asked the Minister of Transport what estimate has been made by the Road Research Laboratory of the saving of deaths and injuries on the roads per annum which can be attributed to the construction of the M.1 motorway.

The Road Research Laboratory estimated that, in the twelve months after the opening of the motorway, there were on it and on adjacent main roads 29 fewer deaths and 957 fewer people injured than would have been expected if the motorway had not been open.

asked the Minister of Transport what measures he is taking to facilitate the building of bridges over the 24,368 level crossings now maintained and operated by the British Railways Board; what proposals he has made for financing the building of these bridges; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the nation of the traffic congestion caused by level crossings.

Of the 4,667 railway level crossings on public roads, roughly half cross classified roads and 113 cross trunk roads. Where they cause substantial congestion, schemes for improvement take their appropriate place amongst the other bids for inclusion in the road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport when site work will start on the new roads for Tees-side proposed in the Government's plan for the North-East.

The proposed new and improved roads are extensive and a great deal of survey and design work has to be done. They include classified roads, which the local highway authorities concerned are to provide with grant aid, as well as trunk roads. Orders to establish new trunk routes and alter side roads will be necessary. Land will have to be acquired. This all takes time. But all concerned are pressing ahead as fast as possible. It is too early to be Precise about starting dates for the various schemes but we aim to start some of this work within the next two years, and all of it within five years.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has sanctioned for the construction of motorways through the inner residential areas of London.

My right hon. Friend has sanctioned no plans so far. But we are encouraging the L.C.C. to press forward with their plans for the Dover Radial Extension and the West Cross Route (from Holland Park Avenue to the Embankment). The routes for these roads have not yet been established nor have the schemes been programmed.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to indicate to motorists travelling north from Birmingham on the M.6 where they should turn off the motorway for St. Helens, Lancashire.

I regret that it has not been possible to include a reference to St. Helens on the signs at the junction of the M.6 with the East Lancashire Road A.580. This is the place where north bound traffic should leave the motorway for St. Helens, but because of the competing claims of other towns for space on the signs here it had to be excluded.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total amount spent on the M.1 from the date of opening to 30th April; what is the cost of work in hand; what is the cost of work which has been authorised; and on whom these costs fall.

Expenditure is chargeable to the Ministry of Transport. On completed repairs and improvements, excluding routine maintenance, it amounts to £1·269 million. Contracts uncompleted at 30th April total £745,000 and about £750,000 has been authorised for work not yet put in hand.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a progress report on the construction of the Tyne Tunnel.

The Tyne Tunnel Joint Committee, who are the highway authority, say that the main bore is proceeding from both banks of the river and so far about 1,400 ft., or rather more than 25 per cent. of the total length of about 5,400 ft., has been driven. It is expected that the driving of the tunnel will be completed in the first half of 1965 and the finishing work, including the road through the tunnel, will then proceed.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will reconsider his decision not to place double white lines in the road at the junction of Prestbury Lane and London Road, Prestbury, owing to the number of accidents, some of which are fatal, which occur frequently on this spot.

No, for the reasons that my right hon. Friend gave in his letter to my hon. Friend on 13th April.

asked the Minister of Transport what route the proposed Dronfield bypass on the A.61 Chesterfield to Sheffield road will take; and when work will commence.

The bypass will start about one third of a mile north of the junction with Birmington Road in Chesterfield and will run for 4½ miles west of Unstone and Dronfield to rejoin A.61 at the Sheffield City boundary. The Order under Section 7 of the Highways Act, 1959, which established this route was made in August, 1963. I cannot say when a place can be found for this scheme in the road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport when the reconstruction of Blackwall Tunnel will be completed and available for traffic; to what extent the opening of the Dartford Tunnel has diverted traffic that formerly passed through Blackwall or Rotherhithe Tunnels; and what reconstruction is contemplated for the Rotherhithe Tunnel.

