asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further proposals he has received on the subject of the allocation of drainage rates in the Burnham-on-Crouch area; what reply he has made; and whether he will make a statement.

The answer to the first two parts of the Question is "none". The Essex River Board is, however, engaged on a programme, which I understand the river authority will continue, of reviewing the boundaries of 17 of its internal drainage districts. This work inevitably takes a long time, but I am assured that the Dengey district, which includes Burnham-on-Crouch, is high on the list and should be one of the next reviews undertaken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in the light of the decisions taken at the Agricultural Price Review, what steps he will take to alleviate the difficulties facing the horticultural industry at the present time.

The Annual Review decisions do not generally affect horticulture. My Department is giving assistance over a wide range of activities to promote the well-being of horticulture, and it is the Government's firm intention to have the same regard for the welfare of the industry as for agriculture.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to ensure that meat and poultry produced by broiler factories and eggs produced by battery methods are labelled as such, so that consumers can choose or reject them when making their purchases; and if he will make a statement on action he is taking in response to the humane farming campaign.

As to the first part of the Question, the Food Standards Committee examined this proposal in its recent comprehensive Report on Food Labelling but made no recommendation on it. We are now studying the large number of representations made on the Committee's Report with a view to formulating proposals for new labelling regulations. As to the second part of the Question, my right hon. Friend is awaiting the report of the Committee set up by his predecessor under the chairmanship of Professor Brambell.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of his livestock officers of regional rank and above have academic qualifications in genetics.

Nearly all of the senior officers in the Livestock Husbandry group of the National Agricultural Advisory Service have had basic training in genetics, and one has undertaken a post-graduate course in population genetics. They are in frequent contact with and have ready access to specialists in genetics.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will supply figures for each of the Economic Planning Regions of the United Kingdom for the years 1955, and 1960 to 1964, showing the number of persons employed in agriculture in the following categories, namely, regular whole-time males under 20 years of age, between 20 and 65, and 65 and over; regular whole-time females under 20 years of age, and 20 years and over; part-time regular males; part-time regular females; seasonal and temporary males; seasonal and temporary females.

I will send my hon. Friend the information for which he asks and will also make it available in the Library of the House. Separate figures for regular whole-time female workers under 20 years old and 20 years old and over are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give figures showing the number of people employed in agriculture and horticulture in the United Kingdom in 1955, and in the years 1960 to 1964, in the following categories, namely, advisory services, administrative, clerical, bailiffs, and foremen, cowmen, other stockmen,

				At June
Great Britain (*) (†)				1955	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964
				000"s
REGULAR WHOLE-TIME MEN
Bailiffs, foremen and grieves	…	…	…	26·5	23·6	22·6	21·8	21·6	19·6
Cowmen	…	…	…	30·6	24·9	25·9	23·3	24·0	20·3
Other stockmen	…	…	…	41·9	34·5	33·2	29·2	28·7	27·3
Tractor drivers	…	…	…	61·8	55·7	54·9	50·1	49·0	46·0
General workers	…	…	…	161·0	143·6	135·3	133·6	122·3	113·6
Market gardeners	…	…	…	25·8	24·9	19·3	18·9	17·9	17·5
Auxiliary workers	…	…	…	10·0	8·2	8·7	5·9	6·6	7·5
Others (†)	…	…	…	63·1	52·0	49·9	50·3	51·2	51·1
Total Great Britain (only)	…	…	…	420·7	367·4	349·8	333·1	321·3	302·9

United Kingdom
REGULAR WHOLE-TIME WORKERS
Men	…	444·4	387·7	368·1	351·6	338·4	319·3
Youths	…	90·9	74·7	70·8	68·8	68·6	61·5
Females	…	59·9	43·0	40·6	39·1	36·6	33·6
REGULAR PART-TIME AND CASUAL WORKERS
Males	…	118·5	111·5	106·7	102·9	97·7	97·1
Females	…	74·1	76·6	75·3	70·8	69·3	72·2
Total—all workers (§)	…	787·8	693·5	661·4	633·2	610·6	583·6
(*) The figures relate to the numbers returned as workers employed on agricultural holdings in the Agricultural Census.
(†) No occupational analysis of men is available for Northern Ireland, hence the analysis is confined to Great Britain. The detailed figures are derived from representative sample surveys of farms and are subject to small sampling errors.
(‡) This category includes family workers and partners of the farmer.
(§) Because of rounding the sums of the constituent items are not always equal to the totals shown. ADVISORY SERVICE; ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLERICAL WORKERS

No complete figures are available. In 1960–61 it was estimated that there were 7,600 persons employed as office staff on farms in England and Wales, who were not included in the June Agricultural Returns.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that many of those in agricultural co-operatives want a scheme of long-term repayable loans at market rate to enable them to challenge the existing food processing firms, rather than grants on the horticultural pattern which prevent such competition; and whether he will set up such a scheme of long-term loans to encourage co-operative enterprise.

