asked the Minister of Technology what is the anticipated public investment in the computer industry in the coming year; and what plans he has to ensure adequate supervision of such spending.

The National Research Development Corporation is making available funds in support of programmes and projects of research and development by various firms in the industry. The Corporation makes its own arrangements for the scrutiny and assessment of programmes and for the control of expenditure. My Department will continue to give support to the industry through cost sharing contracts under the Advanced Computer Techniques Programme, involving additional commitments by the Government of the order of half a million pounds in 1956–66 and through contracts with universities for industry-orientated research also to a value of half a million pounds.

asked the Minister of Technology what discussions he has had regarding the use of computers in local government; and if he will make a statement.

I have arranged with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland to bring my Computer Advisory Service to the notice of local authorities, a number of whom have already consulted the Service. My Department has also been in touch with the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants and other relevant professional bodies about computer matters.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will explain the reasons for the administrative separation of the Computer Advisory Service from the Computers Division; and whether he intends to continue this arrangement.

My right hon. Friend has followed the practice of many other Government Departments which have functions requiring the services of professional and technical staff of assigning responsibility for the administrative and financial aspects of the Department's work on computers to an Under-Secretary and those requiring specialist knowledge to the Head of the Computer Advisory Service who is an engineer. The relevant branches of the Secretariat and the Controller's organisation, work in close co-operation at all levels and the related staffs are housed near to each other. My right hon. Friend will keep this arrangement under review.

asked the Minister of Technology how many computers of United Kingdom and of United States manufacture, shown separately, are on order for installation in Government Departments and nationalised industries, respectively.

Twenty-three British and six American for Government Departments, including the G.P.O. The figures for nationalised industries are not at present available.

asked the Minister of Technology how many computers of United States manufacture are in use in Government Departments and nationalised industries, respectively.

Twelve computers of United States design and foreign manufacture are in use in Government Departments and 58 in the nationalised industries. Not all of these computers were manufactured in the United States.

asked the Minister of Technology how many computers of United Kingdom manufacture are in use in Government Departments and nationalised industries, respectively.

Eighty computers of United Kingdom manufacture are in use in Government Departments and 66 in the nationalised industries. Not all of these computers are of British design.

asked the Minister of Technology what progress has been made in recent months in research into and development of methods of converting sea water into drinkable fresh water.

The collaborative programme between the Atomic Energy Authority and industry is under way. A design study for a 30 million gallon a day plant, applying flash distillation techniques, has been completed in conjunction with Weir Westgarth Ltd. Further work on improving the techniques and economics of the process is in progress; and other methods of desalination are also being studied.

asked the Minister of Technology when he expects to appoint Controller A; and what qualifications he will be looking for.

As already announced, I have appointed Dr. J. B. Adams, F.R.S., to be the Controller in the Ministry of Technology with effect from 12th July. He will be in charge of all the scientific and technological work of the Ministry. Dr. Adams is a scientist of international reputation and his contribution is already proving of the greatest value to the work of my Department.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will describe the process by which he disseminates technological information to industry, showing how many different firms have been in touch with his Department in each industry.

The Ministry of Technology communicates technological information by personal contact, scientific and technical publications, exhibitions, conferences, Press, film, radio and television, and is building up a network of regional offices and industrial liaison centres to supplement this effort. The Ministry's laboratories deal with about 2,500 inquiries each month, mainly from industry. It would not be practicable to prepare an analysis on the lines requested of the Department's industrial contacts.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he has already taken to secure an adequate flow of technological information from overseas countries and what further steps he plans.

We receive much information from the Scientific Counsellors in the foreign countries mainly concerned who are equally responsible for reporting on technological matters. Technological information from overseas is also collected and processed within their respective subjects by the various Ministry of Technology Research Stations and by the Research Associations. We are planning to build up our organisation for headquarters work in this field.

asked the Minister of Technology what industries he has under consideration for economic studies, other than the four for which he is sponsor.

My Department is undertaking a technical and economic study of the scientific and industrial process control instrument industry. I have also initiated studies of engineering standards, the metric system and the industrial use of new materials.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the date on which it was decided to form scientific or technological teams to make studies of selected industries and processes.

