asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that some county councils are accepting search-fees from prospective purchasers of property in their administrative counties seeking information in connection with road and other development programmes which could affect the property, to which they intentionally return misleading information; and if he will introduce legislation to ensure that only accurate information is given.

No. Authorities answer inquiries on their future programmes voluntarily under arrangements made with the legal profession, and they have to take that in giving all information relevant for prospective purchasers they do not unfairly prejudice the position of prospective vendors. I have no reason to believe that they are failing in this task.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total acreage of spoil heaps in England; and what percentage of this derelict land is in Cornwall;(2) for what acreage of spoil heaps in England there are plans for reclamation; and what percentage of the area is in Cornwall.

Information from local authorities shows that there were 33,014 acres of derelict spoil heaps in England at 31st December, 1965, of which 13,682 acres or 41 per cent. were in Cornwall. Local authorities considered that 17,795 acres of these spoil heaps justified treatment, of which 1,763 acres or 10 per cent. were in Cornwall.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government upon what criteria he decided not to produce an annual report for his department for 1965 or 1966, but to pro- duce a composite report for those years in the spring of 1967.

I would refer the hon. Member to my foreword to the Ministry's Handbook of Statistics, 1965, which was published by H.M.S.O. on 17th November.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) upon what criteria he has refused applications for loan sanction for rural water and sewerage schemes since 20th July, 1966;(2) for how many rural water and sewerage schemes he has refused sanction since 20th July, 1966, in Devonshire.

Applications, whether rural or urban, have been refused where the scheme seemed not to be urgently needed for housing, industry, public health, or to end gross polution of beaches.In Devon 14 were refused, of which 4 have since been allowed because my right hon. Friend was satisfied that they fulfilled these criteria.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what are his general criteria for refusing loan sanction for local authority capital expenditure programmes under the terms of Circular 42/66.

The circular sets out the criteria. Their object is to concentrate on the most vital projects the limited local authority investment which we can afford in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the operation of Her Majesty's Government's policy of deferring some local authority capital expenditure schemes, as set out in Ministry of Housing and Local Government Circular 42/66.

The operation is going according to plan and my right hon. Friend has asked me to say how grateful lie is for the co-operation which he has had from local authorities in the present difficult circumstances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps are being taken to list the old railway station at Temple Meads, Bristol, as a building of great historical interest and as a memorial to the genius of the engineer, I. K. Brunel.

My right hon. Friend recognises the importance of the Brunel buildings at Temple Meads and has recently added them to the statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historical interest.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he has instructed Camelford Rural District Council to charge Messrs. Allen Components Limited a rate of interest of 8½ per cent.

The authority was informed that in my right hon. Friend's view a rate of 8½ per cent. was appropriate both to conform with Board of Trade practice and to provide a reasonable return.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he sought the advice of the South West Regional Planning Council before instructing Camelford Rural District Council not to lend money to Messrs. Allen Components Limited at 7¼ per cent.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage of ratepayers in England and Wales are eligible for rate rebates; and what is the comparable figure for Cornwall.

The national estimate is a bout 11·3 per cent. of domestic rate payers. My right hon. Friend has no figures for separate counties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will consult with local authorities and with other Departments to ensure that applicants for free school meals and other provisions relating to low-income families are informed of the provisions relating to rate rebates.

Leaflets will be issued in the new year about rate debates to people drawing pensions and family allowances. My right hon. Friend will be considering other measures, and will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of his foreword to his Department's Design Bulletin No. 10, it is now his policy to support the Radburn proposals on cars and housing.

My right hon. Friend is in favour of layouts which aim to provide separation between vehicles and pedestrians, provided they are designed well and at a reasonable cost.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in preventing the emission of thick smoke containing metal fumes from the factory of Rock Metal Works, Jackfield; and what further steps he has in mind to abate the nuisance.

Gas scrubbing plant has been ordered and a new chimney is being built. When these are working in a few months' time there should be much less smoke.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will place in the Library a copy of the interim and final reports of Mr. Kenneth Dale and the report of the district auditor of Number 11 Audit District into the alleged overspending by the Salford City Direct Labour Building Department.

These reports were made to the Salford City Council, and I am, with the council's agreement, placing copies in the Library.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he intends to take to make a substantial reduction in the rate burden.

The Government's policy remains as set out in the White Paper published in February.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the level of rates levied by local authorities during the period of severe restraint is frozen at the 1965–66 figure.

Local authorities have been urged to ensure the utmost possible economy this year and next.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the need to reverse the upward trend of national fire losses, he will take steps to amend the Plant and Machinery (Rating) Order 1960 so that fire-fighting equipment shall be exempt from assessment for rating purposes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Gvernment whether he is aware of the practice of local authorities of raising the rate assessment on industrial premises if sprinklers or other fire protection devices are installed; and whether he will review the relevant legislation with a view to giving greater encouragement for better fire protection measures to industrial establishments.

Any improvement which increases the letting value of a property is liable to lead to an increase in its rateable value. My right hon. Friend does not think that it would be practicable to make a special exception for fire-fighting equipment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will table the appropriate orders in Parliament before the Christmas Recess giving effect to the ward boundary redistribution in Sheffield.

No. Provision for the new warding arrangements for Sheffield will be included in the Order which will extend the city. This will be laid before Parliament in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the fact that a Royal Commission has been given the task of investigating the whole aspect of local government, he will suspend the Sheffield Order until the Commission has reported.

No. The decision to accept with modifications the Local Government Commission's proposals for the extension of Sheffield was taken having regard to all the relevant facts and circumstances including the decision to set up the Royal Commission.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many grants have been made for the clearance of derelict land in the Northern Region during the year 1965 and up to the latest available date in 1966.

In 1965 ten schemes covering 113 acres were approved. Grant payable on these schemes will be £55,052.In 1966, up to 30th November, nine schemes covering 116 acres were approved on which the grant payable will be £111,899.Grants paid, mainly on schemes previously approved, during these periods amounted to £59,127 in 1965 and £60,296 in 1966.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will reconsider his decision not to make a grant towards the cost of the derelict land in Wombwell which the West Riding County Council have scheduled for reclamation.

No application for grant is before my right hon. Friend. The council has sought an undertaking that loan sanction will be available for a number of reclamation projects, including a scheme in the Darfield-Wombwell area, when applications are made. This request will be discussed with representatives of the council.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give the number of acres if derelict land in the Dearne Valley constituency; and how many of these acres have been scheduled for reclamation.

I am informed by the local authorities concerned that there are 268 acres of derelict land in this area of which 81 acres are scheduled for reclamation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that his decision to accept the Council of Tribunals' recommendation that costs should be awarded to a successful objector in a public inquiry will be implemented from the date on which the decision was announced.

No, the decision has been implemented from the date on which details of the changes in policy were announced.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) why he has instructed Kingston-upon-Hull City Council to charge Engravers (Hull) Limited a rate of interest of 9 per cent.;(2) whether he sought the advice of the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Planning Council before instructing Kingston-upon-Hull City Council not to lend money to Engravers (Hull) Limited at 9 per cent.

The Answer to the first Question is that Kingston-upon-Hull Council has proposed financial arrangements which are the equivalent of an interest rate of 8⅛ per cent. In preliminary discussion the Department has suggested that a higher level of interest would be appropriate for local authorities outside development areas, subject to any representations which the council may wish to make about the special circumstances of this case.As regards the second Question the Answer is "No".

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the increasing nuisance caused by noise at the principal airports, he will send a circular to the local authorities urging them to reexamine their development plans in such cases where land in proximity to airports is scheduled for housing or schools.

Planning authorities have power to review their plans at any time. The practical possibilities of change are a matter first of all for local judgment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has for reducing the present time lag between the report of an inspector after a public local inquiry into a planning appeal and a final decision on that appeal by himself.

The organisation for handling appeals within the Ministry has been strengthened, but I am also considering more radical changes which would involve legislation. I hope to make an announcement before long.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to enable local planning authorities to require commercial developers to contribute to the capital cost of providing public car-parks in their vicinity as a condition of planning permission.

No. It is a recognised principle that no payment of money or other consideration can be required as a condition of granting planning permission.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the fact that educational standards in South Yorkshire are below the average for the rest of the country, if he will take the necessary steps to prevent the affairs of Lindsey (Lincolnshire) County Council from entering the control of South Yorkshire.

Educational standards are a matter for my right hon. Friend, but I do not envisage any change in the status of Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey, as a local education authority in advance of decisions about English local government as a whole following the report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in England.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government for what reasons he has refused further subsidies to be used for a direct labour housing development scheme in Jarrow; and whether he will make a statement.

The scheme is expensive and the council has been asked to consider how it can be modified to reduce costs to an acceptable figure. If this can be done, and the council decides to go on with it, it will attract subsidy in the normal way.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications have been made to the rent officer in The Hartlepools for a review of rent since he took office; how many rents have been reduced; and in how many of these cases the tenancies have been terminated following the reassessment.

In that County Borough of West Hartlepool up to 26th November the rent officer had received 17 applications for registration of rent and had determined 14 of these, reducing the original rent in 12 cases and increasing it in 2. On the second part of the Question, I understand that two of the tenants concerned have moved since the rent was registered. I have no separate information about the borough of Hartlepool which is part of the County of Durham registration area.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will seek to amend the Rent Acts to ensure that the courts may only grant orders for possession to those landlords who need possession for their own use or for that of their families or where there is a failure to pay rent.

I am aware of the particular case in which my hon. Friend is concerned, but the law was under review only last year and my right hon. Friend cannot do more at this stage than take note of his suggestion.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on his discussions with representatives of the building and allied industries and of the building Societies Association regarding the housing targets in the National Housing Plan, which were foreshadowed in Command Paper No. 2838.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will seek to initiate discussions with representatives of the building and allied industries and the mortgage loaning institutions in order to reconsider and revise the housing targets foreshadowed in Command Paper No. 2838.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on his discussions with representatives of the Building Societies Association and the building and allied industries on the level of future house building to be undertaken in any one year.

Discussions were held on 30th November between my officials and representatives of the building societies, builders and building materials producers and local authorities, about the housing programme. There was a full exchange of views and further meetings will be held as necessary to keep the housing programme under review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the success of the Prices and Incomes Policy is being jeopardised by the London Borough of Harrow, which proposes to increase rents by up to 50 per cent. in January; and what action he proposes to take.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 20 of the White Paper "Prices and Incomes Standstill Period of Severe Restraint" (Cmnd. 3150) published on 22nd November, which gives the Government's views on council house rents and recognises that some increases may be inevitable. I am in communication with my hon. Friend on the particular question of rents in Harrow.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in the light of the Government's policy on prices, he will take steps to assist those local authorities who, due to increased costs, are forced to increase rates and/or charge higher rents for council houses.

I have just introduced a Bill to provide much bigger subsidies for new council house building. Where authorities have rate resources below the average, grant will be payable on any contributions made from rates to the Housing Revenue Account.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will issue a circular to local authorities directing them, when they purchase property by agreement, not to make a deduction from the purchase price in respect of rehousing the vendor in a council house; and whether he will make a statement on his policy in this regard.

Purchase by agreement is essentially a matter for negotiation between the parties concerned, but my right hon. Friend has made it plain that in his view the most appropriate course is to treat the purchase and the tenancy of a council house as separate considerations. It is for the local authority to determine the rent they will charge for the tenancy of the council house. My right hon. Friend has no power to make a direction.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in order to prevent people from being rehoused out of turn, he will seek power to require that, once an area has been represented to his Department as a slum clearance area, landlords may not relet to new tenants without consulting the local housing authority.

My right hon. Friend does not think new powers are required, though he is prepared to consider any information my hon. Friend wishes to give him.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will encourage local authorities to give mortgages on timber-framed dwellings.

My right hon. Friend has no reason to think that any advice from him is called for, but if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind perhaps he will send me details.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total number of houses built in Shrewsbury during the years 1964 and 1965; and what the totals will be in 1966 and 1967.

407 in 1964 and 544 in 1965. In the first 10 months of this year, 520 houses were completed; if this rate continues about 620 should be completed in 1966. It is too soon to make a forecast for 1967.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will make an Order for rent officers to undertake assessments of rents fixed by the Rent Act 1957; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot add anything to the Answer I gave the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East and Christchurch (Mr. Cordle) on 18th October.—[Vol. 734, c. 1].

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is satisfied with the numerical assessment of increasing housing requirements in the northern region as set out in the regional economic development plan; what proposals he has for achieving these targets; and if he will make a statement.

The Northern Economic Planning Council makes it clear that its report is a preliminary study only, put forward for public discussion, and not a regional plan. The council's views are being borne in mind during the present revision and rolling forward of the long-term local authority housing programmes in the region.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses he estimates will be completed in the northern region in 1966.

15,795 houses were completed in the first ten months of this year. If this rate continues the total for the year should be about 19,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has to stimulate the growth of non-profit-making and co-operative housing associations.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I have today given in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date a rent tribunal was set up in Bristol; how many cases have been dealt with; how many await consideration; what was the maximum rent reduction awarded; how many cases resulted in an increase in rent; and what has been the average reduction in rents.

I take it that my hon. Friend has in mind the Birstol Rent Assessment Panel, which started operations on 16th March, 1966. As at 26th November committees of this Panel had determined rents under regulated tenancies in 29 cases and 6 cases awaited consideration. The original rent was increased in 13 cases and reduced in 16. In the latter cases, the maximum reduction was £96 per annum, the average £33.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will make a statement on the Central Housing Advisory Committee Report on Standards of Housing Fitness.

Many of this important report's conclusions and recommendations are of a far-reaching character, and my right hon. Friend thinks it right that he should first consult with the local authority interests concerned. He will make a statement as soon as possible after that.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many new housing units per 1,000 of the population were supplied in the years 1945 to 1965.

Following are the figures:

NEW PERMANENT DWELLINGS COMPLETED PER 1,000 OF THE POPULATION OF GREAT BRITAIN
1945	…	…	0·1	1955	…	…	6·4
1946	…	…	1·2	1956	…	…	6·0
1947	…	…	3·0	1957	…	…	6·0
1948	…	…	4·7	1958	…	…	5·4
1949	…	…	4·1	1959	…	…	5·5
1950	…	…	4·0	1960	…	…	5·8
1951	…	…	4·0	1961	…	…	5·8
1952	…	…	4·9	1962	…	…	5·9
1953	…	…	6·5	1963	…	…	5·7
1954	…	…	7·0	1964	…	…	7·1
				1965	…	…	7·2

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs to what extent financial assistance to Zambia occasioned by sanctions against Rhodesia is related to purchases of British goods; and what contracts have been obtained by United Kingdom enterprises in connection with new pipelines and transport systems in that regard.

Wherever possible, equipment supplied as part of our contingency assistance to Zambia already agreed has been of British manufacture. Resulting orders to the approximate value of £2 million have been placed with British suppliers for locomotives, trucks, road tankers, oil storage and transport equipment and airport equipment. None of our contingency assistance has been directed towards new oil pipelines, and no contracts for pipelines have so far been obtained in Zambia by British firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals have been made to Commonwealth Governments and to the United States of America about Rhodesia.

We remain in close touch with Commonwealth and the United States Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what proposals have been made to the Government of Singapore about a defence treaty specifying British military rights and responsibilities on the island.

None. Since separation the Singapore Government have made it plain that they regard the previous defence arrangements with Britain as continuing in force.

asked the Minister of Power (1) whether he is satisfied that he has received adequate detailed information from producers of North Sea gas on the cost of their operations; and whether he will publish this information in a White Paper or by some other suitable means:

I have no doubt that the negotiations between the Gas Council and the licensees will take account of cost estimates, along with other relevant factors, but any such figures will be confidential

asked the Minister of Power whether he will introduce legislation to provide that household coal and other solid fuel shall be retailed at the same price in all parts of the country.

I have nothing to add to the Reply I gave to the hon. Member on 21st June.—[Vol. 710 c. 272.]

asked the Minister of Power what percentage of the total book value of equity holdings in trade undertakings not wholly owned by the National Coal Board was in respect of public quoted companies at the date of the last balance sheet.

None of the undertakings in which the National Coal Board have equity holdings are publicly quoted.

asked the Minister of Power in what percentage of the miners employed in the No. 1 area of the South Western Division, who had been certified as suffering from pneumoconiosis, and who died during the period 1945 to 1966, was pneumoconiosis found to be a contributory cause of death.

I regret that the precise information is not available, but I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power how many miners employed in the No. 1 area of the South Western Division of the National Coal Board were certified as suffering from pneumoconiosis in the period 1945 to 1966; and what percentage this is of the total employed.

I regret that the information is only available from 1952 as follows:

NUMBER 1 (SWANSEA) AREA OF SOUTH WESTERN DIVISION OF N.C.B.
Pneumoconiosis
		Number of boardings in the coal mining industry at which the disease was first diagnosed	Expressed as percentage of mineworkers overall
1952	…	50	0·7	based on end year figures of wage-earners
1953	…	47	0·7
1954	…	24	0·4
1955	…	77	1·2
1956	…	103	1·5
1957	…	57	0·8
1958	…	41	0·6
1959	…	63	0·9
1960	…	102	1·5
1961	…	68	1·1
1962	…	64	1·0
1963	…	37	0·6
1964	…	26	0·4
1965*	…	71	0·8
* Includes part of Neath area.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the investigations now being carried out under his authority by the Torry Research Laboratory and other scientific bodies under Government authority into the columnaris disease afflicting salmon and other fish.

The Torry Research Station is identifying species of bacteria which are possible sources of the current disease of salmon. Other investigations into the nature, causes and means of transmission of the disease are being undertaken by the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and the Ministry of Agriculture of Northern Ireland. The Central Public Health Laboratories of the Ministry of Health, and the Freshwater Biological Association, are also co-operating.

asked the Minister of Technology (1) what contacts he has made with overseas countries, including Europe, the United States of America, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for co-ordinating and standardising systems and codes, and for carrying out research and development into information storage and retrieval using computers and telecommunication systems, in order to avoid duplication of effort;(2) what contacts he has made with Commonwealth countries for co-ordinating and standardising systems and codes, and for carrying out research and development into information storage and retrieval using computers and telecommunication systems, in order to avoid duplication of effort.

Research and development into information storage and retrieval is the responsibility of the Minister in whose Department the requirement arises, but I am keeping in touch with the many developments in this rapidly expanding field. The Office for Scientific and Technical Information (for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science is responsible) is stimulating co-operation wherever practical between appropriate institutions in the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. with the aim of avoiding duplication of effort. It is also in touch with development in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Scientific Committee; in O.E.C.D. countries through the O.E.C.D. Group on Scientific Information Policy and with the U.S.S.R. through a recent exchange of visits. Its policy is to work towards the standardisation of systems, including indexing languages and computer programmes.International standards for computers and data processing are being worked out in the International Standards Organisation and the International Electrotechnical Commission in which the British Standards Institution represents the United Kingdom. The Institution takes part in all working groups in these bodies on these subjects. The work of these bodies covers, among other things character recognition, and the coding and transmission of data. Several Commonwealth countries are members of these organisations.International telecommunications standards are formulated by the Comité Consultatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique (C.C.I.T.T.) in which the General Post Office makes a leading contribution to the United Kingdom viewpoint.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any public bodies, such as river boards, are being given special preferential terms of Selective Employment Tax repayment compared with the quarterly payments that are to be made to farmers and others.

Various public bodies akin to river boards will come within Section 4 of the Selective Employment Payments Act. Like local authorities they will receive repayments at monthly intervals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct Government Departments to keep records showing how much the sum spent on entertaining is used entirely for hospitality to overseas visitors.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a means of assisting retirement pensions to overcome the difficulties of the rising cost of living, he will seek to allow the first £2 of any retirement pension to be drawn tax free.

No. I do not think my hon. Friend's suggestion would be a suitable way to meet cases of need.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the capacity of the Mint to take account of the change-over to a decimal currency; whether he is satisfied that the present site of the Mint is adequate; and if he will establish the Mint in Scotland, in the interests of regional development.

This whole question is at present under active consideration. I hope to be able to make a statement shortly. The claims of Scotland will be borne in mind along with those of other areas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of a recent judicial decision that Import Duty should be levied upon the estimated trade price of imported goods rather than upon the retail price, whether he has yet issued fresh instructions to Customs Officers at ports and airports to this effect; and whether he will send a copy of these instructions to the hon. Member for Harrow, West.

Instructions to Customs Officers naturally conform with the law and they have been aligned with the recent decision referred to. As regards the second part of the Question, it is not the practice to disclose departmental instructions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the reduction of £6 million in the investment programmes in Scotland of the nationalised industries, resulting from the Government's announcement on 20th July, is to be apportioned between those industries.

The proposed split was:

		£ million
Scottish Electricity Boards	…	4·0
National Coal Board	…	1·7
British Railways Board	…	0·3
		6·0

The proposed reduction of £4 million in respect of the Scottish Electricity Boards is being further examined in the current investment review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show public authorities' current expenditure on goods and services plus gross fixed capital formation of public authorities and public corporations as a percentage of gross domestic product, all at 1958 prices, for each year from 1946.

The following table shows public authorities' current expenditure on goods and services plus gross domestic fixed capital formation of public authorities and public corporations as a percentage of gross domestic product at 1958 factor cost for the years 1948 to 1965:

Public Sector Expenditure on Goods and Services (Current and Capital) as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product.
				Per cent.
1948	…	…	…	25·8
1949	…	…	…	27·0
1950	…	…	…	26·5
1951	…	…	…	27·6
1952	…	…	…	30·2
1953	…	…	…	30·3
1954	…	…	…	29·1
1955	…	…	…	27·3
1956	…	…	…	26·6
1957	…	…	…	26·1
1958	…	…	…	25·6
1959	…	…	…	25·7
1960	…	…	…	25·0
1961	…	…	…	25·3
1962	…	…	…	26·0
1963	…	…	…	25·7
1964	…	…	…	25·9
1965	…	…	…	26·3

I regret that figures for 1946 and 1947 are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money has been allocated to research and development in the use of computers and telecommunication systems for information storage and retrieval by all Government Departments in the current year; what proposals he has for accelerating this work; and what sum of money will be allocated for this purpose next year.

Many of the automatic data processing projects at present under development in Government Departments will be used in part for information storage and retrieval, but it is not practicable to separate that element of the cost which is attributable to this facet. The Office for Scientific and Technical Information has been allocated £290,000 for 1966–67 for research and development into scientific and technical information services and part of this sum will be used for computer and telecommunication aspects of this work. This Office's estimate for 1967–68 will be published in the Civil Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of applications for higher school bursaries in Lanarkshire for the current session; how many were refused; how many were granted in full; and how many were awarded less than £10, more than £10 but less than £20, and more than £20 but less than £30, respectively.

The following information has been received from the Education Authority:

	Pupils in 3rd/4th Years	Pupils in 5th/6th Years	Total
Applications received	1,090	1,183	2,273
Applications refused	680	591	1,271
Maximum bursaries	73	52	125
Bursaries under £10	48	65	113
Bursaries £10 to £19	74	59	133
Bursaries £20 to £29	42	71	113

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the independent and grant-aided schools in Scotland which currently receive grants from Exchequer or local authority funds together with the amount given to each in the last financial year and the number of pupils attending each.

This information is given in the table set out below. The amount shown is, in each case, that given, or estimated to be given, in the school financial year ending in 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many firms, in receipt of grants from Scottish Development corporations during the past 10 years, have closed down; and what was the amount of public funds lost as a result of such closures.

New town development corporations cannot give grants to firms. They can and do give loans to enable firms to provide their own premises, and also provide premises for firms on deferred purchase terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now list the local authority offices, recreational facilities, etc., which will be affected by the cut announced on 20th July of £2 million in investment under these headings in the year 1967–68.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 29th July to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor).—[Vol. 732, c. 361 and 362]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now list the roads affected by the cut of £1·2 million in the Scottish road programme for 1967–68 announced on 20th July.

At this stage in the preparation of the schemes for 1967–68 I cannot yet say.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the official establishment of registrars for the Royal Infirmary, Western Infirmary, Southern General Hospital, Eastern General Hospital, Stobhill Hospital, Victoria Infirmary and Sick Children's Hospital, all in Glasgow, respectively; and what were the corresponding personnel actually employed at the end of September, 1966.

There is no official establishment of registrars; the number of registrars employed at these Glasgow hospitals at the end of September, 1966 was as follows:

Royal Infirmary	…	72	(12)
Western Infirmary	…	65	(18)
Southern General Hospital	…	20
Eastern District Hospital	…	4
Stobhill Hospital	…	35
Victoria Infirmary	…	33	(1)
Royal Hospital for Sick Children	…	6

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average arable acreage of farms by categories in Scotland which qualify for payment under the Winter Keep Scheme.

As payment is made on the acreage of eligible crops, the information is not readily available in this form. The average acreage grant-aided under the Winter Keep Scheme for each category is as follows (based on applications for grant for the 1965 cropping year):

Category					Acreage Grant-aided
A	…	…	…	…	55
B	…	…	…	…	47
C	…	…	…	…	28

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cattle in Scotland qualify for the hill cow subsidy in the current period, how many ewes qualify for the hill sheep subsidy; and what are the proportions of each as percentages for Scotland in Banffshire.

The following is the information:

		Scotland	Banffshire as percentage of Scottish total
Hill cattle	…	285,000	4·7
		(estimate)	(estimate)
Hill sheep	…	2,459,400	0·7

asked the Minister of Aviation what consultations he has held with other Governments regarding their views upon the sonic bang problems which their citizens will experience following the introduction of the Concord airliner upon the world's airline routes; and which Governments have indicated their reluctance to permit overflights by supersonic civil airliners.

We have had consultations with the French and American authorities regarding the problems arising from the operation of supersonic airliners, and we have also taken part in multilateral discussions in I.C.A.O. As regards the second part of the Question, while Governments around the world recognise that S.S.T. operations will require some special regulation, none has indicated to us that it will prohibit overflights.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which sports organisations are classed as charities; and what criteria are applied in considering additional applications by sports organisations for consideration as charities.

Sports organisations as such are not charitable in law but are classed as recreational charities if they satisfy the conditions prescribed by Section 1 of the Recreational Charities Act, 1958.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the recurrent grant to be made available to the universities of Great Britain for the academic year 1967–68.

Yes. As the House will be aware, it was decided that, in order to give the universities a firm planning base for the first year of the quinquennium beginning next August, a provisional figure for that year should be decided and allocated between the universities before the end of 1966. After considering the advice of the University Grants Committee this has been settled at £147·5 million. The U.G.C. will now allocate this amount between the universities. The corresponding figure for the current academic year 1966–67 is estimated at £133 million. The increase between the two years is attributable partly to the increase in students planned for next year to the Robbins target of 197,000, and partly to price increases which universities have had to absorb under the block grant arrangements since the last adjustment on this account in 1964–65. It does not include the cost of research work to be taken over from Research Council funds, or provision for local authority rates, which will be separately dealt with.This provisoinal figure will be reviewed next year in the light of advice from the U.G.C. when they have completed their consideration of the estimates put forward by the universities for the quinquennium 1967–68–1971–72. The final figure will then be incorporated in the full Quinquennial Settlement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms in receipt of grants from public funds during the past 10 years, have closed down; and what was the amount of public funds lost as a result of such closures.

Forty firms which received grants from the Board in the last ten year' are known to have closed down the undertakings to which these grants were related. The grants totalled approximately £100,000. The Board was able to claim repayment of about £80,000 and has so far recovered nearly £69,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make orders to ensure that soap powders are marketed in uniform quantities so that the housewife can have a standard to assess relative values.

I will bear in mind my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he received the report from his inspectors on Cadco Limited; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the inspectors who investigated the affairs of Cadco Developments Limited, Royal Victoria Sausages Limited and Victoria Wholesale Meats Limited was received on 18th August, 1965. I referred it to the Lord Advocate and the Director of Public Prosecutions on 23rd August, 1965. The Board of Trade gave no assistance under the Local Employment Acts to this project. The Board of Trade Advisory Committee made a thorough investigation into the company's application for a building grant and advised against it; the Board accordingly refused a grant.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the Hotel Loan Scheme announced by the Prime Minister on 20th July.

I have now completed my consultations with the hotel industry, and the Board of Trade will be prepared to receive applications for loans under the scheme from 2nd January next.To be eligible for a loan under the scheme, a project must satisfy three conditions. First, the Board of Trade must be satisfied that it will provide accommodation of a type and standard likely to be acceptable to overseas visitors and to result in significant new or increased earnings from overseas guests staying at the hotel. Second, the project must involve capital expenditure of not less than £20,000 for new buildings, or for the procurement and installation of fixed plant or equipment. Third, work must not have begun on the site before 20th July, 1966. In other respects, the scheme will be as I described it on 26th July.To advise me on applications for loans under the scheme. I am establishing a Hotel Loans Advisory Committee. The Chairman of this Committee will be Sir William Slimmings; other members will be Sir Leonard Cooke, Mr. D. J. Davies, Mr. E. C. Garner, Mr. C. R. Hinds Howell and Professor S. Medlik. I am consulting the Secretary of State for Scotland about the appointment of a seventh member.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the increased interest of Members in the Common Market, he will allocate responsibilities in this field, at present allocated to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to a Minister who has no other duties.

No. The position remains as I explained it to the House in answer to a supplementary Question by the hon. and learned Member for Darwen (Mr. Fletcher-Cooke) on 17th November.—[Vol. 736, c. 626–7.]

asked the Prime Minister which Ministers have the responsibility for developing, as well as carrying out research into, information storage and retrieval, using computers and telecommunications systems; and who is responsible for the supervision, standardisation and co-ordination of work carried out by the Government, universities, research associations and industry in this field.

My right hon. Friends the Minister of Technology and the Secretary of State for Education and Science have responsibilities for research and development in this field. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science also has a wider responsibility for co-ordination in the field of scientific and technical information as he explained to the House in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson) on 27th April. 1965.

asked the Prime Minister on what date responsibility for shipbuilding will be transferred from the Board of Trade to the Ministry of Technology; and how many senior civil servants will move over.

As the hon. Member will know from Statutory Instrument 1410, this was done on 21st November. A total of 19 staff of all grades was transferred from the Board of Trade to the Ministry of Technology following the Order.

asked the Prime Minister whether any Minister has been given special responsibility for the shipbuilding and ship-repair industry, under the new arrangements.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology.

asked the Prime Minister which Ministers of the Crown, besides himself, have been allocated any responsibility for the direction, administration or co-ordination of the security services.

The present arrangements for Ministerial responsibility for the Security Service remain as described in detail in Lord Denning's Report and as endorsed by the then Government at that time.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech on railway policy made by the Minister of Transport at a dinner given by British Railways in London on 25th October, 1966 represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied that the statistics currently available to the Government enable it to measure the consequences of the cutback announced on 20th July; what changes have taken place in the methods of collecting and publishing such statistics; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that our statistical information is broadly adequate for the purposes it has to serve, but there is room for improvement and this is continually being studied. As for recent changes, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave earlier today to a Question by the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins). If the hon. Member wants more detailed information on any particular point, perhaps he would let me know.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will set up a Government co-ordination committee to review the findings of the survey of Government statistics being carried out by the director of the Oxford Institute of Economics and Statistics.