asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if, in forthcoming legislation, he will substitute some other prefix for Crown in the word Crownhold.

No. The Commission will exercise its functions on behalf of the Crown and persons holding Crown-hold interests will, therefore, hold them in a relationship with the Crown.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources whether, as part of the legislation on leasehold reform, he will seek powers to set up a registry to record the uses to which land is put in England and Wales.

No. This would be remote from the purposes of the legislation, which will be confined to residential leasehold property. However, my right hon. Friend is considering, with the help of the Natural Resources Advisory Committee, what improvements can be made in getting more accurate and up-to-date information on land use available on a uniform basis.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if, in order to expedite the completion of long-distance routes which have been approved, he will enable the National Parks Commission to employ the necessary staff to assist local authorities in the creation of required rights of way.

Yes, as soon as circumstances permit.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will appoint a working committee to advise on amending legislation relating to national parks, public rights of way and access to open country.

No, my right hon. Friend does not think this would be the quickest way to make progress. He has, in fact, already received a great deal of advice from expert opinion. He is in the course of consulting representative bodies before legislation is introduced.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what is the nature of his review of the allotments system; and what is his policy in this regard.

I have appointed an independent committee under the Chairmanship of Professor Thorpe of Birmingham University to review general policy on allotments in the light of present-day conditions in England and Wales. The Committee will be considering the social, economic, recreational, legal, planning and landscape aspects of allotments. When I receive its recommendations I shall decide whether new legislation is needed. Meanwhile I shall continue to carry out my functions under the present Allotments Acts.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what reply his Department has given to representations made by Isora Limited of Slough against the exclusion of their product from the scope of the building regulations shortly to be issued by his Department.

A meeting between representatives of Isora Limited and Ministry officials was held on 23rd November, when the firm was told that the Ministry would consider any application for relaxation of the building regulations in respect of luminous ceilings of thin P.V.C. sheeting manufactured by the firm. Isora Ltd. could also submit these applications as agents of the persons who intended to do the work.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, if he has considered the evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Ripon with regard to the second offer for sale of Fountains Abbey within three months; and, in view of the fact that it now stands for sale, what action he proposes to take.

I cannot add anything to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 13th December.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, what facilities he intends to provide to the London Zoo to assist in the recapture of the escaped eagle, Goldie, while he is at large in a Royal Park.

Last time, he took one of the muscovy ducks. This was not live bait put down by my Ministry. My Department's main concern is not the damage done by Goldie, but the damage done in the Park by the many onlookers.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, what new steps have been taken to make good the shortage of house building materials, particularly plasterboard and copper tubing; and whether he will make a statement.

The manufacturers of plasterboard have been introducing new capacity which will be fully operative by the Spring of 1966.Supplies of copper tubing are thought to be adequate to meet current consumption. Some delays in deliveries have been reported but this is probably a result of over ordering.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the value of building projects held up in Scotland last winter and so far this winter because of the failure to use winter building methods.

I regret that this information is not available, but general observation and reports suggest that more contractors, including quite small firms, are adopting more precautionary measures this winter than last.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what provision she makes for the recommencement of a widow's pension to women who, having lost their pension on remarriage, are subsequently separated or divorced.

Under the National Insurance Act a widow beneficiary who remarries is treated thereafter like any other married woman; her future rights to benefit are based on her own insurance or on that of her new husband. As my hon. Friend is aware, the position of widows and married women will be examined in the course of the review of social security provisions which we are conducting.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners, non-contributory old-age pensioners and other persons were in receipt of National Assistance grants in the constituency of Inverness on 30th November, 1965.

The constituency of Inverness is served by the Inverness office of the National Assistance Board, which also covers the Ross and Cromarty constituency and parts of the constituencies of Argyll and of Moray and Nairn. In the whole area served by the Inverness office there were at 28th September, 1965 (the latest date for which detailed figures are available) a total of 4,034 weekly National Assistance grants in payment, of which 1,382 were in payment to retirement pensioners, 450 to non-contributory old-age pensioners, and 2,202 to other persons. Some of the grants provided for the needs of more than one person (generally married couples).

