asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration Her Majesty's Government are giving, in their review of the civil defence preparations mentioned in paragraph 200 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1965, to the possibility of changing the name of the Civil Defence Corps.

I regret that I cannot anticipate the outcome of the review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the cost of Civil Defence in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to reduce this expenditure;(2) what decision he has taken on the future of Civil Defence; and whether he will make a statement.

In 1960–61 expenditure on home defence by Civil departments in Great Britain was £15 million. In the next three years it was £17, £19 and £21 million respectively. The estimate for 1964–65 was £24 million and in the current year it is £23 million. As announced in the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1965, the form of our civil defence preparations is being reviewed in the light of the Government's general reconsideration of defence. This review has not yet been completed, and at this stage it is not possible for me to say what the outcome, or the future level of home defence expenditure, will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will lay a Command Paper before the House setting forth the principles upon which his policy in respect of civil defence is based, with special regard to the provision of deep shelters, the evacuation of cities and towns, and the protection of persons in rural areas against radioactive fall-out.

As stated in paragraph 200 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1965, the form of our Civil Defence preparations in the years ahead is being reviewed in the light of the Government's general reconsideration of defence. Pending the outcome of that review I cannot usefully make any further statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will authorise the replacement of the present uniform of the Civil Defence Corps with a new uniform more suited to the dignity and character of its services to the public.

I regret that I cannot authorise the issue of a new uniform, which would be a costly undertaking, at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the estimated cost of issuing shirts, collars and ties to all members of the Civil Defence Corps as part of their uniform.

The cost of an initial issue of shirts, collars and ties to all members of the Civil Defence Corps would be about £320,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now announce details of the extension of the six-mile taxi meter limit.

To extend the six-mile limit for controlled fares will require legislation. Discussions are continuing with the cab trade on a suitable fares structure, but I cannot say when it will be possible for legislation to be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the high charges asked by taxi-drivers for the journey from London Airport to London, what has been the result of the consultations he has had with taxi-cab owners with a view to establishing a recommended maximum price.

The object of my right hon. and learned Friend's discussions with the cab trade, which are still continuing, is to arrive at a suitable basis for the statutory control of fares for all journeys within the Metropolitan Police District.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his regulations governing interviews between convicted prisoners under his control and other persons.

The normal practice is that a prisoner who is entitled to a visit may be interviewed during visiting hours by anyone whom he is willing to see. The regulations are set out in Rules 33, 34, 35 and 37 of the Prison Rules (S.I. No. 388 of 1964). Guidance on their interpretation is given to Governors in Standing Orders and circular instructions, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement on immigration policy, following the return of Lord Mountbatten's mission.

I am not yet in a position to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 15th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now take steps to equip every foot patrol officer of the police authorities with a pocket radio set.

Trials are proceeding with over 200 pocket wireless sets of four types with a view to designing a set suited to the special needs of the police. In addition, as an interim step to help to meet immediate needs, an order has been placed for 1,000 pocket sets of existing types.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the success in Liverpool of the use of television cameras and the commando system in the prevention and detection of crime, if he will take steps to supply such cameras to all city police authorities.

It is for individual police authorities, subject to my financial approval, to decide whether to provide such facilities. I am sure that the experience gained by Liverpool will be most valuable, but until the results are available of the study of the Liverpool experiment being carried out by the Police Research and Planning Branch I do not feel justified in issuing any general recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private security organisations now offer their services commercially in this country; how many uniformed people are at present employed by those organisations; and how these figures compare with the corresponding figures for 1958 and 1962.

On 1st June, 1965, sixty private security organisations were known to be operating in England and Wales. They employed about 6,600 uniformed staff. Corresponding figures for 1958 and 1962 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present rate of recruitment for the prison service; and if he will make a statement.

Between 1st January, 1960, and 31st December, 1964, the number of male basic grade officers rose from some 4,600 to 6,000. So far this year just over 200 newly-recruited officers have completed their training. This is a lower figure than in the corresponding periods in the past three years and the position is being carefully watched. It remains my right hon. and learned Friend's policy that we should attract more recruits to the prison service, provided that there is no reduction in the high standards which are necessarily required. There is still no shortage of applicants but only a small proportion is suitable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breathalysers have been tested by the working party on the use of breath-testing equipment; and if he will now introduce legislation to permit their use by the appropriate authorities.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport announced in the course of the debate on 18th June on the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Graham Page), it is the Government's intention that a Bill should be introduced as soon as possible to make it an offence to drive a motor vehicle with more than a prescribed amount of alcohol in the blood. The studies carried out by the working party are among those that will be taken into account in framing this legislation, and it would be premature at present to say what procedures would be appropriate if breath-testing equipment were brought into use, or to give estimates of the cost of doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now introduce an inconvenience allowance for prison officers employed at Blundeston Prison.

My right hon. and learned Friend does not think that an inconvenience allowance would be justified at this prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what evidence he has reached the conclusion that there was no connection between Tom Browne and Sergeant Burrell and the two cases of Stratton and Brett; and whether he will supply this information either publicly in HANSARD or privately to the hon. Members for West Ham, North, and for Epping.

I set out in letters sent to my hon. Friends on 23rd March the main reasons for the view I had formed on this aspect of the cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce regulations governing the carriage of dangerous chemicals by road transport in the United Kingdom, pending international agreement.

I cannot at present add to the statement which I made on 20th May in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Gregory).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen are required for the efficient manning of a radar speed trap; and what are the individual duties of each policeman.

it is for individual chief constables to decide the procedure to be followed in manning radar speed meters.Common practice is to provide that when a motorist has been observed exceeding a speed limit and the fact has been confirmed by a radar speed meter reading he should be stopped by a police officer, usually stationed further down the road, and warned that proceedings may be taken. According to local circumstances and the volume of traffic other officers may also be employed to assist either the officer observing the traffic and operating the meter, or the officer stopping vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange that a certain proportion of the money earned by prisoners employed on outside working parties should be saved and paid to them on release.

My right hon. and learned Friend is studying the whole question of prisoners' earnings, but he is not yet able to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables to ascertain how many police officers and police vehicles were used for mobile duties and traffic control during the Whitsun holiday; and how these figures compare with those for Whitsun, 1964.

I should not feel justified in asking for a special return for this purpose. But I am satisfied from inquiries of representative forces that special measures were generally taken to provide the maximum degree of cover for the roads during the Whitsun holiday, and that more men and vehicles were on duty than at Whitsun last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to ensure that sodium chlorate is sold in such a form as to make it less effective as an explosive compound.

My right hon. and learned Friend has every sympathy with this proposal, but a practicable method has not yet been found. Action is being taken in other ways, however, to minimise the possibility of misuse of this substance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special provisions are made for the safe custody of persons serving very long terms of imprisonment.

Each case is considered on its merits. Special provisions for safe custody are not necessary for all persons serving very long sentences; they are limited to those considered to be a special escape risk.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was contributed by the Exchequer last year to the National Marriage Guidance Council, the Catholic Advisory Council and the Family Discussion Bureau; whether he is aware that these marriage-mending agencies are unable to arrange their forward planning through lack of funds; and whether it is now intended to increase the Exchequer grants to these bodies.

£30,000 was contributed to the National Marriage Guidance Council and £8,000 to each of the other organisations; the grants were increased to these rates for 1963–64 and the organisations were then informed, so that they might plan accordingly, that the grants would remain at this figure for the two following years. To assist the forward planning of the agencies, my right hon. and learned Friend hopes shortly to discuss with them the provision that should be made for the period beginning with the financial year 1966–67.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that in 1962 there were 1,027 deaths in Great Britain due to accidental drowning and that in England and Wales 626 of these occurred in inland waterways and at the seaside, and a further 82 people were drowned from small boats, what investigations he has made to ascertain how many of these victims had been taught to swim.

My right hon. and learned Friend shares the hon. Member's deep concern at the number of deaths from drowning, but he doubts whether the value of the information to which he refers would justify the labour of assembling it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training or educational methods are employed by the Metropolitan Police to promote a greater understanding of the problems of immigrant communities, with a view to securing better relations between the police and all sections of the public.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the special arrangements which he has made to promote greater understanding of the problems of immigrant communities include a series of talks given last year by a member of the staff of the High Commissioner for Jamaica to the teaching staffs of the two metropolitan police training schools, and the inclusion of this subject in the regular talks on current affairs given at the schools. The attendance at one of the training schools of numbers of overseas students from all parts of the Commonwealth also helps greatly to promote understanding.A chief superintendent has been given special responsibility for liaison between the Metropolitan Police and representatives of coloured immigrants and is active in promoting closer contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in discussions with the Northern Ireland Government relating to the construction of a new large dry dock at the Queens Island in Belfast.

