asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources who and where are his official advisers on agricultural matters.

For advice on agricultural matters I should look to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and to the technical services of his Ministry.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will take steps to ensure that adequate compensation is received by tenant farmers when they are dispossessed by new town corporations.

I have no evidence of complaint from tenant farmers who have been dispossessed by new town corporations that the compensation paid has been inadequate.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the extent to which the shortage of raw materials is responsible for the difficulties of the building industry in meeting housing needs; and what proportion of the productive resources of the building industry is devoted to office and shop building, and what proportion to housing.

Some building work, particularly housing, has certainly been held up, but I cannot say precisely how far these delays have been due to shortages of materials, and how far to shortages of craftsmen. Approximately 9 per cent. of all new construction work consists of offices and shops, and approximately 40 per cent. of housing.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what are the reasons for the short supply of bricks, plaster board, and copper piping in Swansea; how he proposes to increase the supply of these materials; and if he will make a statement.

The difficulties in Swansea are a reflection of the general difficulties over certain building materials. I am in touch with the manufacturers of these materials who are taking steps to increase supplies.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the value of the pictures hanging on the walls of Ministers' offices within their Departments.

It would require an unjustifiable amount of staff time to form an estimate of the value of the 143 pictures involved, of which 22 are on loan, when there is, in any case, no question of realising their value by selling them.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what investigations are proceeding into the degree of deafness caused by industrial processes; and whether she will schedule damage to hearing in the Industrial Injuries Act.

My responsibility for general matters of research into noise at work and possible hearing damage is limited to those aspects which concern the Industrial Injuries scheme. In this connection a large-scale programme of research into occupational deafness sponsored by my Department is currently being carried out jointly by the National Physical Laboratory and the Medical Research Council. The basic object of this work is to throw light on the problems which have to be solved before prescription of occupational deafness under the Industrial Injuries Acts can become a practical possibility. At this stage it is not possible to anticipate the results of this research.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what changes of method or system she is making, following her review, to ensure that future increases in pensions can be put into operation more quickly than at present.

We are at present investigating what alternative methods of paying National Insurance pensions would be practicable, using automatic data processing. Decisions on the arrangement to be adopted in future will be taken when the results of this investigation have been studied.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what estimate she has made of the number of families, and the number of children in those families, who will fail to benefit from the proposed National Assistance scale rate increases owing to the operation of the wage-stop regulation.

The Board tells me that it is not in a position to make a reliable estimate at the present time, but the information will be available after the National Assistance scale-rate increases have come into operation.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost of increasing each of the following disregards for National Assistance purposes, namely, the capital disregard from £100 to £200, the capital sum above which a person ceases to be eligible for assistance from £600 to £800, the earnings disregarded for those not required to register for work from 30s. to 40s. a week, the superannuation and charitable disregard from 15s. to 25s. a week, and the overriding income disregard from 30s. to 45s. a week.

On the latest figures available, the cost of increasing the following disregards for National Assistance purposes would be, (1) increasing the capital disregard from £100 to £200, approximately £600,000 a year, (2) increasing the earnings disregarded for those not required to register for work from 30s. to 40s. a week, about £1,000,000 a year, (3) increasing the superannuation and charitable disregard from 15s. to 25s. a week, also about £1,000,000 a year. These estimates do not provide for the additional cost, which might be very substantial, of assisting persons not now eligible for national assistance but who would become eligible as a result of these changes. It is not possible to estimate what this additional cost might be, nor the cost of increasing the overriding income disregard from 30s. to 45s. a week, or of increasing the capital sum above which a person ceases to be eligible for assistance from £600 to £800.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the worsening situation with regard to orthopædic in-patients in the area covered by Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft hospitals; and what action he is taking to improve it.

The waiting list at June, 1964, was substantially the same as six months earlier. The regional hospital board appointed an extra consultant and provided additional beds last year, and arrangements have now been made to provide a few more beds.

asked the Minister of Health what is the maximum number of mental patients allowed to be left in the charge of an assistant nurse.

