asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made in planning the London-Basingstoke motorway.

We expect to publish a draft scheme in a few months' time.

asked the Minister of Transport what decisions he has made consequent upon his discussions with local authorities' associations about changes in the system of paying grants to local authorities for classified roads.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Knutsford (Sir W. Bromley-Davenport) on 29th April, 1964.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the criteria used in deciding whether a road is to be constructed as a motorway or an all-purpose road.

The most important considerations are the type and volume of traffic, the nature of the roads that are to be relieved and the relative costs and benefits of either kind of construction.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of dual carriageways and clearways, respectively, are included in the 700-odd miles on which he is imposing a 50 miles per hour with speed limit signs at weekends in the summer.

To the nearest mile the figures are 67 and 286 miles; of these, 43 miles are both.

asked the Minister of Transport when construction of the Oldham inner bypass is scheduled to start.

This is a local authority scheme which we have approved in principle. We understand the Oldham County Borough Council is having to seek compulsory powers to acquire the necessary land. A start of works will depend upon how quickly it can do this.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will require a new certificate of road worthiness to be produced for cars written-off by insurance companies after an accident before these cars are re-sold to the public.

My right hon. Friend has no powers which would enable him to impose that requirement. Furthermore we have no evidence to show that existing legal safeguards against the sale of defective vehicles are inadequate.

asked the Minister of Transport when he now expects work on the Channel Tunnel to begin; and to what extent it is now proposed that it should be financed from public or from private funds.

It is too early yet to say. Legislation will be needed following joint decisions by the British and French Governments on a number of matters including finance. British and French officials are studying these including arrangements for a further geological survey which is necessary to prove the Tunnel route.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what was the number of fatal road accidents involving scooter or motor cyclists in 1961, 1962, and 1963, respectively; and what percentage of the riders involved was not wearing protective crash helmets;

The following table summarises the available information, which relates to Great Britain:

—	1961	1962	1963
Number of vehicles involved in fatal accidents:
Motor scooters	332	323	308
Motor cycles	1,336	1,113	1,089
Number of riders and passengers killed:
Motor scooter riders	209	229	212
Motor scooter passengers	38	29	39
Motor cycle riders	975	795	794
Motor cycle passengers	195	151	143

In 1958, 57 per cent. of all riders and passengers killed (including those on mopeds and in sidecars) were not wearing safety helmets. Figures are not available for more recent years, but there is evidence that the wearing of safety helmets has increased.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now considered the representations made to him by the Trades Union Congress concerning the right of British Railways to tender for the production of railway wagons; and what reply he has made.

My right hon. Friend considered these representations very fully at the meeting which he had with the representatives of the Trades Union Congress on 22nd April. He informed them of the reasons why he could not reverse his earlier decision on the manufacture by British Railways of rolling stock for other owners.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has received from the London Transport Board for the extension of the tube service from Hounslow West to serve London Airport and Colnbrook, Langley, Slough and Burnham.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the increasing need for parking places where drivers park their cars in order then to travel by the Central Line to the City and beyond, what action he is taking to make land opposite the Leyton Central Line station available for car parking.

My right hon. Friend has no power to make land available, or to provide car parks, the provision of parking facilities at or near railway stations is the concern of the responsible transport board and of the local authority. But he is prepared to do what he properly can to help resolve difficulties over car parking provision, and this case is being looked into to see if anything can be done here.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement about the circumstances in which the Aberdeen Sputnik trawler "Deevale" went aground off the island of Bressay on 27th April and of the assistance rendered to her by the Lerwick lifeboat, indicating the damage to the trawler and crew and also the part played by the naval minesweeper H.M.S. "Yarnton" in the incident.

The "Deevale" went aground one mile north of Bressay Lighthourse in thick fog at 12.55 a.m. on 27th April. The Lerwick lifeboat stood by and took off gear from the trawler to lighten her. The crew were unhurt and remained on board. The "Deevale" was refloated at 12.07 p.m. with towage assistance from H.M.S. "Yarnton". She suffered no apparent damage.

asked the Minister of Aviation what new arrangement is in operation governing the movement of British civil aircraft in and out of Berlin; if he is aware that this operational procedure could cause British aircraft to fly in the Russian zone to the danger of passengers and crew; and if he will make a statement.

Changes in the operational procedures for civil air traffic in the Berlin Corridor and Berlin Control Zone have been introduced recently to meet the needs of the growing traffic. The principal change involved the lateral separation of inbound and outbound traffic within the corridors in the neighbourhood of Berlin. Extensive trials of the new arrangements showed no additional hazard. In addition to the other radio aids to navigation available, radar surveillance is maintained and may be used on request as a primary means of navigation.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware that under certain flying conditions Runway 26 at Northolt Royal Air Force airfield can be confused by airline pilots with Runway 23 at London Airport, five miles away; and what steps he is taking to eliminate this hazard to air safety.

asked the Minister of Aviation in what circumstances on 28th April a Boeing 707, for a period before landing, mistook the Royal Air Force Station, Northolt, for London Airport; and what steps are being taken to prevent confusion in the future.

