asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether, in view of the widespread concern, especially among housewives, about weekly price increases, he will set up a special division or branch within his Department to deal specifically with all complaints about price increases.

No. We are satisfied that the present departmental arrangements for dealing with complaints are working effectively.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs by how much the working population and the resident population, respectively, in London and the South-Eastern Region increased between 1961 and 1964, and between 1964 and the latest convenient date, the figures being expressed both as numbers and as percentage increases on the previous year.

The estimated total civilian labour force in the combined South-East and East Anglia Standard Regions (excluding the Soke of Peterborough) increased between 1961 and 1964 by 277,000 (3·2 per cent.) and between 1964 and 1965 by a further 133,000 (1·5 per cent.). Estimated home population increased between 1961 and 1964 by 520,000 (2·9 per cent.) and between 1964 and 1965 by 147,900 (0·8 per cent.).Comparable statistics for civilian labour force in Greater London are not available, due to boundary changes during the period. The estimated home population of the Greater London Council area increased between 1961 and 1964 by 800 (0·0 per cent.), and decreased between 1964 and 1965 by 37,700 (0·5 per cent.).

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the revised National Plan will be published.

I shall be discussing this matter with the National Economic Development Council at its meeting at the beginning of November, and I hope to make a statement shortly thereafter.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs at what stage in the formulation of the revised National Plan the views of the regional planning councils will be sought.

The councils have already been consulted on certain work relevant to revision of the Plan and this will be continued as appropriate.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will produce a statistical paper showing how many manufacturers and retailers have agreed to abandon proposed price increases following representations by Government Departments and the number of cases still being investigated.

We are considering whether there is any detailed information of this kind that we can usefully give.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that imports from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the first six months of 1966 amounted to £45,537,000, whereas exports were only £26,964,000, what new steps he is taking to increase trade both ways, and to close the gap by greater export of British consumer goods; and if he will make a statement.

Our exports over the first nine months of 1966 were 17 per cent. more than in the same period last year. Our exports of consumer goods shared in this increase. Means of expanding Anglo-Soviet trade are under constant attention, and I look forward to a continuing increase in the scale of Soviet purchases from us.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to improve trade with Nationalist China in the last two years; what trade representatives Great Britain has in Taiwan; whether he is sending a representative to attend the annual Taiwan European Industrial Symposium to be held this year on 8th and 9th November in Basle, Switzerland; whether he is arranging with recognised British organisations for fostering exports to have the required financial allowances to attend this Symposium; and what contacts he maintains with the Free China-Europe Industrial Institute in Rotterdam.

The usual services of my Department are available to British firms trading with this market and exports have doubled over the last two years. Commercial work is undertaken by H.M. Consul in Tamsui (who is accredited to the provincial authorities) and his staff. The Board of Trade will not be represented at a Symposium in Basle. Any British person interested to attend could apply for the currency allowance appropriate. I have no contact with the organisation mentioned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the price-fixing arrangements between Initial Services, Advance Laundries, Spring Grove Laundries, Linen Replacement Services, and Achille Serre; and whether he will refer them to the Restrictive Practices Court.

The Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956, does not cover services. The Board of Trade may, however, ask the Monopolies Commission to investigate these where the conditions prescribed in the Monopolies and Mergers Acts, 1948 and 1965, prevail.I am not at present satisfied that there are grounds for reference to the Commission in this case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will revoke approval of the recent increase in laundry charges, in view of the evidence that they are calculated to produce profits in excess of the cost occasioned by tax increases.

In those cases where my Department's inquiries have shown that increased charges are justified by the criteria in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the White Paper on Prices and Incomes Standstill, the laundries have been informed accordingly. A large number of cases in which the facts are more complicated are the subject of further inquiries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a comparison of British investment in, and trade with, the countries of South Africa, Rhodesia and the Portuguese territories in Africa taken as a whole, and the rest of the African countries taken as a whole.

The following is the information:

	Estimated value of U.K. investmentend-1964*	U.K. imports 1965	U.K. exports 1965
		£ million
South Africa, Rhodesia, and Portuguese territories in Africa	750–800	215	312
Rest of Africa	625–675	505	312
* These are very broad estimates, indicating no more than the order of magnitude of the investment. They combine estimates of the value of direct investment at book values and of portfolio investment at market values.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many inspectors have been appointed to investigate the affairs of limited companies in each of the past 10 years; on how many of these occasions private firms have been instructed to act on behalf of the Board of Trade; and what was the average length of time spent on each report.

(1) The number of companies (73 in all) in respect of which inspectors have been appointed was for each of the 10 years from the 30th September, 1956, to the 30th September, 1966, as follows:

1956–57, 2; 1957–58, 1; 1958–59, 4; 1959–60, 12; 1960–61, 8; 1961–62, 11; 1962–63, 8; 1963–64, 11; 1964–65, 5; 1965–66, 11.

(2) During this period 42 barristers, 43 practising accountants and 1 actuary were appointed in 46 of the 73 cases.(3) 17 months 2 weeks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state his plans for enabling the tourist interests of Scotland to be represented and promoted at the forthcoming United Nations International Tourist Year 1967.

The General Assembly of the United Nations, now meeting in New York, has not yet considered the recommendation that 1967 should be designated as "International Tourist Year". If the recommendation is adopted, the British Travel Association will consult the Scottish Tourist Board on suitable measures to mark the occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now reconsider the proposal to let the traffic signals at Parliament Square work at all times and so release police for more urgent police duties.

As I have indicated before, I am ready to be guided by the wishes of the House. The matter can be raised in the next debate on procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reintroduce capital punishment in the case of murders involving police and prison officers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 18th October to a Question by the right hon. Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider continuing summer time throughout the year.

I am reviewing the whole question of summer time. Its continuance throughout the year in conformity with mid-European time is among the possibilities that I am examining: but this would require legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that his failure to give greater protection to police officers whilst on duty is affecting the morale of the service, is reducing recruitment, and causing greater resignations, if he will now accept the advice of the Police Federation, details of which have been sent to him, and impose the punishments they suggest.

I do not accept the assertions in the first part of the Question. I have under consideration a number of suggestions relating to the closer control of firearms made by the Police Federation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions corporal punishment has been used on prisoners for attacks on warders in each of the last five years.

On three occasions in 1962, and on no occasion in any other year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has that corporal punishment in prisons is not an effective deterrent.

I have no conclusive evidence that corporal punishment in prisons is not an effective deterrent. But neither have I any conclusive evidence that it is.In this case, as in others, a negative is not easily susceptible to evidential proof.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, and by what Statutory Instrument, the terms of the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction contained in the Administration of Justice Act 1956 have been applied to the courts in Guernsey; and whether similar requests have been received from the authorities in Jersey and the Isle of Man for similar benefits to be extended to their citizens.

The Admiralty Jurisdiction (Guernsey) Order, 1966 (Statutory Instrument 1966 No. 1186) was made on 20th September last and comes into operation on 1st November. No request has been received for the making of a similar Order in respect of Jersey or the Isle of Man.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that the law is observed in regard to the parking of motor cars which protrude on to pavements; what representations have been made to him on the subject by organisations for blind people; and what reply he has sent.

I cannot trace any recent representations about this by organisations representing the blind. The police pay due attention to the parking of cars on pavements, within the limits of their resources.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what cuts in aid to the countries of West Africa will be made during the current financial year as a result of the measures announced on 20th July, 1966.

None.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how far Great Britain kept her promise to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to transfer 1 per cent. of its national income to developing countries; to which countries British contributions have gone; how much the contributions will be for 1966; and if he will make a statement.

The transfer in 1965 including net official aid and estimated net private investment, was 1·1 per cent. of national income. The distribution of official aid in 1965 appears in my Department's statistical publication "British Aid", available in the Library of the House. The total financial flow in 1966–67 cannot be given until the figure for private investment in that years is available.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what cuts in aid to Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika will be made during the current financial year as a result of the measures announced on 20th July, 1966.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that since the Government's declaration of a dividend standstill a number of companies have announced dividend increases; what action he has taken to collate information as to the number of such firms; whether he will publish the details in HANSARD; and what action he has taken or intends to take to enforce this dividend standstill so far as these companies are concerned.

Since the announcement of the Prices and Incomes Standstill 628 public companies have declared dividends. 616 of these call for no comment, being within the standstill policy; the remaining 12 show an increase. As investigation has established that the increased dividends were paid under a misunderstanding of the precise effect of the standstill policy in their individual cases, no further action is proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs how long he estimates will elapse before it will be possible to end the financial burdens of Rhodesian sanctions.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear, economic sanctions against Rhodesia will be lifted as soon as there has been a return to constitutional government.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for a survey to be carried out in Rhodesia in order to assess the effect of sanctions on the political thinking of Rhodesian Africans and European Africans, respectively; and if he will publish the results of the survey.

No—this would be an impossible exercise in the country where the Press, radio and television are closely censored.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the appropriate hourly rates of wages for general building craftsmen under the prices and incomes legislation.

The current standard hourly rates of wages of building craftsmen, as fixed by agreements of the National Joint Council for the Building Industry, are 7s. 1d. in the London area and in Liverpool and district, and 6s. 11½d. in other areas of Great Britain. Under the terms of these agreements wage increases were due to take effect on 7th November, 1966. On 23rd September the National Joint Council for the Building Industry decided that these increases together with cost-of-living sliding scale increases falling due in March, 1967 should be deferred for six months in accordance with the Government's request for a standstill on prices and incomes.

asked the Minister of Labour what are his latest estimates of the number of employees likely to be made redundant by the British Motor Corporation in Birmingham, the number of unemployed in Birmingham and the number of vacancies in employment in the city.

It is estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 employees are likely to be made redundant by the British Motor Corporation in Birmingham. On 10th October, the number of people wholly unemployed was 6,403. In addition, 13,471 were temporarily stopped. On 5th October, the total notified of unfilled vacancies was 9,878 including some 4,000 for men, 2,300 for women and 3,500 for boys and girls.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the employees so far made redundant by the British Motor Corporation in Birmingham have already been placed in new jobs by his Department.

The majority of the workers declared redundant do not finish at B.M.C. until 4th November. Over 1,300 were under submission to alternative employment at 18th October, and 120 men and 26 women had been placed.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of the changes which have taken place in the level of retail prices for goods and services, and of wages and salaries since 20th July.

The average level of retail prices of goods and services, as measured by the Index of Retail Prices, rose by less than one-half of one per cent. between 19th July and 20th September.Between 20th July and 30th September the index of weekly wage rates rose by less than one-tenth of one per cent. This increase was due entirely to the effect of wages regulation orders issued before 20th July. The weekly wage rates index does not cover changes in salary scales. The monthly index of average earnings, which measures changes in wage and salary earnings combined, fell by 2 per cent. between end-July and end-August, but at this time of the year the index is influenced by seasonal factors, e.g. holidays.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were unemployed in Scotland at the last available date; and how many positions were unfilled.

The provisional total number registered as unemployed in Scotland at 10th October, 1966, was 67,282. At 5th October, 1966, 18,448 notified vacancies remained unfilled at Employment Exchanges and Youth Employment Offices in Scotland.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that Ministers received an almost 100 per cent. increase in their salaries recently, he will, for the period of the Government's wage and salary standstill, end the additional first-class subsistence and travel fare payments received by Ministers.

No. The reimbursement of expenses incurred on departmental business at rates which have not changed since May, 1963, does not infringe the incomes standstill.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement on the reform of the honours system.

I would ask the House to await the statement which I hope to make soon on this subject.

asked the Prime Minister when his proposals for reform of the honours system can be expected.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave earlier today to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to encourage the employment by local authorities of unqualified married women, of suitable personality and understanding, as ancillary welfare assistants, particularly in junior, infant, and nursery schools, subject to their undertaking appropriate in-service training as a condition of employment.

The question of the employment in schools of ancillary non-teaching staff is being examined by a working party appointed by the local authority and teachers' associations. I hope that this will lead to a large measure of agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware that officers of his Department are failing to advise local education authorities on how best to design school halls, gymnasia, swimming pools and playing fields so as to make them more easily available for general community uses in the future; and what steps he will take to ensure that they will do so.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many petrol stations have received planning permission in each of the last five years; and how many of these are on sites which had previously been refused planning permission for this or for other use.

Figures are not available for 1961 or earlier years, or for petrol stations as a single class of development. In the years 1962 to 1965 the number of planning permissions granted in England and Wales for petrol stations, with or without repair facilities, and repair garages were as follows:

1962	…	…	…	4,647
1963	…	…	…	4,898
1964	…	…	…	4,813
1965	…	…	…	5,065

Where approval of detailed plans has been given following the grant of permission on an outline application this approval has been counted as a separate planning permission. Consequently the number of petrol station developments will be less than the numbers given, but I am unable to say by how many.No information is available about previous planning applications for the sites involved.