In the light of the tenders that have been received by the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, this project is being urgently considered in consultation with the Government of Northern Ireland. A statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he expects to take in connection with the Report of the Recorder of Derby on the Challenor case.

I have not yet received the report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he proposes to implement the principal recommendations of the Littlewood Committee Report; and if he will make a statement.

I propose to invite the views of interested bodies on the Committee's detailed recommendations. I am giving special attention to the recommendations regarding the strengthening of the Inspectorate and the enlarging of the responsibilities of the Advisory Committee, for which legislation will not be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he stopped the letter sent by Prisoner T. Brett to the Public Records Office; why he has insisted that a petition must be presented giving the reasons why Prisoner Brett desires information on Mr. Twitchell, in view of the facts known to him that this man has given false information at the trial of Brett; and whether he will now personally review this case.

This letter was additional to Brett's ordinary entitlement and it did not appear that there were sufficient grounds for allowing him an extra letter. He was told that he could petition stating his grounds for needing an extra letter. It is not known to me that. Mr. Twitchell gave false information at the trial. After full consideration my right hon. and learned Friend has found no grounds for taking any action in relation to Brett's conviction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that adequate immigration staff are on duty to deal with foreign arrivals on Sundays at London Airport.

My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that in general the Sunday staffing of the immigration control at London Airport is adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the inquiries into complaints within the Oldham Police Force, initiated in April last, have now been concluded; and if he will make a statement in the light of his powers under section 32 of the Police Act, 1964.

I am informed that the disciplinary proceedings and the investigation by the Watch Committee of complaints against the Chief Constable and other senior officers have not yet been completed, and I accordingly cannot at present add to my answer of 27th May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to modernise the sanitary arrangements in Her Majesty's prisons.

A modernisation programme costing half a million pounds has nearly been completed. My right hon. and learned Friend is very anxious to solve the difficult problem of night sanitation and this is being studied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables in order to ascertain in what circumstances the police are authorised to use police dogs and what principles are applied in connection with their use; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that chief officers of police exercise proper discretion as regards the use of police dogs, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the general guidance that has been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for reports from police authorities as to the growth of illegal acts of violence, assault, abusive telephone calls, threats of violence, arson and other insulting and threatening conduct against the persons and property of minority groups by members and associates of Union Movement, British Nazi Party, Greater Britain Movement, the British National Party, and other such organisations.

I am kept informed of the activities of Fascist groups, which remain on a small scale, and no general request for special reports is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in tracing illegal immigrants from the Commonwealth; and how many Commonwealth immigrants have now been deported upon the grounds of illegal entry.

On the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 13th May to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne). As to the second part, 16 Commonwealth citizens have been deported under Part II of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, following their conviction of offences under Sestions 4 and 11 of the Act. In addition, about 80 seamen deserters have been traced and repatriated under the powers conferred by Schedule 1 to the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of immigrants in 1964 had a good written and spoken knowledge of English.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that during May 4,233 immigrants were admitted from India, 1,603 from Jamaica, 2,613 from Pakistan, 629 from Nigeria, and 594 from Hong Kong, what action he now proposes to take before the Summer Recess to stop this flow of immigrants, and give the local authorities a chance to deal with the problems already existing; and if he will make a statement.

The figures which the hon. Member quotes are the total numbers of Commonwealth citizens subject to the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 admitted during May from the territories named, and they include many persons admitted as visitors or students on a temporary basis. I am not in a position at the moment to add anything to the statement which the Prime Minister made on 15th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Commonwealth immigrants Her Majesty's Government now plan to accept into this country; when he estimates that this number will be reached, allowing for their rapid birth rate; how he will prevent more coming in; if he is aware of the danger of permitting unlimited immigration indefinitely; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave today to a Question by the right hon. Member for Monmouth (Mr. Thorneycroft).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in suitable cases, he will request local authorities to release children in their care for emigration to Commonwealth countries, especially Australia.

No. Local authorities are aware that they have power under Section 17 of the Children Act, 1948, to arrange for the emigration of a child in their care. My right hon. and learned Friend does not consider that it would be right for him to urge them to make more use of this power.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the concern caused by the suggestion in paragraph 270 of the Littlewood Report that there should be no general barrier to the use of animal experimentation in seeking new biological knowledge even if it cannot be shown to be of immediate or foreseeable value; and if he will give an assurance that this policy will not be endorsed by Her Majesty's Government.

