asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to encourage men and women in the Services who are completing their terms of engagement and who have high educational and technical qualifications to apply for training as teachers.

The opportunities open to suitably qualified mature men and women to train as teachers are made known to those about to leave the Services through the Regular Forces Resettlement Service. Information about teaching is published periodically in the Services Resettlement Bulletin, and liaison between my Department, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Labour ensures that those responsible for advising Service men and women on their resettlement in civilian life are fully informed on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he is making to technical colleges to hold refresher courses in general education for early school leavers who would make suitable entrants to the teaching profession.

Opportunities are available in local colleges of further education and in evening institutes to prepare for G.C.E. examinations at "O" and "A" level and thus obtain the educational qualifications required for entry to teacher training. If the number of students enrolling sufficed, local education authorities and college principals would, I am sure, arrange a special day-time course for married women or a special evening course for people in employment who wished to improve their general educational standard.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the Government moneys they receive is used by the Arts Council to supplement research awards offered by the British Academy; and if he will take steps to encourage such a process.

None. The British Academy receives a grant direct from the Department and it would not be appropriate for the Arts Council to supplement this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has received from the Council for Scientific Policy on the best allocation of resources between the research councils.

The Council for Scientific Policy has given some preliminary advice in connection with a general survey of Government expenditure. It is undertaking a more detailed study with a view to tendering further advice before the Government take decisions on next year's Estimates for Research Councils' expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the action recently taken by the Lancashire Education Authority in connection with the education of divinity students; and if he will encourage education authorities to take similar action to assist such students.

I am aware of the action to which my hon. Friend draws attention, which is within the local education authority's discretion under the arrangements referred to in the reply I gave him on 4th May last. I do not consider that any further approach by me to local education authorities on this subject would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in considering a possible connection between benzene and chromosome abnormalities, he will give an assurance that he will take account of the high aromatic content of certain types of petrol.

I would refer to the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 12th July, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now provide quantitative data regarding exposure to benzene and chromosome abnormalities.

Reliable quantitative data relating to exposure to benzene and the occurrence of chromosomal abnormalities are not available but inquiries are being undertaken in an endeavour to obtain such information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students received university education in Wales during each of the last five years; and what is his assessment of the likely increase in numbers during the next five years.

The information is given in the following table. The figures show a steady increase, rising from some 6,500 in 1960 to over 9,000 in October 1964. For 1967–68 a figure of nearly 13,000 students is forecast.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate the structure and level of teachers' remuneration and teachers' pension schemes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the capital cost of new buildings required for integrating the independent schools into the State system.

In general I would not expect integration to depend on new building. But I can make no estimate until the Public Schools Commission has been appointed and considered how integration can best be achieved. It will not be concerned with all independent schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will ensure that direct grant schools shall retain their independence in local authority areas where a comprehensive system of education is being contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will request direct grant schools to co-operate with local authorities in whose areas they are located, when such authorities adopt a comprehensive system of secondary education, by adopting a comprehensive education system themselves.

In my recent circular I expressed the hope that governors of direct grant schools would co-operate with local education authorities with a view to participating in local schemes of comprehensive education. I do not wish to anticipate the outcome of local discussions on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to provide employment as teachers for qualified Commonwealth immigrants entering Great Britain under the special quota for teachers.

There is no special quota for Commonwealth immigrants entering Great Britain as teachers, but teachers eligible for the status of qualified teacher here are among those who may receive entry vouchers, as the White Paper published on Monday explained. The employment of teachers, of whatever origin, is a matter for the local education authority or school authorities concerned and not for my right hon. Friend. He is considering what special arrangements can be made to help would-he teachers from the Commonwealth who lack familiarity with our teaching methods or the necessary standard of spoken English.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to improve day release facilities in the Nottinghamshire area.

Taking into account recent and current building projects at colleges in Nottinghamshire, the facilities available or shortly becoming available would appear adequate to meet foreseeable demands.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many educational building projects in Blackpool or Fylde there are whose commencement or completion will be delayed as a result of the recent financial policy changes; and whether he will indicate delay in each case and the new date of completion.

I know of no educational building projects in this area which are due to start within the next six months and will be delayed as a result of the economic measures recently announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will authorise a start to be made in the building of the new primary school required on the Redcastle Furze Estate at Thetford.

I have included a five-class school in the authority's 1966–67 major building programme. If it proves necessary I shall be prepared to allow an early start on actual building. I am considering a request from the authority to increase the size of the project to 10 classes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he has not yet answered the letter of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on the mismanagement of the affairs of the Birmingham School of Architecture by Birmingham City Council over a period of nearly four months.

