asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what steps the Regional Economic Planning Council for East Anglia is taking to co-ordinate house building and industrial expansion.

The Council will advise on the strategy of economic and physical planning within which Government Departments, local authorities and industry will be able to make informed decisions.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, if he will publish the staff figures for his Department.

525 on 1st February, 1966.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will state the relationship between the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, the Finance Corporation for Industry, and the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation; what arrangements he is making to co-ordinate their work; and if he will make a statement.

The Industrial Reorganisation Corporation will seek the fullest cooperation of all existing financial institutions. The special facilities which the Finance Corporation for Industry and the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation offer to companies requiring additional capital for expansion could well prove of value to the new groupings which the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation will initiate. No special arrangements are needed to co-ordinate the work of the three Corporations.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what have been the results of his further approach to both sides of the printing industry following the report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on that industry.

Both sides are in agreement that the industry's Joint Manpower Committee should consider all questions relating to the efficient use of manpower. They are ready to discuss all the recommendations of the Prices and Incomes Board and the outstanding issue remaining is the scope of the discussions which might be held in the Joint Manpower Committee under an independent Chairman. My right hon. Friend is keeping in close touch with both sides on this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he now has for amending the Companies Act, 1948, to prevent exempt private companies from raising money by selling franchises for non-existent vending machines, in the light of the latest evidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East, and other persons; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Companies Bill introduced on 2nd February, which, among other things, would abolish the status of exempt private company.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will institute an inquiry into the affairs of Anglian Pig Breeders Limited, under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, in view of the losses sustained by some 2,700 small investors who were fraudu lently induced to participate.

The Board of Trade is advised that it may not appoint an inspector under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, to investigate the affairs of a company in liquidation. Introductions Limited, which was the registered sole proprietor of Anglian Pig Breeders, is in compulsory liquidation and the senior official receiver is investigating its affairs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the future of the United Kingdom shirt trade.

The United Kingdom shirt trade will benefit from the proposals I have made for regulating the import of cotton textiles, including shirts, from disruptive sources.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will refer to the Monopolies Commission the state of monopoly in the flour-milling industry.

I shall bear this suggestion in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representation he has received with regard to the conventions for the unification of certain rules of law respecting collisions and salvage at sea signed at Brussels in 1910 and the views expressed on Article 8 of the Convention relative to salvage by Lords Maughan and Atkin in the case of the "Kafiristan"; and what reply he has sent.

I can trace no recent representations on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will announce details of the plan for investment allowances in respect of leased machinery; and what arrangements will be made to consult the firms principally concerned with such leasing, including Leicester firms.

I hope to be able to make a further announcement before long. My Department have already begun a series of consultations with industry on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated value of the new system of investment allowances to British industry in 1967–68; and what would have been the value of the previous system of investment allowances in that year had Corporation Tax not been introduced.

Although no precise estimate is possible I expect Board of Trade expenditure on investment grants in 1967–68 to be of the order of £200 million. This will relate to eligible investment in the first nine months of 1966. The cost to the Exchequer of giving investment allowances in respect of the same period at a rate of 8s. 3d. in the pound income tax and 15 per cent. profits tax would have been about £240 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of Government action in turning the whole of Scotland into a development area, what special criteria he will now use to persuade new industry to the North-East and other outlying districts of the country, in preference to the central belt.

When steering firms to development areas, the Board of Trade will take account of the needs of particular places, and the facilities offered by them, including the availability of labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade with which nations Great Britain had a net adverse balance of trade in 1965.

Information is not available for the close estimation of the balance of trade with individual countries and, therefore for the preparation of a list of this kind. Table IV of the Overseas Trade Accounts gives an indication of the relative balances with different countries. The crude trade balance derived from the Accounts is not, however, a good measure of the balance of payments for trade, because imports are valued to include insurance and freight charges, and because imports and exports are shown against the country from or to which the goods are consigned, which may differ from the country to or from which payment is made, or liabilities arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the United Kingdom balance of trade with Holland in 1965; and what steps he is taking to improve trade with that nation.

In 1965 the c.i.f. value of our imports from the Netherlands exceeded the f.o.b. value of our exports and re-exports to that market by £68 million. In 1966, apart from the active follow-up of last year's successful British Week in Amsterdam, there will be participation on a considerable scale in Dutch Trade Fairs; a number of trade missions are also being planned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new proposals he has to provide competitive credit facilities to British shipowners building ships in the United Kingdom.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of the British cotton industry.

The British cotton industry is rapidly becoming more capital intensive, with larger vertically organised units. I hope that these changes will help to create a stronger industry, using a variety of fibres, with high productivity, good wages and low costs. To prevent excessive imports from impeding this reorganisation, I am at present negotiating with overseas countries to place a total limit on disruptive imports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many repressentations he has received for and against the proposed move of the Patent Office.

Six organisations have made representations to my right hon. Friend against moving the Patent Office from Central London.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will announce a decision on the future location of the Patent Office.

My right hon. Friend intends to make arrangements to move the Patent Office to a suitable site in Croydon. The Library will however remain in Central London, and the Printing and Sales Branch at St. Mary Cray.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will make a statement on the future site of the Patent Office.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have given to the hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Patrick Jenkin) on the same subject today.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to normalise and expand trade with Indonesia.

I would welcome better trading relations with Indonesia, although the present outlook is not very encouraging.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the current price of copper in the free market; what was the average price in 1965; and if he will make an estimate of the effect this increase will have on industrial costs in 1966.

The settlement price for cash copper wirebars today on the London Metal Exchange was £687 a ton. The average daily price in 1965 was £470 a ton. The amount of copper bought on the basis of L.M.E. prices which is consumed in the United Kingdom varies from one period to another. The price also fluctuates. No useful estimate can, therefore, be made of the effect of current prices on industrial costs in 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from Lloyd's, other in surance firms, banks or major export firms about the damage sanctions against Rhodesia are causing to British trade; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has met the Chairman of Lloyd's and the British Insurance Association to discuss representations made by the insurance industry. Apart from these, the Government have received representations from a few major export firms about damage to their trade resulting from sanctions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the value of exports to, and imports from, Rhodesia from the date of imposition of sanctions to the present date; and what were the comparable figures last year.

Figures are yet available only for December 1965 when imports from Rhodesia were £2·8 million and exports were £1·8 million. Comparison with December 1964 is impossible because the figures for 1964 distinguish only total trade with the former Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many Government offices in Yorkshire exist where representatives of large and small firms can obtain advice in connection with the export drive.

The Board of Trade Regional Office at Leeds is responsible for this service in the East and West Ridings. The North Riding is served by the Regional Office at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In addition, the Export Credits Guarantee Department have a Regional Office in Bradford and area offices in Leeds and Sheffield.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, as a method of further co-operation between the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association, he will make proposals for freeing trade in chemicals.

We are seeking in the Kennedy Round to negotiate tariff reductions over a great part of international trade, including a wide range of chemicals. We and our E.F.T.A. partners believe this is the best way of achieving progress towards the object the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for further advance factories in South Ayrshire where there is a possibility of increased unemployment as a result of pit closures.

The claims of South Ayrshire will be considered, in common with those of other areas, when the next advance factory programme is being prepared.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the new industrial incentives policy will encourage speculative advance factory building in development areas by private industrial estate developers.

The new proposals on investment incentives in Command Paper No. 2874 do not affect the eligibility for building grants of speculative factory building in development areas by private industrial estate developers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of new merchant shipping registered in the United Kingdom in 1964 and 1965, respectively, was built abroad; and in which countries these ships were built.

Of the total gross tonnage of new merchant ships of 500 gross tons and over registered in the United Kingdom in 1964 and 1965, 35 per cent. and 16 per cent., respectively, were built abroad. The table below sets out the tonnages built in each country overseas.

Year Country of build	Thousand gross tons
	1964	1965
France	2	—
Germany, West	53	4
Japan	159	75
Netherlands	27	5
Spain	1	—
Sweden	126	113
Total	368	197

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of new merchant shipping registered in the United Kingdom in 1964 and 1965, respectively, was built in the United Kingdom.

Of the total gross tonnage of new merchant ships of 500 gross tons and over registered in the United Kingdom in 1964 and 1965, 65 per cent. and 84 per cent. respectively were built in the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the Common Market Commission regarding the proposed granting of direct subsidies of 10 to 15 per cent. on ships built by Common Market countries; and what developments have taken place regarding the proposed subsidies.

No representations have been made to the European Economic Commission, but we have taken every opportunity to make known our concern in the course of discussions in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, where all the major shipbuilding nations are represented. As to the second part of the Question, I understand that the Commission's proposal has yet to be discussed by the Council of Ministers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received the report of the Monopolies Commission on the supply and processing of colour film; and when it will be made available to Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received the report of the Monopolies Commission on the supply and processing of colour film; and when it will be available to Parliament.

I received the Monopolies Commission's report on the supply and processing of colour film on 3rd February. It will be laid before Parliament and published as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take following the Report of the Monopolies Commission on the supply of petrol in the United Kingdom.

In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power, I have decided to accept in principle the recommendations in the Monopolies Commission's Report on the Supply of Petrol relating to solus ties, tenancies, lubricants and non-petroleum products (that is, recommendations 1 to 6 and 8 in the Commission's Report).I also accept the Commission's conclusion that it is in the public interest that there should be a limit on the acquisition and building of petrol stations by petrol suppliers (recommendation 7). Since such a limit on all suppliers with annual trade in excess of 10 million gallons, as suggested by the Commission, would carry a risk of discouraging new entrants to the U.K. market, with the effect of diminishing rather than promoting competition, I have decided that a modified form of restriction should be imposed. Under this, there would be no limitation on acquisitions by suppliers whose total annual trade did not exceed 50 million gallons. Suppliers subject to the limitation should not thereafter increase the total number of petrol stations in their ownership, save for the fulfilment of existing contracts with which there would be no interference.I accept the Commission's view that it is in the public interest that existing solus and other agreements should not be enforced inconsistently with the Commission's recommendations. I am asking suppliers to undertake not to enforce terms which may be thus inconsistent and to consider favourably requests from parties to such agreements that these should be renegotiated to bring them into line.I am also seeking undertakings from the interests concerned that they will conform to all the Commission's recommendations, subject to the modification of the recommendation concerning company-owned stations, and I am asking them to observe the spirit of the recommendations while the terms of the undertakings are worked out.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about his consideration of the acquisition by Esso of the filling station interests of Agip.

Yes. I have examined this acquisition under the provisions of the Monopolies and Mergers Act, 1965, and in the light of the Monopolies Commission's report on the Supply of Petrol. Since, in accepting the Commission's recommendations, I have decided that there should be no interference with existing contracts for the purchase of filling stations or sites, I do not intend to refer this merger to the Monopolies Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the size of the school building programme for Kent; and whether he will make a statement.

Representations have been made to me by the local education authority and by three hon. Members as to the size of past programmes and the authority's future requirements. I shall bear these in mind when I settle the next round of building programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department are taking to ensure that in the design of new secondary school buildings provision is made for youth wings for use by the youth service, or that senior students' accommodation is suitable for school societies and extra mural activities in conjunction with local youth and community services.

I am sending to my hon. Friend, copies of two recently published Building Bulletins, which have included guidance on the use of secondary school premises for youth and community purposes. The Architects and Building Branch of the Department is always ready to give advice on this subject and I have myself made a number of public speeches upon its importance. I am grateful for the opportunity of this Question to re-emphasise this policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will undertake a survey to ascertain how many schools are promoting courses in race relations and a better understanding between races.

While I agree that the schools can play an important part in helping children to understand other countries and peoples, I doubt whether special courses in race relations are the method which most experienced teachers would choose to adopt. Attention has already been drawn in the Department's Circular 7/65 to the importance of giving children such understanding; there are many ways in which teachers can do this in the normal course of their teaching.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to train teachers for the purpose of instruction in schools and adult educational institutions in good race relations.

The Department will have held a total of 15 short courses in this field during the period 1962–66, catering for nearly 800 teachers and lecturers. The courses are designed to help teachers to understand more of other races and countries, and to appreciate the problems of overseas students in this country. Colleges of education include appropriate references to race relations in their courses of initial training. Some colleges and also institutes of education are running, for experienced teachers, courses which are particularly concerned with the problems of immigrant children; Circular 7/65 encouraged them and local authorities to extend their activities in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new schools it is expected will be built in the county borough of Huddersfield by 1971; and if he is satisfied that this will be sufficient to meet the increasing school population.

There are no new schools at present under construction in Huddersfield but three replacement projects are included in current programmes. When the Authority comes to submit proposals for the rest of 1967–68 and subsequent programmes, the case for additional accommodation to meet any prospective increase in school population will be fully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of medical schools in Great Britain; what steps are being taken to enlarge the schools; and how many people known to his department are waiting for vacancies.

There are 26 institutions in Great Britain that provide training for undergraduate medical students. The University Grants Committee are making provision for building work to be started in the remainder of this financial year and the years 1966–67 and 1967–68 which will, it is estimated, increase the number of pre-clinical student places by 500, thus adding 250 to the annual student entry. The Department has no information about the number of people awaiting vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about Government assistance to the Tate Gallery towards the recent purchase of the painting, Satan, Sin and Death, by Hogarth.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that Parliament should be invited to approve a special grant of £7,500 towards the purchase of this picture and a special advance of the same sum against next year's purchase grant. A Supplementary Estimate will be laid before Parliament shortly. Meanwhile the money will be advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's proposals for Latin American studies in the universities, following the recommendations of the Parry Committee's Report.

Yes. I have approved additional recurrent grants of £32,000 and £100,750 for the academic years 1965–66 and 1966–67 respectively for allocation by the university grants Committee to the universities of Cambridge, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Oxford, which are planning to develop centres of Latin America studies, following the recommendations of the Parry Report. Support for Latin American studies in subsequent years will be considered in the context of the settlement of recurrent grant for the next quinquennium. In addition about ten major State studentships are to be earmarked in the Department's scheme each year for postgraduate students in Latin American studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made by local education authorities and district councils in implementing the advice and recommendations contained in Circular 11/64 which urged the integration of sports and physical education facilities and their more extensive use by the community at large.

There have been encouraging examples of joint planning for the school and the community, and dual use of facilities is increasing. The regional sports councils which I have recently set up will take a close interest in these developments and will stimulate further progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the Oil Heaters Regulations, 1962, to include oil heaters irrespective of the date of manufacture and thus make illegal the sale of all second hand oil heaters which do not conform to the Regulations.

Yes. Amending regulations will be laid before the House shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that those committing acts of vandalism to public property are made to pay for the damage they cause.

Magistrates' courts already have power to order an offender to pay compensation up to £100 for malicious damage. Additional powers proposed in the Criminal Law Bill at present before the House will enable all criminal courts to order compensation up to £400 for damage arising from any indictable offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the new dangers that have arisen, he is satisfied with the state of security at Durham Prison; and if he will make a statement.

No new dangers have arisen. It was thought that an armed rescue of some of the prisoners involved in the mail train robbery might be attempted at Durham Prison, and to guard against this possibility an armed militairy piquet was provided. The prisoners have now been transferred to the new special security wing at Parkhurst where security measures not involving the use of troops are in operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Durham county on the risk of bombs, tanks and atomic weapons being used to free the train robbers from Durham Prison; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Park) on 9th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 16 years were known to the police to be victims of murder or of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in 1938, in 1948, and in 1951 and each succeeding year.

The statistics of offences of murder, or manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, known to the police do not give the number of victims under 16 years of age; the number of victims under 15 years of age is given in the table below. The figures for 1938 are no longer available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now appoint liaison officers from qualified applicants who were themselves immigrants, to assist immigration officers at the main airports and ports of entry into the United Kingdom.

No. All necessary assistance over language difficulties is already provided by the employment of skilled interpreters; and a passenger who wishes to seek legal advice or the assistance of a friend or his country's representatives is free to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will provide capital grants as well as contributions to recurrent expenditure for the purpose of establishing hostels for discharged prisoners.

