asked the Minister of Labour how many new industrial training boards have been set up under the present Administration.

One. My right hon. Friend established the Shipbuilding Industry Training Board in November last year.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has to use the Industrial Training Act as a vehicle for increasing the number of young people in receipt of day release.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has for using the Industrial Training Act as a vehicle for increasing the number of young persons in receipt of day release in the Carlisle area.

The Industrial Training Act gives to industrial training boards the power both to make grants to employers who provide day release and to withhold grants from those who do not. In considering the proposals which the boards are required to submit to me for my approval, I shall pay particular attention to the extent to which the boards intend to use these powers to encourage day release of young people for appropriate courses of further education.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has for training non-manual workers by means of the Industrial Training Boards.

The industrial training boards are concerned with training at all levels and in all occupations. The Central Training Council has established a Commercial and Clerical Committee to study training for these categories and to make recommendations which may be of use to all boards.

asked the Minister of Labour on what date training courses will be started by the industrial training boards now established.

The Wool Industry Training Board organised its first course for instructors in November last and is proposing to run courses for certain grades of operative in the near future. The other boards do not propose to organise their own courses at this stage but will pay grants to firms providing training of which they approve.

asked the Minister of Labour how much money the industrial training boards intend to raise this year to enable them to finance their activities.

Each board is required to submit proposals to me for imposing a levy on employers in its industry. If I approve the proposals I am required to make an order giving effect to them. I hope to make the first order next month. Until I have made the relevant order I do not consider it would be appropriate to make any statement about the amount of money a board hopes to raise from its industry.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will undertake a comprehensive review of all possible cancer risks in industry, with a view to ensuring that all workers at risk in industry have regular medical checks.

There is extensive information in my Department about a number of possible carcinogens used in industry, but I propose to discuss shortly with my Industrial Health Advisory Committee what further steps it may be necessary to take.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the total cost of establishing the Ministry of Labour employment exchange at Holborn; what deficit is estimated to be met on its first year of operation; and how many placements where appointments lasted for at least 10 weeks are the direct result of introductions so far effected by the Holborn Employment Exchange.

The cost of fitting out this office was about £6,700. The annual cost for staff and overheads of all kinds for this office is about £7,000 per annum and during the first six months of its operation, 506 placings were made. All our placing services are free to employers and workers alike. I have no information about how long the people placed stayed in their new jobs.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he will now take to bring about the elimination of racial and colour discrimination in the recruitment by the Shipping Federation Limited of engine-room ratings, in the light of the information supplied to him by the hon. Member for Doncaster.

Discussions with the Merchant Navy Establishment Administration have been arranged for 18th May. I will get in touch with my hon. Friend when I know the outcome.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the need for training non-manual workers for industry in the Carlisle area; and what proposals he has for doing this.

Non-manual workers in need of training are eligible for consideration under the Ministry's Vocational Training Scheme. They and other workers in Carlisle should benefit in due course from the increase in training facilities which it is one purpose of the Industrial Training Act to provide.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will select Carlisle as a suitable centre in the North-West to establish a Government training centre.

No. We do not think that the Carlisle area would support a centre of economic size.

asked the Minister of Labour how many firms in the Merseyside development area have taken advantage of the grant of £9 0s. 0d. per week for male trainees over 21 years of age for training lasting 26 to 52 weeks; and how many firms have taken advantage of the one-quarter grant of wage rate for training lasting 26 weeks.

Five firms have applied for grants for the training of 568 males for periods lasting 26 weeks or more. It is expected that most of these trainees will be over 21 years of age but the exact number will not be known until they are actually recruited. Fourteen firms (including four of the five already mentioned) have applied for grants for training lasting less than 26 weeks for some 5,000 workers. All these applications are under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour what study his officers are making of restrictive practices in the electricity industry.

