asked the Minister of Technology whether he will initiate a study jointly with the Minister of Power with a view to reducing the five years that it now takes to build a power station.

The Minister of Technology maintains close contact with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Power on how the two Departments can help to reduce the time taken to construct power stations. The primary responsibility rests with the Central Electricity Generating Board and its contractors, who have made arrangements for jointly keeping the progress of the programme under review.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will detail the contracts which his Department has placed with industry and universities for the longterm development of computer technology and application.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 3rd May, 1966.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will publish a further organisation chart of his Department, similar to that published on 9th March, 1966, indicating any changes or additions to these divisions since 1st April.

I have made no changes in the organisation of my Department since 9th March. The chart published on that date remains operative except that, as the hon. Member will be aware, the Joint Parliamentary Secretaries are now both Members of this House.

asked the Minister of Technology what discussions he has had, as sponsor for the motor industry, with the Ford Motor Company about its decision to reduce the number of agents and distributors; and whether he will make a statement.

None. This is a matter for the commercial judgment of the firm.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will specify those activities formerly conducted at regional level by the Board of Trade which have been taken over by his Department.

None of the Board of Trade's regional responsibilities has been taken over by my Department. However, on questions of commercial or production capacity and, in particular, on matters relating to diversification or production efficiency where the resources of my Ministry may be directly concerned, there is close consultation between the regional staffs of both Ministries.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he will take to encourage studies of automation techniques and their consequent application by management in industry.

Studies of automation are going on in a number of the Ministry's research stations and in industrial research stations. My main concern is to stimulate users; one example of this is the scheme which N.R.D.C. are to operate on our behalf to encourage users to try out numerically-controlled machine tools. Preparations are well advanced for a major campaign by the Ministry's Regional Organisation to bring to the notice of local management throughout the country the possibilities and advantages of low-cost automation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has sponsored to ascertain the incentive or disincentive effect of different forms of taxation.

The effects of taxation on the economy is the subject of continuous research through the normal administrative process of Government. I am willing to consider suggestions for commissioning specific projects in this field where there are fairly precise methods of undertaking a study which will give useful results.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the complexity of present taxation and, in particular, the new Capital Gains Tax, he will allow the cost of employing accountants and other professional advisers to be charged as expenses and offset against the tax liability of individuals.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the increasing number of persons in the building and roadmaking industries who claim the status of sub-contractors and are accordingly paid without deduction of tax at source; and if he will make inquiries to see if there are abuses in this system leading to a loss of tax to the revenue.

Arrangements were introduced last year to secure regular returns of payments made to sub-contractors in these industries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current value of the copper content of penny pieces now in circulation.

Approximately 1·2d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the Treasury receipts from pool betting duty collected on greyhound totalisators for the months of December, 1965, January, February and March, 1966, and similar figures for bookmakers' licence duty for the same months.

The following are the figures:

BETTING DUTIES
	Pool Betting Duty receipts from greyhound totalisators	Receipts of Bookmakers' Licence Duty
	£	£
1965
December	231,361	57,437
1966
January	207,979	49,703
February	220,416	50,538
Figures for March are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why gratuities payable to employees for long service are charged to tax; and whether he will introduce legislation forgoing such tax claims in the future.

No. They are rightly taxable as emoluments of the employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the Selective Employment Tax will result in an increase in the amount of overtime worked, what consideration he is giving to action to deal with this situation.

None. It does not necessarily follow that the tax will increase the overall amount of overtime worked.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will exempt from the Selective Employment Tax of 12s. 6d. boys engaged part-time on newspaper delivery rounds.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the Selective Employment Tax will not be paid in respect of those employed in connection with scientific research and technological development whether they operate in manufacturing establishments or in co-operative research establishments.

The tax will have to be paid in these cases, but those employed on research in manufacturing establishments will attract the manufacturer's premium. Beyond that, I cannot anticipate the provisions of the Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on the net revenue of the Selective Employment Tax if it was not applied to the development areas.

A reduction of the order of £50 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on the net revenue of the Selective Employment Tax if it was not applied to areas covered by the Highland Development Board.

A reduction of about £2 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of the proposed Selective Employment Tax to repertory theatres.

