asked the Minister of Aviation whether Her Majesty's Government have yet decided which type of engine is to be incorporated in the Lockheed C130 aircraft which are being ordered for the Royal Air Force.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the Government have yet decided which type of engine is to be incorporated in the Lockheed C130 aircraft which are being ordered for the Royal Air Force.

Yes. After very careful study of the proposals put forward by Rolls Royce, we have regretfully reached the conclusion that although the adoption of the Tyne would give improved performance it would result in substantially increased expenditure in various ways which could not be justified on grounds of cost effectiveness. The aircraft will therefore have the Allison engine which is fitted in the simliar aircraft produced for the United States Armed Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total amount of money paid out in grants to university students for the years 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964, respectively; and what would have been the amounts if all students had been granted the full allowance.

Total expenditure on grants to university students by local education authorities in England and Wales, by the Scottish Education Department and under the Ministry of Education State Scholarship scheme has been:

Academic Year				Total Expenditure (£ million)
1961–62	…	…	…	23·1
1962–63	…	…	…	28·6
1963–64	…	…	…	31·5

It is estimated that the total gross values of these grants, before deductions

were made for assessed contributions by students and their parents, were:

Academic Year				Total Gross Value (£ million)
1961–62	…	…	…	29·3
1962–63	…	…	…	35·3
1963–64	…	…	…	39·3

Figures for 1964–65 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the recent increase in student grants will commence for those students who are attending day teacher training colleges.

The new rates of awards which I announced on 24th May apply to students taking first degree and comparable courses and to students at colleges of education and come into force on 1st September.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what teacher-exchange agreements there are with countries in Eastern Europe.

There are no agreements with countries in Eastern Europe which provide for the exchange of teachers in their teaching capacity. The Anglo-Soviet Cultural Agreement includes provision for exchange visits by teachers of English and Russian to attend courses of study in those languages, and also for visits by university professors and lecturers for purposes of study and professional contact. The cultural programmes agreed with Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Rumania provide for similar short-term visits by university personnel and other educational specialists.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total estimated cost of educational maintenance allowances incurred by local education authorities in 1964–65 or the latest year for which estimates are available.

The estimated expenditure by local education authorities on maintenance allowances for school pupils over compulsory school age in 1964–65 is £1,324,362.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent local education authorities are in general still following the guidance given them in Circular 350 (1959) and Circular 327 (1957) in regard to the granting of educational maintenance allowances.

A return obtained from local education authorities last year showed that only seven authorities were limiting their maintenance allowances to the amounts set out in Circular 327. The majority of authorities are now paying rates of grant significantly higher than those recommended by the Working Party referred to in that Circular.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total estimated annual cost in 1964–65,

		Royal Navy	Army		Royal Air Force
			British Troops	Gurkhas
Killed	…	1	5	10	No casualties during this period.
Wounded	…	Nil	15	5
Missing, believed dead	…	1	4	Nil
Missing	…	Nil	Nil	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the date for applications for the next entry into the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk; and what Admiralty Press release has been made to the national Press, mercantile marine and fishing industry publications, and to the British Legion Journal and other journals read by naval and ex-naval ratings and their widows to inform them of this date and where to apply;(2) what steps are taken by the welfare officers and press officers at the naval ports, Royal Marine depots, and Royal Naval Reserve stations, to bring to the notice of ratings, wives and widows the opportunities for the education of their sons, and particularly orphans, at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, and the dates for application;(3) whether the National Union of Seamen, Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, Royal National Lifeboat

The information is not available in the form asked for. I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, how many casualties, killed, missing believed dead, and missing, respectively, have been suffered in the last six months by Her Majesty's forces in the operational area of Borneo; and if he will give the figures under service headings.

Casualties incurred in battle or through accidents in the operational area of Borneo between 1st January and 29th June, 1965, were:Institution, mercantile marine charities and sailors orphanages are informed of the dates of applications for entry into the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk; and whether they will be so informed in future.

Parents are advised to make application for admission when their sons reach the age of 10. Applications are then allotted to the appropriate entry according to age.The age limit for orphans is extended, and they may be admitted at any time.I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my Answer to the Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge (Mr. Stainton) on 28th June and my Answer to the hon. and gallant Member himself on 30th June.I am considering whether further information about the School could usefully be promulgated to Mercantile Marine parents through channels other than the Local Education Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, receives the full fees charged for the education of ratings' sons, particularly orphans, from the local education authorities at Portsmouth, Devonport, Chatham, Liverpool, Hull and Southampton, respectively; or whether parents, particularly widows, living in these areas themselves pay the £100 fees or part of them.