Our Department is following closely the encouraging progress which is being made through the co-operation of the boards and the trade unions to provide for greater efficiency in this industry.

asked the Minister of Labour, as a result of the cancellation of the TSR2 project, in what areas redundancy will occur; to what extent in each area; and what steps are being taken to ensure alternative employment for those affected in these areas.

The location and timing of discharges are matters for the firms concerned. The only discharges so far announced are of 185 men from Hamble and 60 from Cambridge. Our employment exchange managers are ready to interview workers under notice at their place of work with a view to arranging alternative employment or any necessary training.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make representations to those concerned to ensure that those affected by cancellation of the TSR2 propect receive compensation at a level no less than that proposed in the Redundancy Bill.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made on 6th April by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements are to be provided in Preston to advise workers who may be affected by the decision of Her Majesty's Government to cancel the TSR2 project; and if he will ensure that such arrangements are given publicity at all levels in the industry concerned.

The manager of the Preston Employment Exchange has arranged for his staff to attend the works as soon as any notices are issued in order to advise the workers concerned about suitable alternative employment or any necessary training and to register them where required.Steps are being taken to ensure adequate publicity for these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Labour how many scientific and technical personnel will become redundant following the decision of Her Majesty's Government to cancel the TSR2 project; and what arrangements have been made to provide alternative and suitable employment to those persons so affected; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not yet available. As soon as our local offices are notified of any impending redundancies in their areas the staff are ready to interview the workers concerned at their place of work in order to help to arrange suitable alternative employment or any necessary training.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what public buildings of historic interest he has had cleaned in the last six months; and what buildings he intends to clean.

The cleaning of the Banqueting House, Whitehall, put in hand by my predecessor was completed last November, and 6–7 Old Palace Yard has just been cleaned. The Custom House, Lancaster House, and the north end of the Queen Anne Block, Royal Naval College, Greenwich, will be cleaned during 1965–66.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will itemise the £525,000 spent on building and engineering services at Royal Palaces in 1964–65; and why the figure for 1965–66 is to rise to £555,000, in both cases excluding the wages of industrial staff.

The £525,000 is the estimated expenditure during 1964–65; actual expenditure is not yet known. The breakdown of the £525,000 is given

	Maintenance of buildings	Maintenance and operation of plant	Maintenance of gardens	Miscellaneous Services including night watchmen, wages of lavatory attendants, and contingencies	Total
	£	£	£	£	£
Buckingham Palace	57,695	42,345	10,170	760	110,970
St. James's Palace	44,450	10,235	975	—	55,660
Marlborough House Garage Block	2,550	350	—	608	3,508
Windsor Castle	81,304	47,190	—	100	128,594
Kensington Palace	16,010	5,060	125	2,005	23,200
Hampton Court Palace	122,220	16,070	80	9,025	147,395
Bartons & Hawthorne Cottages and Rangers Lodge	590	70	—	—	660
Kew Palace	1,210	105	—	—	1,315
Holyrood House	34,420	5,020	—	4,580	44,020
General	—	—	—	9,678	9,678
	360,449	126,445	11,350	26,756	525,000

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will itemise the £16,400 shown as Appropriations-in-Aid, Rents, Licences, etc., in the Civil Estimates, Class IX, Vcte 10.

Actual receipts for the year 1964–65 are not yet known, but the breakdown of the estimated receipts is as follows:—

£
3,170	Rents and Licences.
9,830	Receipts from tenants for central heating, hot water, etc.
2,260	Contribution from Holyrood Amenity Trust.
1,140	Miscellaneous receipts, e.g. lavatory receipts, sale of guide books.
16,400

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will review the procedure for dealing with payments of Unemployment Insurance benefits where the reason for dismissal from employment is in dispute, with a view to reducing the work within various departments of the social security services and eliminating inconvenience and sometimes hardship to applicants.

The procedure for dealing with claims for unemployment benefit is under constant review. If my hon. Friend will let me know of any particular aspect of the procedure which is causing him concern I will gladly look into it and write to him.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance since what date, and at what rate, Michael Chaplin, of Lawn Road, Hampstead, has been receiving National Assistance; and if she will explain the circumstances in which he is receiving it.

