asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the North Eastern Electricity Board to reconsider the number of units to be charged at the farm tariff rate for smallholdings which are not expected to use as many as 275 units.

A general direction would not be appropriate. I am asking the Chairman of the North Eastern Electricity Board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power if, in view of the fact that local assessors in various parts of the country are indicating that the installation of domestic off-peak block storage heaters will bring about increased rateable values, he will give a general direction to area electricity boards to refrain from suggesting in their advertisements that the installation of these heaters will not result in increased rateable values.

I understand that in England and Wales the installation of free-standing storage heaters does not affect rateable values. The Scottish Electricity Boards are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in the public interest, he will take steps to increase the salary of the Chairman of the National Coal Board.

No.

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has of the contraction of coal output arising from further pit closures; and what discussions have taken place between his department and the National Coal Board on redundancy and the effect on local authorities.

I cannot at present give useful estimates of the kind requested. When exhausted or uneconomic pits are closed their output may, where necessary, be replaced by output from other pits including new and reconstructed pits. There are regular discussions on the consequencies of closures between my Department, the National Coal Board, and other authorities concerned, at both national and regional levels.

asked the Minister of Power what estimate has been formed of the capital cost of collieries closed since nationalisation.

I am advised by the National Coal Board that the cost of vested collieries was brought into the Board's accounts on the basis of the compensation value apportioned by compensation units and not necessarily by individual collieries. No estimate of the cost of collieries closed since nationalisation is available.

asked the Minister of Power how many unprofitable collieries have become profitable in the last six weeks.

I understand that information in the form requested is not available, and that the National Coal Board judges changes in the profitability of pits over fairly long periods to allow for many temporary factors such as seasonal movements, price variations, holidays and geological difficulties.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give details of the results of the research into the commercial value of fly dust and clinker waste from coal-fired generating plants.

Research has established the value of pulverised fuel ash in the manufacture of a number of building materials and as a structural material in civil engineering work. There is always a ready market for clinker ash, the output of which, however, is falling.

asked the Minister of Power what progress has been made with the 20 Pit Scheme into the causation and incidence of pneumoconiosis; and when a report of its findings can be expected.

The scheme to which my right hon. Friend refers has been in operation since 1952. It has already yielded, and continues to yield, much useful medical and environmental information. A review of progress made is published in the annual reports of the Medical Service of the National Coal Board. It is very difficult to fix a term for a research programme of this nature, but I am advised that the National Coal Board hopes to complete it and issue a report on the work by about 1970. In the meantime full advantage is being taken of the lessons which are progressively being learned.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement on his plans for the future of the Scottish coal industry, in view of the fact that nuclear-powered generation of electricity is likely to be less than half the cost of electricity generated by either coal or oil.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) today.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the total amount of moneys paid in interest on borrowed moneys from Government sources by the National Coal Board since its inception.

Since its inception the National Coal Board has paid £469 millions interest on its capital liabilities to the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Power how much money has now been paid to the former colliery owners by way of compensation; and what amount remains to be repaid.

The amount paid in compensation for vested assets, other than mineral rights acquired from the Coal Commission, was £310 million. The outstanding debt of the Coal Board to the Exchequer under this heading is £274 million, but my hon. Friend should take into account paragraph 14 of the Board's Report for 1963–64 and my statement in the House on 1st July.

asked the Minister of Power what was the cost to the National Coal Board of imported coal for private industry in the seven-year period 1947 to 1954.

Precise figures are not available. The National Coal Board estimate, however, that it was an insignificant part of its total loss on imports in these years.

asked the Minister of Power how many meetings of the National Fuel Advisory Committee have taken place.

If the hon. Member is referring to my Energy Advisory Council the answer is two; a further meeting will take place later this month.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what loans or grants have been given to assist African primary or secondary education in Rhodesia in the past year; and what assistance is proposed for the present year.

