asked the Postmaster-General what is the proportion of telephone subscribers in Northern Ireland who were on the subscriber trunk dialling system in 1965; and what additional proportion he estimates will come on to this system in 1966, 1967, and 1968, respectively.

64 per cent. of the telephone subscribers in Northern Ireland had the S.T.D. facility in 1965.I estimate that the additional proportion to have S.T.D. during the next three years will he:—

	Per cent.
1966	7
1967	10
1968	4

asked the Postmaster-General what priority he gives to the erection of public telephone kiosks close to old people's dwellings.

It is our aim to provide at least one kiosk within reasonable distance of every sizeable community.

asked the Postmaster-General how long the two telephone boxes in Melbury Road, Kensington, have been unserviceable; and when they will become usable again.

About three months. They will be repaired as soon as possible, but the present wave of vandalism has caused a national shortage of replacement parts.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the extent of theft from the new subscriber trunk dialling call boxes, he will give details of the steps he has taken to render the apparatus less easy to rob.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give details of the steps his Department are taking in co-operation with the police to combat the increase in telephone vandalism; and if he will make a statement.

The coin boxes are being strengthened in a variety of ways and many other counter-measures are being taken to deter thieves.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made in expanding the inland telephone system to meet the demand for service and for calls.

In the financial year just ending, the Post Office expects to have provided nearly 20 per cent. more new exchange connexions than ever before in one year, and 25 per cent. more lines in the local cable network; and to have handled 16 per cent. more trunk calls and 8 per cent. more local calls than it did last year. A greatly enlarged capital programme has been prepared to handle an even higher level of demand over the next few years.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made to date with the introduction of subscriber trunk dialling throughout the United Kingdom.

During recent years subscriber trunk dialling has been introduced at an average rate of four exchanges per week and the facility is now available to more than four million subscribers—63 per cent. of the total in the United Kingdom.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will revise the scale of charges whereby a 20-second telephone call to Bristol made from a Members' desk room costs a minimum of 4s. by day though the same call can be made for 4d. if the hon. Member walks 100 yards to the subscriber trunk dialling apparatus near the cloisters.

No. This question pinpoints the economies made possible by STD as compared with the costs of the operator service. The higher charge through an operator will buy 3 minutes of time. On STD, time is bought at 2d. a unit and an equivalent 3 minutes will cost 3s.

asked the Postmaster-General by how much the rental of telephones operating on subscriber trunk dialling would require to be increased if all local calls were free and the total income remained as at present.

The calculation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and expense and a simple figure would be most misleading. I will write to my hon. Friend and explain the matter more fully.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now advise companies and firms outside those cities due to change to all-figure telephone numbers in 1966–69, to display bodly on their notepaper their subscriber trunk dialling code so as to save the time of customers and others doing business with them, as well as the time of Directory Inquiries.

No. At the present stage of STD development there are wide variations in the ranges of codes available at individual exchanges and the premature adoption of the hon. Member's suggestion might lead to difficulties at this stage, but I am planning to take action along these lines next year.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are now waiting for service at the Brixton telephone exchange; and how many subscribers on exclusive lines will be required to share lines to clear the backlog of applicants.

On 1st February there were 650 applications on the order list for Brixton and Redpost exchanges, which serve the same locality. Work is in hand to enable these applicants to be connected. About 350 subscribers with exclusive lines will have to share, and about 300 of the new subscribers will share with each other. The equipment will then be fully loaded. An extension is being prepared, but will not be ready for about fifteen months.

asked the Postmaster-General in what countries of Europe British General Post Office telephone credit cards are acceptable for calls to England.

The following are the European countries concerned:

• Austria.
• Bulgaria.
• Finland.
• Greece.
• Hungary.
• Iceland.
• Luxembourg.
• Malta.
• Netherlands.
• Norway.
• Poland.
• Portugal (including Azores and Madeira).
• U.S.S.R.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will consider extending the telephone credit card arrangements to people who are not telephone subscribers.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to the hon. Member for Southgate (Mr. Berry).

asked the Postmaster-General how many different types of telephone instruments are now available to the public on request; and how many models are in the process of being developed.

Eleven, excluding intercommunication systems, and there are numerous variations for extension working, etc. In addition the Trimphone is on market trial and will be offered more generally as supplies build up.Four new instruments are currently being developed.

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for the inclusion of the Northern Ireland regional 4d. postage stamp in books of postage stamps on sale in Northern Ireland.

I shall give sympathetic consideration to this and similar requests that I have received from hon. Members.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will set up an inquiry into the reasons for postal delays at Christmas and the New Year, with a view to improving the service next year.

No. As a matter of course we closely examine the Christmas and New Year mail arrangements every year to ensure that any weaknesses one year are put right the next. I am afraid some irritating delays under peak traffic conditions are unavoidable.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a special issue of stamps to mark the opening of the Tay Road Bridge later this year.

I did consider this suggestion but was unfortunately unable to find room for it.

asked the Postmaster-General what is his policy concerning facilities for handing in telegrams over the counters of rural post offices.

Facilities for handing in telegrams at rural post offices are provided where this is justified by the number of messages. There is usually a telephone call box near such offices from which telegrams can be dictated.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make a statement on his recent visit to Japan.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Japan.

Yes. The purpose of the visit was to study the organisation and operation of the Japanese postal, telecommunications and broadcasting services and to discuss problems of mutual concern with senior members of those services.

asked the Postmaster-General what consideration has been given by his Department to the design of a new street posting box to replace existing models.

We are considering a new rectangular design which will be much easier to clear.When the design details are settled some of the new boxes will be tried out in co-operation with local authorities. We do not, of course, intend to replace all our existing pillar boxes.

asked the Postmaster-General what developments in satellite communications he is planning in consultation with the European Conference on Satellite Communications.

The United Kingdom and its partner Governments in the European Conference on Satellite Communications are studying proposals for the joint development of a European communications satellite capability.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will review his decision not to issue a commemorative stamp on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the National Savings Movement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply on 16th February to my hon. Friend, the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Hazell).

asked the Post master-General why he charged 2s. 6d. for the delivery of an air mail letter from Rhodesia, which already bore a 1s. 3d. stamp, to Mrs. C. E. Welch of 30 Leckford Road, Oxford.

Our local people have no recollection of this particular letter but a likely reason for the surcharge is that the 1s. 3d. stamp was overprinted "Independence 11 November, 1965". This would indicate that it had not been issued on the authority of a lawful Minister of Posts and so, under Rhodesian law, it would not be valid for prepayment of postage.

asked the Postmaster-General what method is legally open under his regulations to a British subject in Rhodesia of posting a letter to England in such a way that the recipient will not have to pay a surcharge on it.

So far the only invalid Rhodesian stamps are those bearing a reference to "independence". Other stamps are valid under Rhodesian law for prepayment of postage and are accepted in the United Kingdom without surcharge.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will introduce stamps of higher values, such as £2, £3 and £5, for paying postage on air mail and for insured parcels.

I am reviewing the range of values of our permanent series stamps in connection with the new issue we are planning and I shall certainly bear the hon. Member's request in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will supply the post office in Buttermere, Cumberland, with a modern weighing machine.

No. The business at this office does not warrant the provision of a more modern automatic weighing machine.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in the review of regional stamps which is being undertaken by the Post Office, he will now consider issuing a special stamp for Cornwall.

No. It would be impracticable to put different designs of stamps on sale in all the different counties of the United Kingdom. However, Cornishmen and Cornish scenery may well feature in special issues.

asked the Postmaster-General what new steps he is taking to improve postal services in the Greater London area, in view of the fact that complaints about them are again increasing.