The L.C.C. expect to open the duplicate Blackwall Tunnel to traffic in the spring of 1966. No direct information about diversion of traffic to the new Dartford Tunnel is available but we are satisfied that it has relieved the other river crossings. The L.C.C. have long-term proposals for improving the approaches to the Rotherhithe Tunnel and the construction of a duplicate tunnel.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent his proposal to increase parking meter charges is occasioned by the fact that the cost of implementing parking meter schemes depends on the expenses of enforcement charged to Metropolitan Police funds.

Not at all. The object was to discourage long-term parking on the highway and so free space needed by short-term parkers.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether the conditions attached to the competition for a design for the new Calder Bridge, near Wakefield, included a stipulation that no prize need be awarded in the event of no suitable design being submitted;(2) what payments of prize money have been made in respect of designs for the new Calder Bridge, near Wakefield.

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 15th January, a prize of £5,000 was to be awarded to the design placed first by the judges. Further prizes up to a total of £3,000 could be awarded at their discretion. In the event two designs shared the major prize and two supplementary prizes of £1,000 each were awarded, making a total award of £7,000. There was no stipulation that no prize needed to be awarded. This is common practice in this kind of competition.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the traffic aspects of the current proposals for an extension of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will consider the possibility of constructing an underpass in connection with the scheme so as to relieve the present congestion, caused by intersecting traffic, at the junction of Parliament Street and Bridge Street.

The traffic aspects of a realignment of Bridge Street will be one of the many factors taken into account in Sir Leslie Martin's study of the Whitehall area. So far as an underpass is concerned, I have considered the possibility of this with the L.C.C. There are serious practical difficulties. But no doubt this idea also will be re-examined as part of the wider study.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the proposed construction of a new power station at Didcot and consequent increase in road traffic in the area, what improvements it is intended to make to existing roads; and whether in this connection, he will increase the priority of the A.34 major improvement scheme.

As my hon. Friend knows, we do not expect that the priority of the A.34 major improvement scheme will be significantly affected. If the highway authority has any proposals for the improvement of other roads in the area no doubt they will approach us at the appropriate time.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the dangerous conditions on the A.34 between the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, and the southern by- pass, he will include the proposed diversion of this road to the east of Abingdon in the next possible road programme.

It has not yet been established that this is the best line for the by-pass. Until the scheme has been worked out in more detail and a reasonably firm estimate made of its cost we cannot consider it for inclusion in the road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to come to a decision on the best route for the diversion of A.34 south of Oxford; and whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused to local authorities and others by the present delay.

I cannot say definitely when we shall be in a position to publish a draft Order fixing the line of this road. We are pressing ahead as quickly as possible with the assessment of the alternative routes. I regret any inconvenience caused, but we must be sure that the best line is selected for this expensive scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of his answer to the hon. Member for Abingdon in November 1962 that he expected work to start on the East Ilsley bypass in the autumn of 1963, he will make a statement on when he now expects work to start.

Probably this autumn. I cannot give a definite date until the statutory procedures are completed.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he is aware of the numerous serious accidents at East Ilsley endangering lives and property, and rendering homeless a family of seven on 9th May as a result of the destruction of their house by a lorry; and whether he will issue instructions to his divisional road engineer to take emergency steps to reduce the speed of all vehicles passing through the village, pending the completion of a bypass;(2) if, in consultation with the Berkshire County Council and the Chief Constable for Berkshire, he will order a special speed limit in East Ilsley to reduce the danger of serious accidents.

I am aware of and regret the accidents at East Ilsley. On present information I do not consider the solution is to reduce the existing 30 m.p.h. limit, which is well observed, but I will look into the matter further.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps have been taken to complete arrangements to acquire land for the proposed East Ilsley bypass since his answer to the hon. Member for Abingdon on 2nd November 1962; and whether he will make a statement on the reasons why the necessary procedures have not yet been completed.

