asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, in view of the recent revised tariff imposed by British Road Services Parcels Limited, if he will refer the matter to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 7th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne, East (Mr. Rhodes).

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will take steps to reduce the margins between producers' prices and retailers' prices.

The White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy published last April has left managements, including retail traders, in no doubt about the need to increase efficiency, to avoid cost increases and, wherever possible, to stabilise or reduce prices. The work of the Economic Development Committee for the Distributive Trades aims at helping to increase efficiency. The elimination of retail price maintenance in all but exceptional cases will also help to reduce retail prices. I have no other steps in mind at present.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will refer the imposition of excessive feus in Scotland to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will refer the increase in price of cement to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 7th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Hobden).

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what progress has been made to date in the preparation of the regional economic plans; and if he will make a statement.

The regional material needed for the preparation of the National Plan has been collated and analysed. It will be incorporated in the published Plan which will also contain an account of the progress made to date in the preparation of plans for particular regions.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what special arrangements he is devising to protect areas such as the Western Isles, already burdened by living costs and prices much higher than average national levels, from the effect of increased transport charges by land and sea, increased fuel prices partly resulting from taxation, and also of high prices for food, coal and other goods insofar as these high prices are not caused by high transport costs.

The Western Isles will benefit from the plans for the national economy including those for achieving price stability, along with other parts of the country. Special assistance is already given to the Highlands and Islands under such measures as the Highlands and Island Shipping Services Act, 1960, the Crofters' Grants and Loans Scheme and the Treasury Loan Scheme. In addition, as my hon. Friend is aware, a Bill now before Parliament provides for the setting up of a Highlands and Islands Development Board which will have a duty to keep under review all matters relating to the economic and social well-being of the people of the area.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the present strength and cost to the public of the establishment of the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

The National Board for Prices and Incomes consists of 9 members and 69 staff. The net cost will be about £100,000.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the increased bus fares now affecting the area of Portland and Weymouth.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave today to similar questions by the hon. Members for Swansea, East (Mr. McBride) and Rye (Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine).

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary for Economic Affairs if he will refer solicitors' and barristers' fees to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No. I do not intend to make a reference at the present time.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will require the National Board for Prices and Incomes, when it discusses the question of wages and salaries paid to printing workers, to take into account the salary of £270,000 per annum paid to the Chairman of the National Printing Corporation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave today to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, South (Mr. Wilkins).

asked the President of the Board of Trade, following the capital reconstruction of the coal industry, what new steps he intends to take to ensure that new industry is steered into those areas in which the closure of coal mines is likely to be expedited.

As soon as prospective pit closures are notified to the Board of Trade, we take these into account in all aspects of our distribution of industry policy. The Government are now in consultation with the National Coal Board about its future plans.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received the report from the inspector inquiring into the affairs of Travel and Holiday Clubs Limited, and Fiesta Tours Limited; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that the report of the inspectors has been delayed by several weeks. Delay has been caused partly by litigation and partly by the possibility of additional evidence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set up an inquiry under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, into the affairs of Omar Khayyam Tours Limited, in view of the fact that persons concerned with the management of its affairs have been guilty of misconduct towards it or its members; and if he will make a statement.

On the information at present available to me there do not appear to be grounds for appointing an inspector under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, to investigate the affairs of Omar Khayyam Hotels (Overseas) Ltd.Mr. Ioan L. Evans asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of certain travel agencies going into liquidation, if he will make a further statement on the Government's proposals to protect holiday-makers affected by such action.

I have at present nothing to add to the Answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne) on 8th July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he takes to site such functional branches of his Department as have continual contact with one of the professions, near to the districts where the majority of the members of such professions have their offices.

This is one point among others to be considered in such circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further consideration Her Majesty's Government have given to M. Rapacki's plan for a conference on European security; and what action is contemplated in relation to it.

We share M. Rapacki's desire for a relaxation of tension in Europe and are ready to consider any proposals which would help to achieve it. We agree that a conference on European security could be useful; but it would require very careful preparation, and the general political situation would have to be more favourable than at present for such a conference to offer hope of progress.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how frequently the flags on the Cenotaph are changed; and if he will have the present flags replaced by clean ones.

Clean flags are put up once a month. The flags were changed on 17th July.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what investigations his Department is conducting into the possible use of aluminium sheeting and girders for the purposes of industrialised building; and if he will make a statement on the progress of these investigations to date.

My Department already uses aluminium sheeting extensively as a cladding material and further investigations are not proposed. Aluminium girders are not generally used, because of their cost.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he proposes to publish the new Building Regulations.

I have today laid the building regulations before the House. The regulations will apply in England and Wales generally, other than the inner London Boroughs. They will come into force on 1st February, 1966. The regulations relate to public health and safety, and will be the first national set of regulations to be made for England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of frozen liquid egg that has been imported into this country in the last 12 months; and if he will give the countries of origin.

Imports of frozen liquid egg into the United Kingdom in the 12 month period from June, 1964, to May, 1965, were as follows:

Countries			Thousand Tons
Australia	…	…	5·1
Poland	…	…	1·6
Rep. of South Africa	…	…	1·2
Netherlands	…	…	0·2
New Zealand	…	…	0·1
Others	…	…	—
Total			8·2

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the hardship to British blackcurrant growers caused by imports of blackcurrant concentrate from Poland, and of the need to safeguard horticulturists from unfair foreign competition; and what steps he will take to support the blackcurrant industry.

I am, of course, conscious of the need to safeguard horticulturists from unfair foreign competition but I am not aware that the very small quantities of blackcurrant concentrate permitted to be imported from Poland under the quota arrangements are having any adverse effect on British blackcurrant growers.The blackcurrant industry, in common with other sections of British horticulture, benefits not only from Government grants and guaranteed credit facilities but also from the technical assistance available from the advisory services.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that a Leicestershire footwear manufacturing firm sent ladies' and children's shoes to Cottons Wharf, Tooley Street, London, on 2nd July for export to Czechoslovakia on the s.s. "Ner" which sailed on 9th July without this consignment and 60 tons of other manufactures because dockers refused to work beyond 5 p.m. to get the goods away; since it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to increase exports in order to save the nation from bankruptcy, what new action is being taken to end this dock labour dispute; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed that the reason this consignment was not loaded on the s.s. "Ner" was not, in fact, a dispute about overtime working. As regards the general position in the docks I expect to have the report of the Devlin Committee very soon. It will be considered as a matter of great urgency.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that in 1939 approximately 231,000 new cars were registered in this country and in 1964 approximately 1,191,000; and what were the approximate corresponding figures for Northamptonshire, excluding Northampton.

No figure is available for 1939, but the number for 1938 was 1,110 compared with 272,000 for Great Britain, and that for 1964 was 6,633.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements were made to consider objections to the 50 m.p.h. speed limits introduced on 300 miles of trunk road on 16th July.

I am under no legal obligation to consider objections but I consulted the local authorities concerned before making the Order. This was done quickly since I considered that, on grounds of road safety, as many as possible of these limits on stretches of road with bad accident records should be brought into operation for the main holiday season.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received the report of his inspector regarding the imposition of a speed limit on that section of the A.1 known as Beaumont Hill; and what steps he is taking arising from the report.

My divisional road engineer has kept a careful watch on conditions here since the opening of the Darlington bypass and has recently had discussions with the local councils and the police. As a result I hope shortly to receive his recommendations about a speed limit on Beaumont Hill.

asked the Minister of Transport which highway authorities have been asked to submit proposals for temporary flyovers.

I have not asked individual highway authorities for proposals. I have, however, made clear my interest in the possible use of temporary flyovers and I will be glad to consider any proposals which are submitted to me.

asked the Minister of Transport by what criteria he decides whether a temporary flyover should be erected.

If the physical conditions are suitable and permanent improvement would be expensive and unlikely to be started for some years, I consider whether traffic congestion is so severe as to justify the cost of a temporary structure.

asked the Prime Minister what is the present position regarding the proposed meeting between the European Economic Community Governments and the European Free Trade Association Governments; and what proposals have been made by Her Majesty's Government for a permanent arrangement between the European Economic Community Commission and the European Free Trade Association Secretariat.

