asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that by suddenly more than doubling the rents of his tenants at Third Part, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, he is inflicting hardship on them; and whether he will reconsider his decision.

There should be no hardship in the new rent levels for holders making effective use of their holdings. As to the reasons for the rent revision, I would refer the hon. Member to my Reply to his Question of 19th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the growing concern among local authorities regarding the low standard of hygiene in many public milk vending machines; and if he will seek powers to remove this possible source of dauger and infection to public health.

I am aware that some concern has been expressed, but I am advised that the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations, 1959, and the Milk and Dairies Acts provide adequate power to local authorities to enforce hygienic standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much grant Glasgow will lose this year under the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act, 1963, through charging unreasonably low rents; and what is the total amount Glasgow has lost since the introduction of this Act.

The stated intention of Section 3 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act, 1963, as my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State explained to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North (The Earl of Dalkeith) on 26th May, was to limit the call on the Exchequer for Exchequer equalisation grant in respect of housing deficits. Without the limiting provision of the Section, Glasgow's Exchequer Equalisation Grant would be about £150,000 greater for 1965–66 and would have been about £445,000 greater for the three years 1963–64 to 1965–66, inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many disabled persons were assisted in having their home adapted so as to overcome their handicap in 1963 and 1964; what was the cost in those years; and how many people are waiting for such adaptations.

I regret that these figures are not available, but I am asking medical officers of health to include information on this subject in their annual reports for 1965 and subsequent years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further evidence he has received about the need to amend the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act, 1964; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no further evidence on this subject. I have therefore nothing to add to what I said in the House on 17th February last arising from a Question by the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the rate of completions of local authority house building during the first six months of 1965; and what estimate he has made of the probable number of completions in the second half of the year.

Local authorities completed 11,094 houses in the first half of this year, and I expect that about 12,000 will be completed between July and December. These numbers reflect the very low level of approvals during the two middle quarters of 1964, and I expect the number completed in 1966 to be more satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in developing a humane alternative to the gin trap.

A humane alternative to the gin trap has not yet been found. Trials are, however, being undertaken of five types of trap considered by the Humane Traps Panel to be worthy of investigation. I am unable to say what the outcome of the trials is likely to be.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give consideration to the establishment of a Scottish reference library for science and technology.

I am considering how to strengthen the existing facilities for the provision of scientific and technological information in Scotland. I shall bear in mind this suggestion when consulting the interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with local authority associations, with a view to reorganising local government finance and relieving local authorities of some of their financial burdens; and if he will make a statement before the beginning of the Summer Recess.

The ground is being prepared for these consultations, but it is unlikely that I will be ready to make a statement before the House rises.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of recent complaints about noise, what steps he intends to take to limit disturbance caused to coastal areas by noise from hovercraft; and if he will make a statement.

I have no power to intervene in this matter. The service between Largs and Millport has been instituted with the approval of the local authorities concerned and is being operated in accordance with a permit granted by the Ministry of Aviation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Commissioners of the Scottish Law Commission have been appointed for less than five years; if so for how long they have been appointed.

The Chairman of the Commission has been appointed for five years, two members for four years and the remaining member for three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what agreement has been made with each Commissioner of the Law Commission as to the payment of pension allowance or gratuity on his retirement or death, and upon what conditions; and what payments are to be made by each Commissioner and out of public funds towards provision for such pension allowance or gratuity.

The Chairman of the Scottish Law Commission is a judge of the Court of Session and is pensionable under the arrangements applicable to his judicial office. The part-time appointments held by the other members are not pensionable and there is no provision for payment of a gratuity on retirement or death.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Chairman of the Scottish Law Commission has been appointed without relinquishing his judicial office; and what are the special terms of appointment as a Law Commissioner relating to the performance of the duties of his judicial office.

The Chairman of the Commission has been appointed without relinquishing his judicial office, and the terms of his appointment make no provision as regards his performance of the duties of that office. He will accordingly be exempted, by virtue of Section 2(4) of the Law Commissions Act, 1965, from performing those duties, and will be engaged whole-time on the work of the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he is initiating for the development of a new organisation for the examination of raw materials and the possibilities of establishing new industries based on them.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Land and Natural Resources and I, with the help of our Advisory Committee, are collecting and will assess the available information on the location and economic potential of natural resources as yet unexploited. This is the first step.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement outlining his plans for replacing the special Highland Area Fund grant of £15,000 for tourist purposes, which was withdrawn last year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. George Y. Mackie) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of medical prescriptions issued in February, March, April and May of this year, and the numbers issued for the same months in 1964.