According to the circumstances, varying numbers of patients may be left in the charge of a nursing assistant, and no maximum number is prescribed.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give estimates of the average number of sub-consultant posts in obstetrics and the number of abnormal births in 1963, 1964 and 1965.

There were 401 posts in the grades of senior hospital medical officer (without allowance), senior registrar, registrar and junior hospital medical officer in obstetrics at 30th September, 1963. I regret that no useful estimates of the number of abnormal births in 1963, 1964 and 1965 can be given.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospitals administered under the National Health Service have doctors' accommodation which does not come up to the standard recommended in the Ministry of Health Circular HM 58, 68.

I regret that this information is not available, but existing standards are being improved within the resources available.

asked the Minister of Health what is the waiting time for patients wishing to see consultants at Walton Hospital, Stanley Hospital, Sefton General Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Bootle Hospital and the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool, respectively; and what action he will take to shorten the period for such patients.

Waiting times differ according to the specialty and vary at each hospital from nil to the following maximum periods:

		Waiting time in weeks
Walton Hospital	…	10
Stanley Hospital	…	2
Sefton General Hospital	…	8
Broadgreen	…	12
Bootle Hospital	…	8
Royal Infirmary, Liverpool	…	6

A new out-patient department at the Walton Hospital is being built and is expected to be completed in about a year's time. The planning of a new teaching hospital and a new district general hospital at Fazakerley is at an advanced stage. These schemes will substantially improve the hospital facilities in Liverpool.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a list of the countries with whom there are reciprocal agreements to enable British subjects to obtain medical treatment free of charge or at low fixed rates in the event of their becoming injured or falling sick whilst visiting those countries; and what further agreements are now under negotiation.

Treatment is available covering short-term visitors in Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia. It is also available for members of local sickness insurance schemes in Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland, and for limited groups in Australia, Israel and Malta.No new agreements are at present under negotiation.

asked the Minister of Health if he will prohibit the use of phenothiazine derivatives in the treatment of schizophrenic illnesses under the National Health Service.

No. The use of this drug is a matter for clinical decision.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now bring in legislation to provide passenger-carrying vehicles for limbless and disabled ex-Service men whose disability is such that they need assistance when moving from place to place.

Motor cars are provided by the Health Departments for disabled war pensioners whose mobility is seriously restricted.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now make a statement about the car maintenance allowances paid to war pensioners.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Dell) on 7th December.

asked the Minister of Health what is at present the average time between the amputation of a leg and the first fitting of an artificial limb.

The interval varies widely according to clinical and other factors and an average would not be meaningful.

asked the Minister of Health what communication he has received from the Trades Union Congress in connection with its proposal that a committee of investigation should be set up to inquire into the high cost of drugs; and what has been his reply.

I have received, and am at present considering, a letter from the Trades Union Congress suggesting an inquiry into the pharmaceutical industry.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to assist in the earlier and wider detection of diabetes.

Screening for the early detection of diabetes is to be further considered by the Standing Medical Advisory Committee in the light of the findings of surveys already undertaken and of developments in screening methods.

asked the Minister of Health which local authorities have compiled registers of disabled persons as provided for in Section 29 of the National Assistance Act, 1948.

All county and county borough councils, and all of the district councils to which health and welfare functions have been delegated.

asked the Minister of Health if he will list the women's organisations which have sent resolutions to him asking for increased provision to be made for cervical cancer screening.

In the past year the following women's national organisations or women's groups of national organisations have asked that increased provision should be made for cervical cancer screening:

• Federation of Soroptimist Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland.
• Women's Group on Public Welfare of the National Council of Social Service.
• National Women's Advisory Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain.
• Women's Liberal Federation.
• Co-operative Women's Guild.
• National Union of Townswomen's Guilds.
• National Federation of Women's Institutes.
• National Association of Women's Clubs.
• National Council of Women of Great Britain.
• Medical Women's Federation.

In addition many local women's organisations and groups have pressed for improved facilities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has studied the evidence on the subject of hypothermia in old people sent to him by the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield; and if he will take action to reduce those risks to which old people are subject.

