asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources by what criteria the proposed Crown Land Commission will allocate land for the building of houses.

I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await the legislation.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what measures he is taking to enlist the co-operation of the National Trust in the preservation of natural amenities; and what is his policy with regard to property acquired by that body.

My Ministry has agreed to co-operate with the National Trust in Enterprise Neptune—the campaign for the preservation of our coastline which the Trust is to launch in the spring.The National Trust is an independent body incorporated by Act of Parliament and I have no statutory responsibility for it. I am, however, closely interested in its work and I am prepared to give sympathetic consideration to proposals for co-operating with it.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what arrangements, in the light of his responsibility for allotments, he proposes to make to ensure that the advice of agricultural and horticultural officers employed by local authorities is available to his Department.

Whenever the need arises, I can call on the advice of the professional and technical services of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and, at present, I do not feel that it is necessary to make further arrangements.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what surveys he is carrying out on which to esti- mate the demand for allotments in urban areas.

The annual returns made to me by the allotments authorities are adequate to estimate the demand for allotments in urban areas.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what administrative action he is taking with regard to highways in so far as these affect the National Parks on the one hand, and the long-distance routes under Sections 51–55 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949, on the other.

No occasion for my right hon. Friend taking action in this connection has arisen. If the National Parks Commission or other appropriate body asks him to deal with a particular problem in connection with the amenities of a National Park, he will be happy to look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what administrative action he is taking with regard to glebe land.

My right hon. Friend will exercise his functions in respect of glebe land as his predecessors have done in the past, whenever applications are made to him under the Glebe Lands Act, 1888.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the cost to the balance of payments of heating public buildings by oil.

It would be too difficult to calculate the exact cost of using oil. The current annual fuel bill for public buildings in the United Kingdom for which I am responsible, is about £4,185,000, of which £1,770,000 is for fuel oil. Much of this latter figure represents sterling payments, for example, expenditure in the United Kingdom on refining and distribution.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what were the target numbers for the completion of barracks and married quarters in Aldershot for the year ended 31st December, 1964, respectively; and how many of each category were completed.

Five barracks were due for completion in 1964. Three of these were completed then and the remaining two in January. According to targets laid down in 1963, the number of married quarters to be completed in 1964 was 174, and all but two were completed in that year.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he will report on the findings of the Civil Service Pay Research Unit on fire surveyors and fire officers, in view of the length of time the claim has been under consideration.

Confidential negotiations with the recognised Staff Association in regard to the pay of fire surveyors and fire officers are currently in progress. It is expected that they will shortly be brought to a close. It would be contrary to agreed practice for details of confidenital negotiations to be disclosed before finality is reached.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if the estimated cost of £45 million for the Polaris base at Faslane includes the cost of new roadworks, sewerage, supply of water and new houses.

The estimate of £45 million covers all work in the Faslane, Coulport and Helensburgh area and includes these items.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the estimated cost of works at Rosyth for the Polaris programme when it was first announced; and what is the estimated cost today.

Works in progress at Rosyth will provide for the refitting of conventional and both types of nuclear powered submaries. The original order of cost for this work in March, 1963, was £1·1 million: the present estimate is £1·3 million. Further work is planned which is required only in connection with Polaris submarines. Precise requirements are not yet known, but the order of cost, which was £600,000 in March, 1963, has now been reduced to £300,000.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the reasons for the increase from £25 million to £45 million for the Polaris base at Faslane.

The greater part of the increase over the original estimate is due to subsequent decisions. These include the provision of shore facilities for hunter-killer submarines and the siting at Faslane of the Polaris Training School, special repair facilities and a new floating dock. There has also been some increase in construction costs and in the extent of the works services needed.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will open up the window spaces on the East side of No. 5 Old Palace Yard.

No. 5 Old Palace Yard has been demolished. I assume that this Question refers to Nos. 6 and 7 Old Palace Yard. On that building there are no window spaces which could be opened up. The recessed panels are dummies, backing on to fireplaces and flues.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works from what Government agency local authorities and others concerned with large-scale building should seek official building technology advice.

