asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will alter the terms of reference that he has given Sir Leslie Martin so as not to prejudge the question of the future of the Foreign Office.

No.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, whether, in view of the fact that public money was expended in connection with the work of the technical working party set up by his Department to consider how designs in constructional steel can be modified to make steelwork more competitive, he will now publish the results of the studies which have been completed, for the benefit of architects, engineers, and others interested in such matters.

The Working Party consisted of representatives of the Ministry and the constructional steelwork industry. It was set up to consider whether any economies could be made in multi-story building projects by the use of improved steel work designs. The results of its studies will be incorporated in a paper to be read before a professional institution later this year by the professional officer of the Ministry who acted as chairman of the Working Party.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, in view of the increase in the amount of losses due to factory fires, what information he has about the extent to which the nature of construction of the factories concerned was responsible for the extent of the damage; and whether he will arrange in future for such information to be collected with a view to ensuring that all factories will be constructed in accordance with the highest standards of fire prevention.

The Joint Fire Research Organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Fire Offices Committee have collected information about the structure of buildings involved in fires over a long period, but for the past year they have been collecting such information on a more detailed basis. Although it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the extent to which fire damage has resulted from particular forms of factory construction, preliminary conclusions should be emerging soon, and my right hon. Friend has the benefit of the advice of the Joint Fire Research Organisation and the Fire Offics Committee in drafting the structural fire precaution requirements of the first national building regulations.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Work what price per square foot is being paid by way of rental for the additional 136,000 square feet of office space rented by his Department; for what purpose this extra space is required; and what steps have been taken to consider alternative accommodation outside the central London area.

I presume the accommodation the hon. Member has in mind is Cardinal House, Farringdon Road, and Capitol House, Winchmore Hill, which were mentioned in a recent Press statement by the Development Company. The larger hiring, Cardinal House, is required by the Postmaster-General to house the Overseas Telecommunications Service in London. The accommodation in Capitol House, which is outside the central London area, is required for local offices of the Inland Revenue Department and for a few local staff of other Departments. I am unable to give information about the rental as it is not our practice to make public the terms of leases.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, in view of the persisting acute shortage of bricks and the fact that this state of affairs has been experienced frequently for a number of years to the detriment of the building industry, what has been done or is contemplated to ensure that a better supply of bricks is available for the building work to be carried out.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage of bricks in the North-West.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what recent discussions he has had with brick manufacturers in Scotland with a view to increasing the supply of bricks and preventing building delays.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he is taking to increase the supply of bricks in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is aware that there is shortage of bricks in the Faversham constituency, that except for small emergency orders firms are accepting no new customers this year, and that regular customers are being given delivery dates of from eight to 10 months hence; and what estimate he has made of the effect this and other regional shortages of bricks are having and will have over the next 12 months on the building programme for the South-East.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he is taking to overcome the shortages of bricks in the South-East.

Although I have received reports of local difficulties there is very little evidence that current building work is being held up. My Ministry is in close touch with brickmakers and brick users. The brickmakers are increasing their capacity and brick production this year has been running at record levels. The output of bricks for June was the highest ever recorded for any month.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what are the general expected delivery dates for bricks ordered this month in the South-East.

There is a very wide range of variation not only in the time in which bricks are expected to be delivered but also in the dates at which they are needed. Delivery periods depend on many factors including the location of the site and the type of brick required. I understand that whereas in some cases contractors can expect deliveries within a few weeks, in other cases the delivery period can be much longer and in extreme cases as long as 15 months.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what further progress he has made in settling preferred dimensions for industrialised building by public authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My Ministry is publishing today D.C.3 a further statement in the series on dimensional coordination. This statement summarises the recommendations for preferred dimensions which are described in more detail in three departmental publications which are being issued simultaneously with it.These are:Ministry of Public Building and Works."Dimensional Co-ordination for Crown Office Buildings".Department of Education and Science.Building Bulletin "Controlling Dimensions for Educational Buildings".Ministry of Health.Addendum to Hospital Design Note No. 1 and Appendix II "Dimensional Co-ordination and Industrialised Building".I believe that these publications represent a considerable step forward in the development and application of dimensional co-ordination to public building programmes.

asked the Minister up Public Building and Works when he proposes to reintroduce cormorants into St. James's Park.

