asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the conflicting advice given to industry and public bodies by fire insurance companies and fire service prevention officers, if he will consult the appropriate authorities with a view to adopting a uniform code of requirements and responsibility.

Requirements vary within different areas. The British Insurance Association, however, is taking steps to set up local fire prevention panels, on which the fire insurance companies, the fire services, and industry will be represented and where these matters can be discussed. My right hon. Friends and I welcome this advance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what direct financial assistance the Government will give to the Scottish Tourist Board during the current financial year.

My right hon. Friend hopes soon to reply to a request from the Scottish Tourist Board for a special grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been received by Glasgow Corporation from private landlords in Glasgow since January 1961 for a discretionary grant under which the landlord can obtain half the cost up to £400 for modernising a house or carrying out a conversion of a large house into flats.

I regret that the number of such applications cannot be identified, but during the four years 1961 to 1964 the corporation paid 19 discretionary improvement grants to private landlords.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if a start has now been made on the new development of the Glasgow Royal and Western infirmaries.

No. Work on the first phase of each of these projects is planned to start in 1968–69.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what account he is taking of rail facilities in connection with his plans for development of the eastern Border area.

The Borders Study naturally takes road and rail communications into account in relation to possible development in the Borders.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a statement on the building of a general hospital in the burgh of Rutherglen.

The Western Regional Hospital Board's survey of hospital services in the Glasgow area, to which my right hon. Friend referred in his reply of 10th March to my hon. Friend, has been completed, and the Board has invited comments from the interests concerned. The proposals, which in their present form include a general hospital in Rutherglen will not be submitted to my right hon. Friend until these consultations have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the plans for new hospitals, provision is to be made for consulting rooms for use by general practitioners in the surrounding areas.

Where the general practitioners in the vicinity wish to practice from accommodation at a proposed new hospital, and satisfactory arrangements can be agreed, the regional boards and my right hon. Friend will readily consider providing suitable accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet agreed to a mimium price scheme for fish in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 19th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what schemes for fishing harbour reconstruction and improvement he has under consideration at present.

Applications for grant from harbour authorities are under consideration in respect of the following fishery harbours—Anstruther, Carradale, Loch-Myer, Dunbar, Gourdon, Lerwick, Loch Bervie, Oban, Pittenweem, Scrabster and Wick, and a few other harbours where minor works are involved. In addition, there have been preliminary inquiries about possible schemes at a number of other harbours.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the effect of increased railway charges on the fishing industry in Scotland.

I have received no representations from the fishermen that increased charges by British Railways for the transport of fish have had any general effect on the fishing industry in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to take steps similar to those taken by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to lay additional duties on traffic wardens, with a view to releasing police officers for other duties.

Until very recently there has been only limited experience of traffic wardens in Scotland, but I have asked the Scottish Chief Constables Association for its views on this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he now expects to receive the report of the Halliday Committee on the present level of feu duties in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I expect to receive the report of this Committee, which is concerned with conveyancing legislation and practice, by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that increased land prices following development of the Scottish Highlands do not accrue wholly to the landowners.

The Bill to set up a Land Commission, which the Government propose to introduce as soon as possible, is intended to deal with this situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the recommendation of the Scottish Tourist Board that a chair of tourism should be established at a Scottish university for the tourist trade, so that the trade's present status might be improved to enable it to rank as an industry for tax purposes.

I have seen this interesting recommendation in the Scottish Tourist Board's recently published Annual Report. The tax position of those engaged in the tourist industry is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will enumerate the services provided free to farmers by his Department; and if he will give details of the cost in each of the last five years.

The services provided to farmers by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland or by grant-aided bodies are set out in full in the Department's Annual Report presented to Parliament, but I append a note of the cost over the last five years of the grant-aided research and advisory services which are the major free items.The Department itself carries out a variety of advisory and demonstrational activities in the interest of improving

STATEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES FOR SCOTLAND
Grants to Agricultural Colleges and Research Institutes in Scotland
						1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65
						£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Agricultural Colleges		…	…	…	…	866	871	963	997	1,082
Research Institutes	…	…	…	…	…	1,219	1,336	1,267	1,390	1,614
Note
These figures are inclusive of both maintenance and capital grants and in the case of the Colleges are based on an approximate division of expenditure between teaching and advisory functions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much compensation has been paid by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board in each of the last 10 years; and if he will give details of such payments.

