asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the fact that many people in the area surrounding Manchester depend to a large degree on that city for their entertainment, he will, in his study of traffic in conurbations, make an examination of the possibility of building an underground tube service for the area.

The transportation study now being planned for the South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire conurbation is designed to assist the development of a comprehensive transport system for the conurbation. The study will examine all forms of transport that might contribute to such a system.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he intends to introduce a test for all driving instructors.

Full-time instructors can take a test for inclusion in our Register of Approved Driving Instructors, and many have already done so. This scheme is at present voluntary. Legislation would be required before it could be made compulsory.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce regulations so that no learner driver, while under instruction, can carry passengers.

No. We do not consider that this would be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will seek to make farm tractors subject to road tests when used on the public highway.

We will bear this possibility in mind, but we think it more important to concentrate our present efforts on extending the requirement of annual testing to heavy goods vehicles that make regular use of the roads.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he will set up machinery to deal with claims for refunds of driving licence test fees paid by those who are prevented by illness, accident, bereavement or other similar causes from giving notice of cancellation more than 72 hours before their driving test is due;(2) what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing the machinery necessary to handle applications for refund of driving licence test fees paid by those who are prevented by illness, accident, bereavement or other similar causes from giving notice of cancellation more than 72 hours before their driving test is due.

Section 25(2)(b) of the Road Traffic Act, 1962, limits my right hon. Friend's powers of refunding the fee to a candidate who has cancelled his test to those cases where he gives a stipulated period of notice (set in the subsequent Regulations at three clear working days). It does not permit a refund to be made in cases of hardship; an amendment to allow this was negatived.Legislation would, therefore, be required to alter the present arrangements, which have prevented the waste of at least 80,000 test periods. The organisation required to deal with claims for refund of fees in special cases would cost at least £20,000 a year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now give instructions that when notice of cancellation of a driving test has been received more than 24 hours before the test is due the whole of the fee, less administrative and postal charges and less a charge sufficient to cover any net loss of revenue as a result of booked test periods not being taken up by other candidates, shall be refunded.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to his two Questions earlier today.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he has taken during the last two months to improve transport facilities by road, rail and sea, respectively, between Aberdeen and the Midlands and south of Great Britain.

The improvement of transport facilities by rail and sea is a matter for the operators. Communications by road between Aberdeen and the areas mentioned have benefited from continuing improvements to the national road network. In particular, the Darlington bypass on A.1 was opened on 14th May.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to extend the legislation permitting rate-aided concessionary fares to old-age pensioners on municipal transport services to include cases where the local authority is the principal shareholder in a company-run transport undertaking.

No. The arrangements for rate-aided travel concessions on municipal buses were not extended to company undertakings for the reasons which were explained during the passage of the Travel Concessions Act, 1964.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration he has given to the preparation of regulations to make it mandatory for all vehicles whether commercial or private to have fitted warning systems which indicate the correct function of both side, tail and brake stop lights; and if he will make a statement.

I will ask the Working Party set up to revise the vehicle lighting regulations to consider whether it is desirable to require any classes of vehicles to be fitted with some such system, but I doubt whether we could justify requiring private cars to be so equipped.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects Lord Hinton's Report on the Integration of Transport to be published.

As I made clear at the time I announced Lord Hinton's appointment in February, any report aris? ing from his studies will be made in the form of a statement by me to Parliament. Since he has not yet completed his assignment I cannot yet say when I shall be ready to make such a statement.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the average delay between application for a driving test and the date of the test in Scotland as a whole, and in East Lothian in particular.

Nearly thirteen weeks, both in East Lothian and, on average, throughout Scotland.

asked the Minister of Transport why the driving-licence authority situated at 84, Uxbridge Road, Ealing, took three weeks to issue a licence, the application for which was received by that office on 5th May; and what steps are being taken to speed up these issues so as to allow the public to use vehicles otherwise licensed.

The office referred to is controlled by the Greater London Council. The delay, which has generally been less than three weeks, is regretted. I understand that there was an acute shortage of experienced staff when the Council assumed responsibility for this work in April. This is now being overcome and it is hoped that the delay will be substantially reduced in the near future.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps are taken to carry out regular anti-corrosion inspection of metal bridges carrying trunk roads or crossing them; and, following the recent accidents at Clapham Junction, what steps he proposes to take to increase these inspections.