The hon. Member will have received a letter dated 30th July from my noble Friend the Minister of State explaining that discussions about the future of the Birmingham School of Architecture are in progress. Meanwhile, the local education authority is discharging its responsibility towards the school as a department of the College of Art with its customary efficiency.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the dates both for the new primary school at Wivenhoe and the other school building projects in North-East Essex are still firm, in view of the recent economy cuts.

In accordance with the terms of the announcement made by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 27th July school building will not be affected by the special measures which local authorities are being asked to take. I understand from the Essex Local Education Authority that the dates for the primary school at Wivenhoe which were given to the hon. Member on 1st July are unchanged and that it has no plans to delay other school building projects in Essex.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect the recent cuts in capital investment will have on the new University of Stirling.

This new university is still at the planning stage and it is not envisaged that any contracts would have been let during the next six months. The university will therefore be unaffected by the recent statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent the recent cuts in capital investment will affect the expansion plans of Aberdeen University.

This university is in a development district and is therefore exempted from the measures recently announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Its development will not be affected in any way.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now make a statement on what action is to be taken to establish a film training school.

My right hon. Friend has decided to appoint a small independent committee to inquire fully into the need for a national film school, its objects and size if it were to be established and how it might be organised and financed.The name of the Chairman and the members of the Committee and their terms of reference will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he has made, following his official discussions with the swimming associations and television authorities, for the holding and televising of swimming contests at the Empire Pool, Cardiff; and whether he will make a statement.

I am glad to inform the House that, with the goodwill of all parties, this contest will now be televised in the United Kingdom. The Friday evening events will be handled by B.B.C.: the Saturday afternoon programme by I.T.V. The arrangement has the concurrence of the English and the Welsh Amateur Swimming Associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the scheme for the provision of grants to sports clubs for the improvement of sporting facilities has been stopped, or in any way curtailed, by the Government's policy of slowing down the rate of expenditure on capital goods.

Building projects at sports clubs are not exempt from the restrictions announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is not yet possible to determine the precise effect of the measures on building or on capital grants paid by my Department but there will be some delay in both.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action has been taken on the recommendation of the Heyworth Report that a Social Science Research Council should be established.

On 2nd June I announced the Government's acceptance in principle of this recommendation.The draft of an Order in Council is being prepared, specifying the objects of the new body and declaring it to be a Research Council for the purposes of the Science and Technology Act. 1965; the draft will be laid before Parliament, in accordance with Section 1(4) of the Act, after the new Council has been established by Royal Charter. I expect to be in a position to lay the draft in the autumn.Meanwhile, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Young has accepted my invitation to become Chairman of the new Research Council. I am considering with my colleagues the composition of the Council, and will announce the names of other members as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Functions of Traffic Wardens Order, 1965, will enable traffic wardens, when it is necessary to remove cars which have been parked illegally, to drive them away to the pound, thereby relieving the police of that duty.

No. But my right hon. and learned Friend is discussing with chief officers of police the extent to which it would be appropriate for this duty to be carried out by specially trained civilians.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals were involved in the production of cosmetics in the latest year for which figures are available; whether he is satisfied that the Therapeutic Substances Act, and other existing legislation, provides adequate safeguards to prevent animal suffering in this industry; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that no information is available about the numbers of animals used to produce or test cosmetics. The use of animals for the production of therapeutic substances is subject to the restrictions imposed under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1956. Animals used for other manufacturing purposes are protected by the general law against unnecessary suffering. If animals are used to test a particular substance and there is any risk of pain the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, applies. This Act has been reviewed by the Departmental Committee on Experiments on Animals, the report of which my right hon. and learned Friend is now considering.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to ascertain what proportion of immigrants entering the United Kingdom in future have a good written and spoken knowledge of English.

I doubt the practicality and usefulness of doing this in all cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the need for experienced police officers in the Metropolitan area to deal with violence and robbery and the prevention of the escape of prisoners, he will consider withdrawing the police officers now on loan to the South Vietnam Government, and stationed in Saigon.

There are no police officers from forces in this country on loan to the South Vietnam Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the many unsatisfactory aspects of the case of Christopher Harold Williams, now imprisoned in Dartmoor, including the identification of Williams by a police officer who was fetched to the identification parade by the only police officer who knew with certainty which of the men in the parade was the accused, and the inconsistencies between the deposition of a detective-sergeant and his evidence in court, some of which inconsistencies could not have been known to the jury at the trial, he will re-examine the memorandum on this case submitted to him by Mr. John Foot, solicitor, of Plymouth; and if, in view of the harassments to which Williams has been exposed, through official delay and incompetence, while attempting to secure redress of his grievances from inside prison, he will refer this case back to the Court of Criminal Appeal or order the immediate release of Williams.