The approximate amount of compensation paid in each of the last ten years was as follows:

					£
1955	…	…	…	…	56,000
1956	…	…	…	…	37,000
1957	…	…	…	…	108,000
1958	…	…	…	…	171,000
1959	…	…	…	…	160,000
1960	…	…	…	…	182,000
1961	…	…	…	…	62,000
1962	…	…	…	…	96,000
1963	…	…	…	…	97,000
1964	…	…	…	…	91,000
					£1,060,000

About two-thirds of the total related to acquisition or injurious affection of

SPECIAL RECRUITMENT SCHEME
	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955
(a) Number of applications for entry to Scheme	1,545	910	767	511	747
(b) Number admitted to Scheme	611	554	508	299	376
(c) Number completed teacher training	2	152	150	183	186

	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963
(a) Number of applications for entry to Scheme		No later figures available
(b) Number admitted to Scheme	283	623	545	636	674	624	669	935
(c) Number completed teacher training	219	300	299	299	398	448	470	504
Note
The figures in lines (b) and (c) are not comparable because of variations in the periods covered by awards made under the Scheme. These may vary in length from one term to as much as six years (one year of preliminary tuition, four years for an honours degree course at a university and one year for professional training at a college of education).
The number of current awards is 1,821.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been made in each year between 1951 and 1963 for admission to the Special Recruitment Scheme for Teachers; and how many of these have achieved certification.

Detailed information in the form requested is not available for the whole of the period mentioned, but the following table shows the main figures. It is encouraging to note that the Special Recruitment Scheme is playing an increasingly valuable part in supplementing the recruitment to the teaching profession from the normal sources of those who enter higher education straight from school.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the latest available figures for whatever period is suitable for traffic passing through Kinlochleven en route for Ballachulish and crossing the ferry at Ballachulish, respectively.

Interpretation of the figures is complicated by the traffic which begins or ends its journey at Kinlochleven and by the traffic south of the loch being divided between the Glencoe and Connel Ferry roads. Broadly, the trunk road census of 1961 showed that some 3,000 vehicles per day moved north and south, across or round Loch Leven, and that these were about equally divided between the ferry at Ballachulish and the road via Kinlochleven.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are for the improvement of the A.9 from Inverness to Edinburgh.

The provision of a motorway from Newbridge, near Edinburgh, to north of Bridge of Allan is the most important part of the improvements planned for A.9. Work on the first scheme, the Polmont and Falkirk bypass, is planned to start at the beginning of 1966 and both the section from the bypass eastwards to Newbridge and the Stirling Western bypass will be initiated by 1970. Major improvement schemes on the length of A.9 between Bridge of Allan and Perth are unlikely to take place before 1970 but, between Perth and Inverness several improvement schemes are planned in the next few years including the Tynatied Bridge scheme in Perthshire this year. Minor improvements of all sections of the road are also planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Skye District Council regarding the proposal of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company to operate a ferry on Sunday from 6th June; and what reply he has given them.

The Skye District Council asked me to intervene to prevent the com- pany from operating ferry services at Kyleakin on Sundays. I told them that I have no power to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that students being presented for the Scottish Certificate examination are expected to answer compulsory questions on Shakespeare and optional questions on others; if he will include the works of Robert Burns in this examination paper; and if he will make a statement.

Only in the higher grade paper has a question on Shakespeare been compulsory, and it has always included at least one optional question on Burns. The Ordinary grade paper, which has no compulsory questions, has normally included at least one question which can be answered on a knowledge of Burns alone. The examination is now the responsibility of the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board, and I have no doubt that the experienced teachers who will prepare the examination papers for the Board are well aware of the importance of Burns's poems in the education of Scottish children.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what conditions grants and loans are now being made available for the construction of fishing vessels.