Inquiries into the incident on 28th April are now proceeding with the company. Navigational aids already exist to assist pilots to approach the correct runway, and there are procedures to check that they are doing so. We also plan to install Instrumental Landing System on Runway 23 and this will be an additional safeguard

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will have Instrumental Landing System installed on Runway 23 at London Airport.

Yes. Action is already being taken.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the technical costs officers employed by his Department are normally given access to time-study data in contractors' works; and whether these facilities were granted by Ferranti Limited for the Bloodhound I.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "No.".

asked the Minister of Aviation if the technical costs officers employed by his Department are allowed to conduct time studies in contractors' works for the purpose of checking their estimates; and if this procedure was followed in the case of the Bloodhound I contracts.

The purpose of the technical costs officers' estimates of prime costs is to enable fair and reasonable prices to be agreed as early as possible in the progress of the contract. It is not the practice to conduct time studies for this purpose. Such studies would be a move towards the assessment of actual costs. Where contract prices are based on actual costs, these are ascertained by means of accountants' investigations of the contractor's books and not by means of time studies.In the Bloodhound I contracts, the prices were fixed on the basis of technical costs estimates and time studies were not used for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of the extension of fishery limits round the British coast, he is planning to increase the number of ships in the Fisheries Protection Squadron.

The implications for the Royal Navy of the impending extension of the fishery limits are under examination by the Departments concerned and I cannot forecast the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which firm or firms have made the British nuclear reactors for the projected submarines; and what system is employed.

A number of specialist firms are participating in the manufacture of the reactor parts, the whole activity being co-ordinated by Messrs. Rolls Royce and Associates. The reactors will be of the pressurised water type.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what total number of military and civilian personnel is now employed in his Department.

The figure for Headquarters staff is 24,202.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will increase the assistance presently given to the Scottish Tourist Board in order that they may take full advantage of the new developments at Prestwick Airport.

No. The grant which the Board receives is intended to cover the cost of experiments to expand the tourist industry in the Highlands. I am informed that discussions are taking place about the provision of information services at Prestwick.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior secondary schools, junior secondary schools and comprehensive schools, giving figures for boys, girls, and coeducational schools, respectively, had specialist science teachers; how many had none; and how many schools in each category had teachers specialising in subjects other than botany or biology, at the latest convenient date.

In October, 1963, there were 793 specialist teachers of science (Chapter V) in the 381 schools providing courses leading to the Scottish Certificate of Education and 247 such teachers in the 363 secondary schools not providing such courses. I regret that the other information sought is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the money available under the Farm Improvement Scheme has been spent in the north-east of Scotland; and what further expenditure has been approved in that part of the country.

Up to 31st March, 1964, farm improvement grants paid in the counties of Aberdeen. Banff and Kincardine amounted to £1,326,000, or 22 per cent. of the Scottish total. The corresponding figures for grants approved but not yet paid were £449,000 and 22 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for the amount of grant paid under the Farm Improvement Scheme; and what additional work has now been approved.

Total grants paid in Scotland up to 31st March, 1964, were nearly £6 million. Additional work approved will involve a further £2 million of grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of his policy designed to attract into suitable constructive careers juveniles of both sexes who fail to win their General Certificate of Education and who are thereby deprived of access to professions and the higher types of careers.

As regards the education of pupils who do not follow or complete courses leading to the Scottish Certificate of Education, I am sending the hon. and learned Member a copy of a circular issued last week asking education authorities to give effect to the recommendations made by the Working Party on the Linkage of Secondary and Further Education. Further particulars of developments are given in the Scottish Education Department's Annual Report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of meat exports and imports in 1963 and for the first quarter of 1964; and what is the estimated guaranteed payments paid to producers in respect of the exports.

The value of meat exports and imports in 1963 and the first quarter of 1964 were as follows (£ million):

—	Imports	Exports
1963
Carcase Meat	130·2	2·9
Live Animals for Food	41·4	11·5
Total	171·6	14·4
1st Quarter 1964
Carcase Meat	39·7	2·5
Live Animals for Food	15·6	5·3
Total	55·3	7·8

The amount of subsidy paid on these exports cannot be calculated because not all of the animals or carcases would qualify for guarantee payments and the export statistics do not distinguish between those which are eligible and those which are ineligible. Moreover the rates of guarantee payment vary from week to week and it is not possible to assess the guarantee paid on an animal without knowing the week in which it was certified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present annual value of timber imported into Great Britain; what estimate he has made of the probable rise in value in the next few years; and what steps he will take to encourage the use of indigenous timber.