My right hon. Friend is at present paying grants towards the running costs of after-care hostels. Whether additional financial support, and if so in what form, should be given to voluntary after-care hostels is one of the matters under review by the working party appointed, under the chairmanship of the Dowager Marchioness of Reading. The working party is considering what contribution voluntary effort could make to the after-care of discharged offenders and will advise what particular projects should be considered for assistance from public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, since approximately half of all homes already have one or more electric blankets, he will now make a regulation under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961, covering all electric blankets, having regard to the facts, firstly, that some 10 per cent. of electric blankets sold do not conform to the British Standard and, secondly, that in any case the British Standard does not require that all electric blankets should be made of non-inflammable material, that they should all have a safety device to operate in the event of over-heating or an electrical failure, and that their servicing be carried out only by approved establishments.

The present British Standard requires electric blankets either to be constructed of materials which are slow-burning or to be provided with an automatic protective device; protection against overheating is ensured by the limitations placed on wattage and temperature and by other constructional requirements; and the detailed instructions which must be attached to each blanket warn the customer to return the blanket regularly to the manufacturers for inspection and, if necessary, for repair. These requirements ensure a high degree of safety. The fact that some blankets do not carry the "kite-mark" of the British Standards Institution does not mean that they are necessarily unsafe. My right hon. Friend will continue to keep the possible need for Regulations under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making for setting up a consultative committee relating to the hackney carriage and private hire trades; and if this committee will be confined to the London area, or extended to major provincial cities.

After discussion with representatives of all sections of the London cab trade my right hon. Friend has agreed to set up a consultative committee, under Home Office chairmanship, at which matters of law and general policy of concern to the trade may be considered. The committee will not extend to the private hire or provincial cab trades, for which my right hon. Friend has no comparable responsibilities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make special provisions or exemptions in connection with the Burntwood Parish Council's proposed development of a sports field, in view of its substantial intake of overspill population and other development.

No. Public expenditure has to be kept within limits, and desirable though I am sure they are this swimming pool and parish hall cannot be accorded a high priority among the many projects of this kind which local authorities are anxious to promote.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what tests he uses, and what standard he applies, in deciding whether a solid manufactured fuel should be declared an authorised fuel for the purposes of the Clean Air Act, 1956.

It has hitherto been necessary, in the absence of any recognised test or standard, to apply ad hoc tests to ensure that fuels were substantially smokeless. After consulting the Clean Air Council, my right hon. Friend has decided to adopt the British Standards Institution's method of measuring smoke from manufactured solid fuels for domestic open fires, set out in B.S. 3841: 1965, and to accept the standard of smokelessness recommended by the Institution. This is that the smoke emission, measured by the British Standards method, should not exceed 5 grammes of smoke per hour, i.e. about 20 per cent. of the amount of smoke emitted by bituminous coal under the same conditions. All the manufactured solid smokeless fuels which have so far been authorised comply with this standard.

asked the Minister of Labour what consideration has been given to encouraging the three-shift system in British industry as a means of reducing industrial costs; and if he will make a statement.

The question of shift working has been discussed on the National Economic Development Council and on the National Joint Advisory Council. Following these discussions, it was agreed that the Ministry of Labour should make a number of case studies in individual firms of the practical problems of introducing shift working. I hope these will help managements and unions to cope with the practical difficulties they have to deal with.

asked the Minister of Labour how many young persons entered employment in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in 1965; and how this compares with 1964.

During 1965, 58,016 young persons entered employment in the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Region compared with 63,603 in 1964. The Ministry of Labour Region as constituted up to 1st April, 1965 comprised the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire, the City of York, and Lincolnshire. Both figures relate to that area.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware of the 10 per cent. increase in small consignments on passenger and goods trains and the 5 per cent. on the wagon load by merchandise trains recently announced by the Scottish Region of British Railways; whether she is satisfied that these increases are in line with the incomes and prices policy or the policy for spreading industry and trade to the underdeveloped parts of Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

These increased charges are not confined to the Scottish Region. Certain general increases in rates and charges were needed because the Railways Board could not absorb the whole of their increased staff costs. We are satisfied that these increases are necessary if the Railways Board are to discharge their statutory financial duty and that they do not conflict either with the prices and incomes policy or with the Government's plans for expansion of the Scottish economy.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if she will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board, to take out insurance cover on behalf of the crews and passengers on pasenger trains carrying gold bullion, who may be injured in the event of an attempted robbery;(2) if she will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board to cease their practice of carrying gold bullion by passenger train;(3) if she will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board to pay additional remuneration to the crews of trains carrying gold bullion.