Further engineering work was necessary on the layout of side roads and a draft Order under Section 9 of the Highways Act, 1959, was advertised on 17th August, 1963. Objections to this Order are still under consideration. It is expected that the statutory procedures will be completed shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give immediate instructions to his divisional road engineer to install permanent traffic signals on the one-way system at East Ilsley.

On present information I do not consider that permanent traffic signals are justified here, but I will look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state giving the mileage in respect of each, those motorways or lengths of motorway for which no line had yet been proposed, a draft scheme had been published, a scheme had been made, tenders had been invited, a contract had been placed, which were under construction, and which were in use, respectively, on 30th April.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Minister of Transport what is his most recent estimate of Exchequer and local authority expenditure on new construction and major improvements and on maintenance and minor improvements, respectively, of roads in Great Britain for 1963–64.

The present estimated expenditure figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of future requirements for traffic engineers; and if he will take steps to ensure that adequate numbers are available.

For England and Wales, 305 professional and 1,370 technical staff. We are taking steps to recruit those needed in my Department; for the rest, responsibility rests with the local authorities who will employ them.

asked the Minister of Transport what will be the annual interest charge to the British Railways Board on their commencing capital debt.

£47,826,774.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the rates of interest which have been determined on the commencing capital debts of the British Railways Board, London Transport Board, British Transport Docks Board, British Waterways Board, and Transport Holding Company, respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer on this subject given on 25th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mr. G. Johnson Smith).

asked the Minister of Transport how many copies exist of the Central Office of Information Buchanan film, "Traffic in Towns"; and what steps are being taken to increase the number of copies and make the film more readily available throughout the country.

There are 24 copies in existence, seven having been sold, and 17 available on loan from branches of the Central Film Library. Three more are on order, which will give the Central Film Library a total of 20 prints, and an overall total of 27 in existence. Bookings for May and June are fairly heavy but some dates in these months are still available. There are no difficulties at present for dates after June. Stocks are replenished according to demand. It would be uneconomic to carry larger stocks in the Central Film Library.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has now been made in the standardisation of mudguards on lorries and cars so as to prevent muddy spray, especially on roads like the M.1.

The present experimental work by the Road Research Laboratory on the problem of mud and spray from lorries and cars has reached its final stages. When the results are available we will consider whether the regulations should be amended.

asked the Minister of Transport what conditions he has made in relation to the contribution made by his Department to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

The main conditions in the agreement between my right hon. Friends the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents are that the Society's general activities shall include the conduct of national road safety campaigns, and that the Society shall maintain an area organisation for the purpose of advising and assisting local authorities and other organisations in road safety activities. Other conditions related to these matters, including financial control, are contained in the agreement.

asked the Minister of Transport how many public road transport undertakings grant concessionary fares to retirement pensioners or other categories of passengers; and how many orgainsations or local authorities have made representations to him on this matter.

Of the 97 local authority transport under-takings, 34 give concessionary fares to retirement pensioners. Comprehensive information about other undertakings, and other concessionary fares, is not readily available. Concessionary fares cover a very wide range. We keep no record of the number of representations received about them.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will specify the purposes for which a Class IV Supplementary Estimate for 1963–64 of £4,990 was required for research into transport economics.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. F. Noel-Baker) on 16th March.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will issue a general direction to the British Railways Board not to withdraw any major category of goods service without giving at least a year's notice to the trades likely to be directly affected by the withdrawal.(2) if he will give a general direction to the British Railways Board that, where they propose to increase freight charges by 100 per cent. or over, they shall give the trades concerned at least a year's notice of the increase in charges.

They both concern matters of railway management for which the British Railways Board is responsible. In neither case would a general direction from my right hon. Friend be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Transport how much the Railways Board have paid in each year since 1960, up to the latest convenient date, in subsidising uneconomic bus services.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Railways Board to increase their advertising of excursion trips.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has yet received proposals from the Railways Board regarding the future of the Richmond to Broad Street line; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962, the Board must give public notice of any proposal to close a passenger service. I understand that they have not yet reached a decision about their intentions for the future of this line.

asked the Minister of Transport what instructions he has given to the British Railways Board, following reports by Transport Users' Consultative Committees on proposed closures, with regard to the retention of passenger railway services in the West Midlands, in view of the congested road conditions and the unsuitability of alternative bus transport.

