asked the Minister of Transport in what chart position the contaminated sludge from Smarden has been deposited; what is the depth of water; and if operations in this connection are yet concluded.

The contaminated soil and residues were dumped in the area bounded by longitude 6° 37' W, latitude 45° 13' N, longitude 5° 54' W, and latitude 45° 43' N, and having a depth of 2,600 fathoms. The last batch of soil for dumping was taken to sea on Wednesday, 24th June; it was expected that dumping of this batch would be completed by the evening of Sunday, 28th June.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that plans are being prepared for the extension of the brick-works at Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire; what steps he will take to preserve the natural beauties of this area; and whether he will receive a deputation of interested local authorities.

Inquiries into this matter are being made and I will write to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when Mutual Households Association Limited applied to the Mere and Tisbury Rural District Council for a loan of £17,000 for use in connection with Pyt House; and what condtions were attached to loan sanction for this project.

I understand that Mutual Households Association Limited first approached the council about a loan on 18th March, 1963, and that earlier this month the council resolved to make a loan of £16,000. Any such loan requires my right hon. Friend's consent, but no application for it has so far been made. No loan sanction has been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Atomic Energy Authority has been requested to produce its own design for an advanced gas-cooled reactor for consideration by the Government when deciding the future of the nuclear power programme.

The Atomic Energy Authority is not one of the organisations which have been invited to tender for the construction of an advanced gas-cooled reactor nuclear power station, but the A.G.R. was, of course, developed by the Authority and development work is proceeding. Moreover, the Authority is preparing designs of A.G.R. power stations, to its own specifications, both on the basis of the current technology, and also demonstrating the considerable potential of this type of reactor resulting from the present development programme. These designs will be available for consideration next year.

asked the Minister of Labour what weight was given to each of the following items in the Index of Retail Prices for selected households in October, 1951, or on the date when it first appeared in the Index, namely, total alcoholic drink, with details for each item considered, total tobacco, radio and television appliances, radio and television licences and set rentals, and purchase and maintenance of motor vehicles, including motor bicycles and motor scooters; by what proportion this weight has varied up to the last revision of the Index; and if he will state the method of selection of the households whose expenditure is included in the Index at the present time and in October, 1951.

The information asked for is given in the following table. The

	Weight out of 1,000
—	June, 1947 or when first included in index	January, 1964	Percentage change in weight between June, 1947 (or when first included in the index) and January, 1964
			Per cent.
Total alcoholic drink	101	63	− 38
Beer	93	41	− 56
Spirits, wines, etc.*	8	22	+ 175
Total tobacco	116	74	− 36
Radio and television appliances, including repairs†	5	8	+ 60
Radio and television licences and set rentals‡	3	10	+ 233
Purchase and maintenance of motor vehicles, including motor bicycles and scooters	14	37	+ 164
	(first included in January, 1956)
* The price indicators were whisky from June, 1947 to January, 1956, whisky and gin from January, 1956 to January, 1962, and whisky, gin and sherry from January, 1962.
† The price indicators were radio sets from June, 1947 to January, 1956, and radio and television sets and repairs to television sets from January, 1956.
‡ The price indicators were radio licences from June, 1947 to January, 1956, and radio and television-radio licences and set rentals from January, 1956.

The weighting pattern of the index between June, 1947, and January, 1952, was based on the expenditure in 1937–38 (adjusted to prices at June, 1947), of manual workers in general and non-manual workers with wages or salaries not exceeding £250 a year. The weighting pattern in 1964 is based on the expenditure in the three years ended June, 1963, of all households other than

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a further statement on progress in improving the ventilation system in the House of Commons.

The ventilation system disturbed by the works in the roof space was restored at the end of April. A

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what consideration is being given to the economic plan for the Caicos Islands, recently forwarded by the Legislative Assembly.

I have recently approved a development plan for the Turks and Caicos Islands. The main aims of the plan are to improve inter-island communication, to establish an electricty supply, to improve water supplies and to provide for technical education. The plan provides for expenditure of £109,000 from Colonial Development and Welfare funds in the three-year period to March, 1966, of which £51,600 will be spent on projects of general benefit, £24,400 will be spent on specific Caicos Islands' projects and £33,000 in the Turks Islands.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what estimate he makes of the effect on employment in the Caicos Islands of the changes in the subsidy arrangements in relation to the Salt Company; and what plans the Government has for providing alternative jobs.

There have been no changes in the subsidy arrangements. The future of the Salt Industry including employment prospects in both the Turks and the Caicos Islands is, however, at present under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the fact that certain major oil companies are taking steps to avoid the discharge of oil into the sea, what action the Royal Navy intend to take on this matter.

STANDARD RATE OF RETIREMENT PENSION EXPRESSED AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE EARNINGS* IN EACH YEAR SINCE 1951
Date				Percentage of men's average earnings		Percentage of women's average earnings
				Pension at single rate	Pension for a couple
October— 1951†		…	…	18·1	30·1	33·3
1951‡		…	…	15·7	25·3	28·9
1952		…	…	18·2	30·3	33·7
1953		…	…	17·2	28·5	31·7
1954		…	…	15·9	26·4	30·0
1955		…	…	17·9	29·2	34·7
1956		…	…	16·8	27·3	32·5
1957		…	…	15·9	25·8	30·9
1958		…	…	19·5	31·2	37·3
1959		…	…	18·4	29·5	35·5
1960		…	…	17·2	27·5	33·7
1961		…	…	18·7	30·1	37·2
1962		…	…	18·1	29·2	35·8
1963		…	…	20·2	32·5	40·1
* Based on the Ministry of Labour's half-yearly inquiries into the earnings of manual workers in manufacturing and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries.
† For pensioners over age 65 (60 for women) on 1st October, 1951.
‡ For pensioners who reached age 65 (60 for women) after 1st October, 1951.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers carry only refined oil, to which the proposals announced by certain oil companies are not intended to apply. The Navy Department have, however, always been well aware of this problem, and our present policy is to fit separators, which remove the necessity to discharge oil into the sea, to tankers constructed for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. In addition all Navy Department oil depots possess facilities for the reception and disposal of oil sullage and the provisions of the 1954 Convention on Oil Pollution are observed.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what percentage of average earnings the National Insurance retirement pension has represented each year since 1951.

Following are the figures: