	586	52
Hertfordshire	3,750	2,133
Huntingdonshire	1,275	538
Isle of Ely	454	216

—	Value of Local Education Authorities' Proposals	Value of Approved Programmes
	(£000)	(£000)
Norfolk	1,182	479
Norwich	162	47
Great Yarmouth	289	161
Peterborough Joint Board	524	133
Suffolk East	1,112	209
Ipswich	1,057	214
Suffolk West	858	263
Metropolitan Region
London	4,567	3,012
Middlesex	4,013	1,462
South Eastern Region
Kent	4,783	3,391
Canterbury	198	125
Surrey	3,765	2,100
Croydon	557	407
Sussex East	379	268
Brighton	393	343
Eastbourne	95	102
Hastings	132	137
Sussex West	886	486
Southern Region
Berkshire	2,116	826
Reading	515	186
Buckinghamshire	2,579	1,272
Dorset	885	401
Hampshire	4,078	1,790
Bournemouth	409	60
Portsmouth	320	123
Southampton	504	273
Isle of Wight	210	211
Oxfordshire	1,047	640
Oxford	303	186
South Western Region
Cornwall	684	153
Devon	1,122	586
Exeter	130	61
Plymouth	437	123
Gloucestershire	1,265	534
Bristol	1,565	494
Gloucester	360	230
Isles of Scilly	—	—
Somerset	1,213	769
Bath	161	55
Wiltshire	1,323	1,056
Wales
Anglesey	208	174
Breconshire	418	208
Caernarvonshire	397	79
Cardiganshire	77	80
Carmarthenshire	1,312	272
Denbighshire	817	275
Flintshire	448	179
Glamorgan	1,780	1,463
Cardiff	1,336	345
Merthyr Tydfil	349	287
Swansea	310	255
Merionethshire	74	29
Monmouthshire	871	877
Newport	324	323

—	Value of Local Education Authorities' Proposals	Value of Approved Programmes
	(£000)	(£000)
Montgomeryshire	152	126
Pembrokeshire	194	191
Radnorshire	160	128

NOTES:(1). The values of Local Education Authorities' proposals shown in this table are based on estimates provided by the Authorities when the proposals were made: the values of approved programmes are those actually announced.(2). Some Local Education Authorities did not make separate proposals for each of the three years 1965–68: in these cases the value of proposals shown in this table for 1965–66 is one-third of the total value of their proposals.(3). A number of the 1965–66 programmes may he increased

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which school building projects he has not approved of those submitted for the school building programme of 1965–66 by the Sunderland Local Education Authority.

Of the six projects totaling £774,030 submitted by the local education authority for the 1965–66 programme, three, totaling £375,000, have been included in that year. The remaining three, totaling £399,000, have been included in the 1966–67 programme. They are tie Town End Farm Roman Catholic Junior and Infant School, the Carby Hill junior and Infant School, and the second phase of the Pennywell Secondary School.

asked the Minister of Aviation what would be the cost of instilling a circular luggage turntable at the civil airport at Aldergrove in County Antrim similar to those in use at West London Air Terminal and if he will make a statement about his plans to speed up the collection by passengers of their luggage from incoming aircraft.

About £3,000. Arrangements are already in hand to accelerate the mechanical baggage conveyor from 60 feet a minute to 100, and to provide an additional baggage collection area in the terminal building. The new baggage collection area will be separately fed by a roller conveyor and should greatly increase the baggage handling capacity of the airport.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will now give further information about the arrangements for the mobile exhibition which will visit, during the coming summer, the main areas round London, Heathrow, Airport affected by aircraft noise.

I shall open the exhibition on 15th April at the Southern Divisional Offices of the Ministry at Heston aerodrome. It is designed to inform members of the public about the measures being taken to minimise the disturbance caused by aircraft noise During the next three months it will visit all the main areas around the airport affected by aircraft noise: details of the touring programme will be made available to the national and local Press. I am grateful for the collaboration afforded by local authorities in making the necessary arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies how much was levied by way of customs duty by the South African Government on imports into the High Commission Territories for the last available period; and what sums were received by these territories by way of share of import duties collected by the South African authorities.

The High Commission Territories and the Republic of South Africa are one customs area, and no record is kept of goods which enter the area and are then transferred duty-paid to another part of it. It is therefore impossible to say how much was levied on goods imported into the territories through South Africa.The share of import duties collected by the South African authorities which was received by the territories in 1962–63 in accordance with the 1910 Agreement was as follows:

	£
Basutoland	455,366
Bechuanaland	120,984
Swaziland	77,848

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what decision he has made on the purchase of the United States 155 mm. field gun.

The possibility of buying this gun is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the reorganisation of the British Army of the Rhine from seven to six brigade groups will be completed; and, when this has been done, how many men there will be in the British Army of the Rhine.

The reorganisation will be substantially completed by the end of 1964, although overseas commitments which have arisen since it was announced will delay certain aspects of it. After the reorganization, the fully posted strength of the British Army of the Rhine will be in excess of 55,000 men but the actual strength will be qualified by the general level of recruiting and the military demands of other overseas theatres.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how long it will take, at last year's rate of recruiting, for the Army to reach its target of 180,000 men.

Last year's exceptionally low rate of recruiting would not enable the Army to reach its target for a long time. The current year is showing considerable improvement but it is too early to say when we shall reach a strength of 180,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the United States 175 mm. heavy field gun to go into service with the Army.

I expect deliveries to start early next year and to be completed during the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what orders have now been placed abroad for the Chieftain tank.

None as yet, except two prototypes by the Federal German Republic.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans Her Majesty's Government have for giving financial assistance to elderly people on small incomes who have been disadvantaged by the recent increases in the rates charged by the London Transport Board.

Much has already been done to assist elderly people and others living on small incomes to meet rising prices, of which increased fares in London form but a very small part. The Government's policy is to tackle the basic problem of inflation, an approach which will benefit everyone, and not to give special financial assistance such as cheap fares restrict al to elderly people, which would be difficult to administer and inequitable in effect.