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will seek to increase the amount allowed for extra winter fuel to a higher figure, as the average amount allowed at present is inadequate; and if she will make a statement.

The basic National Assistance scale rates, which were substantially increased in March, include provision for normal fuel needs, including winter requirements. The additional payments made for extra winter fuel are intended to supplement the normal provision for people who need more than the normal amount of fuel in winter. My right hon. Friend has no proposals to make for any increase in the rates at the present time.

asked the Minister of Health if he will instruct the South Eastern Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board to take steps to improve the quality of service given to patients by the West Kent Hospital at Maidstone.

I have no evidence of deficiencies in the standard of service to patients at this hospital.

asked the Minister of Health why the geriatric unit building project at the Tolworth Hospital was postponed; and when it is now due to be completed.

The scheme could not be contained within the Regional Board's capital allocation; it is hoped to start building next spring.

asked the Minister of Health when Development-phase II of the Blackpool Victoria Hospital, postponed by the Government from 1965–66, is now due to start.

The Manchester Regional Hospital Board hope to start work in 1966–67 on part of the phase II developments of the Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

asked the Minister of Health how many regional hospital boards have stopped nurse recruitment by hospital management committees; for what reason; and to what extent these decisions were taken for the same reason as that in respect of the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.

No regional hospital board has stopped all nurse recruitment.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to provide that the mentally ill can be accommodated in hospitals during the day and return to their homes at night.

Advice on the provision of day hospitals for mentally ill patients was given to hospital authorities last year, and the facilities at present available are under review.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied with the radiology services available for dealing with casualty cases at hospitals in the city of Liverpool, and in particular, with the X-ray cover at the Alder Hey Children's Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

I believe that the radiography services for accident and emergencies in the City of Liverpool, including Alder Hey Children's Hospital, are satisfactory but if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind I will make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Health what are the reasons for the proposed increases in the fees for nursing examinations and registration; and, in view of the low scale of remuneration which nurses receive, whether he will prevent this decision from being implemented.

The increases are necessary to meet the Council's rising costs and I have agreed to approve them. I understand that in the last pay settlement the Management Side of the Whitley Council informed the Staff Side that they had taken account of the likelihood of increases in the fees.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set up a working party to recommend changes in the National Health Service to ensure that it is primarily a preventive rather than a disease-curing service.

I am well aware of the importance of preventive medicine and am seeking to develop it wherever possible in the National Health Service, but I do not think that the appointment of a working party would assist.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give details of money and facilities provided out of public funds for spastics, mentally handicapped and disabled persons; and if he will make a statement.

The services with which we are concerned are those provided under the National Health Service and National Assistance Acts. Separate information is not available about the cost of those services provided for the special groups to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Health at what date the building of the new training centre at The Hollies, Sidcup, was completed; how much it cost; and why it is not yet occupied, in view of the urgent need of such facilities for retarded and handicapped persons.

The right hon. Member is under a misapprehension. No training centre has been built on this site.

asked the Minister of Health how many clinics have been established by the local health authority in Monmouthshire for the initial test for cervical cancer; and what are the latest available figures of tests taken.

Monmouthshire County Council take smears at eight clinics. The service started in September, 1964, and 2,745 smears have since been taken.

asked the Minister of Health what improvements and extensions have been made since the publication in August of the White Paper, Immigration from the Commonwealth, to the facilities for making checks on the health of immigrants at ports of entry; and to what proportion of Commonwealth immigrants health checks at the port of entry are currently being applied.

While existing facilities for health checks at ports of entry have not changed since the publication of the White Paper they are now being more comprehensively used, particularly the X-ray facilities at London Airport. I regret that the proportion for which the hon. Member asks is not available for this particular period. Returning residents and dependants entitled to admission are not subject to medical examination under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act but medical examinations under the Act now cover virtually all others who come to settle in this country.

asked the Minister of Health how many National Health dentists use intermittent methohexitone in general conservation treatment; what training is available for those dentists wishing to employ this anaesthetic; and whether he is satisfied, in regard to reports of its use in other countries, that this technique is safe for patients when administered by operator-anaesthetists.

