asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what difficulties she has found in paying increased pensions to British limbless ex-Service men; and why it is proposed to defer payment until the end of March.

None. They are receiving their increases from the same date as pensioners generally.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what are the reasons for the long delay in the hearing of claims before the Industrial Injuries Commissioner; if she is aware that these delays cause great hardship; and if she will make a statement.

There are a variety of factors which may affect the time taken before appeals can be heard in Industrial Injuries cases, many of which involve difficult questions of law or questions of fact on which further information has to be obtained. Recently the position has been made more difficult by a heavy increase in the number of requests for oral hearings.The Commissioner is, of course, well aware of the position; steps have already been taken with a view to reducing the arrears and these are beginning to take effect.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she is aware that two of the hon. Members for Buckingham's constituents, British subjects born abroad, have been refused family allowances for 12 months from February, 1964, when they returned to this country, although the husband has paid National Insurance contributions for the past 10 years, details of which have been sent to her; if she will look into the matter and amend the regulations to enable payments to be made in similar cases in the future; and if she will make a statement.

I am aware of a case which I assume is the one referred to by my hon. Friend. Entitlement to family allowances is not dependent on the payment of National Insurance contributions but on the satisfaction of residence conditions. The requirement for British subjects born abroad is that they have been resident in this country for 52 weeks in the last two years. I have no proposals for amending these provisions at present.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why no age allowance is granted to war-disabled pensioners of the 1914–18 war, in receipt of a 30 per cent. disability pension, or less, on attaining the age of 65 years; and if she will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Mr. Blenkinsop) on 26th January.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the result of her review of the practice in other countries regarding the effect of the earnings rule on retirement pensioners who obtain seasonal employment.

My study of the practice in other countries has not brought to light any new method of overcoming the difficulties and anomalies to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 1st February.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will increase the increments for postponement of retirement beyond minimum age, so as to give greater incentives to deferred retirement.

As I made clear on the Committee stage of the recent Act, increment rates are one of the matters which will be borne in mind in the Government's review of the social security provisions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why there is no Government death grant for men who were over 65 and women who were over 60 years of age at 6th July, 1948; and if any sum these people have saved for their burial is allowed them in any means test required for National Assistance.

National insurance death grant was introduced as a new benefit under the National Insurance Act, 1946, for which people who had already reached pensionable age before the date when that Act came into force could not qualify as they would not be contributing.There is no provision for death grants in National Assistance. But money which has been saved, for whatever purpose, by a person receiving National Assistance does not affect the amount of assistance paid unless the total savings exceed a certain minimum, which cannot be lower than £125.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when she intends to introduce a scheme to provide half pay on retirement.

Work on this subject is proceeding as part of the Government's general review of the social security schemes. It is too early yet to say how long this will take.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the National Insurance cards in respect of Mr. and Mrs. Rivero, whose receipt was acknowledged to the hon. Member for Harrow, East, on E.462.237 dated 25th January, 1965, have been delivered to the individuals concerned and receipt obtained; if Mr. and Mrs. Rivero are currently employed in the United Kingdom; whether a separate application for National Insurance cards has been made by them; and what further action is intended.

No. My Department has retained the cards relating to Mr. and Mrs. Rivero whose whereabouts are unknown. My Department does not keep records of the current employment of insured persons.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if, in her review of the social services, she will consider exempting students from 18 years of age undergoing full-time education from paying National Insurance contributions until their education is completed; and if she will arrange that the concession of free credits is continued up to the time of full-time education ceasing.

Full-time students over the age of 18 are not obliged to pay contributions except during vacation work. In a contributory scheme it would not be appropriate to give them free credits.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she is aware that about 150,000 British families, including half a million children, are living on an income below the minimum level which is required by National Assistance standards to maintain subsistence; and what steps she is taking to prevent these children from suffering from malnutrition.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 8th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East (Mr. Mapp).

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will grant an addition to retirement pensions to all ex-Servicemen at the age of 65.

No. The National Insurance retirement pension is paid in return for contributions, and it would not be appropriate to vary the amount of pension in the way the hon. Gentleman suggests for a particular group of contributors.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will review the operation of the wage stop with a view to seeking to introduce a formula calculated to assess allowances on need.

This is one of the matters which are being examined in the review of the social security schemes and I cannot anticipate the outcome of the review.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people are in receipt of National Assistance in the area of the Heywood and Royton constituency.