No estimate is available at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will draft the Finance Bill so as to relieve non-profit-distributing theatres from the effect of the proposed Selective Employment Tax.

No. My right hon. Friend does not think this could be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the Estate Duty anomaly that arises in the case of estates and trusts that for exchange control purposes are resident outside the Scheduled Territories, but which have dollar assets subject to English Estate Duty; why he refuses to allow the United Kingdom beneficiaries to obtain the benefit of the investment dollar premium, if the assets are distributed after 7th April, 1965; and if he is aware that the Estate Duty office contend that if the date of death was prior to 7th April, 1965, the premium should be included in valuations.

I am aware of the general Estate Duty rule in the matter, but I shall be glad to consider any case of hardship which the hon. Member may care to send me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the tourist industry as a dollar and foreign exchange earner; and what steps he will take by fiscal methods to assist it.

I have no plans for adopting fiscal methods to stimulate the tourist industry, but Government policy is to encourage the British Travel Association to use other methods to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the need for the hotel and restaurant industry to improve conditions to compete with foreign hotel and restaurant organisations, so as to keep more British holidaymakers in this country, and thus to save foreign exchange; and if he will adopt fiscal means to this end.

I have no plans for fiscal action in this field.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the amounts invested by residents of the United Kingdom in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, respectively, in each of the eight years from 1958 to 1965.

The annual averages for 1958–64 were in Australia about £65 million, in New Zealand £11 million, and in South Africa, where heavy direct investment was largely offset by portfolio disinvestment, £3 million. The total for the three countries was about £77 million. The outflow increased during this period and the figure for 1965 is estimated at about £100 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the earnings received in the United Kingdom from investments in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, respectively, in each of the eight years from 1958 to 1965.

The average total profits of direct United Kingdom investment for 1958–64 were: in Australia £65 million, New Zealand £12 million and South Africa £60 million. For 1965 the figure for the three countries together was probably about £190 million. These totals include profits that were reinvested and therefore not remitted to the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in order to avoid unnecessary congestion in the ports in November following the abolition of

Department				Location			Main uses				Manufacturer*
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.				Edinburgh		…	Computer bureau work for Scotland.				IBM
Ministry of Aviation		…	…	Liverpool		…	Bill paying	…	…	…	NCR
Ministry of Public Building and Works.				Hastings	…	…	Payroll, costing, stores, statistics, etc.				ICT
Ministry of Defence (Army)			…	Worthy Down		…	Officers pay		…	…	IBM
Ministry of Defence (Navy)			…	Devonport		…	Payroll, costing and production control.				EELM
General Register Office		…	…	Titchfield		…	1966 Census of population				IBM
Ministry of Defence (Navy)			…	Faslane	…	…	Naval stores		…	…	Elliott
General Register Office		…	…	Titchfield		…	1966 census				IBM
General Post Office		…	…	Portsmouth		…	Telephone billing		…	…	EELM
Ministry of Health		…	…	Fleetwood		…	N.H.S. superannuation and statistics.				Elliott
General Post Office		…	…	Derby	…	…	Telephone billing		…	…	EELM
Ministry of Defence (Navy)			…	Copenacre		…	Naval stores		…	…	Univac
Ministry of Defence (Navy)			…	Coulport		…	Production control			…	Elliott
Ministry of Defence (Navy)			…	Eaglescliffe		…	Naval stores		…	…	Univac
Ministry of Defence (Army)			…	Woolwich		…	Reliability Studies			…	ICT
General Post Office		…	…	Edinburgh		…	Telephone billing		…	…	EELM
Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance.				Reading	…	…	Payment of sickness benefit				ICT
Inland Revenue	…	…	…	East Kilbride		…	P.A.Y.E. for Scotland			…	ICT
Ministry of Aviation: Royal Aircraft Establishment.				Farnborough		…	General purpose: research and administration.				ICT
General Post Office		…	…	Stepney, London, then Lytham St. Annes.			Premium savings bonds			…	EELM
Ministry of Defence (Army)			…	Blackburn		…	Production control			…	Elliott
H.M. Stationery Office		…	…	London	…	…	Computer bureau work			…	ICT
Paymaster General's Office			…	Crawley	…	…	Pension payments			…	EELM
* EELM: English Electric-Leo-Marconi Computers Ltd.
Elliott: Elliott-Automation Ltd.
IBM: International Business Machines (U.K.) Ltd.
ICT: International Computers & Tabulators Ltd.
NCR: National Cash Register Co. Ltd.
Univac: Remington Rand Ltd. (Univac Division).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange to publish the forthcoming Finance Bill simultaneously in London and other large towns.

