asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to regulate the competition between British Road Services and British Railways with a view to enabling British Railways to obtain a greater share of heavy transport and thereby reduce congestion upon the roads.

I am considering the best ways of achieving co-ordination between British Road Services and British Railways but I have no proposals to make at present requiring legislation.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to reduce air pollution from car exhausts.

Until recently research indicated that existing means of controlling car exhaust fumes were adequate. But recent reports suggest that these fumes may sometimes raise problems. The matter is being studied further and the motor industry is investigating means of reducing carbon monoxide emissions from cars. If research shows the need, I will consider introducing legislation.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now completed his consideration of the parking scheme now being operated by the Cheltenham local authority; and if he will make a statement.

With the full co-operation of the borough council, we have recently concluded a survey of the working of the disc parking scheme at Cheltenham. The results are now being analysed.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation enabling old people in areas served by privately-owned transport undertakings to secure concessionary fares.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given on 22nd November to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Murray).

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to enable all publicly-owned transport undertakings in Scotland to grant concessionary fares to pensioners.

They already have discretion to grant concessionary fares. In my view it must be left to them to decide how far they can give them.

asked the Minister of Transport why Lord Leeching was dismissed.

Lord Beeching was not dismissed.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he is taking to prevent written-off motor cars being rebuilt in an unsatisfactory condition; and whether he will take steps to require the log-books of such cars to be held by either insurance companies or local authorities until an engineer has inspected the rebuilt car.

Various measures have been taken to improve the enforcement of existing safeguards and, in so far as insurance companies are concerned, I am in touch with them on other suggestions which have been made. I have no powers, however, to impose the requirement suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport what directions have been given since October, 1964, to the Transport Holding Company, in respect of Her Majesty's Government's intentions that the company should expand the size and scope of its operation.

None. But as I explained to the House on 17th May last, it is the Government's wish that the Transport Holding Company should pursue an active policy of expansion where they consider it advantageous in the normal course of business.

asked the Minister of Transport along what lines, settled with his approval, the Transport Holding Company is to finance the acquisition of private companies.

As far as possible the Transport Holding Company uses its own resources to finance such acquisitions; otherwise, under present arrangements, it would borrow from me in accordance with the provisions of Section 29(11) of the Transport Act 1962. Such acquisitions are subject to my normal control over investment and borrowing.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to enforce proper braking on lorries; and how many A or B licences were revoked in the last year on the ground that the lorries were in an unsafe condition.

Inspections by my officers of lorries on the roadside and in their depots are being continued: newly developed brake-testing equipment will feature in the vehicle testing stations that I am proposing to set up. I would also refer the right hon. Member to the Answers I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough, West (Dr. Bray) on 17th November.In the twelve months to 30th September, 1965, vehicles were removed or suspended from 123 carrier's licences for safety reasons chiefly relating to maintenance. Of these 81 were A or B licences, of which 3 were completely revoked.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied that the official arrangements in hand for dealing with London traffic between now and Christmas are sufficient to prevent serious and continuous jams; and if he will make a statement.

So much has been done in central London in the traffic management field over the last few years that there is little scope, under present legislation, for additional measures at times like the pre-Christmas period. I am satisfied that the Greater London Council's arrangements embrace all that could reasonably be done this year.

asked the Minister of Transport what encouragement he will provide to support the undertaking of experiments in the application of municipal public transport rapid transit systems; and if he will make a statement.

My Department already supports a good deal of relevant research. Without details, I cannot say whether I could support the experiments my hon. Friend has in mind. But I should be glad to look at any detailed proposals he puts to me.

asked the Minister of Transport when the driving test was first introduced; and when it was last revised.

The test was first introduced in 1935. It is under constant review, but its basic principles remain unchanged. The requirement to demon-state vehicle control and ability to drive without danger and with due consideration for other road users is as apt now as it was in 1935, and the increasing volume and complexity of traffic imposes its own rising standard.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now ban battery-driven vehicles with a top speed of less than 40 miles per hour from motorways.

This, with other proposals for amending the classes of vehicles permitted to use motorways, is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Transport Act 1962 so as to prevent unfair competition between coastal shipping and British Railways.

Section 53 of the Transport Act 1962 was enacted to provide safeguards for coastal shipping against unfair competition from the railways. If the hon. Member considers these provisions in need of amendment and will suggest how and why, I will look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to increase the maximum penalties for camping on the highway, now £2, and for lighting a fire close to the highway, now £2.

