asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the General Teaching Council similar in substance to the objection of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association to registration with the Council or any other proposals for amendment of the Teaching Council (Scotland) Act 1965 or associated enactments or Statutory Instruments; and what reply he has sent.

I met representatives of the Council on 4th November for an exchange of views on matters bearing on the establishment of the register of teachers, but my right hon. Friend has no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland approximately how many farmers have given up dairying in the last 12 months.

The number of farmers registered with the three Milk Marketing Boards in Scotland who ceased commercial milk production in the 12 months to the end of September was 341.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to set up the Consultative Group for the South West.

I have now received names from nearly all the bodies I approached for suggestions and nominations; and I hope to be able to set up the Group shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of recent economic developments, he will now publish a revised version of the Government's White Paper on the Scottish economy.

No. The broad objectives of the While Paper remain unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board intends to close the bridge during certain hours of darkness to pedestrians wishing to use the crossing; and whether he will ensure that they do not do so.

This is a matter for the Joint Board, who are responsible for the management of the bridge.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now bring forward the date for the building of the new South Ayrshire Hospital in Ayr.

I cannot add to the reply I gave the hon. Gentleman on 9th March.—[Vol. 725, c. 2095.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the North-East Consultative Group as to the future status of the A94 road; and when a decision will be taken on this matter.

None, but I have received from the North-East of Scotland Development Committee representations that A94 should be trunked. A proposal to this effect and that A92 from Dundee to Stonehaven should be detrunked has been put to the highway authorities involved, and no decision will be taken until their views have been fully considered. I will keep the Development Committee informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest figures for the clearance of derelict sites in each of the coal-mining areas and for the country as a whole; and what plans he now has for the speeding up of the clearance programme.

Clearance schemes have been completed in respect of 706 acres. Of these 174 acres are in Fife, but I cannot distinguish precisely the figures for coal-mining areas.In September we wrote to all local authorities drawing their attention to the wider grant-making powers now available under the Industrial Development Act, 1966, and urging them to prepare clearance programmes. The current Local Government (Scotland) Bill will make grants even more widely available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been paid to local authorities for the clearance of derelict sites in each of the last six years; and what plans he has for inducing them to expedite this work.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him today. The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to prevent Aberdeen Grammar School and Aberdeen High School for Girls from becoming co-educational.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent he estimates non-certificated teachers will be needed in order to provide adequately for the raising of the school-leaving age in 1970; and to what extent likely teacher shortage was taken into account when the decision to raise the age was made.

The extent to which uncertificated teachers have to be employed will depend on the success of our efforts to improve the supply of qualified teachers. As regards the second part of the Question the decision to raise the school-leaving age was taken by the previous Administration in 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is the policy of the Scottish Education Department to ensure that education authorities displace uncertificated teachers by the appointment of certificated teachers in all instances where this is possible; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Schools (Scotland) Code 1956, education authorities may not employ uncertificated teachers in primary and secondary schools if qualified teachers are available. My right hon. Friend is anxious to see uncertificated teaching kept to the absolute minimum, but progress in dealing with this problem as a whole must depend on improvement in the supply of qualified teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when the A9 trunk road will be dual carriageway from Blair Atholl to Perth;(2) what priority he is giving to the improvement of the A9 trunk road from Perth to Inverness.

We have no proposals at present for providing dual carriageways between Blair Atholl and Perth. A number of improvements to A9 north of Perth are due to start shortly, however, and more are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the unusual dearth of salmon in northeast Scotland's fishing grounds; if he will institute an inquiry to ascertain the cause and how far it is due to the operations of the oil drills in the North-East sea; and if he will take steps to rectify it for the benefit of the fishing industry and fish consumers.

Complete statistics of the salmon catch in the 1966 fishing season, which is still in progress, are not yet available but the catches in some areas appear to be below average. For a variety of reasons considerable fluctuations occur from year to year, but there is no reason to believe that drilling for oil, which has not taken place in waters off Scotland, has had any effect whatever on the catch.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the recent drowning tragedy in the Monkland Canal, Coatbridge, and the foul condition of the water, he will take steps to complete the infilling of the canal throughout the remainder of the burgh of Coatbridge.

