asked the Minister of Power why there is a shortage of anthracite and Phurnacite boiler fuels in Wanstead and Woodford; and what steps he is taking to remedy the shortage.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board and the distributors and I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish statistics showing the average price of coke charged by the gas boards in each of the past six years.

The tonnage of coke sold each year by the area gas boards and the amount realised on its sale are published in my Department's Annual Statistical Digest. The following are the figures, together with an average realisation per ton for the years in question:

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he made last November of the possible extent of power cuts in 1966; and what measures he took to alleviate the consequences thereof.

I estimated that in very severe weather this winter, disconnection of about 3 per cent. of load might become necessary. As it is the job of the Central Electricity Generating Board to make the most of the generating plant available, I have kept closely in touch with them and with the Electricity Council.

asked the Minister of Power what steps he has taken since last November to procure the curtailment of the advertisements of domestic supplies by the Gas and Electricity Boards.

As I told the House on 23rd November, the Chairmen of the nationalised fuel industries agreed to discontinue advertising, with certain exceptions, for three months from 1st December, 1965.

asked the Minister of Power if he will specify the equipment supplied to Tipton Gas Works which he has found to contain defects which should have been avoidable.

I shall soon be instituting an inquiry into the causes of the recent failure of gas supplies in the West Midlands and I would prefer not to anticipate the results.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's present policy on aid to Commonwealth countries that have broken off diplomatic relations with Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what financial and technical assistance is to be provided in future for those countries who have broken off diplomatic relations with Great Britain.

I would refer to the Answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the Questions by the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Kershaw) and the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth, West (Brigadier Clarke).

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what assistance he is giving to the training of African administrators in Zambia and Malawi.

Britain is giving Malawi£1 million over the next three years towards its university, which will incorporate an institute of public administration. In Zambia we are making a grant of£1 million towards the new university; and we have provided a tutor in charge of administrative training courses at the staff training college under our technical assistance programme.In Britain, during the two financial years ending this March, just over one hundred African civil servants from each country have been trained or are in training under British technical assistance.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the estimated cost of aid for 1965 compared with 1964.

The total for 1964 was£191·6 million. It is too early yet to say what the out-turn for 1965 is.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what forms of aid are being provided to stimulate improvements in the organisation of privately-owned businesses in developing countries.

Where assistance of the type which the hon. Member has in mind has been requested and has seemed likely to make a significant contribution to the economic development of the country requesting it, we have been ready to provide it in whatever form has seemed appropriate.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the procedure in his Department when a private business firm in a developing country seeks to secure an experienced person as an assisted volunteer to advise on matters connected with its business.

Volunteer graduates are recruited by the voluntary societies and assigned by them to projects put forward by Governments overseas. A private business firm seeking the services of such a volunteer would apply to its own Government.

asked the Minister of Technology why he has appointed a public relations officer to his Department; and what is the cost to the Exchequer.

As is the normal practice in all major Departments, the Ministry of Technology Headquarters has an Information Branch which is responsible for my Department's information and publicity activities. The Branch is headed by a Chief Information Officer who is paid in accordance with the salary scale for this grade in the Civil Service.In addition, as announced on 17th December, I have engaged a consultant as Adviser on Information Policy to the Ministry. The appointment is on a part-time basis for a period of six months in the first instance at an annual rate of£3,300 plus necessary travelling expenses.

asked the Minister of Technology where the fast breeder reactor will be sited.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 25th January.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, following the extension of the functions of his Department, there is to be any change in departmental sponsorship of the British Standards Institution.

Yes. Over half the Institution's resources are employed on work in connection with the industries for which my Department now has sponsorship responsibility. This proportion has increased over recent years and will continue to do so, particularly with the change to the metric system. In the light of this and of my responsibility for engineering standards my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and I have agreed that sponsorship of the Institution and responsibility for the Government grant-in-aid should be transferred to my Department.The Board of Trade will continue to deal direct with the B.S.I. on matters relating to industries for which they are the sponsoring Department, and on matters primarily affecting the consumer. Other Departments also will continue direct relationships on matters within their respective responsibilities.The changes in the administrative arrangements take effect from today. The House will be asked to make provision for the grant-in-aid to the British Standards Institution for 1966/67 in the Ministry of Technology Estimate which will be submitted in due course.

asked the Minister of Technology by what criteria he assesses the technological progress resulting from Her Majesty's Government's purchasing of computers and machine tools for defence and civil contracts.