I regret that separate figures are not available for this constituency, because it is divided between three offices of the National Assistance Board at Rochdale, Bury and Oldham, which also cover the areas of those county boroughs. At the end of February 14,967 people were in receipt of National Assistance grants issued by these offices.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the trade, particularly in the Bristol area, in imported hearing aids at high prices which later prove to be ineffective for their purpose; and whether he will prevent the deception of the elderly deaf by better publicity of the facilities available under the National Health Service to the hard of hearing.

I am aware of the case which my hon. Friend brought to my notice. Comprehensive services, including the provision of a Medresco hearing aid where appropriate, are available free of charge under the National Health Service to anyone who needs them and I will certainly consider whether any further publicity can usefully be given.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the value of their contribution to the nation's health, he will take steps to make a grant to the Asthma Research Council.

No. It is open to any qualified worker to apply for a grant for a specific medical research project in this or any other field to the Medical Research Council or the appropriate hospital board.

asked the Minister of Health how many Commonwealth immigrants were employed in the National Health Service as doctors, nurses, domestic workers, clerical workers, and in other capacities, respectively, on the latest date for which figures are available.

At 30th December, 1963, 10,588 student and pupil nurses in hospitals in England and Wales were from Commonwealth countries. Otherwise the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health, how many Commonwealth immigrants were hospital patients on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of them were maternity cases.

No such figures are available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will cause drug addiction to be made a notifiable disease, and require that a central register of addicts be kept.

The desirability of such requirements is within the field now being reviewed by the Interdepartmental Committee on Drug Addiction.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has studied the evidence of new methods of cancer screening and diagnosis, particulars of which have been sent to him; and if he will take steps to investigate them.

I am advised that these methods are of an experimental nature and their value is unproved.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now make a statement on his plans for reducing shortages of staff in the National Health Service.

Local measures to improve recruitment continue, and I am about to discuss with Regional Hospital Boards how recruitment of various classes of hospital staff can be better organised. I am also reviewing the existing range of publicity material which I provide. A number of pay claims are before the respective Whitley Councils.

asked the Minister of Health why grants to students of physiotherapy are not treated in the same way as the grants to students of radiotherapy.

Because circumstances are different. The arrangements for training grants for these and analogous professions are being kept under review.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects that a junior training centre for subnormal children will be opened in the Evesham district in temporary premises preparatory to the provision of a centre on a permanent basis.

I understand that negotiations for the lease of the premises to the county council are still in progress.

asked the Minister of Health how many individuals in the Health Service are pensionable by reason of their employment by his Department; in what groups they fall; and what is the annual estimated cost of his Department's share of responsibility.

Current statistics of persons subject to the National Health Service (Superannuation) Regulations are not available but in 1962 the figure was 380,000. The Superannuation Scheme covers whole-time employees in the National Health Service over age 18, part-time specialists and medical and dental practitioners providing services under Part IV of the National Health Service Act. The total cost of employers' superannuation contributions to be met from the National Health Service Vote in 1964–65 is estimated to be £32,324,000.

asked the Minister of Health how many individuals have retired from the Health Service since its inception; and what has been the estimated pensions cost to his Department in each year up to the latest convenient date.

The number of individuals who have retired with pensions awarded under the National Health Service Superannuation Regulations is 50,852 up to 31st March, 1964.The figures of annual expenditure are as follows:

ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON PENSIONS PAYABLE UNDER THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (SUPERANNUATION) REGULATIONS
Period	Retirement Pensions (age and incapacity) and Injury Allowances	Widows" Pensions
	£	£
5th July, 1948 to 31st March, 1949	59,314	686
Financial year:
1949–50	294,815	4,700
1950–51	526,088	11,800
1951–52	788,327	22,063
1952–53	1,110,106	39,774
1953–54	1,525,831	49,070
1954–55	1,872,814	62,583
1955–56	2,257,504	78,837
1956–57	2,769,459	99,898
1957–58	3,191,618	123,250
1958–59	3,728,761	152,881
1959–60	4,600,302	215,738
1960–61	5,520,922	295,095
1961–62	6,294,057	370,673
1962–63	7,290,400	449,327
1963–64	8,757,639	572,128

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many sufferers from migraine obtain relief under treatment given by the Putney Migraine Clinic which is not available under the National Health Service; what is the reason for this; and if he will make the same treatment available to National Health Service patients.

