asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the South-West Survey will be published.

I understand that the Joint Committee for the Economy of the South-West, who commissioned the Survey, expect to receive the report by the end of February next year.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will take steps to increase by Government action average earnings in the South-West.

The measures which we are taking at national and regional level to put the economy of the country on a sound footing will benefit the South-West and other parts of the country with under-used resources.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what machinery he has set up for co-ordinating regional plans to provide for improvement of communications to East Coast ports, in view of developments which may follow the exploration for oil in the North Sea.

The co-ordination of regional planning in all its aspects is one of the principal functions of my Department.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the period of office of the Chairman and members, respectively, of the National Economic Development Council; and by what criteria they were appointed.

No specific term is set for the tenure of office of the Chairman and the Ministerial members of the National Economic Development Council nor for that of the Director General of the National Economic Development Office, and the Chief Industrial Adviser to the Government. The other members hold their appointments for a period of two years in the first instance.In answer to the second part of the question the appointments from the Trade Union and management sides of industry were made after consultation with the T.U.C. and with the principal employers' organisations.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the cost of providing his unpaid public relations officer with facilities, and what expenses he will be allowed to draw in connection with his duties.

None.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what objections have been made by the trades unions to his proposals for an incomes policy; how far he has been able to overcome them; and if he will make a statement.

There are a number of complicated questions involved in achieving an effective and acceptable incomes policy. I am discussing these questions with representatives of employers and trades unions, but I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what discussions he has had with local authorities and the Railways Board regarding the effect of the Board's plans for the future use of Newcastle-Darlington coast railway line on the development plans for the region, and especially the Hartlepools; and what has been the result.

The North East Development Group, whose Chairman is an official of my Department, meet British Railways regularly to discuss railway communications in the North-East. They understand that British Railways are considering a possible reorganisation of services on the Newcastle-Sunderland-Middlesbrough line, but have not yet reached conclusions. I am well aware of the importance of adequate communications in regional economic development.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration has been given to the bringing of new industry to the Linwood area.

It is my right hon. Friend's policy to encourage the introduction of new industry in all the development districts including the district of which Linwood is a part.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what countries have raised their tariffs against goods imported from Great Britain since the imposition of the 15 per cent. surcharge.

No country has raised its tariffs against goods imported from Great Britain as a consequence of the imposition of the temporary import charge.

asked the President of the Board Trade what representations he has received about the effect on export of delays in shipments through the London Docks, and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received numerous representations from individual companies and from industrial and commercial organisations. He has replied that he is concerned about the effect on exports of delays at the docks, and that he is working closely with my right hon. Friends the Ministers of Transport and Labour to find a solution.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the loss of exports during the six months ended on 31st October through cancellation of orders because of late delivery and for other reasons arising out of industrial disputes at the London Docks and other docks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the additional cost to exporters of the delays in the shipment of goods caused by industrial disputes at the London and other docks.

I regret that I am unable to give such estimates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for setting up export targets for individual industries; and if he will assist the formation of Trade Export Councils on the lines suggested by the Eastern Regional Board for Industry in March, 1961.

There is no proposal at present to set export targets although the export potential of different industries will be taken into account in the economic development plan. My right hon. Friend would welcome the creation of more export groups but the initiative must largely come from the industries concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the considerations which led to the refusal to place an advance factory in Aberdeen.

My right hon. Friend considered the employment situation throughout Scotland and selected as sites for advance factories the places which had the best claims for this form of assistance.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for further advance factories in south-west Scotland.

I would refer my hon Friend to the answer given this afternoon to the hon. Member for Galloway (Mr. Brewis).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for directing light industry to development areas such as Banffshire.

My right hon. Friend has no powers to direct industry to the development districts. But the Board of Trade will continue to encourage suitable projects to set up in the areas where the Local Employment Acts facilities and the fiscal concession of free depreciation apply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of the machinery imported into this country on hiring agreements during 1962, 1963 and the first three quarters of 1964.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many buffaloes were included in the figure of 430 for imports of livestock recently classified by him as other, including buffaloes.

