asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is aware of the difficulties at present being experienced by single women with elderly and infirm dependants; what action he will take; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of representations which have been made on behalf of these people and have agreed to receive a deputation from the Council for the Single Woman and her Dependants. In our review of social security, we shall consider what they have to say.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in his review of social security provisions, he will seek powers to abolish the National Assistance Board and set up in its place a national welfare organisation.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the place the National Assistance Board will have in future arrangements for the social services.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about the future of the National Assistance Board.

The Government are giving careful consideration to the place of the National Assistance Board in the social services of the future.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what non Governmental organisations he is consulting in connection with his review of the social security system; what opportunities he is giving to those who may wish to do so to tender advice to him on the subject; and when he expects to report to Parliament the results of his review.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the names of the outside organisations and individuals whom he has asked for advice and comment to assist him in his review of social insurance.

Anyone who wishes to do so may offer advice which should go in in the first place to the Minister in charge of the Department concerned. The Government for its part will be seeking the views of the major organisations concerned on particular issues as they arise. This stage will not be reached until work on the review is further advanced. The House will be kept informed as and when there is something to report, but this will not be for some time yet.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will now make a statement on the progress made in his review of social insurance.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale) and the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Curran).

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many times in the last four months he has visited Duchy properties on official business; and for what purposes.

Apart from the Duchy Office, I have not yet visited any Duchy properties, but I am hoping to do so shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will state to what purposes the rents, totalling £247,484, which accrued to the Duchy in 1964, as shown in the Annual Statement of Accounts, were put.

After paying expenses of management and maintenance of the Duchy estates the balance of rents accrued is paid to the Keeper of Her Majesty's Privy Purse.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the £37,793 shown as expenses of management in the latest Annual Report of Accounts of the Duchy; and how many persons are involved.

This is the cost of salaries, National Insurance and other contributions in respect of the 28 administrative staff of the Duchy.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the securities held by the Duchy; what securities were sold in the year ended 29th September, 1964; and what securities were bought.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the extent of his powers of patronage; and whether he proposes to divest himself of these powers.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on farm amalgamations.

As stated in the Annual Review White Paper published last week, we consider that the voluntary amalgamation of farms to produce viable, well-equipped holdings, should be encouraged. We are considering as a matter of urgency what measures are required to give effect to this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the result of the discussions on egg arrangements between the Farmers' Unions, the British Egg Marketing Board and his Department; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Hayman) last Wednesday.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what encouragement he will give to pig production in view of the shortage of meat and the success of efforts to sell more pork.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to increase the production of home pig meat.

There is already prospect of considerably higher pig production in 1965–66 than in 1964–65, and of a weaker market. The guarantee on pigs is costing over £30 million in the current year and, with more pigs in prospect, it is likely to cost even more next year. We cannot consider encouraging production regardless of the capacity of the market and of Exchequer cost. The various changes I have announced in the pig guarantee arrangements following the Annual Review are aimed at striking the right balance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now satisfied that the increased demand for pig meat shown since the last price review represents an established trend and is likely to continue; and if he will make a statement.

The demand for pig meat in the past year has to some extent reflected the strength of the meat market generally. The average pig price was reasonably firm until recent weeks when it weakened under pressure of heavy supplies of pigs. The numbers marketed in 1965–66 are expected to be substantially greater than in 1964–65, and the market is likely to be weaker. But taking the market situation as a whole we have nevertheless thought it appropriate to raise the level of the middle band of the flexible guarantee from 12 to 12·8 million for the coming year from the present level of 11·25 to 11·75 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the workings of the standard quantity system in relation to the production of pig meat; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the purpose of the flexible guarantee, which is to help to stabilise pig production, is right. I also believe that the changes decided upon after the recent Review will improve its operation. These include raising and widening the middle band, and widening the steps on either side of it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to introduce a minimum pricing scheme for white fish.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions on quality control and a statutory minimum price scheme for fish.

The proposals for the financing of a minimum price scheme which are under consideration incorporate certain minimum quality standards. It will be for the White Fish Authority in due course to decide whether to proceed with a scheme under the statutory procedure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an assurance that there is no intention of endeavouring to amend the law regarding the use of rubber bands for the castration of animals as laid down in the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act.

