asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he has considered the Seventh Report of the Estimates Committee on the Forestry Commission; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales and I have comprehensively reviewed the organisation of the Forestry Commission, taking account of the recommendations made by the Estimates Committee. We found ourselves in wide agreement with the Committee. We propose a number of changes which are set out in full in our Observations on the Report of the Committee, which are, I understand, being published today.Among other changes, we have decided that the Commission should be reconstituted so that in future four of the statutory Commissioners should be full-time members; and that there should be a functional reorganisation of the staff and work under these full-time members, with greater delegation from Headquarters.The Chairman of the Commission, Lord Waldegrave, is in full agreement with our proposals. To facilitate the reorganisation, he and also the other Commissioners have placed their offices at our disposal, and we are grateful to them.I should like to take this opportunity of paying tribute to Lord Waldegrave, to whose work the development of the Commission has owed a great deal. My right hon. Friends and I hope to be able to announce the names of his successor and of the other Commissioners very soon.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources when he expects the report from the Sub-Committee of the Natural Resources, Technical, Committee which is supplementing the work of the Zuckerman Committee.

This report on Land Use in Forestry and Agriculture is well advanced but no date can yet be given for its completion.The report will be made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, but it will of course be available to the Natural Resources Advisory Committee which has been set up under Sir Dudley Stamp and which has taken over the work of the Zuckerman Committee.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources how he proposes to evaluate conflicting considerations such as those of cheap and abundant water and amenity values for the purpose of reaching decisions about estuarial barrage schemes.

The evaluation of amenity and other social considerations, as against economic considerations, is a crucial question for contemporary society, and Sir Dudley Stamp's Committee have agreed at my request to study this. I shall be taking their advice into account when, in consultation with my colleagues concerned, I consider in due course the reports of the Water Resources Board on the feasibility of the Morecambe Bay and Solway Firth barrage schemes.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the continued rise in land prices; and what steps he is taking to protect the public interest in this matter pending legislation.

Over recent years very considerable profits have been made from rising land prices. Between 1959 and 1964, the cost of a site for a typical new house rose by at least 40 per cent. in the main "pressure areas" where the housing shortage is most acute. The rise in the London area and parts of the West Midlands is of course even greater. The only way to deal with this grave social problem is to introduce as soon as possible our legislation to establish a Land Commission.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will introduce legislation to enable local authorities to purchase land at lower prices for housing and education purposes.

I shall be introducing legislation to set up a Land Commission and to deal with the problem of land prices as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what are his plans for augmenting water resources by treating salt or brackish water.

Though desalination will not substantially contribute for some time, I intend to see that its potential for augmenting our water resources is fully investigated. As announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology on 27th April, the Atomic Energy Authority are embarking on a programme of research and development into methods of desalination. At the same time the Water Resources Board will be working on the problems associated with the distribution, and method and extent of use, of desalted water. Their work, and that of the Authority and others in this field, will be co-ordinated by a Committee which has been established for that purpose under the chairmanship of the Director of the Board.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what were the numbers and makes of pool cars available to members of the Government during March 1964 and March 1965, respectively.

In March 1964 out of a total fleet of 149 cars in London and 222 in the provinces, 34 cars were allocated to individual Ministers, and 10 were shared by Parliamentary Secretaries (and also Permanent Secretaries). The makes of car were Austin Princesses and Humber Pullmans, Super Snipes, and Hawks. In March 1965 the figures were 163, 218, 41, and 12, respectively.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware that the clocks in the various Committee Rooms and in public corridors in the House of Commons on Monday, 3rd May varied in the time indicated by as much as one minute; and what steps he is taking to have this rectified.

To the first part, No; to the second, the usual ones.

asked the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, how many measures are obtained from a five-gill bottle of whisky in each of the various bars under the control of her Committee.

32 measures are obtained from the bottle of whisky which contains 26⅔ fluid ounces.

asked the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, how many measures are obtained from a five-gill bottle of sherry in each of the various bars under the control of her Committee.

Sherry is bottled at six bottles to the gallon and is sold by the glass. As it is customary to pour, rather than measure the wine, the contents of the glass must vary slightly. On the average, 14 glasses to the bottle are obtained.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish the latest information on drugs which is being collected by the Dunlop Committee.

Information as first received by the Committee from doctors relates to suspected adverse reactions to drugs and without further investigation is not a reliable indicator of risk. Where the Committee considers it necessary to draw attention to any such risk they prepare a considered statement for issue; should such a statment recommend a warning to the public I would ensure that it was given the widest publicity.

asked the Minister of Health how many corporate bodies are included on the Opticians Register established under the Opticians Act 1958.

I understand from the General Optical Council, which has statutory responsibility for the Register, that the figure is 1,131.

asked the Minister of Health how many ophthalmic practices providing National Health Service facilities are operated by corporate bodies; and what proportion of the total number of such practices this figure represents.

2,499 and 36 per cent. of the establishments at which ophthalmic and dispensing opticians practice, at 31st December, 1964.

asked the Minister of Health what representation is provided for corporate bodies on the General Optical Council.

A person with an interest in a corporate body may be elected to the Council and the Companies Committee of the Council must include five persons appearing to the Council to represent the interests of corporate bodies.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to encourage those local authorities, which have not already done so, to authorise the fluoridation of their water supplies where this is necessary.

In January local health authorities were sent an up-to-date edition of my Department's booklet setting out the main facts on fluoridation. I am very anxious to see fluoridation extended, and I am considering how and when further encouragement can best be given.

asked the Minister of Health if he will instruct hospital management committees to set up joint consultative committees inside each hospital.

Hospital management committees are aware of the recommendation of the General Whitley Council that joint consultative committees should be set up in all hospitals of sufficient size, and I support the recommendation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an assurance that in all new hospital building now under construction in the Manchester area, adequate provision will be made for refrigeration units to be attached to the operating theatres.

Yes, where this is medically indicated.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that 70 per cent. of the maternity beds in Willesden were recently occupied by immigrant mothers; if he will give an assurance that adequate facilities were available for indigenous mothers; and if he will make a statement.

No, figures are not kept of the numbers of beds occupied by immigrant mothers. The admission arrangements seek to ensure that every mother who requires a maternity bed on medical or social grounds obtains one.

asked the Minister of Health how many hutted hospitals are still in use in England and Wales; and where they are located.

The term "hutted hospital" is commonly used to describe a hospital in which the accommodation is of a simple form of construction, though frequently in brick. The location of seventy such hospitals in England and Wales is shown below and there are about one hundred others in which a substantial part of the accommodation takes this form. The construction of many of these hospitals is such as will provide satisfactory accommodation for a number of years.

Ashington	Sidcup
Brandon
Durham	Chertsey
Gateshead	Horley
Hemlington	Hydestile
Hexham (2)
Newfield	Burford
Northallerton	Oxford
North Shields	Stoke Mandeville
Ormside
Sedgfield	Hayling Island
Threlkeld	Ringwood
	Salisbury (2)
Bubwith	Sherborne
Hull	Southampton
Mirfield	Weyhill
Ripon	Weymouth
Tadcaster
York	Liskeard
Grimsby	Birmingham
Immingham	Bromsgrove
Laceby	Malvern
Lincoln	Shrewsbury
Mansfield	Sutton Coldfield
Market Rasen
Nottingham	Manchester
Sheffield
	Aberbargoed
Abbots Langley	Barry
Ashford, Middlesex.	Bryncethin
Bedford	Chepstow (2)
	Haverfordwest
Brentwood	Llangefni
Ware	Morriston
	Penley
Dartford (2)	Pontygwaith
Maidstone	Rhydlafar
Orpington	Ystrad Mynach

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will initiate in the United Nations a proposal to end the River Jordan water dispute on the lines of the irrigation works which solved the Indus problem between India and Pakistan.