This information is not available from the import statistics. The heading in the statistics, Other Cattle, including buffaloes follows the wording of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revised). The United Kingdom, in common with many other countries, bases its trade statistics on this classification, using the internationally agreed wording for the important purpose of aiding international trade comparisons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state his plans for increasing trade and transport between the north-east of Scotland and Scandinavia.

The Scandinavian countries are members of E.F.T.A. and have shared fully in the development of trade with all parts of the United Kingdom, including Scotland. which has resulted from the establishment of the Association and which we shall do everything possible to promote. We are encouraging the links between Scotland and the E.F.T.A. countries. The E.F.T.A. Ministerial meeting in July this year was held in Edinburgh; my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation has recently announced an increase in the number of S.A.S. flights via Prestwick between Scandinavia and the U.S.A.; Her Majesty's Government welcome and support the Mission which the Scottish Council is sending to Denmark in the spring of 1965, and will, of course, encourage Scottish industries to play a full part in the British Trade Fair in Oslo in 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in estimating the volume of exports in 1965, what consideration he has given to the effect of the increase of £3½ million in dockers' pay on dock charges and thus on export prices; and if he will make a statement.

It is not possible to estimate the effect of changes of this kind in isolation from other changes affecting the future level of exports. In the circumstances, therefore, I have no statement to make.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which trades unions and associations he consulted before setting up his committee to investigate and report on the shipbuilding industry, about the outstanding problems of finance and manning of ships in order to enable British shipbuilding and British shipping to compete on favourable terms with foreign shipping.

The purpose of the Shipbuilding Inquiry Committee is to establish how the shipbuilding industry can best become competitive in world markets, and the question of prior consultations about finance or manning of ships does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement concerning the development of facilities for educating the subnormal in Herefordshire.

The school population of Herefordshire is too scattered to make possible a day special school for the educationally subnormal. The local education authority provides special educational treatment for most of these pupils in ordinary schools. More seriously handicapped pupils attend boarding special schools in Herefordshire, Shropshire and elsewhere. The authority has no immediate proposals for other developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to implement the school-building proposals put forward by the Middlesex County Council for the periods 1965–66 to 1967–68.

The Middlesex major school building programmes for 1965–66 and 1966–67 were announced by the previous Government last April. My right hon. Friend is not in a position to make changes in these programmes at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will widen the voluntary breath-testing trials due to take place before and during Christmas to include motor-cyclists and cyclists.

It is already planned to include motor-cyclists in these trials; but the number of pedal cyclists expected in the traffic to be tested is too small to be worth sampling.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the anomaly created by assessing a young woman for grants to assist her higher education on the basis of her father's income, which basis leads to hardship should she marry during her period of studies and thereby command a lower level of financial support; and if he will take steps to remove this anomaly.

The Committee on Grants to Students, under the chairmanship of Sir Colin Anderson, reported that they did not see any anomaly, given a system of parental contribution, in expecting such a contribution where the student was married. There are no doubt arguments for a contrary view, but I do not think they are such as to justify the additional charge to public funds that would be involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the disparity in length of time spent in primary schools caused by admitting children according to the month of their birth; and if he will make the necessary arrangements for all children to be admitted to school on the first day of the term in which their fifth birthday falls.

The disparity arises because children are admitted to infant schools or classes three times a year, but to junior and secondary schools or classes only once a year. Admission of all children to primary schools at the beginning of the term during which they reach five would not do away with the disparity. I expect that this question will be examined by the Central Advisory Councils for Education, whose reports on all aspects of primary education are expected in the summer of 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of representations from the Hougham Without Parish Council, the Dover Rural District Council and the local residents, he will reconsider the decision to close the Hougham Primary School and, in the meantime, prevent the closure of the school at the end of the current term.

No. I have no power to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the steep rise during recent years in the amount of fire losses in Great Britain, what plans he has for remedial action in the near and immediate future.