I would only be prepared to consider amendment of the provisions of the Act dealing with rubber rings if substantial evidence were produced to show that they were unsoundly based.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the possibilities opened up by new developments in the manufacture of powdered milk; and what investigations are being made to consider possible effects on the dairying industry and on export to under developed countries.

There are still technical difficulties to be overcome before it will be possible to produce a full cream milk powder that can be readily reconstituted in water. These matters are kept under in water. These matters are kept under continuous review by the Milk and Milk Products Technical Advisory Committee but much more work will have to be done before I can speculate on the commercial consequences.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to amend Section 2 of the Agriculture Act, 1958, so as to provide that, for the purposes of arbitration, the rent payable should be defined as that which might reasonably be expected to be paid to a prudent landlord by a willing tenant.

I shall be considering the rent provisions of the Agriculture Act, 1958, and the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1948, as part of a general review of the agricultural landlord-and-tenant legislation; but I cannot promise this or any other specific amendment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the difficulties caused to the horticultural industry by the increase in imports of cucumber and tomatoes; and if he will take steps to regulate such imports.

The general level of imports of cucumbers and tomatoes does not appear to be such as to justify measures of regulation additional to the protection and assistance already given to the home industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the results of his discussions with the National Farmers' Union about the effect of the 15 percent. import surcharge on the horticultural industry.

I have had no discussions recently with the National Farmers' Union on the matter to which the hon. Member refers. Certain representations were made to my Department at the beginning of this month to which a reply was sent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to amend the workings of the scheme relating to the notification of chemicals used in agriculture.

The Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals is at present reviewing this Scheme and in the light of the Committee's recommendations we shall decide whether any amendment is necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what official research is undertaken into the safety of artificial sweeteners before their use in food and drink is permitted.

Research is not normally undertaken by the Government themselves into the safety of commercially developed food ingredients or food additives. It is for the commercial interests concerned to carry out the necessary research and for the Government to decide, in the light of the results, whether the product concerned can be allowed to be used in food.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to prevent overfishing in the North Sea and North Atlantic.

The United Kingdom already applies internationally agreed measures to conserve fish stocks in the North Sea and the North Atlantic. These consist of minimum mesh sizes for nets and minimum landing sizes for fish. Any proposals for changes in these regulations or for conservation measures of a different kind are matters for international discussion and agreement in the two Fisheries Commissions concerned. These Commissions, in which the United Kingdom plays an active part, will be meeting in the coming months, and it will be the object of the United Kingdom to promote the study and introduction of such additional practicable measures of conservation as may be scientifically justified and to ensure their effective enforcement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to assist in expanding the National Beef Recording Association.

My Department is helping the Beef Recording Association by a grant of £1 for every £1 contributed by the industry. The ceiling of £50,000 to which this arrangement is subject should not prevent continuing help on the same scale for the coming year at least.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how soon he will permit beef to be produced from bulls which also qualify for the calf and fatstock subsidies.

Commercial trials to compare production and marketing results between groups of bulls and steers are nearing completion. We shall have to study the results before deciding whether any extension of the calf subsidy or fat-stock guarantee arrangements to bulls is justified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will supply figures showing investment in new buildings and works and in plant and machinery, including vehicles, in agriculture in the United Kingdom, for each of the economic planning regions for the years 1955–56, and 1960–61 to 1964–65, respectively.

I regret that separate estimates for the economic plan-

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will supply for each of the economic planning regions of the United Kingdom figures for the output of cereals, potatoes, sugar beet, milk and milk products, fatstock, eggs and poultry, and horticultural produce for the years 1955–56, and 1960–61 to 1964–65, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available in the form the hon. Member has asked.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to encourage the development of county council smallholdings.

My Department contributes up to 75 percent. of the losses incurred by smallholdings authorities in improving their existing full-time holdings, and I am always ready to consider requests for such assistance. It seems to me that, until the Wise Committee's report is available, it is better to spend money on this than on creating new smallholdings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will seek powers to advise small growers on suitable forms of contract for sale of their produce.

