asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs to what extent he intends to make available funds of the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation for the purpose of acquiring a public holding in the airframe industry; and what expenditure there will be under this head in the financial years 1966–67, 1967–68, and 1968–69.

It is not intended to invite the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation to invest in the airframe industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements have now been made for the repayment of loans to football clubs in connection with the playing of the World Cup series in Great Britain, as a result of the report of the Public Accounts Committee.

The repayment arrangements are described in the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on the Civil Appropriation Accounts 1965–66, which is now before the Committee of Public Accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many authorities responsible for general certificate of education examinations now complete such examinations before the end of June; and how many have not yet adopted this practice.

Six. The seventh completes its "A" level examinations by the end of June and its "O" level examinations in the first week of July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the results of the new investigation recently carried out in his Department into the treatment of the Zinovief letter and the disappearance of other documents from the Foreign Office.

I have nothing to add to the information which I gave to the House on 19th December, 1966.—[Vol. 738, c. 972–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to follow up the initiative proposed in the unanimous Resolution 2129 of the United Nations General Assembly; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government demonstrated their agreement with the aims of this resolution by voting for it. We are pursuing an active policy of developing relations with the Soviet Union and other countries of Eastern Europe and have taken a number of practical steps to this end. These include the proposal, referred to by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, in the Foreign Affairs debate on 11th July, 1966, for a Declaration on Europe setting out agreed principles for the conduct of such relations. There have been many Ministerial visits in both directions between the United Kingdom and the countries of Eastern Europe, covering the political, economic, cultural and technological fields. The most recent has been that of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, Mr. Kosygin. A passage in the communiqué issued after his visit refererd to the determination of the two Governments "to work for détente in Europe and the development of peaceful co-operation on an all-European basis". The forthcoming visit by the Polish Foreign Minister, Mr. Rapacki, whom we are welcoming to this country, from 21st to 27th February, will provide further opportunities to strengthen our relations with Poland. We encourage and actively sponsor visits and exchanges, both personal and official, with the Soviet Union and East European countries in all the fields specified in the resolution.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants of clerical officer grade were promoted to the executive class in 1966.

Two thousand three hundred and eighty-seven.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average length of service of clerical officers promoted to the executive class in each of the years 1961 to 1966.

Clerical officers over the age of 25 can be promoted departmentally. Such promotions include officers of different experience, age and educational background; and the increased demand for executive officers in recent years has, as shown in the table below, led to the promotion of a considerable number of older officers with a fairly high seniority.

Year		Number of promotions to Executive Officer from Clerical Offer	Average length of service in the grade
1961	…	1,727	11·8 years
1962	…	1,455	12·5 years
1963	…	1,447	12·7 years
1964	…	2,039	12·8 years
1965	…	2,281	12·9 years
1966	…	2,387	12·9 years

Younger clerical officers can also become executive officers by passing the competitions run by the Civil Service Commission, and in recent years approximately 15 per cent. of all clerical officers who became executive officers did so in this way.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the length of the training course given to those applicants selected for training as interviewers for the general field programme of the Social Survey; and why, in 1966, over 55 per cent. of these trainees dropped out of the course before their training was completed.

Primary training for interviewers for the general field programme takes in all about two weeks. Part of this is at headquarters and part in the field. During this period further assessments are made of the suitability of trainees for the work and their ability to assimilate the detailed working instructions needed for efficient field work. The training period thus forms a further selection period during which some trainees are found unsatisfactory and are consequently not taken on. Others find that they cannot cope with the actual field work, For these reasons many trainees drop out during the training period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether arrangements for constituting the Social Survey as a separate department reporting to the Treasury Ministers in accordance with the Hey-worth Committee recommendation are now complete.

Yes. The Social Survey will become a separate Department as from 1st April, 1967. Revised Estimates will be presented to the House in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the equivalent value of a 1938 penny today.

It is estimated that in 1938 the purchasing power of a penny was equivalent to that of 3½d. in January, 1967.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the changes in gross national product and gross domestic product, respectively, at constant prices for the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Western Germany, France, Italy and Japan, between the third quarter of 1964 and the fourth quarter of 1966, from information he received from international organisations.