I do not think any useful purpose would be served by Her Majesty's Government taking an initiative of this kind at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what official approaches have now been made for restoring diplomatic relations between the Republic of Somalia and Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

No official approaches have been made by either Government. For our part, we are prepared to resume relations without preconditions whenever the Somali Government are ready to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Mr. Heinz Homburg has been officially invited by the White Fish Authority to attend this country for lectures; and whether he will ensure that this man is granted the necessary travel documents.

I understand that Mr. Homburg has not been officially invited by the White Fish Authority to this country. The issuing of temporary travel documents is the responsibility of the Allied Travel Office in Berlin and it would not be proper for me to anticipate their decision in any particular case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Dr. Klaus Gysi was refused a travel document to attend the International Book Fair in London; and whether he will give an assurance that no person will be refused entry into Great Britain because of the objections of the West German Government.

It is contrary to practice to disclose the reasons why a temporary travel document is refused by the Allied Travel Office in Berlin in any particular case. With regard to the second part of the question, the issue of travel documents to East Germans by the Allied Travel Office is governed by rules agreed by all the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Allies, and a document would not be refused simply as a result of objections by any one member Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to seek an exchange of ambassadors between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China.

When my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade was in Peking in November, 1964, he told the Chinese that we wanted this exchange to be made, but the Chinese are still opposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further action he has taken to bring assistance to Mr. Gerald Brooke, held prisoner by the Russians on no stated grounds; and whether he will make a statement.

In response to representations from Her Majesty's Government the Soviet authorities permitted Her Majesty's Consul in Moscow to visit Mr. Brooke on 7th May. The Consul learned that the formal indictment against Mr. Brooke had not yet been formulated but the interview confirmed that the allegations against Mr. Brooke related to involvement in subversive activities. Mr. Brooke indicated that, since the preliminary investigation was still in progress the question of legal defence had not arisen. If this stage is reached Her Majesty's Consul will do what she can to advise and assist Mr. Brooke in making arrangements for his defence. She has also arranged to send reading matter and toilet articles to the Soviet authorities for transmission to him. The House may be assured that Her Majesty's Government will continue to do everything they properly can to assist Mr. Brooke.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that, in considering any request for assistance under the South-East Asia Treaty, he will have regard to the extent to which the government to be assisted is upholding the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law, and is strengthening its free institutions in accordance with the Preamble and Article III of the Treaty.

Any request for assistance under the Manila Treaty would, of course, have to be considered in the light of the provisions of the Treaty and of the circumstances prevailing at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement about the safety of British subjects in the Dominican Republic.

There have been no reports of any casualties among the British community in the Dominican Republic. All British subjects who wished to leave have been evacuated. The airport was opened on 5th May and any further evacuation can be by air. Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires reported yesterday that about 60 had left.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will invite the signatories of the 1923 Protocol to the Geneva Convention on the use of noxious gases to a conference in London in order to secure the full implementation of the Protocol, in view of the use of gas by Egyptian forces in the Yemen, contrary to international conventions.

No. I do not believe this would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assurances he gave to the Finance Ministers of the six European Economic Community nations to secure their agreement to co-operate with the International Monetary Fund to meet Great Britain's demand for a further £500 million loan; if he will publish the plans of Her Majesty's Government submitted to the International Monetary Fund, giving details of the British Government's objectives and figures, and the calendar for their achievement; when he expects these proposals will make Great Britain solvent; what other measures he has promised the foreign Finance Ministers he will take; and if he will make a statement.