The decision to form these teams was taken shortly after my appointment and announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, on 26th November, 1964.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list those already appointed to the scientific or technological teams which are making the studies of selected industries and processes, showing in each case the date of appointment, the fees or expenses agreed, and the previous relevant experience of the team members, listing each team separately.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give the dates of appointment of the leaders of the various scientific or technological teams making studies of selected industries and processes.

The following table gives the information:

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the vacancies on the scientific or technological teams which are making the studies of selected industries and processes, showing the qualifications sought in each instance; and what action is being taken to fill the vacancies.

The following is a list of the vacancies in these teams. I hope to fill most of the vacancies from Government resources, but in suitable cases we shall recruit from industry.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent he is employing the services of industrial or management consultants; and whether he will list the firms involved, the subject of their study, and the date it is expected to be completed.

At present the only consultancy contract which is current is a study of user requirements for medium-speed diesel engines for merchant ships. This is being done by the Yarrow Admiralty Research Department, and is expected to be completed in November of this year.

asked the Minister of Technology when he expects to formulate proposals concerning fiscal incentives for the installation of machine tools.

Incentives to install machine tools are part of the wider question of incentives to promote industrial investment and modernisation generally which is being examined by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Ministers concerned.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will list in detail the responsibilities of the Economics and Statistics Division of his Department.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will consider calling in a firm of management consultants to advise him on the organisation of his Department.

No.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he proposes to take following the Third Report from the Estimates Committee; and whether he proposes to modify the organisation and administration of his Department.

I am studying this Report but I cannot anticipate the reply that will be made to the observations made by the Committee.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT an up-to-date organisation chart of his Department.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total amount of aid given to countries overseas by the United Kingdom since 1945 up to the present day, and the total amount of loans by the United Kingdom to countries overseas during this period.

Total grants and loans by Her Majesty's Government to all countries from the beginning of 1946 to the end of March 1965, amounted to £2,032 million, of which £971 mullion was loans.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage increases since 1961 have taken place in Civil Service salaries and Civil Service pensions, respectively.

The average pay of non-industrial civil servants increased by about 20 per cent. from 1960–61 to 1964–65. The level of new pensions increases automatically as average pay rises. The Pensions (Increase) Act 1962 provided increases ranging from 12 per cent. to 2 per cent. depending upon the date of retirement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to exempt farmers who need bank credit from the effects of the current credit squeeze.

I regret not in the present circumstances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will instruct Government Departments to take all posible steps to support the oil re-refining industry as a means of saving foreign exchange by the use of re-refined lubricating oil.

I do not think it is necessary to issue any instructions on the use of re-refined oil to Government Departments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer it he will make a statement, supported by detailed statistical information, showing what progress has been made since October, 1964, in solving the balance of payments problem.

Up to June, the trade deficit this year has been little more than half the rate last year. In the first quarter of 1965, the deficit on current and long-term capital transactions fell to £97 million, which is about half the rate in the previous quarter. Details were given in the tables and commentary published in the June issue of Economic Trends, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show in comparative tables the changes for each month since 15th October, 1964, in the cost of living index and in the purchasing power of the National Insurance retirement pension.

The table below shows the month to month changes from October, 1964 to June, 1965 (the latest available date) in the retail price index and in the purchasing power, as measured by that index, of National Insurance retirement pensions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what machinery has been set up to collect Purchase Tax on orange juice and other fruit drinks manufactured by hand from fresh fruit in hotels, restaurants and public houses; and what steps he proposes to take to curb the widespread evasion of this tax.

A manufacturer of soft drinks is required to be registered for Purchase Tax only if his gross takings from the sale of chargeable goods exceed £500 a year. I am not aware of any widespread evasion of this tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Inland Revenue Department is under-staffed; and what arrangements he is planning to make to meet the further burden to be placed on the staff by the Finance Bill.

The main shortages are of Inspectors of Taxes and Valuers. Every feasible step to improve recruitment will continue to be taken.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now announce the conclusions of the review of public service pensions.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Mr. Pounder) on 22nd July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of increasing the pensions of all retired public service pensioners aged 55 or over, including the Armed Forces, who retired before 1956, to the rates payable to those who retired on 1st June 1956 and to pay them increases appropriate to 1956 retirement, from the age of 55.