The criteria which it is appropriate to apply depend on the particular job for which the equipment is required. But among the factors to be taken into account are the effect on the import/export balance of the industries in question, the scope for replacing older types with more modern machines and the possibility of using Government orders to stimulate the design and development of advanced types of computers and machine tools.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state for each of the three years ended 31st December, 1965 how much foreign exchange has been allocated to patentees and licensees engaged in the manufacture of the drug tetracycline to overseas concerns by way of royalty or licensing fees or any other fees or payments.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that although the Customs and Excise revenue from matches rose by£48,721 in 1964–65, revenue has decreased steadily from 1955–56 to the extent of£1,623,045; and whether he will give an assurance that he will review the present relationship between the duties on lighters and the duties on matches.

My right hon. Friend will bear this point in mind in his general review of Customs and Excise taxation before the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prospective prizewinners will now get nothing as a result of his proposal to have a first prize of£25,000 on premium bonds.

In the four monthly draws which include the£25,000 prize there will be about 1 per cent. fewer prizes than would otherwise have been the case, the exact figure will depend on the size of the prize fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will make arrangements for the next report of the Board of Inland Revenue to contain frequency distributions of net income after tax by county;(2) whether he will make arrangements for the next report of the Board of Inland Revenue to contain sample frequency distributions of net tax paid at the following levels of gross income, namely,£1,000,£1,500,£2,000,£2,500,£3,000,£5,000, and£10,000, using appropriate intervals for the range of taxation at each level.

It is intended to publish frequency distributions by county of incomes before tax in the 109th Annual Report of the Board of Inland Revenue next year. I am not sure that it would be worth while to give the figures for net income after tax, or to give frequency distributions for net tax paid at different levels of income. Perhaps the hon. Member would care to write to me about it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give the total amount of unpaid or avoided tax in cases where prosecutions were brought, during the lastest year for which figures are available, for non-payment or avoidance of income tax, and the total amount of unpaid or avoided tax in those cases dealt with by way of agreed penalty and without prosecution;(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table to show in each material case the relationship between the amount of tax originally unpaid or avoided and the length of period of imprisonment imposed.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the fact that he has laid orders to grant an extension of time for the dealing with applications for licences of right under the Water Resources Act 1963, he will now lay an order to permit the time for accepting applications for licences of right to be extended to 6th July, 1964.

The time limit for making applications for licences of right was laid down in the Water Resources Act 1963, and could be extended only by legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what increase in the staff of local authorities in England and Wales has taken place since 1st November, 1964, to the latest convenient date; and what percentage of total local authority employers as at 1st November, 1964, this increase represents.

My right hon. Friend has no responsibilty for the numbers of staff employed by local authorities. Annual statistics are, however, published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette. I understand hat the figures for June, 1965, which should have appeared in the issue of the following October, are not yet complete. They will be published as soon as they are available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total loan debt of local authorities in England and Wales to the latest convenient date; what proportion of this is on seven-day call; and what proportion of the latter figure is due to overseas investors.

The total loan debt of local authorities in England and Wales at 31st March, 1965, which is the latest date for which figures are available, is estimated to be£8,535 millions. Approximately 12 per cent. of this was money held on seven-day call. Figures are not available to show the proportion of seven-day call money due from local authorities to overseas investors.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the disquiet felt by residents in the Lee/Kidbrooke area over the lack of information being given to them on the redevelopment plan for the area; and what steps his department is taking to ensure that local residents are properly informed of the details of the development plan.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the redevelopment by the G.L.C. of surplus Government land at Kidbrooke. I understand that the council is arranging to discuss its proposals with the residents' associations which have made representations to it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give priority to consideration of the draft Manchester Water Order, 1965.

My right hon. Friend recognises the importance of Manchester's proposals and will announce a decision as soon as he can.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what volume of water is lost to domestic and industrial use in the Manchester area during each day of delay in respect of a decision on the draft Manchester Water Order.

The works proposed by Manchester are intended to produce 45 m.g.d. But as the works would in any case take three or four years to carry out and as the full quantity of water would not be needed at the beginning, it is difficult to estimate the effect of delay in reaching a decision.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the local planning authority has approved the building of a discharged prisoners' hostel at The Uplands, Selly Park, Birmingham, that there is a high crime rate in the district, and that local residents have made objections to this proposal; and what applications he has received for a public inquiry into this decision.

