asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many planning appeals were refused, and how many sustained, in Bedfordshire during 1963–64 to date.

In the fifteen months from 1st January, 1963, to 31st March, 1964, 118 appeals were dismissed and 28 were allowed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will seek powers to require local authorities to demolish pill-boxes and concrete road blocks, left over from the war, where these are unsightly.

No. Local authorities have adequate powers and my right hon. Friend sees no reason for further legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the accumulated surplus of the new towns over the period of construction.

The published accounts of the development corporations in England and Wales and of the Commission for the New Towns show an accumulated deficiency on revenue account of £2,638,577 at the end of March, 1963. I estimate that the deficiency had been reduced to approximately £2 million by the end of March this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many units of accommodation have been provided by local authorities in England and Wales for the aged and infirm since 1959; and how many of these were completed in 1963.

During the five years starting on 1st January, 1959, local authorities and new town development corporations in England and Wales completed 129,204 one-bedroom dwellings, including 27,079 in 1963; the great majority of these dwellings were intended for old people. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health that during the four years starting on that date local authorities in England and Wales built 282 homes, providing 13,300 places for the aged and infirm; the 1963 figures are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will name the county councils in Wales who are not at present making financial contributions to district councils towards the cost of providing dwellings for the elderly.

Breconshire County Council the only county council in Wales who have not drawn up a scheme for making contributions to district councils in respect of dwellings for the elderly. But they are prepared to consider, on their merits, applications from district councils for grant.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses in the county borough of Oldham, according to the latest housing survey, are without internal water closets.

According to the 1961 Census returns 10,421 dwellings occupied by separate households in Oldham have neither an internal water closet nor one attached to the building. My right hon. Friend has no separate information about the number which lack an internal water closet.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses in the county borough of Oldham, according to the latest housing survey, are without internal baths with hot and cold water.

According to the 1961 Census returns there were 19,050 dwellings occupied by separate households in Oldham which were without fixed baths. My right hon. Friend has no information about the number which were without baths supplied with hot and cold water.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many units of accommodation in the constituency of West Gloucestershire are without a supply of piped water; in which areas they are situate; and what steps are being taken to rectify the position.

1,960 units are without a piped supply in the house. I give below the figures for individual districts. 77 of these units have an outside tap or standpipe and a number of others could be connected to existing mains if the owner or occupier wish. Further water supply schemes are planned or in hand, and grant is available from the Exchequer and the County Council. But most remaining properties are scattered and the cost of a piped supply is likely to be high.Following are the figures:1,960 units of accommodation out of a total of 27,153 in the constituency are at present without a supply of piped water in the house. They are situate in the following rural districts—

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will now make a statement on the financial assistance offered to Malta both before and after independence.

In the year 1963–64 the Malta Government received nearly £2 million from Colonial Development and Welfare Funds, about £1 million from the Colonial Grants and Loans Vote, and an Exchequer loan of £1 million.This does not include about £2 million advanced for the reconstruction of the Dockyard. The aid to be provided after independence is at present being discussed between the two Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he is aware that the Prime Minister of Malta, in a public speech on 29th March, stated that if the Maltese people voted Yes in the forthcoming referendum on the independence constitution, he would guarantee that no clauses would be included in the constitution that did not enjoy the blessing of the Maltese Roman Catholic hierarchy; and if such a guarantee is supported by Her Majesty's Government.

I have read differing newspaper reports of this speech. I have, of course, given no guarantees which would restrict the complete freedom of decision of the British Government, with whom the ultimate responsibility rests. In coming to any such decision, we shall naturally take full account of the wishes of the Maltese people.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what representations he has received from the Government of Cyprus with regard to their abrogation of the Treaty of Alliance.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what assistance Her Majesty's Government have given to the British Red Cross in their relief of distress among the Turkish Cypriots; and what consultations he has had with other Governments and the International Red Cross regarding the provision of additional aid.

The British Red Cross have so far financed their work in Cyprus, for both communities, from their own resources.We are in touch with the Secretary-General of the United Nations about relief, including the rôle of the Red Cross.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what reply is being sent to the United Nations about the request for British police to be sent to Cyprus.