These are matters of management for the British Railways Board. A direction would not be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Transport when she proposes to publish the Side Roads Order in respect of the Helsby-Frodsham bypass section of the North Cheshire motorway, the draft scheme for which was published on 24th December, 1965.

By the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Transport how much of the £150 million to be spent on classified road schemes in 1969–70 will be spent in London; how much in other large conurbations; and how many conurbations are included.

About £38 million in London and £59 million in the other five conurbations.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will issue loan sanction and grant to the Bristol City Council for the construction of a pedestrian footbridge across Filton Road at Monks Park School.

The city council has not asked us for loan sanction. Grant was issued on 3rd February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the supply of Maritime Comet aircraft to South Africa.

There has been no inquiry from South Africa in regard to this aircraft, so the question does not arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that there is an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease which has reached Russia from Asia, that the virus is a new type, and that facilities for manufacturing the new vaccine are below requirements in Western Europe; and whether he will make inquiries through the Food and Agriculture Organisation about possible assistance from the United Kingdom.

I am aware of the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in Russia: the type of virus is the same as that found in Turkey about a year ago, but we are informed that no cases are occurring near the Western borders of Russia.We have already contributed to the F.A.O. Fund to prevent the spread of new types of foot-and-mouth disease into South Eastern Europe from Turkey and supplies of vaccine for this purpose have already been manufactured in this country. Similar facilities for further manufacture are available if necessary.A request from F.A.O. for further financial assistance has recently been received and is being examined.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many New Forest ponies have been exported during 12 months to the latest convenient date to meet the demand for horse flesh on the Continent; what representations have been made to him; and what steps he proposes to take to prohibit this export trade.

Representations have been made from time to time that consignments of ponies exported from this country to the Continent have been slaughtered for horseflesh. Careful investigations have revealed no evidence to substantiate these statements. The final part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in how many cases since 17th November, 1965,

FARM IMPROVEMENT SCHEME
		England and Wales	Northern Ireland	Scotland	United Kingdom
Quarter ended 31st March, 1965—
Number approved	…	4,638	2,599	983	8,220
*Approved cost	…	£5,108,871	£1,226,495	£872,857	£7,208,223
Quarter ended 30th June, 1965—
Number approved	…	6,341	2,715	1,209	10,265
*Approved cost	…	£8,713,372	£1,334,200	£1,361,574	£11,409,146
Quarter ended 30th September, 1965—
Number approved	…	7,045	2,468	1,546	11,059
*Approved cost	…	£8,242,979	£1,362,206	£1,610,089	£11,215,274
Quarter ended 31st December, 1965—
Number approved	…	4,228	2,119	1,209	7,556
*Approved cost	…	£4,620,299	£1,087,155	£1,305,911	£7,013,365
* These columns show the gross approved cost of the improvements; the grant payable would be one-third of these amounts.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the value of British exports of guided weapons in the years 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965.

The annual value of guided weapon exports from this country has been as follows:

	Million
1962	£1·7
1963	£2·1
1964	£11
1965	£9

Separate figures are not available for associated grounds electronics equipment but it is estimated that these would add about 40 per cent. to the figures given above.

Since 17th November, 1965, and up to 31st January, 1966, written agreement to a start of work under the new farm improvement scheme has been given in 625 cases, as follows:

England and Wales	496
N. Ireland	20
Scotland	109
United Kingdom	625

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the number and total value of grants under the farm improvement scheme which were approved in each of the three-month periods ending respectively on 31st March, 1965, 30th June, 1965, 30th September, 1965, and 31st December, 1965.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many political prisoners are held in British Guiana; what steps have been taken to ensure that Independence Day will not sharpen the racial divisions to the point of riot; and, in view of the uncertainty in this respect, if she will postpone the date of independence in order that an all-party agreement on the Constitution can be pursued.

None; those detained are held solely in the interests of public safety and order. I have no reason to suppose that independence will sharpen racial division. The answer to the last part of the Question is No. All parties represented in the Legislature were invited to the Constitutional Conference held last November.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies why, and for what payment by Her Majesty's Government, vehicles belonging to the charitable organisation. War on Want, were used in connection with setting up the British Broadcasting Corporation's medium wave transmitter at Francistown.