The Factories Act 1961 and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 contain provisions relating to fire precautions which have as their main purpose the protection of life, but which should help indirectly to raise the standards of fire safety in industrial and commercial premises where the bulk of fire losses occur. Centrally run courses for training fire prevention officers are being expanded, and fire authorities are always ready to advise managements about any additional fire precautions which may be needed in particular premises. Arrangements have been made for co-ordinating the publicity undertaken by Government Departments, fire authorities and insurance interests and designed to make the public more aware of the danger to life and property caused by fire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that some domestic animals which are stolen are sold to vivisection experimental establishments; and what steps he intends to take to end this practice.

I understand that allegations that cats and dogs are sometimes stolen and sold to laboratories have been brought to the attention of the Departmental Committee on Experiments on Animals. The Committee is studying the quest on of the supply of experimental animals amongst other matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number and annual cost of the policemen required to direct the traffic in Parliament Square while Parliament is in Session.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that on days when the House is sitting six police officers perform traffic duties in Parliament Square at an estimated cost of approximately £7,000 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in his review of the electoral law, he will consider the need to ensure that persons appointed as presiding officers and polling clerks are not disenfranchised.

There are provisions in the existing law designed to enable persons employed on election duties to cast their votes. I shall be glad to look into any difficulty which may have come to light.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to ensure that all Parliamentary and local electors should be required to vote by post.

No. I am not aware of any ground for such a change.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to put up the age at which au pair girls may enter this country; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is considering this matter, but he is not at present in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent the contracting of marriages within the bounds of consanguinity by adopted children in ignorance of their common parentage.

The chance of this occurring seems to my right hon. Friend to be insufficient to justify the establishment of the complicated machinery that would be required to prevent it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to make as widely known as possible that the draft lists of electors for 1964–65 are now on view, and that claims for inclusion in the register, by persons whose names have been omitted in error, must be made within the next few days if the error is to be corrected.

There are three separate Government announcements on the B.B.C. Home Service urging inspection of the lists before 16th December. Detailed information is distributed by the Home Office to the national and local Press and to the broadcasting authorities: this is widely used. The slogan "Are you on the new voters' lists?—check now" is currently incorporated in postmarks. In the constituencies publicity is arranged by electoral registration officers.These arrangements follow those of previous years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a further economic stimulus to Northern Ireland and development areas, he will introduce, as an element of tax differentiation, the exemption of some of these areas, whether by rebate or otherwise, from the increase in petrol duty.

No. As my hon. Friend the Chief Secretary explained in the debate on the Committee stage of the Finance Bill on 30th November, this is not a suitable and practical method of assisting the economic development of particular areas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in mitigating the effect of a 7 per cent. Bank Rate on house purchases, what proposals he has for taking account of those who have arranged loans directly tied to Bank Rate through their employers.

None. These are private arrangements between the employers and employees concerned. I believe that few such loans are in fact tied directly to Bank Rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to cushion the effect of the 7 per cent. Bank Rate on Northern Ireland and development areas.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave on 1st December to the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. William Hamilton).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has made, in formulating proposals for making the north-east of Scotland a designated region, for making the town of Banff a centre for the regional planning organisation.

The preparation of a plan for north-east Scotland, within the framework of the Government's plan for the country as a whole, and based on the study now being pressed forward by the Scottish Development Group will be an early task for the new Scottish Planning Board and advisory Scottish Planning Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average amount being paid in rates per annum by non-local authority householders, and how much of this is attributable to the cost of local authority housing.

In 1963–64, about £31 15s. and £4 ls. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which police forces engage in the practice of telephoning motorists about parking offences requesting them to report to a police station to be booked for an alleged offence; and, as it is the function of the police to prove any case against a motorist by the corroborated evidence of two police officers, if he will take steps to enable him to issue instructions for the practice to cease forthwith.

Following Press reports I have looked into this matter. I understand that it is the practice in many forces, when the police have occasion to make inquiries by telephone, to invite the person concerned to call at a police station instead of being interviewed at home or at work. This procedure, about which I have received no complaints, does not appear to have been accurately reported in the Press. I find nothing improper in it and I do not propose to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in the formation of a regional plan for Scotland, with a view to the expansion of the Scottish economy.

