asked the Minister of Overseas Development by what authority she has appointed secretaries, officers and servants and paid to them salaries or remuneration as determined by the Treasury, prior to statutory provision being made for her Department.

Appointments to offices in the Ministry of Overseas Development have been made under the authority of the Prerogative. Pending the approval of Estimates, which will be submitted in due course, the remuneration and expenses of persons appointed directly to the Department are being met out of advances from the Civil Contingencies Fund; the remaining persons appointed have been transferred from other Departments, and their pay and expenses are continuing to be met out of monies voted by Parliament for those Departments.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development, whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the other Departments from which functions have been or are to be transferred to her Department, showing in each case the number of staff which will be required in her Department to discharge these functions and the extent to which these staff requirements will be met by transfer from the Departments previously responsible for them.

The other Departments (excluding the former D.T.C.) from which work is being transferred are:

• Foreign Office,
• Commonwealth Relations Office,
• Colonial Office,
• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,
• Department of Education and Science, Treasury.

Because of reorganisation and integration with former D.T.C. work and of developments in the work, it is not possible to give a precise figure of the number of staff which will be required to discharge these functions. The number is, however, approximately 140, and arrangements have so far been made to transfer 87 staff from the listed Departments. Arrangements to transfer others are under discussion.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what progress has been made in providing adequate compensation on Africanisation for non-designated civil servants in Zambia.

The Zambia Government have provided that a pensionable non-designated officer who is replaced by a local officer shall receive the pension then due to him plus a lump sum equivalent of half the compensation he would have received as a designated officer.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many applications have been received for membership of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service from personnel classified as non-designated officers following the granting of independence to Zambia; how many have been accepted; and what is her policy regarding such applications.

Five, of which two have been accepted, two rejected, and one is under consideration. Applications continue to be considered under the existing regulations agreed between the British and Zambia Governments.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will now announce Her Majesty's Government's decision on the request of the Kenya Government for further financial assistance to enable them to purchase additional areas of European mixed-farming land.

The Kenya Government proposals involve very large sums of money spread over a number of years. I do not consider that we have sufficient information at present to enable us to reach a decision on whether a new major scheme of land purchase involving British Government funds is necessary, and if so what form it should take. By agreement with the Kenya Government I therefore intend to send as soon as possible a small expert team to discuss the matter further with the Kenya Government and generally to examine the problem on the spot. I will then review the position in the light of the team's report.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans she has for aid to Malta.

The plans for financial assistance to Malta are set out in the Agreement on Financial Assistance between the British Government and the Government of Malta (Cmnd. 2423).

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what percentages of British Government loans in the last five years were made to developing countries at under 1 per cent. interest and over 5½ per cent. interest, respectively; and whether, in view of the comments by the Development Advisory Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development about the high rates of interest on such British loans and of the fact that 60 per cent, of United States loans have been at under 1 per cent. interest, she will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government in this matter.

The information is not readily available, but I will send it to my hon. Friend. With regard to the second part of my hon. Friend's Question, I have nothing to add to the observations on general policy which I have made in reply to an earlier Question.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps she is taking to increase aid for African education, especially secondary education, in Rhodesia, where the share of United Kingdom aid has been small compared with that given to neighbour countries.

I cannot at present add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations on 1st December that future assistance to African education in Rhodesia is a matter for consideration between the two Governments.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will make a statement on the results of her discussions with Dr. Banda about aid to Malawi.

Yes. I informed Dr. Banda that, in fulfilment of our undertaking following the dissolution of The Federation to assist Malawi, the British Government are ready to contribute £6·25 million towards the country's recurrent expenditure, and £1·5 million for capital projects, in 1965. This is in addition to the unspent balance of £1·5 million of the £3 million granted for development in July this year. We are considering separately the question of aid to the new University of Malawi.A formal request to Parliament for appropriation of funds will be made in due course. In the meantime, such advance payments as are necessary will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the extent of her Department's relations with the World Health Organisation.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health continues to be responsible for the relations of Her Majesty's Government with W.H.O. I am concerned with co-ordinating the whole of the Government's aid policy and programmes. The task of co-ordination will, of course, include Britain's part in the aid and development work of W.H.O.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the policy of her Department in regard to giving aid to universities or helping to establish universities in Commonwealth countries.

