asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources how many local authorities have embarked upon the programmes of tree planting outlined in Command Paper No. 2928; and what Exchequer grants are now available for this purpose.

Exchequer grants are now available for 75 per cent. of total approved expenditure by local authorities on tree planting in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. It is proposed that, in forthcoming legislation for the countryside, this arrangement should be extended to all parts of the country. As far as I am aware, local authorities are not embarking upon any additional programmes in anticipation of that legislation, although some councils—like the Greater London Council—have already an extensive tree planting programme.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to reconcile the aims set out in paragraphs 32 to 38 of Command Paper No. 2928 with paragraph 126 of Command Paper No. 3057.

The aims of the two passages to which the right hon. Member refers are in no way divergent and in fact complement each other. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is carrying out the programme of discussions envisaged by paragraph 126 of Command Paper 3057 and I am kept fully informed of progress.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources whether he is aware that some parish councils find the circular on allotments sent out from his Department unnecessarily voluminous; and whether he will devise a simplified form of procedure for obtaining the information required by the committee of inquiry.

The Committee recognised that their questionnaire was long and detailed but felt that most of the information would be available to parish councils as allotment authorities. They were satisfied that a more simplified form would not give the facts it needed.

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources on what date he will introduce legislation giving the owners of leasehold houses the possibility of buying the freeholds.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave today to my hon. Friends the Members for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling), Cardiff, North (Mr. E. Rowlands) and Cambridge (Mr. Robert Davies).

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources whether he will make a further statement on the regional conferences on the coast being organised by the National Parks Commission.

The National Parks Commission have now completed the regional conferences covering the whole of the south coast from Kent to Cornwall. They have been most valuable as a means of appraising the problems of the coast. Further conferences, covering the rest of the coastline of England and Wales, have been arranged, and I shall be kept informed of progress.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works who gave authority for the new paintings to be hung in the Harcourt Room; if he will have them removed and replaced by traditional paintings that will give general pleasure; and if he will make a statement.

The House of Commons Advisory Committee asked Ministry officers to arrange for some pictures in the Harcourt Room which had been on loan from the Tate Gallery to be exchanged for more modern ones. On the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, two pictures have been changed.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the value of British installations and buildings under the control of his Department in Malaysia and Singapore; and what estimate he has made of the value of additional building in the area to be carried out in the next 12 months.

The buildings and installations under my right hon. Friend's control in Malaysia and Singapore, for the Diplomatic Service and the Ministry, are very varied and no effective valuation can be put on them as a whole. Estimates for the next financial year have not yet been finalised, so I cannot give a figure for the next 12 months.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the surplus of bricks in stock at the last convenient date.

708 million at the end of September.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what study he has made of the proposals made by Mr. Douglas Hague at the Wales and Monmouthshire Group of the Council for British Archaeology, on the subject of preserving industrial archaeology, details of which have been sent to him; and what action he will take.

From the details provided the proposals do not suggest any change in my right hon. Friend's policy. Within the framework of existing legislation and the resources available, industrial monuments are now treated on the same lines as the more traditional ancient monuments.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works on how many occasions in each of the years 1960 to 1966 representatives from the building and construction industries have been asked to give statistical information for official or departmental inquiries.

Twice. In 1963 for a National Incomes Commission inquiry into agreements made in the Electrical contracting and related trades and in 1965 for the investigation which the Department made into expenditure on Research and Development.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will arrange that an adequate supply of Forms SP.1 is placed in Post Offices.

Yes. Because of heavy demand for the claim form for supplementary pension some post offices ran out of stock last month even though the initial printing was 1½ million copies. Considerable additional supplies amounting to over 3 million more forms have since been distributed.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will give an estimate of the number of working days lost in 1965 by workpeople suffering from bronchitis.

I have information only about days for which sickness benefit is claimed and the latest figures are for the 53 weeks from 1st June, 1964 to 5th June, 1965 in which the estimated number of days of incapacity attributed to bronchitis was 36½ million.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she is aware that contributions in respect of earnings related unemployment benefit and redundancy payments have to be made in the case of employed persons over the normal retirement age although such persons can obtain no benefit from either scheme; and if she will arrange for such persons to be exempt from contributions towards these schemes.

The cost of earnings-related short-term benefits is being met by an increase in graduated contributions on earnings over £9 a week. It was not feasible to exempt particular groups of people from this extra contribution even though in some instances they would not be eligible for earnings-related supplements. All graduated contributions do however count towards graduated pension.Employed persons do not contribute to the redundancy fund. Contributions to this fund are payable only by employers as a general charge on employment and are collected by means of a surcharge on the flat-rate National Insurance contributions in respect of all employed persons over the age of 18.

asked the Minister of Social Security if the National Insurance Advisory Committee's review on the level of the earnings limit for retirement pensioners is now complete; and if she will make a statement.

The National Insurance Advisory Committee is examining a number of technical and complicated problems and not only the level at which the earnings rule should start to operate. The Committee have not yet completed their examination of all these problems and it would be premature for me to make any statement before I receive their report.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will review the Pensions Appeal Tribunal Acts 1943 and 1949, which provide for the hearing by these tribunals of appeals against her Department; and, in view of the lapse of time since those Acts were introduced, if she will seek power to modify them and simplify the procedure.

I have no reason to think the Acts are in need of modification. The rules of procedure are a matter for the Lord Chancellor, who already has power in consultation with the Council on Tribunals to modify them. If my hon. Friend has any particular point in mind the Lord Chancellor or I would, of course, be glad to consider it.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she is aware that, despite the financial problems at the time, retirement and other pensions were increased in 1964, that the number of pensioners is increasing and that pensioners are experiencing difficulties due to present economic problems; and if the estimates of the level of retirement pensions and widow's benefits will be revised for 1970–71.

Retirement and widows' pensions were increased in March last year, under the National Insurance &c Act, 1964, by the largest amounts since the start of the present National Insurance scheme; and in real value the new rates remain appreciably higher than any previous rates. This year, the period for which widow's allowance is payable has been made 26 weeks instead of 13 weeks and an earnings-related supplement has been added. On 28th November, a new supplementary pensions scheme takes effect for retirement pensioners and other elderly people of limited means. I can assure my hon. Friend that the Government will continue to base their planning of future developments on the latest information about the growth in the number of pensioners and other relevant factors.

asked the Minister of Social Security what proportion of the 16,000 persons whose allowances were reduced by the wage stop at the end of 1965 were registered as disabled.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many children under five years of age are living in families whose income is below National Assistance level.

I regret this information will not be available until the results of the survey, which I announced on 2nd May and which was conducted in June and July of this year, are ready.—[Vol. 727, c. 1207.]

asked the Minister of Health what was the total cost of authorised repairs to one-seater invalid tricycles in 1965 or the last available period of 12 months duration.

The total cost of major and minor repairs, spare parts and modifications for invalid tricycles, was £979,054 in the year ending 31st March, 1966.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that there is adequate provision for severely disabled persons who reside at home and need constant nursing care and also occasionally to be nursed in a suitable hospital or nursing home in order to give members of the family a rest; and what such facilities are available in the North-East region.

In this area, as elsewhere, the normal health and welfare services (including home nursing, and short-term care in hospitals and residential homes) are available. It is not yet possible to meet all needs fully but the services will be expanded, in this and other areas, as the hospital building programme and the development plans of local authorities are realised.

asked the Minister of Health by what proportion and by what numbers the populations of England and Wales, respectively, have increased since 1921.

Between 1921 and 1965 the home population of England increased by some 9,842,000, or 28 per cent. In the same period the home population of Wales increased by some 35,000 or just over 1 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health how many health centres have been established in Wales since 1964; and whether he will seek to require the establishment of such centres in newly developed housing estates of 500 families or more.

Two health centres have been established in Wales since 1964; one in Risca and the other in Cardiff. The published plans of local health authorities envisage a further 28 by 1975–76.

asked the Minister of Health what increases have recently been made for private pay-beds in the hospital service; what percentage increase this represents; and if he is satisfied that it is consistent with the prices and incomes policy.

Hospital authorities revise their pay-bed charges annually in the light of costs in the previous financial year. Since I am advised that the annual revision, which was deferred while the implications of the prices and incomes policy were considered, is required in pursuance of the National Health Service Act 1946, I have recently told hospital authorities to introduce revised charges accordingly. As charges are based on costs at particular hospitals the effect of the revision of charges varies from hospital to hospital; in some cases there may even be a reduction.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will examine the problem of the waiting list at Frenchay Hospital, Bristol; what is the average time a patient waits for an appointment with a consultant; whether there is a difference in the waiting time required of a private patient of a full-time consultant; what is the current staff shortage, and in what grades; what building plans are being currently delayed in his department; and if he is aware of the need to improve the situation and allow a speedier service to patients and potential patients.