None. My right hon. Friend has not so far had occasion to refuse his consent to a passenger closure proposal in the West Midlands.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will reconsider his decision to approve the discontinuance of railway passenger services between Walsall and Dudley.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board not to curtail fish trains and services before consultations are held with the wholesale fish merchants' associations.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to give authority to British Railways, Southern Region, to remove a block of concrete placed in Port Creek under a railway Bridge during the war.

My right hon. Friend is considering a request by the local authorities that this block should be removed at Exchequer expense, on grounds of public interest.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Railways Board not to charter cargo boats while their own cargo boats are laid up because of shortage of cargo.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that blueprints were prepared a considerable time ago by two British firms of nuclear merchant ships and that a nuclear-powered 80,000-ton tanker could be worked more cheaply than a conventional vessel after the initial outlay; and if he will make further inquiries into these possibilities from the engineering firm concerned.

This is one of the projects studied by the working Group, whose report the Government are at present considering.

asked the Minister of Transport whether arrangements have now been made for the early publication of the Padmore working group Report on the Nuclear Propulsion of Merchant Ships.

The report will be published tomorrow as a White Paper.

asked the Minister of Transport when work is due to commence on the construction of a new dry dock in Belfast; and what size it is planned to be.

As my hon. Friend will realise, this is a matter for the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, the users of the dry dock, and the Northern Ireland Government in the first place. But I understand that consultants are still engaged on investigations and that their report is expected some time in June.

asked the Minister of Transport, what orders British shipowners have placed with foreign shipyards in each of the past five years.

I understand that the tonnage of shipping ordered abroad for United Kingdom registration by companies resident in the United Kingdom was 198,000 gross tons in 1963; 32,000 gross tons in 1962; 53,000 gross tons in 1961; 62,000 gross tons in 1960; and 49,000 gross tons in 1959.

asked the Minister of Transport what tonnage of new construction work is at present on order with United Kingdom shipbuilding yards; and how this compares with the state of their order books for each of the past five years.

At the end of March 1964, there were 2·5 million gross tons of merchant ships on order in United Kingdom shipyards. At the end of 1963 and the previous four years the corresponding figures in millions of gross tons were, moving backwards in time, 2·4, 2·1, 2·6, 3·3, and 4·1. These figures exclude orders for vessels of less than 100 gross tons.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will order an inquiry into the accident to a British aircraft at Munich in 1958 with consequent loss of life among the passengers, in view of the fact that the disaster is no longer attributed to ice on the wings of the aeroplane but to slush on the runways.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he has received the report of the slush trials carried out at the Royal Aircraft Establishment on an Elizabethan aircraft; and if he will relate the results to the circumstances of the Munich accident in February 1958.

The inquiry into the Munich air crash was made by the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with international agreement. Since the inquiry, a good deal of work has been done on the behaviour of aircraft in slush. Trials have recently been carried out by the Royal Aircraft Establishment to assess the take-off performance of an Elizabethan aircraft in slush. The report of these trials is now being studied and will be discussed with those concerned, including of course the German authorities.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the original price paid by the British Overseas Airways Corporation for the seven Britannia aircraft subsequently sold.

B.O.A.C tell me that the average price of these Britannia aircraft was a little over £1 million.

asked the Minister of Aviation what discussions he has had with the British Overseas Airways Corporation regarding the reduction of the Corporation's order for the VC.10.

The Chairman of B.O.A.C. is making a reappraisal both of B.O.A.C.'s traffic forecasts and of the Corporation's fleet requirements. The Chairman is naturally in touch with me on these associated and complex questions, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware of current press advertisements offering free return flights between Amsterdam and Cairo in connection with bookings at Omar Khayyam Hotels in Egypt; and, in view of the uncertain position of British subjects who take advantage of such offers, if he will discuss with the signatories of the Warsaw Convention the steps necessary to afford them protection.

