asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to deal with the shortage of midwives in Ilford.

I understand that existing numbers are adequate for present needs in the area. Measures are being taken to recruit additional midwives to meet the planned expansion of the local services.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to authorise the issue of specially adapted two-seater cars to crippled patients; and whether, in suitable cases, he will take steps to substitute these cars for invalid tricycles as and when they become due for replacement.

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given on 16th November to the noble Lord the Member for Hertford (Lord Balniel) and the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins).

asked the Minister of Health what will be the staff of the new research centre at Roehampton when it is occupied in 1966; and what steps are now being taken to train them for their duties.

The future staffing needs of an expanded Research Department are at present under consideration.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give greater national publicity to the campaign for the detection and prevention of cervical cancer.

I shall consider the question of publicity when adequate facilities are available to meet the likely demand for cervical screening.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to arrange that all medical prescriptions of doctors for private patients should be paid for by the National Health Service.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he will arrange for priviate patients, who make no calls upon the National Health Service while paying their full share of the cost, to receive all drugs prescribed by their doctors in the manner applying to panel patients.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether consultants are under any obligation to inform hospital administrative staff, other consultants and their patients, of any clinical trials they agree to conduct for drug companies outside their hospital duties.

Consultants are not under any general obligation to inform hospital administrative staff or other consultants that they are undertaking clinical trials. Their responsibility to patients is the subject of guidance contained in a statement issued by the Medical Research Council in their Report for 1962–63 (Cmnd. 2382); hospital authorities were asked in September this year to bring its contents to the attention of all hospital medical staff.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the sixpence increase in the tax on petrol, he will arrange for a compensating increase in the free issue of petrol to invalids driving mechanically-propelled vehicles issued by the State.

I am considering the matter.

asked the Minister of Health what are the medical, social and economic advantages of the three-wheeled, motorised invalid carriage over a suitably adapted four-wheeled motor car for the use of paraplegics.

Invalid tricycles are designed for disabled drivers and can be more readily adapted to suit individual needs; some paraplegics who could not control a motor car can manage an invalid tricycle. Patients in tricycles may enjoy special privileges, e.g. at sporting events, and consideration is generally shown by other road users. From the Exchequer point of view, the overall cost of providing adapted motor cars instead of tricycles would be very much greater.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider legislation to give small cars in place of motor invalid tricycles to all National Health patients entitled, capable and desiring to drive them.

Not at present.

asked the Minister of Health what proposals he has for widening the categories of disabled men and women eligible for motor vehicles supplied by his Department.

None at present, but this is a subject which I shall wish to consider further.

asked the Minister of Health if he will tabulate the extent and increase during the last 10 years of rickets and similar diseases in children owing to lack of vitamins in foods; and if he will take steps to ensure that foods advertised to contain such vitamins do contain them.

Exact information is not available, but I am advised that there has not been any significant increase. Food and drugs authorities already have

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied with the present method of registration of chiropodists; and whether adequate numbers of chiropodists are employed for work under the National Health Service.

My right hon. Friend has no reason to be dissatisfied. More chiropodists are needed in the National Health Service and the recruitment of trained staff to the service will be reviewed.

asked the Minister of Health what is the present increase or decrease in cases of leukaemia compared with five and 10 years ago; what are the variations in locality and in the age of victims of this disease; and what progress has been made towards securing its alleviation or cure.

The best available information relates to deaths. There were 2,830 deaths from leukaemia in 1963, 444 more than in 1958 and 709 more than in 1953. I give below figures for 1963 by age and for different regions of the country.Methods of treatment continue to improve. No cure has yet been found but new drugs have greatly increased the survival times in acute leukaemia of childhood.Following are the figures:

asked the Minister of Health if he will issue a pamphlet dealing with experiments conducted by local authorities on the fluoridation of drinking water, and the results.

A report on the conduct of fluoridation studies in certain local authority areas in the United Kingdom and the results achieved after five years was published in 1962. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Health why no date can yet be given to build a new hospital in Clacton-on-Sea.

Because the Hospital Plan, in the later stages of which a new hospital at Clacton might start, is, as hon. Members know, under review.

asked the Minister of Health when the regional hospital boards and teaching hospitals will be notified by his Department of their allocation of capital expenditure for 1965–66.

I am at present considering boards' estimates framed on the basis of guidance given in the autumn, and expect to approve final allocations early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Health if he will arrange that the work on an additional operating theatre at Preston Hospital, North Shields, shall be completed as originally agreed.