The National Building Agency will give local housing authorities and others technical and management advice on the use of modern building methods. This Department's Directorate General of Research and Development and the Building Research Station, for which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology is to take responsibility, provide information about current research and development. Other Departments advise on specific types of building, such as schools and hospitals, which are their primary concern.

asked the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, when the Special Report of the Committee's conclusions, based on the general review of the administration of the Refreshment Department, will be presented to the House; and, in view of the increase in Members' salaries and, on 1st March, the rise in the prices of meals, whether she will give priority to an increase in the wages of the catering staff.

It is too early to forecast when the Kitchen Committee will be ready to make its Special Report to the House, but I can assure the hon. Member that the wages and conditions of service of the catering staff are included in the Committee's review of administration.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what consideration she is giving to the problem of large families where the income of the wage earner either employed or unemployed is below the National Assistance Board scale for the family.

This problem is receiving particular attention in the Government's review of the social security provisions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the most that any man entering the pension scheme in 1926, retiring at 65 years of age and now drawing a National Insurance pension, contributed towards the fund; what these contributions would amount to if compound interest had been added to them at 3½ per cent. and 5 per cent., respectively; and what the corresponding figures are for a woman.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to contributions for retirement pension alone by employee and employer together. Counting for this purpose contributions under the Contributory Old Age Pensions Acts up to July, 1948, the retirement pension element of the national insurance contribution between then and April, 1961, and an estimated allocation to retirement pension from the flat-rate national insurance contribution since then, and assuming that maximum graduated contributions have been paid since 1961, the most that could have been paid for a man at the end of March, 1965 would be £441. Accumulated at 3½ per cent. compound interest, this would have amounted to £583, and at 5 per cent. to £674. Corresponding figures for a woman would be £410, £534 and £612, respectively.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what the capital value of standard National Insurance pensions will be for a single man, aged 65 years, a single woman aged 60 years, and a married couple of these ages, on the date when the new pensions rates come into effect assuming no subsequent increases.

About £1,900, £2,800 and £4,100, respectively, assuming an interest rate of 3½ per cent., for the standard flat-rate pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners are now in receipt of a National Assistance supplement; and how many of them will receive the full benefit of the new pension increase.

About 1,154,000; some of these supplements provide for the requirements of a married couple both of whom are pensioners. All will receive the full benefit of the pension increase apart from a small minority of some 25,000 pensioners who are living in old people's homes or similar accommodation, or are paying an inclusive charge for board and lodging to a private landlady. In these cases the supplement has to be related primarily to the charge payable for the pensioner's maintenance, but most of them will have some direct benefit from the pension increase.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the amount in tons of coal used for heating all the buildings under the control of hospital boards for the years 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964, respectively, and also the estimated figure far 1965.

I do not have separate annual figures, but consumption is about 2 million tons of coal and coke a year.

asked the Minister of Health how many complaints he has received from surgeons and anaesthetists regarding the antiquated methods of sterilizing instruments and ventilating operating theatres in private nursing homes; and if he will take steps to carry out a survey of private nursing homes with a view to ascertaining how many have undergone no modernisation in the last 20 years.

I have had no such complaints. With regard to the second part of the Question, in England and Wales these matters are primarily the responsibility of the managers of the homes and of local registration authorities, whose powers of supervision were increased by the Conduct of Nursing Homes Regulations, 1963 (S.I. 1963 No. 1434). If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind in England or Wales, I will gladly ask the registration authority to investigate.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce an individual appointment system for out-patients attending all hospitals.

