asked the Minister of Labour how many hours were lost by those participating in strikes or laid off in consequence during 1965; and what were the comparable figures for 1964 and 1963.

It is estimated that about 2,933,000 working days were lost in 1965 in stoppages of work due to industrial disputes. The corresponding figures for 1964 and 1963 were about 2,277,000 and about 1,755,000, respectively. All the figures relate to the establishments where the disputes occurred.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that certain trade unions are prevented by law from investing funds in shipyard projects; and if he will seek to amend the law to permit those unions who wish to invest a limited sum in such projects to do so.

No. The law does not prevent trade unions from investing their funds in shipyard projects if their rules allow it.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to increase the degree of supervision of trade union rules that can be exercised by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.

No. This possibility will no doubt be examined by the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations.

asked the Minister of Labour how many amalgamations have taken place between trade unions since the passing of the Trade Union (Amalgamations) Act 1964; and whether he is satisfied with the working of the Act.

One amalgamation and 10 transfers of engagements have so far been registered. It is too early to assess the effect of the Act but the total number of amalgamations and transfers registered is considerably higher than in the corresponding period before the Act came into force.

asked the Minister of Labour how many training places there were in Government training centres at the end of 1965; and when further in creases in the number of such places are expected to take place.

On 13th December, 1965, there were 5,754 training places in Government Training Centres. I estimate that there will be about 7,000 places by the end of this year and about 8,000 by the end of 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour in how many cases, and to what extent, the development or expansion of training centres has been curtailed or restricted because of trade union unwillingness to allow the employment as skilled men of persons retrained in such centres.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Bebington (Mr. Howe) on 14th February.

asked the Minister of Labour what investigation has been made of the risk to workers processing reclaimed rubber made from imported articles made from suspected anti-oxidants; and if he will make a statement.

The Factory Inspectorate's investigations show that it is very difficult to obtain reliable information as to whether imported rubber articles had contained carcinogenic anti-oxidants, and it is not certain whether anti-oxidants persist in rubber articles by the time they come up for reclamation. The Factory Inspectorate is therefore pursuing with the industry the possibility of developing a chemical test for a wide range of carcinogenic substances which can be used to establish the presence of such substances in rubber.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 30,000 engineering companies allocated to the Engineering Industry Training Board returned forms S2 and S3 to the Board before the closing date of 15th December; and how many remained outstanding at 31st January, 1966.

I am informed by the Engineering Industrial Training Board that by 15th December 3,144 forms S2 had been returned and slightly fewer forms S3. I regret that information is not available about numbers outstanding on 31st January, but by then 6,379 forms S2 had been returned which the Board estimates cover some 18,000 establishments.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will have a survey taken to show what proportion of university graduates who enter the trainee schemes of British industry leave before completing the training.

No. While it would be interesting to have this information I do not think a special survey would be justified.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the average weekly earnings, the average hours worked and the average hourly earnings in manufacturing industries in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at April 1965; and how these figures compare with those for the United Kingdom.

For Yorkshire and Humberside (which replaced the former Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region on 1st April, 1965) the figures for adult men were £18 5s. 8d., 47·6 and 92·2d. respectively, compared with £19 8s. 10d., 46·7 and 99·9d. for the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made with the establishment of a man-made fibres-producing industry training board.

I have today laid an Order establishing this Board to take effect from 23rd February. The following have accepted my invitation to become Members of the Board.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will place in the Library a copy of the statement he made and of the undertakings he gave to the unions he met during the recent talks on the pay and conditions of railway workers; to which unions the statements were made and the undertakings given; and if they were all repeated by him to the Trades Union Congress.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the reply being given today by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State to the Question on this subject addressed to him.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the average weekly household income for the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire for the three-year period 1962–64; and how it compares with that for the United Kingdom.

The average of 407 shillings for the East and West Ridings compares with 442 shillings for the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied that the number of factory inspectors is

asked the Minister of Labour how many employed and unemployed workers, male and female, registered at the employment exchanges in Montgomeryshire during mid-1965.

Local employment estimates for mid-1965 should be available at about the end of March when I will write to the hon. and learned Member. The following table gives the information about unemployment:adequate; and if he will take steps to increase it.

I am, at the moment, considering the need for a revision of the present cadre in the light of possible future developments.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications by United Kingdom employers for class A work vouchers under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act have had consideration postponed and been put on a waiting list since the introduction of the ceiling quota in the White Paper on Immigration from the Commonwealth; what were the unfilled vacancies involved; and what is the expected waiting period before such applications can be met.

The answer to the first part of the Question is approximately 6,500; to the second that the information is not available; and to the third that the waiting period varies from case to case.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will reconsider her decision in the case of Mrs. Rachel Lloyd, of 10 Mill Road, Tongwynlais, near Cardiff, which has been the subject of recent correspondence between the hon. Member for Barry and her Department.

As I have explained to the hon. Member, death benefit cannot be paid to Mrs. Lloyd under the Pneumoconiosis and Byssinosis Benefit Scheme as the Industrial Injuries Commissioner has decided that her husband's death was not due to pneumoconiosis. The Commissioner is the highest of the independent statutory authorities appointed to decide this question, and my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene in his decision.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National In surance if she is aware that increased transport fares press hardly on retirement pensioners and unemployed persons, respectively, who have to travel from out lying parts of Scotland to collect their pensions and to register, sign on and receive benefit, respectively; and what steps she will take to reimburse them for expenses thus incurred.

I have no evidence that the arrangements for cashing retirement pensions are causing hardship.Attendance at employment exchanges is not obligatory for any unemployment benefit claimant living over six miles from an employment exchange or for any other claimant for whom such attendance would entail hardship.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what were the numbers of persons employed on the staff of her Department on 1st October 1964 and 1st February 1966.

39, 310 and 39, 966 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health in how many United Kingdom hospitals there are superintendent physicians or medical superindents or persons with similar designations; and in how many hopitals such a post is now unfilled.

This information is not now collected centrally but the number in Great Britain in September 1962 was estimated at about 530. No information is available about vacant posts.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to ensure that in future the death or retirement of a superintendent physician or medical superintendent shall be followed by the appointment of a successor to such a post.

No. This is a matter for Hospital Boards to decide in consultation with their medical advisers and with Hospital Management Committees concerned.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken by his Department to get standardisation in the building of hospitals, especially in the field of industrialised methods of building.

All hospital design is now based on standard dimensions, which also govern the design of a number of standard building components now available on a bulk manufacture basis. Seven major system builders are adapting their systems to hospital needs, and so far two of them have been awarded construction contracts. Three complete new hospitals have been deliberately designed to accommodate maximum pre-fabrication, and two of these are at the tender stage.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will implement the recommendations of the Platt Committee on the reform of nursing education.

I have consulted a number of organisations who have expressed varying views about the Report's proposals. I am now arranging a discussion between my officers and the General Nursing Council, who are statutorily responsible for nurse training and who have already expressed a critical view of some aspects of the Report.

asked the Minister of Health why Mr. Arthur Miller, the United States playwright, was admitted to Brighton General Hospital when he had a contagious disease, jaundice, and should have been sent to the Brighton Isolation Hospital.

I am advised that Mr. Arthur Miller was properly admitted to Brighton General Hospital.

asked the Minister of Health when the plans will be completed for the new teaching hospital and medical school at Nottingham; and when he expects the first 100 students will commence their first year.

It is too early yet to say. Planning is however making good progress.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has to increase financial assistance to the hospitals in the North-West, especially Merseyside, as against London and the South-East.

The aim in allocating resources for hospitals is to achieve an equally good service in all regions. With this aim allocations for running costs have been weighted in favour of hospital boards in the North-West, among others. The capital allocations for building are now under review.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost of a patient per bed in the London area, as against the cost per patient per bed in Liverpool; and what are the reasons for the difference.

Details for 1964–65 of the costs per in-patient per week and per in-patient treated, by hospital types, for the areas of the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board and the four Metropolitan Regional Hospital Boards, are given in Appendices 2 and 3 of Part I of the published Hospital Costing Returns.The reasons for the differences, which are a good deal less than they were, are partly historical and partly traditional and reflect, for example, differences in the hospital services inherited by the National Health Service and the ratios of beds to population and differences in length of stay in hospital. The running costs of the London hospitals are affected by the higher wage rates payable to certain employees.

asked the Minister of Health why completion of the new hospital at Lindley, Huddersfield, has been delayed two months; and if he will make a statement.

Under the terms of the contract the contractor is entitled to seek a postponement of the completion date where this is necessary because of unforeseen delays due to labour or supply difficulties or inclement weather. The delay in this scheme, arising from a combination of these factors, is not excessive for a contract of over two million pounds.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set up emergency casualty hospitals along the motorways.

No. Hospital Boards have been asked to plan their accident and emergency services in accordance with the recommendations of my Standing Medical Advisory Committee's Sub-Committee on Accident and Emergency Services, which envisaged accident and emergency units forming part of a general hospital, ready to deal immediately with major injuries and other emergencies at any time. In planning such units I have no doubt Hospital Boards will have regard to the volume of accidents that may arise on motorways. Boards already have special plans for dealing with major accidents involving numerous casualties.

asked the Minister of Health what action he will take on the bed and staff situation at the Stockport Infirmary and the Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport.

Plans for increasing the number of hospital beds to serve the Stockport area are under consideration in the current review of the hospital building; programme. I am aware that there has been some difficulty in filling certain medical posts but I have no doubt that the Board and Hospital Management Committee can be relied on to take all possible action to deal with these difficulties and any other staffing problems which may arise.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give figures relating to the staffing situation at hospitals in the Stockport area for consultant, medical, nursing and other staffs; and how these compare with the rest of the Manchester Regional Board.

Figures of staff in post on the latest dates for which information is available are given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Health what are the figures for live births in hospitals in the Stockport area; how these compare with the rest of the Manchester Regional Board area; and what action he will take to improve conditions for maternity cases.

In 1964, 59 per cent. of the live births in the Stockport County Borough area took place in hospitals. The proportion for the Manchester Hospital Region as a whole was 70 per cent. Fifty-six per cent. and 68 per cent. respectively were in National Health Service Hospitals. A new maternity unit of 120 beds at Stepping Hill Hospital is planned to start next year.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to induce general practitioners to develop the appointments system in Liverpool; and what success has been achieved to date.

Appointments systems have been commended to family doctors generally, but have been little adopted in Liverpool. Their development should, however, be encouraged here and elsewhere by the introduction of the new contract which I hope will soon be offered to family doctors, and which provides in particular for direct payments in respect of the salaries of the staff needed for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers of persons employed on the staff of his Department on 1st October 1964 and 1st February 1966.

asked the Minister of Health on what date the committee investigating the ambulance service first met; how many meetings have been held since then; what has been the average attendance of the members; what difficulties have caused delay in the preparation of their report; why these difficulties could not have been avoided; and why his Department informed the hon. Member for Barking, in September 1965, that this report would be published in a very few weeks.

The Working Party on Ambulance Training and Equipment first met on 4th October, 1963. There have been 17 meetings since then, 14 of which lasted all day; and the average attendance was 12 out of 16 members. I understand that the reconciliation of differences of view within the Working Party took some time. According to my information the period mentioned to my hon. Friend in September related to the expected submission of the Report on training and not to its publication. The Report was received on 3rd November, 1965.

asked the Minister of Health when the report of the standing medical committee set up to investigate treatment and diagnosis of spina bifida cases, among other items, can be expected.

I hope this report will be published by the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Health if he will receive representatives of the Dental Laboratories Association to discuss dental laboratory pay and conditions in order to prevent a possible breakdown of the National Health Prosthetic Service.

It would not be appropriate for me to receive a deputation from this Association, since the pay and conditions in commercial dental laboratories are not within my response- bilities. I have no evidence to support the implication of the last part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health if he will permit local health authorities to undertake pathological work in connection with cervical cancer; and if he will send a circular to local authorities, indicating his willingness to give formal approval to councils providing a cervical screening service as part of their preventive health measures under the National Health Service Act 1964.

I am advised that pathological work in connection with cervical cancer is best undertaken in hospital laboratories under consultant supervision. I have already approved many proposals for the provision of a screening service for cervical cancer by local health authorities and am considering the issue of a circular on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers and airmen are now absent without leave from stations in Zambia, Swaziland and Bechuanaland.

Three airmen and six soldiers are now absent without leave for periods of more than 24 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has issued to officers commanding troops in Zambia, Swaziland, and Bechuanaland regarding their giving to their troops information as to possible rôles for those forces; and what special undertakings regarding willingness to serve have been required of officers or men serving in those areas.

