asked the Postmaster-General what increase or decrease in staff there was in the Department under his control in the period 16th October, 1964 to 15th October, 1965; and what increase or decrease he anticipates in the period up to 15th April, 1966.

Increases of 11,500 and 5,500 respectively. These are increases of 3 per cent. and 1½ per cent.: during the period October, 1964 to October, 1965, the business turnover of the Post Office has increased by about 7 per cent., and a similar rate of increase is expected in the coming year.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House why the first figure that he gave, 11,500, so much exceeds the forecast which he made last April of an increase of 6,500 during the calendar year? Can he also say how much of the increase is on the purely administrative side of Post Office duties?

On the second part of the question, I should require notice. On the first part, at least part of the reason is that the recruitment campaign for postmen has been more successful than we then expected. We are a very fast-growing industry, and we shall need more people in the future.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the annual expenditure on timber for telegraph poles; and what proportion of the timber is imported.

The annual expenditure in recent years has averaged about £½ million. About 90 per cent. of the poles are imported.

Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that, with the huge area of the forestry plantation now coming to fruition, there might be increased scope for using still more home-grown timber for telegraph poles?

I have every sympathy with that suggestion. However, we seek competitive tenders for all supplies. The prices of home-grown and imported timber are about the same. But when prices for imported timber are lower than prices for home-grown, we normally offer the home growers contracts for the most they can supply at the import price level.

What information has my hon. Friend secured about felling operations by the Forestry Commission over the next ten years, for instance? What proportion of that timber will be suitable for telegraph poles?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will give me notice of that question.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that some nationalised industries have expressed their intention to deliver their own mail rather than pay the increased postal charges; what is his policy in this matter; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of a Press report to the effect that one Electricity Board intends to deliver its own accounts. The originator of letters may deliver them himself or have them delivered by his staff if he so wishes. I have no intention of changing the present policy.

Is not this a sad commentary on the policy of the Government in raising the cost of postage? Is it also not a reflection in part on the cascade of rather cheap and nasty stamps that the right hon. Gentleman is pouring out?

The criticism of British stamps goes back at least to 8th May, 1840, when The Times described Rowland Hill's stamps as a disgrace to the arts of this country.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now make a statement on the space policy of his Department.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer which I gave the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden) on 2nd February.

When will the Interim Committee on Satellite Communications report?

The question as to the rival merits of the synchronous as against the medium altitude satellite systems will be announced next year after the assessment of the Early Bird operations.

asked the Postmaster-General how many commemorative stamps he now proposes to issue during the year 1966.

In addition to the Robert Burns and Westminster Abbey commemorative stamps already announced I shall issue special stamps for the World Cup Football Championships on 1st June and the 900th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings on 14th October. I also intend to introduce special pictorial issues. I shall announce the details later.

One accepts the desirability of some of these commemorative stamps, but is it not more essential for the right hon. Gentleman and his Department to apply all their attention to improving the rapidly deteriorating delivery service?

This argument would have applied to almost all the commemorative stamp issues, which are widely welcomed. If the hon. and gallant Gentleman is interested, he will have seen that the Council of Industrial Design paid special tribute to the stamp issues this year. Last year, world commemorative stamp issues totalled 4,675 and in this country only eight. I believe that our stamp designers, who are pacemakers in this field, should be given encouragement.

In future will my right hon. Friend consult mature political advisers about the issue of commemorative stamps so as to avoid publishing objectionable Fascist emblems?

I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the Battle of Britain stamps. No doubt he will recall, as I do, that it was the custom of R.A.F. pilots during the Battle of Britain to paint swastikas on their aircraft to signify their victories.

How many commemorative issues have been produced far later than the right hon. Gentleman said they would be?

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there was industrial action at the supply depot. One stamp, the Churchill Commemorative Stamp, was delayed and the I.T.U. stamp was put at the end of the programme instead of the beginning and will therefore come out at the end of this year.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what is the cost, including letter post charges, of handling payments for wayleave of very small amounts;

Wayleave payments of up to £5 are made by postal draft and cost some 2s. to handle, including postage. To arrange a credit on telephone acounts would, at this stage, be an undesirable complication of our billing procedures, and cannot yet be proved to be a cheaper alternative.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this cost of 2s. is involved in the issue of many thousands of payments of not more than 1s., one of which I have here? It is a very uneconomic procedure. Will he consider making payments over a period, for instance, of five years? Since we are all being asked to increase productivity, will not the hon. Gentleman look at his own Department?

I agree that the cost is disproportionate to the payment in some cases but this is money spent in acknowledging the co-operation of the public which we greatly appreciate, and in the aggregate it is not really much—about £9,000 a year. Many wayleave granters have waived payment altogether while others prefer regular payment, although this is not necessary, to safeguard their legal rights of property.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking in the postal services to help exporters improve their service to customers overseas.

I understand that the hon. Gentleman has in mind delays to mail from abroad. These have been caused mainly by shortage of postal staff in this country. We have had a vigorous staff recruitment campaign and we have also taken special operational steps to relieve the most hard-pressed offices. I am glad to tell the House that, as a result of these measures, there has recently been a marked improvement in the service.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that my question relates to the firm of Messrs. Reginald Dickens of Harrold near Bedford, which complained about letters from America which last May took nine days; was then assured that there would be an improvement, but in September was still losing orders because of the slowness of its foreign mail? Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether he can give us any better news? It is the lack of improvement, not the situation itself, which is the biggest worry for our exporters. They have not detected any improvement yet.

That was a long supplementary question.

As the hon. Gentleman will know, when dealing with international mail it is not only delays in this country which affect the timing of deliveries. All postal administrations suffer difficulties similar to those which we experience. However, I can say that 1,000 vacancies have been filled since May as the result of a vigorous recruitment campaign, although the Post Office will not be satisfied until the standard of services offered is satisfactory all round.

asked the Postmaster-General for what reason an extra charge is levied on firms or persons who collect their own mail.

Because the special arrangements needed to give private box and bag services or to produce mail on demand for casual callers at Post Offices involve additional expense. As announced yesterday, we shall shortly be introducing a cheaper private box service experimentally at three post offices. We are also reviewing the charge made to casual callers.

Can the hon. Gentleman say where those experiments are to be carried out?

Yes, Sir. They will be in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, London Western District Office, and Warrington.

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for regionalising Post Office services; how many main post offices will be reduced in status in any such plan; and what will be the total manpower and financial saving.

The Post Office has been organised on a Regional basis for 30 years. Within each region the local units of management for postal and telegraph work are vested in nearly 450 Head Post Office areas. Amalgamations are made where this would lead to economy without loss of efficiency or adversely affecting services to the public. On average each such amalgamation saves about three staff and reduces costs by about £4,000 a year.

The House might agree that the last part of that Answer somewhat contradicted the first. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the changes which he is making to bring certain smaller towns under the control of larger towns cause a certain public reaction and that people are concerned about whether they will get the kind of personal service to which they have been used? I would like an assurance that my town of Stamford will get the same personal service which it has always had.

I am very well aware that questions of local pride and interest are involved when there is a change of this kind. For that reason it has been the custom of Postmasters-General to write to the Members concerned when such a change is to be made in order to explain that it has nothing to do with the services offered, but is purely an act of managerial amalgamation, which, for human reasons, is normally done only when head postmasters retire and a vacancy creates the opportunity. However, I must tell the House that if the Post Office management is to be as efficient in future as is required, these amalgamations will tend to go on with increasing rapidity. They will not affect the service, but they will permit us to concentrate our administrative work in fewer centres.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the average time taken in delivery of parcels from Leicester and London, respectively, to South Shields; and what is the saving of time when parcels are registered.

Parcels for South Shields from both London and Leicester should generally be delivered by the second weekday after posting. As registration involves a hand to hand check there is no saving of time when parcels are registered.

Does my hon. Friend realise that in fact parcels have been taking up to a week and even longer to get through the West End of London and that this is a matter of long standing? Will he tell me what action he proposes to take to put this right, as it is endangering the future of a number of firms in my area?

I must agree with my hon. Friend that there have been some delays at King's Cross and Newcastle Central Station and at Leicester where parcel mails for South Shields have to be transferred. We have been pursuing this matter with British Railways and it may be for the benefit of the House if I say that a new regular service plan for the parcel post was introduced on 4th October and that we expect it to effect an improvement. There are plans for easing accommodation difficulties at both King's Cross and Newcastle, but these will take some time to mature.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that Irish hospitals' sweepstake tickets are sent through the post; and what action he will take.

My right hon. Friend realises that some of these tickets find their way into the post. The use of the post for their distribution in this country is prohibited and if they are found they are stopped.

