asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) why he has allowed a private firm to exterminate baby seals in addition to the quota authorised in annual culls by his Department;(2) what consultations he has had with Orca Industries of Scotland regarding the slaughter of baby seals off The Wash and contiguous areas; and what liaison his Department maintains with Mr. Christie and his team to ensure humane killing.

I have not authorised anyone to kill seals, except for the annual cull on the Farne Islands. Such authority is only necessary for grey seals and then only during the period when they are protected between 1st September to 31st December. I have had no occasion to consult with Orca Marine Industries about its activities in The Wash, and I have no powers of intervention.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the percentage rise or fall in salaries received by a Principal Assistant Secretary and Under-Secretary in the Civil Service for each year from 1957 to date.

The following is the information required:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, since salaries of M.P.s were increased to their present level in 1957, the purchasing value of the £ had decreased to 16s. 10d. up to May, 1964, that up until. 1963 the average weekly earnings of manual workers had increased by 31·8 per cent. and those of civil servants in a similar salary range to M.P.s in 1957, by 35·7 per cent.; and to what extent M.P.s' salaries would have to be increased to put them on the same basis as in 1957 in relationship to civil servants and the national average wage earnings of manual workers.

Changes in Civil Service salaries or in the average wage earnings of manual workers since 1957 do not in themselves provide an adequate basis for assessing an appropriate current salary level for Members of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Panamanian Government in connection with the registration of the ship "Atlanta", broadcasting in breach of the International Telecommunications Convention, of which Panama is a signatory; and whether he will make a statement.

I do not know of any ship called "Atlanta" which is engaging in broadcasting activities. The so-called Radio Atlanta recently broadcast from the Panamanian-registered ship "Mi Amigo". I assume that it is to this ship that the hon. Member refers.It is usual for alleged breaches of the International Telecommunications Convention or of the Regulations made thereunder to be taken up, in the first instance, by one telecommunications authority direct with the competent authority in the other country. In the case of the "Mi Amigo", the General Post Office reported to the competent Panamanian authority on 13th May and again on 3rd July that the "Mi Amigo" had been broadcasting since 9th May from a position just outside United Kingdom territorial waters, in contravention of the International Radio Regulations.No reply has yet been received from the Panamanian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date he made representations to the Panamanian Government in connection with the registration of the ship "Caroline", broadcasting in breach of the International Telecommunications Convention, of which Panama is a signatory; and what has been the result.

On 31st March, the General Post Office notified the Director-General of Telecommunications and Radio in Panama that a ship called "Caroline", using a Panamanian call-sign, had been broadcasting daily since 28th March from 4/30/2005just outside United Kingdom territorial waters, in contravention of the International Radio Regulations.On 3rd April, the competent Panamanian authorities cancelled the Panamanian registration of the "Caroline".

asked the Minister of Health how many ambulances were available for use at the London Chest Hospital on 7th April, 1964, at the time when the late Mr. Walter Jarvis was being discharged as an in-patient; and how many were available at the time when the doctors decided that Mr. Jarvis was not in need of ambulance assistance.

Ambulances are not normally kept at hospitals but are provided on request by the local health authority from its ambulance stations. There would have been no difficulty in providing one for Mr. Jarvis at the time of his discharge had the doctors so recommended.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the financial content of the hospital building programme as approved in the revision published in April, 1963, and the content now proposed in this year's review for each of the hospital regions.

For 1963, £600 million. The £750 million of this year's review, adjusted to an income and expenditure basis and including the value of centrally purchased equipment, is allocated as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now reached agreement with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry for a new scheme for the regulation of drug prices.

Yes. The new scheme has effect for three years from 1st July, 1964, and thereafter is subject to six months notice by either side. The new scheme is on the same general lines as the earlier one but there are a number of important modifications.The scheme has been extended in scope to include all medical specialities prescribed by general practitioners instead of rather less than nine-tenths as formerly.The importance of research is recognised by two changes: an increase from three to four years in the period of freedom from control from preparations resulting from substantial and original research and a reduction to two years of the free period for other preparations; and a specific allowance for research in the calculation of the maximum prices of preparations other than those which qualify for the export criterion.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give an assurance that the new proposed towns at Risley and Skelmersdale will be planned and laid out in accordance with the best modern standards, and will incorporate the experience gained at other new towns, including the avoidance of traffic in the shopping areas and where children play; and what plans he has for the preservation of trees and woods, the provision of large open spaces and landscaping in order to make the new towns as beautiful as possible.

I can certainly give the assurance asked for. As for making the towns as beautiful as possible this will be a matter for the corporations; they will certainly have it very much in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs on what date he received the 6th Report of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents; and what action he has taken or intends to take on its recommendations.

My right hon. Friend received the report on 27th March 1963.For the Answer to the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Blackburn) on 14th July.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when the decisions on the Kingston-upon-Hull (Comprehensive Development Area No. 3) English Street-Lister Street Compulsory Purchase Order No. 15, 1963, and the Kingston-upon-Hull (Lister Street Areas 1 and 2) Clearance Order, 1963, will be made; and when the Hull Corporation will be informed.

The Kingston-upon-Hull (Comprehensive Development Area No. 3) English Street-Lister Street Compulsory Purchase Order No. 15, 1963, has not yet been submitted to the Department by the Council.The Kingston-upon-Hull (Lister Street Areas 1 and 2) Clearance Order 1963, was confirmed and the Council informed on 9th July, 1964.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the national acreage reclaimed from mine and chemical spoil heaps; which local authorities have now received grants for this work; and what action he will take to encourage more reclamation of land.

Comprehensive information about the acreage of reclaimed heaps is not available, but my right hon. Friend is considering what arrangements can be made for an up-to-date survey of derelict land by local authorities. Under various enactments grant for works which included the treatment of mine and chemical spoil heaps has been paid to the 30 authorities shown in the table below. He will examine whether further measures are needed to encourage reclamation in the

asked the Minister of Power in view of the fact that the Gas Council is contemplating exploration in the North Sea with a private company, if he will state whether a licence has been granted to the applicant or applicants, whether the Council has applied to him for loans to cover such a venture, what the extent is of the advances required, and up to what figure the Council has been authorised by him to spend on exploration in the North Sea.

No licence has yet been granted to the Gas Council. My right hon. Friend has not been asked to advance capital sums for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many insured persons, employed by the National Coal Board in the No. 2 Area of the Yorkshire Division, were examined by the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel at Sheffield, during 1963.

About 1,200.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for extending the M.2 to Canterbury and then to Dover.

I have no plans for extending M.2 in this way. Beyond Brenley Corner, A.2 will be progressively improved as a trunk road as priorities and funds permit.

asked the Minister of Transport when the Report on Phase I of the London Traffic Survey will be published.

The report will be published by the London County Council at noon on Monday next, 20th July. Copies will be available in the Library of the House by that time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether Her Majesty's Government has now decided on the location of the new Scottish university.

Yes. The University Grants Committee, after visiting the proposed locations, has advised the Government that the new Scottish university should be located at Stirling. I have considered this advice in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and it has been decided to accept the U.G.C.'s recommendation.Now that this question of location has been settled, both the Government and the U.G.C. hope that the large measure of material and other support for a new university in Scotland which has manifested itself will be readily forthcoming for its development at Stirling.