asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the extension of the criteria he adopts for judging which areas are entitled to economic assistance.

Under the Local Employment Act, 1960, the Board of Trade can list localities as development districts on grounds of high and persistent unemployment whether current or expected. I have no power to use other criteria.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will compile a list of imports of chemicals which are not made in this country; and if he will consult industry with a view to taking steps to manufacture these in the United Kingdom.

Action along the lines of the hon. Member's suggestion has already been initiated in the E.D.C. for the chemical industry. This Committee has been examining our imports of chemicals, and has asked the industry to study the imports in more detail and to consider the possibility of producing in the United Kingdom imported chemicals not at present made here.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total value and the percentage figure of the increase or decrease in 1965 of goods, not covered by the 15 per cent. or 10 per cent. import surcharge, imported in Great Britain, in comparison with 1964.

An increase of £61 million or 3·7 per cent. in the period January-May, 1965, as compared with the corresponding period of 1964.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the re-negotiation of the Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the communiqué issued after the talks on 26th July between my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department are taking to promote personal buoyancy appliances at a reasonable price for dinghy sailors as opposed to the more cumbersome and expensive full life jackets.

The Board of Trade are setting up a working group to consider what safety appliances pleasure yachts and similar craft under 45 feet in length should be required or recommended to carry. Interested organisations have been invited to join in this work which will include consideration of personal buoyancy appliances.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state his plans for assisting Scottish participation in overseas trade fairs and trade weeks and similar promotional activities during the current financial year.

I have not made separate plans for assisting exclusively Scottish participation in overseas trade promotion events. I refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer which I gave on 17th June to my hon. Friend, the Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mr. Bence).

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date the Freedom Group registered under the Companies Act as a limited liability company, limited by guarantee to take over the assets of the group.

There is no company registered by the name Freedom Group Limited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now authorise the laying down of a prototype nuclear-propelled surface vessel.

The Government have carefully reviewed the possible advantages of building a prototype nuclear merchant ship. They have decided that the prospects of building a ship that would be economic to operate arm, as yet, too remote to justify the large Government expenditure necessary to build a prototype. The Atomic Energy Authority will, however, continue to explore methods of improving the economics of the present types of small reactors and to examine new ways of bringing an economic nuclear merchant ship nearer. I shall also shortly be discussing with the industries concerned the establishment of a Committee to keep developments under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in his proposed legislation to deal with the Companies Act, he will make it obligatory for all company directors to disclose to their shareholders their salaries, fees, bonuses and commissions.

The Companies Act requires a company to disclose to its shareholders the aggregate emoluments of its directors, including salaries, fees, bonuses and commissions. I am considering in connection with the Companies Bill, now in preparation, the question of amending these requirements.

asked the President of the Boa rd of Trade whether he is aware that the Institute of Public Relations, in breach of paragraph 3A(ii) of its memorandum of association and the code of professional conduct implemented by this paragraph, has failed to take action against a member, Mark Quin, a public relations practitioner, who assisted in the creation of a genetic study unit purporting to serve a scientific cause but actually serving the private interests of a client, the London Rubber Company; and whether he will order an investigation under Section 165(b)(ii) of the Companies Act, 1948, into the affairs of the Institute.

I understand that the Institute of Public Relations has invoked its disciplinary procedure after a preliminary investigation of the matter to which my hon. Friend refers. My right hon. Friend sees no grounds for appoint- ing an inspector under Section 165(b) of the Companies Act, 1948, to investigate the affairs of the Institute.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the contraceptive products of the London Rubber Company account for more than 90 per cent. of male contraceptives used, that the profits made on these products is excessive, that their manufacturing standards and reliability compare unfavourably with those of other countries, and that some of the profits have been deployed in order to maintain their monopoly through the Genetic Study Unit; and whether, since this monopoly is harmful to the public interest, he will refer this company for investigation by the Monopolies Commission.