The timing of this scheme is a matter for the regional hospital board to consider in relation to their other priorities.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make funds available for the modernisation of the kitchens of Oakwood Hospital, Maidstone.

The regional hospital Board are well aware of the need to reorganise the kitchens at Oakwood Hospital and already have a scheme in mind. It is for them to decide on its priority within their capital allocations.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to improve the supply of beds and places in day hospitals for geriatric patients in the Maidstone area.

The regional hospital board do not have an increase in bed numbers in mind but they are planning a day hospital at Linton Hospital.

asked the Minister of Health if he has received a report of the investigation into the causes of infection which occurred at the Birmingham Eye Hospital leading to the closure of the operating theatre; what action has been taken to improve facilities at this hospital; and whether he will now consider the need for a new eye hospital in Birmingham.

I have been kept closely informed of the investigations which followed the closing of the operating theatre; all practicable improvements to the existing facilities were made before the decision to reopen the theatre was taken, but the need to replace this hospital is fully accepted and planning is to begin for a new unit at the teaching hospital site at Edgbaston.

asked the Minister of Health what action is being taken to remedy the shortage of physiotherapists, radiographers and engineers in hospital service, particularly in the region of the North Eastern Metropolitan Board; and what attention has been given to the adequacy of the remuneration for those professional categories.

My right hon. Friend is reviewing the recruitment of trained staff in the hospital service. Salary increases averaging 9½ per cent. for physiotherapists and radiographers were published on 29th October: for hospital engineers agreement has been reached on improved salaries and a new grading structure.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the order will be placed for the new aircraft carrier.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government in respect of the proposal to place an order for a new aircraft carrier; and when invitations to tender for its construction will be issued to British shipbuilding yards.

Present plans are based on ordering this ship in 1966 in which case we would invite tenders in the early part of that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that the same opportunities for advancement and conditions of service are available to all State Registered Nurses in each of the Armed Forces.

All three Services have commissions open to S.R.N.s of either sex, except that in the Navy members of Queen's Alexandra's Royal Nursing Service are civilians with officer status. The opportunities for advancement depend on the number of vacancies and this is set by the needs of each Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Miss Judith Field, a Cambridge mathematics graduate, has been refused employment as a temporary assistant experimental officer at the Royal Observatory, Herstmonceux Castle, Sussex.

This case has been reviewed. If Miss Field wishes to re-apply for employment at the Royal Observatory, she will be accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware of the local unemployment which will be caused by the proposed closure of the Ordnance depôt at Barlow; and what are his proposals for the future of the site.

Most of the functions of the Ordnance Sub-Depôt at Barlow will be transferred to a new depôt at Catterick but this is not expected to be ready before 1969. It is, however, planned to retain a small Ordnance depoôt at Barlow thereafter. Of the 300 or so employees who will become redundant at Barlow, some will be found employment in my Department at Catterick and elsewhere, and every effort will be made in consultation with the Ministry of Labour to find other work for such staff as we do not absorb ourselves. In addition, some of the reductions will be achieved by normal wastage.We are at present considering whether any of the site can be given up when the sub-depôt is closed. If any land is found to be surplus, it will be offered to other Government Departments before disposal action is taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will issue instructions to all Service establishments which will ensure that all men and women in Her Majesty's Forces are made fully aware of the steps they must take in order that they may register their vote at General Elections.

I would refer the hon. Member to the repy which I gave to the hon. Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mr. Hawkins) on 11th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will review the long-term requirements of the Armed Forces for strategic transport aircraft, with a view to placing a development order for an advanced turbo-prop or jet aircraft to meet the need for greater mobility in the future.

The Belfasts and VC lOs are not yet in service. Together with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation, I shall be studying possible future needs but it is too soon to formulate detailed requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make a payment of a capital sum to those who retired under the 1945 scale similar to those officers retiring under later codes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for members of the Services, when travelling on leave between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, to have the use for air travel of their free leave warrants, as is the case when sea crossings have to be made in other parts of the United Kingdom.

Only when no boat service is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the salary to be paid to Dr. Bondi; what are his official responsibilities and his qualifications for this work; and what access is available to him to classified material.

Professor Bondi is not to be paid a salary. He is a member of one official committee and chairman of another which report to the Defence Research Committee. Professor Bondi is a scientist of international repute who has specialised in astrophysics and cosmology; he has been Professor of Mathematics at King's College, London, since 1954; and has given most useful service to defence over a number of years. He will have such access to classified material as is necessary to his official responsibilities.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will initiate an inquiry into the effects of restrictive practices on both sides of industry, with a view to putting an end to those practices which hold back productivity.

