asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will give a decision on the submission, dated June, 1965, from the Winchester Rural District Council concerning the Itchen Valley Sewerage Scheme.

The scheme will be approved, and my right hon. Friend's decision is being issued immediately.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the discontent among professional men at the written representations procedure on planning appeals; and if he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to alter the present system.

I am not aware of discontent with this procedure as such; I am considering changes in the methods of handling planning appeals, but with the main object of reducing delays in holding inquiries.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average percentage rise in revenue from rates during 1966–67 compared with 1965–66.

It is estimated that the rise in revenue from rates will be about 12 per cent. and the average increase in rate poundages about 9.5 per cent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of cases where multi-storey office blocks built as speculative enterprises for letting at high rents have been empty for many months; and if he will introduce legislation to enable him to acquire these compulsorily for use by local authorities.

The answer to the first part is Yes; as to the second part, local authorities already have powers to acquire existing buildings compulsorily for use as offices and my right hon. Friend sees no need for further legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek to arrange that the general grant to local authorities shall contain an element which will enable them to offset by increased grants the amount which grand-aided voluntary bodies pay in Selective Employment Tax.

Some of these grants by local authorities are already taken into account in the general grant calculation, although the distribution of that grant to an individual authority is not directly related to its own expenditure.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that war disability pensions are included in calculations of income for rate relief purposes; and whether he will take steps to alter this position.

The Answer to the first part is "Yes"; and to the second part "No". My right hon. Friend explained at Report stage of the Rating Bill on 24th February the reasons for this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent his proposals for Government grants to local authorities will take account of the special needs of counties with an expanding population.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has for the partial relief of rates in the county of Hertford; and whether the proposed new formula will include a factor to take into account the rapid development of that county.

I would refer the hon. Members to the provision of the Local Government Bill published on 18th May.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has received the report of Mr. G. D. Blake into the proposed development of Stansted Airport; and whether he proposes to publish it.

My right hon. Friend is expecting the report very shortly. It will be published in the usual way when a decision is reached.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the financial hardship caused to members of local authorities, when he expects to publish the Maud Report dealing with the payment of members of local authorities.

The Interim Report has now reached me. It will be published as soon as it has been printed—in about three or four weeks' time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the maximum fines which can be imposed for the destruction of buildings of architectural and historic interest are insufficient to prevent such destruction; and if he will seek to amend the law to provide deterrent penalties.

I would refer to the reply I gave to my hon. the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 20th May.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation substantially increasing the maximum fines and/or introducing a sentence of imprisonment in respect of damage or destruction of historic buildings which have been given the protection of a Ministry or local council order.

I would refer to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead on 20th May.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his proposals for supplementary grants for local authorities for roads will take into account the width of the road and the traffic volume it bears.

Not directly but supplementary payments are to be made in respect of principal roads, which are generally the wider roads, and the amount per mile will be higher where the ratio of population to miles of principal road is high.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why, upon her retirement from the service of the Greater London Council, the pension payable to Mrs. M. I. Giffin, of 29, Grenville Gardens, Woodford Green, will not take account of her 10 years of Government service between 1940 and 1949.

The local government superannuation scheme does not give credit for service prior to local authority employment unless it is covered by interchange rules providing for the payment of a transfer value. Mrs. Giffin's Government service was unestablished and non-pensionable so that no pension rights were transferable when she moved to local government employment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the letter written to him on 20th January by the hon. Member for Shrewsbury requesting that Shrewsbury be included among those towns in his pilot scheme for historic towns, he will consider increasing the number of the towns in the pilot schemes to include this ancient borough.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will issue a circular to local authorities and other building organisations on the desirability of providing accessible and convenient means of entrance to all public buildings for the old and disabled.

My Department and the Ministry of Health issued a joint circular on this subject to local authorities on 2nd November, 1965. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what contribution he is making towards the cost of the scheme to prevent flooding in Bonmere Heath, Shropshire.

My right hon. Friend has no power to make a contribution in a case of this kind, but I understand that the local authority have approached my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about the possibility of grant on drainage work to be carried out under the Land Drainage Act, 1961.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount of the income from rates which is devoted to paying for teachers' salaries.

