asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will consult Commonwealth Governments with a view to creating a Commonwealth school for advanced business and management studies.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will consult Commonwealth Governments with a view to creating a Commonwealth school for advanced business and management studies, in line with Her Majesty's Government's policy of strengthening the economic links inside the Commonwealth.

No. Courses in business and management studies at universities, colleges of advanced technology, technical colleges and specialised management centres are open to other Commonwealth students as well as to students from the United Kingdom, and are in fact attended by appreciable numbers of such students.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will obtain and circulate to the aircraft factories in the United Kingdom particulars of the special needs of developing countries for such manufactured goods as agricultural machinery, tractors and portable houses which could provide skilled employment for aircraft workers faced with unemployment.

I shall be keeping in touch with my colleagues about the possibility that excess productive capacity in the aircraft industry might be used to produce goods which could meet the special needs of developing countries.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will make more scholarships in this country available to students from Malta.

My Ministry provides training facilities, not scholarships. The British Council has allocated four scholarships to Malta for the next academic year, as compared with one for 1964–65, and the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission, which invites three nominations annually from Malta, made three awards in 1964.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the extension of technical aid to Malta.

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

Malta is already in receipt of technical aid, but any request for further assistance will be considered.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what discussions she had with the Government of India concerning British aid; and what changes there have been in the programme of British assistance as a result of her visit there in January.

During my visit I had extensive discussions with the Indian Planning Commission and with Indian Ministers about how the future planning of our technical and capital assistance can best be integrated with the Indian Government's own forward planning. My objective was to ensure that it makes the most effective British contribution to the needs of India's development. The value of these discussions will be felt when we come to consider specific future requirements with the Indian authorities.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she is aware of the value to India of Kipping Aid, whereby private British enterprises in India import from Great Britain components for existing machinery, and the traditional exports from Great Britain can be maintained; and whether she will seek to increase this form of aid.

I am well aware from my recent visit to India of the great value placed, on Kipping aid both by the Indian Government and by those British and other enterprises that directly benefit from it and I will keep this in mind.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the anticipated net increase in the number of civil servants resulting from the establishment of her Department.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many staff were previously employed in other Departments on functions now transferred to the Ministry of Overseas Development; and how many of these staff have been transferred with their functions to that Department.

I would refer the hon. Members to my replies of 15th December, 1964, to the hon. Members for Banbury (Mr. Marten) and Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Longden). Many of the 360 additional staff would in any case have been required to meet the needs of our expanding programmes of aid, and the new emphasis which we have rightly placed on economic planning. It is not therefore possible to say what staff increase, if any, results specifically from the creation of the Ministry of Overseas Development.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her policy towards helping existing and potential British private investment in developing countries of the Commonwealth; and what priority she gives as between this form of aid and Government to Government loans.

Both Government aid and private investment are of benefit to the developing countries, but since private investment is a matter of private initiative the question of priority hardly arises.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she has yet completed her review of the British aid programme; and whether she will publish her conclusions, together with an account of the organisation of her Department's work at home and overseas, in the form of a White Paper.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Mitcham (Mr. R. Carr) at Question Time today.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development, in view of the balance of payments situation, if it is still Her Majesty's Government's policy that the level of Government overseas aid should be immediately increased to I per cent. of the national income.

It is our policy to increase our aid programme as our economic situation permits. The rate of increase must depend on our economic progress.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what grants have been made to Hong Kong in the last five years; and whether she will give assistance to the project to construct either a tunnel from Kowloon to the island of Hong Kong or an underground railway.

Grants have been made of £140,000 for the Kowloon Fish and Vegetable Market; of £50,000 for the University of Hong Kong (bringing the total allocated to that University since 1945 to £715,212); and of £250,000 for a new Chinese university. The answer to the second part of the hon. Member's Questions is No.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what are her plans for increasing the number of technical college teachers in the African States of the Commonwealth.