Yes. I have reviewed these maximum penalties and am seeking an early opportunity to increase them.

asked the Minister of Transport whether in view of the facts that it is anticiplated that 39,000 passenger-car-units will flow daily between Beechtree and Berrygrove on the M.1 motorway and that this exceeds the design capacity of a dual two-lane motorway, he will now widen this section into a three-lane motorway so that it will conform with the existing M.1 and with its southern extension now under construction.

The future of the southern section of M.1 will be included in the study that my Department is making of the improvement of inter-urban routes in the 1970's.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for improving the A.4 between Chippenham and Calne, in view of the increased road traffic consequent upon the closing of the Calne railway station.

No major improvements on this account alone are justified, but schemes in both Chippenham and Calne costing £250,000 are planned.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now publish the provisional line for the proposed Helsby-Frodsham by-pass.

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 3rd August, we expect to publish draft proposals for this line before the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now apply the lessons learnt from the passing white line experiment on the A.4 near Reading to the A.38 between Bristol and Gloucester.

The experiment with offset double white lines on the A.4 will not be concluded before the end of this year. When we have assessed the results we shall be able to decide whether the system should be extended.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the cost, by the latest estimates, of painting white traffic lines on the A.38; whether he is satisfied with the methods of asking for tenders for this work; how many tenders have been asked for; whether he will publish the tenders received; and whether he will make a statement.

Costs are about Is. 10d. per yard painted. Eleven firms were invited to tender for 1965–66. It is not usual to publish details of tenders received. The County Surveyor of my agent authority is satisfied with the current arrangements and I have no proposals for amending them.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects, the new Hull-Beverley trunk road and the Beverley ring road to be started.

I can give no date for the start of work on these schemes until I am able to find them a place in my trunk road programme. Along with many other worthwhile schemes throughout the country they are being considered for the next extension of the programme.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to speed up the road development programme as it affects communications between Hull and the A.1 and M.1.

The funds available for trunk road schemes for the next few years are already fully allocated. Two large schemes designed to improve communications between Humberside and A.1, the Thorne and Elloughton bypasses, are provided for. I am considering sympathetically the case for including a further section of the new network planned for this area in the next extension of the trunk road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for a motorway spur from the M.6 to Blackpool.

The Lancashire County Council, as my agents, have completed a field survey to find a line of route for a link road between Broughton on M.6 and Blackpool.I recognise the need for this link. But when it will be possible to construct it will depend upon its relative place in the plan being prepared in my Department for the improvement of inter-urban roads during the 1970's.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to ensure uniform warning signs at road-works on the M.1.

The Traffic Safety Code for Road Works and Emergencies on Motorways sets out the recommended standards to be followed by all concerned with road works on motorways.So far as the special repairs and improvements on M.1 are concerned my engineers are keeping a constant watch to see that proper attention is given to the signing of these works.

asked the Minister of Transport when he now expects the section of M.4 from Maidenhead Thicket to Liddington to be completed.

By the early 1970s.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will announce his decision on the proposed new road system for Houghton-le-Spring including the diversion of the A.690.

This proposal by Durham County Council is being considered by my Department and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. We intend to hold a joint local public inquiry into the proposals, but it is unlikely that that will be possible until later next year.A decision on the road proposals cannot be reached until the necessary public inquiry has been held and all objections considered.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent he considered local opinion when recently refusing permission for the establishment of a pedestrian crossing on the A.690 at East Herrington.

Local views were taken fully into account. But experience over the country as a whole shows that in the circumstances of East Herrington a pedestrian crossing on the A.690 would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to give more power to local road safety committees to secure greater safety at road junctions, alter traffic signal phasing and introduce new pedestrian crossing points, in the light of local circumstances.

Local authorities no doubt take into account any views expressed by road safety committees in formulating proposals on these matters. The extent to which powers are delegated to road safety committees is for the authorities themselves to decide.

asked the Minister of Transport what Exchequer grants have been made since 1945 for the construction of road bridges over the rivers Tyne, Severn, Mersey, Forth and Humber.