About £7 million a year on the assumption that all public service pensioners qualified for the appropriate increase from age 55.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the continuing unsatisfactory level of currency note design, he will seek legislative power to assume responsibility for this function of the Bank of England.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to remove the present surcharge on the import of newsprint.

Further reduction in the charge must depend on the progress of our economy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken to ensure the return of the value of investment allowances to their level under the former administration, for investment in development districts.

I cannot agree that there will, in any real sense, be a fall in the value of investment allowances when Corporation Tax is introduced. Nor am I satisfied that the needs of development districts are best met by variations in the rates of these allowances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many chairmen of companies have officially assured him that they intend to continue with overseas investment, even if their shareholders should suffer; and if he will name the companies concerned.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said on this subject on 15th July in the debate on the Third Reading of the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long he estimates that it will take Income Tax inspectors to become fully conversant with the details of the Finance Bill from the time it becomes law; and what steps will be taken to facilitate the process.

I am sure that Inspectors will be ready to deal with the new taxes when the work reaches their offices next year. They will have guidance in the form of lectures and written instructions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent staggering of working hours has been implemented in Government Departments, following instructions to this effect.

Of about 97,000 Civil Servants in the Central London Area, some 36,000, or approaching 40 per cent., arrive by 8.30 a.m. About another 15,000 (15 per cent.) arrive between 8.30 a.m. and 8.45 a.m. About 34,000 staff, or over 34 per cent. of the total leave outside the peak hours of 5 to 6 p.m.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that payments made to authors of original work accepted for publication by Her Majesty's Stationery Office are fair and acceptable; and what extra remuneration is granted for the purchase of authors' copyright.

Yes. The fee agreed for commissioning the work normally covers the acquisition of copyright.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net investment in National Savings Certificates after allowing for withdrawals for the first six months of this year, compared with 1964.

Net investment in National Savings Certificates in the first six months of this year was minus £40 million, compared with minus £12 million in the same period of 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many double taxation agreements have been negotiated in the last five years.

During the last five years eighteen Orders in Council giving effect to Double Taxation Agreements have been made. In addition a supplementary Agreement with the Irish Republic has been implemented by a provision in a Finance Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work, at present undertaken by Government Departments in London, will be transferred to Merseyside, to provide employment for civil servants who were recruited there for work previously transferred from London but who will shortly become redundant by reason of their work being taken over by computer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to ensure that alternative work is taken to Liverpool to absorb those staff made redundant when the automatic data processing system is introduced in the Ministry of Aviation, Liverpool.

The Government will bear in mind the needs of Merseyside in dispersing Government work from London. Only last week the Postmaster-General indicated Merseyside as a suitable site for a Giro office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what support Spain has given to sterling through the European central banks, and on what terms.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the £446 million United Kingdom portfolio in the United States of America has been drawn upon or pledged; and for what purposes.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Statement of 5th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated reduction in revenue if her husband's earned income was in no case taken into account in determining the rate of earned income relief on a wife's earnings.

About £4 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated reduction in revenue if a working wife could claim, instead of her present personal allowance and earned income allowance, an earned income allowance of two-thirds, where that would be to the advantage of the taxpayer.

About £40 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the pressure of work on the staff of the valuation office of the Inland Revenue Department; and what increases there have been in the staff since the beginning of the year.

A few letters have been received, chiefly from local authorities about cases of delay. Owing to the general shortage of valuers there has been no increase in the staff since the beginning of the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to ensure that the local high cost of living in the Western Isles is taken into account in any future changes in respect of the pensions of retired civil servants and police pensioners resident in that area, as is done in respect of public employees drafted for duty to that area.

No. The principal reason for the Scottish Distant Islands Allowance paid to civil servants posted from the mainland is the high cost of going home for holidays, etc. This allowance is not pensionable. If on retirement a civil servant makes his home in the Islands, the question of special payments to cover such costs does not arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to see that records are kept of export rebate payments to manufacturers and export merchants, respectively.

No. This would require additional commercial and official time and does not affect the entitlement to the payment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now make a statement on the progress made in the last six months in reducing Government expenditure and the prospects of further progress in this field in the next two years.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 13th April, the decisions taken earlier this year on aircraft will save a minimum of £600 million. Further economies on Defence are being considered as part of the current Defence Review. We are examining the whole range of public expenditure in order to determine a proper order of priorities and, as part of this review, the Government have decided that the Defence Review target for 1969–70 should be fixed at £2,000 million at 1964 prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank and the purchase of Premium Bonds fell in the first six months of 1964, and this year, respectively.