Full fees are being paid by local education authorities in respect of orphans from the areas specified in all but five cases—four at Chatham and one at Liverpool—where the local education authority pay part and the parent etc remainder.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total amount of money spent on the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, to date; and how much has been received from Greenwich Hospital funds, Reade funds, Naval Prize Funds and other sources, respectively.

Details of the annual income and expenditure of the Hospital, including details of expenditure related to the Royal Hospital School, are to be found in the statements of Greenwich Hospital and Travers Foundation Accounts presented to the House annually.As regards the Reade Foundation, the income therefrom is merged into the Greenwich Hospital General Income Account, and no portion is specifically earmarked for the Royal Hospital School.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the properties and the amount of land now occupied or leased by the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, which were presented or bequeathed by the late Mr. G. S. Reade; and what are the current values.

Greenwich Hospital's Holbrook Estate extends to some 890 acres (850 acres given by Mr. G. S. Reade and 40 acres purchased since). Approximately 150 acres are occupied by the Royal Hospital School and its playing fields, etc. The remaining area comprising two farms, houses, cottages, allotments and woodlands produces an income of approximately £1,775 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the total amount of money and other assets presented or bequeathed by the late Mr. G. S. Reade to Greenwich Hospital, for the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk; how much has been spent on the school; what is the present capital and current annual income of the various Reade funds; and of this latter sum what amount is allocated to the School;(2) what are the present allocations and the amounts of monies from the Reade funds presented to Greenwich Hospital.

Mr. Reade conveyed his Holbrook Estate to Greenwich Hospital by Deed of Gift in 1921. The gross receipts from the Estate in 1922–23 were £1,204 4s. 8d. the following further assets were transferred from the G. S. Reade Will Trust in 1946:

Nominal Amount
£
409,100	3 per cent. Savings Bonds 1955–65
111,750	3 per cent. Savings Bonds 1960–70
12,500	3 per cent. Savings Bonds 1965–75
£533,350

For further details, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to House of Commons Paper No. 163 "Greenwich Hospital and Travers Foundation Accounts 1963–64" which contains, on page 5 the last published details of the assets held on behalf of the Reade Foundation and Reade Accumulation Fund respectively. Amplifying notes appear on page 12 of the Paper. Details of the income derived from each of these Funds are given on pages 6 and 2 of the Paper, respectively. There is in addition an Annuity Fund which is in the charge of the Reade Trustees. This latter Fund now consists of £37,680 (nominal) of 3½ per cent. Funding Stock 1999–2004.The income from the Reade Foundation is merged in the Greenwich Hospital General Income Account and no portion is specifically earmarked for the Royal Hospital School.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ascertain the number of officers of the rank of commander and captain, respectively, who have sons at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, and the amount of fees in each case paid by the naval education allowance, the local education authority and the officer himself.

No. The rank of the officer is not relevant for the purpose of considering applications or collecting fees.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers, officers' widows, ratings, and ratings' widows, respectively, with sons at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, are included in the 137 parents without assistance with the payment of fees.

Officers	…	…	63
Officers' Widows	…	…	1
Ratings	…	…	73
Ratings' Widows	…	…	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of ratings' sons, and how many were orphans, who were refused admission into the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk, during each of the last five years; and what were the reasons.

The number of ratings' sons who failed to gain admission to the Royal Hospital School during the last school year was 81. None was an orphan. Statistics for earlier years are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the present number and the total amounts of Greenwich Hospital pensions to officers, and grants towards the education of their children, respectively; and how much of the money is allocated from Reade funds.

Greenwich Hospital pensions to officers at present number 136 at a present annual cost of £10,585. Sixty grants towards the education of the children of officers are in issue at a current annual cost of £4,040.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the present number and the total amounts of Greenwich Hospital pensions to seamen and marines, pensions to widows and grants for the education of their children, respectively; and how much of the money is allocated from Reade funds.

The benefits at present in issue to seamen and marines and their dependants are as follows:

		Annual Cost
		£
899	Special pensions (including Canada pensions) to former seamen and Royal Marines	42,380
590	Widows' pensions	22,500
180	Grants towards the education and maintenance of children	6,100

The second part of the Question is covered by my earlier Answer today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the purpose of the Waterloo Banquet held at the British Embassy in Brussels; by whose authority it was held; how many guests attended; what was the cost of the banquet; and what was the total cost of all the arrangements.