An Exchequer grant of £4·65 million, agreed many years ago, has been made towards the cost of the Forth road bridge. The Severn bridge is a Ministry trunk road project and the question of an Exchequer grant does not arise. There are no comparable major road bridges over the other rivers mentioned for which Exchequer grants have been made.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will use telephone impulses to switch on the flashing warning beacons on motorways.

Control of the warning signs on M.5 is already effected by means of the emergency telephone system. It was not possible to use this system for the flashing amber lights, to which I referred on 24th November, if they were to be in operation by Christmas.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made to lessen the delays being incurred by workers leaving Trafford Park in the evening, since the meeting held between the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Members of Parliament and representatives of the local authorities on 19th May, 1965; and what development has taken place in the first phase of the gyratory scheme at the junction of Trafford Park Road and Trafford Road.

Trunk Roads			Estimated Cost	Expected revised starting dates
A.34 Newcastle-under-Lyme By-pass (Southern section)	…	…	£380,000	February, 1966
A.523—Mill Street, Leek	…	…	£43,000	February, 1966
A.5—Newtown Railway Bridge	…	…	£135,000	March, 1966
A.34—Stone Road/Eccleshall Road roundabout	…	…	£100,000	April, 1966
Classified Roads
A.4038—Moxley Road	…	…	£80,000	February, 1966
Class III—Wightwick Canal Bridge	…	…	£27,000	February, 1966
A.463—Hurst Road, Coseley	…	…	£30,000	February, 1966
A.52—Stoke boundary to Werrington	…	…	£157,000	February, 1966
A.52/520—Cellarhead diversion	…	…	£47,000	April, 1966
A.51—Blackbrook Hill, Charlton	…	…	£83,000	April, 1966
A.462—King Street By-pass	…	…	£99,000	June, 1966
A.461—Walsall-Litchfield Road	…	…	£300,000	June, 1965

asked the Minister of Transport what is the meaning of the sign with an R on it, many of which have recently appeared on the Exeter by-pass.

The sign indicates a ring road. It is illustrated in the booklet "The New Traffic Signs" which was issued to publicise the signs introduced following the recommendations of the Worboys Committee.

Work on Route 232 has begun; the new road should be completed before the end of next year.An improvement of the Barton Dock Road/ Park Road junction, including the provision of traffic lights, is expected to start late next spring and will take up to six months to complete.Detailed planning of the gyratory system at the junction of Trafford Park Road and Trafford Road is well advanced. The scheme will include a link road between Trafford Park Road and Trafford Wharf Road immediately west of the junction. Work is expected to start about the end of 1966 and to last about a year.

asked the Minister of Transport what road schemes in Staffordshire are being delayed following the recent proposals for reducing immediate capital commitments; for how long the delays are likely to last; and whether he will give revised starting dates for the delayed schemes.

The following schemes in the administrative county of Staffordshire originally due to start before 31st January, 1966, have been deferred:

asked the Minister of Transport which new major road projects and major road improvements in the East Riding of Yorkshire and the county borough of Hull have been delayed as a result of the Government's recent economic measures; and what is the cost of these projects and improvements.

The following is a list of schemes in these areas costing over £25,000 whose starting dates have been delayed:

A.1079—Canal Head to the Balk	£70,000
A.1079—Market Weighton Hill-Stage III	£44,500
A.1079—Mill Lane-Field Lane	£97,000
A.64—Flixton Carr Bridge-County Boundary	£33,700
A.64—West Knapton Diversion	£45,000

asked the Minister of Transport how many directional signs based on the recommendations of the Worboys Committee it is proposed to erect; and what is the cost involved.

The local highway and agent authorities are considering, in the light of guidance in the Traffic Signs Manual, the number and cost of directional signs they need. Some 40 new signs, costing about £7,000, were recently erected around Exeter.

asked the Minister of Transport what discussions he is having with local authorities with a view to early warning systems being installed to advise motorists and other vehicle drivers of dangerous weather conditions on the M.4 motorway and the availability of other routes to the West.

I announced my immediate plans on 24th November, after discussions with local authorities and the police, for dealing with bad weather hazards on all motorways. On the elevated section of M.4 and its approaches a system of warning and diversionary signs was installed in time for the opening last March, and has been used several times since.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he proposes to take to improve the classified roads in North Cornwall which will bear increased traffic due to rail closure proposals for that area.