Bridges for whose maintenance the British Railways Board are responsible receive regular inspections in accordance with the Board's standard code of practice. Other bridges carrying or crossing trunk roads are inspected and maintained by agent authorities on my behalf or on behalf of my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the potential 7,000 road deaths this year, he will take steps to further accident research during a period of intense public response; and if, towards that end, he will introduce a publicised Safe Day when, for 24 hours throughout Great Britain maximum speeds in built-up areas would become 20 miles per hour and elsewhere not more than 40 miles per hour compelling all road users to become intensely accident conscious for a limited period, whilst at the same time the effects of a speed reduction would enable researchers to relate all these matters more effectively.

Research into the causes and prevention of accidents has been intensified in recent years. It seems unlikely that measures of the kind proposed would be very effective in producing either generally safer driving or material for research; information about road behaviour under such abnormal controls would be of little use as a guide to means of preventing accidents in everyday circumstances.

asked the Minister of Transport what application Devon General Bus Company has made to the Western Area Traffic Commissioners to cut certain bus services.

Since the beginning of this year, the company has applied to reduce twenty-two services, mainly on Sundays. Of the nineteen cases in which authority was granted, six involved withdrawal of all Sunday services and two withdrawal during the winter only; in the remaining eleven cases the frequency was reduced. The Traffic Commissioners have refused two applications, one for withdrawal and the other for reduced frequency. The remaining application, for the curtailment of a journey, has not yet been decided.

asked the Minister of Transport how many of the 51,000 prohibition notices issued as a result of roadside and garage spot checks during 1964 were total prohibition notices.

51,627 prohibition notices were issued of which 11,178 were immediate.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now seek to require that a certificate shall be produced before a driving licence is granted to ensure that the applicant has a satisfactory standard of vision and is not suffering from any defects, such as tunnel vision, which are dangerous when driving.

Research is going on into the relationship between defective eyesight and liability to accidents. Until I know the outcome of this it would be premature to propose legislation on the lines suggested.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will amend the road direction signs on the M.6 motorway at the junction with the A.49 so that they indicate a convenient exit leading to Bolton and Leigh.

It has recently been agreed that Bolton and Leigh should be added to the signs on the northbound carriageway of M.6 at the Win-wick Link junction with A.49. The necessary modifications to the signs will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date construction of the section of the M.4 motorway which is to pass Swindon will be started; and on what date it will be completed.

Until the statutory procedures are complete I cannot say when construction will begin, but it is unlikely to start before 1967. The work will probably take between two and three years to complete.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements have been made for the holding of a traffic count at or near Kelvedon Hatch, Essex.

I understand that the Essex County Council intends to carry out an automatic traffic count next month.

asked the Minister of Transport what increase has taken place in the price of land for road construction over the last 15 years.

The increase which has taken place in the average compensation paid for rural land, including buildings, acquired for road construction as between the periods 1948–53 and 1963–65 is approximately 170 per cent. in the case of urban land and buildings the increase is approximately 570 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport what further proposals he has to improve road communications in the South-West.

The current road programme provides over £12 million for major trunk road schemes and about £5 million in grants towards classified road schemes in the Region over the next five years.My longer term plans include the completion of the M.5 motorway to East Brent in Somerset and studies are in hand on the case for a new road designed to a high standard to replace the A.38 trunk road between East Brent and Exeter. In addition, it is my aim to complete the improvement of A.38 between Exeter and Plymouth wholly to dual carriageway standard with bypasses where necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to state the results of the discussions between his Department's consultants and those of the Humber Bridge Board, following the recent meeting of the members of the Bridge Board and himself.

I agreed at the meeting to consider the Board's proposals for a road network incorporating a Humber bridge along with the views of the local authorities concerned and of the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Economic Planning Council. I am anxious to get this matter settled as quickly as possible and am pressing on with these consultations. I will announce my conclusions when they are completed.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give instructions that in future in all official statements emanating from his Department the description double road should be used in place of dual-carriageway.

No. The term dual-carriageway has been in common use for many years. Its meaning is well known. The use of the term double road could cause confusion.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration he has given to the parking scheme now being operated by the Cheltenham local authority; and if he will agree to the extension of this scheme to other areas.

My Department hopes to discuss the working of this scheme with the Borough of Cheltenham when it has been in operation long enough for a judgment to be formed. Proposals for similar schemes elsewhere are a matter for the local authorities concerned. For my part, I would consider each on its merits.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has now come to a decision following the experiments requiring traffic to give way to the right at roundabouts.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Brentford and Chiswick (Mr. Dudley Smith) on 10th March.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now settled the line of the London-Crawley motorway as it affects the site of the former Croydon Airport; and when construction work will begin.

I cannot settle the line until I have published a draft Scheme and considered objections. I hope that the draft Scheme will be published before the end of the year and that it may be possible to begin construction by 1969–70.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will make a special trunk road survey grant to the Norfolk County Council, in connection with the A.47 by-pass of Dereham, which grant was applied for in October, 1964.

