asked the Secretary of State for Defence what special facilities will be offered to ex-Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve officers to join the Royal Naval Reserve.

Those R.N.V.S.R. officers who are required for particular appointments in an emergency are being invited to transfer to the R.N.R.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many official advisers or review bodies have been appointed to his Department since October, 1964.

One independent adviser and one independent review body.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why he has appointed a private Press adviser and consultant.

I asked Mr. Pickering to report on the organisation, staffing and methods of the Defence Public Relations staff, because I believe that the advice of an independent outsider with high qualifications in this field will help both my Department and the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, what action he proposes to take to demolish and rebuild the houses which are the property of the Admiralty in Throsk, near Fallin, which are in a dangerous condition.

None, because expert advice is that the houses are not in fact in a dangerous condition.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the new housing loan scheme for the Royal Navy is to apply also to the Army and the Royal Air Force.

The particular scheme which I announced in the course of the debate on the Navy Estimates will apply only to the Royal Navy.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to enable reputable organisations to use any land, without charge, when this can be done without interference with the use of the land by Army units.

My right hon. Friend is not considering any change of the existing arrangements. These provide for some use of Army land, without charge, by boy scouts, girl guides and similar youth organisations. In other cases a reasonable charge is made taking account of the nature of the use, the extent to which additional management costs fall on the Ministry, and other relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiries are being held in his Department into the casualties sustained by a company of British troops in the recent incident in the Dhala region in South Arabia.

These casualties were sustained during a military operation as a result of enemy action. I regret that casualties are an inevitable hazard of such operations and normally call for no special enquiry. I have of course been kept closely informed of the circumstances in which the casualties were incurred and have already made a statement to the House on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to whom the floating dock in Malta was sold; on what date it was sold; and what amount was received by his Department in respect of the sale.

The tender by Messrs. Bajada & Son Ltd. was accepted on 10th September, 1964. It is not the practice to disclose the price paid in transactions of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what amount was received by his Department by way of rent for the use of the floating dock at Malta in respect of each of the six-month periods ended 15th August, 1962, 15th February, 1963, 15th August, 1963, 15th February, 1964, and 15th August, 1964; and on what basis the rent was calculated.

The rent for this dock was based on the best terms which could be negotiated at the time. It would be contrary to normal practice to furnish information about the precise charges agreed with commercial firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that some men serving in the Royal Navy in. Malta, G.C., are obliged to live with their families in hired houses which are damp, unhealthy and otherwise unsatisfactory; if he has considered the case of the Aberdonian electrician whose wife's letter was sent to him by the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North, about the condemned flat in which they were obliged to live; and if he will take steps to ensure that he and his wife and family are compensated for the loss and damage to their health and clothing.

No. Naval personnel in Malta are not obliged to live in unsatisfactory accommodation. The rating in question was offered alternative accommodation which he declined.I have written to the hon. and learned Member about this case and have nothing to add to what I said in my letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why certain of the masters who served at Dartmouth College between 1962 and 1964 are receiving superannuation benefits on a very much lower scale than civil servants with similar overall service.

These six masters will receive the superannuation benefits due to them in accordance with the terms of service on which they have served at Dartmouth. They will not receive pensions as though they had been established civil servants throughout their service because they did not become civil servants until 1955. They will, however, be better off than they would have been if, prior to 1955, they had been treated either as temporary civil servants or even as contributors to the Federated Superannuation Scheme for Universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will continue the research and development of non-lethal gases for possible use by Her Majesty's Forces.

Tear gas, which is widely used by police forces throughout the world as a means of preserving law and order, is available for British forces to use for this purpose. Research into this type of gas is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what exports of toxic or incapacitating gas, or of technical knowledge thereof resulting from experiments at Porton, have been made in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Tear gas is the only gas used by military forces which is exported from this country. There are regular exchanges of information with some of our Commonwealth and N.A.T.O. allies about the defensive aspects of gas warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the types of naval vessel available for patrol work in South-East Asia.