The gross domestic product at constant factor cost of the United Kingdom is estimated to have risen by about 3½ per cent. between the third quarter of 1964 and the third quarter of 1966 (the latest date available). During the same period the gross national product at constant market prices of the United States rose by about 11 per cent. Figures for the other countries mentioned are not available quarterly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates, and with what organisations, consultations took place between his Department and the interests concerned, on decimal currency systems.

The Government's decision for the £ new penny ½ system was taken on the recommendation of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Decimal Currency (Cmnd. 2145) and reactions to it. In the course of the inquiry the Committee received written evidence from almost 200 organisations and heard oral evidence from 35.Since the decision on decimalisation was announced on 1st March, 1966, there have been discussions between the Treasury and other Departments and various organisations on the way in which their interests would be affected by the Government proposals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will outline the functions of the advisory panel set up to consider applications by firms wishing to change their residence or to carry out any other transaction for which the consent of the Treasury under Section 468 of the Income Tax Act, 1952. is necessary; and what are the names of the present members of the panel.

The Advisory Panel was set up in 1951 to advise the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, on a balance of commercial considerations and prospective loss of revenue or of foreign exchange, in their opinion consent should be given to a particular transaction falling within the terms of the Section. The only cases normally referred to the Panel are those on which officials of the Inland Revenue or the Treasury have reached the view that permission ought not to be given. The final decision is for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to take after considering the advice given by the Panel. The present members of the Panel are Sir William Carrington (Chairman), Mr. A. H. Carnwath, Sir Arthur Driver and Mr. H. H. Monroe, Q.C.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that there have been a number of cases in Newcastle-upon-Tyne of young people suffering from the effects of the drug lysergic acid diethylamide; and whether he will make a statement on the progress he has made in his review of the working of the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964.

I understand that neither the police nor the hospital authorities have evidence of the misuse of this drug in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The Poisons Board is at present considering the need for further controls over its distribution and custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps were taken by his Department to consult the manufacturers concerned before the introduction of the Stands for Carry-cots (Safety) Regulations 1966, No. 1610;(2) what notice was given by his Department to the manufacturers concerned that the Stands for Carry-cots (Safety) Regulations 1966 Order was about to be introduced.

My intention to make these Regulations was made known to the trade associations representing the manufacturers in January, 1966, when draft Regulations were sent to them for comment. A second draft was circulated in August, 1966, and a copy of the final Regulations on 24th January, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps were taken by his Department to inform the Portsmouth Weights and Measures Inspectorate about the Stands for Carry-cots (Safety) Regulations 1966 Order and on what date this was done.

Portsmouth County Borough Council were informed on 17th January that these Regulations had been made. The local authority associations and the Institute of Weights and Measures are among the bodies with whom consultations on the Regulations have been taking place since January, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been made for emitting smoke and fumes from lorry and car exhausts on the M1 in the past six months; and what evidence he has of improvements in maintenance resulting from this action.

One hundred. There is no reliable evidence about the effect of these prosecutions on standards of maintenance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that inferior meat pies are masquerading as Cornish pasties; and if he will amend his regulations to prevent this.

No. General protection is given to purchasers by Sections 2 and 6 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, which are enforced by local food and drugs authorities and which make it an offence to sell food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded or to describe the food falsely or in a manner calculated to mislead the purchaser as to its nature, substance or quality. My proposals for regulations, which were issued in May, 1965, would require a meat content of 25 per cent. for a meat pie and of 12½ per cent. for a meat and vegetable pie. A meat and vegetable pie could be described as a Cornish pasty, where appropriate: that is where it had at least 12½ per cent. meat content and displayed the essential characteristics of a Cornish pasty. This is in accordance with the recommendations of the Food Standards Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why a mono-glot person who has no knowledge of the Welsh language has been appointed as Regional Safety Officer for Wales under his Department to work among people who are predominantly Welsh-speaking.

The officer selected for the post of Regional Safety Officer, Wales is the most suitable of the candidates available. He is a Welshman, born and bred in North Wales, and has some knowledge of the Welsh language which he is currently improving by further study.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of new evidence which has come to light, he will say what calibre weapons were used to shoot animals on Lord Ravensworth's farm near Whittingham last summer.

I am glad to have this opportunity of correcting that part of my reply to the hon. Member of 7th February in which I stated that no ·22 pistol was used in Lord Ravensworth's farm and that the pistol used on the Highland cattle was a ·45 automatic. I have now been informed that the ·45 automatic had been converted to fire ·22 high velocity ammunition. I have also been informed that a 9 mm. Smith and Wesson automatic pistol was used on the Highland bull. These weapons were completely effective.—[Vol. 740, c. 284–5.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has now completed his departmental investigations on the possible effects on the Housing Acts and the Rent Acts of the court of appeal decision in the case of Holm v. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Others; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has asked the local authority interests most closely concerned for their views and he will make a statement when he has had an opportunity to consider what they say.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the continuing increases being made in local rates by local rating authorities; and whether, as a means of offsetting and preventing these increases, he will advise local authorities to implement the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1966 and rate empty properties.

My right hon. Friend drew the attention of authorities to their new powers to rate unoccupied properties in a circular issued on 3rd February.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the report on the feasibility of the Dee crossing will be published.

The consultants expect to complete their report during March. It will then be considered by the Steering Committee of Government Departments and local authorities, and my right hon. Friend will wish to have the views of the Welsh and North West Economic Planniing Councils about it, including the arrangements for publication.

	Minimum List Heading 412 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Spinning and doubling of cotton, flax and man-made fibres)			Minimum List Heading 413 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Weaving of cotton, linen and man-made fibres)
	Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
December 1966
All employees*	38,100	55,500	93,600	38,800	47,200	86,000
Females in part-time employment		11,000			6,100
December 1965
All employees	39,500	59,600	99,100	41,200	51,800	93,000
Females in part-time employment		11,200			6,300
* Provisional estimates which may be revised when information from the 1967 count of National Insurance cards becomes available.

asked the Minister of Labour what, on the basis of his most recent information, is his estimate of employment for males and females in the cotton and man-made fibre textile industry at the end of the present year.

I do not make such estimates.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) what is the number of persons in full-time employment in cotton and manmade fibre spinning and doubling at the most recent date for which figures are available; and how this compares with the corresponding date in the previous year;(2) what is the number of persons in full-time employment in cotton and manmade fibre weaving at the most recent date for which figures are available; and how this compares with the corresponding date in the previous year.

Monthly estimates of the numbers of employees in these industries in Great Britain are made and are published regularly in the Ministry of Labour Gazette. They include all employees, whether they work full-time or part-time. Quarterly estimates are also made of the numbers of females employed part-time in manufacturing industries. The latest estimates for both total employees and females employed part-time relate to December, 1966.Following is the information:

asked the Postmaster-General when he anticipates that Wales will have colour television.

Colour television will be introduced on the B.B.C.2. service in the autumn of this year. The B.B.C.'s expectation is that, by the end of the year, over half the population of Wales will be within range of B.B.C.2. with its colour content.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish the percentage of households in Wales, Scotland, and England, respectively, which had a telephone in each of the years 1926 to 1966.

I am sorry that I can only give figures for 1951 and 1961 for which census figures of households are available, and for 1966, based on a commercial survey of households.

		P.O. Directorate Wales and Border Counties per cent.	P.O. Directorate Scotland per cent.	P.O. Regions England per cent.
1951	…	5·5	10·9	11·7
1961	…	10·1	17·9	18·8
1966	…	15·0	23·0	25·6

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of telephones which were installed in each year from 1946 to 1966, inclusive, in Wales. Scotland, and England. respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galbraith) on 20th July last.—[Vol. 732, c. 112.]

asked the Postmaster-General if he will ensure that the Welsh language is used on and in the telephone directories which relate to Wales.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will direct post offices to ensure the prompt delivery of letters even when the correct Welsh form of place names is used in addressing them.

We do our best to deliver all letters promptly, including those bearing the Welsh form of place names. In the latter case however some delay on occasions is unavoidable, in particular for items addressed to places outside Wales and Monmouthshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the net increase or decrease in the overall stock of houses made available in Scotland during 1965 and 1966, respectively, after taking into account the number of houses demolished or closed, expressed as a percentage of the net increase that took place in 1964 over 1963.

77 per cent. in 1965 and 79 per cent. in 1966.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is aware that many new leases for Government offices in London cost between £2 and £2 10s. per square foot and that outside London rents are often less than half this amount; and whether he will seek to rent Government offices in Burton Latimer, Corby, Desborough, Kettering and Rothwell, in view of the fact that they are well served by road and have excellent rail connections through Kettering with both North and South.

I am aware of the difference in rents between London and elsewhere, and this is one of the factors in determining policy for the dispersal of Government offices. The existence of good communications is also taken into account. However, I have no plans to rent accommodation in the towns mentioned in the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what, in the light of the latest information available to him, is the number of cotton and man-made fibre

UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS OF COTTON YARN AND THREAD (C.I.F.)
		Quantity		Value
Country of consignment		1965	1966	1965	1966
		Thous. lb		£'000
India	…	6,265	8,928	1,039	1,461
Hong Kong	…	6,174	5,870	1,346	1,293
Malta	…	896	891	199	174
Other Commonwealth countries	…	636	233	100	40
Irish Republic	…	2,516	2,758	432	492
Belgium	…	1,081	569	285	173
Switzerland	…	1,045	1,191	359	495
Portugal	…	1,474	5,112	348	1,097
Spain	…	5,632	5,101	899	748
Italy	…	2,501	1,421	625	271
Greece	…	933	784	205	177
Israel	…	944	627	178	141
Other Foreign countries	…	1,049	911	377	357
Total	…	31,146	34,397	6,397	6,917

UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS OF YARN AND THREAD OF MAN-MADE FIBRES (C.I.F.)
			Quantity		Value
Country of consignment			1965	1966	1965	1966
			Thous. lb.		£'000
Commonwealth countries	…	…	2,883	1,774	531	614
Irish Republic	…	…	95	135	45	56
Western Germany	…	…	3,077	4,078	1,511	2,061
Netherlands	…	…	4,909	4,198	2,974	2,526
Belgium	…	…	1,231	1,232	627	532
France	…	…	3,273	1,132	1,378	610
Switzerland	…	…	2,162	3,569	1,082	1,565
Italy	…	…	3,811	3,048	1,764	1,332
Japan	…	…	1,028	3,093	391	1,179
United States of America	…	…	10,491	7,537	4,283	3,552
Other Foreign countries	…	…	945	3,592	399	1,370
Total	…	…	33,906	33,389	14,984	15,397

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will appoint an expert commission, to study cotton and man-made fibre imports, with full powers to call for all relevant information and to report and advise.

27 mills have closed and two have announced their closure since the 1st November, 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the most recent figures of imports of cotton or man-made fibre yarn and cloth, respectively, with comparable figures for the corresponding period in the previous year, giving the figures by countries of origin.

Imports of woven fabrics of cotton and man-made fibres for the years 1965 and 1966 are shown on pages 72–74 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for December, 1966. Imports of yarn and thread were:

The Board of Trade has the expert advice of the Textile Council at its disposal in considering any questions of cotton and man-made fibre imports. My right hon. Friend hopes shortly to discuss with the Council the most effective way in which this advice can be conveyed to him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the number of unfilled vacancies in cotton, linen and man-made fibre, spinning and weaving, fell from 3,070 on 5th October, 1966, to 1,833 on 7th December, 1966; whether he will make a statement on the causes of this decline; what information he has received as to whether this is continuing; and what steps he proposes to take.

Yes. I believe that the decline between these months was due primarily to the effects of the measures taken last July which have affected many industries including textiles. In addition there has been pressure from imports in some sectors. On the measures which the Government have taken to assist the industry, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him today to another Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the increasing anxiety in the cotton and man-made fibre textile industry; and whether he will now make a statement on the measures he will take to reduce this anxiety.

As my right hon. Friend said in reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Accrington (Mr. Arthur Davidson) on 8th February, this Government has already introduced major measures of assistance to the textile industry, notably in the control of cotton textile imports from most countries in the world for a period up to 1970. We had the industry's problems constantly in mind in other international discussions; and we are working with the new Textile Council on a major survey of productivity in all its aspects. My right hon. Friend expected the industry, for its part, to take the fullest advantage of the breathing space we have provided to increase its own competitiveness.—[Vol. 740, c. 1651.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now received the report of the two-man tex- tile mission to Portugal; and whether he will place a copy in the Library of the House of Commons the moment it is received.

The report has been prepared for the Textile Council by its officers, and my hon. Friend should get in touch with the Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state for the year ended 31st December, 1966 the number of approvals given for the building of factories and extensions in the North-East development districts, giving the area and the estimated employment and cost.

Development Districts were replaced by Development Areas, as from 19th August, 1966. Industrial Development Certificates were approved for 238 projects with a total area of 8,838,000 sq. ft. in the Northern Development Area in 1966. The additional employment estimated by applicants when their projects are fully manned was 21,860. Applicants for i.d.c.'s are not asked to give estimates of the cost of projects.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state for the year ended 31st December, 1966 the number of loans and grants under Section 4 of the Local Employment Act, 1960 made to firms in development districts in the North-East, the number of applications rejected, and the number still under consideration.

The information is as follows: Applications which the Board of Trade Advisory Committee have:—

Approved	34
Rejected	15
Under consideration (at 31st December, 1966)	55

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now take steps to raise the permitted minimum height of aircraft flying over central London when approaching Heathrow in order to reduce disturbance from noise.

I cannot make any significant changes. However, when parallel landings are not in operation, aircraft more than eleven nautical miles East of London (Heathrow) Airport will not now be permitted to descend below 3,000 ft. instead of the former 2,000 ft. minimum.I have placed a map in the library showing the areas affected by these new instructions.

	Number	Estimated Cost £'000	Estimated Additional Employment
Applications received by the Board of Trade	436	—	—
Offers of assistance made (excluding offers declined)	350	4,402	15,579
Applications ineligible* or withdrawn†	172	—	—
Applications rejected on the advice of the Board of Trade Advisory Committee	13	—	—
Applications under consideration at 31st December, 1966	181	—	—
* Applications may be ineligible for such reasons as application not made in time, applicant not providing building concerned.
† A substantial number of applications withdrawn are resubmitted in a revised form.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much is earned annually by the export of televisioh programmes; how much is spent each year on the purchase of programmes from

£ million
	1963		1964		1965
	Total	N. America	Total	N. America	Total	N. America
Credits	1·6	0·6	2·0	0·4	3·3	1·2
Debits of which:	2·2	1·4	3·3	2·4	3·1	2·4
For television performances*	—	—	—	—	1·8	1·5
Programme production expenses	—	—	—	—	1·3	0·9
* Includes payments in respect of the production as well as the purchase of newsreel material.

The credit figures exclude overseas sales by United Kingdom film companies for which the only information available is a rough estimate that sales of rights restricted solely to television approached £½ million in 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many tracked vehicles were held by Territorial Army units in March, 1965; how many will be

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state for the year ended 31st December, 1966 the number of applications for building grants from firms in the North-East development districts, the number approved, the estimated cost and estimated employment resulting from them, the number of applications rejected and the number under consideration.

The information is as follows:other countries; and how much of such payments are in dollars.

The information available in respect of the overseas transactions of the B.B.C., and I.T.A. programme contractors and their subsidiaries, is as follows:held when the reorganisation of the Territorial Army is completed and what are the same figures for wheeled "A" vehicles.

Following is the information:

		March, 1965	April, 1967
Tracked vehicles	…	130	61
Wheeled "A" vehicles	…	235	147

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the re-equipment of units with cross-country vehicles, other than tracked vehicles, has increased the need for training areas; and how many wheeled A vehicles there are in this country.

The Army has been equipped with cross country wheeled vehicles for many years and there has been no recent change affecting the training area requirement; there are about 650 wheeled A vehicles with units and establishments in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers above the equivalent rank of lieutenant-colonel, officers up to, and including, the equivalent rank of lieutenant-colonel and other ranks there are in each of the three Services in Hong Kong, Singapore, Aden, Cyprus and Malta at the nearest convenient date.

I would refer the hon. Member to the deployment figures by theatres given at Annex G of the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1967, published yesterday. I regret that I cannot break these figures down any further.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians have been arrested by the Royal Military Police over the last 12 months; and if he will give details of the charges preferred against them and the outcome of any further proceedings.

None in the United Kingdom.In the time available it has not been possible to obtain the facts about overseas theatres.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details

		Estimated Cost £ million	Estimated completion date
Ashington Hospital	Second phase of development	1·4	April, 1967
Darlington Memorial Hospital	First phase of development	1·7	April, 1968
Darlington Memorial Hospital	Staff accommodation	0.2	July, 1967
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead	First phase of development	0·4	July, 1967
Newcastle General Hospital	Additional maternity accommodation	0·2	May, 1967
North Tees General Hospital, Stockton-on-Tees	First phase of new hospital	1·8	April, 1968
North Tees General Hospital, Stockton-on-Tees	Staff accommodation	0·2	March, 1968
South Shields General Hospital	First phase of development	0·5	October, 1968
Bishop Auckland General Hospital	First phase of development	0·4	May, 1968

The Royal Military Police have no power to arrest civilians, apart from the normal powers vested in any citizen and authority for special purposes conferred by the Military Lands Acts, 1892 to 1903 and the Manoeuvres Act, 1958.Overseas, or anywhere on active service, there are extended powers under the Army Act as regards civilians accompanying the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs which of Great Britain's colonial possessions do not yet have universal suffrage.

Aden, the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Hong Kong, Rhodesia and Seychelles. Proposals are under consideration for the introduction of universal suffrage in the British Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and Seychelles before the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give particulars of all hospital building projects in the North-East development districts, costing over £100,000 for which contracts had been let but were not yet started, or where work was under way at the 31st December, 1966; including the estimated cost and date of completion in each instance.

The Schemes, all of which are in progress, are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatalities have occurred on the A4 road between the present end of the M4 and the boundaries of the borough of Reading since the opening of the M4; and how many fatalities occurred over the same length of time immediately before the opening of the M4 over the same section of roadway.

The M4 motorway to Maidenhead Thicket was opened on 26th June, 1961. From that date to 31st January, 1967 there were 44 fatalities on the section of A4 from the end of the motorway to Reading Borough boundary. No record of accidents for this section before 1st January, 1958 exists, but from that date to 25th June, 1961 there were 19 fatalities there.

asked the Minister of Transport when signs are to be erected at Micheldever directing traffic bound for Exeter and the South-West on to the A303 as promised in a letter to the hon. Member for Salisbury dated 12th August, 1965.

Permanent signs directing traffic for Exeter and the South West on to the A303 will be erected within the next few weeks. In the meantime the Hampshire County Council, acting as the Ministry's agent, have been asked to erect a temporary flag type sign for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is now possible to reach a decision about the precise line of the Al road through Berwick-upon-Tweed, as the delay in reaching a decision on this question is prejudicing the development of the town and of the road north through Berwickshire.

Improvement of the A1 through Berwick-upon-Tweed will affect the Elizabethan Wall, an important ancient monument, and will involve planning considerations. A proposed scheme is at present awaiting the views of the Departments concerned with those aspects.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what is the estimated sum to be spent in 1967 on repairs to the M45 spur motorway;(2) what was the sum allowed for repairs to the M45 spur motorway when it was first built.

The estimated cost of work on M45 this year is £597,000. This sum covers not only repairs, but provides for a large element of improvement to bring the motorway into line with current standards.When the motorway was first built there was no reason to anticipate the need for repairs—other than routine maintenance—and no provision was therefore made.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give details of the temporary flyover opened at Barking recently; and what plans she has for erecting more temporary flyovers at other congested road junctions.

This temporary flyover is intended to reduce delays by enabling trunk road traffic on A13 to pass over the roundabout junction with Movers Lane.The structure was developed from one of the prize winning designs in a competition organised by the Department to find the best type of temporary flyover having regard to speed of erection and dismantling, adaptability for use elsewhere, appearance and low cost.The flyover with its associated road works was completed in approximately five months, but the actual structure was erected in eight days. It is 760 feet long and has a two-lane carriageway. The total cost was about £200,000 including £84,000 for the flyover.Details of these designs will be circulated to highway authorities as soon as possible. Congested junctions where temporary flyovers might be erected some years ahead of a permanent improvement scheme are most likely to occur in urban areas. We are ready to consider requests from highway authorities for grant towards the cost of such temporary structures on principal roads.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will state for the year ended 31st December, 1966, in respect of development districts in the North-East, the number of applications for grants for the improvement of basic services under Section 7 of the Local Employment Act, 1960, and the number and cost of those approved, rejected and under consideration.

Six such applications were received, involving an estimated total works cost of some £510,000. One costing £85,000 is being reconsidered by the applicant. One costing £2,000 was rejected but following receipt of further evidence since 31st December is now being reconsidered. The others were still under consideration at 31st December but one costing £20,000 has since been approved in principle.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the average length of time which had elapsed between replies sent by Ministers in her Department during the last four weeks in response to letters from hon. Members of Parliament, and the time when the original letters were received.

In this period my Parliamentary Secretaries and I have answered about 500 letters received from hon. Members. I do not consider that I could authorise the check on each of these which would be necessary to enable me to answer the hon. Member's Question. If, however, he has any particular case in mind I will gladly look into it.