I know these views are held by some; but action along the lines proposed raises wide and complex issues. Consideration will be given, as stated in paragraph 9 of the Annual Review White Paper, to the possibility of widening

The following is the information about the no of people in the agriculture and horticulture.arrangements to promote agricultural cooperative and group activity. My hon. Friend can be assured that all aspects of agricultural co-operative enterprises will be studied carefully.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he now expects the incomes of the farm worker and small farmer to reach parity with their industrial counterparts.

Farm workers' earnings are a matter for the Agricultural Wages Boards. I cannot forecast the income of small farmers, but the decisions at this Annual Review will be particularly helpful to them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will make an announcement on his current talks with the egg board and the National Farmers' Union on methods for controlling the size of the national flock.

While not necessarily agreeing with the hon. Member's assumption as to the content of the talks, I would refer him to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Hayman) on 17th March, 1965.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the latest forecast of the saving to the Exchequer in the cost of 1964–65 farm price support is being handed back to the farmer in the determination of guarantees in 1965.

The cost of Exchequer support to agriculture was £294 million in 1963–64, is expected to be £270 million in 1964–65 and was put at £295 million for 1965–66 in the Estimates made before this year's Review. The fall in Exchequer cost between 1963–64 and 1964–65 was due largely to the improvement in market prices. In effect, therefore, farmers have been getting less from the taxpayer and more from the consumer. The cost of support was one of the factors considered before the Government reached their Review determinations which increased the value of the guarantees by over £10 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will give the mortality rate in cattle due to salmonellosis, the incidence and disposition of outbreaks and the rate of increase;(2) what steps are being taken by his Department to eradicate or control salmonellosis.

Salmonellosis is not a notifiable disease and accordingly the statistical information requested by the hon. Member is not available. The disease is widespread in farm animals and poultry; vermin may also be affected. Eradication is impracticable but it may be controlled to some extent by good hygiene. Recently vaccines have been developed which should give a good measure of protection against the commonest causes of salmonella infection in cattle and pigs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to alleviate the inequitable effect upon the costs of production of egg and broiler producers caused by the assessment of some farm buildings for rates.

As already announced, the Government are considering the question of the liability to rates of intensive production buildings as part of its review of central and local Government finance, including the rating system. Increases in costs, including any that may have arisen as a result of the rating of farm buildings, are taken into account in the assessment of cost increases for the agricultural industry as a whole which is made for the purposes of the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to secure the phased marketing of imports of early potatoes from Cyprus and other Mediterranean countries.

The bulk of supplies from Mediterranean countries, other than Cyprus, normally arrive before the end of May; most Cyprus potatoes arrive in June. I am sure that Mediterranean growers are aware that the later their potatoes arrive the greater the risk that they will not comply with the definition of new potatoes in the Import Licensing Regulations. Commercial considerations should also encourage growers there to send us potatoes when they are most needed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the stock of saleable potatoes, today and on the same date last year.

On the basis of the Potato Marketing Board's census of stocks in Great Britain, stocks of marketable ware potatoes on 28th February, 1965, were estimated at about 1,500,000 tons as compared with about 1,200,000 tons at the corresponding time last year. An estimate of stocks as at the end of March is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the hardship caused to blind persons who travel abroad accompanied by their guide dogs but who find that their dogs are placed in quarantine for six months on their return; and whether he will take steps to secure special inoculation and treatment of such dogs to obviate the separation of blind persons from their dogs for long periods.

I am, of course, very much aware of the hardship which separation from a guide dog must entail to any blind person and I recognise that these dogs present a less than average risk of introducing rabies. There is, however, no inoculation or other treatment which gives absolute protection against rabies, and in view of the terrible results of the disease I regret that we are not prepared to relax the quarantine regulations in favour of guide dogs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of former egg producers ceased to supply eggs during the 12 months to the last convenient date; and what proportion of those still engaged in egg production has resorted to intensive methods.