Patrols are being carried out by destroyers, frigates, coastal minesweepers and seaward defence boats. In addition a number of small craft are being used to patrol inshore and in the rivers of Eastern Borneo, but they are gradually being replaced by Royal Malaysian Police craft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Anglo-American co-operation on research construction and operation of naval vessels.

There is a very full exchange of information between ourselves and the United States covering research into various aspects of warship design and we are well satisfied with the results of this. There would be no particular advantage in a joint programme of warship construction, as each country has differing needs, but H.M. ships take every opportunity allowed by operational commitments to train and exercise with ships of the United States Navy.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the development and supply of Chieftain tanks; and whether he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that in Chieftain we have developed a most advanced and powerful battle tank. Two production lines are in operation. Production difficulties have been encountered, but these are to be expected when producing a complex piece of new equipment such as Chieftain, and they are being overcome. Deliveries to the Army should start very soon and will build up progressively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to help sell Chieftain tanks to foreign Powers; and whether he will make a statement.

I have been active in promoting interest in the Chieftain tank among various Western European countries. It will shortly come into service in the British Army and I believe its reputation will increase further as it becomes better known.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent extra helicopters have been ordered since 16th October, 1964, for the use of Her Majesty's Armed Forces.

Fifty-eight extra helicopters have been ordered since 16th October, 1964–23 Wessexes for the Royal Air Force and 35 Scouts for the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the regulations for commutation of pensions are not the same for ex-officers and ex-other ranks of the Army; and if he will take steps to alter this discrimination.

As I said on 30th November last in reply to Questions by the hon. Member for Tiverton (Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop) I am looking into this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much is to be spent in the current financial year, and how much has been spent in the past six months, on the repair and reconditioning of H.M.S. "Ark Royal"; and what proportion of these sums is to be, or has been, devoted to the improvement of the living conditions of those serving in this ship.

I am afraid I cannot give exact figures as expenditure during the current financial year will be limited to routine docking and maintenance and cannot be forecast accurately. Expenditure during the past six months will have covered only a small part of the ship's last refit and would not give a true picture.A number of improvements have been made to the ship's living conditions during her last refit, and we intend to make further improvements during her next refit which starts next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when H.M.S. "Ark Royal" will next be in tropical waters; and what steps are being taken before then to improve the air-conditioning throughout this ship and, in general, to make her more habitable.

"Ark Royal" will operate east of Suez during her current commission. Any further large-scale improvements in habitability are impracticable before she goes east; but I am continuing to examine whether there is anything worth while that can be done in the time remaining.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence under what agreement or arrangement British forces stationed in Malaysia are training South Vietnamese Army personnel in counter-guerilla warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when it was arranged that British troops should train South Vietnamese officer cadets in Malaysia; and what is the reason for this.

Vietnamese military personnel have been given training in jungle warfare and jungle survival since 1961. We commonly provide aid to friendly Governments in the form of military training and, in this case, it helps the Vietnamese Government to resist the subversion and aggression that threatens their independence. No special agreements are necessary for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the opportunities given over the last three years for sea cadets to go to sea in Her Majesty's ships.

Records at headquarters show that some 1,400 cadets have been taken to sea in about 30 of Her Majesty's ships over the last three years. This is not the complete picture; many more trips to sea, of which there is no record in the Ministry of Defence, are arranged locally.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has now decided on a Canberra replacement; and if he will make a statement.

It is not yet possible to make a statement to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with recent long-distance weather forecasts, despite their failure to predict snow at the beginning of March and the hot weather at the end of the month; and if he will make a statement.

It has never been claimed that the 30-day forecasts can, in our present state of knowledge, give complete precision, but, out of the first 30 forecasts published 23 have been in good or moderate agreement with the weather actually experienced and none has been wholly misleading. There will always be room for improvement in weather forecasting but some progress has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether new computers have been recently, or are being, installed at the Meteorological Office to assist in the preparation of long-distance weather forecasts; and what assistance they are expected to give in this field.