Doctors in the National Health Service can offer any treatment for migraine they consider appropriate, including treatment of the kind given at this clinic.

asked the Minister of Health what the average gross remuneration of a general practitioner will be when the recent award has been added; and what are the average figures that this would include for capitation and loading payments, temporary residents fees, initial practice allowance and other central pool payments, mileage allowance, payment for maternity medical services, payment for drugs, reimbursement of training grants and allowance for the supervision of trainee practitioners, payments for sight testing, and payments from hospitals, local authorities and Government Departments.

I give below a table analysing estimated gross remuneration from all official sources. Information for an estimate of earnings from private practice is not available.The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the directive on branded medicines issued by the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community; and whether he proposes to associate Great Britain with the regulations to govern the control of branded drugs to secure uniformity of safeguards.

Yes. The United Kingdom would not be affected unless this country became a member of the Community. The potential implications of the directive will, however, be borne in mind in the review of medicines legislation now in progress.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total Exchequer contribution made for the superannuation of general practitioners and the average amount paid in respect of each general practitioner.

The estimated total Exchequer contribution for superannuation of general medical practitioners in 1964–65 is £4,613,000. Information on the average payment in respect of each superannuable practitioner is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the next population census, provision will be made for those persons who claim Ukrainian nationality to register as Ukranians instead of Russians.

It is not proposed to ask any question about nationality as such in the 1966 census of population. In accordance with accepted international practice, the countries of birth of people born outside Great Britain will be published as they are constituted at the time of the census.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement about the future control of artificial limb and appliance centres; what other centres are to be opened; and what improvements he proposes to make on the present system of call-up of patients for limb fitting.

My policy is to build new centres in the grounds of hospitals to facilitate greater integration with the orthopaedic services, and the aim is to complete this task over the next ten years.The system of calling patients for limb fitting was improved last year and I do not think any further changes are necessary at present.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement about the steps he is taking further to improve the artificial limb and appliance service so as to ensure that amputees are provided with the best possible limb, accurately and scientifically fitted, with the subsequent guarantee of efficient servicing.

My Department is engaged on research work on artificial limbs, both directly and in collaboration with manufacturers, and keeps in close touch with developments in this field both in this country and abroad. A new building is being erected at Roehampton to provide more and better accommodation for this work. A Standing Advisory Committee considers and advises on all aspects of the artificial limb service and, among many other matters, is at present looking into the training of limb fitters (who are employees of the contractors). Improvements in servicing arrangements are constantly being sought. Closer links are being forged between the limb service and orthopaedic services in hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Sub-Committee of the Standing Advisory Committee on Artificial Limbs, set up to consider the selection, training and qualifications of limb fitters, has concluded its investigations; what are its recommendations; and what plans he has for ensuring that limb-fitters are capable of making full use of the latest technical and electronic aids.

The Sub-Committee has only recently begun its task. It will in due course advise the Standing Advisory Committee which will then report to me and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland; we will consider in the light of that report what action is required.

asked the Minister of Health what evidence he has that the fluoridation of water does not cause injurious side effects.

The absense of such effects has been confirmed by extensive research which is reviewed in the Report published in 1962 on the Conduct of the Fluoridation Studies in the United Kingdom and the Results Achieved after Five Years (Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects No. 105) and by other published studies.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths from cervical cancer occurred in Carlisle and Cumberland, respectively, during the last 15 years; and if he is satisfied that adequate medical services are available to deal with cases as they arise.

There were 80 in Carlisle and 204 in Cumberland Administrative County; yes.

asked the Minister of Health how many cytology clinics are at the present in use in Carlisle and Cumberland, respectively; and if he will encourage local authorities to set up such clinics.

Cervical smears are taken at clinics in the East and West Cumberland hospital groups and also by general practitioners in the area. My right hon. Friend expects to be able very shortly to approve proposals from Carlisle and Cumberland local health authorities to provide a routine screening service.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for a nationwide campaign, on the lines of the tuberculosis X-ray campaign, in order to reveal the early stages of cancerous growth.

Cancer takes many different forms, and I am advised that a nation-wide screening campaign on the lines of the X-ray campaign for tuberculosis of the chest would be inappropriate.

asked the Minister of Health what amount of money has been made available by his Department during the past 12 months towards cancer research; and whether he will take steps to co-ordinate such research by voluntary bodies in order to assist in the achievement of a major advance.