I am advised that there would appear to be monopoly conditions, as defined in the monopolies legislation, in the supply of these goods. I will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind, but a reference to the Monopolies Commission is not made in all cases where the statutory conditions for reference are satisfied.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consult organised consumers and national women's organisations before introducing his new legislation to cover labelling of goods and other measures of consumer protection.

The Boa rd of Trade has already consulted the Consumer Council and other bodies representing consumer interests and also the main national women's organisations about the new legislation to revise and extend the Merchandise Marks Acts. My right hon. Friend is taking the views of these bodies into account in preparing this legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what communication has been received from the United States Government about its plan to intensify its efforts to regulate international shipping; and what action he proposes to take.

No such communication has been received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make representations to the Common Market Executive Commission regarding their proposals to subsidise the shipbuilding industries of the Common Market countries to the extent of 15 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

We are making known out concern about these proposals in the discussions about shipbuilding now taking place in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the high quality of British paints for marking roads, why he has permitted the import of American paint for this purpose.

Paint from the United States is imported under the open general import licence: no specific permission is required.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of paint for marking roads was imported from the United States of America in 1964.

I regret that these imports are not separately distinguished in the trade statistics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further information he has on doorstep selling techniques; what study he has made of the operations of a firm in the Sheffield area, details of which have been sent to him, which is practising these techniques; what advice has been given to him by the Consumer Council following its study of these practices; and whether he proposes either to bring forward regulations under existing legislation or to prepare further legislation for consumer protection in this regard.

My right hon. Friend is considering the information which the hon. Member and others have brought to his notice about methods of doorstep selling which may not be in the interests of the public. I understand that the Consumer Council's study of this subject is still continuing. My right hon. Friend proposes to await the Council's views before deciding whether further legislation is necessary and practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the concern arising from his decision to lay a draft Statutory Instrument, the Weights and Measures (Exemption) Order, 1965, which will give a further delaying period of one year after the original delaying period of two years, as a result of representations made by manufacturers; as this is contrary to the best interests of consumers, what consideration has been given to this aspect; and what consumers' organisations were consulted before deciding on a further period of delay.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the explanation I gave last night on the Resolution for approving the draft Order.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what criteria he will assess whether it is in the public interest that the British Motor Corporation should take over the Pressed Steel Company.

Under the monopolies and mergers legislation now before Parliament, the Board of Trade would have power to refer this merger to the Monopolies Commission; if a reference were made, it would be for the Commission to investigate and report whether the merger would be against the public interest. I am considering the merger in this context.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that British shipping companies and oil companies will obtain the same credit terms in relation to shipbuilding orders placed within the United Kingdom as they are being offered on construction work placed with Great Britain's main shipbuilding competitors abroad; and if he will make a statement.

There is at present no evidence that such steps are necessary to secure the competitive position of British shipowners or shipbuilders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now give the Consumer Council authority and sufficient financial support to open a number of regional centres.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what assurances he sought, and what assurances he received, from the Ford Motor Company, in the light of the undertakings in regard to management and employment policies given by that company to Her Majesty's Government in November 1960, concerning the employment of an American, Mr. Stanley Gillen, as managing director of the British Ford Motor Company, and Mr. Harley Copp, another American, as head of engineering design in Great Britain.

No special assurances have been sought; but I am advised that, in accordance with those given earlier, the majority of the Board of Ford Motor Co. remains British, with Mr. Gillen as the only non-British member, and the company's employment policy of recruiting staff on merit regardless of nationality remains unchanged.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with the British Antique Dealers' Association regarding trading practices in the antiques market; and if he will make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding his talks with the officers of the British Antique Dealers' Association regarding methods of trading in antique goods.

My consultations with this and other bodies in relation to practices at auctions are still proceeding. The British Antique Dealers' Association have recently reaffirmed to me that all their members have signed an undertaking not to take part in knock-out agreements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he is making in his efforts to ensure greater safety at sea for fishing vessels.

