asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the expected expenditure on new construction and major improvement of roads in urban areas of Wales in 1969–70; and what part of this expenditure will be borne, respectively, by the Exchequer and by local authorities.

As at present programmed, expenditure on the new construction and major improvement of roads in urban areas in Wales will amount to about £2·27 million in 1969–70. Of this about £1·59 million is likely to be borne by the Exchequer and about £0·68 million by local authorities. As I informed the hon. Member on 6th May, however, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to make an announcement later this year about the future Welsh road programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he has now received the Report of the Hughes-Parry Committee, set up to consider the legal status of the Welsh language; and when it will be published;(2) if he has now received the Report of the Hughes-Parry Committee set up to consider the legal status of the Welsh language; and when it is likely to be published.

I received this Report on 15th June and am arranging for it to be published, in English and Welsh, as soon as practicable. I should like to take this opportunity of saying how grateful I am to Sir David Hughes-Parry and his colleagues for their extremely valuable work.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has considered the proposals of the Welsh Planning Board for dealing with the problems of Mid-Wales; and whether he will now make a statement about the proposed new town.

My right hon. Friend indicated what action he proposed to take about the problems of Mid-Wales in his statement to the Welsh Grand Committee on March 24th. As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend has since appointed a firm of consultants to advise him on the nature and location of a new town development and on this I have nothing to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Montgomery (Mr. Hooson) on 3rd June.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the depopulation of the old industrial valleys of South Wales, with a view to rectifying this loss to an area which has made in the past a notable contribution to the economic and cultural well-being of the country.

The Question of the future of the valley communities is a very important part of the study of industrial South Wales on which the Welsh Planning Board has been engaged and on which I hope to receive a report from the Board soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement in respect of the development of teaching machines, and of his discussions with teachers' organisations on this matter.

Teaching machines provide one means among others for presenting programmed learning. I am pressing ahead with the study and promotion of developments in this promising and important field. Short and one-term courses have been arranged this year to enable teachers to learn about programmed learning and to write programmes, and my Department is financing research on this subject at the Universities of London, Sheffield, Leicester and Birmingham. In the last named, my Department is also financing a national centre of research and documentation for programmed learning. I have had no discussions with teachers' organisations, but they have received copies of surveys of current developments which I have circulated to local educational authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement of Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the National Advisory Council on the Supply and Training of Teachers.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Durham, North-West (Mr. Armstrong) on 16th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which galleries in receipt of public funds have a system of lending pictures to other galleries, to public bodies and to local festival committees.

The National Gallery and the Tate Gallery both have loan schemes which are organised in collaboration with the Arts Council. The pictures are normally loaned to municipal galleries in the provinces who are able to satisfy the necessary security requirements. So far none of the works available under these schemes have been loaned to local festival committees or public bodies other than properly constituted galleries.The Victoria and Albert Museum provides many exhibitions of paintings and these are available to any authority or group which can satisfy the loan conditions. The National Portrait Gallery, the British Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the London Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the National Museum of Wales and the National Galleries of Scotland all lend pictures to other galleries and public bodies and some would consider, on its merits, an application from a local festival committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for what purpose organisations drawing grants from the Arts Council employ a public relations firm, the name of which has been sent to him; what functions are exercised by this firm in advising on the expenditure of public funds; and what Government money is used in the retention of this firm.

A number of organisations receiving help from the Arts Council employ from time to time the services of public relations consultants. In the particular case the hon. Member has in mind the object is the normal one of obtaining advice on publicity methods and of carrying out certain publicity work. It is no function of the firm to advise on the expenditure of public funds. Public money is not used in the retention of the firm except in the sense that the organisations using it are in receipt of assistance from the Arts Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will include the rebuilding of the Prendergast Girls' Grammar School in the 1967–68 major building programme.

My right hon. Friend cannot at present give any undertakings about the inclusion of particular projects in the 1967–68 major school building programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his visit to Hungary.

I visited Hungary for four days from 11th to 15th June as the guest of the Hungarian Government, being the first Minister of Cabinet rank to do so since the war. I visited a number of educational establishments, mainly in the field of higher education, and discussed the cultural relations between our two countries with the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Kallai) and the Minister of Education (Mr. Ilku) and his deputy Ministers. There was no formal agenda and we did not seek to negotiate on cultural or other matters. I believe my visit may have helped to strengthen good relations between our two countries and I am grateful for the invitation which made this possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will encourage education authorities to purchase home-grown potatoes for school meals in the place of imported potatoes; and if he will make a statement.

The purchase of foodstuffs for the School Meals Service is a matter for the local education authority and is the subject of tender and contract to which I am not a party. In order to safeguard the Exchequer schools meals subsidy, I expect authorities to obtain the most favourable buying terms they can which are consistent with quality. The use of home-grown produce, including potatoes, must therefore depend upon its capacity to compete in the open market.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total cost of the school meals service in England and Wales during 1951 and 1964, respectively; and what proportion of the total was recovered from charges paid by children and teachers in each of these years.

The information, derived from local education authorities' returns of actual and estimated income and expenditure, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the difference in average annual total cost of educating a schoolchild in primary and secondary schools, respectively, according to whether or not such child makes use of the school meals service;

Following is the information, in so far as it is available:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of children attending primary and secondary schools, respectively, makes regular use of the school meals service; and what proportion of those who make regular use of such service comes from homes at which both parents are in regular employment.

Information on the proportion of children making regular use of the school meal service is not available. Regulations made under Section 49 of the 1944 Education Act provide for the exclusion by the local education authority of any pupil who avails himself so rarely of the benefits of the service that waste or undue expense is involved in catering for him and I assume that authorities are taking appropriate action under this Regulation.The information required to answer the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why new potatoes from the United Arab Republic are being served in school meals in villages in North Lincolnshire when there are supplies available on the surrounding farms; what is the price of these foreign potatoes compared with that of home-grown supplies; whether he is satisfied that they are of adequate quality; what attempt was made to get local supplies; if he will ensure that local growers will be given a chance to tender; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Lincolnshire (Lindsey) Education Authority's contracts with the supplier specifies the provision of home-grown potatoes for the school meal service. At one stage, the contractor could not supply English old potatoes of satisfactory quality in sufficient quantity or new potatoes of adequate size, and the Authority agreed to accept imported potatoes of satisfactory quality and size for a period of one week only at the price specified in the contract. English new potatoes are now being supplied in the Authority's schools. The Authority invites public tenders every six months and it is open to all local suppliers or growers to compete.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places were available for students at the Kirkby Fields College of Education; and how many were taken up at the February, 1965, intake.

The college recruited only 85 students last February against its target of 150 but has so far offered places to 135 candidates for next September against the target of 180.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in the development of business management courses at colleges of technology and similar institutions.

Provision for management education at the colleges continues to expand. The number of students enrolled in courses for the Diploma in Management Studies and specialised management qualifications rose from some 6,700 in 1963–64 to some 8,100 in the current sesssion.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the number of managers in British industry who have attended courses in management subjects leading to a degree or diploma, including external management courses, at institutions or colleges of commerce or technology.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the National Economic Development Council's recent report on management recruitment and development, Section III of which deals generally with the number of managers and their qualifications. I cannot, however, make the more precise estimate asked for.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what help he has now decided to give the Pre-School Play-group Association following his recent discussions with their representatives.

At an exploratory meeting on 14th June, there was a full discussion of the Association's needs, and my right hon. Friend expects to receive shortly a formal detailed request for financial assistance to enable it to develop its work.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the wastage due to early leavers from grammar schools in King's Lynn, in Norfolk, and in England as a whole, respectively.

Of 161 pupils leaving the two maintained grammar schools in King's Lynn in 1963—the latest year available—3·7 per cent. were aged 15 and 24 per cent. were aged 16. The corresponding percentages for England and Wales were 2·3 per cent. and 28·6 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total cost of the supply of books, stationery and classroom equipment to children in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in 1951 and 1964, respectively.

The information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amounts he has allocated for further education building programmes in Kent for 1966–67; and what were the sums allocated under this heading in the years 1963–64, 1964–65 and 1966–67, respectively.

The amount for 1966–67 was £662,500. The corresponding figures for earlier years were: 1963–64, £730,000; 1964–65, £575,000; 1965–66, £525,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the £22·7 million allocated to Civil Defence for 1965–66 will be spent on the construction of deep shelters; what persons, or categories of persons, will be entitled to use these shelters in case of enemy nuclear attack; and how many persons the existing shelters will accommodate.

No money will be spent in 1965–66 on the construction of deep shelters, and none have been constructed since the last war. Seven deep shelters are still available in London, and these have a total capacity of 56,000. No places have been allocated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what help is given by the Prison Commissioners in rehousing the family on the death of a prison officer in service.

When a prison officer dies in service, one of my Department's staff welfare officers gets in touch with the widow at once to see if she requires any help. If she asks for assistance in finding accommodation, he will approach the appropriate local authority on her behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to set up a separate Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales; when it will be required to report; and whether he will publish the names of those who are to serve on it.

A Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales is in existence. Like the other Commissions it is a standing body constituted under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Acts 1949 and 1958. Mr. Speaker is the Chairman. The other members are:

The Hon. Mr. Justice Lloyd-Jones (Deputy Chairman).

Sir Gwilym Williams.

Colonel J. L. Corbett-Winder, O.B.E., M.C.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, in respect of each of the last five years for which full figures are available, the total sum paid by way of ex gratia compensation to persons whose conviction, detention or imprisonment appeared to have been unjustifiable, the number of persons so compensated and the number of such persons who expressed themselves dissatisfied with the amount of money so paid to them.

The figures for ex gratia payments made in such circumstances by the Home Office are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will explain the principles by which he is guided in assessing ex gratia compensation payable to persons whose conviction, detention or imprisonment appears to have been unjustifiable; and whether he will state in particular any difference between such principles and those applicable to the assessment of comparable damages at common law;(2) why it would not be in the public interest for the assessment of

It is already the practice to ask an independent person of standing to advise on the amount of an ex gratia payment to be offered in such circumstances, and my right hon. and learned Friend is not convinced that there is a case for changing the procedure. The payment is not made on the basis of legal liability, and in each case the assessor considers all the circumstances which appear to be relevant, including the duration of any detention undergone, any loss of reputation and the probable earning capacity of the person concerned. It is not therefore possible to make a direct comparison with the principles applicable to common law damages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has in mind to amend the law affecting the trial and treatment of young offenders.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes shortly to be able to publish proposals dealing with these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders, attempted murders, and manslaughters known to the police took place in the first five months of 1965; what were the corresponding figures for each of the five preceding years; what changes in the figures for these types of crime have taken place since the introduction of the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

In the first five months of 1965 the numbers of incidents initially recorded as murders, attempted murders and manslaughters known to the police in England and Wales were 91, 88 and 39 respectively. The figures for the corresponding period in the five preceding years were 100, 77 and 30 in 1964; 80, 87 and 30 in 1963; 84, 82 and 31 in 1962; 83, 79 and 21 in 1961; and 96, 77 and 41 in 1960.There have been no significant changes in the figures for these crimes since the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Bill was introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what organisation the United Nations has in Hong Kong for refugees; what is the arrangement between this organisation and the Government of Hong Kong in dealing with those people known either as refugees from the Chinese mainland or illegal entries into the Colony; and who eventually decides these people's status.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Hong Kong facilitates the resettlement in other countries of European refugees who leave China via Hong Kong. It has no responsibilities in connection with Chinese persons who enter the Colony.The decision, whether or not to admit a person to Hong Kong, is a matter for the discretion of the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give an assurance that no Chinese refugees are sent back to the Chinese mainland by the Hong Kong authorities if this would render them liable to the death penalty.

