asked the Minister of Labour what is the estimated number of apprenticeships which could be provided for boys in the Glasgow area if Government industrial establishments and municipally-owned undertakings such as ordnance factories, post offices and omnibus garages and building trade establishments accepted boys for training in the normal industrial ratio.

I regret that the information on which such an estimate could be based is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what will be the estimated cost to the agricultural industry in a full year of the implementation of the Redundancy Bill.

Estimates of the cost of redundancy payments cannot be given for individual industries, since rates of redundancy cannot be accurately forecast.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to forecast future demands for skilled manpower in industry.

Forecasts are being prepared for the National Economic Plan, and my Manpower Research Unit is also making detailed studies, for the economy as a whole and in selected industries and occupations.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects the Report of the committee of inquiry into the Youth Employment Service.

I hope to receive the report of the Working Party of the National Youth Employment Council this autumn.

asked the Minister Labour what special arrangements he is making in the Bristol area to deal promptly with the transfer to other employment of aircraft employees made redundant by the cancellation of the TSR2 contract.

Officers from Bristol Employment Exchange are already at work in the Patchway factory to give all possible help in finding alternative employment or retraining for those who ask for it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many school-leavers are still awaiting jobs in the area covered by the Ashington Employment Exchange, Northumberland; and whether he will make a statement.

On 12th April, 26 young people were registered for first employment at the Ashington Youth Employment Office and are still awaiting jobs. 22 of these left school at the end of the Easter term when there were 133 known leavers altogether. There has been a considerable improvement in the employment situation for young people in this area and these Easter leavers should find employment without difficulty.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the Felling Industrial Training Centre in the North-East; and whether he will make a statement.

The number of training places at the Felling Government Training Centre has been increased from 91 to 361 since March, 1963, and a further increase to 389 is planned.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, male and female, and persons under 18 years of age, male and female, respectively, were registered as unemployed at the April, 1965, count in the Gateshead employment area and the Northern Region, respectively; what were the comparable figures for each of the years 1962, 1963 and 1964; what percentage the total figures for each of the years represent of un-

Date	Numbers registered as unemployed at the Gateshead Employment Exchange and associated Youth Employment Office					Tyneside Group Per cent.*Rate
	Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
April, 1965	1,002	197	154	109	1,462	2·8
April, 1964	1,313	167	192	25	1,697	3·7
April, 1963	1,840	334	226	173	2,573	5·5
April, 1962	1,261	50	240	14	1,565	3·5
Percentage changes between:—
1962 and 1963	+ 46	+ 568	- 6	+ 1,136	+ 64
1963 and 1964	- 29	- 50	- 15	- 86	- 34
1964 and 1965	- 24	+ 18	- 20	+ 336	- 14

	Numbers registered as unemployed in the Northern Region					Per cent. Rate
Date	Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
April, 1965	25,156	1,747	6,570	1,232	34,705	2·7
April, 1964	32,905	3,154	9,292	1,685	47,036	3·6
April, 1963	49,000	4,568	10,908	2,947	67,423	5·1
April, 1962	33,337	1,720	8,588	956	44,601	3·4
Percentage changes between:—
1962 and 1963	+ 47	+ 166	+ 27	+ 208	+ 51
1963 and 1964	- 33	- 31	- 15	- 43	- 30
1964 and 1965	- 24	- 45	- 29	- 27	- 26
* A separate percentage of unemployment cannot be quoted for the area of the Gateshead Employment Exchange and associated Youth Employment Office which form part of the Tyneside travel-to-work group.

There were on 7th April, 1,229 unfilled vacancies notified to the Gateshead Employment Exchange and associated Youth Employment Office and 15,484 to Employment Exchanges and Youth Employment Offices in the Northern Region.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls under 18 years of age were registered as unemployed at the Gateshead Youth Employment Office at mid-April in the years 1963, 1964 and 1965; what are the numbers of anticipated school-leavers at Easter 1965; and what are the prospects of employment being available for them.

