asked the Minister of Technology what action his Department is taking to promote the study of automation in merchant ships.

The Department has encouraged the British Ship Research Association to undertake studies in the application of automation to ship operation and is giving special support to this work through the terms of its grant-in-aid to the Association.

asked the Minister of Technology what are his plans for the development and application of advanced technology in industry in the industrial area of Yorkshire.

As my right hon. Friend has said on several occasions he will take account of the special needs and opportunities presented by particular areas in formulating his proposals.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking to encourage the increased use of computers in the hospital service.

My right hon. Friend is in touch with the Minister of Health about this.

asked the Minister of Technology when he expects the study by the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations on factors affecting the status of engineers in society to be completed; and what will be the cost of this study to public funds.

The study should be completed by mid-September of this year. The cost to public funds is estimated at about £4,500.

asked the Minister of Technology, what steps he is taking to improve the status of engineers and technologists.

asked the Minister of Technology what conclusion he has reached regarding the need for more engineers and technologists; and how he anticipates this need may best be met.

Many more engineers and technologists of high quality are needed in industry and there is a clear national need for many more young people of first-class ability to be encouraged to work for these professions. Much work has already been done in this important field, for example that recorded in the Report of the Advisory Council for Scientific Policy for 1963/64. My Department is following up the many and various aspects of this matter, working in conjunction with the Committee on Manpower Resources for Science and Technology.

asked the Minister of Technology what specific programmes for technological advance he has so far prepared for those branches of industry for which he has assumed sponsorship.

asked the Minister of Technology what specific programmes for technological advance he has so far prepared for telecommunications.

I announced proposals for computers in March and for machine tools yesterday.Studies are still in progress on electronics and telecommunications.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the progress made by his Department in stimulating technological advances.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the progress being made by the branch of his Department concerned with the adoption and efficient use of new techniques, plant and machinery.

My Department is working on the whole range of tasks set out in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of 26th November last. As the right hon. and hon. Gentlemen know several measures have been announced and set in hand to achieve the purposes described in their Questions. The process is a continuing one and the more important specific measures will be announced at the appropriate time.

asked the Minister of Technology with what other Government Departments he is examining the factors affecting technological advance.

All Government Departments are concerned to a greater or lesser extent with the application of technology. My Department is in contact with them in the usual way as need arises.

asked the Minister of Technology what regional services his Department is maintaining for the furtherance of the practical application of research; and what is the cost of each.

asked the Minister of Technology how many industrial liaison officers he maintains in the colleges of technology and technical colleges; where they are located; and what is the total cost to the Exchequer.

The Ministry of Technology maintains offices in Scotland, Wales and the Northern Region. Accommodation is being prepared and staff are being recruited and trained for an additional five regional offices, in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham. Each regional office is supported by a number of industrial liaison centres based on university institutions and technical colleges. Twenty-nine industrial liaison officer appointments have been made. The following table gives detailed information:

COST OF REGIONAL SERVICES 1965–66
(a) Regional Offices
The annual cost of Ministry of Technology regional offices is as follows:
Scotland	…	…	£12,000
Wales	…	…	£9,000
Northern Region	…	…	£7,000

(

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the co-operative industrial research associations for which he is responsible, and the amount of financial aid each will receive in the current year from his Department.

Forty-eight industrial research associations are aided by the Ministry of Technology by grants which are estimated to be likely to amount to just over £3 million in the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Technology how many research associations are actively encouraging the use of computers in their respective industries; and how many have direct access to computers and are using them for their routine work.

There are 48 research associations. Seventeen are actively encouraging their industries to use computers. Eighteen have access to computers, either on their own premises or at a university or member firm. Fifteen use computers for their routine work.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the scope of his inquiry, in collaboration with other Government departments, on engineering standards practice.

The inquiry will embrace standards practice in other countries, the effect of legislation on standards practice and the extent to which greater standardisation, particularly in engineering, can assist our export trade.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the examination he is making jointly with other Government Departments on the use of public purchasing contracts.

I am examining, in consultation with the other Government Departments concerned, how the purchasing power of the Government can best be used to promote a policy of stimulating technological progress. I have also had a number of useful discussions with the Federation of British Industries.The proposals I have already announced in regard to the public purchases of computers and machine tools will be a useful move in this direction.

asked the Minister of Technology which industries and processes, other than the four industries for which he is sponsor, he has selected for technical and economic studies; and if he will make a statement on the progress of each.

My Department is at present studying the broad field of standardisation, testing and approval arrangements. Our intention is to find ways of improving standardisation procedures and in particular standards for export markets; to strengthen testing and evaluation services and to make greater use of our research stations and research associations to support these activities.We have in addition recently initiated a study of the scientific instrument industry, with special reference to industrial process instrumentation.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the current activities of the Industrial Operations Unit of his Department.

The Industrial Operations Unit studies the use of operational research and other new management techniques. It conducts short courses for senior administrators. I am sending the hon. Member copies of recent reports.

asked the Minister of Technology what arrangements the Computer Advisory Unit has made for liaison with the research associations in promoting the use of computers in industry.

The services of the Computer Advisory Unit are available to research associations and have been so used recently.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the projects outside nuclear energy currently under consideration for research and development by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

In addition to the programme on desalination which I announced on 27th April, I have directed the Authority to undertake work on the development of high-speed liquid centrifuges for use in medical and biological research. A direction will shortly be issued covering scientific research into the payload for the large astronomical satellite project of the European Space Research Organisation.Further projects are under discussion.

asked the Minister of Technology on what date the Treasury Support Unit was transferred to his Department; and how many civil servants are currently employed in it.

The Technical Support Unit was transferred to the Department on 1st April last. The present strength of the computer advisory staff, including the Technical Support Unit, is 29.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the progress being made by the branch of his Department concerned with the social impact of the adoption and efficient use of new techniques, plant and machinery.

This very important subject is carefully watched throughout my Department in the course of its work. It is not the responsibility of a single branch.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the official visits he has made to individual companies since his appointment as Minister.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the official visits he has made to industrial companies since his appointment as Minister of Technology.

The list is as follows:

• Ferranti, Ltd., Manchester and Hollinwood.
• Joseph Lucas Industries, Ltd., Birmingham.
• James Archdale Ltd., Worcester.
• H. W. Ward & Co. Ltd., Birmingham.
• Coventry Gauge & Tool Co. Ltd., Coventry.
• Alfred Herbert Ltd., Coventry.
• English Electric Co. Ltd., Stafford and Kidsgrove.
• Clarkson (Engineers) Ltd., Nuneaton.
• British Motor Corporation Ltd., Birmingham.

asked the Minister of Technology when he will make a statement on the future development of atomic energy establishments in Scotland.

The Atomic Energy Authority expects to make proposals later this year for the erection of a prototype fast breeder power station. When I have received these proposals the Government will consider whether the project should proceed and if so where it is to be sited.The present tasks of the Atomic Energy Authority's establishments at Dounreay and Chapelcross provide a full load of work for several years ahead.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue as a White Paper all documents relating to the problem of the balance of payments and other matters over the last five years.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the numerous series of statistics published on the balance of payments at regular intervals—in particular this year's White Paper on the National Income and Balance of Payments (Cmnd. 2629) which covers the last five years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he received the proposals from the staff side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council on the subject of the counting of unestablished service for pension purposes; what is the cause of the delay in reaching a decision; and whether he will make a statement.

The proposals which were sent to my right hon. Friend on 14th January required detailed examination. This is not yet finished. I have therefore no statement to make at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposal he is considering to improve Civil Service pensions; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government are considering proposals from the Staff Side of the National Whitley Council for the Civil Service about the reckoning of unestablished service before 14th June, 1949 for civil service pension and are reviewing the position of public service pensioners generally. I have no statement to make on either at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to make available the statistics of income from taxation and public expenditure in Scotland.

No: undue time and effort would be required for the production of those statistics which are not already published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the inequity of Stamp Duty payable on house purchase; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

None. No Stamp Duty is payable on the purchase of a house unless the price is over £4,500, and the duty is ½ per cent. of the price if the price is between £4,500 and £6,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the internal purchasing power of the £ sterling has fallen over the last 25 years; and by how much ordinary shares have appreciated during the same period.

The internal purchasing power of the £ sterling in 1964 was about 32 per cent. of its value in 1938. There is no official index of the price of ordinary shares and the indexes compiled by outside bodies give different figures. They suggest, however, that ordinary share prices in 1964 were about 4 to 4½ times their price in 1938.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the extent to which his new taxation, together with the £300 million insurance contributions, will be sufficient to finance the additional Government expenditure of 8·9 per cent. above last year; if he will give an assurance that he will reduce Government expenditure before imposing further taxation; and if he will make a statement.