I shall shortly be discussing with my National Joint Advisory Council the whole question of the more efficient use of manpower.

asked the Minister of Labour what instructions he has given as to the acceptance of applications for work vouchers from citizens of India and Pakistan.

The decision announced to the House by my right hon. Friend's predecessor on 5th June, 1964, still applies, and for the time being no further Indian or Pakistan non-priority applications are being accepted.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications for work vouchers from Commonwealth citizens were outstanding at the latest convenient date.

Approximately 325,000 applications were outstanding at the end of October, 1964.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress he has made in dealing with the dispute between motormen in the South-Eastern division and the British Railways Board.

As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, following the meeting which was held in my Department on Tuesday, 17th November, normal working has been resumed. An early meeting of the Railway Staff National Council is to be held to consider the union's current claim for a productivity payment to all trainmen.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to alter the constitution of Remploy, with the object of making it less a commercial undertaking and more of a service to the disabled employed by it.

No. I consider that the greatest service to the severely disabled men and women employed by Remploy is the provision of employment which approximates as nearly as possible to work in ordinary industry.

asked the Minister of Labour on what date his officers first contacted union officials concerning the recent unofficial strike of welders at Hall Russells' shipyard, Aberdeen.

Our chief conciliation officer wrote to the General Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers on 23rd October.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what progress he is making in stopping the sale of arms to South Africa.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of 17th November. The question of the supply of the Buccaneer aircraft is still under review.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement about the supply of Buccaneer aircraft to South Africa.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of 17th November. The question of the supply of the Buccaneer aircraft is still under review.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, what is the annual cost of Her Majesty's diplomatic representation in Sofia, including the pay and allowances of the members of the Mission.

The annual cost of maintaining Her Majesty's Embassy in Sofia for the year 1963–64 was approximately £73,000. Of this figure £49,000 represented the salaries and foreign and rent allowances of the United Kingdom based members of the staff.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has received about the legality of the action of Her Majesty's Government in imposing the recent 15 per cent. surcharge on certain categories of imported goods; and what reply he has sent.

Formal representations have been received from some members of the European Free Trade Association and from the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community. They are still under consideration. Meanwhile, discussions are taking place bilaterally and between the members of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the European Free Trade Association and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. There has also been an exchange of views in the Western European Union.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's Government are offering to relieve the suffering caused by the recent disastrous floods in Yugoslavia.

Her Majesty's Government have made a donation of £5,000 to the Yugoslav Red Cross for this purpose.Parliament will in due course be asked to vote that amount by means of a Supplementary Estimate. In the meantime an advance is being obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what special assistance Her Majesty's Government have provided for Red Cross work in the Yemen.

In September this year, the Government of day made a special grant of £5,000 to the British Red Cross Society for the purposes of relief work which is being carried out in the Yemen under the auspices of the International Red Cross.Parliament will in due course be asked to vote that amount by means of a Supplementary Estimate. In the meantime an advance has been obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what is the function of the British Advisory Mission in Viet-Nam; and to whom their advice is tendered;(2) if he will publish in a White Paper or in the OFFICIAL REPORT an account of the activities of the British Advisory Mission in Viet-Nam.

The British Advisory Mission in Saigon has the task of advising the Government of Viet-Nam, when asked, on administrative co-ordination and police matters. Financial authority for the mission at present extends to March, 1965. We shall be considering what future arrangements should be made.A White Paper describing the mission's activities would involve revealing information which must necessarily remain confidential if it is to be of use in combating the Communist insurrection in Viet-Nam.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware of the acute shortage of cement in West Devon; and what steps he will take to remedy this.

I am informed that in the South-West the delivery period of bagged cement is now seven days, but times for bulk deliveries are normal. Difficulties have been due partly to a breakdown at one large cement plant. I understand that this plant has now been repaired, and that the delivery situation should improve shortly.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will arrange for the collection of dead leaves in the Royal Parks and process and sell them as leaf mould, as is done in Canada.

This has been considered on a number of occasions in the past but has always been found to be impracticable or uneconomic. I am, however, re-examining the proposal.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what percentage of persons in receipt of retirement pensions is paid at the standard rate, at a higher rate and at lower than the standard rate, respectively.

It is estimated that at 31st December, 1963, about 66 per cent. of retirement pensioners were being paid at the standard rate, 29 per cent. at a higher rate and 5 per cent. at a lower rate.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners have a gross income of over £500 per year.