Is there any sense in maintaining this ban on the postal delivery of Irish sweepstake tickets in this country? Is my hon. Friend aware that whatever the law on the subject may be, the law is not being enforced by either the Post Office or the Home Office? In those circumstances, why should not the people of this country be free to buy Irish sweepstake tickets if they so wish?

Those may be the views and observations of my hon. Friend, but I must remind him that Section 42 of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1963, says that it is an offence for any person in connection with a lottery promoted or proposed to be promoted, either in Great Britain or elsewhere, to sell or distribute or offer or advertise for sale or distribution any tickets or chances in the lottery or to bring or invite any person to send into Great Britain tickets for the purpose of sale or distribution.

Reading.

That covers the supplementary question which my hon. Friend asked and to which he has a right to receive an answer.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to improve the British Broadcasting Corporation television reception in Romney Marsh.

Improvements in the quality of television reception in particular localities are primarily the responsibility of the broadcasting authorities.

Does the Postmaster-General not agree that his letter of 9th August and his private secretary's letter of 23rd August admit that the television service of the B.B.C. is unsatisfactory on Romney Marsh? Does he not also agree that in the same letter he admits that the I.T.V. service is satisfactory? Is he satisfied with this situation? If not, will he allow private enterprise to get on with giving an efficient television service?

The power of the B.B.C. station at Dover has to be restricted to a low value to avoid causing interference to other television stations operating on the same channel. The I.T.A. Dover station can transmit, I agree, on a higher power, according to my information, resulting in better reception on Romney Marsh. Moreover, Band III frequencies which have been allocated to the I.T.A. are less susceptible to interference from Continental stations than the Band I frequencies allocated to the B.B.C.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will take steps to stimulate the purchase of television sets capable of receiving 625-line programmes, in view of the decision to adopt this standard, the probable eventual demand for colour television and the need to assist exports.

I am still awaiting the report of my Television Advisory committee on the choice of a colour system for this country. The probable eventual demand for colour television would not be satisfied by stimulating the sale of monochrome receivers.

Is it not important that a standard for colour television should be announced quickly? Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he thinks that he will be in a position to make an announcement?

I absolutely agree, but the Television Advisory Committee which has advised successive Postmasters-General on this matter is not itself agreed. As the right hon. Gentleman will know, this raises problems of extreme complexity particularly with the double-line standards which we have in this country.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider whether colour should be allowed to be transmitted on Bands I and III by the B.B.C. and I.T.A. when he makes a decision, or whether it will be limited to Bands IV and V?

The problem to which the hon. Gentleman refers is one of the problems to which the Television Advisory Committee obviously has to give consideration and that undoubtedly is one of the reasons for the delay.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he proposes to take to deal with pirate radio stations, in view of the international agreement that has been reached.

I cannot add to the information I have already given the House: that is, that legislation to implement the agreement will be introduced as soon as practicable.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that a great deal of time has been taken and that other countries have carried out the agreement? Is not this delay causing trouble not only with agreements among the trade unions, the Musicians Union and others, but also causing a good deal of damage to broadcasting on the Continent? Is it not time that we got on with it?

I am very well aware of what my hon. Friend says. In fact, four countries have carried through the legislation while another seven have not yet signed the agreement, so that our record in comparison with others is not as bad as my hon. Friend suggests. This is a matter of legislation priorities.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the problem might solve itself if he were to authorise some legitimate local radio stations?

A lot of problems would solve themselves if legal action were not taken against those who broke the law, but whether that would necessarily be desirable is quite another question.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what methods are used by his Department to discover evasion; of payment of television licences;

The methods used to detect evasion are: by inquiry, conducted by post and followed up if necessary by personal inquiry, of households not recorded as licensed; and by the use of detector cars equipped to pinpoint television sets in use.

I thought that the right hon. Gentleman might answer those two Questions together. I would ask, first of all, why he did not answer the second Question, which was how many evasions does he believe there are at the moment? Secondly, does he agree that, as many people believe, the number of television licence evasions at the moment comes to between 25 and 30 per cent.? Would he tell us a little more about his methods of finding out about these people who fail to pay their television licences, particularly in view of what has been said in the newspapers with regard to the possibility—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]

Order. I will correct the hon. Gentleman when he is too long.

Particularly with regard to what has been said in the newspapers recently about the possibility of the Government haying in mind the raising of the licence duty?