We are following up through Commonwealth education channels the recommendation made at the Commonwealth Education Conference at Ottawa last autumn that there should be a Commonwealth Technical Teacher Training Plan and the suggestion that there should be a Conference of experts on technical education, but I am, not yet in a position to report progress.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development is she is aware that on 25th January the Government of Malawi stated that they would not take responsibility for the pensions of non-designated civil servants appointed before national independence; what action she will take to safeguard their position; and if she will make a statement.

The statement made by Dr. Banda to which I think my hon. Friend refers dealt not with pensions but with a claim to designation and compensation as designated officers from a small number of expatriate civil servants in Malawi. The pensions of these officers are covered by the Public Officers Agreement and are so safeguarded by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Resolution 292, on International Voluntary Service, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 29th January, 1965.

Resolution 292 proposes that the Council of Europe should support the Regional Conference on International Voluntary Service in the same way as it previously supported the Seminar which led up to the establishment of the Regional Conference.The British volunteer movement was represented at this Seminar by members nominated by the voluntary bodies who are responsible for carrying out the British volunteer programme. Her Majesty's Government was represented by an observer.It was the considered opinion of the British voluntary bodies that they should not join any new body set up as the result of the Seminar. At the same time they recognised the value of consultation with any such body and have agreed that they should be represented by an observer at the European Regional Conference. The Government agrees with these views.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she has now completed her consideration of the extension of the Overseas Service Aid scheme to local authorities and other para-government bodies in developing countries; and whether she will make a statement.

I expect tomorrow to move in the House the Second Reading of the Overseas Development and Service Bill, Clause 2 of which is designed to take power to extend the Overseas Service Aid Scheme to quasi-governmental bodies in overseas countries undertaking public or social functions.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals she has for increasing support to the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering in order to expand the work the institute is carrying out to assist agriculture in the developing countries.

The work at the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering to assist developing countries is carried out through the Overseas Liaison Unit which is wholly financed by my Department. Subject to Parliamentary approval, I propose to provide for increases in its staff, travel and development work in the next financial year.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals she has for establishing a course for overseas students in home economics at Queen Mary's College, London.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the new one-year course for the Academic post-graduate diploma of the University of London in home economics related to community development. This course is to begin at Queen Elizabeth College in October this year. It is being designed primarily to meet the needs of experienced men and women from the developing countries overseas.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will make a statement about economic aid to Uganda.

Her Majesty's Government agreed in August, subject to Parliamentary approval as necessary, to lend the Uganda Government £6 million for capital development in the last two years of their current development plan, on terms and for purposes to be agreed. I had talks last week with Mr. Kalule-Settala, Ugandan Minister of Finance. I am glad to say that we have reached agreement on the allocation of the whole of the aid to individual projects, and also on the terms of the loan.The House will be asked to vote a supplementary estimate in due course for such amounts as will be borne on my Department's votes; in the meantime, advances will be sought from the Civil Contingencies Fund as necessary.

asked the Minister of Technology what progress is being made by the Atomic Energy Authority in designing a nuclear reactor for marine use.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps are being taken in designing a nuclear reactor for marine purposes.

I am advised by the Authority that they have carried their preparatory work and design effort on nuclear reactors for marine propulsion to the point where they are ready to prepare a design for a reactor to be installed and tested in a prototype ship.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will now make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's plans for assistance to and expansion of the computer industry.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on his policy towards the computer industry; and what aid to it he proposes to give to research and development through his Department.

I hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he will propose to avoid the loss of the technical skills of skilled aircraft workers and design teams dispersed as a consequence of the cancellation by the Government of the order for the HS681 and other aircraft.

This is one aspect of the review referred to by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th February in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham (Mr. Hale). My Department is participating in this review and until it has been completed it would be premature for me to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Technology what facilities exist in his Department for the study of restrictive practices on both sides of industry.