My right hon. Friend attaches very high priority to assistance for higher education. It will be her policy in giving technical and capital assistance in this important field to continue to enlist the co-operation of British universities, through such bodies as the Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas and the Committee for University Secondment, and to foster inter-university links wherever possible. We intend to relate capital aid for universities as far as possible to the needs of the countries for the supply of trained manpower. Assistance for higher education will henceforth be dealt with by a single Department within the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what action she proposes to take to achieve a carefully planned 10-year development programme for the Leeward and Windward Islands as set out in the recent report commissioned from Dr. Carleen O'Loughlin; and whether, since the total capital needs calculated in this report are greater than can be provided by aid from Her Majesty's Government alone, and in view of recent help for the area from Canada and the United States of America, she will propose a consortium of the three countries to see this programme through when the new Federation is formed.

We shall be happy to give what help we can to the Federation; but it is a little early for me to say what we shall be able to contribute to the development of any particular area. Moreover, I understand that the islands' Council of Ministers would like to discuss this with us when they have finally decided about federation. I do not want to prejudge the islands' own assessment of their needs. I am sure they will welcome aid from other quarters and I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion on this in mind.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will state the amount of overseas loans and grants given for the nine months to 30th September 1964.

In the nine months to 30th September, 1964, total gross expenditure by Her Majesty's Government on overseas loans and grants, excluding defence expenditure, was £145 million.This total is made up as follows:

Bilateral grants	…	…	£59 million
Bilateral loans	…	…	£72 million
Multilateral aid	…	…	£14 million

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals she has for increasing aid to Tanzania.

Her Majesty's Government agreed in August, subject to Parliamentary approval as necessary, to lend the Tanzania Government £7,500,000 for the first two years of their development plan, on terms to be agreed. In addition, we have a considerable and continuing technical assistance programme.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what her Department estimates to spend by way of aid to education services in the Colonies.

As far as can be foreseen at present, something of the order of £3 million for the year 1965–66, excluding expenditure by international agencies to which my Department contributes.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals she has for financial and technical aid to Ceylon and Tanzania, respectively.

In regard to Ceylon we are currently providing a small amount of technical assistance. As my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary informed the House on 1st December, the Finance Minister of Ceylon made no request for other aid from Her Majesty's Government during their recent discussions. As regards Tanzania, I would refer the hon. Member to my Oral Reply to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mr. Goodhart) this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she is aware that many of the immigrants into this country from the Commonwealth countries have come to this country because of lack of work and decent living conditions in their countries of birth; and whether she will take steps to make loans available to these people as a means of encouraging them to return to their own country and purchase land and property there.

I am aware of the point made by my hon. Friend. With regard to the second part of his Question, the answer is, No.

asked the Joint Under-Secretary for Education and Science, as representing the Minister of Technology, what information about developments in nuclear power has recently been given to the Electricity Board of Northern Ireland by the Atomic Energy Authority.

During the last two months the Atomic Energy Authority has supplied information to the Electricity Board of Northern Ireland on nuclear power costs.

asked the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, as representing the Minister of Technology, what conclusions he has reached regarding the Vulcain reactor vis-à-vis the reactor now being produced by the Atomic Energy Authority.

Pending the outcome of the review of nuclear ship propulsion no decision has been reached on the design of reactor.

asked the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, as representing the Minister of Technology, if his Department will, in conjunction with the Ministry of Aviation, set up an interdepartmental inquiry into the technological loss to British industry that would result from the cancellation or reduction of the Concord and TSR2 projects; and if he will publish its findings as a White Paper.

I have been asked to reply.The answer is "No."

Rees asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many day release or short block release courses are organised in technical colleges and similar institutions specifically for shop stewards.

Part-time and full-time (including residential) courses for shop tewards are run by a number of technical colleges, but I regret that the precise information sought by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when construction for the enlargement of the Hastings High School for Girls will be begun.

I understand that the local education authority hope that building will start early in 1966.

asked the chancellor of the exchequer when Her Majesty's Government will make a statement on the findings of the Halsbury Report; and when it is proposed to introduce the decimal system.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on the previous Government's proposal to give the United Kingdom a decimal currency system.

I regret that the Government are not yet in a position to make a statement on the possible introduction of a decimal currency.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the current comprehensive review he has announced of the rating system was instituted; what are its terms of reference and composition; what are the names of the chairman and members; when its conclusions are expected to be completed; and if the findings will be published.