Yes. There is no reason to believe that those persons attempting to enter Hong Kong illegally and returned to China by the Hong Kong authorities are liable to the death penalty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why 28 refugees from the Chinese mainland who were rounded up in Hong Kong on 27th May were returned to China on 2nd June in view of the fact that the authorities were requested to turn them over to local relief bodies for repatriation to Taiwan, to hand them over to international relief agencies for repatriation and resettlement, or to hand them over to the representatives' office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Hong Kong for action.

40 persons were intercepted by the Hong Kong Police on the 27th May while they were attempting to enter the Colony illegally by sea from China.One of them possessed a Hong Kong Identity Card and was allowed to stay. The remaining 39 were repatriated to China on 31st May and 1st June after the Hong Kong authorities had satisfied themselves that there was no good reason why they should be admitted to Hong Kong.No request was made to the Hong Kong Government on their behalf until 3rd June when the Chairman of the Rennies Mill refugee camp relief Committee asked that they should be allowed to remain in the Colony until arrangements could be made to send them to Formosa. None of the 39 immigrants had themselves expressed any desire to go there.The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Hong Kong facilitates the resettlement in other countries of European refugees who leave China via Hong Kong. It has no responsibilities in connection with Chinese persons who enter the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has secured a modification of the two-year ban on the exhumation of bodies in Aden, in time for the remains of Guardsman Edge of Birmingham to be repatriated on the ship offering free transport and leaving Aden on 29th June.

No.The High Commissioner in Aden has reviewed, with the assistance of the medical authorities, the period which should elapse before a body can safely be exhumed after burial for transhipment to another country, and I am afraid has concluded that this cannot be reduced to less than 20 months without risk to public health. Accordingly I very much regret that it will not be possible for the remains to be exhumed in time for them to be repatriated on the ship leaving Aden on 29th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which of the rulers of the States comprised in the South Arabian Federation have declared their willingness to abdicate their thrones in favour of the creation of a unitary state.

The Federal Supreme Council last December, and again in May, stated in general terms their desire to see a unitary sovereign state created in South Arabia. Until detailed proposals have been worked out it is premature to forecast any action on the part of the rulers of the States comprising the present Federation.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if, in view of recent high beer production, he will ask the National Board for Prices and Incomes to investigate the income of the brewers.

Not at present hut, as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food indicated in reply to a Question on 19th May, we are continuing to keep a watch on the position.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will ask the Committee on Incomes, Prices and Wages to inquire into the incomes of landlords in Scotland.

No.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he intends to refer to the Prices and Incomes Board the recent increases in prices for refreshments made by British Railways.

No. There has been no recent general increase.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will make a statement on the visit undertaken by the Under-Secretary to parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire, including Huddersfield, and his discussions on the question of what Government action can be taken to help in integrating immigrants into the community.

My visit to the West Riding was one of a series I am making to those areas where a substantial number of Commonwealth immigrants have settled. On these visits, which are arranged in consultation with the town clerk of the authority concerned, I have met officials and elected representatives of the local authority and, whenever possible, members of voluntary organisations and representatives of immigrant groups, in order to identify the problems of each area and to discuss what action might be taken towards solving them.In the Adjournment debate on 4th June I summarised my general findings to date and the action being taken by the Government Departments concerned.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the first report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes will be published.

The Board has now completed its first report on road haulage rates. Subject to the approval of the Queen, it is proposed to publish it next Monday, 28th June.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many British shipyards are capable of building 100,000, 150,000, and 200,000 ton oil tankers, respectively.

At present, I understand that eight yards are capable of building ships of up to 100,000 deadweight tons. Of these five yards claim to be able to build ships of up to 150,000 tons, three yards ships of up to 200,000 tons and one yard ships of up to 250,000 tons. In some yards capacity could be extended with modest expenditure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make an early visit to the Middle East, in view of the need and opportunities of trade expansion there.