Yes. Accidental hypothermia in the elderly has recently been the subject also of a memorandum prepared by the British Medical Association for my Department and published in the British Medical Journal on 14th November. With the co-operation of the Association and the Journal, I have drawn the attention of all local health and welfare authorities and local medical committees to the memorandum as a timely reminder of an important problem, and have sent them copies.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to encourage the training and recruitment of the additional inspectors needed to enable local authorities to carry out the adequate enforcement of the provisions of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963.

A letter was sent to all local authorities in June, 1964, expressing the Ministry's concern that there should be effective enforcement of the Act and giving general guidance on staffing and other matters. Our officers, who have been appointed under Section 57 to secure uniformity of administration, are giving authorities advice where necessary, including talks to local authority inspectors on technical aspects of the Act. Authorities are required to include in their annual reports information about the numbers of inspectors appointed and the numbers of premises inspected. My information is that authorities generally are fully aware of their new responsibilities and concerned to see that they are effectively carried out.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will arrange that the terms of reference for his proposed inquiry into trade unions and employers' associations should be wide enough to include an investigation into donations and contributions which these organisations have made and are making to political and quasi-political organisations.

I am at present consulting the Trades Union Congress and the British Employers' Confederation about the terms of reference.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce legislation to make it obligatory for firms to recognise the negotiating rights of unions to which their employees belong.

We shall be having an inquiry into the role of trade unions and employers' associations and I would expect that recognition of trade unions is one of the questions it will examine.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of the number of unemployed within the Oldham, Manchester, Ashton and Stockport areas who would be available for retraining and would be encouraged to do so if an accessible training centre was available within daily travelling distance of their homes.

I regret that it is not possible to make a reliable estimate of this kind.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to increase the weekly rates of training allowances to persons undergoing courses of vocational training.

These allowances were increased in December, 1963, and we do not consider that a further increase is required at the present time.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of adults, male and female, who are registered as unemployed at the Mexborough Employment Exchange; and how many of them were last employed at the Baker and Bessemer works.

On 7th December, 363 men and 292 women were registered as unemployed at the Mexborough Employment Exchange. Of these 56 men and 2 women were last employed at the Baker and Bessemer works.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the injurious effects of the imports surcharge upon the relationship of the United Kingdom with other countries of the European Free Trade Association, and the extent to which the surcharge is at variance with contractual obligations to those countries; and what steps he will take to meet these difficulties.

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Guildford (Sir R. Nugent) on 26th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total sum invested in 3½ per cent. War Loan at the last convenient date.

£1,909·4 million, on 26th October, 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of persons who currently have sums invested in 3½ per cent. War Loan at the last convenient date.

No information is available on the total number of persons currently holding 3½ per cent. War Loan. The total number of accounts held on all registers is approximately 1·1 million, but some holders have more than one account and some accounts are in the names of more than one person. There is also a small amount held in bearer form.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons who currently have sums invested in 3½ per cent. War Loan have held their current holdings for a period in excess of 12 years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the letter from the Governor of the Bank of England asking banks to restrict loans was sent with his authority; if it applies to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with normal practice, the guidance given to the banks was the subject of consultation between the Governor of the Bank of England and myself. It was addressed to all banks in the United Kingdom.The banks were asked, in preference to lending for less essential purposes, to give the fullest possible facilities to exports and productive investment, and to have regard to the Government's aims on regional development.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received from the Scottish Tourist Board a 10-point plan for expanding the Scottish industry; whether he accepts these 10 points; and, in particular, whether he proposes to establish a capital fund guaranteed by the Government from which hotel and boarding-house keepers could borrow at reasonable rates the money they require to enlarge or modernise their premises.

The Board's proposals were submitted on 28th September. Local planning authorities are pressing ahead with the preparation of tourist development proposals for their areas. More generally, I am reviewing the whole question of developing tourism in Scotland, in consultation with my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet had discussions with the Scottish Inshore White Fish Producers' Association about the cost of repairs following the outbreak of wood rot in fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement.