It is a long-standing practice of the National Assistance Board not to disclose information about individual recipients of assistance who furnish details about their circumstances on the understanding that all their transactions with the Board will be treated in strict confidence. The officers of the Board and of the Ministry of Labour are, of course, alive to the need to see that able-bodied men do not remain unemployed at the public expense when there is work available for them. I understand that Mr. Chaplin has now signed a contract with a firm of music publishers and will therefore cease to receive assistance.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many men and women, born before 5th July, 1893, and 5th July, 1898, respectively, are at present ineligible for the payment of a death grant of £25; what would be the estimated cost, in each of the next five years, of paying a full grant in respect of these persons; and whether she will introduce legislation to this effect.

I estimate that about a quarter of a million men and rather less than 1¼ million women who were over their minimum pension age at 5th July, 1948, are not eligible for death grant. Nearly a million men and 2¼ million women who at that date were within ten years of their minimum pension age are eligible, subject to satisfying the normal contribution conditions, for a reduced death grant, which is usually £12 10s. To pay a £25 death grant to all these people would result in additional expenditure estimated at about £7 million in the current financial year and in 1966–67, and at about £6 million in each of the three following financial years. I have no proposals for legislation to this effect.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) if she is aware that pensions under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1925, have not increased compatibly with those awarded under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act, 1947; and if she will take steps to secure parity;(2) if she will review the method of assessing notional earnings in their relationship to disability pensions under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1925, in view of the considerably higher wages now being earned in industry.

The maximum rates of compensation payable under the Workmen's Compensation Acts have not been increased since their repeal in 1948. Special allowances out of the Industrial Injuries Fund have, however, since then become payable under various enactments in supplementation of the workmen's compensation in payment to the totally disabled and others whose payments have reached the rate of workmen's compensation maximum. I have been actively studying the facts of a very difficult and complex situation but I cannot say more than this at the present stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is now proposing to take to improve the conditions of those ex-Service pensioners who retired before 1951, and of their dependants.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 1st February in reply to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what he estimates the additional cost of the increased postal charges will be for Her Majesty's Armed Forces during this financial year; and whether provision for this increase was included in this year's Defence Estimates.

Defence Estimates provide only for the cost of official postage. It is not yet possible to say what the extra cost will be in 1965–66 and no provision was made for the increase in the Defence Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce into his Department a system of records that will make possible in the future an analysis of the educational background of persons accepted for commissions in the Armed Forces.

When we select applicants for commissions in the Armed Forces, we are concerned about their suitability, not the schools they come from. Even so, we have records from which I extracted some interesting figures for the hon. Member on Tuesday, 30th March. I do not think we need any further refinement of our records on this score.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in the removal of the wreck off Vosper's yard at Portchester.

No action is being taken to remove any wreck in this area.

asked the Minister of Power how many were employed in the mining industry in Fife at the latest date for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures 10 and five years ago; and to what extent men who have been declared redundant in the 10-year period have left the industry or have been re-employed in pits in Scotland and in England and Wales, respectively.

As the information relates to regional activities of the National Coal Board, I will ask the Chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will publish national statistics showing the number of National Coal Board surface or underground workers who were absent through sickness or injury for one week or more, the number for three weeks or more, the number of individual employees who have been absent through sickness or injury on more than one occasion each year and the number of occasions individual employees have been absent through sickness or injury, respectively, in each of the year since nationalisation, and for the latest period available.

The latest information about involuntary absence (due to sickness or injury or other authorised absence) is as follows:

	Involuntary Absence Total	Percentage Underground Workers
1964 (Year)	10·12	10·45
1965 (13 weeks only)	11·63	11·79

The figures for earlier years are published in Tables 16 and 18 of the Ministry of Power Statistical Digest, 1963. I regret the further detail requested by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will meet a deputation from East Lothian County Council to consider the need for a by-pass road at Tranent and for improvements to the by-pass road at Dunbar.