My inquiries do not indicate that complaints about postal services in the Greater London area are increasing or that the services are deteriorating. While there are still shortages of staff in some localities and sick absences have temporarily added to our difficulties the staffing position generally has continued to improve.

asked the Postmaster-General what were the numbers of persons employed on the staff of his Department on 1st October, 1964, and 1st February, 1966.

The numbers of persons employed on the staff of the Post Office on these dates were 381,767 and 396,400 respectively. These figures include about 29,000 part-time staff counted as half each but exclude nearly 23,000 sub-postmasters employed on an agency basis.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can now release the denominations of the stamps for the Football Cup and Battle of Hastings 900th anniversary issues.

The denominations of the World Football Cup stamps will be 4d., 6d. and 1s. 3d. I am not yet in a position to give the denominations of the 900th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings issue.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give a starting date for the new Crown post office in the Lochee district of Dundee.

Planning approval has now been given to develop the tramway depôt for the new post office. Negotiations for purchase of the site are in hand, and I hope that building will start in about three years' time.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now give details of the release dates and subjects of the pictorial stamps recently announced.

The first such issue will feature outstanding views of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will be put on sale on 25th April. The denominations will be 4d., 6d., 1s. 3d and 1s. 6d. I shall announce details of other pictorial issues later.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now make a further statement on when he will issue the first stamps in the redesigned permanent series; and what denominations will be involved.

Preliminary design work is in hand but it is as yet too early for me to say when the first stamps will be issued or which denominations will be involved.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will take measures to ensure that television licence-holders continue to be able to receive broadcasts where reception is interfered with by the erection of gasometers and similar structures.

I am well aware of the inconvenience tall buildings can cause to viewers, by causing "ghosting" on their sets. But this can generally be mitigated by adjusting individual aerials, or by providing a community aerial.

asked the Postmaster-General what studies he is making for the future use of communication satellites for television transmission.

The Early Bird satellite is now available for transatlantic television relays. The Interim Communications Satellite Committee, of which the United Kingdom is a member, is studying possible ways of meeting future television relay requirements.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give details of the type of aerial which will give satisfactory reception of Channel 5 in the Stroud area.

The design of aerials is not my right hon. Friend's responsibility. No doubt the B.B.C. will be glad to let the hon. Gentleman have the information he seeks.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to have a report on the merits of the Russian system of colour television; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Russians are studying several variants of their system and have not yet decided which, if any, of these they would adopt. It would therefore be premature for me to ask for a report.

asked the Postmaster-General what developments are planned to supplement the television service in Swansea and surrounding districts; and when these plans will reach fulfilment.

This is a matter for the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. in the first place. Both have put to my right hon. Friend proposals for building relay stations to extend the coverage and improve the reception of their V.H.F. television services; and as soon as he has examined these proposals he will make an announcement.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that companies in which the Government has a majority shareholding are advertising their products on the illegal broadcast transmissions of Radio London and Radio Caroline; and what action he is taking to prevent this.

Yes. I am informed that the company concerned has decided to stop this advertising.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will publish the Government White Paper on Broadcasting Policy.

When the review is complete.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the increase in price of food to the public resulting from the rateable assessment of 6d. per sq. ft. on chicken broiler houses and other intensive buildings.

I understand that assessments vary but on average it is estimated that rating has increased costs by ¼d. per bird which has probably had no effect on retail prices in this competitive market. Few other livestock buildings are rated and it is unlikely that any such increase in costs has been passed on to the public.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will, before the Free Trade Agreement with Eire comes into force, negotiate an amendment of the terms relating to horticulture, so that British apple growers will not be treated regarding export conditions less favourably than they are today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that producers of English apples will be in a better position as a result of the Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement; and what steps he is taking to protect the interests of British growers.

I am satisfied that the arrangements governing the export of British apples to the Irish Republic under the new Agreement will be not less favourable to our growers than those that now apply. I have taken and shall continue to take all steps necessary to protect the interests of British growers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions on the export of United Kingdom apples into Ireland and on Irish apples into the United Kingdom resulted from the Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement; and what powers he has reserved to ensure that the United Kingdom producers will not have their share of the British home market thereby reduced.