It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the money spent on cancer research carried out in the course of treatment under the National Health Service. Other forms of cancer research are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to encourage doctors to continue to work in Great Britain, in particular by enabling young doctors to have married quarters in or near hospitals, by having ancillary departments for keeping medicine up to date for hospital practitioners, and by enabling general practitioners to have reasonable facilities, including group practices, use of health centres and salaried or sessional payments.

Hospital authorities have been reminded of the importance of making sufficient provision in their residential accommodation for married quarters; the attention of Regional Hospital Boards has been drawn to the need for expanding their arrangements for post-graduate medical education and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the relevant memorandum. As regards general practitioners I cannot for the moment add to what I told the House in the debates on 17th February and 17th March.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors have emigrated in each of the past 10 years; what information he has about the reasons for their leaving the United Kingdom; and to what countries they have gone.

On average about 400 British-based doctors emigrated each year over the period 1955–1962 but some who had left earlier returned during this period and the average net figure is estimated at 320. Figures for individual years are not available. A recent study estimated that of British doctors resident abroad in 1962 about 30 per cent. were in the less developed countries but the majority were in the U.S.A., Canada and Australia. No comprehensive information is available on the reasons why these doctors left the country.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take the necessary action to ensure that hospital boards give favourable consideration to the use of home-produced coal in preference to imported fuel for the heating of all new buildings under their control.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 11th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Ince (Mr. McGuire).

asked the Minister of Health in how many buildings, under the control of hospital boards, the heating apparatus has been converted from coal to oil in each of the past four years; and how much oil was used in coal equivalent in such buildings.

Seventy-four, seventy-one, sixty and sixty-three hospitals; and respectively for the conversions in each year 44,000, 58,000, 48,000 and 66,000 tons per annum.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to reserve land in advance of use for a hospital in Weston-super-Mare.

Yes, subject to the site concerned being suitable.

asked the Minister of Health what was the additional cost of the modifications to the new premature baby unit at Walton Hospital, Liverpool; from what sources the additional expenditure will be allocated, and on what basis; who was responsible for the technical specification; and if he will now hold an investigation into the planning department of the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board, in view of the representations made to him in relation to this hospital and others in the area.

asked the Minister of Health what was the extra cost of the modification to the new premature baby unit at Walton Hospital, Liverpool; and what were the causes of the additional cost.

£850 was spent, mainly on double-glazing and mechanical ventilation to eliminate excessive condensation, from Exchequer funds allocated to the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board for capital expenditure; the technical specification was drawn up by professional officers of the Board in collaboration with a private Consulting Architect. I do not think any investigation by my Department is called for.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the shortage of qualified midwives, he will take the necessary action to ensure that a State Registered Nurse will not suffer a reduction in her salary whilst undergoing a training course of midwifery.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 7th December to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose).

asked the Minister of Health what is the limit to the age at which women may be trained to become fully qualified nurses; and whether he will encourage women of the middle-age group and older, whose families no longer restrict them, to enter the medical services with a view to becoming fully trained.

There is no statutory upper age limit. Training for the Roll of nurses is particularly suitable for the older entrant and is available in many hospitals, some of which provide part-time courses. The Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council last year increased the allowances for adults taking this training.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average length of time patients have to wait for a hospital bed in each of the hospitals serving the area of the Heywood and Royton constituency.

Figures for the hospitals serving the great majority of patients from the Heywood and Royton constituency are shown in the following table.

asked the Minister of Health when the new midwifery block at the Montagu Hospital, Mexborough, will have a full complement of midwives.

This depends on the response to continuing efforts by the Hospital Management Committee to recruit midwives.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is still a requirement for ocean minesweepers; and why this class of vessel does not appear in the statement of the strength of the Fleet of 2nd March.

There is no further requirement for Algerine class minesweepers as their minesweeping rôle can more efficiently be undertaken by the smaller and more modern coastal minesweepers. The ocean minesweepers shown in the 1964 statement of the strength of the Fleet as being in reserve have reached the end of their useful lives and are to be scrapped.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will inquire into the conditions of naval personnel aboard H.M.S. "Ark Royal".