The conditions on which grants are made for the construction of fishing vessels are stated in the White Fish Industry (Grants for Fishing Vessels and Engines) Scheme 1962, S.I. No. 1586, as amended by the White Fish Industry (Grants for Fishing Vessels and Engines) (Amendment) Scheme 1964, S.I. No. 321; and the Herring Industry (Grants for Fishing Vessels and Engines) Scheme 1962, S.I. No. 1616.The Herring Industry Board and the White Fish Authority are empowered under arrangements approved by the Ministers responsible for fisheries and by the Treasury to give loans towards the cost of construction of new fishing vessels. The principal conditions are that borrowers shall be British subjects or British companies and that they shall satisfy the Board, or the Authority, of their competency to operate such a vessel successfully and of the vessel's efficiency for the purpose in mind. Borrowers are required to find a deposit of at least 15 per cent. of the approved cost of the new vessel. The maximum amount of loan is 60 per cent. of the cost (or in the case of freezer-trawlers 50 per cent. of the cost) and together grant and loan assistance may not exceed 85 per cent. of the cost. The Board or the Authority require to have a first mortgage against the loan on the vessel. Borrowers must undertake to repay the loan by equal half yearly instalments over the period of the loan as well as to make half yearly payments of interest due on the sums outstanding. Full details of the conditions of loan assistance may be obtained from the Board and the Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the study of the diets and environment of young children in Glasgow and other areas, arising out of the reappearance of rickets in Glasgow.

A survey of the diets and environment of a sample of children up to one year old in the four cities, and Wigtownshire, Renfrewshire, Greenock and Paisley was begun this month with the co-operation of the medical officers of health concerned. It is to continue through May and June and is being carried out by health visitors who are completing a questionnaire for each child. The aim is to study infant feeding related to socio-economic background with special reference to the vitamin content of present day diets. Particular attention will be paid to the variations in different parts of Scotland, in an effort to establish whether alterations in dietary patterns are occurring on a national scale or are more localised.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average percentage of local authority spending on housing borne by rents, Exchequer subsidy, and rates subsidy, respectively.

Complete information is not available, but the Rating Review for 1964, published by the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants, gives the following average percentages for 88 councils which together build about 90 per cent. of all local authority houses in Scotland:

		per cent.
Rents	…	40
Exchequer Subsidies	…	28
Local Authority Contributions	…	31
Other Income	…	1

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he now has to give relief to ratepayers in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

A statement must await the completion of the Government's review of local government finance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates will be the general rise in rates in Scotland in 1965.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Reply given to the hon. Member for Galloway (Mr. Brewis) on 14th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he intends to close down the Land Drainage Plant section of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and to abolish all direct labour works, in view of the fact that the sole tenderers would be the Scottish Plant Contractors.

The centralised Drainage Machinery Service of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is being wound up because there are now adequate contracting services available in various parts of Scotland to meet the needs of farmers and landowners.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now announce the reconstitution of the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will now announce the names of the members of the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee, and indicate the Committee's terms of reference.

I am glad to say that the following persons have accepted invitations to serve on this Committee.

• Mr. C. Brownlie, Hamilton.
• Councillor W. Cameron, Lanarkshire.
• Councillor E. Clark, Glasgow.
• Mr. J. Clarke, Hamilton.
• Provost Mrs. J. M. Coutts, Kirkintilloch.
• Mr J. B. Cullingworth, Glasgow University.
• Mr. A. M. Donnet, Glasgow.
• Mr. N. Dunhill, Edinburgh.
• Mr. W. S. Gauldie, Dundee.
• Councillor J. Kay, Kirkcaldy.
• Mr. A. Laing, Musselburgh.
• Mr. A. J. Moir, Edinburgh.
• Councillor T. W. Moore, Dundee.
• Dr. J. Parker, Larkhall.
• Councillor Mrs. A. G. Thorburn, Tweedsmuir.
• The Rev. G. D. Wilkie, Edinburgh.

The remit of the Committee will be to advise the Secretary of State on any questions relating to housing in Scotland which he may refer to them; and at the Committee's first meeting my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State who is to be Chairman of the Committee will suggest a number of questions which require examination.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he is aware that on 19th May Parliamentary Questions to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were interrupted at Question No. 35 by Questions to the Lord President of the Council and to Mr. Attorney-General, and that this procedure frustrated answers to other Questions to the Minister of Agriculture; and if he will take steps to ensure that the Minister of Agriculture is given more time in future to answer Parliamentary Questions.

The arrangements last Wednesday were in accord with the new Roster which was introduced, by agreement, after Easter.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will seek to amend the Standing Orders and the practice of the House so that the Press may be given facilities for receiving division lists at the same time as the lists are provided for the OFFICIAL REPORT.