It was mot possible to answer in detail Question No. 25 because the Department does not keep records of evasions. We prosecuted 22,000 people last year and 250,000 television licences were taken out. These give some indication. We obviously cannot know, by definition, exactly how many evasions there are. Television Audience Measurement say there are about two million offenders. That would be £10 million out of £70 million licence revenue. So even T.A.M.'s estimate is quite different from the hon. Gentleman's figures. They are still extremely serious and I am considering other measures.

In view of the fact that evasion is so widespread, as the replies of the Postmaster-General indicate, involving £10 million out of a total of £70 million, would he not consider introducing legislation which would require a television retailer to see a licence from a potential purchaser before he sells him a television set?

This and other suggestions are being examined.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone instruments have been stolen from public call-boxes in the London area this year; and what further steps he will take by way of electric warning bells or otherwise to safeguard such public property required in emergencies.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone kiosks in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, are now out of order owing to vandalism; and what new steps he will take to deal with the problem which has arisen.

During January to September, 1965, about 10,000 telephone handsets have been stolen or damaged in public call-boxes in London. In England, about 2,600 out of a total of about 57,000 boxes are now out of order owing to vandalism; 60 out of 6,800 in Scotland and 110 out of 6,000 in Wales; but many of these are available for emergency use. My right hon. Friend is stepping up measures to safeguard our equipment, which in some cases include warning signals.

Is it not shameful that these telephone sets should be ripped out of the boxes? It is maddening for someone wanting to make an emergency call to find an instrument unusable. Could the Post Office not install a simple form of light or bell, like a burglar alarm, which would be set off in the nearest police station if the circuit were broken by vandalism?

I am indebted to the hon. Gentleman and to the hon. Member for Barry (Mr. Gower) for bringing this matter to the notice of the House and giving me an opportunity to reply. Telephone kiosks cannot be made indestructible and the deplorable situation revealed by the amount of damage will eventually be overcome only when a solution is found to the problem of vandalism in general. I will write to the hon. Gentleman telling him in detail of what we are doing.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will be in a position to encourage companies, at least in the larger cities, to put their subscriber trunk dialling code on their notepaper for the convenience of their callers, as is done in countries abroad.

Quite soon. When all-figure numbering is introduced early next year, I hope that subscribers in the six largest cities will show their STD numbers on their notepaper. This will be of great convenience to their customers and will help the Post Office.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take special steps to encourage companies to do this? Is he aware that in America every company shows its area code and its number on its notepaper so that there is no need to refer to the directory when one wants to telephone?

That is so. The hon. Gentleman has asked a very helpful supplementary question. One of the difficulties of the telephone service is that people are reluctant to use the directories, with the result that directory inquiries become overloaded.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the delays in getting trunk calls through to the Grimsby area; if he will see that more lines are made available in the near future; and if he will make a statement.

The general quality of trunk service in the Grimsby Area is good. But if the hon. Gentleman has any particular difficulties in mind, and will let me know details, I will make inquiries. There is no shortage of lines.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has been misinformed about this matter? In all friendliness, may I ask him why during the last 12 months all postal services, letter delivery and telephones, seem to have deteriorated so much? Whose fault is it?

The latter question goes beyond that on the Order Paper. If the hon. Gentleman thinks that I have been misinformed, he will be pleased that I have invited him to write to me on this matter. The information available to me is that three out of the eight circuits between Grimsby and Leicester came out of action as a result of a fault on 30th September and were corrected on the same day, while engineering work took place at Leicester last month and has now been completed. The director of this region has not reported general complaints about this, which is why I have invited the hon. Gentleman's view.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his discussion with the White Fish Authority about a statutory minimum price scheme.

I have asked the Authority for further information in support of their request for Exchequer assistance for a scheme.

Is the Minister aware that the White Fish Authority has recently criticised the Government for their delay in reaching a decision? Can the Minister say whether he intends to introduce a statutory minimum scheme, and if so, when he is going to give us details?

The hon. Member knows the details about this. Actually if one reads the speech of the Chairman of the Authority carefully I would not call it a criticism. He did say in his speech that the present time was an awkward time for seeking such assistance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his official discussions in Australia and New Zealand, with particular reference to the Govern- ment's proposals as outlined in the National Plan.

I was invited by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand primarily to see something of their agriculture, not to conduct official discussions. Naturally I met Ministers and others who raised questions informally on a wide range of matters, including the rôle of agriculture under the National Economic Plan. I was able to assure them that there was no intention of indiscriminate expansion regardless of our international commitments. But I made it clear that our policy of selective expansion, based on greater productivity, would provide the British farmer with an opportunity to supply a major part of the overall increase in demand expected by 1970.