Consideration of the form of contract offered by a buyer is, in the first instance, a matter for the grower

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the increased costs to the milk industry, he is satisfied that adequate recoupment has been made to this industry; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Members for Yeovil (Mr. Peyton) Somerset, North (Mr. Dean), and Galloway (Mr. Brewis).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the increased costs to the egg industry, he is satisfied that adequate recoupment has been made to this industry; and if he will make a statement.

The increased cost of feed, by far the major item of cost, has been automatically recouped through the Feed Formula; and other cost increases have been offset by increased efficiency. In view of this and the risk of over-production, I am satisfied that it was right to reduce the guaranteed price at the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many local authority districts remain for which he has not appointed a day on which the Slaughterhouse Hygiene Regulations, 1958, and Slaughter of Animals Cruelty Regulations, 1958, apply; and if he will make a statement.

Forty-one. We expect to appoint days for about half these by 1st January, 1966, and for all but a few of the rest by the end of that year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has reviewed the basis on which wholesale horticultural markets are selected for grant under Section 10 of the Agriculture and Horticulture Act, 1964; and whether the proposed new market at Leicester will qualify.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to make a change in the basis on which wholesale horticultural markets are selected for grant under Section 10 of the Agriculture and Horticulture Act, 1964.In deciding whether a wholesale market is, or is likely to become, of major importance in the national system of distribution of horticultural produce, my right hon. Friend and I are required to have regard to the volume of business transacted or expected to be transacted in that market. Hitherto the working definition has been a minimum actual or potential throughput of £5 million a year. After further consideration of all the information now available my right hon. Friend and I have concluded that this minimum is too high and have accordingly decided to regard a market as being of major importance if it has an actual, or potential, throughput of at least £4 million a year. The proposed new market at Leicester satisfies this criterion and is

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will arrange for preferential low toll charges for daily users of the Forth Road Bridge.

Such a proposal would require to be considered by the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board in the first place.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will grant permission for a pedestrian crossing in the main street of Mossend; and if he will make a statement.

I have called for a report on recent traffic and accident figures and in the light of this I hope to make a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish hospitals admitting children have made arrangements for daily or unrestricted visiting by parents.

I have just asked hospital authorities for a return on this matter. I hope to be in a position to supply my hon. Friend with up-to-date facts shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes have taken place in the population of each county in Scotland since 1951; and what proportion these changes represent of the population of each county in 1951.

The following table shows for each county and city in Scotland the population at the census of 1951, the Registrar-General's estimate of the population at 30th June, 1964, the increase or decrease over the period, and the percentage which the increase or decrease bears to the population in 1951.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to prohibit the sale of the drop-type handlebars which can be fitted to motorcycles, in view of the number of accidents which have resulted from the use of this type of handlebar.

I have no power to prohibit the sale of drop-type handlebars. If, however, their use puts the rider in a position where he lacks proper control or cannot see the road ahead, he is committing an offence against Regulation 87 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1963.

asked the Minister of Transport what are his plans for the co-ordination of the various forms of road, rail and air transport for freight and passenger services between northeast Scotland and the southern parts of Britain.

I announced on 8th February the arrangements I have made for a general inquiry into transport co-ordination. This inquiry will help to develop the policies necessary to ensure that there is proper co-ordination both nationally and in particular cases.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will operate a driving test centre in Rutherglen.

I hope to open a centre there in a few months' time. The premises, which are in Stonelaw Road, require some structural alterations and this may take about four months.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the results of all his experiments to find remedies for the problems of rural transport.

Within the next month, I hope.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the policy of Sunderland Corporation is to provide cheap public transport in order to encourage the full use of its transport facilities and to discourage the excessive use of private means of transport in the town; in view of the fact that this policy was recommended in the Buchanan Report, to what extent Her Majesty's Government have adopted this policy; and if he will make a statement.