The number of boys and girls under 18 years of age registered as unemployed at the Gateshead Youth Employment Office at mid-April in the years 1963, 1964 and 1965 was 507, 192 employment; what was the percentage decrease or increase between each of the years 1962 to 1965; and what was the number of unfilled vacancies at the latest convenient date in Gateshead and in the Northern Region.

The following table gives the information:and 306 respectively. About 380 boys and girls are known to have left school this Easter. Most of them should find employment without undue difficulty.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state for each region and for Great Britain, respectively, the number of vacancies remaining unfilled at the latest convenient date for every 100 persons wholly unemployed; and what were the comparable figures for 12 months earlier.

The following table gives the information:

NUMBER OF UNFILLED VACANCIES PER 100 PEOPLE WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED
	April, 1965	April, 1964
London and South Eastern Region	230	144*
Eastern and Southern Region	211	149*
South Western Region	118	93
Midlands Region	260	157*
Yorkshire and Humberside Region	155	93*
North Western Region	91	46
Northern Region	45	18
Scotland	32	17
Wales	54	44
Great Britain	125	76
*These figures are based on the present regional areas which were adjusted on 1st April, 1965.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the percentage increase in weekly wage rates since October, 1964, to the nearest convenient date.

The index of weekly rates of wages for manual workers in all industries and services went up by 1–8 per cent. between 31st October, 1964 and 31st March, 1965.

asked the Minister of Labour what are his future plans for opening new training centres in the North-East.

My right hon. Friend is considering urgently what further expansion of Government Training Centres over the country as a whole is necessary, but he is not yet in a position to make an announcement.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to redeploy scientific and technical officers likely to be available for alternative employment as a result of the cancellation of the TSR2.

People with these qualifications who are likely to be released from work on the TSR2 may, if they wish, be registered with the Professional and Executive Register. They will be advised of the most suitable available vacancies in whatever areas they are willing to work and given all possible assistance in obtaining work appropriate to their qualifications and experience.

asked the Minister of Labour what order of priorities in relation to particular industries and services is followed in the establishment of training boards.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling) on 13th April.

asked the Minister of Labour what regulations govern disablement resettlement officers in respect of their contacts with private employment agencies.

Disablement resettlement officers follow the general practice in the employment exchanges, which do not co-operate with private employment agencies in filling vacancies, except in the case of certain non-profit-making concerns, such as trade unions and some professional bodies.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish at the appropriate time a table of comparative changes in the cost of living during the last quarter of 1964 and the first quarter of 1965.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 26th January, 1965; Vol. 705, c. 154] supplied the following information:The percentage changes between the last quarter of 1964 and the first quarter of 1965 in the Index of Retail Prices as a whole and in its component groups are as follows:

		per cent.
All items	…	+ 0·9
Food	…	+ 1·0
Alcoholic drink	…	+ 1·2
Tobacco	…	Nil
Housing	…	+ 0·4
Fuel and light	…	+ 3·4
Durable household goods	…	+ 1·2
Clothing and footwear	…	+ 0·6
Transport and vehicles	…	+ 0·7
Miscellaneous goods	…	+ 1·2
Services	…	+ 0·5

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present position of negotiations for the payment of debts due to this country by Hungary and the Baltic States.

We are following up the approach to the Hungarian Government to which I referred in my Answer of 1st March on this subject.Negotiations between the British and Soviet Governments on the subject of post-1939 claims are at present in recess in order that both sides may clarify a number of issues which arose in the first round of discussions. During this recess my right hon. Friend raised the question with Mr. Gromyko when he visited this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why he has altered the wording of British passports issued or received by the Gibraltar Passport Office.

As my right hon. Friend informed the House on 1st March, we took steps to see that the holders of certain passports, the validity of which was not accepted by the Spanish authorities, should be able to obtain new documents. These steps were taken to avoid inconvenience to those British subjects concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, during his forthcoming visit to Czechoslovakia, he intends to discuss with the Government of that country the question of German reunification.