I regret that the information requested in the first part of the Question is not available. Postgraduate courses in various methods of anaesthesia are arranged for general dental practitioners by universities and other bodies, but their content is decided by the bodies concerned.It is primarily for the practitioner to consider whether the clinical needs of his patient justify the use of a particular technique. However, my Standing Medical and Dental Advisory Committees have recently set up a committee to discuss certain aspects of the use of general anaesthetics in dentistry and when their report is available I will consider in consultation with the dental profession whether any information on these matters should be given to practitioners in the general dental services.

asked the Minister of Health in view of the anti-fluoridation propaganda recently circulated to all hon. Members, what action he is taking to give further publicity to his policy on fluoridation.

I have recently sent to mayors and chairmen of local health authorities copies of my statement to the Press on 11th November in which I sought to clear up some common misunderstandings and to help authorities in exercising their judgment on this most important public health measure. The statement is as follows:

"On 3rd August I issued a circular urging all local health authorities to make arrangements for the fluoridation of public water supplies. Since then a number of them have expressed doubts about the merits of fluoridation. As Minister of Health I feel bound to state as clearly and strongly as I can why these doubts seem to me both unfounded and misguided.

Why is fluoridation necessary? It is to combat the wholly excessive amount of dental decay in this country. In 1964 over 6½ million permanent teeth of school children were filled and another million had to be extracted. What all this dental disease means in terms of pain and disturbance it is difficult to imagine. Fluoridation can make much of it unnecessary and in future generations the whole community, adults as well as children will benefit. It is our plain public duty to act now.

Some say that fluoridation is harmful. This is not so. The effect of fluoridation on health has been investigated all over the world and for many years. Every allegation of harm has been carefully examined but not one single instance of harm resulting from fluoridation of water at the recommended level has ever been proved. No Minister of Health would consider advocating a health measure of this nature unless he were absolutely convinced of its safety.

We are told that fluoridation means mass medication. But fluoridation is not medication. Fluoride is present naturally in most water and provides an important constituent for growing teeth. Fluoridation builds better teeth; but in most parts of this country there is too little fluoride in the water supply, and it is this deficiency we need to remedy. Fluoridation is simple, safe and effective, and as such one of the most useful preventive health measures which medical and dental science have so far made available to us in our fight against dental decay.

Some people object that fluoridation infringes personal liberties. But we must look at this in its proper perspective. Fluoridation is a tried and tested public health measure which cannot possibly hurt anyone, and which it is not practicable to provide other than by the public water supply. As has been said elsewhere, it is not the erosion of personal freedom which is at stake, but the erosion of millions of teeth and the resultant suffering and misery of thousands of children which fluoridation would go far to prevent. My support for fluoridation cloaks no sinister designs on personal liberties. The only consideration which has influenced me is the desire to ensure that no child is denied the benefits which those in some more fortunate parts of the country have always enjoyed, and which can now be made available to all.

It is said that there are alternatives which make fluoridation unnecessary. This is not so. Correct diet, dental hygiene and sustained dental health education are all important. But they are not enough. Nor are fluoride tablets an effective alternative. There is no practical way of ensuring that hundreds of thousands of children take them day after day, year after year. Even if this were a practical alternative, which it is not, it would be more expensive in administration.

We know that in areas where the drinking water is not deficient in fluoride the teeth of adults as well as children are vastly better than elsewhere; we know that fluorides are a natural constituent of our bodies, of our diet and of our water supplies; and we know that waters with fluoride added to the requisite level are indistinguishable in every respect from waters containing it naturally.

In the knowledge of these facts I should be failing in my duty as Minister of Health it I did not strongly press for action. Again I urge all local health authorities which have not already done so to arrange for the necessary fluoridation of their water supplies."

asked the Minister of Labour, what steps he is taking to ensure the expansion of programmed instruction, as pioneered by a private firm in respect of apprenticeship training, details of which have been sent to him, which gives closer integration of practical and theoretical training, greater utilisation of training manpower and the shortening of training times.