My right hon. Friend has been told of this case. Objections to the application were received and considered by the city council before its decision was reached. He has had two requests for a public inquiry, but he does not propose to hold one into what seems to him a local matter within the competence of the responsible local authority.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will take steps to lift the present ban placed upon local authorities precluding them from the making-up of private streets.

My right hon. Friend is prepared to sanction a loan for this purpose where the local authority can show that there are very special reasons for doing the work now. It is still necessary to keep public expenditure down so far as we possibly can.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the serious flooding that has occurred in areas not hitherto subject to such risks; and whether, in view of the fact that in such areas flooding would not be regarded as a risk which ought to be covered by private insurance, he will make special provision to assist local authorities in these areas in helping people of limited means who have suffered serious damage.

My right hon. Friend is aware of areas that were recently affected by flooding, including some within the constituency of the hon. Member, though he does not know which of these have not been flooded before.Insurance cover against flood risks is generally available on reasonable terms and the need for such cover in any area is a matter for individual judgment. Exchequer assistance would be considered only where

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were under construction in January, 1965; what was the comparative number for January, 1966; and what proportion in each case was in the private and public sectors.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, following his advice to those authorities with heavy slum-clearance schemes to rebuild to the maximum physical extent, he will now adjust the subsidy proposals to cover such contracts as from the beginning of 1965.

I am considering a number of representations that have been made to me on this matter but am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses he expects will be completed in the first three months of 1966.

Completions fluctuate widely from month to month and may be affected by weather or other causes. My right hon. Friend could not forecast them with confidence for any forward period.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government under what regulations he urged local authorities in circular 41/65 to withhold standard grants in those cases where the cost of modernisation was thought to approach the cost of building a new house.

My right hon. Friend's advice was not based on regulations. He gave it as a reminder to local authorities that there is a limit beyond which resources can be better used for rebuilding than improvement. But he said in the same circular that he would accept whatever decisions were made in individual cases by the authorities themselves. The advice about cost did not in any case apply to standard grants, but only to discretionary grants which are related to a higher standard of improvement. Local authorities are obliged to pay standard grants if certain conditions, none of which relate to cost, are fulfilled.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of the Government with regard to the prevention in future of recurrences of the floods of 1960, 1964 and 1965 in Wales and the western part of England.

The policy of the Government is to encourage and to assist river authorities, internal drainage boards and local authorities to consider their flood problems and to carry out flood alleviation or prevention works where the cost can be justified. River authorities have a general power to initiate and carry out such works on main rivers and internal drainage boards and local authorities have powers to act in their areas. In all cases grant is available for approved expenditure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the experience of farmers during the recent flooding, whether he will extend the Farm Improvement Scheme to allow grant aid for farmers raising the level of their farm buildings and houses or otherwise taking precautions to try to minimise the danger and damage arising from floods.

Grants are already available to drainage authorities for works to alleviate flooding.With farm buildings the prudent thing is to build on sites not subject to flooding. The cost of raising buildings to avoid the occasional flood would probably be exorbitant and so fail the test in the Farm Improvement Scheme of cost in relation to benefit.Each case must, however, be considered on its merits.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the continued uncertainty among those engaged in intensive husbandry, following the issue of the Brambell Report; and what further action he proposes to take, following the submission of comments on the Report, so that those concerned may be aware of future policy.

I appreciate the need to treat this matter urgently, but I do not think it would be proper for me to decide what action may be necessary until the comments submitted have been fully studied. Any proposals involving legislation will be the subject of detailed consultations with interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what sanctions have been taken by Zambia against Great Britain in such ways as the cancellation of Commonwealth preferences and by stopping Great Britain's entitlement to most favoured nation privileges; and what representations he has made or is making on this matter.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blackpool. South (Mr. Blaker) on this subject on 25th January, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what discussions he has had with the Zambian Government regarding the possible movement of British ground troops to Zambia; and what decisions have been made in this matter.