I would refer the hon. Member to the joint communiqué issued at the end of my visit. I can only add that the substance of my discussions with the Czech Government is confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the replacement for the TSR2 is intended for a role East of Suez.

A replacement for the TSR2 is needed to give the Royal Air Force a continued strike and reconnaissance capability, which could be flexibly deployed wherever commitments and tasks may arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the last date at which orders for F111A will have to be placed if it is intended to purchase United States aircraft as an alternative to the TSR2; and what action is being taken in the meantime to ensure so far as possible that British aircraft are used instead.

Under the existing option arrangements the order for a small initial quantity of F111A aircraft would need to be placed by 1st January, 1966, and a follow-up order by 1st April, 1967. As I indicated in my speech to the House on 6th April, a decision on the possible alternative use of British aircraft must await the outcome of the current defence review.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) whether she will take steps to ensure that persons in receipt of National Assistance who become short-term patients in mental hospitals do not cease to receive such assistance;(2) if she will take steps to see that persons who receive National Assistance for rent purposes only do not cease to receive such assistance when they become short-term patients in mental hospitals.

National Assistance allowances are paid to meet needs and I can assure the hon. Member that National Assistance recipients who become short-term patients in mental hospitals will continue to receive assistance where they need assistance to enable them to make provision for their families or for continuing commitments such as rent and the retention of lodgings. An allowance for personal expenses within the hospital is made in addition, where necessary, by the hospital authorities.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will examine the system of prescribed industrial diseases with a view to substituting benefit in all cases where a disease has, on the balance of probability, been caused by the nature of the victim's employment.

This particular suggestion was carefully examined by an expert and authoritative Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. F. W. Beney, Q.C., as part of a comprehensive review of the diseases provisions of the Industrial Injuries Act, 1946. The Committee whose report was published in 1955—Command Paper N o. 9548—concluded that a change on the lines now suggested by my hon. Friend would not be a practicable proposition.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now state the date from which the extension of the prawn-fishing area in the Firth of Forth will take effect.

The byelaw under which trawling for prawns is permitted, subject to certain conditions, in

Island				Acreage	Population 1841 census	Population 1961 census	1961 per cent. of 1841
Canna	…	…	…	2,908	255	24	9
Eigg	…	…	…	7,804	546	74	14
Muck	…	…	…	1,586	68	29	43
Rhum	…	…	…	26,786	124	40	32
Raasay	…	…	…	15,704	647	211	33
Rona	…	…	…	2,565	165	49	30
Soay	…	…	…	2,635	113	11	10
Scalpay (Strath)	…	…	…	6,490	90	2	2
Skye	…	…	…	411,704	22,011	7,478	34

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the opportunities for pre-apprenticeship training in the Glasgow area; what plans he has for an increase in places at pre-training school; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend understands that the number of places at present available in these courses is sufficient to provide for all the students considered suitable for admission. If at any time the education authority feels that there is a demand for further courses of this kind, my right hon. Friend will be ready to consider any proposals put forward by the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish a table showing the acreages and population at the time of the 1821 Census of the islands of Canna, Eigg, Muck, Rhum, Raasay, Rona, Soay, Scalpay and Skye, their population today, and their population today expressed as a percentage of that in 1821.

The earliest figures available for all the islands are those obtained at the census of 1841. The 1841 figures and the other information asked for are as follows:

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether it is his intention to discuss the question of German reunification with the Government of Poland;(2) whether he proposes to discuss with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics the decision reached between the French Government and the United Kingdom Government on the subject of German reunification.