I am at present considering proposals for the withdrawal of two railway passenger services in North Cornwall. Before giving my consent, I will take into account the effect of the closure on road traffic. Where existing roads appear to be inadequate for increased traffic, I can refuse consent or defer it until road improvements have been carried out.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now restore the cuts in the road-building programme for the South-West made after the Chancellor's statement in July 1965.

The deferred schemes should now begin six months later than the starting date originally planned, and I am unable to shorten this period. No decision has yet been taken on the deferment of schemes with planned starting dates after January, 1966.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for imposing minimum as well as maximum speed limits on motorways and other main roads.

This is one of the measures which I am considering as part of my efforts to make motorways safer, and to improve driving conditions. However, I do not think it likely that such a measure could be generally applied to other roads.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he proposes to take to ensure that vehicles with a top speed exceeding 70 miles per hour can be safely and effectively tested on British roads.

The 70 m.p.h. speed limit, to be imposed from Christmas to Easter, will be experimental. During this period exception will be made, as usual, only for fire brigades, ambulances and police vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that, in the absence of a definite route plan for the proposed new Humberside improvements, local individuals and planning authorities are unable to continue their work; and when he expects to publish the necessary maps.

We are only at an early stage in planning this new road network. It will be some time before the centre lines of the routes can be fixed. My proposals for them will be announced in the usual way by draft Orders or Schemes as soon as the necessary survey work has been done.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the line of the Braintree by-pass has been agreed; and when construction work is likely to start.

A proposed amendment of the Essex County Development Plan has not yet been approved. It is too early to comment on the likely date of construction at this stage of planning.

asked the Minister of Transport when the draft scheme to establish the line of the M.11 down to the North Circular Road, A.406, will be published.

Consultations with the local authorities concerned are still proceeding. I hope to publish a draft scheme line early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the speed with which the recommendations of the Warboys Committee are being implemented; and whether he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that we are making the best progress possible in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received about the future line of the South Coast trunk road where it crosses the village of Burridge and the nearby Hamble River; if he is aware that the more southerly alternative lines, being based on maps uncorrected since 1908, would transect this substantial village; and if he will ensure that the route shall go north of the village.

Representations about the line of the road have been received from the Burridge Residents' Association and from some private individuals. I cannot at present add to what the hon. Member was told in a letter on 1st November about possible alternative routes for the new road in the Fareham area.

asked the Minister of Transport what road schemes in Hampshire have been delayed following the recent proposals for reducing immediate capital commitments; whether he will give an assurance that none of these will be delayed for more than six months; and whether he will give revised starting dates for each.

The intention is that affected schemes should be deferred for six months from the original starting date. Schemes in Hampshire costing over £25,000 with the revised target starting date in 1966 are as follows:

Trunk Road Schemes
A.3—Hill Brow Cross Roads	March
A.3—Hogs Lodge, Clanfield	May
A.33—Dual carriageway, Popham	June
A.31—Oaks Drive to Boundary Lane near Ringwood	April
Classified Road Schemes
A.30—Salisbury Hill	April
B.2149—Leigh Park, Havant	May

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to provide for the payment of compensation in respect of property whose value is substantially depreciated by road building or other road improvement schemes in circumstances where no part of such property is actually acquired for the purpose of such schemes.

No. It seems to me to be reasonable to apply the general law on compensation to the effects of road schemes and I am satisfied that special legislation for highways would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport when the double tracking of the Sherborne-Yeovil road will now be complete, in view of the delay he has imposed on the scheme.

I understand that Dorset County Council hopes to extend the dualling of the A.30 to Babylon Hill by about the middle of 1967. I have received no proposals from it about the remaining section to the West.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that total road expenditure per mile averaged £828 for the whole country and only £532 for the South-West; and how and when he intends to remedy this.

I do not consider that this kind of comparison is relevant to the allocation of funds for road improvements.I must assess the place of each scheme in a national priority list and this cannot be expected to produce the same level of expenditure per mile in all parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will encourage local road authorities to provide hard shoulders on two- or three-lane single carriageway roads, as is done in France.

No. The provision of hard shoulders on single carriageway roads would divert the limited funds available for road construction from other improvements which are more effective in saving accidents and helping traffic flow.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the financial burden being imposed on local authorities as a result of the erection of new Continental road signs; and if he will grant-aid such local authorities, including large burghs, who will bear the brunt of this change in national policy.