I visited this ship soon after taking office and am already aware of the living conditions on board. In the last few months the accommodation arrangements have been extensively surveyed and we are planning improvements at the next refit.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to reduce the number of shore establishments of the Royal Navy in order to release men for service at sea; and what short establishments he proposes to close in the next year.

Shore establishments are reduced or closed when possible to achieve economies in money and manpower, but not specifically to release men for service at sea. Separation is one of the reasons for falling re-engagements, and, since our senior skilled men already spend an undue proportion of their time at sea, I do not intend deliberately to increase their proportion. During the coming year, we are closing the Admiralty Clothing Factory at Chatham, the R.N. Armament Depôt at Ditton Priors and the remainder of the Cable Depôt at Burntisland. All three establishments are civilian manned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to review the emplyoment of officers and ratings in shore establishments of the Royal Navy in order that they may be employed in sea-going duties.

None. Separation is one of the reasons for falling re-engagement and, since our senior skilled men already spend an undue proportion of their time at sea, I do not intend deliberately to increase this proportion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent midget submarine X-craft are available to deal with heavy surface ships in areas of conventional strategic interest to the Royal Navy.

We do not foresee a requirement for these craft, and none are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent fast coastal craft, such as motor torpedo boats and motor gunboats, are available for service in areas of appropriate strategic significance.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 30th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will review the conditions and length of service set out in Service contracts entered into by sailors; and whether he will consider the possibility of providing a three-year option, after which time the signatories may decide whether or not to continue the engagement.

The length of a rating's engagement and the possibility of optional break points will be kept under review. A three-year optional break point might bring an initial increase in recruitment, but could also result in a more rapid turnover with consequent loss of efficiency and an unacceptably large increase in training costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the disposal of cruisers, destroyers and frigates since 1951; what ships have been disposed of; by what means; how many have been sold; and what countries bought them.

Since 1st January, 1952, 23 cruisers, 52 destroyers and 142 frigates have been disposed of as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what units of the Fleet not in service are awaiting disposal.

In addition to the ships whose disposal by scrapping has been announced in previous years, the following ships have been approved for scrapping during 1964–65:

• One cruiser.
• Seven destroyers.
• Eight frigates.
• One despatch vessel.
• Two submarines.
• Seven ocean minesweepers.
• Eight inshore minesweepers.
• One fleet maintenance ship.
• One minesweeper support ship.
• One landing ship tank.
• Three landing craft tank.
• Three surveying ships.
• One submarine tender.

There are also a number of ships retained against the possibility of sale to other Governments, but it is not the custom to give details of these.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what provision has been made over the past three years for the allocation of Her Majesty's submarines to the Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic, for anti-submarine exercises in co-operation with the South African naval forces; and what arrangements are intended for this year.

One of H.M. submarines was allocated to the Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America Station for a few weeks' anti-submarine exercises in 1963 and in 1964. Such exercises did not take place in 1962.We hope to be able to arrange another visit by a submarine when there is next a suitable opportunity for anti-submarine training in South Atlantic waters. No doubt the Commander-in-Chief will invite the South African Navy to participate in this training in accordance with our obligations under the Simonstown Agreement.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce legislation to bring about the transfer to a State Pensions Corporation of previously non-transferable private pensions schemes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave the hon. Members for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) and Worcester (Mr. Peter Walker) on 22nd February.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he is taking to develop training and retraining schemes in Gloucestershire, in view of the changes in the aircraft industry.

Gloucestershire should benefit from the increase in training facilities which it is one purpose of the Industrial Training Act to encourage. A Government Training Centre has recently been set up at Gloucester which when complete will take up to about 400 trainees a year.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the reasons which render it impracticable to carry out a review of the number of Commonwealth immigrants employed in the public services so as to assess the contribution they make.

So far as I am aware employers in the public service do not differentiate between Commonwealth immigrants and others in their staff records, and as I think that this is the right practice I am not prepared to ask them to change it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications for jobs were received from disabled people during 1964; and what proportion of these people were found employment.

I regret that information is not available in the exact form asked for as no statistics are available on the actual number of applications for jobs made by disabled people. In January, 1964, there were 60,209 registered disabled persons registered as unemployed at local offices of the Ministry, the corresponding figure in January, 1965, being 50,982.During the 12 months ended 2nd December, 1964, 81,206 registered disabled persons were placed in employment by the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons there were in Ashton-under-Lyne in January, 1960, and January, 1965.