The Central Training Council is shortly to publish a memorandum drawing attention to the advantages of programmed instruction, and recommending to training boards that this method of training be further developed and encouraged in industry. The Council itself intends, through its Research Committee, to stimulate further research into the application of programmed instruction.

asked the Minister of Labour, in order to assist in the training and retraining of adults, and to enable people irrespective of age to achieve skilled status, if he will request the Engineering Industry Training Board to institute practical and theoretical examination as a mark of achieving such status so as to replace the present limitations of the apprenticeship system where a person is alleged to become skilled by virtue of his service and without respect to his practical abilities.

I shall expect the Engineering Industry Training Board, and other training boards, to establish standards of training, and to provide means of assessing whether those standards have been reached. The Engineering Board has already been giving consideration to this question.

asked the Minister of Labour, (1) if he is aware of the anxiety of small employers about meeting their obligations under the Redundancy Payments Bill; if he will take steps to cover their liability by introducing some form of insurance contributory scheme under Government auspices: and whether he will make a statement.(2) if he is aware that some small employers in the clothing contractors section of the industry are having to continue working when aged over 70 years, because of redundancy payment obligations; what consideration is being given to this problem, with a view to taking steps to relieve their anxiety; and whether he will make a statement.

It was particularly with the problems of small employers in mind that provision was made in the Act for the Redundancy Fund to bear over 70 per cent. on average of the cost of redundancy payments. The balance of cost borne by the employer will at most be 6⅔ weeks' pay for an employee with 20 years service or more and will be allowable as a business expense for tax purposes. I understand that it is possible for small firms to insure against liability for payments arising from the death or retirement of the employer. A scheme of this kind has been arranged by the National Federation of Building Trades Employers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, arising from the strike of British European Airways employees last Whitsun, he has completed his inquiries into strikes affecting the travelling public at holiday periods, and with what result.

Yes. My inquiries indicated that there had been several strikes and strike threats at holiday periods in the civil air transport industry during the 12 months preceding the strike which occurred last Whitsun. Since then there have been no serious interruptions of work and there are grounds for thinking that the improvement will be maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what request he has had from the United States Government for British help in Vietnam; and what help Her Majesty's Government propose to send.

I have nothing to add to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to similar Questions on 9th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the total expenditure on the British police mission to Vietnam; and what duties it has performed in recent months.

The total expenditure on the British Police Advisers in Vietnam since autumn, 1964 up to the beginning of December has been approximately £29,500.I would refer my hon. Friend to the description of their duties which my right hon. Friend gave in reply to a similar question from him on 19th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government to recognise South Vietnam as an independent state.

Her Majesty's Government recognise only one Government; the Government of the Republic of Vietnam.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a number of local authorities are now seeking powers in private legislation to remove abandoned vehicles from roads and streets in their areas; and whether he will now introduce national legislation dealing with this matter.

Local authorities already have powers to remove derelict vehicles from roads. I understand that certain of them are seeking powers in local acts to remove vehicles from land other than roads. This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to announce his proposals for ending the competition between British Railways and British Road Services.

As I told the hon. Member for Bodmin (Mr. Bessell) on 1st December, I am considering the best ways of achieving co-ordination between British Railways and British Road Services. But I have no proposals to announce at present.

asked the Minister of Transport when he now expects to publish the Order showing the line of the South Coast trunk road between Cosham and West End, Southampton.

I do not expect to be able to publish a draft Order before next summer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to empower the police to prohibit the use by all vehicles, or by selected vehicles such as articulated lorries, of certain stretches of road which are affected by snow, where their passage is likely to result in skidding or jack-knifing, thereby blocking the road and hampering clearing operations.

The police are already empowered by the Road Traffic Acts to prohibit or restrict vehicles in such circumstances and I do not consider that any additional powers are necessary.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he issued the list of proposed modifica- tions to the Burgess Hill, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint and Ditchling Town Map; whether he is aware of the frustration resulting from the delays in approving this map; and if he will now announce his decision.