I hope to reintroduce a pair of young birds in the early autumn, if the cormorants at the Edinburgh Zoo co-operate. Those at the London Zoo have not so far been able to help me or each other in this task.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what improvements he proposes to make to the Press Gallery.

In conjunction with the authorities of the House, I am arranging for the Press Gallery accommodation to be increased by three rooms on the Upper Ministers' Floor. These rooms will become available when the Clerks at the Table move to their new accommodation in the North Block of the Roof Space Scheme, and will, I hope, be ready for occupation by the Press at the end of the 1965 Easter Recess.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what conditions he lays down in making grants to owners for the maintenance and repair of historic houses.

It is a condition of these grants that all the work for which they are made is done to the Ministry's satisfaction. It is also a requirement that the public should be allowed reasonable access to the building. In addition, it is my practice before making a grant to obtain an assurance from the owner that the building will not be sold after it has been repaired.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will consider the holding of an international conference in the summer of 1965 on the care and restoration and use of historic buildings and the legislation connected therewith; and whether he will consider Hampton Court as a suitable place for this conference.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe are examining a proposal to call an international conference on the preservation and development of groups and areas of buildings of historic or artistic interest. Her Majesty's Government have expressed their support for this proposal and, if it is approved, would be prepared to consider suggesting that the Conference should be held at a suitable place in this country. I do not, however, consider that Hampton Court would be suitable for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will publish an advisory leaflet setting out the various legislation aimed at preservation of historic buildings with the relationships of the various Government departments and other official bodies concerned with preservation, recording and restoring historic buildings and ancient monuments.

We will certainly consider this very interesting suggestion in consultation with the other Departments concerned.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what further proposals he has for dispersal of Government offices.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what plans he has for dispersing staff of his Department to Merseyside.

I have decided to move from London to Liverpool work, occupying some 200 staff in my Supplies Division, largely in connection with commodities manufactured in the North-West and the North Midlands.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will give hon. Members an opportunity of seeing the proposed surface lay-out of the Abingdon Street area.

I have arranged with the authorities of the House for a model to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall from this afternoon until the beginning of the Summer Recess.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he proposes to re-erect the cast-iron convenience which stood on the Abingdon Street car park site.

No. This was the property of the Westminster City Council.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what additional staff have been appointed to speed-up the scheduling of ancient monuments since the Ancient Monuments Board for England, in their last report, drew attention to the slow annual rate of scheduling.

No additional staff have yet been appointed for this purpose since the report was published some six weeks ago. We are, however, reviewing the staffing arrangements in the light of the Board's comments.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when the work on Jewel House Moat will be completed.

Work on the Jewel Tower Moat is linked with the layout of the garden above the car park at Abingdon Street. Although the moat will not be extended further a bridge will span it and certain additional work will be done to the moat walls. The whole scheme will probably be completed early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what use has been made up to date of the advisory services of the National Building Agency.

I understand that the National Building Agency is already dealing with many requests for advice, on a wide variety of topics, from public clients, architects, builders and manufacturers.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether negotiations with Mowlems Limited on the additional fee claimed by that firm in connection with the Downing Street contract have yet been concluded; what is the final figure agreed to; and why there has been a delay in the completion of the negotiations.

Owing to the very great difference between the parties, negotiations have not been concluded. After the most recent meeting on 10th June the contractor undertook to supply additional particulars and has now asked for a further meeting.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the number of members of the public who have caused wear to the carpets of the Chamber of this House by walking on it since its rebuilding; how many times the carpet in chambers and lobbies has been renewed since the war; what has been the cost; and what is the annual cost of cleaning the interior of the Palace of Westminster.

The admission and control of the public is a matter for the Authorities of the Palace of Westminster, whose records show that at least four million members of the public have visited the building since the Chamber of this House was rebuilt. The carpet in the Chamber has been replaced twice and carpets in the lobbies once since the war, at a cost of £3,500. Cleaning of the public parts and corridors of the Palace of Westminster for which the Ministry is responsible costs £32,000 per year.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons aged over 65 and under 70 years are in full- or part-time employment, but whose earnings do not exceed the figure laid down under the earnings rule.

Rather less than 50,000 men pensioners. I think it is a reasonable inference that the 280,000 men in this age group who are qualifying for increased pensions by postponing their retirement have higher earnings. I can make no corresponding estimate for women because neither the retirement test nor the earnings rule applies to them after the age of 65.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners, non-contributory old-age pensioners and other persons were receiving National Assistance grants on 30th June, 1964, from the Kennington and Brixton area offices.

On 30th June, 1964, 5,597 retirement pensioners, 270 non-contributory old-age pensioners and 3,287 other persons were receiving National Assistance grants from the Kennington and Brixton area offices. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in the Faversham constituency receiving the retirement pension are also receiving National Assistance; how many retirement pensioners have applied for National Assistance during the past 12 months; and how many of those applications have been refused.

At 30th June, 1964, 1,991 retirement pensioners in the Faversham Parliamentary Constituency were receiving National Assistance.I regret that information about applications is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many applications for assistance were received by the National Assistance Board in the County of Lanarkshire in each year since 1959, how many were granted, and how many in each category concerned persons other than those over the age of 65 years.

The County of Lanarkshire—excluding the City of Glasgow—is served by seven offices of the National Assistance Board, two of which also serve territory in the City of Glasgow and one of which serves territory both in the City of Glasgow and in part of Stirlingshire. In the area served by these seven offices, the numbers of applications for national assistance and the numbers of grants made—including both running allowances and single payments—were as follows:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in Rutherglen and Cambuslang are in receipt of moneys from the National Assistance Board.

On 30th June, 1964, 3,976 in the area covered by the Rutherglen area office which includes territory outside both Rutherglen and Cambuslang. Some of the allowances provided for the needs of more than one person.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the number of registered unemployed in each region getting National Assistance; and how many of these are not drawing the full scale because of a limitation on assistance based on earning power.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is as follows:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what steps he has taken to ensure that pensioners and other beneficiaries do not suffer hardship where payment of their benefit is delayed as a result of the postal dispute.

Until postal delays have been overcome, there are special arrangements to help people whose postal drafts or order books have been delayed and who need payment urgently. In that event they should get in touch with their local Pensions and National Insurance Office. In the meantime it will be helpful if beneficiaries, as far as possible, will wait until payments reach them through the post in the ordinary way.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what reply has been sent to the Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers' Mersey District Committee, regarding the non-payment of unemployment benefit following the conclusion of the dispute at Cammell Laird's, Birkenhead, details of which have been sent to him.

The letter addressed to the hon. Lady by the Mersey District Committee of the Society has just been received in the Department. I am looking into this and will write to her as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether a decision has been reached about the future use of the Welwyn Garden City Cottage Hospital; and whether he will make a statement about the programme for bringing this hospital into use.

I would refer my hon. and noble Friend to the Answer I gave to him on 29th June.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the progress of hospitals being built in the area of the Glantawe Hospital Management Committee.

Work on the second stage of the new District General Hospital at Singleton Park, Swansea is expected to be complete by November, 1965; the new Outpatient and Accident Department and Children's Wards at Llanelly Hospital should be ready in May, 1965.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons are on the waiting lists for hospital treatment in the area of the Glantawe Hospital Management Committee; and what is the average waiting time for treatment.

1,917 on 30th June, 1964; urgent cases are dealt with at once; the waiting time for non-urgent cases varies according to the specialty and the individual case, ranging from one week for general medicine at Swansea General Hospital to 32 weeks for gynaecology.

asked the Minister of Heath whether he is aware of the growing concern in the city of Manchester at the inadequacy of hospital accommodation, either existing or planned for the East Manchester area covering the districts of Beswick and New Cross among others; and what action he is proposing to take to remedy this deficiency.

I have nothing to add to my letter to the hon. Gentleman of 15th May, 1964.

asked the Minister of Health what hospital management committee controls the St. Nicholas' Mental Hospital at Gosforth, Northumberland; how many parliamentary divisions exist within its area; how many people sit on the management committee; on what dates reports were made by this committee or by any of its officers to the Regional Board or to him about the sleeping conditions in the Chapel Dormitory of the hospital and the need for immediate reorganisation to improve conditions.

The St. Nicholas Hospital Management Committee; 7; 14. On 22nd June, 1961 the Group Secretary, on behalf of the Management Committee, drew the attention of the Regional Hospital Board to the overcrowding in the hospital, especially in the female wards. A joint committee of officers of the Regional Board and the Management Committee which was set up as a result has kept the Regional Board in touch with the position.

asked the Minister of Health how many mental patients are sleeping in the Chapel Dormitory of the Gosforth Hospital under the conditions illustrated in the evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Wallsend; what immediate steps are to be taken to reduce the numbers and improve the conditions; and if he will meet the management committee at once to discuss a re-arrangement of sleeping accommodation and the erection of temporary accommodation for mental patients.

68; the Hospital Management Committee has asked its medical advisory committee to arrange for the numbers to be reduced so that a chair and a locker can be provided for each patient. The Regional Hospital Board is responsible for the detailed planning of hospital provision. My right hon. Friend will be glad to consider any proposal it may make.

asked the Minister of Health why he sold for some £2,000 in 1960 land belonging to Rush Green Hospital whose present market value is estimated at £100,000; what consultation takes place with the staffs of hospitals before such sales are authorised; and what steps he is taking to prevent further similar losses to public funds.

The land was sold by public auction in 1960 with an indication that the planning authority would permit no building, which was the position at that time. Land which is surplus to requirements will continue to be sold by the method likely to bring the best price, usually public auction. In deciding when to advise my right hon. Friend that land is surplus to requirements it is for the Regional Hospital Board to take into account local and other factors which affect the interest of the hospital service.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to remedy the situation at Llwynypier Hospital, where the casualty services have been partially suspended due to the shortage of medical staff.

I understand that the services will be fully restored on 1st August.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to start work on the new hospital at Eastburn, near Keighley.

In about a year's time.

asked the Minister of Health if a decision upon the future of the Penrhys Isolation Hospital has now been made by the Welsh Hospital Board.

No. The Board is still considering the possibility of providing a first-line smallpox unit elsewhere in South Wales.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the financial content of the hospital building programme for each of the hospital regions, and for the teaching hospitals, as approved in the original 10-year plan.

The sums, calculated on an income and expenditure basis and including the value of centrally purchased equipment, were:—

asked the Minister of Health what the result has been of his inquiries about outpatient delays at the London teaching hospitals; if he is satisfied that the governors of the hospitals concerned are now fully conscious of the need for constant examination of the outpatient problem and the time taken to deal with each individual patient; and if he will make a statement.

Yes; I am satisfied that the boards are fully conscious of this need; as I told my hon. Friend on 23rd March, I intend to review the matter later in the year. I shall do this when I have completed discussions on the recent study and am ready to issue fresh guidance.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital beds are out of use in the area of the Glantawe Hospital Management Committee; and if he will give details.

53. 25 infectious diseases beds at Hill House Hospital, Swansea, closed for lack of staff and 28 general medicine beds at the Morriston Hospital temporarily closed for alterations and redecoration. These latter are to be reopened in August.

asked the Minister of Health what response he has had from the local authorities concerned over his suggestions to them that the regulations applying to markets handling food in the London area are capable of improvement.

The preliminary response of local authority representatives has been favourable. I am still awaiting detailed comments from some of the organisations concerned on the suggestions I put before them.

asked the Minister of Health what is the approximate number of doctors who will have attained the age of 60 years and over, and 65 years and over, on 5th July, 1968; and what is his estimate of the proportions these will represent of doctors in general practice at that date.

It is estimated that on present trends in 1968 about 4,500 doctors in the National Health Service will be over 60 and about 1,700 will be over 65; of those over 60, it is estimated that about 70 per cent. will be in general practice, and of those over 65, about 90 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health what is his estimate of the number of doctors who will retire in the year immediately following 5th July, 1968; and how this compares with his estimated intake of doctors in the same year.

I regret that the information on which a precise estimate can be based is not at present available, but there can be no doubt that intake will exceed retirements.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of doctors per 1,000 of the population in England and Wales at the latest convenient date; and what progress he has achieved in relation to the number of doctors practising in the county borough of St. Helens.

0·435 general practitioners per 1,000 civilian population in mid-1963. The situation in St. Helens is still as I described it in my reply to the hon. Member on 20th April, which showed a slight improvement.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to see that it is made an offence to display for sale any unwrapped food, unless adequately protected from infection and dirt.

It is already an offence under the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960, for food handlers to place food so as to involve any risk of contamination. The amendments proposed to the regulations applying to markets, stalls and mobile shops, are now with interested parties for comment, include a specific requirement to keep food under cover where reasonably necessary not only while exposed for sale but also during sale or delivery. I shall propose a similar provision in relation to other food establishments when the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations are amended.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make lung cancer a notifiable disease, so that a complete medical and personal history of all cases can be prepared for statistical purposes.

No. My right hon. Friend's aim is to achieve complete coverage under the cancer registration scheme.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths per 1,000 through lung cancer occurred in England and Wales in 1963, respectively; and what information he has about similar figures for Switzerland, the United States of America, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Iceland, Belgium, and Ireland.

The information available is shown in the following table:

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now reconsidered the Weights and Measures (Equivalents for Dealing with Drugs) Regulations, 1964; and what action he is proposing to take.

Yes. Amending regulations have been made to meet the criticisms offered during the debate on 20th April. They will be laid before the House on Wednesday.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to standardise the tests given by audiologists before prescribing and fitting a hearing aid.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that mass X-rays of coalminers at pitheads surveys in the North Staffordshire coalfield showed that the active tuberculosis rate has fallen from 3·9 per thousand in the period 1956–57 to 1·2 per thousand in 1961 to 1963; how this compares with the rate for the general population of North Staffordshire; and why this appreciable improvement has taken place.

Yes. The comparable figures for the general population in the area served by the mass radiography units in North Staffordshire were 3·1 per thousand in 1956, 2·5 in 1957, 1·8 in 1961, 1·7 in 1962 and 1·6 in 1963. Tuberculosis has decreased throughout the country in this period.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that mass X-rays at the pitheads in North Staffordshire has shown that there has been a large fall in the number of cases of progressive mass fibrosis as well as a great diminution in the attack rate of pulmonary tuberculosis; and to what extent his Department accept these figures as evidence of the relationship between tuberculosis and massive fibrosis.

Yes, but I am advised that this cannot be taken as evidence of a relationship between the two diseases.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the National Health Service of increasing from three years to four the period in which new research-based drugs are free of all price control, as provided in the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme just agreed.

The extension of the free period from three years to four years for new research-based drugs is offset by the reduction of that period for other products and I have no reason to suppose that any significant extra cost will be incurred.

asked the Minister of Health what hospital studies are being made of a possible connection between coronary heart disease and the refinement of flour following research on these lines in Oslo, details of which are available to his department.

Research is going on in a number of centres into the possible connection between the fatty acids, which occur in food, and coronary heart disease but not, so far as I know, with particular reference to flour. Scientific reports of the work referred to in Oslo are not as yet available.

asked the Minister of Health how many vacancies there are for general practitioners in the Rhondda area; and what steps he is taking to have them filled.