My noble Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland discussed the position with a deputation from the Scottish Inshore White Fish Producers' Association on Friday, 11th December. The Association's representatives undertook to consider what detailed information they could provide on the extent of the outbreak and the cost of repairs.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now decided whether a regional transport plan will require a continuation of rail services on the Whitby-Malton-Scarborough routes.

No. I shall hope to receive advice on the future transport needs of this area from the Regional Economic Planning Council and Board when they are established. As the hon. Member will be aware, the Government's proposals for the organisation of regional economic planning were announced by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State only on Thursday.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the part played by the Romford-Upminster railway in diverting passenger traffic from Liverpool Street following the Bishops-gate fire; and whether he will give consideration to this when coming to his decision on the line's future.

I will certainly assess the importance of the passenger service to the transport needs of the area when the closure proposal comes before me for decision, but I doubt whether in that context I could reasonably give much weight to the exceptional event to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the application being made by Super Coaches (Upminster) Limited, to extend their bus services in the Romford and Hornchurch area, at a time when the future of the Romford-Upminster railway line is undecided; and if he will give a general direction to Traffic Commissioners to defer decisions on applications for new services until after decisions have been taken on the future of local railway lines.

I am informed by the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner that he has no such application before him. I see no need for a general direction to Commissioners on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what study his Department has made of the comparative rates of development of rail-borne container traffic in the United States of America, West Germany, France and the United Kingdom since 1945.

My Department has had discussions on the development of container traffics with the nationalised transport industries and with the Export Council for Europe. But studies of the kind described in the Question, and practical action to promote growth of container traffic, are mainly a matter for providers and users of transport, including the Railways Board. I have no doubt that they are paying attention to post-war experience abroad, in so far as it is relevant to problems in this country.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the narrowness and bad camber of the A.10, particularly between Thieves Bridge and South Runcton Church, resulting in vehicular accidents. whether he will commence an improvement scheme without delay.

Priority is being given to more heavily trafficked roads in the area. This section of A.10 will be improved as funds become available.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for replacing the bridge on the A.10 at Brandon Creek.

The redesign of the proposed new bridge has caused some delay. I am awaiting fresh estimates of cost before considering when work can be started.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the need to improve the dock access roads outside the Gladstone Dock entrance, Bootle, and at the main junction of Seaforth Sands and Rimrose Road adjacent to the Gladstone Dock; what representations he has received on this matter from Bootle and Crosby corporations in connection with this; and if he will make a statement.

I received from my hon. Friend last week letters which he had had about this from the Bootle and Crosby Corporation. I realise the urgency of this matter and I have asked my divisional road engineer for a report. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I can.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will move the headquarter offices of the North-West Region from Manchester, which has virtually full employment, to Merseyside, which has a considerable unemployment problem, thus carrying out the Government's policy on offices.

No.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he is aware that the County of Dorset, which will form part of the new South-Western Region, is the only county which is also included in the area covered by the existing Plan for the South-East; what steps he is taking to ensure that Dorset does not suffer from a duplication of planning; and whether he is satisfied that these arrangements will not delay planning decisions now outstanding which are already overdue.

Yes. In exercising its co-ordinating functions the Department of Economic Affairs will take into account the fact that Dorset has affiliations with other areas besides the South-West. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the arrangements which he has made will not result in planning decisions being delayed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to make clear to returning officers and those under their jurisdiction in constituencies during a Parliamentary election that their authority is confined to the area of a polling station, which is a room or part of a room in a building, and does not extend to any other part of the building in which the room is situated or to outside such building.

My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that returning officers or those employed by them are in any doubt in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for murder there were in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1955, 1956, and 1957;how many convictions there were for non-capital murder for each of the years from 1958 to the latest year for which figures are available; and how many convictions for capital murder there were in each of those years, stating for each year how many executions took place.

The following is the Answer:(

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women, respectively, are now serving sentences for murder.

On 8th December, 1964, 296 males and 10 females were serving sentences for murder in prisons in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women, respectively, now in prison have been there for more than 10 years; and what sentences they are serving.