Hospital authorities have been advised to introduce appointments systems, whether by individual bookings or by bookings in small blocks. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a memorandum I have recently sent to hospital authorities asking them to review their out-patient arrangements with the object of reducing waiting time, and to submit reports. I shall consider in the light of the reports whether further action is needed.

asked the Minister of Health what representations have been made to him regarding the retention of the deep X-ray therapy unit at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle; what replies he has given; and if he will give an assurance that the X-ray unit will remain at the Cumberland Infirmary, and that the efforts of the hospital authorities will be directed towards expansion, rather than closure.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on this matter, to which he has replied that the future of the unit is being considered as part of the regional board's proposals for radiotherapy services in the region as a whole. My Department will be discussing these proposals with representatives of the board later this month; in the meantime the present service at the Cumberland Infirmary is being maintained.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital operating theatres have no ventilation; how many have extractor fans; and how many are fitted with positive pressure ventilation.

Precise information is not available centrally. Hospital authorities have been advised to provide a positive pressure system in all new theatres.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average age of operating theatres at hospitals administered under the National Health Service.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration he has given to the use of prefabricated operating theatres.

In one or two hospitals such theatres are already in use; others will shortly be installed. Our professional advisers are in touch with the manufacturers concerned.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to commence the building of a cottage hospital in Millom, Cumberland.

A projected small hospital at Millom is in the later stages of the Hospital Plan which is now under review and I cannot yet forecast a starting date.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that dentists are experiencing a fall-off in their National Health Service patients, who are holding back because of the indication that dental charges are to be removed; and whether he will make a statement on this subject.

No. The number of courses of treatment given continues to rise.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of the £10,200,000 spent on care of mothers and young children and the £3,400,000 spent on the prevention of illness, care and after-care is attributable to the supply and use of vaccines.

Information is not available centrally about the proportion of expenditure by local health authorities shown under these heads which could be attributed to the supply and use of vaccines. It is, however, likely to be small.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make more helicopters available for United Kingdom forces in Malaysia.

Yes. A Royal Air Force squadron of Whirlwinds arrived there at the end of last month and H.M.S. "Albion" with a squadron of Royal Naval Wessex helicopters will be deployed east of Suez in the near future. The first Army Sioux helicopters for the support of combat units have now arrived, and the build-up will continue during this year.We have also helped to meet the needs of the Army in Malaysia by increasing the monthly flying hours of each R.A.F. Whirlwind there by 50 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are his proposals for the provision of further Army training areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the extension of training areas for the Army.

An extension of the Army's training areas has been under consideration for some time, but no specific plans have yet been decided upon.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the result of the review of armed forces pensions which is being undertaken will be announced.

I can add nothing yet to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on 1st February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of contracts awarded by his Department in the years 1963–64 and 1964–65; and what proportions of these sums represented orders given to Royal Ordnance factories.

The value of contracts for stores and equipment awarded by the three Service Departments in 1963–64 was about £230 million, of which some £40 million represented orders given to Royal Ordnance Factories. Estimated figures for 1964–65 are £215 million and £33 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the contract price from Sankey's for an armoured personnel carrier; what was the final price; and what price the Royal Ordnance factory, Woolwich, quoted on this contract.

It would be contrary to normal practice to give details of contract prices. I can, however, confirm that the Sankey's price for the production of the Armoured Personnel Carrier is closely in line with their earlier estimate, which was substantially less than the estimated cost of the work in the Royal Ordnance Factories.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an inquiry into the placing of Government contracts for arms and munitions.

In accordance with my statement to the House on 21st December last, I have arranged for a departmental investigation into the way in which work is allocated to the Royal Ordnance Factories. I have no intention at present of setting up any other inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the Women's Royal Naval Service establishments, and state the number of officers, rating and civilians in the complement, respectively, for each establishment, and their respective annual cost, the annual cost of each establishment, and the total Navy Estimates annual cost for the Women's Royal Naval Service;(2) if he will state the number of acres and value of land and buildings at the Women's Royal Naval Service Training Establishment, Burghfield, near Reading, Berkshire, the total annual cost of maintenance of buildings and grounds and of training, respectively, the number of officers and their salaries and emoluments, the number of training staff and annual cost, the annual number of officers and ratings, respectively, under training and the period, the annual cost of training per officer and other rating, respectively, and the total annual cost of this Women's Royal Naval Service school.