I have not been in touch with the Finance Ministers of the Six E.E.C. nations. In the course of our approach to the I.M.F., and as participants in the General Arrangements to Borrow upon which the I.M.F. is likely to call in order to raise some of the necessary currencies we have had full discussions with the I.M.F. and with the members of the G.A.B. Following previous practice these discussions have covered the Government's economic policies as announced to the House in the Budget statement and subsequently; and we have reiterated our aim to get most of the way towards closing the balance of payments gap this year and to complete the process in the course of 1966, as well as our readiness to modify the measures announced, one way or another, should the need arise. It would be contrary to the normal practice to publish details of these exchanges. I have promised no other specific measures to anybody.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect of the export rebate scheme over the last few months.

No quantitative estimate can be made. I would expect that the rebate has already had an encouraging effect on our export trade, but that the full effect has not yet been felt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total expenses under Schedule E allowed by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the Income Tax years 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, and 1962–63 was attributable to the upkeep of yachts and the rents of fishing rights or grouse moors.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total amount of Income Tax relief in the last convenient period allowed in respect of mortgage repayments.

About £125 million for 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total amount of Income Tax relief in the last convenient period allowed in respect of resident house-keepers employed by widows or widowers.

About £3½ million for 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many hire-purchase finance companies are operating tax-free loan schemes; and what loss to the revenue he anticipates these schemes will cause in the last and current financial years, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make available to hon. Members on demand at the Vote Office copies of the latest edition of Erskine May.

No. This is a matter in the first place for the House authorities, but I understand that copies are available for reference in the Library.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give an assurance that all the alternative arrangements contained in the order to close the Dumfries-Stranraer railway line will be fulfilled before the closure of the line.

The responsibility for complying with the conditions of consent to closure rests with the Railways Board. I understand that they are completing the relevant arrangements and I am confident that in this case, as in previous closures, the conditions will be strictly fulfilled.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give an assurance that all the conditions laid down by his predecessor, when giving his consent to the closure of the Stranraer—Dumfries railway, are being complied with.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. Monro).

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state the names of the highway authorities within the jurisdiction of the Divisional Road Engineer, Birmingham; what staff, technical and clerical, respectively, are contained in this office; whether he is aware that authorities throughout the Midlands are complaining of the delays in this office in dealing with urgent traffic problems; and if he will take action to divide the area, increase the staff, and generally to relax the detailed control of unimportant matters to highway authorities.

The area of the Divisional Road Engineer, Birmingham, comprises the highway authorities listed below.The Divisional Road Engineer has under his control a complement of 26 professional and technical staff and 27 executive, clerical and similar grades. The main difficulty at present is shortage of technical staff. Steps are being taken to increase numbers where necessary and possible. The areas covered by our Divisional Road Engineers are kept under review, as is the division of responsibility between the Divisional Road Engineers and the highway authorities. I see no need to make any change in these two respects at present. I have no evidence of widespread complaint about delays in this office, but I am having the position checked.The following is the information:—

County Councils
Herefordshire.	Warwickshire.
Shropshire.	Worcestershire.
Staffordshire.
County Borough Councils
Birmingham.	Stoke on Trent.
Burton-upon-Trent.	Walsall.
Coventry.	West Bromwich.
Dudley.	Wolverhampton.
Smethwick.	Worcester.
Solihull.

Borough Councils
Bewdley.	Oldbury.
Bilston.	Oswestry.
Bishop's Castle.	Rowley Regis.
Bridgnorth.	Rugby.
Droitwich.	Shrewsbury.
Evesham.	Stafford.
Halesowen.	Straford-upon-Avon.
Hereford.
Kidderminster.	Stourbridge.
Leamington Spa.	Sutton Coldleld.
Leominster.	Tamworth.
Lichfield.	Tipton.
Ludlow.	Warwick.
Newcastle-under-Lyme.	Wednesbury.
	Wenlock.
Nuneaton.
Urban District Councils
Aldridge.	Malvern.
Amblecote.	Market Drayton.
Bedworth.	Newport.
Biddulph.	Oakengates.
Brierley Hill.	Redditch.
Bromsgrove.	Ross-on-Wye.
Bromyard.	Rugeley.
Brownhills.	Sedgley.
Cannock.	Stone.
Church Stretton.	Stourport-on-Severn.
Coseley.
Dalaston.	Tettenhall.
Dawley.	Uttoxeter.
Ellesmere.	Wednesfield.
Kenilworth.	Wellington.
Kidsgrove.	Wem.
Kington.	Whitechurch.
Ledbury.	Willenhall.
Leek.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the failure of central barriers on the M.1 and elsewhere, he will now arrange for the use of rosa multiflora Japonica bushes to prevent accidents on the motorways; and if he will make a statement of the progress made so far in relation to central barriers.