Between the dates of the June census in 1962 and 1963, the number of agricultural holdings with birds of 6 months and over in England and Wales fell from 198,535 to 187,233. I regret that comparable information from the 1964 Census is not available owing to a change in the particulars collected. In 1963–64 approximately 80 percent. of the laying birds on agricultural holdings were kept under deep litter, battery or other intensive system of management.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he is having with the egg industry; when he expects these discussions to be completed; and if he will make a statement when they are completed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Hayman) on 17th March, 1965.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in HANSARD a summary of the latest reports he has received on the effects on oyster production in the Blackwater of the effluent from the Bradwell power station.

The possible effects on oyseters of discharges from the power station have been studied, but observations so far do not indicate that there have been any recognisable adverse effects. The studies are being continued and a full report will be made in due course. Quarterly reports are also made to the local bodies concerned on the results of monitoring for radioactivity. I am publishing in the OFFICIAL REPORT an extract about oysters from the latest report. This reveals a quite insignificant degree of radioactive content. The most recent average level is about 1/500 th of the maximum acceptable level.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make plans for the rationing of milk in case of emergency.

Standing plans have long been in existence for the rationing of milk in a war emergency.

IMPORTS OF SHELLFISH INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM
	1960		1961		1962		1963		1964
	quantity "000 cwt.	value "000 £	quantity "000 cwt	value "000£	quantity "000 cwt.	value "000 £	quantity "000 cwt	value "000£	quantity "000 cwt.	value "000 £
Fresh, Chilled, frozen and simply preserved:
Fresh oysters	8	69	8	74	8	68	4	26	7	38
prawns	18	307	17	282	18	374	18	348	16	345
Other	50	95	34	102	44	90	29	61	48	98
Frozen	23	564	50	1,650	58	2,313	62	2,197	85	3,120
Other	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	5	47	3	30
Prepared and preserved:
Canned crab	47	2,117	38	1,686	44	2,114	33	1,612	49	2,501
lobster	4	253	3	140	4	187	2	149	3	201
prawns & shrimps	20	720	19	741	33	1,312	29	1,072	47	1,564
crawfish	1	36	—	1	—	2	n.s.r.	n.s.r.	n.s.r.	n.s.r.
Other including pastes	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	11	193	15	297
Other	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	29	716	41	961
TOTAL*	171	4,161	169	4,676	209	6,460	222	6,421	314	9,155
* Board of Trade identifiable coverage increased in 1963. Totals for previous years not comparable with totals from 1963 onwards.

n.a. = Not available.— = Negligible.n.s.r. = Not separately recorded. Included in line below.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the quantity and value of

UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS OF SHELLFISH
			Fresh, chilled, frozen and semi-preserved
Year			Fresh		Other		Prepared or preserved
			Quantity Th. cwt.	Value £	Quantity Th. cwt.	Value £	Quantity Th. cwt.	Value £
1960	…	…	20·5	436·1
1961	…	…	21·8	570·5	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.
1962	…	…	22·3	652·2
1963	…	…	21·9	600·4	6·3	121·7	2·7	82·1
1964	…	…	25·4	757·0	9·1	222·3	2·6	74·0

N.A. = Not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the quantity and value of shellfish, by type, imported in each of the past five years.

Following is the information:shellfish, by type, exported in each of the past five years.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce the new production grants and the changes in existing grants as proposed in the Annual Review.

Orders relating to the Market Development Scheme will come into operation tomorrow. Orders revoking the Winter Keep Scheme and bringing into effect new rates of grant under the Hill Cow, Hill Sheep and Fertiliser Subsidy schemes will be laid next month, as will the Order renewing the Ploughing Grant. Announcements about the other changes will be made as soon as the necessary consultations and practical arrangements have been completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce regulations to prohibit the use of chemical improvers to mature flour.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce regulations to prohibit the use of nitrofurazone in the treatment of bovine mastitis until further research has been undertaken on its possible effects in milk used for human consumption.

No. The clearance mentioned in the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend on 3rd March was given on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals after full consideration of the results of research reported by the manufacturers of this product.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his estimates of the number of pigs needed to meet British pigmeat requirements over the next year, and the number of home-produced pigs likely to come to the market during the same period.

