asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the outcome of the talks which he has been having with the National Farmers' Union and the Country Landowners' Association regarding the improvement of the disturbance compensation payments to tenant farmers.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that T. Wall and Sons Limited have announced a 2d. per lb. increase in the price of their pork sausages; and, as this is contrary to the Government's wages, prices and dividends policy, what action he proposes to take to prevent this proposed increase.

This increase was not contrary to Government policy. We have always recognised that prices must rise if costs go up markedly for certain specified reasons, one of which is a change in the supply of raw materials, and those increased costs cannot be absorbed.The early warning arrangements enabled me in this case, as in a number of similar cases, to satisfy myself in advance that the proposed increase was fully consistent with the criteria applicable during the standstill period, and the firm had been so informed before they made their announcement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the inadequate services rendered by the internal drainage boards; and whether he will review their functions and activities.

I am not aware of circumstances which would justify a re- view of this kind, but if my hon. Friend has any specific problem in mind I will gladly look into it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assurances he has received from the Swinefleet and Reedness Internal Drainage Board about the prevention of constant flooding of the village of Swine-fleet, in view of the danger to public health arising from the fact that no action has yet been taken.

The Reedness and Swinefleet Drainage Commissioners are at present reconditioning the main land drain affecting Swinefleet and hope to complete the work within the next two weeks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress towards a statutory minimum prices of fish scheme sponsored by the White Fish Authority under his direction.

I have nothing to add to the reply given on 7th December to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) and my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson). —[Vol. 737, c. 304.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the reviews of the use of food additives made by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee in the light of reports by the British Industrial Biological Research Association.

Yes. It is the usual practice to publish the reports of the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that, whilst each individual food additive permitted under the controlled quantities by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee may not constitute a hazard to health, all the food additives so authorised, or under current use without authorisation, do not, combined together, constitute such a hazard; and whether he will seek the advice of the Committee on that aspect of the matter.

The total use of food additives and their interaction are matters which are taken into account by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee in the recommendations they make for the control of these substances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is taken by his Department when they are informed that dogs are being smuggled into this country to avoid quarantine regulations.

We usually notify the police.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of wheat he estimates had been sown for the 1967 harvest by the end of November; and how this figure compares with a year ago.

Preliminary indications are that the acreage this year is lower than last year but it will not be possible to make a firm assessment until the December census results are available next month.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent it is his policy that the acreage of barley should be increased next year; and what action he proposes to take to encourage farmers to sow more wheat next spring.

The Government's policy is that consistently with our international obligations the production of home-grown cereals generally should increase to meet a substantial part of the increase in demand. The future trend of demand appears more favourable to wheat than to barley and we hope that farmers will bear this in mind in putting land down to cereals this winter and spring.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce the terms on which new grants for fishing vessels of under 80 feet will be made; and if he will make a statement.

Announcements were made on 9th March and 29th July last. A scheme giving effect to the new arrangements for grants of 40 per cent. will be made shortly and will be retrospective. Arrangements will also be made for increased grants for fishing vessels corresponding to the increase in investment grants for industry announced on 1st December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present level of meat imports from the Argentine and the previous level six months ago; and if he will make a statement.

Carcase meat imports from the Argentine in the first six months of this year averaged 2,700 tons a week. I estimate that current arrivals are at about the same level.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the present number of store cattle in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, but I shall, of course, be looking into this matter in the course of the Annual Farm Price Review in relation to the needs of the selective expansion programme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in HANSARD a detailed list of the various price increases which have been notified to his Department since 20th July, 1966; which of these are still in operation; and which of these have been given his approval and sanction.

The information given to our Department in accordance with the advance notification arrangements described in paragraphs 8 and 9 of the White Paper on the Prices and Incomes Standstill (Cmnd. 3073) is confidential, and it would therefore be inappropriate for me to provide the detailed list requested.Since 20th July, 1966, however, our Department has received 82 notifications of proposed price increases. Of these, 6 have been rejected, I has been withdrawn, 23 have been accepted as satisfying the criteria specified in the White Paper, 20 have been modified after discussions with our Department, and 32 are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will amend the Licensing of Boars (England and Wales) Regulations 1956, so as to exempt from the boar licensing arrangements pigs which are kept for experimental purposes.

My right hon. Friend has no power under the relative legislation to exempt any boar from the licensing arrangements. If, however, the right hon. and learned Member is concerned about the fee for permits for boars used in non-breeding experimental work, we have already noted this point for consideration when the Regulations are next amended.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to introduce a statutory minimum price scheme for white fish.

I have nothing to add to the Reply given on 7th December to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) and my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson).—[Vol. 737 c. 304.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish an estimate of the increased annual cost of food imports if Great Britain were to join the European Economic Community.

I cannot usefully enlarge on the statement made by the Prime Minister on 10th November.—[Vol. 735, c. 1530–1.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a White Paper showing the effects on the housewife of entering the Common Market.

I do not think I could usefully enlarge upon the statement which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made on 10th November in reply to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley).—[Vol. 735, c. 1530–1.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposed food price increases have been stopped by his direct intervention since the standstill; and how many food price increases have taken place in spite of the standstill.

Notifications of proposed price increases under the Early Warning System are confidential. I am not therefore at liberty to say what proposals I have rejected, but they amount to six. A further one was withdrawn. Twenty-three notifications to my Department of proposed price increases have been accepted as satisfying the criteria specified in the White Papers and a further 20 have been accepted after they had been modified in discussion with my Department.The success of the Government's policy is to be measured not by the number of proposals which are accepted or rejected. Much more important is the extent to which, in co-operation with the Government's policy, manufacturers do not make proposals for price increases in the first place (or modify them after discussion with my Department) and traders do all they can to prevent unnecessary rises in the prices of foodstuffs which must vary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of foodstuffs which have gone down in price in the last month.

The prices of many foodstuffs must inevitably go up and down in accordance with fluctuations in supply and demand. It would therefore be impracticable to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list of the foodstuffs which have gone down in the past month. However, I am glad to say that in the last month there have been significant falls in the average price of beef, lamb, tomatoes, bananas and oranges.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Eire Government have withdrawn the export subsidy on fat cattle consigned to the United Kingdom.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many milk producers have given up production in the past 12 months.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Galloway on 2nd November last. —[Vol. 735 c. 87.]

IMPORTS OF BEEF AND VEAL ('000 tons)
				June	July	August	September	October	November
Argentina:
1965	…	…	…	8·8	9·7	5·7	6·8	9·5	9·9
1966	…	…	…	13·1	5·0	9·0	12·9	10·4	N.A.
Irish Republic:
1965	…	…	…	1·2	2·2	2·3	4·4	3·5	3·8
1966	…	…	…	1·3	2·2	3·7	3·2	4·8	N.A.
Yugoslavia:
1965	…	…	…	0·7	0·6	—	0·1	—	—
1966	…	…	…	0·3	0·4	0·7	0·8	0·5	N.A.
Total Imports (all sources):
1965	…	…	…	25·2	28·1	23·6	28·4	29·5	31·1
1966	…	…	…	25·9	22·7	29·5	36·0	29·4	N.A.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the total sums paid in grubbing-up grants for old orchards in the past year; how many acres this covers; and how many separate applications were involved.

In the year ended 31st October 1966, some £47,000 was paid in

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to start making payment of the special hill ewe subsidy announced on 23rd November.

The first advance payments of hill sheep subsidy in England and Wales were made on 6th December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he proposes to take in relation to fatstock prices.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Reply given to the hon. Members for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Kitson) and Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale) today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the level of imports of beef from the Argentine, the Republic of Ireland and Yugoslavia, respectively, in the months of June, July, August, September, October and November, 1966, as compared with the same months in 1965.

Following is the information:grants for grubbing orchards in England and Wales. The grants related to some 640 proposals and 3,500 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Farmers' Union in regard to calling a Conference of European Ministers of Agriculture to discuss regulation of the meat trade.

The National Farmers' Union have suggested such a conference. I have explained that this problem is one of those now under consideration within the context of the Kennedy Round in Geneva and that it is here in the first place that any solution must be sought.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet decided what action he intends to take in the case of local authorities who stand to lose Exchequer grant as a result of a decision not to increase council house rents during the period of the standstill; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Dewar) on 9th December.—[Vol. 737 c. 377.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to curtail or abolish the right of feu owners to override the decisions of elected planning authorities by the use of restrictions embodied in ancient feu charters.

I shall consider this in the light of the report of the Committee on Conveyancing Legislation and Practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teenagers over school-leaving age received full-time education in Scotland in the years 1964, 1965, and 1966 to date.

The figures for pupils and students up to the age of 19 are 92,400, 94,900 and 95,600, respectively. These figures include estimates for students in Universities and further education.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many girls have appeared before juvenile courts in Scotland in the years 1964, 1965 and 1966 to date.

The exact number of girls who appeared before juvenile courts could not be determined without undue labour. The figures for girls under 17 found guilty of criminal offences are:

1964	1,635
1965	1,915
1966 (first six months)	971

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many boys have appeared before juvenile courts in Scotland in the years 1964, 1965, and 1966 to date.

The exact number of boys who appeared before juvenile courts could not be determined without undue labour. The figures for boys under 17 found guilty of criminal offences are:

1964	20,445
1965	21,395
1966 (first six months)	10,388

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local education authorities have now submitted their plans for comprehensive education; how many have been approved; and how many local education authorities have still not submitted their proposals.

Thirty-three education authorities have submitted proposals covering the whole of their areas; the two remaining authorities have submitted proposals for parts of their areas. The proposals submitted by twenty have been wholly or very substantially approved together with one part-scheme; the remaining proposals are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is his policy to encourage local authorities to offer municipal houses for sale to sitting tenants.

In Scotland's present housing position I am against this as a general policy, but I consent to it in very special cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what number the Scottish police forces are below their authorised establishment; and if he will give separate figures for the City of Glasgow police force.

The figures on 31st October were 927 for all Scottish police forces and 367 for the City of Glasgow Police.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet received the Halliday Report on Conveyancing; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to publish this report next week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the extent of juvenile delinquency in Scotland giving ages, sexes, nature of offences, manner in which each was dealt with and his plans for improving the law relating to juvenile delinquency and reformation of the delinquents in Scotland.

On the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the published Criminal Statistics.On the second part, the Government have already announced their intention to give effect to the recommendations of the Kilbrandon Committee, and have put forward in the White Paper on "Social Work and the Community" proposals for reorganising local social work services to improve their effectiveness for this and other purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the dispute between the Glasgow police, advocates and solicitors in respect of administration of legal aid and of court procedures; whether he has received any official representations from any of their organisations and if he will initiate consultations between the disputants to avoid any further deterioration of public confidence in the administration of the law.

I am aware of criticisms that have been voiced on these matters, but have received no representations from interested organisations. I am inviting the Law Society of Scotland to review the working of the criminal legal aid scheme after its first two years of operation with particular reference to practical difficulties and I am confident the Society will take into account all expressions of opinion from responsible quarters. As regards court proceedings, I shall be glad to consider, in consultation with the Lord Advocate, any representations that may be made to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost of the new technical school at Kilmarnock; and what has been the cost of acquiring the land and the cost of buildings, etc.

The total cost will not be precisely known until final measurements have been taken, but the approved tender costs totalled £905,194.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) who authorised the governor of the Borstal institution at Polmont to commence instruction classes in the use and dismantling of Bren guns and rifles to young offenders between the ages of 17 and 19 years;(2) if he will take disciplinary action against the persons responsible for the decision to instruct young offenders in the use and dismantling of firearms at the Borstal Institution, Polmont.

The cadet force was revived at Polmont Borstal Institution in 1959. This unit is run on the same lines as other units of the cadet forces, whose instruction includes map reading and the dismantling of automatic weapons. I regard the training and discipline of the cadet force as of value to selected boys in borstal institutions.

		Eligible farms
Scheme	Applications between:	Crops and grass (acreage)	Labour requirements (standard man/days)	Details of grants	Total grants paid (£'000)
The Small Farmers (Scotland) Scheme 1959	1st January, 1959 and 31st July, 1962	20 to 100	250 (or " potential of 275)to 450	Farm business grant (Maximum £360) £6 per acre of crops and grass Field husbandry grants e.g. £9 per acre for cropping (Overall maximum £1,000)	1960–61	270
					1961–62	290
					1962–63	390
The Small Farmers (Scotland) Scheme 1962	1st August, 1962 and 31st August, 1965	20 to 100	250 (or potential of 275) to 500		1963–64	350
					1964–65	330
					1965–66	367
The Small Farm (Business) Management (Scotland) Scheme 1965	1st September, 1965 and 31st August, 1968	20 to 125	250 to 600	Records grant £50 per year for 3 years Acreage grant £2, £3·10s. and £3 per annum, per acre of crops and grass (Overall maximum £1,000)	508 schemes have been approved but no payment is yet due

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was paid to farmers in each of the last six years as compensation for losses arising from contagious diseases among livestock.

Compensation paid to farmers in Scotland for the last six years is as follows:

Financial Year	£
1960–61	1,045,919
1961–62	81,775
1962–63	25,932
1963–64	675,115
1964–65	100,231
1965–66	26,027

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will enumerate and identify the individual grants to small farmers, indicating on what basis they are payable, and how much was spent on each in each of the last six years.

There are three schemes of grants specifically designed to assist small farmers in Scotland, and information about them is given in the appended statement. The other grants listed in the Reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 16th November, 1966 are also available to small farmers, but the amounts paid to them cannot be separately identified.—[Vol. 736, c. 127–30.]Following is the statement:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of new dual carriageway road, excluding motorway, came into use in Scotland in each of the years 1963, 1964 and 1965; and how many miles will come into use in 1966 and 1967, respectively.

Total mileages are not available by calendar year but, by financial year, the mileages of trunk and classified roads taken together are as follows:

Year	Mileage of new dual carriageway road *brought into use
1963–64	17·91
1964–65	33·87
1965–66	8·25
	†expected to be brought into use
1966–67	about 10
1967–68	about 20

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will, under his responsibilities for planning, include in the terms of reference of the Greater Edinburgh Land Use/Transportation Study the question of the future development of Turnhouse Airport.

The consultants will be required to investigate the pattern of future transportation by all methods inside the study area and between it and adjoining areas. In so far as air travel to and from Turnhouse will be relevant to this remit it will be studied.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many contracts submitted to him for approval by local authorities for housing in the first nine months of 1966 have been approved; how many have been refused; how many have been sent back to the respective local authority for amendment; and what is the total number of houses in each case.

During this period 388 tenders for 19,278 houses (including some which had been adjusted and resubmitted) were approved. Twenty-five tenders for 1,781 houses were refused and sent back for reconsideration. Figures relating to tenders submitted during the period could not be extracted without undue labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many days in each of the last five years the main A9 from Perth to Inverness has been closed to traffic because of snow.

This information is not readily available. To the best of my knowledge, the numbers of occasions on which the A9 was blocked in each of the past five years in the respective counties are as follows:

	Perth	Inverness
Winter:
1961–62	—	17
1962–63	5	17
1963–64	1	7
1964–65	4	8
1965–66	3	17

Blockages may have occurred more than once a day, and the road may have been blocked in both counties at the same time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of registering births, marriages and deaths in each of the past three years; and if he will provide separate figures in respect of each category of registration.

I regret that this information is not available since separate accounts are not kept for the various functions performed by registrars, which include the provision of extracts from the registers and, in certain cases, the conduct of civil marriages as well as the registration of births, deaths and marriages.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the estimated annual value of the remission of rates to the agricultural industry in each of the last six years.

As agricultural lands and heritages have not been valued for rating since 1960–61, this information is not available. In that year 87½per cent. de-rating reduced the rateable value of agricultural subjects by about £5,800,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will provide assistance for the establishment of a marketing association for food processors in Scotland, in co-operation with the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society and the Scottish Country Industries Development Trust.

If my assistance is sought shall of course be glad to consider whether there is any way in which I can help.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) why, in the light of the comments in paragraphs 411, 412, 425, and 426 of the Board of Trade Report on the Cadco Affair, no criminal proceedings have been initiated;(2) if he will state the grounds on which the Lord Advocate decided that in the Cadco Affair no criminal proceedings are warranted.

I have nothing to add to the Reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Board of Trade on 27th October.—[Vol. 734 c. 1278–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what disciplinary action he has taken, or intends to take, against persons for whom he is answerable and responsible, who were implicated in the Cadco affair;(2) what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that there were no errors of judgment, or incompetence, or negligence on the part of public servants involved in the Cadco affair; and if he will publish a detailed account of his findings.

I have reviewed in detail the sequence of events in which Glenrothes Development Corporation and my Department were involved, and I have studied the report by inspectors under the Companies Act. In my Reply of 30th November to my hon. Friend I stated my conclusions and described the instruc- tions I have given. I see no need for further action on my part.—[Vol. 737, c. 106–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland have been registered as suffering from malnutrition; and what are his plans for providing a remedy for them.

There is no provision for registering persons suffering from malnutrition and no figures are available for Scotland as a whole. Our main effort is directed at prevention through the provision of welfare foods, school milk and meals, the meals on wheels service and through health education. A special study is at present being made of the nutritional needs of the elderly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the inquiry into the cause and effects of the collapse of the new building of the College of Zoology in Aberdeen University, indicating where the inquiry is being held, what evidence is being adduced, and what steps are being taken to provide compensation for the men injured and for the families of those injured and killed.

The public inquiry into the recent building accident in Aberdeen will take place in Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 16th January. Evidence covering the circumstances of the accident will be led by the procurator fiscal.I understand that the incident has been accepted as an industrial accident for the purpose of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts, and payments are being made to those concerned. Any question of further compensation would be for the appropriate civil court.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons with the full qualifications recommended in the Tyler Report have been appointed to the posts of hospital engineer and group engineer, respectively, since the publication of that report; how many appointments have been made to these posts of persons not carrying these qualifications; and how many vacancies for these posts exist at present.

Answers to a special inquiry show that in Scotland from January, 1965, to January, 1966, two hospital engineers and three group engineers with the prescribed qualifications were appointed and no hospital engineers and two group engineers without. Only appointments of staff without such qualifications require departmental approval and of these six hospital engineers and two group engineers have been appointed since January, 1966. We have no central record of vacancies, but the inquiry showed that in January, 1966, three posts were vacant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will authorise Glasgow Corporation to start construction of the Kingston Bridge section of the inner ring road.

I have today approved the 75 per cent. grant required to allow the Corporation to go ahead with this scheme at an estimated cost of £11½ million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why live ammunition is not being supplied to South African frigates in accordance with the Simonstown Agreement and normal diplomatic convention.

Neither the Simonstown Agreement nor normal diplomatic convention imposes any specific obligation on Her Majesty's Government to supply live ammunition to South Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has given with regard to permission for visiting Territorial Army drill halls likely to be redundant by representatives of regional sports councils.

Regional Sports Councils may inspect any surplus Territorial Army Centre on application to the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state an approximate timetable for the implementation of his proposal to declare the Gare Loch and Loch Long a Queen's Harbour, giving dates for formal objections to be received and the procedure for hearing these objections.

Under the provisions of the Dockyard Ports Regulation Act of 1865, we intend to create a Dockyard Port for the Gare Loch, Loch Long and Loch Goil in 1967. The Act does not provide for a procedure for hearing objections. But, as I told the House in the Adjournment Debate on 12th December, we are taking great pains to ensure that all interested parties are given the opportunity to express their views.—[Vol. 738, c. 211.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet reached agreement with the Government of Hong Kong on the number of battalions of troops they wish to retain; and how much they are prepared to pay Her Majesty's Government for them.

The discussions in Hong Kong have centred on the question of Hong Kong's contribution to defence costs; a statement on this will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the increase in troops for the defence of Kuwait and for the Persian Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the statement in "The Defence Review" (Cmnd. 2901), that we shall be making a small increase in our forces stationed in the Persian Gulf.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to resume negotiations with the Blackpool Service Families Accommodation Association for the conclusion of a new contract covering the period from 1st January next.

New contracts are being prepared to come into effect on 1st May, 1967, and tenders will be invited shortly. Accommodation needed before then will be arranged with individual proprietors.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce revised rates of pay for service medical and dental officers; and from what date they will be effective.

Revised rates of pay for medical and dental officers in the Armed Forces will be announced as soon as possible. They will be backdated to 1st October, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence who are the likely new tenants or owners of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes Club's premises at Brompton, Gillingham; and what is the nature of their activities.

The disposal by the N.A.A.F.I. of these premises is still being negotiated. I will write to the hon. Gentleman about the position that has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the weekly net cost per case of the total in-patient costs for the years 1963, 1964 and 1965 at the Cambridge and Marie Louise Hospitals, Aldershot.

Detailed costing began at the Cambridge Hospital in 1965, and will begin at the Louise Margaret Maternity Hospital next year. The figure for the Cambridge Hospital in 1965 was £40.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force drivers are carrying out alcohol breath tests; what spirits are being issued; and what type and make of breathmeters are being used.

No. R.A.F. drivers are carrying out alcohol breath tests and no spirits are being issued for this purpose. The R.A.F. provost staff are, however, examining breath analysis equipment simply to familiarise themselves with this type of device and to make a preliminary appraisal of the possible police drills for using it in the circumstances envisaged in the Road Safety Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, following the Report of the Public Accounts Committee and the recent announcement of escalating costs for refitting H.M.S. "Blake", he will initiate an inquiry into the administration and control of Her Majesty's dockyards and into the value of a greater degree of decentralisation and local control within a revised general structure similar to that envisaged for the Post Office.

The administration and control of Her Majesty's Dockyards were the subject of a special study a few years ago, and are continually reviewed in the light of modern management principles. Revised arrangements are being progressively introduced. The costs of refitting H.M.S. "Blake" have not escalated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which British field post offices were the addressees of the batches of parcels recently stolen; in particular, whether British Field Post Offices 53 and 56 were involved; and whether the losses included scheduled Christmas parcel mail.

The parcels were stolen before arrival for sorting at the Postal Depot at Mill Hill, and I regret therefore that it is not possible to say which addresses were involved. Since, however, they were stolen after the latest dates for posting for British Forces Post Offices 53 and 56, it is unlikely that parcels to those destinations were lost.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total value of defence contracts placed in Scotland in each of the last five years; and what plans he has for increasing such contracts in the next few years.

The total value of defence contracts, including those placed by the Ministry of Aviation is as follows:

Financial Year	£ million
1961–62	44·08
1962–63	44·81
1963–64	56·85
1964–65	61·05
1965–66	33·78

In addition, contracts for defence works services carried out in Scotland amounted to:

Calendar Year	£ millioi
1962	7·71
1963	5·85
1964	10·15
1965	11·30
1966 (to date)	4·61

With regard to the second part of the Question, Scotland is, of course, covered by the arrangements referred to in my Reply to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 16th November. The whole of Scotland, with the exception of an area around Edinburgh, is now designated as a Development Area.—[Vol. 736, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to ensure that military training entails a minimum of spit and polish and blanco, and a maximum of humanity and common sense.

This is already our policy: we discourage excessive spit and polish.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will state the number of vessels cleared from British ports with cargo during the seven months ended July, 1966, with the comparable figure for 1965.

69,616 and 75,510 respectively.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now make a statement about the Humberside trunk road network and the Humber Bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will make an announcement about the building of the Humber Bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the route for the proposed new Humberside motorway has now been decided.

I expect to be able to do so shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals she has had from the Leeds City Council for restrictions in the interests of safety on Whitehall Road, Leeds, 12; and what reply she has sent.

Leeds City Council has informally discussed a proposal for a 40 m.p.h. speed limit with the Divisional Road Engineer, who has advised them to make a formal application. This will be dealt with as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals her Department has put to Kent County Council on a new motorway to serve the Channel Tunnel; and if she will make a statement.

The nature and extent of improvements needed to roads to serve the Charnel Tunnel will depend on the outcome of investigations now in hand. The road most affected will be the A20 and the Kent County Council has completed a preliminary investigation of possible alternative alignments for this route east of the Maidstone by-pass. My Department is now arranging an aerial survey.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, having regard to the results of traffic surveys carried out by the Hertfordshire County Council this year and to the undoubted increase of traffic congestion in Hoddesdon and Ware, she will give an early place in the trunk road programme to construction of a Hoddesdon-Ware bypass to the A108.

My right hon. Friend will take into account the results of the recent Transportation Study when deciding whether to include the Hoddesdon-Ware By-pass to the A10 in the list of trunk road schemes which she hopes to announce early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport when a by-pass for the village of Filkins, Oxfordshire, will be started.

The proposed by-pass is a potential classified road which the responsible highway authority, the Oxfordshire County Council, wish to construct next year. My right hon. Friend is prepared to consider making grant available.

asked the Minister of Transport what difficulties are preventing her deciding on the line of the M62 between Lofthouse and Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, West Riding.

My right hon. Friend has been carefully considering objections to the draft Scheme under Section 11 of the Highways Act, 1959, for this route. She expects to announce her decision very soon.

asked the Minister of Transport when work is likely to commence on the M62 between Lofthouse and Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, West Riding.

The route of this motorway eastwards from Lofthouse has not yet been settled.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of motorway came into use in each of the years 1959 to 1965; and how many miles she estimates will be brought into use in 1966, 1967, and 1968, respectively.

The figures, for England only, are as follows:

	Year	Miles
Actual	1959	73
	1960	45¾
	1961	21½
	1962	49¼
	1963	95
	1964	8¼
	1965	74¾
Anticipated	1966	49½
	1967	68¾
	1968	39

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of new dual carriageway road, excluding motorway, came into use in England in each of the years 1963, 1964, and 1965; and how many miles will come into use in 1966 and 1967, respectively.

The available information is:

(a) In use	Miles
1963–64	85
1964–65	95
1965–66	65
1966–67 (to date)	51
(b) Expected Completions
1966–67	30
1967–68	98

NOTE. These figures do not include short lengths carried out as part of the "under £100,000" programme.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) how much has been expended on research into snow clearance and icing on roads per year in the last five years;(2) what research is being conducted, and where, into snow clearance from roads and icing on roads.

The Department is carrying out a comprehensive programme of research into snow clearance from roads and icing on roads and development of snow clearing equipment. This is being conducted partly by the Road Research Laboratory at Crowthorne and partly, at various places, by the Winter Maintenance Equipment Development Committee, which includes representatives of local authorities.The cost of this programme from 31st March, 1961, to date amounts in all to £27,250. It is impracticable to give the amounts spent in each of these years.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will state the original estimated date for the completion of the Hertford inner relief road; and what is her present estimate of the date on which it will be open to traffic.

The Hertfordshire County Council, who are the highway authority for this scheme, originally hoped that it would be completed in December, 1966. They now expect it to be ready in August, 1967.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware of the delay in the building of the Hertford inner relief road; and what steps she is taking in consultation with the Minister of Public Building and Works to accelerate progress.

I am aware that the Hertfordshire County Council have encountered delays to this classified road scheme. I understand that their difficulties have been resolved but if they ask my right hon. Friend for help she will certainly give it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain to what extent the accident on the M4 on Wednesday, 7th December, involving a mini-car and the death of Mr. Samuel Rowley was due to the failure of those concerned in taking anti-ice precautions in failing to salt the road, the failure to switch on the amber warning light system, or the failure of the brakes on the mini-car due to the fault in the braking system on the car as admitted by the car manufacturers.

We are investigating this accident and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as all the facts are available.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the cost of erecting a temporary flyover bridge over the canal at Thorne where the existing one-way swing bridge causes constant traffic congestion.

Probably more than £0·5 million.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware of the increasing difficulties facing British motor car manufacturers owing to the varying safety requirements in the various countries of the world; and what steps she is taking at the present time to expedite the achievement of a comprehensive international agreement on regulations applying to the construction and use of motor vehicles.

We are aware of the problem and our officials take a leading part in the work of the international organisations that are tackling it and which were mentioned in the Reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 9th December.—[Vol. 737, c. 384.]

asked the Minister of Transport why she included the condition of the approach road to their premises among the reasons for refusing an application by a firm, which has been the subject of correspondence with the hon. Member for Shrewsbury, for appointment as an authorised examiner for the purposes of Section 65 of the Road Traffic Act, 1960.

As has been fully explained to the hon. Member this private road is not suitable either for traffic to and from a public testing station or for use for testing the braking efficiency of vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps have been taken to institute an area examination of the transport needs of south-east Northumberland; and if she will issue a statement on the possibilities of an integrated transport system for the area based on the present rail system.

The Department has been discussing with local authorities and public transport operators the possibility of a transportation study on Tyneside. The objective would be to help to plan the development of a transport system which makes the best use of all modes of transport.My right hon. Friend is visiting Tyneside on 6th January to discuss with the major local authorities and public transport operators how a conurbation transport authority might be set up which would have as one of its duties the planning of an integrated system of public transport for the area.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give an estimate of the loss to the nation from transport dislocation resulting from snow and ice in each of the last five years.

I regret that the information necessary for such an estimate is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a detailed list of the 2,376 increase in her staff since October 1964 after the transfer of 2,604 of her staff to the Board of Trade, the Welsh Office and the Road Research Laboratory.

The position is not quite as the hon. Member seems to have understood it. As I said in reply to the hon. Member for Woking on 4th November—[Vol. 735, c. 187.]—taking account of the transfers to the Board of Trade and the Welsh Office, and the transfer of the Road Research Laboratory to the Department, there was a net decrease of 228 in the staff of the Ministry between October, 1964 and October, 1966.The net changes in staff by classes were:

Administrative	-22*
Executive	-113*
Clerical, typing and related grades	-278*
Engineering and technical	-186*
Scientific	+404*
Economists	+20
Other professional	+10
Driving and traffic examiners	+424
Coastguard	-531*
Messengerial	-167*
Industrial	+211*

The changes marked with an asterisk arose mainly or in some cases wholly from the transfers of work to and from other Departments.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will report to the House on consultations now taking place on changes in the Travel Concessions Act.

I have nothing yet to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend on 9th November.—[Vol. 735, c. 296.]

asked the Minister of Transport how many firms have been requested to answer the questions contained in the 10 pages of form R2098 which deals with the survey of transport from manufacturing establishments.

One thousand.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present backlog of people waiting for driving tests.

The number of outstanding applications for driving tests is now about 350,000, representing an average waiting period of 8 weeks from time of application.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware of the difficulties and confusion caused in certain areas of the country where parking meter charges are lifted on a Saturday although parking restrictions at parking meter bays are still enforced, and that visitors to these areas are often of the opinion that as charges are not made for parking, no parking restrictions are enforced; and whether she will seek to ensure, by legislation or otherwise, that notices are exhibited in these areas to inform the public of the position.

Motorists who obey Parking Meter Zone Entry signs, instructions on parking meter plates and other traffic signs in a meter zone should not experience any difficulty or confusion.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the importance of the Great Central Main Line as a feeder for the proposed Channel Tunnel, she will make an order that the formation of the line shall be preserved for further use.

The general arrangements announced on 15th June ensure that if the Board wished to dispose of the formation of this line, they would have to seek my right hon. Friend's agreement. She would, of course, take all relevant matters into account.

asked the Minister of Transport what research is being conducted into snow clearance from the railways; and where it is being conducted.

Trials have been proceeding on British Railways, mainly in the Western Region, with new kinds of lubricating greases and de-icing fluids for use on points. Following tests in the Research Laboratories at Derby, experi- mental work is in progress in Scottish Region on methods of switching on point heaters automatically as weather conditions may require. These measures will supplement existing methods of dealing with snow, such as the provision of heavy duty snow ploughs at strategic places, the fitting of smaller ploughs to diesel locomotives and the increasing use of gas and electric point heaters, of which 5,000 have now been installed.

asked the Minister of Transport on how many days in each of the last five years railway lines in Scotland have been closed to traffic because of snow.

Statistical information relating to nationalised industries, when available, is usually provided only for the country as a whole. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport how much money has been expended in each of the last five years on snow clearance on railways.

This information is not available.