My right hon. Friend will be consulting the local planning authority about proposed modifications in a few weeks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to make a decision on the proposals submitted by the Kesteven County Council for the construction of a by-pass reaching from North Hykeham to the east of Canwick.

The line of the by-pass is shown in the Lincoln Fringe town map, which my right hon. Friend approved on 12th November last. He understands however, that construction of the by-pass will not begin for several years to come.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the de facto Government of Rhodesia's decision to block the remittance of dividends of Rhodesian companies to United Kingdom shareholders and compel them to be paid to a blocked bank account in Rhodesia, such shareholders will not be liable to United Kingdom tax on their dividends until such time as they can be remitted.

In these circumstances shareholders will be entitled to claim under Section 21 of the Finance Act, 1953, that the dividends in question should for the time being be left out of account in computing their liability.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the gross annual revenue from dog licences; and what is the annual cost of collection.

Receipts from dog licences in the financial year 1964–65 were £1,073,933. In Scotland the cost of administration is estimated to be about 25 per cent. to 30 per cent. of receipts. In England and Wales dog licences are administered by local authorities, and no estimate of the cost of collection is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions district inspectors of taxes have received from Somerset House regarding the Finance Act, 1965, enabling them to give authoritative advice to taxpayers on difficult tax queries.

Preliminary guidance has been given and comprehensive instructions will be issued early in the New Year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons have been recruited as temporary civil servants since September, 1965; and in which grades or ranks.

I regret that this information is not available. Recruitment of temporary staff is a Departmental responsibility within their overall complement agreed with the Treasury.

asked the Minister of Aviation why a decision has been taken to reduce the order for the Hawker Siddeley Red Top A.A.M., when it is still being considered for use with the Phantom and P1127 aircraft.

No such decision has been taken, but requirements for this missile are under review.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the prospects for the continued use of British designed and built guided missiles by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

British designed and built guided weapons will continue to be used by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force for as far ahead as we can see. In accordance with Her Majesty's Government's policy of interdependence, however, we shall collaborate wherever possible with other Governments in future guided weapons projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, when the report of the constitutional advisers on the South Arabian Federation will be received; if it will be published; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the report is likely to be presented to the Federal Government in February. Its publication is a matter for that Government but I would hope that they will decide to publish it. As I have indicated previously, it is my hope that the report will be of valuable assistance towards constitutional progress in the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to receive the report of the Sugar Commission which recently sat in St. Kitts under the chairmanship of Professor Campbell; and whether the report will be published.

The report of the St. Kitts Sugar Commission will be presented to the Government of St. Kitts. It is expected early in the New Year. It will be for the St. Kitts Government to decide about publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the schools in Northern Ireland in which Army recruiting films have been shown during the last three years, and the dates of the performances; what cancellations have taken place in the last three months; and which schools were concerned.

Some 300 visits to schools have been made in the last three years. Since the list for which the hon. Member asks is long and will take a little time to produce, I will send it to him.No visits have been cancelled during the past three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits joined the Army from the various counties of Scotland in 1965 compared with 1964.

Information about the counties of origin of recruits is not readily available but male adult recruits were enlisted in Scotland in 1964 and 1965 as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the ratio of children to teachers in the junior schools in the county of Northumberland in comparison with the country as a whole; and what is the ratio for junior schools in Morpeth, Newbiggin, Ashington, Lynemouth, North Seaton, Broomhill, and Widdrington.

The available information is contained in the table below:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the allocation of recurrent grant to universities for the next quinquennium 1967–72.