No.

asked the Minister without portfolio if he is aware that, in certain circumstances, foreigners living outside the jurisdiction of the English courts are entitled to legal aid to enable them to fight actions in this country; and if he will take steps to stop this.

The granting of legal aid, regardless of a person's nationality or residence, has been regarded as being in the interests of justice since long before our present legal aid scheme was authorised by the Legal Aid and Advice Act, 1949, and I should not be in favour of curtailing it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the average purchase price of the 1,213 prismatic binoculars and the 234 1/100 minute stop watches offered for sale, and the average prices obtained, at the auction sale at Wem, Shropshire, on 25th February 1965; why they were purchased; and why they were classified as surplus goods instead of being retained for further use or utilised by other Departments.

The binoculars, only 702 out of 1,102 of which were offered for sale since 400 were withdrawn, were bought during the war for general service use for about £8 each, and were disposed of because they were not serviceable and could not be repaired economically. The stop watches were bought during the war for use in schools, training establishments, trials and experimental establishments and by recruiting officers in aptitude tests, for about £4 10s. each, and were disposed of because they were not serviceable and their repair was not justified. It is not usual to give details of prices realised.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the Government Departments and public bodies which were sent shopping lists of surplus goods available before decisions were taken to prepare catalogues so as to offer them to the public at auction sales at Manchester on 2nd February, Bicester on 9th February, Wem, Shropshire on 25th February, and Rotherwas, Hereford on 4th March; and if he will place in the Library specimen copies of the shopping lists.

I cannot readily give a complete answer to the Question because of the many hundreds of items involved in these sales, but I will send my hon. Friend a number of examples. Specimen copies of the shopping lists cannot be placed in the Library since it is well established practice that inter-departmental communications are not disclosed outside official circles.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons have been employed by the naval repair shops at Sydenham in each of the past 10 years; and how many persons the Admiralty expect to find employment for in this establishment over the next two years.

The number of persons employed in the naval repair shops at Sydenham in each of the past 10 years were:

1956	…	…	…	712
1957	…	…	…	696
1958	…	…	…	681
1959	…	…	…	695
1960	…	…	…	713
1961	…	…	…	763
1962	…	…	…	804
1963	…	…	…	850
1964	…	…	…	909
1965	…	…	…	977

We expect this level of employment to be sustained and it may possibly be increased during the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that ex-Craftsman B. Holliday, 2299903, of Duddeston, Birmingham, was charged with failing to attend a muster parade in February, 1964, found guilty and sentenced to a punishment which led to his reduction to the ranks, and that this conviction was later quashed; why he was permitted to buy himself out of the Army before the punishment was erased from his record; and why his commanding officer has since declined to give him a reference, although he left the Army with an exemplary character.

I am aware of the facts of the case. As I have explained to my hon. Friend, Craftsman Holliday was reduced to the ranks because he was considered unsuitable to continue as a non-commissioned officer. A soldier is given a conduct grading and a testimonial on leaving the Army and there is no obligation upon his officers to provide any other reference.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what alterations or extensions are proposed for the military hospital at Catterick; and whether he will make a statement.

I am examining the problem of rebuilding the hospital in the light of likely future requirements and facilities in the Catterick area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops have been captured in Malaysia by the security forces; and how many of the security forces have been captured.

From the start of the Indonesian confrontation in April, 1963, up to 14th May this year, security forces have taken 638 prisoners. No members of the security forces have been captured.

asked the Minister of Transport if the figures of revenue from parking meters for the year ended 31st March, 1965, are now available.

Not yet.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is now ready to publish the results of the local rural bus inquiries.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer of 24th May to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Speir).

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the number of road accidents, in the latest convenient twelve-month period, in which damage only to vehicles has been reported, compared with the number of accidents involving injury.

I am afraid that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) how many miles of canals are controlled by the British Waterways Board;(2) over how many miles of canals controlled by the British Waterways Board the fishing rights have been leased to anglers or angling societies;(3) what is the total amount of rent paid by anglers and angling societies for fishing rights on canals controlled by the British Waterways Board;(4) what area of water is controlled by the British Waterways Board in reservoirs under its jurisdiction;(5) over what area of the waters in reservoirs under the jurisdiction of the British Waterways Board the fishing rights are leased to anglers or angling societies;(6) what is the total amount of rent paid by anglers and angling societies for fishing rights on reservoirs under the jurisdiction of the British Waterways Board.