The answer to both parts of the Question is, None.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she has now received the Final Report from the Stamp Commission on Farming in Kenya; and if she will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 1st June to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) except that I now expect to receive the final report of the Mission towards the end of August.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many graduates in agriculture from the United Kingdom have taken up permanent and short-term advisory and research appointments, respectively, in agriculture in Africa during each of the last three years to the latest convenient date; how many of these received formal training in tropical agricultural subjects; and if she will estimate the figures for the next year.

I can give information only about posts in Africa which the Ministry of Overseas Development, or the Department of Technical Co-operation before it, was asked to fill. The appointments statistics are not kept separately for graduates and non-graduates; but in fact graduates are appointed to nearly all posts of these kinds.No permanent appointments are now made.Short-term appointments, which are often renewable for more than one term, were made as follows:

	Advisory and Executive	Research
July-December 1962	9	5
January-December 1963	11	18
January-December 1964	23	18
January-June 1965	22	7
Total: mid-1962 to mid-1965	65	48
TOTAL	113

Of these 113 officers 36 had had formal training in tropical agricultural subjects as post-graduate students selected and maintained by the Ministry of Overseas Development or the Department of Technical Co-operation. No statistics are available showing the equivalent training received by other candidates; but most would have acquired specialised knowledge of tropical agriculture before they were selected. The rest were known to be acceptable to the overseas Governments concerned without that knowledge, either because their work would not require it or because they could conveniently be given it on the spot.I estimate that about 60 appointments of these kinds will probably be made by my Department in the next twelve months. Of those two-thirds will probably be for advisory and executive posts and one-third for research. About a quarter of the graduates selected will have had formal training in tropical agricultural subjects as Ministry of Overseas Development students. The value of this estimate depends not only on the number of suitable candidates who will become available but also on the number of posts of each kind which overseas Governments ask the Ministry of Overseas Development to fill.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether, irrespective of the views which she may have formed as to the merits of the case of Mr. R. W. Blandy, formerly in the service of the Government of Tanzania, about which the hon. Member for Southampton, Test has written to her, she will continue to press the Government of Tanzania, through the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam, that the agreement of the Tanzanian Minister of Justice be given to Mr. Blandy's testing his case in the Tanzanian courts.

The British High Commissioner has taken this matter up with the appropriate authorities and I am informed that consent has been given to the institution of proceedings.

asked the Minister of Technology what assistance the Scientific Experimental Station at Dounreay, Scotland, is giving him in developing the machine tools industry.

The Dounreay establishment has a full programme of work on the development of commercial fast breeder reactors, and there are no plans for bringing it into the development of the machine tools industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking in view of the decision of the Restrictive Practices Court that Richard Thomas and Baldwins have been guilty of price-fixing against the public interest, despite their undertaking as a member of the Galvanised Tank Manufacturers' Association in 1959 not to engage in price-fixing.

The matter is at present under consideration and a letter will be sent to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the privilege granted to lawyers of receiving their last year's salary free of tax on retirement applies when a lawyer is appointed as a judge; (2) whether he will state the class and groups of taxpayers similar to barristers and Queen's Counsel who are able to claim their salaries and/or fees free of tax, for the last year prior to their retirement; (3) whether he will give details, for the latest convenient stated period for which figures are readily available, of the numbers of persons, such as barristers and Queen's Counsel, who have been allowed to claim their last year's salary prior to retirement free of tax; and what was the total amount of such claims.

As barristers cannot sue for their fees, they are assessed for tax on a cash receipts basis. It follows that on retirement, whether on appointment as judges or otherwise, they are not liable to tax on their post-cessation receipts. Members of other professions may, subject to certain conditions, opt to use the cash basis. Figures are not available of the number of cases where the cash basis applies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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 answers are:

Messenger: £12 9s. 0d. a week at the maximum of the scale;

£13,000 per annum.

Assuming an average of 20 years reckonable service the annual cost in the first year of a 25 per cent. pension increase would be £3,600.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is now the outstanding debt for war credits; and what proposals he has for expediting the repayments in future.