I understand there are at present three vacancies in partnerships; it is or the remaining partners to select successors.

asked the Minister of Health what is the latest figure of the incidence, per hundred thousand of the population, of tuberculosis in Stoke-on-Trent; how many county boroughs of a similar size in England and Wales have a lower incidence; and whether he will name them.

37 per 100,000 population in 1963. Among county boroughs of similar size only Portsmouth had a lower rate.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors have been formally warned in the last two years about over-prescribing drugs; and if he will publish the names of these doctors, and all the evidence of over-prescribing.

Nineteen during the two years ended 30th June last. During the same period my Regional Medical Officers paid some 1,600 informal visits to doctors on prescribing matters. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No",

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a doctor recently prescribed 800 purple heart tablets a day for a Lancashire family; and what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to avoid such occurrences in future.

I understand that in this case, which occurred in 1961, several doctors were prescribing for about a dozen people living at the same address.Doctors are visited by my Regional Medical Officers to discuss prescribing matters and there are special arrangements for the scrutiny of individual prescriptions involving excessive quantity or cost. Some cases of over-prescribing are referred to the local medical committee and, where the circumstances warrant it, remuneration is withheld from the doctor.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of grants paid to farmers in the County of Buckinghamshire under the farm improvement and small farmers schemes.

At 31st May, 1964, the total amount of grant paid to farmers in Buckinghamshire was £588,010 under the Farm Improvement Scheme, with a further £189,474 outstanding on work not yet completed; and £140,284 under the Small Farmer Scheme, with an estimated £39,000 outstanding on plans not yet completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the nutritional value of barley beef as compared with other beef; if he is aware that it is totally lacking in flavour; and if he will take steps to ensure that when this beef reaches the shops it is clearly identified as such;(2) what proportion of eggs now coming on to the market are produced from free-range hens and what proportion from battery systems; and if he will take steps to ensure that in the latter case they are clearly identified as such.

I am afraid that no information is available at present on the nutritional value of barley beef compared with beef produced by other methods. Flavour is a matter for individual taste and consumers form their own views.About 34 per cent. of laying birds on agricultural holdings in England and Wales are managed on the battery system, about 44 per cent. in deep litter houses, and about 22 per cent. on free range or by other systems.It would not be practicable to legislate for commodities at the retail stage to be marked by the system of husbandry under which they were produced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the chemical preservatives, colours, and other processing agents which are exempted from being named on the list of ingredients on the label of manufactured foodstuffs;(2) what manufactured foodstuffs are altogether exempted from being provided with a label stating the chemical additives contained therein.

The First Schedule to the Labelling of Food Order, 1953, sets out the foods which, when pre-packed for sale, are exempted from being provided with a label stating their ingredients. The list is as follows:FOODS EXEMPTED FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO DECLARE INGREDIENTS ON THEIR LABELS WHEN PRE-PACKED FOR SALEBaking Powder.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the beef consumed in Great Britain is home-produced; and how much of this has been raised by intensive methods.

71 per cent. of United Kingdom beef supplies in 1963 were home-produced. I regret that I have no precise information on the quantity raised by intensive methods, but a new question to be included in the September census returns will ask for the number of male cattle being reared intensively for slaughter at 8 to 14 months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make a grant towards the projected flood control and prevention works along the River Ravensbourne.

I cannot yet say, partly because we are still awaiting further information necessary to assess the scheme. But meanwhile my right hon. Friend has approved the carrying out of certain urgent work without prejudice to the grant position.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in the OFFICIAL

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of jobs and the number of unfilled vacancies for men and women, respectively, in the areas of

Following is the information:Lesmahagow, Carluke, Larkhall, and Bathgate, respectively, in January and June of each year since 1959.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour what are the prospects of employment for juveniles in Aberavon division this autumn.