A new high-speed computer is now being installed at the Meteorological Office and will shortly be brought into use for a wide variety of tasks. It will be particularly valuable for performing the elaborate calculations involved in short-range weather forecasting. For long-range forecasting the theory has not yet been developed to a stage where forecasts can be prepared by mathematical calculation but the computer will nevertheless be useful for the sorting and processing of large quantities of data.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now announce the result of his review of the anomalies in the pay. pensions and allowances of officers and other ranks, as well as widows.

This review relates to existing pensions, and I have nothing to add to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend on 16th November, 1964.The pay and pensions of serving officers and men are reviewed biennially, and a statement is not due until next year. The allowances are reviewed as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the review of Armed Forces pensions has now been concluded; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 8th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what disciplinary regulations will be maintained among those members of the United Nations force that Her Majesty's Government will provide.

British troops under United Nations Command will remain subject to British discipline.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the results to date of the investigations into the whereabouts of Commander Peter Fickling, of the submarine depot-ship H.M.S. "Maidstone", who disappeared on 10th February.

I have now received a detailed report. I am satisfied that there are no security implications in this officer's disappearance, or other issues requiring further Naval investigation. Appropriate "missing person" action of course continues to be taken by the civil authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up a working party to determine what action should be taken to remove the explosives from the wreck of the "Richard Montgomery", which is lying off Sheerness.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Boston) on the 18th March.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to bring about the elimination of racial and colour discrimination in the recruitment by the Shipping Federation Limited of engine-room ratings.

My right hon. Friend is in touch with the Merchant Navy Establishment Administration to find out what the position is.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to encourage private firms to allocate moneys from their trading accounts into trusts to pay generous severance pay allowances when the need arises.

The Redundancy Payments Bill will require employers to contribute to a central fund which will meet approximately 60 per cent. of the cost of redundancy payments made in pursuance of the Bill.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the average number of female workers signing the register for employment in the constituency of St. Helens in each year since 1960 and up to the latest convenient date; if he will give the figures as a percentage for the same period; and what special measures he will take to deal with this problem in the St. Helens area.

I regret that figures are not available for the St. Helens constituency. I give below figures for the St. Helens Employment Exchange area of which the constituency forms part. Our local officers will continue to make every effort to find suitable work for those unemployed.The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will request the Devlin Committee to inquire into the arrangements for unloading the cargo of the "Port Hobart", which recently returned to New Zealand with part of its cargo of lamb carcases still on board.

No. The "Port Hobart" sailed with some meat cargo on board because dockers refused to load the meat on to the lorries of a firm whose driver gave evidence in recent criminal proceedings at Chelmsford Quarter sessions. This was deplorable; but an inquiry would not serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Labour what representations he has received from the wallpaper workers' union in regard to conditions of tenure of workers in the wallpaper industry; and what was the nature of his reply.

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

asked the Minister of Labour how the average rate of weekly income, after deductions, of a Merseyside docker today compares with the rate a year ago.

The net average weekly income of daily workers registered with the Dock Labour Board in the Liverpool Board Area during the quarter ended 2nd January, 1965, the latest period for which figures are available, was £15 2s. 7d. This figure is arrived at on the basis of deductions of £1 1s. 11d. for Income Tax, 6s. 11d. for graduated pension contribution and 11s. 8d. for National Insurance contribution. The net average weekly income during the quarter ended 28th December, 1963 was £13 17s. The deductions for this quarter are Income Tax 15s. 6d., graduated pension contribution 5s. 5d. and National Insurance contribution 11s. 8d.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will seek power to control the practice of building firms requiring applicants for employment to state upon application forms the names of two previous employers.

No.

asked the Minister of Labour how many known increases in wages and salaries have taken place since October, 1964; how many people were affected; what was the total annual cost; by how much per cent. this has increased the national wage and salary bill; what are the approximate figures for the wage and salary claims now pending; to what extent the granting of these will put up the cost of living; and if he will make a statement.