About £230 million for Post-War Credits, with an additional £34 million in respect of accrued interest. In reply to the second part of his Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Belfast, South, on 1st July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what evidence he assesses that there will be a decline in world trade; and since Great Britain will suffer more than any other nation from such a decline, because of its need to export 30 per cent. of all it produces to pay for its imports of food and raw materials, what fresh initiative he will take to increase public awareness of the consequent danger of unemployment unless prices decrease and quality of goods increases; and if he will make a statement.

Assessments of the likely development of world trade are derived from estimates of the future level of economic activity in the main trading countries and other relevant factors. The prospects are of continuing expansion of world trade, although possibly at a slower rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total combined amount of losses, to the nearest £1 million, which Her Majesty's Government have allowed the nationalised and State-aided industries to write off since October, 1964.

None. The Government are to introduce legislation which will enable B.O.A.C. to write off operating losses as at 31st March, 1965, and to create a reserve against contingencies. This will involve the cancellation of £110 million of the Corporation's borrowings. Legislation will also be introduced cancelling £400 million of the Coal Board's obligations to the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many resolutions, protesting against the level of taxation of fuel oil used in public service vehicles and urging that the tax should be wholly abolished or substantially reduced, he has received within the last few weeks; and what replies he has sent to them.

Two in the last six weeks: they have been acknowledged and noted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross national product was taken in taxation, including local taxation and social security contributions, in the latest convenient year in this country; and what information he has about the proportion in other comparable industrialised countries.

The table below shows total taxation, covering taxes on income, taxes on expenditure (including rates) and social security contributions, as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost. Death duties, which are regarded as taxes on capital, are excluded from the figures. The latest year for which comparable information is available for other countries is 1963.

Taxation as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost, 1963
United Kingdom	…	32·7
France	…	42·9
Italy	…	35·2
Netherlands	…	35·0
United States of America	…	31·8
West Germany	…	41·0

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD the numbers of people who were at the latest convenient stated date in receipt of gross annual incomes of £20,000 per annum, £30,000, £50,000, £75,000, £100,000, £250,000 and above £250,000; and what were the various amounts received by persons in the last category.

My hon. Friend will find all the available information in Table 87 of the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for 1963–64 (Cmnd. 2572).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will confirm the Borough of Ilford No. 7 (North Hainault) Smoke Control Order, 1964, in time for residents to buy smokeless fuel at summer prices; and if he will amend the title of the Order to conform to the new borough and ward names following the reorganisation of local government in Greater London.

This order has now been confirmed. The provisions of the order were amended to take account of the transfer of powers from the former borough council of Ilford to the London Borough Council of Redbridge, but the title was not amended because it was thought to identify sufficiently the area covered by the order.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consideration he has given to the development of a new town in the south-east of Yorkshire; and if he will take into account the advantages of the town of Selby which has a low population.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leeds, South (Mr. Merlyn Rees) on 8th February, 1965.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, with reference to the planning appeal for which his Department's reference is APP/907/A95845/HPJ/3, why a delay is to occur from 13th April, 1965, when the appellant asked for a hearing of the appeal, to 17th November, when the hearing is due to take place; whether this interval is more or less than the average comparable intervals in other planning appeals; and whether he will take steps to expedite the hearing of the appeal in the case referred to.

The delay is a consequence of the continued rise in the number of planning appeals. The interval in this case is about two weeks longer than the average waiting period for the country as a whole. If a siutable vacancy occurs in the inquiry list the inquiry will be brought forward.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, with reference to appeals proceeded with under Section 23 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1962, what has been during each of the last three years the average interval between the date on which the hearing of an appeal was requested and the date on which such hearing took place, and the average interval between the hearing of an appeal and the communication of his decision; how these intervals compare with appeals proceeded with since the beginning of 1965; and what steps he is taking to shorten the delay in hearing and deciding such appeals.