The following are the figures:

			N.H.S.	Prescriptions
			1964	1965
February	…	…	1,829,654	2,234,189
March	…	…	1,892,191	2,425,216
April	…	…	1,869,001	2,117,635
May	…	…	1,833,044	2,169,800
(estimated).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, on what grounds it has been decided that the main purpose of the proposed Highland Development Board will be to concentrate on the expansion of forestry and tourism in the Highlands.

No such decision has been taken.

asked the Lord President of the Council what further legislation Her Majesty's Government intends to introduce during the current Session of Parliament.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Torquay (Sir F. Bennett) on Thursday, 8th July.

asked the Attorney-General what sums of money additional to their salaries are allowed to be claimed by the Lord Chief Justice, the Lord Justices of Appeal, High Court Judges and the Master of the Rolls for living away from home and other expenses incurred whilst carrying out their public duties.

Her Majesty's Judges when on Circuit are accommodated in Lodgings provided by the local authorities.A Judge is financially responsible for the maintenance on Circuit of himself, his Clerk, his Cook and Butler and, if one comes, his Marshal. He pays also the travelling expenses to and from Circuit towns of his cook and butler. He and his Clerk are reimbursed their own travelling expenses round the Circuit. The Judge also has to pay the cost of providing food and refreshment for the domestic staff provided by the local authority at the Lodgings and for the police on duty there. Sometimes in the case of large old houses the numbers are considerable.A Judge who has provided his own cook and butler and is the only Judge staying at the Lodgings receives an allowance of £8 10s. 0d. a day. When two Judges are staying at the same Lodgings each receives £7 5s. 6d. a day; when three are together on Circuit each receives £6 10s. 0d. a day.In recent times, the Lord Chancellor has set up a central pool of cooks and butlers paid from public funds. The daily allowances of Judges who are served by them are reduced according to the circumstances. Thus, when three or more Judges in the same Lodgings are provided with staff at public expense, the daily allowance upayable to each Judge is £5 2s. 0d.

asked the Attorney-General whether any special allowances outside their salaries are paid out of official funds to the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Justices of Appeal and High Court judges in respect of their postage, stationery, secretary, telephone and telegrams, living away from home expenses, and other expenses necessarily incurred whilst carrying out their respective public duties.

The Lords Justices and Judges of the High Court are provided at public expense with a Clerk who also performs court duties. The Lord Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls and the President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, who have considerable administrative duties to perform, are provided with a secretary in addition. The Judges are entitled to use the telephone installed in their rooms at the Law Courts and to despatch letters and telegrams on official business at public expense. With regard to their expenses on Circuit, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I have given to his previous Question.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will give the names of former Lord Chancellors who are entitled to draw the existing £5,000 per annum pension; which of these are drawing it; and how many years of service in the office of Lord Chancellor the present holders of this pension served in this office.

The Earl of Kilmuir and Viscount Dilhorne. Only Lord Dilhorne is drawing the pension. Lord Kilmuir was Lord Chancellor from 19th October, 1954 to 16th July, 1962, and Lord Dilhorne from 16th July, 1962 to 17th October, 1964.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in HANSARD full details concerning the pensions to former Lord Chancellors since 1951; what is the current pension per annum; and whether in addition such a person is entitled to receive his last year's earnings prior to retirement on a tax free basis.

Lord Chancellors Jowitt, Simonds, Kilmuir and Dilhorne have retired since the beginning of 1951.Earl Jowitt received £3,750 a year from 30th October, 1951 until his death on 16th October, 1957.Viscount Simonds has never drawn his pension as Lord Chancellor, but was granted a pension as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary on 1st April, 1962 at the rate of £4,500 per annum, when his contingent right to a Lord Chancellor's pension was revoked.The Earl of Kilmuir drew his pension of £5,000 a year from 16th July to 31st August, 1962, but is not drawing it until further notice.Viscount Dilhorne has been drawing £5,000 a year since 17th October, 1964.The current pension is £5,000 per annum. The last year's earnings of a Lord Chancellor prior to retirement from office are subject to tax in the normal way.

asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions has now completed his examination of the report of the inquiry by the Chief Constable of Wolverhampton into the Challenor case; and what further criminal proceedings or other action will be taken on the report.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has now completed his examination of this report. Detective-Sergeant Challenor has been found unfit to plead by the courts and in these circumstances no question of criminal proceedings arises. The Director of Public Prosecutions has decided that he would not be justified in instituting criminal proceedings against anyone else on the basis of the report.

asked the Attorney-General (1) whether he is aware that the London Rubber Company, a manufacturer of contraceptives, and Mark Quin Associates, a public relations firm, agreed together to set up an orgainsation known as the Genetic Study Unit with the object of fraudulently inducing medical officers of health to act as patrons of a unit that would disseminate misleading information calculated to alarm women and dissuade them from using contraceptive pills; and whether he will direct the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions to these activities with a view to his initiating a prosecution for criminal conspiracy;(2) whether he is aware that the London Rubber Company, manufacturer of mechanical contraceptives, clandestinely created and endowed a unit known as the Genetic Study Unit with the object of disseminating to medical officers of health, Members of Parliament and women's institutes misleading and alarming propaganda concerning contraceptive pills; and whether he will direct the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate criminal proceedings against the directors of the company for creating a public mischief.

I have seen a Press report about the Genetic Study Unit. If my hon. friend has further information I shall be grateful if he will send it to me so that I can consider whether it provides evidence of the commission of a criminal offence which would warrant the institution of proceedings.

asked the Attorney-General if he will instruct the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute those who aided and abetted the escape of Ronald Biggs from Wandsworth Prison.

asked the Attorney-General whether he intends to instruct the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate proceedings against those prisoners who assisted in the escape of four other prisoners from Her Majesty's Prison, Wandsworth, on 8th July, 1965.

Police inquiries into the circumstances of the escape are now in progress. When they are completed the Director of Public Prosecutions and I will consider whether the evidence justifies the taking of proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about arrangements for overhauling and maintaining Phantom II aircraft and the training of their pilots.

Detailed plans for the overhaul and maintenance of the Royal Naval and Royal Air Force Phantom aircraft and for the training of their pilots are being discussed by the two Services to ensure that the final arrangements represent the most practicable and economic solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the pensions of retired members of the Armed Forces will be increased; and if he will make a statement.

This and other proposals are being considered in the Government's review of public service pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in view of the hardship caused to the people of Gibraltar by the actions of the Spanish authorities, what guidance has now been given to members of the Royal Navy or Army stationed in Gibraltar about the undesirability of going into Spain whilst this state of affairs continues; and when, and in what form, the guidance was given.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will estimate the number of officers and ratings, respectively, in the Royal Navy who would this year have sons reaching the age of admission to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook.

From the statistics available to me I would assess that there are in any year about 6,550 officers and 15,000 ratings in this category, that is, with a son of between 10 and 11 years of age—a ratio of approximately 1: 2·3. This corresponds very closely to the ratio between the number of sons of R.N. officers and the number of sons of R.N. ratings in the present

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Financial Year	Income Available for R.H.S. and Pensions/Grants	Gross Revenue Expenditure R.H.S.	Expenditure on Pensions/Grants	Total Expenditure R.H.S./Pensions (Total of Cols. 3 and 4)	Balance (the difference between Cols. 2 and 5) +or-	Amount of fees included in Col. 2	Difference between Cols. 6 and 7+or-
1955–56	232,382	160,838	74,515	235,353	- 2,971	Nil	- 2,971
1956–57	233,522	165,347	70,833	236,180	- 2,658	1,510	- 4,168
1957–58	245,557	187,123	68,867	255,990	- 10,433	11,839	- 22,272
1958–59	276,699	194,855	65,500	260,355	+ 16,344	21,165	- 4,821
1959–60	303,850	205,475	66,996	272,471	+ 31,379	36,618	- 5,239
1960–61	336,985	230,693	73,357	304,050	+ 32,935	49,851	- 16,916
1961–62	351,189	246,070	82,327	328,397	+ 22,792	56,323	- 33,531
1962–63	361,574	247,481	83,544	331,025	+ 30,549	60,523	- 29,974
1963–64	367,830	257,423	80,920	338,343	+ 29,487	64,114	- 34,627
1964–65*	354,950	259,050	95,900	354,950	Nil	63,500	- 63,500
NOTE: *Estimated.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to standardise parking places by the use of coloured markings on kerbs.