The new Merchant Shipping Rules which came into force on 26th May require in several respects improved provision of life-saving appliances, fire appliances and radio equipment on fishing vessels. The Board of Trade are currently taking an active part in international studies of the stability of fishing vessels. I am also in consultation with the fishing industry about the possibility of more frequent position reports from fishing vessels at sea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his investigations into the work of the National Physical Laboratory relating to the safety of ships at sea, with special reference to two trawlers, "Boston Pioneer" and "Blue Crusader", which some time ago were lost at sea without trace, and in relation to which he has recently made investigations into means of improving communications between ships at sea and shore especially in bad weather.

I understand that work on particular fishing vessels is being done at the National Physical Laboratory at the request of owners and builders and that general studies of trawler form are part of the Laboratory's research programme. The Board of Trade are keenly interested in this work and are moveover playing a full part in international studies of the stability of fishing vessels which the Inter-governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation is undertaking. When these studies have progressed sufficiently to justify model experiments for particular types of hull we shall seek the assistance of the National Physical Laboratory. I am in consultation with the fishing industry about the possibility of more frequent position reports from fishing vessels at sea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding delays in exports and imports through King's Lynn docks due to congestion along the Sutton Bridge-King's Lynn road; and what action he proposes to take.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be in a position to give figures for 1963 of the industries with more than 200,000 registered employees, giving the number employed and the total value of the goods and services produced by each and the value of production per employee.

It is expected that the information required will become available in the late autumn of this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ensure that the facility for personal interviews between Patent Office examiners and professional representatives of applicants for patents is not hindered in any cases in which either the examiner or the professional representative thinks that such an interview would be helpful.

So far as I am aware the facility for personal interviews with Patent Office examiners is well known to the professional representatives of applicants, but if the hon. Member can give me particulars of any difficulty which has arisen I will have it investigated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to encourage an improvement in the standards of management, labour relations and interchangeability of working skills and crafts in Britain's shipbuilding yards; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend set up the Shipbuilding Inquiry Committee last February to make recommendations about these and other factors affecting the future competitiveness of the industry and he hopes to receive the Committee's re- port early next year. In the shorter term there are signs that the industry is making progress on these matters which he will continue to encourage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many office jobs have been diverted to Scotland since the establishment of the Location of Offices Bureau; and how many new office jobs have been created in London and the South-East in the same period.

The Location of Offices Bureau have not steered any firms to Scotland since they were set up in 1963. Figures of office jobs in London and the South-East are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further advice and help he is giving in the creation of the two new postgraduate business schools at Manchester and London University; and what methods of co-ordination he proposes to establish.

The University Grants Committee is responsible for co-ordinating any help and advice required by these two institutions. The financial arrangements have already been announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take the necessary steps so that all full-time students in receipt of approved awards shall be covered for National Insurance contributions.

I have carefully reconsidered this matter in recent months in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance and with the National Union of Students. As a result I have reached the conclusion that a change of the kind suggested would not be justified having regard to the large outlay in contributions it implies, the low incidence of eligibility among students for the cash benefits concerned, and the existing arrangements for credits up to the age of 18 and retrospective payment of contributions when studentship has ended. The National Health Service is, of course, available to students, as to other people, without contribution conditions. The better course appears to me to be to ensure that students are fully informed about their National Insurance position so as to eliminate misunderstandings, and this is being done.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take on space research, in particular in regard to the setting up of a central authority, in view of the recommendations by the Council of the British Interplanetary Society, details of which have been sent to him.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. David Price) on 18th March, and to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 29th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the proposal of the Management Panel of the Teachers' Salaries Arbitration Tribunal that teachers should take supplementary employment; and if he will now seek to pay overtime rates in respect of the out-of-school activities which are not part of a teacher's legal duty, in view of the fact that teaching is a full-time profession, and in view of the educational needs of the country.

As regards the first part of the Question the Management Panel made no such proposal. As regards the second part, separate and additional remuneration is already payable to full-time teachers in primary and secondary schools in respect of part-time service in further education, e.g., in evening institutes or classes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of Norfolk schoolchildren have received clothing or footwear grants, as distinct from uniform grants, in each of the last five years; and how these figures compare with the rest of the country.

I understand from the Norfolk local education authority that in the five years 1960–61 to 1964–65, 0·6, 0·64, 0·76, 0·73 and 0·71 per cent., respectively, of children at maintained schools were provided with clothing and footwear. Similar information about the rest of the country could only be obtained by special inquiry of all local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of schoolchildren in Norfolk receive school meals; what proportion receive free school meals; and how these figures compare with the rest of the country.

The information, derived from local education authorities' returns for the autumn term, 1964, expressed as percentages of the number of day pupils present at maintained schools, is as follows:

	Norfolk	Average for England and Wales
	per cent.	per cent.
Pupils taking school dinners	76·9	62·2
Pupils receiving free dinners	6·0	4·3

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of Norfolk schoolchildren achieved university places in each of the last five years; and if he will provide comparable figures for Anglesey, Leicestershire, and England as a whole.

The latest available information on the destination of school leavers in England and Wales relates to 1962–63 and is published in "Statistics of Education 1963, Part Three" (Table 7). Statistics for earlier years are contained in the corresponding preceding volumes of the publication. The sample on which the tables are based is not large enough to give a reliable indication of small numbers and cannot be used for comparisons between individual county areas.List 71, published annually by my Department gives the number of new awards to students and its relation to the size of the population, for each Local Education area. The latest issue of this List relates to 1963–64.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about Government assistance to the National Portrait Gallery towards the recent purchase of the portrait of James Boswell by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that Parliament should be invited to approve a special grant of £20,000 towards the purchase of this picture. A Supplementary Estimate will be laid before Parliament in due course. Meanwhile the money will be advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further conclusions he has reached on the recommendations of the Standing Advisory Committee on Grants to Students, with particular reference to the rates of post-graduate awards to operate from 1st September 1965; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. In the light of the recommendations of the report of the Standing Advisory Committee my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided that from the start of the next academic year, the rates of award for postgraduate studentships awarded by the Education Departments and Research Councils should be as follows:

(a) Students living in college, hall or lodgings—£500 per annum

(b) Students living at home—£380 per annum.

The Government's attention has also been drawn to the awards position of widow students in teacher training, who are at present less favourably treated for grant purposes than married women students, in that where a widow has income in addition to her award the value of the award is (like other awards) reduced £ for £ in respect of any income above £100 per annum. The value of an award to a married woman under- graduate student, however, is not reduced by reference to her husband's income. This is a factor which has tended to deter widows from entering teacher training. Accordingly, in assessing the incomes of widow students in Colleges of Education and University Departments of Education from 1st September, 1965, as an alternative to dependants' allowances for children, an allowance will be made in addition to the disregard of £100, of £300 for the first child and £100 for each subsequent child.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that crimes known to the police in England and Wales rose to over 1,000,000 for the first time in 1964 and that the policy of reformation rather than punishment of the criminal has failed, if he will now institute sterner punishments for all crime, especially crimes of violence which rose by nearly 17 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to think that the maximum penalties prescribed by law for crimes, and in particular crimes of violence, are inadequate. It is for the courts to decide what penalty within these maximum limits ought to be imposed in particular cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now received the James Committee Report on the Challenor Case; if he will arrange for the Report to be published; and when he will make a statement.

Yes. I shall publish this Report and make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that tokens provided by the manufacturers of certain gambling machines for use in connection with such machines are now being used for the illegal abstraction of goods and articles from automatic vending machines; what steps he will take to deal with this practice, which causes financial loss to traders; and if he will make a statement.

The case about which the hon. Member wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend recently was the first of the kind to be brought to his attention, and such inquiries as he has been able to make since do not suggest that the abuse is at all common. My right hon. and learned Friend is considering further what action may be needed to combat it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds permission to land in the United Kingdom was refused on 19th July to Ghulam. Shabir, brother of Mr. Ahmad Masood, already resident in the United Kingdom, although he carried an entry permit stamped by the United Kingdom High Commission in Pakistan.