Arrangements will be made to publish the Finance Bill

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the computers at present on order for Government Departments.

The following computers are on order for administrative work in Government Departments:simultaneously at Government Bookshops in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff and through Stationery Office agents in Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle. It is impracticable for reasons of expense and security to extend this treatment to all, or even most, Parliamentary papers; but similar arrangements will be applied to important papers where the Minister responsible considers that, notwithstanding these considerations, it would be in the public interest to do so. For papers with an important regional interest simultaneous publication will be extended to appropriate centres.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of import duty charged on safety matches; and when it was last reduced.

The current rate of duty on imported safety matches is 14s. 5d. per 7,200 matches, with a lower rate of 13s. 9d. per 7,200 matches for matches qualifying for E.F.T.A. tariff treatment. The last reduction in this duty was on 4th April, 1963, when the E.F.T.A. rate was reduced from 14s. 1d. to 13s. 9d.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will issue an explanatory booklet setting out the powers of local authorities in respect of overcrowding, insanitary conditions and dilapidation of tenanted property.

My right hon. Friend doubts whether such a booklet would be of great value to tenants. The powers available in various Acts are wide and complicated and often need to be considered in the light of particular circumstances. A tenant living in unsatisfactory conditions would be best advised to consult his town hall.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his plans to sanction council loans for house purchase for people moving into town expansion areas include people already living in such areas.

Yes, provided they fall within one of the classes mentioned in Circular 24/66. Local authorities can also propose additional classes if there are special circumstances in the area.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will seek power to enable him to control local authorities with regard to the assessment of rents for council tenants according to their economic circumstances.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when Part II of the Rent Act 1965 will come into effect in the Essex registration area; in what other administrative counties it is not yet in force; and what are the reasons for the delay.

I hope before June to make an Order for Essex, Norfolk, and East and West Suffolk. The only other area not yet covered by an Order comprises Huntingdon and Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, Hertfordshire. Bedfordshire and part of Buckinghamshire. An Order already made fixes 16th May as the date in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the rest of Buckinghamshire. The time in all cases has been taken in finding the best available people for this work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwellings were started in Great Britain in 1965; and what was the equivalent figure in 1964.

392,507 and 426,075 respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwellings were started in the private sector in 1965; and what was the equivalent figure for 1964.

211,068 and 247,453 respectively in Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish the names and addresses of the rent officers who have been appointed for the Carlisle and Cumberland areas.

The rent officer for the Carlisle and Cumberland areas is Mr. R. K. May. He has an office in the Civic Centre, Carlisle, and a sub-office in the Union Hall, Whitehaven.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to give his decision on Brent Council's applications for slum clearance orders in South Kilburn.

There were 261 objections to these Orders and their consideration was bound to take longer than usual. My right hon. Friend realises that a large number of people are affected and he will give his decision at the earliest possible time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government under what circumstances grants were made to local authorities for dealing with coast erosion problems; and to what extent cliff falls caused by water from the land washing away the base of cliffs entitle authorities to grant aid for taking preventive measures.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary said in the Adjournment Debate on 2nd June last about grants under the Coast Protection Act 1949. The answer to the second part of the Question is that cliff stablisation work can rank for grant under the Act only if the slipping is caused by sea erosion or if the work is necessary to safeguard existing or proposed sea defences.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the average increase in rate poundages for 1966–67 above the levels fixed for 1965–66; and what percentage increase they represent.

It is estimated that the average increase in rate poundages is 1s. or about 9½ per cent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now announce the terms of reference and composition of the Royal Commission on Local Government.

An announcement about membership and terms of reference of the Royal Commission will be made shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will announce the full membership and the terms of reference of the proposed Royal Commission on Local Government; and how long he expects this Royal Commission to take before presenting it final report.

An announcement about membership and terms of reference of the Royal Commission will be made shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his estimate of the total financial benefit to ratepayers in the City of Manchester from the Rating Act 1965; and how this compares with the total financial benefit to the ratepayers in the City of Manchester from the Rating (Interim Relief) Act 1964.

It is too early to estimate the benefit under the 1965 Act, because applications for rebates are still coming in and being dealt with. The latest figures of grants to Manchester under the 1964 Act are £44,500 for 1964–65 and £54,770 for 1965–66 in aid of revenues generally, £240 and nil respectively for individual rate relief.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what steps he is taking to improve the reception of British Broadcasting Corporation programmes in Rhodesia; and what evidence he has of the jamming of such programmes by the illegal régime.

Improvements are being made continuously and we know from letters that our programmes are being heard. There is evidence of Rhodesian jamming of news programmes and commentaries relayed from Francis-town, particularly in the main centres of population, but this jamming is only partially effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress has now been made with the plan for an emergency programme of famine relief for Commonwealth countries in Africa.

Extensive inquiries earlier this year revealed that there was no need for a general emergency programme of famine relief. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies that there is, however, a large scale relief programme in operation in Bechuanaland and measures on a smaller scale are being taken in Basutoland.

asked the Minister of Power what studies are being made to use surplus night produced electricity by pressurised air storage in disused mines and other underground cavities.

This is primarily a matter for the electricity supply authorities who have made detailed studies to enable them to form technical and economic appraisals of both pressurised-air and pumped-water storage.

asked the Minister of Power whether his proposed Bill for the public ownership of steel will include proposals for some form of democratic management in the industry.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Freeson) on 26th April.

asked the Minister of Power what is the difference now in capital and generating costs for base load between coal-fired and nuclear power stations; and what the difference will be in 1970 and 1975, respectively.

The following are estimates by the C.E.G.B. of the capital and total generating costs of coal-fired and nuclear power stations coming into service now and in 1970:

	Capital* Cost (£ per kilowatt)	Total generating cost (pence per kilowatt hour)
Now—
Nuclear	116	0·72
Coal†	40	0·53
1970—
Nuclear	74	0·47
Coal†	44	0·55
* Capital cost does not include interest during construction nor, in the case of nuclear, the initial fuel charge.
† Representative costs at favourably sited plant.

The Central Electricity Generating Board have indicated that, by 1975, a reduction in total generating costs at nuclear power stations of up to 20 per cent. compared with the 1970 figure might be possible; in the case of coal-fired stations, they expect that the figures for 1970 will continue to be broadly representative.These estimates are based on present fuel prices and construction and other costs, except that actual construction costs have as far as possible been used for stations coming into service now.

asked the Minister of Power what provision he has made in the licences granted by him to persons or companies to drill for oil or gas in the North Sea to protect the fisheries there from damage to fertility and numbers in shoals; and how and to what extent these protective provisions have been and are being operated.

Licensees are required by the terms of their licences not to interfere unjustifiably with fishing or with the conservation of the living resources of the sea. They have to obtain my right hon. Friend's consent to drill any well and before giving it he consults the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland, to see if any special conditions need be attached to protect fishing interests. No such conditions have been imposed for the nineteen wells so far authorised.

asked the Minister of Power how many licences he has granted to date to drill for oil and gas in the North Sea; how many and which of these operations have succeeded and failed, respectively; where each success and failure, respectively, was located; which of these operations are still existing; and what is the extent of each success and failure with the loss and gain resulting therefrom.

89 production licences have been granted for areas in the North Sea and one for an area in the Irish Sea. Operations are continuing under all of these licences.Ten wells have so far been completed. One of these, in Block 48/6, has located a commercially exploitable gas field. Preliminary tests in another Block, 49/26, have been stated by the licensees to indicate a gas find of considerable importance. At this early stage it is impossible to assess the extent of the benefit which will flow to the U.K. from the operations to date.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement on the accidents which during the last three months have occurred to the rigs and persons drilling for oil or gas under licence from him in the North Sea, indicating the number, extent and location of those accidents and of the persons killed and injured in the course of them.

