asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to her Department on the extension of the M2 motorway into inner London; and what reply she has sent.

The Greater London Council is the responsible authority for this route west of the Bexley/Greenwich boundary and deals with any representations made about it.Improvement of the route—known as the Dover Radial—is not yet programmed. The Council plans to extend the route westwards as far as Kidbrooke to link up with the Blackwall Tunnel route to the north and a proposed southward link to Sidcup Road (A20).

asked the Minister of Transport what further steps she proposes to take to strengthen the regulations against parking in London in yellow-band or no-waiting areas.

It is for the Greater London Council, as traffic authority, to make or amend regulations of this sort in London.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the high concentration of industry in Lancashire, she will now give special consideration and priority to the need for motorway construction serving that county.

Lancashire already has 66 miles of motorway in use and 51 miles in the forward programme. My right hon. Friend will shortly be making an announcement about the next list of trunk road schemes for preparation.

asked the Minister of Transport what will be the estimated total Exchequer expenditure on motorways in Lancashire in the five years ending 1970–71.

Motorway work to a total value of over £11 million is at present in progress, and a further £66 million worth is programmed for completion by the early 1970s. All but about £3 million of this expenditure will be met from the Exchequer, but I cannot forecast how much will fall in the period mentioned.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents caused by straying animals there were in each of the years 1960 to 1965 on the trunk road A31 within the New Forest and its environs.

The following accidents have been caused by straying animals on the A31 within the New Forest and its environs:

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of the road accidents over the Christmas holiday resulting in death or serious injury, was caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol.

To estimate this proportion it would be necessary to measure the blood-alcohol concentrations of all the drivers involved. There is no power to do this under the existing law. But it has been proved that drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol increases accident risk; and previous studies of Christmas accidents have shown that more drivers involved in accidents then had been drinking than at other times.

asked the Minister of Transport if the analysis of the Christmas period road accident figures has been completed; and what percentage of the accidents can be attributed to the excessive intake of alcohol of motorists and pedestrians.

No. The final figures will be analysed next month together with information from coroners on the blood-alcohol concentrations of drivers and riders killed.Until the Road Safety Bill becomes law we cannot obtain information about how much other drivers involved in accidents had drunk. There is little information about alcohol consumed by pedestrians. I am taking steps to obtain more.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will now impose a ban on heavy vehicles from the centre of the city of St. Albans.

No

asked the Minister of Transport what is the nature of inquiry into every road accident which involves loss of life or serious injury; and if she will make a statement.

Comprehensive standard reports on the salient features of all such accidents are made by police forces to my Department. Coroners' inquests are held on fatal accidents. The Road Research Laboratory and my Area Road Safety Units also intensively investigate large samples of fatal and serious accidents. This work brings out the main contributory factors.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will state the number of accidents, during the last convenient period of 12 months, on roads without footpaths which involved pedestrians walking on the side facing oncoming traffic and on the side with traffic overtaking them, respectively.

No comprehensive record is kept, but sample analyses show that accidents of this sort account for three to four per cent. of all the fatal and serious accidents involving pedestrians. Of the pedestrians injured in this way, those walking with their back to the traffic numbered four to five times as many as those facing it

asked the Minister of Transport what steps she is now taking to secure access to Eastern Avenue for the residents of Shepherd's Close, Ilford, in view of the local authority's refusal to allow a pathway over Council property to save mothers with small children half-an-hour's walk.

Further proposals are now under consideration with the London Borough of Redbridge as explained in the letter sent to the hon. Member on 16th January.

asked the Minister of Transport when she now expects work to start on the construction of the M5 south from Twyning.

It is hoped to start work on the Bredon Bridge and approaches next June and on the main roadworks south from Twyning in spring 1968.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will now authorise the carrying out of the sodium lighting scheme proposed for the Colney Heath Lane and Smallford Lane junctions with the A405 north orbital road, St. Albans.

No. The improvement which is now to be made to the A405 at this point should substanitally reduce accident hazards. Owing to the limitation of funds, we cannot at present approve the lighting scheme as well as the road improvement.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the nine deaths caused by accidents on Eastern Road, Portsmouth, during 1966, she will reconsider her decision not to impose a 40 miles per hour speed limit.