Ghulam Shabir, a boy aged 15½, intended to stay with his elder brother. He did not have an entry certificate issued by the British High Commission in Pakistan, and was refused admission because the immigration officer, having asked the police to make inquiries, was not satisfied that suitable arrangements had been made for him to be looked after. Entry in such cases is granted on a discretionary basis and I am satisfied that the immigration officer acted properly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the increase of crimes involving armed robbery, he will introduce legislation to control the sale of ammunition on a basis similar to that of dangerous drugs; and if he will make a statement.

No. Existing legislation, reinforced by the Firearms Bill, which is awaiting Royal Assent, provides adequate control.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs by what percentage gross and net-after-tax dividend payments in the first and second quarter of 1965, shown separately, on ordinary and preference shares exceeded those for the same periods in 1964 after relating all figures to capital employed and to the number of companies reporting; and by what percentage this differs from his estimate of the gross figure for the first quarter.

A larger number of companies paid out dividends in the first quarter of 1965 than in the same period a year earlier. One reason for this was presumably because many of them wished to reduce their tax liability and that of their shareholders under the proposed new taxes. It is not possible to say how much of the increase of 28 per cent. in dividend payments, which was the same both before and after tax, was due to this or to increases in capital employed. Figures for the second quarter are not yet available.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he is aware of a recent decision of certain book publishers to increase book prices in excess of the average which the Publishers' Association advised chief librarians would occur in the financial year 1965–66, and that some increases range from 11 per cent. to 40 per cent.; and if he will refer the matter to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

We understand that the Publishers' Association, at the end of last year, supplied librarians with their estimate of the average increase in publishers prices that might be expected over 1965. Individual publishers, of course, determine their own prices and these will vary above and below this average. On this information alone, we do not consider that there is a case for reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) why the Report of the North-West Study Group concerning Westmorland, Cumberland and Carlisle has not been published with the rest of the Report; and whether he informed the local authorities in these areas that the Report would not be complete;(2) when he will publish that part of the North-West Study Group's Report which refers to Westmorland, Cumberland and Carlisle, in order to put an end to the uncertainty which has been created in these areas by the partial Report.

Cumberland and Westmorland are now part of the Northern economic planning region, and as I informed the hon. Member on March 8th, the results of the Study Group's work on these two counties are being made available separately to the Northern Economic Planning Council and Board. The Chairmen of the Council and Board visited the area early this week for discussions with local authorities, and no doubt they will be consulting them again later.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of 31 per cent. War Stock on 1st January, 1946; and what would be its comparable value in present-day terms as at 1st July, 1965, taking into account the fall in the value of the £ sterling in the intervening 19 years.

On 1st January, 1946 the price of 3½ per cent. War Loan was 1033/16; on 1st July, 1965 it was 51½, Taking account of changes in the purchasing power of the £ sterling between the year 1946 and June, 1965, the price on 1st July, 1965 would be equivalent to about 26 in 1946.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of money repaid to exporters under the export rebate scheme between October, 1964 and June 1965.

The first claims were not due until February, and most of them were made considerably later. At the end of June, £7·4 million had been paid; claims received but unpaid at that time amounted to £16·6 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from British industry and others for the alteration of the export rebate scheme.

Various proposals have been made for improving the detailed working of the scheme, and where possible they have been adopted. More fundamental proposals for extending the scope of the scheme would require fresh legislation, of which there is no immediate prospect.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in view of the increasing number of misleading trade names under which petrol is being sold, he will seek to make it obligatory for all retail pumps to display a sign giving the guaranteed octane rating.

The British Standards Institution is examining the possibility of drawing up standard specification, associated with an agreed nomenclature, for different grades of petrol. I think this may be the best way of making progress towards the objective the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of Power what study he has made of the official proposals made by the British Iron and Steel Federation in the current edition of their magazine, "Steel Review", a copy of which has been sent to him; and whether he will use them as a basis for legislation.

I have read the somewhat vague article in "Steel Review". The Answer to the second part of the Question is "No", but, as I said in the House on 13th July, I am open to receive any representations arising out of steel nationalisation.

asked the Minister of Power what proportion of compensation units used by the National Coal Board as the basis of compensation is attributable to collieries that have been closed.