The increased yields from taxation and National Insurance contributions will be more than enough to cover the increase in Supply expenditure and the increase in National Insurance benefits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in the wine and spirit trade duty has to be paid on withdrawal from bond after which the wines have to be treated, bottled and passed through the whole system of distribution before reaching the customer, with the result that the cost of the duty may have to be financed for six months or more before being paid by the customer; and whether, in view of the high cost involved, with duties and Bank Rate at their present level, he will arrange for some credit period for payment of duty to Her Majesty's Customs.

No; facilities are already available for the treatment and bottling of wines in bonded warehouse.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that he will not accept the French international financial plan, as it is basically anti-American, but will support the International Monetary Fund proposals of M. Schweitzer which are more flexible; if he will make Great Britain's position clear when he meets the French Finance Minister; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to have a useful exchange of views with the French Minister of Finance, but this could only be frustrated by taking up rigid positions in advance.The support of Her Majesty's Government for meeting the developing needs of the internationatl payments system through the Internationad Monetary Fund is well known.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what decision the Standing Commission on Museums and Art Galleries has made in relation to the claims of provincial art galleries for consideration in the allocation of works of art acquired by the State under the provisions of the Finance Act 1956 from the Spencer Churchill estate.

Agreement has been reached between the Government and the Executors of the estate of the late Captain Spencer-Churchill for the acceptance in part satisfaction of duty under Section 34 of the 1956 Finance Act of five paintings judged to be pre-eminent for their aesthetic merit or historical value. These are "Tanaquil" and "Marcia" by Beccafumi; "Portrait of a Notary in the Character of his Patron Saint" by Quentin Matsys; Portrait of Warren Hastings by Sir Joshua Reynolds; and the Artist's Own Portrait by Thomas Gainsborough. The cost to the National Land Fund after allowing for Estate Duty exemption is £150,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list those computers operating in Government establishments which are regularly manned 24 hours a day in order to provide a full operational service.

One computer is expected to come into operation on a 24-hour basis within the next few months. Normal working is up to 15 hours per day.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has considered the representations from the Birmingham City Council that he should take action to ensure that people suffering hardship, particularly the elderly, were given some relief from paying the full local authority rate; and what reply he has sent.

The council has been informed that its representations are being taken into account in the Government's examination of local government finance, which includes consideration of rate relief for people with low incomes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now announce his proposals for relieving the disproportionate rate burden placed on owner-occupiers.

As I informed the hon. Member on 11th May, the Government will announce their proposals after completing their examination of local government finance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that deep litter poultry houses shall not be subject to a rate assessment, in view of the fact that they are an integral part of an agricultural holding.

The whole question of the rating of agricultural land and buildings is being considered as part of the Government's examination of local government finance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what requests he has received from the local authorities concerned for help or advice in dealing with the problem of itinerant tinkers despoiling the countryside in south-west Middlesex; and what medical reports he has received, drawing attention to the danger to public health arising from the habits of these persons.

I have received no such requests, and no medical reports, though the Middlesex County Council supported the idea of a national survey. My predecessors and I have always made it clear to the local authorities concerned that they could best help to solve this problem by providing properly equipped and controlled sites for the itinerant families. None of the local authorities in south-west Middlesex have yet done this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the need for the borough of Haringey to clear large areas to make room for housing redevelopment within the borough, he will seek to convene an urgent meeting between the Greater London Council and the Essex and Hertfordshire county councils to bring to the point of decision the planning aspects of the Lea Valley.

My right hon. Friend does not think this is necessary. He is satisfied that the three local authorities appreciate the need to avoid delay.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent the regional areas of his Department differ from the areas of the regional planning boards; and what plans he has for correcting any discrepancies.

There are no differences between the regional areas of my Department and the areas of the regional planning boards. At present, my Department have regional offices in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. Two more, which will complete the series, will be opened within the next few weeks at Bristol and Nottingham.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will issue a circular to local authorities advising them to alter the practice of distinguishing between their employees with the terms of officer and servant, which indicated out-dated labour relationships.

My right hon. Friend does not think that a circular is called for. So far as he knows local authorities only use terms distinguishing between officers and servants for superannuation purposes. The distinction here is statutory and cannot be avoided.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when his review, in consultation with the local authority asociations, of housing subsidies will be completed; and whether the review will include the relationships between subsidies for flats and houses as such.