Following discussions with the President of Zambia when I visited Lusaka at the end of November, in addition to a Squadron of the R.A.F., a detachment of the R.A.F. Regiment is now stationed in Zambia. A Military Mission led by the G.O.C. Middle East visited Zambia from 19th to 25th January to discuss with the Government of Zambia future arrangements for British forces in Zambia. I cannot at this stage say anything about the outcome of these discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what emergency action is planned to give aid to those people threatened by famine in Rhodesia and Zambia.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given on 27th January by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a Question by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what improvements in long-range forecasting will arise from the new series of satellites the United States of America is launching to obtain information about the weather.

TIROS satellites will contribute data for research into long-range weather forecasting, but their main purpose is for forecasting one or two days ahead.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of all naval personnel is now actually manning ships or aircraft.

Excluding Royal Marines and Wrens, over 40 per cent. For trained naval ratings, the figure is about 50 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the battalions in the Army are currently under strength.

Twenty-one.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are currently employed at the British base in Singapore; and what is the total annual cost of their salaries and wages.

26,697 civilians, not counting the Ministry of Public Building and Works staff and the crews of Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. The total annual cost of their wages and salaries is£14,278,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost to date of the development and production of the tracked armour personnel carrier, Trojan; and how many are now in service.

Nine hundred and thirty armoured personnel carriers are now in service: the carrier has cost£18 million to produce while£4·7 million was spent on the development of the family of four light tracked vehicles of which it is one.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value during the year 1964–65 of the sales of British weapons abroad.

The latest figures available for the value of sales abroad of military equipment are for the calendar year 1964, when such exports totalled approximately£125 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many qualified scientists and engineers are currently engaged in defence research in Government establishments.

The number of civilian scientists and engineers with degree or equivalent qualifications who are currently engaged in defence research and development in Government establishments is about 4,150.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many admirals are now serving in the Royal Navy; and what is the total number of ships now in service in the Royal Navy.

Seventy-five admirals (including rear and vice-admirals), not counting four on terminal leave; 277 warships and support ships in service, not counting 107 refitting or in reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the annual running cost of each Polaris submarine; and what will be the cost to this country of associated shore installations.

About£5 million. The capital cost of the shore installations will be about£45 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many shore posts in international defence organisations are required to be filled by officers of the rank of admiral; and how many Royal Naval shore establishments and posts within the Ministry of Defence are required to be held by officers of admiral's rank.

Two N.A.T.O. posts are held by full Admirals, who also, of course, hold R.N. commands. There are also two posts for admirals in the Ministry of Defence, and one R.N. shore command which is held by an admiral.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what period of training a regular recruit is expected to undergo before being regarded as sufficiently trained to take his place as an individual reinforcement with an infantry unit on active service overseas.

Ten weeks in the United Kingdom, followed normally by 6 weeks special to theatre training with his unit.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how long he estimates it will take for a recruit to the proposed Army Volunteer Reserve to become sufficiently trained to take his place as an individual reinforcement with an infantry unit on active service overseas, assuming that he carries out his full training liability; and whether such a period must include one annual training camp.

A member of the Army Volunteer Reserve sent overseas as an individual infantry reinforcement will have completed at least his first year's training including 15 days' continuous training. Normally he will have had considerably more service than this, because only a minority of these Reservists are ever likely to be required as individual reinforcements, and the most experienced and efficient would be selected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present strength of the Army General Reserve; what is his estimate of its strength when liability to remain on this Reserve ceases on 28th June, 1969 taking full account of likely wastage; and if this Reserve is liable for call-out after proclamation only.

The figures are 148,525 and 160,000 respectively. The Reserve may be called out without proclamation for Home Defence against actual or apprehended attack.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what reduction in expenditure would be achieved if one of the two British bases in Cyprus were closed and all necessary installations transferred to the other.

None. The cost of reproviding facilities in one base would exceed any savings in the running expenses at present essential.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken in the last few months to ensure that those of middle age and over who will be prematurely redundant as a result of increased pit closures in the next few years are adequately provided with special retraining facilities in their own localities.

I have carefully examined the present provision and planned expansion of Government training centres in relation to pit closures and have come to the conclusion that facilities are adequate to meet likely demands for training from redundant miners. Four new industrial rehabilitation units are to be established to help in the resettlement of redundant miners, especially those handicapped by disability or age. A special training course for disabled ex-miners will shortly open at Finchale Abbey Training Centre, near Durham, with financial assistance from the National Coal Board.

asked the Minister of Labour how many working days were lost in Great Britain during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, as a result of official strikes, unofficial strikes, sickness, and absenteeism, respectively, and if he will give the figures for West Germany, in comparable categories, which are available to him through international organisations.

