asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources when he hopes to have a British Standard on tree work in operation.

My right hon. Friend understands that the British Standards Institution hope to publish a British Standard on tree work by the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what steps he is taking, in view of the new motorways now being completed, to ensure that Ordnance Survey maps on sale to the public are kept up to date in this respect; and when the appropriate sheets will be on sale which will show the whereabouts of the new Chiswick-Slough section of the M.4.

The Ordnance Survey is aiming to issue each year a new edition of the 10 mile Route Planning Map containing up to date information about new motorways including those under construction. Similar information is incorporated on the one-inch and quarter-inch sheets as soon as reprints or new editions can be justified.The Chiswick-Slough section of the M.4 already appears on the South sheet of the 1965 edition of the Route Planning Map. It will be shown on the new edition of one-inch sheet 170 to be published later this year, and on a new edition of the quarter-inch sheet 17 to be published during 1966.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will give an assurance that the new headquarters of the Forestry Commission will be established in Scotland, where the bulk of forestry work is carried out; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources why the headquarters of the Forestry Commission is about to be established at Basingstoke.

The then Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced on 24th March, 1964, that it had been decided that part of the headquarters of the Forestry Commission should be moved to Basingstoke. The Government have reviewed and confirmed that decision. A reduced staff will remain in London, and headquarters staff will be stationed in Scotland and Wales to dispose, where practicable, of business arising in these countries.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he is satisfied with the operation of Section 22 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1963, on the subject of tenants' compensation; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to believe that public authorities are not using this provision where it is appropriate, but as a result of representations which have been received the Government are reviewing the subject.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that the Water Resources Board are recruiting sufficient qualified staff to enable them to discharge their functions; and if he will make a statement.

The Board's compliment is 20 civil engineering posts, of which 16 are filled, and 12 geological posts, of which 7 are filled. This is reasonably satisfactory. The Board will be reviewing the situation in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what progress has been made in the examination of projects for barrages across the Solway Firth and Morecambe Bay.

I recently visited both areas in the company of the Director of the Water Resources Board. After inspecting the sites we had an informal preliminary discussion about the proposals with the local and river authorities concerned.At my request the Board have asked Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners to prepare a detailed programme and estimates of cost for the Morecambe Bay study. Jointly with the Scottish Office, the Board have invited Messrs. Babtie, Shaw & Morton to carry out a parallel investigation for the Solway scheme.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he will take to protect the surroundings of historic buildings which have been the subject of expenditure by his Department but which are not owned by his Department.

As far as I am aware, there are no historic buildings in this category whose surroundings are at present threatened, but if the hon. Member knows of any case I will gladly look into it.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make an examination of the structure of the chute between the sorting office and the Members' Post Office in the House of Commons, with a view to making alterations in order to prevent blockages in the future; and if he will make a statement.

Following a special examination of the chute, I propose to add a third trap door, and to ask those concerned to ensure that the trap doors are shut properly. I am also asking the Postmaster to see that the chute is not used for bundles which are too large for it.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware of the continuing shortage of cement for the building industry; and what action he now proposes to take in the matter.

My right hon. Friend has discussed this shortage with the cement makers. Demand for cement has risen rapidly since 1963 and although deliveries rose by 22 per cent. in 1964 and by a further 5 per cent. in the first part of 1965, a marginal gap between supply and demand has appeared. The manufacturers are increasing supplies both from United Kingdom sources and by importing and this should ease the position. They are doing all they can to maintain deliveries to sustain progress on sites and they will be helped if consumers avoid over-ordering.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what number and percentage of works in the construction industry in the North-East in May 1965 were wholly unemployed; and what action he has taken to reduce the unemployment in this industry in the North-East.

In May 4,929 workers in the construction industry in the North-East were unemployed; this was about 5 per cent. of the number employed in the region. The figures show a substantial reduction compared with May last year when unemployment was about 7 per cent. Fewer than 800 of the unemployed in May this year were craftsmen and for bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers and glaziers, vacancies equalled or exceeded the numbers unemployed.It is the Government's policy to increase the proportion of public investment spent in the North-East and it is a major objective of the Government's regional strategy to make the fullest use of available resources in this region and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the cost of labour, materials and hire charges, respectively, in the preparations for the ceremony which took place in Westminster Hall on 22nd June; how much material will be re-usable; and what estimated costs will be recoverable by resale of surplus material.

The total cost was about £9,500, of which £1,130 was for hire charges. Where the work was let to contractors, I cannot break the cost down between labour and material charges. Some of the floor covering and other material will, where possible, be taken into store for re-use. The remainder will be sold by auction but, for obvious reasons, I would prefer not to say how much we expect it to realise.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the total number of beds, and the number of pay-beds and amenity beds, respectively, in each of the hospitals in the Hull area; and what proposals are being considered for the increase of pay-beds and amenity beds, respectively, in these hospitals.

