asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the extra cost per acre facing the glasshouse industry as a result of the surcharge on imported fibreboard, the recent wage award, and the extra duty on hydro-carbon fuels.

No reliable estimate can be made of the extra cost to the glasshouse industry of the temporary charge on imported fibreboard because it is impracticable to isolate its effect from other factors affecting prices of fibreboard containers. The cost of the recent wage award is £31 4s. a year for each adult male worker in England and Wales, £23 8s. in Scotland and £26 in Northern Ireland. An acre of glass provides employment for, on average, four workers. In answer to the honourable member for Rye on 18th November last I estimated the cost to the U.K. horticultural industry of the recent increase in the duty on petrol and DERV as £¼ million. The greater part of this is on petrol used by motor vehicles carrying produce to market, but I can make no reliable estimate of the proportion attributable to glasshouse produce. The increase in duty does not apply to heavy oil used for glasshouse heating.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will, in framing his annual Price Review, examine the margin between the price received by farmers and the price paid by housewives for potatoes; and whether he will institute investigation of middlemen's profits.

The Annual Review is concerned with the general economic condition and prospects of the agricultural industry, and a special investigation into distributors' margins would be outside the scope of the Review.The whole subject of margins for fruit and vegetables, including potatoes, was examined by the Committee on Horticultural Marketing in 1957, and I see no change in conditions such as would justify the holding of a fresh inquiry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that increased costs following the imposition of import surcharges largely eliminate, benefits received by horticultural producers from Horticultural Improvement Grants; and what remedial action he will take.

Materials liable to the import charge account for only a comparatively small proportion of the costs of horticultural production. One of the main objects of the grants provided by the Horticulture Act 1960 and the Agriculture and Horticulture Act 1964 is to help the industry to reduce costs by modernising equipment and adopting new techniques. It is open to those concerned to apply for grant at any time during the ten years from April 1964 and £24 million is available. The import charge is temporary and I cannot agree that its imposition has an effect in any way comparable with the value of the grants.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, tearing in mind that in framing the annual Price Review he cannot easily allow for regional variations of actual wages paid, he will take into account the difficulties of West Midlands farmers who must pay wages in direct competition with the motor car and other industries.

In considering at the Annual Review the general economic condition and prospects of the agricultural industry, I shall take account of the position in different parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in considering the price of milk to be paid to producers, when framing the next annual Price Review, he will take into account price increases of equipment which have taken place within the last eight months, including stainless steel milk strainers from £5 10s. 0d. to £7 2s. 6d., detergents from 110s. to 115s. 6d. per 100 1b. pack, milking lines from 4s. 3d. to 4s. 9d. per foot, rubber air tubes from Is. 5d. to 1s. 7d., hand tools increased by 10 per cent., milking coats from 36s. to 40s. 2d., milking caps from 4s. 10d. to 5s. 11d., and barbed wire from 45s. to 48s. per cwt.

I will bear in mind the particulars given by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state what his policy is in the matter of domestic production of sugar relative to existing commitments for the importation of cane sugar; and whether, in the interests of the national need to reduce imports, the United Kingdom interests will predominate over foreign and Commonwealth importations.

Our purchases of cane sugar from the Commonwealth are governed by the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement which at present runs to 1972. Domestic production of beet sugar is regulated by decisions taken at the Annual Reviews held under the Agriculture Acts. The total quantity of sugar obtained from these two sources nearly satisfies United Kingdom requirements. To increase domestic production of sugar at the expense of imports from Commonwealth countries would not only involve a breach of a longstanding commercial agreement, but would react most unfavourably on the economies of a number of under-developed territories which depend largely on sugar production for their livelihood.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average daily intake of unprocessed sugar beet in the 1963–64 season; what is the daily intake capacity in respect of each of the sugar factories in the West Midlands; and what is the estimated actual daily intake for 1964–65.

The following information has been provided by the British Sugar Corporation:

	Actual Daily intake 1963–64 tons	Daily intake capacity 1964–65 tons	Actual daily intake 1964–65 tons
Factory
Allscott	2,219(a)	2,450	2,523(b)
Kidderminster	2,344(a)	2,600	2,342(c)
(a) In 1963–64 both Allscott and Kidderminster were engaged in concurrent refining i.e. raw sugar was being processed at the same time as sugar beet with a consequent reduction in the tonnage of beet that could be taken in.
(b) In the event, it proved possible to put through rather more than the calculated capacity for this factory.
(c) In 1964–65 the rate of intake at Kidderminster had to be reduced because of the exceptionally high sugar content of this year's beet. The factory could have sliced a larger daily tonnage of beet but the subsequent purifying processes would then have been overloaded. Accordingly, the factory had to operate for a slightly longer period to cope with the sugar beet to be processed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, as a contribution to steadying the cost of living, he will instruct the Sugar Board to reduce the level of surcharge on refined sugar for United Kingdom consumption to the current difference between the free world price of raw sugar and the Commonwealth and home beet producers' contract prices.