Taking account of general grants and rate-deficiency grant, the figure is about £230 million for England and Wales in 1965–66.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state his policy towards the West Riding of Yorkshire County Development Plan; what representations he has had from the Lindsey County Council concerning the proposal to take over the Southern Humber area; what has been the cost to public funds of the civil servants employed in the preparation of the Plan; and if he will make a statement

The second review of the West Riding County Development Plan has not yet been submitted to my right hon. Friend. A preparatory document has been circulated by the County Planning Committee, who have invited comments. No representations have been made to my right hon. Friend. No civil servants were employed in the preparation of this document.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government by how much the total of Exchequer grants to local authorities will be increased in 1970–71 under the proposals envisaged in Command Paper No. 2923.

About £120 million more than under the present arrangements, subject of course to any changes made by then following a report by the Royal Commission on Local Government.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he will make a statement on his study of the feasibility of a Thames flood barrier.

The consulting engineers, whose report was published earlier this year, have found that a retractable flood barrier for the Thames is feasibile. The report and its implications are being studied, but this is a complex and expensive project and it may be some time before conclusions can be announced.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to bring in an Order extending the determination of fair rents to all privately rented unfurnished dwellings.

Not until I am entirely satisfied that the machinery so recently set up is able to cope with the additional work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the members of the London Rent Assessment Committee will be allocated to their respective areas.

It is not proposed to allocate members of the London Rent Assessment Panel to particular areas.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the index number of new orders for homes in the years 1964 and 1965, respectively, taking 1958 as representing 100, all figures being for England, Scotland and Wales, excluding Northern Ireland; what was the overall percentage change over the period 1964–65; what was the percentage change between the third and fourth quarters of 1965; and

Figures of new orders in value terms at 1958 prices are published in my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works' Monthly Bulletin of Construction Statistics. These show that the index number asked for by the hon. Member was 198 in 1964 and 192 in 1965, a change of minus 3 per cent. over the period. The change between the third and fourth quarters of 1965 was minus 8 per cent.Shortage of mortgage funds last year cause a fall in the private sector which was offset by a rise in the public.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the effect on the housing programme of the application of the proposed Selective Employment Tax to the construction industry.

We are keeping a very careful watch but it is too early to judge.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that housing contractors are asking local authorities for an increase in the tender figure for house building arising from the Budget proposals for a pay-roll tax; and what advice he is giving to local councils in this matter.

Yes. Where local authorities inquire, the Department's officers are advising them that where tenders were received before Budget Day but have not been let, and contractors are unwilling to accept the contract at the price offered, authorities may negotiate with the contractor whose tender they would otherwise have accepted, taking account both of the pay-roll tax and of other Budget measures which should lead to a reduction in building costs.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation whereby the occupants of tied agricultural cottages may be made eligible for rate rebates.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that some rent assessment committees are taking the scarcity element of housing unduly into account; and if he will seek to amend the Rent Act so as to stop this.

I have seen a report that one committee has done this, but I understand that the chairman concerned rejects such an interpretation of his decision. On the subject of scarcity, I would call my hon. Friend's attention to the carefully considered statement on this subject made by my hon. Friend, the Joint Parliamentary Secretary, in winding up the Adjournment Debate on 13th May.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were completed in Great Britain in March, 1966; and what was the equivalent figure for March, 1965.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were completed in Great Britain in March, 1966: and what was the equivalent figure for March, 1965.

32,500 and 33,500 respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were built in England and Wales in each year from 1945 and in 1966 to the latest date for which figures are available.

With permission I will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received from the Federation of Registered House-Builders regarding prospects of building for home ownership in 1966; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the increase in the cost of building a council house due to the rise in the price of copper since October last year.

About £15 on an average house.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to give the local authorities powers to make grants to householders for sound-proofing their houses in the neighbourhood of municipally-owned airports.

My right hon. Friend does not think this would be justified since conditions near municipal airports are very different from those at Heathrow where the British Airports Authority now have power to pay grants.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give figures showing the average time taken to complete a house in the private sector and the public sector, respectively, in 1965 compared with 1964, and the latest estimate of the respective periods.

