asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of loans or other advances made from British to Soviet financial institutions.

It would be contrary to established practice to make known the details of United Kingdom sterling claims against individual countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now issue instructions that eligible persons who do not wish to receive family allowance can so apply and thus avoid unnecessary additional work to the Income Tax authorities.

No instructions are needed. The person concerned need only not apply for them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated total of public capital investment in Scotland for the year 1964–65; and what is the comparable figure for private investment.

The estimated total of public capital investment in Scotland for the year 1964–65 is £295·9 million. I regret that comparable information about private investment is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what specific measures he has in mind to reduce the prices of food, housing, clothing, fuel and light, tobacco, and alcoholic drink, as a contribution to the acceptance of an incomes policy.

Our policies are designed to combat inflation and to encourage healthy price competition in a free market, which we believe to be in the best interests of the consumer and, therefore, the wage earner. Acceptance of an incomes policy is a major factor in our success in achieving faster growth combined with greater price stability and full employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the various current rates of interest for borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether Her Majesty's Government will give investment guarantees to private British investors in developing countries as recommended by the recent United Nations Conference on Trade and Development;(2) whether Her Majesty's Government will propose the establishment of a multilateral guarantee system for investment insurance in developing countries to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Her Majesty's Government are already taking part in the current O.E.C.D. study of multilateral investment guarantees. We need to see what emerges from that before we can decide what further action is required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue a revised version of the 1958 publication on Government support for the arts.

Yes. A booklet called "Government and the Arts, 1958–1964" will be published later this week. It gives an account of developments since the booklet "Government and the Arts in Britain" was published in 1958. It shows, among other things, that total Government expenditure on the arts has risen from £6 million in 1958–59 to an estimated £13½ million in 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he has made to obtain from the Arts Council a copy of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on the London Opera Centre; and what information he has as to the date on which the Arts Council expects to receive it.

I understand that this Report will be completed in a few weeks' time and I have little doubt that the Governors of the Centre will decide to publish it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give further details of the pledge given to him by the Chrysler Corporation of America that it would refrain from purchasing a majority holding in the shares of Messrs. Rootes Ltd.; to what extent this pledge is expressed to be binding on future managements of the Chrysler Corporation; and whether the pledge was given verbally or in writing.

The formal application for Treasury consent to the proposed transaction between Rootes and Chryslers has now been received and is being studied. This study will include the precise terms of the undertakings which my right hon. Friend will take into account in considering whether to give consent to the transaction.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps he is taking to help those living on small fixed incomes to meet the additional costs of coal, gas, electricity, rents and rates.

The Government have taken a series of Measures including increases in social benefits and public service pensions designed to help those living on small fixed incomes. The latest of these is the proposal which my right hon. Friend is making this afternoon to increase the age exemption from Income Tax. We shall continue from time to time to make further improvements. But as the hon. Lady knows, the only lasting solution to the problems of inflation lies in an incomes policy designed to keep the rise in money incomes in line with productivity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the total for British quoted ordinary shares in Table 143 of the 106th Report of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Inland Revenue 1960–62 is considerably less than the total officially given by the Stock Exchange; and on what basis the figures in that table were compiled.

Yes. The total in Table 143 relates to shares held by individuals resident in the United Kingdom, and does not include shares held by companies and other institutions in the United Kingdom or by nonresidents. An outline of the basis of the estimates is given on pages 176–178 of the Report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer over what period of years and at what rate of interest each of the nationalised boards is currently borrowing by means of Exchequer advances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the total amount of financial assistance provided in the form of subsidies and grants on the one hand, and loans on the other, to private enterprise and agriculture, respectively, from 1st April, 1951, to 31st March, 1964, or to the nearest convenient date; and what sums have been returned to Her Majesty's Government in capital or interest.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies which my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave to him and the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. A. Lewis) on 23rd June.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in certain parts in the west of County Durham it is impossible to receive British Broadcasting Corporation Television satisfactorily, due to continental interference, particularly during the summer months; and what action he is taking to remedy this.

These are the figures requested:

Yes. I have authorised the B.B.C. to build a satellite television station to serve as much of Weardale as possible. The Corporation hopes to have this station in service by next summer.

asked the Postmaster-General what flag the radio ships "Caroline" and "Atlanta" are flying.