The fares charged on municipal transport are determined by the local authorities concerned, subject to the statutory approval of the Traffic Commissioners. I do not intervene in these matters except on a formal appeal. The decision to relieve bus stage carriage services of the additional fuel tax announced in the Budget Statement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11th November is evidence of the policy of Her Majesty's Government to encourage the public transport services.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the Traffic Commissioners that, when the Commissioners are giving their decision in regard to applications by county boroughs for increases in fares of their bus undertakings, the Commissioners should refrain from references to the financial policy of the authorities on whose applications they are giving a decision.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make available the traffic flow figures for that section of Cromwell Road between Warwick Road and Exhibition Road; when he expects summer weekend afternoon traffic, at present growth rates, to reach present weekday rates; and whether he will then extend the clearway regulations to weekends.

Traffic flows between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in summer average 2,568 vehicles per hour during the week and 2,086 at weekends. At the present rate of growth the weekend figure would reach the present weekday level in about 1971.The Greater London Council becomes the traffic authority on 1st April and it will be for it to consider any extension of waiting restrictions.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce a regulation whereby the registration books of cars which have been severely damaged in accidents, and have not been written off, are marked in some manner so that a future purchaser of the vehicle may know its accident record.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 17th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin) and to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher).

asked the Minister of Transport what stage he has reached in his consultations with the Gateshead County Borough on the road pattern for the central area of the town; whether these consultations have taken account of the need to remove the heavy weight of the through traffic; and when he expects the work to commence.

The discussions between the county borough council and my Divisional Road Engineer about the road pattern for the town centre are continuing. They are certainly taking account of the need to remove through traffic from the centre.It will be for the Council, in due course, to seek approval for the proposed new road pattern by way of amendment of the Town Map.It is too early to say when work on the new roads can start.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now extend the 30 miles per hour limit on the A.12 trunk road at Stanway to cover the Villa Road junction; and if he will provide a pedestrian crossing in this vicinity.

I understand that the information on this case which I am awaiting from the Essex County Council will be available in the near future. I hope to be able to reach a decision shortly after receiving it.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now announce the date of the public inquiry on the Lancashire-Yorkshire motorway in as far as it affects the village of Outlane in Huddersfield.

The public inquiry into objections to the draft Special Roads Scheme for that section of the Lancashire-Yorkshire motorway which includes Outlane will be held at the Council Chamber, County Hall, Wakefield beginning at 10 a.m. on 25th May.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the age grouping, taking each decade as a separate group, of persons who died in road accidents in 1958, 1963, and 1964, respectively.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give particulars of the 10 firms which have received, in aggregate, the greatest value of road-building contracts over £100,000 for trunk roads and motorways placed by his Department since 12th February, 1964, and the total value of the contracts received by each.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects a decision to be made on the location of the new berthing facilities in South Wales for carriers of large tonnages of iron ore.

I have at the moment nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Somerset, North (Mr. Dean) on 10th March.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) by what criteria he judges whether contracts for the Anglo-French Concord project should be placed in third countries; and whether he is satisfied that this has resulted in the ordering of equipment which is indisputably better than the French or British equivalent;(2) if he will give an assurance that British firms are being given preference to American or other foreign firms for the provision of radio and electronic equipment for the Concord aircraft in all cases where the equipment meets the required standards and French equipment is regarded as unsuitable; and in which instances, and for what reasons, decisions have so far been taken to place orders for such equipment outside France or the United Kingdom.

Decisions about the supply of major items of equipment are taken jointly with the French authorities on the advice of the main contractors. The agreed policy is to select British or French equipment save in the most exceptional circumstances. The main criteria to which we have regard are performance, reliability, costs, delivery times and customer preferences. Apart from certain cases in which American firms are associated with British and/or French firms in the development of suitable equipment or systems for the aircraft, the only order approved by my Department and the French authorities for placing outside the United Kingdom or France is with an American company for radio compass equipment for the two prototype aircraft. The choice for this very small order was made because the equipment in question was very considerably cheaper than the nearest British or French offer. This selection in no way implies that this equipment will be chosen or will indeed be necessary for the pre-production or production aircraft.

asked the Minister of Aviation how much is the deficit in the British Overseas Airways Corporation pension fund.