We have informed the Secretary-General that although we wish to give the United Nations all possible support, we have, after considering all circumstances, come to the conclusion that it would not be appropriate for Britain to send police in addition to her military contingent.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what consultations he has had with the Government of Australia and with other Commonwealth Governments about accommodation for emigrant families and individuals from this country; what steps are taken to make emigrants fully acquainted with the housing shortage, particularly in Australia; whether guarantees are given to emigrants that at least temporary hostel accommodation will be provided where necessary; and what is the approximate annual return of emigrants.

There have been no consultations with the Australian Government or with any other Commonwealth Government on this matter as it is a well-established principle that the receiving country is responsible for the housing of its immigrants. Prospective migrants to Canada, Australia and New Zealand are clearly informed of the housing position in those countries. Migrants under the United Kingdom—Australia Assisted Passages scheme and single migrants to New Zealand are guaranteed hostel accommodation on arrival. No hostel accommodation is guaranteed for immigrants into Canada, but there are special arrangements for assisting immigrants to find housing accommodation.It is understood that the net loss in migrants to Canada, Australia and New Zealand is between 1½ per cent. and 3 per cent, after taking into account the fact that many of the migrants who do return to Britain, go back again.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will now make a statement about the future of the university in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia.

The conference which ended on 14th April endorsed the need to maintain and develop the College including the Faculty of Medicine as an independent institution open to all races for the advancement of knowledge in Central Africa and within the international community of Universities.The financial problems involved are at present being considered by the British and Southern Rhodesian Governments.We recognise the importance of the College and we are prepared to make a substantial contribution to help in maintaining it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a summary of the technical inquiries which he made in 1963 into the problems arising from the continued existence of privately-owned toll bridges, the proceeds of which have been exempted from taxation since the 18th century.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what gross income is required by an individual to yield a net annual return of £6,000, £12,000 and £18,000, respectively.

Assuming that the taxpayer is a married adult employee without children or dependants the amounts are £9,976 7s. 0d., £56,418 14s. 0d. and £109,752 0s. 0d. if the income is all earned. For a similar non-employed taxpayer whose income is all from investment the amounts are £24,170 9s. 0d., £77,503 16s. 0d. and £130,837 3s. 0d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what gross income is required by a private company to yield a net annual return of £70,000, £50,000, £20,000 and £10,000, respectively.

The incomes before tax but after capital allowances are £151,357 8s. 0d., £108,108 3s. 0d., £43,243 5s. 0d. and £21,621 13s. 0d. on the assumption that the company is not subject to a Surtax direction.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made in his discussions with interested bodies about the exhibition of feature films on experimental pay television.

I hope to be able to make a fairly early announcement.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken to exercise his powers under Section 7 of the Television Act, 1963, in relation to any of the programme contractors.

None.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the size of the waiting list for telephones in each telephone area in the United Kingdom at 31st March, 1964; what percentage this was in each case of the total number of subscribers in the area; and what was the size of the order list for telephones in each telephone area of the United Kingdom at 31st March, 1964.

The figures are as follows: the difference between the order and waiting lists represents applications under inquiry or being met.

Telephone Area	Waiting list 31st March, 1964	Waiting list as a percentage of total number of subscribers	Order list 31st March, 1964
Aberdeen	63	0·1	1,016
Bedford	2,586	4·2	4,618
Belfast	80	0·09	2,127
Birmingham	2,500	1·6	7,948
Blackburn	599	0·9	1,845
Bournemouth	162	0·2	1,375
Bradford	16	0·02	1,711
Brighton	968	0·8	3,383
Bristol	550	0·5	2,931
Cambridge	1,562	2·2	3,808
Canterbury	2,374	2·9	4,980
Cardiff	783	0·9	3,275
Chester	555	0·9	1,746
Colchester	685	1·3	1,887
Coventry	2,098	2·8	5,041
Dundee	58	0·1	535
Edinburgh	84	0·07	1,135
Exeter	5	0·007	1,086
Glasgow	401	0·2	3,240
Gloucester	468	0·9	1,532
Guildford	1,916	2·6	4,235
Lancaster	301	0·6	1,183
Leeds	617	0·6	2,900
Leicester	889	1·0	2,641
Lincoln	782	1·4	2,217
Liverpool	1,029	0·5	4,411
London/Centre	Nil	Nil	3,597
London/City	Nil	Nil	2,702
London/East	509	0·3	3,422
London/North	228	0·1	4,897
London/North West	292	0·1	4,016
London/South East	66	0·03	3,747
London/South West	921	0·3	6,527
London/West	690	0·3	6,577
Manchester	2,175	0·9	8,560
Middlesbrough	210	0·4	1,636
Newcastle-on-Tyne	1,313	1·2	3,529
Norwich	232	0·5	882
Nottingham	53	0·05	1,451
Oxford	2,176	3·2	4,860
Peterborough	283	0·6	1,342
Plymouth	114	0·2	1,014
Portsmouth	1,643	2·5	3,392
Preston	1,145	1·3	3,376
Reading	2,541	2·9	5,642
Scotland West	1,136	1·1	3,108
Sheffield	756	0·9	3,275
Shrewsbury	237	0·5	1,499
Southampton	652	1·0	2,339
Southend-on-Sea	1,393	2·0	4,258
Stoke-on-Trent	Nil	Nil	1,509
Swansea	Nil	Nil	881
Taunton	69	0·1	947
Tunbridge Wells	232	0·3	1,746
West Midland···	2,480	2·6	6,142
York	548	0·1	1,790

