asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will give the names of members of the Regional Economic Council for the West Midlands; what representation county councils will have; and whether members are to be elected or nominated.

I gave these names in the House on 25th February.I have appointed three members from names suggested to me by the County Councils Association. All members are appointed as individuals and not as delegates or representativese of particular interests.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what steps he is taking to see that his Department's progress report, which replaces the Bulletin for Industry, is confined to factual and impersonal matter.

The progress report will contain factual explanations of the Government's economic policy.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs which price increases have now been reviewed by the Prices Review Body; which increases by nationalised concerns have been so reviewed; and what have been the results of the reviews.

None. The Board is only now about to start work.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs by how much he anticipates the staff of his Department will increase during the coming year, in view of the fact that since November it has increased from 220 to 358.

The published estimates provide for an increase to 452.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the total staff which he proposes to recruit for the operation of the Regional Planning Councils.

No staff will be recruited specifically for the operation of the regional Economic Planning Councils, but the Councils will, of course, look to the Chairmen of the regional Economic Planning Boards and their staffs for all the assistance they need.

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

The only advisers I have appointed are those serving in my Department as temporary civil servants. No review bodies have been appointed.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what progress he is making in his review of the South East Study; and when he expects to announce his decision about the future regional planning of this area.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply given today to the hon. Members for Faversham (Mr. Boston) and Lewisham, North (Mr. Chataway).

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what machinery he proposes to use to assess the total annual increase in earnings that results from any particular wage settlement.

Such assessments will be made by the Government. In addition the National Board for Prices and Incomes will investigate particular cases referred to it.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether the National Board for Prices and Incomes will bc. empowered to examine wage awards resulting from arbitration procedures and independent committees of inquiry.

The Board will examine any questions relating to prices, wages or other money incomes referred to it by the Government.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he will publish each of the regional plans for the purpose of expanding employment prospects.

It is too soon to say but we need them as soon as possible to help us make the National Plan.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of Stale for Economic Affairs if he will require the Prices and Incomes Committee to investigate the incomes earned by railwaymen on shifts in which they are paid for merely attending their place of work; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he is aware that the new Economic Planning Council for Yorkshire and Humberside does not include any representative from Goole, the only port in the West Riding; and whether he will appoint an additional member from Goole.

Yes. I regret that this was not possible. Members are not appointed as representatives and I am sure that the Council will have proper regard to the interests of Goole as of other parts of the region.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs why he is asking distributors in this country not to pass on to consumers the effects of the 15 per cent. surcharge in view of the fact that it was imposed in order to curtail imports.

Because I believe all businessmen have an obligation to absorb as much as they can of cost increases.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects to publish his report on the Government's Economic Development Plan, following his meeting with the National Economic Development Council on 3rd March, 1965.

The Government have decided not to publish an interim, outline Plan, but I hope to be able to publish the Plan during the late summer or early autumn.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether, in choosing Bristol as the regional centre for the South-West, he took account of the bad road and rail communications between that city and Dorset.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Geoffrey Wilson) today.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs on what date the Regional Planning Board for the South-Western Region will start work.

As soon as possible after Easter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of finding out details of stocks held in industry; how much time will elapse before these details can be compiled and evaluated; and what percentage of industry he expects to cover.

The cost to the Board of Trade of its quarterly inquiries into the value of stocks held by industry is about £90,000 a year. Results are published about 10 weeks after the end of each quarter. These cover, on a sampling basis, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, and account for about 75 per cent. of the stocks of the country. In addition, statistics of other stocks, together with information about individual commodities, are collected by the Government and by industry and published with varying time lags. It would be difficult to make a satisfactory estimate of the cost of these other stock statistics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what facilities are available to small exporters for the production of trade publicity material in foreign languages.

Commercial facilities are available and advice can usually be obtained from trade organisations. British missions overseas are prepared to suggest suitable local concerns to undertake this work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to encourage the formation of exporters' clubs on a local basis in the United Kingdom.

Yes. My right hon. Friend is discussing with the British National Export Council what steps might usefully be taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consult appropriate firms of chemists and druggists with a view to bringing down or stabilising the prices of toilet and pharmaceutical requisites.

The Board of Trade has already had discussions with representatives of the trade associations concerned about the need for absorbing costs increases in order to stabilise prices. My right hon. Friend will, of course, continue to keep the position under review. I am sure that the traders concerned will have full regard to the considerations of the national interest set out in the White Paper on Prices and Incomes published today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that shopkeepers who sell fireworks display a notice regarding safety measures in their use.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to compel shopkeepers to display such notices, but each box of fireworks sold has a leaflet or label describing the safety precautions to be observed, and the fireworks themselves carry appropriate warnings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of Mr. Arthur James, Q.C., on the public inquiry held to consider the circumstances in which it was possible for Sergeant Challenor to continue on duty when he appeared to have been affected by mental illness.

