Written Answers

Written Answers To Questions

Monday, 1st August, 1966

Public Building And Works

Departmental Staff

5.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department full time and part time, respectively, at the last

	October,1964		August,1965		April,1966
	Full time	Part time	Full time	Part time	Full time	Part time
Non-industrial U.K. based	20,485	567	20,672	604	20,577	607
Non-industrial locally engaged overseas	2,940	8	3,040	10	3,013	6
Industrial U.K. based	38,926	262	38,331	273	37,642	436
Industrial locally engaged overseas	21,186	—	21,972	—	22,222	—
	83,537	837	84,015	887	83,454	1,049

For comparison purposes, seconded staff are included and numbers for October, 1964 and August, 1965 are adjusted for the reclassification of industrial staff.

Palace Of Westminster (Members' Wives)

4.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what has been the expenditure on facilities for hon. Members' wives in the Palace of Westminster since October 1964; and what expenditure is planned in the year 1966–67.

None; none.

Service Graves, Shawbury Churchyard

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware of the continued neglect of Service graves in Shawbury Churchyard, Shrewsbury, in respect of which the hon. Member for Leeds, North-West, wrote to the Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force; and if he will give instructions to ensure that these graves are properly cared for in the future.

The graves are tended about once a month. I am writing to the hon. Member about this.

High Brooms Brick And Tile Company

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from the High convenient date; and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October 1964 and August 1965.

The numbers of non-industrial staff employed by this Ministry have remained much the same over this period.Following are the details:Brooms Brick and Tile Company of Tunbridge Wells regarding the present stock of bricks; and what replies he has sent.

None.

Woodside Brickworks

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from the Woodside Brickworks regarding the present stock of bricks; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend visited this works on 28th July and had a valuable discussion with the management.

Brick Stocks (Scotland)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the level of stocks of building bricks held in Scotland and the number of weeks' usage represented by this figure at the most recent convenient date.

At the end of June 28 millions, equivalent to about two weeks' supply. Deliveries of 84·4 million in June this year constitute a new record for a single month.

Government Buildings (Cleaning)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list with dates of all the public buildings he at present has plans for cleaning.

As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Antrim, South (Sir Knox Cunningham) on 23rd June, we are considering extending the method of cleaning used on Admiralty House to other Government buildings in Whitehall. In view of the present economic situation we are limiting cleaning in the near future to No. 36 Whitehall which will be done this year, and the Whitehall frontages of the Horse Guards and Dover House which we hope to do fairly soon.

Direct Labour Departments (Selective Employment Tax)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from the National Federation of Building Trades Employers regarding building by public authorities; and what replies he has sent.

The impact of S.E.T. on direct labour departments was raised by the Federation and I have told it of the Government's decision that local authority direct labour departments will pay the tax on new building work.

Industrial Monuments (Preservation)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he is taking to preserve industrial monuments.

Since my reply on 26th May to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Boston), an expert has been appointed to each of the three Ancient Monuments Boards and our approaches to the nationalised industries and the Confederation of British Industry have been well received.

Building Industry (Prices)

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic affairs by what means he proposes to establish whether or not building trade employers have increased their prices in anticipation of the expected increase in building trade workers wage rates in November; whether he will require such increases to be rescinded; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply. I am having the matter urgently considered in my Department.

Pensions And National Insurance

National League Of The Blind (Correspondence)

31.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why it took until 8th July for her to answer a letter dated 26th May from Mr. T. H. Smith, the General Secretary of the National League of the Blind of Great Britain and Ireland; whether she is aware that this reply was then only sent after a further communication, dated 21st June, had been sent by Mr. Smith; and whether she will ensure that replies are sent to correspondents before an expiration of six weeks.

Mr. Smith's letter raised issues of policy which my right hon. Friend was anxious to consider carefully and this inevitably took time.

32.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she is aware that the hon. Member for West Ham, North, wrote to her on 2nd July complaining on behalf of the West Ham Branch of the National League of the Blind of matters connected with the Social Security Bill, 1966; why her Department sent a reply which was a photostat of a letter sent to the General Secretary of the League of the Blind, dated 8th July, which was the origin of the hon. Member's complaint; and whether she will make a statement.

It seemed to me that a helpful and sensible way for me to reply to the letters from my hon. Friend and from other hon. Members enclosing representations on this subject from the National League of the Blind was to send them a copy of my right hon. Friend's letter to the General Secretary of the League, which fully set out the considerations involved.

National Assistance

44.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what extent it is the regular practice of the National Assistance Board to write to those who, having received assistance and on re-starting work, have returned their order book to the local office requesting the person concerned to obtain a note from the employer stating when he will receive his first wage and confirming that no advance of wages is available.

This is done only where additional assistance is asked for until the first wages are received. There is, of course, no need to obtain a note where it is not intended to make a further application for assistance.

Departmental Staff

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the total number of civil servants employed by her Department full time and part time, respectively, at the last convenient date; and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October 1964 and August 1965.

On 1st July 1966 there were 39,742 full-time and 1,739 part-time staff, representing increases of 1,239 and 19 respectively since 1st August 1965. The total increase since 1st October 1964 (counting part-time staff as halves) was 1,301.

Unemployment Benefit

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she is aware of the increased number of unemployed who will be drawing unemployment pay in the coming autumn and winter; whether she will seek to increase the present allowance up to a figure nearer to the average national wage; and what is the estimated cost in benefits either per week or annually of 600,000, 800,000 and one million unemployed, respectively.

I would remind my hon. Friend that unemployment benefit is to be increased from 6th October next by supplements of up to £7 a week based on previous earnings. The estimated weekly cost of unemployment benefit, including earnings-related supplement, for the numbers of unemployed quoted is about £2½ million, £3¾ million and £5 million respectively.

Retirement Pensioners

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what steps she is taking to ensure that the one million old-age pensioners who are living alone receive all the help they need from both the National Assistance Board and the various health and welfare services.

All retirement pensioners will be given information individually about the new supplementary pension. In addition, all new pensioners will be invited to receive a visit from an officer who would explain the scheme and also, if he found any need of health and welfare services, would see that they were brought to the attention of the appropriate authority.

Duchy Of Lancaster (Departmental Staff)

35.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department full time and part time, respectively, at the last convenient date, and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October, 1964, and August, 1965.

None. The costs of the staff of the Duchy are not borne out of public funds on a Parliamentary Vote and they are thus not Civil Servants.

Hospitals

Building Programme (Warley)

50.

asked the Minister of Health what proposals he has for new hospital building in the county borough of Warley.

None at present, except to continue to improve and extend the Midland Centre for Neurosurgery.

Pay Beds (Review)

52.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received from regional hospital boards concerning pay-beds.

I have received from a number of boards the reports I requested on their review of pay beds and these are being considered.

South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board (Members)

56.

asked the Minister of Health what are the names of the regional hospital board members who are responsible for planning arrangements for future Brighton hospitals; what are their ages; how long each has served on this Board; what are their qualifications for this position; and by whom they were appointed.

The list of members of the Board is given below. Their ages range from 50 to 71, and their average age is 61. They have served on the Board for periods from four months to 19 years. Members are appointed by the Minister of Health in accordance with the provisions of the National Health Service Act, 1946. I appoint members for the contribution which they can make to the efficient administration of the hospital service.

Membership of the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board

Sir Rowan Boland, C.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P.
A. W. Briggs, Esq.
The Hon. Ruth B. Buckley, D.B.E.
G. S. Burden, Esq., B.Sc.(Econ.).
L. C. Cook, Esq., O.B.E., M.D., D.P.M.
Mrs. D. Fox, J.P.
F. J. B. Fuller, Esq., J.P.
B. Halfpenny, Esq., M.D., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.
The Rev. Harcourt Samuel, O.B.E.
S. C. C. Harris, Esq., O.B.E., J.P.
L. V. Homewood, Esq., J.P.
Sir Ivor Julian, C.B.E. (Chairman).
H. J. Lester, Esq., O.B.E., J.P., F.C.A.
J. C. F. Lloyd Williamson, Esq., M.D., F.R.C.S.
J. H. Mayer, Esq., F.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.
J. C. McLean, Esq., C.B.E., J.P.
The Dowager Viscountess Monckton of Brenchley, C.B.E.
The Lady Norman, C.B.E., J.P.
J. C. Pargeter, Esq., B.E.M., J.P.
Miss M. B. Powell, C.B.E.
G. W. Smith, Esq., B.A.
T. G. Ward, Esq., C.B.E., L.R.C.P., L.R.F.P.S., F.D.S., R.C.S.
D. I. Williams, Esq., F.R.C.P.
W. T. Williams, Esq., Q.C., M.P.

Peterborough Hospital (Dispute)

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he will call for a report from the East Anglia Hospital Board on its views as to the desirability of the appointment by him of an alternative architect as umpire with a view to minimising the risk of a fracture in the East Anglia Hospital Board's contract for the building of Peterborough Hospital;

(2) if he will call for a report from the East Anglia Hospital Board on the extent to which action under the terms of the contract for the building of Peterborough Hospital which might result in redeployment in the site by an alternative contractor would result in extensive and expensive delays in providing hospital facilities to people in Peterborough and district.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 26th July. I am informed that the Board has decided to terminate the contractor's employment.

Ministry Of Health

Departmental Staff

asked the Minister of Health what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department, full time and part time, respectively, at the last convenient date; and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October 1964 and August 1965.

4,351 whole-time and 190 part-time on 1st July, 1966. These represent increases of 198 and 28 respectively since August, 1965, and of 429 and 34 since October, 1964.

Ministry Of Labour

Government Training Centres, Scotland

61.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the progress being made in the provision of additional training and retraining facilities in Scotland; and if he will give an assurance that the expansion of such facilities will not be retarded in the next year.

I expect that the expansion of existing Government Training Centres in Scotland will be completed by the end of this year as planned. There is no change in our plans for opening the seventh new Scottish Centre next year.

Industrial Training Officers (Courses)

62.

asked the Minister of Labour how many industrial training officers have been enrolled for full-time four-week training courses at approved technical colleges during the past 18 months; and how' many of these were from companies unable to qualify for grants from industrial training boards at the time of their enrolment.

I regret the figures are not available in the form requested. 444 have completed courses approved for grants. 159 of these came from firms not covered by industrial training boards and therefore received direct grants from my Ministry.

Salaried Workers (Mobility)

63.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken to ascertain the, willingness of salaried personnel to move from one part of the United Kingdom to another in order to enable the policy of redeployment to be pursued by the Government.

No special study has been made of the mobility of salaried people but a survey on labour mobility completed last year showed that workers in the higher educational ranges, who would usually be salaried, were in fact more mobile than the others.

Construction Industry

64.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans there are for redeployment of labour into the construction industry.

My Department's placing and other facilities will be at the disposal of workers seeking employment in construction or other industries.

Unemployment (Scotland)

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage level of unemployment he expects in Scotland in 12 months' time.

An estimate of unemployment for Scotland in 12 months' time cannot be given, but one of the main aims of the Government's policies is to reduce the difference between the rates of unemployment and the national average in areas where the rate has been persistently above average.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the unemployment percentage for the exchanges at Inverness, Fort William, Moray and Nairn Group, Angus Group, West Fife, Kinross-shire Group, North Lanarkshire Group, Rutherglen, Shotts, Wigtownshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire in mid-July 1965 and mid-July 1966.

Following is the information:

	Percentage rate of unemployment
	mid-July	mid-July
	1965	1966
Inverness	2·9	3·0
Fort William	0·9	1·9
Moray and Nairn Group	2·7	2·5
Angus Group	2·3	1·8
Kinross-shire Group (including West Fife)^{^*}	4·1	3·7
North Lanarkshire Group	3·1	3·3
Glasgow Group (including Rutherglen)^{^*}	3·0	2·8
Shotts	3·2	4·5
Wigtownshire	5·9	5·7
Kirkcudbrightshire	3·8	3·1
^* Percentage rates of unemployment can only be given for these groups as a whole.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the three month-moving average of the seasonally adjusted change in unemployment for the employment exchange areas at Lerwick, Kirkwall, Wick, Thurso, Stornoway, East Renfrewshire Group, Dumfriesshire Group, Invergordon, Aberdeen, Dundee, Brechin, Forfar, Perthshire Area, Edinburgh Area, Bathgate Group, Glasgow-Govan, Glas-gow-Hillington, and Kilmarnock in mid-July 1966.

Seasonally adjusted estimates of unemployment for these areas are not made.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimates he has made of the number of persons likely to be unemployed in Scotland by the end of this year as a result of Government economies; and what industries are likely to be affected.

Estimates of unemployment in Scotland, either in total or by industry, cannot be given but one of the main aims of the Government's policies is to reduce the difference between the rates of unemployment and the national average in areas where the rate has been persistently above average.

Coal, Gas And Electricity Industries (Wage Rates)

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT lists for the nationalised coal, gas, and electricity industries, respectively, setting out the increases in the basic minimum wages in these industries

COAL MINING
LABOURERS
		Surface Workers				Underground Workers
Date.		Amount of Increase		Standard Rates of Wages		Amount of Increase		Standard Rates of Wages
		Per Week		Per Week		Per Week		Per Week
		s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
1st January, 1947	…	—		90	0	—		100	0
1st November, 1947	…	10	0	100	0	15	0	115	0
7th October, 1950	…	5	0	105	0	5	0	120	0
11th January, 1951	…	5	0	110	0	7	0	127	0
22nd November, 1951	…	11	6	121	6	13	6	140	6
12th February, 1953	…	6	0	127	6	6	0	146	6
14th January, 1954	…	7	6	135	0	8	6	155	0
		Per Shift		Per Shift		Per Shift		Per Shift
4th April, 1955	…	—		24	5	—		27	9
13th February, 1956	…	2	4	26	9	2	4	30	1
4th March, 1957	…	1	7	28	4	1	7	31	8
22nd September, 1958	…	1	3	29	7	1	3	32	11
5th September, 1960	…		10	30	5		10	33	9
2nd January, 1961	…	1	5	31	10	1	5	35	2
2nd April, 1962	…	1	3	33	1	1	3	36	5
1st April, 1963	…	1	6	34	7	1	6	37	11
29th June, 1964	…	1	7	36	2	1	7	39	6
7th June, 1965	…	2	8	38	10	2	8	42	2
6th June, 1966	…	2	0	40	10	2	0	44	2

Notes

1. The agreement provided for weekly rates of wages at 1st January, 1947. National standard shift rates were introduced from 4th April, 1955.

2. The normal weekly hours of work were reduced from 42½ to 41¼ for surface workers and from 5 shifts of 7½ hours plus one winding time to 5 shifts of 71 hours plus one winding time from 9th January, 1961.

GAS SUPPLY
Labourers in the Provinces
Date		Amount of Increase Per hour		Standard Rates of Wages Per week
		s.	d.	s.	d.
1st May, 1949	…			87	1
	…			Per hour
16th April, 1950	…		3¼	2	3
1st April, 1951	…		1¾	2	4¾
4th November, 1951	…		2	2	6¾
28th September, 1952	…		2	2	8¾
4th October, 1953	…		1¼	2	10
30th May, 1954	…		1¼	2	11¼
3rd April, 1955	…		3	3	2¼
29th January, 1956	…		4	3	6¼
31st March, 1957	…		2½	3	8¾
1st August, 1958	…		2	3	10¾
1st May, 1960	…		2¼	4	1
18th September, 1960	…		3	4	4

and the dates on which they took place from the date of nationalisation of the industry concerned to the present date.

The information for the lowest graded workers covered by the respective collective agreements is set out in the following tables.

1st April, 1962	…	2	4	6
6th January, 1963	…	1½	4	7½
30th June, 1963	…	3	4	10½
5th July, 1964	…	2½	5	1
6th June, 1965	…	4	5	5
5th September, 1965	…	5	5	10

Notes:

1. The agreement provided for weekly rates at 1st May, 1949. National Standard hourly rates were introduced from 16th April, 1950.

2. Higher rates are paid in the London Area.

3. The standard rates of wages are for Provincial B areas prior to September, 1965. The Provincial A area rate is given for September, 1965 as Provincial B area rates were discontinued.

4. The normal weekly hours of work were reduced from 44 to 42 from 1st May, 1960 and to 40 from 5th September, 1965, without loss of pay.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
Labourers in the Provinces
Date		Amount of Increase Per hour		Rates of Wages per hour
		s.	d.	s.	d.
1st April, 1948	…		—	2	2½
21st July, 1948	…		¾	2	3¼
31st May, 1949	…		1½	2	4¾
29th January, 1951	…		1½	2	6¼
1st June, 1951	…		2	2	8¼
1st August, 1952	…		2	2	10¼
16th July., 1953	…		1½	2	11¾
20th May, 1954	…		1	3	0¾
1st January, 1955	…		3	3	3¾
1st January, 1956	…		4	3	7¾
1st March, 1957	…		2½	3	10¼
1st January, 1959	…		2¼	4	0½
1st February, 1960	…		2½	4	3
12th August, 1960	…		3	4	6
28th January, 1962	…		2	4	8
1st February, 1963	…		2½	4	10½
1st February, 1964	…		2½	5	1

		Per annum	Per annum
		£	£
1st July, 1964	…	30	585
1st February, 1965	…	25	610
1st February, 1966	…	25	635

Notes:

1. Higher rates are payable in the London Area.

2. From 1st May, 1958 a productivity allowance of 8s. 3d. a week was also payable which was incorporated into the basic rate from 1st January, 1959.

3. From 1st April, 1963 a productivity bonus of 4s. 6d, a week was also payable. This bonus was increased to 6s. 0d. from 1st July, 1964 and to 10s. 6d. from 1st July, 1965.

4. From 1st July, 1964 the agreement provided for annual rates of pay when "staff status" was accorded for all workers.

5. From 1st February, 1965 an "incidental overtime" allowance of £25 per annum is also payable.

6. The normal weekly hours of work were reduced from 44 to 42 from 1st February, 1960 and to 40 from 5th July, 1965 without loss of pay.

Occupational Hygiene

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to bring to the attention of private and public industry the need to institute occupational hygiene facilities for the protection of their workpeople and in the interests of increased productivity.

In the course of their duties, H.M. Factory Inspectorate both indicate and, where necessary, enforce measures for the protection of workpeople. This includes bringing to the attention of industry the need for occupational hygiene facilities where these are considered necessary.

asked the Minister of Labour when the results of the sample survey on occupational hygiene, conducted in factories throughout the United Kingdom will be published.

An article about the occupational hygiene survey and its results will appear in the August edition of the Ministry of Labour Gazette which is published towards the end of the month.

asked the Minister of Labour in what industries in the private and public sector, and in what Government Departments occupational hygiene research is conducted; and in what manner their findings are correlated and their activities co-ordinated.

Research into various aspects of occupational hygiene is conducted or commissioned by many industries. There is interdepartmental machinery for co-ordinating the work of Government Departments in this field. The Ministry keeps a register of current research and makes it available to bodies concerned with research.

Occupational Pension Schemes

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will undertake a survey to ascertain who compose the minority of employees who are not covered by their employers' occupational pension schemes.

Many of these employees will not yet have satisfied age or service qualifications for membership of their employers' pension schemes and others will be part-time workers. A comprehensive survey by the Government Actuary's Department on the rules and other features of occupational pension schemes was published in a report on 29th July. I do not think that a further survey on this particular question is needed.

Railwaymen (Wage Rates)

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list setting out the dates and amounts of the increases in the basic minimum wages of representative grades of railwaymen from 1948 to date.

The information relating to train drivers and platform porters is set out in the following table.

RAILWAYS
Engine Drivers
Date				(according to year and grade)										Porters
				Amount of increase					Rates of wages					Amount of increase		Rates of wages
				per week					per week					per week		per week
				s.	d.		s.	d.	s.	d.		s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
1st January, 1948	…	…	…						121	0	to	134	0			91	6
1st February, 1948	…	…	…	3	0	or	4	0	124	0	to	138	0	—		91	6
5th September, 1949	…	…	…	—					124	0	to	138	0	1	0	92	6
1st September, 1950	…	…	…	—					124	0	to	138	0	3	6	96	0
1st January, 1951	…	…	…	9	0	or	11	6	133	0	to	149	6	6	6	102	6
3rd September, 1951	…	…	…	10	6	or	12	0	143	6	to	161	6	8	0	110	6
2nd November, 1952	…	…	…		7		0		150	6	to	168	6	7	0	117	6
6th December, 1953	…	…	…		4		0		154	6	to	172	6	4	0	121	6
24th January, 1954	…	…	…	5	0	or	6	0	159	6	to	178	6	3	0	124	6
4th October, 1954	…	…	…	13	0	or	14	0	172	6	to	192	6	2	6	127	0
10th January, 1955	…	…	…		2		6		175	0	to	195	0	8	0	135	0
15th June, 1955	…	…	…	1	0	or	3	0	176	0	to	198	0	—		135	0
23rd January, 1956	…	…	…	12	6	or	14	0	188	6	to	212	0	9	6	144	6
26th November, 1956	…	…	…	5	6	or	6	6	194	0	to	218	6	4	6	149	0
4th March, 1957	…	…	…		4		0		198	0	to	222	6	2	6	151	6
30th June, 1958	…	…	…	6	0	or	6	6	204	0	to	229	0	4	6	156	0
4th January, 1960	…	…	…	30	0	or	31	0	234	0	to	260	0	12	0	168	0
1st April, 1962	…	…	…	7	0	or	8	0	241	0	to	268	0	5	0	173	0
5th November, 1962	…	…	…	14	0	or	16	0	255	0	to	284	0	10	0	183	0
23rd December, 1963	…	…	…	15	0	or	17	0	270	0	to	301	0	11	0	194	0
21st December, 1964	…	…	…	24	0	or	27	0	294	0	to	328	0	17	0	211	0
4th October, 1965	…	…	…	10	0	or	11	0	304	0	to	339	0	7	0	218	0

Notes

1. Extra payment is made to drivers when performing over a certain mileage per day.

2. From 4th October, 1954 to 3rd January, 1960, lower rates applied to porters with less than two years' service.

3. Higher rates are payable in the London area.

4. The normal weekly hours of work were reduced from 44 to 42 from 1st January, 1962 and to 40 from 28th February, 1966, without loss of pay.

Notes for Guidance

The weekly rates of wages of train drivers and platform porters are those laid down in the agreements between the Railways Board and the National Union of Railwaymen and the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen.

Adult Workers (Redeployment)

asked the Prime Minister what is the estimated number of adult workers that will be freed for deployment in exports and essential investment on account of his recent measures.

I have been asked to reply.I have nothing to add to the Answer given on 20th July by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a Question by the hon. Member for Ormskirk (Sir D. Glover).

Shipbuilding Industry, Clyde (Package Deals)

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the Government's national deflationary policy, he will ask Clyde shipbuilders to suspend the implementation of package deals designed to secure higher productivity.

I have been asked to reply.The Government's general guidance on the operation of the prices and incomes standstill has now been published. Particular cases will need to be considered in the light of that guidance.

Vietnam

65.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make representations to the International Control Commission in Vietnam that they should take steps to enable them to obtain information on the number of children killed, seriously but not fatally burned, or mutilated in other ways, by attacks from aircraft.

No. The responsibility for deciding on how best to fulfil its functions rests with the Commission itself.

Diplomatic Privileges And Immunities

67.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many foreign nationals in this country have the benefit of diplomatic privilege; which countries they represent; and how many British nationals have reciprocal diplomatic privileges in each of these countries.

Members of Foreign Diplomatic Missions in London granted varying degrees of diplomatic privileges and immunities in accordance with the provisions of the Diplomatic Privileges Act, 1964 giving effect to the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, total 2,557. The wives of these officials and families forming part of their household in general enjoy similar privileges and immunities.The corresponding numbers of British nationals in receipt of diplomatic privileges and immunities at posts abroad total 2,397 (exclusive of wives and families).In countries who are parties to the Vienna Convention these privileges are similarly based on the provisions of the Convention. In countries who are not yet party to the Convention these privileges rest on pre-Convention customary international practice.

	Foreign Missions in London	British Missions abroad
Afghanistan	4	18
Algeria	—	17
British Interests Section of Swiss Embassy
Argentine	20	31
Austria	23	43
Belgium	41	32
Bolivia	4	9
Brazil	42	29
Bulgaria	24	22
Burma	32	29
Burundi	2	3
Cambodia	7	7
Cameroon	11	7
Chile	16	13
China	85	43
Colombia	9	6
Congo (Kinshasa)	18	33
Costa Rica	2	3
Cuba	7	13
Czechoslovakia	64	36
Dahomey	6	—
Denmark	49	29
Dominican Republic	8	4

	Foreign Missions in London	British Missions abroad
Ecuador	4	6
El Salvador	4	4
Ethiopia	5	21
Finland	23	31
France	175	117
Gabon	9	—
Germany	130	220
Greece	23	38
Haiti	3	—
Honduras	3	2
Hungary	35	34
Iceland	4	5
Indonesia	38	33
Iran	38	52
Iraq, including U.A.R.
Interests Section	96	45
Israel	75	39
Italy	84	63
Ivory Coast	11	7
Japan	47	52
Jordan	22	28
Korea	9	10
Kuwait, including Algerian
Interests Section	17	19
Laos	3	26
Lebanon	3	44
Liberia	8	3
Libya	19	26
Luxembourg	2	4
Malagasy Republic	10	2
Mexico	11	16
Mongolia	5	4
Morocco	18	16
Nepal	6	10
Netherlands	100	28
Nicaragua	4	5
Niger	1	—
Norway	46	20
Panama	7	4
Paraguay	4	3
Peru	10	15
Philippines	20	22
Poland	51	58
Portugal	25	32
Rumania	42	21
Rwanda	2	—
Saudi Arabia	20	26
Senegal	7	11
South Africa	61	61
Soviet Union	125	94
Spain	64	41
Sudan	18	20
Sweden	31	34
Switzerland	54	27
Syria	17	17
Thailand	34	48
Togo	4	3
Tunisia	9	10
Turkey	30	76
U.A.R	—	48
British Interests Section Canadian Embassy
U.S.A	281	150
Uruguay	7	8
Venezuela	21	28
Vietnam	15	38
Yemen	2	—
Yugoslavia	31	45
	2,557	2,397

68.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the degree of diplomatic privilege granted to British nationals abroad is restricted as compared with that granted to foreign nationals in this country.

The grant of diplomatic privileges and immunities in the United Kingdom is governed by the provisions of the Diplomatc Privilege Act, 1964, which gives effect to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The Vienna Convention is now the generally accepted international standard on which the grant of diplomatic privileges and immunities is based and we have no evidence that other countries who are parties to it do not honour their obligations under the Convention.When in countries not yet party to the Convention restrictions apply to the detriment of United Kingdom staff serving in these countries, we have taken powers under the Diplomatic Immunities Restriction Act, 1955, as preserved by Section 8(5) of the Diplomatic Privileges Act to apply similar restrictions to the staffs of the Embassies concerned in London.The Soviet Union and China impose travel limitations on United Kingdom nationals serving on our Missions in Moscow and Peking. While these restrictions remain in force similar conditions are imposed on members of the Soviet and Chinese Missions in London.

British Honduras

66.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that he will not conclude any negotiations with the Government of Guatemala about the future of British Honduras while Parliament is in recess and without giving the House an opportunity to debate the matter.

Her Majesty's Government are not engaged in a negotiation with the Guatemalan Government but are parties to a mediation conducted by the United States Government. I cannot predict the course of the mediation. The text of any agreement concluded as a result of the mediation would be published without delay and laid before the House in the usual manner.

Gibraltar (Anglo-Spanish Talks)

69.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals have been made by the Government about the use of the airfield at Gibraltar by Spanish military aircraft and the inclusion of Spanish representatives in the internal administration of either the port or internal administration of Gibraltar.

It was agreed between the British and Spanish Delegations at the talks on 12th and 13th July that the negotiations should be strictly confidential. To reveal at this stage what has taken place at the talks so far would not only be prejudicial to their outcome but would be a breach of confidence. The talks are likely to be resumed before very long.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that he will not conclude any negotiations with the Spanish Government about the future of Gibraltar while Parliament is in recess and without giving the House an opportunity to debate the matter.

The talks with the Spanish Government are likely to be resumed before very long. I cannot say when they are likely to be concluded. But in the event of our reaching any definitive Agreement with Spain this would, of course, be laid before the House in the normal way before ratification.

North Atlantic Council (East-West Relations)

70.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking towards implementing the official Danish proposal at the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation meeting for a general European security conference.

The Danish proposal, together with other suggestions for improving relations between East and West, is being considered in the North Atlantic Council.

International Road Transport (European Agreement)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which countries signed the European Agreement on Road Transport; which of these have ratified the convention and introduced consequential legislation; and what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to secure the widespread implementation of this agreement, having regard to the danger to British tourists travelling on the Continent by long-distance coach where the drivers have driven for excessive periods.

The 1962 European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged in International Road Transport (A.E.T.R.) has been signed by Belgium, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Instruments of ratification or accession have been transmitted to the United Nations by France, Netherlands, Spain and Yugoslavia, but have not yet been deposited in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.Her Majesty's Government desire to see the Agreement in operation over as large an area, as possible and will use such influence as is open to them. They are prepared to ratify the Agreement subject to certain reservations. The statutory requirements regulating drivers' hours in this country are already broadly in line with those in the Agreement.

Foreign Office (Departmental Staff)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department full time and part time, respectively, at the last convenient date; and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October 1964 and August 1965.

On 1st July, 1966, there were 738 civil servants employed full-time and 12 employed part-time, in the Foreign Office. The formation on the 1st January, 1965, of a joint Administration Office for the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Relations Office makes any direct comparison with the figure for October 1964 impossible; but the total number of staff now employed by the Diplomatic Service in London is 72 fewer than it was in October 1964. Since August 1965, there has been an increase of 30 in the staff of the Foreign Office itself, due to transfer from other Departments.

British Diplomatic Missions (Hong Kong Conference)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent conference of Heads of Missions in South-East Asia held in Hong Kong.

This conference was one of a series of meetings of Heads of British Diplomatic Missions in the Far East and South-East Asia, held from time to time to enable our diplomatic representatives to exchange views on regional questions among themselves and with Ministers and officials from London. Discussions at such meetings are confidential.

National Finance

Paymaster-General's Department

71.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he takes to see that staff in the Paymaster-General's and adjacent offices are positively vetted.

These staff are vetted according to the normal rules.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he takes within the Paymaster-General's Department to ensure the security of classified material.

The departmental records of the Paymaster-General's Office are not "classified material". Within the Minister's Private Office, normal security procedures are applied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people work in the Paymaster-General's Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of civil servants employed by the Paymaster-General's Department, full time and part time, respectively, at the last convenient date; and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October, 1964, and August, 1965.

The figures are:

At 1st July, 1966, 653, being 637 full-time and 16 part-time; an increase of 1 full-time and 8 part-time over 1st October, 1964, and of 7 full-time and 7 part-time over 1st August, 1965.

United States And Canadian Loans (Interest Payments)

72.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his intention to seek a postponement of this year's payment of interest on the post-war United States and Canadian loans.

The measures we have just taken are designed to ensure that we can meet our overseas obligations.

Overseas Expenditure

asked the Prime Minister if he will circulate in the Official Report an analysis showing how the proposed reduction in overseas Government expenditure is divided between military commitments in Europe, military commitments in Asia and Africa, and civil expenditure.

I have been asked to reply.I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend's remarks in the debate on economic affairs on 26th July.

Foreign Travel (Allowances)

asked the Prime Minister if he will give details of the special arrangements for foreign travel for business and health and for those who take their cars abroad.

I have been asked to reply.The allowances are as follows: for business travel, up to £20 a day with a maximum of £1,200 a journey (where there is a special case, applications for a greater sum will be considered); for health travel supported by a medical certificate, £7 a day with a maximum of £630 each for patient and companion; for a car, £25; for a motor cycle, £15.

Hydro-Carbon Oil Duties (Scotland)

asked the Chancellor of Exchequer (1) what will be the cost to south-west Scotland in a full year of the new increase in road fuel duty; (2) how much he expects to be raised from the new increase in motor fuel charges from sales of fuel in the seven crofting counties.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith on 26th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to Scotland of petrol duty in the last year; and what will be the additional cost in a full year of the increased duty announced on 20th July assuming the same rate of consumption.

About £56 million and £5·6 million respectively.

Cadet Valuers

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many cadet valuers have completed their period of training with his Department; and how many have been enlisted but failed to complete training since the initiation of the scheme;(2) when the scheme for training cadet valuers was introduced; and how many cadet valuers have been taken on by his Department since the initiation of the scheme.

The first open competition for Cadet Valuers was held in April 1966. There were 48 recruits all of whom are still undergoing training. The title "Cadet Valuer" is now also applied to 120 trainees already in the Valuation Office, drawn mainly from the clerical staff.

Valuation Office (Staff)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total strength, and within that total what were the numbers of trained valuers, in the valuation department of the Inland Revenue at any convenient date in each of the last five years; and what is his estimate of these strengths at the end of the current financial year.

The figures are as follows:

At 31st March	Total staff in post in the Valuation Office	Total of trained valuers in post
1962	7,035	2,254
1963	6,929	2,243
1964	7,146	2,197
1965	7,254	2,145
1966	7,238	2,125
1967 (latest estimate)	8,775	2,200

Coinage (Copper Content)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the approximate weight of copper embodied in the coinage in circulation; and what is now the value of the materials contained in the penny and halfpenny, respectively.

The copper content of the coinage estimated to be in circulation is about 42,000 tons. The current value of the metal content of a penny is approximately 1·2d. and of a halfpenny 0·7d. These figures are based on the London Metal Exchange settlement price for copper wirebars on 27th July of £534 per ton, and on tin at £1,263 per ton and zinc at £125 per ton.

Scotch Whisky (Surcharge)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects to raise from the 10 per cent. surcharge on whisky during the first 12 months of operation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 26th July.

Welsh Department (Printing)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of printing all the publications published by the Department of the Secretary of State for Wales in the last financial year; and what proportion of the printing was done in the Principality of Wales.

The cost of printing all publications published by H.M. Stationery Office for the Secretary of State for Wales in the last financial year was about £1,500. The total cost of printing carried out in Wales for H.M. Stationery Office in that period was approximately £86,000, of which some £15 was in respect of publications for the Secretary of State for Wales.

Civil Service (Professional Grades)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the full complement of the professional grades of the Civil Service, grade by grade; and how many are in post in each grade.

Complements are agreed on a departmental basis and overall figures are not available in full centrally. Such information as is available about the sum of departmental complements shows the following position at 1st January, 1966 for some of the main professional classes.

	Complement	In Post
Professional Accountants	379	334
Actuaries	33	32
Legal	800	749
Medical Officer	687	657
Psychologist	111	103
Scientific Officers	4,476	4,119
Statisticians	202	159
Works Group of Professional Classes, Departmental Variants and Related Classes	12,331	11,416

Income Tax And Surtax (Pensions And Family Allowances)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Treasury of making widows' pensions, family allowances and retirement pensions non-taxable for Income Tax and Surtax purposes.

About £120 million for a full year.

Close Companies (Profits)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, having regard to the Government's request for a dividend standstill, what direction he is; giving to the Inland Revenue concerning publicly quoted close companies which increase their profits and are required by the Finance Act 1965 to pay out 6 per cent. of their profits thus increasing their dividend; and if he will make a statement.

As indicated in the White Paper on the Prices and Incomes standstill the obligation on companies not to increase distributions during the twelvemonth period is subject to an exception for distributions to meet the requirements of the special tax rules for closely-controlled companies.

Baor (Anglo-German Talks)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his talks in Germany concerning support costs of the British Army of the Rhine.

At this stage I cannot add to the following communique which was issued after the talks:Chancellor of the Exchequer's meeting with Federal German Minister of Finance on 21st July, 1966COMMUNIQUEThe Federal Finance Minister, Dr. Dahlgrun, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. James Callaghan, met near Bonn on 21st July to continue the discussions which they began in London on 30th June on the problem of the foreign exchange cost of the British forces in Germany which H.M. Government now estimate at £94 million per annum.2. The Ministers reviewed the problem in the light of the financial and economic situations of the two countries. They agreed that a joint Ministerial Commission should be set up to consider ways and means of providing cover for these foreign exchange costs. The Commission would comprise the Ministers responsible for Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in the two countries, and the Governors of the Central Banks and should report by the end of September to their respective Governments.3. The two Ministers noted that the amount which could be covered by the methods hitherto used would be less than £94 million.4. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, referring to the statement made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Wilson, in the House of Commons on 20th July, 1966 announcing the measures taken by H.M. Government to restore confidence in sterling and to strengthen the economy of the U.K., said that it was essential that the foreign exchange costs incurred by Britain in maintaining her forces in the Federal Republic of Germany should by one means or another be covered in full. Therefore, if the considered view of the Federal Government were to be that no other means of closing the gap were possible, H.M. Government would have no alternative but to propose, through the prescribed N.A.T.O. and W.E.U. procedures, reductions in the size of the British forces in Germany. These reductions would be proposed to the extent necessary to bring the foreign exchange cost down to the figure which the recommendations of the Joint Ministerial Commission showed could be covered by offset or other means. The Chancellor of the Exchequer explained that in putting forward their proposals to N.A.T.O. and W.E.U., H.M. Government would be compelled, because their needs are pressing, to insist that some withdrawals should take place in the near future. Dr. Dahlgrun emphasised the interest of the Federal Government of Germany in the United Kingdom maintaining her forces in the Federal Republic of Germany, and the great importance they attached to this because these forces are an integral part of N.A.T.O.5. The two Ministers attached the greatest importance to the maintenance, by consultation, of the full understanding of each others problems which had been established by their personal discussions.

Building Societies (Reserve Funds)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek powers to enable building societies to release more of their reserve funds so as to help more people of modest income to obtain cheaper interest rates when buying their own homes.

I am awaiting the outcome of the reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

Local Government

Direct Labour Departments

73.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, what inquiries he has made into the effect on the building and construction programme of direct labour departments.

Direct labour departments made a useful contribution to new construction, principally on housing which accounts for over half of the labour force engaged on new work. In 1965 8·5 per cent. of local authority new houses were built in this way; much the same proportion as in recent years. My right hon. Friend has no further inquiries in view.

Local Authority Staffs (Salary Increase)

asked the Minister of Labour if he proposes to freeze for six months the implementation of the seven per cent. salary increase recently concluded for 250,000 local government staff workers; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply. I presume the hon. Member refers to the agreement for administrative, professional, technical and clerical staffs of local authorities, which was due to take effect of 1st August.Paragraph 21 of the White Paper (Cmnd. 3073) published last Friday applies to this agreement, the operative date of which should accordingly be deferred by six months.

Copper (Alternative Materials)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will recommend the substitution of alternative materials for copper, wherever possible, and the use of thinner-walled copper tubing, where these materials are used for building purposes.

The latest edition of the Ministry's model water byelaws will include two new British standards for thinner-walled copper tubes and my right hon. Friend is about to issue a circular to all water undertakers asking them to accept these new specifications.The new model will also for the first time permit the use of stainless steel pipes and these again will be brought specially to the notice of all undertakers as alternatives to copper pipes.My right hon. Friend sees no need at present for any other guidance to local authorities.

Circular 26/66

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT any communication sent by him to the Greater London Council and the London borough councils with reference to paragraph 17 of his circular No. 26/66.

My right hon. Friend has not sent any formal communication. The London Borough Councils received copies of the circular. He has been informed that a Working Party of the Greater London Council and the London Boroughs Committee are examining the problem in Greater London and he is awaiting their proposals.

Housing

Price Stabilisation

74.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action will be taken to stabilise the price of new housing for the next six months following the Government's request for a standstill.

Statutory control of the price of houses is not practicable. But the Government expect the standstill on wages and other costs to enable builders and developers to hold prices down.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Farm Price Review

76.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the 1967 farm price review will be subject to the Government's prices and wages standstill.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 26th July to the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills).

Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Northumberland (Officials)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many officials of his Department are wholly employed in confining the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to the county of Northumberland.

56.

Bledisloe Committee (Recommendations)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conclusions he has reached on the recommendations of the Bledisloe Committee regarding the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Acts 1923 to 1935.

This Committee examined with great thoroughness and care the provisions of this legislation, and made recommendations for a comprehensive code of legislation covering salmon and freshwater fisheries in the light of modern requirements. I am grateful to Lord Bledisloe and his colleagues for their recommendations, and am happy to say that they are generally acceptable to the Government.We agree in particular that the local administration of the Acts is generally sound, and that greater responsibility can be placed on the River Authorities in matters where they can at present only act with the consent of the Minister or which are now determined by statutory provision in the Act. This will allow for greater emphasis on local responsibility and initiative. In this connection my Department propose to discuss with the fishery interests whether River Authorities should in the interests of securing better availability of fishing to anglers exercise to a greater extent than at present their powers to acquire and manage fisheries.Since the Committee reported, the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1964, and the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, 1965, have implemented two of the Committee's recommendations for amendment of the present fisheries legislation. In addition, a number of the Committee's recommendations with regard to prevention of pollution and water abstraction have been met by the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act, 1961, and the Water Resources Act, 1963.The recommendations include a great number dealing with relatively detailed matters. The Government have embodied their main conclusions on the more important questions of principle and policy (subject to reservation of their views on certain problems common to England, Wales and Scotland which have been reported on by the Hunter Committee in Scotland) in a circular letter to the Association of River Authorities and the principal bodies concerned with salmon and freshwater fisheries. I am placing a copy of this letter in the Library of the House for the benefit of Members who wish to consider the matter in greater detail. Decisions about legislation will be taken in the light of any further comments received from the interests who are now being consulted.

Meat (Inspection Charges)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on the payment of costs for the inspection of slaughtered meat.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I have today jointly laid the Meat Inspection (Amendment) Regulations, 1966, which will come into effect on 30th September. They will empower local authorities, after consultation with the users of private slaughterhouses, and subject to a right of appeal to me, to regulate the hours during which slaughter may take place. The removal of uninspected meat from slaughterhouses will cease to be allowed on 31st October. There will be no change in the arrangements for charging for inspection.At the same time my veterinary officers' advisory service to local authorities will be intensified with a view to helping the authorities to play their part in the development of uniform high standards of meat inspection.

Ministry Of Defence

Government Property, Malaysia (Disposal)

77.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans he has for disposing of British Government property in Malaysia following a withdrawal of British troops.

I would refer my hon. Friend to Cmnd. 263 of 1957 which incorporates the Agreement on External Defence and Mutual Assistance between Her Majesty's Government and the Malayan Government. This Agreement was later incorporated in the Malaysian Agreement of July 1963.

United States Aircraft (Orders)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give an undertaking that orders for United States aircraft for the Royal Air Force will not be affected by the Government's new economic measures.

The Government's Economic measures do not include any change in the orders of U.S. aircraft for the R.A.F.

Barrack Accommodation

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the proposed withdrawal of units of the Rhine Army, he will see that adequate barrack accommodation is now prepared at home and that the presently disused barracks at Glen Parva, Leicestershire, are now prepared for that purpose.

The extent of any future requirement is not yet known, but contingency studies are in hand. Glen Parva barracks are not likely to be suitable for this purpose.

Glen Parva Barracks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to use the Glen Parva Barracks in Leicestershire as a permanent base for units of the Strategic Reserve, in view of its excellent geographical situation and for other reasons.

Glen Parva is not a suitable area for a unit of the Strategic Reserve.

Hms "Britannia"

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for reducing expenditure on H.M.S. "Britannia" during the financial crisis.

None.

Anglo-American Memorandum Of Understanding

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the United States Navy Department in December, 1965, and of the indemnities given by his Department as main contractors thereunder.

Yes, arrangements have been made to place in the Library a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding made between the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (Navy Department) and the United States Department of the Navy together with copies of Bid Bonds given to the United States Department of the Navy relating to two surveying ships and one ocean going salvage tug.

House Of Commons Paper No 107 (Indemnities)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the particular contract for which indemnity of £1,000 has to be provided in the Supplementary Estimate, Defence (Navy), House of Commons Paper No. 107.

The indemnities relate to bids made in response to invitations by the United States Government to tender for two surveying ships and an ocean going salvage tug.

Ministry Of Aviation

Bea (London-Northern Ireland Service)

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to British European Airways to improve their seat-booking services.

A general directive would not be appropriate. But I am sure B.E.A. would investigate any specific problem which the hon. Member may have in mind.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to British European Airways to provide an adequate number of services between London and Northern Ireland to meet traffic requirements at all times of the year.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware that the air service from London to Northern Ireland is inadequate; and if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to British European Airways to improve it.

A general directive would not be appropriate. I understand that B.E.A. have been providing 15 per cent. more capacity on their London-Belfast route this summer than last and further increases are planned for next year. Both the Corporation and I regret the technical difficulties which have led to delays and cancellations on this and other routes in recent weeks.

Tonga

Merchant Shipping (Liability Of Ship-Owners And Others) Act 1958

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will approach the authorities in Tonga and ask them to give further consideration to the incorporation into their legal system of the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act 1958, in order that the people of Tonga may enjoy the same rights and benefits as have existed in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth territories during the past eight years; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised that the position of the authorities in Tonga remains as stated in the reply to the hon. and learned Member on 2nd November, 1965.

Admiralty Jurisdiction

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will approach the Government of Tonga with a view to progress being made in the incorporation into the legal system of Tonga of the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction conferred on the High Court of the United Kingdom by the Administration of Justice Act 1956; and if he will make a statement.

The Government of Tonga is still considering this matter.

Barbados

Admiralty Jurisdiction

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made by the Barbados Government to enact local legislation which will incorporate into the legal system in Barbados the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction conferred on the High Court of the United Kingdom by the Administration of Justice Act 1956; and if he will make a statement.

The Government of Barbados have not yet been able to enact the necessary legislation.

Wireless And Television

Bbc (Salary Increases)

asked the Postmaster-General if he proposes to inform the Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation that there should be a deferment for six months of the implementation of any salary increases that have been agreed but not yet effected; and if he will make a statement.

The B.B.C.s attention has been drawn to the Prime Minister's statement of 20th July calling for an incomes standstill.

Motor Vehicles (Fitted Radios)

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated number of vehicles in this country which now have a fitted radio; what percentage of these carry a current wireless licence; and what action he is taking to collect licence fees from evaders.

So far as I am aware, no separate estimate is available of the number of vehicles in this country which now carry a fitted radio; but on 30th June last, there were 677,000 licences in force. The detection of car radio licence evasion is included in our arrangements for enforcing the licence system generally.

Bbc2 (Cardiganshire)

asked the Postmaster-General (1) when the B.B.C.2 television service will be extended to cover those areas of Cardiganshire which are not at present in receipt of such a service;(2) When the B.B.C.2 service will be improved in those areas of Cardiganshire where the reception of such service is at present poor.

The extension by the B.B.C. of the population coverage attained by its services, and the improvement of their reception are primarily matters for the Corporation. They tell me that their plan for national coverage of B.B.C.2 includes a station to serve Cardiganshire, but it is too early to say when it can be built.

Telephone Service

Scotland

asked the Postmaster-General what total income he expects to obtain from Scottish subscribers during the year 1967 for the new advanced rental charges.

About £1 million.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the number of new telephones installed, removals and transfers of telephones in Scotland for the last convenient 12-month period.

76,400 installed, 13,500 removals, 24,900 transfers in the 12 months ended 30th June, 1966.

asked the Postmaster-General how many outstanding applications for new telephones there were in Scotland on 21st July, 1966.

I am sorry that the figure is not available for 21st July. The number on 30th June was 11,716 of which 5,357 were on waiting lists.

Post Office

Sub-Post Offices (Allocation)

asked the Postmaster-General what method is applied when sub-post offices are allocated on housing estates or in towns.

We do not normally provide a new post office within a mile of an existing one. But this standard is not applied inflexibly; exceptions are made, for example, where there is a large self-contained housing estate with its own shopping centre largely meeting the day-to-day needs of the residents, or where the journey to the nearest existing post office is for many people specially difficult.

Scotland

Capital Expenditure Projects

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the capital expenditure projects in Scotland which will be affected by measures announced on 20th July;(2) if he will list the road building projects which will be deferred or cut in Scotland following the measures announced on 20th July.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answers I gave on 29th July to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathercart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor).

Educational Building Programmes

asked the Secretary of of State for Scotland if it is his intention that no cuts or deferments will be imposed on any part of the educational building programme in Scotland following the measures announced on 20th July.

Educational building programmes are not affected by the measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 20th July.

Technical College Projects

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the cuts imposed last year on the technical training college programme are to be restored this year or deferred further following the measures announced on 20th July.

The technical college projects deferred last year have now been started. The programme is not affected by the measures announced on 20th July.

Universities Of St Andrews And Edinburgh

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when cuts imposed last year on university building in St. Andrews and Edinburgh were restored.

The Universities of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, in common with other British universities affected, have been able to include in their building programmes up to 1970 those projects which were deferred last July with which they wish to proceed.

Garrick Hospital, Stranraer

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the new extension to the Garrick Hospital, Stranraer, will be started; and what is the estimated completion date.

The Western Regional Hospital Board plans to start work on this scheme in the spring of 1967 with a view to its completion in the autumn of 1968.

Board Of Trade

Directors' Fees And Salaries (Publication)

asked the Prime Minister if he will arrange for the details of the fees and salaries of directors and high executives to be published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette along with the figures already published of manual workers' earnings and rates.

I have been asked to reply. I would ask my hon. Friend to await the Companies Bill.

Copper

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the probable total cost of copper imports for 1966, taking into account the price increases anticipated before the end of the year; and if he will initiate a national copper scrap drive.

Imports of copper in the first half of 1966 were valued at £108 million Because of the uncertainly about supplies and prices in the second half of this year it is not possible to estimate reliably the cost of imports for the whole year. After discussion with the trade, I am satisfied that the recovery of some 300,000 tons of copper per annum from industrial and domestic scrap, which is being achieved at present prices, is the maximum practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to ban completely all copper scrap exports.

Our present licensing policy is to prohibit the export of any scrape which can be economically treated in the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to impose temporary restriction on the use of copper, or copper alloy, for decorative or ornamental purposes.

No. Only negligible amounts could be saved this way.

Hotel Development (Loans)

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what measure will be applied in assessing applicants for the experimental loan for hotel development;

(2) what rate of interest will be applied to the experimental loans for new hotel developments.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the passage on loans for hotel development in my speech in the economic affairs debate on 26th July.

Air Displays (Safety Of Spectators)

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the standards currently enforced to ensure the safety of spectators at public air displays; and if he will make a statement.

I am examining the position in the light of a recent accident, which is still being investigated.

Unemployment (Whitehaven And Cleator Moor)

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of there being over 3 8 per cent. unemployed in the Whitehaven and Cleator Moor area, what proposals he has to relieve this unemployment.

The first advance factory of 25,000 sq. ft. at Cleator Moor is due for completion within a month and the second, of 10,000 sq. ft. by the end of the year. All practicable efforts are being made to find tenants for these factories.

Education And Science

Occupational Hygiene (Research)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in what universities occupational hygiene research is conducted; and in what manner the findings are correlated and the activities of universities co-ordinated.

Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine of the University of London. Related studies are carried out at these and other universities, and within Medical Research Council Units. Opportunities for exchanging information are provided by a number of inter-departmental committees; and researchers are well aware, through published papers and personal contacts, of developments of interest.

Social Science Graduates (Demand)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research is being conducted by his Department, or with financial assistance from his Department, into the probable future balance of demand for social science graduates in industry, government service, and higher education.

The Social Science Research Council has commissioned a survey of sources of information on manpower needs for research in social sciences. As regards the general need for social science graduates it is my view that demand for highly qualified manpower and its distribution should be studied as a whole against the background of national needs and the structure and size of the educational system as a whole, and not solely in relation to individual skills in isolation. The technical and conceptual problems that this implies are being examined. A list of more general studies on demand for and utilisation of highly qualified manpower in general was appended to the last Report of the Committee on Manpower Resources for Science and Technology (Cmnd. 2800, Appendix "C", Part "C")

Civil Research And Development (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent on civil research and development since 1964.

The figures for Government expenditure are given in Appendix II of the recent Report by the Council for Scientific Policy (Cmnd. 3007). Estimates of total national expenditure are available only every three years, and the figure of 1964–65 is £501 million. Further details are given in Appendix I of the same Report.

Social Science Research Council (Postgraduate Awards)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give a detailed breakdown by university departments of the postgraduate awards made this year by the Social Research Council.

The distribution of these awards will not be completed until the end of September. I will write to my hon. Friend when the figures are available.

Export Of Works Of Art (Reviewing Committee's Recommendations)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has yet reached a decision on the recommendations in the 12th Report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

Yes. I wrote to Lord Cottesloe, the Chairman of the Committee, on 7th February giving the reasons why the Government are unable to accept these recommendations. I have since discussed the matter with Lord Cottesloe and Lord Robbins, but the view of the Government remains unchanged.

The following is the text of the letter to Lord Cottesloe:

From THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY

UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE

Curzon Street, London, W.1.

Hyde Park 7070

7th February, 1966

I have carefully considered the recommendations in your Twelfth Report.

The first and second concerned the establishment of a special purchase fund to finance special grants for major purchases of works of art of national importance when this is necessary to ensure their retention in this country. In specific terms these proposals were that a fund of £1 million should be set aside for this purpose and that the fund should be replenished whenever it fell below£½million.

I appreciate the concern of your Committee to find a way of ensuring that works of art falling within the category referred to are acquired for the country, but the desirability of this has to be balanced against the cost which would be imposed on public funds. The present arrangements for achieving this balance are, as you know, to make each of the various museums and galleries an annual purchase grant to be spent as its trustees see fit. In addition, application may be made for special grants to finance the purchase of works of art where the money that is required cannot be found within the annual grant. Each such application is considered on its merits, and the factors taken into account are the degree of desirability of acquiring the work in question for the country, the size of the grant sought, the extent to which other outside sources of finance have been offered, and whether it is accepted that the gallery or museum will not be able to make the purchase without a special grant.

The second of these factors, the size of the grant required, is necessarily of great importance to the Government: desirable though it may be to retain a particular picture or work of art in the country by buying it for a gallery or museum, the final decision whether or not to do so must depend on the amount of public money needed for the purpose and be a matter for the judgment of the Government, subject to the approval of Parliament.

The importance of this consideration is especially evident at a time when the prices of works of art have reached higher levels than ever before. Nevertheless, as your Committee knows, it has been found possible in recent years to acquire several important works with the help of special grants, some of them of large amount. A list of such grants awarded since 1958–9 is appended to this letter.

In the light of these considerations the Government cannot accept that the present system of annual purchase grants for each gallery or museum, coupled with the possibility of obtaining special grants for particular purchases, can be considered to have proved unsatisfactory merely because all the works which it would be desirable to acquire if money were no object, are not acquired under its operation. There must be control by Government and Parliament of how much public money is spent on works of art and this necessity inevitably carries with it the possibility that some works will be lost.

The proposals of your Committee would in effect remove this risk of loss by removing the control. The body administering a fund of £1 million which was automatically replenished whenever it fell below £½ million would dispose of unlimited resources for making purchases save only that, at the beginning of each "fund" cycle, no single work could be bought if it cost more than £1 million, this upper limit falling by stages, as purchases were made, to £½ million and then automatically rising again to £1 million. There would be no other limit on the expenditure which could be incurred and the level of the upper limit on the single purchases at any point of time would be quite arbitrary within the £1 million to £½ million range.

Such a system would be quite unacceptable to the Government if control of the fund were vested outside the Government. If, however, control were vested in the Government, the system would in all essentials be the same as the present system of special grants, save for the new and varying limit on single grants.

Each case, as now, would have to be considered by the Government on its merits and it would in no way make it easier to reach a favourable decision that an artificial "fund" has been established. The decision to be reached would be precisely the same, namely, whether in all the circumstances it was, or was not, proper to spend the amount of public money required to buy the work in question. The money would have to be found at that point of time and would have to be voted as a "supplementary" in that financial year. The expenditure would have to be justified in exactly the same way as though no "fund" with its arbitrary, and perhaps cramping, rules existed.

As mention is made of the Land Fund in the Committee's Report, I should add that its use in this context would not alter the position as set out above.

What I have said means, as you will appreciate, that I cannot accept the recommendations of your Committee in this matter. Granted the need for effective control by the Government of public expenditure in this field, I am satisfied that the present system of annual purchase grants, supported by special grants when necessary, is the simplest and most satisfactory way of ensuring that our galleries and museums acquire as many of the important works of art which come on the market as is possible within the limits of the resources which it is judged right to make available for the purpose.

The third recommendation was that "the recommendations of the report of the augmented Committee on the sale of works of art by public bodies should be examined by the Government with a view to their early acceptance and implementation". The report referred to is that submitted to the previous Government on 3rd January, 1964, and published later that year. I have carefully studied this report and its recommendations and have regretfully come to the conclusion that they cannot be accepted. My reasons are as follows.

The principal recommendations would involve placing public or semi-public bodies under special disabilities, not suffered by private persons or institutions, when seeking permission to export works of art judged to be of national importance.

The Committee recommended that for these purposes public or semi-public bodies should be understood to mean bodies the main part of whose revenues are derived from the public through rates or taxes, or trusts entitled to the relief from taxation accorded to charities.

The special disability to which I refer above would be that in the case of works of art of the kind referred to which had a value of £25,000 or more, an export licence should be refused unconditionally in the case of public and semi-public bodies whereas in the case of other persons and bodies such refusal is conditional on an offer being made within a reasonable time to purchase the object at a fair price for retention in the U.K.

The Committee recommend that where, in cases coming under the above rule, an export licence is refused unconditionally, "the Government should usually be prepared to negotiate for the purchase of the object or collection concerned". They propose rules which should govern the prices to be offered in such negotiation.

I will not go into details about difficulties which would seem likely to arise in operating such a system. This is unnecessary because I regard it as impossible to accept the recommendations on a more fundamental ground than difficulties of operation, namely the inequity of placing public or semi-public bodies in a less favourable financial position in respect of the sale of works of art in their possession than private bodies or persons. All would be in the same position inasmuch as they might be refused permission to export works of art of national importance but whereas in the case of private bodies or persons this would not happen unless they were guaranteed a "fair price", in the case of the public or semi-public bodies there would be no such guarantee. The Government cannot adopt a policy which would place a charity in a less favourable position regarding the sale of its property than a private individual or institution. In these circumstances you will understand why I do not consider it necessary to consider other possible difficulties in the scheme proposed.

I am, as you will appreciate, very sorry to have felt bound to come to these negative conclusions about all three of the recommendations you put before me. I am most grateful to you and to the members of the Committee—and also to the members of the extended Committee which prepared the 1964 special report—for the great care and thoroughness with which they examined these difficult problems.

It would seem to me right that the conclusions I have reached, as set out above, should be made public. But before taking steps to do this, I shall await your views, in particular as to timing.

MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
Special Purchase Grants 1st April, 1958—31st January, 1966
1958–59	£
British Museum	50,000
Ilbert Collection of Watches
Dyson Perrins Manuscripts
Lycurgus Cup
National Gallery
Paolo Uccello, "St. George and the Dragon"	60,000
Royal Scottish Museum
Henry VIII Silver Gilt Cup	5,900
1959–60
National Gallery
Rembrandt, "Portrait of a Man on Horseback"	128,000
Tate Gallery
Stubbs, "Mares and Foals in a Landscape"	7,500
National Gallery of Scotland
Gerard David, "Legend of St. Nicholas"	30,000
National Library of Scotland
Books from the Signet Library	20,000

	£
National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland
Mary Queen of Scots Cameo Jewel	2,750
National Museum of WalesTwo silver Queen Anne Wall Sconces	1,600
National Library of Wales
Book of Llandaff and other manu scripts from the Gwysaney Collection	1,000
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (through Victoria and Albert Museum Fund)
Rubens, "Holy Family".	25,000
1960–61
National Gallery
Gainsborough, "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Andrews"	75,000
Tate Gallery
Matisse, "Nu Debout"	16,000
National Gallery of Scotland
Claude, "Landscape with Apollo, the Muses and a River God "	30,000
National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland
17th Century Silver Tankard	700
1961–62
National Gallery
Renoir, "La Danseuse au Tam borin" and "La Danseuse aux Castagnettes"	163,500
Goya, "The Duke of Wellington"	40,000
National Portrait Gallery
Samual Cooper, Miniature of John Maitland, First Duke of Lauderdale	1,925
Nicholas Hilliard, Miniature of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
National Library of Scotland
Iona Psalter	3,200
National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland
Karnes Brooch	2,000
National Library of Wales
Caernarvon Book of Hours	830
1962–63
National Maritime Museum
Palmer Collection of Marine Paintings	35,000
National Gallery of Scotland
Gainsborough, "Rocky Mountain Landscape with Sheep".	14,000
National Art-Collections Fund
Leonardo Cartoon Appeal	350,000
Ferens Art Gallery, Hull (through Victoria and Albert Museum Fund)
Franz Hals, "Portrait of a Young Lady"	5,000
1963–64
British Museum
Mediaeval Gittern	35,000
Pieter Breughel the Elder, Drawing
Romanesque Whalebone Panels	13,000
Raphael, Drawing
Victoria and Albert Museum
Giovanni Pisano, Bust of a Prophet	27,000
Silver from Brownlow Collection
Silver from Wentworth Collection
Medal Cabinet by William Vile	5,000
Imperial War Museum
Objects from the R.U.S.I. Museum	1,128

	£
National Gallery
Monet, "Nirvana Jaune".	35,000
National Museum of Wales
A. Cuyp, "Landscape with a view of Ubbergen Castle	15,000
National Maritime Museum
Objects from the R.U.S.I. Museum	2,600
1964–65
National Maritime Museum
Van de Velde the Elder, "Dutch") Men of War Becalmed	15,000
Van de Velde the Younger, "Beach Scene"
National Gallery
Courbet, "Les Demoiselles des Bords de la Seine"	41,000
Cezanne, "Les Grandes Baigneuses"	125,000
1965–66
National Portrait Gallery
Sir Joshua Reynolds, "Portrait of James Boswell"	20,000
Tate Gallery
Hogarth, "Portrait of Ashley with his wife and daughter"	6,450
Hogarth, "Satan, Sin and Death"	7,500
Victoria and Albert Museum
Whalebone Pectoral Cross	30,000

Home Department

Police And Public (Committee)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will establish a Standing Committee composed of represenative of the police, the public and organisations such as the National Council for Civil Liberties, in order to benefit relations between the police and the public.

I am awaiting a memorandum from the National Council for Civil Liberties elaborating this proposal.

Land And Natural Resources

Leaseholders, Hampstead (Exclusion From Enfranchisement)

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what proportion of leaseholders in Hampstead he estimates will be excluded from enfranchisement by the limit of rateable value proposed in the White Paper on Leasehold Reform.

The information available does not allow any accurate estimate. At a very rough guess, about 10 per cent.

Leasehold Reform (Rateable Limit)

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources whether he will reconsider the imposition of any arbitrary rateable limit when drafting legislation on leasehold reform, in view of the fact that the same principles apply to all leaseholds.

I must ask my hon. Friend to await the publication of the Bill.

Departmental Staff

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources, what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department full time and part time, respectively, at the last convenient date; and what increases or decreases these figures represent on the comparable figures for October 1964 and August 1965.

The total number of full time and part time staff on 1st July 1966 was 338 and 10 respectively. These figures include the staffs of the National Parks Commission and the Water Resources Board and represent increases of 85 and 7 respectively on the comparable figures for August 1965. The department was not set up until 21st October, 1964.

Technology

Copper (Substitutes)

asked the Minister of Technology what advice he has given to electrical manufacturers about the use of substitute metals for copper in electrical conductors; and if he will accelerate research into this subject.

None. The Trade Associations concerned have already urged on their members the need for conserving copper as far as they can. Some worthwhile results have already been achieved but I will always consider any proposals for speeding research in this field.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will circularise all the industries for which he has responsibility urging them wherever possible to use suitable substitutes for copper or copper alloys, and to advise them of such substitutes, namely, the use of nylon or other plastic tubing for the transmission of fluids.

No. The resort to substitutes is best left to the commercial judgment of the users. But my Department's advice is naturally available to anyone requiring it.

Ministry Of Power

Coal, Gas And Electricity Industries (Charges)

asked the Minister of Power whether he will publish in the Official Report lists for the nationalised coal, gas, and electricity industries, respectively, setting out the average price of the principal commodities produced by these industries for each year from the date of nationalisation to date.

The following information appears in the Annual Reports and Accounts of the National Coal Board, Gas Council and Electricity Council (previously the British Electricity Authority and Central Electricity Authority):—

Year	Coal (average pithead proceeds per ton)		Gas (average revenue from gas sold—pence per therm)	Electricity (average revenue from electricity sold—pence per unit (kWh))
	s.	d.
1947–48	40	3	—	—
1948–49	47	3	—	1·18
1949–50	47	11	12·55^*	1·20
1950–51	47	10	13·09	1·18
1951–52	51	2	14·20	1·22
1952–53	57	3	15·73	1·31
1953–54	61	1	16·39	1·37
1954–55	63	6	16·58	1·37
1955–56	68	0	17·87	1·40
1956–57	77	0	19·27	1·47
1957–58	82	1	20·35	1·53
1958–59	85	1	20·97	1·55
1959–60	83	5	21 00	1·50
1960–61	86	1	21·51	1·48
1961–62	90	10	22·26	1·55
1962–63	91	9	22·67	1·57
1963–64	92	4	22·79	1·62
1964–65	91	8	22·61	1·65
^* Figure relates to gas sold and used in the 11 months ended 31st March, 1960.

Notes

1. The coal figure, which relate to N.C.B. mines only, are for calendar years from 1947 to 1962 and the figure for 1963–64 covers the 15 months January, 1963 to March, 1964.

2. The figures for gas (Great Britain) and electricity (England and Wales) relate to financial years (April to March). The figures for 1965–66 will be available when the industries' accounts are published this year

Coal

Production

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the present estimated total output of coal for the year 1967, based on the estimated average manpower during that period and the expected trends in the productivity factor, giving the figures in each case.

My right hon. Friend will shortly be giving the House estimates of coal production for the current year. I should be reluctant to attempt estimates for 1967 until current trends become clearer. As my hon. Friend may have noted, recent manpower figures show improvement.

Transport

Myriad Digital Computer (Glasgow Experiment)

asked the Minister of Transport what will be the cost to Glasgow in setting up the myriad digital computer with associated equipment for use in the forthcoming Glasgow experiment in area traffic control; and what Government grant will be given.

The estimated cost of the experiment, which is under the control of the Road Research Laboratory, is about £500,000, of which £450,000, including £119,000 for the computer, will be met from Government funds. Glasgow Corporation have agreed to provide accommodation for the computer and the services of certain operating' staff, at an estimated cost of £50,000.

Roads

Deferred Projects (Expenditure)

asked the Minister of Transport if she will estimate the net effect on the expenditure on new construction and major improvements of roads for 1965–66 and 1966–67, respectively, of the deferment of the 81 major road projects which were due to start between August 1965 and January 1966 and which were deferred for six months, showing the figures for Exchequer and local authority expenditure separately for both years.

The current estimated net effect on expenditure is shown in the following table:

	Exchequer Expenditure	£ million Local Authority Expenditure
1965–66	-7	-1
1966–67	-15	-3

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the total estimated cost at the time of deferment and the current total estimated cost of the 81 major road projects which were due to start between August 1965 and January 1966 and which were deferred for six months, the part of the total expenditure on the projects which she estimates will occur in the years 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1967–68, respectively, and the number of these projects which have been deferred for six months, between six and nine months, between nine and 12 months, and over 12 months, respectively.

The total estimated cost at the time of deferment and the current total estimated cost (excluding the cost of two schemes which have been superseded) are as follows:

			£million
			At time of deferment	Current
Exchequer	…	…	47	47
Local Authority	…	…	8	8
Total	…	…	55	55

Information about the part of the total expenditure on these projects estimated to occur in the years referred to is not readily available and the cost of extracting it would be disproportionately high. As regards the last part of the Question, no projects were deferred for more than six months; as explained in an Answer given on 13th May to a Question from the hon. Member for Devizes any additional delay is due to reasons other than the Government's deferment measures.

Railways

Fares

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will publish in the Official Report a list setting out the dates and amounts of increases in standard railway fares from 1948 to date.

The information is as follows:

STANDARD RAILWAY FARES, SECOND CLASS (THIRD CLASS UNTIL JUNE, 1956)
			Increase	Decrease
		d.	d.	d.
Rates per mile as at:—
1st Jan., 1948	…	2·44125
1st May, 1952	…	1·75		0·69125
5th June, 1955	…	1·88125	0·13125
15th Sept., 1957	…	2·00	0·11875
1st Nov., 1959	…	2·25	0·25
12th June, 1960	…	2·50	0·25
1st Sept., 1961	…	2·75	0·25
3rd June, 1962	…	3·00	0·25
1st Feb., 1965	…	3·25	0·25

Season Tickets (Cost)

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the cost of a third and second class season ticket for journeys of five, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 miles, respectively, in August, 1939, January, 1948, October, 1951, October, 1964, and 25th July, 1966, showing also the percentage increase for each fare between 1939 and January, 1948, January, 1948 and October, 1951, October, 1951 and October, 1964, October 1964 and 25th July, 1966, respectively.

The information in respect of monthly season tickets in

BRITISH RAILWAYS STANDARD MONTHLY SEASON-TICKET RATES FOR ENGLAND AND WALES (OUTSIDE LONDON)
Miles		August, 1939 (Third class)			January, 1948 (Third class)				October, 1951 (Third class)				October, 1964 (Second class)				25th July, 1966 (Second class)
								Increase on 1939				Increase on 1948				Increase on 1951				Increase on 1964
		£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	per cent.	£	s.	d.	per cent	£	s.	d.	per cent.	£	s.	d.	per cent.
5	…		17	6	1	7	3	55·7	1	7	3	Nil	2	7	0	72·5	2	15	0	17·0
10	…	1	7	3	2	2	3	55·0	2	2	3	Nil	3	16	0	79·9	4	6	0	13·2
20	…	2	1	6	3	4	6	55·4	3	4	6	Nil	6	3	0	90·7	6	18	0	12·2
30	…	2	13	3	4	2	9	55·4	4	2	9	Nil	7	19	0	92·1	9	0	0	13·2
40	…	3	4	6	5	0	0	55·0	5	0	0	Nil	9	3	0	83·0	10	10	0	14·8
50	…	3	14	3	5	15	3	55·2	5	15	3	Nil	10	11	0	83·1	12	0	0	13·7
(These rates do not necessarily apply to Scottish Region where season ticket rates are fixed in relation to competitive road fares which vary from district to district).

England and Wales is as follows:

Volume 733: debated on Monday 1 August 1966

Written Answers To Questions

Public Building And Works

Departmental Staff

Palace Of Westminster (Members' Wives)

Service Graves, Shawbury Churchyard

High Brooms Brick And Tile Company

Woodside Brickworks

Brick Stocks (Scotland)

Government Buildings (Cleaning)

Direct Labour Departments (Selective Employment Tax)

Industrial Monuments (Preservation)

Building Industry (Prices)

Pensions And National Insurance

National League Of The Blind (Correspondence)

National Assistance

Departmental Staff

Unemployment Benefit

Retirement Pensioners

Duchy Of Lancaster (Departmental Staff)

Hospitals

Building Programme (Warley)

Pay Beds (Review)

South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board (Members)

Peterborough Hospital (Dispute)

Ministry Of Health

Departmental Staff

Ministry Of Labour

Government Training Centres, Scotland

Industrial Training Officers (Courses)

Salaried Workers (Mobility)

Construction Industry

Unemployment (Scotland)

Coal, Gas And Electricity Industries (Wage Rates)

Occupational Hygiene

Occupational Pension Schemes

Railwaymen (Wage Rates)

Adult Workers (Redeployment)

Shipbuilding Industry, Clyde (Package Deals)

Vietnam

Diplomatic Privileges And Immunities

British Honduras

Gibraltar (Anglo-Spanish Talks)

North Atlantic Council (East-West Relations)

International Road Transport (European Agreement)

Foreign Office (Departmental Staff)

British Diplomatic Missions (Hong Kong Conference)

National Finance

Paymaster-General's Department

United States And Canadian Loans (Interest Payments)

Overseas Expenditure

Foreign Travel (Allowances)

Hydro-Carbon Oil Duties (Scotland)

Cadet Valuers

Valuation Office (Staff)

Coinage (Copper Content)

Scotch Whisky (Surcharge)

Welsh Department (Printing)

Civil Service (Professional Grades)

Income Tax And Surtax (Pensions And Family Allowances)

Close Companies (Profits)

Baor (Anglo-German Talks)

Building Societies (Reserve Funds)

Local Government

Direct Labour Departments

Local Authority Staffs (Salary Increase)

Copper (Alternative Materials)

Circular 26/66

Housing

Price Stabilisation

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Farm Price Review

Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Northumberland (Officials)

Bledisloe Committee (Recommendations)

Meat (Inspection Charges)

Ministry Of Defence

Government Property, Malaysia (Disposal)

United States Aircraft (Orders)

Barrack Accommodation