In January, 1960, there were 553 people registered as unemployed

UNEMPLOYED AT 8TH MARCH, 1965
Employment Exchange and associated Youth Employment Office				Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total	Percentage
Airdrie	…	…	…	395	5	347	6	753	3·8*
Bellshill	…	…	…	146	8	151	15	320
Blantyre	…	…	…	281	11	140	4	436
Cambuslang	…	…	…	216	6	122	6	350
Carluke	…	…	…	26	3	36	2	67
Coatbridge	…	…	…	461	13	470	19	963
East Kilbride	…	…	…	83	8	99	8	198
Hamilton	…	…	…	622	18	342	3	985
Larkhall	…	…	…	101	—	81	2	184
Motherwell	…	…	…	273	24	268	11	576
Uddingston	…	…	…	141	8	123	5	277
Wishaw	…	…	…	320	17	284	17	638
Lanark	…	…	…	176	11	117	9	313	3·1
Lesmahagow	…	…	…	131	4	28	2	165	5·5
Shotts	…	…	…	139	8	146	4	297	5·0
*A percentage rate of unemployment can only be given for this group as a whole.

asked the of Labour how many unemployed persons there were in Mossley in January, 1960, and January, 1965.

In January, 1960, there were 58 people registered as unemployed at the Mossley Employment Exchange and associated Youth Employment Office. In January, 1965, there were 38.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons there were in Droylsden in January, 1960, and January, 1965.

I regret that unemployment figures are not available for an

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT showing the numbers registering for employment in each employment exchange in Lanarkshire, detailing males and females, and those over and under 18 years of age, at the most recent convenient date; and what percentage these figures represent of the insured population.

The following is the information:area smaller than that covered by an employment exchange. The urban district of Droylsden lies almost wholly in the area of the Openshaw Employment Exchange. There were 713 people unemployed in January, 1960, at the Openshaw Employment Exchange and associated Youth Employment Offices and 734 in January, 1965.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of the labour force in the exchange districts covering the Counties of Merionethshire, Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire is classified as skilled.

The information is not available. Our Department's occupational statistics for establishments with 11 or more workers in manufacturing industries—excluding shipbuilding—are compiled only for Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, and the administrative regions of England.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent his Department is participating in the arrangements for International Co-operation Year 1965 with special regard to the encouragement of racial tolerance in a world community setting.

The United Kingdom Executive Committee for International Co-operation Year, which is responsible for organising activities in connection with this Year, has not so far as I am aware asked for help from our Department, but we should certainly be glad to do whatever we can.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to discourage the use of notices in employment exchanges which have the effect of depriving those over 40 years of age of an opportunity to make themselves available for employment.

Yes. It is our longstanding policy to discourage the imposition of upper age limits by employers.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will place some oak seats in the path behind King George Vs statue outside the chapter house of Westminster Abbey.

Two seats, similar to those being installed in the new Abingdon Street gardens, will be provided.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what proposals he has for further excavation at Avebury in the near future.

I have no proposals for further excavations at Avebury in the immediate future. On the advice of the Ancient Monuments Board for England, consideration of further work of this kind awaits the publication of a comprehensive report of the earlier excavations. I understand that publication is now imminent.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state his plans for the Kensington Gardens teahouse; and what facilities for light refreshment will be available to the public in Kensington Gardens during the summer.

Light refreshments will be available at the new restaurant near the Serpentine Bridge, where the snack bar is at present being improved and its seating capacity more than doubled.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will arrange for the regular publication of a list of the main building materials with indication of the approximate delay in delivery dates in various parts of the country, with a view to making it more possible for those responsible for building to switch from materials which are scarcer than others.

No. The information is readily available from producers and merchants, and its central assembly and publication would involve a burden on all concerned out of proportion to the value of the compilation. It would in any case often be out of date before it was published.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he was asked for his views on the Supplementary Scheme prepared by the Church Commissioners for the demolition of St. James Church, Hampstead Road; and when a reply will be sent.

The Minister's views on the Supplementary Scheme were sought in May, 1964. The Ministry's advice on this was sent to the Church Commissioners in July. This was followed by discussions with the Architects of the Diocese and others, which culminated in a meeting on February 26th, 1965. The Ministry's final advice was sent on 17th March, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date Niven Craig was previously on the hostel scheme; and if he is satisfied that on that occasion it proved beneficial.