The review of local government finance is being carried out inter-Departmentally, and it would not be appropriate to give the particulars of representation and so on mentioned by the hon. Member. The review is broad, including the rating system, other possible sources of local revenue, the grant system and the probable growth of local authority expenditure. Later, there will be discussions with the local authority associations, and the Government will inform Parliament of their conclusions as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will incorporate in his proposals for taxing distributed profits at a higher rate than undistributed profits an escape clause for those director-controlled companies who are forced to pay dividends against their better judgment under the threat of Surtax direction.

I have noted the hon. Gentleman's suggestion and will bear it in mind in framing my detailed proposals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of repaying War Stock Bonds at their original value; and if he will make a statement.

Redemption at par of the outstanding stock would cost £1,909 million. On the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Mr. Pounder) on 1st December.

the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will abolish his surcharge on imports from countries associated with the United Kingdom in the European Free Trade Association.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions have been reached by the Treasury Technical Support Unit regarding the relative merits of the specifications of the I.B.M. 360 computer system and the I.C.T. 1900 system; and whether these conclusions will be published.

It is not a function of the Automatic Data Processing Technical Support Unit to make general assessments of the relative merits of different specifications. When computers and associated equipment are being considered for use in a Government Department the unit advises on their technical suitability for the work in question. Their advice is not published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to award Government contracts on the basis of competitive tender only.

No. Competitive tender is used wherever possible, but it cannot always be used.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of contracts so far entered into by the Federal German Government for the purchase of British goods and services under the current agreement for offsetting the cost across the exchanges of the British Army of the Rhine.

The hon. Member will appreciate that the current Agreement, signed on 27th July, 1964, does not provide any specific sum for offsetting the cost of our forces in Germany. Negotiations about contracts are proceeding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the event of Government Department headquarters being dispersed from London, if he will give an assurance that he will consider Swansea as an alternative location; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. But I am bound to say that locations have been selected for almost all the Government Offices which are at present expected to be moved from London. Requests from different areas far exceed the number of offices it is possible to move.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes taking to prevent local authorities' money costs rising, in view of the fact that they will be required to pay the higher mortgage market rates for short-term money.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Sir M. Galpern) on 9th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that rating policy, for buildings used for agricultural purposes, differs from one authority to another, and that this is a source of grievance; and if he will take steps to remedy this anomaly.

Agricultural buildings, as defined in the Rating and Valuation Acts, are exempt from rating. Some buildings used for livestock are, however liable to rates because they do not fall within the statutory definition. The Inland Revenue valuation officers, whose duty it is to prepare and maintain rating valuation lists, apply the law as uniformly as possible on the basis of the information available to them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra annual cost to all Government Departments arising from the increase in the employers' contribution to weekly National Insurance contribution and the increased tax of 6d. on hydrocarbon oils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra annual cost to all Government Departments arising from the increase in the employers' contribution to weekly National Insurance contribution and the increased tax of 6d. on hydrocarbon oils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra annual cost to all Government Departments arising from the increase in the employers' contribution to weekly National Insurance contribution and the increased tax of 6d. on hydrocarbon oils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra annual cost to all Government Departments arising from the increase in the employers' contribution to weekly National Insurance contribution and the increased tax of 6d. on hydrocarbon oils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra annual cost to all Government Departments arising from the increase in the employers' contribution to weekly National Insurance contribution and the increased tax of 6d. on hydrocarbon oils.

The direct cost to Departments of increased contributions paid in respect of their employees and increased duty on their purchases of oil is estimated at £17–£20 million a year: this includes the cost to the Armed Forces, the National Health Service and the Post Office. It is not possible to assess the additional indirect cost which Departments will incur as a result of higher prices of their purchases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define the expressions total income and other charges in his Proposals as to Corporation Tax.

I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await my detailed proposals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will announce the rate of Corporation Tax in the Budget of April, 1965.

This is not my present intention.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the continuing uncertainty, when he will announce sufficient details of his proposed corporation tax to enable companies to calculate the effective rate.

I have nothing to add to my answer of 8th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the proposed capital gains tax will apply to industrial and commercial buildings;(2) whether the proposed capital gains tax will be applied to gilt-edged securities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the capital gains tax is not to include football pool and betting winnings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, when assessing the tax payable on any profit made on the sale of an asset after Budget Day 1965, account will be taken of the fall in the purchasing value of the £ sterling from the date of the purchase of that asset.