The figures are given in the table below:

Year of decision	1962	1963	1964	1965 (to 31st May)
Average time (in weeks) from
(a) receipt of appeal to date of inquiry	23·7	22·0	21·0	25·0
(b) date of inquiry to issue of decision	9·8	11·1	10·3	10·4

The number of appeals is continuing to rise and the main cause of delay is the shortage of Inspectors. I am stepping up recruitment and expanding arrangements for training on the job. I have also speeded up the procedure for dealing with simpler appeals by means of written statements. As these measures take effect, they should lead to a gradual shortening of the time taken to determine appeals.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he received a petition from 737 citizens of the Madeley Ward of the borough of Wenlock, protesting at being taken into the designated area of Dawley New Town without being allowed any say in the matter and expressing a wish to remain part of the borough of Wenlock; and what answer he has given to it.

This petition was received on 29th June last and so far has been acknowledged only.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwellings in England and 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-occupied dwellings.

It is estimated that in March, 1965, about 7·4 million dwellings were owner-occupied in England and Wales and about 7·8 million were tenanted. No estimates are available for 1950, but in 1951 about 4 million were owner-occupied and 8½ million tenanted. My aim is to develop a national housing plan which will provide in a balanced way both for those who wish to own their own houses and for those who need to rent, especially people who can afford only moderate rents.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he is taking to deal with change of use of houses from single unit to multi-occupation, in view of such conversions taking place without sanction of the local authority and only located by casual inspection, complaints from occupants and reports from owners and occupants of neighbouring houses.

The Housing Acts, 1961 and 1964, contain powers enabling local authorities to control conditions in multi-occupied houses, including powers to require registration. My right hon. Friend is considering the strengthening of these powers, and in particular enabling local authorities to control multi-occupation before it starts.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what estimate has been made of the cost of establishing the Commonwealth Secretariat; how this cost will be allocated between members of the Commonwealth; and whether he will make a statement.

No precise figures can be given at this stage. One of the first tasks of the Secretary-General when he takes up post will be to prepare a budget for the Secretariat. The actual cost of establishing the Secretariat, providing initial equipment and so on, may be of the order of £25,000; the annual cost when the Secretariat is in full operation may be of the order of £150,000. The cost will be shared between Commonwealth Governments on a scale which is set out at Annex B to the Agreed Memorandum on the Commonwealth Secretariat: the British Government's share will be 30 per cent.Parliamentary authority will be sought for the British contribution by Supplementary Estimate in due course. In the meantime any necessary advance will be obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what recent consultations he has had with the Nigerian Government about the effects of their proposed special relationship with the Common Market on United Kingdom-Nigerian trade.

We are in regular touch with the Nigerian Government on this, as on all matters of mutual interest to the two Governments, and they are fully aware of our views.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what new British initiative he now proposes following the successful conclusion of a formal cease-fire in the Rann of Kutch, in order permanently to improve Indo-Pakistan relations in other present fields of controversy.

It is certainly our hope that the successful conclusion of the Rann of Kutch agreement will lead the Governments of India and Pakistan to try to resolve other outstanding differences. We remain ready to assist in any way they both feel would be useful, but I do not think that there is scope for an initiative on our part at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what qualifications are required for temporary appointment to a position of third secretary with a British High Commission overseas; how many such appointments have been made this year; and why it is necessary to make them.

All-round qualities of character, personality and intelligence. There has been one temporary appointment as third secretary this year to a British High Commission, but temporary appointments have been made to the Diplomatic Service in other grades. It is, as I have said before, necessary to make such appointments because of the general and continuing shortage of manpower in the Diplomatic Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many of the 18 temporary appointments made in the last five years to serve in British High Commissions overseas in the rank of second or third secretary were the sons of manual workers; and how many had been educated at public grammar schools and subsequently at red brick universities.

At least two. There may be more since the professions of fathers deceased before their sons or daughters were appointed are not known. Eight officers were educated at grammer schools. Of these, two subsequently went to Cambridge and six went to no university at all.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many of the 18 temporary appointments made to British High Commissions overseas in the last five years to serve as second or third secretaries had failed the necessary Civil Service examinations; and whether, at the end of their term of appointment, they will be given the opportunity to take the examinations again.