In present circumstances my right hon. Friend does not see any possibility of paying an early visit, but I can assure my hon. Friend that the opportunities for expansion of British trade in the Middle East are matters of constant concern to the Government and the Committee for Middle East Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a Norwegian 60-foot ship named "Juny" was found about 11th June, 1965, drifting and empty in the North Sea by the Aberdeen fishing boat "Enterprize", and that such an empty drifting ship is a danger to other shipping; if he will state the details of the occurrence; and what is the position, amount and destination of any salvage concerned.

Yes. The Wick trawler "Enterprise" secured the "Juny" and handed it over to the Receiver of Wreck, Wick, on 11th June. The Receiver released the vessel to the owner on 19th June with the agreement of the salvor and of the owner, after the latter had deposited a bond in security with the Receiver. The amount of salvage is in dispute and the two parties are considering their positions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make a statement on the outcome of the inquiry into the Cadco affair in Glenrothes, Fife.

The inspectors appointed under Section 165 of the Companies Act to investigate the affairs of three companies in the Cadco group have not yet concluded their inquiry, but expect to do so in the near future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the practice adopted by his Department of not extending an invitation to Members of Parliament with 20–30 years' membership of the House of Commons to the dinners, lunches and receptions given by his Department and of extending more than one such invitation to Members with a limited membership of the House of Commons; and whether he will take steps to change this practice.

The Board of Trade adopts no such practice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many recommendations were made to the Monopolies Commission during the period May, 1951, to October, 1964; how many of those recommendations were acted upon; and what action the Government proposes to take regarding the remaining recommendations.

Recommendations in Monopolies Commission reports cannot always be precisely enumerated or correlated with subsequent action. When recommendations are linked, it is not easy to decide whether to count the group as one or several. In some cases, recommendations have been addressed to industry rather than to the Government. In some cases, the Government have taken action other than that specifically recommended by the Monopolies Commission to deal with the mischiefs revealed in a Monopolies Commission report. For example, recommendations in a number of reports prior to the enactment of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956, were subsumed in that general legislation. Recommendations in two recent reports about resale price maintenance were subsumed in the Resale Prices Act. Any statistical summary is therefore liable to be misleading. Subject to these qualifications, I am advised that in the period to which the Question relates, 24 reports by the Monopolies Commission were published, of which 9 included recommendations subsequently covered by the 1956 Act, one was a report confined to the facts, and two contained no recommendations for action. The remaining 12 reports contained 66 recommendations. Subsequent action was closely in line with the recommendation in 58 cases.The remaining eight recommendations are now mainly of historical interest, not requiring specific action by the Government; but insofar as orders made or undertakings given in connection with Monopolies Commission reports remain in force, the Government will continue to keep them under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, without giving details, he will state whether any arms are sold from Great Britain to Peru.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether jute textile imports will be included within the scope of his forthcoming discussions with other Commonwealth countries regarding low-cost textile imports.

No. The discussions are concerned solely with cotton textiles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the figures of his estimate of the dollar cost of replacing Rhodesian tobacco imports.

I cannot add to the reply which was given to the hon. Member on 17th June.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the percentage increase in the cost of living between 15th October, 1964 and 15th June 1965.

The percentage increase in the retail prices index between 13th October, 1964 and 18th May, 1965, the latest date for which the index is available, was 4·2.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is satisfied with the items comprising the cost-of-living index, and the weightings accorded thereto; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The items priced for the purposes of the retail prices index are those recommended by the Cost of Living Advisory Committee. The weightings accorded to the various sections into which the index is divided are, on the advice of this Committee, revised each January on the basis of the results of the Family Expenditure Survey for the three years ended in the previous June.

asked the Minister of Labour under what circumstances school leavers are required to register with the local youth office.

School leavers and other young persons up to 18 years of age are encouraged to use the full facilities of the Youth Employment Service, but are required to register at a local office of the Service only for the purpose of claiming unemployment benefit or National Assistance, and in order to register for National Insurance and to obtain a national insurance card.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many 4½d., 5d. and 6d. stamps, respectively, were printed in each month of 1964 and 1965 to date;(2) how many ½d., 1d., 1½d., 2d., 2½d., 3d., 4d., 4½d., 5d. and 6d. stamps, respectively, were printed in each month of 1963 and 1962, respectively.