My right hon. and learned Friend has carefully considered all that has been submitted to him and his predecessor on behalf of Christopher Harold Williams, but the conclusion he has reached is that he would not be justified in referring this case back to the Court of Criminal Appeal or in taking any other action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the observations by the Court of Criminal Appeal on the trial of Christopher Harold Williams, he will for the information of hen. Members, place in the Library of the House a transcript of this trial and a copy of the memorandum on this case submitted by Mr. John Foot, solicitor, of Plymouth.

No. My right hon. and learned Friend does not consider that the circumstances of the case justify his taking this exceptional course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now considered the Report of the Committee on Jury Service; and if he will introduce legislation to remove the present anomalies which exist in that service.

Yes. The Government welcome this report and are in general agreement with the Committee's main recommendations. Most of these will require legislation, which will be prepared and introduced as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Law Society with regard to the establishment of special traffic courts; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

The Law Society's Memorandum makes a number of proposals on road traffic enforcement including the proposal that breaches of the road traffic law that lack the elements of deliberation or recklessness should no longer be criminal offences and should be dealt with by special traffic courts as traffic breaches.As my right hon. and learned Friend said in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 23rd July, it is too early to make a statement on these proposals. The Law Society has been informed that they will be carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the publication of an official up-to-date account of the probable effects of a nuclear attack on Great Britain, for the information of the general public in addition to Civil Defence workers.

The effects of a nuclear attack on this country depend on many factors that cannot be determined in advance and any overall assessment would necessarily be speculative. There would no doubt be heavy casualties and widespread destruction: there would also be millions of survivors.A number of official publications give information about the effects of nuclear explosions, including the Manual of Civil Defence: Volume I, Pamphlet No. 1, "Nuclear Weapons" and a pamphlet entitled "The Hydrogen Bomb".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the list by counties showing the number of riding establishments licensed under the Riding Establishment Act, 1964, and the number which have been refused licences.

I regret that the information is not available. I am writing to the hon. Member about the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he is issuing to police authorities with a view to ensuring that a special watch will be kept on the 500 miles of roads on which a special 50 miles per hour limit has been imposed.

The attention of the chief officers of police concerned has been drawn to these lengths of road and I am confident that they will take the best measures open to them to enforce the speed limit, in the light of their resources and commitments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of arson against synagogues and other Jewish communal buildings have been reported to him; and whether, in view of two further cases in the metropolitan area, he will now call for reports from chief constables on violence and arson by Fascist organisations and their sympathisers.

I have received reports of 12 incidents that have occurred since 1st September, 1964, most of them in the Metropolitan Police District. I am kept fully informed by the Commissioner, and I am satisfied that the police are paying special attention to the prevention of these incidents and the detection of those responsible. I do not consider that there are any grounds for asking chief constables generally for special reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what diaries, documents or papers which belonged to Sir Roger Casement are still retained at the Home Office or Scotland Yard.

None. The only papers other than the diaries which belonged to Casement, and are still retained as public records consist of notes and other material which he prepared or had with him in connection with his trial. These are in the Public Record Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue a circular to chief constables as to the action of police officers when they are requested to assist in the detention of a mental patient and as to whether they should be authorised to take such a person to prison instead of to hospital.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no reason to believe that the police require any further general guidance as to their responsibilities for the detention of mental patients. If my hon. Friend has some particular point in mind, I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make an appeal to the public for the surrender of firearms and ammunition.

Yes. When the provisions of the new firearms legislation increasing the penalties for illegally possessing a firearm or ammunition without a firearm certificate were being discussed, I said that I intended to provide an opportunity for the surrender of illegally held firearms to the police without fear of prosecution.I have accordingly asked chief officers of police in England and Wales to ensure that proceedings for unlawful possession are not taken against anyone who surrenders firearms or ammunition by the 30th October. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Lord Advocate have also arranged that such proceedings will not be taken in Scotland. Firearms and ammunition may be handed in at any police station, and I appeal to everyone who has an unauthorised weapon to take this opportunity to dispose of it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive from the Interdepartmental Committee on the Court of Criminal Appeal a report, with recommendations, on the rules about loss of time by appellants what other matters are being considered by this Committee; and how soon he expects to be able to take action to implement the Committee's recommendations.

The Committee's Report has been received and will be presented to Parliament and published as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made. I am not yet ready to make a statement on the recommendations contained in the Report.The Committee's terms of reference were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of university graduates at present serving in the police forces of England and Wales, analysing the figure to show the number of graduates in each rank in each police force.

I regret that this information is not available centrally in this form. I am having it collected and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increasing the number of graduates in the police forces of England and Wales.