The reunification of Germany is primarily the responsibility of Britain, the United States, France and the Soviet Union, the four Powers to whom Germany surrendered in 1945. When it seems useful and appropriate, however, Her Majesty's Government are prepared to exchange views on this subject with other Governments, including the Polish Government, which have a close interest in matters affecting Germany.No decision on the subject of German reunification has been reached with the French Government. As was stated in the communiqué published after my recent visit to Bonn, I agreed with Chancellor Erhard that our two Governments should consider, jointly with their French and American allies, how progress towards reunification might most effectively be made by means of renewed proposals to the Soviet Government. Discussions to this end are proceeding.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish as a White Paper his forthcoming proposals on meat marketing, together with producer, trade and consumer views, and all relevant economic data.

I will certainly inform the House as fully as possible about the Government's proposals as soon as the consultations at present being held with the main organisations concerned have enabled us to reach conclusions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce the decision on a compulsory scheme to aid publicity for apples and pears.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the member for Faversham (Mr. Boston) on 12th April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a list of the wholesale fruit and vegetable markets to which it is intended to give aid under the Act of 1964.

As I told my hon. Friend, the member for Leicester, North East (Mr. Bradley) on 24th March, any market with an actual or potential throughput of £4 million a year will be accepted as being prima facie eligible for grant under Section 10 of the Agriculture and Horticulture Act, 1964. The following markets are already known to satisfy this criterion:—Belfast, Birmingham, Brentford, Bristol, Cardiff, Covent Garden, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Spitalfields and Stratford.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him for changes in the periods of the apple quota in order to allow the home industry to obtain the full value from the modernisation of their storage equipment; and what reply he has sent.

The National Farmers' Union has asked whether the periods of the apple quota could be adjusted to give additional protection to the marketing of home grown apples coming out of store. The Union has been told that their request will be borne in mind, but that it is only one of the factors to be taken into account when reviewing quota arrangements.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the total cost of United States equipment or equipment produced under United States licence for each of the TSR2 projects.

About £20 million for the TRS2 project as a whole.

asked the Minister of Aviation, what is the estimated annual cost of the purchase of F111A, making use of credit facilities.

I cannot add to my replies to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 12th April.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is his present practice in deciding whether to make announcements in the House or by other means.

Each case is decided on its merits, but where possible it is my practice to make all the more important announcements in the House.

		Estimates Reference
—		Class	Vote	1964–65 Provisional Out-turn	1965–66 Estimate
				£m.	£m.
Science Research Council	…	VII	8
High Energy Physics6	…			11·600	13·800
Other Expenditure	…			11·535	14·676
Total	…			23·135	28·476
Natural Environment Research Services	…	VII	9	3·079	3·951
Medical Research Council	…	VII	10	8·753	10·279
Agricultural Research Council	…	VII	11	8·165	9·313
Grants for Science	…	VII	12	0·348	0·598
Total	…			43·480	52·617

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he hopes to

asked the Minister of Aviation what he calculates to be the underlying rate of productivity for pilots employed by British European Airways.

In the first 11 months of the 1964–65 financial year for which figures are available, B.E.A.'s pilots had an average output of 498,000 capacity-ton-miles per pilot. As the result of the recent agreement concluded with the British Airlines Pilots Association it is expected that productivity per pilot will be increased on an average up to 8 per cent. by the end of 1965–66.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give a breakdown of the totals made available for scientific research in 1964–65 and in 1965–66, indicating how much, in each year, has been or will be spent on the various branches of scientific research, including high energy physics.

The Civil Estimates Class VII, items 8–12 give an account of expenditure on scientific research for which I am responsible. The following table summarises these Estimates and shows expenditure on high energy physics separately.complete his review of the level of public service pensions.

The review is going ahead but I cannot yet say when a statement will be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to remove the anomaly which tends to make it more economic for ship-owning companies to charter foreign ships for their trade rather than to build and operate their own vessels.

I am not aware of any anomaly but I shall look further into the matter, if the hon. Gentleman will send me details of any particular case he has in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect to date on the United Kingdom's balance of payments of the 7 per cent. Bank Rate.

The increase in Bank Rate was designed to relieve pressure on sterling and it has had that effect. Quantitative estimates are not practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the present shortage of nitrogen in the south of England, he will lift the import charge on nitrogenous fertilisers.