I hope to announce my conclusions later this summer. The review covers all existing subsidies, including the additional subsidy paid on high flats.

asked the Minister of Labour what facilities exist in his Department for studies of the present requirements of apprenticeship in industry; and what steps he has taken to effect a reduction in the length of apprenticeships in the light of the improved standard of education of present-day apprentices.

I look to the Industrial Training Boards to review the apprenticeship requirements of their industries. I shall expect the boards to fix the length of courses in the light of training needs. In the meantime, my Department is continuing to urge industry to consider reducing the length of apprenticeship, particularly for boys who have stayed at school beyond the minimum training age, and I am glad to say that a number have done so.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to make it compulsory for lorries over a specified length to carry reflector lights on their near-and off-sides.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, 1964, already require certain long vehicles and combinations of vehicles and trailers to carry lamps on their sides in specified positions.I will consider extending these regulations so as to require lights or reflectors on the sides of shorter vehicles when a Working Party of the Economic Council for Europe which is studying this problem has made its recommendations.

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of licensed road transport vehicles are operated by British Road Services; and what proportion of licensed road transport vehicles found to be defective in roadside spot-checks during 1964 were operated by British Road Services.

About 6 per cent. of A and B licensed vehicles and about 1 per cent. of all goods vehicles with a carrier's licence are operated by British Road Services. I am not able to answer the second part of the Question from the records available without a disproportionate amount of work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to limit or prohibit the export of live animals for slaughter.

It remains the Government's policy to limit the export from Great Britain of cattle, sheep and pigs for slaughter to countries which have given the welfare undertakings known as the Balfour Assurances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the regional areas of his Department differ from the areas of the regional planning boards; and what plans he has for correcting any discrepancies.

My Department's regional organisation is designed primarily for the administration of its responsibilities for food and agriculture and it takes account of the boundaries of the Government's regions for civil defence because of the Department's concern in this field. The Northern and South Western regions do, in fact, coincide with the economic planning regions. Elsewhere there are divergencies but arrangements have been made to facilitate liaison with the regional economic planning organisation and these are working satisfactorily. I am keeping the position under review.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, in view of the facts that the Index of Retail Prices has risen 4 per cent. in the last six months, despite the falling trend in import prices, and that average earnings of weekly-paid workers are 9 per cent. higher than a year ago, despite lower production trends, what new steps he is taking to stop inflation; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member on 3rd June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the maintenance grant for students at Oxford and Cambridge, London, and provincial universities in 1950, 1955, 1960, and the proposed grant for 1965, respectively; and if he will state the purchasing power in real terms these figures represent, taking 1950 as 100.

No satisfactory calculation on this basis is possible owing to the changing conditions for student grants over the period, including the change from discretionary to standard rates in 1960, alterations in the treatment of fees and periods of vacation, and the difference between the components of student expenditure and those taken into account in the retail prices index.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support has been given by the Medical Research Council into the method of detecting substances which may be carcinogenic by carrying out bio-assays.

The Council's wide programme of research on cancer includes the application of bio-assay and related techniques.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent the regional areas of his Department differ from the areas of the regional economic planning boards; and what plans he has for correcting any discrepancies.

The differences are as follows:

(a) The High Peak District of Derbyshire is included in the North West economic region, but in North Midland Division.

(b) Lincs Lindsey is included in the Yorks and Humberside economic region, but in North Midland Division.

(c) Dorset is included in the South West economic region, but in Southern Division.

(d) The Isles of Scilly are not included in the South West economic region, but are in South West Division.

These differences do not give rise to any difficulty, and I do not at present propose to make any changes in my Department's divisional areas.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources to what extent the regional areas of his Department differ from the areas of the regional economic planning boards; and what plans he has for correcting any discrepancies.

So far as my Department's activities are conducted geographically, it operates within the organisation of the region planning boards. The boundaries of the Forestry Commission's Conservancies in England do not coincide with those of the Regional Economic Planning Boards, but there is sufficient flexibility in the Forestry Commission's Regional structure to allow for adequate co-ordination.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the regional areas of his Department differ from the areas of the regional economic planning boards; and what plans he has for correcting any discrepancies.

In all areas where regional economic planning boards have so far been established Board of Trade regional boundaries now coincide, except in two particulars, with those of the planning regions.The exceptions are:(i) The Board of Trade Midland Region contains both the East and West Midland Planning Regions.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works to what extent the regional areas of his Department differ from the areas of the regional planning boards; and what plans he has for correcting any discrepancies.

I have written to my hon. Friend about this.