asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the approximate number of old people who did not qualify for pensions of any kind in each year from 1951 to October, 1964.

Following is the reply:

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PERSONS OVER PENSIONABLE AGE (65 YEARS FOR MEN, 60 YEARS FOR WOMEN) AT 30TH JUNE IN EACH YEAR FROM 1951 TO 1964 WHO WERE NOT QUALIFIED FOR AND HAD NO POTENTIAL TITLE TO A RETIREMENT PENSION AND WERE NOT RECEIVING ANY WAR, INDUSTRIAL OR NATIONAL INSURANCE WIDOW'S PENSION, OR NON-CONTRIBUTORY OLD AGE PENSION:—
			Thousands
30th June, 1951	…	…	1,050
30th June, 1952	…	…	950
30th June, 1953	…	…	900
30th June, 1954	…	…	850
30th June, 1955	…	…	800
30th June, 1956	…	…	750
30th June, 1957	…	…	725
30th June, 1958	…	…	650
30th June, 1959	…	…	575
30th June, 1960	…	…	550
30th June, 1961	…	…	525
30th June, 1962	…	…	500
30th June, 1963	…	…	425
30th June, 1964	…	…	375

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what estimate she will make of the number of men and women incapacitated by industrial injury or industrial disease who do not receive benefit from the existing social security scheme.

I assume my hon. Friend has in mind industrial injuries and industrial diseases in the sense of the Industrial Injuries Acts. I am unaware of any claimants who are incapacitated by such causes and who are unable to qualify for the appropriate benefit under those Acts.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the number of men and women who receive only partial pensions under the existing social security schemes.

About 300,000 retirement pensioners, of whom over three-quarters are women, and about 35,000 widow beneficiaries are estimated to be receiving pensions or allowances awarded at less than the full rate.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what estimate the Government Actuary has made of the extra contribution which would be needed to cover those classes of old persons not now entitled to retire-men pensions.

The Government Actuary estimates that extra weekly contributions amounting to 10d. each for an employed man and his employer, with Exchequer supplement on the present basis, would be required to meet the current cost of paying retirement pensions at the standard rate to those old people not now entitled to them.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she is aware of the hardship to women whose husbands are permanently disabled, owing to the earnings limit of 50s.; and if she will amend the regulations to bring them into line with those governing the payment of widows' pensions.

This is a matter which will be carefully considered in the course of our review of the National Insurance Scheme. Legislation would be required to alter the present rule.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what weekly benefits a man would be entitled who joined the graduated pension scheme at the age of 25 years, whose average weekly earnings were £16 per week, and who retired at the age of 65 years.

On the assumption that he began to pay graduated contributions in April, 1961—when the graduated scheme began—and on the further assumption that both the flat-rate and graduated parts of the scheme remain unchanged until he retires, £6 2s. a week for a single man, made up of the current flat-rate pension of £4 plus £2 2s. graduated pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what conclusions she has reached from the special attention she has been giving to the problems arising from industrial chest diseases, in particular in the slate industry; and whether she will now take steps to ensure that, in the absence of conclusive evidence that death was not caused or materially accelerated by pneumoconiosis, industrial death benefit will be awarded automatically to widows of men who suffered from that disease and whose assessment for the purpose of disablement pension in life was 50 per cent. or more.

I am giving close attention to the question of industrial chest diseases in general but this is a complex and difficult issue on which it will take time to reach any conclusions.As the hon. Member will know from my letter of 23rd February his proposal would moan a fundamental change in the principles of the Industrial Injuries scheme and I cannot hold out any hope of a change of the nature suggested.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what criteria she will use in planning the new income guarantee scheme.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what estimate she will make of the number of men and women not now receiving retirement pensions who will benefit from the proposals for a minimum guarantee now under consideration.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale) and others today.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will seek to hold regular meetings with representatives of the Old Age Pensioners' Association.

Meetings are held with both the main pensioner organisations from time to time, and I have already seen both organisations this year. I shall be happy to see them again in the future as occasion arises, but I do not think there would be any advantage in adopting a more formal arrangement.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she is aware that there are no official leaflets explaining the entitlement of a divorced woman to set her husband's insurance contributions against an application for pension as laid down in the Insurance Act of 1957, and that this has caused hardship in individual cases such as that laid before her by the hon. Member for Inverness; and if she will authorise the publication of such leaflets.

I wrote to the hon. Member on 19th May about the individual case which he has in mind and explained that, in addition to the general information on the National Insurance position of divorced women which is contained in several of my Department's leaflets, I had already decided to issue a special leaflet on the subject. This new leaflet should be available to the public shortly.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will arrange for the National Assistance Board to pay the cost of television licences for all retirement pensioners getting National Assistance.

No. It is best to leave people receiving allowances from the Board to lay out the money as they choose.

asked the Minister of Health what evidence he has received of an increase or decrease in demand in the Birmingham area for prescriptions, following the abolition of prescription charges on 1st February, 1965.

The number of prescriptions dispensed by chemists in the Birmingham area during February and March this year was 182,000 more than in the corresponding months last year.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish a list of consultants receiving merit awards and the amount each receives; and if in future all new awards will be made public.