I have heard what the Minister says on this matter. Many of us feel that there has been a certain amount of double-talk in what he said out there. Would he not agree that the British farmer has the right to know what proportion of this extra production he is going to be allowed to take up? Would he not also agree that the Commonwealth farmer also has the right to know? Would the Minister bear in mind that longer-term planning is needed to get this extra production, and we would like to have the figures?

I refute the accusation of double-talk. I made my position and the Government's policy quite clear—that the British farmer would make a major contribution to the production of more food in this country to meet the increased demand by 1970. I was quite firm with my audiences there. I am on the record officially, and I would invite the hon. Member to read my official pronouncement which I made in New Zealand. I hope that the hon. Member will withdraw that accusation of double-talk.

Has not the Minister promised the same thing for the home producers and the producers in Australia and New Zealand, namely, an increasing share of the rising demand in this country? How can he possibly square that with giving the home producers the major part?

How can I promise both things to both sections? I have said that the British farmer will make the biggest contribution and will contribute the major share in the growth that I have mentioned. I am rather surprised that the hon. Member should make a game of such a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce a single rate of payment of white fish subsidy to inshore vessels, in view of the anomalies now arising from the two systems of stoneage and daily rates, or alter the present method of classification by measurement.

The method of payment of white fish subsidy to the inshore fleet was considered in the last subsidy review, but my right hon. Friend is willing to look at the question again and to consult the fishermen's associations about it.

Is not the system now producing anomalies and difficulties, and is the Minister aware that two boats can receive different payments for similar catches and that, owing to the present method of measurement, the smaller boat can be classified as the larger one of the two?

I am aware of these anomalies and I have discussed them with the fishermen. The matter is not quite so simple as it might seem. The fishermen themselves have differing views about this, but we are prepared to look at it again, and will do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Government's review of defence policy.

At this stage I have nothing to add to the statement which I made to the House on 5th August.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he intends to make a statement and whether it will be in the form of a White Paper, or whether the present form of allowing leak after leak to occur, in order to make it more palatable, will be followed?

I can assure the House that when I am in a position to do so I shall make a statement that is both clear and agreed by my colleagues, unlike the defence review statement of the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell), which has been corrected or rejected by every single member of the Conservative Shadow Cabinet, including the Leader.

In view of the varying views on defence expressed in all quarters of the House, including some rather strange views recently expressed, can we have an assurance that, before the Government come to definite conclusions upon the subject of defence, the House will have an opportunity of being heard and being able to express its views? Can we be assured that there will be no fait accompli?

I think my right hon. Friend knows that it is not possible to spend money on defence without getting authority from this House. I can assure the House that it will have an opportunity to discuss the decisions of the Government when they are taken.

Following what the right hon. Gentleman has just said, does the Secretary of State realise how difficult it is, both for the House and for the country, to form a judgment on the individual decisions which he has been announcing for some months, on the subject of defence, without having any knowledge of the tendency and trend of the Government's defence review, or any forecast of when they are to know what their decisions are to be?

I am surprised at the right hon. Gentleman's remark, because the right hon. Gentlemen opposite seem to have no difficulty in reaching decisions on the wisdom of all the decisions we have taken in the last 12 months.

When will the right hon. Gentleman realise that he is here to answer Questions and not to ask them?

Is the Minister aware that, unlike most of those opposite, many of us on these benches want far bigger, not smaller, cuts in our arms expenditure than at present proposed? Is he aware that we feel that the figure of £2,045 million at current prices, stated in the National Plan for 1970, means an increase of about £2,400 million a year, which is too much for this country to afford?

I think that my hon. Friend is over-pessimistic about the trend of prices and incomes during the next four years. I can assure him that the target which the Government have set themselves involves a cut of 16 per cent. in the programme that we inherited from the previous Administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for discussing with the Council of Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations the reorganisation of the Territorial Army.

Discussions between the Council and the Ministry of Defence have been going on for over two months within the framework of my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 29th July and the subsequent joint statement issued following my right hon. Friend's meeting with the Chairman of the Territorial Army Council on 12th August.

Is it not a fact that there have been some delays in the discussions? Will the right hon. Member bear in mind the serious disquiet which is reported to be felt by the Territorial Army Council, and which is shared by many hon. Members, at the lack of a home defence element in the proposed scheme? Will he reconsider this scheme, with a view to incorporating a home defence element in it?