The present rate of surcharge includes a relatively small element designed to eliminate by June this year

CHANGES IN THE INDEX OF RETAIL PRICES: FOOD GROUP AND SUB-GROUP INDICES
					(January1962=100)
					15th October, 1964	15th December, 1964
Bread, flour, cereals, biscuits and cakes	…	…	…	…	109	112
Meat and bacon	…	…	…	…	114	115
Fish	…	…	…	…	106	109
Butter, margarine, lard and cooking fat	…	…	…	…	112	115
Milk, cheese and eggs	…	…	…	…	102	108
Tea, coffee, cocoa, soft drinks, etc.	…	…	…	…	105	104
Sugar, preserves and confectionery	…	…	…	…	121	120
Vegetables, fresh, dried and canned	…	…	…	…	105	106
Fruit, fresh, dried and canned	…	…	…	…	85	85
Other foods	…	…	…	…	108	108
ALL FOOD	…	…	…	…	108·0	109·9

Within the meat group, although the prices of some cuts have risen, others have remained stable or fallen. In recent weeks, there have been decreases in the prices of all sizes of eggs and in the price of bacon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a list of those foodstuffs whose prices have been increased in the last three months; and by how much per cent. each item has increased.

There are many thousands of individual food items, only a proportion of which have recently increased in price, but I regret that it would not be practicable to give precise details of these price changes. In the case of manufactured foods, details of manufacturers' recommended changes have been published weekly in the trade press but I am not in a position to distinguish the representative varieties and packs of these foods or to estimate the average price increases since these appear to have varied between different retail outlets and have not necessarily conformed to manufacturers' recommendations.The only information available which includes basic as well as manufactured foods is that covered by the food group indices of the Index of Retail Prices and is set out below in as much detail as possible.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will introduce legislation or such other measures as are necessary in order to bring local valuation courts within the purview of the Council on Tribunals.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland are considering whether to make an Order under Section 10 of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act, 1958, to being the local valuation courts in England and Wales under the supervision of the Council on Tribunals.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table analysing the number of employees in the aircraft industry, by location, and split between qualified scientists and engineers, other non-works personnel, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled production workers; and if he will estimate in each case the numbers employed on military and civil work, respectively.

The aircraft industry in Great Britain currently employs about 265,000 people: in addition there are about 7,500 in Northern Ireland, making a total of 272,500. Official statistics do not enable me to classify this number precisely in the manner requested, but about 8,000 are qualified scientists and engineers. It is estimated that about 70 per cent. of the total effort is engaged in military work, and about 30 per cent. on civil work.The following table from the Ministry of Labour Gazette for February, 1964, gives the most recent information available on the location of aircraft employees.

Region	Numbers Employed on aircraft manufacture and repairing
London and South East	…	34,400
Eastern and Southern	…	47,720
South Western	…	48,390
Midlands	…	59,270
Yorks and Lines.	…	11,170
North Western	…	46,120
Northern	…	2,480
Scotland	…	13,330
Wales	…	2,030
Total, Great Britain	…	264,910

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will now arrange an exercise in a suitable locality to demonstrate the effect of the sound barrier being broken; and if he will grant facilities for Members of Parliament and of representatives of local authority associations to attend the exercise.

I am making arrangements for such a demonstration in the Easter Recess. I cannot say at the moment where it will take place but full particulars will be available in the Whips' Office by the end of March.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when the High Commissioner in New Delhi will reply to the Home Secretary's inquiries about the case on which the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West, wrote to the Home Secretary on 5th December last.

The British High Commissioner in New Delhi has been asked for an urgent report on the present position with regard to his investigations of this case.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's proposals regarding the use of United Kingdom troops for United Nations peace-keeping operations outside Commonwealth and Colonial territories; to what extent the United Kingdom contribution will be limited to logistic support, such as supplies and administration; and what offer Her Majesty's Government have made to the United Nations.

As I informed the House on 7th December, we are studying closely ways in which we could assist with United Nations peace-keeping operations, especially on the logistic side. No definite offer has yet been made but we should, of course, be ready to consider what contribution we could make to any given operation, wherever it might occur. No distinction is made between the use of our troops, if called for, in Commonwealth or Colonial Territories and their use elsewhere.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will take the initiative in raising at the twentieth Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1965 the need for a conference to consider amendments to the United Nations Charter, in the spirit of the 10 year period mentioned in Article 109(3), relating to amendments, and with a view to obtaining changes such as the expansion of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council and of peace-keeping arrangements to replace the abortive provisions of Articles 43 to 47.

Her Majesty's Government favour the holding of a review conference as soon as the international climate offers some prospect of success. In the meantime it is, of course, possible to amend the Charter by the provisions of Article 108, under which the General Assembly adopted a resolution in 1963 proposing amendments to the Charter to bring about the expansion of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. While the provisions of Articles 43 to 47 have never become fully operative, Her Majesty's Government hope that it may be possible in the future to secure agreement upon their implementation. They would not, therefore, wish to take any initiative designed to replace these Articles.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what were the United Kingdom contributions for 1964 to the United Nations, its various voluntary funds, and the specialised agencies, respectively; and what was in each case the percentage of the respective budget represented by the United Kingdom contribution.