The erection of road signs is part of the maintenance and minor improvement work on highways which, for classified roads in counties, is eligible for grant. But neither my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales nor I have power to make such grants in large burghs and county boroughs. The Government, however, are currently reviewing the whole question of central and local government finance, including highway grants.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to improve visibility and safety on the A.229 road near Southborough Schools, Maidstone; and if he will have consultations with the local authority on this matter.

This road is the responsibility of the Maidstone Borough Council and it would be for it to initiate a case for improvements or facilities it considers should have priority. My Divisional Road Engineer has already agreed to pay grant on the cost of installing traffic signals near the school.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the cuts in the road programmes, by what date the lighting of the M.4 between the end of the elevated section and London Airport will be ready.

Subject to satisfactory tenders being obtained, I hope to be able to install this lighting before the winter of 1966–67.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish details of the cost of constructing the Blackfriars underpass; how this cost compares with previous estimates; and what benefit he anticipates will accrue to road users as a result of this scheme.

The expected cost of the Blackfriars Bridge Underpass scheme, for which the City of London is the highway authority, is £3·42 million.A preliminary estimate in 1959 amounted to £2·9 million and a detailed estimate in 1962 was £3·43 million.This scheme will greatly improve the flow of traffic over the bridge and along the Embankment by relieving the surface intersection of about 45 per cent. of its traffic at peak hours.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to British Railways to consider the lines kept open for social reasons in Scotland as suitable for separate management.

No. Even if such a matter were appropriate for a general direction, I am not convinced of a need to subdivide the present responsibilities of the Scottish Railway Board.

asked the Minister of Transport how many adult men employed by British Railways have gross earnings on average over a year of less than £10, £1 1, £12, £13, and £14 per week, respectively.

The British Railways Board tells me that this information is not readily available and could not be produced without a disproportionate amount of work.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has examined the correspondence, sent to him by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, concerning the closure of a level-crossing in Garrison Lane, Birmingham, eight months ago without notice; and what action he is taking in this regard.

I have seen this correspondence, which relates to an alleged rights of way over a level crossing. It would not be appropriate for me to intervene in a matter of this kind which might have to be decided in the courts.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the Railways Board to deal with the complaints raised by hon. Members in a more expeditious manner.

No. If there is any justification for my hon. Friend's complaint, I am sure that the Railways Board will take note of his Question.

asked the Minister of Transport what reply he has made to the letter addressed to him on 12th November by A. W. Swann and Co., of Brazil Street, Leicester, about British Railways.

A reply was sent by my Department on 19th November. It explained that the questions raised by A. W. Swann and Co. about loss of a parcel on the railways and compensation were properly for the consideration of the Railways Board; and that the correspondence had accordingly been passed to the Board for reply. I am sending the right hon. Member a copy of the actual text of my Department's reply. I understand that the Railways Board is looking into the matter and will be replying to the firm in due course.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to British Railways to observe the need for safe consignment of valuable parcels, and to make adequate compensation if by mischance they are lost.

No. I understand that the British Railways Board already has certain special arrangements to safeguard the transit of valuable commodities, especially those which are particularly susceptible to theft. As regards compensation for lost parcels, I would refer the right hon. Member to my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on 3rd November.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will issue a general direction to British Railways to provide cheap midday fares for retirement pensioners.

No. Decisions about the provision of concessionary fares rest with the Railways Board.

asked the Minister of Transport when a decision in relation to the Bristol Portbury dock scheme will be announced.

At present I have nothing to add to my Answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Robert Cooke) on 3rd November.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will issue regulations prohibiting the use of British civil airports by jet aircraft on internal services.

This proposal has a bearing on an appeal which has been made to me against a recent decision of the Air Transport Licensing Board. As I have yet to receive and consider the report of the Appeal Commissioner, I cannot comment further at this stage.

asked the Minister of Aviation, if he will make a statement on the future of Prestwick Airport, in the light of the development of supersonic civil airliners.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 23rd November to the hon. Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger) on the same subject.

asked the Minister of Aviation, if he is aware that the average weekly flying hours of pilots working for the British Overseas Airways Corporation are roughly two-thirds of those of pilots working for American airlines; and if he will amend his regulations so as to allow more flying hours per week.