On 15th June Her Majesty's Ambassador in Brussels gave a ball (not a banquet) to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and the Duchess of Richmond's ball, which immediately preceded the battle. Her Majesty's Ambassador informed the Foreign Office in March, 1964, of his proposal to hold the ball, and the then Foreign Secretary gave his approval.540 guests attended the function of whom the majority were Belgians. The cost of the ball will be met from Her Majesty's Ambassador's

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proportion of entrants to the foreign and diplomatic sections of the Civil Service came from each of the following universities during the last live years, namely, Oxford, Cambridge, London and Manchester.

The proportion of entrants to the Foreign Service and the Commonwealth Relations Service for the years 1960–64 from the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, London and Manchester are as follows:

Oxford	…	…	…	44 per cent.
Cambridge	…	…	…	26 per cent.
London	…	…	…	8 per cent.
Manchester		…	…	0 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health what representations were made to him by the trade union movement on the setting up of a committee to inquire into the relationship between the drug industry and the cost of the National Health Service.

Representations advocating a Committee of Inquiry into the industry were made by the Trades Union Congress and were supported by the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he received from the Trades Union Congress on the appointment of members to the Committee of Inquiry into the relationship between the drug industry and the cost of the National Health Service.

The General Council put forward two names for consideration.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that one of the persons appointed to serve on the Committee of Inquiry into the relationship between the drug industry and the cost of the National Health Service in primarily an employer in the jute industry; and why he has not also appointed a person recommended by those representing employees.

Members of the Committee were appointed for the contribution they could make to the work of the Committee and not as representatives of particular interests.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to improve facilities for the care of the young chronic sick in the North-East Metropolitan region.

The Regional Hospital Board is studying the improvements required and has decided as a short-term measure to add 22 beds to the existing unit at the Eastern Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accidents to children involving polythene bags have been reported in each of the past 12 months to the nearest convenient date; and how many of these have proved fatal.

During the period of 12 months ending on 30th April, 1965, deaths of children under the age of 15 in England and Wales from suffocation by polythene bags occurred as follows:

October	…	…	…	…	1
December		…	…	…	1
February	…	…	…	…	1

Particulars of non-fatal accidents are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accidents, fatal and non-fatal, respectively, to children involving polythene bags over the past 12 months have been traced to bags pushed through doors or otherwise left by door-to-door callers who did not hand them over to an adult person at the dwelling.

None, so far as I am aware.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give details of the reasons for the present shortage of home-produced cement; to what extent home production is being increased; and when the present shortage is likely to be overcome.

Demand for cement rose very sharply in 1964, and is continuing to increase rapidly this year, since many construction programmes are ahead of schedule. This has outstripped the manufacturers' planned expansion of capacity. It is normally possible to meet a temporary excess demand by imports, but this has been more difficult than usual this year because of shortage of cement all over Europe. Large imports have, however, now been arranged, and considerable new capacity is being brought into operation during this year and the next. This should increase capacity for home production by about 7 per cent. by the end of 1965, and by about a further 10 per cent. during 1966. The situation should therefore improve gradually and the manufacturers have assured us that they will continue to import until home supplies match demand.

asked the President of he Board of Trade what was the value of synthetic industrial diamonds imported into the United Kingdom and manufactured in the United Kingdom, respectively, in the latest convenient year.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has approved schemes submitted to him under the Transport Act 1962 for dealing with the historical relics and records and films service vested in the Railways Board; and what arrangements are being made for their preservation, public display or availability, and use.

I have approved the three Schemes with minor modifications and they became effective yesterday. The approved Schemes, the texts of which are given below, lay upon the Railways Board the duty of preserving, subject to the provisions of the Schemes, the historical relics and records and the film projection material and equipment which were transferred to the Board by Section 31(2) of the Transport Act 1962. The Board inform me that the present arrangements for public display or availability and use of the relics, records and films will be continued.Following are the details:

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied that enough use is being made of tunnelling in making new roads, in view of the many schemes being carried out abroad, and the saving in compensation for demolition of property compared with surface or overhead roads; and if he will make a statement.

New roads are built in tunnel where the balance of advantage in cost and difficulty of construction and maintenance favours this method.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what steps his Department has taken to examine the illuminated school crossing patrol sign, details of which have been sent to him, which was produced at the request of, and tested and found satisfactory by, the Salford police;(2) what steps his Department proposes to take to encourage the widespread adoption of illuminated school crossing patrol signs of the type tested by the Salford police.

The use of a new type of hand-held fluorescent patrol sign will be obligatory from September onwards. For the illuminated warning of school crossings we shall shortly be conducting experiments with a fixed sign, in advance of the crossing, which has mains electricity supply and will flash whenever the patrol is in operation. These developments do not exclude the possibility of authorising illuminated patrol signs and our Divisional Road Engineer has been asked to obtain further technical information about the type of sign to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to publish the details of the route proposed for the new M.11 motorway.