In the first six months of 1964 net deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank (excluding accrued interest) increased by £9 million and net receipts from Premium Savings Bonds were £29 million. In the corresponding period of 1965, net deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank increased by £2 million and net receipts from Premium Savings Bonds were £25 million.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will make a statement on the result of information obtained from the survey taken to establish the problems arising from the inability of gypsies and other travellers to find lawful sites on which to live in their caravans;(2) in view of the deteriorating situation of gypsies and other travellers and increasing public opinion that something must be done as a matter of urgency to provide controlled sites, what plans he has to improve the situation before next winter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the result of information obtained from the survey taken to establish the problems arising from the inability of gypsies and other travellers to find lawful sites on which to live in their caravans.

The census carried out in March suggests that there are, in England and Wales, about 3,400 gypsy or other traveller families, comprising some 15,000 persons, and to be found in 1 out of 3 local authority areas. Information about sites is still being collected.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what response he has had from local authorities to the official guidance he gave them over dealing with abandoned motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had encouraging evidence that many local authorities are pursuing the suggestions in the circular issued last February. In addition, discussions are in progress between the local authority associations and representatives of the scrap metal and car-breaking trades on ways of improving co-operation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take further steps to ensure that derelict land is restored; and if he will make a statement.

The question of encouraging the restoration of derelict land is being considered in connection with the present review of local government finance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on local government reorganisation on Tyneside.

I have told local authorities on Tyneside, in a letter they will have received today, that I believe that Tyneside should have its own self-contained urban local government. But I consider that Boldon, which lies in the green belt between Tyneside and Sunderland, is still an independent community and should remain in County Durham.As regards the form of urban government best suited to Tyneside, the overriding need seems to me to be for a unified administration to deal with the many common and interlocking problems which affect Tyneside as a whole. This need would be met either by the continuous county proposed by the Local Government Commission or by the alternative proposal for a single county borough. However, I recognise that among the local authorities on Tyneside there is strong support for a pattern of four county boroughs and before coming to a conclusion I am proposing to call a conference of the county borough, borough and district councils which will be involved in the new urban government system, so that I can hear their views at first hand.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the approximate capital cost of providing proper sewage outfall treatment in all recognised holiday resorts in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

A large amount of money has been and is being spent in improving sewerage arrangements in coastal areas. Circumstances vary widely from place to place, and it would not be practicable to produce an estimate of the total cost of the work still required.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the approximate location of the proposed new town in North Buckinghamshire; and what population it is intended to accommodate.

I am having the area around Bletchley and Wolverton studied, and expect to publish my proposals before the end of the year; my present intention is that the new town should provide for an incoming population of the order of 150,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has for the raising of additional finance by local authorities in order to relieve the rates; and to what extent his plans are based on contributions by the whole sector of the earning population and not by householders only as at present.

The Government's proposals on local government finance and the rating system will be announced as soon as they are ready.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, when considering steps to lower the burden of rates, he will take into consideration the effect of the present generous standards of building and staffing in those services which local authorities are called upon to provide by central Government Departments.

I can assure the hon. Member that the Government's proposals for the future financing of local government will pay full regard to the level of expenditure which local authorities have to incur.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to publish the Report of the Planning Advisory Group.

The Report is to be published on 29th July. The Group which was se: up in May, 1964, by my predecessor and the then Secretary of State for Scotland to review the planning system, has concentrated its attention on development plans; and its Report is called "The Future of Development Plans". Copies will be available in the Library. The Group's proposals would profoundly affect most aspects of the planning system; and they would require legislation. The Report is therefore published to provide a focus for public and professional discussion before any Government decision is taken on the Group's recommendations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now make a statement on the arrangements for transferring pension rights from railway superannuation funds to the local government service.

Consultation with the interests concerned with the draft interchange rules covering these arrangements has taken longer than expected, but my right hon. Friend hopes to make the rules within the next two or three weeks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many appeals against revaluation assessments are now outstanding; and what recommendations he has for expediting the conclusion of these appeals.