Between 1st November, 1964, and 31st March, 1965, there were some 320 changes in wage rates affecting about 5¼ million workers at a cost of £2½ million per week. Many of these changes were negotiated before November, and include adjustments to cost of living sliding scales. It is estimated that the percentage increase in the Index of Weekly Wage Rates for all manual workers during the four month period to end February was 1·6 per cent. and the corresponding increase in the Index of Hourly Wage Rates was 2·3 per cent. Comparable information for salaries is not available, but I have knowledge of 21 salary increases negotiated between November and March covering 692,000 workers.I have information of 32 wage claims covering about 1,365,000 manual workers, and 27 claims for 1,450,000 salaried workers.It is not possible, nor would it be useful to give figures for these. The effect of the settlement of the claims on the cost of living will depend on the extent to which increases granted can be balanced by increased efficiency so that costs are kept down.

asked the Minister of Labour what membership subscription was paid by his Department to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for the years 1964–65 and 1965–66, respectively.

The sum of £109 13s. 5d. was paid by our Department to RoSPA for the year 1964–65 as membership subscription in respect of thirty Government Training Centres and Industrial Rehabilitation Units. No subscription has yet been paid for the year 1965–66.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will supply figures for each of the regional areas in the United Kingdom for the years 1955–56 and 1960–61 to 1964–65, showing the number of school leavers who entered agriculture as their first employment and the percentage that

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will keep a record of the distribution of labour, skilled and unskilled, following the redundancies at the Hawker Siddeley factory in Coventry.

This is being done for all of these workers who register with our local offices.

asked the Minister of Labour how many full-time instructors he employs on the Training Within Industry programme.

There are at present five full-time T.W.I. instructors employed at

Following is the information:headquarters and 16 in the various regions. As from 5th April a further two instructors will commence their training.

asked the Minister of Labour how many students attended the Training Within Industry courses organised by his Department during the year 1964.

During 1964 a total of 8,492 students attended supervisory T.W.I. courses and 246 students attended T.W.I. institutes to be trained as T.W.I. instructors.

asked the Minister of Labour what Training Within Industry courses he organised in the regions during 1964.

A total of 847 T.W.I. courses were held in the Ministry's, regions during 1964.

asked the Minister of Labour when the Engineering Industry Training Board will be ready to receive applications for grants for training programmes; and when it expects to start paying grants to firms that qualify.

I have not yet received. the Engineering Industry Training Board's proposals for making payments to firms providing training. Once these proposals have received my approval the Board will publish them.

asked the Minister of Labour why the item, Transport and Vehicles, in the Retail Price Index showed a fall from 104·1 in December, 1964, to 103·9 in January, 1965, in view of the fact that its component parts, motoring and cycling, and fares and other transport, remained stationary at 98 and 116, respectively.

A fall in the average level of prices of second-hand cars was sufficient to change the index for the Transport and Vehicles group as a whole expressed to one place of decimals. It was insufficient, however, to change the index for the sub-group Motoring and Cycling which is expressed to the nearest whole number.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the average hours worked in manufacturing industry in Birkenheads; and how this compares with the national average.

I regret that figures of average hours are not available for areas less than "regions". The average hours worked by adult male manual workers in manufacturing industries in northwestern region in October, 1964, the latest date for which information is available, wore 47·3 compared with a United Kingdom average of 46·9.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the average earnings in Birkenhead, and in the north-west region, respectively; and how these figures compare with the national average.

Figures of average earnings are not available for areas less than "regions". The average weekly earnings of adult male manual workers in manufacturing and the other industries and services covered by the Ministry's half yearly inquiries in the north-west region were £l7 11s. 4d. in October, 1964, the latest date for which information is available, compared with a United Kingdom average of £18 2s. 2d.

asked the Minister of Labour how many apprenticeships have been allocated to school leavers from the Houghton-le-Spring constituency in each of the past five years.