The Road Research Laboratory is experimentiing with the shrub, but the standard central reservation is not wide enough to accommodate an adequate thickness to act as a crash barrier. Experiments with the use of shrubs as anti-dazzle barriers are at present taking place on M.2. Present evidence on the value of barriers on central reservations is inconclusive, but it seems possible that at certain levels of traffic flow they contribute to more accidents than they prevent. Experiments are therefore continuing.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of the M.1 motorway are now without cat's-eyes between the lanes; whether parts of other motorways are similarly unprovided; whether he is aware that the absence of cat's-eyes from such places substantially increases the danger and difficulty of using motorways in fog and after dark; and what steps he is taking to ensure that all motorways are fully equipped with cat's-eyes between lanes throughout their length.

It is standard practice to provide these reflecting road studs as part of the lane markings on all motorways. It has been necessary to remove them from parts of M.1 during the reconstruction work now in progress, and at present about 8½ miles of carriageway are without studs, but they will be replaced as soon as reconstruction is complete. Meanwhile I have arranged for temporary lane markings in reflectorised paint to be laid wherever possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is now taking to secure the co-operation of local authorities in providing orders for industrialised building through council building projects.

In a circular of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy I have set out a number of means by which I expect to secure more industrialised building by local housing authorities. More than one in five of all dwellings started in the first quarter of this year by local authorities and new town corporations are being built by industrialised methods.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what was the average floor area per house of houses built by local authorities in each of the years from 1959;(2) what was the average cost per house of houses built by local authorities in each of the years from 1959.

The average floor area and tender price of three-bedroomed houses in tenders approved in England and Wales in each year was:

Year			Average floor area per house including out-buildings	Average tender price
			sq. feet	£
1959	…	…	897	1,515
1960	…	…	897	1,611
1961	…	…	898	1,786
1962	…	…	907	1,967
1963	…	…	917	2,129
1964	…	…	920	2,303

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consultations he had, and when, with the Whaley Bridge Urban District Council, the Chapel-en-le-Frith Rural District Council, and the Glossop Borough Council, respectively, before he made his recommendations to the Local Government Commission with regard to the South-Eastern Lancashire Special Review Area.

The three councils were consulted in December, 1963, and again in January, 1965, on the application by the Local Government Commission for extension of the Special Review Area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage of key personnel in units serving overseas.

We are not at present considering any further steps beyond the call-out of the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve announced on 14th April. The deployment of our Regular manpower resources is continually adjusted to meet changing circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is to be the future of the Royal Air Force station, Chigwell.

Apart from the accommodation at present occupied by No. 2324 (Chigwell) Air Training Corps Squadron, the station, which is in the Metropolitan Green Belt, is to be offered for sale for agricultural use. There are two former owners, one of whom, who previously owned the greater part of the land, is interested in repurchase and we shall open negotiations with him as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the present level of recruiting is sufficient to meet present military commitments; and if he will make a statement.

Recruiting is only one factor; wastage and re-engagement also play their part in determining the strength of the Forces at any particular time. Our commitments are being met, despite shortages in particular categories.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware of the disparity in overseas engagements between members of the various services; and what steps he is taking to provide for parity.

Separation of families is a problem which affects all three Services, and in particular, it has always been an inevitable condition of life in the Navy. For practical reasons we cannot ensure identical treatment between the three Services, or even within each Service, but our aim and our interest is to make the arrangements as fair as our resources allow.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what salaries are being paid to members and officials of the Sports Council.