Imports of timber, including plywood and allied materials, were valued at £204 million in 1963, and it is estimated that they will rise to about £228 million this year. No estimate has yet been made of the likely level of imports in subsequent years. Production of home-grown timber represents rather less than 10 per cent. of our total consumption and new outlets for this product are continually being found with the help of the Forestry Commission.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the purchasing power of the £ sterling was for the year 1947–48 in terms of the present value of the £ sterling.

Taking the purchasing power of the £ sterling as 20s. in March 1964, the corresponding figure for the financial year 1947–48 was 34s. 1d. This estimate is based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for calendar years, adjusted by movements in the Retail Price Index for the months at the beginning and end of the period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it is possible to dial direct to the Inland Revenue offices designated London Provincial 1, 2 and 3 at the local call rate, whereas London Provincial 4 requires a trunk call.

The Inland Revenue has a public inquiry office in London for taxpayers whose tax affairs are dealt with in London Provincial 4th District. The inquiry office is connected by teleprinter to London Provincial 4th District at Manchester and any urgent inquiries can be answered in this way. I understand that these arrangements are working satisfactorily, but if the hon. Member has any information to the contrary perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements are being made for discussions with education authorities in metropolitan Essex about school building programmes in 1965–66 and 1966–67.

I have received no request to arrange discussions. If a request is made by the Essex Education Authority I shall consider it sympathetically.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that Manchester Education Committee, with the approval of his Department, is now having to spend £4,906 for an extension to a new kitchen and installation of heavy cooking equipment; and if he will review his Department's advice on sizes of kitchens in hostels at teachers' training colleges, as new ones brought into use recently have proved inadequate to house the heavy cooking equipment necessary to cater for large numbers of students.

The kitchen at the Grey-stoke hostel of the Elizabeth Gaskell Training College was approved in 1960 by my Department on the basis of an allowance of 6 square feet per diner. It has now been extended at a cost of £4,906, including heavy equipment, to give more room. While the efficiency of a kitchen is influenced by layout as well as by floor area, the Department now allows 7 square feet per diner in new kitchens of this size.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in determining the criteria used for assessing the appropriate training increments for sandwich courses; whether a suitable formula for the purpose has yet been devised or agreed; and when he expects to communicate any resulting changes in present practice to education authorities.

A formula for assessing the appropriate training increments for sandwich courses will be considered at a meeting early next month. Local education authorities will be notified as soon as agreement is reached.

asked the Minister of Health how many EC10 forms have been reported as lost by general practitioners in each of the last five years; and what proportion he estimates was stolen.

Action on reported cases of loss or theft is taken locally, and the information requested is not centrally available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how long it will take at the present rate of building to replace the existing slum property in the city of Birmingham.

I estimate that if its present rate were not accelerated it would take 20 years for the council to clear its existing slums, but as I said in the House on 18th March, I hope that it will be possible for the pace to be further increased.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses have been completed in the areas covered by the Worcester City Council, the borough of Droitwich and the Droitwich Rural District Council between 1st January, 1952, and 31st December, 1963.

The following are the numbers of houses completed for local authorities and private owners:

Worcester City	5,112
Droitwich Borough	777
Droitwich Rural District	775

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what information he has obtained regarding those local authorities in England and Wales which are prepared to collect from householders large unwanted items for dumping, such as iron gates, stoves, bedsteads, mattresses, wash basins, paint drums, etc., and regarding those authorities which make a charge for such a service and the amount of such charge.

My right hon. Friend has as yet no comprehensive information on this. It is one of the matters being investigated by the Working Party on Refuse Collection which he set up in 1963. I cannot yet say when they will be able to report.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what was the value of imports of United States computers into the United Kingdom during each of the past five years.

Imports of computers have been separately distinguished in the trade statistics only since January, 1964.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will increase the annual limit for recommending grants towards the cost of repairs to buildings in England under Section 4(1) of the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act, 1953.

Yes. I have considered the request of the Historic Buildings Council for England in its report for 1963, which was laid before the House

Category

Men

Women

Age 18 or over

Age under 18

Age 18 or over

Age under 18

s.

d.

s.

d.

s.

d.

s.

d.

Employed persons:

Employee

…

…

…

…

…

2

8½

1

4½

2

0½

1

4½

Employer

…

…

…

…

…

7½

7½

7½

7½

Self-employed and non-employed persons

…

2

10

1

6

2

2

1

6

NOTE: Employers of certain foreign-going mariners pay a reduced contribution of 3½d. a week.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much of the weekly insurance contribution paid by each category of insured person, respectively, is taken as a contribution towards the National Health Service.

The separate contributions payable under the National Health Service Contributions Acts and collected with National Insurance contributions are as follows: