asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why she is not prepared to disclose addresses of pensioners to assist in the collection of debts.

The general principle, which has been accepted ever since the first National Insurance scheme began in 1911, is that the person information which insured persons have to provide for the purposes of the scheme is treated as confidential between them and the Ministry, and so cannot be made available to a person who may wish to obtain it for some other purpose.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons in receipt of National Assistance allowance have applied for a rate rebate under the Rating Act 1966; and in how many cases the rebate has been granted.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will seek to amend legislation in order that a self-employed person whose business is closed by a compulsory purchase order shall receive unemployment pay.

No. It has never been regarded as practicable to provide unemployment insurance cover for self-employed people.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she is aware that no burial payment is available on the death of those born before 1888; that this deficiency in the Insurance Scheme often causes hardship to elderly relatives; what would be the cost per year to rectify this deficiency: and if she will consider introducing this reform.

Death grant is not payable on the deaths of people who were over minimum pension age at the start of the scheme. To pay the grant in these cases would cost over £4 million a year immediately. I do not think I should be justified in reopening this question.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will take steps to amend the Act of 1948 so that death grants can be paid on behalf of those men and women who were borne before 5th July 1883, and 5th July 1888, respectively.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave today to the hon. and gallant Member for Ripon (Sir M. Stoddart-Scott).

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, in view of the fact that the cost of living has gone up by nearly 10 per cent. since October 1964, and that 8s. of the 12s. 6d. increase then provided for the retirement pensioners has been lost, whether she will introduce legislation tying pensions to the cost-of-living index; and if she will make a statement.

No. Pension rates are about 18 per cent. higher than in October 1964, against a rise in the Retail Prices Index of just over 8 per cent. Pensioners would be worse off if their pensions had been tied to the cost of living.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will review the question of maintenance arrears with a view to a guarantee being given to the wives whose husbands have left them.

The National Assistance Board already invites a deserted wife in receipt of assistance who has a maintenance order to authorise the Board to collect any moneys paid into court. The woman is then paid a full weekly assistance grant, and is thus spared the need to make weekly visits to the court and assured of a stable weekly income, whether or not the court order is being regularly complied with.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the sample prepared for the forthcoming survey of low-income families is statistically adequate to give a picture of the regional distribution of the problem, in view of the evidence of low incomes in many parts of Norfolk.

The sample will include families in all parts of Great Britain and will provide a picture of the position in the country as a whole. We are not setting out to measure the size of the problem in different areas which, of course, will vary with the general levels of earnings.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what percentage of recipients of National Assistance in Norfolk is subject to the wage-stop; how this compares with the national average; and how these figures will be affected by the provisions proposed under the Social Security Bill.

On 29th March, 1966, 12· 4 per cent. of unemployed people receiving National Assistance in the area covered by the Board's Norfolk offices had their allowances restricted by reference to their usual earnings, compared with a national average of 13· 2 per cent. The immediate effect of the higher allowances under the Ministry of Social Security Bill will be to increase this proportion but it is not possible to predict to what extent.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the total amount of assistance paid to all categories of deserted wives, including those with court orders not being complied with, in 1965.

The total amount of assistance paid to all categories of deserted wives, including those with court orders not being complied with, was £27.445.000 in 1965.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many widows there are in each of the age groups 35–40, 40–45, and 45–50 years; how many widows aged 50 to 60 years are not eligible for widows' pensions; and how many of these widows, in each age group, will be eligible for assistance under the new Social Security Bill.

It is estimated that there are some 20,000 widows aged 35–39, 45,000 aged 40–44 and 75,000 aged 45–49. The number of widows aged 50–59 is estimated at 390,000, of whom 25,000 are not eligible for widows' benefits.About 10,000 widows under the age of 60 not receiving widows' benefits are receiving National Assistance; these widows will be entitled to non-contributory benefit under the Ministry of Social Security Bill. The number of other widows who will qualify for such benefit cannot be estimated.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many claims for industrial death benefit have been made in full year to the nearest convenient date; and what proportion of these was disallowed.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health when the new geriatric unit at St. Austell, mentioned in the hospital building programme, will be built; and on what site.

The start is planned for 1967 on the site next to the maternity hospital.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied with the present number of hospital beds for aged people in the Leeds and Otley planning area, in view of the facts that the aged population in this area is increasing, that there is a higher morbidity rate than for the rest of the country and that no additional beds for the aged have been planned in the next decade; and if he will make a statement.

Both present and planned hospital provision for the elderly in this area satisfy the national standard suggested in the Hospital Building Programme (Cmnd. 3000), and the Leeds Regional Hospital Board will keep the requirements under review.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to reduce the waiting period for an out-patient appointment in the ophthalmic department of the Kettering General Hospital.

My Department has recently approved the appointment of an extra consultant in ophthalmology in the Kettering/Northampton Area. When the new consultant is in post the waiting period for an out-patient appointment should be progressively reduced.

asked the Minister of Health what facilities are available in that part of Northamptonshire coming within the Wellingborough constituency for smear tests for cancer of the cervix.

Facilities for routine screening for cervical cancer are available in Northamptonshire through general practitioners and Family Planning clinics.

asked the Minister of Health how many people resident in Wellington, Salop urban district, Oaken-gates urban district, Dawley urban district, and Wellington rural district, respectively, at present have their names on hospital waiting lists.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that, because advanced dentistry is not available at reasonable cost under the National Health Service, a scheme has been launched with the backing of the General Dental Practitioners Association which will make the necessary treatment available on hire-purchase terms; and what is his policy towards this scheme.

I do not accept the hon. Member's premise; there is a steady growth in the more advanced forms of treatment under the National Health Service. I have no responsibility for any schemes for financing private treatment.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total gross payment by executive councils to pharmacists in the year 1964–65; what was the total for the actual cost of drugs, exclusive of container allowances; and what percentage of the total this represents.

The figures for England and Wales are:£106,047,000 (excluding £5,501,000 arrears for previous years under a remuneration settlement); £71,423,000; 67· 35 per cent. The expenditure figures include payments (estimated at about 4 per cent. of the total in each case) in respect of dressings and appliances as well as drugs.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the effect upon cigarette sales of the ban on advertising cigarettes on television.

It is not possible to isolate the effect of any one of the various factors which may affect cigarette sales. Statistics for the year 1965 show a fall in cigarette sales compared with each of the previous two years, and also a fall in the number of people smoking cigarettes, particularly of those under 20 years of age.

asked the Minister of Health how many recommendations have been received by him during each of the last five years from National Health Service Executive Councils for the withholding of amounts from the remuneration of general medical practitioners owing to the failure of the practitioners to comply with the terms of service; and in how many of such cases he has directed the Executive Council to recover the amount recommended, a lesser amount, or a greater amount, respectively.

I am afraid that the information is not readily available in the form asked for and could not be obtained without disproportionate work. An analysis of some 600 cases of complaint against doctors over the last 15 months shows that withholdings from remuneration were recommended by Executive Councils in respect of 26 doctors; I accepted 19 of the recommendations, reduced the amount on 5 occasions and increased it on 2; in addition I decided to direct withholdings of remuneration from 8 doctors where the Council had recommended the issue of a warning.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will introduce legislation to reduce the risk of contamination of eye ointment by particles from metal containers; and if he will make a statement.

The immediate need is not for legislation but for improved methods of manufacturing and testing the containers. Encouraging progress is being made in this direction.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that valuable orders are being lost to British industry by the failure to meet delivery dates due to the shortage of skilled labour, he will take steps by legislation or otherwise to recruit workers from overseas and Northern Ireland, particularly for ship construction; if he is satisfied the fullest possible use is being made of retrained personnel; and if he will make a statement.

Apart from Northern Ireland, from which some skilled workers have been recruited for British shipyards and other industries, I am unaware of resources of skilled labour that could be transferred from overseas. Training facilities in Government Training Centres have been expanded and the Industrial Training Boards concerned are encouraging training and retraining within their industries.

asked the Minister of Labour how many training boards have been established to date; and how many employees are covered by each individual board.

Thirteen, covering nearly 7½ million employees. The figures of employees covered by each industrial training board are as follows:

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES COVERED BY INDUSTRIAL TRAINING BOARDS
Training Board	Number of Employees covered
1. Wool, Jute and Flax	210,000
2. Iron and Steel	325,000
3. Construction	1,700,000
4. Engineering	3,800,000
5. Shipbuilding	160,000
6. Electricity Supply	237.000
7. Gas	125,000
8. Water Supply	44,000
9. Ceramics, Glass and Mineral Products	412,000
10. Furniture and Timber	250,000
11. Man-made Fibres Producing	50,000
12. Carpets	40,000
13. Knitting, Lace and Net	140,000
TOTAL	7,493,000

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take to place in employment the 200 local workers threatened with redundancy by the impending closure of the Turner Paper Mill in the village of Rawcliffe, near Goole.

My employment exchange officers are already interviewing these workers at the firm and submitting them to vacancies.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the number and the percentage of persons unemployed at the most recent count in the Stornoway area, and the numbers in Barra, South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist, respectively, at the same date; and what were the corresponding figures at

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED
		Stornoway	Barra	South Uist	Benbecula	North Uist
16th May, 1966	…	1,082 (20· 3 per cent)	56	101	22	84
10th May. 1965	…	1,242 (23· 3 per cent)	67	128	26	77
11th May. 1964	…	1,178 (20· 7 per cent)	73	120	31	92
13th May. 1963	…	1,263 (22· 2 per cent)	106	131	26	107
14th May.. 1962	…	1,294 (23· 4 per cent)	82	109	20	77
15th May 1961	…	1,257 (22· 7 per cent)	60	99	25	63

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish the text of letters that he has sent to the Transport and General Workers' Union urging them to accept the recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on Road Haulage Charges as outlined in paragraph 44;(2) if he will give the dates of meetings that he has had with the leaders of the Transport and General Workers' Union in order to persuade them to accept the recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on Road Haulage Charges as outlined in paragraph 44.

I discussed with representatives of the Road Haulage National Negotiating Committee on 27th April the Board's recommendations on the improvement of efficiency and reduction of costs.I received assurances from both sides of their willingness to improve productivity in the industry and to extend flexible working arrangements where conditions made it possible to do so. Officials of my Department have since maintained close touch with the parties to the negotiations. I will send to the hon. Member a copy of the statement which was issued for publication following my meeting with representatives of the industry.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made with the talks on the application of the the corresponding counts in each of the past five years.

Following is the information:Redundancy Payments Act to the ship-repairing industry.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Lady on Monday, 23rd May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the discussions with the Spanish Government on Gibraltar are still in progress; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about the progress of the Anglo-Spanish talks on Gibraltar.

The talks initiated on the 18th of May now stand adjourned. They are likely to be resumed shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what it would cost to supply to hon. Members full and detained information concerning the costs per column inch and the costs per thousand readers of Government advertising.

At least £600. If my hon. Friend puts down a Question relating to a limited class of advertising, such as display advertising in national daily or Sunday newspapers, I should be glad to try and supply an answer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what degree the Civil Service Commission has lowered examination standards, compared with the North-West region, in order to resolve the staff shortage in London.

The prescribed standards for established appointments are the same thoughout the country. To alleviate the shortage of clerical officers in London departments have been authorised temporarily to recruit candidates with four "O" levels and to nominate them for establishment after seven months satisfactory service.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he is taking to dissuade the 40 expert technicians working on Blue Streak at Spadeadam from their announced decision to seek jobs elsewhere; whether he will give an assurance of the Government's intention to make full and continuous use of the facilities at Spadeadam; and whether he will take steps to relieve the men working there of their anxieties about their future.

I appreciate the concern of all those engaged on the E.L.D.O. project but before the next meeting of the inter-Governmental Conference there is little I can add to the Answer I gave in reply to the hon. Member's Supplementary Question on 13th June. Rolls-Royce which manages the Establishment on behalf of my Ministry is well aware of the present position and has kept the staff informed.

asked the Minister of Aviation by what number his Department's staff fall short of the establishment.

The total non-industrial strength of the Department on 1st May, 1966, was 1,018, approximately 4 per cent., below the approved complement. The overall figures cover a multiplicity of grades and locations; in many grades, the percentage shortfall is much higher. The number of unfilled vacancies on the industrial side on that date was 852.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rent assessment committee decisions have been reached in Greater London; of these how many raised, confirmed or reduced the rent determined by the rent officer; and if he is aware that more of these revisions have been in the landlord's than in the tenant's favour.

75 applications for registration of rent had been decided by Rent Assessment Committees in Greater London up to 25th June. The rent officer's determination was reduced in 11, confirmed in 21 and increased in 43 of these. On the last part of the Question, I would point out that the original rent was reduced in 62, confirmed in three and increased in 10 of these cases.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to secure greater access to supply reservoirs for recreational purposes.

As envisaged in the White Paper on Leisure in the Countryside, Ministers will shortly be asking the bodies controlling reservoirs to review their present rules with a view to allowing greater public access to reservoirs and gathering grounds and to submit a statement of their future arrangements.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied that the existing method of calculating the payment of compensation when planning permission is revoked is fair and reasonable; and what changes he proposes to make in the present procedure.

If my hon. Friend has a particular point in mind I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that at 11 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday, 21st June, out of 33 vehicles in a 100-yard stretch of the Caledonian Road within the vicinity of the police station, 19 were without current road fund licences; what action the police have taken with regard to this matter; and, as every morning and afternoon the situation is similar, whether he will ask the police to take action.

The Commissioner of Police tells me that he has no information about the use of apparently unlicensed motor vehicles in the Caledonian Road at the time mentioned.

CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIFTEEN TREATED FOR FIREWORKS INJURIES AT HOSPITALS IN ENGLAND AND WALES
		Admitted to hospital	Not admitted to hospital but injury severe	Minor injury	Total
15th October-12th November, 1962	…	Not known	Not known	Not known	2,150
14th October-9th November. 1963	…	Not known	Not known	Not known	1,841
12th October-7th November, 1964	…	196*	234	l,180†	1,610
17th October-13th November. 1965	…	167	118	l,400†	1,685
* Including two deaths.
† Including a small number of cases in which the severity of the injury was not indicated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what studies are being undertaken into methods of ensuring payment of maintenance orders by deserting husbands who change their employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many road vehicles without road fund licences or with time-expired licences were reported in the vicinity of the Tottenham High Road Police Station at or around 10.30 p.m. on Friday, 17th June; and what action has been, or will be, taken in connection with these reports.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that my hon. Friend attended Tottenham High Road Police station at the time mentioned and reported 39 vehicles that he had seen apparently unlicensed in the vicinity.Police officers were sent to investigate, but discovered only 7 such cases in the surrounding area. Details of the cases discovered by the police, together with the information supplied about the other cases by my hon. Friend, have been forwarded to the Greater London Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accidents to children under the age of 14 years requiring hospital treatment have occurred by reason of fireworks during each of the last five years.

The only particulars I have are as follows:

The enforcement of maintenance orders comes within the terms of reference of the Committee, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice Payne, inquiring into the law and practice relating to the recovery of debts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men were received into prison during 1965 for non-payment of wife's maintenance and children's maintenance, respectively.

This information is not yet available. In 1964 the numbers were 2,430 and 631 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many attachment of earnings orders were issued by magistrates' courts in respect of wife's and children's maintenance in 1965.

I regret that the figures for 1965 are not yet available. The figures for 1964 are as follows:

Orders being enforced	Attachment Orders made
Matrimonial orders	2,476
Affiliation orders	638
Guardianship orders	463
Contribution orders	435
Orders made on the application of the National Assistance Board	21

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of traffic wardens employed in each London borough at the most recent convenient date, indicating the number of these who are aged over 65 years.

The position on 22nd June was as follows:

Westminster	…	…	302
Camden	…	…	59
Hackney	…	…	13
Tower Hamlets	…	…	11
Southwark	…	…	8
Islington	…	…	21
Croydon	…	…	79

No warden was aged over 65 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many accounts of which he has information are outstanding against the Sierra Leone High Commission; what is the total sum owed; and how long United Kingdom firms and private citizens have been waiting for settlement.

It would not be proper for me to provide details of these personal matters concerning the Accredited Representative of a Commonwealth country. I am sure the House will agree that these questions are referred to my Department in confidence and that until either party wishes otherwise such confidence should be respected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the 16 local education authority committees which bar visits to their schools by services liaison officers; and I he will list the schools so barred.

No, because we want to foster good relations with these authorities, and to list their names might have the opposite effect

asked the Secretary of State for Defence under which of his regulations a soldier stationed in Germany is debarred from being granted married quarters if he is under the age of 21 years; whether such regulations apply when a soldier has a child or children; and whether he will make a statement.

Under Paragraph 1240 of the Queen's Regulations for the Army no officer under 25 or soldier under 21 is entitled to a Married Quarter

asked he Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the service recently given by the ships' companies of H.M.S. "Eagle" H.M.S. "Ark Roval" if he will der his policy in regard to aircraft carriers and provide the Royal Navy with a small type carrier in which they could take action, rather than rely on land bases in the future.

I have nothing to add to the Answer which I gave on 21st June to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he now proposes to take to resume effective control by his Department of Shivering Sands Tower, and of other towers within and without territorial waters from which broadcasts are being transmitted illegally and which are the property of his Department.

There is no present or foreseeable defence purpose which would require me to exercise control over these forts.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what Royal Air Force transport aircraft he proposes to make available for delivering consignments of exports, if necessary; and on what duties these aircraft are at present employed.

Suitable aircraft will be made available according to the requirement. All R.A.F. Transport Command aircraft are fully tasked on routine freighting and exercise duties and the airlift to Zambia, but export requirements which have a sufficiently high priority will be met at the expense of other commitments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are any conditions attached to the use of any conventional weapons purchased for Her Majesty's Armed Forces from any foreign country.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will give a list of the main scientific institutions registered as charities under the Charities Act 1960;(2) if he will give a list of the main technological institutions and organisations in the country registered as charities under the Charities Act 1960.

I am responsible for the registration of charities whose purposes are wholly or mainly of concern to me in connection with my general functions relating to education. The following list of institutions and organisations registered by me is not therefore exhaustive.

• Battersea College of Technology.
• Boreham Institute of Agricultural Engineering.
• Borough Polytechnic Institute.
• Bradford Institute of Technology.
• Bristol College of Science and Technology.
• Brunei College.
• Building Crafts Training School.
• Chelsea College of Science and Technology.
• City and Guilds of London Institute.
• College of Advanced Technology, Birmingham.
• College of Aeronautics.
• College of Air Training, Hamble.
• Cordwainers Technical College (Inc.).
• Faraday House Engineering College.
• Harper Adams Agricultural College (including National Institute of Poultry Husbandry).
• Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
• Institute of Electronics.
• Institute of Printing.
• Institute of Transport.
• Loughborough College of Technology.
• National College of Agricultural Engineering.
• National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering.
• National College of Rubber Technology.
• National Foundry College.
• National Leathersellers College.
• Northern Polytechnic.
• North Western Polytechnic Institute.
• Regent Street Polytechnic.
• Royal Aeronautical Society.
• Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford.
• Welsh College of Advanced Technology.
• Woolwich Polytechnic.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give a complete list of courses in management studies provided at universities and other institutions of higher education in Great Britain, indicating in each case the date on which the course was first offered and the number of students at present engaged in such studies.

There are a great many courses of varying lengths in different aspects of management studies. A rough estimate would be that there are some 750, with a total enrolment in the region of 25,000. A list would be too long for inclusion in a Parliamentary Answer and could not be made complete without extensive special enquiry. Full information is being built up by the

		Expenditure Current	1965–66 Capital	Estimates Current	1966–67 Capital
		£	£	£	£
Apartment 1	…	960	—	500	—
Apartment 1A	…	540	3,850	540	—
Apartment 4	…	—	4,500	—	—
Unoccupied area formerly known as Apartment 9	…	—	—	—	15,000
Apartment 10	…	100	—	130	—

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the cost to public funds of ensuring public order at the summer-solstice ceremony at Stonehenge by the provision of police, guard-dogs and protective wire; what proportion of this cost is borne by an organisation described as Druids; and what steps he takes to satisfy himself that this organisation has an historic connection with the monument before granting them access thereto.

£460 in 1965. Less this year. None: the organisation has traditional associations with Stonehenge. The precautions taken are primarily to safeguard the Monument, the protection of the Druids is incidental.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give details of the expenditure, current and capital, incurred on each apartment at Kensington Palace in the financial year 1965–66, and the estimates in each case for 1966–67.

Details are as follows:

Study of this problem is continuing, but there is no statement I can usefully make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amounts of money have been spent on piers and harbours on the islands of Tiree, Coll, Colonsay, Iona, Islay, and Jura, respectively, in the last 10 years by central and local government.

Expenditure by central and local government on the provision and improvement of piers and harbours during the financial years 1955–56 to 1965–66 was as follows:

			£
Tiree	…	…	104,320
Coll	…	…	108,068
Colonsay	…	…	156,772
Iona	…	…	6,327
Islay	…	…	41,958
Jura	…	…	Nil

These figures do not include the cost of repair and maintenance work which is met entirely by the local authority.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list, with dates, the private firms and Government establishments in the United Kingdom to which he has paid official visits since 1st June, 1965; and if he will give details of all such visits which have been planned for the next three months.

Following is the information:

1. Private Firms

• 25th June, 1965—Westland Limited, Cowes.
• 2nd July. 1965—ICT Limited, Stevenage.
• 6th July, 1965—Wolvercote Papermill/Oxford University Press, Wolvercote.
• 13th September, 1965—Fairey Engineering Company, Stockport.
• 5th October, 1965—Plessey Company Limited, Ilford.
• 27th October, 1965—Atomic Power Construction Limited, Heston.
• 28th January, 1966—Kearney & Trecker Limited, Hove.

2. Establishments of the Ministry of Technology

• 22nd September, 1965—National Engineering Laboratory, East Kilbride.
• 1st November. 1965—Laboratory of the Government Chemist.

3. Establishments of U.K.A.E.A.

• 1st July, 1965—Windscale Works, Cumberland.

Since plans for future visits are inevitably subject to the exigencies of Parliamentary and Government business, I would prefer to follow the customary practice and announce individual visits as appropriate when they take place. The hon. Member will be interested to know that I shall be visiting English Electric Marconi Ltd. at Chelmsford and Witham on Wednesday, 29th June.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the occasions on which he has had official discussions with trade union leaders in his Ministerial capacity since 1st January, 1965.

Both I and my Department have held discussions with representatives of the Trades Unions Congress and individual trades unions on matters relating to the work of the Department. It would not be practicable to try to list these working contacts in the way the hon. Member requests.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many officers of the Export Services Branch of his Department are qualified Civil Service Commission interpreters in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Bulgarian, Serbo-Croat, Arabic, Portuguese, and Japanese, respectively.

None. However, a substantial number of officers in the Export Services Branch have a knowledge of foreign languages, covering altogether some 20 languages.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many market research projects, administered by the British National Export Council to date, have been concerned with the Socialist States of Eastern Europe, and with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in particular.

Two, neither of which have been concerned with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many market research projects overseas have been accepted to date by the British National Export Council; in what sectors of industry; what were the subjects of research; and what grants were paid in each case.

PART I
B.N.E.C.
Sponsoring Organisation	Subject of Research	Countries Visited	Grant £
Seed Potato Marketing Board for Northern Ireland	Seed potatoes	Italy, Malta and Libya	292
Cordage Manufacturers' Export Group	Ropes and twines	China	710
British Chemical Plant Manufacturers' Association	Chemical plant	Finland	76
British Fashion Export Group	Women's and Children's fashions	Austria	50*
Federation of Association of Materials Handling Manufacturers	Mechanical engineering products	Yugoslavia	509
British Friesian Cattle Society	Bull semen	Malta	35
Galloway Cattle Society	Cattle for breeding	Italy	101
British Friesian Cattle Society	Cattle for breeding	Portugal and Spain	76
British Landrace Pig Society	Pedigree pigs	Portugal and Spain	41*
British Footwear Manufacturers' Federation	Fashion footwear	Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland	157
The Shipbuilding Conference	Merchant vessels	Japan, Hong Kong Philippines, Malaya	526
Livestock Export Council	Pedigree sheep	Sweden	57
The Shipbuilding Conference	Ships, marine engines and repairs	Portugal	85
British Leather Fashionwear Export Group	Leather fashions	U.S.A	338
Association of British Chemical Manufacturers	Alginates and fertilizers	Canada	531
British Footwear Manufacturers' Federation	Fashion footwear	Canada and U.S.A	413
Electronic Engineering Association	Electronic equipment	Spain	187
Ayrshire Cattle Society	Pedigree cattle	Spain	56*
Livestock Export Council	Pedigree cattle	Hungary	45
Ayrshire Cattle Society	Pedigree cattle	Canada	250*
Federation of Associations of Mining Equipment Manufacturers	Coalmining equipment	Spain	411
British Nuclear Forum	Components for Nuclear Power plant	Sweden	44
Shipbuilding Conference	Ships	Lebanon and Syria	69
Book Development Council	Books	Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Hong Kong	448
Shipbuilding Conference	Ships over 100 tons	Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Iraq	245
British leather Fashionwear Export Group	Women's high grade fashionwear	U.S.A	368*
Federation of British Carpet Manufacturers	Carpets	U.S.A	1,210
Galloway Cattle Society	Pedigree cattle	Italy	60
British Footwear	Fashion footwear	Belgium and Holland	114

Thirty-nine market research projects overseas have been assisted by grants paid through the British National Export Council. They are set out in the following list which is arranged in order of the dates on which the research was initiated. Grants have been paid under the same arrangements towards the cost of fifteen additional projects which are partly market research and partly inquiries into the feasibility of trade missions or other overseas trade promotions. These are set out in the second part of the list.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give details of how the £111,453 surplus parking meter revenue for the year ended 31st March 1965 was spent on the provision and maintenance of off-street parking, showing the geographical locations and number of parking spaces provided in each case.

Local authorities responsible for parking meters in the London Area generally use their surplus parking meter revenue to offset annual deficits in their Off-Street Parking Accounts. There Accounts embrace all off-street car parks under their control and it is not possible to relate surplus revenue to particular projects.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the gross income, expenditure on administration, enforcement, maintenance, servicing of loans, and taxation, respectively, for parking meters in each of the London boroughs for the years ended 31st March 1964 and 31st March 1965.

Gross income and total expenditure for parking meter schemes

			1963–64		1964–65
Name of Authority			Gross Income	Expenditure including Tax	Gross Income	Expenditure including Tax
			£	£	£	£
Westminster C.C	…	…	305,103	215,417	357,606	282,854
St. Marylebone M.B.C.	…	…	186,214	122,735	190,422	142,947
Paddington M.B.C	…	…	18,874	20,879	19,718	22,959
Holborn M.B.C	…	…	113,214	68,034	113,758	63,531
St. Pancras. M.B.C	…	…	36,574	35,732	35,504	33,667
Finsbury M.B.C	…	…	21,383	23,843	19,920	24,292
Shoreditch M.B.C	…	…	15,719	16,240	15,883	17,301
Corporation of London	…	…	69,493	49,205	68,525	56,098
Croydon C.B.C.	…	…	38,729	35,044	38,978	36,378
Woolwich M.B.C.	…	…	10,831	14,473	11,397	14,173
Kingston-on-Thames R.B.C.	…	…	28,426	23,097	26,962	22,081

asked the Minister of Transport how many road vehicles were licensed by British Railways on 31st December each year since 1948.

This information is not readily available. Figures of the total fleet of road vehicles owned by British Railways on the 31st December each year since 1948 are as follows:

	Rigid	Articulated Motor Units	Trailers
31st December, 1948…	5,873	6,456	15,731
31st December, 1949…	5,926	7,046	17,823
31st December, 1950…	5,646	8,212	20,196
31st December, 1951…	5,503	8,878	21,644
31st December, 1952…	5,396	9,324	22,866
31st December, 1953…	5,409	9,960	25,655
31st December, 1954…	5,201	10,467	27,556
31st December, 1955…	5,061	10,608	28,723
31st December, 1956…	5,150	10,696	29,416
31st December, 1957…	5,052	10,787	30,004
31st December, 1958…	4,831	10,527	29,800
31st December, 1959…	4,682	10,261	29,674
31st December, 1960…	4,679	10,226	29,891
31st December, 1961…	4,707	10,110	30,019
31st December, 1962…	4,530	9,789	30,031
31st December, 1963…	4,379	9,503	29,722
31st December, 1964…	3,980	8,932	28,589
31st December, 1965…	3,476	7,823	27,880

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects to be able to publish the Cars for Cities report.

My right hon. Friend understands that she may receive the re- in the Greater London Area for the years in question are set out in the table below opposite the local authorities then responsible. The London Boroughs as such did not assume responsibility for these schemes until 1st April 1965.A detailed breakdown of expenditure is not available.port this summer. She cannot give any undertaking on publication until she has received it.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made to introduce registration of motor instructors.

Discussions with the interests concerned are proceeding.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects to be able to publish the Marplan Survey on the Effects of Railway Closures.

The analysis of the results of the survey is now well advanced. My right hon. Friend will consider the question of publication when she has examined it.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will introduce legislation to give British Railways workshops the opportunity to tender for outside contracts.

The legislation will be introduced in due course.

asked the Minister of Transport what financial assistance she proposes to provide to bring about the modernisation of the ports, as envisaged in paragraph 55 of the White Paper on Investment Incentives, Command Paper No. 2874.

I intend to use my powers under Section 12 of the Harbours Act, 1964, to make grants to statutory harbour authorities of 20 per cent. of their approved capital expenditure on

(a) building and civil engineering works which will make a substantial and desirable contribution to facilities for international trade and trade with Northern Ireland and with Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles of Scotland.

(b) specialised plant and mechanical equipment required for loading or unloading goods in or from a sea-going ship or handling such goods on harbour land or at a wharf.