So far as I am aware, the "Atlanta" is registered in Panama while "Caroline" is not now registered in any country. I have no information as to what Hags, if any, the ships are flying.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made in extended provision of colour television.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Chiswick (Mr. Dudley Smith) and the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 14th April. As I said then, the final choice of a colour television transmission system will be made next spring. Until that is settled, preparations for the introduction of a colour television service obviously cannot proceed very far.

asked the Postmaster-General on what date he received a request to authorise the educational television experiment devised by the Independent Television Authority and Queen's University, Belfast; and if he will make a statement.

A formal request to authorise this experiment was sent to me by the Chairman of the Independent Television Authority on 27th November, 1963.With regard to the second part of the Question I am sorry I cannot yet add to what my hon. Friend told my hon. Friend on 23rd June.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the difference in cost between the printing of ordinary and special greeting telegrams; and how many of the latter are sent compared with the former.

The special de luxe greeting telegram form and envelope cost nearly three times as much to print as the standard greetings form and envelope. About 1½ million de luxe telegrams were sent last year compared with 1·1 million standard greetings telegrams.

asked the Postmaster-General what has been the value of losses from postal parcels through pilferage during each of the past 10 years, for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, respectively.

Details of the value of losses from postal parcels through pilferage are not available. But the total amounts of compensation paid each year for the loss of and from postal parcels are given in the following table. I am sorry that it is not practicable to apportion the compensation paid between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons are employed on a permanent basis in the Philatelic Bureau; and what is the additional number employed to provide the first-day cover services for special issues of postage stamps.

At present 51. The demand for the Bureau's various services fluctuates considerably: at present the number of staff employed on first-day covers is 13.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the trade figures of the Philatelic Bureau since this branch of the General Post Office was brought into operation.

Broadly, the figures are sale of stamps £194,000, service charges for first-day covers £6,000 and subscriptions to the Philatelic Bulletin £1,500.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the discontent in the Bletchley and Winslow areas with the telephone system; and whether he will accelerate proposals to improve it.

I am sorry that owing to an acute shortage of plant, the telephone systems in these areas are not good. More exchange equipment and cables are being provided at Bletchley and I expect the work to be finished by the end of the year. At Winslow a new relief exchange will be ready next year.This work is being done as quickly as possible. The dates I have quoted are the earliest practicable ones but they will be improved upon if this should prove possible as the schemes progress.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the total number of telephone kiosks in the boroughs of Batley and Morley; and what were the average earnings per kiosk in the year 1963.

There are 47 kiosks in Batley and 49 in Morley. The average takings in 1963 were £152 and £158 respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons are awaiting telephone connections in the area of the Maldon exchange.

Excluding applications under inquiry or being met there are 17 people awaiting telephone connections in the area of the Maldon exchange.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons are awaiting telephone connections in the area of the Braintree exchange.

Excluding applications under inquiry or being met there are 5 people awaiting telephone connections in the area of the Braintree exchange.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons are awaiting telephone connections in the area of the Witham exchange.

Excluding applications under inquiry or being met there are 16 people awaiting telephone connections in the area of the Witham exchange.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many new houses and flats were completed by the local authority and by private builders, respectively, in the Blackley Parliamentary Division of Manchester during the periods 1945 to 1951, 1951 to 1959, and 1959 to the latest convenient date.

As the Department's records relate to local authority areas as a whole and not to Parliamentary Divisions, my right hon. Friend regrets that he is unable to give this information.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to receive the Milner Holland Committee's report on London housing.

At the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the action he is taking to ensure that the corporation of Sunderland has sufficient land to continue its housing programme at its present rate.

The proposals before my right hon. Friend raise problems which have proved more difficult to resolve than he expected when he replied to the hon. Gentleman's previous Question, but he hopes to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses in Sunderland were improved with the assistance of the standard and discretionary grants up to the most recent date for which figures are available; and how the figure for the last 12 months compares with the previous 12 months.

Grants for improvement of houses in Sunderland have been approved as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was his decision in the planning appeal made to him, arising from the damage and nuisance caused to Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Fielden of Jasmine Cottage, Row of Trees, Alderley Edge, Cheshire; and what were the grounds of his decision.

Mr. right hon. Friend allowed Mr. and Mrs. Fielden's neighbours to continue running a garden contracting business, because such a use of their land seemed appropriate in a rural area like this, and need not cause serious offence to neighbours.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he proposes to take as a result of the request of Newcastle Corporation for increased grants to householders to meet the cost of conversion of domestic appliances, contained in the addendum to the report on the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Smoke Control Order No. 9.