The Traffic Signs Regulations prescribe signs, including road markings, for indicating parking places, and the new Traffic Signs Manuel

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the sum disbursed by Greenwich Hospital in each of the last 10 years for the Royal Hospital School and for other benefits, respectively; what income was available to meet this expenditure; and to what extent fees at the Royal Hospital School have made a contribution towards meeting this expenditure.

It will be seen from the Table below that expenditure on the Royal Hospital School has steadily increased. Fees at the School were introduced in 1957 and the final column in the Table shows that without their assistance (or a reduction of the expenditure on other benefits) Greenwich Hospital expenditure would have increasingly exceeded receipts. It is estimated that fees in 1964–65 will have provided for about one-sixth of the total estimated expenditure on the Royal Hospital School and other Greenwich Hospital benefits.will give guidance on the uniform use of these signs. I do not propose to use coloured markings on kerbs for this purpose; such markings are prescribed for indicating restrictions on loading and unloading.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have occurred on the M.20 in each year since it was opened to the latest convenient date; and what was the delay in notifying the emergency services in each case.

Following are the numbers of accidents involving death or injury (m the A.20 (M):

	1960*	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965†
Fatal Accidents	1	0	1	4	2	0
Serious Injury	4	7	5	3	6	2
Slight Injury	5	14	13	9	6	3
* Part year only: Hollingbourne (east terminal)—A.229 opened June, 1960; A229—Coldharbour (west terminal) opened December, 1960.
† Up to 16th June.

No information is available about "damage only" accidents; nor about the time taken to notify the emergency services, but I am advised that there is no evidence of excessive delay.

asked the Minister of Transport how many breakdowns have occurred on the M.20 in each year since it was opened; and what was the average delay in notifying the breakdown service.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the many accidents caused by straying cattle, when work will commence on the fencing of the A.30 road over Bodmin Moor.

Work will commence as soon as the statutory processes have been completed. These are complicated because the acquisition of common land is involved.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the newspapers and periodicals in which he published advertisements relating to the 50 miles per hour speed limit at Whitsun.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southall (Mr. Pargiter) on Tuesday, 13th July.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will issue a general direction, in the public interest, to British Railways to take steps to remedy the confusion to which commuters have been subjected as a result of the introduction of the summer timetable.

No. I do not accept that confusion has resulted from the introduction of the summer timetable. But in any case a general direction would not be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to make compulsory the fitting of safety belts in self-drive hire cars.

The case for dealing with self-drive hire cars in isolation is not strong. My intention is, once the regulations requiring all suitable new vehicles to be equipped with prescribed anchorage points are made, to have consultations with the interested parties about the compulsory fitting of safety belts in all new vehicles so equipped.

asked the Minister of Transport how many driving tests were conducted at each of the driving test centres at Swansea, Bridgend and Cardiff in 1964; and how many persons failed to pass the driving test on the first occasion at each centre during this period.

In 1964, 8,873, 7,666, and 17,226 driving tests were conducted at Swansea, Bridgend and Cardiff respectively. The total number of failures at each of these three centres was 5,000, 3,642 and 9,215 respectively. Records do not differentiate between candidates' first and successive tests.

asked the Minister of Transport why he has opposed planning permission for a concrete works at Hillsmoor, Somerset.

No such planning application has been referred to my Department.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will amend the regulations covering small charter aircraft, so as to ensure greater safety.

The safety regulations are themselves adequate but I am anxious to have more assurance that they are fully complied with. I am considering what can be done in this direction.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated cost in the next five years of the participation by the United Kingdom in the establishment of a global communications satellite system.

The United Kingdom Post Office will contribute about £6 million, spread over 5 years, of the £70 million estimated as the cost of establishing the space segment of the global system.

asked the Postmaster-General how many Scottish organisations he invited to attend the meeting, held on 2nd July, to discuss the setting up of a Post Office Users' Council.