The Agreement provides for unlimited access for apples in both directions. I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind in the second part of his Question but I would draw his attention to the provisions for consultation in Article XXIII.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further development in the process of amalgamating small farms has taken place since he announced his proposals to assist this process.

I have no reason to think that there has been any change in the process of amalgamating small farms since my reply to the hon. Member's last Question in similar terms on 3rd November, 1965.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what types and classes of farms and farming are the most heavily subsidised.

Only a broad indication can be given, and the position fluctuates from year to year. In 1964–65 subsidies as a proportion of total revenue were somewhat higher on cereal farms and on hill sheep farms than they were on mixed and general cropping farms. The rate of subsidy on pigs and eggs was also relatively high in that year. Milk, like sugar beet, attracts no direct Exchequer subsidy, the cost of the guaranteed price being met by the consumer. Dairy farms therefore tend to receive a smaller proportion of their revenue from Exchequer subsidy than other types of farms. For any given type of farm, the proportion of revenue due to subsidy does not vary significantly with the size of the farm.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the proposals referred to in his Department's Press notice of 27th September last for implementing the proposals of the Food Standards Committee on Food Labelling have yet become regulations; and if he will make a statement.

The proposals issued on 27th September last were open for comment until 3rd January. A very large number of representations has been received and until these have been fully considered it is not possible to forecast a date when the regulations will be made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now introduce legislation to require tins of processed food to be date-stamped as they emerge from the factory.

This matter was considered by the Food Standards Committee in its Report on Food Labelling. It made no recommendation because it did not consider it to be a practical proposition. No provision for compulsory date stamping was included therefore in the proposals for new labelling regulations issued on 27th September last. Representations on these proposals, including some about date-stamping, are now being considered and I cannot yet say what the final decision will be.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the extent and urgency of the works involved in the Essex River Authority's scheme for the prevention of flooding in the Rochford area, he will reconsider his decision to limit grant aid.

I am sorry that under the existing requirements for grant aid of land drainage works we are unable to improve on the offer of grant already made, which would at present amount to almost one-half the estimated cost of the

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes Her Majesty's Government intend to make in the expansion of milk and beef production as laid down in the National Plan.

The measures necessary to achieve the objectives for agriculture set out in the National Plan are being considered at the Annual Review. This is now in progress and I cannot anticipate its outcome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now introduce legislation to have milk tested for quality and purity on the farm instead of at the distributor's dairy as at present.

I can see no need for this. Contamination of milk can occur at any point in the chain of distribution and the Food and Drugs Act, 1955 (Sections 91, 95 and 96) already gives power to authorised officers of Food and Drugs Authorities and of my Department to sample milk at farm dairies for the purpose of control of milk hygiene and composition. They may also take action where it is appropriate for them to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest official advice he has received about the danger to health from antibiotics, hormones, and other drugs and agents used in food; and if he will make a statement.

The Report of a Joint Committee of the Agricultural Research Council and the Medical Research Council, published in 1962 concluded that as the carcases of animals reared on feedingstuffs containing antibiotics contained no more than traces of these substances, there was no hazard to the consumer of such food. This subject is being kept under review. The direct use of antibiotics in food is restricted by the Preservatives in Food Regulations, 1962, in accordance with the advice my right hon. Friend's predecessor received from the Food Standards Committee. My right hon. Friend's Scientific Advisory Panel has advised him that, on present knowledge the hormone residues in the flesh of farm livestock which have been treated according to current practice present no hazard to the consumer of the flesh of such livestock. The Food Additives and Contaminants Committee advises us regularly on other additives used in food. Its latest reports on Cyclamates and Solvents were published at the beginning of this month.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now announce details of the new incentives to the agricultural industry to encourage modernisation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply made to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Hazell) on 21st February.