It is estimated by the Board of Inland Revenue that there are about 1 million retirement pensioners with incomes over £500 a year. About half of these incomes provide for the needs of more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the Government's proposed increases in retirement pensions will be on a general flat-rate increase basis applicable to all irrespective of the rate of their present pension; and whether she will make arrangements for the office of payment to overstamp the additional payment as from the next date of payment and receipt of these pensions.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the statement which I made in the House on 20th November.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, as a means of paying the proposed increases in retirement pensions earlier than next March, she will arrange with the Post Office to circulate to all post-masters a detailed list of what the various increases will be on existing pensions and ask them to pay the additional amounts by overstamping pensions books or by postal orders until such time as existing pension books can be amended.

No. There are about 200 diffrent rates of retirement pension and it is not possible to determine from the pension rate in payment in particular cases what the increased rate should be.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will make a statement setting out the difficulties of administration and otherwise of providing increased retirement pensions earlier than 29th March, 1965.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the debate on the Second Reading of the National Insurance &c. Bill on Wednesday.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) what is the estimated number of widows in Great Britain under 50 years of age who would benefit from an abolition of the 50 year entitlement age for a pension;(2) what is the current cost of providing widows with a pension entitlement at the age of 50 years;(3) what would be the estimated additional cost of providing widows with a pension entitlement at the age of 45 years instead of at 50 years as at present;(4) what would be the estimated additional cost of providing widows with a pension entitlement at the age of 40 years instead of at 50 years as at present;(5) what is the estimated number of widows in Great Britain in the 45–50 age group who would benefit from a reduction in the entitlement age for a pension from 50 years to 45 years;(6) what is the estimated number of widows in Great Britain in the 40–50 age

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will state in tabular form the increases in retirement pensions and dependants' allowances that have been made since July, 1948, the dates of the increases and the percentages of the former scales represented by the increases, respectively; and what are the percentage increases proposed under the present Bill.

Following are the figures:group who would benefit from a reduction in the entitlement age for a pension from 50 years to 40 years; (7) what would be the estimated additional cost of providing widows with a pension entitlement at any age instead of at 50 years as at present.

Taking into account the proposals now before the House, expenditure on all widows' benefits in 1965–66 is estimated at £133 million. The substitution of an age condition of 45 for the present age condition of 50, leaving all other conditions unaltered, would increase the cost to the Fund by approximately £10 million a year, benefiting 60,000 widows; substituting an age condition of 40 would result in increased expenditure of £16 million a year, benefiting 90,000 widows; without an age condition the amount would be £19 million a year and the number of widows benefiting 110,000. These figures take account of all widows under 60 who would become eligible for pensions on these assumptions, including those who have passed the age of 50.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the gross amount receivable by way of National Insurance contributions; how much of this is attributable to each of the social services provided; and to what extent any social service is subsidised from other sources.

At their present rates, insurance contributions in 1964–5 from insured persons and employers will amount to about £1,186 million for National Insurance and £69 million for Industrial Injuries insurance. These contributions are used solely for providing the cash benefits of the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries schemes. The schemes are also supported by payments from the Exchequer which will amount to some £220 million for National Insurance and £14 million for Industrial Injuries insurance in 1964–5; and there will be interest earnings of about £54 million on the National Insurance Fund and £15 million on the Industrial Injuries Fund.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in the area covered by the Huddersfield National Assistance Board were in receipt of National Assistance at the latest available date; and how many of them were pensioners, widows, sick, and unemployed, respectively.

At the end of September, 5,743, including 3,902 pensioners, 218 widows, 841 sick, and 166 unemployed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in compliance with the principle set out in the White Paper that the 15 per cent. charge will not apply to basic raw materials for industry, he will take steps to remove this impost from caprolactam, tariff item 29.37, when brought into Northern Ireland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Londonderry (Mr. Chichester-Clark) on 19th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to apply an annual licence fee to gambling machines as a means of deriving income from this type of spending.

I cannot anticipate what may be said on indirect taxation in the next Budget Statement but I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent his proposed capital gains tax will be paid both by a company and its shareholders; whether a company will be liable for corporation tax on franked income; whether trusts which pay no Income Tax will be liable for corporation tax; whether the element of capital appreciation in a redeemable security running to maturity will be liable to capital gains tax; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will prepare a scheme to limit the tax liability of executors under the proposed capital gains tax when they have to sell assets to pay Estate Duty which have already been assessed on their increased value; and if he will ensure that the total liability thereon is not more than either the estate duty or the capital gains tax assessment;(2) if, when preparing the proposed capital gains tax legislation, he will make adjustment for depreciation in the value of money between Budget Day 1965 and the sale of the asset;(3) if, when preparing the proposed corporation tax, he will take account of those companies which have a high ratio of preference capital; and if he will give an assurance that they will not be placed at a disadvantage.