No. On the information which my right hon. Friend has, he regrets that he sees no need for such a meeting at present.

asked the Minister of Aviation what are the credit terms for the option on the purchase of the F111A.

If the option is exercised dollar payments during the next three years would be very small. The balance would be repaid at as constant a rate as possible over a period extending until about 1978. The interest rate would be 4¾ per cent.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the option price for the F111A.

It is not the practice to disclose information which will reveal contract prices.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will list the locations of all the contractors' plaints for the TSR2.

About 1,000 firms did some work on the TSR2 project, either as direct contractors to the Ministry or sub-contractors. The main direct contractors' works are at Weybridge, Preston and Bristol, and the rest are largely concentrated in Greater London and the Home Counties; the industrial Midlands; and the North West, with a smaller concentration on the Clyde.Following is a list showing the location of the works of the main contractors and principal sub-contractors:

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware of the social implications and anxiety felt by workers and their families who will be affected by the decision of Her Majesty's Government to cancel the TSR2 project; what detailed steps will be taken to ensure full consultation with both workers and management concerned; and if he will make a statement.

I realise that the decision to cancel the TSR2 has caused anxiety to those engaged on the TSR2 project and I have heard the views of trade union representatives on the subject. Before taking the decision, the Government considered very carefully the social consequences of cancelling the TSR2 and we have worked out special measures to help those affected. They were described by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in his speech to the House on 7th April. We shall continue to keep in close touch with both management and trade unions.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give an estimate of skilled, semi-skilled, and non-skilled workers who will cease to work in connection with the TSR2 as a result of its cancellation, giving the total for each of the contractors' plants.

The total number of workers employed on the TSR2 at the time of cancellation is estimated to be 20,000, of whom about 2,000 were design staff.I am not prepared to give further details since the effect at each plant of the cancellation must be worked out between the contractors and their workpeople.

asked the Minister of Aviation what are the estimated cancellation costs of TSR2.

In comparing TSR2 and Fl 1 l costs, the Government estimated that terminal charges on all TSR2 contracts, including expenditure already committed as well as cancellation costs, would not exceed £70 million. The precise sum is a matter for negotiation with the contractors, and will be additional to the £125 million already spent.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the performance of the TSR2 up to cancellation.

Up to the date of cancellation the first aircraft had made 24 flights and completed some 13 hours flying time. The aircraft was performing well in flight. The larger and less predictable part of the programme remained to be completed.

asked the Minister of Aviation what would be the cost of incorporating in the scheme to enlarge the civil air terminal at Aldergrove, in County Antrim, a passenger lift, a one-way passenger escalator and a two-way passenger escalator, respectively.

A lift, including installation, would cost £4–5,000; escalators would cost about £9,000 each plus installation, which could be heavy as it would involve a major reorganisation of the whole development scheme.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will take steps to ensure that the manufacture and supply of electronic and other equipment for the alternative to the cancelled TSR2 project are from British sources.

We shall do our best to utilise British electronic and other equipment in any alternative to the TSR2 provided that the equipment is acceptable in performance, timescale and cost.

asked the Minister of Aviation what assistance Her Majesty's Government will give to the staging of the World Gliding Championships in the United Kingdom this year.

The World Gliding Championships, which are to be opened by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation on 29th May, have the full backing of Her Majesty's Government who are delighted to see this important international event being staged in this country.My Department is advising and assisting the British Gliding Association, who are responsible for the arrangements, in a number of matters. The main support, however, comes from the Royal Air Force who are making available the airfield at South Cerney for the period of the Championships and are also giving practical assistance in a number of forms such as the provision of aircraft for towing purposes.I am sure that hon. Members will themselves wish to help in any way they can to make this event, which has attracted entries from some 30 countries, as successful as it deserves to be.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will list the Anglo-French joint projects now under discussion.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Barkston Ash (Mr. Alison) on 11th March, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the first report of the Probation Research Project which was set up in 1962; and whether he will make a statement on the proposed future work of the Probation Research Project.

