asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied that the amount of money contributed annually by the Government towards tourism in Wales is a sufficient investment in this industry; and if he will make a statement.

The discussions on this matter referred to in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 15th December, 1966, are still proceeding.—[Vol. 738, c. 160.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give an assurance that in his proposed reform of local government in Wales each of the 13 counties of Wales will still remain a local government unit.

No. I cannot anticipate publication of my proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now give a date for the publication of the White Paper on local government reform in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when the proposals on local government reorganisation in Wales are to be announced.

Because of the wide-ranging consultations required on the proposals I cannot give a precise date. But the White Paper will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) in what way the nomination of the Neath to Amman-ford and Llanwrda to Lampeter road as a principal road as from 1st April will result in improvements arising from its enhanced status;(2) whether the re-description of the class 1 road from Neath to Ammanford and Llanwrda to Lampeter will lead to improvement in its quality and efficiency;

The changes in the status of these roads are a consequence of the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1966, which are described in paragraphs 7.3 to 7.6 of the report by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport for the year ending 31st March, 1966. The status now given to the roads does not of itself imply any change in their standard.Local authorities will receive specific exchequer grants at the rate of 75 per cent. for the improvement of principal roads, but the cost of maintenance will, in future, be met from the Rate Support Grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how he defines trunk, principal and class 1 roads, respectively, as applied to proposed reclassification as a principal road of the class 1 road from Neath-Ammanford and Llanwrda-Lampeter road, which is linked by the trunk road from Ammanford to Llanwrda.

Trunk roads form part of an integrated system of national routes justifying full central Government responsibility for their planning, maintenance and improvement. The Ammanford-Llanwrda Road is part of the London-Fishguard Trunk Route (A.40).Principal roads are those with a sufficiently important place in the national highway system to justify central Government interest in their planning and exchequer assistance toward their improvement.There will be no class 1 roads after 1st April, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many miles of motorway per million people he has plans for in Wales by 1970.

8·9 miles.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the nature and extent of the financial assistance which is available through his Department to theatres in Scotland for cultural and artistic work.

Expenditure by the Department in support of the Arts in Scotland is channelled through the Arts Council of Great BritainGrants and guarantees made to theatres and drama groups in Scotland by the Arts Council's Scottish Committee in 1965–66 totalled £87,150. In addition, a grant of £30,000 was made to the Edinburgh Festival. This represents an increase of some 37 per cent. over the comparable figure for the previous year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of male and female teachers, respectively, who qualify in the United Kingdom subsequently leave the profession within three years; and to what extent this wastage is affected by the prospect of Her Majesty's Government adhering to the original time-table for raising the school-leaving age.

The latest figures available suggest that slightly more than 10 per cent. of men and 40 per cent. of women teachers leave the maintained schools within three years. I have no evidence that the rate has been affected by our plans for raising the school-leaving age.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the average salaries at 31st March, 1964 and 1965, respectively, of full-time men and women teachers both graduate and non-graduate in maintained primary and secondary schools.

Figures for 1964 and 1965 are not at present available. The provisional overall average salary of full-time qualified teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in England and Wales on 1st April, 1966, was about £1,400.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the National Board for Prices and Incomes' recommendation that workers receiving less than £14 per week should have priority in wage increases when the period of severe restraint commences, he will take steps to increase the average of £12 per week received by young teachers with a view to overcoming the estimated shortage of 50,000 teachers throughout the country.

I cannot accept the hypotheses on which my hon. Friend bases this Question. As I explained in my Answer to him this afternoon, teachers' pay is a matter for the appropriate Burnham Committee in the first instance.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the explanation of the fall, since 1949, in the number of children reported by local education authorities to local health authorities as being unsuitable for education at school, in view of the fact that the school population has increased in that time by 1,400.000 and that there was also an increase in the number of children at training centres.

I regret that sufficient information on which to base a satisfactory explanation is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will state the number and percentage of overseas students at British universities coming from underdeveloped countries;

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave him today.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue a circular to all local education authorities in Wales asking them to prepare plans by a certain date to ensure for children whose parents desire it education through the medium of the Welsh language.

No such action is necessary. I am satisfied that Welsh authorities are well aware of their responsibilities in this matter, and are ready to provide for instruction through the medium of Welsh, not only in mainly Welsh-speaking areas, but also in those anglicized areas where there are sufficient Welsh-speaking children to constitute educationally viable "Welsh" schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities have made check tests in the last 12 months in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 1961; and if he will require local authorities to make an annual return of test purchases made and the results of such tests at testing stations.

I regret that the information requested in the first part of the Question is not available. As regards the second part, my right hon. Friend has no power to require the submission of such returns. Enforcement by local authorities of Regulations under the Act does not necessarily involve the submission of goods to a testing station.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable concerned about the circumstances in which detectives of the Mid-Wales Constabulary interviewed a young man of 16 years of age on his employer's premises, which was followed the next day by the dismissal of the youth; and if he will send a circular to chief constables advising them to end this practice.

The Chief Constable of the Mid-Wales Constabulary has told me that he is causing the circumstances to be investigated by a senior officer from another division of the force. It would not be proper for me to comment further at this stage, but I will write to my right hon. Friend when I have heard further from the Chief Constable.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what evidence he has of organisations which evade the incomes policy by announcing artificially contrived promotions for persons who continue to do the same job; and what action he intends to take.

I have no evidence that more than a handful of employers may have sought to evade the prices and incomes policy by artificially contrived promotions. If my hon. Friend has any evidence to the contrary, I should be grateful if he would send it to me.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects to publish a revised National Plan.

It is not possible to give a date at this stage.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will instruct the regional planning boards that their associated councils are to inquire of county, urban, rural, and parish councils about local plans before advice is given to the Transport or other Ministries on matters which concern the inhabitants of the area administered by the local authority; and what are the precise terms of reference of the South East Economic Planning Council.

No.The terms of reference of the South East Economic Planning Council are the same as for other Economic Planning Councils, namely:

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will now make a statement about the future of the Severnside study.

My predecessor announced on 7th July, 1966 that a study would be made of Severnside as a possible area for accommodating a large additional population. I have now decided that this study should be undertaken by the Central Unit for Environmental Planning, with the assistance of a Physical Planning Unit which is being set up in the area by my right hon. Friends, the Minister of Housing and the Secretary of State for Wales. These Units will draw on the resources of all the Gov- ernment Departments concerned and also of the local planning authorities in the area, and they will take full account of the views of the Economic Planning Councils.The area to be studied will be, broadly, both banks of the river Severn from Gloucester to Newport and Bristol respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will bring before the Security Council, as a threat to world peace, the plan of Mr. Tshombe to conquer the province of Katanga with the help of foreign mercenaries, and to detach it from the Congo Republic.

No. As my right hon. Friend will be aware, the Congolese Government themselves raised in the Security Council last September the question of a threat to the peace arising from the alleged presence of mercenaries in Angola.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the statement made on 2nd February by the British Ambassador to France that the decision on eventual Common Market membership had already been taken and debate was now meaningless was made with his authority.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's reply of 9th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Roebuck).—[Vol. 740, c. 361.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) if he will make a statement giving the details of the trade agreement recently reached with the United Arab Republic;(2) what special export credit guarantee arrangements have been made effecting trade with the United Arab Republic; and what arrangements have been reached regarding Egyptian debts and the desequestration of British property still held by the Government of the United Arab Republic.

No trade agreement with the United Arab Republic has been concluded. On 10th February the Export Credits Guarantee Department concluded an agreement with representatives of the Central Bank of Egypt about the payment over a period of United Arab Republic commercial debts to this country insured with the Export Credits Guarantee Department. The agreement provides for current payments to be met as they fall due and is expected to enable the Export Credits Guarantee Department to continue to underwrite an appropriate amount of new business. Before this agreement was concluded, the United Arab Republic authorities in Cairo gave Her Majesty's Government an assurance that negotiations currently being pursued in Cairo on various property matters, including that to which the hon. Gentleman refers, would be concluded without delay as soon as the remaining details had been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement on negotiations about British Army of the Rhine support costs.

I have nothing to add to the Answers my right hon. Friend gave the House on this subject on 20th February.—[Vol. 741, c. 1148.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take steps to expedite the issue of passports.

Yes. The Passport Office has taken various steps to that end. But their success will largely depend on the travelling public's readiness to help by submitting their applications in good time and in good order.In 1966 the Passport Office and its branch offices issued the record number of 980,000 passports. Approximately one application in every four was belatedly submitted, or carelessly completed, or both. In such cases the staff did their utmost to give urgent attention to the applicant; but they could do so only at the cost of unnecessarily long hours, a severe dislocation of their work and, worst of all, much delay and inconvenience to other applicants. It was this state of affairs that compelled the Passport Office to increase from two weeks to three the period of notice that applicants were asked to give.There are signs that the demand for passports will be even greater this year. If that happens the Passport Office will no longer be able to give special priority to latecomers and will be compelled—except in cases of serious and clear emergency—to deal with all applications strictly in the order in which they are received.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what cooperation and consultations he has had with Portugal with a view to implementing the United Nations' resolution on trade sanctions against Rhodesia.

It would not be in accordance with normal practice to make public confidential diplomatic exchanges between Governments.

asked the Minister of Technology what discussions have taken place with foreign Governments regarding the recruitment of skilled British workers and professional people to work abroad.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to him about acts of sabotage against Zambia by agents of the illegal régime in Rhodesia and whether he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have received no representations on this subject. I am therefore not in a position to make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what interdepartmental investigation or research has been undertaken to establish what relationship exists between the presence of British armed forces in overseas territories and the nature and extent of British trade with such territories.

None, in general terms; but in deciding their policy in particular areas the Government naturally take British trade interests into account.

asked the President of the Board of trade if, in view of the unemployment problems in textile areas caused by the import of low-cost textiles, he will declare the textile areas of Lancashire to be a development district.

No. The situation does not justify this step.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to bring new industries to the textile areas of Lancashire.

My first priority is to steer industry to the development areas; but subject to this I am prepared to consider applications for i.d.c.'s for projects suited to the resources of the textile areas of Lancashire.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will taken immediate action to prevent further damage to the Lancashire textile industry by seeking to exclude Portuguese textiles from future arrangements in the European Free Trade Association.

The E.F.T.A. Convention, of which Britain and Portugal are both signatories, gives each country trading advantages in the other's market. I have, however, made clear to the Portuguese authorities the difficulties caused by the high rates of Portuguese shipments in recent months. Their response gives me reason to believe that these rates will prove to be exceptional.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on the prices of standard newsprint; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. The Report on the reference made to the Board jointly by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State and me is published today. In the light of its conclusion that an increase in price of £2 a ton would be justified against the criteria for price increases during the period of severe restraint, we do not wish to object to this proposal by the manufacturers. I am sure that the manufacturers and users will study the other conclusions and we shall discuss these with them.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what accommodation was provided by the Buller Barracks, Aldershot, St. Omer Barracks, Aldershot, and North Minden Barracks, Blackdown, respectively.

These barracks provided living accommodation for 760, 1,080 and 460 all ranks respectively. Buller and North Minden Barracks also provided some instructional accommodation, offices, stores, garages and workshops.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what has been the cost of renovating barracks at Crook-ham to provide accommodation for units formerly located in Buller Barracks, Aldershot.

£53,168, including work for units formerly located in Mandora Barracks.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the cost of demolition of Buller Barracks, Aldershot.

About £15,000.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the cost of demolition of North Minden Barracks, Blackdown.

About £19,000.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the cost of demolition of St. Omer Barracks, Aldershot.

£3,250.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from the Manchester City Council concerning the future of Baguley Hall; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

The city council has informed me that it is considering a proposal to demolish Baguley Hall. In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government, I have made strong representation against this proposal to demolish an outstanding historic building which is also scheduled as an ancient monument. We are expecting to have further discussions with the council.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what married quarters in the United Kingdom were demolished in 1965 and 1966, respectively.

Precise total figures are not available but demolition contracts were let in 1965 for 104 married quarters and in 1966 for 593, all of them old and sub-standard.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware the unemployment in the Lewis and Harris area is above the 30 per cent. level and has for many years been continuously the highest in Great Britain; and if he will direct the Highlands and Islands Development Board to give priority to and take practical immediate action to establish year-round manufacturing industry in the Western Isles, including provision of advance factory space.

I am aware of, and naturally concerned about, the unemployment figures for Lewis and Harris and so is the Board. The Board is encouraging and assisting further economic development in the area, both through its grants and loans to new and existing enterprises, and through special projects such as its Fisheries Development Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what contingency arrangements he is making for the proposed strike by National Association of Local Government Officers members.

Although a strike has been talked of in some quarters, I am sure that more reasonable counsels will prevail, and I have not made any special emergency arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway per million people he has plans for in Scotland by 1970.

About 11½.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now make a statement on the progress of his tour of the Common Market capitals.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the reports I have already given the House on the visits of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and myself to Rome, Paris, Brussels and Bonn.—[Vol. 739, c. 643; c. 1765; Vol. 740, c. 769; Vol. 741, c. 800.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his visit to Bonn.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave on 16th February to a Question by the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall)—[Vol. 741, c. 800.]—and on 21st February to Questions by the hon. Members for Banbury (Mr. Marten) and Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas).—[Vol. 741, c. 1427.]

asked the Prime Minister whether during his discussions in Bonn he had the opportunity of reiterating the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the recognition of the Oder-Neisse line.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave to Questions on 16th February.—[Vol. 741. c. 800.]

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether he will state to what extent the question of British membership of the Iron and Steel Community, being mandatory before Great Britain joins the Common Market, and the nationalisation of the British steel industry was discussed during his recent visit to Bonn; and with what results;(2) whether he discussed the entry of German workers into Great Britain following Great Britain's entry into the Common Market, when in Bonn; and with what results.

I have as yet nothing to add to the reports which have already been made to the House on the visit of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and myself to Bonn.—[Vol. 741, c. 800; c. 1427.]

asked the Prime Minister to what extent he discussed the question of the treaty banning the spread of atomic weapons whilst in Bonn; and with what results.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave to Questions on this subject on 16th February.—[Vol. 741,c. 800.]

asked the Prime Minister to what extent he discussed the question of the British Army of the Rhine troop strengths, off-set costs, and withdrawal of British troops during his recent visit to Bonn; and with what results.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave to Questions on this subject on 16th and 21st February and to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 20th February.—[Vol. 741. c. 800; c. 1427; c. 1148.]

asked the Prime Minister what decision has been reached by the Government on the official proposal made by the Soviet Prime Minister for a non-aggression pact between Great Britain and Russia.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 13th February.—[Vol. 741, c. 109.]

asked the Prime Minister what information he has regarding the replenishment of United States troops with munitions and supplies during the recent Vietnamese New Year truce period; and whether available information indicates that the southward movement of troops and supplies from North Vietnam was greater than the United States counter-movement.

I am informed that normal replenishment of the United States forces in South Vietnam continued during the truce period. On the other hand the total movement of road and water-borne transport in the southern part of North Vietnam during the truce seems to have been roughly five times that normally occurring in non-truce periods.

asked the Prime Minister what official discussions on Vietnam he has had with U Thant, Secretary General of the United Nations, during his overnight stop in London during the past 24 hours; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs talked to U Thant for over an hour this morning on a number of subjects including Vietnam. They agreed on the dangers and difficulties in the conflict and on the need for Her Majesty's Government to continue their close contact with the Secretary General in the pursuit of ways to end the war.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of his policy to ensure that undertakings for which the Government has responsibility are channelled whenever possible to the development areas, he will give an assurance that nationalised industries will conform to this policy.

The Government looks to the nationalised industries as well as to private industry to take account of distribution of industry policy so far as it is applicable to the special circumstances of each case.

asked the Prime Minister if he will arrange for a central register to be kept of all those from out-with the Civil Service serving on Government advisory committees, corporations established by statute, and regional planning councils, and to make such register available to hon. Members.

No. Details of the membership of many committees are already published and are available to hon. Members. I am not convinced that the cost of compiling and maintaining a central register would be justified.

asked the Prime Minister if he will give an assurance that the matter will be debated in the House of Commons before formal application is made to join the European Economic Community.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 8th November, 1966.—[Vol. 735, c. 266.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will now spell out in detail the minimum guarantees for British agriculture upon which Her Majesty's Government will insist before applying for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

No. This is not the time to say, in advance of any negotiations, what precise arrangements we would seek in order to safeguard our essential interests.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research is going on under his Department or through grants provided by his Department, into the cause, incidence and prevention of farmers' lung.

Investigational work which is being undertaken by the National Agricultural Advisory Service includes the coordination of a survey in the North Riding, in collaboration with medical and veterinary workers, on the biological condition of hay and the clinical histories of patients and livestock. The Service has also been making laboratory examinations of conserved fodders for the presence of moulds with a view to improving methods of conservation.My right hon. Friend is considering whether further scientific advice is needed on this subject and he is continuing suitable publicity on the straightforward preventive measures which farmers and workers should take.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated cost in foreign exchange of the British Army of the Rhine in each of the last 10 years; and how much was offset in each of these years by West German purchases or contributions.

For the years before 1961 I would refer the hon. Member to the statement published in HANSARD for 9th June, 1964. The figures for subsequent years are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Mr. Parkes appeared formally before his commanding officer on a charge; what was the nature of the charge; and at what time it was heard.

Yes. He was charged on Monday, 13th February, with desertion contrary to Section 37(1,a) of the Army Act, 1955. He was remanded for a summary of evidence to be taken, but this had not been completed at the time of his release.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the estimated receipts in dollars from United States forces stationed in this country in each of the last 10 years, and the estimated increase in earnings in 1967–68 as a result of extra units moving here from France.

Total Government receipts from both the United States and Canadian forces stationed in this country are shown in Table 7 of the "U.K. Balance of Payments 1966", a copy of which may be found in the library. The provisional figure for 1966 is £10 million. Figures for United States forces alone and private expenditure by members of those forces are not available for past years.Private expenditure by United States forces in the United Kingdom is expected to be of the order of £30 million in 1966–67 compared with the figure of £30–35 million given in Table 4 of Annex H to the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1967 (Cmnd. 3203).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the pound unit is preferred to the ten shilling unit by the majority of people and organisations when decimal currency is introduced.

The Halsbury Committee was set up to advise on the most convenient and practical form which a decimal currency might take. The Committee received written evidence from almost 200 organisations and heard oral evidence from 35. In their report and in the minority memorandum of dissent arguments in favour of the 10s. system were given full weight. The Government have to form their own judgment in the light of the report and public reactions to it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the total amount of betting duty tax paid by on-course bookmakers up to the last available accounting date;(2) what is the total amount of betting duty tax paid by off-course bookmakers up to the last available accounting date.

Receipts of the general betting duty up to 31st December, 1966, were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in his forthcoming Budget, he will give consideration to retired elderly people whose pension and income may slightly exceed the age relief provisions, in view of the big tax gap between such people and those who can benefit by the relief provisions, by increasing such tax relief, especially as such pensions do not carry capital.

I have noted the hon. and gallant Member's representations; but I would remind him that there are marginal relief provisions associated with age relief which avoid a big jump in liability where the elderly person's income is slightly above the income limit for age relief.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what representations he will make to other member Governments of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and other Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, particularly Commonwealth Governments, suggesting that they should make fuller use of the opportunities these organisations present for co-ordination of development programmes.

Her Majesty's Government considers that existing arrangements for co-ordinating development programmes are in general satisfactory and does not see the need at present for representations of the kind suggested.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he has examined the possibility of recruiting suitable medium-skilled personnel to serve as assistants to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation field experts under the United Nations Associate Expert Scheme; and whether he will propose to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation that it should utilise volunteers through the British Volunteer Programme in suitable projects.

My right hon. Friend and his predecessors have seriously examined the possibility of participation by Britain in the Unted Nations Associate Expert Scheme on several occasons.The cost involved has, however, to be borne by the Government of the country from which the associate expert comes, and is considerably higher than the comparable cost under bilateral technical assistance. For this reason, and because I believe that it is an important principle that countries receiving technical assistance should make some local contribution towards its cost, I do not consider that participation in the scheme would represent a wise use of British aid funds.The British Volunteer Programme would be willing to recruit volunteers requested by U.N.E.S.C.O. provided the conditions under which the volunteers are usually supplied by the British Volunteer Programme would be acceptable. The volunteers who could be supplied would be qualified but are usually inexperienced.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many associate experts recruited in Great Britain are at present working with field projects of the Food and Agriculture Organisation; and what plans he has for future recruitment.

Britain does not supply Associate Experts to work in field projects of the Food and Agriculture Organisation. There is a continuing heavy demand from the developing countries for British people with professional qualifications in agriculture and other natural resources. In my right hon. Friend's view, Britain can best ensure the future supply of the qualified and experienced experts that F.A.O. and other Agencies will need by continuing to give priority to meeting urgent needs through the bilateral programmes, and by providing studentships for post-graduate study in appropriate fields. It would be considerably more expensive per head to supply these young recruits through the Associate Expert Scheme.

asked the Postmaster-General how many stamp vending machines sell only halfpenny and penny stamps; and what steps he is taking to re-equip these with a wider range of stamps more in keeping with present-day postage costs.

There are 9,908 machines selling ½d. stamps and 11,782 machines selling 1d. stamps.We are considering the changes in our machines that will be required on the introduction of decimal currency in 1971. Meanwhile, the existing machines continue to meet essential needs and the cost of modifying them to sell a wider range of stamps would not be justified.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone kiosks in the Hornchurch and Romford area has been damaged by vandals; and at what cost to public funds.

In the last 12 months, 84 and about £300, respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General how much additional finance is being allocated to the northern region for telephone services for 1967–68 to make up the deficiency required to give this region equality with other regions.

Figures for the Northern Region are not available, but for the Post Office North Eastern Region we estimate that the rise in investment in inland telecommunications plant in 1967–68 will be about 23 per cent. compared to about 20 per cent. for the country as a whole.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the City of Manchester's application to operate a local radio station has been approved; and if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's consultations about the commencement of local broadcasting.

No proposal for the location of a local radio station has been approved. Local authorities are notifying their interest in obtaining one of the nine experimental stations to the B.B.C.; and the Corporation will put considered proposals to me. I expect to announce the first three stations soon.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what new conditions he will lay down for the sale of council houses by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add at his stage to my reply to the hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Murton) and the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Allason) on 7th February.—[Vol. 740, c. 1336.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will send a circular to dissuade local housing authorities from aggravating the housing shortage by selling off their stock of council dwellings.

I intend shortly to issue a circular advising local authorities on this subject. Meanwhile I repeat that in general local authorities ought not to sell their houses where there is still an unsatisfied demand for houses to let at moderate rents and where they intend to continue a substantial programme of building houses to let. There will, of course, continue to be exceptions to this general rule where the sale of particular properties is warranted in the normal course of housing management.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that some local authorities are to increase their loan charges for house purchasers from 7 per cent to 7⅜ per cent. on 1st April, 1967; what is his policy on such increases during the period of severe restraint; and if he will refer this matter to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

Local authorities are required, when fixing the rate of interest on home loans, to have regard to the rate at which they are currently borrowing so as to ensure that their schemes are not operated at a loss. My right hon. Friend relies upon them to exercise the maximum restraint consonant with this requirement and he does not think that further advice from him is called for at this stage or that this is a matter for reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government which local authorities he intends to consult when the report on the feasibility of the Dee crossing is published next month; and whether the views of the authorities on Merseyside will be taken into account, in view of the value of North Wales as a recreation area to Merseyside and the shortage of land and recreational amenities in the immediate neighbourhood of Merseyside.

My right hon. Friend will wish to take into account the views of the local authorities represented on the Dee Crossing Steering Committee, and of the local planning authorities, including those on Merseyside, who may be affected.