We expect to have the consultants' final recommendations in September. If these show no unexpected difficulties we hope it will be possible to complete the discussions with local authorities in time to enable a draft Scheme to be published in November or December.

asked the Minister of Transport what study he has made of the Report of the Working Party on Traffic appointed by the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend received the Report, with a covering letter from the Secretary of the Association, on 30th June. He will reply as soon as he has had time to consider it.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors concerning the staggering of working hours; and what reply he has sent.

The Association has just sent my right hon. Friend a copy of the report of its Working Party on Traffic. It suggests that further staggering of business hours should be imposed by regulation. We prefer persuasion to direction and are considering how we can achieve more staggering in this way.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he will make a statement on the progress of discussions between his Department, the Motor Insurers' Bureau and the motor insurance companies with a view to securing improvement and extension of the agreements of 1946; and whether such discussions are intended to lead to an extension of the agreement so as to ensure full compensation as of right for persons injured by unidentified or hit-and-run drivers on the lines suggested by several of Her Majesty's judges;(2) why it would not be in accord with the policy of the Road Traffic Acts to secure full compensation for third parties injured in highway accidents for the 1946 agreements with the Motor Insurers' Bureau to be amended so as to enable the Bureau itself to be joined in, to defend and, if so found, to be liable in proceedings by an injured person against an unidentified or hit-and-run motorist in the same way as the personal representatives, and so the insurers, of a deceased motorist can be joined and, if appropriate, found liable to pay to the injured person the compensation found by the courts to be just and equitable.

Discussions are proceeding with Motor Insurers' Bureau on the possibility of extending the 1946 Agreement to cover cases involving unidentified drivers which are dealt with at present by the Bureau on an ex gratin basis under Note 6 attached to the Agreement. I hope that it will be possible to bring these discussions to a satisfactory conclusion, but this is a complex matter and the stage has not been reached when it would be appropriate to make a statement.The point raised in the hon. Member's second Question is under consideration in these discussions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the estimated amounts of tax foregone in 1963–64 and 1964–65 on employers' contributions to approved superannuation schemes.

If employers' contributions to such schemes had not been deductible in computing business profits, the additional tax payable would have been about £150 million for 1963–64 and about £160 million for 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the estimated amounts of tax foregone in 1963–64 and 1964–65 in respect of life assurance relief and of deeds of covenant in favour of persons.

The estimated costs for 1963–64 and 1964–65 respectively were £58 million and £60 million for life assurance relief and £16 million and £17 million for deeds of covenant in favour of individuals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the latest annual cost of annual and other allowances on industrial buildings, ships, motor cars, and on other plant and machinery, respectively.

About £55 million, £40 million, £35 million and £540 million for assets in use in the trading year 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the latest annual cost of investment allowances on industrial buildings, ships, and plant and machinery, respectively.

About £25 million, £20 million and £280 million on expenditure in 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the latest annual cost of initial allowances on new industrial buildings, new ships, ordinary motor cars, secondhand plant and ships, and on other new plant and machinery, respectively.

About £10 million, nil, £35 million, £15 million and £85 million on expenditure in 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for the hon. Member for Belfast, North to receive a reply to his letter of 3rd June, 1965, to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury concerning Clause 44 of the Finance Bill before the Report stage commences on 5th July.

I have now written to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills).

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is aware of the shortage of cement in the county of Northumberland; and what steps he is taking to make, supplies available.

A marginal gap between supply and demand is affecting cement supplies in most parts of the country: I have no evidence to suggest that the situation in Northumberland is exceptional. My right hon. Friend and I recently met the cement producers who already have under way a record increase in capacity, and have also assured us that they will continue to import cement until home supplies match demand.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources whether he will now specify the extent of the problem of the water supply for the West Midlands; and how it is proposed to be met.

The precise extent of the existing and future demand for water in the West Midlands for all purposes will not be known until the Trent and Severn river authorities have completed the licensing of existing abstractions under Part IV of the Water Resources Act 1963 and made an initial survey of future demands under Section 14. Present consumption from the public water supply is about 175 mgd. The rate of increase is about 3 per cent. per annum, which will be met over the next ten years mainly from the Clywedog reservoir scheme now under construction. The river authorities and the Water Resources Board will need to consider further conservation works beyond that. The Water Resources Board, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government and I are keeping the matter under review.