I hope to publish soon a first report explaining the project and describing a pilot study carried out in Middlesex. Several other reports are under preparation.The project as at present planned should take about three more years to complete. It includes a national study of types of probation treatment related to different kinds of offenders, and a series of supporting studies mainly related to the nature of probation treatment and the classification of offenders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if luncheon vouchers will continue to be issued free of Income Tax.

Yes—within the limits laid down by current Revenue practice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many golden sovereigns were produced during the mintage year 1964; how many are in circulation in the United Kingdom; how many have been sold abroad, and at what price per sovereign; and what is the purpose in producing these coins.

No sovereigns were minted in 1964. New sovereigns go to augment the stock in the nation's gold reserves, from which they are released as necessary to meet overseas demand, which would otherwise be met by counterfeiters. They are sold at the current market price. It is not the practice to disclose the number. Sovereigns do not circulate in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current rates of retirement pension for each of the Civil Service administrative grades, assuming 40 years of total established service, including three years on the retiring grade; how they compare with the rates of those who retired 10 years ago; and what pension would a widow be entitled to in each case.

The figures are as follows:

—	Retirement at 31st March, 1965		Retirement 31st March, 1955
	Officer's pension	Widow's pension	Officer's pension	Widow's pension
	£	£	£	£
Permanent Secretary	3,853	1,284	2,691	910
Deputy Secretary	2,742	914	1,949	663
Under Secretary	2,237	746	1,549	529
Assistant Secretary	1,957	652	1,311	450
Principal	1,398	466	936	325

The figures for 1955 retirements include increases under the Pensions (Increase) Acts, of 1959 and 1962, and assume for this purpose that the officers and widows concerned are now over the age of 70.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, when staffs are reduced and permanent employees have to take a lower rated job, they are not allowed to get a pension to which they were previously entitled; what action he intends to take to remedy this situation; and whether discretion or compromise is allowed for a man who is demoted just before his service is time-expired.

Under the Superannuation Acts pension benefits in the Civil Service are related to average salary during the last three years' of service. These Acts provide various alternatives for those who become redundant shortly before retiring age. If the hon. Member has particular cases in mind, perhaps he will write to me about them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the cost to the agricultural industry of increasing the annual rate of duty on farmers' goods vehicles.

For the whole of Great Britain additional revenue in a full year from vehicles charged under the farmers' goods vehicles schedule is estimated at about half a million pounds.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the cost to the agricultural industry of increasing the licence charge on agricultural machines from £2 10s. to £3 15s.

For the whole of Great Britain additional revenue in a full year is estimated at about half a million pounds.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the cost of withdrawing initial allowances for motor cars to the agricultural industries.

Not more than £1 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the withdrawal of initial allowances on motor cars includes vehicles which are not subject to Purchase Tax used by the agricultural industry.

The proposal is to withdraw the initial allowance for vehicles of a type commonly used as private cars. If new, such vehicles would normally be liable to Purchase Tax.

asked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to publish the instructions given to the mission led by Earl Mountbatten of Burma, which it s intended should visit Commonwealth countries for the purpose of discussing immigration problems.

No. Since the mission will engage in exploratory and fact-finding discussions with other Commonwealth Governments, I do not think it would be appropriate to publish instructions. The function of the mission was described by my right hon. Friend the Lord President in the debate on 23rd March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff and other canteens are established and run in his Department's offices in London; what is the lowest price charged for a midday meal; what is the average price charged; whether those prices represent the economic cost of purchases, preparation, service and rentals; how much profit is made or how much loss sustained in a year; and how a loss is dealt with in the annual accounts or estimates of his Department.