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

The number of staff employed by the Department on 1st October, 1964, was 15,566 and the comparable figure for 1st February, 1966. was 15,560.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's intentions following the publication of the Brambell Report, Command Paper No. 2836, in December.

No. There is nothing I can add to previous Answers on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the ratio of general practitioners to patients in Scotland in each of the years 1960 to 1964, and in each quarter of 1965.

The estimated average number of patients for each principal providing unrestricted general medical services was as follows:

1st July, 1960	1977
1st July, 1961	1970
1st July, 1962	1979
1st July, 1963	1983
1st July, 1964	2000
1st April, 1965	2021
1st July, 1965	2039
1st October, 1965	2049
1st January, 1966	2066

(The figures are inflated by up to 3 per cent. since it is not possible to eliminate all duplicate entries from doctors' lists.)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the construction of a bridge across the narrows at Ballachulish; and whether he will make a statement.

None at present. I am awaiting a report on this crossing from the Highland Transport Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men re signed from the police forces in Scotland in 1965; and how many transferred to forces in England and Wales.

254 men resigned without pension or gratuity and 40 transferred to forces in England and Wales from police forces in Scotland during 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has at present under consideration with regard to the amalgamation of police forces in Scotland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the American Medical Association has lifted its ban on foreign medical students working in United States hospitals; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this action on the staffing of hospitals in Scotland.

I understand that the American Medical Association proposes to allow British students to take vacation work which will further their medical education. This decision, which would be a return to a long-standing practice, is not likely to have any significant effect on the staffing of Scottish hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total amount paid out to date in grants and loans, respectively, for projects in the Outer Hebrides and in the Highlands and Islands as a whole, respectively, by the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

The Board has not yet made any payments by way of grant. It has so far made loans totalling £11,500 in respect of two projects neither of which is in the Outer Hebrides.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the high cost of living and especially of transport in the Western Isles, he will refer MacBrayne's pro posed increased rates for goods and passengers to the National Board for Prices and Incomes for examination.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in agreeing to fare increases by MacBrayne's, what estimate he made of the effect they will have on the cost of living in the Western Highlands.

In reaching my decision I had regard among other things to the effect on the economy of the area, but no precise estimate of this can be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, before arriving at his decision to agree to the recent fare increases announced by MacBrayne's, he consulted the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Highland Transport Board.

The Highland Transport Board was consulted before decisions were taken and the proposals were intimated to the Highlands and Islands Development Board before they were announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the fare increases by MacBrayne's, which he approved, are higher, lower or at the same level as those the company originally proposed to him.

The increased charges announced differed in a number of respects from the increases originally proposed by the company but are designed to produce the same additional revenue in a full year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present composition of the Scottish Joint Council on Teachers' Salaries; and what changes there have been in recent weeks.

The Council consists of a chairman appointed by the Secretary of State and 30 other members appointed as follows:

The "Teacher Members"

(a) 16 teachers nominated by the Educational Institute of Scotland;

(b) 2 teachers nominated by the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association;

The "Authority Members"

(c) 4 persons nominated by the Scottish Counties of Cities Association; and

(d) 8 persons nominated by the Association of County Councils in Scotland, equally in number representative of the industrial, semi-industrial, agricultural and highlands and islands areas of Scotland.

The most recent change in membership took place on 8th December, 1965, following the death of one of the nominees of the Scottish Counties of Cities Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will approve proposals for a bypass round the west and south of Perth; when construction will begin; and if he will give an assurance that the bypass, which is not included in the road programme up to 1970, will be completed by the early 1970s, as stated in paragraph 289 of The Scottish Economy, 1965 to 1970, Command Paper No. 2864.

The section of the bypass between the Stirling-Perth and Perth-Dundee trunk roads is included in the mileage we hope to complete by the early 1970s, but I cannot at this stage forecast the date when work on it will start.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been approved for the improvement or conversion of houses by local authorities in each of the years 1960 to 1965, respectively.