I am considering the position.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement following consideration of correspondence and advertisements for Vitasafe pills received by National Health Service patients whilst in hospital and now sent to him by the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford, together with the request that an investigation be made into the extent and nature of this practice.

asked the Minister of Health what correspondence he has received from Mr. Ernest Armitage, of Oak Street, Norwich, regarding advertising pamphlets for pills sent out by Vitasafe Plan (England), addressed to his son, a National Health Service patient; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

Mr. Armitage has suggested that National Health Service authorities may be supplying patients' addresses to the advertisers of Vitasafe pills. My right hon. Friend has carefully examined this and other correspondence sent to him, but he can find no evidence of any failure to respect the confidential nature of National Health Service records. He will be very ready to consider any further information provided which might have a bearing on this Question.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he is aware that in Bradford the tuberculosis incidence among immigrants is 17 to 30 times greater than amongst indigenous people; what are the main diseases from which immigrants suffer; what action he is taking to stop the spread of these diseases; and if he will make a statement; (2) if he is aware that in Birmingham and Wolverhampton the incidence of tuberculosis among Asian immigrants is 25 times greater than among indigenous people; if he will now arrange for stricter medical inspection of immigrants arriving in this country; and if he will make a statement.

Some local studies have revealed a high incidence of tuberculosis among immigrants particularly from Pakistan. National morbidity statistics do not distinguish between immigrants and other residents. On medical inspection of immigrants arriving in this country I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 20th May.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the recent report by a sub-committee of the British Medical Association, he will establish a comprehensive national service for the detection of cervical cancer.

A comprehensive service is already available in some areas and good progress is being made with plans to provide a service in other parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Health what is the ratio of dentists to population, respectively, in Heywood, Crampton, Royton, Milnrow, Wardle, Littleborough, and Whitworth; and how this compares with the national average.

The ratios of dentists providing general dental services to population in the towns named are:

Heywood	…	…	1	to	6,970
Crompton	…	…	1	to	13,970
Royton	…	…	1	to	5,180
Milnrow	…	…	1	to	8,420
Littleborough		…	1	to	10,800

There are no dentists providing general dental services in Wardle or Whitworth. People from all these towns also obtain treatment in neighbouring larger towns. The national average at 31st December, 1963, was one dentist to 4,450.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give the figures of cases of dysentery among schoolchildren calculated in January and September for the last 10 years and for the years 1930, 1935, and 1950; and to what cause he attributes the increase.

The following are the available figures of corrected notifications of dysentery in the age group 5 to 14 years for the first and third quarters of the years in question. The increase since 1950 may be due in part to increased prevalence of infection and in part to more thorough bacteriological investigation. The recent trend has been downward.

NOTIFICATIONS OF DYSENTERY FOR AGE GROUP 5–14 YEARS
Year		1st Quarter	3rd Quarter
1930	…	Not available	Not available
1935	…	Not available	Not available
1950	…	790	417
1955	…	5,305	1,332
1956	…	7,848	2,431
1957	…	5,678	907
1958	…	5,072	1,774
1959	…	4,979	1,476
1960	…	7,092	1,500
1961	…	2,586	879
1962	…	2,592	1,450
1963	…	4,016	1,827
1964	…	2,235	1,018
1965	…	2,289	—
		(provisional)

asked the Minister of Health why he is unable to provide an invalid vehicle for Mr. J. S. Harrison, of 16, Corondale Road, Weston-super-Mare.

Mr. Harrison is not sufficiently disabled to qualify for an invalid tricycle.

asked the Minister of Health how many invalid tricycles are being provided for persons resident within the County Borough of Bolton; and how many recommendations by a hospital consultant have been received in respect of persons resident in Bolton during the years 1962 to 1965.

There are 47 invalid tricycles on issue in the County Borough of Bolton; I regret that the other information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what was the average gross remuneration of qualified persons engaged in dentistry during each of the last three years.

The average gross remuneration, from the National Health Service, based on a sample, of principals providing general dental services was:

1962	…	…	…	…	£6,029
1963	…	…	…	…	£6,147
1964	…	…	…	…	£6,287

asked the Minister of Health, if he will institute an investigation into the effects on human health of the methods used to breed and fatten poultry in factory farms.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Maxwell) on 10th March. Until there is some indication that intensive methods as such have any important effect on the chemical composition, nutritive value or general properties of poultry, there is no basis for such an investigation.

asked the Minister of Health how many pay beds are allowed in the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary; and how many were being used at the latest available date.

There are no beds designated as pay beds at present at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital building projects costing more than £100,000 have been postponed since October 1964.

Of about 130 such schemes which Hospital Boards expected in October 1964 to start in 1965–66, 20 have been postponed for a variety of reasons.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths occurred from tuberculosis in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area in the years 1960 to 1964, respectively.

The figures are as follows:

DEATHS FROM ALL FORMS OF TUBERCULOSIS
(I.C.D.* Nos. 001–019)
Sheffield Regional Hospital Board Area
1960 to 1964
Year		1960	1961	1962	1963	1964
Deaths	…	308	277	288	240	226

asked the Minister of Health why two four-bedded wards in the private patients' unit at St. Luke's Hospital, Huddersfield, are not being used; and if he will give instructions that these eight beds be used for geriatric patients.