The European Free Trade Association Council is now preparing recommendations for further action which will be considered by Ministers of the European Free Trade Association countries at their meeting in Copenhagen in October.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech made by the Minister of Technology at Portsmouth on 9th July, in relation to Her Majesty's Government's economic and foreign policy, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether he will recommend that a distinctive medal or clasp to the General Service Medal be issued to all ranks of military forces who have taken part in the recent operations in Cyprus, Malaysia and other places;(2) when the last general service medal was issued; and if he will consider further recognition of service when troops are subjected to enemy action.

A United Nations Medal has been awarded for operational service under the United Nations in Cyprus, and a United Kingdom Medal will not be granted in addition. General Service Medals have been awarded for service in December, 1962, and subsequently in support of the Brunei Government, and have also been awarded in neighbouring territories for services in the suppression of terrorist activities. The publication, accordingly, in September, 1964, of the award of the General Service Medal 1962 was the most recent announcement of the award of a General Service Medal. The possibility of recognising recent operational service in the Arabian Peninsula and in support of the Malaysian Security Forces is under consideration.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that Her Majesty's Government's appeal for increased exports is being hindered by the crime wave at and near the docks, which has caused increases in insurance premiums, and added an extra burden to industrial costs and export prices; if he will take extra steps to stop crime of this type; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that there is an increase in pilfering and larceny in or near dock areas and can assure the hon. Member that the authorities concerned are taking all the steps open to them to combat it.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has received in his official capacity asking him to increase the salaries and pensions of Her Majesty's judges; and whether these included any from trade unions, Labour parties or co-operative party organisations.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has heard from the Government of Tonga as to the method by which they intend to incorporate the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction, conferred upon the High Court of the United Kingdom by the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, into the legal system of Tonga; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member on 28th May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will investigate such allegations made to him of malpractice in the recent Basutoland elections as are not connected with the pending election petitions.

I think it will be better to consider the allegations as a whole after the petitions have been disposed of.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, why the War Office Regulations relative to allowances, Section 3, 1964, paragraph 82, are not applied to officers and men of the 1st Battalion, The King's Regiment, who are approaching completion of exemplary public duty in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that the 1st Battalion, The King's Regiment, is nearing completion of exemplary public duty in London; and what provision has been made for officers and men to receive the appropriate London allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, whether, in view of the manner in which the 1st Battalion, The King's Regiment have carried out public duties in London recently, he will make arrangements for the officers and men concerned now to receive the London allowance normally received by troops carrying out these duties.

I am grateful for my hon. Friends' recognition of the exemplary manner in which the 1st Battalion The King's Regiment have been carrying out their duties in London. London Allowance may be paid to officers and other ranks whose duty station is within ten miles of Charing Cross and for whom no public accommodation is available. Provision was made for all the officers and other ranks of the Battalion who came to London in June for guard duty to be accommodated in Chelsea Barracks, and London Allowance is not admissible to them, in common with all soldiers in these circumstances as for instance, in the case of the Household Brigade which generally performs these duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the list of direct grant schools has been closed.

Between 1957, when the list was reopened and 1961, out of the 44 schools which applied 15 satisfied the requirements laid down by the previous Government, which in January, 1962, announced that they had no intention at that time of making any further additions to the list.As I informed the hon. Member on 15th July, I have myself no plans for adding to it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will institute within the National Health Service a grade of consultant posts for those who have specialised in medical applications of engineering and who have obtained a post-graduate qualification diploma of Membership of Imperial College.

The development of engineering aspects of medicine may be expected to add to the small group of consultants already working in this field and no special action by me is required. No individual qualification entitles any doctor to consultant status in any field.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total estimated number of immigrants to the United Kingdom in the 12 months prior to the passage of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act.

The Registrar-General estimates that the population of the United Kingdom at 30th June, 1962, included 420,000 persons from all other countries who were not here a year previously. This figure excludes short-term visitors.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider his decision not to provide an invalid tricycle for Mr. E. Chapman of 20 Chestall Road, Gentleshaw, Staffs., who has suffered the amputation of a leg as a result of an accident while working underground at Cannock Wood Colliery.