The only W.R.N.S. Establishment is H.M.S. "Dauntless" at Burghfield near Reading, but WRENS serve in 22 Royal Naval Establishments at home and overseas. H.M.S. "Dauntless" covers an area of 39 acres, the present day value of the land and buildings is assessed at £75,000, and the annual maintenance cost for buildings and grounds is about £12,500. The full complement of officers, rating and civilians is 21 costing £25,540 a year, 82 costing £55,850 a year and 4 costing £2,860 a year respectively: the training staff includes 7 officers costing £6,000 a year and 17 ratings costing £14,000 a year, and the total annual cost of training is £100,500.No officers are trained at H.M.S. "Dauntless", which is the W.R.N.S. ratings' new entry training establishment; the annual training programme covers 965 students for 4 weeks' Part I training, and a number of stewards, cooks and other students for Part II training in courses lasting between 3 and 16 weeks. The normal length of course is between 4 and 8 weeks, the cost per student week is £24 10s. 0d., and the total annual cost of the school is £128,000. The total annual cost of the W.R.N.S. throughout the Service is about £2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the Royal Air Force requirement for a fleet of subsonic strategic jet transport aircraft.

The present strategic transport force of Britannias and Comets will be progressively supplemented as the Belfasts and VC10s on order come into service. Together with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation I am studying our long-term needs, but it is too soon to formulate detailed requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the future of the Ulster Maritime Support Unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

The Royal Auxiliary Air Force at present consists of four Maritime Support Units, of which the Ulster Unit is one. Recent reconsideration of the needs of the Royal Air Force has, however, shown that the Ulster Unit is no longer required as the tasks of the stations that it serves have been changed. My noble Friend has considered very carefully whether it would be possible to find some other task for this Unit, but this has proved not to be possible. Accordingly, the Ulster Unit will be disbanded as from 31st March, 1965.My noble Friend has taken this decision with great regret, because he is very much aware of the loyal and enthusiastic service which the members of this Unit have given. I would like to take the opportunity of expressing to them the sincere thanks of the Defence Council for the voluntary service which they have given to the nation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses will be required for both naval and civilian personnel in connection with the Polaris base at Faslane.

Our building programme provides for 912 married quarters

asked the Minister of Labour what regular and laid-down provisions exist for workpeople's representatives at factory level to raise and discuss questions of safety and health with factory inspectors.

Her Majesty's Inspectors of Factories have instructions to get in touch with workers' representatives during visits to factories. This affords an opportunity for these representatives to

asked the Minister of Labour how many West Indians, Pakistanis and Indians, respectively, are employed in the public services in the United Kingdom.

I regret that I do not have this information.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of unemployed by categories for the Newton Stewart employment area; and what is the overall percentage unemployed.

Following is the information:discuss any matters concerning safety, health or welfare. In addition, Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate is always prepared to deal with questions raised at any time by workpeople or their representatives about conditions at a particular factory.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the miners declared redundant in the Northumberland and Durham divisions of the National Coal Board were able to obtain retraining in Government training centres in each of the years 1958–62.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave him on the 26th February, 1965.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, male and female, and persons under 18 years of age, male and female, respectively, were registered as unemployed at the February,

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the continuing high level of unemployment in West Cumberland, if he will take steps to develop training and retraining schemes in the area.

The following table gives the information:

West Cumberland should benefit from the increase in training facilities which it is one purpose of the Industrial Training Act to encourage. My right hon. Friend has carefully considered siting a Government Training Centre in the area but thinks that it could not be justified at present.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state for each region and for Great Britain, respectively, the number of vacancies remaining unfilled at the latest convenient date for every 100 persons wholly unemployed; and what were the comparable figures for 12 months earlier.