The average weekly flying hours of B.O.A.C. pilots are generally somewhat less than those of their American counterparts, but this is not because of a difference in the regulations on permitted flying hours. These regulations are aimed at preventing excess fatigue on the part of flight crew to a point where safety could be affected, and I have no intention of sanctioning any increase. It is a function of B.O.A.C.'s management to determine, within the statutory limitations, the hours of duty, flying periods, and rest periods in the light of a number of factors, including the nature of the routes.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will announce the improved timing in flights between Scotland and London now being being discussed between his Department and the British European Airways Corporation.

It is for B.E.A. to make the announcement, but I understand the Corporation proposes to implement the improved timing on 1st January, provided that the joint trials now being carried out by my Department and B.E.A. prove satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Aviation, in view of the failure of British European Airways to provide the services to Dundee which have been recommended by all committees which have examined Scotland's air services, if he will now appoint a new Chairman of British European Airways.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish figures showing the size and cost of new buildings erected over the past 10 years, and the respective amounts for which competitive tenders publicly advertised were accepted.

The numbers of major new buildings and extensions completed with approximate costs of the structural work are as follows:

Year			Number completed	Approximate cost of structural work £m.
1955–56	…	…	78	3
1956–57	…	…	81	4
1957–58	…	…	143	7
1958–59	…	…	161	9
1959–60	…	…	149	6
1960–61	…	…	146	6
1961–62	…	…	129	8
1962–63	…	…	159	7
1963–64	…	…	202	8
1964–65	…	…	206	11
			1,454	69

Details of the costs and sizes of all the individual schemes are not readily available.The structural work for these schemes was carried out by the Ministry of Public Building and Works as an agent of the Post Office. The Ministry does not advertise tenders publicly, but normally uses a system of competitive tendering among a selected list of firms from its approved list of contractors. Exceptionally, because of urgency, the Ministry sometimes goes to a single contractor who has the appropriate capacity, but some form of competition is employed wherever possible.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will review the postal addresses used in the parish of Sheering in Essex with a view to ending confusion and delay in the delivery of letters in this area.

A representative of the Post Office will meet a deputation from the parish of Sheering to discuss this matter further.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the action to be taken in the design of new post offices to assist people in wheel-chairs and others who find steps difficult to negotiate; and what action is planned for existing buildings.

Our aim will be to provide a level approach for entering and leaving the post office, or, where that is impracticable, a shallow ramp. Where steps are essential they will be straight, broad and shallow, and a handrail will be provided. Also, as existing buildings come to be modernised, we will do what we can to make things easier for disabled people.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give an assurance that the booster television station at Kingussie, due for completion by the British Broadcasting Corporation in March 1966, will be completed on time.

The construction timetable for the B.B.C.'s stations is the Corporation's responsibility. They tell me, however, that the delay is due to staff shortages, and to the fact that technical prob- lems posed by the need to operate a large number of stations on a limited number of frequency channels are proving to be greater than expected.

asked the Postmaster-General whether Phase 5 of the British Broadcasting Corporation expansion will include the introduction of a television service in Wester Lochaber.

The B.B.C. tells me that it has not yet completed its proposals for Stage 5 of its plan to improve the reception and extend the coverage of B.B.C.1. No doubt the Corporation will weigh Wester Lochaber's claims along with those of other places where service is still non-existent or poor. Meanwhile, I cannot of course anticipate the Corporation's proposals.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will require the British Broadcasting Corporation under Section 14(4) of the Licence and Agreement not to broadcast television plays containing pornographic matter.

No. Successive Governments have reaffirmed as fundamental the principle that the broadcasting authorities are independent in matters of programme content.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has yet received the advice of his Television Advisory Committee on the choice of a colour television system for the United Kingdom.

The Television Advisory Committee has recommended to me that colour television be introduced on 625 lines only, using the PAL system of transmission. I am now considering this advice.

asked the Postmaster-General when the Marple Telephone Exchange, Cheshire, will become automatic.

My right hon. Friend expects to open the new Marple automatic exchange, with S.T.D. facilities, early in 1967.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has given to the question of representation of the National Cattle Breeders' Association on the Meat and Livestock Commission; and whether be can now give his decision.

My hon. Friend will now have seen from the Agriculture Bill that the Production Committee of the Meat and Livestock Commission will include representatives of cattle producers. The Bill requires my right hon. Friends to consult such organisations as appear to them appropriate before appointing members of this Committee, but I cannot go further than this at the present time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research is now being undertaken on the long-term effects on human health of food additives permitted under existing legislation.