As my right hon. Friends and I have said many times, we are anxious to have the maximum consultation with the Territorial Army Council and Associations within the framework that has been described, which was accepted by them on 12th August. As to the question of home or civil defence, at this stage I cannot add to my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 29th July. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary will make a statement when the current review of home defence is completed.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many people in the country who have certain information on this matter of reorganisation view it as destruction rather than as reorganisation? Will he take into account the possibility of ensuring that his advisers in this matter have at least some knowledge of the Territorial Army?

I am sure that my hon. Friend does not wish to make an attack upon the Regular Army advisers involved. I am paid to be in this House and to be attacked in it, but I very much resent any attacks on the military or civil advisers to any Minister, since Ministers must take responsibility. My right hon. Friend and I do so.

As the Minister knows, the Opposition are very critical both of the timing and the contents of the outlined proposals so far made. Can he tell the House, first, when the detailed proposals will be available in a White Paper and, secondly, whether we may have an assurance that no irrevocable decision will be made about the pattern and rôle of the Reserve Forces until these detailed proposals, and, far more important, the principles underlying them, have been debated in this House?

It has already been made clear that no irrevocable decision can be taken, because legislation will be needed to make any alterations in the present pattern of the Territorial Army. As to timing, my right hon. Friend made an interim statement before the House rose, in response to a great deal of speculation which was causing concern in the Territorial Army—there was some anxiety that the position should be clarified—and also in response to many requests by both Front Bench and back bench Members that a statement should be made before we rose for the Recess. We hope to get a White Paper out in November or early December, but to some extent progress has been held up because of the need to confer as fully as possible, on the order of battle and similar matters, with the Territorial Army Council and Associations. This has involved a few weeks' delay in publishing the White Paper, in order that we may go into these questions with the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Great Britain's defence commitments to the State of Singapore.

Our commitments remain unchanged in practical terms, for we have already made clear our readiness to continue to help in defending Singapore and Malaysia against Indonesian aggression. In formal terms our obligation to Singapore was previously covered by the Malaysia Agreement of 1963, and there must be negotiations with the Singapore Government in due course to re-establish our defence relations on a formal basis.

Can the right hon. Gentleman state whether or not this will cost the British taxpayer considerably more?

Since negotiations have not yet begun, I am unable to give any assurances on this, but it certainly would be the Government's intention not to be involved in any extra cost as a result of the renegotiation of the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of ordering the F111A aircraft from the United States in sufficient quantity to fulfil existing defence obligations east of Suez.

The flexibility of air power means that in calculating numbers of any aircraft and, in consequence, costs, we can allow for the ability to reinforce quickly from the U.K. or between overseas theatres. It is not, therefore, meaningful to look at any one particular area in isolation from the rest.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that if the cost of carrying out the present obligations was beyond the resources of this country the right thing to do would be to review the obligations rather than to overstrain our resources?

I certainly agree about that. That is one of the reasons why the Government are carrying out the defence review.

Can the Minister confirm that the F111A, which he mentioned in the summer, is for training purposes only, and does not measure up to the requirements of a replacement for the TSR2?

No. The F111A, on which the Government have an option, which they have not yet decided whether to exercise, is an operational aircraft of exactly the same nature as the United States Air Force is planning to introduce, and in all respects it is comparable with the TSR2.

Can the Minister say which is likely to happen first—the announcement of the Government's decision to purchase this aircraft or the running-out of the option at the end of the year?

The former.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what study he is conducting into the advantages and disadvantages of forming a corps of infantry; if he will pay full regard at an early stage to the views of colonels of regiments; and if he will make a statement.

No such study is in hand. As is generally known, the policy of the Army Board is to move towards the Large Regiment as the basis of infantry organisation. The first such regiment, the Royal Anglian Regiment, was formed in September, 1964, and the Royal Green-jacket Regiment will come into being in January next year. These Large Regiments have been formed as a result of voluntary action, and I would welcome the move of other brigades towards a similar organisation.

As such a proposal would strike at the whole root of the infantry regimental system, should this ever occur will he give an assurance that the House will have a chance to debate it before the decision reaches an irrevocable stage?

I have already made it clear that this proposal is not in the mind of the Army Board at present. While no one can foresee the future completely on the question of Army organisation, I think it is unlikely that such a proposal will be forthcoming in the next year or two, but if there is such a question, I am sure that the House will have much to say about it.

asked the Minister of Transport how many heavy lorries have been spot checked by his Department since this scheme of safety checks was inaugurated; how many were found to be defective; and what steps he has taken against the offenders.