Any estimate of requirements must have regard to the probable price level and the consequent cost of the pigs guarantee to the Exchequer. Following the Annual Review, the level of the middle band of the pigs guarantee has with these considerations in mind been set at 12 million to 12·8 million. The number of pigs for certification during 1965–66 is likely to be considerably higher than the number certified in 1964–65, which is estimated at over 12½ million. The latest forecast under the flexible guarantee arrangement, which is for the 52 weeks to the end of December, 1965, is 13¼ million to 13½ million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce details of the changes in the fertiliser subsidy proposed in the Annual Review.

I hope to lay before Parliament in the next two or three weeks the draft Fertiliser (United Kingdom) Scheme, 1965, giving details of these changes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a circular to Scottish local authorities, encouraging them to provide laundry services for infirm elderly people.

Such a circular was issued a year ago and has mat with an encouraging response. The circular was issued on 31st March, 1964; before then only four authorities in Scotland were providing laundry services for old people, although some others had made arrangements with private or hospital laundries. Since then twenty more authorities have either provided a laundry service under Section 27 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947, or have indicated their intention to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many smallholdings are under his control; what is the practice in letting smallholdings when they fall vacant; and what is the highest current rent obtained per acre.

Excluding 1,819 crofts, I am responsible for 1,927 smallholdings of which 55 are in the Highlands and 1,872 in the rest of Scotland. If a smallholding is not to be amalgamated with another holding but is to be re-let offers of rent from prospective tenants are publicly invited. Out of the highest ten or 12 offerers a selection is made of the applicant thought to be most suitable in terms of experience and ability, who is then accepted at the rent he has offered which may well not be the highest offer. The highest current rent being obtained is £30 per acre for a six acre highly specialised fruit growing holding equipped with house, store and packing shed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many smallholdings under his control are let to non-farming tenants who occupy the house only and sub-let the rest of the land; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that smallholdings are only let to tenants who personally farm them.

I have no knowledge of any smallholdings for which I am responsible having been let to non-farming tenants, though there may be tenants who over the years have ceased to make serious agricultural use of their holdings. I have no evidence to confirm that land in such cases is sub-let, a practice which would be in breach of the conditions of leases. When selecting a tenant for a smallholding he is assessed essentially on the basis of his agricultural experience and ability and the soundness of his proposals for farming the holding.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what bedroom accommodation is available in, respectively, the Gretna State Management district and the Cromarty State Management district in hotels and public houses owned by the State; and what increase or decrease of bedroom accommodation is anticipated during the next five years.

The numbers of bedrooms available in hotels owned by the State in the State Management districts are as follows:

• Gretna district—17 single and 56 double rooms.
• Cromarty district—57 single and 76 double rooms.

asked the Minister of Transport how many persons were killed, seriously injured and slightly injured in the years 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965 to date, respectively, on Scotland Road, Liverpool, between Mile End and Boundary Street; and what action his Department is taking to facilitate the proposals for the elimination of this problem.

The information is as follows:

	Killed	Seriously injured	Slightly injured
1962 (from 16th March)	0	8	31
1963	0	17	49
1964	2	26	44
1965 (to 15th March)	0	2	7

The City Council have been discussing with my Divisional Road Engineer possible ways of making this road safer. As a result the Council are now introducing "No waiting" restrictions and a road safety campaign.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the report of the engineers on the Godstone-Reigate stretch of the South Orbital Road; and when he will publish his draft line proposals.

Planning of this stretch of the road is dependent on the route of the London-Crawley Motorway, which is still under discussion with local authorities. I expect to publish draft line proposals for the two schemes simultaneously, but cannot yet say precisely when this will be.

asked the Minister of Transport what study he has made of the letter from Morpeth Borough Council concerning the proposed closure of the Newcastle-Berwick line; what action has been taken; and whether he will make a statement.

The Railways Board have not sent me advance particulars of this proposal under the special arrangements I announced in my statement of 4th November. I am referring the borough council to the further statement I made today in which I said that I would consult the regional Economic Planning Councils and Boards about any passenger closure proposal on which a decision has not yet been taken.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has received from the National Ports Council relating to the Humber Estuary and the Port of Hull in particular.

None. The Council is consulting the British Transport Docks Board about the proposals affecting its ports.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals for capital development in the Hull Fish Dock have been put to him by the Docks Board, for improving the landing facilities at the Hull Fish Dock, in view of the fact that within the next two years increasing numbers of large all-freeze trawlers will be operating out of Hull.