The numbers of applications by local authorities approved for grant purposes were:

1960	474
1961	281
1962	427
1963	207
1964	819
1965	2,504

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what sum will be spent on public investment in local welfare services, child care, and school canteens, respectively, in the years 1965 to 1970.

The estimated total public investment in local welfare services, child care, and school meals in the years 1965 to 1970 is £4·0 million, £3·3 million, and £6·8 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the most recent estimate he has made of the damage to fishing caused by seals off the east coast of Scotland, particularly off Angus and Kincardineshire.

The annual loss to the salmon industry in the east coast of Scotland has been estimated at somewhere between £42,000 and £67,000. It is known that seals consume considerable quantities of other fish but not enough evidence has been submitted to my Department of damage to other fisheries to enable an estimate to be made and I hope that the fishermen, who have been asked to give such information to my Department, will now do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the present activity of seals off the east coast of Scotland; and what action he will take to prevent damage to fishing.

I have seen reports of recent damage to white fish catches. In recent years an annual cull of grey seal pups has been undertaken in Orkney during the close season with a view to reducing the number of seals and the damage done to salmon and other fisheries. Meanwhile I might remind the hon. Member that in the open season from 1st January to 31st August fishermen are free to kill seals without permits.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Navy, Army and Air Forces Institutes prices in Cyprus were increased with effect from 30th January after the Institutes' profits had risen considerably during 1965.

The prices charged by N.A.A.F.I. are a matter for their Board of Management, subject to the general direction of policy exercised by my right hon. Friend. The prices are kept broadly in line with the general level of local retail prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the total expenditure in the 20 years 1945–65 on the Fleet Air Arm, and the amounts for aircraft carriers, aircraft, personnel and training, respectively.

This information is not readily available and it would take a great deal of effort to produce even approximate figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the current total annual expenditure on the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm, respectively; how many airfields each service has; how many airfields are used jointly by both services; and what progres is being made in integration.

In 1965–66, about £600 million for the Royal Air Force and about £110 million for the Fleet Air Arm. The R.A.F. has 81 major airfields and the F.A.A.8. The F.A.A. shares the use of 8 of the R.A.F. stations. Initial flying training and certain specialist air training are integrated and we are considering integration in other fields, including logistics and maintenance of common types of aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been issued to Her Majesty's ships and aircraft in the Indian Ocean which intercept tankers flying other than the British flag carrying oil to Beira and Lourenco Marques.

No such interceptions have been ordered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what circumstances, leading to the drowning of an army cadet, Griffith Bullton, at Windsor on 12th February, 1966, allowed cadets to be practising in the flooded river with out adequate supervision and without wearing life-jackets.

Two boy soldiers of the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Engineers, died when their canoes overturned. I should like to express my deep sympathy to the boys' relatives. I would not, however, wish to say more at this stage as neither body has been recovered nor has a coroner's inquiry been held.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the appointment of a head of defence sales will be made; whether he will appoint a person with Service experience or with industrial and commercial experience; and whether the post will be advertised inviting applications from those suitably qualified.

With my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation, I am making inquiries to find a person suitable for appointment as Head of Defence Sales; we hope to make an announcement soon. It will be more important for the Head of Defence Sales to have commercial or industrial experience than Service experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what defence development projects he plans for the United Kingdom; and what employment value these will have.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the 1966 Statement on Defence Estimates, in which particulars of the defence research and development programme are given. The great bulk of the expenditure represents work to be carried out in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Transport why she did not include in her recent announcement about future road building any project for East Anglia or North-East Essex.

Because there were so many schemes elsewhere of relatively greater urgency.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for securing the safety of the children of Priesthorpe School, Farsley, Pudsey, who have to cross a dangerous stretch of the A.6120.