No. I have no reason to suppose that farmers are unable to get supplies of nitrogenous fertilisers; and we have thought it better to make a general reduction in the charge rather than remove it altogether in particular cases.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will list the pay increases awarded since 16th December, 1964, in which the increase granted has exceeded 3½ per cent.

No. There have been many increases in wages and salaries since last December and many of them have been above an annual rate of increase of 3½ per cent. What now matters is that everyone concerned should do their best to work within the framework of Command Paper No. 2639 published on 15th April.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs to what extent the four criteria for exceptional pay increases set out in Command Paper No. 2639, paragraph 115, cover the pay increases recently awarded to pilots of British European Airways and to nurses.

The claims in question were under negotiation some time before the publication of Command Paper No. 2639. In the case of the pilots of British European Airways it should be borne in mind that the increase of about 8 per cent. from last October, was their first pay increase for three years. It has generally been accepted that special circumstances made some revaluation of the nurses' salary scales on the lines of the agreement both fair and necessary. This does not lessen the need for those concerned with negotiations still current to do their best to keep within the framework of the Command Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether a decision has been taken on the question of an increase in the Government guarantee to the Commonwealth Arts Festival Society; and what further information he has on the events which are likely to take place during the Festival.

Her Majesty's Government has now informed the Commonwealth Arts Festival Society that they will be prepared to seek Parliamentary approval for a further guarantee of up to £50,000 in addition to the guarantee against loss up to a maximum of £80,000 which has already been announced.I am informed that the Commonwealth Arts Festival Society will publish a programme of events early next month. In the meantime, in view of the general interest in the Festival, I am including

in the record a list of the Commonwealth and Colonial countries which are likely to participate, details of the artistic con-

Countries		Artistic Contributions	Where to be Presented
Australia	…	Sydney Symphony Orchestra	London (Royal Festival Hall), Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Australian Ballet	London (Royal Opera House), Glasgow, Liverpool.
Canada	…	Toronto Symphony Orchestra	London (Royal Festival Hall), Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Royal Winnipeg Ballet	London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Les Feux Follets	London.
		Theatre du Nouveau Monde	London.
Jamaica	…	Jamaican Dance Theatre	London, Cardiff, Liverpool.
		Frats Quintet and Louise Bennett
New Zealand	…	Christchurch Harmonic Choir	London (Royal Festival Hall and Westminster Abbey), Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
Nigeria	…	Nigerian Folk Opera	London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Nigerian Drama Company	London (Old Vic Theatre).
Trinidad	…	Trinidad Dance Company	London, Glasgow.
India	…	Kathakali Dance Group	London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Ravi Shankar plus supporting musicians.	London (Royal Festival Hall), Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Bismillah plus supporting musicians.	London (Commonwealth Institute), Liverpool.
Ghana	…	Orchestra of Flutes and Drums	London (Royal Festival Hall), Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
Fiji	…	Band and Dancers of Fiji Military Forces.	Liverpool.

GREAT DANCE GALA
Pakistan	…	Khattak Dancers	…	London (Royal Albert Hall), Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool.
		Folk Dancers	…
Tanzania	…	Stilt Dancers	…
Uganda	…	Uganda Dance Company	…
Sierra Leone	…	S. Leone Dance Company	…
Hong Kong	…	Unicorn Dancers	…
Kenya	…	Embu Drummers	…
Malta	…	Dancers—Maltija	…
Ceylon	…	Kandyan Temple Dancers	…

Additional contributions are still under negotiations from the following: Rhodesia, Pakistan, Ceylon, India, East Africa, Nigeria, Jamaica, Canada, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, British Guiana and Gibraltar.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of arterial thrombotic or thrombo-embolic episodes in women taking oral contraceptives have been reported to the Committee on Safety of Drugs.