Niven Craig was at Wormwood Scrubs hostel from February to November, 1960, when he was charged with committing a further offence. The

—	Immigration from Commonwealth countries other than Canada, Australia and New Zealand		Immigration from Canada, Australia and New Zealand
	1963	1964	1963	1964
(1) Total number admitted	178,170	193,862	187,567	212,739
(2) Total number embarked	121,121	131,745	178,616	199,357
(3) Net balance (i.e. difference between (1) and (2))	+57,049*	+62,117*	+8,951*	+13,382*
(4) Number deliberately admitted for settlement:—
(a) with Ministry of Labour vouchers	28,678	13,888	1,447	817
(b) others (mainly dependants)	27,393	38,952	2,288	2,243
(c) total number admitted for settlement ((a)+(b))	56,071	52,840	3,735	3,060
(5) Difference between (4) (c) and (3)	978	9,277	5,216†	10,322†
* The net inward balance during the past two years is not necessarily an accurate measure of those admitted during that period who have settled permanently. No given period has a self-contained flow: some people who leave during the period will have arrived before it started, and some who arrive will not leave until after the period ends. Over a long time during which the flow had been relatively constant, the net balance should give a reasonable indication of the rate at which people were settling here.
† It is doubtful whether most of these have the intention of permanent settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of addicts to drugs that come under the Dangerous Drugs Act in 1963, 1964, and at the latest practicable date, respectively.

The Home Office maintains a list of known addicts from which statistics are prepared annually. These show the number of addicts on 31st December, 1963, as 635. The provisional figure for 31st December, 1964, is 667.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give figures for Commonwealth immigration for 1963 and 1964, showing separately for the older and newer Commonwealth countries the net balance of immigration and the number admitted for settlement.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will request the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to defer their projected general reviews of constituency boundaries until the Speaker's Conference on Electoral Reform has completed its work.

No. Within the limits laid down by Section 2(1) of the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act, 1958, it is entirely for the Commissions to decide when to carry out their general reviews.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of exempting all Service pensioners from Income Tax.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what publications the salary details and names of persons from private industry and other spheres working in Government Departments are to be found.

The names of the more senior advisers are published every two months by H.M. Stationery Office in "Her Majesty's Ministers and Heads of Public Departments". The next edition will be available in April. Their names and those of other advisers and their salaries appear annually in the Imperial Calendar, the next edition of which will also appear in April and will include names of those appointed to work in Government Departments up to November, 1964. Questions about individual appointments should be addressed to the Minister responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that local authorities are having difficulty in recruiting staff, due to the uncertainty of their future, arising from the publication of the recent White Paper dealing with the Review of Local Government; and if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards this White Paper.

I have no evidence that discussion of local government reorganisation is having an adverse effect on recruitment. The Government are not committed to the White Paper published in June, 1963, or to any conclusions of the working party that is studying the subject. When further progress has been made with our review of local government finance, I will look afresh at the question of reorganisation in the light of all relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is intended to implement any of the recommendations contained in the Final Report of the Guest Committee on Scottish Licensing during the present Session.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Sir M. Galpern) on 17th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy towards the present system of Feu Duties in Scotland.

I am not yet in a position to add to the reply given on 9th December by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the educational bodies which have been set up by himself and on which the Scottish Schoolmasters' Association are not represented.

The only educational body which I have so far had occasion to set up is the Committee on the Distribution of Teachers, and on this the Association is represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of students' awards for the financial year 1965–66.

£9·26 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the value per hundredweight for wheat and barley is increased by virtue of the increased standard quantities fixed.

The increases in the standard quantities are equivalent to additions of 2d. a cwt. to the guaranteed price of wheat and 3d. a cwt. to the guaranteed price of barley.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what alterations will be made to the existing Grade I and Grade II prices for beef to arrive at the new unified single grade price.

At present, any guarantee payment due is, so far as the rate of guarantee payment permits, increased by 2s. 4d. per live cwt. for cattle in Grade I and decreased by 2s. 8d. per live cwt. for cattle in Grade II. These grade differentials will not apply from 29th March, and any guarantee payment will be paid at a uniform rate for all certified cattle.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the cost to public funds of extending the calf subsidy to include heifers of dairy breeds.