The information requested is contained in the reply which I gave to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Longden) on 19th January.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council on 4th December, 1963, called for the cessation of the sale and shipment of equipment and materials for the manufacture and maintenance of arms and ammunition in South Africa; whether he is satisfied that the policy of Her Majesty's Government in maintaining the supply of spare parts for weapons already supplied to South Africa is acting in conformity with that resolution; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 17th November, Her Majesty's Government have responded to the Resolution referred to by placing an embargo on the export of any further arms to South Africa, except in the case of contracts already made. It is an accepted principle that a contract to supply equipment carries with it an understanding that the necessary spare parts will normally be provided. Nevertheless, requests for spare parts for equipment supplied under contracts already made are examined in order to ensure that their provision would not assist in enforcing the policy of apartheid.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is now taking to safeguard the lives and properties of British citizens in the Congo.

Since my hon. Friend answered a Question by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Conway (Mr. Peter Thomas), on 21st December, 10 more British subjects have been rescued by the Congolese Government forces. Seventeen of those who are believed to have been in rebel hands remain unaccounted for, but it is unhappily likely that some of these may no longer be alive.Her Majesty's Ambassador is constantly watching the stituation and will continue to give appropriate warnings to those affected and to their parent organisations if any change in the situation requires it.

Williams asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken by Her Majesty's Government to carry out the recommendations of the United Nations resolution of 30th December relating to the Congo.

Those parts of the resolution which call for action by States outside the Congo request them to refrain or desist from intervening in the domestic affairs of the Congo and to assist the Organisation of African Unity in its efforts to help the Congolese Government to achieve national reconciliation. The Government are not intervening and have no intention of intervening in the domestic affairs of the Congo, and it has always been their policy to encourage the Organisation of African Unity to take the lead in helping to resolve the Congolese problem. We remain ready to assist the Organisation in any way open to us.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what specific agreement exists between Her Majesty's Government and the Soviet, Czechoslovak, Hungarian and Bulgarian Governments covering the appointment of chauffeurs to the appropriate embassies in London, without reciprocal provision for appointment of British chauffeurs to Her Britannic Majesty's missions in the countries concerned.

There is no such agreement. The chauffeurs in question are appointed by the sending State and their appointments notified to the Foreign Office in the ordinary way.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the recent statement by the Brighton Sewers Board that a public in quiry should be held to consider the question of sea pollution, he will now hold such an inquiry at an early date.

My right hon. Friend does not think a public inquiry would help. The condition of the beach has been extensively investigated already over a long period. The Department officers have recently discussed the matter with representatives of the Board, and as a result he is urging the Board to consider screening and similar treatment of the sewage.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the composition of local valuation panels in England and Wales, and the proportion represented by elected members of local authorities.

In April 1963, 437 members of local valuation panels were members of a county council, while 941 were members of a rating authority; 327 others were members of both a county council and a rating authority. 884 were not local authority members. The proportion of all valuation panel members who were also elected members of local authorities was 66 per cent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in respect of how many properties within the area covered by Swanage Urban District Council assessments made by the valuation officer have been reversed on appeal.

At 31st December last local valuation courts in Swanage had heard fifty-three appeals by ratepayers against the valuation officer's assessments and had made some reduction to the rateable value in nine. Of the fourty-four cases in which the local valuation court made no reduction, a group of ten were subsequently taken to the Lands Tribunal, where reductions were made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is now able to announce the date upon which he expects to receive and publish the Milner Holland Committee's report on London housing.

No. But I understand the preparation of the report is well advanced and I hope to be able to publish it as a Command Paper within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give the numbers of houses built in Huddersfield by the local authority, and by private builders, respectively, in each year from 1950 to 1964.

The figures for the years 1950 to 1963 are as follows:

			Local authority	Private builders
1950	…	…	218	46
1951	…	…	278	42
1952	…	…	496	65
1953	…	…	475	144
1954	…	…	494	232
1955	…	…	497	231
1956	…	…	272	290
1957	…	…	392	365
1958	…	…	240	326
1959	…	…	63	417
1960	…	…	140	366
1961	…	…	317	378
1962	…	…	161	353
1963	…	…	24	325

I will send the figures for 1964 to my hon. Friend when they are available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses are being built with imported bricks.

The information is not available, but brick imports are minimal compared with home production.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion of the cost of a house is, on average, represented by the cost of the bricks.

About 8 per cent. for an average local authority three-bedroom brick house.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to overcome the manpower difficulties causing delays to exporters at the London docks.