The new planning machinery which I will shortly be setting up will have as its first task the preparation of a plan for Scotland, within the framework of a national plan for the country as a whole. Much preparatory work is already in hand and I shall keep Parliament informed of progress. The Government are, of course, taking immediate measures like the recent programme of advance factory building to promote industrial expansion in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Scotland to what extent the present rating burden of Scottish industry is such that the proposed abolition of industrial derating in 1966 will place it at a relative disadvantage compared with industry in England and Wales.

The effect which the abolition of industrial derating in Scotland in 1966 would have on Scottish industry cannot be estimated until the estimates of the total valuations of all classes of property under the 1966 revaluation have been made by the local valuation assessors. I expect to receive these estimates during 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much petrol was used by the British Army of the Rhine from 1st January, 1964, to 31st October, 1964; and what was the cost.

14,685,000 gallons at a cost of £366,275.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the reinforcement of British forces at Aden and other points east of Suez is affected by the curtailment of over-flying rights for British aircraft announced by the Sudan Government.

Our air traffic as a whole will suffer inconvenience and occasional delays through the curtailment of facilities by the Sudan Government, because the Sudan is on the best all-the-year-round air route to the Middle and Far East. We shall, however, be able to reinforce British forces east of Suez as and when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers in the British Army of the Rhine are employed as military policemen.

On 1st November, 1964, the strength of the Corps of Royal Military Police in the British Army of the Rhine was 50 officers and 684 other ranks

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in incorporating the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act 1958 into the legal system of the New Hebrides.

My right hon. Friend is in correspondence with the Resident Commissioner about the extension, by Order in Council, of the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act 1958 to the legal system of the New Hebrides in so far as British nationals are concerned. As he informed the hon. and learned Gentleman on 9th November, the French Government is being asked to what extent it is giving effect to the provisions of the Convention in respect of French nationals.

asked the Minister of Health if he will investigate conditions at King's Hill Hostel, West Mailing, a Kent County hostel for homeless mothers and children, with specific reference to allegations of rodent infestation, absence of locks on toilet doors and of lights in the corridors, unhygienic condition of the drains, lack of facilities for boiling babies' nappies, and the need for supervisory measures to prevent undesirables from indulging in practices such as tapping on windows at night, details of which have been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

The King Hill Hostel was visited by an officer of my Department in August and was then found to be in good order and well conducted.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost of increasing the increment on the retirement pension by ls. 6d. for every 12 contributions paid by the beneficiary after pensionable age during the next financial year and in five years' time.

About £¼ million in 1965–66 and about £25 million in 1970–71, assuming that the new rates applied to contributions paid from April, 1965.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost of increasing the increment on the retirement pension payable to a woman by virtue of her husband's insurance by 1s. for every 12 contributions paid by her husband after pensionable age, during the next financial year and in five years' time.

About £50,000 million in 1965–66 and about £4 million in 1970–71, assuming that the new rates applied to contributions paid from April, 1965.

asked the Minister of Power if he intends to introduce legislation relating to the gas industry during the current Session.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Albu) on 1st December.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have taken place on the Haughley New Street section of A.45 in the last known period of five years, resulting in deaths and serious injuries.

One fatal accident and five resulting in serious injury were reported during the five years ending 30th November, 1964.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will direct that a light-controlled pedestrian crossing be placed in the Limpsfield Road, Hamsey Green, at or near the shops, in view of the grave danger to pedestrians crossing the road.

I have no evidence that this is a particularly dangerous stretch of road for pedestrians.I have had no request from the local authority for a signal-controlled crossing. But an orthodox signal-controlled crossing would not be satisfactory because during much of the day vehicular traffic is neither heavy nor continuous and the number of pedestrians wishing to cross at any one point is small. Peak flows of vehicles and pedestrians do not coincide.As the hon. and learned Member may know, I intend to start an experiment soon with a new type of push-button signal-controlled pedestrian crossing. If the experiment is successful, I will consider the site at Hamsey Green as a possible site for this new type of crossing.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he proposes to introduce a general speed limit over the Christmas holiday this year.

Yes. I have decided to impose a speed limit of 50 m.p.h. on all roads in England and Wales which have no permanent speed limit, other than dual carriageway roads and motorways, during the hours of darkness from the evening of Wednesday, 23rd December, to the morning of Tuesday, 29th December.