I am looking into the matter and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health if he will arrange for all notices at the St. Luke's Hospital, Huddersfield, showing the number of each ward, and the various departments, together with direction signs, to be displayed at right angles to the walls, and suspended from the corridor ceilings.

This is a matter for the hospital authority.

asked the Minister of Health for how long two four-bedded wards in the private patients' unit at St. Luke's Hospital, Huddersfield, have been unused.

Since February.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what are the total numbers of beds available to each regional hospital board for young chronic sick patients through contractual arrangements;(2) what are the total numbers of hospital beds available in young chronic sick units for each regional hospital board.

The information is as follows:

Regional Hospital Board	Contractual beds	Beds in Young Chronic Sick Units
Newcastle	25	11
Leeds	None	34
Sheffield	None	49
East Anglian	None	None
North West Metropolitan	32	26
North East Metropolitan	50	66
South East Metropolitan	37	13
South West Metropolitan	32	18
Wessex	16	None
Oxford	10	79
South Western	28	57
Birmingham	None	62
Manchester	None	None
Liverpool	None	None
Wales	None	19
TOTAL	230	434

asked the Minister of Health (1) to what extent recommendations for appointment to the United Liverpool Hospitals are made by the Board of the Faculty of Medicine of Liverpool University;(2) how many requests from the Faculty of Medicine of the Liverpool University Board for consultant appointments with the United Liverpool Hospitals have been accepted, and how many rejected, in the last 10 years; and how many of these appointments have been in clinical subjects.

The university makes recommendations where it is desired to combine whole-time clinical teaching with hospital work in the National Health Service. During the period 1955–1964 inclusive eight proposals of this kind in respect of consultant appointments were made, all of which were accepted.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent appointments of consultants to the United Liverpool Hospitals are subject to his approval.

Consultants are appointed by hospital boards on the recommendation of advisory appointments committees constituted in accordance with the National Health Service (Appointment of Specialists) Regulations, 1950 (as amended) of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. My right hon. Friend's approval is not required under these regulations.

asked the Minister of Health how many consultants have been appointed by the United Liverpool Hospitals and subsequently appointed to the university teaching staff in the last 10 years.

Since 1st January, 1955, the Board of Governors have appointed 55 consultants; I understand that all but about seven have subsequently been appointed to the University teaching staff.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the assessment and treatment of many young people brought before juvenile courts is severely handicapped by the lack of adequate residential adolescent units in mental hospitals; and what action he will take to expand existing facilities.

I am aware of the need to expand facilities for the treatment of mentally disturbed adolescents, and hospital authorities have been asked to do this.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons were on the waiting list requiring geriatric beds in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area at the latest available date.

1,760 (including those waiting for chronic sick beds) at 31st March, 1965.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men received training in Government training centres in the year ended October, 1964; and how many he expects to train in the course of the next year.

Figures are not available for the year ended October, 1964. In the year ended December, 1964, 4,410 persons completed training in Government Training Centres. It is estimated that some 7,000 should complete courses in the centres in the year ending December, 1965.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to introduce legislation to establish three weeks' minimum holiday per year with pay for all workers, apart from existing statutory holidays.

No. Holidays with pay are normally dealt with by collective bargaining and I do not think it would be appropriate to legislate as suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the shortage of building operatives, what steps he is taking to import labour from overseas to cope with the increased building targets promised, or otherwise deal with this problem.

The shortage is mainly amongst skilled workers. Up to 30th April, 1965, a total of 1,555 B vouchers and 683 A vouchers has been issued for skilled building workers from the Commonwealth. The Government has substantially increased the number of places for Building training in Government Training Centres and in the longer term the Construction Industry Training Board will be responsible for taking steps to ensure that the labour force in the industry is adequate for future needs.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the cost of housing the Engineering Industry Training Board at St. Martin's House, 140 Tottenham Court Road; and what steps he took, before acquiring this accommodation, to find less expensive headquarters premises in one of the large provincial towns.

I have not acquired premises for the Engineering Industry Training Board and the Industrial Training Act does not require me to approve the arrangements made by Industrial Training Boards for obtaining office accommodation. I understand, however, that the Engineering Board intends to house the bulk of its Headquarters staff outside Central London.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the minimum rate of pay for female laundry workers.

The statutory minimum time rate for female laundry workers aged 19 or over, proposed by the Laundry Wages Council and make effective from 2nd November, 1964, by wages regulation order, is 3s. Od. per hour or 126s. Od. per week of 42 hours.

asked the Minister of Labour what discussions he has had with representatives of immigrant groups on the subject of their access to apprenticeship and training schemes in various sectors of industry, both private and public; and what action he intends to take in this field.

None. The Commonwealth Immigrants Advisory Council reported recently that there was no evidence that immigrants with the necessary qualifications did not have equal opportunities of obtaining apprenticeships. So far as the Ministry of Labour's vocational training scheme is concerned, immigrants are accepted for training on the same basis as other persons.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he has for consultation with appropriate organisations on women's employment questions.