This is a matter for the local education and highway authorities concerned. A speed limit and footbridge have been suggested but for the reasons which have been explained to the hon. Member my right hon. Friend does not consider that she would be justified in consenting to the former or grant-aiding the latter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware of the difficulties encountered by north-bound drivers on the A.23 in seeing the signpost on the junction of the A.23 and A.25 in Redhill; and what proposals she has for improving this situation.

Yes. My right hon. Friend will provide, as soon as she can, new Worboys-type signs at this junction as part of the comprehensive improvement of the signs on the A.23.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost of the Humber Bridge; when this estimate was arrived at; when the bridge will be started and when finished; and if she will make a statement.

The Humber Bridge Board submitted an estimate of £11½ million in April, 1964.In answer to the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9th February to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) and my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson).

asked the Minister of Transport when it is now expected that road works will start for the provision of a dual carriageway for the section between Carterhatch Lane and Bulls-moor Lane on the trunk road A.10.

In May.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give higher priority to the Humberside Development, trunk road A.18, as requested by the Grimsby Rural District Council's letter to her of 11th February; and if she will make a statement.

The letter urges the highest possible priority for the Brigg bypass. I appreciate the need, but the current five-year trunk roads programme is full with even more urgent schemes. The bypass will be carefully considered for the next extension of the programme.

asked the Minister of Transport what action she is taking on the proposals put to her for improving London bus services.

I am writing to my hon. Friend about the action being taken by the authorities concerned on the proposals that have been made.

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

8,046 and 7,419 respectively.

asked the Minister of Transport in what respects the new railway supplementation award to superannuitants is an improvement on its predecessors; and whether the award takes account of the two last Pensions (Increases) Acts or only the 1965 Act.

The latest Railways Board scheme increases all existing supplments and makes provision for the first time for supplementation to super annuitants who retired after 30th June, 1958, and for widows, thus doubling the number of beneficiaries. It is designed to provide supplements to mitigate losses in purchasing power since the pensions were awarded, taking account of the Board's own financial position and the fact that increases have been granted to public service pensioners by successive Pensions (Increase) Acts.

asked the Minister of Aviation what action he is taking, at the Anglo-United States air discussions due to commence in Washington on 28th February, to ensure adequate routes for airlines, both national and independent, based on the United Kingdom and the Colonies, in particular to the Caribbean and South America.

It will be the object of Her Majesty's Government in these negotiations to seek further opportunities for British airlines, including of course those based in overseas dependent territories.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT an account of the action taken since 13th December, 1965, further to evaluate the potential of the Mirage IV/Spey project in terms of performance, cost and availability.

The further proposals on the Mirage IV/Spey submitted by B.A.C. during December were carefully examined and this examination confirmed my Department's earlier assessment that this proposed aircraft would be inferior in performance, later in service and at least as costly as the F111A as a replacement for the Canberra.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make arrangements for transcriptions of the material being broad cast to Rhodesia over the Francistown transmitter by the British Broadcasting Corporation to be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

It would not be very practical to ask the British Broadcasting Corporation to deposit in the Library transcripts of all the six hours of spoken word material which is broadcast daily in addition to music and entertainment. Hon. Members could however doubtless obtain transcripts of particular items which interest them direct from the British Broadcasting Corporation.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps he proposes to take to implement Resolution 309 of the Council of Europe Working Party, to ensure that the World Food Programme receives the national contributions in the form of food, money or services which are needed to achieve its aims.

I understand that Resolution 309 has still to be considered by the Committee of Ministers' Deputies in the Council of Europe and therefore member Governments have not yet been called upon to implement the resolution. However, as this House has already been told, Her Majesty's Government have pledged a contribution of $6·2 million to the second 3-year period of the World Food Programme. Half will be in commodities and half in cash.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of children of secondary school age is taking the school mathematics projects.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to children involved in any of the mathematics teaching experiments now in progress.There are a number of such projects, and detailed statistics of the children involved are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students from African countries completed either degree courses in agriculture or courses towards a national diploma in agriculture at British universities or colleges in each of the last five years.