These matters are being studied and I regret that I cannot make any statement about them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce amending legislation to provide that Monday, 28th December shall be an official public holiday in lieu of Boxing Day, Saturday, 26th December, in those industries where a five-day week, Monday to Friday, is worked.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the present profit or loss on the 3d. post.

The profit on inland letters for 1964–65 is estimated at £4·4 million, or 4·9 per cent. of the expenditure on this service.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will erect a telephone kiosk at Killycanavan, Arboe, Dungannon, as has been approved by the local rural district council.

I am obtaining the views of the Association of Rural District Councils in Northern Ireland and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will erect a telephone kiosk at the Corgory's, Castlederg, County Tyrone, where the nearest telephone is six miles away.

As the hon. Member knows this is a remote countryside with few houses and I see no prospect at present of providing a telephone kiosk in the area.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are still awaiting telephones in the Bridgnorth area at the present date.

Leaving aside orders under inquiry or being met, there are no applicants waiting for telephone service in the Bridgnorth exchange area at present.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give, by telephone areas, the proportion of applicants for connections who are still awaiting telephones at the present date.

Leaving aside orders under inquiry and being met the position at 30th September, 1964, the latest date for which figures are available, is as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are still awaiting telephones in the West Midland (Northern) area and West Midland (Southern) area, respectively, at the present date.

On 30th September, 1964, there were 2,071 applicants still awaiting telephones in the 54 exchange areas serving West Midland (Northern) area and 602 in the 65 exchange areas serving West Midland (Southern) area. In addition the number of applications under inquiry or in course of being met were 2,502 and 1,357 respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give details of any notice which is in force pursuant to the terms of section 14(4) of the British Broadcasting Corporation Licence and Agreement; and what previous notices have been given to the British Broadcasting Corporation under the present licence.

Notices are in force requiring the B.B.C. not to broadcast expressions of its own opinion on current affairs or on matters of public policy; party political broadcasts other than those in the agreed series; and subliminal messages. The full texts of these notices are contained in the "Memoranda by the Postmaster-General to the B.B.C.", copies of which are in the Library of the House. No other notices have been issued.

asked the Postmaster-General in what circumstances and by what criteria he is prepared to use his reserve powers under section 14(4) of the British Broadcasting Corporation Licence and Agreement.

Reserve powers are, by definition, powers only to be exercised in the last resort. For this reason it is not possible to define the circumstances and criteria which would govern their use.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has with regard to further measures to protect the United Kingdom coast and estuaries; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the advice given in a Circular sent by my predecessor to local planning authorities in September of last year. I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will reconsider the decision of his predecessor with regard to the Risley site for Manchester and Salford housing development;(2) whether, in view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Risley site, he will consider sites at Lynn and Mobberley for the purpose of Manchester and Salford housing development.

I have at present nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Salford, West (Mr. Orme) on 17th November.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the detailed land survey in respect of the area designated as a new town for Manchester will be completed; and what are the number and grades of staff employed on this survey.

No site has yet been designated for the proposed new town in the Risley area. An investigation of the peat lands is an essential part of the study of the area. This has recently been completed by a team of three officers from the Soil Research Laboratory of the Ministry of Public Building and Works and is now being studied. I am still awaiting their full report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the cost to agriculture and horticulture in Scotland of the proposed extra duty on hydrocarbon oils.

The estimated total cost to agriculture and horticulture combined is about £300,000 in a full year. Of this some £20,000 may be attributed to horticulture.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce the payment of winter keep grants under the Winter Keep Scheme for more than one cut of silage from any one field.

No. I see no reason for changing the present position which is that grant is related to land used for growing an eligible crop and only one payment may be made for any area of land in any year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to improve the teaching facilities for spastics in Herefordshire.

I am not aware of any special problem in providing teaching facilities in Herefordshire for spastic children able to benefit from education. Only five such children are known to the local education authority and arrangements satisfactory to the parents have been made in all these cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the approximate amount of money spent on cancer research yearly and the proportion of Government grant; and if he is satisfied that cancer research is not hampered by lack of money.

