asked the Minister of Aviation how many of his headquarters are situated outside London; in what places; and how many persons they employ.

I have 1,254 headquarters staff working outside the central London area, of whom 529 are at Liverpool.

asked the Minister of Health what quantities of lysergic acid diethylamide, L.S.D., he has purchased for use in hospitals under the National Health Service during each of the past five accounting years; and what proportions of this drug have been purchased from home and from foreign suppliers, respectively.

None. A few hospital authorities purchase the drug in small quantities from a firm which imports all its supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his headquarters are situated outside London; in what places; and how many persons they employ.

Apart from headquarters in Central London, there are Ministry of Defence headquarters staff at the following locations:

• Bath.
• Kidbrooke.
• Harrow.
• Cricklewood.
• Stanmore.
• Chessington.
• Mottingham.
• Feltham.
• Leeds.
• Droitwich.
• Harrogate.
• Worcester.
• Cheadle Hulme.

The total number of persons so dispersed is 7,627 or about 31 per cent. of total headquarters strength in the United Kingdom. In addition, there are about 382 headquarters staff serving with Army Commands in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance that the memorandum on the financial problems of rapidly expanding counties, submitted by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Sussex, West, and Warwickshire, will be considered in the comprehensive review now being undertaken into local government finances.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he will take to relieve ratepayers of part of their rates burden; and what reforms he proposes in the rating system.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the outcome of the Government's examination of the whole question of local government finance, including the rating system, referred to by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary on 10th November.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she is aware that the location of the National Assistance Board offices in Ballater Street, Gorbals, is inconvenient to, and causes hardship to, residents in the Cathcart constituency, particularly in Castlemilk; and whether she will establish another office of the Board in the district.

The National Assistance Board informs me that it could not justify the opening of another office in this part of Glasgow. There should be no undue hardship for the residents because business with those in need of help from the Board, especially the elderly and the handicapped, is normally transacted in their own homes.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to improve postal services in Ruislip-Northwood.

I am sorry that shortages of postmen in Ruislip-Northwood are causing delay in the delivery of mail. We are doing our best to get more staff but with competition from other employers in the area this is not easy. If the hon. Member would care to let me have details of any particular difficulties he has in mind I shall be glad to look into them and see what can be done to improve matters.

asked the Postmaster-General how many of his headquarters are situated outside London; in what places; and how many persons they employ.

Parts of certain Post Office headquarters departments and of one regional headquarters (Home Counties) together with the headquarters of seven regions are situated outside London. The places and numbers of persons employed—part-timers counting as half each—on 1st October, 1964, are:

asked the Postmaster-General how many subscribers are compelled to share telephone lines in Ruislip-Northwood.

In the exchange areas serving Ruislip-Northwood, 5,406 of the 25,669 subscribers have shared telephone lines.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secondary school children resident in Castlemilk have to travel outwith Castle-milk to school; and what is the annual cost of transporting these children to school.

The education authority conveys 1,113 Castlemilk pupils to secondary schools in other districts at an annual cost of £11,478.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when a third secondary school will be completed in the Castlemilk area of Glasgow.

Probably by autumn, 1967, on the basis that, as expected, the education authority starts building work early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider, in reviewing the Winter Keep Scheme, the inclusion in the scheme of barley to the extent that the crop is used on the farm for feed.

This aspect could certainly be considered during the forthcoming review of the operation of the Winter Keep Scheme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what countries received exports of home-made spirits, other than certificated Scotch or Irish whisky and other than gin and British compounds in 1963; what quantities were sent to each country; and what these exports were worth in pounds sterling.

I am sending the hon. Member the details required and am making a copy available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appellants on Shoreham beach withdrew their proposals for reduction in their rating assessments before going to the local court and after visits from the valuation staff; how many signed their withdrawals during the valuation officers' visits; and how many withdrawals were signed by the wives of the appellants during their husbands' absence from home.

37, 25 and 5, respectively. In no case was the wife of an appellant pressed to sign a withdrawal form, but if she said that her husband did not intend to proceed with the appeal the valuer told her that she could sign a withdrawal form if she had her husband's authority.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt books imported into this country from the 15 per cent. surcharge.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the House on 11th November, books are exempt from this charge.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to make his final decision on the closure or otherwise of the Shoreham-Horsham branch railway line; and if he will make a statement.

I am awaiting a further report from the Transport Users Consultative Committee. Until I have examined it I cannot say when I am likely to reach my decision.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he is aware of the hardship which will be inflicted on many people living in Northamptonshire by the proposed reduction in railway services; and whether he will take steps to stop this reduction;(2) whether he is aware of the hardship which will be inflicted on many people living in Northamptonshire by the proposed closing or partial closing of railway stations in the county, such as Corby and Desborough; if, in considering these closures, he will take account of the fact that Corby is growing rapidly in size; and what are the reasons for these closures.

The Railways Board's proposals for reduction of services require my approval only in so far as they involve the complete closure of lines or stations to passengers. I shall consider such proposals, their effects and their justification, in accordance with the policy which I outlined in my statement on 4th November. I shall certainly take account of the expansion of Corby among other factors.

asked the Minister of Transport what place the Bury easterly by-pass road scheme has been allocated in the Lancashire road programme.

The Lancashire County Council as my agent is carrying out a field survey to find a line of route for the by-pass. The scheme will be considered for a place in the national trunk roads programme when the results of this are known.

asked the Minister of Transport when work will be started on the Edenfield-Rawtenstall level-crossing by-pass scheme; and what has led to the delay in commencing this scheme.

No firm date can be given for starting work on this scheme. Legal proceedings have been instituted to quash the Order made under Section 9 of the Highways Act. I hope that an early decision will be possible.