The British Waterways Board controls approximately 2,000 miles of canal and river navigation, and 4,265 acres of reservoir at full capacity. The Board leases the fishing rights on 1,034 miles of canal and river navigation, at a total annual rental of £13,964, and on 1,594 acres of reservoir at full capacity, at a total annual rental of £5,397, to anglers or angling societies. The Board do not own the angling rights on most of the remaining waters.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will issue a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Waterways Board, to provide more facilities for angling in the canals and reservoirs under their control.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will announce his decision on the proposed withdrawals of passenger train services between Birmingham, New Street, and Redditch, and between Birmingham, New Street, and Worcester, which were the subject of the Transport Users' Consultative Committee inquiry held on 16th March.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 28th April. I have referred these proposals to the West Midland regional Economic Planning Council and Board for their advice on the planning implications if closure were to take place. I cannot therefore say at the moment when I shall be able to reach a decision.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will designate an area of the Metropolitan Police district for the use for an experimental period of the disc parking system.

Parking control in Greater London has since 1st April been the responsibility of the Greater London Council. In other parts of the Metropolitan Police District the local authorities have the power to initiate disc parking control after consultation with the Commissioner of Police.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list in order of priority those lengths of trunk roads referred to in Roads in England and Wales for the year ended 31st March, 1964, page 22, paragraph 67, which have the highest travel and accident loss assessment and indicate those which are to be dealt with in the present road programme ending in 1970, stating whether the proposed road scheme is to take the form of a new motorway or a dual-carriageway all-purpose Toad.

The twenty lengths of trunk road with the highest levels of travel and accident loss per mile are listed below together with the mileage of the length of road concerned and particulars of programmed schemes which will reduce the losses occurring at thirteen of the sites. Schemes in respect of the lengths numbered 2, 7, 9, 12 and 16 are under detailed consideration.Travel and accident loss is an indication of congestion under present conditions but is not in itself an adequate measure of relative priority for the selection of road schemes for the programme. Many other factors need to be taken into account, the more important of these being:—

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he is aware that the delays in the completion of the traffic survey on the A.25 are causing delay in decisions on the extension of the programmed section of the south orbital road and on major works on the A.25, and that this is causing concern among those anxious to improve the increasing congestion of traffic in these areas; and what steps he proposes to take to hasten action;(2) when he now expects the report on the survey of traffic on the A.25 to be completed, having on the 15th February

I still expect to receive a report in the course of next month. Decisions dependent on it relate mainly to major schemes for the longer term rather than to those in the current five year programme.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware of the review now taking place of the Society of British Aerospace Companies, Shell and British Petroleum, with a view to ending the Flying Club Loan Fund, consequent upon recent Government decisions in the field of light aviation; if he will provide alternative means of support; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware the sponsors are reviewing the future of the Private Flying Loan Fund, but I hope they will decide to continue it. I am sure this fund can continue to be of great value to private flying particularly now the Government has indicated its readiness to support the manufacture of a range of British light aircraft.

asked the Minister of Aviation how he intends to allocate the design study contracts which are to be placed in this country pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding for the joint development with France of two new military aircraft.

The British Aircraft Corporation has been selected as the main British contractor for both aircraft projects. Rolls-Royce will be the main British contractor for the engine of the fixed-wing strike trainer, and Bristol Siddeley engines for the engine of the variable geometry project. Work on both projects will be divided equally between the two countries. Exactly how it will be arranged remains to be considered by the two Governments and the main firms concerned.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proportion of the design and production work, respectively, of the two new military aircraft which are to be developed in co-operation with France is to be carried out in the United Kingdom.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him today on the same subject.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the anticipated life of the Viscount aircraft; and what provisions are being made for its replacement.

The Viscount is expected to continue in service for many years to come, depending on the mark of aircraft, its modification standard, and the environment in which it is operated. Replacement is the responsibility of the operators, and the British industry is offering the Trident and the BAC 1-11 for this purpose.

asked the Postmaster-General when telephones in Battle and the adjacent villages may expect to be equipped with subscriber trunk dialling.