Restrictive practices in industry are primarily the concern of my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of Labour. I am naturally concerned with the social impact of the adoption and efficient use of new techniques, plant and machinery and have set up a separate branch to deal with this aspect of the work of my Department.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on his policy towards the electronics industry; and what aid his Department gives to research and development in it.

I am concerned to see that the electronics industry plays its full part in promoting technological advance generally. As its sponsor Department my Ministry has also a special duty to foster its economic wellbeing and efficiency. Statutory powers to enable my Ministry to give aid to research and development in industry are included in the Science and Technology Bill and I shall use these powers to further the objectives I have mentioned.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the number and percentage of scientists and engineers who have been transferred from Winfrith in the last two years; and how many during that period have relinquished their posts at the request of the Authority.

In the last two years, six scientists representing 2 per cent. of the strength, and twenty professional engineers, representing 8 per cent. of the strength, were transferred from Winfrith to other Authority establishments. No scientists or engineers at Winfrith were asked to relinquish appointments during this period.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the future of the Atomic Energy Authority.

The principal responsibilities of the Atomic Energy Authority continue to be research and development of atomic energy, including particularly the development of nuclear reactor systems for the generation of electricity at progressively lower cost; the manufacture of fuel elements and fissile material; and research and development on nuclear weapons to meet the defence requirements of Her Majesty's Government.In addition, powers are being sought, under Clause 4 of the Science and Technology Bill, to enable the Minister of Technology to require the Atomic Energy Authority to undertake research and development in science and technology outside the atomic energy field. The Government's basic aim is to ensure that the considerable resources of skill and experience, and the exceptional facilities, that have been built up in the Atomic Energy Authority can be made available, as opportunity offers, to support the task of stimulating technological advance in industry.

asked the Minister of Technology what new development contracts have been discussed, negotiated, or signed, respectively, with industry by his Department; how long they will take; and how much they are estimated to cost.

None. But that part of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for which I am to take over formal responsibility has since mid-October placed further contracts within the fields of Advanced Computer Techniques and Superconductivity in respect of which research and development projects costing respectively £1½ million and £200,000 have already been announced. The number of such contracts placed, on all of which work has started, is ten to a total value of £287,000 of which the D.S.I.R. contribution will be some £187,000. The duration of these contracts range between nine months and two-and-a-half years. A further contract to a value of £92,000 has reached an advanced stage of negotiation. Over and above this, in the field of Superconductivity, contracts to the value of £150,000 are being negotiated on a cost sharing basis with industry for techniques leading to the production of improved superconducting wire composites.

asked the Minister of Technology what aid he gives through his Department to the civil aircraft industry.

None, at present.But the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research carries out a variety of work of application to the civil aviation industry in its own establishments or through Research Associations, and my Department will be assuming responsibility for this work.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent his Department will provide advice and information to assist in preserving full employment at factories within the aircraft industry using standards of comparable skill.

My Department is taking part in the examination mentioned by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his reply to my hon. Friend on 16th February.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what terms the $3,000 million International Bank loan has been renewed; for how long it will run; if it will have to be renewed again; what it is costing per annum; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answers given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Rhodes) on Thursday, 11th February, 1965, and to the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas) on Tuesday, 22nd December, 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what part of his Financial Statement costs involved in the $3,000 million standby credit will be shown.

These cost are, in the main, met from the reserves, which are held in the Exchange Equalisation Account. They involve no direct charge on the Exchequer. If, however, drawings were made under the line of credit with the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the interest would be payable from the Consolidated Fund and the sterling equivalent of this would be included in the Financial Statement as part of the interest on the National Debt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the balance of payments of the $3,000 million standby credit for the year ending 4th April, 1965; and what is the estimated cost for the year 1965–66.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 8th December, 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of granting parity of pensions to public service pensioners based upon length of service and positions held, regardless of date of retirement.

Over £100 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends to take to revise the structure upon which public service pensions are based.