Local statistics are not available before July, 1961. Since that date the figures for Houghton-le-Spring and North-East Sunderland Youth Employment Offices, which cover a rather wider area than the constituency are as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of men over 40 years of age who are without employment within Houghton-le-Spring; how many have been unemployed for more than three months; and how many for more than 12 months.

311 on 11th January, 1965, of whom 247 had been unemployed for more than three months, and 159 for more than twelve months.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls in the Houghton-le-Spring constituency are registered as unemployed; and how many of these have had no previous employment.

Figures for the constituency are not available but in the areas of the Houghton-le-Spring and Sunderland (North East) Youth Employment Offices 71 boys and 39 girls were registered as unemployed on 8th March, 1965. These included 14 boys and 1 girl registered for first employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that ordinary mail of British subjects in Iraq is subject to military censorship and delay; and what representations he is making to the Iraqi Government on this.

Yes. I deplore censorship but I do not consider this a suitable subject for representations to the Iraqi Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions have been given to the British delegate at the United Nations Organisation on the matter of the dispute between Her Majesty's Government and the King

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works

My right hon. Friend the Colonial Secretary and I have today presented to Parliament a White Paper entitled "Gibraltar—Recent Differences with Spain". This sets out the action taken, on instructions, by the British representative at the United Nations.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will further itemise the £95,000 spent on fuel, gas, electricity, water, &c., in 1964–65 at Royal Palaces, as set out in the Civil Estimates, 1965–66, Class IX, 10.

The £95,000 represents the estimated expenditure on these services during 1964/65: the amount actually spent is not yet known. The breakdown of the estimates is as follows:if he will give details of the estimate Minister of Public Building and Works of £70,030 current expenditure at the Palace of Holyroodhouse as shown in the 1965–66 Civil Estimates, Class IX, 10, Appendix III.

Details are as follows:

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give details of the £56,000 spent at Royal Palaces in 1964–65 on the maintenance of furniture and equipment, excluding the contribution made towards the wages of industrial staff employed in the Royal Household.

The £56,000 represents the estimated expenditure for 1964–65: the amount actually spent is not yet known. £5,650 was to meet the repair and maintenance of furniture and equipment. Of this, £3,900 was related to unoccupied Palaces open to the public and £1,750 to those used for State and official functions.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give details of the capital expenditure of £5,200 at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, as shown in Appendix III of the Civil Estimates, Class IX, 10.

Details are as follows:

asked the Minster of Public Building and Works if he will break down the figure of £71,800 provided in the Civil Estimates, 1965–66, Class IX, 10, for new works under £20,000 each at Royal Palaces.

The details are as follows:

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will detail the expenditure of £4,000 spent on furniture and equipment in Royal Palaces in 1964–65, with particular reference to St. James's Palace.

The £4,000 represents the estimated expenditure during 1964–65; the amount actually spent is not yet known. The breakdown of the estimate is as follows:—

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the present official residence of the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs.

A flat in No. 2 Carlton Gardens.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the reason for the proposed payment of £5,500 in 1965–66 to the Royal Borough of Windsor, as shown in the Civil Estimates, Class IX, 10.

The Windsor Castle and the Home Park sewerage systems are being taken over by the Local Authority and the £5,500 is the final payment to the local authority for the connection of the systems to their sewerage plant. The systems were formerly operated and maintained by my Department as a charge to the Royal Palaces Vote.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give details of the £7,000 per annum spent on providing certain free services to employees of the Royal Households as shown in the 1965–66 Civil Estimates, Class IX, 10.