No lives have been lost during the last three months' drilling operations in the North Sea, nor have there been any injuries other than a few of the type usually encountered in engineering or sea-going operations.

asked the Minister of Power if he will seek power to enable himself to stabilise the price of domestic coke, in view of the financial hardship being experienced by people resident in smokeless zones.

Coke is one of a number of fuels which can be used in smoke control areas. To hold the price artificially low would be a misuse of resources.In cases of serious hardship, the National Assistance Board is, of course, willing to give special help to those qualifying for assistance to tide them over the transfer to smokeless fuels.

asked the Minister of Power what progress has been made in the inquiry into the question of coal distribution, in view of the comments of the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

As the House was informed on 7th March, the distribution costs of coal and solid fuel were that day referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that the curricula of local authority schools are adapted to encourage an interest in the principles of cybernetics.

My right hon. Friend does not determine the curriculum of the schools. I should regard a detailed study of cybernetics as generally more appropriate to Institutes of Higher Education than to schools, though the basic ideas of cybernetics may be introduced, for example, in computer programming, economics or biology, or in courses in General studies in the sixth form.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to encourage the reduction of imports of finished manufactures.

We are trying to improve the trade balance by a variety of measures designed to increase the competitiveness of British industry both at home and abroad. Measures relating to credit facilities for imports and exports are also designed to improve the balance of our trade.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what plans he has for the nationalisation of the nation's supplies of water.

As the Labour Party Manifesto said, we shall ensure adequate supplies of water by all means, including, where necessary, extension of public ownership. I have no further statement to make at present.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the reason for the delay in the introduction of one-way traffic systems in Southgate and Carre Street, Sleaford, to facilitate the passage of through traffic in the town, in view of the fact that all the authorities concerned reached agreement on this change last autumn; and, with the imminent build up of heavy holiday traffic, if she will now take steps to ensure the introduction of this change.

My right hon. Friend has recently published proposals for the trunking of Market Place and Cane Street, which form part of the proposed one-way system. Before making the Order, she will have to consider any objections that may be made. A Traffic Regulation Order and the widening of Carre Street will also be necessary before the one-way system can be introduced.

asked the Minister of Transport how many private road haulage firms have been taken over by British Road Services since October, 1964.

My right hon. Friend is told by the Transport Holding Company that since 1964 it has announced the acquisition by the company or its subsidiaries of the following road haulage undertakings:—

• Ives & Smith Ltd.
• Suffolk Plant Hire Co. Ltd.
• James Express Carriers Ltd.
• Gavin Wilkie Ltd.
• George Read (Transport) Ltd.
• Harold Wood & Sons Ltd.
• Corringdon Ltd.
• ^*Tay forth Ltd.
• William Cooper & Sons (Carriers) Ltd.
• J. E. Cartwright (Haulage) Ltd.
• ^*P. F. Boers (International) Transportbedrijf N.V.
• E. G. Smith Ltd.
• Castle Bros. (Hauliers) Ltd.
• James Smith (Bicknor) Ltd.
• West Coast Transports (Argyll) Ltd.
• James McPhee Ltd.
• ^*Bridges Transport Ltd.
• Lawther & Harvey Ltd.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration the Working Party on the lighting of vehicles has given to the recommendation of the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West, made on 3rd November, 1965, that legislation should be introduced to compel cars to be fitted with reflective number plates in the interest of road safety.

My right hon. Friend's Working Party on the lighting of motor vehicles has seen a demonstration of reflex reflectors and reflectorised number plates at the Road Research Laboratory. She expects to receive a report from them soon.

asked the Minister of Transport what experiments her Department has under consideration for teaching disabled drivers to pass their tests in three-wheeled invalid cars.

Arrangements already exist for disabled people to receive instruction on driving three-wheeled invalid carriages from Ministry of Health approved garages which supply the vehicles. Advice on instruction is also available through the organisations which cater specially for disabled drivers. The Department's experience in conducting driving tests for disabled drivers does not suggest that these arrangements are inadequate and I see no need for experiments.

asked the Minister of Transport what further steps she will take to reduce air pollution by petrol and diesel motor vehicles; and what reports she has received on this subject from her officials in the South-West, including Swindon.