I regret that I cannot add to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 22nd July.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will now give full details of the organisational structure of his Department.

I would refer the hon. Member to the organisation chart which circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 27th July in reply to the hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Patrick Jenkin).

asked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage rate at which prices have increased in the last six months projected on an annual basis; and how this rate compares with the average annual increases in 1962, 1963 and 1964.

The percentage rise in the retail prices index between December, 1964 and June, 1965 projected on an annual basis was 6·4. The percentage rises in corresponding six-monthly periods ended in June in the years 1962, 1963 and 1964 similarly projected on an annual basis were 6·5, 3·1 and 6·1, respectively. The percentage increases in the twelve months ended in December in 1962, 1963 and 1964 were 2·6, 1·9 and 4·8, respectively.

asked the Prime Minister how many discussions he has had with leaders of Her Majesty's Opposition in the last three months on defence matters; and whether it is intended to continue such meetings.

Meetings take place by mutual agreement from time to time, but I do not think it would be right to give details.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends to meet the Institute of Directors to discuss the relationships between Government policy and private enterprise.

I have no plans for such a meeting.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he now has for transferring executive responsibility for the health service in Wales to the Secretary of State for Wales.

None. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales maintains close and regular contact with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and the Chairman of the Welsh Board of Health and I think this suffices to ensure that Welsh interests in the Health Service are adequately represented.

asked the Prime Minister in considering his invitations to heads of foreign Governments to visit London this year he will include in his invitation a suggestion that they enter and become members of the Commonwealth of Nations in order to increase its world wide appeal and membership and solidarity for, amongst other purposes, the promotion of world peace.

No.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the July returns show a slight increase in unemployment between June and July, which has happened only twice since the war, and that there is a danger of substantially bigger unemployment in the autumn, especially in the building and allied trades, what action will be taken to prevent unemployment becoming widespread and snowballing into other industries; and if he will make a statement.

Unemployment normally rises between July and the autumn for purely seasonal reasons. The underlying level of unemployment is now low and is likely to remain so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will instruct the Standing Security Commission to consider the degree to which national security is endangered by the activities of foreigners in this country as indicated by the circumstances outlined in Appendix (1) of Command Paper No. 2722 and to report on the feasibility of implementing the recommendations submitted to the Commission by the hon. Member for Harrow, East, on 4th March, 1965 in assisting to reduce the handicaps at present placed on Her Majesty's Security Service in countering these activities.

No, the hon. and gallant Member's suggestions are for the Government to consider rather than for the Security Commission to report upon.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement about his discussions with Sir Joshua Hassan, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar on Friday last.

No, the meeting was confidential.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance that no official announcement regarding Rhodesia will be made during the Parliamentary Recess.

No. If there is anything to announce which ought to be announced I do not feel it right to await the reconvening of Parliament.

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to make the salary payable to the Leader of the Opposition conditional on his not holding directorships or having business interests.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to abolish the salary payable to a Leader of the Opposition during a vacancy in that office.

No, existing legislation already makes adequate provision for any eventuality.

asked the Prime Minister what tours he intends to make of the Regions within the United Kingdom in the next three months to see what progress is being made in the respective development plans of the regions and to consult representatives of both sides of industry.

I have no such plans at present.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the granting of a General Service Medal for service in the Radfan operations, South Arabia.

Yes. Her Majesty has approved proposals for the grant of a General Service Medal for specified service in the Radfan operations. A short Command Paper on the subject is available in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value of support prices to agriculture, horticulture and fisheries respectively, during the past year.

As stated in paragraph 20 of the Annual Review White Paper (Cmnd. 2621), the value of the agricultural guarantees for the whole of the United Kingdom in 1964–65 was £1,519 million. This figure covers both the price guarantees for commodities and the relevant production grants. There are no price support arrangements for horticulture and fisheries; assistance is given in other ways.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the annual average price for cocoa per ton for the period 1950 to 1964; and, allowing for the difference in the value of the £ sterling, in what previous year, other than in wartime, cocoa prices were at their lowest.