The Government are reviewing the quinquennial system. One difficulty about the system as it has operated hitherto is that universities do not know their recurrent grants for a new quinquennium until near the end of the last year of the old quinquennium. This creates an awkward transitional problem and limits the effectiveness of forward planning by the universities. The difficulty would be all the greater on this next occasion with the increase in the number of university institutions and the increasing complexity of the issues involved.Accordingly the Government, after consulting the University Grants Committee, have decided to make a provisional allocation of recurrent grant for the first year of the next quinquennium (that is the academic year 1967–68), well in advance of the final settlement for the quinquennium as a whole. I would hope to be able to announce this provisional allocation towards the end of 1966; this would enable universities to make their plans, particularly in relation to staff recruitment, for 1967–68. The University Grants Committee have consulted the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and have assured me that this change in procedure will be acceptable to universities.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what value is assigned to national output for the purpose of estimating in the first sentence of paragraph 2 of Chapter 18 of the National Plan that public expenditure as there defined accounts for about two-fifths of the use of national output; and how the valuation of national output in that sentence is to be reconciled with the valuation of gross national product that is contained in Table 15.1 of the National Plan.

National output for the purpose of the comparison made in paragraph 2 of Chapter 18 of the National Plan is gross national product at factor cost at 1965–66 prices. This is the definition customarily used for comparisons with public expenditure. The national output figures in Table 15.1 on the other hand represent gross national product at 1964 market prices.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) whether he will identify the items in Table 18.2 of the National Plan whose anticipated growth by 1969–70 takes account of the growth in public expenditure necessary to secure a real increase in standards of living of about 21 per cent. between 1964 and 1970 for the persons receiving any social benefit referred to or employed in providing or maintaining any service referred to in each such item;

Table 18.2 presents figures which are consistent with the rest of the Plan. The remuneration of State employees is included at constant 1965 public expenditure survey rates, and hence, like the rest of the Plan does not show expected price movements. Whether the standard of living of employees in the public sector will move in line with that of persons in the private sector depends on the relative movements in money earnings. As explained in Chapter 22, the amounts allocated to benefits and assistance in 1969–70 provide a substantial margin for further improvement beyond what is needed to maintain the current provision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the system of warning residents who live near the River Thames of flood peril.

The Metropolitan Police receive flood warnings from the Storm Tide Warning Service operating from the Meteorological Office and these warnings are augmented by reports from river watching stations. Residents in threatened areas are warned by police loud-speaker vans in accordance with advice given by the Greater London Council. No information has come to my right hon. and learned Friends notice to suggest that the arrangements which have been made are not adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of prosecutions instituted by local authorities since 1961 regarding the sale of secondhand oil burners not complying with the regulations made under the Consumer Protection Act 1961.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement about the independent committee, envisaged in the White Paper on The Child, The Family and The Young Offender, to consider local authority personal social services.

The committee has been appointed jointly by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and Science, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Housing and Local Government and myself with the following terms of reference:

"To review the organisation and responsibilities of the local authority personal social services in England and Wales, and to consider what changes are desirable to secure an effective family service".

• Mr. C. Barratt
• Lady James of Rusholme
• Mr. R. Huws Jones
• Mr. P. Leonard
• Mr. W. E. Lane

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total numbers of people injured, the numbers of those detained in hospital, and the numbers killed by fireworks during 1962, when the British Fireworks Manufacturers Safety Association was established, 1963, 1964, and so far in 1965, respectively, both for the country as a whole and for Sussex separately.

The only statistics I have relate to casualties treated by hospitals during the fireworks season. The figures for 1965 will not be available until February of next year: those for 1962 to 1964 are given below.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development in what activities the United Kingdom National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has been engaged during the past 12 months; what was its cost to public funds; and what plans it has for future activities.