This information is, I regret, not available. The numbers of students from African countries who were enrolled for full-time study in agriculture and forestry at universities and university colleges in the United Kingdom at the beginning of each of the last four academic years are as follows:

	First degree	Postgraduate
1961–62	115	41
1962–63	126	69
1963–64	107	77
1964–65	91	81

These figures include students in all years of course.In addition, a small number of African students (24 in 1964–65) are studying for the national diploma in agriculture at agricultural colleges and other further education establishments. This does not include those who study for other national diplomas in agricultural subjects, namely dairying, horticulture, poultry-keeping agricultural engineering, forestry and beekeeping.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the courses which are available to qualify teachers to apply the school mathematics project.

Four conferences have been planned to take place this year for teachers concerned in the school mathematics project: three this Easter, at Exeter, Canterbury and in Northumberland on G.C.E. "O" level mathematics; and a further conference at Southampton in July on "A" level mathematics. Attention is paid to the work of this and similar projects in mathematics in the one-term and short courses for mathematics teachers which are sponsored by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the group he has set up to deal exclusively with computer education.

The Working Group consists of representatives from my Department, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Technology, the Scottish Education Department, the Science Research Council and the University Grants Committee. Their terms of reference are to consider what steps can be usefully take in the educational system to improve the supply of trained personnel working with computers, in the light of expected demand for such personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the increase in the number of university law faculties and in the number of students graduating at such university law faculties as a result of decisions taken during the last 10 years about the scale and pattern of universities, university expansion and university building programmes.

In 1954–55 there were 18 universities in Great Britain offering degrees in law and in 1964–65 there were 20. During the same period the number of students graduating with honours degrees in law rose from 761 to 1,081. This includes both universities with separate faculties of law or jurisprudence and those which offer degrees in law in the faculties of Arts or Social Studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the establishment of a second medical college in Wales; and whether there have been any representations against such a college being established in Swansea.

My attention has been drawn by my hon. Friend and others to the desirability of establishing a new medical school in Wales, and a group of hon. Members representing constituencies in the Swansea area urged me last March to consider the possibility of setting up such a school at Swansea. I have not received any representations against such a proposal, which would be for the University Grants Committee to consider in the first instance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of the National Debt in October, 1956, and October, 1964, respectively; and the sums owing to foreign countries, respectively, on the same dates.

Figures for October are not available. The figures for 31st March are published in the Finance Accounts each year. They are as follows:

	£ million
	1956	1964
National Debt	27,039·9	30,226·3
Debt to foreign countries, etc.*	2,249·4	2,088·5
* This includes debt to international organisations, and to governments and other bodies in foreign countries. It excludes debt to Commonwealth countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in view of his undertaking, pensions of former federal civil servants living in Rhodesia are still being blocked.

No pensions are being blocked by the United Kingdom Exchange Control.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Hindhead district;(2) what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Cranleigh, Surrey, district.

A screening service is now available through family doctors for some women in the Guildford area which includes the Hindhead and Cranleigh districts, and the opening of a local authority clinic later this year should enable the service to be extended.

asked the Minister of Health what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Deal district.

The regional hospital board and the local authority hope that a screening service will be in operation by the autumn.

asked the Minister of Health what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Oxford district.

Facilities for screening are available in the Oxford district. Over 1,000 women a month are being examined, mainly at hospital clinics but a service is also being provided through general practitioners, local authority clinics and the Family Planning Association.

asked the Minister of Health what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Richmond and Twickenham district.

The local authority clinic in Richmond provides a screening service for women in this area.

asked the Minister of Health what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Bournemouth district.

A start has been made. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 14th February by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Bournemouth West (Sir J. Eden).

asked the Minister of Health what cervical cancer screening service is available to women at risk in the Gloucester district.

A service is available in the Gloucester district for gynaecological and obstetric patients. It is hoped to start routine screening for women without symptoms at local authority clinics later this year.