Apart from those patients requiring plastic surgery, waiting lists for admission to Frenchay Hospital are not abnormally large. The South Western Regional Hospital Board are considering in consultation with the Management Committee what steps might be taken to improve the position on plastic surgery. A full-time consultant does net have private patients and I have no information about the time a private patient of a part-time consultant usually waits for an appointment.There is no shortage of approved medical staff. The number of vacancies advertised at 31st October, 1966 was 76 made up as follows:

Nursing	63
Professional and Technical	2½
Assistant Home Warden	1
Domestic and Waitress	6½
Head Cook	1
Tradesmen	2

No building schemes for Frenchay Hospital are delayed in my Department. Work is in progress on new thoracic theatres and additional beds for the accident service and the Board hopes to find a place in its programme for other improvements in the next year or two.

asked the Minister of Health what is the extent of overspending by the Portsmouth Group Hospital Management Committee; and what implications this will have in terms of reduced hospital facilities in the area.

On the present trend of expenditure the Portsmouth Group Hospital Management Committee would overspend its budget by £30,000 this financial year. Ways of reducing overheads and making similar economies without affecting services essential to the patient are being considered, in order to contain expenditure within the budget.

asked the Minister of Health what delays there are in the area of the South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board in carrying out operations for the removal of cataract, once such cases have been medically certified as ready for such an operation; in particular, what delays are currently faced by such patients from Dorking Hospital; whether he is satisfied with the present position; and what steps he proposes to take.

There are no separate waiting lists for cataract cases but the average waiting time for patients in the Dorking area needing ophthalmic surgery is 10–12 months for non-urgent cases. For urgent cases the waiting time is much shorter and depends on the urgency of the particular case.An improvement in the ophthalmo-logical service in this area can be expected when a new department is opened at Sutton General Hospital in the new year.

asked the Minister of Health what provisions exist for the reimbursement of travelling expenses for out-patients compelled to travel some distance to a hospital to receive treatment.

Travelling expenses for out-patients are reimbursed when payment causes hardship to the patient. Hardship is at present assessed on my behalf by the National Assistance Board; this task will be carried out by the Supplementary Benefits Commission of the Ministry of Social Security from 28th November, 1966.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the hardship caused to persons who are required to absent themselves from work to receive treatment as out-patients at a hospital and thereby lose the whole or a proportion of a day's pay; and if he will take steps to end this hardship.

My right hon. Friend has no power under the National Health Service Acts to reimburse loss of pay because of out-patient attendance. Hospital authorities have been asked to keep their out-patient appointment systems under review with the aim of reducing time spent at the hospital unnecessarily.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to expedite the training of greater numbers of instructors for Government industrial training and retraining centres.

Between 1st January, 1965 and 30th September, 1966 304 instructors have been recruited and a further 150 instructors are in course of recruitment. The capacity of the Ministry's two colleges for training instructors (for industry as well as for the Ministry's own Centres) has been more than doubled in the last two years and they will soon be able to deal with 3,000 students a a year.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to prevent the practice whereby individual workers are being encouraged by their employers to regard themselves as self-employed, thereby relieving the employers of certain tax liabilities; and what statistical information he has as to the size of this problem.

My right hon. Friend has more than once made it clear that he deplores attempts by employers to evade statutory obligations by attempting to make their workers self-employed, and that manoeuvres intended to produce this effect may not in fact achieve it.No statistics are available of recent changes in the numbers of persons who regard themselves as self-employed.

asked the Minister of Labour what evidence he has, particularly in respect of a firm whose name has been sent to him, of refusal by Birmingham employers to take on men made redundant at the British Motor Corporation factories.

Only a small minority of Birmingham firms have to our knowledge refused to engage these workers, and discussion with my employment officers often overcomes the difficulty. Certainly no such restriction has been imposed on vacancies notified to our Department by the firm my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour how many employees made redundant by the British Motor Corporation in Birmingham have now been found employment by his Department; how many are known still to be unemployed; and what are the latest figures for total vacancies and unemployed, excluding those temporarily stopped, in Birmingham.

In Birmingham, we have submitted 2,000 of the redundant workers to jobs and so far 359 have been placed. Approximately 2,100 are known to be unemployed. On 5th October there were 9,878 vacancies in Birmingham and on 10th October there were 6,403 persons registered as unemployed, excluding those temporarily stopped.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of employees in Wales are attracting premiums and full payment, respectively, of the Selective Employment Tax; and how these percentages compare with the percentages for England.

It will not be possible to give precise information until registration under the Selective Employment Payments Act is complete. Totals of employees and percentages based on mid-1965 employment estimates are as follows:

		Premium Group	Tax-bearing Group
WALES
Thousands	…	301	283
Percentage	…	32½	30½
ENGLAND
Thousands	…	7,345	6,602
Percentage	…	38½	35

asked the Minister of Labour what were the unemployment figures for the years 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1966 for The Hartlepools and the North-East region, respectively; and what proportion of the totals of the latest 1966 figures are related to men over 40 years of age.

The Standard Region for statistical purposes which includes The Hartlepools is the Northern Region and I am therefore giving figures for that area.The reply to the first part of the Question consists of a table of figures given below.As far as the second part is concerned, detailed age analyses of the unemployed register are made in January and July each year. They relate to the wholly unemployed and exclude casual and temporarily stopped workers. At 11th July, 1966, men aged 40 and over formed 39·7 per cent. and 46·5 per cent. of all wholly unemployed persons in The Hartlepools and the Northern Region, respectively.Following are the unemployment figures for The Hartlepools and Northern Region at each October, from 1962 to 1966:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE HARTLEPOOLS AND IN NORTHERN REGION
		The Hartlepools	Northern region
15th October, 1962	…	2,997	55,927
14th October, 1963	…	3,079	57,515
12th October, 1964	…	1,868	39,996
11th October, 1965	…	1,390	32,315
10th October, 1966	…	1,582	38,201

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the percentage rate of unemployment in Great Yarmouth rose from 2·6 per cent. in October, 1965 to 3·3 per cent. in October, 1966; and what he is going to do about it.

I am aware of the rise. As regards the last part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 21st July.—[Vol. 732, c. 139.]

asked the Minister of Labour what were the figures of unemployment in Blyth, Bedlington and Seaton

DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT OF WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED PERSONS REGISTERED AT BLYTH, BEDLINGTON AND SEATON DELAVAL EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
			Up to 8 weeks	Over 8, up to 26 weeks	Over 26, up to 52 weeks	Over 52 weeks	Total wholly unemployed including casuals
Blyth
12th December, 1960	…	…	193	109	30	29	361
11th September, 1961	…	…	152	53	18	34	257
15th October, 1962	…	…	404	114	51	36	605
14th October, 1963	…	…	251	120	85	102	558
12th October, 1964	…	…	203	109	36	88	436
11th October, 1965	…	…	151	106	66	86	409
10th October, 1966	…	…	190	138	64	94	486
Bedlington
12th December, 1960	…	…	64	47	18	15	144
11th September, 1961	…	…	101	31	20	17	169
15th October, 1962	…	…	171	87	54	29	341
14th October, 1963	…	…	210	133	60	72	475
12th October, 1964	…	…	120	74	43	80	317
11th October, 1965	…	…	121	99	44	68	332
10th October, 1966	…	…	262	141	67	81	551
Seaton Delaval
12th December, 1960	…	…	48	35	28	29	140
11th September, 1961	…	…	58	42	57	30	187
15th October, 1962	…	…	133	66	49	46	294
14th October, 1963	…	…	108	59	41	79	287
12th October, 1964	…	…	103	75	29	54	261
11th October, 1965	…	…	50	55	47	79	231
10th October, 1966	…	…	60	53	25	54	192
Information is not available for October, 1960 or October, 1961.
The above figures exclude temporarily stopped workers for whom duration analyses are not made.

Following is the information:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT BLYTH, BEDLINGTON, AND SEATON DELAVAL EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
	Blyth	Bedlington	Seaton Delaval
10th October, 1960	448	166	167
16th October, 1961	245	154	168
15th October, 1962	605	358	308
14th October, 1963	560	477	289
12th October, 1964	439	317	263
11th October, 1965	414	332	231
10th October, 1966	487	551	192

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the classification of unemployment figures, short- and long-term, in each of the years from 1960 to 1966, at the latest available date, in the Blyth, Bedlington and Seaton Valley employment exchange areas.

Following is the information showing duration of unemployment in four ranges:

asked the Minister of Labour what extension of occupational hygiene facilities he plans, in view of the findings of the Occupational Hygiene Survey reported in the August, 1966, edition of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Since the Occupational Hygiene Survey was completed I have set up an industrial hygiene laboratory service within Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate to which a Director and 12 scientists and technicians have been assigned and which has now begun work. Further, one Division and two Districts of the Inspectorate have been equipped with basic industrial hygiene measuring equipment which they are using in the course of their duties. This is a pilot scheme, the results of which I hope to have fairly soon. The general Inspectorate have been instructed to identify and record instances of possible industrial health hazards. The District staff will call for specialist advice from the industrial hygiene laboratory service whenever necessary.I shall keep the scope, activities, and staffing of the new service under constant review.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the shortage of people trained in occupational hygiene and the amount of such work to be done, what steps his Department are taking to train suitable people and to make use of the facilities already existing in provincial centres such as Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Manchester.

It is not the responsibility of my Department to train occupational hygienists except where they are employed within Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate. Training in occupational hygiene has been and will continue to be a prominent feature of the training which all factory inspectors receive. I envisage that one result of the expansion of the occupational hygiene work of the Inspectorate will be to make industry more aware of the value of occupational hygiene and that the demand for hygienists will increase. I have no reason to suppose that industry will not be able to meet this increase in demand by individual firms training their own personnel in the operation and application of new techniques in this field, but, of course, I will keep the situation under review.The activities of independent hygiene services are complementary to those of the Inspectorate, and they are of particular value in giving continuing advice to small firms who cannot employ their own hygienists. Much of the work they do derives from recommendations by inspectors. Inspectors will continue to bring the attention of firms to their services in appropriate cases.

asked the Minister of Labour why, in view of the fact that 16 per cent. of the employed population of Bedford are classified as professional, there is no professional and executive register at the Bedford Employment Exchange; and what steps he will take to remedy this.

The Professional and Executive Register provides a specialist service in 39 centres selected for their industrial importance or geographical convenience. A service for people in the Bedford area is provided at St. Albans. The standards and siting of the service are regularly reviewed.

asked the Minister of Labour what sections of employees will be able to receive wage and salary increases following immediately after the standstill.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs gave on Thursday, 20th October, to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer)—[Vol. 734 c. 381–383].

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to encourage firms that have training facilities for young workers to use these facilities to retrain adult unskilled and semiskilled workers.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said in the debate on redeployment on 24th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet received representations from the Scottish Economic Planning Council on the adverse effects of the Selective Employment Tax on the Highlands and Islands.

My discussions on this matter have been with the Highlands and Islands Development Board which has statutory responsibility for development in the Highlands and Islands, and I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave on 27th July to the right hon. Member for Argyll (Mr. Noble).—[Vol. 732, c. 1698.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the position of the electricity boards in Scotland in relation to other electrical contractors as regards repayment of Selective Employment Tax; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering this problem in consultation with the Scottish Electricity Boards, taking into account the negotiations which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power is conducting with the Electrical Contractors' Association of England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why it is not practicable to calculate the estimated cost of the Selective Employment Tax in the Highland counties.

While it is possible to give approximate figures for Scotland as a whole, or for complete economic planning regions elsewhere, it is not possible to give comparable figures for smaller areas for the reasons I gave on 27th July in replying to Questions by the hon. Members for Ayr (Mr. Younger) and Banff (Mr. Baker).—[Vol. 732, c. 1701.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what decision he has reached following the public inquiry, held in February, 1965, into the First Review of the Hertfordshire County Development Plan.

The public inquiry lasted from February to the end of June, 1965. There were 850 objections and the Inspector's report was received at the end of December. Consideration of the Development Plan in the light of the Inspector's report is proceeding, but much work remains to be done.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many properties, for the acquisition or maintenance of which his Department has made grants under the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act, 1953, have been donated to the National Trust subject to the approval by his Department of the condition that the donor and his descendants should be entitled to rent-free accommodation.

None. The National Trust which is an independent body is not required to consult my Department about the conditions on which it accepts properties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in how many cases adjudicated by the Reading Rent Assessment Committee, from its inception to the latest convenient date, rents of controlled tenancies have been raised; and in how many they have been reduced; and, in the case of increases, what were the total amounts involved in each increase.

Rent Assessment Committees have at present no jurisdiction over controlled tenancies. The Thames Valley Rent Assessment Panel, which covers Reading, started operation on 16th May, 1966, and up to 5th November committees of this panel had determined rents under regulated tenancies in 9 cases. The original rent was reduced in 8 of these and increased in one. The amount of the increase was £1 10s. per week.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations have been made to his Department on the price and supply of land for housing purposes in Greater London; and what reply he has sent.

None. My right hon. Friend is however well aware of the land shortage and the high prices of housing land in London. But he is confident that enough sites are available for the current four-year housing programmes, and that further sites will become available for development; including the very large site at Woolwich Arsenal which will provide homes for 60,000 Londoners. The Government's new housing subsidy proposals will give substantial help towards meeting high land costs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will initiate discussions with heads of Governments from the Common Market countries with a view to seeking an acceptable method of funding sterling balances.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many chief information officers and Press, officers, respectively, are members of the established Civil Service.

There were 46 established Chief Information Officers and above at 1st January, 1966. There is no Civil Service grade of "Press Officer"; Press matters are dealt with by various grades in information branches.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the strength of the information officer class of the Civil Service on 1st April, 1964, 1965, and 1966.

In Home Departments, 900, 1,030 and 1,080 on the 1st January in these years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officers were recruited into the information officer class of the Civil Service in each of the calendar years 1963, 1964 and 1965.

97, 33 and 125 established information officers were recruited and took up post in those years or in the first three months of the succeeding years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure on home information services by the Central Office of Information during the past financial year.

Net expenditure was £3,665,813.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements have been initiated since October, 1964, for improving the training of officers recruited into the information officer class of the Civil Service for employment in connection with the home information services.

Four courses have been run by the Treasury since June, 1965, for 64 such staff in departments other than the Central Office of Information. The C.O.I. continues to run short courses for its new staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of staff employed in those home information services about which he answers in the House.

Approximately 1,465 in all home information services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum he estimates will be collected in Wales in selective employment tax during the first year of the tax; how much he expects to be repaid; and what are the comparable figures for England.

£49 million in a full year. Premiums and refund payments for the same period are estimated at £41 million. The estimated figures for England are £977 million and £787 million respectively. These figures are necessarily approximate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects approximately to be collected in selective employment tax during the first year of the tax, and how much he expects to be paid back in premiums and refunds, in the Highlands and Islands and the North-East of Scotland, respectively.

I regret that it is not practicable to provide this information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any estimate has been made of the net revenue to the Exchequer on the instances of selective employment tax in the counties of Merioneth, Montgomery, Cardigan, Brecon, and Radnor, respectively.

No, I fear this is not practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Eire currency is legal tender in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the latest year for which the information is available, how many limited companies had adjusted profits for tax purposes of nil, less than £1,000, less than £2,000, less than £3,000, less than £4,000, less than £5,000, less than £10,000, less than £20,000, less than £50,000, and less than £100,000, respectively.

The numbers of Income Tax assessments made in 1964–65 on the trading profits of companies with net profits, after deducting capital allowances, below these levels were as follows:

	£				Cumulative number ('000)
Nil		…	…	…	128
Less than	1,000	…	…	…	218
	2,000	…	…	…	239
	3,000	…	…	…	249
	4,000	…	…	…	255
	5,000	…	…	…	260
	10,000	…	…	…	272
	20,000	…	…	…	281
	50,000	…	…	…	289
	100,000	…	…	…	295

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list detailing the annual sums now spent on information services and stating what proportion of each involves foreign exchange expenditure.

Details of the sums approved in the 1966–67 Estimates are published on pages 29 and 30 of the Financial Secretary's Memorandum (Cmnd. 2955). The totals are for Home Information Services £90·73 million and for Overseas Information Services £28·380 million.The proportions of these sums which involve overseas expenditure, including expenditure incurred within the overseas sterling area as well as in foreign currency, are, for the Home Information Services, no more than 3 per cent., and for the Overseas Information Services, about 23 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend the law so as to allow trade union subscriptions as an allowable expense for tax purposes where trade union membership is a condition of employment.

No. My right hon. Friend could not recommend this suggested relaxation of the general Schedule E expenses rule.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total value of guarantees to the World Bank or other institutions or countries contracted by Rhodesia which Great Britain has guaranteed.

Her Majesty's Government is guarantor of payments of principal and interest to the World Bank for loans of which £22,755,357 principal was outstanding on 30th September, 1966, and of which the Rhodesian Government is either guarantor or borrower. Her Majesty's Government has not guaranteed any other loans in respect of Rhodesia.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of servicing Rhodesian loans, or other commitments guaranteed by Her Majesty's Government, since the Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence.

Since the Unilateral Declaration of Independence, £1,854,860 has been paid by Her Majesty's Government, as guarantor of the service of loans to Rhodesia.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the practice of his Department to make domestic premises in which space heating has been installed liable to an increase in rateable value by virtue of such installation.

If the installation forms part of the premises and increases their rental value it will also increase their rateable value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated value of British investment and other assets in Rhodesia.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the recommendations of the Director of Prison Security relating to security at Her Majesty's Prison, Wormwood Scrubs, were carried out and the work completed.

New security devices are being brought into operation by stages, and should be complete by early December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were murdered in each of the years 1945 to 1965; how many of those murdered themselves had a criminal record in each of these years; and how many of those murdered lost their lives whilst fulfilling their duties as prison warders or police officers.

The following table shows for each of the years from 1945 to 1965 the finally adjusted number of murders known to the police in England and Wales. The figures in brackets show the number of murders on duty of prison officers and police officers (in that order). Figures showing the number of murder victims with criminal records are not available.

1945	…	174	(0)	(*)	1956	…	150	(0)	(0)
1946	…	144	(0)	(1)	1957	…	151	(0)	(0)
1947	…	171	(0)	(0)	1958	…	125	(0)	(1)
1948	…	162	(1)	(1)	1959	…	141	(0)	(1)
1949	…	131	(0)	(0)	1960	…	135	(0)	(1)
1950	…	138	(0)	(0)	1961	…	130	(0)	(2)
1951	…	124	(0)	(3)	1962	…	142	(0)	(0)
1952	…	141	(0)	(1)	1963	…	133	(0)	(0)
1953	…	140	(0)	(0)	1964	…	†l53	(0)	(0)
1954	…	145	(0)	(0)	1965	…	153	(1)	(2)
1955	…	133	(0)	(0)		…
* For years before 1946 only the number of persons convicted of the murder of a police officer is known. There was no such conviction in 1945.
† This figure has previously been given as 155. It has been reduced by two cases in which the Court of Criminal Appeal substituted a conviction of manslaughter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will arrange that a transcript of all the evidence given to the Mount-batten Committee about the escape of Blake shall be produced, and that so much as will not affect security shall be published and the remainder shall be made available to the Leader of the Opposition;(2) whether he will arrange for those upon whom the Mountbatten Committee may apportion blame for the escape of Blake to be notified of what may be said against them and of any evidence supporting it, and to be given the opportunity to cross-examine to such evidence and the right to give their own answer and to call any material witnesses they may desire and that all this should be done before any report is published;(3) whether he will arrange that those who appear to give evidence about the escape of Blake before the Mountbatten Committee or upon whom blame may be apportioned may be legally represented and shall be granted legal aid in appropriate cases or be awarded their costs out of public funds;(4) whether he will arrange for counsel to be appointed as counsel to the Mountbatten Committee when investigating the escape of Blake; and who will present the evidence, examine and cross-examine witnesses and have the general conduct of the proceedings before the Committee on behalf of the Tribunal and as representative of the public interest;

The procedure described in the right hon. and learned Gentleman's Question is, in general, that appropriate to an Inquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in reply to a Question by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Ashford (Mr. Deedes) on 1st November that he did not propose to ask the House to confer the powers of such a Tribunal on Lord Mountbatten's Inquiry.Lord Mountbatten has assured me that if he finds it necessary to criticise the conduct of any named individual, he will show the person concerned what he proposes to say and will take account of any comments before submitting his final report to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the amount spent on the improvement of existing prisons and the building of new prisons in each of the years from 1951 to 1965, inclusive.

Following is the information in respect of prison service establishments in England and Wales:

Year			Expenditure
			£
1950–51	…	…	577,534
1951–52	…	…	694,151
1952–53	…	…	779,231
1953–54	…	…	809,761
1954–55	…	…	896,173
1955–56	…	…	758,046
1956–57	…	…	755,743
1957–58	…	…	1,005,100
1958–59	…	…	822,036
1959–60	…	…	1,711,270
1960–61	…	…	2,958,583
1961–62	…	…	4,256,759
1962–63	…	…	4,613,975
1963–64	…	…	5,650,994
1964–65	…	…	4,404,888
1965–66	…	…	3,499,387

NOTES:1. The figures for 1964–65 and 1965–66 include sums of £2,396,774 and £1,231,229 respectively carried on the Vote of the Ministry of Public Building and Works; previously all such expenditure was borne on Home Office Votes.2. The cost of normal repair and maintenance has not been included.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many gaming establishments have been registered in England and Wales in each year since the passing of the Betting and Gaming Act 1960.

This Act contained no requirement for the registration of premises for purposes of gaming.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will hold an independent inquiry into the Fire Service.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to set up a Departmental Committee to inquire into the fire service in Great Britain. The Committee will have the following terms of reference:

To inquire into and make recommendations on—

(a) the principles which should govern the organisation of the fire service in Great Britain;

(b) the relationship between the central Government and local fire authorities; the functions of the fire service; measures for maintaining its efficiency; the arrangements for recruiting and training its members and ensuring that the best use is made of the manpower available; and the machinery for determining pay and conditions of service;

(c) the need for further fire prevention measures;

(d) fire research and the application of its results.

I am glad to say that Sir Ronald Holroyd, F.R.S., has accepted our invitation to be Chairman of the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many leasehold properties covered by the proposed legislation on leasehold reform there are in Cardiff; how many of these properties have leases less than 25 years to run; how many have leases between 25 and 50 years to run; and how many above 50 years.

This information would require a very considerable expenditure of staff time to obtain.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the school building programmes authorised to individual local education authorities for 1967–68, giving both the value of each authority's submission and the amount he has approved, and separate lists for primary and secondary building projects.

The information is not immediately available, but I will write to the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in the United Kingdom use unpasteurised milk.

The latest information for the autumn of 1965, showed 434 maintained schools and 53 non-maintained schools using unpasteurised milk.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of teacher-trainees in colleges of education at the nearest convenient date.

72,889 in October, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new schools have been built in Wales since 1964.

Sixty-two.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of ships now serving with the Fleet, the Reserve Fleet, awaiting disposal, and building, respectively.

These details are given in Part II of the 1966 Statement on Defence Estimates; we do not as a rule show which of the ships on the reserve list are waiting for disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the reasons for informing Mr. Z. S. Szatowski, 57 St. Barnabus Street, Wellingborough, on 28th June, 1965, that he could not be considered for service with the Royal Navy.

Because he did not satisfy the nationality rules.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many British-born sons of Polish ex-combatants were accepted into the Armed Forces during each of the past five years; and how many applications were refused.

I cannot answer this Question, because applicants for service in the Armed Forces are not required to give particulars of the war service of their parents.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an estimate of the cost of the British contribution in the first six months to a United Nations force blockading the coast of Southern Africa from the mouth of the River Congo in the west to the mouth of the River Ruvuma in the east; and what number of additional ships and aircraft would have to be put into service to undertake this task.

I cannot be expected to supply factual answers to hypothetical questions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date the White Fish Authority started its consultations regarding the minimum pricing scheme for white fish;

NUMBER OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS AND NUMBER OF WORKERS EMPLOYED ON THEM IN WALES 1945–1965
							Number of Workers (b)
Year (June Census)					Number of Holdings (a)	Total	Regular Whole-time (c)	Regular Part-time	Seasonal or Casual
1945	…	…	…	…	56,563	53,532	43,241	10,291
1946	…	…	…	…	56,231	52,059	42,958	9,101
1947	…	…	…	…	55,743	51,670	42,233	9,437
1948	…	…	…	…	55,692	50,625	39,436	11,189
1949	…	…	…	…	55,868	51,605	39,758	11,847
1950	…	…	…	…	55,134(d)	49,705	38,299	11,406
1951	…	…	…	…	56,377	46,509	35,640	10,869
1952	…	…	…	…	56,454	47,076	34,750	12,326
1953	…	…	…	…	56,428	46,507	34,214	12,293
1954	…	…	…	…	55,946	44,249	32,980	11,269
1955	…	…	…	…	55,427	42,866	31,062	6,053	5,751
1956	…	…	…	…	54,943	40,433	29,517	5,422	5,494
1957	…	…	…	…	54,367	41,201	28,997	5,778	6,426
1958	…	…	…	…	53,693	39,323	27,957	5,391	5,975
1959	…	…	…	…	52,970	39,546	27,182	5,672	6,692
1960	…	…	…	…	52,241	38,672	26,262	5,816	6,594
1961	…	…	…	…	51,429	36,163	23,875	4,215	8,073
1962	…	…	…	…	50,736	34,059	22,399	3,883	7,777
1963	…	…	…	…	50,159	32,210	21,823	3,872	6,515
1964	…	…	…	…	49,444	31,647	20,244	4,354	7,049
1965	…	…	…	…	47,823	29,068	19,200	3,788	6,080
(a) An agricultural holding comprises over one acre of land used for agriculture.
(b) Excluding the occupier, his wife, domestic servants and children still at school.
(c) The figures for the years 1945–1950 include the Women's Land Army and prisoners of war, the numbers of such workers being as follows:—

1945	…	…	6,235	1948	1,542
1946	…	…	5,085	1949	674
1947	…	…	4,888	1950	442
(d) Does not include holdings comprising rough grazing only; there were 990 such holdings in 1949 and 975 in 1951.