I see no reason to change the basic structure of public service pensions. The Government are reviewing the position of existing public service pensioners, as my hon. Friend the Chief Secretary told the House on 10th November last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking toward arriving at a settlement of the pay claim of tax officers; and if he will make a statement.

An offer to the Inland Revenue Staff Federation has been made and has been rejected. It is for the Federation to decide whether to take their claim to the Arbitration Tribunal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the £67 million of the Civil Supplementary Estimates presented to Parliament on 9th February is attributable to increased salaries and wages.

Some £34 million is due to increased costs. A substantial part of this is for increased salaries and wages, but I am afraid that it is not possible to determine precisely how much without an undue expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will raise the level of tax-free income under the age exemption limit in the forthcoming Budget.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has completed his inquiries into the losses of mail sent to various residents in Grosvenor Crescent, Kingsbury, N.W.9; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. But I am sorry that the very full inquiries we have made have failed to establish the cause of these regrettable losses.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken recently and plans to take to provide instant and effective radio communication between ships at sea in the North Sea and other northern waters and the relevant shore radio stations.

After consultation with the shipping and fishing interests plans for improving communication by means of the medium frequency radio telephone service are in course of being implemented. These plans are aimed at making more effective use of the frequencies that are available for this service under international agreements. In addition, the aerial of the shore station at Wick is being re-sited and this should improve the service to ships in northern waters.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of recent complaints by masters of ships in the North Sea of atmospheric interference with radio communications between ships and shore radio stations; and if he will take scientific advice on plans to eliminate such interference for the better security of mariners in those areas.

I have received no recent complaints of atmospheric interference with reception of radio communications by ships in the North Sea, nor has such interference been experienced by our shore stations. If my hon. Friend has received reports of such interference I shall be grateful if he will let me have the details.

asked the Postmaster-General when building is likely to commence on a new Crown post office in the Lochee district of Dundee.

Negotiations for a site are in hand, but it is too early to say when building will commence. I shall write to my hon. Friend later.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will erect a radio station in Shetland in view of complaints from vessels fishing to the north and west of Shetland that they cannot maintain contact with Wick Radio.

I should find it difficult to justify a station in Shetland, having regard to the small amount of traffic that it would be called on to handle. There are, however, other possibilities for better communication with vessels fishing far out to the north and north-west. In the first place, the aerial at Wick Radio is being re-sited. This will be completed shortly and should result in a substantial improvement in the service from that station. Secondly, the Post Office operates a long-distance radio telephone service which should provide the solution for trawler owners prepared to fit the right kind of standard equipment. My officials have offered to collaborate with the Aberdeen trawler owners in trials of this service.

asked the Postmaster-General on how many occasions Post Office franking patterns have been altered in the last decade; what is the average cost of designing, making and fixing a new pattern; and if he will estimate the additional revenue accruing to the Post Office as the result of a new pattern.

I assume that the hon. and gallant Member has in mind the postmark publicity slogans which are used from time to time in Post Office stamp cancelling machines.There have been about 370 publicity campaigns using slogans of this type during the last 10 years. The cost of a campaign depends on the number of cancelling machines used and the duration of the campaign; the revenue varies accordingly. During 1963–64 the average cost of a slogan campaign including designing, making and fixing a new franking pattern was £75 and the average revenue was £117.

asked the Postmaster-General when he intends to make a statement on postal charges.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is satisfied that a first delivery of mail at 930 a.m. at Ashurst, Hampshire, is reasonably early; and whether he will take action to ensure delivery at an earlier hour.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes"; it would not be practicable without incurring disproportionate expense to finish the first delivery in rural areas such as Ashurst before 9.30 a.m.With regard to the second part of the Question, delivery in part of the village has been made later than it should have been and I have now had this put right.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give lists indicating which of the postal districts in London and the south-east of England deliver mail to their customers four times, three times, and twice per day, respectively.