In order to make more widely known the attractions of a police career to those of good education, an additional staff officer to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary has recently been appointed to maintain contact with universities and schools, and to co-ordinate and encourage local liaison between individual universities and the police; an illustrated booklet will shortly be circulated to supplement the written information already sent to all university appointments boards; representatives of university appointments boards will be invited to visit the Police College at Bramshill; and the national police recruitment campaign will continue to include advertisements directed particularly at undergraduates, sixth-formers and their parents and careers advisers. Other steps are under consideration for following up the initial contacts made.Three police officers selected from those who had done especially well on the Special Course at the Police College are at present reading for degrees in law at University College, London. Five places will be available this autumn at University College, and three at the London School of Economics, to officers selected in the same way. My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to extend this Bramshill scholarship scheme to other universities and colleges. He is also considering, in consultation with the other interested bodies, whether a standard practice might be recommended as regards the circumstances in which individual police authorities might reimburse some of the expenses incurred by officers studying in their own time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum rate of pay of a university graduate on joining the Metropolitan Police; and what is the minimum period before he could be promoted from the rank of police constable.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, if under 22, £700 a year; if 22 or over £800 a year; in both cases plus £20 London allowance and free accommodation or rent allowance. The answer to the second part is four years in the normal case, or a few months less in the case of officers selected for the Special Course at the Police College, who receive temporary promotion on joining the course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of candidates with General Certificate of Education A level who were recruited into each of the police forces of England and Wales in each of the last five years.

The number of recruits with two or more "A" levels who entered recruit training centres in England and Wales was 95 in 1962; 90 in 1963; and 103 in 1964. Figures are not available for each force or for earlier years, and my right hon. and learned Friend would not feel justified in asking for a special return.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in implementing the Ingleby Committee Report of 1960 in arranging for the detection of families at risk to give them and their children special care and attention.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 1st July to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, East (Mr. Robert Howarth) in which I indicated that the reports furnished by local authorities about measures under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1963, show that co-ordination between statutory and voluntary services is being strengthened, staffs are being expanded, family advice centres are being set up, and schemes of various kinds for assisting families at risk are being developed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the lack of scientific evidence of the causes of juvenile delinquency, as distinct from personal opinions, if he will examine the corn prehensive material assembled by Dr. Barnardo's Homes' workers which is not at present being utilised, and provide facilities, manpower and finance to help these efforts by the voluntary societies.

My right hon. and learned Friend is very willing to consider any material relating to delinquency that may be submitted to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in the co-ordination of existing statutory social services under the departments of designated medical officers of health who alone have received the special training needed for a broad approach.

A circular issued jointly by the Home Office, Ministry or Health, and Ministry of Education in July, 1950, invited the councils of counties and county boroughs to designate a senior officer to co-ordinate the work of statutory and voluntary services concerned with the welfare of families and children; and in some 40 instances the medical officer of health is the officer who has been so designated. My right hon. and learned Friend does not agree that medical officers of health alone are suited to undertake this responsibility. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said on 26th July in reply to Questions by the hon. Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Wallace) and the right hon. Member for Sutton Cold-field (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd) the Government are considering the problem of improving the co-ordination of social services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost of legally aided cases in magistrates' courts when trial takes place, where depositions only are taken, at Quarter Sessions and Assizes; and what is the average cost of legally aided cases in civil actions in magistrates' courts.

The average cost of legally aided defences is as follows:

Magistrates' Courts (Summary trial)—£16.

Magistrates' Courts (Committal proceedings)—£25.

Assizes and Quarter Sessions—£68.

Magistrates' Courts (Civil cases)—£16.

The figure for Assizes and Quarter Sessions—for which separate figures are not available—is for 1963–64. The other figures are for 1964–65. The figure for civil cases in magistrates' courts is a gross figure without deduction of any costs or contributions that may be recovered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons 60 alien and eight Commonwealth immigrants were refused entry to this country on medical grounds in 1964; and what action was taken in each case.

Of the 60 aliens refused entry on medical grounds during 1964, 35 were, in the view of the medical inspector, suffering from mental disorders and the remaining 25 were refused leave to land on other medical grounds.Five Commonwealth citizens were refused entry during 1964 because they were suffering from mental disorders and 3 for other medical reasons.The normal practice is to require the carrying company to return a passenger refused entry to the port of his embarkation abroad.It is not possible to provide more detailed information about the cases without lengthy research.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the progress of the Fijian Constitutional Conference.

The Fiji Constitutional Conference is continuing its discussions. As the hon. Member knows its proceedings are confidential. It is hoped to publish a White Paper after the Conference, setting out its conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the presence in London at the present time, in their official capacities, of representatives of the States comprising the South Arabian Federation and the East Aden Protectorate, and their willingness to take part in the talks which he has arranged, are the result of agreement by the rulers concerned to abdicate their thrones in favour of a unitary State.

I have no knowledge of any such agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are his plans for the development of the Falkland Islands.

I hope it will shortly be possible to inform the Falkland Islands Government of their allocation of colonial development and welfare funds under the Overseas Development and Service Bill. I shall then be able to consider with the Falkland Islands Government their proposals for development expenditure in the period to be covered by the allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans he has for the taxation of the personnel of the Air Ministry and other Service Ministries serving in the Falkland Islands to pay their Income Tax to the Government of the Falkland Islands.