The amount that the Medical Research Council expects to spend specifically on cancer research in 1964–65 is approximately £1,029,000. This does not include capital expenditure. The Government also support cancer research through their financial grant to universities and medical schools through the University Grants Committee; and at hospitals within the National Health Service. In additional a great deal of basic research which may well throw light on problems of this disease is supported out of public funds.Cancer research is also supported by voluntary organisations, notably the British Empire Cancer Campaign, which in 1963 approved the expenditure of £1,314,787 on research and related activities, and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, whose expenditure in 1962–63 on research, related capital expenditure and endowment was £1,232,000.It is impossible to give a realistic estimate of the total expenditure, but I am assured that the Medical Research Council has not been hampered by lack of funds in the support of proposals which have commended themselves to the Council on scientific grounds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give estimates of the net return per acre of sugar beet to farmers in East Anglia in the seasons 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963.

No estimates are made in my Department of the net return to farmers per acre of sugar beet, but, according to surveys carried out by the Farm Economics Branch of Cambridge University, the figures for samples of 60 farms in Eastern England in 1961 and 1962 were £26 1s. 0d. and £20 19s. 0d. respectively. No information is available for Eastern England for the other two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the facilities and rights available to yachtsmen and dinghy sailors on the Deben estuary would be impaired by proposals for the establishment of a French-controlled oyster fishery in this estuary; and what action he will take to safeguard this area.

A public inquiry is to be held into the case mentioned by the hon. Member, and it would be improper for me to say anything further at this stage.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the Government's policy on military trooping contracts; and whether the British Overseas Airways Corporation will be allowed to put in a bid.

I have this under review.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will take steps to prohibit smoking in the rear compartments of aircraft.

No. This is a matter of airline management within the commercial discretion of the operator concerned and I have no power to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement on his further investigations into the expulsion of Mr. Dunmore from Tanzania.

Mr. G. Dunmore, the Area Lands Officer at Arusha, was summoned to Dar es Salaam on 12th November and arrested on arrival at the airport. He was allowed to return to Arusha early the next day, having been given 48 hours to pack and leave the country. Mr. Dunmore sailed from Tanga for Britain with his family on 15th November.We have of course been in touch with the Tanzanian Government about the matter; but they are not required to give reasons for a deportation, and none have been given in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the approximate number of maintenance orders in force in England and Wales at the present time, and the average weekly payment ordered by the courts; and if he will give examples of the highest and lowest amounts paid.

I regret that this information is not available. I am writing to the hon. Member to explain the position.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the comparable rates of juvenile delinquency in Dorset in 1953 and 1963.

In 1953 the number of juveniles aged under 17 found guilty of indictable offences at magistrates' courts in Dorset was 254. The corresponding figure for 1963 was 258. These represent rates of 77 and 60 respectively per 10,000 of the relevant juvenile population.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the existing establishment of his Department; and what proposals he has for its establishment in the future.

Apart from the staff engaged on the administration of the Duchy, I have only my private secretaries. I have no proposals for increasing my establishment at the moment.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements he has made to co-ordinate the social services.

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, it is not the practice to disclose the methods which Ministers adopt for discussing matters of common concern, but the work of co-ordination is proceeding in close co-operation with the individual Ministers responsible for administering the social services.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect of the ban on weekend working in the docks on the value of exports since it has been in operation, and on the probable balance of payments in the last quarter of this year.

It is not possible to make such estimates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the effect which the ban on weekend working in the docks has had on tonnages moving through particular ports since it was imposed.

I regret that I have no information of the kind requested.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for dim-dip headlight experiments in selected areas of the country in the coming winter months; if he will give a list of the areas; and if he will publish the results of these experiments.

My Department and the Road Research Laboratory are at present conducting an experiment with the dim-dip headlight system which has been fitted to a number of London taxicabs for use in well-lit streets. This is a controlled experiment in which the accident rates of fitted cabs will be compared with those of others using normal lighting. I am grateful to the owners and drivers for their help. The laboratory will evaluate the results at the end of the winter and a report will be published. In addition a number of local authorities are arranging campaigns advocating the use of dim-dip headlights in their areas. Certain police forces and other organisations are also trying out the system on their vehicles. While their results cannot be assessed in the same way as the controlled London taxicab experiment, I hope that these campaigns will prove useful in providing wider experience of the system, both for drivers and pedestrians.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the future of Heald Green Goods station, near Manchester, with special regard to its existing use as a fuel distribution point for the Wythenshawe housing estates and to its proximity to these estates.

No. This is a matter for the Railways Board.