The grant, which is paid partly by the Exchequer and partly by the local authority, is normally 70 per cent. of the approved cost but can be increased to 100 per cent. in special cases. These arrangements seem adequate, and my right hon. Friend has no proposals for increasing the normal rate of grant. But the Housing Bill contains proposals for widening the range of householders eligible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs on what date he will meet a deputation from Staffordshire County Council about the Swynnerton site; and if he will make a statement about the outcome.

My right hon. Friend has recently received the county council's request for a deputation and he will be replying to them shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent an increase in the price of land in the Risley area of Lancashire, following his announcement of the intended establishment of a new town there.

Any increase in value of land within the designated area due to the new town, or the prospect of it, will under existing legislation be excluded from the price paid for it by the New Town Development Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will make a statement on the atrocities at Wismar-Christiansburg in British Guiana, particulars of which have been sent to him.

The disturbances at Wismar resulted in five deaths and 26 other serious casualties. Some 200 houses were destroyed or damaged.An inquiry has been instituted by the Premier of British Guiana.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies when it is expected that elections will be held in British Guiana; and whether he is now satisfied that order can be maintained in the Colony.

We are planning to hold elections in the autumn. The general situation remains much the same.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will make a statement about financial assistance towards the second phase of the Million Acre scheme in Kenya.

The Million Acre scheme is expected to be completed by the middle of 1968. As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Wembley, South (Sir R. Russell) on 3rd June, we are considering further proposals by the Kenya Government for financial assistance in dealing with the problem of the European mixed farming areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies whether he will communicate with the Prime Minister of Malaysia to assure him of Her Majesty's Government's willingness to continue military assistance, following the failure of the conference in the Philippines, concerning continuing Indonesian aggression against Malaysia.

We are greatly disappointed that, despite the patient and conciliatory attitude of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the recent talks in Tokio broke down. We are particularly concerned at the refusal of the Indonesian Government to withdraw their forces from the territory of their neighbour and the announcement of their intention to intensify hostilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies how many prisoners are at present held in prison without charge in the South Arabian Federation.

Seven persons are so detained by Orders made under the Public Emergency Decree, 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies whether the following prisoners are at present held in custody in the South Arabian Federation, namely, Thabet Kassem, Muthana Saleh, Hussein Kassem and Nasher Hadi; and what are the charges against them.

Muthana Saleh, Hussein Kassem and Nasher Hadi are not in custody. There are at least two persons bearing the name Thabet Kassem. One of these is believed to have gone to the Yemen. The other is detained after being found with explosives in his possession.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he has yet received the National Insurance Advisory Committee's Report, following its review of the time limits for claiming sickness benefits.

Yes. The Report is now available in the Vote Office. The main recommendation is that claimants should have six days in which to claim benefit, instead of three days as at present. Since Sunday is not counted, the effect is to give a week in which to claim benefit. I have accepted the recommendations and have asked the Committee to consider and report on draft regulations to implement them. I am grateful to the Committee for its very helpful Report.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he has completed his examination of wage-related unemployment benefit; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave on 22nd June to similar Questions from the hon. Members for Glasgow, Scotstoun (Mr. Small), and Motherwell (Mr. Lawson).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements he is making to honour in a suit able way the forthcoming official visit of U Thant to this country.

Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I are looking forward to meeting and welcoming U Thant. Further arrangements for his visit are still being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs who will comprise the official delegation accompanying him to Moscow.

I will be accompanied by the Permanent Under-Secretary and a number of advisers from the Foreign Office.

asked the Minister of Power in view of the adverse verdict of the Restrictive Practices Court on two steel pricing agreements, what recon- sideration Her Majesty's Government have given to their policy for the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

The jurisdiction of the Restrictive Trade Practices Court over steel pricing agreements follows from the Government's policy that the steel industry should be subject, like other private industry, to the Restrictive Trade Practices Act. There is nothing in the Court's judgment on 22nd June that calls for a change in the Government's general policy for the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much in the £ sterling food prices have increased since January, 1962; and how this increase compares with the same period in each of the last 10 years.

By 1s. 7d. in the £ from January, 1962, to May, 1964. Increases in comparable 2½ year periods since July, 1954, are:

• July, 1959—January, 1962: 9d.
• January, 1957—July, 1959: 8d.
• July, 1954—January, 1957: 2s. 1d.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in East Sussex have been improved under the Farm Improvement Scheme or the Small Farmer Scheme.