The Women's Consultative Committee which meets under the Chairmanship of my Parliamentary Secretary advises me on matters of employment policy affecting women. Although its members are appointed as individuals they cover a wide variety of interests. The Committee, which was recently reconstituted, has the following members:

• Miss W. Baddeley, J.P.
• Miss S. Barker
• Mrs. E. M. Braddock, J.P., M.P.
• Mrs. A. Cullen, J.P., M.P.
• Baroness Elliot of Harwood, D.B.E., LL.D., C.C.
• Miss C. M. Hall
• Mrs. M. Harris
• Miss D. Reader Harris
• Miss J. F. Jenkinson
• Miss A. C. Johnston, C.B.E.
• Miss A. Mitchell, M.B.E.
• Lady Morris, O.B.E.
• Mrs. M. Patterson
• Alderman Mrs. D. Rees, C.B.E., J.P.
• Miss B. N. Seear
• Miss V. I. Thompson
• Mrs. C. J. Tudhope, J.P., O.B.E.
• Dame Joan Vickers, D.B.E., M.P.
• Dame Irene Ward, D.B.E., J.P.. M.P.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the range of earnings in Remploy factories.

The range of earnings for disabled male employees in Remploy factories is from £8 10s. 0d. to £15 10s. 0d. per week. For disabled female employees the range is from £6 15s. 0d. to £8 5s. 0d. per week.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the average earnings in Remploy factories; and how they compare with national average earnings.

The latest figures available are for October, 1964. At that date, average weekly earnings of disabled employees in Remploy factories were £10 2s. 6d. for men and £7 5s. 0d. for women. These figures compare with averages for all manufacturing industries of £18 13s. 4d. for men and £8 18s. 11d. for women.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation to ensure that foreign students and other young persons from overseas who are employed in this country in bookshops and other places are not exploited.

All workers in bookshop are entitled to not less than the statutory remuneration, holidays and holiday pay laid down in the current Wages Regulation Order for the Retail Bookselling and Stationery Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that, in spite of the recent devaluation, the Argentine authorities are still refusing the remittance of dividends of small private investors to this country; and whether he will now make representations to the Argentine Government on this matter.

I am aware that the delays in the approval by the Argentine authorities of remittances of foreign currency payments, including dividends, of which I informed the hon. Gentleman on 1st March, have persisted.An Argentine Mission is at present visiting capitals of creditor countries and having discussions with financial institutions with a view to seeking relief for Argentina's foreign obligations. In this context the problem of remittances will be discussed and I do not think it would help at present to make separate formal representations to the Argentine Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now issue a passport to a child under 21 years of age if either the father or the mother so consent in writing.

No. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the detailed letter addressed to him on 29th April by my right hon. Friend, and my reply to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) on 5th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the British police officers now serving in Vietnam were sent there; and how much public money has been paid to them since.

Of the six Police Advisers now serving in Vietnam, one was employed on 1st October last year, four on 17th November and one on 19th March this year. The salaries paid to them since their employment amount to £6,130 and cost of living and ether allowances to £6,509, making a total of £12,639. The six men together constitute the British Advisory Mission; their sole task is to help in advisng the South Vietnamese Government on civil police work.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware that bricklayers within the London area who last October were offered 8s. an hour with a guaranteed 56-hour week, are now offered up to 12s. 6d. an hour with plenty of overtime and paid travel time, and that hod carriers are offered 8s. an hour; what effect these increases have had on the price of a three-bed-roomed council house; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no evidence to suggest that earnings of bricklayers have risen by over 50 per cent. since last October. Hourly earnings for all craftsmen in the London and South-Eastern Region rose by about 5 per cent. between June, 1964, and January, 1965, and I do not expect that the figures for the six months from January to June, 1965, will show a rise of the order suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many square feet of the second stage of the roof space scheme are planned for occupation by the Fees Office, and how many square feet for occupation by hon. Members.

About 1,700 and 3,400 square feet respectively.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why he will not list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the lunches, dinners and receptions which have been held by Ministers at public expense since 16th October, 1964, to the nearest convenient date, together with the Minister acting as host, the date, the cost, the number attending, the purpose of the entertainment, and the number of overseas buyers present.

The amount of effort necessary to answer the question in detail and with accuracy would not be justified.

asked the Postmaster-General how many complaints his Department has received during the last week of a shortage of penny stamps in post offices throughout the country; and to what extent these have been satisfied.

I regret that the information for which the right hon. Member asks is not available centrally. I hope that as a result of the action taken within the last few days most demands for these stamps will, for the present, be met, but while the unofficial action continues supplies remain uncertain.

asked the Postmaster-General how many penny stamps were available on sale at the Members' post office, House of Commons, at 9.45 a.m. on Wednesday, 19th May.

Over 500. The hon. Member mistook the three 1d. stamps in the clerk's book for the total stock. At no stage during the present unofficial action in supplies depots has the Members' post office been short of stamps.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish a table of the comparative cost in British currency of letter postage in the following countries, namely, Belgium, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of America.

The basic inland letter post rates expressed in British currency are as follows:—

Belgium	5·1d.	(0·7 oz.)
France	5·2d.	(0·7 oz.)
Holland	4·3d.	(0·7 oz.)
Germany (Federal Republic)	4·3d.	(0·7 oz.)
Italy	3·8d.	(0·7 oz.)
Sweden	6·6d.	(0·7 oz.)
Switzerland	3·9d.	(8·8 oz.)
United States of America	4·3d.	(1 oz.)

Since the size of the basic weight step in other countries is different from our own, the avoirdupois equivalent has been shown in brackets in each case.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will estimate the proportion of subscriber trunk dialling telephone calls which now fail to reach the number dialled at the first attempt; and to what causes he attributes the failures.