I understand that the flights advertised are to be made by foreign registered aircraft over which the United Kingdom has no jurisdiction. The protection afforded by the Warsaw Convention appears to cover passengers on these flights since both Holland and the United Arab Republic are parties to it.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he has yet received the report of the committee inquiring into the Ferranti affair; and whether he will make a statement.

I have not received Sir John Lang's report. On the 23rd April I told the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) that Sir John had agreed to submit a report by June. Since that date the position has been changed by Ferranti's agreement to make their records available to Sir John's Committee.Sir John Lang is urgently assessing what additional time he is likely to require for the examination of this extra material.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the British Overseas Airways Corporation and Air France will pay the full economic price for the Concord aircraft.

The price of the aircraft will be a matter for negotiation between the airlines and the manufacturers. This stage has not yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why no steps have been taken to preserve any of the amphibious aircraft which operated from cruisers before or during the Second World War.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave him on this subject on the 4th and 25th March last. Steps have been taken to preserve a Vickers Supermarine Walrus, currently at Arbroath, for exhibition at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the fire in H.M.S. "Osprey" on Tuesday, 28th April, 1964.

The Chief Petty Officer's mess and dormitory and part of the Petty Officer's mess attached at H.M.S. "Osprey" was destroyed by fire on 28th April. The building was of wood and corrugated iron construction and burnt fiercely fanned by a strong wind. Most of the residents were on leave at the time. There was no casualties.The Fire Party of H.M.S. "Osprey" was supported promptly by the Portland and Weymouth Fire Brigades and by service equipment from the naval base at Portland.A Board of Inquiry has been held and its report is awaited.The building was scheduled for replacement by a new block in permanent construction which will be started shortly and completed in about two years time. Meanwhile the senior ratings displaced by the fire are housed in temporary accommodation in H.M.S. "Osprey".

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of renting the naval recruiting office in State House, Holborn; and how many recruits for the Royal Navy and associated forces have been obtained through this office.

The Careers Office at State House, Holborn, opened on 11th November, 1963. In its first six months the office has dealt with 2,890 inquiries and 168 Royal Naval rating and Royal Marine other rank recruits have been obtained through this office. In view of the interval between initial enquiry at the Careers Office and actual entry as a recruit this does not represent the full result of six months efforts but reflects enquiries in about the first three or four months only. The cost of renting the Careers Office is £12,750 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given, or is being given, to the establishment of an alternative military base to that at Simonstown in South Africa.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many British lives have been lost in armed conflicts in the Middle East during the last 12 months; and what estimate he has made of the number of Arabs who have lost their lives in actions involving British forces in this period.

Seven British lives have been lost. No accurate estimate is possible of the number of rebels or intruders that have been killed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the retention of British troops in the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

We shall retain British troops in the Middle East on the scale, and for the length of time, necessary to meet our obligations to our friends and allies in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made for the provision of suitable alternative accommodation for the families of the men of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards when the regiment leaves for overseas service later this year.

The families of the officers and men posted to the Arabian Peninsula will be covered by the arrangements I described to the House on 26th February. They will be eligible for family accommodation in the United Kingdom. Arrangements will be made for them to occupy any available married quarters not required for united families in this country, or if they can find suitable hirings in places of their choice in this country, these will be taken over on their behalf as official hirings.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there will be increased opportunities for men to join the Royal Air Force.

Recruiting quotas for the Royal Air Force will rise sharply in the near future as many men who signed on when National Service ended concluded their engagements. We shall therefore be stepping up recruitment and an advertising campaign is about to begin in the National Press.There will be a range of opportunities for men of the normal recruiting ages and, in addition, it is proposed to admit young men aged 17 to 17½ who have the consent of their parents. These young men will be paid at the rate of 9s. 6d. a day until they reach the age of 17½. They will be accommodated and trained in the same way as recruits over 17½ but will not be posted from training until reaching that age.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he now expects the work on the Magdalene Bridge on the A.1 between Edinburgh and Musselburgh to be completed.