Eleven failed the Civil Service examinations. All of them will have an opportunity to take the examination again provided they are eligible under the Civil Service Regulations.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether, in considering the choice between coal and oil for the heating of public buildings in accordance with the principles which he has laid down, he assesses the difference in cost of those two fuels by reference to the cost of oil excluding the revenue duty or including it.

Revenue duty is included in the cost of oil when the difference in cost between oil and coal is assessed.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works to what extent the information which he has received from Scotland indicates that the recent acute shortage of cement in Berwickshire has been alleviated.

I understand that some urgent requirements affecting agricultural buildings have been met. The general situation in Berwickshire is similar to that in other parts of the United Kingdom and will only be fully resolved when supply catches up with demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on how many occasions in the last two years the Suez Canal Convention of 1888 has been broken and by whom.

So far as we know there has only been one incident in the last two years involving British shipping interests where the application of the Constantinople Convention of 1888 has been called into question. This was the case of the s.s. "Cardiganshire" in February, 1964. The then Foreign Secretary (now Lord Butler) told the House that representations had been made to the United Arab Republic authorities. The vessel continued its passage through the Suez Canal after a delay of 48 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what language qualifications are required of new entrants to the senior branch of the Foreign Office; and what facilities are available for foreign service officers to acquire additional foreign language qualifications.

Candidates for the Administrative Class of the Diplomatic Service must satisfy the Civil Service Selection Board that they have the ability to learn foreign languages. A candidate whose university course does not include a modern language at degree level, or who has not passed an equivalent examination, is required to take a language test comprising dictation, conversation and viva voce translation into English. Tests are normally held in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian but other languages useful in the Diplomatic Service are accepted. Candidates for the Supplementary Open Competition must have a competent knowledge of at least one language of value to the Service.Much subsequent language training both at home and abroad, especially in hard languages, is conducted by private tutors. Each year several new entrants are assigned to full-time studies in Slavonic, Oriental and African languages. Officers are encouraged to attend commercial, educational and governmental language institutions in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The Diplomatic Service runs its own Arabic courses at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies in the Lebanon and will shortly open a Language Laboratory in London to provide tuition in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.Tuition costs are met from public funds and, as an incentive, language allowances are paid to those officers who succeed in the language examinations conducted on behalf of the Service by the Civil Service Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the total financial payments paid by subsidies or any other payments to the agricultural industry for the past 15 years up to the latest available date.

In the 15 years to the end of March 1965 the total amount paid to the agricultural industry in the United Kingdom in deficiency payments and production grants and subsidies was £2,986 million. This figure excludes the food subsidies borne by the Ministry of Food before July 1954.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the total sum that has been or will be paid to main and subcontractors connected with TSR2 as a result of the cancellation of that aircraft.

I cannot at present improve on the estimate included in my answer of 14th April, 1965, to the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mr. Bence).

asked the Minister of Aviation what are the names of main and sub-contractors who will be compensated by the Government because of the cancellation of TSR2; and what amount each company will receive.

I circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT of 12th April a list of the main contractors and sub-contractors on the TSR2. As regards payments to individual contractors, I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave the hon. Gentleman on 2nd June, 1965.

asked the Minister of Aviation what action the Government have taken or intend to take to replace the work lost by main and sub-contractors engaged on the TSR2 as a result of the cancellation of that aircraft.

The joint Anglo-French military aircraft projects, for a strike trainer and a variable geometry strike fighter, will play an important part in the reorganisation of the programme of work in the industry. In the short term we shall do all we can, by expediting work on existing projects, to help the firms affected by the cancellation of TSR2. However, the redeployment of part of the resources of the aircraft industry for other work was an essential objective of the Government's military aircraft cancellations.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the Report on the North-West Study Group will be made.