In the two years up to the end of September, during which spot checks have been intensified, about 239,000 goods vehicles have been checked. Prohibition notices were issued for about 108,000 of these. These prohibit the use of a vehicle unless it is repaired within a set period. Where necessary, the prohibition is made immediately effective and this was done in 25,000 cases.

Are not these figures truly alarming? Would the Minister tell us what steps he has taken to ensure that the gravest sanctions are applied to these criminal offenders?

These figures are very serious. That is the reason why my right hon. Friend has decided to extend obligatory testing to heavy goods vehicles and why plans are now being prepared for the introduction of that scheme. At the same time, a substantial number of summonses has been issued in relation to this. Up to the year ended 30th September, 1964, which is the latest for which I have figures, over 4,000 summonses were issued and prosecutions were mostly successful.

In the meantime, will my hon. Friend read carefully the evidence given at Stafford Assizes a few days ago in the case of the prosecution against John Brown, where there was a serious loss of life, including four children, in an accident in which the driver was held by the court to be criminally responsible?

We will pay serious attention to that. We are continually examining these reports and we know how urgent it is to make this system more effective.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say to what extent the licensing authorities have, in recent months, been encouraged to use their powers of revocation and suspension under the 1953 Act? What steps is he taking to make an impression upon these people to use the powers which already exist?

The licensing authorities have been using their powers increasingly. We shall certainly take any steps we can in order to make this system more effective, pending the introduction of annual testing.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the difficulties caused to exporters as a result of delay in the delivery of essential goods by the nationalised transport industry; and if he will have a special study made of the problem.

The Government have already established the Economic Development Committee for the Movement of Exports to make proposals to speed the flow of export traffic. This will study all aspects of the problem and all sectors of the transport industry concerned with exports.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of a particularly bad case in which a sample export order to the United States Navy from my constituency was lost? Subsequently his right hon. Friend closed the station of despatch, which is hardly likely to speed the flow.

I do not know the particular case to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but I can tell him that if he submits any such cases to us, we guarantee to investigate them with whoever is the appropriate transport operator. We are extremely keen to take all possible action to speed the export traffic.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary accept the implication of this Question, that these delays are solely due to the nationalised transport industry?

No, Sir. My hon. Friend is quite correct. The Committee to which I referred is not solely concerned with the nationalised sector of transport, nor are all the complaints directed against the nationalised transport industry.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is his policy to extend the provision of Give Way to the Right notices at roundabouts as common practice throughout the country in order to encourage and enforce this practice by all drivers.

Both for safety and the flow of traffic this is an important matter and my right hon. Friend will make a statement on the results of the recent comprehensive experiments as soon as he can.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary agree that these discretionary "Give Way to the Right" notices often lead to confusion and sometimes give rise to accidents, especially when drivers consider that they have the right of way at all roundabouts and anticipate it? Would it not be beneficial to write this into the Highway Code, so as to achieve uniformity throughout the land?

It has not been found so easy to come to a definite conclusion about this matter in the past. That is why an experiment has now been carried out with these signs at 80 roundabouts. We are now within a few weeks of the end of the experiment, when the results will be known, and a definite statement will be made by my right hon. Friend early next year. If this statement accepts what the hon. Gentleman is referring to, we shall, of course, incorporate it in the Highway Code.

asked the Minister of Transport what assistance was made available by his Department to the British Broadcasting Corporation for the production of the British Broadcasting Corporation television programme on 24th August concerning driving tests; and if he will take further similar steps in order to encourage better driving.

The Department helped to frame questions for this excellent programme and were glad to have the opportunity of checking the filmed sequences to ensure that they complied with both the law and good driving practice. We are at present assisting and advising the B.B.C. on a further programme. We are anxious to encourage the screening of programmes which promote more skilful and safer driving and the B.B.C. and the Independent Television Companies can rely on the full co-operation of the Department.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that many people who thought that they were very good drivers learned a lot from this programme and that the country will be delighted to know that he is encouraging programmes of this sort as good television viewing?

Certainly, Sir. We want to encourage this kind of film as frequently as possible. There was a large number of complimentary references to it in correspondence received by the Ministry of Transport. We are now co-operating with the B.B.C. on a new programme of a similar kind.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will instruct his officials to suspend the operation of vehicle check-points during periods of fog in areas where such checks cause a vehicle queue to be formed such as was the case on the Great North Road, near Alconbury, on Tuesday, 5th October, 1965, on the occasion of an accident involving several vehicles.