None. But I am advised by the Docks Board that it approved the provision of two landing berths for freezer trawlers last year and these are now reaching completion. The Board consider, that these berths will be adequate for some years ahead, but additional berths will be provided if the increasing numbers of freezer trawlers make them necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport what capital expenditure has already been incurred by British Railways on the development of liner trains; what further capital expenditure is anticipated during next five years; and what effect the present inability of British Railway to begin the service has had on its overall operating deficit.

The Railways Board has so far committed about £1 million in orders for liner train-type equipment. The extent of further capital expenditure depends on the date of the initial services and the success achieved. The Board is not able to make any useful estimate of the effect on its operating deficit of its inability to introduce liner services as soon as it had originally planned.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now make a statement on the proposed withdrawal of local passenger train services between Crewe and Shrewsbury.

I have not yet completed by examination of the Transport Users Consultative Committee's report and all other relevant factors. I therefore cannot say when I will be able to reach my decision.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has received the Report on Scottish Transport Problems undertaken for the Transport Conference of Scotland by Professor E. R. Hondelink, Principal Adviser on Transport Problems to the United Nations; and what steps he plans to take to implement its findings and recommendations.

A copy of the Report has been sent to me and also, I understand, to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Her Majesty's Government will bear in mind the recommendations in the report in considering the future of transport in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the driving test pass rate for the Faversham constituency area and for the county of Kent, respectively, for each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date, giving the percentage of those who passed the first time they took the test, the percentage who passed the second time, the percentage who passed the third time, and the percentage who passed after taking the test more than three times.

There is no driving test centre in the Faversham constituency area and I have no means of knowing where residents in that area take their tests. In 1964 the pass rate at the twelve centres in Kent was 49 percent. Corresponding figures for previous years are not available because, after one year, driving test records are kept only on a Traffic Area basis. The records do not differentiate between candidates' first and successive tests.

asked the Minister of Transport how many Commonwealth citizens were recruited for London Transport in each of the last three months; and what general direction he has issued as to the level of such recruitment.

I am informed by the London Transport Board that it is not their policy to keep separate records of recruits from the Commonwealth. I have given no direction of any sort on this subject, and do not propose to do so.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will now make a statement on the financial reconstruction of the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

I cannot add to what I said in debate on 1st March and to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 17th March.

asked the Minister of Aviation what were the estimated overseas earnings of British airlines in 1964.

It is provisionally estimated that the overseas earnings of United Kingdom airlines in 1964 was £108 million.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give a detailed breakdown of the £120,000 financial assistance spent on clubs which undertake training schemes on behalf of the Ministry of Aviation.

The figure of £20,000 referred to in answer to a supplementary question on 17th March is the estimated total value of contracts with flying clubs for the tuition, during 1965–66, of cadets awarded R.A.F. or R.N. flying scholarships or comparable awards. These contracts are of course placed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. It is not Government practice to disclose details of contracts, but the clubs at present holding such contracts are as follows:

• Airwork Services Training, Perth.
• Bedfordshire Air Centre Ltd.
• Bournemouth Flying Club & Air Centre.
• Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club.
• Cumberland Flying Club.
• Hampshire Aeroplane Club.
• Herts & Essex Aero Club.
• Lancashire Aero Club.
• London School of Flying Ltd.
• Luton Flying Club.
• Marshall's Flying School Ltd. (Cambridge Aero Club).
• Mid Fly Ltd.
• Midland School of Flying Ltd.
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne Aero Club Ltd.
• Northamptonshire Aero Club.
• Oxford Air Training School.
• Plymouth Aero Club.
• Portsmouth Aero Club.
• Skegness Aero Club.
• Southern Aero Club Ltd.
• Staverton Aviation Club.
• Surrey & Kent Flying Club.
• Ulster Flying Club (1961) Ltd.
• Wiltshire School of Flying Ltd.
• Wolverhampton Aero Club.
• Yorkshire Flying Services Ltd.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will list the flying, clubs with which substantial contracts for the flying training of cadets and technical personnel are now placed, showing the amount of each contract.

The Ministry of Aviation has contracts for the training of Air Traffic Control Officer cadets and technical personnel with the following thirteen flying clubs and schools:

• Airwork Services Training, Perth.
• Surrey & Kent Flying Club.
• Fair Oaks Aero Club.
• Bedfordshire Air Centre.
• Portsmouth Aero Club.
• Southern Aero Club Ltd.
• Airways Aero Club.
• Glamorgan Flying Club Ltd.
• Cumberland Flying Club.
• Turnhouse Air Centre.
• The Seaplane Club Ltd.
• Cornish Gliding Club.
• Oxford Air Training School.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state for the last available year the number of cattle, sheep and goats, and pigs exported from Northern Ireland to the Irish Republic.