The target date for completion has been brought forward to the 30th June, and I hope that the contractor may beat this by a week or two.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that, instead of gin traps, gassing by cymag has been used successfully in most European countries and also in parts of Scotland; what are the particular Scottish conditions that require that the spring trap should not be abolished there; and whether he will institute an experiment in one area to test by comparison these two methods.

I am aware that cymag and similar gases can be used successfully under suitable conditions—for example to gas vixens and cubs in dens. In remote hill areas in Scotland, however, dens are not always easy to find and, even when found, may be so rocky or stony that cymag cannot effectively be used. The two methods are complementary and I do not think that further experiment is needed to test their effectiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a further statement on the arrangements in Scotland for extending cytological facilities for the early detection of cancer of the cervix and on the steps being taken to train more staff for these services.

The Standing Cancer Committee of the Scottish Health Services Council is about to make recommendations, through the Council, for the further development of this service. Training of technicians in cytology is already undertaken at hospital laboratories and I am awaiting the Council's recommendations on the steps to be taken to increase the number of technicians in this highly specialised field.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received representations from Buckhaven and Methil Town Council regarding the effects of the proposals in the South East Study, 1961–1981 on the implementation of Command Paper No. 2188, Central Scotland—A Programme for Development and Growth; what was the nature of his reply; and if he will make a statement.

I received representations from Buckhaven and Methil Town Council on 1st May and a reply was sent to the council on 8th May. It drew attention to the assurances already contained in the White Paper on South East England, that the proper development of the South East would be carried out without prejudicing growth in other parts of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now appoint a small committee to inquire into the adequacy of maternity services and the standards of antenatal and confinement care in Scotland, with special reference to disparities in the infant death rate among different social classes.

The Montgomery Committee in 1959 made important recommendations designed to improve the maternity services generally in Scotland. Since then significant improvements have been and are still being made. It would be more profitable to continue to take action on these lines than to set up another committee at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decision has been reached by the Scottish Joint Council regarding the extra payment of £50 per annum as promised to Glasgow teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have not yet received a recommendation from the recently appointed Scottish Joint Council on the draft Teachers' Salaries (Special Allowances) (Scotland) Regulations. I shall announce my decision as soon as possible after its recommendation reaches me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will furnish an outline of the herring industry as at present constituted, showing the number of boats and the whereabouts of those boats, the potential markets and the whereabouts of those markets, and the factories, curing yards, etc., where the herring are processed; in what way the industry has changed since 1946; and what has been the extent of these changes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Annual Reports of the Herring Industry Board and of my Department which give a full and in some respects quite detailed account of the herring industry.The principal changes in the herring industry since 1946 are that in that year more than half of the vessels mainly engaged in drift net fishing for herring were steam vessels ill-adapted and seldom used for white fish catching, whereas in 1963 nearly all the vessels used as drifters were dual purpose boats suitable for white fish catching. In 1946 there was a general shortage of protein both at home and abroad and a firm demand for herring for human consumption, both in the home market and for export: in 1963 the home market demand was much less and so were exports since, of the European countries to which we exported, most now rely to a greater extent on their own catches, especially in years of good fishing such as 1963. In 1946 there were maximum prices for first hand sales; in 1963 there were minimum prices but no maxima. In 1946 the Ministry of Food paid a subsidised price of 30s. per cran for surplus herring sold for reduction to oil and meal: now there is a herring fishing subsidy as well as a subsidy of 25s. per cran, paid in addition to the market price, on surplus herring up to 20 per cent. of total landings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the area of derelict sites in the central industrial belt; and what acreage will be improved this year with the aid of grants under the Local Employment Act.