For England and Wales the figures for the private sector were 9·6 months at the end of 1964, 11·5 months at the end of 1965 and 12·0 months at the end of March, 1966.The corresponding figures for the public sector were 12·8, 13·2 and 12·8 months.The figures for the public sector relate to houses only but in the private sector include flats.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to encourage local authorities to make greater use of private building contractors, in view of the low productivity of the direct labour organisations in the construction industry.

I cannot accept the hon. Member's assertion. Precise measurement of efficiency is always difficult, but statistics on the cost of local authority houses show that cost per square foot is less by direct labour than by contractor. It is my aim to stimulate both by greater efficiency.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rents have now been increased under the Rent Act 1965 fair rents procedure by an amount greater than that requested by the landlords involved.

This information could not be obtained without a considerable expenditure of staff time. I know of two cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what consultations Her Majesty's Government have had with the Turkish and Greek Governments about the replacement of Turkish Cypriot by Greek Cypriot Ministers in Cyprus; and what action has been taken.

Her Majesty's Government were in touch with the Greek and Turkish Governments through diplomatic channels. We subsequently drew the Cyprus Government's attention to this breach of the Constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Zambia in respect of men equipped with Chinese arms now infiltrating from that country into Rhodesia.

I do not consider that it would be appropriate to make representations. I am confident that the Zambian Government are fully aware of the implications of cases of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will take steps to ensure that the British Broadcasting Corporation refuse any co-operation with the Zambian Broadcasting Company in the relaying of British material so long as that company broadcasts incitements to violence to the Rhodesian people.

Any overseas organisation can pick up and relay programmes put out in the B.B.C.'s Overseas Services if it sees fit. There is no truth in allega- tions that the British Government has supplied transmitters to carry Zambian broadcasts to Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what information he has about the association of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania with the European Economic Community.

The East African Governments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania held the first round of negotiations for an association agreement with the European Economic Community Commission in March, 1965. There have been no further talks, and I am not aware that any are in prospect.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement of the progress of Her Majesty's Government's negotiations for an end to the confrontation with Indonesia.

We greatly welcome the recently improved prospects for an ending, by negotiation, of the Indonesian confrontation of Malaysia and Singapore. As the House recognises, Her Majesty's Government cannot negotiate on behalf of Malaysia and Singapore, but we are in touch with the parties and stand ready to help in any way we properly can.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what new arrangements have been made with the Portuguese authorities and with the Mozambique Pipeline Company with regard to the supply of oil to Zambia and the denial of oil to Rhodesia; and at what financial cost.

No new arrangements have been made with the Portuguese authorities or the Mozambique Pipeline Company with regard to the supply of tail to Zambia. As to arrangements made with the Mozambique Pipeline Company, would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend for South Shields (Mr. Blenkinsop) on 16th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will publish at the earliest opportunity such information as he receives about agreements entered into by other Commonwealth countries in Africa or else where with the European Econouic Community.

Any agreement between a Commonwealth country and the European Economic Community would no doubt be published by the Community and the Commonwealth country concerned. I understand from my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade that it is normal practice for information about agreements of interest to British exporters to be published in he Board of Trade Journal.

asked the Minister of Power if, in view of the strain on the balance of payments now likely to be brought about by the premature running clown of the indigenous coal production of the United Kingdom, he will revise fundamentally the assumptions of the White Paper on Fuel Policy, Command Paper No. 2798, published in October, 1965.

asked the Minister of Power, in view of the radical change in the availability of indigenous fuels since the issue of Command Paper No. 2798, entitled Fuel Policy, when he proposes to publish a revision of this White Paper.

I have set in hand a review to take account of the changing situation and in particular the North Sea gas discoveries. I cannot yet say when I shall be able to make a statement or publish a revision.

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he will make a statement on the discovery of large quantities of gas at block 49/26 in the North Sea, and especially on the effect of this and other similar discoveries on Her Majesty's Government's fuel policy;(2) what plans he has to modify his fuel policy as outlined in the National Plan.