I have nothing to add to my Answer of 8th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances forfeiture is to be included for the purpose of the Capital Gains Tax.

I cannot add to my Answer of 8th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the long delay in the hearing of appeals against rating assessments; and if he intends to appoint extra staff.

Local Valuation Panels, which hear appeals against rating assessments, are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government. If the hon. Member is referring to Valuation Office staff, in some areas shortages of valuers contribute to the delay, but every effort is being made to recruit additional staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to set up a unit trust as part of the National Savings movement; and if he will make a statement.

In the coming months I shall be considering a number of suggestions in the field of savings. I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of increasing the personal Income Tax allowance for a single person from £200 to £300 per annum, and for a married person from £320 to £420 per annum.

At 1964–65 rates of tax the cost is £515 million in a full year (£410 million in the first year); at 1965–66 rates the full year is £530 million (£425 million in the first year).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates, and for what purposes, Treasury officials have visited Glenrothes, Fife, in the last two months.

A Treasury enforcement officer visited Glenrothes from 9th to 15th November in order to make inquiries into suspected exchange control offences.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the capital overseas investment for the nine months to 30th September 1964.

The provisional figure of United Kingdom private investment abroad, net of disinvestment, was an outflow of £220 million in the first half of 1964. The provisional figure for the third quarter will appear in the December, 1964, issue of Economic Trends, published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer approximately how many public service pensioners, re-employed in Government service, suffer an abatement of their pensions by reason of the earnings they receive from such re-employment; what saving results to the Exchequer from such deductions from pensions; and whether he will seek to repeal section 20 of the Superannuation Act, 1834, under the authority of which such reductions are made.

I have no figures for other public services, but there are about 18,000 re-employed Civil Service pensioners, whose pensions are abated under this section by about £3½million. If there were no abatement the cost could be much higher, since many who at present serve beyond the minimum retiring age in an established capacity might then formally retire and seek re-employment. My right hon. Friend is not proposing to recommend a change in the law on this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount the original estimates of import saving and revenue arising from the 15 per cent. surcharge should be revised on account of amendment made between the publication of the White Paper on 26th October and the Third Reading of the Finance Bill.

It is not possible to predict in detail the effect of the charge on imports of individual products, but the amendments to the scheme since 26th October are unlikely significantly to affect the original estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he authorised the recent letter circulated by the Governor of the Bank of England which suggested that clearing banks should be selective in their advances; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 14th December to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to relieve the present delays of up to two hours which exist at many of the Northern Ireland customs posts, especially in the case of livestock; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware that Customs requirements account for any such delays, but if the hon. Member will send me particulars of any case he has in mind, I will look into it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for the introduction of a wealth tax.

In view of the major reforms I have already announced to modernise the tax system and make it more fair, I have no plans for proceeding with this proposal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in his discussions with the Eireann Government regarding additional customs frontier posts.

Progress is being made and I hope to be able to make a statement on this subject at the end of January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the currently outstanding amount of the credits required by the motor industry to sustain production and employment during the winter months.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has made to mitigate the harmful effects of the increase in Bank Rate on the motor industry and to enable the industry to sustain production and exports.

I do not accept the implication that the motor car industry will not be able to sustain production and exports.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Government's high Bank Rate policy is making it impossible for local authorities to borrow money at reasonable rates of interest to carry out essential projects; and what action he proposes to take to assist local authorities to borrow money at reasonable interest rates.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Sir M. Galpern) on 9th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date or dates prior to 1964 the Bank Rate was raised to 7 per cent.; for how long this rate was maintained; and to what extent the cost of living rose or fell during these periods.

In recent years Bank Rate has twice been raised to 7 per cent.; on 19th September, 1957, and on 26th July, 1961. The rate was maintained for 6 months and 10 weeks respectively. The retail price index rose by 2·3 percentage points during the first period, and by 0·9 points during the second. Those movements were mainly related to other factors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the Treasury receipts from the Pool Betting Duty collected on greyhound totalisators for the months of January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, 1964, and similar figures for the bookmakers' licence duty for the same months.