The manpower situation in the London docks has been under consideration by the London Dock Labour Board which is engaged in recruiting additional labour. Questions affecting the efficient use of manpower in the docks are being considered by the Committee of Inquiry under the chairmanship of Lord Devlin.

asked the Minister of Labour in view of the difficulty of assessing reasonable rent levels without adequate data on local earnings, if he will take steps to secure such data for the King's Lynn area.

The present half-yearly enquiry into earnings and hours is made on a sample basis and is designed to give reliable figures for areas not smaller than regions. To obtain reliable information as asked for by the hon. Member would require a virtual census of firms in all industries and my right hon. Friend does not feel this would be justified.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish at the appropriate time a table of comparative changes in the cost of living during the last quarter of 1964 and the first quarter of 1965.

Yes, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour how many vacancies for employment were notified at Sidcup Employment Exchange; and how many persons were registered as unemployed, at the latest convenient date.

288 and 303 respectively at the January count.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has for the establishment of training centres in West Durham; and if he will give consideration to the use for this purpose of the facilities readily available at the disused Brancepeth Military Camp.

There is a training centre at Tursdale near Durham which meets the training needs of West Durham and my right hon. Friend is not therefore proposing to set up further centres in this area.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now announce the terms of reference of the proposed inquiry into the trade unions.

I hope that an announcement will be made very shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General why the household delivery service has been suspended during the recently announced investigation; when he investigation will terminate; whether the service will then be automatically resumed; and when the findings are likely to be available.

The Household Delivery Service was suspended during the Christmas period in accordance with the published conditions: its suspension has been continued so that the review of the service due after the first year of operation, and now being carried out, can proceed in consultation with the staff in the most favourable atmosphere. Items in respect of which people entered into previous commitments are still being distributed. The review will be completed as soon as possible and resumption of the service will depend on its outcome. An announcement will be made when the result of the review is known.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will investigate the circumstances in which a parcel, marked urgent medical supplies, posted at Crewe on 4th January, 1965, arrived at 11.30 a.m. on 9th January, 1965 at Blackley, Manchester.

I very much regret this delay. I am having inquiries made into the matter and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General why express registered items sent by Highland Printers Limited, Diriebught Road, Inverness, to Mr. G. W. Battison, 26 Finsbury Square, London, E.C.2, on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 10th December, 1964, and 4th and 5th January, 1965, were delayed in the post; and what action he proposes to prevent a recurrence of these delays.

I am sorry that these items were delayed in delivery. I am having full inquiry made with a view to establishing the causes of delay and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now announce his plans for the issue of new regional stamps.

I have no immediate plans for new issues of regional stamps.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the growing practice of sending literature containing nude photographs through the post; and what steps he proposes to take to put a stop to this practice.

Nude photographs are inadmissible in the post only if they are indecent or obscene. With regard to our treatment of indecent and obscene matter I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer my right hon. Friend gave on 19th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Joyce Butler).

asked the Postmaster-General how many staff are employed in the sorting and delivery sections of the Huddersfield head post office; and how this compares with the numbers allowed.

245 are employed; the total number authorised is 258.

asked the Postmaster-General, when reviewing policy governing special stamp issues, if he will issue a stamp to commemorate International Co-operation Year.

I am not yet ready to make a statement, but hope to do so shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General what profit he forecasts for the Telecommunications services for the five-year period 1963–64 to 1967–68.

asked the Postmaster-General on what profit estimate for the Telecommunications services he is basing his forward plans.

To meet their financial target and make an adequate contribution to their capital requirements, the Telecommunications services require aggregate profits in the five-year period of £190 million. Given that the growth of national output and of incomes accords with the Joint Statement of Intent on Productivity, Prices and Incomes, I think that the target should be achieved without any increases in basic prices.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to increase or amend charges in the postal and telegraph services.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the reason for the delay of letters, parcels and tins of cream posted on 19th December, 1964, from Plymouth to Scotland which did not arrive until 2nd January, 1965.

Some railway vans containing letter and parcel mails from places in the South and West of England were over-looked in a railway siding near Crewe during the Christmas period. British Rail have already instituted a full enquiry. They, like us, very much regret the delay which arose from this unfortunate mistake.

asked the Post Master-General what is the present shortage of postmen and sorters, respectively, in England and Wales.

Sorting is performed by both postmen and postmen higher grade. There is, in general, no shortage on the latter grade, which we fill from postmen. Recruitment of postmen is local and the position varies from town to town. Recruitment is difficult in London and parts of the Midlands and Home Counties, where there is a general shortage of labour. In London, the positions is a little better than it has been; we are now about 1,170 short on an establishment of some 20,000, as compared with about 1,550 in October last.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a special stamp to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Parliament.

I am not yet ready to make a statement but hope to do so shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will investigate the broadcasting and television needs of the new Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Region, so that practical attention can be given to them, and discuss with the British Broadcasting Corporation the need for a new British Broadcasting Corporation region based on the city of Leeds.