One exclusively Scottish organisation, namely, the Post Office Advisory Committee for Glasgow. Other organisations invited include Scottish interests in their national representation.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will ensure that Scottish interests are represented on the Post Office Users' Council.

Yes.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will standardise the size of envelopes by metric measurements.

I quoted the sizes in inches in order to help users of envelopes and the trade. However the new international standards were agreed in metric terms as follows: the limits of envelop width as not less than 90 millimetres or more than 120 millimeters, and of length as not less than 140 millimetres or more than 235 millimetres.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will advance the date on which the special stamp issue commemorating the Battle of Britain will be issued, so that it may be used on letters sent overseas on 1st September, 1965.

No. The 13th September, which is the Monday of Battle of Britain Week, seems to me to be an appropriate date for the issue of these stamps.

asked the Postmaster-General by what total of men the Post Office letter delivery service is short in the London and Greater London areas; and what steps he is taking to remedy this situation.

We are about 1,300 short in the London Postal Area and about 1,600 in the Greater London area. We are doing everything we can to recruit more staff, including postwomen and part-timers.

asked the Postmaster-General how many postmen have been recruited to the Post Office service in London and Greater London in the first six months of 1965; and how this compares with the last six months of 1964.

2,080. This is 449 less than the last six months of 1964.

asked the Postmaster-General what further consideration he has given to the employment of part-time postmen in an effort to solve the staff crisis in the London and Greater London area; and if he will seek union co-operation in this matter.

Following discussions with the Union of Post Office Workers instructions have been issued about the recruitment of part-time staff and of full-time postwomen. These are now being acted upon.

asked the Postmaster-General by what total of men the Post Office letter delivery service is short in the Brentford and Chiswick area; and what steps he is taking to remedy the situation.

There is a shortage of 29 postmen. Every effort is being made to recruit more staff including post-women and part-time staff.

asked the Postmaster-General how many postmen have been recruited for the Post Office service in Chiswick in the first six months of 1965; and how this compares with the last six months of 1964.

Six. This is one less than in the last six months of 1964.

asked the Postmaster-General by what percentage the Post Office delivery staff at Chiswick is under strength; and how this figure compares with other areas of the London postal region.

By about 23 per cent. of authorised establishment: the comparable figure for the London Postal Area generally is 8 per cent. Absences due to sickness and other causes at present bring the total shortage at Chiswick up to about 30 per cent.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he has taken over recent months to ease the shortage of cement which is hindering the building and construction industries in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a number of similar Questions about various parts of Great Britain on 5th July, 1965.The situation in Scotland is similar to that in many other parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from local authorities in Scotland about difficulties they are experiencing in the completion of the building contracts due to shortage of cement; and what replies he has sent.

I have received a number of complaints about supplies of cement, including one from the Fife County Council. I have explained the position on the shortage and the action being taken to overcome it. I have also arranged that the suppliers should be made aware of the details of all complaints received by the Government.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when the Martin and Buchanan Reports will be published.

I propose to publish the reports at 4 p.m. on 19th July. Copies will be available in the Vote Office from 3.30 p.m., at which time I hope to make a statement to the House.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give an estimate for the latest available year of the revenue received by the independent television companies and/or the Independent Television Authority in respect of commercial advertising.

On the basis of information supplied to me by the Independent Television Authority I estimate that the advertising revenue received by the independent television programme companies during the year ended 29th July, 1965 will amount to about £81 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairies have been closed in Dorset in the last six months, to the latest convenient date.

The number of registered milk producers in Dorset fell by 43 in the first half of this year. This compares with a figure of 70 in the same period of 1964.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to accelerate the adoption in the livestock industry of selection of breeding stock by reference to records of performance.

From 1st January, 1966, no bulls of the pure dairy breeds will be licensed in England and Wales without adequate ancestor performance records for lactation and butterfat. The progress of the Beef Recording Association is being assisted by a grant of £1 for every £1 contributed by the industry. The Pig Industry Development Authority is extending its facilities for the performance and progeny testing of boars. The use of records is being encouraged and stimulated by the National Agricultural Advisory Service, and records of performance for livestock will fall within the scope of the grants to encourage the keeping of farm business records which were announced in this year's Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now appoint to senior positions in his Department more advisers on livestock breeding who have received formal training in population genetics.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the present staff have adequate training and experience to carry out their duties. We shall of course watch the need for specialised training to keep pace with the demands of the work. As officers with formal training in population genetics come up for promotion I have no doubt that they will move into some of the more senior posts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the report of the review which the Food Standards Committee is at present conducting of claims made on labels and in advertisements; and whether he intends to publish it.