The National Commission has been mainly concerned this year with examining, and advising the Government on, the preliminary draft programme for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation for 1967–68. Continuing activities have included the provision of speakers for meetings, dealing with enquiries, and answering U.N.E.S.C.O. questionnaires. Officers of the Commission collaborated with the Secretariat of U.N.E.S.C.O. in arranging a U.N.E.S.C.O. "Round Table Meeting of Experts on Human Rights" at Oxford in November.It is difficult to distinguish meaningfully, in terms of cost, between the work of the National Commission and that arising from our other activities with and for U.N.E.S.C.O. In the last twelve months excluding the British contribution to the budget of U.N.E.S.C.O. and the salaries of officers engaged on the work of U.N.E.S.C.O. and the National Commission, the cost of participation in the work of U.N.E.S.C.O. through the National Commission and in other ways, has been £8,693.The major concern of the Commission in 1966 will be preparation for the participation of the British delegation in the 14th Session of the General Conference of U.N.E.S.C.O. in the autumn. It is also likely to be concerned with plans for marking the twentieth anniversary of U.N.E.S.C.O.; arrangements for a U.N.E.S.C.O. Symposium on Agroclimatology at Reading in July; and the holding in this country of a seminar, to be sponsored jointly by the U.N.E.S.C.O. Institute for Education (Hamburg) and the Commission on teaching for international understanding.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many of the member countries of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation have set up national commissions or co-operating bodies for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and what reports exist of their activities.

The latest available information shows that national commissions have been established in 109 of the 120 member states of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.Activities of national commissions are reported regularly in the monthly

asked the Postmaster-General how the number of new designs of United Kingdom postage stamps issued between the General Election 1964 and Christmas 1965 compares with those issued by Guatemala, Costa Rica, Andorra and Liechtenstein, respectively.

I am sorry but we have no record of the number of stamps issued by other countries during the period mentioned.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give an assurance that the surface of Milverton Drive, Wigston Fields, Leicestershire, which has been extensively damaged by heavy vehicles of his Department, will be restored by him without charge to the local residents.

I have made arrangements for the surface to be restored.

asked the Postmaster-General what information he has about illegal radio transmitters operating from Shivering Sand Tower, Knock John Tower, or Red Sand Tower; whether they are still transmitting; and why not action has been taken to stop these transmissions within territorial waters.

My information is that radio transmitters are operating from all of these towers. Inquiries are being pursued.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the lack of a public telephone kiosk at Stornoway Airport, and the consequent inconvenience to the travelling public, taxi services and airport staff; and if he will take steps to provide the necessary service.

Telephone facilities within the airport are a matter for discussion with the Ministry of Aviation, and will shortly begin. Meanwhile there is a kiosk at the entrance gate to the airport.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has received concerning the age of marriage in Scotland; and what reply he has sent.

In addition to requests received by my Department for information on marriage law, a few of which have contained suggestions that the minimum age of marriage should be raised, I have received in the last year two specific communications to this effect. These were acknowledged; I do not think they indicate a general demand for a change.As the hon. Member has pointed out in correspondence, before the Age of Marriage Act, 1929, which prescribed 16, only males below 14 and females below 12 were by Scots law incapable of matrimonial consent. The Act of 1929, therefore, represented a distinct change. I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving me an opportunity of correcting on this point the supplementary reply given on 17th November by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what study he has made of the effects of the weekend speed limits he imposed on certain major roads in Scotland during the summer; and whether he will make a statement.

The Road Research Laboratory has been asked to examine the statistics and other information obtained. Until I have its report I cannot make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many children in the county of Inverness have to travel more than 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 miles and over 50 miles, respectively, in getting to and from school daily; and what are the comparable figures for the districts of Aird, Badenoch, Lochaber and Skye.

The numbers are given in the following table:—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many children in the county of Inverness are being taught in classes with more than 30 and with more than 40 pupils, respectively, and in which schools; and how many children there were in each of the latter classes.

In August of this year, 2,826 primary pupils and 2,181 secondary pupils were in classes of between 30 and 40. On the same date, there were 462 primary pupils and 166 secondary pupils in classes of over 40.I am sending the hon. Member particulars of the schools concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his inquiries in respect of the hours for visiting children in Scottish hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The returns received from hospital authorities show that in about 30 per cent. of children's hospitals and units there is visiting for six or more hours daily; in 25 per cent. there is visiting daily but restricted to between two and six hours, and in 45 per cent. visiting is less than daily, or daily for less than two hours. I have asked hospital authorities to review their practice and report to me what arrangements they have made to introduce unrestricted visiting wherever practicable, and daily visiting without exception, in children's units.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to improve the orthopaedic service in the Dunfermline and West Fife hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