The following table gives the information:

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of boys and girls under 18 years of age registered as unemployed at the Gateshead Youth Employment Office at mid-February in the years 1963, 1964 and 1965; what was the number of school leavers registered for first employment at February, 1965; and what is the estimated number of school leavers who have taken up full-time educational courses who are still at school and are not included in the number of registered unemployed for February, 1965.

The number of boys and girls under 18 years of age registered as unemployed at the Gateshead Youth Employment Office at mid-February in the years 1963, 1964 and 1965 was 346, 163 and 76 respectively. The February, 1965, total included 11 school leavers registered for first employment.I am not quite clear what information my hon. Friend has in mind in the third part of the Question and I am writing to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further representations he has made to the Spanish Government about the situation in Gibraltar.

I have nothing to add to the Answers which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Members for Dorset, West (Mr. Wingfield Digby), Cheltenham (Mr. Dodds-Parker), Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton), Belfast, West (Mr. Kilfedder), Bristol, North-West (Mr. McLaren) and Goole (Mr. George Jeger) on 1st March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when Her Majesty's Government propose to ratify the 1961 United Nations Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Her Majesty's Government hope to be able to ratify this Convention in May or June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government of the United States consulted Her Majesty's Government before deciding to invoke Article IV and the Protocol of the South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty in relation to the situation in Vietnam; and what representations he has made to the United States Government about the military actions they have taken under the Treaty since August, 1964.

Neither the United States Government nor any other Government have called for action in Vietnam by the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation, although the United States Government have naturally kept the members of that Organisation informed of the measures they have taken under bilateral arrangements with the Republic of Vietnam.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the invocation by the United States Government of the Manila Treaty in relation to the situation in Vietnam, he will formally protest to the United States Government at their action in introducing into South Vietnam armed units from States which are not members of the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation.

The South-East Asia Treaty Organisation has not taken or been asked to take any decision to act in Vietnam. Any military assistance which is being given to South Vietnam is at they request of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam and is not under the aegis of the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what nations are represented on the proposed United Nations Peacekeeping Committee.

The composition of the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the market value of the State Brewery at Carlisle.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Mr. Ron Lewis) on 26th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pension is payable to the widow and dependants of a policeman or prison officer; and to what extent this is augmented if the officer has been murdered in the course of his duty.

Under the Police Pensions Regulations, widows' pensions are ordinarily based on the rank, length of service and pay of the officer at the time of his retirement or death, and children's allowances are also payable in prescribed circumstances. Special pensions and allowances are payable where death results from an injury or illness contracted in the execution of duty. The widow of an officer murdered in the execution of duty receives a special pension sufficient to ensure that her aggregate pension from police pension and National Insurance sources does not fall below one half of her late husband's average pensionable pay. In addition, a lump sum equal to twice the maximum pensionable pay of a police constable is paid to the widow—or to the children if there is no widow.Ordinary awards to the widow and dependants of a prison officer are governed by the provisions of the Superannuation Act, 1949, and vary according to the officer's pay and length of service at the time of his death or retirement. If a prison officer dies as the result of an injury received in the course of his duty and specifically attributable to the nature of the duty, the award to his widow and dependants is governed by the provisions of the Injury Warrant 1952. A higher rate applies if the officer's death occurs as the result of the violence of an inmate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reprieved murderers were released in each year from 1940 to 1951, inclusive; what proportion of those released had served less than 10 years of their life sentence, what proportion had served less than seven years of their life sentence; and what proportion less than three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the number of registered drug addicts in Great Britain under 30 years of age at the latest convenient date for which statistics are available; and how this compares with five and 10 years ago, respectively;(2) what is the number of registered drug addicts in Great Britain; and how this compares with the figures of five and 10 years ago, respectively.