Mr. Chapman's case has been carefully considered on a number of occasions, and I regret that I can find no grounds for reversing the decision reached.

asked the Minister of Health how many women have been admitted to hospital, or otherwise received treatment, under the National Health Service during each of the past three years for treatment of the aftereffects of illegally-performed abortion operations.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to make the electoral areas for the purpose of election of Greater London Council councillors coincide with the Parliamentary constituencies resulting from the present recommendations of the Boundary Commission.

When the Parliamentary constituencies in the Greater London area resulting from the present general review have been finally determined, it will be my right hon. and learned Friend's duty to review the electoral areas for elections to the Greater London Council accordingly. In doing this, he will be required by paragraph 7(1,b) of Schedule 2 to the London Government Act 1963 to ensure that, where a London borough contains complete Parliamentary constituencies, each constituency shall be an electoral area. Where this is not the case, my right hon. and learned Friend will be required to divide the boroughs affected into electoral areas following the criteria laid down in paragraph 7(1)(c) of the Schedule.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, following the police inquiries into the circumstances, what extra punishment has been imposed on those prisoners at Wandsworth Prison who obstructed prison officers and thereby assisted in the escape of Biggs.

Following police inquiries three prisoners have been charged with offences under Section 39 of the Prison Act 1952 and the cases are now before the courts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has received a letter dated 24th June concerning Mr. W. McLean and the action of the Corby Development Corporation and sent to him by Mr. J. Cooper of 56 Lodge Green Road, Corby, Northants, Chairman of the British Legion Branch of Corby; and what action he has taken on it.

Yes. I am writing to my hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much money the Housing Corporation has borrowed; from whom and at what interest rate; what it is doing with the money it has borrowed; and at what rate it is lending money itself.

To date the Housing Corporation has borrowed £342,500. These loans, which have been made by my right hon. Friend under Section 9 of the Housing Act 1964, carry a rate of interest of 6 per cent. per annum for the full period of the loan.Of this amount £288,907 has been advanced by the Coporation to housing societies in connection with approved schemes. Most of the remainder has been used to meet the Corporation's running expenses.The rate of interest on loans to housing societies is at present 7 per cent. This rate will vary during the period of each loan according to the rate being charged by the first mortgagee; the Housing Corporation as second mortgagee charges ¼ per cent. above that rate.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether it is proposed to establish an office of Land Registry in the South-West.

Yes. It is expected that an office of the Land Registry will be opened in Plymouth at the end of 1967 or early in 1968. The number of staff employed at first will not be large, but will probably increase to something between six and seven hundred by 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors control the rate of parents' contributions to the school meals service; if he is aware of the increasing costs of this service; and if he will review its financial arrangements.

Payments by parents for school meals are governed by an education authority's scheme of charges made under the Meals (Scotland) Regulations, 1953. The scheme provides for the authority to recover the charge prescribed under these Regulations; it may specify a reduced charge for certain categories of pupil; and must provide for the charge to be remitted in whole or in part in cases of financial hardship. Financial arrangements are regularly reviewed in the light of increasing costs and other relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the capital value of new school buildings on which work is expected to commence in the year 1965–66; and what were the comparable figures for the years 1963–64 and 1964–65.

Starts programmed for the current financial year are expected to amount to £17 million in terms of the allocations intimated to education authorities by the previous Government in August 1964. The total value of projects actually started in 1963–64 was £20·1 million and in 1964–65 £17·4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were completed in Glasgow in the six months ended 30th June, 1965; how many of these were municipally owned; and what are the comparable figures for the six months ended 31st December, 1964.

In the six months ended 30th June, 1965, 1,842 houses were completed in Glasgow and of these 1,397 were owned by Glasgow Corporation. The comparable figures for the six months ended 31st December, 1964, were 2,436 and 2,125. The reduction in the number of local authority completions was a direct consequence of the fall in approvals in the summer of 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the discretion given to the Scottish police authorities by the Police Pensions Act in relation to the pensions under the National Insurance Scheme to which Scottish widows of policemen are entitled operates severely; and if he will take steps to ensure that the discretion is either abolished or operated less harshly in the case of old age pensioners.