I am not yet able to say when Mr. James will complete his report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further criminal proceedings he expects to follow from the inquiry by the Chief Constable of Wolverhampton into the Challenor case, the report on which has now been presented to him; and if he will arrange for the report to be published.

The Commissioner informs me that, as the earlier police report on some of the cases inquired into by Mr. Goodchild was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, he has thought it right to refer Mr. Goodchild's report also to the Director.It is not the practice to publish reports police inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give in column form the numbers of receptions into prisons and borstals in England and Wales in the last 12 months, of Commonwealth

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans for early penal reforms.

The Royal Commission is undertaking a fundamental inquiry into the whole philosophy and practice of the penal system, and its report will,

Below are figures for 1962 and 1963. Separate figures for particular Commonwealth territories are not available for years before 1962 and complete figures are not yet available for 1964.I am certain, be of the greatest value in the long-term development of our penal machinery and institutions. The inquiry will however necessarily take some time, and I think all will agree that desirable reforms should not be held up meanwhile. The Government are considering the need and scope for immediate reforms, particularly in the treatment of young offenders, and we shall keep the Royal Commission fully informed of our plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the need for policemen of high educational attainment, he will introduce legislation to make provision for the payment of grants towards correspondence courses and examination expenses for serving policemen who take up courses of study leading to an external university degree.

I am at present giving general consideration to the possibilities of assistance to police students and I am consulting other bodies with an interest in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Haltemprice can expect to receive a reply to his letter about Mr. K. E. Holmes dated 19th January, 1965.

The hon. Member will receive a full reply very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions between 2nd February and 10th July, 1964, Mr. Holmes was interviewed by the police at, or adjacent to, his place of employment.

Police officers interviewed Kenneth Edward Holmes on one occasion near his place of employment in connection with his licence under Section 27 of the Prison Act, 1952.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what period between 2nd February and 10th July, 1964, the address of Mr. K. E. Holmes' place of work was not known to the police or the Central After-Care Association.

The address of Holmes' place of work was known to the Central After-Care Association during the period from 2nd February, 1964, to 5th June, 1964, when they were last in touch with him there. They learnt on 1st July that he was no longer working there and did not know the address where he subsequently worked before he was recalled to prison on 10th July. The first address became known to the Metropolitan police on 26th March in connection with Holmes' licence under Section 27 of the Prison Act, 1952, and they learnt of his subsequent change of employment when they executed the order of recall on 10th July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. K. E. Holmes requested a transfer to Hull Prison or a prison in that area; and why his request was not granted.

30th September, 1964. It was thought desirable to retain him at Pentonville until a firm decision could be reached about his future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Central After-Care Association's officers interviewed Mr. K. E. Holmes between 2nd February and 10th July, 1964.

None, although as I shall show when I write to the hon. Member this was not the fault of the Central After-Care Association.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the average cost per square foot, rented and freehold, of Government office accommodation within the City and County of Bristol, the City of Exeter, the City of Plymouth and the towns of Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Shepton Mallet, Chew Magna, Chipping Sodbury and Weston-super-Mare.

The figures for hirings by the Ministry are as follows:

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what existing Government offices will be absorbed into the proposed regional headquarters complex at Bristol; how much new accommodation will be required; and where this is going to be situated.

The existing offices of the Board of Trade, Ministry of Labour (except the Factory Inspectorate), Central Office of Information, Department of Education and Science, the principal regional office of the Ministry of Health, and some staff from my own Department.It is estimated that between 50,000 and 60,000 square feet will be needed for the new headquarters of which about 10,000 square feet will be for additional staff.The accommodation will be in Bristol, but I am not prepared to say at this stage in what building.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government propose to alter the financial and economic obligations of the nationalised industries as laid down in Command Paper No. 1337 of April, 1961.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he is proposing to make in the financial and economic obligations of the nationalised industries, as laid down in Command Paper No. 1337 of 1961.

As indicated in my hon. Friend's reply on 22nd December t0 my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Palmer) the general policy remains that laid down in Command Paper No. 1337.

asked the Minister of Aviation what improvement he expects in 1965 in the exports of British aircraft, engines, and equipment, and in orders for future years.

The decline in civil aircraft exports will be arrested this year with the start of deliveries of the new generation of British jet transport aircraft. Two VC.10's will be delivered to Ghana. Eight Tridents will be delivered to Pakistan, Iraq and Kuwait; and the BAC 1–11 will begin deliveries against export orders for 67 aircraft. The HS 125 will also begin what we are sure will be a most successful career in the jet executive market, including the U.S.A., where a significant impact has already been made.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will arrange more Ministerial visits to the commercial sections of British High Commissions and Embassies, in order to draw attention to the existence of these sections and to encourage those members of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service who are directly concerned with trade promotion.