The Committee recommended that the limitation on experiments contained in Section 3(1) of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, should be retained. The suggestion made in paragraph 270 should be considered along with this and other recommendations made by the Committee for the control of experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define the official limits placed on telephone tapping and mail interception.

The interception of communications may be authorised only on the personal warrant of a Secretary of State, and I follow the practice recommended by the Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed in 1957 to inquire into this subject. Paragraphs 57–68 and 133–152 of their Report deal with the circumstances in which a warrant may be issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is given to the records of drivers before a prosecution for parking offences is instituted in the metropolitan area.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that the decision whether or not to institute proceedings for parking offences is normally taken without making a search for particulars of any previous convictions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking, in view of the need for maintaining a police force capable of dealing with serious crime, to withdraw policemen now on loan to countries overseas.

None. Only six officers from England and Wales are on loan overseas at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to check the distribution from manufacturers' works through medical representatives and other persons of purple hearts, black bombers and similar drugs; what information he has as to how such drugs reach coffee bars, beat clubs and other unauthorised distribution points; and if he will make a statement.

Legislation would be needed for this purpose. My right hon. and learned Friend is watching the effects of the restrictions introduced on 31st October last under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, but it is too soon to judge whether further controls may be necessary. Little information is available about the sources of illicit supply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the purpose of the visit to this country of Detective Constable Dekoker of South Africa; what facilities have been offered for him to study British police matters; and what assurance was obtained from him regarding his contacts with South Africans, now resident in Great Britain, during his visit.

Mr. Dekoker told the immigration officer that he had come here for a month's holiday during which he hoped to see something of our methods of crime prevention and detection. No official arrangements to enable him to do this have been made. He was not asked to give any assurance about contact with South Africans in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as a safety measure, he will forbid the sale to children of toy balloons filled with hydrogen gas.

My right hon. and learned Friend is aware of a recent case in which a child was slightly hurt when a balloon of this kind burst, but he has no power to forbid the sale of such balloons to children, and no evidence of a need for any general prohibition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a directive was sent to all police stations in V Division in the Metropolitan Police from the Chief Superintendent telling every officer to report at once any inquiries made by a Fleet Street journalist named Thomas Bryant, concerning a certain matter.

I am informed that this message was issued to warn police officers that attemps might be made to secure unauthorised information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Marriage Act, 1949, to enable a man to marry his deceased wife's daughter where that daughter is illegitimate and he is not her father.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no reason to think that such legislation would be desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consider introducing for star prisoners the privilege of short, unsupervised visits from next of kin, and increase the number of letters and attendances with next of kin at prison chapels;(2) if he will, as a measure of rehabilitation, encourage a closer communication between prisoners and their families.

Closer communication between prisoners and their families is already encouraged and my right hon. and learned Friend is considering in what ways it can be extended. Visits, even from the next-of-kin of star prisoners, must be supervised in the interests of good order and discipline. The allowance of letters has recently been increased. On grounds of security, discipline and accommodation it is not possible to allow all prisoners' families to attend services in prison chapels, but in open prisons and other establishments where arrangements can be made, when members of a prisoner's family make a special request to be allowed to attend a particular service it is sympathetically considered and, if possible, allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research projects are at present being carried out into remand homes with particular reference to the background of the inmates in relation to their subsequent progress in life.

I am not aware of any projects relating specially to remand homes, where young people stay for short periods only, but I am sending the hon. Member information about current research connected with young people who have gone from remand homes to approved schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on whose authority false information was given by a Metropolitan Police inspector to ambulance drivers concerning the identity of a Scotland Yard sub-commander, the name of whom has been sent to him, who had suffered serious injuries; and if he will make a statement.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that no false information as to the identity of the injured man was supplied to the ambulance drivers by a police inspector or by any other police officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical inspections are carried out in respect of men working in the kitchens of Durham Prison; what circumstances led to the contracting of venereal disease by men in this prison; and whether he will make a statement.

All prisoners who work in prison kitchens undergo a special medical examination before doing so. The medical officer visits the kitchens each day and the officers in charge are instructed to report any prisoner who appears ill.On 3rd May a male prisoner at Durham reported sick with a venereal infection. Medical examination of the two prisoners who shared his cell revealed one other case of venereal disease, and two more cases were subsequently discovered as a result of a medical examination of all male prisoners. It is believed that the infection was introduced into the prison by one of these four prisoners, who had probably been incubating the disease at the time of his medical examination on reception.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the cost of a breathalyser appliance; and what estimate he has made of the cost of providing one in each police station;(2) what is to be his policy with regard to the responsibility for the use of equipment for the testing of the level of alcohol in the blood.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have given today to his other Question about breath-testing equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the manufacture and sale to children of wheeled toys called skateboards, and of the fact that their use could result in children being killed; and whether he will, in the public interest, introduce legislation to prohibit their distribution.