The following is the answer:

BETTING DUTIES
1964		Pool betting duty receipts from greyhound totalisators	Receipts of Bookmakers' Licence Duty
January	…	393,145	111,417
February	…	355,387	97,895
March	…	360,691	105,635
April	…	499,331	137,441
May	…	491,619	129,057
June	…	438,576	119,883
July	…	537,277	139,822
August	…	342,658	84,323
September	…	261,781	64,497
October	…	248,466	63,573

Figures for November are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to increase the number of Parliamentary Counsel.

My right hon. Friend has done so; one additional assistant counsel joined the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on 1st December; another has been recruited and will take up his appointment on 1st January, 1965.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra annual cost to all Government Departments arising from the increase in the employers' contribution to weekly National Insurance contribution and the increased tax of 6d. on hydrocarbon oils.

The direct cost to Departments of increased contributions paid in respect of their employees and increased duty on their purchases of oil is estimated at £17-£20 million a year: this includes the cost to the Armed Forces, the National Health Service and the Post Office It is not possible to assess the additional indirect cost which Departments will incur as a result of higher prices of their purchases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount paid in capital and interest on debt repayment in the nine months to 30th September, 1964.

Her Majesty's Government repaid £14 million of principal and paid £4 million in interest in respect of long-term debt overseas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he proposes to reduce Government expenditure during the next 12 months; and whether he will give an assurance that essential social services and benefits arising therefrom will not be reduced under any Government economy drive.

As already announced my right hon. Friend and I are carrying out a strict review of public expenditure, including a stringent examination of the Estimates for 1965–66. It is too soon to give the outcome of this review. We have of course no intention of cutting expenditure on essential social services.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has completed consideration of increased telephone facilities and amenities for old-age pensioners; and what action he will take.

No. The matter is still being studied.

asked the Postmaster-General what are his plans for erecting a public telephone kiosk Of kiosks for the use of the inhabitants of Ballycraigy Estate at Muckamore in County Antrim in place of the kiosk which was removed from the site at the path head on the main road.

A telephone kiosk will be provided as soon as agreement on a suitable site is reached with the Antrim Rural District Council.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he will take further to restrict the number of party political broadcasts during the period of a General Election.

None. The arrangements governing party political broadcasting have always been and still remain a matter for agreement between the leading political parties and the broadcasting authorities.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he will seek to amend the directions so far given under Clause 15(4) of the British Broadcasting Corporation's licence so as to allow separate party political broadcasts for Scotland and Wales in addition to those for the United Kingdom as a whole, in accordance with the recommendation made by the Pilkington Committee;(2) whether he will receive delegations from the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru to discuss their participation in separate party political broadcasts for Scotland and Wales.

No. The arrangements for party political broadcasting have always been and still remain a matter for agree- ment between the leading political parties and the broadcasting authorities.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the complaints about television reception in Shetland; and what steps he intends to take to improve it.

Yes. In recent months the service has been interrupted on a number of occasions, mainly on account of failures in one or other of the long series of transmission links which carry the service to Shetland. It is of course for the broadcasting authority to take steps to minimise interruptions; and this the B.B.C. are doing.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of a mail order advertisement for a magazine called "Penthouse"; and, in view of the fact that this is an undesirable publication, whether he will take steps to prevent its being sent through the mails.

I am aware of the advertisement and have received a number of complaints about it. I have referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The circular is now the subject of a police inquiry.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what is the criterion for determining which occasions merit commemoration by the issue of postage stamps;(2) what occasions in 1965 will be commemorated by the issue of special postage stamps.

I have reviewed Post Office policy in regard to special issues of postage stamps. In future the criteria for issuing such stamps will be as follows:—

1. to celebrate events of national and international importance;

2. to commemorate important anniversaries;

3. to reflect the British contribution to world affairs including the arts and science;

4. to extend public patronage to the arts by encouraging the development of minuscule art.

asked the Postmaster-General why an urgent parcel postmarked in Winchester on 2nd December, 1964, was not delivered to the headmaster of the Portchester Castle Junior School, 25 miles away, until 11 a.m. on 7th December, according to the cover and information now forwarded to his Department.

The delay to this parcel is inexcusable and I regret that so far my enquiries have failed to establish why it was not delivered on 3rd December. I am looking further into the matter and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General why, during the past eight weeks, only one Saturday delivery of mail has reached inhabitants of Eastcote Place, Eastcote High Road, Eastcote, Pinner, Middlesex.