There is no system of registration of drug addicts in this country. The Home Office keeps a list of known addicts. Information available regarding the numbers and age distribution of known addicts is as follows:

The following table provides the answer:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the annual cost of the prison building programme; how many prisons are now in the process of being built; and how many new prisons it is intended to complete in the next five years and the next 10 years, respectively.

Provision has been made in Estimates for 1965–66 for expenditure amounting to £2·1 million on new establishments and £2·5 million on additions and improvements to existing establishments. Eight new establishments are now being built. All these and an additional nine are expected to be completed within about five years. Further projects, including some that may be completed within five years, are under consideration, but I cannot yet give details.

asked the Secretary of Sate for the Home Department what was the total number of people sent to prison in each of the five years prior to the passing of the Maintenance Orders Act, 1958, for non-payment of maintenance orders; what was the average term of imprisonment which they served; and what was the total number of people sent to prison for non-payment of maintenance orders in each year since the passing of the Maintenance Orders Act, 1958.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Aviation how many firms in Scotland are engaged on design or component manufacture for the aircraft industry.

I regret that the official statistics do not provide the information sought by the hon. Member. There are about 20 establishments in Scotland which are included within the Standard Industrial Classification 383, the classification normally used to describe employment within the aircraft industry. This does not, however, include firms in the electronics industry, or firms in other industries whose secondary interest is in supplying equipment to the aircraft industry.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many passengers entered and departed, respectively, from Belfast Airport during the period 23rd December to 29th December, 1964, inclusive.

The numbers of passengers who arrived and departed from Belfast Airport during the period 23rd December to 29th December, 1964, inclusive, were 8,396 and 7,841, respectively.

asked the Minister of Aviation when the Report of the Lighthill Committee on the airbus was completed; and if he will publish the results.

The Report of the Lighthill Committee on short range minimum cost air transport was completed early in 1964, and further research work is being undertaken as a result of the Committee's conclusions and recommendations. I do not propose to publish the results as the Report contains detailed information which might be of use to potential foreign competitors.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what examination he has made of the 1,175 acres of derelict land in the Lower Swansea Valley; if he will consider making finance available for the rehabilitation of this land; and if he will make a statement.

A survey of this area has been carried out, largely upon the initiative of the University College, Swansea, with the Nuffield Foundation as principal sponsor. It is hoped that the report of the project will be available before the end of the year, and I would like to see what conclusions the report puts forward before making a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give consent for the Colchester Borough Council to borrow £8,266 to enable the council to purchase five and a half acres of land required for development.

My right hon. Friend has already done so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give consent to the Colchester Borough Council to borrow £68,011 to enable land owned by the council to be developed for industrial purposes.

My right hon. Friend has already done so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the annual acreage of farm land rendered derelict by the winning of sand and gravel.

About 3,500 acres of land including farmland are used every year in England and Wales for sand and gravel working. Working takes place in accordance with planning permissions to which local planning authorities generally attach conditions for the restoration or landscaping of the site.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the acreage in rural areas of former Service installations where there are no prospects of development for either residential, commercial or industrial use, but where the land is rendered useless for agriculture by the continued existence of runways, roads, building foundations, and such things; and what proposals he has for the reclamation of such areas and their return to productive use.

I regret that the information is not available. Local authorities have powers where any land in their area is derelict to carry out such work as appears to them expedient to enable the land to be brought into use or improved in appearance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will seek to amend Class XIX in the First Schedule to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order, 1963, relating to spoil heaps, to enable strict control to be exercised over the construction or extension of spoil heaps.

My right hon. Friend sees no need for amendment. Subject to his approval local planning authorities are able to control such heaps by withdrawing the permission conferred by Class XIX of the Order.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost in the year ended 31st March, 1964, of Exchequer grants to the voluntary societies in Scotland concerned with marriage guidance; and what percentage this represents of the cost during the same period to the Exchequer of legal aid for matrimonial cases of all kinds in Scotland.