In addition to calls which reach the number dialled but where the subscriber is engaged or does not reply, about 7 per cent of STD call attempts fail because the caller makes a mistake in setting up his call; about 6–5 per cent. fail for technical reasons; and about 3–5 per cent. fail because of congestion in the network. Congestion occurs mainly because trunk traffic has grown extremely rapidly in the last two or three years. Many technical faults are due to the continuing use of old and obsolete equipment. A large capital programme is now underway to modernise and expand the system. Installation of new equipment must necessarily take some time before results can be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware that the dropping of flare bombs on the night of 18th–19th May over the constituency of Hemel Hempstead without prior warning caused alarm and annoyance; and whether he will investigate the occurrence and take steps to ensure the avoidance of further raids.

The exercise in question was part of the annual N.A.T.O. photographic reconnaissance competition known as "Royal Flush". A large number of potential targets on the Continent and in the United Kingdom were selected for use. We followed our standard practice of informing the local police in advance and a general Press notice was issued on 29th April.At a late stage a small number of targets in the United Kingdom was added and through an error not all local police forces were informed: one of these targets was at Cheddington. There was, therefore, no prior local warning and two aircraft photographed this target using photoflashes. I apologise for the disturbance thereby caused to people living in the locality.This form of exercise is an essential part of our operational training; and must continue. I can assure the hon. Member, however, that we are examining our procedures to ensure that we cause the minimum of disturbance and to see how we might provide more detailed advance information to people living in target areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are being made in the British forces in Libya.

Following discussions with the Libyan Government we have agreed to withdraw our troops from Tripoli, where the 1st Battalion, the Green Howards are at present stationed. With them will go one company of the battalion which has been on detachment with our troops in Cyrenaica. The move will begin later this year and will be completed by the end of March next year.The many calls on our forces elsewhere in the world make this a welcome re?

Range of income		Number of persons claiming allowances for
(£)		1 child	2 children	3 children	4 or more children
Not under	under		(to nearest hundred)
180	500	249,700	117,200	55,500	53,400
500	750	717,900	495,200	202,000	117,000
750	1,000	968,000	768,200	314,100	198,400
1,000	1,500	924,600	734,800	320,900	190,100
1,500	2,000	156,100	153,000	50,200	21,800
Over 2,000		119,000	123,400	58,800	24,100
TOTAL		3,135,400	2,391,900	1,001,500	604,700

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what publications are now sponsored by the Central Office of Information.

Central Film Library Catalogues and Worldwide Export Publicity Service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of the child allowance for Income Tax and Surtax, respectively, for 1965–66; and what would be the cost if the allowance were limited to the second and subsequent children in each family, or to the first three children in each family, respectively.

The answer to the first part of the Question is £500 million and £5 million, respectively, and to the second part £225 million and £2 million or £485 million and £4¾ million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons with annual incomes in each of the ranges £500 or less, £501 to £750, £751 to £1,000, £1,001 to £1,500, £1,501 to £2,000, and over £2,000 claimed child allowance in the latest year for which information is available and, in each income range, for how many children.

The figures in the table below relate to 1962–63. The apparent discrepancies between the totals and the sums of the components are due to rounding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many children aged 16 years or over Income Tax allowances were claimed in the latest year for which information is available.

451,200 for 1962–63.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the results of the special meeting of the International Whaling Commission held in London in May; and whether he will make a statement.

The Commission unanimously agreed to recommend to Governments that for next season the catch limit for baleen whales taken by factory ships engaged in pelagic whaling in the Antarctic should be reduced to 4,500 blue whale units; and that they should support further reductions for the 1966–67 and 1967–68 seasons which would ensure that by the latter season the limit will be reduced to a level which will enable the stocks to begin re-building. The countries concerned also agreed to meet in June before the next annual meeting of the Commission to discuss proposals for the allocation of quotas, and for the implementation of the International Observer Scheme.I regard these results as welcome evidence of the determination of the Commission to ensure that adequate measures, based on the scientific evidence, will be taken to ensure the effective conservation of the whale stocks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Committee investigating intensive farming methods is considering the addition of antibiotics to animal feedingstuffs and the effects of this on public health.

The addition of antibiotics to animal feedingstuffs is subject to control by regulations made under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1956. It comes within the scope of this Committee only as regards possible effects on the welfare of intensively kept farm animals.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the estimated value of the loss of aviation export orders con? sequent upon the cancellation of the TSR2, HS681, and P1154 projects.

I have no knowledge of any loss of export orders than can be attributed to these cancellations.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will now set up an advisory committee to recommend regulations to govern, into alia, the flight paths, altitudes and permitted hours of flight of both civil and military aircraft flying over land in Great Britain at supersonic speeds.

No. The relatively small number of such flights made overland by military aircraft are for research and development purposes and are carefully controlled and are authorised by my right hon. Friend or myself. As regards civil aircraft, it will be some years before supersonic flights occur, but we are, as the hon. Member knows, already giving considerable thought to this matter.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether, as a result of his visit to Short Brothers and Harland, he will now make a statement on the Government's plans for placing new aircraft construction work with the company and for diversifying the company's production in order to maintain employment in its factories.