At 24th June, 1964, 944 farms in East Sussex had benefited from grants under the Farm Improvement Scheme, many of them more than once. In addition improvements to a further 84 farms had been approved but grant on these improvements had not yet been paid. The total amount of grant paid on schemes in East Sussex up to 31st May, 1964, was £532,686.Up to the end of May, there were 459 approved farm business plans on which payments had been made under the Small Farmer Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the buildings for technical and commercial education in Scotland approved but not yet under construction; the date when announcement to build was first made and when approval was given; the estimated cost at this stage; the date when construction will commence; and the estimated date when the building is likely to be completed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the table given in my reply on 17th March and to my reply on 8th May to the hon. Member for Greenock (Dr. Dickson Mabon), which set out the main details of the further education building programme. The additional information requested is not in collated form.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in table form the buildings for technical education and commercial education in Scotland presently under construction in Scotland; the date when each building was first announced; the date when approval was given; the estimated cost at date of approval; the date when building commenced; the date when completion is expected; what is now the anticipated cost; and if he will, in each case, state the increase or decrease between the original estimate of cost and the present estimate.

I would refer the hon. Member to the table given in my reply on 17th March and to my reply on 8th May to the hon. Member for Greenock (Dr. Dickson Mabon), which set out the main details of the further education building programme. The additional information requested is not in collated form.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state, as a percentage of the value of 1964–65 school building programmes submitted, the value of school building authorised for starting in respect of the following education authorities, namely, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright, Peebles, Moray and Nairn, East Lothian, Caithness, Sutherland, Glasgow, Aberdeen (City), Stirling, and Berwick.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 24th June to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. Ross).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the work and progress of the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board; and whether he has sought, or been given so far, its advice on the syllabuses to guide schools in respect of the examinations for which they are to assume responsibility in the middle of the next school year.

The Board has appointed finance, general purposes, and examinations committees. They are considering details of the organisation it will require. The post of director has been advertised.The Board has decided that the 1965 examination will be on the same lines as in 1964. Future syllabus arrangements will be for consideration when the Board has completed its organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the future of the multilateral-manned force in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

The American proposal for a mixed-manned force of surface ships armed with Polaris missiles is still being examined by the Working Group in Paris. We are putting forward to the Working Group our ideas on the mixed-manning, joint ownership and multilateral control of land-based nuclear weapon systems, with a view to their being considered in parallel with the American proposal.

asked the Prime Minister how many official historians have been appointed since the war; and on what subjects they are employed.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the relevant Sectional List of Government Publications. [Histories of the First and Second World Wars: Sectional List No. 60, Revised to 31st December, 1963.]

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will order a study of the sonic boom tests carried out over Oklahoma City by the United States Federal Aviation Agency; and if he will estimate the maximum overpressures, likely to be measured below the Concord flight path, taking into account the variability which atmospheric effects have been shown to cause.

I have been following with interest the progress of the sonic boom tests over Oklahoma City and indeed visited Oklahoma City in March with Mr. Halaby, of the Federal Aviation Agency, to see something of the tests at first hand. I hope that when results are available from these tests we shall have an opportunity to study and discuss them with the United States Government.As regards the second part of the Question, the maximum overpressure that might be caused by the Concord, taking into account atmospheric effects, is under careful examination with our French partners.

asked the Minister of Aviation what strength of shock wave per square foot his Department consider permissible for aircraft to cause through breaking the sound barrier whilst flying over the rural parts of Great Britain.

Supersonic flying over the rural parts of Great Britain for research and development purposes is rarely permitted at altitudes below 30,000 feet. At this altitude, a Lightning aircraft in level flight would give rise to a shock wave on the ground which would not normally exceed 2 lbs. per sq. ft.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps are taken by his Department to measure the strength of shock waves on the ground caused by aircraft for which his Department are responsible breaking the sound barrier.

On numerous occasions over the past three years, instruments have been sited under the flight path of these aircraft so as to measure the strength of the shock waves on the ground and the results of these tests are being studied.

asked the Minister of Aviation what plans he has to authorise aircraft for which his Department are responsible to break the sound barrier during the next 12 weeks; and on how many occasions, and over which counties, this will be happening.

The number of overland flights which will be carried out during the next 12 weeks is not likely to exceed 75. More than one half of the flights will be over South Wales and its borders (counties: Hereford, Radnor, Brecknock, Cardigan, Monmouth, Carmarthen, Caernarvon and Merioneth), about one-third between Bedford and the Wash (counties: Bedford, Huntingdon, Cambridge, Norfolk, Lincoln) and not more than seven over the Pennines (counties: Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland) and the Scottish Highlands (counties: Perth, Inverness and Ross and Cromarty) together.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will institute a diploma or certificate to be awarded to students who have done two years in art school but have either not been selected or for other reasons have been unable to undertake the advanced course.