Grants totalling £1,500 were paid to the Scottish Marriage Guidance Council during the year ended 31st March, 1964; they have since been increased to £3,000 a year. The cost of legal aid in matrimonial proceedings is not separately available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what request he has received from the Town Council of Ayr that he should receive a deputation to discuss the completion of the Ayr-Prestwick by-pass; whether he will agree to this request; and on what date he will receive it.

The town council has asked me to receive a delegation to discuss the urgency of completing the by-pass. Ayr County Council is preparing an economic assessment of this scheme, which I expect to have in about a fortnight. When I have it I will meet the delegation as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cows within the Border area, the Highland area and in Scotland as a whole, qualified for the Hill Cattle Subsidy in 1951 and in 1964, respectively.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Power what surveys he is undertaking to collect and collate information about location and accessibility of hitherto untapped coal reserves; and to what extent the information hitherto available has proved to be deficient.

These are matters for the National Coal Board and I am asking Lord Robens to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power how many miners were declared redundant in the Northumberland and Durham divisions of the National Coal Board in the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board and I am asking the Chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking, in view of the unsuitability of limestone aggregates for the construction of trunk roads and motorways, to ensure adequate supplies of suitable aggregates, particularly in the limestone areas, to meet the requirements of the Government road construction programme.

Suitable local materials are used as fully as possible in road construction. Limestone is used widely for some purposes, but is generally unsuitable as a surfacing material for roads carrying heavy traffic. The prime responsibility for a particular scheme rests with the contractor. My Department co-operates closely with the producers' trade associations and the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors. I am not aware of any difficulties in the provision of suitable materials.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he proposes to take to improve the unsatisfactory condition of the subway from Station Road to High Street, Horley.

None. This is a matter for the Railways Board, not for me.

asked the Minister of Transport what should be the minimum width of a lay-by on a trunk road to ensure that, if it is entered by a lorry of maximum width and the driver gets out of the cabin door on the side abutting the highway, he will not be endangered by passing traffic; and what action he is taking to ensure that lay-bys are provided of no less width.

Lay-bys are constructed to a width of 10 ft. normally, and up to 12 ft. on the more important roads. Lay-bys of lesser width are constructed only on roads which do not carry a substantial volume of heavy traffic. The Highway Code advises drivers to get out on the nearside whenever possible and always to ensure before opening the door that there is no danger.

asked the Minister of Transport when he anticipates that work will start on the proposed road improvement of the sharp, blind corner on the steep hill at Cotleigh Church, Devon.

It is the responsibility of the Devon County Council, as highway authority, to initiate improvements on this road. I have received no application for grant in connection with a scheme at Cotleigh Church.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will approve, for an experimental period, the introduction of a pedestrian-controlled crossing at the A.184, Felling by-pass, and Carlisle Street junction.

I am considering what can be done to help pedestrians here. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the former Great Central Railway between Banbury and Sheffield could be converted at moderate cost for use by European freight or passenger vehicles using the Channel Tunnel; and if he will give an assurance that he will not accede to the withdrawal of further services from this line until there has been a full investigation of this matter.

The shaping and development of the railway network is essentially a matter for the Railways Board, who have played a large part in formulating the project for the Channel Tunnel and are fully aware of its implications for them.Before giving my decision on the Board's proposals for the closure of passenger services on the Great Central line I shall of course take all relevant matters into account.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to him regarding the proposed closure of the Great Central Line; and whether he will treat this line as a major closure.

Several hon. Members, local authorities, the railway unions and others have represented to me that the diversion of certain services and the withdrawal of others should not take place.Changes in the operation of freight services are a matter entirely for the Railways Board, and I cannot intervene. I have received advance particulars from the Board about the proposed withdrawal of certain through passenger services from sections of the line. I am considering whether such a withdrawal would constitute a major closure as described in my statement of 4th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what part his Department has played in the organisation of the Commonwealth Arts Festival to be held in London, Liverpool, Cardiff and Glasgow between 16th September and 2nd October, 1965; and what support will be given by Her Majesty's Government to this venture.