Whenever Ministers pay visits to Commonwealth or foreign capitals, it is normal practice for them to visit our High Commissions or Embassies there, including the commercial departments. All my colleagues are aware of the key role of commercial departments in these missions and I am sure that such visits encourage the members of the Diplomatic Service who work in them.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the First Secretary of State at Sheffield on 27th March about immigration represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

In my speech at Sheffield on 28th March, I emphasised the need for economic expansion and greater industrial activity and the consequent necessity to create social conditions in which workers could move freely to the areas where they were needed.I did not discuss immigration policy, but made the obvious point that problems in such fields as housing were not confined to areas in which immigrants from overseas settled but arose wherever economic development required an influx of new workers.

asked the Prime Minister what official engagements he has fixed for the period mid-April to mid-June.

My right hon. Friend is due to visit Rome; to perform opening ceremonies at two universities in Bradford and Newcastle; to deliver addresses to the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministerial meetings; andto attend the Football Association Cup Final and the Rugby League Cup Final.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the course of his forthcoming discussions with President Johnson, he will make it a condition of continued British support for American policy in South Vietnam that the American commitment there should not be declared to be irrevocable.

President Johnson has made it quite clear that the United States Government will continue helping the South Vietnamese to defend their independence as long as necessary. But, as he also made clear in his speech last night, the United States Government will never be second in the search for a peaceful settlement, and are ready for unconditional discussions. Her Majesty's Government welcome the definitive statement of United States policy policy in President Johnson's statesmanlike and imaginative speech.

asked the Prime Minister what agreements and understandings on Anglo-American cooperation in defence and foreign policy entered into before 16th October, 1964, relating to Indo-China and South-East Asia, have not been published.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been spent in each of the past five years on shelter belt research; and which organisations and research stations are carrying out this work.

The following amounts have been spent in England and Wales on shelter belt research during the past five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many children are attending comprehensive schools; and what is his estimate of the number who will be attending such schools by the end of 1965;(2) what is the percentage of secondary school age children attending comprehensive schools; and what is his estimate of the percentage who will be attending such schools by the end of 1965;(3) how many comprehensive schools there are at present; and what is his estimate of the number there will be by the end of 1965;

The statistics of schools and pupils collected by my Department relate to January of each year. The latest available relate to January 1964. Figures For intermediate dates and estimates for future dates are not available, nor are detailed figures for schools not yet in existence or schools which it is proposed to re-organise on comprehensive lines.The following information relates only to comprehensive schools with the full secondary age range which are classified as such in the returns made by local education authorities to my Department.In 1952, there were five comprehensive schools in England and Wales, four with

3,820 pupils—2·9 per cent, of pupils in all secondary schools—in London and one with 613 pupils—0·7 per cent.—in Middlesex. In January, 1964, there were 195 comprehensive schools in England and Wales as follows:

asked the Secretary of Defence what would be the total annual saving for each base east of Suez if it were closed down and all personnel, military and otherwise, demobilised, such saving to include that part of the cost of support bases attributable to maintaining the base closed down, and the savings on that part of the support forces attributable to maintaining the base, on ships, weapons and stores required for the base or that proportion attributable to it, on ships, weapons and stores held in reserve or the proportion attributable, on transport of men and supplies to the base, on keeping a reserve of transport for such work or the proportion attributable, on demobilising personnel used to provide transport and reserve transport facilities or such proportion attributable, and the saving due to marginal cost of recruitment of men for the base and for support forces on a reduction in overheads including staff in the United Kingdom and support bases concerned with planning, organising, weapons procurement and other functions or that proportion attributable to the base, all the above savings to include all personnel, military and otherwise, and neglecting all compensation payments.

An examination of possible savings arising from reduced commitments is, of course, one essential feature of the current defence review. Because of the multi-purpose roles of a large proportion of the forces now serving east of Suez, however, their directly attributable cost—about £320 million a year—is not a meaningful figure in this context.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he received a letter from the Town Clerk of Portsmouth asking for financial assistance for redevelopment, education, welfare and health; and what action he proposes to take on it.

I received a letter on 15th March informing me of a resolution of the council expressing concern at the present general grant system—which I share—and urging that increased financial aid should be given to local authorities. The council's views are being taken into account in the Government's examination of local government finance.

asked the Minister of Transport when the draft order under Section 9 of the Highways Act in respect of the proposed eastern arm of the Mal-ton bypass will be published.

Design work on the eastern arm has been proceeding, and it is possible that no Section 9 order will, after all, be necessary.