No. I have asked the National Advisory Council on Art Education to consider the character of pre-diploma courses, and, in the absence of a recommendation from it I am not prepared to make any alteration in existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases are currently under investigation by the fraud squad; and what numbers have been under investigation for periods of up to 6 months, 12 months, 24 months and over 2 years, respectively.

The number of cases under investigation by the Metropolitan and City Police Company Fraud Department on 24th June, 1964, was 169. Of these, 58 had been under investigation for up to six months, 43 for up to 12 months, 33 for up to 24 months and 35 for over two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase, numerically and in percentage terms, in the total strength of the police in England and Wales since the date when the pay rises recommended by the Royal Commission were implemented.

The new pay scales were announced on 6th December, 1960, and November, 1960, was the last month to show a decline in strength. Between 30th November, 1960, and 31st May, 1964, the number of men rose from 69,784 to 77,274, an increase of 7,490, or 10·73 per cent.; and the number of women rose from 2,278 to 2,576, an increase of 298, or 13·1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional places have been provided in remand homes during the past three years; how many further places are being provided in remand homes planned or under construction; and to what extent the shortage of remand home places is being overcome.

Since 1st July, 1961, seven new remand homes have been opened. In all, 302 additional places have been provided, and 226 more are planned or under construction. Although there is still pressure on the remand homes generally, it is easing as more accommodation in remand homes and approved schools becomes available, and I estimate that the building programme will secure that by the end of 1966 there will be sufficient places to meet all needs at present foreseen.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he is satisfied that adequate control exists over the quality of Scotch whisky as finally sold abroad when it has been exported in bulk and bottled and labelled in the importing country; and what representations have been made to his Department concerning the quality of such whisky.

The position depends on the domestic legislation of the importing countries. I understand that it is satisfactory in the U.S.A. which is the principal importer of Scotch whisky in bulk. We are trying through international negotiations to secure protection for the description "Scotch Whisky" in as many countries as possible. I have not recently received any representations about the quality of Scotch whisky exported in bulk.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how much whisky was exported from Scotland during 1953 and 1963, respectively; what proportion of total exports in these years was accounted for by bulk exports; and how many bottles the bulk exports represented in each of these years.

The trade statistices do not distinguish between Scotch whisky and whisky made in Northern Ireland. The unit of quantity recorded is proof gallons and there is no official information about the method of consignment. Exports in 1953 and 1963 of Scotch whisky and whisky made in Northern Ireland were 13,205,884 proof gallons and 31,772,660 proof gallons, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the accident involving the collapse of a crane near Brent Cross, Hendon, on 20th June 1964, what steps he is taking to prevent similar occurrences in the immediate future.

In the first place I would remind my hon. Friend that as I said yesterday in my reply to him, my right hon. Friend has directed an inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the accident. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, all users of mobile cranes in which a "gate" section is specially inserted in the jib in order to provide a hinge, by means of which the jib can be folded, are being advised to operate these cranes at not more than 75 per cent. of the safe working loads as specified in the current Certificate of Test and Examination. This advice is being disseminated through the manufacturers and the appropriate employers and insurance organisations.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that oil discharged from ships, which pollutes Great Britain's shores and bathing places could, if retained in the ships and purified there, be used as creosote for constructional purposes; and if he will sponsor scientific investigations to that purpose.

No, but if the hon. and learned Member has any information on this subject, I hope he will let me know.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has now considered the Transport Users' Consultative Committee's reports on the proposed closing of the Wolverton-Newport Pagnell line and Castlethorpe Station; and whether he will make a statement.

I have decided to consent to the closure of the passenger service between Wolverton and Newport Pagnell subject to the provision of certain extra bus services. I have not yet completed my consideration of the proposal to close Castlethorpe station.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give an estimate of the cost of re-nationalising the road haulage industry, on the basis of paying for the assets of the privately-owned firms in the industry.

Until I am told what re-nationalising of the road haulage industry means and the terms and circumstances under which it would be carried out, neither I nor anyone else can give any useful estimate of the monetary cost. I have no doubt, however, that the damage to the national interest would be even greater than the financial cost to the taxpayer.