I hope the following will meet the hon. Member's needs; but, if there is any further information he would like and he will let me know, I will do my best to help him:

asked the Post, master-General when the Winston Churchill stamp will be on sale; how many values there will be; how many of each value are to be printed; and if he has yet decided on the artist who is to design the stamp.

I am not yet ready to make an announcement on the matters raised by the hon. and gallant Member but I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that last weekend the Aberdeen trawler "Glengairn" in distress during a gale with three injured men aboard used its radio in vain to get messages through to Oban radio station but the messages were never picked up or answered; and why those messages were not answered.

I understand that "Glengairn" was unfortunately in distress, but I have not yet been able to establish all the facts because the skipper has been at sea and my officials need to discuss matters with him. I have arranged for this to be done as soon as he returns to Aberdeen, and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as my inquiries are completed.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made in the construction of the telephone exchange at Rutherglen; and when he expects conversion to the automatic system.

Good progress is being made with the new automatic exchange at Rutherglen and I expect it to open, with STD, this summer.

asked the Postmaster-General what areas in County Londonderry will be covered by the new satellite television station at Portrush.

This station is intended to serve the town of Portrush. Virtually the whole of County Londonderry is already covered from the B.B.C.'s stations at Londonderry and Divis.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish the total figures of housing subsidies to local authorities for each of the last 10 years.

The following Exchequer contributions were paid to local authorities in England and Wales in respect of new permanent housing. The figures do not include Exchequer contributions towards the cost of converting or improving existing houses, contributions in respect of temporary and emergency housing, or capital grants for post war houses built by new tradition methods.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to introduce legislation on leasehold reform.

As I explained to the House on 8th December, 1964, I expect to introduce this legislation after we finish with the forthcoming Bill on rent control.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement about the basis on which compensation will be paid to householders whose homes will be affected by the construction of a six-lane radial relief road into Bournemouth; and whether, in view of the large numbers likely to be displaced, he will discuss with the council their proposals for assisting the people concerned to find alternative accommodation at prices comparable to the amount of compensation paid to them.

The basis of compensation as laid down in Section 5 of the Land Compensation Act, 1961, is the market value of the interest acquired, without regard to the effect on that value of the proposed road. The rehousing of persons displaced would be the responsibility of the Bournemouth Council, who have to submit any scheme for my right hon. Friend's approval. Discussion at this stage would be premature.

asked the Minister of Power when he expects to introduce legislation for the nationalisation of the steel industry.

I have nothing to add to my replies to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 8th December, 1964, and the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker) on 16th February.

asked the Minister of Power what proposals he has received for the storage of gas underground in North Oxfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

None. The Gas Bill now before Parliament makes provision for the manner in which any proposals by the gas industry for the storage of gas in underground strata shall be made and considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the current annual volume of export trade to South Africa.

The value of United Kingdom exports to the Republic of South Africa in 1964 was £222 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the fixed capital expenditure in the wool textile industry in 1964; and what was the figure for 1963.

A preliminary estimate suggests that in 1963 the capital expenditure of the wool industry was about £15 million but this figure is subject to revision when the results of the Census of Production are available. An estimate has not yet been made for the year 1964.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs in the Merseyside area have come into existence in the last five years in the motor car and motor components industries; and how many new jobs in the same industries he expects to come into existence in the next three years.

Over the past five years over 20,000 new jobs have come into existence in the Merseyside area as a result of major developments by the motor car and motor components industries. These developments are expected to provide over 9,000 more jobs in the next three years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps the Government are taking to sustain and continue the expansion of the motor industry in the Merseyside area.

The Board of Trade continues to draw attention to the benefits available to industry, including the motor industry, in the development districts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made with the planning of a nuclear-powered surface ship; what assistance he is receiving in his consideration of the matter; and if he will make a statement.