The extent of derelict land of all kinds in the central industrial pelt has been estimated at about 15,000 acres. Schemes for the rehabilitation of about 1,200 acres have now been approved; but it is too early to say how many of these will be completed by the end of this year. Schemes involving a further 750 acres are under consideration, and I hope that it will be possible to start work on some of these this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what changes are proposed in the position of the High Commissioner for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland.

On 14th November, 1961, the Prime Minister said that the question of whether the post of High Commissioner for the High Commission Territories and Ambassador to South Africa should be combined was to be kept under review.Her Majesty's Government have now decided that the accelerated constitutional development in the three High Commission Territories justifies the abolition of the post of High Commissioner, and the necessary instruments will be prepared as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the new schools so far proposed for the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency for 1964 onwards.

It is proposed to build the following new schools in the programmes for 1964–65 and 1965–66. Programmes for later years have not yet been approved.Hattersley County Primary School (one form-entry).Stalybridge, Leech's Mill County Primary School (one form-entry).Hattersley County Secondary School (three form-entry).Hattersley, Pinfold County Infants School (two form-entry).Stalybridge, Mottram Old Road County Primary School (one form-entry).Hattersley Roman Catholic Junior School (two form-entry).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give special assistance, financial or otherwise, to facilitate the impending visit of the Wales international rugby touring side to the Republic of South Africa, in view of the importance of this tour to international sport.

The Welsh Rugby Union informed me some weeks ago that they did not intend to seek financial assistance from the Government in connection with any of the overseas tours which they arrange from time to time. I have confirmed that this is still their intention as regards the impending visit to the Republic of South Africa and that they do not need any other form of assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek the necessary power to enable disqualification from holding a driving licence to be a penalty which follows a conviction for an offence in which a motor vehicle was used to go to or from the scene of the offence.

I am not at present convinced that this would be an effective or appropriate method of dealing with offences other than those under the Road Traffic Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the sums of money spent in re-equipment and improvements to the licensed premises owned by the Carlisle State Management Scheme during each five-year period between 1930 and 1960, and in the period 1960 to the present day, such figures not to include the cost of erecting entirely new premises.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he is aware that certain issuing houses are including in prospectuses relating to offers for sale of shares to the public of the United Kingdom, issued subject to the Companies Act, 1948, a clause having the effect of excluding cheques drawn on all banks in Northern Ireland; and if he will consult the Stock Exchange Council with a view to taking steps to prevent this practice.

This is a matter for the issuing houses and my right hon. Friend sees no reason to intervene. Cheques drawn on Northern Ireland banks may take up to six days to clear and I understand that, in the light of experience, some issuing houses have decided that this delays allotment longer than is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what progress the North West Regional Study Group has made in studying the development problems of Carlisle and Cumberland.

In the first stage of its work the North West Regional Study Group ha s been mainly concerned with assembling and examining the basic factual material which has to be taken into account when considering the region's development. The Group is now carrying out a programme of visits to the region, during which it will be consulting the main planning authorities, representatives of industry and other local interests. Arrangements are being made for members of the group to visit Carlisle and Cumberland in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will define the extent of the present development areas.

The list of development districts under the Local Employment Act, 1960, was published in the Board of Trade Journal of 9th August, 1963. The only change since has been that applications for assistance for the Paisley Group are again being accepted. The list now covers 15·1 per cent. of the insured population of Great Britain. I am sending my hon. Friend the relevant extract from the Journal.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what are the areas of operation of North Eastern Trading Estates Limited, the West Cumberland Industrial Development Company Limited, Scottish Industrial Estates Limited, and North Western Industrial Estates Limited.

None. The functions of North Eastern Trading Estates Ltd., West Cumberland Industrial Development Co., Ltd. and North Western Industrial Estates Ltd. were taken over by the Industrial Estates Management Corporation for England and those of Scottish Industrial Estates Ltd. by the Industrial Estates Management Corporation for Scotland on 1st April, 1960.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the fact that the April issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette contains figures of earnings and hours for British Railways, but of earnings only for London Transport, if he will arrange with the London Transport Board to give details in future issues of the Gazette of the average hours worked by the various classes of their employees as well as details of average earnings.