The motor industry is already investigating means of reducing fumes from petrol-engined vehicles and studies are being carried out to see whether further regulatory control is necessary in this country.The main new measures planned for reducing smoke from diesel-engined vehicles are the introduction of a British Standard for diesel engines, the plating of goods vehicles which is aimed partly at preventing vehicles from being either underpowered or overloaded—both common causes of the emission of excessive smoke, and the checking for smoke as part of the annual testing scheme for goods vehicles.The Answer to the second part of the Question is "None".

asked the Minister of Transport what consultations she had, before coming to her decision to close the Great Central Line, with the various regional economic boards covered by that line; and what was the result of those consultations.

The regional economic planning bodies concerned were fully consulted both before the formal publication of the proposal to close certain sections of the former Great Central line and during the detailed consideration afterwards. After taking their comments into account my right hon. Friend decided that closure would not conflict with national or regional planning.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will seek to reconstitute the British Railways Board and management; and if she will give the figures, year by year, of the increase in managerial staff over the past five years.

My right hon. Friend hopes to announce soon her new policies for transport which will include the establishment of a National Freight Authority and a new approach to the problems of the Railways. It is not yet possible to say what the effects of these policies will be for the structure of the Railways Board. The Railways Board inform her that over the past five years the numbers of management staff comprising the group known as the Senior Officers have been as follows:—

1961	438
1962	445
1963	454
1964	533
1965	596

asked the Minister of Transport what is her policy towards the closure of intermediate stations on railway lines.

My right hon. Friend looks at proposals to withdraw passenger services from intermediate stations in the same way as those for complete line closures. She takes account of considerations of hardship, in the light of the T.U.C.C's report, and of regional planning, in the light of the advice of the Regional Economic Planning Councils and Boards. She balances these against the expected savings to the Railways Board. In some cases closing intermediate stations snakes possible a better service for the remaining ones.

asked the Minister of Aviation when he expects to complete his technical and operational survey of all disused Royal Air Force airfields in North Lincolnshire; and if he will make a statement.

The results of a survey carried (NA at the request of the Lindsey County Council by an officer of my Department were sent to the council on 22nd April. The survey is to enable the county council to decide whether a civil aerodrome in North Lincolnshire would be an economic proposition and where such an aerodrome could best be sited.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of talks with Mr. Smith's Government.

I have no statement to make at present about the talks now going on.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his proposals for the introduction of specialist committees of the House, the subjects the proposed committees will cover and the staff to be provided.

I have as yet nothing to add to the Answer I gave on 5th May to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell).

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech at Eastbourne to the Amalgamated Engineering Union on Friday, 29th April, about restrictive practices.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister in view of the National Union of Seamen's intended strike on 16th May, what instructions he has given to Government Departments to ensure the continued supply of fuel, food and raw materials.

Those necessary.

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to provide that any decision to enter the European Common Market will be subject to a referendum of the people of this country.

No. Referenda are not part of our constitutional practice.

asked the Prime Minister to which Minister Questions should be addressed which were the responsibility of the Minister without Portfolio in the last Administration.

To my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

asked the Prime Minister what reply was made to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's request at the conference in London on 4th May by the United States Secretary for Defence for British troops to be sent to help United States forces in Vietnam.

There was no such conference and no such request.

asked the Prime Minister if he will co-ordinate action against drug addiction in Great Britain by nominating one Minister to be responsible for this matter.

The responsibilities of my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary, the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Education and Science for regulation and police action, for medical use of drugs, and for education in the schools respectively, are well understood.

asked the Attorney-General how many claims have been made in county courts in England and Wales under provisions of Section 2 of the Housing (Slum Clearance) Compensation Act 1965.

I regret that these figures are not readily available and could not be obtained without inquiries of each of the 385 county courts, involving an amount of work and expense which would not in my view be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many secondary education reorganisation schemes of Type VI have already been approved; and by what criteria he will judge schemes of this type when submitted for his approval.