This would involve amendment of the double taxation arrangements between Her Majesty's Government and the Falkland Islands Government. The implications of altering these arrangements would need to be carefully considered by both Governments.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, if he is aware that firms engaged in the production of replacement covers for fountain pens are charging exorbitant prices; and if he will refer this matter to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

My right hon. Friend is not aware of any general increase in these charges. If, however, the hon. Member would like to send details of any particular case he has in mind, we will be glad to consider them.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, by what criteria he will decide how long to persevere with the voluntary system in Her Majesty's Government's prices and incomes policy before he introduces the compulsory system which he considers to be inevitable if the voluntary appeal fails; and if he will make a statement.

We shall have to use our judgment.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, to what extent he has taken account, in his current review of the last Government's South-East Study, of the special position of the Isle of Sheppey; what changes of policy he has made from that in the Study in this respect; what consideration he has given to the dissatisfaction of Kent County Council and other local authorities concerned that Sheppey was omitted from the Study; and what account he has taken of the representations made about this since he started his review.

The points my hon. Friend raises will be considered in the next stage of the review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the disposal of the land owned by his Department at Wrexham and occupied until recently by the Rubber Directorate; and if he will make a statement.

I have authorised the opening of negotiations for the sale of the freehold of this 140-acre site to Firestone Tyre Rubber Co. Ltd. The company wishes to build on this site a large tyre-producing factory which will be an addition to its existing productive capacity in the United Kingdom. The project is expected to result in an increase in exports and a decrease in imports, and to bring employment opportunities to an area whose long-term employment prospects might otherwise have been problematical. I am aware that a statement was made in this House in 1961 by the previous Government that this site would be offered back to the former owners. That statement was based on the supposition that this site was subject to the policy evolved after the Crichel Down case. While I accept that the statement was made in good faith, the premises on which it was based do not seem to accord with the facts; the site has many old Royal Ordnance Factory buildings on it and cannot now be regarded as agricultural in character. Nevertheless, in view of the 1961 statement, the Government are prepared, in respect of cases submitted to them, to discuss making ex gratia payments to the former owners of the site or their successors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the North of England it was common practice to sell pre-packed potatoes in ¼ stones and ½ stones and that the pre-packing of potatoes under the Weights and Measures Act 1963 is 1 lb., 1½ lb., and 5 lb.; and whether he will introduce amending legislation to conform with northern tradition.

The Act allows pre-packing of potatoes in any desired multiple of one pound and I have seen no evidence that the disappearance of the quarter stone pack will give rise to any difficulty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that shipping freight rates in the liner trades between the United States North Atlantic ports and United Kingdom ports discriminate against United Kingdom exports to the United States of America, if he will make representations to the United States Government on this matter; and whether he will make a statement.

I am watching developments, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories have been established in Wales since last October; and if he will indicate the location and number of jobs provided in each case.

Fifty-two projects—including new factories and expansions of existing factories—for which industrial development certificates were issued, have been completed in Wales since 1st October last. These projects are estimated to provide 2,350 new jobs. Details of individual projects cannot be disclosed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how long his inquiries into the affairs of Travel and Holiday Clubs Limited have been going on; if he will now publish the results of his findings; and whether he will make a statement.

On 14th August, 1964, inspectors were appointed by the Board of Trade under Section 165(b) of the Companies Act, 1948, to investigate the affairs of Travel and Holiday Clubs Limited. They have made good progress but are prevented by litigation from reporting to the Board of Trade. It is likely that their report will now, in consequence, be delayed for some months. My right hon. Friend will decide whether to publish the report when he receives it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the disappointment and loss suffered by members of the public whose holidays have been cancelled without compensation or return of their prepaid expenses, he will now introduce legislation requiring travel agencies to be registered with some appropriate body such as the Association of British Travel Agents, to be adequately insured, and to be subject to such other regulations for the protection of the public as recent experience has shown to be necessary.

My right hon. Friend has at present nothing to add to the answer which he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne) on 8th July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the Patent Office Examiners have indicated their willingness, and what proportion their unwillingness, in the course of his present investigation into the question of moving the Patent Office to a new site possibly outside London, to move their homes to the neighbourhood of the new site if outside London.

My right hon. Friend is investigating the possibility of moving the Patent Office to a place on the outskirts of the Greater London Council Area, or perhaps a little further, but with convenient access from Central London. The staff have expressed unwillingness to move their homes, but the extent to which this might be necessary cannot be determined until a possible location has been found.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has now received either from individual users of the Patent Office or from bodies representative of such users with regard to the suggestion that the Patent Office may be moved to a place on or beyond the outskirts of Greater London.