The London Transport Board has not been able to supply details of hours worked similar to those collected for other industries in the inquiries held last April and October.

asked the Minister of Labour, with reference to the Family Expenditure Survey, as recorded in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for December, pages 482–83, why the Index Group of Households is shown as spending 454s. 9d. per week, while the average income is shown as 414s. 8d. per week.

The total spending of 454s. 9d. a week includes a number of payments which are not necessarily made out of current income as defined for the purposes of the Family Expenditure Survey.These payments may include large cash outlays for capital assets, such as the deposit on the purchase of a house, which are usually financed out of past savings. Payments which relate to savings or changes in capital assets are segregated from current household expenditure and included in the group described as "Other Payments Recorded". This group of payments accounted for 83s. 6d. of the 454s. 9d.The income figure does not include withdrawals from past savings, proceeds from the sale of houses, cars, furniture or other capital assets, or receipts from legacies, maturing insurance policies or other windfalls.

asked the Minister of Labour, with reference to the Family Expenditure Survey, as recorded in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for December, 1963, pages 482–83, what was the average mortgage payment made by the 707 Index households purchasing their own houses; and what was the average amount spent by these households on repairs.

The 707 Index households paid an average of 39s. 11½d. per week in mortgage repayments. No separate details are available of expenditure by this group of households on repairs, maintenance and decorations.

asked the Minister of Labour, with reference to the Family Expenditure Survey for the year ended June, 1962, as recorded in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for December, 1962, page 460, how many of the 1,154 Index households living in their own dwellings were purchasing them; what was the average mortgage payment by these households; and what was the average payment for rates, ground rent, &c., and for repairs.

600 of the 1,154 Index households were purchasing their dwellings and paying an average of 38s. 3d. per week in mortgage repayments. Their average expenditure on rates, water, ground rent, etc., was 21s. 6d. No separate details are available of expenditure by this group of households on repairs, maintenance and decorations.

asked the Minister of Labour whether further study has now been completed, following the conclusion in paragraph 24 of the Cost of Living Advisory Committee's Report on Revision of the Index of Retail Prices, Command Paper No. 1657, published in March 1963, that the treatment of owner-occupiers' housing costs is necessarily complicated and needs further study; and what conclusions have been arrived at.

The further study referred to in the Committee's Report has not yet been completed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will break down the sub-group of the Transport and Vehicles group in the Retail Price Index, entitled Motoring and Cycling, which showed in March 1964 a decrease in price of 3 per cent. since January 1962, in order to show the percentage rise or fall since January 1962 of the individual items, namely, purchase of motor vehicles, maintenance of motor vehicles, petrol and oil, motor licences, motor insurance, cycles and other vehicles.

For the reasons given in paragraph 84 of the Cost of Living Advisory Committee's Report (Command 3481), it is not the practice to publish figures of changes in prices of individual items included in the Index of Retail Prices.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he has taken to integrate the military and civil responsibilities of his Department overseas.

My Ministry's staff engaged on civil services abroad are being integrated as fully as possible with my new overseas regional organisation announced last December, and a greater degree of delegated authority is being given with the object of providing a speedier service. I have accordingly decided to close as regional offices the offices at Beirut, Delhi and Lagos which hitherto have been concerned with work for the Foreign and Commonwealth services. Maintenance and very small new works will continue to be dealt with by officers stationed locally in these or other places or sent to deal with requirement as they arise. Major new works will continue to be handled from London.

asked the Postmaster-General what representations he has received drawing attention to the growing popularity of Radio Caroline transmissions in south-east England, especially amongst younger persons; and if he will give an assurance that these views will be taken into account before taking further action to restrict this example of free enterprise in broadcasting.

I have received a considerable number of representations about Radio Caroline, and I am taking these views into account.