Proposals to establish schools which overlap the primary and secondary stages of education require my statutory approval under the Education Acts. No proposals of this kind have so far come to me for statutory approval, but I have indicated to a number of authorities that, in principle, I would be prepared to accept a scheme involving the establishment of middle schools.I shall expect proposals to be justified by reference to some clear practical advantages in the context of reorganisation on comprehensive lines or the raising of the school-leaving age, or both.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose a Blackburn Beverley aircraft of the Royal Air Force was recently present in Vietnam.

Last February an R.A.F. Beverley aircraft undertook three flights within South Vietnam in order to help with the distribution of relief and welfare supplies provided by various charitable organisations. In addition, certain British military aircraft stage in Vietnam on their way between Singapore and Hong Kong. For short and medium range aircraft there is no suitable alternative.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons registered as disabled are now employed in the service industries, as defined in the White Paper on the Selective Employment Tax.

I regret that this information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the difficulty and effort involved in ascertaining the cost to industry of on the job training of non-craftsmen operatives, particularly in industries where the training is peculiar to the establishment concerned and where the skills and knowledge acquired by the operatives have little or no value in any other employment within the parent industry; and whether he will indicate to industrial training boards the desirability in such cases of restricting the making of grants under the Industrial Training Act, 1964, to firms undertaking off the job training for their non-craftsmen employees.

The Answer to the first part of the question is "Yes". As regards the second part, I would not think it right to discourage Training Boards from using their levy and grant arrangements where they see fit to improve the quality of training on the job provided by firms in their industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what purpose he is considering using the former Pinewood Hospital Buildings near Wokingham.

Various uses are being considered. Any proposals that may emerge will be laid before the local planning authority and I will keep the hon. Member informed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes are proposed in the police forces in the Cleveland constituency when the Teeside authority comes into being.

I intend to make a statement very shortly on the organisation of police forces in England, and I would ask my hon. Friend to await this.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many subscriber trunk dialling telephone call-boxes there are in the Beckenham constituency; how many of these could not take normal calls for all or part of Monday 2nd May; how many telephone call-boxes of traditional pattern there are in the Beckenham constituency; and how many of these could not take normal calls for all or part of Monday 2nd May;(2) how many subscriber trunk dialling telephone call-boxes there are in the Greater London area; how many of these could not take normal calls for all or part of Monday 2nd May; how many call-boxes of traditional pattern there are in the Greater London area; and how many of these could not take normal calls for all or part of Monday 2nd May.

The figures are as follows:

	Beckenham constituency	Greater London area
STD call officers	78	7,000
Out of full service on 2nd May	46	2,088
Pre-payment call offices	55	3,327
Out of full service on 2nd May	Nil	127

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much lime has been applied under the Agricultural Lime Schemes 1964 to 1965 to the most recent date for which information is available, the figures so far as possible being given for each yearly period; how much of this lime is produced in Scotland, England and Ireland, respectively; and how much subsidy has been paid in respect of each of these sources.

Subsidy was paid on 6,467,000 tons of lime delivered in the United Kingdom during the period 1st August, 1964 to 14th August, 1965 when the 1964 Scheme was in operation, and on 1,600,000 tons of lime delivered during the period 15th August, 1965 (when the 1965 Scheme came into operation) to 31st March, 1966.The remainder of the information is not readily available in the form requested; but I shall send to the hon. Member as soon as possible such figures as can be abstracted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual consumption of agricultural lime in Scotland for each of the last three years for which records are available.

The consumption of agricultural lime in Scotland, derived from claims by Scottish farmers under the lime subsidy scheme, was as follows:

Claims paid during period	Thousand tons
1st April, 1963–31st March, 1964	1,007
1st April, 1964–31st March, 1965	1,080
1st April, 1965–31st March, 1966	935

The average time between the delivery of lime and payments of subsidy is about two months.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will fully reimburse farmers in Scotland at the 1967 Annual Price Review with the cost to them of the proposed Selective Employment Tax between 5th September, 1966 and the date of the review.

I would refer the hon. Member to what was said in the House by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 6th May and by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the effect on agricultural employment of the proposed selective employment tax.

As the Government's intention is to offset the tax so far as is practicable there should be no material effect on agricultural employment.