The estimated cost to the Exchequer, on the basis of present levels of production, will be about £1¼ million in a full year for the whole of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress is being made in the provision of new hostel accommodation in Great Britain for Commonwealth students.

Provision for additional hostel accommodation for overseas students, particularly those from the Commonwealth, is made under the Overseas Students Welfare Expansion Programme initiated by the Government in 1961. The position of the programme in the middle of March, 1965, was that a total provision of 3,427 additional hostel places (some two-thirds being for the Overseas Commonwealth) had been approved in principle by the Treasury. These schemes involved Overseas Students Welfare Expansion Programme grants amounting to £2,278,908. A further 568 places are likely to be provided under schemes now under consideration. These involve grants totalling £429,909. If all these projects are completed, the total beds provided will amount to 3,995 and the expendiure to £2,708,817. The number of places so far actually available is 1,979 and the total of grants paid is £1,207,679.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will bring to the attention of the Schools Council for Curriculum and Examination the relevance of courses of world studies to encourage a world perspective in education.

The need for a world perspective in the teaching of subjects such as history and geography is I understand accepted by the Council as one of the assumptions behind the studies of the curriculum which they are making in connection with the raising of the school leaving age.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of schoolchildren attend schools built before 1900 in each Welsh county.

This information is not available, but the general position in Wales as a whole in 1962 was indicated in my Department's School Building Survey published last January.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many technical college places exist within the boundaries of each Welsh county.

The table below gives the relevant information:

NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN GRANT-AIDED ESTABLISHMENTS FOR FURTHER EDUCATION IN WALES November, 1964
(Provisional figures)
L.E.A.	Full-time and Sandwich	Part-time day	Evening only (major establishment)
Administrative County Areas
Anglesey	23	277	330
Breconshire	—	—	—
Caernarvonshire	217	852	1,247
Cardiganshire	88	384	737
Carmarthenshire	665	1,597	1,735
Denbighshire	987	2,106	2,508
Flintshire	483	1,648	1,177
Glamorgan	2,537	7,451	7,442
Merioneth	—	—	—
Monmouthshire	854	3,228	2,076
Montgomeryshire	153	255	232
Pembrokeshire	100	476	164
Radnorshire	—	—	—
County Boroughs
Cardiff	2,321	5,869	3,424
Merthyr Tydfil	172	594	845
Newport (Mon.)	659	2,505	2,631
Swansea	623	2,745	2,506

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the projects, and their estimated costs, requested by the Gateshead local educational authority for the five major building programmes from 1962–63 to 1966–67, announced between 1959 to 1964, together with the number and estimated cost which were approved for the same period; and whether he will review this and restore any cuts when he announces the future building programme.

A list of projects sub mitted by the authority is given below. It includes those for 1967–68 since the authority submitted a single list for 1965–68. Nine were approved totalling £849,888 including one for 1967–68. I shall consider the needs of the Gateshead authority carefully when reviewing the 1967–68 programme and examining later programmes.

Project	Estimated Cost on First Submission
£
Breckenbeds County Secondary (1)	181,000
Breckenbeds County Secondary (2)	181,000
Blackhill Roman Catholic Secondary	132,132
Hendon Road Infant	41,250
Chester Place Junior	54,208
Old Durham Road Roman Catholic Secondary	216,535
Askew Road Infant	46,750
Oakfield Infant	47,531
Oakfield Junior	63,000
Harlow Green Junior	91,960
Harlow Green Infant	73,150
High Fell Infant	53,295
Sheriff Hill Infant	53,295
South Gateshead Roman Catholic Primary	59,565
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary	53,295
Alexandra Road Junior	91,960
Shipcote Junior	66,880
Whitehall Road Infant	73,150
Sunderland Road Junior	66,880
Prior Street Infant	53,295
Prior Street Junior	66,880
Brighton Avenue Junior	66,880
All Saints Roman Catholic Primary Remodelling	24,571
St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Primary Remodelling	30,490
St. Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Secondary Remodelling	70,368
St. Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Primary Remodelling	29,140
Total	1,988,460

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what sum per doctor is being paid out of public funds at the present time for doctors' training; and whether he will ask all British-trained doctors to repay this when leaving the country to practise overseas.

The average cost is not less than £7,500. I have no power and in any case would not be disposed to impose such a requirement.