One delivery of mail is due to be made to Eastcote Place on Saturdays: I have no evidence that when letters have been available for this delivery they have not in fact been delivered on that day. If, of course, there were no letters for residents of Eastcote Place on any particular Saturday, the postman would not call.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the shortage of solid smokeless open-fire fuel in the northern region, necessitating the installation of a more expensive appliance to burn the hard coke available, if he will consider giving higher grants towards conversions to avoid hardships to owners or occupiers, and allow local authorities to proceed with their smoke control programmes as originally planned.

The owner or occupier normally receives, partly from the local authority and partly from the Exchequer, a grant representing 70 per cent. of the cost of installing a hard coke appliance. In hardship cases up to 100 per cent. can be paid. My right hon. Friend does not think he would be justified in introducing legislation to raise the rate of Exchequer contribution.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that no relief can be obtained under the Rating Relief Act for heavy additional water rates, and that this is a cause of hardship; and if he will seek to amend the Rating Relief Acts so that the burden of additional water rates may be taken into account.

I am aware that water rates are excluded from this Act, but I do not believe there is any case for amending legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, having regard to the number of theatres which have been put to other uses and to the increasing threat contained in the tendency towards monopoly ownership by television interests, he will revise the Use Classes Order under the Town and Country Planning Act so as to place theatres in a separate use class from other places of assembly.

My right hon. Friend is considering whether the Use Classes Order should be revised.

the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many swiming baths have been built since the war; where they are; what was their cost; and what was the amount of grant each authority received towards their cost.

Local authorities in England and Wales have built 44 swimming baths since the war with loan consent from the Department. No specific grants towards the cost were paid by the Exchequer.A list of the local authority areas concerned and the estimated cost of the baths when approved for loan sanction are as follows:

Local Authority Area England	Estimated Cost at Time of Approval (to nearest £1,000)
	£
Bilston Borough	282,000
Birmingham County Borough	323,000
Boston Borough	48,000
Bridgwater Borough	102,000
Brierley Hill Urban District.	113,000
Bristol County Borough	152,000
Cambridge Borough	256,000
Consett Urban District	154,000
Coseley Urban District	244,000
Crawley Urban District	215,000
Crosby Borough	288,000
Croydon County Borough	138,000
Ecclesfield Parish	79,000
Eston Urban District	147,000
Felling Urban District	238,000
Grimsby County Borough	289,000
Halesowen Borough	194,000
Hampstead Metropolitan Borough.	1,125,000
Harlow Urban District	160,000
Hertford Borough	61,000
High Wycombe Borough	88,000
Hornchurch Urban District	155,000
Islington Metropolitan Borough.	451,000
Kingswood Urban District	joint scheme 162,000
Mangotsfield Urban District
Manchester County Borough	278,000
Newcastle-upon-Tyne County Borough.	265,000
New Windsor Borough	157,000
Norwich County Borough	141,000
Portsmouth County Borough.	307,000
Prudhoe Urban District	61,000
Ruislip-Northwood Urban District.	358,000
Southampton County Borough	523,000
Stevenage Urban District.	182,000
Thurrock Urban District	391,000
Tyldesley Urban District	65,000
Walsall County Borough	350,000
Welwyn Garden City Urban District.	54,000
West Bromwich County Borough.	252,000
Widnes Borough	169,000
Wales
Cardiff County Borough	728,000
Connahs Quay Urban District.	85,000
Llanelly Borough	195,000
Neath Borough	158,000
Neath Higher Parish	24,000

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on his intentions regarding the reform of the structure of local government.

My intention is to issue decisions as soon as practicable on the outstanding proposals of the Local Government Commission for England and, where appropriate, to make and lay orders for the reorganisation of local government.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the cost in terms of rate poundage to local authorities in the United Kingdom from the increased duty in hydrocarbon oils and employers' increased contribution for National Insurance.

Sufficient information to estimate the effect of these increases upon the expenditure of local authorities is not available. In assessing the cost as a rate poundage, account would need to be taken of consequential increases in grants and possible increases, at the discretion of authorities, in income from other sources. The sum of these factors could not be evaluated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has received the 6th Progress Report of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents; and what action he proposes to take.