No staff or other canteens are established in any of my Department's offices in London.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from what specific sources the Livestock Husbandry Group of the National Agricultural Advisory Service obtains its advice in population genetics; and what proportion of the advice comes from institutions sponsored by the Agricultural Research Council.

The main sources of advisory information on population genetics are the institutions under the charge of the Agricultural Research Council, particularly the Animal Breeding Research Organisation and the Unit of Animal Genetics. Information is also available from universities and commercial bodies, and from research in other countries. It is impossible to say what proportion of advice comes from institutions sponsored by the Agricultural Research Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the name and rank of the senior officer in the Livestock Husbandry Group of the National Agricultural Advisory Service who has taken a post-graduate course in population genetics.

F. J. Fullbrook, B.Sc., N.D.D. The Regional Livestock Husbandry Officer for the South-East Region.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on the proposed Apple and Pear Development Council.

I have told the National Farmers' Union that I should be prepared to seek Parliamentary authority for the establishment under Section 1 of the Industrial Organisation and Development Act, 1947, of a Development Council for the apple and pear growing industry on being satisfied that this is desired by a substantial number of the persons engaged in the industry. Discussions are proceeding on the means of ascertaining the views of individual growers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the financial difficulties being experienced by the National Youth Orchestra; and if he will consider giving additional financial assistance to it.

I am now considering a request from the Chairman of the British National Junior Music School, with which the National Youth Orchestra is closely connected, to see him about the future of the school.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the Official Report the death rate per 100,000 for legal abortions.

Over the last five years, there were 0·4 deaths attributed to legal abortions—excluding spontaneous abortions—per 100,000 total births in England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Health how many sight tests were carried out under the Supplementary Ophthalmic Service in the Manchester Executive Council area in January, February, and March of this year; and what were the figures for the same months of 1962, 1963 and 1964.

The information is as follows:

		January	February	March
1962	…	7,083	7,797	8,433
1963	…	6,387	7,402	8,717
1964	…	8,520	8,866	7,157
1965	…	7,335	8,221	9,250 (approx.)

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the Official Report the death rate per 100,000 for the removal of tonsils.

For hypertrophy of tonsils and adenoids, with tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy, the average annual death rate in Great Britain for the period 1960–64 was 0·03 per 100,000 population. Separate figures are not at present available for tonsillectomy alone, but deaths from this cause will constitute the majority of those included.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the circular issued by the Executive Council for Gloucester Council and City dealing with the abnormal demand for prescription pads and medical certificates, a copy of which has been sent to him, he will give figures for the increase in prescriptions dispensed since the abolition of the charges.

The monthly numbers of prescriptions dispensed by chemists in this area in January and February, 1965, were, respectively, 189,015 and 201,810. The following table sets out, for comparison, the numbers dispensed during the same months in the earlier years since 1959:

Year			January	February
1959	…	…	178,017	204,161
1960	…	…	172,609	180,371
1961	…	…	223,137	211,150
1962	…	…	201,197	158,846
1963	…	…	169,869	178,737
1964	…	…	198,106	188,328

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost to the National Health Service of medicine bottles and containers for which no charge is made or deposit taken.

On average, 1·80d. per prescription to cover the cost of all bottles and containers supplied by chemists.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make arrangemeats for the gradual replacement of invalid tricycles supplied to disabled National Health Service patients, as they become unserviceable through age, with specially adapted two-seater mini-cars in all cases where that is the wish of the patient.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 29th March.

asked the Minister of Health whether the artificial kidney treatment for use in cases of chronic kidney failure has now been evaluated by his Department in conjunction with the medical profession; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions which have been reached.

Yes; I have been advised that for a proportion of such cases this is an established and effective form of treatment.

asked the Minister of Health what progress is being made in providing centres for treatment for chronic kidney failure by artificial kidney; and whether he is satisfied that the work is proceeding with all possible speed.