No. A police authority's discretion is limited to granting an addition to a police widow's pension in certain cases where she is not receiving a National Insurance pension. When the National Insurance pension is paid, the addition to the police widow's pension must be withdrawn and the police authority has no power to continue paying it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received from the Principal of Aberdeen University his letter of 11th June asking him, on behalf of the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer, for the loan to Aberdeen Museum of St. Ninian's Treasure for exhibition to the public and to scholars; and what reply he has sent.

I have not received any communication from the Principal of the University on this matter, but I understand that he has been in touch with the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer about the Treasure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the representations made to his Department by the probation officers' organisation in Scotland about their conditions of service and scales of pay; and if he will give reasons for the delay in dealing with these problems.

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the Answer I gave on 14th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the continuing drift south from Scotland of population and particularly technicians and other industrial workers; and what are his present plans to stop this drift and to increase the number and nature of industries in Scotland with particular reference to North-East Scotland.

I regard Scotland's net loss of population through migration, which bears heavily on the North East, as one of the basic problems of the Scottish economy; the Scottish Economic Planning Council believes that its reduction must be a principal aim of the plans currently being prepared for the economic development of Scotland, including the North East.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to enable him to control and supervise employment agencies offering employment abroad.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and I are considering the question of legislation on this subject. But we cannot undertake to give priority to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will commission the Scottish Film Council to make a film illustrating the services provided by local authorities, for use in schools, on television and in cinemas, in order to inform the public of the purposes for which rates are levied.

I shall be glad to consider my right hon. Friend's interesting suggestion in consultation with the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in view of increased building and transport and other costs, he will now seek power to increase the amount of the grant available to crofters for the building of croft houses.

I am at present considering this question and hope to reach a conclusion fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the South Glendale road scheme in the isle of South Uist; what is the estimated cost; and what is the estimated date of completion.

	1938–39			1964–65			In terms of
				Actual			1939 value of the £.
Average rate poundage (including domestic water rate)	11s.		3d.	£1	1s.	8d.	7s.		1d.
Average rate payment (excluding domestic water rate) per domestic subject	£9	10s.	0d.	£34	2s.	0d.	£11	1s.	8d.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities in Scotland have announced their rate figures for 1965–66; how many of these have announced increases greater than 4 per cent.; and what is the highest percentage increase and the highest percentage reduction.

My present information is that 38 authorities have announced their rate poundages, of these 24 have increased by more than 4 per cent. The largest percentage increase is 27·8 and the largest percentage decrease is 9·5.

Island			Type of Scheme		Proposal submitted
Harris	…	…	Major reconstruction	…	A.859, Tarbert-Rodel; Luskentyre-Seilabost
			Minor reconstruction	…	A.859, Tarbert-Rodel; Aline-Ceann-an-Ora
					B.887, Cliasmol-Langavat
North Uist	…	…	New road	…	Grimsay township road (3rd phase)
South Uist	…	…	New roads	…	South Glendale township road
					Road to serve Bornish township

I have no detailed information about the Council's proposals for the financial year 1966–67, except that it intends to continue the improvement of the Tarbert-Rodel road.

This scheme has been fully prepared, and I have just approved the placing of a contract by Inverness County Council for it at a cost of £55,731. The work should take about a year to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the variations in rate poundage and rate charge paid by the average householder between 1939 and the latest available year in terms of 1939 values or other true comparison.

The following table gives a comparison between the average rate poundages and average rate payments by householders in Scotland in 1938–39 and 1964–65:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name each new road scheme, road major reconstruction and minor reconstruction scheme, respectively, in each of the islands of the Outer Hebrides for which Inverness County Council has submitted proposals and/or plans for commencement in the next financial year.

Inverness County Council has submitted proposals for the following schemes which it plans to start in the Outer Hebrides in the financial year 1965–66

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the date of completion of the Eriskay water supply scheme, the total cost of the scheme, and the amount contributed by his Department.