The number of beds for orthopaedic surgery at the Dunfermline and West Fife hospitals will be increased from 18 to 40 next year when the completion of the second extension to the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy makes possible a redistribution of the bed allocations for various specialities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to curb the increasing price of meat in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The level of meat prices is largely determined by world supply and demand. Wholesale prices of both beef and lamb, as reported on Glasgow and Smithfield markets, have in fact been falling in recent months and are below their levels of a year ago. Pork is also cheaper than a year ago although it is showing the normal seasonal increase in price at the present time. The Government's policy in general is to secure adequate supplies at reasonable prices and to promote efficiency in production, marketing and distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek discussions with the appropriate authority in order to introduce a system of concessionary weekly or monthly toll charges on the Forth Road Bridge for those who use the bridge daily.

I am informed that the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board at their last meeting decided not to make any concessionary arrangements or agreements for the composition of tolls, but this is a matter which I can discuss with the Board in the course of our review of the present tolls.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Scotland, if, in view of the Edinburgh Education Committee's recommendation and the Scottish Education Department's agreement, he will now direct that Liberton Primary School be converted to a nursery school.

I should have been glad to see this project proceed but it is primarily a matter for the education authority and not one on which direction would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an assurance that there will be a place for every pupil by the time the school-leaving age is raised to 16 years in 1970.

Given efficient use of existing resources and of the new places to be provided, the education authorities should be able to accommodate all the additional pupils when the leaving age is raised in session 1970–71.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the expenditure during the past year on the scheme to recruit married women teachers; and how many such teachers have started teaching during the same period.

Since 1st March, 1965, £3,750 has been spent on the campaign to encourage married women teachers to return to service. Of the totals of 820 and 211 who took respectively full-time and part-time appointments with education authorities during this period, 67 were recruited to full-time posts and 39 to part-time posts as a direct result of the campaign.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the total amount made available to the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industries by his Department and the former Department of Scientific and Industrial Research each year since 1950 by way of grants and contracts for research and development; what was the expenditure of the Ship Division, National Physical Laboratory, in those years; and what control is exercised by his Department over the spending of these various sums.

The amounts made available by my Ministry and by the former Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industries by way of grants to research associations and development contracts with industry for the financial years 1950–51 to 1964–65 are set out in the following table, together with the current expenditure of the Ship Division of the National Physical Laboratory.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he is satisfied that the programme of development and research at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston, ensures the continued useful employment of the staff and facilities of this establishment; and if he will make a statement.

The military programme of research and development at Aldermaston is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation. An appreciable amount of civil work has been put there in recent years and much consideration is being given to increasing

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list all the international technological projects in which Great Britain is participating and which receive support from public moneys on his Vote, giving the amount of financial support and the year of initiation.

No international technological projects are supported from public moneys on the Ministry of Technology Vote (Class IV, 18).International projects supported from the Atomic Energy Vote (Class IV, 19) the dates of initiation of the projects and the amounts of financial support from the United Kingdom are given in the following table:—the volume of such work outside the nuclear field for which the staff and facilities are suited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many United States eggs are being imported into Great Britain; how many days old they are before reaching the consumer; and what is the cost in foreign exchange of such imports to date.

Imports into the United Kingdom from the United States between January and October, 1965 (5,870 dozen valued at £12,495), consisted of hatching eggs.I understand from trade sources that some 2,500 boxes of 360 eggs each, for human consumption, are expected this week, and a rather larger quantity next week; I have no information as to the cost, or the age, of these eggs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the total value and number of walkie-talkie radio sets operating on the 27 megacycle band imported from Japan during the last two years.

This information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the facts that the use of walkie-talkie radio sets operating on the 27 megacycle band is illegal in the United Kingdom and that their import serves no useful purpose, he will take steps, in the interest of the balance of payments, to prevent their entry.

No. I explained in the Adjournment debate on the 15th December why it would be wrong for the Board of Trade to exercise their powers for this purpose.