My right hon. Friend expects to make a statement about the report quite soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment has been made by the Medical Research Council of the treatment of deafness by injections of vitamin B12 or a lipoflavinoid preparation; and if he will make a statement.

None, but I am advised that evidence from clinical practice to date does not suggest that these substances are particularly beneficial in this connection.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what representations he has received from the local government electors of Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire, concerning the closure of their village school; and what reply he has made to it.

I have received objections to the proposed closure of the Stoke Albany School from the managers; from the Chairman of the Parish Council, forwarding a petition on behalf of 159 local government electors; from a number of transport drivers who use the road between Stoke Albany and Wilbarston where the local education authority propose that the Stoke Albany children should in future attend school. I am studying these objections and I have not yet sent a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many additional teacher trainees will be required in Greater London in particular, and the South-East Region generally, to meet the Government's target figure for expansion of the number of teachers during the next three to five years;(2) how many additional places in teacher training establishments are to be provided in Greater London in particular, and the South-East Region generally, during the next three to five years; and where these additional places are to be provided.

The Government's aim over the years immediately ahead is to secure the largest possible increase in the teaching force in the schools by all available means, including both the recruitment of many more new teachers and the attraction back to teaching of larger numbers of former teachers. The teacher training system, which is national in character, will continue to admit larger intakes of students year by year under the various expansion plans now being implemented. It is too early to give any precise estimate of the further increase in intakes that will accrue from the request I have just made to the colleges of education to consider making appropriate arrangements to achieve a greater output of trained teachers through the more productive use of their facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take on the Report of the Official Working Party on Family Pension Benefits for Teachers in England and Wales.

Following widespread consultation with all concerned, it is clear that the great majority of teachers and their employers are in favour of implementing the scheme proposed in the Working Party Report. I have informed the bodies concerned that I shall be taking the earliest opportunity of introducing legislation to enable the scheme to be brought into operation with the least delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of three recent cases of arson in the Manchester area; and whether he will call for reports from chief constables in order to ascertain the extent to which the use of arson has developed by Fascist organisations and their sympathisers, and the damage to property and loss of life involved.

I have received a report of one case in Stockport, in respect of which police inquiries are continuing. As regards the general question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 8th July to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Freeson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has from the Metropolitan Police about the proportion of parked cars stolen in the Metropolitan Police area in any convenient period which had been left unlocked, and about the proportion stolen after the thief had read the number of the ignition key on the dashboard by using a small telescope or binoculars through the rear window.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions there were during the last convenient period for the illegal use of audible warning approach contrary to paragraph 86 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1646 of 1963.

During 1963 proceedings were instituted in England and Wales in 257 cases for sounding a warning instrument at night and in 251 cases for sounding a warning instrument from a stationary vehicle. I regret that further information about offences under Regulation 86 of the Constructon and Use Regulations 1963 is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Report of the Departmental Committee on Licensing Planning will be published; and when he will introduce legislation to give effect to its recommendations.

The Report of the Committee, to whose members I am much indebted, has been published today as a Command Paper. I shall give careful consideration both to the Report and to any comments I may receive from those affected by its recommendations. I cannot forecast when it will be possible to introduce legislation.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he is aware that prices of up to £25,000 for a quarter of an acre of land have been paid recently in Surrey, details of which have been sent to him; and what prospect there is of early action to reduce these prices.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the sale of industrial land at Chessington in February, of which I am aware. I shall shortly be making proposals for legislation for a Land Commission.

asked the Postmaster-General how many Division bells have

				Prescriptions	Total Cost	Ingredient Cost	Dispensing Cost
					£	£	£
February-April 1965	…	…	…	6,777,040	3,547,915	2,398,522	657,614
February-April 1964	…	…	…	5,590,846	2,829,473	1,876,782	546,526
February-April 1963	…	…	…	5,759,819	2,734,368	1,760,905	565,926
November 1964-January 1965			…	5,718,812	3,049,160	2,054,050	559,427

asked the Postmaster-General if he will discontinue the installation of Division bells in private houses and clubs.

asked the Postmaster-General how many premises are served by the House of Commons Division bell warning service; if he will give the separate totals for official, domestic, and other premises; and if he will now confine this service to the House of Commons and official users.

