asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the decision of the French Government not to allow a British pavilion at the Paris air show.

The French Government has made no such decision. The original intention was that a British pavilion would be financed jointly by the Government and the Society of British Aerospace Companies. The organisers of the show, however, expressed concern at reports that had reached them that a number of U.K. exhibitors were proposing to abandon the individual stands which they had formerly occupied in the main halls in favour of taking up space in the proposed British pavilion. This they pointed out would alter the character of the show, and could not be permitted. My Department is in the light of the latest situation discussing with representatives of the industry what the precise scale and nature of British participation at the show should be. I am sure that industry will as in previous years be well represented at the show and I am glad to be able to say that the Government's participation will be on a larger scale than before. Full support is also being given by the Government to industrial firms who will be exhibiting at the Show.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent purchases of land, stores and equipment by local education authorities have been deferred since the issue of Circulars 12/65 and 6/66.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give, for each quarter since the flexible guarantee system for pigs was introduced in 1961, the exact quarterly forecast on which the system was operated, and the corresponding figures for actual certifications.

The flexible guarantee forecasts, which are published quarterly, relate to a band of certifications and do not give precise numbers. The figures are as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the annual value of sales of fish by this country to the United States of America and Canada, respectively; and of which fish these sales consist.

The following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that profit margins of the Lincoln Co-operative Society are under pressure, and the Selective Employment Tax will cost the society £65,000; how many other cooperative societies have made representations to him on the adverse effect upon them of Selective Employment Tax; and when he expects to introduce legislation to repeal this tax.

I have seen a Press report about the matters concerning the Lincoln Co-operative Society to which the hon. Member refers. My right hon. Friend received representations last summer from the co-operative movement as a whole on behalf of all member societies. He has no intention of repealing the Selective Employment Tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide further Customs posts between County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish the Hunt Report on the purchase of supplies for the hospital service.

Copies have been provided to hospital authorities, whom the Report immediately concerns, and I am also arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrant relatives have been admitted to Great Britain since the passing of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962; how many more he will admit; what is their estimated cost to the welfare services; by what criteria he will judge when to stop the immigration of dependent relatives; and if he will make a statement.

Up to 30th September, 1966, 144,110 Commonwealth citizens subject to Part I of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, were admitted to the United Kingdom for settlement as dependants coming with or to join the head of the household. The Government's policy on this matter is set out in paragraphs 19–21 of the White Paper "Immigration from the Commonwealth" (Cmnd. 2739). We cannot assess what Commonwealth citizens cost to the welfare services: their contribution to the manning of those services is widely recognised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pending the outcome of the Mountbatten inquiry, he will now ensure that all spies serving long sentences are moved to maximum security prisons.

All male spies with long sentences to serve have been moved to maximum security prisons except one who is confined under constant surveillance in a closed prison.The women were moved to Holloway.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has had from the Cooperative Party and the Co-ownership Development Society on the subject of co-ownership and co-operative housing; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received a memorandum on the future of co-ownership housing from the chairman of the Co-ownership Development Society and is inviting him to a meeting to discuss it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend the law relating to the assessment of property occupied by disabled persons so as to enable exemption to be given to ground-floor bathrooms, as is done at present in the case of garages.

I have been asked to reply.No. The present exemption under Section 9 of the Rating and Valuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955, is not confined to garages. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, I should be glad to look into it in conjunction with the Inland Revenue.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the increase in burglary and breaking and entering offences, he will introduce legislation to stipulate that burglar-proof devices must be provided in buildings before a planning authority grants permission to build.

No. That would extend town planning control beyond its recognised scope.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has about the stockpiling of atomic bombs by the Chinese People's Republic.

I have seen recent Press reports on the subject. It is likely that China is creating a nuclear weapons stockpile, but the size of it must be a matter for speculation.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to announce the results of his discussions with the Engineering Industry Training Board on the question of an early and substantial increase in facilities for off-the-job adult retraining; what additional Government assistance can be given in the next 12 months; and what application such measures will have to the Bathgate area.

At present I have nothing to add to what I said on 24th October, in the debate on redeployment.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of actors and actresses, respectively, who had been registered as unemployed for eight weeks or more, 12 weeks or more and 16 weeks or more, respectively, on 30th June, 1966, and on the same date in each of the previous three years.

I regret that this information is not available. Duration of unemployment statistics are analysed by age, sex and area, but not by industry or by occupation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what precautions he is now taking to ensure that no person leaves this country without authorisation by way of the port of Aberdeen or other unenclosed docks commonly used by Russian or other East European ships.

I have been asked to reply.If a person is wanted by the police, police forces throughout the United Kingdom are alerted; but it would not be in the public interest for me to say what precautions the police might take.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of actors and actresses, respectively, who had been receiving assistance allowances for eight weeks or more, 12 weeks or more and 16 weeks or more, respectively, on 30th June, 1966, and on the same date in each of the previous three years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Technology when he hopes to complete talks with the motor manufacturing industry as a whole on ways in which further improvements in production methods and more co-operative research and development can be achieved; and if he will make a statement.

These issues are discussed as part of the regular and continuing process of consultation between my Department and the industry, and I expect them to continue.

asked the Minister of Technology if he title statement about the recent official visit to this country of Academician Kirillin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Academician V. A. Kirillin, Chairman of the State Committee for Science and Technology, visited the United Kingdom from 13th–27th October. He was accompanied by Madame Kirillina, and a party of leading Russian technologists from the State Committee.The visit was a return for the one paid to the U.S.S.R. in May by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Cousins).

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will refer to the London Transport Co-ordinating Council the need for underground railway station facilities to be provided at the West London Air Terminal.

I understand that a station at the Air Terminal would involve major constructional and operating problems for the underground services. The Co-ordinating Council already has in hand, however, a comprehensive study of the whole question of transport between central London and Heathrow airport.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now announce her refusal to sanction the closure of the rail- way service between Oldham and Rochdale via Royton, Crompton, Milnrow and Newhey.

My right hon. Friend is now examining the comments of the Transport Users Consultative Committee on the further information about alternative services referred to in the Answer given to my hon. Friend on 5th August. I cannot yet say what her decision will be.

asked the Minister of Transport how many traffic accidents have occurred in the last 12 months in Sherwood Park Avenue, Sidcup; and how many involved children.

From 1st September, 1965 to 31st August, 1966, the number of accidents reported in Sherwood Park Avenue was 9, and 6 of these involved children. There were 11 casualties, including one person seriously injured and 10 persons including 6 children slightly injured.

asked the Minister of Power if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, a table showing the expenditure in the year 1966–67 by each of the electricity consultative councils including any expenditure by the relevant district councils.

The latest available figures are for the year 1965–66 and are as follows:

asked the Minister of Power whether he is satisfied that no tip of coal waste in Somerset is a hazard to safety; and whether he will give details of the arrangements for inspecting these tips.

Following the Aberfan disaster, the N.C.B. has supplemented its normal inspection procedures. All coal tips in Somerset under its control have been specially inspected and will be kept under close surveillance. I have the Board's assurance that none constitutes a danger to life or property.

asked the Minister of Power what action he is taking to ensure that regular safety inspections of coal tips in the Derbyshire area are being carried out.

Following the Aberfan disaster the National Coal Board has supplemented its normal inspection procedures, and a special inspection has been carried out at all tips for which it is responsible, including those in the Derbyshire area. I have asked the Board to report to me any tips under its control which might present a potential hazard and to ensure that its precautionary measures and arrangements for regular inspection are such that no tip will become a hazard to life or property.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what cuts have been made in the road programme for Wales as a result of the economic squeeze; and which projects have been affected by these cuts.

The previously programmed investment in major improvement and new construction schemes in 1967–68 has been reduced by £400,000. Whether this relatively small cut will delay the start of any projects will depend on the progress of the pre-contract work in the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what cuts have been made in the road programme for Montgomery-shire as a result of the economic squeeze.

None.