I understand from Press reports that in the United States of America several children have been knocked down and killed by motor vehicles while using skateboards on public roads. Skateboards are being manufactured and sold in this country, but I have no evidence which suggests that they are being misused in such a way as to justify their prohibition. My right hon. and learned Friend will, however, keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the police took either before, at, or after the trial of T. Brett, to check the claims and statements of the chief prosecution witness of his skill, knowledge and public position, which had a bearing on the conviction and sentence of Brett; and whether he will make a statement.

I understand that the police force concerned has made no special inquiries about these matters. At the trial this witness was put forward by the prosecution to give evidence of facts and not as an expert witness. It was therefore unnecessary to make any inquiries about any expert skills or knowledge which the witness might have.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make available to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, the information requested by Prisoner T. Brett on the legal name, official standing, and skilled knowledge of the chief prosecution witness at Brett's trial and all other such information as requested by this prisoner.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no official information on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has requested Prisoner T. Brett to give him information as to why he desires the Public Records Office to supply details concerning the bona fides of the main witness at his trial.

Brett wanted to seek these details in a letter additional to his ordinary entitlement and without further information there did not appear to be sufficient grounds for allowing him an extra letter for this purpose. He has been allowed a very considerable number of extra letters in recent months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that fresh evidence has been disclosed subsequent to the trial of Prisoner T. Brett and subsequent to his decision not to re-open the case, namely, the fact that the chief prosecution witness who claimed to be an Army captain is now proved to be an aircraftman with no knowledge of armoury in the Army, and the fact that it has now been proved that Bett has perforated ear-drums and was too deaf to have heard the shot which he was alleged at the trial to have heard; and if he will therefore now re-open the case.

The witness did not claim at the trial to be an Army captain. My right hon. and learned Friend has considered the material submitted to him about Brett's hearing, but in his view it does not justify any action on his part in relation to Brett's conviction for shooting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring to the notice of all police authorities the arrangement whereby deductions may be made from police pay and invested in a building society on favourable terms, so that on retirement a police officer is able to purchase his own house.

Arrangements on these lines have been made in a number of forces, including Hertfordshire. The hon. Member's Question, and this reply, will have the effect of bringing the arrangements to notice, and I do not think any further action on my right hon. and learned Friend's part is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the practice of car owners leaving vehicles unlicensed and parked on the London streets, many becoming derelict and eyesores to the general public, and in most instances leaving petrol in the vehicles' tanks which has caused explosions and damage and has injured children; and what further action Her Majesty's Government proposes to take to stop this evasion of the law and to prevent this nuisance.

This is primarily a matter for local authorities, to whom a circular of guidance was sent by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government in February last, drawing attention to the need to make provision for the disposal of abandoned cars. Action is taken by the police when the abandoned vehicle constitutes a specific traffic hazard or some other type of public danger.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the letter from the honourable Member for West Ham, North, giving details, including Road Licence numbers, of vehicles which have been unlicensed under the Road Fund licensing system and yet have been in use for many months; if he is aware of concern about this felt by a number of London borough councils; whether he has received representations from the London borough of Waltham Forest on this subject; and what action he now proposes to take to ensure that the police in London enforce the law in these and similar cases.

I have received a letter dated 28th June from my hon. Friend, and have brought the information contained in it to the notice of the Metropolitan Police. My right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations from any London borough in this matter. The police already take action on an increasing scale to report cases of apparently unlicensed vehicles to the taxation authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a reassessment of the need to retain any of the air-raid shelters of the Second World War, with a view to ensuring the early removal of the majority of them.

Many existing shelters might well be of value in any future emergency, and the current practice is to authorise demolition at public expense only where a shelter is structurally unsound, a danger to health or an obstacle to approved development. My right hon. and learned Friend is always prepared to consider proposals from local authorities for demolition within these categories or in other exceptional circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the smaller territories, not yet independent, have had an economic survey in the past five years.