The Regional organisation of the B.B.C. is a matter for the Corporation to decide; but it is largely determined by the distribution of its transmitting stations and the resulting pattern of transmission areas. This in turn depends upon the need to secure the most economical use of the frequencies available. The B.B.C. tells me, however, that it is well aware of the importance of ensuring that the interests and requirements of distinctive parts of its Northern Region are as fully catered for as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General why, whilst it is possible to obtain a refund on surrendering a television and sound licence, it is not possible to obtain a refund on a television licence alone; and whether he will take steps to end this anomaly.

There is no anomaly here. We refund or abate broadcast receiving licence fees when it is clear that the licensee has paid twice for the same facility. This might involve the refundment of fees for duplicated licences (whether sound, or sound arid television) or an abatement of the combined sound and television licence fee when an unexpired sound only licence is surrendered on purchase of a combined licence.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will introduce legislation to give himself power to provide that some party political broadcasts should be transmitted by an independent television company or independent television news studios.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General when television will be made available to the people of Wester Ross.

The B.B.C. expects to open a station at Melvaig and Skye later this year. This should bring the service to the whole of the coastal belt of Wester Ross.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now authorise the Independent Television Authority to proceed with the establishment of a second independent channel.

The question whether a fourth television service should be introduced and, if so, for what purpose, is under consideration by the Government.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give a date for the opening of the satellite station in Wear-dale designed to improve reception in that area.

The B.B.C. tells me that it expects to complete this station in the late summer or early autumn.

asked the Postmaster-General how soon the Westbourne Telephone Exchange will be converted to automatic dialling.

It is planned to convert the Westbourne Telephone Exchange to automatic working in 1969.

asked the Postmaster-General how many people in the Bournemouth telephone area are at present required to share a line or be without a telephone altogether; and by when he expects these arrangements to be unnecessary.

Of the 76,362 subscribers in the Bournemouth telephone area, 18,908 have shared telephone service. I cannot say when compulsory shared service will be unnecessary, but if we are to achieve our aim of abolishing the waiting list by March, 1966, the arrangement must continue for the present.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of telephone calls dialled within each of the nine Post Office regions failed to connect first time due to the fault of the Post Office in the months ended 31st March, 1964, and 30th September, 1964, respectively.

The figures, expressed as percentages, for the individual regions are as follows:

		Month ending
Region		31st March, 1964	30th Sept.1964
Home Counties	…	3·2	2·9
London	…	3·9	3·7
Midland	…	2·4	2·8
North Eastern	…	2·8	2·8
Northern Ireland	…	3·0	2·6
North western	…	3·0	3·1
Scotland	…	2·5	2·0
South Western	…	1·3	1·6
Wales and Border Counties	…	2·8	2·2

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of complaints per station, and per exchange connection, excluding call offices, respectively, for both the London Telecommunications Region and the whole country; and whether he will give the comparable figures for call offices.

The figures for the third quarter of 1964–the most recent available—are as follows. The figures are expressed as yearly rates.

	London Telecommunications Region	U.K.
Complaints per station, excluding call offices	1·12	0·96
Complaints per exchange connexion, excluding call offices	1·96	1·59
Complaints per call office connexion	29	18

asked the Postmaster-General whether, because of the distance from any public telephone, he will consider erecting a public kiosk at Crosshill, Raloo, County Antrim; and if he will make a statement.

As the hon. Member knows this is a sparsely populated country district and a telephone kiosk cannot be justified economically. I understand, however, that the Rural District Councils' Association is considering whether one can be recommended under the special scheme for unremunerative kiosks.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the congestion at the Municipal exchange, resulting in long delays in making calls; and what steps he is taking to improve the service.

I am sorry that there have been these difficulties. Additional circuits have been provided, and more are being added as quickly as possible to meet the rapid growth of telephone traffic.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons for the convenience of hon. Members the contractual objections which prevent the adoption or approval by the Post Office of private automatic branch exchanges designed by organisations other than the major telephone exchange equipment manufacturers; and if he will make a statement.

There are no contractual objections and I am sorry that the hon. Member was informed otherwise. But private automatic branch exchanges in the size range in which I understand the hon. and gallant Member is interested are normally rented by us to our customers and are manufactured to our specifications.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for pips to give a three-minute time signal on the subscriber trunk dialling system for all trunk calls, and thus assist subscribers in regulating the length of time of such calls.

No, Subscriber-dialled trunk calls are charged for in units of only 2d. (3d. from coinboxes) and the three-minute minimum charge period, which is a feature of operator-controlled trunk calls, does not apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the total number of road accidents involving bicycles in Scotland during 1964;(2) if he can state what percentage of bicycle accidents in Scotland in 1964 involved children;(3) what was the total number of road accidents involving bicycles in the city of Edinburgh during 1964;(4) if he will state the percentage of bicycle accidents in the city of Edinburgh in 1964 involving children.

I regret that the information asked for in these Questions is not readily available. In 1964 there were 1,865 accidents in Scotland, including 153 in Edinburgh, in which riders of pedal cycles were injured. In about 44 and 43 per cent., respectively, of these accidents the cyclists were children under 15.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the position under his regulations governing the provision of a second man to accompany the driver of an ambulance of the Scottish Ambulance Service sent out on emergency calls.