Figures of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in Great Britain known to be official or partly official are available only on a calendar year basis. Of 2,243,000 days lost through all stoppages in 1964, nearly 700,000 were lost in stoppages known to have been official or partly official. The figures relate to working days lost at the establishments directly concerned. The number of days lost through sickness notified to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance in the period June 1963 to May 1964 is estimated at 287,000,000. I do not have information about voluntary absenteeism. The figures of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in West Germany published by the International Labour Office do not

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the shortage of pillar-boxes for the posting of letters at Tranent, East Lothian, especially in the new housing schemes; and whether he will take action.

The provision of posting boxes in Tranent is generally up to standard and in line with that in other similar places; but, if the right hon. Gentleman has in mind any special difficulty and will let me have details, I will gladly look into the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the names of, and the relevant figures for, the five of the 56 telephone areas having the highest failure rate for the subscriber trunk dialling trunk calls and the five having the lowest failure rate for subscriber trunk dialling trunk calls.

The information requested by the hon. Member is contained in the following table:

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of trunk calls dialled via subscriber trunk dialling during the last 12 months failed due to any reason attributable to the General Post Office; and if he will give the comparable figure for trunk calls made via an operator on auto-manual exchanges.

During the 12 months ended 31st December, 1965, 5·8 STD call attempts during the day period were recorded as ineffective because of defects in Post Office plant. I cannot supply a comparable figure for calls handled by automanual exchange operators, but it would be of the same order.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the cost of damage to telephone kiosks by vandals in rural and urban areas, respectively, of Northern Ireland during the year 1965; and how this compares with previous years.

The approximate cost of repair calculated to date for 1965, for both urban and rural areas, was£1,200. Detailed figures are not readily available. This is an increase of 200 per cent. over 1964 and 300 per cent. over 1963.

asked the Postmaster-General how many prosecutions have been commenced in the past four weeks against persons operating radio transmitters in contravention of the Wireless Telegraphy Act.

One, against an unlicenced radio amateur in Lancashire.

asked the Postmaster-General what information he has about commercial, unlicensed radio stations which are operating on land as well as those operating from forts within the three-mile limit in the Thames estuary.

The following stations are operating from forts within our territorial limits in the Thames estuary: Radio 390 on Red Sands Fort, Radio City on Shivering Sands Fort. A station calling itself Radio Essex operates intermittently on Knock John Tower. I am not aware of any such stations operating on land.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will take legal proceedings under the Wireless Telegraphy Act against radio pirate stations operating from Government-owned forts within the three-mile limit in the Thames estuary.

I am not yet able to say when legal proceedings will be instituted against the unlicensed stations operating within territorial limits.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will take steps to remove the dangers to shipping caused by transmissions of illegal broadcasting stations.

As I have already made clear, act on will be taken to deal with the illegal stations as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) what production orders for British military aircraft have been placed since October, 1964;(2) what holding contracts, and for what military aircraft, have been placed or renewed with British aircraft manufacturers since October, 1964;(3) what holding contracts placed with British aircraft manufacturers and subcontractors for military aircraft and components have not been renewed since October, 1964.

Production contracts have been placed with Hawker Siddeley Aviation for further orders of Buccaneer Mk. 2 aircraft and for work on tooling for the P.1127 (R.A.F.); as regards the maritime reconnaissance Comet (HS 801) I would ask the hon. Member to await the reply to be given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 2nd February in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West. Production contracts have also been placed with Westland Aircraft for further orders of Sioux, Scout, Wasp, and Wessex Mk. 2 and Mk. 5 helicopters. In addition orders have been placed with the U.S. Government for the production of Phantom and C.130 aircraft in the U.S.A.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the change from British to United States currency in the Bahamas, what are her plans to protect the fruit industry and other trade and commerce between the Bahamas and Great Britain.

As I informed the hon. and learned Member in my reply to his Question on the 25th January, there has been no such change.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what emergency action is planned to give aid to those people threatened by famine in Bechuanaland and Basutoland.