Long-term toxicity is one of the matters considered by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee before recommending that a new additive should be permitted and when conducting periodical reviews of the regulations. This system is described in the Memorandum on Procedure for Submissions on Food Additives and on Methods of Toxicity Testing published by my Department last June. It is for the commercial interests who wish to use an additive to provide the necessary evidence and to arrange for any new research work. The Government would then decide, in the light of the results, whether the product concerned can be allowed to be used in food. The British Industrial Biological Research Association, which is an autonomous organisation operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Technology and financed jointly by that Ministry and industry, is undertaking research on toxicology including work on a number of substances at present permitted to be used in food.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he expects to introduce the new regulations covering the export of ponies for breeding.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make new regulations when he has been able to consider the comments made on his proposals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will increase the standard quantity in relation to milk and include milk used for cream.

This is a matter for consideration at the Annual Review the outcome of which I cannot, of course, anticipate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to increase standard quantities, in view of the demand by Her Majesty's Government for a substantial increase in productivity.

The level of the standard quantities will be decided at the next Annual Review. When the National Plan was published, however, the Government announced that in fixing the standard quantity for milk they would take account of their talks with the industry. They also announced that the standard quantities for wheat and barley would not be reduced over the next three years but would be related to the expected growth in the market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now increase the guaranteed price for beef to meet the increasing demand and to ease the probable expansion of milk production.

Any alteration in the guaranteed price for beef is a matter for the Annual Review. When the National Plan was published we said that, in making the determinations on guaranteed prices and relevant production grants at future Reviews, the Government would take account of the expansion programme which they wished the industry to undertake, as well as of all other relevant factors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will announce the result of his review into the problem of meat inspection in local authority areas; and if he will make a statement.

We hope before long to consult local authority and other interests concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to help establish a Government-sponsored fish processing factory in Cornwall, and thereby assist in the expansion of the fishing industry there.

Help in the form of loans for fish processing plants is already available from the White Fish Authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Brambell Committee Report, published today.

Hon. Members will see that the Report contains detailed and important proposals which will be of great interest to farmers and all others, whether societies or individuals, who are concerned with animal welfare. It will need careful consideration and most of its recommendations would require legislation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are at once taking steps to obtain the views of the organisations specially concerned, and we shall be issuing today an invitation to them and any others who may be interested to submit their comments to us. I should like to repeat the thanks of my right hon. Friend and myself to Professor Brambell and his colleagues for the excellent and thorough way in which they have carried out their task.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what investigation he has made into the relative costs of traditional and industrialised methods of house building in the remoter areas; and what advice he is giving to local authorities on this matter.

Information from public authorities building houses in these areas shows how impossible it is to generalise about the relative costs of different methods. Local authorities are encouraged to consider all available methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state his plans for introducing and extending the motorway lane system on the streets and roads in and about the city of Aberdeen; and what are his plans for diminishing the number of road accidents caused by motorcars in that area.

Within the city both these matters are the responsibility of Aberdeen Corporation, and the accident rate there compares very favourably with that of other large towns in Scotland.Motorway lane markings are appropriate only to dual carriageways, and the two miles of dual carriageway on trunk road A.92 north of the city are so marked.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of timber-framed houses constructed or under construction in Scotland during 1965.

I regret that this information is not available, but I have this year approved proposals by local authorities for the building of 90 timber-framed houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, where the fishery protection patrol vessels for which he is responsible are now stationed; and on which fishing grounds he expects they will he most needed during the winter months.

These ships patrol the whole Scottish coast but their disposition is, of course, varied to meet changing requirements which it would be profitless for me to attempt to forecast.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of electric power has been exported during each of the last three months to England by the Scottish electricity boards.

With permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the monthly figures. From 1st September to 30th November the Scottish boards exported to England 238 million units and imported 259 million, a net import of 21 million.Following is the table:

SCOTTISH EXPORTS AND IMPORT OF ELECTRICITY
000 KWh
Month		Exported	Imported	Difference
September	…	92,713	41,447	51,266 (Export)
October	…	74,918	71,515	3,403 (Export)
November	…	70,485	146,422	75,937 (Import)
		238,116	259,384	21,268 (Import)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the economic difficulties arising from expedited pit closures, he will bring forward the plans for the building of the Fife regional road.