No special instructions have been given or undertakings required. Commanding officers have as usual briefed their units on the purposes of their deployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the annual cost of the crews of Royal Fleet auxiliaries at the British base at Aden;(2) what is the total annual cost of the crews of Royal Fleet auxiliaries at the British base in Singapore.

There are no Royal Fleet Auxiliaries permanently based at Aden. Three Royal Fleet Auxiliaries are permanently based at Singapore and the total annual cost of their crews is £125,000. There are a number of other Royal Fleet Auxiliaries operating in Far Eastern and Middle Eastern waters, which, like Her Majesty's Ships, are deployed wherever we need them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to Great Britain during the year 1964–65 of the purchase of weapons and military equipment of all kinds from abroad.

£37 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a Statement on the order of Tigercat ground-to-air missiles for the Royal Air Force Regiment.

A limited number of Tigercat fire units are to be ordered for the Royal Air Force Regiment to meet an early operational requirement for a readily air-portable means of defence against low level air attacks.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent so far at Diego Garcia and Aldabra, respectively, on defence installations; and what has been installed.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to ensure an adequate water supply at Diego Garcia and Aldabra.

None; but in the initial surveys of the islands this was, of course, one of the subjects of examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service men, and of which Services, are at present stationed at Diego Garcia and Aldabra.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing the total strength of the Territorial Army, and the number of recruits and resignations, for each month of 1965 and on the latest date for which figures are available.

Yes. The figures, which include the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve, are:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many admirals there are on the active list.

Seventy-five admirals (including vice and rear-admirals) not counting two on terminal leave.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of reinforcements that would be required to bring all units of the Regular Army at present serving in the British Army of the Rhine up to their war establishment.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Written Answer to him of 22nd December, 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will make a statement on her consultations with the British Motor Corporation about an alleged defect in a steering part of their 1100 and Mini models.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 18th February.

asked the Minister of Transport what evidence she has accumulated of steering component defects, which could be a danger to safety, in British Motor Corporation Mini and 1100 c.c.-model cars.

Since 22nd February, 1964, my Department has investigated 8 reports in which the front wheel drive constant velocity joint of a British Motor Corporation vehicle had been found defective. Six of the vehicles concerned had not been involved in an accident, but had been the subject of complaint by their drivers; and the other 2 had been involved in fatal accidents. A further 14 reports have been investigated of fatal accidents in which cars with such joints were involved. None of the reports involving accidents has justified a conclusion that the accident was caused by a deficiency in the steering components.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals she has to make the crossroads at Cambridge on A.38 safer for pedestrians; whether she is aware that a footbridge is unsuitable for elderly people and for perambulators; and what further proposals for a central sanctuary she has.

My engineers consider that a central refuge would not be satisfactory. They are discussing the provision of a footbridge with ramps for elderly people and perambulators, with the Gloucestershire County Council, the agent authority.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware that the stretch of A.38 between Cambridge and Gossington Bridge is exceptionally dangerous; how many accidents, fatal and otherwise, there have been on this stretch of road in each of the last five calendar years; and what further proposals she has for improving the safety of this road.

Accidents recorded for the past five years between north of Cambridge and Gossington Bridge are:

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware of the number of road accidents that are occurring at the Willenhall, Coventry, roundabout on the A.45; and what proposals she has for improving the road camber and increasing the road safety measures at this roundabout.

Accidents at the Willenhall roundabout seem to be due mainly to excessive speed, and the provision of further traffic signs and road markings at its approaches is in hand. It would not be practicable to alter the road camber.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will take steps to ensure that the whole cost of road improvements, made necessary as a result of rail closures decided upon by the Government, is borne by the Exchequer.

No. Such road improvements normally benefit road users in general, and the normal rate of grant is appropriate.

asked the Minister of Transport what experiments with white passing lines are being carried out other than on the A.4 west of Reading; when she will evaluate the results from them; and if she will issue instructions for white passing lines to be used on the A.38 between Bristol and Gloucester.