My right hon. Friend has received the Sixth Report, and also the Seventh (published on 1st December). The Committee are not satisfied that a complete solution to the problem has been found, although they record substantial progress in the production of a softer detergent. He expects further progress when manufacturers put into force their undertaking to cease using hard-base materials from the end of this year. He does not think that any action on his part is needed now, but he will watch the position.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the increased cost of building an average size house following the 15 per cent. import surcharge, the additional petrol tax, the increased employers' National Insurance contribution and the increase in Bank Rate.

My right hon. Friend cannot say how much of the extra costs falling on the suppliers of building materials and components will be absorbed by them; and therefore cannot produce a reliable estimate of the increase in overall building cost.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that several local authorities have declared that in view of the high Bank Rate they are having to cease house building and other essential building programmes, and are refusing to lend money to prospective house purchasers; and what action he proposes to take to ensure that all local authorities are able to continue these services.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply which I gave on 1st December to a Question by the hon. Member for Down, North (Mr. Currie).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when was the last occasion on which he drew the attention of local authorities to the powers they have possessed for some time to acquire, by compulsory purchase, properties needed for housing purposes; and if he will again remind them of this.

Local authorities were reminded of their powers to acquire existing houses in a circular issued on 31st August last. I do not consider that anything more is needed at present.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that some tenants of tied accommodation are threatened with eviction if they show preference for a political party; and to what extent, in drafting the Protection from Eviction Bill, he took this into consideration.

I have been informed by my hon. Friend that some tenants have been so threatened. Under the Government's interim proposals contained in the Protection from Eviction Bill tenants will be protected against arbitrary eviction, but it would have been inappropriate in this Bill to deal with wider issues of landlord and tenant relations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give figures, from 1945 to the latest available date, showing to what extent council house building rose or fell; what was the major cause of the decrease in council house building from 1951 to date; and what action he proposes to take to reverse this trend.

The number of houses completed in 1951 by local authorities and new town corporations in England and Wales was 141,587. In 1953 the number was 202,891 and in 1963 97,015. Detailed figures from year to year are given in the Housing Returns which are Command Papers.It is difficult to isolate a single major cause, but it is a fact that the decline in Council building since 1953 has been associated with a rise in building for sale. I have already said that where past policies have operated to the detriment of the people in most urgent need I will give local authorities every encouragement to redress the balance.

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of the extent to which the development of the generation of nuclear power is expected to increase the cost of electricity for consumers.

When the present nuclear power programme is completed, the Central Electricity Generating Board estimates that the additional annual costs will be about 1½ per cent. to 2 per cent. of the industry's revenue from sales of electricity.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will give an estimate of the amount by which the cost of constructing programmed nuclear power stations exceeds the cost of constructing conventional stations with the same output.

For the first nuclear power programme the additional capital cost of stations in England and Wales is estimated by the Central Electricity Generating Board to be about £450 million, including the cost of the first charge of fuel. Although the capital costs of nuclear stations are higher than for conventional stations, the operating costs are much lower.

asked the Minister of Power, in view of the fact that natural gas is being imported at 6¼d. per therm, what is the average price for producing comparable gas in this country; what steps he is taking to bring these two prices closer together; and if he will make a statement.

Algerian methane, after transmission to the boards and conversion into town gas, is estimated to cost about 8½d. per therm ex-works which compares with about 13d. over all gas supplies. Allowing for gas quality the true difference is about 5d. per therm. The average delivered cost of all gas is about 22d. a therm. The industry's development programme is directed to reducing the average cost of gas by the introduction of new processes and raw materials and by the continuing modernisation of all aspects of gas supply.

asked the Minister of Power what recent proposals he has had from the Central Electricity Generating Board for a coal-fired power station to be built in the county of Durham.

None; the board has this matter under review.

asked the Minister of Power what is the current monthly production of smokeless briquettes from Birch Coppice for the domestic market; and what has been the total cost of this experiment to date.

I regret I am not in a position to supply this information, but I have asked the Chairman of the Board to write to the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will table as a White Paper the explanations of the country's economic and financial condition given by Ministers at the talks with the European Free Trade Association Ministers at Geneva on 19th November.

No. As I explained to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Sir J. Rodgers) on 1st December, the proceedings of the E.F.T.A. Ministerial Council are confidential.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that no export licence will be granted for Drake's Drum and other items in the Drake Collection which were formerly on loan to Buckland Abbey.