Figures relating to the number of stamps actually printed each month are not kept by the Post Office, since they would include imperfect and waste stamps which are destroyed under security conditions. In addition the organisation of the printing programme schedule is a matter for the firm concerned, subject to their supplying to the Post Office the numbers of good stamps ordered within the specified period. The most meaningful figures we have available relate to the numbers issued to post offices by the Supplies Department each month. I am therefore circulating these figures in answer to the hon. Member's Questions.I should add that the figures given in my Answer to the hon. Member on 21st June were also on this basis and did not as was incorrectly stated relate to the actual numbers printed which are not available for the reasons I have given. I

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of furnishing and decorating Westminster Hall for the ceremony on 22nd June; and from what fund that expense will be met.

About £9,500. A supplementary Estimate to charge these expenses to the Miscellaneous Expenses Vote will be presented to the House in July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long he has deferred the £62 million North American debt service; when the next payment is due; if he proposes to ask for a further deferment; and if he will make a statement.

Under the terms of the revised North American loan agreements, the deferred 1964 instalment will be repaid in December 2002. The next loan payments are due in December 1965. It is too early yet to say whether the U.K. will wish to take advantage of the deferment provisions in the relevant agreements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since the United Kingdom's latest drawing from the International Monetary Fund on 25th May of $1,400 million brought the Fund's holding of sterling up to 198 per cent. of the United Kingdom quota, and 200 per cent. is the maximum, what other sources are available to support sterling; if he will now cut down Government expenditure instead of seeking further loans; and if he will make a statement.

Apart from the reserves of gold and convertible currencies, the swap facility with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, credit with the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Government's portfolio of dollar securities, the major strength of sterling lies in the productive capacity of British industry.As regards the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave him on 11th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross national product would have been taken by defence in each of the last 10 years if the total of defence expenditure had been pegged to a fixed sum throughout the period.

If expenditure on the Defence Budget had been pegged at the 1954–55 level throughout the ten-year period 1954–55 to 1963–64, this would have represented in terms of constant prices the following percentage of gross national product in each of the years concerned:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the portfolio of 1,250 million United States dollar securities which were vested in the Government during the war has recently been put into liquid form so as to be available to reinforce the reserves in case of need; what securities were in the portfolio; what was their cost; what is their present value; if he intends to repurchase them when the sterling crisis is over; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add at present to my statement on 12th April during the Budget Debate and to my reply to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 22nd December, 1964.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many bulls licensed in Eire have in the last 12 months been refused a licence after importation into the United Kingdom.

Out of 475 bulls licensed in the Irish Republic which were presented for licensing in the United Kingdom during the 12 months to 31st March, 1965, 13 were refused licenses. Four of the refusals were in England and Wales, one in Scotland and eight in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that a shipment of potatoes from Cyprus to Grimsby is diseased with tuber moth, a pest not found in Britain; who imported them; what is to happen to them; in view of the danger to the 115,000 acres of Lincolnshire potato-growing land, if he will take steps to prohibit further imports from the same source; and if he will make a statement.

Tuber moth was found by one of my Department's inspectors in a small part of a shipment of new potatoes imported at Grimsby from Cyprus. The potatoes were imported by a number of firms. In the major part of the shipment the plant health risk from tuber moth was considered to be negligible and the distribution of the potatoes was allowed.A notice has been served in respect of that part of the shipment considered to be a plant health risk preventing its distribution until the potatoes have been satisfactorily fumigated to kill the moth. Fumigation is being carried out at present and the potatoes are being reinspected before release. The plant health risk from this consignment would not justify a prohibition on imports from Cyprus but the Plant Health Inspectorate will of course continue to carry out checks on potatoes imported from this and other sources to prevent the distribution of consignments infested with tuber moth or otherwise infested or diseased.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons were treated at hospitals in the area of the Manchester Regional Hospital Board during 1964 for injury caused by missiles from air weapons; and how many of those persons had suffered injury to the eye from that cause.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many prescriptions were issued under the National Health Service during each of the months January, February, March and April 1965; and what percentage increase or decrease the figures show over the comparable figures for 1964.