asked the Postmaster-General (1) why there was a delay of one hour on the morning of 13th April on trunk calls from Bradford to London; and how often each week this kind of delay occurs;(2) why there was a delay of one hour on the morning of 13th April on trunk calls from Bradford to Birmingham; and how often each week this kind of delay occurs.

I believe the delays to which my hon. Friend refers are quite exceptional. They were due to the main trunk cable being crushed by a bulldozer during road work operations and were in no sense the fault of the Post Office.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent contracts have been awarded under the reservation clauses for exchange equipment to companies owned or controlled in whole or in part by companies already receiving contracts under the main bulk supply agreement; and what are the names of such companies and their subsidiary or controlled companies.

Three of the firms to which contracts were awarded in 1963–64, under the reservation clause of the bulk supply agreement for exchange equipment, are associated with companies which are parties to the agreement. The firms are:Speke Telephones Ltd., which is part of the same group of companies (Plessey) as Automatic Telephone & Electric Co. Ltd., and Ericsson Telephones Ltd.Kolster-Brandes (N. Ireland) Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd.Telephone Manufacturing Co. Ltd., in which each of the agreement firms has a small shareholding.

asked the Minister of Power on what grounds he decided against publishing in Command Paper No. 2335 a more detailed summary of the technical and economic considerations arrived at by the Powell Committee in their Report to the Cabinet on the future of the nuclear power programme.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had made clear, details of the work of Cabinet Committees are confidential, but the Government are satisfied that the technical and economic prospects of nuclear power are sufficiently promising to justify a 5,000 MW. programme for planning purposes. There are, however, not yet sufficient firm facts available to determine the precise type or types of reactor to be built or the ultimate scale of the programme.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the amount paid in interest charges on money borrowed by the National Coal Board in each of the years from 1951 to 1963, and the rate of interest in each of those years.

Interest payable by the National Coal Board is published in the Board's accounts laid before Parliament:

—	Interest	Average rate in year
	£m.	per cent.‡
1951	14·5*	4·3
1952	14·5*	4·1
1953	16·5*	4·1
1954	17·5*	3·6
1955	20·8*	3·6
1956	21·3*	3·4
1957	26·1	3·9
1958	32·1	4·1
1959	36·8	4·1
1960	41·2	4·3
1961	42·1	4·4
1962	43·6	4·5
1963	41†	4·5†
* Includes reimbursements to the Exchequer in respect of interim income paid to former colliery owners.
† Estimated.
‡ Calculated on average of liabilities at beginning and end of year.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the amount paid in interest charges on money borrowed by the Gas Board from 1951 to 1963, and the rate of interest in each of those years.

The amounts payable in interest charges by the Gas Boards are shown in their accounts laid before Parliament:

	Interest £3	Average rate in year Per cent.
1951–52	10·1	3·0
1952–53	12·1	3·2
1953–54	13·3	3·3
1954–55	14·8	3·3
1955–56	17·1	3·5
1956–57	18·6	3·6
1957–58	20·1	3·7
1958–59	21·2	3·7
1959–60	22·6	3·8
1960–61	24·3	3·9
1961–62	25·2	4·0
1962–63	26·0	4·0

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the amount paid in interest charges on money borrowed by the Electricity Boards from 1951 to 1963, and the rate of interest in each of those years.