My right hon. Friend plans to provide subscriber trunk dialling for subscribers in Battle and neighbouring exchanges about 1969.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce legislation to require all canners and packagers of foodstuffs to date stamp all tins and packages with the date of manufacture.

The Food Standards Committee examined this proposal in its recent comprehensive Report on Food Labelling but made no recommendation on it. A large number of representations about the Report have since been received, including some about date-marking. We are now studying all these representations with a view to formulating proposals for new food labelling regulations as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the results of the beef production experiment of cross breeding Charolais bulls with domestic herds.

An interim report on these trials in England and Wales was published in the Ministry's journal "Agriculture" last September. A further summary appeared in this month's issue; this covered all trials completed up to January this year, most of them under intensive feeding systems, and also surveys of calving experience and other matters. It will be some months before much further information is available, as trials under more extensive feeding systems are still in progress.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Hill Sheep Production Grant was included in the outturn of the 1964 and 1965 Agricultural Price Reviews, respectively.

The variable hill sheep subsidy, which was paid in some years and not in others, was not included in previous Annual Reviews, but this year we introduced a flat-rate subsidy, and the Review award allowed for the difference between the new rate of 18s. per eligible ewe and the average rate of 9s. 6d. over the last five years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his policy of controlling fowl pest in England and Wales by the voluntary use of dead vaccine.

The results of the policy of controlling sub-acute Newcastle disease by statutory measures and the use of dead vaccine have been very encouraging. The incidence of the disease has been considerably reduced. I have, therefore, decided that the present policy shall be continued. It is essential, however, if good control of the disease is to be maintained, for maximum use to be made of the vaccine and for the recommendations of the manufacturers to be followed. The policy will be kept under review, particularly in the light of progress made in research on Newcastle disease and on vaccines at the Central Veterinary Laboratory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider setting up an Export Council for Scotland.

No. Scottish interests are well represented on the British National Export Council and its area committees.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to enable him to calculate the extra cost to industry in Scotland of the additional petrol tax imposed last autumn.

I have put some work in hand as a result of which I hope it will be possible to provide a reasonable estimate of the incidence of this increase in duty on industry and commerce in Scotland, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as this is completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many experts the Treasury employs to examine objects on which exemption from death duties is claimed under Section 40 of the Finance Act, 1930, as amended by Section 48 of the Finance Act, 1950; from what museums or galleries these experts were drawn in 1963–64; and how many separate objects they examined in each of the two years.

The Treasury employs no experts solely for this purpose, but take advice from the national museums and galleries and elsewhere as occasion requires. In the two years 1963 and 1964 experts were drawn from the following museums and galleries.

• National Gallery.
• National Portrait Gallery.
• Tate Gallery.
• National Gallery for Scotland.
• British Museum.
• Victoria and Albert Museum.
• Royal Scottish Museum.
• National Museum of Wales.
• National Library of Scotland.

No record is available of the number of separate objects they examined in each of the two years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will now review public service pensions to enable them to keep their full purchasing power, instead of being eroded by the rising cost of living;(2) whether he will now bring past Service pensions, especially those of older pensioners, closer to the Service pension rates of those now retiring, in view of the rise in the cost of living and the recent increases in National Insurance benefit.

These and other proposals are being considered in the Government's review of public service pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will produce a table showing, in the last convenient 10-year period, how many prosecutions have been brought under Sections 35 and 36 of the Malicious Damage Act, 1861, Sections 32, 33 and 34 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861, and Sections 55 and 56 of the British Transport Commission Act, 1949, giving the figures separately for each section of each Act; how many convictions have been obtained; in how many cases under the earlier Acts offenders have been fined sums of less than £5 or more than £5; in how many cases under the earlier Acts have offenders been sentenced to terms of imprisonment for periods up to six months, for periods between six months and one year, for periods between one year and two years, and for periods over two years; and if he will give the lengths of the sentences in cases of imprisonment for more than two years.

The following table gives the available information about offences under the Malicious Damage Act, 1861 and the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861. I regret that I have no information about the amounts of the fines imposed or about offences under Sections 55 and 56 of the British Transport Commission Act, 1949.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he is satisfied, from the medical knowledge now available to him, that contraceptive tablets may be safely prescribed to patients in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a comparative assessment of the relative safety of contraceptive tablets as against pregnancy and childbirth risks to health.