Trials with offset double white lines are being carried out on the following roads:—A.1 Chester-le-Street to Durham (4¼ miles).A.1 Rushyford to Darlington By-pass (4 miles).A.1 Blyth to Checkerhouse (5 miles).A.1 Northwards from the northern end of Stamford By-Pass (7½ miles).A.6 Westmorland boundary to Skew Bridge (2½ miles).A.4 Calcott to Theale (2¼ miles).A.259 Buckle By-Pass near Newhaven (½ mile).Except for the sections on A.4 and A.259, these are straight lengths of road.I hope to make a statement on the results of the experiments before the Summer Recess. I will then consider whether the lines should be used on A.38 but, as was said in Answer to the hon. Member on 15th February, reports received so far suggest that the use of the lines would not add to safety on winding roads like the A.38.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if she will give details of the studies which have been made or are at present being made by her Department or under her auspices to assess the results of the 70 miles per hour speed limit experiment in relation to different classes and types of road, for example, motorways, dual carriageways, three-line and two-line single carriageways;(2) whether, in connection with the experimental 70 miles per hour limit, she will give particulars of the steps which are being taken to take account, when analysing the results of the experiment, of the actual weather conditions in the period involved.(3) if she will summarise the most up-to-date data she has obtained from France, Germany and the United States of America as to the effects on road safety of imposing a speed limit of 70 miles per hour or less on main roads;(4) whether she will provide details of the statistics with which it is intended to compare results of the 70 miles per hour speed limit experiment;(5) whether she will give details of the studies made by her Department or the Road Research Laboratory to establish bases of comparison and details of any statistics obtained with regard to the value of the 70 miles per hour safety limit;(6) whether, in connection with the experimental 70 miles per hour speed limit, she will give particulars of steps which are being taken to assess the effect of the experimental limit on traffic flow;(7) if she will give detailed information as to the steps which are being taken to establish evidence as to the effect of the 70 miles per hour speed limit experiment on traffic behaviour on the various types of road affected, such as the tendency for drivers who would not otherwise have travelled as fast to drive up to the full limit, any increase there has been in accidents during overtaking, and the extent to which the imposition of such a limit provokes a tendency for traffic to bunch up.

I have written to the hon. Member, sending him details of the arrangements for assessing the results of the present experiment. In brief, my right hon. Friend shall receive a preliminary assessment from the Road Research Laboratory in March, and additional information will be supplied at the same time by the Police. The views will also be sought of representative bodies, including the motoring organisations, who have agreed to give us information based on their patrols' assessment of driver behaviour. A full R.R.L. report will be published later in the summer.The assessment will take weather conditions into account as far as possible, and also traffic flow and driver behaviour. It will cover different classes of road as well as motorways. It would be misleading to publish interim statistics; comparisons will, however, be made of accidents, casualties and speeds before and after the imposition of the experimental speed limit.Information from abroad on speed limits is contained in a number of publications, notably the following:—

asked the Minister of Transport (1) why her proposal to close the Grimsby-Louth line for passenger traffic was sent only to the postal authorities, and not to the local government authorities who are unanimously against the closing of this line; why her predecessor's decision not to close this line has been altered; and if she will make a statement;(2) what information she has about the estimated loss per annum on the Grimsby-Louth-Firsby line and how much more passenger and freight would be required to meet this deficit; why further operational savings cannot be made; and, in view of local opposition to the closing of this line, if she will receive a deputation before a final decision is reached.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension.Proposals for closing rail passenger services are made by the Railways Board and not by me. Freight operation is a matter entirely for the Board.My predecessor asked the Board to revise their proposals for closing passenger services in East Lincolnshire. I understand that the Board's re-examination has involved certain local enquiries, including those made to postal authorities.Until I receive the revised proposals I do not know what the operational or financial implications may be.I am always willing to receive hon. Members about closure proposals affecting their constituents.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board to give protection to retired railwaymen with long service who are forced to leave their railway houses.

No. The Board's tenants are protected by the general law governing relations between landlord and tenant.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will place in the Library a copy of the statements she made and the undertakings she gave to the unions she met during the recent talks on the pay and conditions of railway workers; to which unions the statements were made and the undertakings given; and if they were all repeated by her to the Trades Union Congress.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer being given today by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State to the hon. Member's Question on this subject addressed to him.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the tonnage of pigmeat produced in the United Kingdom in 1965, the expected tonnage for 1966, and the forecast for 1970 inferred in section 1 of Part II of the National Plan.