There are no regulations on his subject. It is the policy of the Scottish Ambulance Service to provide attendants to assist with stretcher cases wherever the workload justifies this. Attendants are employed at most of the main centres of population and double-manning will be extended or newly provided at a further 22 depots in the course of the next three years. In some areas, however, the employment of attendants is not justified by the number of stretcher cases carried. When he is going to an isolated house, it is the duty of the ambulance driver to ensure that local help will be available for strecher cases where no attendant accompanies him.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many planning authorities in Scotland have exercised their powers under Section 35 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947, to acquire land scheduled for private development where would-be users cannot obtain a site.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current situation with regard to the pier at Mallaig.

The British Railways Board, which owns Mallaig Harbour, has agreed to hand it over to an independent harbour authority; and I understand that discussions are at present in train between the various parties interested with a view to the transfer being effected by means of an Order to be made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport. Meanwhile, the Board is carrying out some essential repairs at Mallaig Harbour with assistance from my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the uncertainty existing on this subject, if he will make a statement clarifying Government policy with regard to the preservation of green belts in Scotland.

I am not aware of any uncertainty about the preservation of green belts in Scotland. Local planning authorities have a circular of 1960 to guide them and I have no intention at present of altering the policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the waiting period for those in need of orthopedic treatment in the Dunfermline West Fife Hospital; and if he is satisfied that this hospital service is adequate.

Waiting periods for non-urgent cases have varied from one to five years but patients in urgent need of treatment are admitted as soon as is clinically necessary. I am not satisfied that this service is adequate and look forward to an improvement in 1966 when additional beds are expected to become available for orthopædics in Dunfermline.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what major and minor projects he has secured specifically for Scotland during the present administration; what is the value of these projects; and what extra jobs they are expected to provide.

If the right hon. Gentleman will specify what categories of projects he has in mind I shall be glad to provide information about any developments for which I am responsible.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will publish a copy of the letter he received in the second week of January from the executive committee of the National Union of Vehicle Builders on the subject of prices and wages.

This is one of the many letters that we have received supporting measures to deal with price increases. It is for the senders to decide whether to publish it.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will take steps to freeze food prices, and set up a prices court before which all proposed price increases would have to be justified.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's replies of 19th January to the hon. Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge (Mr. Stainton) and of 21st January to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the United Kingdom has lost overseas orders for heavy electrical power plant to the value of £100 million; in view of the seriousness of this loss, what study he has given to the proposal for the establishment of an agency, similar to the Export-Import Bank of America, details of which have been sent to him; and, as this would be a vital link in any proposals to increase the export trade from this country, what steps he is proposing to take in the matter.

I am aware that other countries obtain export business as well as ourselves. In general, British firms are already able to offer credit on competitive terms for business which is not financed from aid. The Government are considering ways of improving the facilities available to exporters, but we cannot undertake to match credits provided by other countries on noncommercial terms as part of their aid programmes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of his indication that he takes into account the average local earnings when considering approval of industrial development certificates, if he will explain his method of assessing such earnings.

In answer to my hon. Friend's Question on 17th December my right hon. Friend said that each application is considered on its merits, and all relevant factors are taken into account. Where average local earnings are relevant, in particular cases, it is by reason of their effect upon the local employment situation. For this purpose it is not considered necessary to assess average local earnings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many British firms supplying materials and components to the Volkswagen car company during the last 12 months have been informed that they will receive no further orders; what reason was given; and what is the approximate amount of British exports likely to be lost as a result.

Four British firms are known to have been informed by Volkswagen that they will receive no further orders so long as the 15 per cent. surcharge on imports remains in force. The information requested in the last part of the Question is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date his Department first received an application from AGIP Limited for an industrial development certificate to build an oil refinery on Canvey Island; whether his Department sought to persuade the company to build in a development district; and on what date a certificate was finally issued.

The application was made on 8th January, 1964, and an industrial development certificate issued on 23rd June, 1964. Discussions between an applicant for an I.D.C. and the Board of Trade are confidential. But the need to encourage the expansion of industry in the development districts is of course an important factor in the consideration of I.D.C. applications.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the number and class of ships being built at Belfast at present; and whether there are sufficient orders to maintain the present rate of employment for the next 12 months.

I regret that details of orders and of the level of activity in an individual shipyard may not be given because they are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in respect of the Dane Schools in Ilford, to what extent each of the schools in question is physically sub-standard; what were the educational standards reported upon by Her Majesty's Inspectors; and what investigations he has made into the conditions for staff since this matter was raised on the Adjournment by the honourable Member for Ilford, North.