My visit has left me in no doubt of the urgency of this problem. If it becomes possible to provide new aircraft work I will make an early statement. As regards diversifying the company's production, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State on 20th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will obtain from the Arts Council information as to how their 1964 grant for drama was apportioned between each theatre in the country, and what regard was paid, in making the grants, to the number of seats in each theatre.

In the financial year 1964–65 the Arts Council provided £537,500 for 56 theatre companies: this figure is subject to audit. Details will be published, as usual, in the Council's Annual Report in October. The Council take note of the sting capacity of a theatre as one factor in measuring the extent of its need for assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list the prizes for literature awarded by the Arts Council, together with their values.

I understand from the Arts Council that during 1965 it is intended to make the following awards:(1) £250 for the best book of original English verse by a living poet published during the period 1st July, 1962 to 30th June, 1965; and(2) £175 for the best first or second book of original English verse published during the same period.The Council also propose to give certain prizes for literature but the Council are not yet ready to announce details.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to attract suitably qualified immigrants into teaching posts or into training colleges to enable them to deploy their talents in short-staffed schools and particularly in areas where they could be of special assistance in helping to teach immigrants from their own countries of origin.

Immigrants who are eligible for qualified teacher status are already seeking teaching posts in large numbers, particularly in those areas where their own compatriots are concentrated. Unfortunately they are often handicapped, sometimes to a degree which renders them unsuitable for employment, through lack of knowledge of the teaching methods used in our schools or through an inadequate command of spoken English. I am considering what special arrangements could be made to help them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to help immigrants to improve their spoken English; and whether, as an experiment, he will consider establishing a language laboratory for this purpose in one area of dense immigrant settlement.

The advice foreshadowed in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 6th April will very shortly reach local education authorities. A number of colleges of further education already have a language laboratory, and it is for each college to decide whether this could be profitably used to help immigrants improve their spoken English. I know of one college which is to experiment on these lines next term.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to transfer administrative staffs to Darlington; and if he will make a statement.

I have approved proposals for the dispersal of Teachers Pensions and Salaries and Qualifications Branches from Canons Park, Middlesex, to Darlington. The move will not take place before 1968.The number of posts involved will be about 350, of which more than 100 will be for executive grades. The other staff will be mainly clerical, sub-clerical and typing grades. No staff from the administrative class is employed at Canons Park.I shall rely on local recruitment to assist in the staffing of the office, but in order to maintain continuity in the work of the branches it will be necessary to transfer a number of civil servants, particularly in the executive class.I am grateful for the ready welcome which Darlington County Borough Council has given to my proposals and for their offers of help to transferred officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the rates of student awards under the 1962 Awards Regulations and for students at colleges of education and university departments of education.

Yes. The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have received the report of the Standing Advisory Committee on Grants to Students. Their Report has been of great value in considering the levels of awards for the academic year beginning this September.The Secretary of State for Scotland and I intend that, as from 1st September, the standard value of awards shall be increased. I shall lay necessary regulations before the House in due course. Details of the increases are as follows:—The Standard Maintenance Allowances in awards for first degree and comparable courses will be increased to the following levels:—

	College, Hall, Hostel or Lodgings	Home
Oxford, Cambridge and London universities and further education establishments in the London area.	£370	£275
	per year	per year
Others	£340	£275
	per year	per year

The grant received by a recognised student in England and Wales resident in a college of education or approved lodgings, whose board and lodging is provided without payment by the college, will be increased to £156 per year. The grant for a college of education student in England and Wales, living in the parental home, or, in the case of a married woman, in her husband's home, will be increased to £295 a year; that of a college of education student living in a home which he himself maintains will be increased to £370 per year, or, in London, to £400 per year. In Scotland a college of education student will continue to receive the same award as a university student.The grant for students required to attend a university abroad will be increased to £370 per year, and this provision will be extended to cover students required to attend any establishment of further education abroad.The payments made in respect of periods outside the normal yearly attendance (25 weeks at Oxford and Cambridge universities, 30 weeks elsewhere) will be increased to 17s. 6d. per day for a student living away from home and to 10s. per day for a student living at home. These increased rates will apply equally to students who, on the recommendation of the academic authorities, undertake a course of vacation study under guidance. Where a student is reading Modern Languages and, on the recommendation of the academic authorities, undertakes a course of vacation study in the country whose language is the main language he is studying and lives with a family approved by the academic authorities, the payment made to him will be increased to 17s. 6d. per day.Allowances for dependants, etc., will be increased from their current values as follows:

	£
(a) For the spouse or other adult dependant, or in cases of particular hardship, the first dependent child	190
(b) For the first dependent child (except where covered by (a) above)	80
(c) For the second dependent child	60
(d) For each further dependent child	55
(e) "Two-Homes" grant	65
(f) Mature students
(i) for each year of age over 25	20
(ii) up to maximum of	100

Veterinary students will receive the £15 additional grant for necessary expenditure on instruments already received by medical students.The standard maintenance allowances include an element for travel within the United Kingdom for the purposes of attending university, establishment of further education or college of education, and for certain other necessary travel. This will be increased to £12 per year and a student may claim expenditure necessarily incurred above this sum. The element included in the standard maintenance allowances for books, instruments, stationery and other materials, will be increased to £35; the element included for maintenance during vacations will be increased to £35 (£27 for students at colleges of education).It is not proposed to alter the scale of parental contributions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been instituted in respect of faulty lighting of vehicles, divided if possible into different classes of vehicles, over a convenient number of years; and in how many cases the driver alone, the owners of the vehicle alone, or both, were prosecuted.