As part of their conditions of service certain employees living in official quarters at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St. James's Palace, Hampton Court Palace and Marlborough House Mews are entitled to free allowances of heating, hot water, cold water, gas, electricity, coal and firewood. The sum of £7,000 is to meet the cost of these services.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what has been the outcome of the discussions which were being held between his Department and the Ministry of Transport last summer about the increasing difficulties of pedestrians in crossing roads at some points in St. James's Park, Westminster.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to his earlier question of 20th January.Patrols are now being provided at peak periods on most days to assist pedestrians at the crossing in the Mall by the Duke of York's steps. As soon as the staff situation permits, this service will be provided regularly. The need for assistance at other points has not so far been established but the position is being further examined.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many days' work were lost by insured women, which were certified for National Insurance purposes as being due to abortion, in each year since 1958: and how many women were involved.

I regret that the precise information requested is not available but the table given below shows the number of spells of incapacity terminating in each period which were so certified as due to "abortion" (which is a term used to cover all types of miscarriage) or equivalent cause, and the corresponding total number of days of incapacity where this is available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people on 15th October, 1964, were excluded from the National Insurance Act, 1948, by reason only of age; how many there were on 29th March last; and how many there will be on 29th March, 1966.

It is not possible to make very precise estimates of the numbers of such people, but I am advised that last October there were probably about 275,000, that by the end of March the number was of the order of 250,000, and that by March, 1966, it will probably be between 200–225,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what increase or decrease in staff there has been in the Departments under her control since 16th October, 1964; and what increase or decrease she anticipates in the period up to 15th October, 1965.

The staff employed by the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance has decreased by about 220 since October, 1964. It is estimated that by October, 1965, the staff will have increased by about 425 over the position a year before. The hon. Member may also like to have similar information for the staff of the National Assistance Board. The numbers in that Department have increased by about 380 since October, 1964, and by October, 1965, there may be a further increase of 450.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take a sample survey to find out the amount earned by general practitioners from charges for private certificates.

No. I am not at present convinced that this would be either desirable or practicable.

asked the Minister of Health if he will discuss with the medical profession a modification in the responsibilities of general practitioners in issuing National Insurance certificates to enable him to delegate some parts of this work whilst retaining overall responsibility.

Certification will be covered in the current discussions with the profession and I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to publicise the dangers of foot deformities through the wearing of pointed shoes by young people.

My right hon. Friend is considering this in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors have now handed in their resignations from the National Health Service; and from which areas.

In the seven weeks to 30th March the number of resignations which reached the Medical Practices Committee was 111, rather fewer than in the corresponding period last year. I regret that an analysis of the 111 resignations by areas and reasons for resigning is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will require all British medical students training in this country to give at least five years' work to the National Health Service after qualifying as doctors, in view of the £7,000 grant which each receives from public funds towards his training.

I have no power to impose any such requirement and I doubt if it would be in the best interests of medicine generally.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospitals are to be built within the Northern Region in the next 10 years; and where they are to be built.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 29th March to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Peter Walker) and my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt).

asked the Minister of Health what improvements are being made in hospitals in the county of Durham; and if he will state the hospitals which need improvements, and the likely costs.

In the financial year just ended £1·2 million was spent on capital developments at hospitals in the County of Durham, and it is estimated that £1·4 million will be spent this year. Figures of the total cost of further improvements needed are not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many senior enrolled nurses had been appointed at 31st March, 1965.

One thousand and one.

asked the Minister of Health when a lift will be installed in the Belmont Hospital at Tiverton.

I understand that the South Western Regional Hospital Board hope to install the lift during the present financial year.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the facts that some of the hospitals serving the Heywood and Royton constituency have waiting lists of more than two years, and that in one of the hospitals a new ward has been closed after six months in use because of shortage of staff, what steps he will take to improve the situation in this area.

New operating theatres are now under construction at the Bury General Hospital, and at the Oldham District General Hospital where an additional consultant orthopædic surgeon has also been appointed. I am aware that a gynæcological ward at Fairfield General Hospital is not in use; every effort is being made to recruit trained staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what approaches have been made to the Mauritian Government regarding certain facilities for an Anglo-United States base in the Indian Ocean.