My right hon. Friend has had a number of representations from people who are reluctant to accept that the Patent Office should be anywhere but in Central London.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people use the Patent Office library on a normal working day; and approximately what proportion of such users are members, or employees, of firms of chartered patent agents practising in the vicinity of the library.

About 460 people use the Patent Office library on a normal working day. Between 30 and 40 per cent. of these consult material relating directly to patents but I am unable to say how many of them are connected with firms of chartered patent agents. I should add that no proposal has been made to remove the Library from Central London.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has now had with industry, the professions and others concerned as users of the Patent Office as to the desirability of keeping the Patent Office in Central London.

My right hon. Friend has had no consultations since the Answer which he gave on 13th July to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Crewe (Mr. Scholefield Allen). The views of the interests concerned are quite clear but he has to consider whether they over-ride the paramount need to relieve the situation in Central London.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) why the proposal to locate the Patent Office on the South Bank site has been abandoned;(2) on what grounds he is considering the possibility of moving the Patent Office to a place on or beyond the outskirts of Greater London, in view of the concern aroused.

I cannot usefully add at this stage to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Crewe (Mr. Scholefield Allen) on 13th July, except that, of course, the Government are concerned, wherever practicable, to relieve congestion in Central London.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the lack of facilities and the adverse conditions to which holiday makers are subjected while travelling on steamers operating between Scotland and Ireland; if he will introduce legislation to protect the travelling public; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend does not think that this is a matter which calls for legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for new companies legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement regarding new companies legislation.

As a first step, with due regard to the recommendations of the Jenkins Committee, a Bill is being prepared for introduction at an early date primarily to provide for the disclosure of information in company accounts.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is satisfied with the system whereby division bells are made available in certain private accommodation outside the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Wrexham (Mr. J. Idwal Jones), Neath (Mr. Coleman) and Swansea. East (Mr. McBride) on 13th July.

asked the Postmaster-General what arrangements he has made for the exhibition of original paintings in post offices in the North-East.

With the co-operation of the North Eastern Association for the Arts, I am arranging for works by local artists to be displayed in some 20 post offices in the North-East. Details will be announced later. I hope to extend the scheme elsewhere later.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now give further details about the Fellowship of Minuscule Design.

Yes. The Fellowship, which will be tenable for two years at the Royal College of Art, has been awarded to Mr. J. Andrew Restall, at present Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at Coventry College of Art.

asked the Postmaster-General how many people are awaiting connection of telephones in Brighton; and when these connections will be made.

In the four exchange areas serving the County Borough of Brighton, all applications for telephones are being met. On 30th June, the total number in course of completion was 369. Leaving aside orders held up waiting the customers' convenience, the majority of applicants are given service within two to three weeks.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will investigate the possibility of keeping letters for dialling telephone numbers within local areas, especially if the initial letters of subscriber trunk dialling code are not needed for local calls, in view of the fact that most telephone exchanges have a geographical significance which helps subscribers to remember names and numbers.

I appreciate that the present system of dialling codes in London and the five large cities, based on the first three letters of exchange names, is an aid to memory. I would assure the hon. Member that the possibility of retaining exchange names and letter codes in these places was very thoroughly investigated. As I explained in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 26th July, it has been concluded that letter codes would be incompatible with the full development of international dialling, and would be inadequate to meet the expected growth of the system. These changes were explained more fully in the Paper, "All-Figure Telephone Numbers", of which I sent the hon. Member a copy on 26th July. I should perhaps add that as subscriber trunk dialling codes are preceded by the digit 0 they are in an entirely separate series from local dialling codes, and do not affect the availability of letter codes for local calls.

asked the Postmaster-General, what has been the outcome of his consideration of making the inspection of public telephones at London railway termini more effective; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements have been made for the daily inspections of these telephone kiosks to be intensified, and to be extended to cover Saturdays at those stations where there is heavy weekend traffic. Routine inspections by engineers will be made 10 times as frequently, and emergency attention will be given to all faults during the hours each station is open to the public. The cleaning standards are also receiving attention. I hope that these changes will bring about a noticeable improvement in service. Special studies have also been put in hand to determine whether inspections can be better directed, and what kind of additional routine tests would be most effective.

asked the Postmaster-General, whether he is aware of the poor television reception in Ayr; and what plans exist for improving it.

Improvements in the quality of television reception in particular localities are primarily for the broadcasting authorities. The B.B.C. tell me they are at present seeking a site for a relay station to serve Ayr; and the I.T.A. that they will consider the claims of this area along with those of other places when planning future improvements to the coverage of their services.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will set up a non-party committee to investigate why, in the first five months of 1965, 1,627,000 working days were lost through strikes compared with 1,211,000 in the same period of 1964 and 490,000 in 1963, and to recommend what punishment should be inflicted on the minority of agitators who foment these strikes against the advice of trade union leaders; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on 21st June.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the growing anxiety throughout the trade union movement arising from the repeated demands for punishment of those in industry who, under provocation, withdraw their labour during industrial disputes; what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to such punishment; and if he will make a statement.