We hope to receive this Report early next year, and, in accordance with the normal procedure in such cases, it is our intention to publish it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of cases of anthrax in England and Wales for the four years 1960 to 1964 and for the first six months of 1965, or for as much of the latter year as is available.

The number of outbreaks of anthrax in England and Wales from 1960 onwards are as follows:

1960	…	…	124
1961	…	…	197
1962	…	…	255
1963	…	…	269
1964	…	…	379
1965	…	…	374
(January-June)

There were 580 outbreaks in the six months November 1964 to April 1965; such marked but short-lived upsurges of anthrax occur on occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish his letter to the City of Liverpool Education Authority setting out his decisions on comprehensive education in Liverpool.

Copies of this letter have already been sent to those who submitted observations to me on the authority's scheme of reorganisation. I have no objection to its publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will permit Shropshire County Council to commence building the new primary school at Albrighton, Shropshire; and if he will make a statement.

A new primary school at Albrighton has been included in the major building programme of the Shropshire Local Education Authority for 1966–67 as site difficulties prevented the Authority from building the school in 1965–66 as had originally been planned. A substitution of projects has allowed another primary school to come forward to 1965–66 as a site for this project is already available. It is for the Local Education Authority to acquire a site for the Albrighton school.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of a 6d. reduction in the standard rate of Income Tax from the date when Corporation Tax comes into effect.

It is too early to make an estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider revising the conditions of employment of civil servants as set out in Circular Ka 50–54, so as to permit employees of Government Departments to apply to their Member of Parliament for assistance if they consider they are the victim of an injustice by a senior officer.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposed Income Tax exemption for payments under the Redundancy Payments Bill.

In my Budget Speech I made it clear that my proposal to legislate on this point in the Finance Bill was dependent on the progress of the Redundancy Payments Bill. I have now decided that exempting legislation should be introduced next year. When the Redundancy Payments Bill becomes law I will make a further statement about the proposed exemption, so that employers can take account of it when making payments to which it will apply; it will be framed so as to cover all qualifying payments made after the provisions of the Redundancy Payments Bill come into force.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the territorial claims of the Federal German Government in respect of the areas in Bohemia and Moravia formerly inhabited by German nationals and now forming part of the State of Czechoslovakia.

The Federal German Government have no territorial claims on Czechoslovakia and this has been stated by the Federal German Chancellor. As regards Her Majesty's Government's policy on the question of the frontiers between Czechoslovakia and the Federal German Republic, I would refer the hon. Member to the second part of the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gorton (Mr. Zilliacus) on 23rd March, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Congo with a view to the payment of compensation to the dependants of British nationals killed in that country during the hostilities there; and whether he will make a statement indicating the procedure to be followed by such dependants desirous of making a claim for compensation.

No general approach on the question of compensation for the dependants of British nationals who have been killed in the Congo has been made to the Congolese Government, but assistance has been given with individual claims. If any dependants wish to know whether and if so how they can claim compensation they should write giving full particulars to the Foreign Office who will do their best to advise them.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has to provide hospital accommodation at Kirkby Stephen.

The Newcastle Regional Hospital Board hope to provide a small hospital at Kirkby Stephen when resources permit, but this is a long term proposal to be considered in the current review of the hospital plan.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total number of cases of anthrax in human beings reported in England and Wales for the four years 1960 to 1964 and for the first six months of 1965, or for as much of the latter year as is available.

Notified cases of anthrax in human beings totalled 8, 8, 15 and 7 respectively in the years 1961 to 1964 in England and Wales. Notifications in 1965 so far amount to 5. Figures are not available for 1960 as the disease only became generally notifiable in December, 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take the necessary action to empower traffic wardens to issue warning notices to drivers of vehicles who are using vehicles on the road without having the required statutory excise licence.

My right hon. and learned Friend is keeping under review the question of possible further extensions of the functions of traffic wardens, and he has noted this together with other suggestions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now reached a decision about the future organisation affecting prison welfare officers; and if he will make a statement.