United Kingdom commercial production of pigmeat rose from 818,000 tons in 1964 to a record level of 890,000 in 1965. Production during 1966 is expected to show some decrease. In Part II of the National Plan, the agricultural industry has estimated that, taking account of the expected growth in demand, it would be technically possible to increase the output of pigmeat by 125,000 tons between 1964 and 1970; while in Part I the Government state that pigmeat can make a substantial contribution to our increasing requirements consistently with our commitments to our overseas suppliers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what form of incentives to encourage investment in agricultural equipment will be given to replace the investment allowances which ended on 17th January.

The White Paper on Investment Incentives said that while agriculture, as a key industry, should receive appropriate investment incentives to replace investment allowances, the arrangements proposed for manufacturing industries would not be suitable. Those arrangements concentrate investment grants on plant and machinery to the exclusion, for example, of buildings. The Government therefore proposed that special arrangements appropriate for agriculture and horticulture should be worked out in consultation with the leaders of the industry which we regarded as very necessary in order that their views could be obtained. These consultations have been completed in the short period of four weeks since 17th January, and I am glad to say that the National Farmers' Union and the Scottish and Ulster Farmers' Unions, the Country Landowners Association and the Scottish Landowners Federation have agreed in principle with the following arrangements.As regards items eligible for grant under the Farm Improvement Scheme and the Horticulture Improvement Scheme, my agricultural colleagues and I propose to seek legislative authority to add a supplement of 5 per cent. to the 25 per cent. grant in the Farm Improvement Scheme as proposed in the Agriculture Bill at present before the House: and also to the grant of 33⅓ per cent. available under the Horticulture Improvement Scheme. This 5 per cent. supplement will also be available in appropriate cases on work eligible for other grants (e.g. water supply in England and Wales) provided that the total of the basic grant and the supplement could not exceed 50 per cent. These supplements would be available on work for which application for approval of proposals was made from 17th January, 1966.I am also discussing with the Farmers' Unions proposals which will be brought forward in due course for extending the scope of the Horticulture Improvement Scheme.To supplement these existing improvement schemes it is proposed to introduce a new grant at 10 per cent. on investment in farm buildings and other fixed equipment not qualifying for grant under those schemes (or any other grant from the Agricultural Departments). This new grant would be subject to a minimum size of farm business at the lower limit of the Small Farmers Scheme.As regards machinery, it is intended to introduce a grant of 10 per cent. on new tractors and other self propelled machinery used in agriculture and horticulture which are licensed under the Vehicles (Excise) Acts as "agricultural machines" paying duty at an annual rate of £3 15s. It is proposed that this should be paid on new machinery purchased on or after 17th January, 1966, in three annual instalments on production to the Agricultural Departments of the registration book and the receipted purchase bill.Finally, it is proposed to provide that new plant and machinery which does not receive any of the above incentives will receive a 30 per cent. initial allowance in place of the present 10 per cent. Secondhand plant and machinery will continue to receive an initial allowance of 30 per cent. Assets receiving any of the investment grants or supplements will receive no initial allowance.Details of all these proposals are still being worked out and will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the cost at today's prices of building the runway at Christmas Island.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what is the estimated cost of sending a group of actors to Ghana under the auspices of the British Council.

The only group of actors sent to Ghana under the auspices of the British Council was the Nottingham Playhouse Company which visited Ghana in 1963, as part of a tour of Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. On that occasion 16 performances were given in Ghana at a proportionate net cost of £5, 900.A similar tour of West Africa by the Nottingham Playhouse Company was planned to take place early this year, but, owing to political developments in West Africa, was cancelled.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what level of expenditure on the purchase of United States aircraft for defence purposes during the period 1966 to 1971 was assumed in the calculations upon which the National Plan was based.

When the Plan was being prepared the Defence Review was still in progress and the Committee of Inquiry into the Aircraft Industry had not reported. No precise estimates were therefore available for purchases of military aircraft from the United States of America in the period 1966 to 1971; but the import estimate in the balance of payments figures for 1970 in the Plan include an allowance for the purchase of military equipment.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the statement he made and of the undertakings he gave to the unions he met during the recent talks on the pay and conditions of railway workers; to which unions the statements were made and the undertakings given; and if they were all repeated by him to the Trades Union Congress.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "No"; the trade unions represented at recent meetings with Ministers were the National Union of Railwaymen, the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association and the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions; close contact was maintained with the T.U.C. throughout the discussions.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what further progress he has made with his review of the South-East; and when he expects to announce the composition of the South-East Economic Planning Council.