The triennial actuarial valuation of the fund of the Airways Corporations' Joint Pension Scheme, which was made as at 31st March, 1962, revealed a potential future capital deficiency at that date, of which approximately£9 million could be attributable to B.O.A.C.As noted in the B.O.A.C. accounts a scheme has been agreed with the trustees whereby part of this liability will be liquidated out of interest earnings in excess of the valuation rate and the balance by annual payments over 30 years to 31st March, 1992.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, when he will announce his decision with regard to the responsibility after 1st April, 1965, for the Woodford Green County Primary School and the Woodford County High School.

I have decided to recommend to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government that these schools should be transferred to the new London Borough of Redbridge.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, since more than 30 percent. of the students who achieve two or more A Level passes in England and Wales fail to obtain admission to universities in Great Britain, he will seek to arrange, by agreement with Commonwealth Governments, to take up vacancies in Commonwealth universities for those properly qualified.

I note the hon. Member's suggestion, but do not consider it necessary to pursue it in view of the wide range of higher education facilities in leading technical and other colleges which are available to such students in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the Hill Committee on Student Grants is expected to report.

Shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of recent disasters to trawlers and other ships in the North Sea and adjacent waters and of failures of attempted communications between ships and shore, if he will take steps to set up a Decca navigational system along the north and north-east coasts of Scotland and take such other scientific steps as he may be advised to improve communications between ships at sea and shore.

A North Scottish Decca chain, with master station at Kirkwall, has been in operation since 1956.As regards steps to improve communications, I have consulted my right hon. Friend, the Postmaster General, who has advised me that he has nothing to add to the Answer he gave to my hon. and learned Friend's Question on this subject on 23rd February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the success achieved by the Aberdeen Exhibition held in London in March, 1965; and, in view of the need for publicising and developing the trade and industry of Aberdeen, if he will take steps, in conjunction with the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce and other relevant bodies, to support the trade fair of Scottish products to be held in Aberdeen in 1966.

The Board of Trade will be glad to discuss with the organisers their plans for the trade fair to be held in Aberdeen in 1966. It is not, however, the practice of the Board to provide financial support for trade fairs in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) what level of minimum income guarantee she is proposing for a single person and married couple, respectively;(2) what she estimates would be the annual cost of a minimum income guarantee scheme if the weekly sum guaranteed to widows and retired persons were to be £5 for a single person and £7 10s. for a married couple;(3) how many widows and persons of retirement age were in receipt of National Assistance at the latest available date; and how many she estimates would be removed from assistance if weekly incomes were guaranteed to a minimum of £5 and £7 10s. for a single person and married couple, respectively;(4) whether her proposed minimum income guarantee scheme will take into account variations in rent payable by recipients;(5) what account she proposes to take of capital in her scheme for a guaranteed minimum income; and whether people will have to reveal their capital position on the proposed Inland Revenue form;(6) what forms of income she proposes to disregard in calculating the amount payable under her Minimum Guaranteed Income Scheme;(7) what estimate she has made of the level to which incomes could be guaranteed without penalising thrift.

I must ask the hon. Lady to await the details of our income guarantee proposals when they can be brought forward as a complete scheme. Meanwhile it is not possible to give the estimates of cost or of the effect on thrift, for which the hon. Lady asks. These must to a large extent depend on the precise form of the scheme, as well as on the facts about the financial and other circumstances of retirement pensioners on which we are shortly to conduct a survey. The number of widows and persons of retirement age in receipt of national assistance at the end of 1964 was 1,454,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's future policy towards private occupational pension schemes.

I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Minister of Pensions ad National Insurance whether the proposed new national superannuation scheme will require the full transferability of pensions in private schemes.

Policy on this matter must take account of several considerations besides the national superannuation scheme, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 22nd February by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to the hon. Members for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) and Worcester (Mr. Peter Walker).

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, in her review of social security, she will take account of the importance of encouraging private occupational pension schemes.

I would refer the hon. and noble Member to my reply to his previous Question on 15th March.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what progress is being made in the reduction of the volume of work undertaken by the National Assistance Board.