At 30th June, 1965, approximately 291,000 appeals were outstanding; the records do not distinguish between appeals arising out of the revaluation and those arising for other reasons. Appeals in the nine months up to and including June were being disposed of at the rate of about 25,000 per month. This I am afraid represents as good progress as we can hope for in view of the limited numbers of qualified staff available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will consult the Minister of Public Building and Works and the Minister of Labour with a view to taking steps to gear a greater proportion of the building industry to the repair, conversion and modernisation of old properties, particularly in the big city areas.

Departments are already examining the implications for building resources of any given level of improvement. The kind of work to which my hon. Friend refers is on the whole done by small firms of jobbing builders, who are not engaged in new house-building; and I do not think the demands made on materials interfere with the building of new houses. But the evidence suggests that improvement makes disproportionately heavy demands on craftsmen in relation to output, and that a rapid acceleration in the amount of improvement work might accentuate any difficulties that new construction ran into through shortage of skilled labour.The proportion of the total output of the construction industry taken up by house repair and improvement has been falling since 1959, but the evidence does not point to any similar fall in the proportion of the labour force engaged on this type of work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a statement about a reduction in mortgage interest rates for home-owners.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington (Mr. W. T. Williams) and other hon. Members on 29th June.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his estimate of the total annual cost to his Department of the country-wide organisation of rent officers and assessment committees to be set up as the result of the Rent Bill.

The Financial Memorandum to the Bill estimates that the total annual cost of this organisation in England and Wales is unlikely to exceed £1,250,000 at first. It is not possible at this stage to be more precise than that.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he will take, in view of the increase in the use of plastic piping, which is a non-conductor of electricity, to prevent danger arising from the use of unsuitable water piping as earthing for electrical appliances.

Action has already been taken by the Department and the Ministry of Power as a result of which, when plastic pipes are installed by water undertakers, the electricity boards are informed and can therefore give their consumers any necessary help where earthing may have been impaired. Builders and plumbers have been warned, by electricity boards and water undertakers and through the technical Press, not to install plastic piping without making sure that electrical earthing is not affected.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what consideration is being given to the memorandum of the British Veterinary Association on Overseas Veterinary Aid; what action she proposes to take; and if she will make a statement.

The memorandum from the British Veterinary Association, which ranges helpfully over many aspects of British overseas aid in veterinary science, is receiving careful study. When this is complete a reply will be sent to the Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many times in the last three months British Service personnel have been sent to Kenya at the request of the Kenya Government; for what purposes; and when was the latest occasion.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that much travel literature printed outside the United Kingdom, aimed at persuading people to spend money abroad, comes in tax free, whereas British printers printing brochures for British agencies and using imported paper have to pay 15 per cent. import duty, plus surcharge; and if he will take steps to end this anomaly.

Travel literature is free of import duty and exempt from the temporary import charge if it is of a kind covered by the U.N.E.S.O. Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials. The import duty on printing paper is for the protection of British paper manufacturers. The full rate of import duty on most printing paper is 16⅔ per cent., the E.F.T.A. rate 5 per cent. and the Commonwealth Preference rate nil. All types of paper are subject to the temporary import charge as manufactured materials and to exempt paper used for printing travel brochures from import duty and import charge would be impracticable and anomalous.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to provide that companies shall make public all payments made to each individual in the company's employ and its directors, such statements to include any special arrangements entered into by the company with each such individual.

No; but I am considering in connection with the Companies Bill, now in preparation, the question of amending the requirements as to the disclosure in company accounts of directors' remuneration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received an anti-dumping application regarding the increasingly large importation of cheap Danish broiler chickens; what action he is taking; and whether he will make suitable representations to the Danish Government in order to stop these imports.Mr. Redhead I have been asked to reply.I understand that the British producers are considering making an application for anti-dumping duties but none has yet been received. If an application is made, it will be examined and my right hon. Friend will then consider what action is appropriate, including representations abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the necessity to restrict imports, what progress has been made by the working party of the appropriate Economic Development Committee in seeking to ensure that waste paper is collected on a national basis, thereby reducing the import of wood pulp in the paper mills of Lancashire.