Employment opportunities for young people in this area are limited. The Youth Employment Service will do all it can to help the unemployed boys and girls find suitable jobs.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the unemployment figure, as a percentage of the insured population, for the Kirkcaldy, Leven and Methil, and Burntisland exchange areas, respectively, at the last count; what was the current national average; and what were the figures for the same areas for the corresponding month in 1959, 1961, and 1963.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the male and female unemployment figures for Kirkcaldy, Buckhaven and Methil, and Burntisland areas, respectively, at the latest convenient date; and what were the corresponding figures for the same dates in 1959 and 1962, respectively.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour what is the average yearly percentage of persons unemployed and the average number of unfilled vacancies in the area served by his High Wycombe office since October, 1951; and what is the present position.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now state the date of publication of the report of the committee which has been studying the working conditions in the Sheffield cutlery and silverware industries.

I regret that for technical reasons there has been some delay in the publishing of this report. It has now been sent for printing and will be published in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that members of the public were put at hazard when building materials fell from a height from a building site in Corporation Street, Coventry, on 26th June, following a collapse of scaffolding; and what action his Department proposes to take.

I am aware of the incident to which the hon. Member refers. One of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Factories, on learning of the occurrence, visited the site to ensure that the appropriate Regulations were being observed. He reports that the contractor is now erecting a scaffolding fan in order to protect members of the public from any repetition of the accident. I should point out, however, that my powers under the Factories Act provide only for the safety of employed persons and not for members of the public.

asked the Minister of Labour, following the collapse of a crane jib at Brent Cross, Hendon, and in view of the increasing hazards to the public involved in the collapse of scaffolding or cranes on construction sites, whether he will amend the Construction Regulations made under the Factories Acts to give protection to workers employed on the site and to members of the public who may be in the vicinity.

An inquiry under Mr. E. S. Fay, Q.C., is being held into the Brent Cross crane accident. It will report on all matters which are of public concern. Building and Construction Regulations under the Factories Act already protect workers employed on building and construction work. New regulations in course of preparation will provide further protection. I have, however, no powers under the Factories Act to make regulations for the protection of the public.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of unemployed of each sex registered at each employment exchange in North Dorset at the latest convenient date.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were registered as unemployed at Falmouth and Camborne-Redruth, respectively, at each monthly count since March last; and what percentages these were of the numbers of insured persons.

The following table gives the information:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will extend financial assistance in respect of their labour-training costs to firms setting up or expanding factories in development districts.

Yes. In order to clarify the present position and widen the scope of assistance towards labour-training costs in development districts it has been decided to bring into effect certain new arrangements. From 1st September, 1964, financial assistance towards such costs to firms providing additional employment in development districts—whether by moving into a development district or by expanding an existing factory there—will be administered under the Employment and Training Act, 1948, and not under the Local Employment Acts.From that date applications will also be considered from firms in development districts which, though not expanding, are involved in substantial re-training of labour as part of measures necessary to prevent a reduction in employment.Assistance towards the cost of approved training undertaken by such employers will be by way of grants within the following scales:(

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of wholly unemployed boys under 18 years of age to notified unfilled vacancies for boys in the Midlands, London and south-east, and Wales at the latest available date.

At mid-July for every 100 wholly unemployed boys under 18 there were 1,855 unfilled vacancies in the Midlands, 1,368 in London and South-Eastern region and 144 in Wales.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls living in the Gower constituency will be leaving school at the end of July; and what are their prospects of finding employment.

About 600 boys and girls are expected to leave school in the constituency this summer. The prospects are that the majority of them should find employment without undue difficulty.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the yearly average number of persons employed in Rutherglen and Cambuslang from 1951 to the latest available date.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the yearly average number of persons in Rutherglen and Cambuslang registered as unemployed in 1951 and in subsequent years to the latest convenient date; and what percentage these figures represent of the insured population in these areas.

I regret that the full information requested is not readily available and the very considerable amount of time involved in its preparation for all the years requested would not be justified.Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what local costs were incurred for the years 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963 in maintaining the British Army of the Rhine; and how much of these was met by the German Federal Government.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) on 9th June.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet concluded an agreement with the Federal Government of Germany covering the cost of maintaining the British Army of the Rhine in view of the expiry this year of the 1962 agreement; and if he will state the terms of the new arrangement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Box) on Friday, 24th July.