The answer to the first part of the Question is given in the attached table. There are no proposals at present before my right hon. Friend to increase the number of pay-beds or amenity beds in this area.The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what extension of the casualty department at Croydon General Hospital as to accommodation, equipment and staff he proposes in order to cope with the increased work load while the casualty department at Mayday Hospital is closed for rebuilding.

Doctors, nurses and a radiographer will be seconded from Mayday Hospital to Croydon General Hospital and some equipment will be transferred; no extension of the accommodation at Croydon General Hospital is proposed for the period of approximately four months during which the department at Mayday Hospital is expected to be closed.

asked the Minister of Health what facilities exist in the hospitals situated in the Wellingborough constituency for the urgent treatment of persons injured in accidents or other casualties which require immediate attention.

None. The ambulance service takes casualties direct to Kettering or Northampton.

asked the Minister of Health why the average cost of maintaining in-patients in psychiatric, mental subnormality, hospitals is very much less than the cost of maintaining patients in any other type of hospital.

The main reasons are that treatment in hospitals for the mentally subnormal does not involve so much medical and nursing time or such expensive drugs, medical and surgical appliances and equipment as treatment in other types of hospital. Also, subnormality hospitals use, as required, many of the services of specialised departments of general hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the matron and other officials of the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary have recently visited Eire in an attempt to recruit 150 student nurses for the new hospital, due to be opened next year, at Lindley; and what action he has taken, or proposes to take, to encourage nurse recruitment in this country.

Yes. Officers of the Ministry have been discussing with officers of regional hospital boards ways of improving methods of recruitment. My right hon. Friend will shortly tell hospital authorities of new plans for publicity to support their local efforts.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give examples of the longest waiting times for National Health Service patients in each of the hospitals in the Hull area; and whether he will consider the use of the pay-beds for National Health Service

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that there have been no residents of the Heywood and Royton constituency area serving on the regional hospital board in any of the past 10 years, what action he now proposes to take to see that this constituency area has adequate representation.

Members of regional hospital boards are appointed primarily for the individual contributions they can make, and not as representatives of particular areas. But I try to secure a suitable range of knowledge and interests, including local interests, and I shall bear in mind what my hon. Friend says.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take to speed up the provision of an adolescent psychiatric in-patient unit in the area of the North-West Regional Hospital Board.

The Manchester Regional Hospital Board hope that work on the proposed unit at Prestwick will start this year.

Pay-beds can, under the provisions of the National Health Service Acts, be used for non-paying patients needing the accommodation on grounds of medical urgency. My right hon. Friend is asking the Board to consider whether the fullest possible use is being made of the beds in this area.The answer to the first part of the Question is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health if he will estimate the cost of a rebate of duty on petrol consumed of 2s. per gallon to all disabled persons at present entitled to vehicles supplied by his Department, or entitled to have adaptations at Ministry expense to the controls of their own cars.

About £300,000 a year.

asked the Minister of Health what amount was yielded from the £1 charge for dental treatment for the most recent and convenient accounting period; and whether, in the interests of good dental care, he will now abolish this impost.

About £3·9 million in 1963. I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made about National Health Service charges on 17th December last and to my reply to the hon. Member for Croydon, North-East (Mr. Weatherill) on 31st May.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now completed his investigation into the case of John Tidball which was first referred to him by the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West, on 12th March; and whether he will now give a full answer to the representations that have been made to him.

asked the Minister of Health how much money per head of physically-handicapped population is spent by the local authority in each Welsh county borough on welfare provision for the physically handicapped.

Expenditure per head on the physically handicapped by county borough councils in Wales in 1964–65 is estimated at:

asked the Minister of Health how much money per head of physically-handicapped population is spent by the local authority in each Welsh county on welfare provision for the physically handicapped.

Expenditure per head on the physically handicapped by

I have written to the hon. Member today, and I regret the length of time investigations have taken.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the main causes of death in respect of infants up to one year of age for the latest available period.

The information is as follows:county councils in Wales in 1964–65 is estimated at:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland upon what advice and evidence he acts, and what tests he applies, when considering before demolition whether a building in Scotland is of historic or aesthetic value; and if he will issue a list of such buildings and the reasons why each was listed for either demolition or preservation, respectively.

In compiling the lists of buildings of special architectural and historic interest which are issued for the guidance of local planning authorities my right hon. Friend is advised by architectural historians and he undertakes other consultations as necessary. The listing of a building means that notice of proposals to demolish, alter or extend it must be given to the local planning authority and the Secretary of State; but by itself listing does not ensure the preservation of a building.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that large numbers of dead fish floating on the surface of the North Sea are attributable to blasting operations in search of oil; and what action he proposes to take.