I much regret some of the ill advised demands of this kind and would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) on 21st June.

asked the Minister of Labour what representations he has received from the Trades Union Congress and individual trade unions about the repeated demands made for punishment of workers who withdraw their labour in industrial disputes; and what replies he has sent.

I have received no such representations.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any cuts or delays will be imposed on the provision of training centres as a result of the recent economic measures.

No.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of the long-term, short-term and frictional unemployment in Scotland which will result from the recent economic measures and from Her Majesty's Government's objective of positive redeployment of labour.

A number of factors enter into our calculations as to the amount and location of manpower likely to be available for redeployment and no useful purpose would be served by giving estimates of the effect of one factor in isolation.

asked the Minister of Labour approximately how many households, consisting of man and wife or man alone or wife or widow or unmarried mother alone, earn on average in total less while at work than they would receive but for the wages-stop under National Assistance if unemployed, classified, so far as practicable, according to type of employment, regional location and number of children in family.

This information is not available. As was stated in reply to Questions on 22nd February and 26th July information about family earnings is based on a very small sample which does not permit a detailed breakdown.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a list of occupations, professional, clerical and manual, in which there is a shortage of qualified employees in the country as a whole today.

There are shortages of employees of many types in many areas and I do not think it would be practicable to draw up a satisfactory and comprehensive list on the very broad basis suggested.

asked the Minister of Labour if Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, British Guiana, British Honduras, Barbados, and the Leeward and Windward Islands will all be regarded as separate Commonwealth countries within the terms of paragraph 16(ii) of the recent White Paper on immigration from the Commonwealth.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is being taken to transfer Government Departmental work from the London area to Merseyside, with particular reference to the Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Defence.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 27th July.

asked the Ckancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for increasing the investment allowances available to industry in Scotland and other areas of relatively high unemployment.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne, North (Mr. R. W. Elliott) on 27th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will exempt from Customs duty gifts to the value of £10 sent by forces personnel to their families when they are serving overseas at Christmas.

No. There are already quite generous duty concessions for Christmas and other gifts sent from abroad and it would not be possible, without unfairness to other sections of the community, to make a special Christmas concession for gifts from forces personnel.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government policy that programmes for housing, schools and hospitals are to be maintained means that these programmes are to be maintained in physical or money terms.

For schools and hospitals programmes will be expressed in money terms, at constant prices. The programme for housing, while also within a money limit at constant prices, will be controlled physically by the numbers of public sector houses to be approved each year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a special announcement to all exporters to urge against their selling British goods abroad below cost of production, since this increases our national indebtedness, or without securing a reasonable profit; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the instrument securing loan stock in an unquoted company is exempt from Stamp Duty, but when a company is quoted on a stock exchange the rate becomes 2s. 6d. per £100; and if he will make arrangements for Stamp Duty to be payable when a private company acquires a stock exchange quotation and wishes the loan stock to be negotiable.

Loan capital duty is not chargeable in the case of a private company where the loan stock cannot be dealt in on a stock exchange in the United Kingdom, but I am advised that documents securing loan stock are liable to Stamp Duty under other heads in the Stamp Act. The suggestion put forward in the last part of the hon. Gentleman's Question would require legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the percentage of recruits to the administrative class of the Civil Service by direct entry from the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Newcastle, Durham, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool, respectively, in each of the periods 1948–53, 1954–59, 1960–64; and what percentage of these recruits in each period were previously educated at headmasters' conference schools.

The following information has been supplied by the Civil Service Commissioners.

University	Number of Recruits	Percentage of Total Recruits	Percentage of Col. 1 Educated at Headmasters Conference Schools*
		Per cent.	Per cent.
Oxford
1948–53	116	44	74
1954–59	127	45	44·1
1960–64	113	44	71
Cambridge
1948–53	74	28	56
1954–59	100	36	44
1960–64	94	37	63
Newcastle
1948–53	1	0·4	—
1954–59	—	—	—
1960–64	1	0·4	—
Durham
1948–53	—	—	—
1954–59	1	0·35	—
1960–64	—	—	—
Leeds
1948–53	—	—	—
1954–59	1	0·35	—
1960–64	2	0·8	50
Sheffield
1948–53	—	—	—
1954–59	—	—	—
1960–64	—	—	—
Manchester
1948–53	2	0·8	—
1954–59	2	0·7	—
1960–64	1	0·4	—
Liverpool
1948–53	1	0·4	100
1954–59	2	0·7	—
1960–64	1	0·4	—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase in revenue he anticipates in the year 1965–66 compared with 1964–65; and how much this increase represents per head of population.