The Committee have informed me that there is no evidence of any relationship between the use of oral contraceptives and the thrombotic episodes that have been reported to them. Consequently they cannot give me any figure to which significance can be attached in regard to the taking of oral contraceptives by the women concerned.

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers of deaths of females from lung cancer in the years 1948, 1953, and 1963.

The information for England and Wales is as follows:—Deaths of females from cancer of the lung and bronchus:—

1948	…	…	…	…	1,759
1953	…	…	…	…	2,239
1963	…	…	…	…	3,677

asked the Minister of Health by how many the deaths of men exceed those of women from all cancers.

In England and Wales, during the period 1960·64, deaths of men from all forms of cancer exceeded those of women by about 37,350.

asked the Minister of

				Nursing staff September, 1964
Hospitals			Number of beds (31st December, 1964)	Whole-time	Part-time
NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL REGION
Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle	…	…	318	188	50
City General, Carlisle	…	…	166	124	14
Jubilee Cottage, Penrith	…	…	19	11	3
City Maternity, Carlisle	…	…	75	45	16
County Maternity, Penrith	…	…	14	2	10
Ormside	…	…	20	8	Nil
Fairhill, Penrith	…	…	15	3	1
Station View, Penrith	…	…	32	12	4
Blencathra, Keswick	…	…	68	15	9
Longtown	…	…	26	12	2
*Garlands, Carlisle	…	…	1,006	184	64
*Dovenby Hall	…	…	383	67	33
MANCHESTER HOSPITAL REGION
Westmorland County, Kendal	…	…	95	54	44
Helme Chase Maternity Home, Kendal	…	…	26	11	7
Kendal Green, Kendal	…	…	68	12	30
Ethel Hedley Orthopaedic, Windermere	…	…	50	16	5
Meathop, Grange over Sands	…	…	47	13	12
Beaumont, Lancaster	…	…	120	52	58
Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Lancaster	…	…	236	137	48
*Lancaster Moor, Lancaster	…	…	1,908	295	312
*Ridgeway, Lancaster	…	…	172	41	20
*Psychiatric hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the need to assist the motoring public by securing a uniform approach by local police forces to the problem of parking at night without lights; what has been the result of the review by the Police Research and Planning Branch of uniform enforcement of the traffic laws; what consequent discussions he has had with chief constables on night parking; and what decisions have been made.

The problems of daytime parking and of parking at night without lights are being examined by a working party on obstruction, which will report to me and to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport. I must await their report before considering whether further action would be appropriate. The Health if he will list the number of beds in each of the hospitals which are normally used by residents in Westmorland; and what number of nurses of all ranks were employed at each at the latest convenient date.

The information is as follows:results of the review carried out by the Police Research and Planning Branch were discussed by chief constables at their autumn meeting at the Police College, and further action is being pursued on a district basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that manufacturers of cleaning materials which contain carbon tetrachloride label the bottles in which their products are sold to the public with a warning of their toxic effects.

Most manufacturers of cleaning fluids containing carbon tetrachloride already attach a label to their products warning the public against inhaling the vapour or using the cleaner in an unventilated space. At the request of my Department, the label also includes advice that the cleaner should be kept out of the reach of children. It has recently come to my right hon. and learned Friend's notice, however, following a newspaper article, that the products of one manufacturer carry no warning labels and the matter is accordingly being taken up with the manufacturers concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentages of residential buildings

	England and Wales	Hampshire (including Southampton)	Southampton
Rented from local authority or new town development corporation	24·5	19·9	28·5
Owner-occupied or rented from private person or company	69·1	72·1	68·8
Others	6·4	8·0	2·7

The distribution of dwellings under construction on the 28th February, 1965 was:—

	England and Wales	Hampshire (including Southampton)	Southampton
Local authorities and new town development corporations	45·1	41·2	71·0
Private owners	52·7	58·8	29·0
Government Departments	2·2	not available	not available

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the decision in the Queen's Bench on 5th April that a local authority has such power under the Housing Act, 1957, he will now encourage local authorities to acquire by compulsory purchase orders houses vacant for more than three months without special reason.