On 8th December, 1964, seven men and no women were serving sentences in prisons in England and Wales which had been imposed before 1st January, 1955. All were serving sentences of life imprisonment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what projects and plans are on foot to improve the supply of outside water for Essex, so as to avoid the necessity of short-term reservoirs being established to the detriment of good agricultural land.

Surveys of the Great Ouse basin and the Thames valley are now in progress, and water for Essex may be available from either. But, if demands are to be met, it will also be necessary to make the most of local resources, and new reservoirs will almost certainly be needed in the county, although no proposals are yet before me. The agricultural value of the land will be one of the factors taken into account when proposals are considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will estimate the additional amount which will be payable in water rates by ratepayers of Weymouth, following the proposed formation of the new water board.

I understand that the current water rate in Weymouth is 4d. in the pound on gross value, which is equivalent to about 6d. in the pound on net annual value. The Order which my right hon. Friend is making provides for a maximum rate in Weymouth of about 9½d. in the pound on net annual value when the new board starts to operate, and the maximum would be increased after five years and again after ten years. Whether the board would need in the later years to charge up to the maximum would depend on the level of their expenditure.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what are the prospects for main sewerage in the village of Church Knowle, Dorset.

There is no sewerage scheme before my right hon. Friend for Church Knowle. The drainage arrangements for the village are the responsibility of the Wareham and Purbeck Rural District Council.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) when he will give a decision on the Christchurch town map;(2) when he will give his decision and authorise planning permission as regards the proposal to designate part of Christchurch airfield for future industrial use and if he will give his decision in advance of that on the Christchurch town map.

I expect to ask the Hampshire County Council early in the New Year to publish my proposed modifications to the Christchurch Town Map. These will include allocation of a part of the airfield land for future industrial use.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what considerations led him to delay his decision on the increase of premiums or freeing control of Channel Islands milk; when he expects to reach a decision; and whether he is aware that the cost of this delay to the producers is £5,000 a day.

I was not satisfied on the evidence before me at the time that a case had been made out for such action. I have invited representatives of the industry to come and discuss it with me and I shall make a statement as soon as possible thereafter. The present premium on Channel Islands milk is worth in December about £11,000 a day to producers and I do not accept the implication in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the Milk Hygiene Quality Scheme can be properly administered by the Milk Marketing Board; and what steps he will take to ensure its correct implementation.

The scheme has been in full operation since 1st October last and I understand that it is working smoothly. The administration is in the hands of the Joint Milk Quality Committee, which reports to the Joint Committee of the Milk Marketing Board and the Central Milk Distributive Committee, and not of any Government Department. Nevertheless, officials of the Ministry of Health and of my Department attend meetings of the Committee. My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health receive the Committee's annual reports, and propose to continue to obtain the views of public health and local authority organisations on them as they appear. While they are not aware of any ground for Government action in this field, they intend to keep close watch on the progress of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost to the agricultural industry of complying with the regulations of the Prevention of River Pollution Act 1962; and if he will introduce means to alleviate this.

I assume that the question refers to the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act, 1961. It is not practicable to estimate the costs to the agricultural industry of complying with this Act. These will vary greatly from farm to farm, but I am not aware that there is any case for special measures of alleviation. The hon. Member will, of course, be aware that my Department's advisory services are always glad to give advice to farmers, without charge, on the disposal of effluent and indeed, under the Farm Improvement Scheme, grants may be available in appropriate cases towards the provision of means of sewage disposal from farm buildings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the cost of the Compositional Milk Quality scheme in 1964–65; and whether he is satisfied that testing for total solids can be fairly carried out.

At the last Annual Review ¼d. per gallon was added to the guaranteed price of milk to help to finance the payment of premiums under the compositional quality schemes; the value of this is estimated to be about £2¼ million for 1964–65.I understand that the methods used for the determination of total solids are those recommended by the British Standards Institution. In England and Wales a general oversight of testing is exercised by the Liaison Chemist Service of the Joint Committee of the Milk Marketing Board and the Central Milk Distributive Committee. I have no reason to doubt the efficiency or justice of the testing arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about fish supplies and prices this year, and how they compare with 1963.