148,404, 257,593 and 19,710, respectively, in the year 1964.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increase in the value of exports would be needed to pay for imports of North African methane by the gas industry.

The annual foreign exchange costs will probably be about £7 million.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will make a further statement about progress in setting up the Government's regional economic planning machinery.

I have now set up Economic Planning Councils for the Yorksire and Humberside and East Mid-lands regions, and shall shortly be making an announcement about the membership of the Economic Planning Council for the South West region. The terms of reference of these Councils were announced in the House on 25th February.The following have accepted my invitation to serve:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the new capital for British Honduras has been approved; and when its construction will commence.

H.M.G. have approved the building of a new Capital in British Honduras and I have informed the Government of British Honduras that work on this project can now go ahead. Outline plans had already been prepared by consultants and arrangements will now be made for tender documents to be drawn up.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will arrange for a copy of the Mediators' report on the Cyprus situation to be placed in the Library of the House.

A copy is already available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what administrative changes he has recently made in the treatment of soldiers under sentence.

Recently, the treatment of soldiers sentenced to terms of imprisonment and detention has been under review. It has been decided that soldiers sentenced by courts martial to any term of imprisonment will serve their sentences in a civil prison. In the past, only those who have been sentenced to more than two years' imprisonment have served their sentences in a civil prison.Soldiers sentenced to detention, who are to be retained in the Army, will continue to serve their sentences at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester, or in similar establishments overseas. Training in these establishments, which is aimed at developing self-respect and improving military qualities and skills, has been highly successful in producing pod soldiers.Men who have been sentenced to detention, but who are to be discharged from the Army, will no longer be required to serve their sentences in an establishment similar to a civil prison. They will be held in a special wing of the Military Corrective Training Centre, at Colchester, segregated from the other soldiers under sentence, although they will be treated on similar lines. Their training, however, will include instruction in general subjects, rather than those which have a strictly military application.When these changes come into force, probably later this year, the Military Prison and Detention Barracks at Shepton Mallet will be closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what instructions he has issued to the Merton Borough Council concerning the number of teachers that may be employed by them.

Under the quota arrangements announced in Circular 1/65; the Merton Borough Council were asked to limit to 946 the number of whole-time qualified teachers in their employment in January 1966, excluding, as provided in those arrangements, married women returners who had not completed two years service since their return. After considering representations from the authority, we have increased this limit to 959.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in the Borough of Merton towards reducing the size of classes; and to what extent his recent instructions to the borough council will help to achieve this objective.

The borough of Merton has hitherto formed part of the county of Surrey for purposes of educational administration and I regret that separate educational statistics for the area of the borough are not available. In general, if local education authorities take vigorous measures to supplement teachers falling within the quota by recruiting married women for either full-time or part-time service, they should at least maintain current staffing standards during 1965, and possibly achieve a slight improvement. I see no reason why this should not apply to Merton, especially in view of the increased quota which I have now allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans have been submitted to his Department for improving the educational facilities in the borough of Merton; and whether these plans can be carried out with a smaller number of teachers than are at present employed.

My Department has received no plans from the borough of Merton for improving the educational facilities of the area. The second part of this Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to help qualified Indian teachers who are at present engaged in unskilled occupations to improve their spoken English and teaching techniques, with a view to service in English schools.

Would-be teachers of whatever nationality who lack sufficient command of the English language have the opportunity to improve their proficiency through the existing facilities for further education. In 1962 the Department invited local education authorities to encourage well qualified teachers whose English was not fluent to attend courses in the subject before applying for teaching posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to allow local authorities with numerous Indian pupils to recruit Indian qualified teachers beyond their present quotas.

As indicated in Circular 1/65, I am willing to increase the quota of qualified teachers of authorities which need to make special staffing arrangements for immigrant pupils attending their schools. I recently agreed to a request from the Smethwick Local Education Authority to increase their January, 1966 quota by 10 teachers on this account.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the annual expenditure by the Medical Research Council on research into mental disorders.