Arrangements for the survey will be made when I can find a place for the scheme in my trunk road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects work to start on the Church Road Scheme at Downham Market.

The start of work depends on satisfactory progress with land acquisition. I am at present considering an objection to the draft compulsory purchase order.

ask the Minister of Transport what length of motorway is required to qualify for the installation of emergency telephones.

Twenty miles. But I have the present policy under review.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has received from the Railways Board to withdraw passenger services from Forfar Station; and what decision he has taken.

None. Any future proposal will be dealt with in accordance with the general policy set out in my right hon. Friend's statements of 4th November and 31st March.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will, in the national interest, give a general direction to the Railways Board requiring them to negotiate special reduced rates for the carriage of exports between the factory and port of despatch overseas.

No. But the British Railways Board through their special Export Express Service are already making a valuable contribution in the export field.

asked the Minister of Transport what applications have been made to him by British Railways for the expansion of road haulage services at goods depots; and what action he has taken.

The Railways Board are not at present expanding their road haulage fleet: but I have just received, and am considering, their proposals for modernising it with some 5,500 new vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation that will ensure that private industry will get freight service at reasonable rates when the railway has withdrawn and the only alternative is road transport.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport what action is being taken to expand the acivities of the United Kingdom Railway Advisory Service with a view to examining means of increasing exports in railway equipment of various types to underdeveloped countries and elsewhere.

Consideration is at present being given to the future organisation and rôle of this Service, but I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the British Railways Board have withdrawn concessionary fares for students and young people visiting Great Britain under the auspices of the Educational Interchange Council and similar organisations; and whether he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Board to cease this discrimination against young foreign visitors.

The provision or withdrawal of concessionary railway fares is a matter for the British Railways Board. A general direction from me would not be appropriate. I understand from the Board, however, that, in their concessions, they do not discriminate against foreign visitors.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board to suspend all proposals for the disposal of their assets until the production of a comprehensive plan for the integration and co-ordination of all forms of transport.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of dissatisfaction with the accuracy of the statistical evidence submitted by the Railways Board to the area Transport Users' Consultative Committee relating to the proposal to end passenger train services between Peterborough, Market Harborough and Rugby; and whether he will arrange for an independent investigation to inquire into the form of presentation and relevance of the financial and other figures supplied by the Board to assist consultative committees in reporting on the hardship arising from proposed closures.

I have had three letters about this including one from the hon. Member.I understand that, by error, the figure of revenue given to the T.U.C.C. was £116,000 instead of £61,000; the figure for expenses was correctly given as £258,000.An independent investigation of the kind asked for was carried out, at my predecessor's request, by Sir William Carrington in 1963. In his report, a copy of which is in the Library, he found that the bases used by the Board for compiling the financial information "are well founded and sound in principle". I see no reason for a further investigation.

asked the Postmaster-General how much has been paid out of public funds over the last four weeks to make good the surcharge on letters sent to him by post inadequately stamped.

Nothing has been paid out of public funds; but I estimate that if the underpaid mail sent to me during the past four weeks had been surcharged Post Office revenue would have been about £10 greater.

asked the Postmaster-General how much the Post Office spent in the last year in advertising designed to recruit staff; and how much the Post Office spent in advertising designed to recruit staff to the overseas telegraph operators grade.

About £700,000 and £30,000, respectively. The figures are for the financial year ended 31st March, 1965.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now announce his proposals for the fourth television channel.

AGRICULTURE (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT, 1963
GRANTS TO INDIVIDUAL CO-OPERATIVE BODIES UNDER SECTIONS 6 AND 9
Section of Act	Purpose of Grant	Number of Grants approved under Act
6. Grants towards construction of certain buildings used by farmers' machinery syndicates	Erection or extension of buildings for grain drying and storage	4*
9. Grants for promotion of efficient marketing (Market Development Scheme)	Formation of local producers' marketing organisations	9
	Promotion of business efficiency in existing local producers' marketing businesses	6†
	Promotion of efficient marketing by local producers' marketing businesses through market research or operation of local marketing arrangements	42‡
*11 grants for the same purposes were previously approved under Annual Appropriation Acts.
† 3 grants for the same purposes were previously approved under Annual Appropriation Acts.
‡ 2 grants for the same purposes were previously approved under Annual Appropriation Acts.

I regret that I am unable to publish a list of individual recipients of grants as it is not our policy to make public information relating to individual producers' co-operatives.

As I said during the debate on 13th May, this is one of a number of related matters, the full implications of which are being studied in the Government's review of broadcasting policy. The review is proceeding as rapidly as possible, but it is too early yet for me to announce any proposals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a list of the recipients of and purposes for which grants have been made under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1963, for co-operative activities.

Grants have been made under Section 8 of this Act to the Agricultural Central Co-operative Association and the Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society towards their general expenses of organising, promoting and developing co-operative activities in agriculture and horticulture.The following Table shows the number of grants made under other sections of the Act or previously under the Annual Appropriation Acts to co-operative bodies, and the purposes for which such grants were made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of the subsidies for the following quantities of farm produce, namely 1 lb. beef, 1 lb. pork, 1 lb. lamb, 1 lb. bacon, 14 oz. loaf of bread, 1 doz. eggs, 1 pint milk, 1 lb. butter, and 1 lb. cheese, respectively.

In 1964–65 payments to producers in respect of fatstock certified under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme, expressed in terms of pence per lb. dressed carcase weight averaged about 1½d. for beef, 3d. for lamb, 4d. for pork and rather more than 4d. for pigmeat used for bacon. With eggs, about two-fifths of those marketed are sold direct to consumers without attracting subsidy, and on the remaining three-fifths the Egg Marketing Board received subsidy at the rate of about 11d. per dozen in 1964–65. There is no certain way of expressing the wheat deficiency payments in terms of subsidy per loaf of bread since, apart from other difficulties, there is no fixed proportion of home-grown wheat in the loaf. No subsidy is paid to farmers on milk, butter or cheese.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that false declarations are not being made in order to obtain export licences for ponies from Great Yarmouth to Holland; and if he will make a statement about the irregularity disclosed there on Wednesday, 19th May.

I am satisfied that in general the particulars of horses and ponies given in applications for exemption from veterinary examination are correct and relate to the animals intended for export at the time of application. On 19th May, however, one of a batch of animals presented for export at Great Yarmouth was not covered by the permit held by the exporter, and was accordingly not shipped.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the Report from the Committee of Inquiry on Intensive Livestock Husbandry.

We hope to receive this report by the autumn.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to give some measure of protection to common seals, in view of their indiscriminate destruction particularly around the area of the Wash.

Protection could only be given to common seals by means of new legislation, and as I stated in the reply which I gave on 16th March, 1965, to a Question by the hon. Member for Gillingham (Mr. Burden), there is no prospect of it being possible to introduce legislation on this subject in the foreseeable future. The issues involved are in the meantime being considered between the interested Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when it will be convenient for the hon. Member for Harrow, East to visit the Royal Air Force/German/United States P1127 Evaluation Squadron at West Raynham, as requested in his letter of 22nd Febuary.

For reasons explained to the hon. and gallant Member by my noble Friend the Minister of Defence for the Royal Air Force, it would be inconvenient to arrange a visit in the immediate future, but it is intended to arrange for a visit in September when he would be welcome to visit the squadron.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for Royal Air Force duty officers and station fire brigade parties to be trained in light signals for aircraft control and emergency runway fire fighting duties, respectively, with a view to permitting light aircraft to utilise Royal Air Force stations when closed down at weekends.

I do not think the arrangements envisaged in the Question would be consistent with the standards of safe and efficient operation of their stations which commanding officers of Royal Air Force stations are required to maintain. It would, in any case, be impracticable for all those who may be called upon to serve as duty officers or as members of station fire parties to be trained in the way suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instruct Royal Air Force master airfields to accept messages from radio-equipped light aircraft for onward transmission to Royal Air Force stations in their areas when necessary, to enable private aircraft to land at Royal Air Force airfields without obtaining prior permission before leaving the ground as required by present regulations.

I regret that the operational commitments and flying programmes at R.A.F. airfields, including the master airfields through which the messages would have to be passed, make it essential that longer notice of landings is given than would be possible under the arrangements proposed. There would, in any case, be technical and administrative difficulties in such an arrangement.We are reviewing the existing regulations on the use of R.A.F. airfields by private aircraft and whilst we are anxious to be as helpful as we can, we are at present doubtful whether it will be found practicable to do much more than we do now.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the crew of H.M.S. "Ark Royal" are under 21 and 18 years of age, respectively; and what is the average age of personnel aboard.

630 and 177, respectively, on 30th April, 1965. The average age of personnel aboard on that date was 25.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in considering differential rates for vehicle licence duties, he will give due weight to the influence of these duties on design and thus on the ability to compete abroad; and if he will consult the motor industry before reaching a decision.

My right hon. Friend will certainly give due weight to the possible influence of these duties on design and will bear in mind the suggestion for consultation with the industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of increasing the tax relief obtainable under Section 217 of the Income Tax Act, 1952, by a claimant depending on the services of a daughter, from £40 to £75 and £100, respectively.

About £150,000, and £250,000 in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of retaining the relief for the employer's part of the National Insurance contribution granted under Section 377 of the Income Tax Act, 1952, as amended.

About £2 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of increasing the relief in respect of a dependent relative under Section 216 of the Income Tax Act, 1952, as amended, from £75 to £100, and of increasing the income limits from £180 and £255 to £210 and £310, respectively.

About £10 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost, for Estate Duty purposes, of raising the exemption limit from £5,000 to £6,000, of providing that an owner-occupied house shall rank as a separate estate, and of providing that an owner-occupied house should be valued on an existing-use basis, respectively.

To increase the exemption limit for Estate Duty by £1,000 to £6,000 would cost about £½ million in a full year assuming that there would be no relief for estates over £6,000. To treat owner-occupied houses as separate estates for Estate Duty purposes would cost nearly £20 million in a full year. It is not possible to give an estimate of the cost of valuing owner-occupied houses for Estate Duty purposes on an existing use basis.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that for the first time in four years oil in the North Sea has again become a menace and is doing great damage including the killing of many sea birds; and what steps he is taking to deal with this menace.

I am not aware of any recent increase in pollution of the North Sea by oil, but if my hon. and learned Friend has any information which he cares to send to me I shall be glad to look into it. The steps taken to prevent or reduce pollution in the North Sea and elsewhere include agreements with other governments and legislation in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police radar checks are being carried out in the county of Hampshire; what personnel is required to man the check points; and what qualifications the police authorities require for this work.

The Chief Constable of Hampshire tells me that during 1965 radar speed meters have been used in the county on 274 occasions of between two and four hours' duration. At least three officers are employed on operating the meter and stopping vehicles, and it is the practice to employ as operators experienced members of the Traffic Division who have been give appropriate instruction in the use of such meters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to empower police constables to impose on-the-spot fines, subject to appeal, on drivers whose vehicles infringe Regulation 79 of the Construction and Use Regulations 1955 by emitting smoke and fumes.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind Regulation 80 of these Regulations. In my right hon. and learned Friend's view the methods of enforcement already available are preferable to that suggested.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware of disturbance by noise to the residents of Rosneath and Clynder by the use of a bucket dredger at the entrance to the Gareloch; and if he will arrange for the use of a modern suction dredger with cutter which is silent in operation and used by all leading dredging firms for work in close proximity to residential areas.

I regret the disturbance to the local residents, but the nature of the job makes a suction dredger unsuitable.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has received on teacher supply from the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers; and when he will publish their Report.

The Council's Ninth Report will be published tomorrow. It contains a valuable analysis and forecast of the demand for and supply of teachers over the next twenty years and brings out the need for further action to increase the teacher force and reduce the size of classes. The Report's principal recommendation is for a more rapid expansion of the colleges of education. But the Council was not unanimous on how to link this expansion with increased productivity from the colleges, nor did it express a common view on other radical measures of the kind I mentioned at Douglas on 20th April as part of my 14-point programme.The Chairman of the Council, Mr. A. L. C. Bullock, has offered me his resignation, which I have accepted. He took this occasion to resign because he has begun a period of Sabbatical leave and because the completion of the Ninth Report offered a convenient opportunity to end his term of office. He told me, as he told the Council, that the divisions which had become apparent within the Council did not arise simply from differences of opinion which an independent Chairman might hope to reconcile, but were the outcome of fundamental conflicts of interest about issues of national policy which required decision at the political level. He has accordingly recommended that in future a Minister should act as Chairman of the Council rather than an independent person, as has hitherto been the practice. I shall think further about this suggestion on which others in the educational world will of course also have views.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance on what she bases her calculation that the abolition of the earnings rule would mean an immediate additional expenditure of £120 million a year.

The abolition of the earnings rule would involve the abolition also of the condition under which men between 65 and 70 and women between 60 and 65 cannot receive their pensions until they have retired. The withdrawal of this condition would mean that people in these age groups who are at present continuing at work would immediately receive pensions, and this would account for more than £115 million of the estimated immediate annual cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what date he has approved for the start of the new Airdrie High School, in view of the overcrowded and obsolete nature of the existing buildings; what is the estimated cost; and what is the estimated date for the completion of the new buildings.

Firm forecasts are not possible at this stage. The education authority is, I understand, reviewing the sketch plans so far prepared in the light of its recent decision to organise secondary education on comprehensive lines.