The Working Party on Waste Paper Supplies set up by the Economic Development Committee for the Paper and Board Industry is studying the information which it has now received from users and suppliers of waste paper. I am aware of the difficulties experienced by Lancashire paper mills in obtaining adequate supplies of waste paper but I understand that the position is now improving.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consult the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what can be done to improve dangerous road hazards near schools.

I am already in touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science about road hazards involving school children.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he now has to streamline the procedures which still have to be applied before land can be acquired for new road construction.

These procedures are kept under constant review to see whether they can be carried out more efficiently and whether any changes in the statutory provisions governing them would be desirable. I have no immediate plans for amending legislation. For motorways and trunk roads, our aim is to start the procedures sufficiently early for them to be completed by the time roadworks are planned to start.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the number of accidents on the Christchurch by-pass since its completion, with details of resulting casualties; and whether he will ensure that the improvements proposed by the local authority over 12 months ago are now completed as a matter of urgency.

In the seven-year period from the road's completion to 30th June, there were 233 accidents resulting in 15 fatal, 51 serious and 94 slight personal injuries.I received a grant application for road improvements on 27th May. Grant is available subject to agreement on the detailed design of the roundabout.

asked the Minister of Transport what will be the height of the bridge where the proposed M.6 motorway crosses the A.65 road between Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale; how much of the land belonging to the proprietors of Canal Garage, Preston Patrick will be taken by the proposed motorway; to what extent the existing visual approach from Kendal to Canal Garage will be impaired or obscured; and how much clear space will be left under the motorway bridge to the north of the verge of the A.65 road.

A draft Scheme to fix the route of the motorway between Carnforth and Killington was published in May. Until it has been made the detailed design of the A.65 crossing cannot usefully be worked out nor land requirements defined. It is expected that the bridge will be of open construction with headroom not less than 16 ft. 6 in.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans there are for the link up of the M.1 motorway to the M.6; what is the volume of traffic using the M.1 and M.6 to Liverpool, particularly commercial vehicles to factories and docks; and if he will estimate the effect the delays have on the export trade.

The route for the motorway link between the M.1 at Catthorpe and the present southern terminal of the M.6 at Dunston has already been established. Work on construction of the first 14½ miles, southwards from Dunston, should be completed next year. Construction work on the remainder will be undertaken in sections and, if all goes well, should be completed by 1970–71.No figures are available of the volume of traffic to Liverpool using the M.1 and M.6. I am not aware that the use of the present road system between the terminals of the two motorways has caused serious delays to the movement of exports.

asked the Minister of Transport how the design capacity of the Severn Bridge compares with estimates of the peak traffic wishing to use the bridge by 1975.

The volume of traffic wishing to use the bridge in 1975 will depend upon various factors, including developments in the region and the road patterns at the time. On the information at present available, I estimate that the average daily flow of traffic in 1975 is not likely to exceed half the potential capacity of the bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now give an estimate as to when the first 1,000 miles of motorways will be completed; and what arrangements he proposes to make for ensuring greater continuity in the construction of motorways in order to economise in the use of the equipment involved.

By the early 1970's. The contractual arrangements for motorway construction are under constant review with the aim of securing the maximum efficiency and economy in every respect.

asked the Minister of Transport when the electrification of the Liverpool-London rail line will be completed; and when he estimates that an electric service for the entire journey will commence.

The Railways Board expects the London-Liverpool line via the Trent Valley and Crewe to be electrified by the end of this year. I understand electric services will commence as soon as possible afterwards.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a list to date of the railway passenger services proposed for closures in sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Appendix II of the British Railways Board Report, The Reshaping of British Railways, and similar proposals made since the publication of the Report, indicating the latter in each case, which have been the subject of closure application by the British Railways Board, which have been the subject of hearings of objections by the transport users' consultative committees, in respect of which hearings transport users' consultative committees have forwarded their report to him, to which he has given his consent, indicating those which the Board have already withdrawn, and to which he has refused consent, respectively.

The following is the information:PROPOSALS FOR CLOSURES OF RAILWAY PASSENGER SERVICES OF WHICH NOTICE WAS GIVEN UNDER SECTION 56 OF THE. TRANSPORT ACT 1962 BETWEEN 1ST JUNE 1963 AND 21ST JULY 1965(A) Proposals of which the Board gave notice but to which no objections were lodged:—