The House of Commons Division bell system serves 100 premises in addition to the House of Commons itself. Of these 19 are official, 75 are domestic and there are 6 others. Since 1st November, 1964, 11 bells have been installed in private houses, but none in clubs. The practice of siting Division bells in private residences and clubs was established in 1912. As regards suggestions for changes, I would refer my hon. Friends to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House gave after his business statement on 8th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Delargy).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of prescriptions and the total cost of drugs and dispensing fees for the three months following the abolition of prescription charges, compared with the same three months of the previous year and with the three months immediately prior to abolition.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scot land to what extent farms eligible for winter keep, but excluded because of dairying, will receive the 2s. winter keep supplement to the hill ewe subsidy; and if he will make a statement.

Farms which are not eligible for winter keep grant because they are being used for dairying to a material extent do not qualify for the 2s. per ewe supplement. The 1965 Annual Review White Paper made it clear that this payment is a supplement to the acreage payments under the winter keep scheme made in order to ensure comparability with other areas in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of the smallholdings owned by him in the county of Fife showing their acreage and rent per acre.

I regret that it would be contrary to accepted practice to publish the rents of individual holdings which are confidential to landlord and tenant.There are 71 smallholdings on five estates in Fife. In the 5–15 acre category, there are four holdings on landholder's tenure with an average rent of £4 1 ls. 8d. per acre: and 29 holdings on lease-hold tenure with an average rent of £6 15s. 8d. per acre. In the 15–75 acre category there are 20 holdings on landholder's tenure with an average rent of £3 11s. 9d. per acre and 18 on leasehold tenure with an average rent of £7 1s. 7d. per acre.In these categories, rent is determined by the buildings and equipment provided as well as by the form of tenure and the acreage of the holding.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make a statement on the siting of the next power station in Scotland, and on the type of fuel it will use.

A decision on these matters will have to be taken within the next twelve months or so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to select and acquire a site for an advance factory at Ilfracombe; and what action has been taken in this connection since he announced his intention to build a factory in this area.

Negotiations for the purchase of a suitable site are now in progress. Plans for the construction of the factory are also in preparation and will enable building work to start as soon as practicable after the site has been acquired.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future location of the Patent Office.

The present accommodation of the Patent Office is inconvenient and dispersed. I am considering the possibility of moving the Office to a place on the outskirts of the Greater London Council Area, or perhaps a little further, but with convenient access from Central London.

asked the Minister of Transport in which periodicals and newspapers he advertised his intention to impose a 50 miles per hour speed limit during the Whitsuntide holiday period.

Advertisements appeared in the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Sketch, Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Sun and The Times on 3rd, 5th and 7th June.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what steps he is taking to ensure the prompt completion of works in Arrowe Park Road, Birkenhead, so as to preclude the necessity for extending beyond six months the period during which Arrowe Park Road is closed; and whether he will give an assurance that he will not give his consent under Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1960 to any proposed extension of such period of closure;(2) what consideration he gave to the requirement of safety measures, by way of lower speed limits, closing of adjacent roads to through traffic, and prohibition of overtaking, when giving his consent to the use of Fleetcroft Road, Birkenhead, as a diversion during the closure of Arrowe Park Road; whether he will require the taking of additional safety precautions while the diversion continues; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to him on 14th May. As I explained, these matters are the responsibility of the local highway authority. If they apply for an extension of the operative period of the closure Order I must consider the request upon its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if the Welsh Planning Board has now reviewed the current five-year programme for road expenditure in Wales; what recommendation it has made for improving road communication between North and South Wales; and whether he has accepted such recommendation.

The Planning Board's review of road communications in Wales is not yet quite complete. I hope to make a statement later this year about the five year programme for road expenditure in Wales.