No. My right hon. Friend is assured that the number of fish killed in this way is not large nor damaging to the fishing industry.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what machinery for co-ordination he has set up to ensure that the effect on sanitary ware firms of the Government's credit squeeze and housing policy is taken fully into account in formulating economic policy, in view of the contribution made by those firms to the Government's export drive; and whether he will make a statement.

I have no reason to think that sanitary ware firms are being adversely affected by the Government's economic policy. If there are any problems, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works would be glad to learn of them. I am sure that the Regional Economic Planning Councils would be glad to hear from any sanitary ware firms in difficulty in their regions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish figures of the relative cost of animal feeding stuffs to farmers in England and in Northern Ireland in the current year, and a comparison with the last five years.

It is estimated that the average prices to farmers of compound feeding stuffs and straight concentrates, priced ex-mill or ex-merchant's store and weighted proportionately to the usage of the various types, for the current and previous five years were as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licensed slaughterhouses there are in the County of Devon; and of these, how many do not conform to the new Ministry standards.

There are 84 licensed slaughterhouses in the County of Devon and the 1958 slaughterhouse regulations are fully applicable throughout the county. The enforcement of these regulations is the responsibility of the local authorities. I understand that there is general compliance with the requirements of the regulations, but that because some of the slaughterhouses are old, constant vigilance is needed both on the part of the local authorities and the occupiers of the slaughterhouses to maintain the standards laid down.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total weight of strawberries contained in current imports of preserves; and how this compares with the previous two years.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Aviation what action is being taken about the proposal that Burtonwood airfield should be reserved as a site for a future civil airport.

I consider that Ring-way and Speke—with their planned developments—should be able to handle all expected traffic for many years; access to Ringway will be greatly improved by the planned North Cheshire Motorway. Although an aerodrome at Burtonwood would take some traffic that would otherwise use these airports safety considerations make it unlikely that three airports in such close proximity could, at busy periods, handle much more traffic than Ringway and Speke alone.A further factor is that there are particularly valuable reserves of coal underlying the airfield, though it is not likely that the Coal Board's workings will seriously affect the use of the runway until 1968. Any interference with the Board's programme would be physically difficult and extremely costly.However, the future of Burtonwood as an airport is now being considered by the North West Economic Planning Council, and as I told the hon. Member for Warrington (Mr. W. T. Williams) on 2nd June I shall wait for their report before giving my final views. There is no danger that Coal Board developments will prejudge the position before I receive this report.

asked the Minister of Aviation what are the total numbers of aircraft owned by British European Airways and the British Overseas Airways Corporation, respectively, at present; what are the numbers on order for each airline; and how many of all these, respectively, are British built.

The information sought is as follows:—B.E.A. owns 100 aircraft, 99 of which are British built. An order for improved Tridents is currently under consideration.B.O.A.C. and B.O.A.C.-Cunard together own 85 aircraft of which 64 are British built. The figures include aircraft awaiting disposal or in process of sale. 27 additional aircraft are the subject of contractual commitments, 25 of which are with a British manufacturer.Aircraft owned by subsidiary companies of both Corporations, apart from B.O.A.C.-Cunard, are not included in the figures given above.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make representations to the French Government about the dislocation of British air traffic to and from Le Bourget Airport, as a result of the exhibition held there last week.

No, but British European Airways have themselves made representations to the responsible French authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will give an estimate of the life of the phosphate deposits in Nauru; and what other prospects exist for the inhabitants after they are worked out.

At the present rate of extraction the life of the deposits is estimated at about 30 years. The subsequent arrangements for the inhabitants will be a matter for discussion with them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much land is owned by the Army authorities in the Leeds, South, constituency; and what future use is envisaged for it.

About 13 acres. Nearly four of these are expected to become surplus to Service requirements and will be offered to other Government Departments in accordance with the usual land disposal procedures. Apart from some married quarters and huts occupied by the Army Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps the remainder will be surplus to Service needs on the completion of the new Territorial Army Centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of specific publicity measures taken in each of the past three years to bring to the attention of eligible families the facilities available at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook.

Publicity measures regularly taken include circularising Service Welfare Organisations and the publication of information in orders, etc., to the Fleet and shore establishments.All directors of education are fully informed about the school, and there is a regular entry in the Digest of Charities. Articles on the school appear from time to time in Navy News, Ashore and Afloat, The Navy, and the S.S.A.F.A. Magazine. In addition, we are showing widely a 16 m.m. film in black and white about the school.Recent specific measures include a series of visits by the Headmaster and members of his staff to Portsmouth and Plymouth Naval Commands, during which they explained to officers and ratings of the Royal Navy the facilities offered by the school, and the conditions for entry.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give particulars of the father's seafaring connection in relation to new entries to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, in each of the past five years under the following headings, namely, Royal Navy, commissioned, Royal Navy, lower deck, Royal Marines, commissioned, Royal Marines, non-commissioned, temporary war-time naval reserves, other naval reserves, Merchant Navy, fishing, pilotage and miscellaneous.