Expenditure by the Medical Research Council over the last five years on research into mental illness, and related work in the field of applied psychology, has been as follows:

		Mental Illness	Applied Psychology	Total
		£	£	£
1960–61	…	228,000	93,000	321,000
1961–62	…	247,000	120,000	367,000
1962–63	…	260,000	148,000	408,000
1963–64	…	360,000	150,000	510,000
1964–65	…	460,000	249,000	709,000

In addition, much work is carried out under the Council's auspices in the basic sciences, such as biochemistry, which may prove relevant to the causes and treatment of mental deficiency and mental illness.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will issue a circular to local authorities to encourage them to accept payment of rates in monthly instalments.

I do not think local authorities need reminding that they have powers to accept payment of rates by instalments and that a judicious use of those powers can do a lot to reduce the impact of rates.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make representations to the British Standards Institution that an upper limit be set to the maximum sulphur content in oils used for the space heating of offices and other large buildings.

No. The British Standards Institution set standards for different grades of oil, but they cannot control the grade to be used for heating particular types of building. If this were thought necessary, legislation would be required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is one week's ration of food in Her Majesty's Prisons for an adult woman prisoner and an adult male prisoner, respectively.

The following table gives the information:

Item	Period	Adult females	Adult males
Bread	1 day	12 oz.	1 lb.*
Potatoes	1 day	14 oz.	1 lb.
Bacon	1 week	5 oz.	5 oz.
Barley	1 week	1½ oz.	1½ oz.
Cheese	1 week	4 oz.	4 oz.
Cocoa	1 week	1⅝ oz.	1⅝ oz.
Cornflakes	1 week	1½ oz.	—
Custard Powder	1 week	½ oz.	½ oz.
Dripping	1 week	4½ oz.	4½ oz.
Extras	1 week	1s. 1d.	1s. 1d.
Fish (Headless)	1 week	1 lb.	1 lb.
Flour	1 week	1 lb.	1 lb.
Fruit (Dried)	1 week	4 oz.	4 oz.
Jam	1 week	3 oz.	3 oz.
Marmalade	1 week	1 oz.	1 oz.
Margarine	1 week	8¾ oz.	8¾ oz.*
Preserved Meat	1 week	2 oz.	2 oz.
Sausage Meat	1 week	6 oz.	6 oz.
Milk	1 week	3½ pints	3½ pints
Rolled Oats	1 week	7½ oz.	10½ oz.*
Rice	1 week	1 oz.	1 oz.
Semolina or Sago	1 week	2 oz.	2 oz.
Sugar	1 week	16 oz.	16 oz.
Syrup	1 week	2 oz.	2 oz.
Tea	1 week	2 oz.	2 oz.
Vinegar	1 week	⅔ oz.	⅔ oz.
Vegetables Green	1 week	1 lb., 8 oz.	1 lb. 8 oz.
Carrots	1 week	10 oz.	10 oz.
Other Root Vegetables	1 week	4 oz.	4 oz.
Peas, Marrow Fat	1 week	2½ oz.	3½ oz.
Peas, Split	1 week	1½ oz.	1½ oz.
Beans, Haricot	1 week	2 oz.	4 oz.
Onions	1 week	3 oz.	3 oz.
Meat	1 week	A cash amount sufficient to purchase 1¾ lbs.
* In central and regional prisons for men, where the physical demands made on prisoners are greater than in local prisons, the rations are: bread, 1 lb. 4 oz., margarine 12¼ oz., and rolled oats, 15¾ oz.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is an average week's menu in Her Majesty's Prisons for an adult woman prisoner and an adult male prisoner, respectively.

The following was a recent week's menu at Holloway prison for women:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the present standards of food and rations have been in operation in Her Majesty's prisons.

Improvements are constantly being made, and it is not possible, therefore, to refer to a standard and relate it to a particular point in time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated total revenue from local authority transport undertakings tax on fuel oil to the Exchequer in the last financial year.

The latest information relates to the year ended 31st March, 1963, for which the figure was approximately £7½ million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the inflow and outflow, shown separately, of foreign currency into and out of Great Britain in November, 1964 and November, 1963, respectively;(2) what was the inflow and outflow, shown separately, of foreign currency into and out of Great Britain in October, 1964 and October, 1963, respectively.

The information cannot be made available in the form requested. Details of the balance of monetary movements in the U.K. balance of payments in the fourth quarter of 1964, with an explanation, and figures for the corresponding period of 1963 are contained in the March issue of Economic Trends, which is published by H.M.S.O. today. Copies are available in the Library.