The amounts paid in interest charges by the British Electricity Authority, the Central Electricity Authority, the Electricity Council and the Electricity Boards in England and Wales are shown in their accounts laid before Parliament:

	Interest £m	Average rate in year Per cent.
1951–52	22·8	3·1
1952–53	28·5	3·4
1953–54	32·6	3·5
1954–55	35·6	3·5
1955–56	39·9	3·7
1956–57	46·9	3·9
1957–58	53·6	4·0
1958–59	60·1	4·1
1959–60	67·7	4·3
1960–61	77·4	4·4
1961–62	92·4	4·6
1962–63	102·7	4·7

The figures include interest for borrowing in respect of the South East and South West Scotland Electricity Boards up to 1954–55.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he proposes to take to give legal effect to agree- ments of employment entered into by his Department with industrial employees of his Department, in view of the decision in Dudfield versus the Ministry of Works.

None.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when construction of the industrial training centre in Port Glasgow will begin.

I expect the construction of the new Government Training Centre at Port Glasgow to start within the next two months.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage of facing bricks.

In February and March the output of facing bricks reached record figures amounting to an increase of over 10 per cent. for the previous record for this two-month period. Many brickmakers have been taking steps to increase their capacity and I am confident that the brick industry will do all they can to meet the demand.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what progress has been made by his Department in standardising the 500 different sizes and lengths of timber components currently used in building.

The Ministry's work on dimensional co-ordination will help to achieve standardisation in the sizes of building components made from timber. Complete standardisation of sawn sizes for traditional building is probably unattainable.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration he has given to the removal of the charges made to patients for first-aid treatment under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport in the debate on the Road Traffic Bill on 17th July, 1962. The position remains unchanged. The charges are made, not to patients, but to vehicle users or their insurers.

asked the Secretary of State for. Industry, Trade and Regional Development what was, for the North-East Region as a whole, and for northeastern development districts, the number of approvals for the building of factories and extensions granted in the year ended 31st March. 1964, the area covered by them and the estimated additional employment which resulted.

The figures are as follows:

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES ISSUED IN THE YEAR ENDED THE 31ST MARCH, 1964
	Number of Schemes	Area	Estimated Additional Employment
		('000s sq. ft.)
North East*	145	4,179	15,035
Development districts (included above)	131	4,479	13,910
* The Counties of Northumberland, Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, for the year ended 31st March, 1964, how many applications for plant and machinery grants were received from north-eastern development districts; how many were approved; how many were rejected; and what was the total amount granted.

In the year ended 31st March 1964, 350 applications for plant and machinery grants were received from north-eastern development districts; of these 202 were approved and 26 rejected or withdrawn. Offers were made of grants estimated at £730,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what proportion of expenditure under the Local Employment Act has been allocated for the purpose of helping firms expanding in development districts with the cost of training new skills.

Grants in respect of exceptional expenditure, including additional training costs, incurred by firms establishing themselves in development districts may be made under Section 4 of the Local Employment Act, 1960. Grants offered to date account for 9 per cent. of the total assistance offered under that Section. As the grants are not appropriated to specific items of expenditure, I cannot say how much has been allocated for the cost of training.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what steps have been taken since 1960 to encourage applications from firms expanding in development districts for assistance with additional training costs.

Frequent publicity is given to the various kinds of assistance available under the Local Employment Acts, including grants under Section 4 which may be made in respect of additional training costs. My regional officers work in close co-operation with the Ministry of Labour regional officers in assisting firms to establish themselves or expand in development districts and wherever appropriate the training facilities available are pointed out to such firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many advance factories are in process of building in the North-East; how Many are still without tenants; how many are in contemplation, and for which districts; and what estimate he has made of the number of workpeople likely to be employed in them.

No advance factories in the North-East are at present in the process of building, though two are being extended to meet the needs of tenants. Five factories are at present without tenants but discussions are taking place with interested firms. Two more at Blaydon and Chesterle-Street are to be built but construction has not yet started. The seven factories together should provide about 600 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement on the recent visit of the Minister of State at the Board of Trade to North Africa.