The town council has almost completed its scheme for culverting and filling in a first section of the canal. My right hon. Friend has approved in principle its proposals for the second section which includes the area where the drowning occurred, and the council will be seeking tenders for the work.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Highlands and Islands Development Board has yet assessed the effect of the seamen's strike on the North and Western Isles; and which he will make a statement.

I have just received the Board's assessment and would like to consider it before I make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received the report of the inquiry on the effects of the shipping strike on the Scottish islands; what conclusions were reached; and what action he is taking.

I have just received the Board's assessment and would like to consider it before I make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to end the practice whereby applicants for the Teachers Special Recruitment Scheme must first acquire two Higher School Certificate Examination passes before consideration.

The requirement in terms of examination passes varies depending on the course which the applicant aims to take, and individual cases are considered on their merits by the selection boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the campaign mounted by their association urging junior hospital doctors to emigrate; and what steps he is taking to counteract it.

I am not aware of any such campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will ensure that legal aid is available to the dependents of the men killed in the collapse of the building at Aberdeen University on 1st November at the forthcoming inquiry under the Fatal Accidents Act; when the inquiry will take place; and what will be its scope.

The Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1949 does not cover legal representation at fatal accident inquiries. The date for the inquiry, once the evidence has been collected, is a matter for the sheriff; I am sure there will be no unnecessary delay. The wide scope of such an inquiry is made clear by Sections 3 and 4 of the Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1895.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses will be completed in Scotland in the current year.

I cannot add to the reply given to the hon. Gentleman on 20th June.—[Vol. 730, c. 10.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which mixed secondary schools in Scotland have women head-teachers; how many boys and how many girls are in each; how many men and how many women teachers are in each school; and if they are senior, junior or comprehensive schools.

There are two mixed secondary schools, both of them comprehensive, with women head teachers. I regret that in the reply to my hon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he will take to increase recruitment to the police forces in Scotland and to reduce the numbers of policemen resigning from Scottish police forces.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin) on 19th October.—[Vol. 734, c. 202.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children in Scotland were receiving only part-time education at the most recent available date; and what percentage of the total relates to schoolchildren in Glasgow.

At the end of October, 2,536, of whom 37 per cent. were in Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how he proposes to compensate the next of kin of those who died in the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, and who were the subjects of the recent fatal accident inquiry.

Any claims for compensation addressed to the hospital authorities will be considered in accordance with the established practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his present estimate of the effects of the Selective Employment Tax and the Government's July measures on Scotland.

It is too early yet to assess in any detail the effect of the July measures and the Selective Employment Tax on the Scottish economy as a whole or on any particular part of Scotland. The Government are, however, keeping the position under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the supply of teachers will be adequate for the raising of the school-leaving age in 1970; and if he will make a statement.

The Government intend to proceed with the raising of the leaving age in session 1970–71. I do not underestimate the difficulties, particularly over the supply of teachers, but the Government are making every effort to ensure that the provisions made by education authorities are adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to ensure that local authorities which delay council-house rent increases during the period of the prices and incomes standstill, and as a result allow rents to fall below 95 per cent. of gross annual value, do not suffer from loss of Exchequer grants.

I hope to announce a decision soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation designed to secure greater public accountability for the administration of funds of trusts in Scotland.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest available figure for the number of doctors in general practice in Scotland.

At 1st October, 1966, the number of principals and assistants was 2,679. The figure is provisional and excludes trainee assistants.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of changes forecast in the National Plan, what is his revised estimate of the percentage of gross national product which will be spent on defence in 1970.

My right hon. Friend the First Secretary has under examination the prospects for the future growth of the gross national product in the period up to 1970. I cannot therefore at this stage give an estimate of the likely proportion that would be spent on defence in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions he is now planning to make in the British Army of the Rhine; what saving in foreign exchange he expects these to achieve; and whether he intends to make such reductions unilaterally.

I have nothing to add at present to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 19th October.—[Vol. 734, c. 208.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of the refusal of the West German Government to finance a greater part of the cost of the British Army of the Rhine, he will now take immediate steps to withdraw British forces from Germany.

I have nothing to add to the reply given on 25th October by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Members for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) and West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell).—[Vol. 734, c. 804.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions are to take place in the South Atlantic station.

We are discussing certain proposals with the South African Government; I cannot give details at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Anglo-French Jaguar trainer and the proposed variable geometry strike aircraft.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation and I met the French Minister for the Armed Forces on 7th November. On the VG aircraft, M. Messmer undertook to examine the French budgetary problems so as to obtain a decision in time for a further meeting in Paris before the end of the year. Meanwhile, instructions are being given for the completion of the definition of the aircraft and the engine. On the Jaguar, we noted that contract negotiations for the development programme are now under way, and gave instructions for production plans to be drawn up covering financial and industrial aspects.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of British forces and military installations in the Persian Gulf in each of the years 1963, 1964 and 1965; and what expenditure is planned for that area in 1966 and 1967.

The estimated attributable theatre costs of our forces in the Persian Gulf were about £25 million in 1965–66. Allowing for price increases the figure for 1966–67 is similar. Figures for earlier years are not available. I am not prepared at this stage to publish forecasts for 1967–68.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will consider extending the present period of three months during which newly joined men, particularly apprentices, may apply for release from Her Majesty's Forces.

The Army and Air Force have arrangements which seem to work well. We are going to bring in a comparable arrangement for the Royal Navy, and I would like to see how well that works before giving thought to extending it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the approximate footage of office premises occupied by his Department in London and the annual cost of renting or owning them; how these figures compare with the previous year; and what economies he proposes to make.

My Department occupies about 2,076,000 square feet of office space in central London for which the annual rent, and notional annual cost of Crown properties, is £1,703,000. A year ago the figures were about 2,079,000 square feet and £1,609,000.Economies will result from moving certain tasks and their staffs to offices outside London.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now reduce arms expenditure below £2,000 million a year at 1964 prices; and if he will issue a quarterly progress report to indicate what savings are being made.

As I told the House on 7th March, actual defence expenditure last year was less than £2,000 million at 1964 prices and estimated expenditure this year is also below £2,000 million at 1964 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what sum is being spent on military research and development for the financial years 1965–66, and 1966–67.

The estimate for 1965–66 was £266 million and that for 1966–67 is £270 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether British shipyards are still invited to tender for the construction of the four oceangoing minesweepers; and if he will make a statement.

An invitation to tender for four ocean minesweepers in the United States Navy's shipbuilding programme for the Fiscal Year 1966, was withdrawn in May, 1966, due to a change in design. The United States Navy has not yet settled its building programme for minesweepers for the current United States Fiscal Year or future years but we have been assured that British shipyards will be invited to tender.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total strength of bomb disposal units serving overseas.

There are 8 Naval units with a total strength of 52; and 1 Army unit with a strength of 29.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds the position of Quartermaster-Lieutenant in Gibraltar was left vacant for two years.

I am sorry that I am not yet able to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what conversations are now in progress with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand about the defence of South-East Asia.

None, other than the normal, continuous exchange of views with them about our common interests and responsibilities in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the value to Great Britain of the Saudi Arabian deal for the purposes of the offset agreement with the United States of America; and whether that estimate has been agreed by the United States Government.

As I informed the right hon. Gentleman on 20th May, 1966, we estimate the value of the Saudi Arabian deal for this purpose to be about $275 million. No discussions have yet been held with the United States Government on the progress towards the $400 million target for co-operative sales.—[Vol. 728, c. 314.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps he is taking to reduce the numbers of senior officials employed at his Department;(2) how many officials above the rank of assistant secretary are employed in his Department; and what increase has taken place over the last two years.

The number of senior officials is constantly under review and reductions are made whenever practicable. The present total of 77 is three less than the total two years ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials above the ranks of assistant secretary are employed at the new Operations Analysis Section at West Byfleet.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is present total civilian support staff of all the Services for which he is responsible.

About 352,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to unify three armed Services into a completely functionalised force.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what function the Royal Navy's Future Fleet Committee serves;(2) what is the constitution of the Royal Navy's Future Fleet Committee; and how often it has met.

The future Fleet Working Party, which has now reported, was set up to present the Admiralty Board, in the first instance, with the facts and advice necessary to enable decisions on the future shape and size of the Fleet to be taken in the light of the 1966 Defence Review. It was constituted from the Naval Staff and met at regular intervals from April to August this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the yearly cost of maintaining United Kingdom military forces in Hong Kong; and what is their strength and purpose.

The annual budgetary cost attributable to the forces in Hong Kong is about £16 million. The total strength of all three Services is about 8,500. This figure includes Gurkhas and locally enlisted personnel. The Services are there to contribute to the stability and defence of the Territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the band of the Scots Guards was ordered to cancel an engagement to play at a service for the Anglo-Rhodesian war dead at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer that my hon. Friend gave yesterday to the hon. Member for mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Hastings).—[Vol. 735, c. 264.]

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will issue a general direction, in the public interest, to British Railways, to run trains later than 18.30 hours both ways between London and the larger provincial centres.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a general direction to British Railways to ensure that businessmen visiting London from provincial cities can return to their homes the same day by trains leaving after 19.30 hours.

No. The timing of railway services is the responsibility of the Railways Board.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give a general direction in the public interest to British Railways to increase the motor car-carrying capacity of British Railways.

No. Car-carrying capacity by rail is being increased by the introduction of new Cartic-4 wagons.

asked the Minister of Transport what applications she has received from the British Railways Board for approval of capital expenditure on expansion of their foundry at Crewe for the manufacture of manganese steel castings, bearing in mind that there is already excess steel foundry capacity in the country at the present time; for what amount; and whether she has reached a decision.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport what sanctions for capital expenditure by the Railways Board she gave in respect of main-line trunk rail services between the North-West of England and London for 1964–65 and for the present year, respectively; and what applications for sanction of expenditure she has received for 1967–68.

Capital investment on these services has been mainly on the London Midland electrification. Sanctions for particular projects are not given on an annual basis but expenditure on this scheme was £22 million in 1964, £24 million in 1965 and is estimated at £16 million in 1966 and £6 million in 1967 when it will be substantially completed.We have received no application concerning such services in 1967–68 but I understand that the Railways Board are preparing an investment proposal for electrification from Weaver Junction to Scotland.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will make a statement on the request by the Merseyside Steering Committee that preliminary authorisation be granted to British Railways to prepare a Bill for the inner rail loop in advance of the report of the Merseyside Land Use and Transportation Study.

My right hon. Friend is informing the Committee that its request for the Railways Board to include provisions for the loop in the legislation the Board expects to promote next Session should be addressed to the Board itself.The promotion of any Bill by the Board is subject to my right hon. Friend's consent under S.17 of the Transport Act, 1962 in the normal way.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT a score of the largest projects deferred or cut in British Railways' capital investment programme as a result of the £10 million cut made in July 1966.

The £10 million cut has been made over a wide range of Railways Board investment projects but, in particular, in sectors which interfere least with the development of the basic continuing railway network. Deferments include the following major schemes:

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a general direction to the Railways Board that on the sale of British Railways' houses proper account is taken of the desire of employees to purchase their own homes.

No. It is already the practice of the British Railways Board to give the first offer of single houses to the sitting tenants. When blocks of houses are for sale, the Board have given an undertaking to offer them to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she has reached a decision on the use of meters installed in vehicles to control traffic by means of a charge in the centres of large cities; and if she will make a statement.

No. The only decision we have made on road pricing so far is to see whether a practicable system can be developed. This will take at least two years. Meanwhile, I have nothing to add to the statement made in paragraph 53 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057).

asked the Minister of Transport if she will introduce legislation requiring garages to have tyre pressure pumps checked at regular intervals to ensure their accuracy.

No. My right hon. Friend does not think that such legislation is necessary or would have the beneficial results claimed for it.

asked the Minister of Transport if her review of the working of the Travel Concessions Act is complete; and if she will make a statement.

Not yet. This is a detailed review which will take some time.

asked the Minister of Transport from which organisations she has received representations against her proposal to raise the minimum age for riding motor cycles from 16 to 17 years; and what replies she has sent.

We have consulted 97 organisations about this proposal. Of those who have so far replied 23 support and 5 oppose it. We have also received a number of letters volunteering comments.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the cost of the leaflet entitled, "A Message from the Minister of Transport", which is given to all those who pass a driving test.

About ·088d. per copy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will publish the plan for Greater London traffic which the New York traffic commissioner sent to her Department in 1960.

I am informed that there was no comprehensive plan of the kind

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the location and other particulars of the nine tidal flow schemes of traffic control introduced by local authorities, and the two more being planned.

The schemes that we know to be already in operation are:my hon. Friend s Question implies. I understand that in 1960 Mr. Henry Barnes, at the request of the then Minister of Transport, made some suggestions about measures which might help in dealing with London's traffic. At that time my Department was the Traffic Authority for London, and the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Wallasey (Mr. Marples) took account of or adopted such of them as were appropriate to London conditions.

asked the Minister of Transport whether her proposal to ban the use of yellow headlights applies to vehicles being driven to and from the ports when travelling to and from France.

We are considering a suggestion that such vehicles should be exempted.

asked the Minister of Transport what evidence she has on the effects on road safety of the use of yellow headlights.

We are not aware of any significant evidence that yellow is any better than white as the colour for headlights.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware that the present penalties for evading the payment of the road fund licence are such that it becomes a profitable proposition to evade payment; and whether she will introduce legislation to increase these penalties.

The penalty for unlicensed keeping or use of a motor vehicle is £20 or three times the annual duty chargeable, whichever is the greater. Courts have mitigating powers, but my right hon. Friend has no control over their exercise. She does not think there is any need to raise the statutory level, but she is considering whether other changes could be made to make penalties more effective.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects the construction of a by-pass to relieve traffic conditions in Market Drayton.

The proposed by-pass will be considered for a place in a future extension of the classified roads programme, in competition with other projects.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware of the severe congestion of through traffic in Market Drayton; and what her proposals are to alleviate this problem.

This matter is still being considered by the highway authority, Salop County Council, following discussions with the Divisional Road Engineer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware of the concern in the borough of Lowestoft about the delay in starting the building of the new swing bridge in view of the possible mechanical failure of the existing bridge and its inadequacy to carry the traffic; whether she will now give a firm date for the starting of the bridge; and when she expects it to be opened.

We are aware of this concern and we propose to provide a bascule bridge. The necessary Orders under the Highways Act, 1959, will be published in draft this year. Until the Orders are made I cannot say when work will start; construction will take about 21 months.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the number of miles of dual carriageway trunk road, excluding motorways, constructed in England and Wales each year since 1950.

The available information is:

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give full details of the Study and name the towns which were considered in forming her estimate that it would cost £10,000 million to provide a reasonably adequate primary network of roads in towns by the early 1980's.

The method used was to derive broad approximations of the costs per head of population of the primary route networks in towns of various sizes and to apply these to England and Wales as a whole. To this was added an allowance to cover the cost of connections to the secondary road system and of essential interim improvements. The towns considered were:

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the continuing hazards to both motorists and pedestrians at the junction at Hamfrith Road Bridge and Forest Lane, Stratford, E.15, she will arrange for one of her inspectors to visit the site in the company of the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

The London Borough of Newham is the highway authority for these roads.My right hon. Friend will, on invitation from the borough, be pleased to arrange for one of her engineers to take part in any site inspection which it may organise with my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis).

asked the Minister of Aviation how many persons were employed in the United Kingdom aircraft industry in September, 1966; how this figure compares with that for September, 1964; and what is the employment estimate for 1970.

The latest available statistics are for the month of August, 1966, when the labour force in the industry was 256,000. In September, 1964 the figure was 269,400.I estimate that the labour force will be about 200,000 in 1970 which is the figure I gave the House last February, during the debate on the Plowden Report.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the number of officials above the rank of assistant secretary employed at the Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern.

Four—all in the Scientific Officer Class.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a special instruction and tighten regulations concerning the handling of registered envelopes to ensure that new stamp issues are not taken from envelopes before delivery.

It is very rare for a stamp to be removed from a registered envelope in the post. We are already doing all we reasonably can to prevent this sort of thing and I see no need for any further special action at this time.

asked the Postmaster-General how many special stamp issues have now been made; and whether before making further issues he will take into consideration the danger of the devaluation of British stamps.

There have been 47 special stamp issues comprising 139 stamps. So far from causing any debasement, the general evidence is that the current policy of commemorating outstanding British features in this way has been widely welcomed and has enhanced the interest in and appreciation of British stamps all over the world.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the latest date for posting letters and Christmas cards to Australia by surface mail in each of the years 1957 to 1966.

The latest dates of posting for overseas countries are fixed mainly in relation to the latest dates of acceptance notified to us by the distant administration and the incidence of shipping services that are expected to ensure arrival of the mails not later than the dates notified to us.For Australia the posting dates for the years 1957–66 have been as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General what increased revenue is expected from each section of the Post Office services affected by the £20 million increases in charges; and what would be the anticipated loss for 1966–67 in each such sector without these increases.

The postal and remittance figures for 1966–67 are:

asked the Postmaster-General whether the television booster station at Kingussie will be in operation before the end of the year.

The B.B.C. tells me that the station has been completed, and will be brought into operation as soon as the necessary power supply has been provided by the electricity authority. The Corporation hopes that this will have been done before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to assist hill farmers in Northumberland; and what he proposes to do to restore the market in black-faced sheep.

Prices for hill sheep of black-face and other breeds largely depend on what other farmers are prepared to pay for store and breeding stock, and I want to see the market in better balance than in recent weeks. Hill farmers in Northumberland, as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, are, of course, assisted directly by the hill cow and hill sheep subsidies and many of them also get the calf subsidy or are helped indirectly by it. The profitability of hill farming will be carefully looked at in the course of the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received in relation to his proposals to sterilise by cooking all meat sold for feeding dogs.

My right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the Minister of Health have proposed that the sterilisation requirement already applicable to unfit slaughterhouse meat and unfit imported meat shall be extended to knacker meat and to all imported meat not intended for human consumption. They have asked for comments by 30th November. So far 14 out of 44 interested organisations and a number of individuals and firms have made representations, some in favour of the proposals and some not.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the recent discussions which he has had with representatives of the flour milling industry.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 7th November.—[Vol. 735, c. 229.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider meeting the members of the British Bacon Curers Association, with a view to placing the industry on a sound long-term footing.

I have told the British Bacon Curers' Federation that I cannot accept any proposal involving a direct subsidy to the curing industry, but that I am prepared to consider any other ideas it cares to put forward. The fundamental difficulty is the shortage of pigs, which will take time to put right. I have already taken action to encourage the expansion of pig production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give details of the codes of practice to be established for animal husbandry.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I published in September last proposals for legislation on farm animal welfare. These include a proposal to empower us to establish codes of practice. I cannot at present add to what I said on this subject in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Kenyon) on 5th August.—[Vol. 733, c. 200.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will institute an immediate review of facilities for medium term agricultural credit.

No. The present facilities are fully adequate to meet the demands of agriculture for credit for productive investment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he took, other than contacting the importers concerned, to ascertain that the reasons for the rise in the wholesale price of Outspan oranges from 17s. per case to 32s. to 33s. per case between September and October was due to seasonal shortage of supplies; whether he is aware that there were large stocks of these oranges in the country when these increases were made; and whether he will make a statement.

The reply which I gave to my hon. Friend's Question on 2nd November was based on informal consultations with the trade as well as with the importers directly concerned. My information does not suggest that there were large stocks of these particular oranges when the price rose.—[Vol. 735, c. 87.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to implement the Widgery Report.

I hope to make an early announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Director of Prison Security made his recommendations for the improvement of security at Her Majesty's Prison, Wormwood Scrubs.

On 29th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions and on what dates Robert Maxwell has been medically examined since he became a Borstal Prison inmate; and on which of those dates he was first held to be mentally abnormal.

Since his borstal sentence on 7th May, 1965, Maxwell has had many medical examinations, mostly routine. He was psychologically assessed in May, 1965, at the borstal allocation centre. After being charged with murder, he was under close observation in the hospitals at Dorchester and Winchester prisons from 26th November, 1965, to 22nd March, 1966, and was examined on several occasions by psychiatrists. The medical examination made at Maidstone before the adjudication by the Board of Visitors did not include a psychiatric examination. He was diagnosed as a psychopath when re-examined at Wormwood Scrubs in September-October, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the results of the review he has undertaken of Civil Defence preparations.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25th October to a Question by the hon. Member for Maldon (Mr. Brian Harrison).—[Vol. 734, c. 155.]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Rhodesia Freedom from Hunger Campaign, through the Governor or otherwise, against Her Majesty's Government's refusal to permit the transmission of funds from the Freedom from Hunger Campaign for two specified projects for the benefit of Rhodesian Africans; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is considering a letter which he has received from the right hon. Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total value of Science Research Council grants to Scottish universities, including the Heriot Watt College, as at 30th September, 1966.

£2,630,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will seek power to enable him to attach conditions to the granting of moneys to Scottish universities for building purposes.