I know of no reason to expect a reduction in the volume of work now falling to the National Assistance Board before the Government's Income Guarantee Scheme is operating.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will consider changing the title of National Assistance to one less likely to cause feelings of shame and so to deter those applying for it.

I shall certainly be considering, as part of changes connected with a scheme of Income Guarantee, whether there is a better way of describing the financial help which will still be required by people who needs are not met by the Income Guarantee scheme. In the meantime the National Assistance Board is doing all it can to overcome any reluctance there may be to apply for assistance.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, in her review of the social insurance system, she will take into account the desirability of disposing of the stamped insurance card.

We shall take into account the arguments for and against the use of stamped insurance cards.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if her review of the social insurance system, she is examining the possibility of a replacement of the weekly insurance contribution by a comprehensive social security tax.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what examination she has undertaken of alternative methods of financing the social insurance system.

Alternative methods of financing social insurance are certainly being considered in the course of the review, but decisions on contributions or the method of financing cannot be taken separately from decisions on the benefit structure.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what examination she is making of the feasibility of linking the retirement pension to the annual increase in average earnings and to the special cost-of-living index related to the spending habits of old people.

Study of the future of the retirement pension provisions is proceeding as part of the Government's general review of the social security schemes.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she is aware of the plight of a number of aged men and women who are excluded from benefit under the existing National Insurance scheme; how many of these were too old to enter the scheme when it was introduced in 1948, and how many who could have done so decided to opt out of it; and if, in view of the hardship that many of them are suffering, she will seek to expedite that part of her reform of the social security services which will provide a guaranteed minimum income for all in need.

The number of people now alive who are without National Insurance pensions and who were over minimum pensionable age on 5th July, 1948, is estimated to be about 250,000. Some 80,000 people who were within 10 years of reaching minimum pensionable age at that date chose subsequently on reaching pensionable age to take a refund of contributions in lieu of their right to pension; it is not known how many of them are still alive. As regards the general point, I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave on 22nd March.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what extent she expects to eliminate the means test principle, following her review of the social services.

As my hon. Friend knows, our intention is to develop the system of benefits as of right based on the payment of contributions so as to reduce as far as is practicable the need for payments by reference to the means or personal needs of beneficiaries. I cannot forecast how quickly or how completely this objective will be achieved.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he will urge the Welsh Regional Hospital Board to establish a new isolation hospital within the region, in view of the fact that the Penrhys Isolation Hospital has been declared as being not capable of providing effective safeguards against the spread of smallpox infection;(2) why the Welsh Board of Health decided to use the isolation hospital at Penrhys, Rhondda, Glamorgan, for the treatment of a suspected smallpox case when they knew that the hospital had been declared unsuitable.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if the Medical Officer of Health for the Borough of Rhondda was consulted by the Welsh Board of Health before the decision was made to transfer a suspected smallpox case to the Penrhys Isolation Hospital on 13th March, 1965;(2) why, in view of the Report on the Smallpox Outbreaks in 1962, which called attention to the unsuitability of Penrhys Isolation Hospital as a smallpox hospital, preparations were made to receive a suspected case of smallpox at this hospital on 13th March, 1965; and if he will give an assurance that this hospital will not in future be used for the treatment of smallpox cases.

A scheme to adapt another hospital, as an alternative to Penrhys Hospital, is included in the Welsh Hospital Board's capital programme for 1965–66 and this proposal is under examination by the Welsh Board of Health.Until alternative arrangements have been made the Hospital Board have no alternative but to continue to regard Penrhys as the smallpox hospital for the area.Prior consultation with the Medical Officer of Health of the Borough of Rhondda on the possible use of Penrhys Hospital for any particular case where smallpox is suspected is not called for as he is aware of existing arrangements for its use.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent it is his policy, in his review of the social services, to abolish all charges for such services at the time of their receipt.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made on 17th December.

asked the Minister of Health why some people have to wait six months for a deaf aid; and what is the average waiting period.

Shortages of trained staff have caused delays in a few areas in England and Wales. An average figure is not available but at most centres the waiting period is less than eight weeks.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of persons employed in the Dental Estimates Board's offices and the total cost of running those offices each year since its establishment.