I have now set up the Economic Planning Council for the South-East region with the terms of reference set out in my announcement of 25th February, 1965.The following have accepted my invitation to serve on the South-East Council:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent, in considering the appropriate level of sterling balances in Great Britain, he has taken into account the demand that will be made on them by a Zambian boycott of Rhodesian imports.

Financial as well as other possible repercussions are taken into account when considering any possible developments in the Rhodesian situation. The effect of this particular hypothetical event on the level of sterling balances as a whole, however, is not something that could be foreseen with any certainty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT what figures in the National Plan should be amended, and by what amounts, on account of his recent statement on control of public expenditure

I hope to publish a White Paper in the next few days on public expenditure. This will include information about the effects on public expenditure of my Statements of 27th July, 1965, and 8th February, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis on the establishment for school crossing patrol attendants in Greater London and the number of attendants employed at the present time; and if he is satisfied that the conditions of work and rate of pay are capable of attracting the requisite number of suitable applicants.

The number of school crossing for which patrols are authorised is 1,755. 1,341 patrols are at present employed. The conditions of work are in are main dictated by the nature of the job, but the recent pay rise, coupled with an advertising campaign, has resulted in increased recruitment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to increase pensions to retired police officers; and if he will make a statement.

Retired police officers, like other public servants, are covered by the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1965, which provides, within certain limits, for pensions to be increased with effect from 1st January, 1966.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to receive the Report of the Committee on the Management of Local Government set up in March, 1964, under the chairmanship of Sir John Maud.

I understand that the Committee hopes to complete its main report by the middle of the year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will publish figures showing the local government rate charged per head of the population for England and Wales for each year since 1946.

The following figures show the total annual rate income for England and Wales divided by the relative population. Mainly because of changes from time to time in industrial and commercial rerating, the result cannot be taken as reflecting the trend of domestic rate bills.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will publish figures showing the total revenues of local authorities in England and Wales for each year since 1946, the amounts levied in rates, and the revenues from Government grants.

The following are the figures requested:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will publish figures showing the number of houses under construction in England and Wales at 1st January in each year since 1946, and the number of houses completed in each year since 1946.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Power whether he has agreed to the Gas and Electricity Boards' requests for sanction to pay an equivalent of the Pensions (Increase) Act to their appropriate employees.

Yes.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is satisfied with the quality of the overseas telex service; and what steps he is taking to improve it.

Not altogether. The following measures to improve the service are in hand: more switchboards and circuits are being provided, recruitment is being stepped up, and direct dialling is being extended to other countries as quickly as possible. I expect the service to improve progresively as these measures take effect.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the size of the waiting list for telephones at the Preston exchange.

There is no waiting list for connection to the Preston exchange. There are, of course, some orders under inquiry or in course of being met.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are awaiting telephones in the county of Nottingham; what waiting time is likely; and if he will give details of the programme of work planned for the coming year.

Leaving aside orders being completed or under inquiry, 1,086 applications were delayed at 31st December 1965 because of shortage of exchange equipment. Service is being given or will be given shortly to about three-quarters of these applicants, and all the remainder should have service during this summer.

Hutchison asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks there are in Edinburgh postal districts 9 and 10; and in how many of these the instruments have been damaged by vandalism over the last 12 months.

57: 53 were damaged by vandals during the last twelve months.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that no telephone has yet been installed at Linden House, Parlaunt Park, Slough, and that there are no facilities for any of the 96 tenants of this block of flats to make emergency telephone calls; and whether he will give priority to the installation of a telephone in the caretaker's flat.

There is a public call office about a quarter of a mile from Linden House and another a little further away. A tentative order for two coin box telephones and a telephone in the caretaker's flat was placed last October, but a firm order was not given until 18 February. The telephone for the flat and one coin box will be fitted next week. The second coin box will be provided as soon as practicable.Five subscriber's lines have been ordered for Linden House but I am sorry it will not be possible to provide them until Slough exchange is relieved later this year.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will authorise the installation, in large blocks of flats, of locked coin telephone boxes, keys to which could be provided for the tenants.

Yes. Landlords of large blocks of flats may certainly rent coin box telephones and instal them in lockable cabinets.