The Bechuanaland emergency food programme is being expanded to cover over 300,000 people this year and a request for further supplies has been made to the World Food Programme. The British Government have provided£350,000 for the relief programme during the present financial year, as well as approving expenditure of£250,000 from colonial development and welfare funds on measures designed to mitigate the effects of the famine. The voluntary agencies, including Oxfam, War on Want and the Red Cross are also helping generously.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the number of people sentenced to death, and the number subsequently reprieved, in the past 10 years in each of the British Colonies in the Caribbean.

pursuant to the reply given by Mr. GREENWOOD [OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th December, 1965 Vol. 722, c. 216] supplied the following information:—The number of persons sentenced to death, and the number subsequently reprieved in the last ten years in each Colony in the Caribbean is shown in the following table:—

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will refer the latest pay claim lodged with the National Coal Board by the National Union of Mineworkers, on behalf of day-wagemen, to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

My right hon. Friend understands that a reply to the claim is to be given at a meeting of the Joint National Negotiating Committee on 3rd February in accordance with the normal conciliation arrangements of the Coal Mining Industry. It would be premature to take a decision on a reference of the claim to the National Board for Prices arid Incomes at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision for nursery schools exists in the county of Northumberland under the auspices of local education authorities and in private nursery schools in the area, respectively; and whether he will make a statement.

There are three nursery schools and 25 nursery classes maintained by local education authorities in the County of Northumberland. I have no information about private nursery arrangements in the area.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken by the Board of Governors of the United Bristol Hospitals to remedy the nuisance caused to the residents of the Kingsdown area of Bristol by smuts from their new boiler house chimney.

I understand that the smuts have been greatly reduced since the beginning of November and that no complaints have been received since then. The Board is making every effort, together with its consulting engineers and the engineering advisers in my Department, to ensure that the trouble is completely eliminated.

asked the Minister of Health what shortages of staff exist at the Bevendean Hospital, Brighton; and how many wards have been closed through shortage of staff.

There is a shortage of nursing staff and one ward is closed.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now set up an inquiry into the death of a patient at the Bevendean Hospital, Brighton, particulars of which have been sent to him.

I have written to my hon. Friend about this case; I do not propose to set up an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it takes to switch on the fog warning system on the M.4 motorway; and what plans he has for reducing the time required.

The amber warning lights are switched on as the police consider appropriate when a serious hazard exists on a motorway. The time that this takes depends on the nature of the hazard, on the availability of police patrols and on how many sets of lights the police decide to switch on. The Commissioner of Police informs me that during the period 27th December, 1965 to 24th January, 1966 the time taken on five occasions to switch on between two and twenty-two sets of amber warning lights on the M.4 motorway within the Metropolitan Police District varied between 6 and 35 minutes. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and I are keeping the system under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek the information from chief constables and give for the year 1965 the percentage, based on the population and the numbers of the police force, of undetected crime in Eastbourne compared with Brighton and the East Sussex police force area, similar figures for burglaries and robberies, with or without violence, where there has been no arrest, and where there has been an arrest and conviction, and similar figures for minor motoring offences reported by the police and divided into categories of parking or obstruction, and others.

I am seeking the necessary information from the chief constables and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps were taken to enable South African citizens to lodge applications for citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies before the expiry date, 31st December, 1965.

Early in December all South Africans known to be interested in obtaining citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies were reminded by post. On 10th December a Press Notice was issued drawing attention to the closing date for applications, and an announcement to a similar effect was made by the B.B.C. on 17th December. Efforts were also made to get in touch with all who had not replied to the earlier reminders, and official procedures were modified so as to ensure that no application should fail merely because it was late.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to reduce to reasonable proportions the period elapsing between a defendant's being sentenced to a period of borstal training and such prisoner arriving at a borstal allocation unit; and when he expects such actions to become effective.

My right hon. Friend intends to provide an additional borstal allocation centre in Manchester to serve the North of England. This should substantially reduce the period which boys spend awaiting transfer from local prisons. I hope the new centre will come into operation in a few months' time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the problems caused by the shortage of probation hostels and trained staff; and what plans he has for meeting these difficulties and for improving the conditions of service.

Yes. Plans have been approved for three additional hostels for youths and one for girls. Approval in principle has been given for a further hostel for youths. Facilities for the training of supervisory staff are being developed. Conditions of service are the responsibility of the Standing Joint Advisory Committee for Staffs of Children's Homes.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources if he will set up a mineral development commission with a view to conducting national mineral surveys, and to undertake experimental and research work for the efficient development and working of minerals in this country.