The teaching area is by modern standards deficient by 27 per cent. in the boys' school and 21 per cent. in the girls' school, and the site is also below standard. Accommodation for the staff is inadequate and the greater part of the lavatory accommodation is out of doors. No special investigation into the staff accommodation is called for: the poor quality of the accommodation throughout the school is fully recognised and will be borne in mind when the building project which will improve conditions at the school is next considered for a major building programme.It would not be in the general interest for me to disclose the contents of reports made by Her Majesty's Inspectors on individual schools.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the general position, under his regulations, in regard to social security with special reference to contributions and benefits, of aliens and other immigrants; and what their position is in regard to eligibility for family allowances and National Assistance.

People coming to this country from abroad, whether they are British or not, may register, if they wish, under the National Insurance Scheme and start paying contributions immediately. Otherwise, they are generally required to register when they obtain employment or when they have been here for 26 weeks. They can qualify for National Insurance benefits under the usual rules. They may receive family allowances when they have lived here long enough to satisfy the residence conditions which are appropriate in their case, having regard to their nationality, place of birth, previous residence, etc. If they are not employed and are in need, they may claim National Assistance which is payable without any condition as to nationality or length of residence.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will give the most recent figure of those in receipt of National Assistance in Blackpool.

Separate figures are not available for the County Borough of Blackpool, which forms only a small part of the total area covered by the National Assistance Board's offices at Blackpool (North) and Blackpool (South). In the area covered by these two offices 12,826 people were receiving assistance grants on 15th December, 1964.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will take steps to grant an ageing allowance to war pensioners of the 1914–18 war whose current rate of disability is below 40 per cent.

No, because to extend the present age allowance in this way would be inconsistent with the purpose of the allowance which was introduced not on medical grounds but on a broad humanitarian basis to make things easier for the older pensioner who had had to bear the burden of a relatively severe disablement for a long time.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will clarify, and if necessary amend, the regulations so that school leavers who become trainees in professional offices or in trades and who are paid less than, 40s. a week are exempted from substantial insurance contributions during the training period.

My right hon. Friend does not think it would be right to withdraw from these young trainees the rights to National Insurance benefits which flow from their and their employers' contributions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will list the foreign countries where current British pensions are paid at the full rate to British nationals.

The countries with which we have reciprocal agreements for the payment of our pensions at the rates current here, and vice versa, are: Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey and Yugoslavia.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why official pensions are not paid at the full rate to British nationals resident in the Channel Isles.

Under our Agreement with Jersey, anyone in that island who is entitled to a National Insurance pension from the United Kingdom receives it at a rate determined under the ordinary rules for pensioners who are not resident in the United Kingdom or at the rate which would be payable under the Jersey scheme, if this is higher. National Insurance pensioners in the other islands receive their pensions at rates determined under the ordinary rules. But my right hon. Friend hopes that the new scheme of social insurance which started in Guernsey this month will provide an opportunity of negotiating a further reciprocal agreement.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now make a statement about vehicle allowances for war pensioners and other disabled drivers.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now make a statement about the allowances paid to war pensioners who have been supplied with motor cars by his Department.

The allowances to war pensioners and others using cars supplied by the Health Departments are being increased by £15 a year; the new allowances are £60, £80 and £90 according to the age of the car. The allowances to those eligible for motor cars who prefer to use their own cars are being increased from £88 a year to £110 a year for those who do not qualify for exemption from Vehicles Excise Duty and to £95 for those who do so qualify. The changes take effect from 1st January.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the difficulties experienced by blind persons shopping in self-service stores, if he will hold discussions with the trading interests with a view to taking steps to help them and to advertise where a store offers special facilities.

The Supermarket Association, at the instance of the National League of the Blind, has recently suggested to its members that they should arrange help for blind shoppers in their stores. No case of difficulty has been brought to my notice, but if my hon. Friend knows of individual cases I will gladly make enquiries through the appropriate local authority.

asked the Minister of Health what was the number of cases of disseminated sclerosis diagnosed in each of the last five years.

This is not a notifiable disease, and I regret the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to complete the implementation of the recommendations of the Milne Report.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland stated on 17th December, 1964, in reply to a Question by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Aberdeen (Mr. Hector Hughes), some recommendations made in the Report have been implemented already. The comments of interested parties have been invited on others and the rest are being considered by the Departments concerned.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the total number of houses in the Borough of Huddersfield; how many are without baths; how many are without inside toilets; and how these figures on a percentage basis compare with the country as a whole.

The 1961 Census figures are shown in the following table. At the census households were asked whether they had the use of certain amenities; the figures of dwellings (houses and flats) not having an amenity are therefore approximate.

	Huddersfield Country Borough		England and Wales
	Number	Per cent.	Per cent.
Total dwellings*	46,339	—	—
Dwellings with an occupier present	44,536	100	100
Of which:
Without a bath inside the building	13,647	31	23
Without a W.C. inside the building or attached to it†;	9,233	21	9
* Houses, structurally separate flats, occupied caravans, etc.
†These figures are now known to have been understated at the census. The true percentage for England and Wales is probably at least 15 but a separate correction for Huddersfield is not available.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to complete his inquiry into improving methods of recruitment of midwives; and whether he will make a statement.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Health when the tins of corned beef suspected of typhoid infection and now impounded in warehouses will be destroyed.