I cannot add to the information about the discovery of gas in Block 49/26 which I gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 10th May. As regards fuel policy I would refer to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Palmer) and the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd) today.

asked the Minister of Power whether he has now received a report on the cause of the damage to the cooling towers at Ferrybridge power station; what further deterioration has occurred; and whether he will make a statement.

The Committee of Inquiry set up by the Central Electricity Generating Board has made an interim report.The collapsed towers are now being reconstructed, and the standing towers strengthened. There is no evidence of general deterioration of the standing towers, but precautionary restrictions have been placed on working on one tower on which superficial cracks were found.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the necessary general directions to ensure that electricity and gas may only be resold under licence from the appropriate area boards and through meters calibrated and regularly checked by them.

The resale of electricity and gas is governed by existing legislation. Further action will be considered if the evidence shows this to be necessary.

asked the Minister of Power what investigations he has made of the extent to which nationalisation of the steel industry on the lines proposed in the White Paper would make entry into the Common Market more difficult, and would be contrary to the letter or the spirit of the Community's anti-cartel agreements; and what conclusions he has reached.

I am satisfied that there is nothing in the Treaties of Rome and Paris to prevent the public ownership of industries, including the steel industry.

asked the Minister of Power if he will take steps to increase co-operation between the gas, electricity and coal industries.

These industries already co-operate closely with my Department in the formulation of the country's energy policy and I shall encourage and strengthen this.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the decision of the West Midlands Gas Board to increase the price of gas to the consumers by 7 per cent.; and whether he will refer this matter to the National Board for Prices and Incomes for consideration.

The Government received early warning of the proposals by the West Midlands Gas Board to increase prices. These proposals were also submitted to and approved by the Consultative Council, and I do not consider that any reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes is called for.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to gas boards that instead of insuring their property with private insurance companies they should spread the risk in the public sector.

This is a matter for the commercial judgment of individual gas boards and is not where a general direction would be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what help he is giving to the development of co-operative societies and other village aid projects in Indonesia this year; and if there will be further help next year.

We have not received any request for help of this kind. Indeed, British technical assistance to Indonesia has been in suspense since 1963. But with an improvement in Anglo-Indonesian relations we should be ready to consider sympathetically any such request in the future, in the light of our overall commitments at the time.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many of the eight experts at present advising overseas governments on his behalf on co-operative matters have been previously employed by co-operative societies in Great Britain.

Two.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether, in view of the increasingly grave food crisis in the Kalahindi district of Orissa, India, he will now arrange an emergency programme of food supplies for India; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government fully shares the widespread concern aroused by India's current food shortage, and we have responded to the best of our ability by offering general economic assistance, details of which were given in the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 3rd May to the hon. Member for Ilford, North.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to relieve independent and church schools from the effect of the Selective Employment Tax.

No schools will be relieved from the tax, but the arrangements for offsetting the effect of the tax on local authority finances will cover all schools, including church schools, maintained by local authorities. The question of compensating direct grant schools, including clenom national schools, through the normal grant machinery is being considered

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communications he has received from the Economic Development Council for Distribution regarding the effects upon distribution of his payroll tax proposals, and what answer he has made to the Council.

I have recently received a letter from the Chairman, to which I have just replied saying that it was necessary for me to raise additional revenue without adding to existing taxation on a narrow sector of productive industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the concern expressed by employers with fewer than 12 employees at any single establishment concerning the effects of Selective Employment Tax, especially private employers with elderly or part-disabled employees and religious, charitable and welfare organisations; and why such establishments are not to be relieved of Selective Employment Tax.

The relevance of this criterion is not clear.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the tact that Members of Parliament are regarded as self-employed for purposes of the Selective Employment Tax, whether he will now direct the Inland Revenue to assess Members of Parliament under Schedule D as self-employed, and not as at present under Schedule E; by what authority Members of Parlia- ment are assessed under Schedule E as employed persons; and whether he will seek to bring assessment within Income Tax schedules into conformity with Selective Employment Tax provisions.

No. Income Tax is chargeable under Schedule E in respect of offices as well as employments, and Members of Parliament hold an office. The scope of Selective Employment Tax is irrelevant to the Income Tax point.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt from liability to the Selective Employment Tax severely disabled persons living at home in respect of nursing and domestic help which they arc obliged to employ for their daily living.

This would not be possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the probable yield of the Selective Employment Tax from the taxation of employment in private nursery schools, playgroups and other registered child-minding establishments.

About £17,500 per annum from the employment of teachers in independent nursery schools in England and Wales. I regret that the other information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a central administrative centre which has been established by the owners of several factories in order to use computers and modern centralised procedures will have to pay the Selective Employment Tax.

Yes, by virtue of being an employer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a number of factories in different parts of the country which have established a centralised distribution system, with separate premises unattached to any one factory, need decentralise and return to individual distribution of their products in order to be relieved of the Selective Employment Tax.

The hon. Member should await publication of the Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state for any convenient period the annual return received by his Department in petrol tax and road fund duty, respectively; and whether he will give an estimate of the extent to which his revenue would increase or decrease if the road fund duty were abolished and an additional sixpence per gallon added to the petrol tax, taking into account the release of those that would no longer be necessary to administer the duties connected with the road fund tax.

In 1965–66 estimated receipts of petrol tax and motor vehicle duty were £711 million and £235 million. If the motor vehicle duty were abolished and 6d. per gallon added to the petrol tax the revenue would decrease by £135 million. Vehicle licensing is coupled with vehicle registration which would have to continue even if the licence duty were abolished.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of removing the earnings rule from all classes of State pension; and when he proposes to relieve those entitled to a pension who are adversely affected by this rule.

For National Insurance retirement pensions, about £110 million in the first full year; for public service occupational pensions, between £20 million and £40 million a year depending on the assumptions made. The Government do not propose to abolish these rules, but the level of the National Insurance earnings limit has been referred to the National Insurance Advisory Committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the number of the members of Her Majesty's Government and the aggregate of their salaries for the financial years 1963–64 and 1965–66, respectively.

90 and 110. The aggregate cost of salaries was £336,400 and £632,225.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the extent to which, in conformity with Her Majesty's Government's policy expressed by the British delegation in the European Free Trade Association communiqué of 29th October, 1965, the balance of payments deficit will be eliminated in the course of 1966; and if he will make a statement.

As I said in my Budget statement, it is still the Government's aim to achieve balance by the end of this year, but it is more important to achieve a trend of improvement which will carry us from deficit into surplus in a reasonable period than to show a balance in one particular quarter or half year, which may be affected by special factors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much Great Britain's spending abroad contributed to the payments deficit last year; if he will revise his policy of depriving productive industry of the opportunity to expand abroad and so increase its export earnings, by reducing the high level of overseas financial spending; and if he will make a statement.

Net Government expenditure abroad on current account last year was £454 million. As I made clear in my Budget speech we intend to reduce Government spending abroad and to limit the outflow of capital. Both will help to get us back into balance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to impose a standstill on proposals for higher valuations for rating.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proceeds of the sale of Her Majesty's Government's holding in the Amerada Petroleum Corporation have been reinvested in United States equity shares, placed in short-dated United States Government bonds and transferred to the reserves, or used to meet Her Majesty's Government's liabilities.

They are being reinvested in short-term dollar securities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase or decrease there was in the staff of the Inland Revenue department in the period 16th October, 1964, to 15th April, 1966; and what increase or decrease he anticipates in the period 16th April to 15th October, 1966.

The staff in post increased by 3,038 between October, 1964, and April, 1966; a further increase of about 1,700 is expected by October, 1966.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many premature resignations there have been from the staff of the Inland Revenue department in the last 18 months; and how this figure compares with that of the previous 18-month period.

4,029 in the 18 months to 31st March, 1966, compared with 4,332 in the previous 18 months.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the value of the copper content of a penny is more than one penny, if he will have minted lighter coinage of less content value.

In view of the proposed decimalisation of the currency in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the cost of exempting from Income Tax the first £15 of all bank interest.

About £15 million in a full year, if the exemption was additional to the existing exemption for Post Office Savings Bank, etc., interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to him by the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technician's Association about the hiring of freelance draughtsmen by Government Departments.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the comparative taxation expressed as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost in the last available year in Great Britain, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, West Germany, and the United States of America, repectively, under the headings of total taxes and contributions, direct taxes on householders, social security contributions, direct taxes on corporations, and indirect taxes, respectively.

The information is set out in the table below. The figures relate to the year 1964, the latest date for which information is available from O.E.C.D. sources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in the consideration of the need to establish a State unit trust.

I continue to keep this matter under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that he proposes to reduce his borrowings by some hundreds of millions in the coming financial year, to what extent this will help to reduce Bank Rate; when Bank Rate will be back to its normal 4 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question of 17th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much interest and capital repayment on the United States debt the United Kingdom failed to pay last autumn: what action he proposes to take when the next payments become due; and if he will make a statement.

The amount of capital and interest waived was £49·3 million. Future action will be decided nearer the time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the cost of living has increased since October, 1964; what estimate Ile makes of further increases; what compensation he will give to the holders of Government securities; and if he will make a statement.

By 7·5 per cent. up to April, 1966. It is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to give forecasts of the cost of living; and I have nothing to add to my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the nation is still not living within its income; what are the main reasons for this; what new steps he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.

I dealt with this matter fully in my speech in the House on 1st March last and again in my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has laid before the House proposals for the levy of taxation without an estimate of the expected net yield.

The estimated yield of the taxes in 1966–67 is in Table 3 of the financial statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in view of the fact that London's predominance as an international financial centre earned for Great Britain last year over £200 million in foreign currency, if he will review all the restrictions on the City's activities so to enable more to be earned by these invisible exports; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is aware that exchange control does harm to Great Britain in the long run; if lie will discuss this problem with the Governor of the Bank of England in order to see how these controls may be ended; and if he will make a statement.

These large questions are kept continuously under review, but I have no particular statement to make today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish as a White Paper the International Monetary Fund's recent report on Great Britain's economic position which states in particular that he has not done enough to eliminate the balance of payments deficit, and consequently home demand must be further curtailed; what action he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am not aware that any report in these terms has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce amending legislation to postpone elections to London boroughs due to be held in May, 1967 under the London Government Act, 1963.

I am giving urgent consideration to this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons were convicted of the offence of unauthorised possession of marijuana in the years 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965, respectively;(2) how many persons were convicted of offences in respect of the smoking of cannabis and cannabis resin in the years 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965, respectively.

The numbers of persons convicted of being in unauthorised possession of cannabis (marijuana) in the years 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965 were 558, 650, 532 and 575 (provisional figure) respectively. The smoking of cannabis is not a specific offence. In 1965, however, there were eight convictions of permitting premises to be used for smoking cannabis or being concerned in the management of premises used for such a purpose, a new offence created by the Dangerous Drugs Act 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he gave to the possibility of combining Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch into a single police area; what special considerations caused him to recommend the amalgamation of Bournemouth's police force with that of the County of Dorset; and if he will make a statement.

There is no power under the Police Act, 1964, to amalgamate parts only of police areas, and it would not therefore be practicable to combine Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch into a single police area. I am satisfied that the amalgamation of Bournemouth with the whole of Dorset (which would have the effect of bringing the areas of Bournemouth and Poole under one command) would be in the interests of greater efficiency of policing and would create a reasonably sized police area in that part of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission or other impartial body to investigate and appraise psychological evidence on the extent to which murders and other crimes are, or have been, inspired by sadism or promiscuity depicted by or discussed on television programmes, by films, or by the increasing availability of pornographic literature.

The Television Research Committee is already charged with the initiation and co-ordination of research into the influence of television. My right hon. Friend will keep in mind the possibility of further research on the lines suggested, but these matters are exceptionally difficult to investigate satisfactorily.

asked the Minister of Transport what measures her Department proposes to introduce to cut down traffic exhaust fumes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Francis Noel-Baker) on 10th May.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will make a statement regarding the derailment of the Milford Haven to Paddington train at Reading Station on 12th May last.

The derailment resulted from a collision between the locomotive of the Milford Haven-Paddington sleeping car train and the locomotive of a parcels train; no one was injured. A formal inquiry is not needed to determine the cause of the accident, and my right hon. Friend does not propose to order one. Her Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways has, however, arranged to discuss it with the railway management and will ask for steps to be taken to prevent further similar accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents causing fatalities have occurred on the Leeds-Otley trunk road within the Leeds City boundary in the last two years.

Four in 1964 and one in 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents causing fatalities have occurred in the last two years on the Leeds-Kirkstall-Guiseley-Ilkley trunk road within the Leeds City boundary.

Four in 1964 and four in 1965.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what requests he has received from the National Farmers' Union leaders for discussions with him over the effects of Selective Employment Tax on the agricultural industry; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Hazell) on 13th May.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to prevent the housewife from being charged more by individuals and firms who are using the seamen's strike as a reason for increases in food prices.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Prime Minister's statement yesterday. Voluntary co-operation has, so far, worked well, and we wish to rely on that as far as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange to have food ration books printed ready for emergency use should the seamen's strike be prolonged; and if he will make a statement.

I shall continue to keep under review the action needed to meet conditions as they develop.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the proposed home defence force will have permanent administrative staff in Northern Ireland; and to what extent it will be self organising.

Each Territorial unit will have a small permanent administrative staff for clerical and storekeeping work. The maintenance, heating, lighting, cleaning and furnishing of Training Centres, and the supply in detail of clothing and personal equipment to Territorial units will be the responsibility of the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why H.M.S. "Eagle's" Vixen Squadron has a shortfall of three pilots and five observers for her 16 aircraft.

H.M.S. "Eagle" is manned to meet her current operational commitments: we do not as a rule give details of the strength of individual front line squadrons.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has resulted from Her Majesty's Government's consideration with the Allies in Western European Union of the proposal for a European armaments plan as recommended in paragraph 3, page 3, of Document 354 of the Western European Union Assembly.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster circulated in yesterday's OFFICIAL REPORT the text of the reply which the Western European Union Council has now sent to the W.E.U. Assembly's recommendation on the state of European security. Paragraph 3 of this reply deals with the Assembly's recommendations for European armaments co-operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that in many naval air squadrons there are now more aircraft than there are aircrew, and that owing to the shortage of technicians Fleet Air Arm commitments should be cut back to the level where there are not more aircraft on naval air stations than may be reliably maintained; and what steps he is taking to correct the wastage-rate of retiring officers, which is greater than their qualifying rate.

Yes, there are shortages of aircrew and of maintenance ratings, but the Fleet Air Arm is meeting its commitments, and all its aircraft engaged in flying are properly maintained. As for aircrew, we are training many more in 1966 than we expect to lose, and a small number of R.A.F. aircrew are being lent to the R.N. to make good past recruiting shortfalls.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any United States parachutists were involved in the incident at Llatyrafel Farm on 9th May.

No.

asked the Minister of Health what site has been selected for the new hospital in the Newcastle region; on what date he held the original discussion for building such a hospital; and on what date the decision to look for a suitable site was taken.

The new hospital is to be built on undeveloped land in the High Heatons neighbourhood of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The decision to look for a site was taken in March, 1963. The Regional Hospital Board's proposals were put to my predecessor in October, 1963, and he agreed them in principle in December, 1963.

asked the Minister of Health what is the reason for the delay in building a new junior training centre for mentally-handicapped children in the Wellingborough area; and if he will authorise the building of the centre to proceed as planned.

This scheme was subject to the general temporary deferment of capital building projects last year. I understand that the county council expects building work to start in August.

asked the Minister of Health which hospital authorities in the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board area maintain a register of former nurses who might be available to return to regular or part-time employment in nursing; and how many names were entered on these registers on 1st January, 1965, and 1st January, 1966, respectively.

Formal registers are not maintained but most of the hospital authorities have arrangements for keeping in touch with former nurses living in their areas.