The members of the Sports Council are unpaid but the Deputy Chairman also advises the Department on a part-time basis and for this receives a salary of £2,800 p.a. The Council is serviced by officers of the Department. The Director, who has been seconded from the Central Council of Physical Recreation, receives a salary of £3,725 a year for full-time services; the Deputy-Director seconded for part-time service from Birmingham University has a salary of £1,760 p.a. from the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the fact that in the Urban District of Whitworth only 13 per cent. of children considered were allocated grammar school places, if he is satisfied that the educational facilities available are adequate to provide full opportunities for these children; what information he has on the reasons for the disparity; and what action he proposes to take.

I have no reason to believe that educational facilities available to children of Whitworth are inadequate in any way which would affect the results of the 11 plus. It is unfortunately quite usual for the proportion of children qualifying for a grammar school place to vary from one area to another inside a single local education authority. Action for the future lies in the implementation of the Government's policy to reorganise secondary education on comprehensive lines and the Lancashire Education Authority is already considering how best to achieve this in the County.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what projects in the minor works allocation of the Brighton Education Department programme are taking precedence over the provision of adequate accommodation at Queen's Park Secondary School; and what is the cost of such projects.

I understand that the projects to be included in the current minor works programme are still under consideration by the authority, but maintenance to the value of £18,000 is to be carried out at Queen's Park School.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when action will be taken to improve the accommodation conditions at Queen's Park Secondary School, Brighton.

I understand that the Brighton authority is making some improvements to the school but the date of replacement of the present buildings depends on the capital resources available when future school building programmes are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make available to the public the report of Her Majesty's Inspector in regard to Queen's Park Secondary School, Brighton.

No. These reports are confidential documents.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to how many and which museums and galleries he made official visits between 15th October, 1964 and 6th May, 1965.

On Wednesday, 21st October, my predecessor paid an official visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum on the occasion of the Anglo-Netherlands exhibition "The Orange and the Rose". On Thursday, 1st April, I also paid an official visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum on the occasion of the Czechoslovak exhibition of Bohemian Glass.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs into which category of exceptions to Her Majesty's Government's Incomes Policy, as outlined in paragraph 15 in the White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy, the increase in salary announced by the British Overseas Airways Corporation on 2nd May, 1965, which averages 8 per cent. for 1,000 of its administrative staff, comes.

I have been asked to reply.This settlement was in an advanced stage of negotiation before the publication of the White Paper. I understand that its effect is to keep the salaries of the employees concerned in line with those paid for comparable work elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people at present imprisoned, have been in prison for a continuous period of over 10 years; how many of them are serving determinate sentences; and how many are serving sentences of life imprisonment.

I gave this information, as at 8th December, 1964, in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Curran) on 14th December. I am having the information brought up to date and will inform the hon. Member if there has been any change.

asked the Minister of Labour how many firms were prosecuted for failure to report factory accidents in each of the years 1959–64, inclusive.

The same statistical code number is used to classify the three offences of failure to notify accidents, dangerous occurrences and cases of industrial disease. Separate figures for each offence are not available.The number of firms prosecuted for all three offences in the years 1959–64 were:

1959	…	…	…	38
1960	…	…	…	72
1961	…	…	…	78
1962	…	…	…	65
1963	…	…	…	72
1964	…	…	…	219

The increase in the 1964 figure (only now available) is partly due to prosecutions undertaken as a result of the April, 1964, Survey on Reporting Standards.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the fact that British artistes, such as Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, the Zombies, the Animals, and Freddie and the Dreamers, have been refused admission to the United States of America or issued only with H(ii) visas, he will restrict work permits to American singers and groups to work in this country.