Territories on which economic surveys have been published during the past five years include the Leeward and Windward Islands and Barbados, British Honduras, the British Virgin Islands, Mauritius and Seychelles. A survey of the New Hebrides will be published shortly. Unpublished reports have also been prepared on Gibraltar, the Federation of South Arabia and the British Solomon Islands. Economic surveys of British Guiana, Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland are planned.In addition, the team invited (in co-operation with the Secretary-General of the United Nations) to investigate the scope of additional economic and technical assistance for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, mentioned by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development on 7th May in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin (Mrs. Shirley Williams), is now preparing its report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) in view of the effect on numerous prospective holidaymakers of the liquidation of Omar Khayyam Tours Limited, if he will now expedite the introduction of his proposed legislation on the subject of travel agencies;(2) if, in view of the recent cases of travel agencies going into liquidation, he will make a further statement on the Government's proposals to protect holidaymakers affected by such occurrences.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State (Shipping) is studying the practicability of legislation on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of blackcurrants or concentrate have been imported from Poland so far this year; and at what price.

I regret that the information requested by the hon. Member is not available. Neither blackcurrants nor the concentrate are separately defined in the trade accounts, nor is it usual for import licences issued within the quota arrangements restricting imports from Eastern Europe to specify the fruit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the number of schemes relating to new factory building, including extensions to existing buildings, for which industrial development certificates were issued from 1st November, 1964, to the latest date for which information is available, in the North-East; and what was the total area in square feet and the estimated employment for male, and female, respectively.

To the end of June, 1965, 140 industrial development certificates were issued in the North-East for a total of five million square feet with an estimated additional employment of 13,460 males and 5,990 females.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state in tabular form in the OFFICIAL REPORT, at the 1965 value of the £, imports from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and exports and re-exports during the years 1950, 1960, 1963, 1964 and for the first six months of each year including 1965; and what were the main exports and imports during the first six months of 1964 and 1965.

I regret that estimates of this trade at constant values are not available. Imports, exports and re-exports at current values are obtainable from the appropriate Trade and Navigation Accounts and Overseas Trade Accounts. Figures for the first six months of 1965 are not yet available. The main exports and imports in the first five months of 1964 and 1965 were as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade why British exports to China in the first four months fell from £7,337,590 in 1964 to £5,405,186 in 1965; why our trade with a nation of 700 million is at this low level; what action he is taking to encourage it; what are the prospects of success; and if he will make a statement.

Export figures for the first five months of this year do not reflect the value of orders placed in Britain for capital plant and ships (totalling over £11 million) or the numerous other contracts made with British manufacturers in the last few months. The figure for exports in May, 1965, is however £2 million compared with £1·3 million in May, 1964. British traders are continuing to develop the contacts they have made with the Chinese state trading corporations and the services of the Board of Trade are available to firms seeking to do business with China.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage exports to Canada, especially of capital goods to Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, where extensive development is planned, in view of the growing population of these provinces.

The Board of Trade have recently announced Canextour, a special tour of industry next November by six British commercial officers serving in Canada to discuss with individual firms the export opportunities for eleven selected products, of which seven are capital goods. The team will include representatives from Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.The Board of Trade and the commercial officers in Canada keep firms constantly informed of business openings as they arise. The recent relaxation in the Canadian anti-dumping valuation laws presents British exporters with a particularly favourable opportunity to increase their trade. The Board of Trade and the Committee for Exports to Canada, working in collaboration, are encouraging and helping British firms to take advantage of this and assisting exporters in a variety of other ways; for example, by organising trade missions and opening display rooms for British goods in Toronto and Montreal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what answers he has given to the British Footwear Manufacturers' Federation's representations for cheaper overdrafts for export purposes; to what extent the bank guarantees can be extended to cover the financing of consignment stocks abroad; what proposals he has for giving extra help to the small exporting firms; and if he will make a statement.

The British Footwear Manufacturers' Federation have been told that the possibility of further improvements in export finance is being studied. Bank guarantees were designed to facilitate the provision of finance where goods have been accepted by an overseas buyer; they are not suitable for goods held on consignment before there is a contract of sale. In considering possible ways of further helping exporters, my right hon. Friend will continue to have the needs of small as well as large firms in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he will not publish in HANSARD details of names of Members of Parliament whom his Department have invited to dinners, luncheons, and receptions, arranged by his Department, for the most convenient period of time for which information is readily available.

Because I see no useful purpose in doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in the detailed preparation of the schemes for the further extension of the Cardiff to Merthyr trunk road.