I have been giving careful consideration, in consultation with my Advisory Council for Probation and After-Care and the various interested organisations, to the best means of giving effect to the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders in respect of prison welfare work. I have reached the conclusion that the quality of the welfare service, and the interchange and collaboration between it and the probation and aftercare service which are essential to an effective system of after-care, will be best ensured by filling prison welfare posts by the secondment for limited periods of probation officers, rather than by perpetuating a separate prison welfare service. A detailed scheme to give effect to this decision is being worked out and I hope to have it in operation by the end of the year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that blackcurrant concentrate is being imported from Poland and of the adverse consequence it is having to the home market; and if he will take steps to prevent these imports.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 8th July. My right hon. Friend sees no reason to alter the present quota arrangements.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he hopes to make a decision on the planning appeal APP/2392/A/66683.

I have decided to allow this appeal. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the formal letter setting out my decision.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state in tabular form in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total number engaged in the pottery industry, giving men and women, separately, in 1928, 1938, 1948, 1958 and at the latest available date; and if he will give figures for North Staffordshire.

Local employment figures are not available for individual industries for the years 1928 and 1938. Employment in the pottery industry in North Staffordshire, however, forms the major part of total employment in the industry in Midland Region. For this reason, figures are shown in the Table for Midland Region and Great Britain for all

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE POTTERY INDUSTRY
		North Staffordshire			Midland Region			Great Britain
		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
1928	…	Not available			25,400	33,600	59,000	31,200	36,000	67,200
1938	…	Not available			26,200	40,100	66,300	32,300	42,600	74,900
1948(a)*	…	Not available			23,200	35,600	58,800	31,100	39,600	70,700
1948(b)*	…	23,100	34,300	57,400	25,200	37,200	62,400	33,100	41,700	74,800
1958	…	21,400	31,200	52,600	23,500	33,200	56,700	30,200	37,900	68,100
1964	…	19,500	28,400	47,900	22,400	30,400	52,800	29,300	35,900	65,200
* The figures for 1948 (a) and earlier years relate to persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts. Those for 1948 (b) and later years relate to all persons insured under the comprehensive National Insurance scheme.

asked the Minister without Portfolio how many Commissioners of the Law Commission have been appointed for less than five years; and for how long they have been appointed.

None.

asked the Minister without Portfolio what salary and remuneration are to be paid to each Commissioner of the Law Commission.

Mr. Justice Scar-man: £8,000 per annum (paid as a Judge).Mr. Neil Lawson, Q.C.: £7,000 per annum.Mr. Andrew Martin, Q.C.: £7,000 per annum.Mr. Norman Marsh: £6,000 per annum.Professor Gower: £6,000 per annum.The Commissioners will be entitled to travelling and subsistence expenses on the Civil Service scale.

asked the Minister without Portfolio what agreement has been made with each Commissioner of the Law Commission as to the payment of pension allowance or gratuity on his retirement Dr death, and upon what conditions; and what payments are to be made by each Commissioner and out of

As a High Court Judge Mr. Justice Scarman remains entitled to his judicial pension.Mr. Norman Marsh and Professor Gower will continue their membership of the Federated Superannuation System for Universities. Under this scheme superannuation is based on 15 per cent. of a member's salary of which the member pays 5 per cent. and his employing institution 10 per cent. My noble Friend has determined, in accordance with section 4(2) of the Law Commissions Act 1965, that in the case of these two gentlemen the employer's contribution of 10 per cent. shall be paid by the Crown.In the case of Mr. Lawson and Mr. Martin, my noble Friend will, at the appropriate time, determine the pensions to be payable to these gentlmen in accordance with arrangements, details of which are as follows:

asked the Minister without Portfolio which Commissioners of the Law Commission have been appointed without relinquishing any judicial office held by them, and which those judicial offices are; and what, in each case, are the special terms of appointment as a Law Commissioner relating to the performance of the duties of his judicial office.

Mr. Justice Scarman remains a Judge of the High Court, but will not normally sit as such while holding the appointment of Chairman of the Commission. He will not relinquish his appointment of Deputy Chairman of the Devon Quarter Sessions. Mr. Neil Lawson, Q.C., will continue to act as Recorder of Folkestone.