asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will initiate a feasibility study for the development of a new city on the River Severn.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to oral Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson) and the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he is satisfied that the prices and incomes policy can now play an effective part in Her Majesty's Government's management of the economy, in view of the frequent departure from that policy by both sides of industry; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. It must.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what steps he is now taking to secure the voluntary co-operation of the trade unions in the implementation of the Government's prices and incomes policy.

The trade unions are co-operating in the implementation of this as well as other aspects of the Government's economic policies.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs which unions have obtained wage and/or salary increases over the 3½ per cent. norm since the incomes policy was adopted; in view of the continued opposition from the trade unions to Her Majesty's Government's prices and incomes policy, if he will abandon it; and if he will make a statement.

As regards the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 20th June by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour. As regards the second part I would point out that the policy has thoughout been supported by the T.U.C. and the majority of trade unions in the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, how many export officers are employed by his Department; and how many have had experience in industry or sales management.

Eighty-three officers are employed full-time on work of export promotion in the Board of Trade's nine Regional Offices. Some have had industrial or commercial experience but I do not regard this as a necessary qualification.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will visit the Commonwealth of Australia.

As the Board of Trade announced on 16th June, my right hon. Friend has accepted an invitation from the Australian Government to visit Australia from 17th September to 8th October this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the economic position, why he authorised the import of all types of coin or disc-operated amusement machines or parts, including gaming machines to the value of over £4 million in 1965.

Imports of these goods from most countries are made under open General Import Licence: no specific authorisation is needed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding the proposed closure of the factory of Tubewrights Limited at Kirkby, Lancashire; and what steps he is taking to ensure that this work is maintained on Merseyside.

The only representations my right hon. Friend received were from the hon. Member. Much as I regret this closure I have no reason to doubt the strength of the commercial reasons which led to it I am however conscious of the needs of the Merseyside area, and I am pleased to announce that the way is now clear for my Department to purchase over 100 acres of land at Knowsley for industrial development. Construction of two advance factories, previously announced for Merseyside, will begin there as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has refused exemption from import duty for a Boeing

FACTORY BUILDING UNDERTAKEN BY THE BOARD OF TRADE SINCE OCTOBER, 1964
	Unit	Whole of Scotland	Central Belt	North East	Other development districts in Scotland
I. Advance factories announced since October, 1964.	Number of factories	27	21	1	5
	sq. ft.	435,000	372,500	12,500	50,000
II. Factory space for which financial expenditure has been formally approved since October, 1964 (includes extensions to existing factories as well as new factories).	Number of factories	52	49	1	2
	sq. ft.	1,688,246	1,658,049	11,270	18,927

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to co-operate with the International Union of Official Travel Organisations in its plans to make 1967 an International Tourist Year; and whether he will make a statement.

In consultation with the British Travel Association, I am considering the recommendations in the Union's report of its plans. I cannot yet say what action may be taken in Britain.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek to amend the Hire-Purchase Act, 1965, so as not to restrict it to items over £30.

No.

Because similar aircraft are procurable in the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many advance factories have been designated for Scotland since October, 1964; how many of them have gone to the central belt; how many have gone to the old development areas; and how many have been allocated to the North-East Coast;(2) how much factory building has been done in Scotland since October, 1964; what proportion of it has gone to the central belt; what proportion of it went to other areas of the country; and what proportion went to the northeast of Scotland.

Following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the abnormal importation of rayon/cotton cloths from Korea and Formosa in the period November to March last conflicted with the import quota arrangements for cotton textiles; and what action has been taken.

These cloths are not covered by the import quota arrangements for cotton textiles. As to the last part of the Question, the bulk of imports of man-made fibre piece goods come from North America and from Western European countries. Imports are generally subject to a substantial tariff. I am, however, examining representations which have been made to me that some imports of these goods from some sources are a deliberate circumvention of the arrangements applying to cotton textiles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage the increase of exports of British coal to the Scandinavian countries.

We are always prepared to give appropriate support to the National Coal Board's sales efforts and my right hon. Friend has done so in Denmark. I am not aware of any special problems in other Scandinavian markets.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the facts revealed to the Restrictive Practices Court in the case of the tyre manufacturers, he will now introduce legislation to make registrable agreements for the exchange of information, with a view to preventing circumvention of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend intends to introduce legislation to deal with this loophole in the Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956, as soon as the Parliamentary timetable permits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the recent growth of new insurance companies; whether he is satisfied that existing controls are adequate; and whether he will make a statement.

During the five years 1960–64, 57 companies registered in Great Britain commenced insurance business of classes covered by the Insurance Companies Act, 1958. A further 13 did so in 1965. The aggregate premium income of the 57 companies in 1964 was £13 million in respect of life assurance and £11 million in respect of other classes, as compared with £948 million and £1,095 million respectively for all British companies.There have been few insurance company failures in recent years, but I am well aware of the need for constant vigilance. The Insurance Companies legislation needs modernisation and I intend in due course to put forward proposals for its amendment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what basic import quotas for butter for 1966–67 he has agreed with overseas suppliers; and if he has retained the supplementary quota clause.

The basic quotas for 1966–67 have been settled at amounts totalling 421,230 tons. Certain supplementary quotas have also been issued.Following is the information:

		For countries authorised to send additional quantities
	Basic Quotas Col. 1 (tons)	Basic Quantities for delivery April—November Col. 2 (tons)	Additional Quantities for delivery April—November Col. 3 (tons)
Argentina	6,000	—	—
Australia	66,700	—	—
Austria	1,830	1,000	400
Belgium	215	—	—
Bulgaria	805	405	250
Denmark	98,420	66,000	6,000
Finland	12,370	7,570	3,000
France	2,580	1,580	300
Hungary	1,720	1,050	180
Irish Republic	23,000	—	—
Netherlands	15,060	9,500	1,240
New Zealand	168,000	—	—
Norway	1,830	1,000	500
Poland	17,210	—	—
Rumania	325	200	2,400
Sweden	4,950	—	—
Uruguay	215	—	—
TOTAL	421,230		14,270

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now classify East Anglia as a special development area.

The economic circumstances of this area do not justify adding it to the proposed Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been sought during the past five years within the Portsmouth area; and how many such certificates have been granted.

Since 1st July, 1961, 101 industrial development certificates each for more than 5,000 square feet have been issued for the Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Havant employment exchange areas, and seven applications have been refused. Two are still under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a pilot of the United States Air Force, flying in the area where the British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 707 crashed on 5th March 1966, warned the Tokyo Civil Airport of abnormal and dangerous turbulence and that this warning was disregarded; and what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to ensure that there is no repetition of incidents of this kind.

No. Extensive inquiries have revealed no evidence of any such warning to the Tokyo Civil Airport. The second part of the question therefore does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will hold discussions with the British Insurance Association about the failure of the Fire Auto and Marine Insurance Company Limited and ask the Association to honour existing policies of motor insurance of that Company for a period of three months.

It would not be reasonable to expect insurance companies to give free cover to policy holders of Fire Auto and Marine Insurance Company Limited for three months. These policy holders should take out fresh policies with other insurers immediately.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will institute a full inquiry into the affairs of the Fire Auto and Marine Insurance Company Limited to establish why that company has made an application to be wound up; and if he will make a statement.

If a winding up order is made, the Official Receiver will investigate the company's affairs. It is not therefore appropriate for me to institute a separate inquiry or to discuss the causes of the failure at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in offering supplies in nuclear power systems, including the advanced gas-cooled reactor, to Rumania and Czechoslovakia, and other Eastern European countries who have announced long-term nuclear power electrical supply policies.

What Britain has to offer in this field was demonstrated to prominent Czechoslovak and Rumanian personalities during their visits here earlier this year, and British companies have been in touch with the Rumanian authorities about possible orders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make the allocation of imported raw materials dependent upon the export performance of individual companies, so as to drive production from the home market to exports; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Government do not allocate raw materials.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer the conduct and policy of Courtaulds to the Monopolies Commission.

No. My right hon. Friend may ask the Monopolies Commission to investigate specific monopolies and mergers, but not the general conduct of a particular firm. The supply of rayon was referred to the 'Monopolies Commission in July, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what statutory procedures preceding the acquisition of land, property and other requirements are still outstanding in connection with the 1967–68 programmed further extension of the Cardiff to Merthyr trunk road; and if he will make a statement.

An Order under the Highways Act, 1959, is about to be made and the objection period for another two expires on 6th August. My right hon. Friend has also to publish a compulsory purchase order.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what weighting is given, in assessing grants for university students, for the amount of National Insurance stamps legally payable.

Students are excused from paying National Insurance contributions, except when in employment, and the question of weighting their awards for this purpose therefore does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by what authority students from the London University were permitted to require questionnaires to be completed by primary schoolchildren in the London Borough of Brent, giving details of their parents' employment, household and other matters; and for what purpose this exercise was carried out.

By the authority of the Brent Local Education Authority research workers—not students—were permitted to ask, not require, children to complete questionnaires. The purpose was to assist in carrying out a research project, being conducted in several countries, regarding the relationship between school achievement and vocational interests.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will send a circular explaining to local education authorities his policy with regard to students visiting primary schools in order to obtain from children personal information concerning their family backgrounds.

I do not think that children should be so questioned by outside persons and I propose to discuss the matter with the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in how many London boroughs students from the London University or London School of Economics have been authorised to question primary school children about their family backgrounds.

None; but in two boroughs research workers have been so authorised by the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken on the recommendation of the Law Commission to set up a committee to review the financial limits prescribed by statute for orders which may be made in magistrates' courts for the maintenance of spouses and children.

I have set up a committee with the following terms of reference:

"To examine the financial limits prescribed by statute for orders which may be made in magistrates courts for the maintenance of wives and children, to consider the appropriate machinery for adjusting such limits to changing circumstances and to make recommendations".

I am pleased to be able to say that Miss Jean Graham Hall, a Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrate, has agreed to serve as Chairman of the committee. The members of the committee will be the following:

• Mr. P. Beedle.
• Mr. L. A. Edgar.
• Mr. S. Jackson. O.B.E.
• Mr. J. G. Lewis.
• Lady Littlewood.
• Professor O. R. McGregor.

Anyone who wishes to submit evidence to the committee should address it to the Secretary, Committee on Statutory Maintenance Limits, Home Office, Whitehall, S.W.I.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lads absconded from the open Borstal Institution at Gaynes Hall, Huntingdon, in 1965, and in each month of 1966; what percentage of all the lads there during those periods have escaped; how marry of them were not recaptured; and how many of them were recaptured

	A	B		C	D	E
Period	Population and beginning of year and receptions	Number of absconders		Percentage of B to A	Number still at large at 30th June 1966	Number returned to Gaynes Hall 1st January, 1965 to 30th June, 1966
1965	358	101		28·2
		January	10	17·6	11	79
		February	12
		March	6
1966 (six months to 30th June, 1966)	276	April	5
		May	5
		June	7
		TOTAL	49

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Her Majesty's Government intend to initiate legislation to give effect to the recommendations in the White Paper, Retail Trading Hours, published in September, 1965.

The proposals in this document for amending the Shops Act, 1950, were put forward as a basis of discussion, and it was stated in the introduction that the Government were in no sense committed to them. The replies of over 100 national organisations consulted are being analysed. There is no prospect of legislation in this session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the recent inquiry into the children's service in Dorset, what advice or instruction he is giving to other local authorities to improve their children's department staffing ratios.

The number of staff required depends so much on local circumstances that it is a matter for discussion with each authority individually rather than for general advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to reform the law of misprision of treason.

Following is the information:

This is within the scope of the current review of common law misdemeanours by the Criminal Law Revision Committee and my right hon. Friend would prefer to await any recommendation which the Committee may have to make.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the outcome of the Barbados Conference and the date of independence for the colony.

The Conference ended on 4th July. Subject to the agreement of Parliament Barbados will become independent on 30th November, 1966. The report will be published as a White Paper and copies are being placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the visit of the Parliamentary Secretary to Mauritius, and on the modifications of the Banwell proposals that have been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement upon the visit of the Parliamentary Secretary to Mauritius.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State visited Mauritius last week to examine on the spot the various points raised and views expressed in the Mauritius Legislative Assembly regarding the recommendations of the report of the Banwell Commission on the electoral system.After full discussion with the Mauritius Premier, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, his Ministerial colleagues and with leaders and members of the Opposition in Mauritius, full agreement was reached on certain variations of the recommendations of the Banwell Report which would make it generally acceptable. I immediately informed Mr. Stonehouse that I was willing to accept these variations and he announced this before leaving Mauritius on Monday last, 4th July.The variations to the Banwell recommendations which I have approved are set out in detail in a memorandum available in the Library. In brief, whilst the scheme proposed by the Commission for constituency elections is to be retained in full, changes have been made in the "correctives" recommended by the Commission. In place of these, eight Specially Elected Members will be returned from amongst unsuccessful candidates who have made the best showing in the election. The first four of these seats will go, irrespective of party, to the "best losers" of whichever communities in the island are underrepresented in the Legislative Assembly after the constituency elections. The remaining four seats will be allocated on the basis of both party and community.Only two other important changes are to be made in the Banwell recommendations. Party alliances, as well as parties, will be permitted to qualify for the "best loser" seats (the Commission had proposed that only individual parties should be permitted to qualify for their recommended corrective seats); and the Commission's recommendation that a party should secure certain minimum results in the constituency elections in order to qualify for certain of the proposed corrective seats will be dropped and no corresponding provision will be made in relation to the "best loser" seats.The general effect of the electoral system now accepted by all parties in Mauritius will be that, as a result of the allocation of the eight "best loser" seats, all communities will be better able to obtain a fair share of the seats in the Legislative Assembly in accordance with their strength in the population.I welcome the good sense and statesmanship shown by all concerned in the discussions with my hon. Friend, which augurs well for the future of Mauritius. I regard the arrangements agreed on as most satisfactory and consider that my hon. Friend is to be congratulated on the success of his mission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the strikes in the Seychelles.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 23rd June and add that the situation has now returned to normal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reply he has sent to the representations made to him from Shrewsbury about the reference of the price of sausages to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I have already sent the hon. Member a copy of the Department's reply.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the facts that in 1965 there was an increase in farmers' rents of 7·4 per cent. and that this has an effect in increasing farmers' costs and thus tends to increase the cost of living, why he will not submit farmers' rents for consideration by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

Because the Agricultural Holdings Acts already provide arbitration machinery where landlords and tenants cannot agree on individual changes in rent; and because it would be neither possible nor useful for the Board to consider farm rents without also considering the economics of the whole farming industry and indeed of nonagricultural land values. I do not consider there are sufficient grounds to justify attempting so large and complex an inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport what decision she has now taken on the extension of the Travel Concessions Bill to include retired people who live in parts of the country outside the cities where the concessionary fares operate.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers given on 4th May and 28th June to my hon. Friends the Members for Heywood and Royton (Mr. Barnett) and Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Hobden).

asked the Minister of Transport why she has refused permission to Christchurch Council for a second pedestrian crossing in High Street, Highcliffe; and whether she will review this decision as a matter of urgency in view of the increasing danger to pedestrians during the holiday season.

The representations in the council's letter of 27th June to our Divisional Road Engineer are now being studied. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will provide push-button traffic lights at the pedestrian crossing where Sheep Street divides the Cirencester Memorial Hospital.

This is a matter in the first place for the Gloucestershire County Council. My right hon. Friend will be glad to consider any proposals which they make to her.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate she has made of the views of motorists on the continuation of the 70 miles per hour limit on motorways, in view of the evidence of the special survey by the Automobile Association showing 73 per cent. against it.

We have not seen the Automobile Association's special survey. The Road Research Laboratory's Interim Report on the 70 m.p.h. speed limit trial, which will be published tomorrow, contains a section about motorists' views on the limit.

asked the Minister of Transport when the Road Research Laboratory's fuller assessment of the 70 miles per hour speed limit trial will be published.

On Friday, 8th July. Copies will be placed in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Transport, if she will hold a public inquiry into the proposed Cirencester by-pass, in view of the objections of the Cirencester Urban District Council.

My right hon. Friend will not decide whether a public inquiry is necessary until after the statutory period for lodging objections to the draft Order has expired on 7th August.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware of the accident on the M4 works involving the collapse of a mobile crane at Wick Wick Hill, near Downend, Bristol, on 27th June, resulting in the injury of one workman and the narrow escape of four others; what action she will take; and if she will make a statement.

The crane was travelling with a load and tipped on its side. The jib landed on and demolished a mess hut, injuring the five men who were in the hut at the time. One of H.M. Inspectors of Factories is investigating the matter and will report to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the Minister of Transport when she proposes to publish the line of the M11.

There are still some outstanding problems on how this motorways fits into the ultimate major road pattern in North East London. But my right hon. Friend hopes to publish draft proposals later this year.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will make known her decision regarding the proposed closure of the railway line between Shelford and Marks Tey.

My right hon. Friend is still examining this proposal and she cannot, at present, forecast the time of her decision.

asked the Minister of Transport what sums were realised by British Railways during each of the past three years in consequence of the disposal of surplus property; and what estimate the Board have made of revenue from this source in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Sums realised from the disposal of surplus property in each of the past three years were as follows:

1963	£2 million
1964	£5 million
1965	£12 million

The Board expect to realise about £25 million from this source in 1966. No estimates are available for 1967 and 1968.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will publish the occupations of the members of port emergency committees, and, for those who are company directors, the names of

The information is as follows:

Members	Occupation	Directorships*
MANCHESTER
Mr. W. G. Edmonds (Chairman)	Managing Director, Manchester Ship Canal Company
Mr. D. K. Redford	Manager and Secretary, Manchester Ship Canal Company
Mr. W. Preston	Docks Manager, Manchester Ship Canal Company
Mr. H. Edge	Company Director	British Commonwealth (Agencies) Ltd.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Mr. J. S. B. Gentry (Chairman)	General Manager, Tees Conservancy Commission
Mr. N. H. Sellars	Assistant General Manager, Tees Conservancy Commission
Mr. P. Collin	Traffic Manager, Tees Conservancy Commission
Mr. H. M. Mitton	Docks Manager, Middlesbrough and Hartlepools
Mr. J. H. Williams	Assistant Docks Manager, Middlesbrough and Hartlepools
Mr. A. J. V. Merritt	Transport Group Manager, I.C.I. Ltd. Agricultural Division
NEWCASTLE
Mr. A. J. Clarkson (Chairman)	General Manager, Tyne Improvement Commission
Mr. John Williamson	Assistant General Manager, Tyne Improvement Commission
Mr. S. S. W. Dalgleish	Company Director	R. S. Dalgleish Ltd.
		Watergate Steam Shipping Co Ltd.
Mr. N. R. A. Paton	Divisional Manager, British Railways Board
Mr. J. N. Burrell	Company Director	Tyne-Tees Steam Shipping Co. Ltd.
		Coast Lines Ltd.
SOUTHAMPTON
Mr. D. A. Stringer (Chairman)	Chief Docks Manager, British Transport Docks Southampton	International Cold Storage and Ice Co. Ltd.
Mr. N. A. Hughes	Cunard Manager, Southampton
Brigadier J. A. Hunter	Company Director	Union Castle Mail Steam Ship Company
Mr. L. A. Burton	Company Director	J. Rose & Co. Ltd.
Mr. E. G. Allen	Regional Secretary, Transport and General Workers Union
SOUTH WALES
Mr. T. S. Roberts (Chairman)	Chief Docks Manager, British Transport Docks South Wales
Mr. Nigel Gibbs	Company Director	Dunn & Co. (Newport) Ltd.
Mr. R. P. Roberts	Company Director	T. T. Pascoe Ltd.
		G. S. Kelway Ltd.
Mr. P. H. James	Company Director	Strick Gorchs & Co. Ltd.
Mr. D. G. E. Probert	Company Director	Bethell Gwyn & Co. Ltd.
*NOTE.—Some of the company directors hold more directorships than are shown.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of boys at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook; how many are the sons of commissioned officers and ratings, respectively; and how many are orphans of officers and ratings, respectively.

The total number of boys at the school is 694. Of these: 79 boys are the sons of direct entry officers—including 13 orphans;

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of new entries this term into the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook; how many were the sons of commissioned officers and ratings, respectively; and how many were orphans of officers and ratings, respectively.

Of the 24 boys who were entered at the beginning of this term, 15 were the sons of ratings and 6 of these had only one parent living; 8 were the sons of officers promoted after at least 4 years' service on the lower deck and one of these had only one parent living; one was the son of a direct entry officer with both parents living.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of officers' sons at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, whose fees are wholly paid from the Services Education Fund and whose parents themselves pay nothing; and what is the number of ratings' widows who themselves have to pay fees.

There are at the Royal Hospital School 26 sons of direct entry officers and 107 sons of officers promoted after at least four years' service on the lower deck, in respect of whom full fees are paid. Their parents are eligible to claim Navy Education Allowance, in the same way as the 189 serving ratings who have sons at the School. Of the ratings' widows with sons at the School, 13 contribute to the cost of maintaining their boys.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that there is a shortage of work in certain of Her Majesty's dockyards and that private shipbuilders are being granted contracts to the exclusion of Her Majesty's dockyards; and if he will take steps to prevent this.

In general there is no shortage of work in Her Majesty's Dockyards, though there have been times when particular trades have been lightly loaded. The only repair contracts recently granted have been for work on small craft normally done by contract, and work for which the Dockyards do not have available the facilities or labour needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that the dockyard incentive bonus scheme is operating smoothly, that productivity has improved and that dockyard staff are benefiting from the monetary awards arising out of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the scheme is making good progress, but it is too early to make a final assessment of its effect on productivity and earnings.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what British forces are in Thailand.

A Royal Engineer airfield construction unit, an Army Signals team and some individual attachments to the S.E.A.T.O. headquarters.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the National Union of Railwaymen, which has declared itself in favour of the Government's income policy and the 3½ per cent. norm, is proposing to increase the General Secretary's salary from £2,930 per annum to £3,706 per annum; and as this is contrary to the Government's policy, whether he will refer this to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I understand that the Executive of the National Union of Railwaymen has recommended and that the Union's Conference has now approved salary increases for its General Secretary and Assistant General Secretaries. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No."

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received early warning of the pay increases proposed for the staff of the Labour Party.

I understand that the National Secretary of the Labour Party is reviewing the pay structure of the staff but has not yet reached a stage where proposals can be formulated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the unfairness of rate rebate schemes, in that they count allowances for foster-children as income whereas the same allowances are not reckoned for the purpose of Income Tax; what proposals he will make for the rectification of this situation; and whether he will make a statement.

The rate rebate scheme is not concerned with the nature and source of income and my right hon. Friend has no proposals for the introduction of any disregards.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement about the future of Stansted Airport before the House rises for the Summer Recess.

It would clearly be desirable to do so, but I cannot promise that it will be possible.

asked the Minister of Pen ions and National Insurance whether she is aware that a housewife totally disabled through disseminated sclerosis is not entitled to any financial benefit from the State; and if she will take steps by legislation or otherwise to remedy this.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave on 27th June to Question asked by the hon. Members for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor) and for Newbury (Mr. Astor).

asked the Postmaster-General if he will consider issuing a series of postage stamps commemorating Great Britain's industrial inventive genius.

The forthcoming issue of British Technology stamps will, I think, meet my hon. Friend's point.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for providing a cervical cytology service in the Dunfermline and central West Fife area.

A cervical cytology service is provided for gynaecological patients attending the Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy hospitals. The South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board is very much aware of the urgent need to extend this service to cover all women at risk in Fife, and hopes to be able to initiate such a service in the near future.