I understand that all Government lorries were in use transporting food to famine areas; that a lorry was required for the transport of equipment to the Relay Station; and that War on Want lent free of charge one lorry which was not otherwise required for use at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what is the present situation about Bailey, Malta, Limited; and what compensation has been paid to this company.

I would refer to the statement made to the House by my predecessor on 14th February, 1963. The situation remains substantially unchanged. The Council of Administration is exercising most of the functions of the Board of Bailey (Malta) Limited, these functions having been transferred to them by an act of the Malta Legislature. The dockyard, under the name of Malta Drydocks, is operating as a commercial ship repair yard under the local management of Messrs. Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson. At the request of the directors of Bailey (Malta) Limited, discussions have taken place between their solicitors and Treasury Solicitor. As these are still in being, I think it would not be proper for me to comment.No question of compensation to Bailey (Malta) Limited has arisen.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Stroud may expect a reply to his letter about investment allowances on mini-vans, dated 23rd November, 1965.

I am sorry that the hon. Member has had to wait so long without a reply and I have written to him explaining the reason for the delay.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of the Post Office Savings Bank Fund held in War Loan and in other securities for which no redemption date has been fixed.

3·5 per cent. and 5·9 per cent., respectively, on the basis of market values.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will state the original cost of securities held for and on behalf of the Post Office Savings Bank Fund, and their value as at 31st December, 1965, or the nearest most convenient date;(2) if he will state the total sum written off the capital value of the Post Office Savings Bank Fund, and indicate how this is calculated.

The accounts are not in a form which can provide all the information in precisely the way sought by the hon. Member. The original cost of securities still held is not available. Nor is there specific provision for writing off capital, though part of the surplus of the Fund is re-invested as a general provision against depreciation in the value of securities. There is of course a Consolidated Fund guarantee to meet the claims of all depositors. The main relevant figures at 31st December, 1965 were—

	£ million
Nominal value of securities held	2046.6
Book value	1856·9
Market value	1662·7
Liabilities to depositors	1821·7 (estimated)

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will tabulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT how much aid was given by Great Britain in 1965, and the previous two years to underdeveloped countries in the Commonwealth, all underdeveloped countries, all Commonwealth countries, and all countries,

£million
		1963
		Financial Aid		Technical Assistance
		Grants	Loans		Total
Commonwealth Countries	…	39·5	57·6 (*)	22·5 (1)	119·6
Foreign Countries	…	6·4	11·9	1·3	19·5
Total Commonwealth and Foreign Countries	…	45·9	69·5	23·7 (2)	139·2 (2)
		1964
Commonwealth Countries	…	47·5	82·8 (*)	23·4 (1)	153·7
Foreign Countries	…	8·1	9·6	1·8	19·5
Total Commonwealth and Foreign Countries	…	55·5 (2)	92·4	25·2	173·2 (2)
		1965(*)
Commonwealth Countries	…	52·1	71 (*)	28·6 (1)	151·7 (2)
Foreign Countries	…	5·8	121	2·7	20·6
Total Commonwealth and Foreign Countries	…	58·0(2)	83·1(2)	31·3	172·3(2)
Notes:
1—(*) Provisional.
(1) Includes Exchequer advances to the Commonwealth Development Corporation but not total overseas investment by the Corporation.
(2) Includes loans of £0·2 million in 1963; £0·1 million in 1964 and £0·1 million in 1965.
2—Totals do not add exactly owing to rounding.

Multilateral contributions were respectively £20·9 million, £18·4 million and £21 million but it is not possible to say what proportions of these went to developing countries in the Commonwealth and to others. The total figures were therefore £160·1 million in 1963, £191·6 million in 1964 and £193·3 million (provisional) in 1965. The last

I am concerned only with economic aid to developing countries. Bilateral disbursements (including Exchequer advances to, but not total overseas investment by the Commonwealth Development Corporation) in the past three years have been as follows:is a revision of the figure which I gave in my reply on 8th February to the hon. Member for Surbiton and the hon. Member, and which I explained at the time was a purely provisional figure. I am very pleased that the still provisional figures for 1965 should indicate a continuing upward trend in total disbursements on overseas aid.