Good progress has been made. The first stage of the work between Tongwynlais and Nantgarw, is programmed to start in 1967–68 and the second stage, from Nantgarw to Glyntaff, in 1968–69. Some slight variations of the line of the road are required and a draft Variation Order will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many dwellings in Wales were tenanted and owner-occupied, respectively, at the latest convenient date; what were the comparable figures for 1950; and what steps he will take to increase the proportion of owner-occupiers.

Forty-eight per cent. of the dwellings occupied on the night of the 1961 census were owner-occupied, and fifty-two per cent. were held on other tenures. Comparable figures for 1950 are not available. To meet the need for houses we require more for renting as well as more for owner-occupation.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether Her Majesty's Government will seek to hold consultations to make plans to set up a Zambia-Tanzania railway consortium, and with the participation of the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America and other Commonwealth and Western Governments, preferably under the auspices of an appropriate United Nations agency.

This is primarily a matter for the East African Governments and the Government of Zambia. The British Government's view is that until a survey has been made to confirm the feasibility and establish the cost of the proposed rail link, the question of forming a consortium to finance the project does not arise. The British Government have offered to underwrite half the cost of such a survey if carried out by a British firm.

asked the Minister of Power if, in view of the new circumstances created by the writing off of some of the National Coal Board's capital debt, he will take steps to review the situation whereby domestic consumers in Scotland pay more than the national average price for coal supplies.

It is for the National Coal Board to review their prices in the light of their revenue position, and I understand that they will do this when the details of the scheme for capital debt relief have been worked out.

asked the Minister of Power what are the present prices for the various grades of coal for domestic consumers in each region.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board and the coal merchants. I am asking the Chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health how many and which local or cottage hospitals have been closed in the last three years, are expected to close during 1965, or are expected to close during 1966–68, respectively.

Twenty hospitals which appear to fall within the definition have been closed in the last three years; hospital boards are consulting local interests about the possible closure of five hospitals in 1965 and one hospital in the period 1966–68. Until the present review of the Hospital Plan has been completed I cannot estimate what other closures might take place in the period specified.The details are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what is his most recent estimate of the shortage of hospital beds in the No. 1 North-East area.

Approximately 1,800 in the Newcastle Hospital Region, but this figure is being re-examined in the current review of the hospital plan.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent hospital admission waiting lists have altered in the No. 1 North-East area in the last five years.

Total waiting list figures for the Newcastle Hospital Region, including the Newcastle teaching hospital, were:

asked the Minister of Aviation what research is taking place into the possibility of preventing helicopters crashing immediately in the event of engine failure; and what progress is being made with the invention of some device, such as a parachute or rocket apparatus, which might lessen this danger to people on the ground as well as the passengers and crew of the helicopter.

Even in single-engined helicopter engine failure does not necessarily lead to a crash, since the rotor continues to revolve and allows the pilot under normal conditions to make a forced landing. Our main effort is directed towards eliminating the causes of engine failure by improving reliability, and towards the provision of sealed hulls or floats for those helicopters which fly a lot over water. Parachutes or rocket apparatus would be very heavy, and rockets would involve the use of dangerous fuels; neither would significantly increase aircraft safety.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many crashes of civilian helicopters through engine failure have occurred in the United Kingdom in any recent convenient period of twelve months; and what information he has as to how these accidents compare with the total number and mileage of flights.

In the twelve months ending 31st December, 1964, there were three notifiable accidents to civil registered helicopters which resulted from engine failure. The information required to enable this figure to be compared with the number of flights made by, and mileage flown by, civil helicopters, is not available.

asked the Minister of Aviation what progress has been made with the replanning of the car parking arrangements at the civil airport at Aldergrove, in County Antrim; and when he expects the scheme to be completed.

Construction of additional parking spaces immediately in front of the Terminal Building will start next month and should be completed in September. At the same time the car park entrance will be re sited and a new road system created to improve traffic flow. Later, in step with the development of the Terminal Building, the airport approach road will be diverted to the east and the car park extended to run the full length of the enlarged Building.

asked the Minister of Transport what limit in terms of time or of finance he has placed upon the subsidy to London Transport users.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, West (Mr. Popplewell) on 23rd June.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now take steps to increase the powers given to highway authorities to order that roadside hedges should be cut back by the owner, where danger to traffic arises from decreased visibility caused by overgrown hedges.