The decision confirms my view of the adequacy of local authorities' powers to acquire houses which have been vacant for an unreasonable time and which would make a useful addition to their housing stock. Quite apart from the actual use made of these powers, the knowledge that local authorities have them and are determined where necessary to rely on them, should have a healthy effect.

Detailed information about tenure of non-residential buildings is not available. For residential buildings the latest information giving comparable figures for these areas is provided by the 1961 Census returns, these show:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwellings in Great Britain, including flats, became available for letting as a result of conversion or erection during the last year, excluding those erected by local authorities; and how many of these were in the county of Dorset.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish a table showing the numbers on the waiting list for telephones, county by county, in Scotland at the latest convenient date; and what percentage this represents of the total number of subscribers in each area.

Telephone areas do not correspond precisely with county boundaries and therefore the figures quoted are in respect of exchanges mainly serving the counties concerned.The figures at 31st March, 1965, are:

County		Waiting List	Waiting List as a percentage of total working connexions in each county
Aberdeenshire	…	102	0·3
Angus	…	16	0·06
Argyllshire	…	28	0·4
Ayrshire	…	189	0·6
Banffshire	…	—	—
Berwickshire	…	—	—
Bute	…	1	—
Caithness	…	4	0·2
Clackmannanshire	…	34	1·4
Dumfriesshire	…	—	—
Dunbartonshire	…	167	0·7
East Lothian	…	9	0·2
Fife	…	71	0·3
Glasgow	…	55	0·05
Inverness-shire	…	28	0·3
Kincardineshire	…	6	0·2
Kinross-shire	…	—	—
Kirkcudbrightshire	…	—	—
Lanarkshire	…	1,242	2·6
Midlothian	…	148	0·2
Moray and Nairn	…	—	—
Orkney	…	—	—
Peeblesshire	…	—	—
Perthshire	…	5	0·03
Renfrewshire	…	92	0·2
Ross-shire	…	4	0·08
Roxburghshire	…	—	—
Selkirkshire	…	—	—
Shetland	…	2	0·1
Stirlingshire	…	63	0·5
Sutherland	…	5	0·4
West Lothian	…	58	1·2
Wigtownshire	…	—	—

the Postmaster-General how many persons were convicted for evasion of their requirement to have a current television licence in 1960 to 1964, respectively.

Information in precisely this form is not available but the numbers of convictions secured for both sound and television licence evasion were as follows:

1960–61	…	…	…	12,918
1961–62	…	…	…	15,473
1962–63	…	…	…	24,409
1963–64	…	…	…	26,936
1964–65	…	…	…	21,599

asked the Postmaster-General how much money was spent in 1964 on the detection and conviction of licence evasion; and what proportion this is of the total revenue from radio and television licences.

In the financial year 1963–64, the latest year for which we have figures, £412,600 was spent on licence investigation work. This represents rather less than one per cent. of the total licence revenue collected.

asked the Postmaster-General what further proposals he has to reduce the evasion of the law on licensing of radio and television sets; and if those proposals include the provision that licences must be obtained before radio and television receivers may be purchased or rented by the public.

We are embarking on a thoroughgoing review of our measures against evasion. It is too early to say what changes would be practicable and productive.

asked the Postmaster-General who designed the Centenary International Telecommunication Union stamps; by whom they are printed; in how many colours; and if he will put copies of these stamps and the Winston Churchill stamps in the Library, along with copies of special envelopes that are being printed for these stamps.

The stamps were designed by Mr. Andrew Restall and are being printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd. in five colours.Arrangements are being made for specimens of the stamps to be placed in the Library, together with specimens of the stamps and the special first-day envelopes that we shall be issuing to commemorate the life of Sir Winston Churchill. We are not producing special envelopes for the first day of issue of the International Telecommunication Union stamps.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Midlands Gas Board not to hand over to private contractors the distribution of coke.