The annual average prices for imports of cocoa into the U.K. during the period 1950 to 1964 were as follows:

	£ per ton
1950	205
1951	286
1952	261
1953	246
1954	374
1955	332
1956	229
1957	206
1958	317
1959	293
1960	234
1961	183
1962	171
1963	176
1964	192

In 1934 the annual average import price fell to less than £24 a ton. This would be equivalent to £85–£90, taking account of changes in the value of the pound.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce details of his proposals for the establishment of a meat and livestock commission, and on farm structure, the development of the hills and uplands, and agricultural co-operation.

I hope to make a statement and to present two White Papers on 4th August.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make available a record of the duty and flying times of the pilots who were killed in the recent Viscount crash at Liverpool to the coroner.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with the draft Order to extend the provisions of the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, to the Turks and Caicos Islands; and if he will make a statement.

An Order to extend the provisions of the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, with certain modifications, to the Turks and Caicos Islands is expected to be made on 3rd August and to come into operation on the following day.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what minimum qualifications are laid down for welfare officers; and if he is satisfied that they are adequate;(2) how many local government officials in Wales who have full or partial responsibility for welfare work have never received any formal specialist training in welfare work.

I assume my hon Friend has in mind officers doing welfare work with the elderly or physically or mentally handicapped. No qualifications are laid down at present, and the number without any formal training is therefore not known; but the number of trained staff is known to be increasing.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cause of the delay in settling pharmacists' accounts for April and May; and what steps he has taken to overcome delays in future settlements.

Slight delays in payment of April and May accounts occured in a few areas. This was because of pressure of work. The staff of the Joint Pricing Committees have been working overtime to ensure that the prescriptions are priced and authorised for payment as promptly as possible, and more staff are being recruited.

asked the Minister of Health if he will arrange for a casualty department to be established at one of the hospitals in the Wellingborough constituency, in view of the fact that a large number of persons requiring immediate attention have to be taken to hospitals at Kettering and Northampton.

No. I am writing to my hon. Friend about this.

asked the Minister of Transport what has recently been the rate of increase in accidents involving heavy vehicles; and how this compares with the rate of increase in the numbers of these vehicles.

There was a decrease of 1·1 per cent. In 1964 compared with 1963, while the number with current licences rose by 2·2 per cent. In the period January-April 1965 there was an increase of 3·6 per cent. compared with the same period in 1964, but no figures are available yet of the growth in the number of these vehicles in 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to require improvement in the braking power of heavy vehicles.

Following regulations which were made last year, my Working Party on Brakes has published a draft code of practice for the brakes of certain categories of heavier goods vehicle. It has also given me advice on the braking efficiencies of other goods vehicles over 30 cwt. unladen weight. Draft regulations on the braking standards for new vehicles in this category will be circulated as soon as possible. A draft code of practice for the brakes of these medium sized goods vehicles will be considered by the Working Party early in the autumn.I regard all the work being done to improve brakes as a matter of great importance and I much appreciate the co-operation which my Department is receiving from all sides of industry and the other members of the Working Party.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to give transport users' consultative committees the right of access to relevant financial information.

No. An independent investigation was carried out in 1963 by Sir William Carrington, who reported that the financial information which the Railways Board supplied to the Committees when passenger closures were proposed was appropriate for the purpose of assisting them to carry out their duties under the Transport Act, 1962. Those duties are confined to reporting on hardship which closure would cause and to suggesting means of alleviating it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will provide statistics on the amount of harbour dues for the port of King's Lynn for each of the last five years.

The figures are:

Dues paid to King's Lynn Conservancy Board		Dues paid to British Transport Docks Board (or predecessors)
Year*	£	Year†	£
1959–60	30,100	1960	79,900
1960–61	29,700	1961	82,500
1961–62	29,300	1962	83,000
1962–63	27,000	1963	94,800
1963–64	29,900	1964	110,100
* 26th March to 25th March.
† 1st January to 31st December.

Note: Figures given to nearest £100.