The Premier of Mauritius was consulted in July last about the joint survey of possible sites for certain limited facilities that was then about to begin. In November the Council of Ministers, who had been kept informed, were told that the results of the survey were still being examined and that the Premier would be consulted again before any announcement was made in London or in Washington.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he has now received from the companies concerned a firm estimate of the cost of TSR2; and if he will make a statement about its future.

I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has now received, and in what sense, from prison governors on retention of the death penalty for men convicted of murdering a prison officer.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has now received, and in what sense, from chief constables on retention of the death penalty for men convicted of murdering a policeman.

I have received representations from the Chief Constables' (Scotland) Association supporting the view of the Scottish Police Federation that the

asked the Minister of Transport on what date he expects to receive the report of the working party set up to study the marking of road signs on carriageways.

If my hon. Friend has in mind the study of road markings by a Panel of the Road Research Board's Committee on Traffic Engineering, it is too early to say when the report will be ready.

asked the Minister of Transport what increase in revenue is expected in a full year as a result of

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the expenditure from central and local government funds, respectively, on the acquisition of land and property for motorways, trunk and classified roads in England and Wales, together with the total expenditure on new construction and major improvement, for each of the five years ended 1963–64.

The figures are given in the following table. Separate figures are not kept for motorways and trunk roads.The following is the information:the new parking meter charges announced by his Department on 30th March, 1965.

The local authorities administering the parking meter schemes estimate that the increase in revenue will be of the order of £300,000–£400,000.

asked the Minister of Transport how many parking meters will require modification before the new scales of charges announced by his Department on 30th March, 1965, can be introduced; and what will be the total cost of such modifications.

6,150 meters. The total cost is estimated at £6,500.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish a list of one-way traffic schemes introduced in the London area in the last two years showing the reduction in accidents and the speedup of traffic which have taken place,

asked the Minister of Transport what is the total number of administrative and engineering staff, respectively, in his Department in so far as concerns its present reduced responsibilities; and how these figures compare

Information about the larger one-way schemes introduced in London in the last two years, the results of which have been reviewed, is given below. Other schemes are still operating as experiments and similar information is not yet available.The following is the information:with the numbers employed on the same duties in 1955 and 1960.

I understand that the hon. Member is concerned only with those members of my Department who are dealing with highway matters. Over the period in question the volume of this work has considerably increased. The numbers of staff engaged on it are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has now received from the British Railways Board regarding closure of the Waverley-Hawick-Carlisle railway line.

None, but I understand that the Board will shortly be sending me the basic details under the arrangements I announced on 4th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to remove Purchase Tax from a drug before its release by the Dunlop Committee as being reasonably safe for use in general practice.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present position of Purchase Tax on drugs; what estimate he has made of its effect on pharmacists; and if he will make a statement.

The present position of Purchase Tax on drugs is set out in Customs and Excise Notice No. 78s, a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member. I am not aware that any difficulty for pharmacists is involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to make polling day on Parliamentary General Elections a national public holiday.

This proposal will be considered as part of our review of electoral law.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the need to use British productive capacity to the full, he will seek to re-negotiate the International Cereals Agreement.

I see no justification at the present time for seeking to re-negotiate the Agreements on cereals concluded by the previous Administration with our main overseas suppliers. These Agreements provide for the maintenance of a fair and reasonable balance between home production and imports and form the basis of our system of minimum import prices for cereals which is of considerable benefit to home producers. Negotiations for wider long-term international arrangements for cereals are shortly, however, to be resumed at Geneva under the G.A.T.T. If such arrangements can be negotiated, they might well replace the provisions of the present bilateral Agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery schools or nursery classes there are in the city of Carlisle; and what are the prospects for an extension of these classes and schools.

There are no nursery schools or nursery classes in Carlisle. It is not at present possible to allow any general expansion of nursery provision but local education authorities know that they may establish new nursery classes in existing premises if this is likely to produce a net increase in the number of teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of students from each of the Commonwealth territories, and what is the number of places not taken up by such students, respectively, at each of