An analysis of the admissions during the last five years, distinguishing between officers and ratings of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines and officers and ratings of the Merchant and Allied Services is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the charge on public funds arising from the recent party held at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, for the use of a Service military band.

None. In accordance with the normal practice fees were charged for its hire and to cover its transport costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has considered, insofar as it relates to his Department's responsibilities, the Memorandum on National Land Use and the Dartmoor National Park, submitted to him by the Standing Committee on National Parks of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England; and what reply he has sent.

The memorandum has been acknowledged and is being carefully considered by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet received advice from the Standing Advisory Panel on Computers with regard to the acquisition of a Hybrid Analogue Computer for the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield.

The Advisory Panel on University Computers has confirmed the suitability of the choice of computer which the college had decided to purchase.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of total United Kingdom overseas investments, both public and private, in the years 1914, 1939, 1945, 1951, and 1964, expressed in current monetary terms and at fixed values.

At the end of 1964, the value of private and official investments overseas amounted to around £11,000 million. The components are variously estimated at book, market and monetary values according to the information available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of their total allowance local authorities have borrowed in the first 10 weeks of the fiscal year 1965–66: and how this figure compares with 1964–65.

Between 1st April and 15th June this year local authorities

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of United Kingdom gold and currency reserves, and the total amount of outstanding short-term borrowing from international organisations and foreign banks, respectively, at the end of each of the last 10 calendar months for which the figures are available.

The information is in the following table. The short-term assistance under the $3 billion credit facilities outstanding at the end of April was repaid in full during May. No short-term assistance was received from international organisations, but the table includes amounts drawn from the International Monetary Fund and receipts from Switzerland under parallel arrangements. These fall due in three to five years.borrowed £174 million from the Public Works Loan Board. This represents 37 per cent. of estimated advances by the Board this year. The corresponding figures for 1964–65 were £33 million and 10 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of Her Majesty's Government's holdings in United States securities of all kinds on 15th October, 1964, and on 15th June, 1965.

The market value of the portfolio fluctuates, but in the period referred to it has averaged around $1,250 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD details giving particulars of Members of Parliament who have since October, 1964, been on an overseas visit where either directly or indirectly

pursuant to his Answer on 1st June [OFFICIAL REPORT, 1st June 1965, c. 186, Vol. 713] circulated the following information:A list of overseas visits by Ministers since the formation of the present Government was printed in Columns 55–62 of the OFFICIAL REPORT for 25th May, 1965. Visits by other Members of Parliament within the scope of the hon. Member's Questions have been as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of stay in prison hostels of all prisoners, and of prisoners eligible for parole, respectively.

A prisoner must be eligible for temporary release on parole before he is considered for the hostel scheme. The average length of stay in a prison hostel is six months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at present in Durham Prison are accommodated one per cell and three per cell, respectively.

On 24th June, 364 prisoners at Durham Prison were accommodated one to a cell and 369 were accommodated three to a cell.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Her Majesty's Prisons were treated for venereal disease in 1963 and 1964, respectively.

Of the prisoners received into prison during 1963, 700 received treatment for venereal disease and 34 received treatment for other venereal infections. Corresponding figures for 1964 were 682 and 58.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held in Her Majesty's Prisons after conviction for homosexual offences, and how many had committed such offences whilst in prison, respectively, at the latest available date.

During 1963, the latest year for which figures are available, 372 persons were received into prison under sentence for offences under Sections 12, 13, 15, 16 and 32 of the Sexual Offences Act, 1956, or for attempted buggery. I regret that no statistical information is available about homosexual offences committed in prison.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the amount and type of derelict land in each county of England and Wales.

This information is being provided by local authorities in response to Circular No. 55/64. It will be available when my right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have analysed the replies.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, following the representations made by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, he will make a statement on his decision on the position in the central area of Royton regarding the redevelopment scheme.

A list of proposed modifications to this submission was sent to the Lancashire County Council on 5th March. The Council's reply is awaited.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has considered, in so far as it relates to his Department's responsibilities, the Memorandum on National Land Use and the Dartmoor National Park, submitted to him by the Standing Committee on National Parks of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England; and what reply he has sent.

I have acknowledged the memorandum and am considering it in consultation with the other Departments concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in encouraging local authorities to co-operate in system building of houses.