The numbers of prosecutions in England and Wales for lighting offences during the years 1960 to 1963 were as follows:

1960	…	…	…	…	47,377
1961	…	…	…	…	55,739
1962	…	…	…	…	62,938
1963	…	…	…	…	68,416

It would involve a disproportionate effort to provide particulars of the different classes of vehicles involved. The information requested in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Civil Defence Industrial Advisory Committee which he has recently set up does not include a local authority Civil Defence officer; and if he will rectify this omission.

The function of the Civil Defence Industrial Advisory Committee, which was appointed by my predecessor, is to advise on the development of home defence plans as they

INDICTABLE OFFENCES KNOWN TO THE POLICE
						Percentage variation
Offence group				1963	1964	1963–62	1964–63
Larceny	…	…	…	635,627	703,891	+ 8·0	+10·7
Breaking and entering	…	…	…	219,138	233,893	+ 14·0	+ 6·7
Receiving	…	…	…	17,777	17,662	+ 12·6	- 0·6
Frauds and false pretences	…	…	…	45,823	48,073	+ 3·8	+ 4·9
Sexual offences	…	…	…	20,518	19,901	+ 2·5	- 3·0
Violence against the person	…	…	…	20,083	23,469	+ 11·9	+ 16·9
Other offences	…	…	…	19,110	19,578	+ 8·1	+ 2·4
TOTAL	…	…	…	978,076	1,066,467	+ 9·1	+ 9·0

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the Noble Committee, considering research into the effects of television on the young.

I understand that the Committee has considered a number of possible research projects. It has, so far, sponsored one major project, which is now proceeding, and is about to undertake two other projects. It has also held two conferences of research workers and other persons concerned with the influence of television and has published a survey of previous research into the effects of mass communication. I am sending a copy of this survey to the hon. Member. The Committee plans further publications, including a statement in a few months' time on its plans for the future and on research priorities in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give figures showing the amount of crime in England and Wales in 1964 compared with 1963.

The following table gives the figures of indictable offences known to the police for 1963 and provisional figures for 1964, and shows the percentage variation between each of these years and the previous year:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the arrangements for granting visas to persons wishing to visit this country from the German Democratic Republic; and how many visa applications he has refused in the last five years.

Applications from East Germans for United Kingdom visas are made to the British Visa Officer in West Berlin, the visas being endorsed on temporary travel documents issued by the Allied Travel Office in West Berlin. I am considering means of expediting the grant of visas under this procedure to East Germans coming here on bona fide business visits.Sixty-four visa applications made to the Visa Officer in Berlin by East Germans have been refused during the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many compulsory purchase orders promoted by local authorities he has refused to confirm after appeal during each of the last five years to the most convenient date.

One, in 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to consult British Railways concerning the possibility of installing radio telephone sets in the drivers' cabs of trains operating in the Metropolitan Police area so that hooliganism and similar dangers to train services can be reported for prompt police action.

The policing of British Railways is primarily a matter for the British Transport police, who work closely with the Commissioner, and other chief officers of police, as necessary. My right hon. and learned Friend is accordingly bringing the hon. Member's suggestion to the notice of the Railways Board.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the size of the population of Crawley in the years 1970, 1975 and 1980, or any years convenient to his calculations, made in the course of his review of the South-East.

The town map submitted by West Sussex County Council estimates that the population will reach 70,000 by 1981. This implies that it would reach about 62,000 by 1970 and about 65,000 by 1975. The population has already almost reached 60,000 and the Departments' officials will shortly be discussing with the local authorities how far their estimates need to be revised.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many officers on the strength of her Department are now serving overseas on the staffs of ambassadors and high commissioners to help with the co-ordination of the aid effort; and how many of these have served in Her Majesty's Colonial Service.

There are at present eight officers seconded from my Department for duty in British High Commissions and Embassies, to help co-ordinate our overseas aid effort. One of these is an ex-H.M.O.C.S. officer. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on the 17th May, a considerable number of officers in the Diplomatic Service have a background of experience in Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service; some of these are dealing with aid matters in our posts overseas.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will now authorise the National Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to hire a Unival 1108 computer with an A.P.T. compiler.

The matter is still under consideration by my Department.

asked the Minister of Power how many employees of the electricity and gas boards and the National Coal Board receive expense allowances apart from their salaries.

This is a matter for the boards concerned.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what the average distance between coal depots will be, especially in rural areas;(2) how far the policy of rationalising and concentrating coal depots has proceeded; how many depots are currently under consideration for closure; and if he will make a statement.

These matters are within the province of British Railways and the coal trade. At the time of the Beeching Report there were about 4,000 coal depots. My right hon. Friend understands that over a thousand depots have since been closed by British Railways and replaced by over 200 concentration depots; and that the number of concentration depots may eventually be doubled. Each concentration scheme is considered locally by a committee representative of the railways, the National Coal Board and the distributive trade with a view to ensuring efficient distribution of solid fuels. Location will not be determined solely by distance between depots and it is not possible to forecast an average figure for this.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the improvement of the design of lifejackets for use in merchant ships and fishing vessels; and how many new designs will be forthcoming by the time the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea comes into force on 26th May, 1965.