No. An application for a licence to export Drake's Drum or other items in the Drake Collection would be subject to the normal procedure set out in the Notice to Exporters on Export of Works of Art and Antiques, dated 13th February, 1961.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the origin by countries of imported fresh fruits of all kinds, imported frozen fruit of all kinds, and imported canned fruit of all kinds, and the total sterling value of such imports in all categories in the last year.

The following is the information:

UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS OF FRESH, FROZEN AND CANNED OR BOTTLED FRUIT IN 1963
			£'000
Imports From	Fresh Fruit	Frozen Fruit	Canned or Bottled Fruit
South Africa	16,227	58	13,134
Spain	11,116	2	2,661
Dominica, Grenada St. Lucia, St. Vincent	9,264	—	1
Jamaica	9,202	—	948
Israel	9,259	—	1,293
Australia	8,079	10	9,615
Italy	7,930	—	1,597
Cameroun Republic	3,480	—	—
U.S.A.	3,069	71	4,687
Canada	2,319	60	1,069
Brazil	2,233	—	—
Netherlands	998	230	1,205
Japan	3	—	3,349
Other Countries	11,232	256	4,704
Total	94,411	687	44,263

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of electronic engineering products exported in each of the last five completed financial years.

The following is the information:

United Kingdom Exports of Electronic Engineering Products*
Year April-March				£'000
1959–60	…	…	…	36,216†
1960–61	…	…	…	40,655†
1961–62	…	…	…	46,527†
1962–63	…	…	…	52,388†
1963–64	…	…	…	59,404
* Covers electronic computers; public address equipment; radio-telegraph and radiotelephone transmission and reception apparatus (excluding domestic and car receiving sets); radio broadcasting and television transmission and reception equipment (excluding domestic television reception equipment) and television cameras; radio navigational aid apparatus; electronic control equipment; radio testing equipment; high frequency (including radio frequency) induction and dielectric cooking and heating equipment; radio, television and radar vehicles; radar apparatus and radio remote control apparatus.
† Includes additionally parts of domestic radio and television receiving sets and radiograms, which are not separately distinguishable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of British motor vehicles exported in each of the last five financial years.

The following is the information:

United Kingdom Exports of Motor Vehicles
Year April-March				£'000
1959–60	…	…	…	438,097
1960–61	…	…	…	447,663
1961–62	…	…	…	415,171
1962–63	…	…	…	458,155
1963–64	…	…	…	516,560

This heading includes motor cars, motor cycles, etc., commercial vehicles, bodies, chassis, etc., and parts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of British nuclear reactors exported in each of the last five completed financial years.

£2,058,940 in 1963–64. Figures for earlier years are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has had concerning retaliatory action against British exports on account of the recent 15 per cent. surcharge; what answers he has given; and if he will make a statement.

I have received some representations from United Kingdom exporters to the effect that foreign firms are retaliating or may retaliate against the imposition of the import charge by looking elsewhere for their supplies. No foreign government has taken retaliatory action against the imposition of the charge, nor said that it intends to do so.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will designate an area in Yorkshire for the site of a new and attractive administrative centre, with every modern amenity in its buildings and lay-out, to act as a magnet in attracting offices and employment from the over-congested London area.

My Department is pushing ahead urgently with comprehensive studies of the scope for moving offices right outside the South East and of the factors which should govern their location elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for stationing additional V-bomber units east of Suez; and whether such reinforcements will be nuclear-armed.

It is not the practice to divulge any operational plans of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for the men and women of all three Services, who travel by air on leave to Northern Ireland, to have refunded to them the amounts saved on their unused warrants which are free for suface travel only.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many skilled and unskilled male workers there are in Her Majesty's Dockyard; and what is the average basic rate of pay for each category.

Apart from juveniles, there are about 17,600 skilled craftsmen and 14,800 non-craft grades in the four Royal Dockyards. Minimum time wages for craftsmen are 252s. and for non-craft grades 208s. per week. A wide range of additions is payable and I will send the hon. and gallant Member a list of them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the number of British troops engaged in the dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia and the consequent cost.

Since these operations are still in progress, it would not be in the public interest to give the number of troops involved. I would refer the hon. Member to the information on cost which I gave the hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Dame Joan Vickers) in my repy on 30th November.