Destruction is not necessary. The Committee of Inquiry into the Aberdeen typhoid outbreak advised that given a safe method of pasteurisation the cans at present withdrawn could be treated and released for sale without risk to the public. Consultation with the trade on methods are not yet complete.

asked the Minister of Health what provisions are being made for adequate hospital accommodation in the Witham area, in view of the recent agreement between the London County Council and Witham Urban District Council.

The regional hospital board's plans for the future development of the hospital services in the Chelmsford and Colchester areas take account of this factor.

asked the Minister of Health what investigation he has made into hospitals where direct access facilities are not given to general practitioners in their X-ray and pathological departments; and whether he will make a statement.

I have recently undertaken a survey and am following this up with the aim of ensuring that, as quickly as is possible within existing resources, facilities are made available in every general hospital group.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for the future use of the Southern Hospital, which has been closed for many years, involves considerable cost in maintenance, and has suffered depredations from vandalism; and whether, being surplus to local requirements, it will be disposed of for some other community purpose.

None; the use of the land is being considered in relation to proposed trunk road development. The maintenance cost is small.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed at the Royal Air Force Maintenance Unit, Heywood.

Fourteen R.A.F. officers, and 1,734 civilians are employed by my Department at Heywood. In addition, 85 civilians are employed by the Ministry of Public Building and Works and 20 by the canteens.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are employed by the Royal Air Force at Aldergrove in County Antrim; whether he expects any increase in this number; and if he will make a statement about the future of this service unit.

The number of civilians employed by the Air Force Department at No. 23 Maintenance Unit, Aldergrove is 1,045, including 31 industrial apprentices. In addition, 116 civilians are employed at the Unit by the Ministry of Public Building and Works, 14 by N.A.A.F.I. and the Unit Canteen Committee and 79 by contractors. These figures exclude personnel employed by the Ministry of Aviation who are responsible for the airfield.As far as can be foreseen, No. 23 M.U. will continue to be needed as an aircraft supply and servicing depot. The future task of the unit is currently under review, and it is possible that some additional civilians will be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the agreement to supply 600 tons of surplus small arms to Saudi Arabia did not include an arrangement to transport them to that country.

The Ministry of Defence does not normally undertake to arrange transport of surplus stores outside the United Kingdom. In this case our contractual commitment was to deliver free on board the aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what offers he made to deliver by Service transport the 600 tons of surplus small arms sold to Saudi Arabia, and why it was necessary for these arms to be transported in small quantities over a period of several months by a Spanish private freight firm flying them from the United Kingdom to Brussels;(2) why the consignments of surplus small arms sold to Saudi Arabia are now being delivered to a civil airport in this country.

No offers were made. As regards the quantities and period of delivery, these had to take account of the carrying capacity and frequency of the aircraft chartered by the purchaser.Because the Service air station originally used was temporarily closed for a short period, a civil airport with adequate storage facilities is now being used for the quantities and types of arms remaining to be delivered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of the current refit of the Royal Yacht "Britannia"; and if he will give details of the work being done.

"Britannia" is undergoing the full hull and machinery survey which is carried out every four years to conform with Lloyd's requirements. In addition, the crew's quarters are being air-conditioned, and her communication system is being brought up to date, to conform to standards now generally adopted in the Fleet.The full extent of the work to be done is not yet known, as the survey is still not complete. I cannot therefore give the estimated cost at present.

asked the Secretary of of State for Defence how many Admiralty orders have been placed in Clydeside, the North of England and Belfast, respectively, since October, 1964.

Seven orders for new naval ships have been placed in the period, all as a result of competitive tenders. The details are:

• Clydeside—2 Leander Class Frigates and 1 guided missile destroyer.
• North of England—1 guided missile destroyer and 3 stores support ships, one of which will be built by a Clydeside associate of the successful tenderer.

No orders have been placed at Belfast.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the visit of the Minister of Defence for the Army to Aden and Singapore.

The purpose of my visit was to see troops on the ground and to obtain first-hand knowledge of the problems they are facing in carrying out an active rôle. I am now looking into the many points I noted.Everywhere I went I was most impressed by the way our forces are carrying out their tasks. In Aden and the Radfan area I found the troops in excellent heart, fit and alert in helping to ensure the proper conditions required for the future constitutional advance.In the Far East I visited British and Gurkha units in Malaysia and Hong Kong. In particular I would mention the troops at present serving alongside the Malaysian Security Forces in Eastern Malaysia, where they were carrying out their tasks in difficult jungle conditions with an impressive display of skill and with high morale. I was pleased to find that everywhere I went the presence of our troops was welcomed as a stabilising factor and their relations with local people were extremely good.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what military support he is giving to the official forces including the mercenaries, of the Republic of the Congo in their endeavours to safeguard the lives of British nationals.