The Board of Trade have developed a new design of lifejacket to meet the requirements of the Convention. This will be the standard lifejacket which may be produced by all manufacturers, to whom detailed specifications are being sent. In addition, the Board are prepared to approve other lifejackets which satisfactorily meet the Convention requirements. Up to now three designs submitted by particular manufacturers have been approved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the adoption in Great Britain of metric weights and measures.

The Government are impressed with the case which has been put to them by the representatives of industry for the wider use in British industry of the metric system of weights and measures. Countries using that system now take more than one-half of our exports; and the total proportion of world trade conducted in terms of metric units will no doubt continue to increase. Against that background the Government consider it desirable that British industries on a broadening front should adopt metric units, sector by sector, until that system can become in time the primary system of weights and measures for the country as a whole.One necessary condition for advances in this field will be the provision of metric standards, wherever possible internationally recognised, which will enable particular sectors of industry to work in metric units. The Government have therefore asked the British Standards Institution—and the Institution have agreed—to pay special attention to this work and to press on with it as speedily as possible. The Government will, of course, take this new commitment into account in determining the amount of future grants-in-aid to the Institution. We are also considering how we can best encourage the educational work to familiarise future school generations and students in technological establishments with working in terms of metric units.We shall also encourage the change to the metric system as and when this becomes practicable for particular industries, by seeking to arrange that tenders for procurement by the Government and other public authorities shall be in terms of metric specifications.Practical difficulties attending the change-over will, of course, mean that this process must be gradual; but the Government hope that within ten years the greater part of the country's industry will have effected the change. To this end they propose to establish a small standing joint committee of representatives of Government Departments and industry to facilitate the removal of obstacles and to keep under constant review the progress which is being achieved.The Government will keep in touch with Commonwealth Governments on this matter.

asked the Minister of Transport when work will start on the construction of a footbridge over the A.30 road at Yorktown School, Camberley.

All being well, by the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to start construction on the new route of the A.1 between Hatfield and Welwyn.

I hope to invite tenders for this work soon. The start of construction will depend on satisfactory progress with the letting of the contract.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether, although the A.1 at Stanborough, Hertfordshire, is to be rerouted in the next two years, he is aware that there is an increasing urgency to provide a temporary footbridge over the existing road as a result of the reopening of the swimming pool in the area and the considerable number of children who are now having to cross this dangerous stretch of road; and what action he will take;(2) what was the outcome of the meeting which took place recently between the local authorities, the police and the London Transport Board to consider the possibility of providing a footbridge over the A.1 trunk road at Stanborough, Welwyn Garden City.

Agreement has now been reached on a suitable site for a temporary footbridge and design is being considered.

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents in 1964 involved dogs, and whether he will initiate a campaign to persuade dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead when in the vicinity of roads.

Reports of dogs in the carriageway were recorded in respect of 533, or less than 1 per cent., of the fatal and serious accidents in 1964. Advice to keep dogs under control is already given in the Highway Code, and the Road Traffic Acts include powers enabling local authorities to make orders designating roads on which it is an offence for a dog to be without being held on a lead.Local authorities can make such orders without reference to me, and they have been told that I hope they will make increasing use of these powers.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now publish the results of the rural bus inquiries and experiments which were initiated in selected areas of Great Britain last year.

As I said on 28th April in reply to the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) the results will be published as soon as possible. Preparation and printing will take a little time, but they should be ready in seven or eight weeks.

asked the Minister of Transport following his inquiries into the Easter accident rate, what were the age groups of the drivers concerned in fatal and non-fatal accidents, respectively, during the period from Good Friday to Easter Monday, inclusive; how many accidents affected drivers in the age groups 17 to 25 years, 26 to 36 years, 37 to 50 years, and over 50 years; and what significance can be derived from the civilian occupations of the drivers concerned in the accidents.

The analysis of the provisional figures of fatal accidents over the Easter holiday period is not yet complete, but I hope to be able to make an announcement in the week preceding the Whitsuntide holiday.

asked the Minister of of Transport if, as a result of experiments already carried out by certain local authorities, he will organise a Dipped Headlights Campaign throughout the country as an experimental project, in odder to reduce accidents on the roads.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my Answer of 26th April to my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Ted Fletcher).I am considering what can be done before next winter to see that headlights are always used on unlit roads, and dipped headlights used in built-up areas unless the street lighting is good. These are the cardinal points about headlights in the Highway Code. If every driver will himself decide now to follow the Code, and not to flash his headlights at oncoming traffic, he will be helping to save lives straight away.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to ensure the removal of abandoned cars from public places; and whether he will seek powers to impose heavy penalties on those who abandon cars without cause.

In consultation with my Department the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in February issued a circular to local authorities giving guidance on the removal and disposal of old vehicles. I hope that this will be an effective contribution to an increasingly serious problem.There are already powers to impose penalties on those who abandon cars, both under the Litter Act 1958 and, if the car is abandoned on a highway, under Regulation 90 of the Construction and Use Regulations of 1963, which prohibits unnecessary obstruction of the highway. In these circumstances I do not think further powers are necessary at present.