In considering the priority which should be given to this scheme among the road improvements required to support industrial growth in Central Scotland, I am keeping in mind the programme of pit closures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has approved the plans for the new Senior Occupation Centre at Airdrie; and what is the nature of the accommodation proposed, the estimated cost and the starting date.

Revised plans submitted on 29th October were approved last week. The centre will provide training and recreation for about 40 handicapped children and young people of both sexes who will attend by day. The estimated cost is £55,000 and the town council hopes that work will start early in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing how many residential homes for mentally sub-normal children are under the charge of his Department; where they are located; how many children were in them at the latest convenient date; and what number of staff, qualified and unqualified, were employed at that date, differentiating in his answers between home, health and education Departments.

The information requested is given in the following table:

LOCAL AUTHORITY RESIDENTIAL HOMES WHICH CATER FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
		Number of full time staff (excluding domestic staff)
Home and location	Number of children resident at date shown in brackets	Qualified	Other
Corrybeg, Glasgow	17 (19.8.65)	1*	3
Cruachan, Glasgow	18 (10.8.65)	1†	1
Haggbows, Glasgow	16 (4.8.65)	1*	2
Ganavan, Glasgow	17 (17.8.65)	—	2
Airyhall, Cults, near Aberdeen	11 (21.12.64)	—	6
Cowden Park, Alloa	6 (1.1.64)	3†	2
Willowbrae House, Edinburgh	14 (1.1.65)	3†	9
* With child care qualifications.
† With nursing qualifications.

The Secretary of State's function in respect of the first five homes (which are provided under the Children Act, 1948), are discharged through the Scottish Education Department; and in respect of the remaining two homes (which are provided under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act, 1960), through the Scottish Home and Health Department. (The table does not include special schools with residential accommodation for mentally handicapped children.)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present total acreage of land in Scotland in forestry use; and how much of this figure is officially described as being in full productive use.

At 30th September, 1965, the estimated area of land in forestry use in Scotland was about 1,400,000 acres, of which about 450,000 acres were fully productive in the sense of being mature enough to produce saleable material.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many herds of cattle in Scotland received the breeding cow subsidy in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how many of those herds were of pedigree cattle registered in a herd book.

Subsidy was paid to 13,410 applicants in respect of 243,751 breeding cows kept in accordance with the conditions of the Hill Cattle (Scotland) Scheme, 1964, during the year ended 30th September, 1964.I have no information on the number of herds or on how many of the cows were pedigreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the planning of the Irvine bypass.

The line of the by-pass for which a trunk road order was made in July, 1964 has been examined by the consultants who are advising me on the possible future pattern of development east of Irvine and found consistent with their proposals. I have invited Ayr County Council, as my agent authority, to proceed with trial bores and an aerial survey of the line.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what attempts are made to ensure that members of the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve inform their employers when they accept certain liabilities upon joining the force; and what conclusions he has reached as a result of his inquiries.

The practice has been to encourage volunteers to tell their employers of their intentions. The Territorial Army Emergency Reserve were recently called out for the first time; I am considering employers' problems and other aspects of their service in the light of this experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent he is satisfied that no one in a civilian reserved occupation is recruited into or retained in a branch of the Reserve Forces in which he would not be eligible to serve in the event of call-up; and what machinery exists to ensure that this is the case.

Applications by men and women over the age of 26 for service in the Reserve Forces are normally accepted only if their qualifications and civil employment would not prevent their military service in an emergency. I am at present reviewing the procedure by which this information is kept up to date during a volunteer's membership of the Reserve Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he proposes to take to bring pre-1950 Service pensions in line with Service pensions obtainable today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will carry out an early review of service widows' pensions to bring them into line with the present cost of living.

Under the proposals recently announced, Armed Forces pension codes, including widows' and dependants' pensions, will be increased by 16 per cent. if effective from 1st April, 1956 or earlier and between 2 per cent. and 12 per cent. if effective after that date. This compares with an increase in the cost of living of 10 per cent. since the operative date of the previous measure.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, when the commutation of pension regulations were last revised for all three Services.

They are being reviewed now.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence where the fishery protection patrol vessels for which he is responsible are now stationed; and on which fishing grounds he expects them to be most needed during the winter months.

Following normal practice, I am unwilling to give or forecast the detailed positions of Her Majesty's ships.