Small research and treatment centres already exist in Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool and London. A conference of experts convened by my Department has recently reported, recommending the establishment of training and treatment initially at regional centres. My Department is consulting hospital authorities as a matter of urgency on how treatment can be made mote widely available on these lines.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost per patient of providing artificial kidney treatment for chronic kidney failure in hospital under the National Health Service; and if he will analyse the component factors.

National figures are not available. Under present conditions of hospital treatment a typical initial capital cost per patient may be about £2,000 divided equally between accommodation and equipment. Annual maintenance costs per patient may be about £2,000 made up as follows:

	£
Accommodation	100
Depreciation of Equipment	200
Drugs, dialysing fluids and consumable equipment	500
Services of Surgical, Medical, Nursing and Technical staff and other staff	1,000
Sundries	200

asked the Minister of Health whether any artificial kidney units have been provided under the National Health Service for use in the home; what is the cost in such cases; and what are the factors which restrict the extension of such treatment.

Two units have been ordered for this purpose; they will cost about £3,500 each. Facilities for such treatment cannot be made more generally available until its limitations and possibilities have been evaluated. The units already ordered will be used in a pilot trial for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Health what are the principal factors which limit the rate at which artificial kidney treatment for chronic kidney failure can be extended to more patients at hospital centres.

The principal factors initially will be the rate at which medical and other staff can be trained and accommodation provided.The cost of such an extension will have to be considered alongside other priorities in the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements he has made in this country for the development and supply of equipment for artificial kidney units.

I am supporting financially evaluations of new dialysing systems both for use in hospitals and in the home. My officers are also closely in touch with British firms developing equipment of this specialised nature.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are taken to advise unsuccessful applicants for nurse training at London teaching hospitals to apply to other hospitals which are in urgent need of trainees.

They are advised to apply to other training hospitals at which there are known to be vacancies or referred to the Nursing Recruitment Centre of the King Edward's Hospital Fund for London.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for building a new hospital in the Parliamentary constituency of Wellingborough or for extending the present facilities.

None. The additional needs of the area will be met by the schemes now in progress at Kettering and planned for Northampton.

asked the Minister of Health what facilities exist in Kent under the National Health Service for cytological tests; and what proposals there are for the provision of routine screening in the area.

All the hospital management committees in Kent except Tunbridge Wells now provide tests for women with symptoms and as more trained staff become available a routine screening service will be introduced.

asked the Minister of Health what facilities exist in the vicinity of Gravesend under the National Health Service for routine screening for cervical cancer.

None as yet but a service will be provided when additional staff can be recruited.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce provisions to enable tenants and landlords to take advantage of improvement grants where landlords refuse to carry out improvements.

Local authorities already have powers to declare improvement areas and compel owners to improve tenanted dwellings there. Outside these areas tenants of individual properties can ask authorities to make landlords improve them. Grants, which are paid to owners, are available for compulsory as well as for voluntary improvements.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many certificates of disrepair were issued by local authorities in the last three years, and in the three years preceding the introduction of the Rent Act, 1957, respectively.

In 1962 and 1963 local authorities issued respectively 879 and 937 certificates of disrepair under the Rent Act, 1957. Before the introduction of that Act a different scheme was in force, brought in by the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954. Between 30th August, 1954, and 31st March, 1955, 18,471 certificates were issued: for the years ending 31st March, 1956, and 31st March, 1957, the figures were respectively 6,860 and 2,840.

asked the Postmaster-General how many staff and other canteens are established and run in his Department's offices in London; what is the lowest price charged for a midday meal; what is the average price charged; whether those prices represent the economic cost of purchases, preparation, service and rentals; how much profit is made or how much loss sustained in a year; and how a loss is dealt with in the annual accounts or estimates of his Department.