Sections 81 and 134 of the Highways Act, 1959, already give highway authorities powers to require owners to cut back hedges in these circumstances. I am not aware that further powers are called for.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have been reported in the last two years on the A.12 road north of Lowestoft from Hollingsworth Road Junction to the new dual carriageway; and what consultations are being held between the police authorities and his department to bring about improvements, or the introduction of a speed limit.

The accidents reported to the police during 1963 and 1964, were: in, 1963, one fatal, five injury and two non-injury; in 1964, eight injury and nine non-injury. There have been discussions between my engineers, the Lowestoft Borough Council, and the police about the possibility of improving the existing carriageway markings and other signs. A further meeting is arranged for 15th July. The introduction of a speed limit is also being considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now make a statement about the introduction of a new Small Farmer Scheme.

Yes. A draft of the Small Farm (Business Management) Scheme, 1965 has today been laid before the House for approval to come into operation on 1st September next. The Scheme provides for the payment of grants to the occupiers of farms of between 20 and 125 acres of crops and grass with a labour requirement of between 250 and 600 standard man days. The aim of the Scheme is to give encouragement to these farmers to adopt modern business methods in order to increase their efficiency and the profitability of their farms.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many crashes of helicopters through engine failure on non-operational flights have occurred in any recent convenient period of twelve months; and how these accidents compare with the total number and mileage of flights.

During the twelve-month period ending 30th June, 1965, three Service helicopters crashed as the result of an engine power failure while undertaking flights of a non-operational nature. There were no fatalities. No records of mileage are kept for this purpose, but in the same period Service helicopters carried out 170,000 non-operational flights.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of staff college training in the Royal Air Force.

We have decided to concentrate all staff college training in the Royal Air Force at the Staff College at Bracknell and to close the other Staff College at Andover. This amalgamation is not expected to take place until about 1968. It will result in useful savings in running costs without impairing the quality of the training.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what academic or other selection tests are used in connection with the admission of boys to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook.

Admission is based on a confidential report from the boy's school and on simple tests of English comprehension and basic arithmetic. The object is to discover whether a boy has the character, temperament and ability to take his place in a large comprehensive boarding school. For orphans the standards for entry are considerably relaxed.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs by what criteria he differentiates between the increased charges announced by the London Electricity Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board, respectively, resulting in the former increases being remitted for investigation to the National Board for Prices and Incomes while a request for similar action in the case of the latter increases was refused; and if, in view of this fact, and of the public reaction to the South of Scotland Electricity Board's increases he will now remit their new charges to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

All cases are considered individually on their merits. In deciding whether or not to refer these two increases to the National Board for Prices and Incomes, I took account of all the relevant considerations including, in the case of the London Electricity Board the statement issued by the London Electricity Consultative Council. It is not my intention to refer the increased prices of the South of Scotland Electricity Board.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what category of employee in his Department is in receipt of the lowest wage or salary scale; what this income is; how much it would cost to increase the salaries of those in this category by 25 per cent.; and whether he will give similar details with regard to their pension entitlement.

The lowest scale is for Typists Grade II with a national scale of £4 18s. 6d. (age 15) to £12 11s. 0d. a week, and an inner London rate of £6 2s. 6d. (age 15) to £13 17s. 0d.; the cost of a 25 per cent. increase in the Department of Economic Affairs would be approximately £2,152 per annum. Pension entitlement would depend on the grade from which retirement takes place.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give an assurance that Clauses 4 and 5 of his Circular 8/65 of 24th June to local authorities to encourage local authorities to assist amateurs are not meant to encourage local authorities to give this priority over assistance in the development of professional artistic work and especially in the development of professional theatres throughout the country.

The purpose of Circular 8/65 was to advise local authorities generally about the various ways in which they can encourage the arts, including both professional and amateur theatrical companies among other forms of artistic enterprise. It is for local authorities to exercise their powers in the various ways open to them as they think fit.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now advise local authorities contemplating the construction of arts buildings to consult the Arts Council at an early stage, and, in the case of a theatre, to consult the Theatres Advisory Council as soon as the decision to build or to reconstruct is taken and before preliminary plans are prepared.

My Department and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government recently issued a circular to local authorities drawing their attention to the White Paper entitled "A Policy for the Arts", and suggesting ways in which they can play their part in making a success of the policy. I see no need to advise local authorities about the importance of securing appropriate professional advice when preparing plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it a condition of his grant in aid to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art that it should publish the reasons for the resignation of its Principal.