No. The method of distribution of its domestic coke production to consumers is a matter for the Board to decide.

asked the Minister of Power if he is satisfied with the supply of smokeless fuel, particularly coke, in Wolverhampton and district; and if he will make a statement.

Local supplies of smokeless fuels are matters for the local suppliers and the local authorities. The Coal Board and the West Midlands Gas Board inform me, however, that supplies of smokeless fuel (including coke) in Wolverhampton and district are adequate.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give details of the way in which the Central Electricity Generating Board will give preference to coal.

I cannot at present add to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Peyton) on the 15th April.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what has been the percentage increase in building costs in each yearly period since 1955 in materials, labour and land, respectively.

For the increase in building costs, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Fife (Mr. William Hamilton) on 14th April, 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the high accident rate on the A.3 road on the two and a half mile stretch passing through Ripley, Surrey, he will expedite the improvement of the section of the A.3 road between Burnt Common and the southern end of the proposed Ripley bypass; and when he proposes that work on the Ripley by-pass shall begin.

This improvement scheme is programmed for 1967–68 and work will start as soon as the preparatory work, including the making of the necessary Order and the acquisition of land, has been completed.The Ripley by-pass has not yet found a place in the road programme. Meanwhile, a minor improvement to the layout of Sendmarsh junction in Ripley will be carried out this year.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) on what grounds he rejected the London Borough of Croydon's proposals for a series of pedestrian crossing signals along the length of the Addiscombe Road; if he is aware that, as a result of his rejection, there remains a serious road safety problem; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many accidents were notified to the police on the Addiscombe Road in the London Borough of Croydon in the most recent period of 12 months for which he has figures; how many pedestrians were involved; and how many were fatal;(3) if he is aware of the risk to pedestrians, including large numbers of school children and elderly persons, as a result of the lack of adequate pedestrian crossing facilities along the length of the Addiscombe Road; and what proposals he has for greater pedestrian safety in this built-up residential area bisected by a major traffic road.

During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1965, thirty-six accidents were reported, in which eight pedestrians were injured. None was killed, and all but one received only slight injuries. After considering the council's proposals for crossing signals I came to the conclusion, and the police agreed, that they would not improve safety and might lessen it.Since 1st April last, it is for the Greater London Council to propose new pedestrian facilities if they think them necessary. No doubt they will keep Addiscombe Road in mind, especially if experiments with new forms of crossing suggest practicable ways of improving safety there. But I am not aware of any significant change since February, 1965, when the Croydon Council were informed of my views, which would justify my approving proposals for present types of pedestrian crossing facilities.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will announce the results of experiments undertaken by local authorities in the use of dipped headlights on motor vehicles during the hours of darkness; whether these experiments have resulted in a reduction of accidents; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of road accidents and casualties occurring at night during the winter of 1963–64 and during the comparable months of 1961–62 were studied by the Road Research Laboratory in about 60 large towns of Great Britain, about half of which conducted dipped headlight campaigns in 1963–64.The results of these studies were published last August in the Road Research Technical Paper No. 73—"Dipped Head-lights Campaigns in 1963–64". The conclusion reached was that dipped headlights are probably of benefit on less well-lit roads but have no benefit on well-lit roads. This conclusion is unlikely to be materially affected by any further information which may be obtained from campaigns conducted by local authorities last winter.

asked the Minister of Transport why Mr. J. S. Wagstaff of Brampton Cottage, Chapel Brampton, Northampton, had to pay £17 10s. instead of £15 for re-licensing his vehicle 8BBD, the licence of which expired on 31st March, 1965.

The new rate of duty is payable on any licence taken out on or after 7th April. Nevertheless instructions were given to the authorities concerned that any licence properly applied for before the announcement of the Budget increase could be issued at the old rate. I understand that the application which Mr. Wagstaff made by post was received on 8th April, and it bore a postmark of 5·15 p.m. 7th April. The new rate of duty was, therefore, payable.