There are approximately 330 clubs, all of which are operated by a management committee of users. Prices are fixed by the committees, items being normally priced separately. No information is held on individual price charges, but it is possible that the lowest price for which a two-course meal is available might be of the order of 2s. and an average price of 3s. This, of course, depends on this dishes selected.The prices are designed to cover cost of food, cost of labour and certain minor overheads. There is no payment for rent, rates, fixed equipment, light, heat and fuel; these are borne by the Post Office. Cleaning is provided by the Department as a part of office cleaning or an equivalent cash subsidy given in lieu. There is a small labour cash subsidy not exceeding £70 per annum allowed for refreshment clubs employing less than 12 catering staff. Trading is operated on a no profit basis. Audited accounts have to be submitted annually to the appropriate Regional or Headquarters Finance Officer. If a refreshment club committee through unforeseen circumstances incurs a loss, the Treasury Catering Adviser is asked to investigate and give advice designed to ensure that measures are taken to stabilise the trading.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephones were installed in the County of Westmorland in each of the last three years to the most convenient date; and how many names are on the waiting list.

The figures are:

	Number of Year Ending Telephones installed
31st March, 1963	561
31st March, 1964	689
31st March, 1965	845

Leaving aside 153 orders being met, there are 7 applicants on the waiting list for telephones.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to sanction the building of a by-pass at East Dereham, Norfolk, on the A.47 road.

The proposed bypass is a long-term scheme and I am unable to say when it will be possible to include it in the trunk road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport how many persons were killed and seriously injured in road accidents in the City of Carlisle in each of the last 10 years.

The following is the information:

Year		Killed	seriously injured	Total killed and Seriously injured
1955	…	6	55	61
1956	…	6	69	75
1957	…	5	69	74
1958	…	8	48	56
1959	…	6	68	74
1960	…	13	73	86
1961	…	4	55	59
1962	…	11	58	69
1963	…	6	52	58
1964	…	8	66	74

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that offlicence traders in the Fareham area arc being refused Distillers Company products at prices below the maintained prices; and when he will bring into force Sections 1 to 4 of the Resale Prices Act, 1964, in order to prevent this practice.

No such complaints from the Fareham area have been brought to my attention, but I take note of the information in the Question. Sections 1 to 4 of the Resale Prices Act will come into operation on 30th April, under a Board of Trade order made on 15th February (the Resale Prices Act Commencement Order 1965).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that in the absence of a decision on standards for lifejackets, British manufacturers cannot provide such equipment in time for the coming into force of the International Convention on 26th May next; that new equipment supplied now may be rendered obsolete by the decision, when it is reached, thus adding to the expense of re-equipment; and if he will now announce his decision on these standards.

In my Answer to the hon. Member of 23rd March I said that the testing of lifejackets was proceeding as rapidly as possible. A specification has now been agreed and the prototype of a standard lifejacket is being tested. Officials of the Board will be discussing the question of production with manufacturers very shortly. The introduction of the new type of lifejacket will necessarily be phased over a period to take account of the need to alter stowage arrangements in ships, of manufacturing capacity and of the supply of materials.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what would be the approximate dimensions of a dry dock which would be suitable for fitting-out tankers of 100,000 tons, presuming that these ships are of present design;(2) what would be the approximate dimensions of a dry dock which would be suitable for fitting-out tankers of 150,000 tons, presuming that these ships are of present design;(3) what would be the approximate dimensions of a dry dock which would be suitable for fitting-out tankers of 200,000 tons, presuming that these ships are of conventioned design.

A dry dock for tankers of 100,000 tons would require an entrance width of about 140 feet and a length of about 900 feet. Few vessels of 150,000 tons have been ordered and their normal dimensions have not been established, but they would probably need an entrance width of 150 to 160 feet and a length of about 1,000 feet. As tankers of 200,000 tons have not been ordered, the size of dry dock required is a matter of conjecture but the entrance width needed might be 180 to 200 feet and the length 1,200 to 1,400 feet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to announce his decision regarding the petition which he has received from the Mercantile Marine Service Association regarding the "Californian" incident.

I have nothing to add at present to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 1st March.