I do not contemplate any change in our present arrangements. Permits for foreign variety artistes to accept professional engagements in this country are issued in consultation with the industry, which is guided by a Control Agreement of the Variety and Allied Entertainment Council of Great Britain. This Council represents both sides of the industry and the Agreement approved by them and reviewed as recently as August, 1963, contains the conditions under which foreign artistes may be employed here. Groups consisting exclusively of instrumentalists are subject to reciprocal exchange arrangements. Permits are issued after consultation with the Musicians Union.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs into which category of exceptions to Her Majesty's Government's Incomes Policy, as outlined in paragraph 15 of the White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy, the increase in salary announced on 15th April for 120,000 postmen, which represents increases of 5·4 per cent. from January, 1964, 4·2 per cent. from January, 1965, and 3·6 per cent. from January, 1966, comes.

I have been asked to reply.The increases in 1964 and 1965 fall under Category (iv) of that paragraph. The increase in 1966 is in line with the general policy.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will reply to a letter sent to him last month by the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire proposing that a rural newspaper delivery charge should be introduced to assist people living in country districts; and if he will make a statement before 17th May.

I have today replied to the hon. Member's letter. I shall be answering on 12th May further Questions on the newspaper post which the hon. Member and other hon. Members have down.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he proposes to take to counteract interference by Irish television broadcasts with the reception of British Broadcasting Corporation and independent television services in certain parts of North Wales.

No cases of interference from this source have been referred either to my Department, or to the broadcasting authorities, but if the hon. Member would care to let me have details I will gladly have them investigated.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to eliminate delays in obtaining telephone calls between Belfast and London; and whether he will make a statement.

I am sorry that these delays have arisen between Belfast and London. Twenty-four circuits have been provided in the last six months and more circuits are being added as quickly as possible to keep pace with the rising traffic.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone exchanges in Northern Ireland are understaffed.

None. All exchanges in Northern Ireland are fully staffed to give a good service under average traffic conditions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will now take steps to provide relief for elderly widows whose husbands died uninsured.

National Assistance on standards which have recently been substantially improved is, of course, already available for such widows; as the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Government are now working on their plans for an income guarantee scheme.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will arrange that old-age pensioners have coal allowances all the year round, so that they may have what warmth they need in summer and build up small reserves of coal for winter.

The standard scale rates of assistance include provision for normal fuel requirements throughout the year. The Board is prepared to make special fuel allowances even in summer in the exceptional case when there is a current need for extra fuel.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will state the nature of the machinery of liaison between his own and other Departments on matters of joint interest to Wales and adjoining regions of England.

Close liaison is ensured by the use of the normal processes of interdepartmental consultation and the new regional planning machinery.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the number of rooms per 1,000 inhabitants provided by houses built during each of the years from 1957 to 1963, inclusive, in Scotland;(2) what was the average number of rooms in houses built during each of the years from 1957 to 1963, inclusive, in Scotland.

I regret that I have no information about the number of occupants of houses built in these years. The following table gives the best available particulars of numbers of rooms:

			Average Number of Rooms per House
			Public Authorities and Housing Associations (Tenders approved)	Private Owners (Houses started)
1957	…	…	3·2	4·0
1958	…	…	3·2	4·0
1959	…	…	3·1	4·0
1960	…	…	3·0	4·0
1961	…	…	3·1	4·1
1962	…	…	3·1	4·1
1963	…	…	3·0	4·1

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities there are in Scotland for the making, repairing and fitting of artificial limbs; where these facilities are situated; what is the average period between the measurement for and the fitting of such limbs; and what is the average time taken for repairs.

Artificial limbs are made by private manufacturers who are in contract with the Health Ministers; there are two factories in Scotland, at Irvine (for arms) and at Dundee (for legs); most of the component parts are made in England.The fitting of artificial limbs and running repairs are carried out at centres attached to the hospital service in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.The average periods between the measurement and the final fitting are 13 and 11 weeks for arms and legs respectively. The average time for major repairs is eight weeks for arms and six weeks for legs but during these periods the patient has a duplicate limb available. Running repairs may be done without delay.