The Budget estimates of revenue in 1965–66 are £869 million higher than the 1964–65 Outturn. This represents an increase of about £16 per head of the population of the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures relating to the balance of payments deficit for each month for 1964 and for 1965 to date; and by what date he now plans to resolve Great Britain's balance of payments difficulties, in view of the Government's economic policies to that end.

Monthly figures are not available. The deficit on current and long-term capital transactions was as follows:—

1964	£ million
1st Quarter	-140
2nd Quarter	-174
3rd Quarter	-251
4th Quarter	-180
1965
1st Quarter	-97

It remains the Government's objective to restore equilibrium in the course of next year.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the administrative procedures which have to be followed between the decision to build a new motorway and an all-purpose road, respectively, and the contractor beginning work on site, giving the minimum time it is possible to take for each stage including, where applicable, undertaking a number of stages simultaneously.

These procedures are described in paragraphs 172 to 182 of the Report on "Roads in England and Wales" for the year ended 31st March, 1964 presented to Parliament by my predecessor.The time taken for these procedures depends upon the size and complexity of the scheme and the number and nature of objections to it.

asked the Minister of Transport, what grants his Department has made available to the Shropshire County Council for trunk and other road improvements in the Wrekin Division of Shropshire since October, 1964; and in what area and on what roads the work has been started.

£90,000 for maintenance and improvement of trunk roads and £76,000 for classified roads. The details are as follows:—

Area	Road
Wellington	A.5 (4 schemes)
	B.5316
	B.5060
	Hadley Park Road
Newport	A.518 (2 schemes)
	B.5062
	B.4379
Shifnal	Astol Cross Roads
Tonge	A.41
	A.464

asked the Minister of Transport, how many projects of major road improvement in Blackpool, Fylde, or North Lancashire there are whose commencement or completion will be delayed as a result of the recent financial policy changes; and whether he will indicate the delay in each case and the new date of completion.

I have not yet completed my review of the schemes due to start over the next few months and decided which shall be postponed.

asked the Minister of Transport, if he is aware of the concern in Rugeley, Staffordshire, at his repeated refusal to authorise a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of the A51 and Red-brook Lane and that, in addition to the factors originally notified to him, namely, that there is a large estate nearby from which many children cross to a playground, there is a bus stop with special lay-by, a factory, and a county council welfare clinic; and if he will reconsider his earlier decision.

I can assure my hon. Friend that most careful attention has been given to all the factors set out in his Question. I do not consider that this is a place for a pedestrian crossing, and I think it will be found that conditions are improved soon, when the current road works have been finished.

asked the Minister of Transport, if he will specify which major road developments now under construction, or on which work is expected to start during 1965, have been designed on the principles of the Buchanan Report on Traffic in Towns.

The principles of the Buchanan Report on Traffic in Towns are concerned chiefly with the shaping of urban plans as a whole; their applicability to the design of individual road schemes, therefore, varies widely. However, in selecting schemes for the urban road programme, I give preference to those which follow from an integrated approach to land use and transport planning.

asked the Minister or Transport, whether the road developments associated with Her Majesty's Government's expansion plans for Ipswich, Peterborough and Northampton are being designed on the lines recommended in the Buchanan Report on Traffic in Towns.

The Buchanan Report demonstrated the need for road developments to be related closely to land use plans. This principle is being adopted in the feasibility studies now being undertaken for Ipswich, Peterborough and Northampton.

asked the Minister of Transport, if he is aware that during the heavy storm at midday on 20th July the North Circular Road, N.W.10 was flooded under the aqueduct, which carries the Grand Union Canal over it, to a depth of about three feet, causing traffic to be diverted through Wembley, and that it is frequently flooded to shallower depths in less heavy storms; and if he will take steps to improve the drainage of the road at this point.

I am informed that on the day in question the rainfall was exceptional and more than the normal drainage system could be expected to accept. I am having inquiries made to establish the adequacy of the drainage system here in the light of past records, and I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if he proposes to approve the overhead road at the Sheldon city boundary of Birmingham; what Government financial aid will be given to it; and whether the Birmingham City Council will be allowed to proceed with the works at its own expense.

There is to be a meeting with representatives of the Birmingham City Council to discuss these matters.

asked the Minister of Transport what effect the Government's economic measures will have upon the road programme; if he will bear in mind the importance of continuing to the maximum extent with improvements in this country's communications; and in what way the road programme in Nottinghamshire will be affected.

I explained to the House on 3rd August the way in which the Government's economic measures were likely to affect the road programme. The position of any road schemes in Nottinghamshire which are due to start in the next few months will depend on the outcome of my review.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the figures for classified roads and for maintenance and minor works, respectively, corresponding to the £25 million for motorways and trunk roads which will be the estimated value of contracts to be postponed during the next six months.