The responsibility for the organisation of the Commonwealth Arts Festival is in the hands of the Commonwealth Arts Festival Society.Her Majesty's Government are supporting the venture in several ways. It was announced in this House on 28th November, 1963, that Parliamentary approval would be sought for a Government guarantee against a loss for the Festival for up to £80,000 and certain sums towards preliminary expenses have already been advanced. There has been a remarkable response from other Commonwealth Governments to invitations to take part in the Festival and, following representations from the Society, the question of an increase in the guarantee is currently under consideration.In addition, our High Commissioners and British Council representatives overseas gave Mr. Hunter, the Director-General of the Society, considerable assistance during his recent tour of the Commonwealth.We are also arranging through the official information services for the Festival to be given as much publicity as possible overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what status Her Majesty's Government accord to the territories of Goa, Damao and Dio.

Her Majesty's Government recognise the Government of India as the de facto government of Goa, Damao and Dio. The Governments of India and Portugal were informed of this in September, 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether Her Majesty's Government will make representations to the Government of India to accept Resolution 1541 (xv) of the United Nations General Assembly, in so far as it relates to the territories of Goa, Damão and Dio.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the case for the quarantine of dogs, on entry into the United Kingdom, was last reviewed.

We have these regulations constantly in mind, for we are conscious of the burden they place on dog owners; but I am convinced that, under existing conditions, a strict application of quarantine regulations provides the best safeguard for both our human and animal populations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him in respect of the need for the expansion of Army training areas by 100,000 acres.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what cuts were made in school building proposals submitted by Cumberland County Council Authority between 1959 and 1964; and whether he will restore a greater part of these cuts in the near future.

For the five major building programmes from 1962–63 to 1966–67 which were announced between 1959 and 1964 the Cumberland local education authority submitted 27 projects at an estimated cost of £2·89 million; 16 projects valued at £1·96 million were approved. I shall consider the needs of the Cumberland authority carefully when I come to make announcements about future building programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the number of schools in Cumberland lacking inside toilets, running hot water, playground, library and assembly hall.

I understand from the local education authority that 152 maintained schools in Cumberland have toilets which are mainly outside, 24 have no running hot water, two have no playground and 39 schools with more than 100 pupils have no assembly hall. Most schools in the county are served by the County Library Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery schools or nursery classes there are in Cumberland.

One maintained nursery school and two nursery classes in maintained primary schools, in January, 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will commence an inquiry into the need for nursery classes or schools in the Millom and West Cumberland area.

No. This would be a matter for the local education authority, but as a general expansion of nursery provision is not possible at present there would be little purpose in such an inquiry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it would be administratively possible to distinguish between tobacco used in the manufacture of cigarettes and tobacco used for the manufacture of cigars and pipe tobacco with a view to levying different rates of tax on the two types of tobacco.

There is no sufficiently clear line of distinction between these two types of tobacco to provide a basis for differential taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he will take to speed up the rating valuation of new property.

The Inland Revenue does its best to value new property as soon as it is notified of its completion. If the hon. Member has a specific case in mind, I will be glad to investigate it.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) when he expects the report of the North-West Study Group to be published;(2) if he will ask the North-West Study Group to publish the part of its report concerning Cumberland and Westmorland at the earliest moment in advance of the main report, in view of the difficulties which the Northern Area Economic Planning Council will encounter in proceeding to make plans for that area without it.

The results of the work of the North-West Study Group on Cumberland and Westmorland will be made available to the Northern Economic Planning Council in good time.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps she proposes to take to help Malayan overseas pensioners who retired on or after 1st January, 1955, to ensure that they receive an increase in their pensions under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1962.

The Schedule to the Overseas Service (Pensions Supplement) Regulations, 1963, will be amended shortly to apply the provisions of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1962, to overseas pensioners who retired from Malaya between 1st January, 1955, and 31st March, 1961.