The number of prescriptions dispensed by chemists in England and Wales during April, 1965, is not yet known. The information for the months of January, February and March, 1965, compared with the same months of 1964, is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what was the cost of prescriptions made available under the National Health Service during each of the months January, February, March and April 1965.

The cost of prescriptions dispensed by chemist contractors in England and Wales for the months January, February and March, 1965 was, respectively, £9,599,936, £10,344,473 and £11,778,871. The information for April 1965 is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health what is his present estimate of the additional cost this year to the National Health Service as a result of the abolition of the prescription charge.

Heavier prescribing than had been expected in the months immediately following removal of the charge was influenced to an unknown extent by the incidence of sickness. Experience is still insufficient to revise the estimate I gave the noble Lord in reply to his Question on 1st April.

asked the Minister of Power what is the proportion of farms with public electricity supply to those still without it in the area of the counties of Montgomeryshire and Merioneth covered by the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board.

I am informed that on 31st March, 1965, approximately 78 per cent. of farms in Montgomeryshire and 85 per cent. in Merioneth had a public electricity supply.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the practice concerning the use by Ministers of official cars at the end of the day's parliamentary business; and to what extent the practice differs from that of a year ago.

Official cars may be used for journeys home at the close of Parliamentary business in order to save Ministerial time. This has been the practice for many years.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the 17 research associations which are actively encouraging their industries to use computers, the 18 research associations which have access to computers, and the 15 research associations who use computers for their research work.

The following 17 research associations actively encourage the use of computers in their respective industries:British Baking Industries Research Association.British Coke Research Association.Cotton Silk and Man-Made Fibres Research Association.Electrical Research Association.British Food Manufacturing Industries Research Association.British Glass Industry Research Association.Heating and Ventilating Research Association.British Iron and Steel Research Association.Motor Industry Research Association.Research Association of British Paint, Colour and Varnish Manufacturers.British Paper and Board Industry Research Association.Production Engineering Research Association of Great Britain.Rubber and Plastics Research Association of Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Technology when he expects to complete his inquiry on engineering standards practice.

It is not possible at present to set a term to this inquiry which will embrace the wide studies described in the Answers I gave on 15th June to the hon. Member for Gains-borough (Mr. Kimball) and to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen). Conclusions will be implemented as they are reached; action has already been taken to initiate a new series of British Metric Standards.

asked the Minister of Technology how many civil servants are employed in his Department; and how many of these have university degrees in technological subjects.

4,064 non-industrial civil servants were employed by my Department on 1st June, 1965. Approximately 1,400 of these have University degrees or equivalent qualifications in scientific or technological subjects. In addition, approximately 1,400 have other scientific or technological qualifications.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the actions which he has taken since the creation of his Department to improve the status of engineers and technologists.

The following actions are in hand:

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of road accidents involving motor cars was attributed to motorists driving under the influence of drink or drugs in 1963 and 1964, respectively.

These figures are not available. But I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Knutsford on 7th April.

asked the Minister of Transport into which category of exceptions to Her Majesty's Government's incomes policy, as outlined in paragraph 15 in the White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy, the increase in pay of 7 per cent, from 23rd June for London Transport's 32,000 bus drivers and conductors comes.

The White Paper says that in circumstances where it is essential in the national interest to improve pay which has fallen seriously out of line, and to secure a change in the distribution of manpower (or prevent a change which would otherwise take place) an exceptional pay increase may be justified.The information supplied to me by the London Transport Board indicates that these circumstances applied to the Board's bus undertaking when the recent settlement was negotiated.The pay and conditions of London Transport bus crews were the subject last year of a Committee of Inquiry. The Committee regarded the persistent difficulties experienced by the Board in finding enough staff to fill its establishment as evidence of the relative inadequacy of pay. It said that