There was no vehicle check near Alconbury on 5th October. It seems that the hon. Member has been misled by an incorrect press report about a check carried out on the A.1 on 4th October between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. in clear weather. We are satisfied that our officials and the police who are associated with these spot checks need no special instructions to avoid carrying them out in conditions likely to affect road safety.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I shall check the source of my information to see which is correct?

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now publish the recent report of Lord Hinton on transport problems.

No, Sir. As was explained to my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South on 16th June, any report arising from Lord Hinton's studies will be made in the form of a statement by my right hon. Friend to Parliament.

Why cannot we have the report in question? Although many of us may be quite unconcerned about the conclusions, at least students of transport should have the facts which may be contained in that report. Would he consider publishing an abridged version of the report, so that all the facts adduced in it may be made available?

The answer to my hon. Friend is that my right hon. Friend appointed Lord Hinton as a temporary adviser on transport co-ordination for a limited period. Lord Hinton was therefore operating as a civil servant and, therefore—as is normal in such cases—his advice is confidential to my right hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend will be making a statement as a result of the work of Lord Hinton in the near future.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say whether in fact there was any report at all? Will he accept it from me that the earlier the statement is made the better we shall be pleased?

As is well known, Lord Hinton completed a number of studies. It is quite inaccurate to refer to the report as if there were a single report. He completed a number of studies on the basis of instructions given to him by my right hon. Friend. On the basis of the assessment of these studies, my right hon. Friend will be making a statement on transport co-ordination in the near future.

Order. May I congratulate the House on improving its record of Questions completed at Question Time?

asked the Minister of Transport when the double carriageway between Ringwood and Tricketts Cross on A.31 will be completed; and whether it is proposed to improve the Bournemouth approach road from Ferndown on A.347.

I expect this stretch of the A.31 to have dual carriageways in about three years' time. The A.347 is a classified road for which the highway authorities concerned plan only small improvements at present. The proposed Ringwood-Bournemouth Spur will provide a new alternative route.

The Parliamentary Secretary is apparently not aware that the A.347 is carrying the brunt, if not most, of the holiday traffic and is dangerous, narrow and winding. In view of the number of accidents in Hampshire, I should have thought that this ought to have primary consideration for improvement.

I appreciate the point about the situation now. The fact is that we have adopted the proposal for the new Ringwood-Bournemouth spur as an alternative route, in order to relieve the A.347. This has already been programmed at a cost of £1,800,000 and is something which will, we hope, relieve the congested situation which we know now exists.

asked the Minister of Transport why he has postponed the commencement of the Thorne by-pass, in view of the increasing traffic congestion on the A.614 and the need to facilitate access to the docks.

The alignment of the southern end of the Thorne by-pass will need to be modified as a result of the decision to provide a Doncaster Southern by-pass as part of the proposed new trunk road network between Humberside and the Great North Road. Preparatory work is continuing with all speed, but I do not now expect that work on the Thorne by-pass can start before 1968.

Is my hon. Friend aware that this has caused considerable dismay in the neighbourhood, that there has been congestion at this point in Thorne for many years and that we were looking forward to some dynamic action on the part of the Minister of Transport?

My hon. Friend will get dynamic action with the programme which we have adopted for the Humberside network, which includes an improvement scheme for this area. However, we have run into engineering difficulties in regard to the proposed Thorne by-pass and that is why the scheme has been altered, but the delay in starting it will be only very short.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the new plans for the improvement of the Humberside network include the Hatfield by-pass.

The network includes a new route which will by-pass Hatfield.

asked the Minister of Transport when the dualling of the Hertfordshire sections of A.1 between South Mimms and Hatfield, and Hatfield and the southern end of the Stevenage bypass is to be started; and when he expects the work to be completed.

We have just authorised the letting of a contract for the construction of a 2-mile stretch of dual carriageway on the A.1 at Stanborough, north of Hatfield. This work should be completed in about two years' time. We hope to include schemes for the dualling of the A.1 from "The Comet" to the South Mimms by-pass, and from the northern end of Stanborough By-pass to "The Clock", Welwyn, in an early extension of the trunk road programme.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this is about the only substantial stretch of the A.1 between London and the other side of Darlington which does not have a dual carriageway? Will he do his utmost to expedite the work and close this gap in an otherwise excellent road?

Yes, Sir. We want to speed this work as much as possible.