Over the year so far, both supplies and prices of fish have been generally higher than in the corresponding period last yast year. Total landings of demersal fish in Great Britain were 11,874 thousand cwts. in the first 10 months of 1963 and 12,303 thousand cwt. in the same period this year. British landings increased by 287 thousand cwt., and foreign landings by 142 thousand cwt, In addition imports of frozen fillets increased from 411 to 624 thousand cwt., the equivalent of an increase of roughly 550 thousand cwt. of fresh fish.Within these totals, there has been some reduction in the landings of fresh cod—from 5,591 thousand cwt. to 5,530 thousand cwt. in the same periods—but this has been more than made good by increased imports of frozen cod fillets—from 176 to 348 thousand cwt. equivalent to about: 450 thousand cwt. of fresh fish.The average price of all demersal fish in the first 10 months of 1963 was 71s. a cwt. and this year it was 74s. 11d. a cwt. Within these broad averages, the prices of particular kinds of fish have moved in different ways. For example, prices of fresh cod have increased by more than the average—from 67s. to 75s. 10d. a cwt.—but prices of cod fillets have actually fallen, from 173s. ld. to 169s. 9d. a cwt. The price of haddock has also fallen—from 77s. 9d. to 71s. 5d. a cwt.—and has recently been substantially lower than in the corresponding period of 1963.

asked the Minister of Aviation when he will reach a decision on the request made by Christchurch Corporation for requisition of land required for future industrial development, which now forms part of Christchurch airfield.

I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government hopes to publish his proposed modifications to the amended Town Map early in the New Year. As soon as this has taken place I shall give most careful consideration in consultation with him to the request of the Christchurch Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, as recommended in the Newsom Report, he will set up an experimental school run in co-operation with a training college, designed to help children whose abilities are artificially depressed by environmental and linguistic handicaps.

It would be for a local education authority, and not for me, to set up such a school. If any local education authority proposes to do so as part of its proposals for meeting the needs of the area I will consider it sympathetically, but I am doubtful whether it would be wise or practicable to concentrate a great deal of experiment on one school or on a few schools. I should prefer to see such work conducted in many different schools and areas selected according to their appropriateness for the particular piece of research being undertaken. I am entirely in agreement with the Central Advisory Council that more research and experiment will be needed to discover how best to improve the education of pupils handicapped by their environment. Several research and development projects are at present being carried out, and I know that the Schools Council has others in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General why a letter posted in Titchfield in time to catch the 3.25 p.m. post on Sunday, 29th November addressed to Broadway, Worcester, was not delivered until Wednesday 2nd December; why letters posted in Worcester by 7 p.m. on Wednesdays addressed to Common Lane. Titchfield, are now delayed until Fridays before delivery; and why a parcel posted in Titchfield on 28th November last addressed to Worcester had not been delivered by 4th December.

I much regret that these delays should have occurred. I am inquiring into them and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that certain parcels delivered to Wiltshire from Gloucestershire take several days to arrive; and what action he will take to improve the Wiltshire postal services.

Parcels from Gloucestershire to Wiltshire should not take several days to arrive. If the hon. Member will let me have details of the delays to which he refers I will gladly look into the matter and see what can be done to improve the service.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will inquire into the circumstances in which a letter posted on the morning of Wednesday, 2nd December and postmarked Bristol 1.30 p.m. was not delivered in London, N.3, until Saturday, 5th December; and if he will make a statement.

This letter should have been delivered by first post on Thursday, the 3rd December and I am sorry that this did not happen. Full inquiries have been made but unfortunately it has not been possible to find out why the delay occurred.

asked the Postmaster-General why a letter from the hon. Member for Gosport and Fareham, postmarked House of Commons, 26th November, 1964, was not delivered to its addressee in Drift Road, Fareham until 3rd December, having been postmarked further at 5 p.m. on that day in Fareham, as the cover now sent to him shows.

This letter should have been delivered to the addressee on 27th November and I am sorry this did not happen. The presence of a second postmark on the envelope suggests that the letter was first delivered to a wrong address in Fareham and subsequently re-posted: but I regret that my inquiries have failed to establish the precise circumstances in which this might have occurred.