The Committee on Safety of Drugs is at present investigating whether there is evidence of risk in the use of oral contraceptives. Any statement, including any comparison with the normal risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, must await the outcome of this investigation.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set up an inquiry into the need for establishing a national ambulance service, improving the status and conditions of the ambulance driver and rationalising the negotiating machinery through which the remuneration of ambulance drivers is negotiated; and if he will make a statement.

Under existing legislation the ambulance service is provided by local health authorities and the Greater London Council. The pay and conditions of ambulance crews are accordingly negotiated through the appropriate National Joint Council for local authority staffs. I propose to keep under review the arguments for and against a national ambulance service and I see no need for an inquiry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to reach a decision on the possibility of special grants being made to Oxford and Cambridge colleges through the University Grants Committee in lieu of rates.

The possibility of making special grants to the Oxford and Cambridge colleges is only one aspect of a complex problem. My right hon. Friend cannot say when the Government will be able to reach a decision on all the issues involved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government which local authorities have discontinued their home loan schemes; and why they have done this.

Out of some 1,200 local authorities who have operated home loan schemes in the past I have information that the following have discontinued their schemes, at any rate temporarily, in the past few months. The reasons given have been high interest rates and the need to take stock in view of the number of applications received. The results of the further inquiries I am making of all local housing authorities on this matter are not yet available.

County Borough Councils (6)
Burton-on-Trent.	Hastings.
Gateshead.	Huddersfield.
Gloucester.	Leeds.
Borough Councils (9)
Bridgwater.	Hertford.
Dover.	Leamington.
Eccles.	Sale.
Glossop.	Torquay.
	Wembley.
Urban District Councils (10)
Benfleet.	Exmouth.
Camborne-Redruth.	Mangotsfield.
Clevedon.	Normanton.
Crawley.	Trowbridge.
Dronfield.	Ware.
Rural District Councils (11)
Cheltenham.	Northwich.
Chesterfield.	Ringwood and Fordingbridge.
Clowne.
Clutton.	Spalding.
Dover.	Thornbury.
Luton.	Worthing.

asked the Minister of Labour when he will make the necessary Statutory Instrument to give effect to the provisions of Section 12 of the Industrial Training Act 1964.

The Industrial Tribunals (England and Wales) Regulations, 1965, were made on 11th May and similar Regulations for Scotland were made on 18th May. Both Statutory Instruments will come into operation on 31st May.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will now seek to amend the National Insurance Act in order to remove the disqualification from unemployment benefit to work people laid off from work as a result of industrial disputes in which they themselves take no part.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 24th May to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. William Yates) and to other hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many cases were dealt with by National Assistance Appeals Tribunals in the last three years; and in how many of these cases the appellant was successful.

The number of appeals dealt with in the last three years and the number in which the appellant was successful were:

Year		Number of of appeals	Number successful
1962	…	10,043	2,251
1963	…	10,018	2,418
1964	…	9,735	2,238
TOTALS	…	29,796	6,907

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the additions to be made to the delegation from the United Kingdom Parliament to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Yes. Additional substitutes from the Government Benches will be—the hon. Members forSwansea East (Mr. Neil McBride) andBarons Court (Mr. Ivor Richard).

asked the Minister of Power (1) what action is to be taken to make all costs for mining subsidence a charge on the Treasury; and if he will introduce legislation to provide that all reasonable precautions, including a raft foundation, shall be included in the construction of houses in all mining areas;(2) if he is aware that the Coal-Mining (Subsidence) Act, 1957, has not given full protection to those whose property has been affected by subsidence; whether he will introduce legislation to remedy this in the short term; and if, in preparing legislation, he will consult the National Coal Board and local authorities concerned.

The 1957 Act represented a broad compromise between surface and underground interests, made the National Coal Board responsible for all structural damage, looked after most cases of hardship, and provided incentives both for the Board and surface developers to minimise the incidence of damage caused by subsidence. My right hon. Friend will keep the working of the legislation under review, but he sees no sufficient reason at present for disturbing the settlement reached in 1957.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works to what extent the convenience of Members will be affected during the construction of the new building in Star Chamber Court.

The programme of work is being so arranged as to cause the minimum of disturbance to the House.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the extent of the shortage of plasterboard in Scotland; and what steps he is taking to improve the position.