I understand that the scheme was completed on 1st July. 64 per cent. of the cost, which is estimated at £32,000, will be met by grant under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now give his decision regarding the grant in respect of application of local shell sand for reseeding in the Outer Hebrides.

The Agricultural Lime (Amendment) Scheme 1965 was laid before Parliament yesterday. It includes an improved scale of contributions towards the cost of transporting shell sand in the Outer Hebrides.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for giving financial assistance to the Scottish Tourist Board; and if he will make a statement.

The Chairman of the Scottish Tourist Board has written to inform me that its Executive has agreed in principle to major changes in its constitution, which will enable the Board to do even more for Scottish tourism. I have replied welcoming this forward-looking decision and intimating that I should be happy to offer the new Board a grant-in-aid of up to £75,000 to be spent over three years on an agreed programme of research.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimate of private investment in developing countries of the Commonwealth and developing non-Commonwealth countries, respectively, for the financial years 1964–65, 1965–66 and 1966–67.

Total private investment in developing countries by the United Kingdom in 1964, net of disinvestment, is provisionally estimated as £75 million, subject to a margin of error of plus or minus £15 million. Detailed figures are not yet available but it is estimated that just under half of this investment was in developing Commonwealth countries and just over half in developing non-Commonwealth countries.Estimates for the financial year 1964–65 and forecasts for the financial years 1965–66 and 1966–67 are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table giving detailed particulars of the categories of public service pensioners to whom to grant parity of pension would cost £100 million.

The figure of over £100 million is based on the following estimates:

			£ million
Armed Forces	…	…	25
Civil Service	…	…	25
Teachers	…	…	23
Local Government	…	…	14
Police and Fire Services	…	…	11
National Health Service	…	…	3
Overseas Pensions	…	…	8
Total	…	…	109

The cost would be likely to grow in future years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has sent to the representations which he has received from the Public Service Pensioners Council regarding parity of public service pensions; and when he expects to be able to make an announcement regarding the review which is being undertaken.

The Public Service Pensioners Council has been informed that full acount is being taken of its representations in the current review which is being pressed forward. I have no announcement to make at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing what a public service pensioner who retired in each year from 1936 onwards now gets in respect of each £100 of original pension, assuming he was 45, 50, 55 or 60 at date of retirement; and what that original £100 would now be if its purchasing power had been maintained in full.

It is not possible to calculate the amount of increase on each £100 of a pension, since the effect of several Pensions (Increase) Acts has been to give a higher proportionate increase to the smaller pensions. The information in the table below relates to a basic

Retirements at 31st December	1936	1937	1938	1939	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
At age 45 £100 pension as increased	241	241	241	241	158	152	146	123	121	119
At age 50 £100 pension as increased	241	241	241	241	158	152	146	123	121	119
At age 55 £100 pension as increased	241	241	241	241	178	152	146	123	121	119
At age 60 £100 pension as increased	241	241	241	241	178	172	166	143	141	139
At age 65 £100 pension as increased	241	241	241	241	178	172	166	143	141	139
Sum required to give purchasing power equal to original £100 pension	270	253	260	236	179	175	156	147	145	140

Retirements at 31st December	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
At age 45 £100 pension as increased	116	112	108	106	104	102	100	100	100	100
At age 50 £100 pension as increased	116	112	108	106	104	102	100	100	100	100
At age 55 £100 pension as increased	116	112	108	106	104	102	100	100	100	100
At age 60 £100 pension as increased	116	112	108	106	104	102	100	100	100	100
At age 65 £100 pension as increased	136	129	122	116	111	102	100	100	100	100
Sum required to give purchasing power equal to original £100 pension	131	127	122	120	120	118	112	110	108	103
The equivalent purchasing power has been calculated according to the increase in the cost of living as measured by the Ministry of Labour's Cost of Living and Retail Price Indices.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether it is proposed to establish an office of the Land Registry at Swansea.

Yes. It is expected that an office of the Land Registry will be opened in Swansea in the autumn of 1968. The number of staff employed at first will not be large, but it will probably increase to a total of about 500 by 1973.