Following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the raid on the safe of H.M. submarine "Oracle"; and whether the culprit has been found.

The key to the money safe on board H.M. submarine "Oracle" was recently reported as missing. In the interests of security the commanding officer ordered the lock of the safe to be forced and its contents to be removed. An investigation of the incident is still proceeding, and I will write to the hon. Member when the inquiries are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose H.M.S. "Ark Royal" has been used since its completion in 1955; and whether he will consider its future, with a view to removing it from active service.

H.M.S. "Ark Royal" is employed as a fleet aircraft carrier, as she has been since her completion in 1955. She is thus a principal and essential unit of our main naval forces. She has a number of years of useful life ahead of her, we plan to give her a refit starting next year, and there is no intention of removing her from active service in the present decade.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many vessels completed between 1955 and 1964 have been militarily obsolete by the time of completion; and whether H.M.S. "Ark Royal" comes within this classification.

None of H.M. ships completed between 1955 and 1964 was militarily obsolete by the time of completion.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will state the composition of the Inter-University Council and the number of times it met in 1964; and if she will make a statement on its work.

The composition of the Council is as follows: a nominee from each of the United Kingdom universities, normally the Vice-Chancellor or another senior member of the university; the Educational Adviser to the Ministry of Overseas Development; and co-opted members chosen for their special knowledge of overseas affairs or of subjects important in the curricula of overseas universities.The present members of the Council are:

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will make a statement indicating what applications for financial assistance have been received from the Government of Rhodesia since 15th October, 1964, for what purposes and with what results; and to what extent, in dealing with those applications, she took into account the receipt of aid by the Rhodesian Government from other sources.

No application for financial assistance has been received from Rhodesia since the 15th October, 1964, but, as I informed the House in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 9th March, there have been exploratory talks between officials of the two Governments in which Rhodesia's financial position and needs were examined. In considering requests for aid account is taken of all relevant factors, including sums received from other donors.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development which non-Commonwealth African countries will receive technical assistance under Class II Vote 9C of the Civil Estimates 1965–66; and if she will indicate the nature of the assistance.

All developing independent non-Commonwealth countries in Africa are eligible for technical assistance under Class II Vote 9C of the Civil Estimates 1965–66. Assistance is given in response to specific requests from their Governments and may take the form of the provision of British experts, training courses for their nationals in the United Kingdom, the supply of training equipment, and feasibility and other economic surveys.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will give details of the progress made by the research, totalling £1,612,267 in 1964–65, for the benefit of developing countries, accounted for in Civil Estimates 1965–66 Class II Vote 10B.

This provision is used to support research, both in this country and overseas, on problems impeding the social and economic progress of the developing countries. Much of the support is for long-term programmes at permanent research institutes where progress is persistent rather than spectacular. Recent examples of practical success are the control of cotton pests in Central Africa, leading to a large increase in production; the discovery in East Africa of improved vaccines for the control of rinderpest in cattle throughout the tropics; new fertiliser treatment leading to increased banana production in the Windward Islands; effective agronomic and pest control work on cocoa in Sabah, where it is now becoming an important crop. In medicine, progress has been made with field trials on trachoma vaccines; work on schistosomiasis in East Africa has opened up the possibility of a pilot control scheme; study of the epidemiology of a tumour prevalent among children in Uganda has aroused wide interest among cancer research workers. In the engineering field, studies by the Road Research Laboratory have led to an improved method for the design of roads in the tropics with a consequent saving of up to 20 percent. in construction costs.I am placing in the Library copies of the annual reports of some of the more important research organisations supported by my Ministry.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now make a further statement about the proposed Fellowship in Minuscule Design, and about the design of British postage stamps.

I have now reached an agreement with the Royal College of Art under which I shall establish there a Fellowship in Minuscule Design to work on postage stamps, National Savings stamps and related matters.

asked the Minister of Technology, in view of the increased relevance of automation to the development of trade, industry and commerce, what plans are being implemented at Dounreay Scientific Institute for the manufacture and construction of the required automation machines.