The location of accidents on this road suggests that the improvement of junctions is the right means for increasing safety and not the imposition of an overall speed limit. Traffic signals are already being erected at three junctions. In the light of their operation the whole position will be reviewed.

asked the Minister of Transport how much money she is allocating for continued improvements on the A38 and A30 in 1967, not already planned before 1964.

About £1·7 million.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she intends to include the proposed motorway from M62 to the north of Rawtenstall in the next list of schemes to be announced for preparation.

We have no plans for such a motorway. We are, however, considering the line and standard of construction for a bypass to the east of Bury which would eventually join the M62 and the Edenfield-Rawtenstall by-pass. Work on the latter is expected to start in a few months time.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made in the acquisition of land for the proposed Darrington footbridge over the A1; and when the bridge will be built.

The compulsory purchase order required will be published next week. If it is unopposed, the footbridge could be built by October; if opposed—not before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has to control the number of one-person-per-car commuters driving into London during the period while the Road Research Laboratory are examining the feasibility of road pricing.

Traffic management in Greater London is a matter for the Greater London Council. I would refer my hon. Friend to the Council's report of February, 1966 entitled "Parking Policy in Central London". Paragraph 18 explains the effect of the parking policy in controlling car commuting.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will reconsider her decision not to consent to a pedestrian crossing in High Street, Chislehurst.

No formal application has been made for a pedestrian crossing in the High Street. My right hon. Friend will of course give full consideration to any application the Council may make.

asked the Minister of Transport what action she proposes to take to implement Report No. 44 of the Road Research Laboratory, A Road Trial with Reflectorised Registration Plates for Motor Vehicles, by M. S. Rutley; and if she will make a statement.

The report is being studied by our Lighting Working Party as part of their work on the use of reflectorised number plates.

asked the Minister of Transport if, as a means of reducing motor collisions and injury to pedestrians, she will devise a means of narrowing at road junctions roads, however wide, so as to force motorists to slow down at such junctions and so as to provide safer crossing by refuges for pedestrians at such junctions.

Refuges, which channel traffic and are a help to pedestrians at junctions, are recommended by the Ministry where the road is wide enough to accommodate them safely. To restrict further the width of road available for vehicles at junctions would tend to increase vehicle accidents and congestion without real benefit to pedestrian safety.

asked the Minister of Transport what action she is taking to reduce the number of accidents at Town End Corner, Thirsk.

There is no immediate way of improving traffic conditions at this junction; the solution, which my right hon. Friend has already accepted, is the provision of a bypass of Thirsk. The necessary preparatory work for this bypass is being pressed forward as a matter of urgency.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give priority to the building of a bypass around Holten-le-Clay, near Grimsby, in order to reduce the danger of serious accidents before the next holiday season starts.

No. We have not yet found it possible to include this bypass in the forward programme.

asked the Minister of Transport what revenue has been earned from parking meters installed in the Greater London area since 31st March, 1965; what balance was left over after payment of all expenses to provide and maintain off street car parks; and what proportion of this balance has been used for this purpose.

Returns for the financial year ended 31st March, 1966, are not yet available for the whole of Greater London.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimates have been made in her Department of the revenues that would accrue from the introduction of tolls on motorways.

It is difficult to make reliable estimates of the revenues that tolls on motorways might give. But our studies show that the costs of installation and operation, as well as the indirect costs to the community, would be high.

asked the Minister of Transport on what mileage of motorways construction will be commenced in England in 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively.

A substantial mileage will be started during the four year period, but because of uncertainties arising from the lengthy procedures necessary before construction can begin it is not possible to make accurate annual forecasts.

asked the Minister of Transport what mileage of motorways will be opened in England during 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively.

68¾ miles and 39 miles are under construction for completion in 1967 and 1968 respectively. Accurate forecasts for 1969 and 1970 cannot be made until the contracts for the sections concerned have been let, but we expect some 150 miles to be opened during the two year period.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, as a matter of priority, she will initiate schemes to improve the traffic-flow on the A38 at Highbridge, Taunton and Exeter in time to relieve the serious congestion and traffic-jams experienced at these points at the peak of summer tourism.

We are doing all we can to see that such measures as can be introduced to ease the flow of holiday traffic will be in operation in time. But only the long term improvements we are planning can really solve the problems in Highbridge, Taunton and Exeter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the considerable and increasing volume of traffic through Midhurst and following the representations made to her, she will now authorise a pedestrian crossing at a suitable point in that town.

West Sussex County Council as the highway authority has been asked to supply details of a pedestrian and vehicle count during the peak summer season. My right hon. Friend will reconsider the case on receipt of this information.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the aerial and ground surveys in connection with the routing of the new motorway from Edithmead to Plymouth.

Tenders have now been invited for an aerial survey to be carried out in the near future. A soil survey will be put in hand when further location work has been carried out on the basis of the results of the aerial survey.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the total estimated expenditure under the rolling road programme for the five years ending 1970–71 and the year ending 1971–72.

I cannot yet announce the exact expenditure figures for these years. However, as promised yesterday, I have today announced a list of local authority principal road schemes which should be ready to start around 1971 and I intend to publish shortly the titles of a much larger number of urban schemes to be put in preparation now for further extensions of the 1970s programme.For trunk roads I hope to announce next month a very considerable addition to the large number of schemes already in preparation; these are intended for the early 1970s programme. All this amounts to a very large volume of work for these years.

asked the Minister of Transport what study she has made of the transport section of the First Annual Report of the Humberside and South Yorkshire Regional Development Board; and, in view of the fact that new trunk routes were announced by her predecessor in September, 1965, what is the reason for the delay in deciding on the line of the new motorways.

I presume the hon. Gentleman is referring to the "Review of Yorkshire and Humberside" recently published by the Economic Planning Council and I would refer him to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Mr. George Jeger) on 21st December, 1966.—[Vol. 738, c. 335.]The delay in deciding on the line of the new motorways has been due to the need to consider alternative proposals; in this connection I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I have given today to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will now announce a list of additional trunk road schemes to be prepared for inclusion in the road programme for the early 1970s.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 18th January, 1967.—[Vol. 739, c. 71.]

asked the Minister of Transport what is her latest annual estimate of the cost of road traffic congestion; and if she will state on what assumptions this calculation is based.

The Road Research Laboratory estimates that the cost of road traffic congestion in Great Britain in 1965 was of the order of £730 million.The Road Research Laboratory's estimate is based on the following assumptions.Total congestion costs are taken to be the difference between total costs at the estimated average speeds of motor traffic under conditions prevailing during the year under review and the total cost at what the Laboratory estimate would be the speeds on existing roads if there were no congestion. For the purpose of this estimate these speeds are assumed to be 25 m.p.h. for urban roads and 40 m.p.h. for rural roads. The calculation takes into account extra vehicle operating costs and the loss of time of the vehicle occupants including an allowance for nonworking time. The values placed on the various items in the equation are currently under review.A calculation of this kind involves a number of necessarily arbitrary assumptions. For this reason the Road Research Laboratory's periodic estimates only provide an indication of increases in congestion costs. They should not be regarded as an absolute measure of such costs.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will introduce computer controlled variable speed limits on main roads and motorways in the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend sees no requirement for these at present, but such measures will be considered by the official working party which is reviewing the whole field of future speed limit policy.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps she is taking to ensure that the traffic control experience of the major cities in the United States of America is continuously available to her Department and through it to those

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the Norfolk County Council's agreement to the line of the proposed bypass at East Dereham, when she anticipates construction of the bypass will commence.

This scheme is unlikely to secure an early place in the trunk road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will publish her Road in England report for the year ending 31st March, 1967, by 1st August, 1967.

No. It will not be practicable to publish the report before the autumn.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now give dates for the completion of the London and York- cities in the United Kingdom with comparable traffic problems.

The Department obtains information about traffic management in the United States through publications, visits and conferences. The advice we give to local authorities, both through circulars and other publications and in discussion with them takes account of experience abroad, including that in the United States.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the annual sum spent per mile on the building, maintenance and improvement of all roads, including unclassified roads, in Wales, Scotland and England, respectively, between 1960 and 1965.

The table below gives the average spending per mile in the financial years 1960–61 to 1964–65.shire motorway from Aldenham to Page Street, and from Kegworth to the Doncaster Bypass, respectively.

The target dates are May, 1967, and February, 1968, respectively.

asked the Minister of Transport if she has now received the comments of the chief officers of police on her proposals for a single set of rules for the parking of unlit vehicles in towns at night; and if she will make a statement.

We have now received comments from Chief Officers of Police on thes proposals and are about to seek the views of other organisations concerned.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will seek powers to regulate the parking of cars and lorries in Greater London and to install parking meters in residential areas; and if she will make a statement on the progress so far achieved by Greater London boroughs in this respect.

Such powers already exist. They lie with the Greater London Council and the boroughs, and any statement on progress would be for them to make.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will take steps to improve the facilities for transport of cargo destined for export between Brentford and the docks at London and Tilbury.

These facilities are primarily the responsibility of the transport operators and the port authority. The Freight Group of the Transport Co-Ordinating Council for London is considering ways of improving the movement of goods to and from docks in the London area.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the special dangers of drinking and driving during national holiday periods, what further plans she has to make the roads safer during these periods.

Past studies suggest that drinking before driving is a problem every week-end and not merely at national holidays. The Road Safety Bill aims to reduce the risk by deterring people from drinking too much before driving at any time.I shall be publishing my overall plan for reducing road accidents later in the year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it was with her authority that an official of her Department wrote on 2nd November, 1966, reference RB3 /2/0136, to a constituent of the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire stating that she had no power to prevent certain rail closures; and if she will now cause a letter to be sent correctly setting out the position.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. This letter merely stated that I have no power to reverse a statutory decision to close rail passenger services. As the law stands, this is the position.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will ensure that the track on the railway line between Nottingham and Worksop is not removed.

This does not arise as I understand from the Railways Board that the line will continue in use for freight services.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give an assurance that she will refuse permission to publish proposals to close the Ealing-Greenford branch line until the improved bus schedules are in operation.

Before consenting to the closure of any rail service my right hon. Friend considers the alternative bus services and, if necessary, insists on their being augmented.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans have been submitted to her for the further electrification of the main lines of British Railways.

The Railways Board is carrying out a survey of the Weaver Junction-Glasgow line with the object of submitting a firm investment proposal for my right hon. Friend's approval shortly. No other plans for electrification of the main lines of British Railways have been put to her.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the percentage increase in passenger traffic and passenger receipts on the Euston to Manchester and Liverpool lines following their electrification.

It would be contrary to established practice to give statistical information of this kind except on a national basis.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give an assurance that, in view of generally inadequate transport facilities in mid-Wales, no more railway closures will be allowed in the area during the next four years.

No. Any passenger closure proposed by the Railways Board will have to go through the statutory procedure laid down in the Transport Act, 1962. This gives the fullest opportunity for detailed consideration of all the relevant factors including the adequacy of alternative services.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give an assurance that she will refuse her consent to the publication of any proposals to close the railway line between Monmouth and Shrewsbury via Hereford.

The Railways Board has not sought my right hon. Friend's agreement to the publication of any proposal to withdraw passenger services from this line, and I understand that they do not intend to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations she has received in favour of a decimal currency based on a ten-shilling unit from transport operators, considering the position of both staff and passengers.

Since the announcement of the Government's decision to adopt a currency based on a one-pound unit I have received representations from the London Transport Board who prefer a ten-shilling unit. They and other operators gave evidence to the Halsbury Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements she is making to see that insurance cover is available to private car owners who give lifts to other people during bus strikes, especially in rural areas.

My right hon. Friend already has standing arrangements with motor insurers under which any necessary additional cover can be provided quickly. These are announced when necessary, and we are not aware that any difficulties have arisen, or are likely to.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the increase in road accidents, if she will consider enforcing full eyesight tests on all motorists over 75 years of age, and an independent medical test on all drivers over 80 years of age.

Our accident statistics suggest that drivers over 70 are involved in injury accidents less often than drivers under 50, and less than half as often as drivers under 20. We doubt whether special eyesight or medical tests for, respectively, the few drivers over 75 and 80 would really help to reduce road accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport what action her Department will take concerning the collapse of the London and Cheshire Insurance Company; and if she will make a statement.

The situation arising in connection with the London and Cheshire Insurance Company is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. I understand that the company is issuing to policy holders individual notices cancelling their motor policies. When this has been done, we shall warn all licensing authorities not to accept any certificates issued by the company which may be presented with applications for vehicle licences.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the outcome of her official talks with the Merseyside Steering Committee held on 12th and 13th January concerning the future of an integrated transport system on Merseyside; and if she will make a statement.

We had a very useful exchange of views, which will help me in formulating detailed proposals for conurbation transport authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made by motor manufacturers in solving the problem of limiting the emission of noxious exhaust substances to meet United States and European requirements.

I understand that while there are still difficulties to resolve, British motor manufacturers generally expect to be able to meet the United States requirements on the versions of 1968 model cars produced for export to the United States.European requirements, though now under discussion, have not been laid down.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of serious defects, she will consider revising the British Standards Specification 3254/1960 for car safety belts and harness.

While most standards need revising from time to time, we do not agree that BS 3254 for car safety belts and harness contains serious defects. If my hon. Friend has in mind a recent article in a Sunday newspaper I would remind him that the Road Research Laboratory's estimate that serious injuries were reduced by 70 per cent. when safety belts were worn was based upon actual accidents with these seat belts and that less than ½ per cent. of the seat belts failed. It is significant that surprisingly few injuries were sustained after failure of these few belts, presumably because the belts had done their job of restraint against the first violent shock.To increase the strength of seat belts to the extent suggested in this article would be of little benefit in these cases and might increase the chances and severity of injuries caused by the seat belt itself. Because it takes no account of such factors the article will have done a great disservice to road safety if the assertions it makes discourage anyone from fitting or wearing seat belts.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date the latest edition of Safe Cycling was published; and what plans there are for a new edition.

The last reprint of "Safe Cycling" was made in 1960 and it was out of print by May, 1963. There are no plans for a new edition, but the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents who act as our agents in promoting the training of child cyclists, have produced booklets on similar lines which have been on sale at H.M.S.O. bookshops since 1962. The current RoSPA booklet is called "Skilful Cycling".

asked the Minister of Transport what decision she has now reached on the registration of driving schools.

I hope to make an announcement on the occasion of the Second Reading of the Road Traffic (Driving Instruction) Bill presented by my hon. Friend, the Member for Morpeth.

asked the Minister of Transport when the working party set up to advise her on the revision of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations will be considering the construction of articulated vehicles; and if she will draw to the attention of this working party the representations on this matter which she has received from the Barking Road Safety Council.

Of the two points about the construction of articulated vehicles raised by Barking Road Safety Council, that on guards to prevent people being thrown under their wheels is on the agenda for the next meeting of the Working Party on the Construction and Use Regulations. The one about "jackknifing" has been under consideration by the Working Party on Brakes as "jackknifing" is closely related to the operation of the vehicles' braking systems.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage increase in the number of articulated vehicles licensed there has been in each of the past five years; to what extent the presence of these vehicles on the roads is a contributory cause of accidents; and what progress has been made in testing and fitting anti-jack-knifing devices.

I regret that separate statistics showing the numbers of articulated vehicles licensed and the extent of their involvement in accidents are not available.Progress towards preventing jack-knifing has included securing greater compatibility of the braking of tractor and trailer, by changes in the distribution of braking effort on the axle and by minimising wheel locking, particularly on the tractor rear axle.Tests so far carried out with anti-jack-knifing devices, in particular load sensitive valves which adjust the braking effort on an axle to suit the load on that axle and other devices for preventing wheel locking, have shown these devices to be effective in the conditions of test. All such devices must, however, be more extensively tested over a long period under the wide variety of conditions arising in normal operation of the vehicles before their value can be fully assessed. Operators and manufacturers are cooperating in arranging such tests.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give a general direction to the Waterways Authority to take steps to prevent the further transfer of coal traffic from the waterways to the roads.

No. The British Waterways Board assures me that it does everything within its power to retain existing traffics, consistent with the economic use of the waterways, and to attract new ones.

asked the Minister of Transport what economies have been made in her Department since 20th July, 1966 in expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment.

My Department has continued to exercise the maximum economy compatible with the efficient discharge of its duties in the administration of public expenditure on entertainment.

asked the Minister of Transport what study she has made of the respective merits of Channel ports for development to meet the freight shipping needs of the future.

The development of ports to meet future needs is the constant concern of the National Ports Council and of my Department. I do not consider that a comparative study of Channel ports in isolation would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps are being taken to ensure that design teams in the British aircraft industry are engaged in planning for the future development of British commercial aircraft types.

Planning for the future development of British commercial aircraft types is primarily a matter for the firms in the light of their commercial judgment and market surveys. All the principal firms in the industry have within their organisations people continuously employed on exploring the range of possibilities for such developments. My Department keeps in close touch with these activities both through informal contacts and through the Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee. This is an advisory body consisting of senior representatives of the Government, industry and airlines which meets regularly to discuss promising new transport projects.

asked the Minister of Aviation what economies have been made in his Department since 20th July, 1966 in expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment.

Expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment has been and will continue to be strictly controlled and administered with the greatest economy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to deal with the growing practice of offering gifts and prizes to consumers and trade buyers, the cost of which is reflected in the price paid by the consumer; and if he will make a statement.

The practices to which my hon. Friend refers are only two among many methods of sales promotion with similar aims and effects. In my view, they do not, in general, call for Government intervention.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reports he has received from the regional headquarters for the South-West in regard to an airport for Plymouth or for an area south-west of Exeter.

The Chairman of the South-West Planning Council has kept me informed of this study of airport requirements for the South-West part of the region. I understand that the local authorities agree that the area would be best served by a single airport and a survey of possible sites is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to investigate the failure of London and Midland Insurance Company Limited; and if he will make a statement.

The company has presented a petition for its compulsory winding-up to the court. As the matter is before the court, it would not be proper for me to comment on the company's affairs at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries were made as to the age, status and experience of the directors and financial stability of the company when London and Midland Insurance Company Limited applied for registration under the Insurance Companies Act; and when this company was first registered.

None. The Company was registered under the Companies Act, 1948, on 28th March, 1966. Neither under this Act nor under the Insurance Companies Act, 1958, have the Board of Trade power to refuse to register a company on the grounds which my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will order an immediate inquiry into the affairs of all motor insurance companies established during the last five years.

No. The Board of Trade keep in close touch with new motor insurance companies and request quarterly accounts in appropriate cases. Inspectors appointed by the Board of Trade under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, are at present investigating the affairs of five motor insurance companies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will introduce legislation to prevent cut-rate motor insurance by companies which are not members of the British Insurance Association and which have inadequate resources or reserves from which to meet claims;

The Insurance Companies Act, 1958, already requires insurance companies to deposit with the Board of Trade annual balance sheets. The Companies Bill contains provisions strengthening the supervisory powers of the Board over insurance companies. These powers would relate to such matters as the resources and reserves of the company, but would not involve direct control of premium rates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many, and which, motor insurance companies are at present the subject of an investigation by his Department.

The following five motor insurance companies are being investigated by inspectors appointed by the Board of Trade:

• Fire Auto and Marine Insurance Co. Ltd.
• Irish-American Insurance Co. Ltd.
• Coventry Insurance Co. Ltd.
• London & Cheshire Insurance Co. Ltd.
• London & Midland Insurance Co. Ltd.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many policyholders had their motor insurance policies cancelled by the failure of Fire, Auto and Marine Insurance Company Limited in 1966, London and Cheshire Insurance Company Limited in January 1967, and London and Midland Insurance Company Limited on 18th January, 1967.

I regret that precise figures are not available. I understand, however, that the numbers of policies involved are approximately as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Government will take a decision on the recom- mendation by the Scottish North-East Consultative Group that an advance factory be built at Elgin.

I hope to make an announcement about the location of this factory shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for building grants or loans under the Local Employment Acts in the development areas of Scotland have been received, accepted, and refused, respectively, during each of the years 1963 to 1966.

The following statement shows how the applications were dealt with.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what economies have been made in his Department since 20th July, 1966, in expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment.

My Department has always exercised strict economy in this matter; all such expenditure is carefully examined against the background of the measures announced by the Prime Minister on 20th July, 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to require insurance companies and banks to establish a general guarantee reserve fund with which to indemnify members of the public who suffer as the consequence of a failure.

Questions relating to banks are for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As to insurance companies I am not convinced that legislation of the kind suggested is necessary. Arrangements already exist under which the Motor Insurers Bureau compensate third parties who are killed or injured by inadequately insured motorists.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for amending legislation to alter the compensation paid to tenant farmers following compulsory purchase orders; and whether he will make a statement.

I hope to make an announcement on this subject soon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect British entry into the Common Market will have on cereals and feeding-stuffs; and what will be the result on the price of products in the United Kingdom.

I cannot say how the E.E.C.'s arrangements for cereals might be modified if we entered the Common Market. If they were unchanged, prices in the United Kingdom for cereals, feedingstuffs, and for many other products containing cereals, would be greatly increased. Cereals production would become relatively far more profitable than livestock production; and would expand considerably. The prices of most livestock products depend on the Community's regulations for those products. For pigs, poultry and milk, the somewhat higher producer prices inside the Community would be outweighed by the higher cost of feedingstuffs. Imports of cereals from non-Community sources would be subject to substantial levies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the separate subsidies and price guarantees paid to the agricultural industry and divide them into the categories of those regarded by his Department as clearly contrary to the Treaty of Rome and present agricultural regulations of the European Economic Community, those that would be acceptable under the Treaty and the regulations and those where an element of doubt exists as to whether they would be acceptable or not.

It seems clear that our present system of price guarantees for cereals, fat cattle, pigs, milk and eggs would not be compatible with the existing regulations which the E.E.C. have made for those products. The position is less clear for certain other price guaranteed commodities, i.e. sugar beet, potatoes, sheep and wool, for which the Community have not so far formulated any regulations. The Community has also still to decide on the criteria for judging which State aids to agriculture should or should not be regarded as compatible with the Common Market. In these circumstances the categorisation of all the separate subsidies and guarantees requested would be unduly speculative and possibly prejudicial to any future discussion of these matters which might be necessary with the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the retail prices in each of the countries of the European Free Trade Association and the European Economic Community at the latest convenient date of bread, butter, margarine, lard, eggs, milk, sugar, tea, coffee, cocoa, beef, veal, lamb, pork, bacon, oranges, grapefruit, and lemons.

As I informed the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Wolrige-Gordon) on 7th December, it is not possible to make precise comparisons of retail prices between different countries. Some information on relative prices as at

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the fall in price per lb. which sheep farmers would have to pay if Great Britain were to enter the European Economic Community under the present agricultural arrangements for the Community.

The E.E.C. has made no regulation governing the market for mutton and lamb, but its common external tariff provides for a duty of 20 per cent. on all imports from countries outside the Community. If these arrangements were unchanged, and no special provision were made for New Zealand supplies, then in view of the fact that E.E.C. prices for competing meats are generally somewhat higher than current U.K. prices, the producer prices for mutton and lamb in the U.K. could be expected to rise rather than to fall.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has now completed his consideration of the possibility of introducing legislation to compel manufacturers to show on tinned foods a date of expiry after which the contents should no longer be used.

As my hon. Friend will be aware from my right hon. Friend's reply to a previous Question by him, the Food Standards Committee in its Report on Food Labelling took the view that such a requirement would not be practicable. He hopes in the reasonably near future to complete consideration of this and other questions raised in connection with his proposals for new regulations on food labelling.—[Vol. 727, c. 1856.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what economies have been made in his Department since 20th July, 1966 in expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment.

The amount and cost of necessary official entertainment varies from year to year. Expenditure from the Departmental Hospitality Fund for the period 20th July to 31st Decem- ber, 1966, amounted to 57 per cent. of that during the corresponding period of 1965.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give, to the nearest convenient date, the number of claims he has received from eligible agricultural establishments for repayment of the Selective Employment Tax; and how many of these claims have been settled.

Up to 20th January, 61,677 claims had been received. By 24th January, 23,648 had been paid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications he had received by 31st December, 1966, for registration of agricultural establishments for the purpose of repayment of the Selective Employment Tax; how many had been approved and how many rejected; and if he will give the number of employees involved in each instance.

Up to 31st December, 1966, 105,178 applications for registration had been received. Of these, 88,607 had been registered and 13,681 (including about 10,000 from farmers employing no labour) had been refused registration. The registered applications cover about 311,000 regular employees. I regret that information about the number of employees covered by the rejected applications is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what previous occasions before last summer Dr. Wilsdon, now Regional Veterinary Officer in Northumberland, had been called in to suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease; and whether upon every occasion, including his period of service in the Hereford area, he made the correct diagnosis.

I should explain that my veterinary officers in the field report in full on every case of suspected foot-and-mouth disease to their headquarters at Tolworth, and their diagnosis is agreed after discussion of the details of the condition of each animal affected.Exact figures of the many cases in which Dr. Wilsdon, over 28 years' service with the Ministry, was called in before last summer are not available, but I know of none in which an incorrect diagnosis was made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the correspondence between Dr. Wilsdon, Regional Veterinary Officer in Northumberland, and the Chief Veterinary Officer at Tolworth, Surbiton, which was carried on in the weeks following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Rothbury last summer; and whether he will make a statement.

There was no such correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to implement the recommendations contained in paragraph 259 of the Mountbatten Report into Prison Escapes and Security, Command Paper No. 3175.

The principle of promotion by merit from among those qualified is already the practice in the Scottish prison service.The appointment of Brigadier Maunsell as head of the English prison service does not apply to Scotland where we already have an Inspector of Prisons. However visits to Scottish prisons by Brigadier Maunsell in conjunction with the Scottish Inspector of Prisons, as suggested in the Mountbatten Report, would be a useful means of exchanging information and experience.I am considering the other recommendation in this paragraph along with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Mountbatten Report on Prison Escapes and Security, Command Paper No. 3175, in so far as they are relevant to Scottish prison conditions.

My Department is urgently considering the application of these recommendations to Scottish penal establishments, and I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary about matters, such as staff conditions, which must be considered on a Great Britain basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the complaints made to his Department with regard to the offensive odour from the burn opposite Freelands Place, Old Kilpatrick, by the residents there; and what steps are being taken to eliminate this nuisance.

Yes. The complaints were referred to the Clyde River Purification Board and I have been assured that arrangements have been made to eliminate this nuisance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Glasgow-Kilmarnock road will be fitted with cat's eyes.

There are cat's eyes on 8½ miles of the 12 miles of unlit trunk road between Glasgow and Kilmarnock. The remaining 3½ miles will be studded about the end of this year when work on two major improvement schemes and on surfacing is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when work will start on the improvements to the Helensburgh to Garelochhead road.

The next improvement planned by Dunbarton County Council for this road, which will be between Blairvadock and Croy, at Rhu, is programmed to start in the financial year 1967–68. This will be an addition to the diversion now in progress at Craigendoran.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discrepancy exists between the numbers of trained teachers leaving teacher training colleges in Scotland and the number entering the teaching profession in Scotland.

Of approximately 2,700 teachers who qualified in the year to 31st March, 1964, 54 men and 128 women had not entered teaching in Scotland by 31st March, 1965, the latest date for which I have figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what economies have been made in his Department since 20th July, 1966, in expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment.

All proposals for expenditure on hospitality and official entertainment have been scrutinised with special care having regard to the need for economy. The savings made cannot be costed without disproportionate effort and expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that drugs have been lost by children after collection from chemists; if he will review the existing law of Scotland in relation to children being allowed to collect these, sometimes lethal, drugs from chemists; and if he will make a statement.

I do not think there is a case for imposing a statutory limitation on the collection of prescriptions by children from pharmacies. I believe that chemists generally act responsibly in this matter and exercise discretion, having regard to the nature of the drugs being supplied and the age of the children collecting them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give, to the nearest convenient date, the number of claims he has received from eligible agricultural establishments for repayment of the Selective Employment Tax; and how many of these claims have been settled.

By 20th January, 1967, some 9,800 claims for repayment had been re- ceived from employers in agriculture, horticulture and forestry in Scotland. None of these claims has yet been settled, but I expect that payments will be made in most cases in the next two or three weeks.