Yes. From 28th March to 5th April I visited Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. I was received there with great warmth and courtesy by the Heads of State and their Ministers, who had done everything possible to make my tour a success. I learned

TERMINAL PASSENGERS TO AND FROM LONDON, MANCHESTER AND GLASGOW AIRPORTS ON DOMESTIC ROUTES
—	Number of Passengers					Per cent. change over previous year
	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963
London:
Heathrow	737,119	1,057,116	1,342,526	1,627,436	2,104,273	+24	+43	+27	+21	+29
Gatwick	193,156	213,783	281,394	285,524	153,569	+37	+11	+32	+1	-46
Total for London	930,275	1,270,899	1,623,920	1,912,960	2,257,842	+26	+37	+28	+18	+18
Manchester	271,755	407,649	530,527	598,449	667,109	+16	+50	+30	+13	+11
Glasgow	439,796	544,936	652,632	760,705	887,252	+18	+24	+20	+17	+17
NOTE: Passengers travelling between two of the above airports are counted against each airport.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give the amount paid in interest charges on money borrowed by British European Airways and the British Overseas Airways Corporation in each of the years from 1951 to 1963, and the rate of interest in each of those years.

The amounts and rates are as follows:

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will state the total number of terminal passengers flying on domestic routes to and from London, Manchester and Glasgow Airports, respectively, for each of the past five years, and in each case the percentage increase or decrease in respect of the previous year.

The information is set out in the table below:

BRITISH EUROPEAN AIRWAYS
—	Gross Interest Payable	Average Interest Rate
	£	Per cent.
1951–52	217,416	2·9
1952–53	383,455	3·3
1953–54	619,166	3·8
1954–55	652,756	3·7
1955–56	616,181	3·8
1956–57	688,209	3·9
1957–58	1,107,784	4·4
1958–59	1,525,005	4·6
1959–60	1,816,555	4·5
1960–61	2,366,693	4·6
1961–62	3,420,925	5·0
1962–63	4,182,527	5·2

BRITISH OVERSEAS AIRWAYS CORPORATION
—	Gross Interest Payable	Average Interest Rate
	£	Per cent.
1951–52	958,723	2·8
1952–53	979,088	2·8
1953–54	1,124,578	2·9
1954–55	1,487,007	3·2
1955–56	1,627,749	3·3
1956–57	2,414,006	3·6
1957–58	3,714,848	4·0
1958–59	5,258,372	4·3
1959–60	5,790,242	4·3
1960–61	6,414,018	4·5
1961–62	7,161,451	4·6
1962–63	7,768,998	4·8

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the unemployment figures in Blyth, Seaton Valley and Bedlington at the latest available date, and the corresponding figures on the same date in each of the years from 1951 to 1963.

Following is the information for the employment exchanges concerned:

—	Numbers Unemployed
	Blyth	Seaton Delaval	Bedlington Station
16th April, 1951	312	45	110
21st April, 1952	397	62	129
13th April, 1953	306	48	123
12th April, 1954	234	58	120
18th April, 1955	243	54	85
16th April, 1956	132	29	75
15th April, 1957	204	64	144
14th April, 1958	277	88	123
13th April, 1959	312	149	172
11th April, 1960	429	114	241
10th April, 1961	334	219	169
9th April, 1962	375	248	267
8th April, 1963	892	361	521
13th April, 1964	451	255	365

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the boys and girls who left school at Easter in Middlesbrough are in employment; and how many are unemployed.

Of the 550 Easter school-leavers known to the Youth Employment Service at Middlesbrough 116 were registered for first employment on 13th April. Most of the others will have entered employment, but precise figures are not available of the numbers in employment.

asked the Minister of Transport how many applications for grants for the improvement of basic services were received from north-eastern development districts in each year since 1960 up to 31st March, 1964; how many were approved; how many were rejected; and what was the total amount granted.

Applications for grants under the Local Employment Act 1960 from north-eastern development districts for services within my responsibility have been as follows:

1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64
NIL	3	4	7

Twelve related to road works. Of these, four were approved, three rejected, two deferred by the local authorities concerned and three are under consideration. The total of grants issued is £31,108. The other two related to port schemes. One was rejected; in the other (Lackenby Dock, Tees-side) I have agreed to make a loan of up to £2,000,000.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the estimated completion dates of the Darlington by-pass, the Durham motorway, the Tyne Tunnel, the Tyne Tunnel approach roads, the South Tees Parkway, the replacement of the A.19 between Stockton and Middlesbrough, and the improvement of the A.19/A.168 roads between Tees-side and Dishforth.

Darlington By-Pass: Spring 1965.