I agree that these two objectives are desirable, but they do not by themselves require the appointment of a new commission, and the Government have therefore already put them in hand. I have initiated measures for mineral surveys, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology maintains a unit which conducts research into methods of prospecting and extraction.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works which major Government Departments in the Whitehall area are centrally heated; and what are the main fuels used for this purpose in the Treasury, the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Defence and No. 10 Downing Street, respectively.

Except for about half the building housing the Foreign Office, Commonwealth Relations Office, and Home Office, which is heated by open fires burning smokeless fuel, the major Government buildings in the Whitehall area, including No. 10 Downing Street, are centrally heated through the Whitehall district heating scheme, which uses coal tar fuel.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) what was the cost of heating the Government offices under his control during the financial years 1963–64 and 1964–65, respectively;(2) what was the cost of lighting Government offices under his control during the financial years 1963–64 and 1964–65, respectively.

Information is not available in the form requested and the cost of providing it would be out of all proportion to its value. Expediture on the provision of solid and liquid fuels

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he has made appointments to the Building Regulations Advisory Committee.

Last September my right hon. Friend announced the appointment of Mr. Phillip H. P. Bennett as Chairman of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee. The appointments to the Committee have now been completed; the full membership is as follows:and on the supply of gas and electricity for Public Buildings in the United Kingdom and Overseas (Class IX, Votes 2 and 3) for the two financial years is given below. The figures also include expenditure on, for example, stores and research establishments in the United Kingdom and on residences for heads of missions abroad.The figures for electricity cover lighting, heating and power requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons he decided to reject the findings of the Scottish Joint Council on Teachers' Salaries, and if he will, in referring the matter to the National Board for Prices and Incomes, draw their attention particularly to the generally longer period of training in Scotland, the comparatively low salaries of college-trained women in Scotland as opposed to England, the year lag between the Scottish and English awards, the existing shortage of teachers, and the low starting salaries of teachers.

Having regard to the Government's established policies on prices and incomes I did not feel able to accept the Council's recommendations in full. The National Board for Prices and Incomes will be provided with all information relevant to the terms of its inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many crimes and offences were made known to the police in 1965; and in how many cases persons were apprehended, cited, warned or traced.

I regret that this information is not yet available. It will be published in due course in the annual volume of criminal statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the authorised establishment and actual strength of the whole-time police, both men and women, on 31st December, 1965.

The authorised establishment of regular police in Scotland on 31st December, 1965, was 10,676 men and 401 women. The number of regular policemen and policewomen on that date, according to the latest monthly return (including those on secondment, those on central service and members of the "additional force", i.e. regular police who are paid for by outside organisations—for example, police in the docks) was 9,994 men and 353 women.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement about the approval of the Charter for the proposed Heriot-Watt University.

I am happy to inform my hon. Friend that Her Majesty was yesterday pleased to approve that a Charter should be granted to the new Heriot-Watt University. I shall place in the Library a copy of the Order in Council approving the grant of the Charter as soon as it is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those Commonwealth countries which, within the last 10 years, have reduced or abolished Commonwealth preferences previously enjoyed by Great Britain.

Sierra Leone and Zambia have abolished Commonwealth preferences on U.K. goods. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Ceylon, Malaysia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Cyprus and Malta have all reduced some of the preferences they accord to U.K. goods, generally as a result of multilateral tariff negotiations or to enable them to increase tariff protection for local industries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those Commonwealth countries which have increased the tariff preference enjoyed by Great Britain in their markets within the last 10 years.

It has not been practicable in the time available to make a complete examination of the tariffs of all the Commonwealth countries but increases in preferences which we enjoy are known to have been made in the following countries:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those Commonwealth countries which have introduced new tariffs or raised existing tariffs against Great Britain in the last 10 years.

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Pakistan, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Malta, Ceylon, Cyprus, Malaysia, Singapore.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the need to check the increasing numbers of private cars visiting London daily, what steps she is proposing to take to encourage local authorities in the areas round London to build or extend car parks for the use of the London commuters, many of whom will come from outside the local authority area.

We are very much aware of the importance of this problem, which is primarily a matter for the Greater London Council as the traffic authority for London. We would expect the Council, in their current review of parking measures, to give attention to the provision of car parks for interchange with public transport services and my right hon. Friend proposes to consider this with them, when she receives their report.