The Government is continuing its review of nuclear propulsion of merchant ships. All the relevant information available is being taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving illegal use of firearms or the use of firearms for illegal purposes have been reported to the police in the Greater London area, and also in England and Wales, during the four months to the latest convenient date; how many persons have been injured by gunfire in those incidents during this period, and how many deaths have been caused by shooting; and if he will give the comparable figures for the same four months in each of the last five years.

During the last four months of 1964 one person was killed and 25 injured as a result of the discharge of firearms during the commission of indictable offences in the Metropolitan Police District; there were 97 offences in which firearms were used. The corresponding figures for 1963 were one person killed and 20 injured in connection with 29 indictable offences. Information for earlier years is not available. Nor is information available for England and Wales as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the four months to the last convenient date a prisoner has been released from prison without having served the whole of a sentence of 10 or more years; how many years had been served in each case; and if he will give comparable figures for the last 12 months and for each of the last five years.

All prisoners serving fixed terms, and, since 20th March, 1963, all prisoners serving preventive detention are eligible for release after serving two-thirds of their sentence, subject to industry and good conduct. The following table gives information about those cases where a prisoner serving a sentence of ten years or more has, in addition, been granted special remission or, in the case of a sentence of preventive detention, has been released on licence earlier than he would have been released in the normal course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have been given by his Department to the Metropolitan Police with regard to enforcement of the Prevention of Eviction Act.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave on 17th February to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. Lena Jeger) and Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Park). I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that he has issued instructions in the sense then indicated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 375, relating to the abolition of visas for refugees, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23rd September, 1963; and what action Her Majesty's Government now propose to take on it.

Though they have given it careful consideration, Her Majesty's Government have not felt able to accept this Recommendation. They are of opinion that the balance of advantage lies in maintaining the existing arrangements with regard to the entry of refugees into the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department where the new establishment for murderers and other violent prisoners will be built.

My right hon. Friend is proposing that an additional block for this purpose should be built at the prison now under construction at Albany Barracks, Isle of Wight. He is consulting the Isle of Wight County Council and the Newport Borough Council about this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys of previous good character have been sent to approved schools for truancy and no other cause; and what is his policy on keeping boys in this type of detention.

116 boys at present in approved schools were committed for failure to attend school regularly, and 29 of these had not previously been found guilty of any offences. As with boys committed for other reasons, it is for the managers of their schools to decide, in the light of their response to training and their home circumstances, for how long they should be detained, subject to the maximum period prescribed by law.

asked the Prime Minister what form it has now been recommended that the awards to industry for achievement in the export field will take.

I would refer the hon. Member to my statement of 4th February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will define responsibility for grants to the arts as between the Arts Council, the Minister of Public Building and Works, and the President of the Board of Trade.

I would ask the hon. Lady to await publication tomorrow of a White Paper which will deal with these matters.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make representations to the head of the Spanish Government concerning the Spanish treatment of the people of Gibraltar.

I have had no direct communication with the Spanish Head of State about the Spanish treatment of Gibraltarians. As the House is aware, the matter has been pursued through normal diplomatic channels. I think it best that it should continue to be handled in this way.

asked the Prime Minister what consultations he had with President Johnson on the war in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement on the present prospects of securing a peaceful settlement.

asked the Prime Minister what consultations he has had with the United States Government about the events in South Vietnam.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I are deeply concerned with the situation in Vietnam. It is our hope that Her Majesty's Government can play an effective part in helping to resolve the present problems and to arrive at a basis for a peaceful settlement. To this end, we have been actively engaged in diplomatic consultations of a confidential nature. These consultations are still going on, and I hope the House will understand that it would be unwise to prejudice the results of much patient and discreet diplomacy by any premature public announcement. As soon as it is possible to do so, I will inform the House of the progress

asked the Prime Minister if he will name the permanent standing advisory committees advising Her Majesty's Government on various aspects of policy which report direct to him, and to each other Minister, respectively; in which cases the reports of these committees are published and in which cases confidential; and if he will give the dates on which the committees were set up.

The following is the reply: