asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for road improvements to ensure adequate road communications between the projected container facilities at Southampton and the Midlands and London area.

Between Southampton and Winchester major improvements to the A33, to the value of about £4 million, are either in hand or programmed.North of Winchester, on the A34 to Oxford, schemes to the value of almost £1 million are either in hand or have recently been completed. Further schemes to the value of nearly £3 million are included in the announced forward programme, and the recently-announced list of schemes included in the trunk road preparation pool contains the Abingdon Bypass.Between Southampton and London, the M3 Motorway and other dualling schemes on the A33, totalling some £34 million, together with the improvements between Winchester and Southampton, will provide adequate road communications by the early 1970s.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will await the publication of proposals for the route of the Mll motorway south of Chigwell before considering objections to the Chigwell-Stump Cross section, in order to allow a proper consideration of the Roding Valley route as a whole.

No; but my right hon. Friend will consider the formal views of the local authorities concerned on the whole route before taking a decision on the published scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects to have completed her consideration of the proposals by the County Surveyors' Society for an additional 1,700 miles of motorway.

The proposals by the County Surveyors' Society have been taken into account in our assessment of interurban road needs for the 1970s. My right hon. Friend announced on 21st February the first instalment of a pool of new trunk road schemes to be prepared for the first half of the 1970s. Some of these will be built as motorways, others as all-purpose trunk roads. Further instalments will follow this year and next.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for building a motorway from the Midlands to the East Coast ports and Harwich.

As I said in answer to a Question on 19th December—[Vol. 738, c. 218–219]—the construction of a motorway would not be justified on current estimates of future traffic, but the recently announced extension of the principal road programme and the initial list of trunk road schemes for preparation for the early 1970s programme, included schemes to improve road access to the East Coast ports.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will make a further statement on the proposed Dovercourt bypass.

I cannot add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on 23rd November, 1966.—[Vol. 736, c. 1386.]

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will now announce her detailed plans for a motorway in the South-West.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member on 25th January.—[Vol. 739, c. 1474–5.]

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will impose a 40 miles per hour speed limit on the A442 road through Lawley village, Shropshire, in view of recent accidents there.

Shropshire County Council, who are the Order-making authority, have recently approached the divisional road engineer on this matter. If the county council decide to make a formal application for a speed limit, it will, of course, be considered.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for speeding up the completion of the King's Lynn bypass.

The Southern Bypass of King's Lynn is included in the "preparation pool" of trunk road schemes which my right hon. Friend announced on 21st February.

asked the Minister of Transport what factors have been holding up the completion of the M4 motorway.

Completion of the statutory procedures which must precede the start of construction, and in particular endeavours to meet objections lodged by certain local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will announce the new starting date for building the south Lancashire motorway.

No date has yet been fixed, but I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Garston, Liverpool (Mr. Fortescue) on 1st March.—[Vol. 742, c. 96.]

asked the Minister of Transport what total expenditure on urban road schemes she estimates will occur in the 1970s; and of this what proportion by local authorities.

The level of expenditure on roads, including urban road schemes, in the 1970s has still to be decided, but my right hon. Friend will shortly be announcing the first instalment of a £1,000 million list of urban road schemes on which preparations are to go ahead in readiness for further extensions of the programme in the 1970s. Local authorities will normally bear 25 per cent. of this cost.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total value of urban road schemes proposed by local authorities and submitted at the request of her Department in 1965.

Approximately £1,095 million.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the reduction in accidents caused by straying animals on the A31 within the New Forest from 83 in 1960 to 3 in 1965, prior to which a fencing scheme had been carried out in 1964, if she will now introduce a Bill to deal with the general position.

This does not seem necessary. Section 85 of the Highways Act, 1959, already empowers highways authorities to fence highways.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the need to encourage holidays at home, she will give special priority to the building of a Blackpool-M6 link.

No. Improvements in holiday areas will be considered on their merits on the same basis as other schemes.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress she has made with her plans for a flyover bridge at Bar End Junction on the Winchester bypass.

A detailed survey is now taking place preparatory to the publication of a draft Order under Section 9 of the Highways Act, 1959, probably later this year.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the latest estimate of the total cost of repairs to the M1 motorway necessitated by economies in its original construction.

The latest estimated cost of improvement and reconstruction work on the original length of M1 and its spur roads is £6·8 million. The improvement is designed to bring the motorway up to the higher, and more costly, standards of construction which experience has shown to be necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the cancellation of previous proposals for the improvement of the swing bridge at Thorne, she will reconsider the advisability of constructing a temporary bridge capable of taking two-way traffic.

Proposals for improvement of the bridge by converting the gates to power operation have not been cancelled. We are having a further examination made of the possibility of building a temporary bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware that the continued postponement and delay in planning the Thorne bypass and the replacement of the narrow swing bridge at Thorne is causing considerable concern and disruption of housing plans; and whether she will give priority to the new survey and consequent work which is proposed.

We are fully aware of the urgent need to bypass Thorne, and the action referred to in the Answer given to my hon. Friend's Question on 15th February [Vol. 741, c. 114.]—will be pushed forward with all possible speed.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for the modernisation to motorway standards of the Winchester Bypass.

The need to modernise the Winchester Bypass is recognised and a detailed investigation is now under way.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will re-examine the plans to extend the M5 from Cribbs Causeway to Avonmouth with a view to completing the work before 1970.

Under a contract which has recently been let, work on this section of the M5 will start next month and should be completed in December, 1969. For engineering reasons this period cannot be reduced.

asked the Minister of Transport what decision has been taken regarding traffic signs on the A2 between Marling Cross and Laughing Waters Restaurant in the constituency of Gravesend.

I am looking into the signing required for this stretch of the A2 trunk road and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what statistics are available of the average daily traffic flow over Bewdley Bridge; and whether these can be divided between commercial and private vehicles, and local and through traffic.

Counts taken over six weekly periods indicated an average daily traffic flow of 12,366 vehicles. No breakdown of this figure is available.

asked the Minister of Transport what measures she is taking to alleviate traffic hazards and delays during the forthcoming reconstruction of the M45 motorway.

The working methods adopted are designed to minimise the period of interference with traffic.The diversions at each end of the closed carriageway will be carefully signposted. Motorway traffic will be completely separated from the road works and construction traffic: two-way traffic on the carriageway in use will be kept in separate lanes by special flexible bollards.

asked the Minister of Transport which roads in the United Kingdom, not classified as motorways, are built to a standard classified as motorways in Europe; and with which European countries her Department makes this comparison.

Motorways in Europe are built to varying standards but all are restricted to certain classes of traffic. The only roads in the United Kingdom so restricted are the motorways constructed under the powers of the Highways Act, 1959. If it were not for these traffic restrictions certain lengths of our major roads would be equivalent to some of the motorways in the principal countries of Europe, but the variations in standards abroad make it impossible to prepare a schedule.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the figure of 370 miles of new or improved trunk road by 1970 in paragraph 21 of Chapter 12 of the National Plan is still the Government's firm target; and if she will divide this target figure showing separately the mileage for England, Scotland and Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 34 of the White Paper on Transport Policy [Cmnd. 3057] and to the Reply given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke), on 8th August, 1966.—[Vol 733, c. 282.]The 1966 forecast of 354 miles comprises approximately 250 miles in England, 72 miles (including 6 miles to be constructed as motorway) in Scotland and 32 miles (including 4½ miles to be constructed as motorway) in Wales.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is yet in a position to make a further announcement about further container facilities at ports, in addition to those announced on 25th January.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now give approval for setting up a container ship terminal on the Clyde.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that a container ship is now to be built at Fairfield's in Govan, if she will given her approval to the proposal of the Clyde Port Authority for a container terminal at Greenock.

I would refer to the statement that I made at the end of Questions today.

asked the Minister of Transport, how many visits she has paid to conurbations in the last six months; with whom she has consulted outside her Department; and what steps were discussed.

I have visited four conurbations—Greater Manchester, Tyneside, Merseyside and West Midlands— and discussed with the major local authorities and public transport operators in each the form and scope which conurbation transport authorities might take.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects to receive the Report of the Manchester Rapid Transit Study; and what assistance she will give to urban authorities proposing to set up rapid transit systems.

In the summer. The construction of approved rapid transit systems will be eligible for financial assistance under the powers I intend to take to implement the policy declared in paragraph 62 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057).

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made with the establishment of road construction units; and when she will make a further statement on implementing the recommendations of the Lofthouse Report.

As I announced when opening the debate on Transport Policy on 22nd February, the first of the new road construction units will come into operation on 3rd April in the North-West. We intend to set up two more units in the North-East and in the Midlands, by October of this year with the other three to follow not later than April, 1968.Many recommendations of the Lofthouse Report have already been applied but some, by their nature, need more time to come into full effect.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the outcome of recent consultations between her Department, London Transport, the Greater London Council and London boroughs concerning the problems of public transport as they affect the outer London boroughs.

Discussions are continuing on problems of public transport in the Transport Co-ordinating Council for London, on which the boroughs are represented. The boroughs will be consulted in due course in the discussions about the reorganisation of transport in London, referred to during the transport debate on 22nd February.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will seek to make a special grant to those small local authorities whose ratepayers will otherwise bear an excessively heavy burden as a consequence of replacing existing traffic signs by the new system of Worboys signs by 31st December, 1967.

I think that the rate support grant is the most appropriate way of providing Exchequer assistance for expenditure on traffic signs.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals she has for improved transport services in Dorset.

Proposals for helping public transport, set out in the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057), apply to Dorset as to other parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Transport what expansion she is making in the organisation of research into transport technology; and what further steps she now proposes to take.

I am taking steps to increase the effort on research into transport technology. An outline programme of new research has been formulated, and the Ministry of Technology are co-operating with my Department in the arrangements for its organisation. As much use as possible will be made of the skills and facilities already existing in Government research establishments.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the principal items at present being considered by the Transport Co-ordinating Council for London; and to what extent the Council has made progress in co-ordinating operations and services.

A wide variety of studies and investigations are in hand, including the evaluation of proposals for major investment in public transport and the planning and development of London's major road networks. Specific items under study include possible links between central London and Heathrow airport; interchange arrangements at main-line stations and other passenger transfer points; car parking arrangements at commuter railway stations; and coordinated development of bus operation and traffic management measures.

asked the Minister of Transport what reports on the present operational co-ordination of public passenger transport services her Department has received from British Railways, the London Transport Board, the Holding Company and other transport undertakings; and whether she will publish the recommendations of these bodies.

Following discussions initiated by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton (Mr. Tom Fraser), the British Railways Board, the London Transport Board, the Transport Holding Company and the British Electric Traction Company Limited last year sent me three joint reports describing the arrangements for securing operational co-ordination of public passenger transport and indicating some possible improvements. The proposals in these reports will now be followed up by the regional passenger transport co-ordinating committees which I have recently appointed and I have arranged for them to have copies.The reports are very detailed and I do not consider that the expense of publishing them would be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport what revenue has been earned from parking meters installed in the Greater London area up to the latest date for which this information is available; 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.

There is nothing I can add to the Answer I gave the hon. Member on 22nd June, 1966.—[Vol. 730, c. 79–80.] Later figures are still not available for the whole of Greater London.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made towards a solution of the traffic problems of Waltham Abbey, particularly those which will arise as a result of the proposed Greater London Council residential development in the area.

Completion of improvement of High Bridge Street and implementation of a one-way traffic scheme are planned for this year.The measures which will best serve to divert through traffic from the Al21 in the centre of Waltham Abbey and make proper provision for increased local traffic are being actively considered.

asked the Minister of Transport how many meetings she has had with the chairmen of the regional planning councils since she took office; and what action is being taken by those councils to integrate and co-ordinate transport services in the regions.

Five, during which I have discussed with them, amongst other things, how transport can best be coordinated and integrated within their regions. The regional councils are advisory and not executive bodies, but as a result of these discussions I have recently set up, with their co-operation, regional passenger transport committees to secure better co-ordination of passenger services. These committees will take account of the results of the pilot studies which have been undertaken by the councils, at my request, into various aspects of the co-ordination of public transport.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to ensure that all motor vehicles are so equipped as to reduce or prevent altogether the emission of dangerous exhaust fumes.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware that measures are now being introduced in Western Germany and the United States of America to impose legal limits on the amounts of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust fumes of motor vehicles; and whether it is her intention to introduce similar measures in this country.

My right hon. Friend will make new regulations controlling exhaust fumes from motor vehicles if and when research now proceeding in this country under the aegis of the Economic Commission for Europe shows this to be necessary and practicable. The limits and methods of measurement adopted in the United States of America are not necessarily suitable for this country. I am not aware that West Germany has yet imposed, or settled, limits.

asked the Minister of Transport when she hopes to resume talks with the Transport and General Workers' Union on the subject of one man buses for London Transport.

Arrangements for London Transport's one-man operated buses are a matter of management for the Board, subject to operation being authorised by the Traffic Commissioners. About 400 such buses are already in use and further extension will be a matter for discussion between the Board and the Transport and General Workers' Union in the normal way. The Union are also represented on the Department's group which is studying generally the technical and operational problems of extending one-man operation.

asked the Minister of Transport what consultations she has had with the Greater London Council about new traffic measures to deal with congestion; and what additional measures will be introduced in the next 12 months.

There are formal and informal talks from time to time between my right hon. Friend or officials and the Council on general traffic matters and on matters related to transport in London. Plans for specific measures to be introduced are for the Council to announce.

asked the Minister of Transport what further steps she plans to take to control motor rallies in view of the continuing danger on roads and annoyance to the public.

We have no evidence that motor rallies cause danger on roads. As regards nuisance to the public there has been a sharp drop in the number of complaints received since the present control system came into operation in 1965. If there is any deterioration in the situation my right hon. Friend will consider whether further controls are needed.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will now make a statement on the experiment in respect of reflective number plates carried out by her Department.

The Report on this experiment by the Road Research Laboratory shows that reflectorised number plates can be expected to have an effective life of several years and might improve safety at night by making unlit vehicles more conspicuous. The possible use of such number plates is being studied by the Working Party on Vehicle Lighting whose members have had copies of this Report.

asked the Minister of Transport what regulations she has issued to improve the safety of vehicles since she took office; and what further safety measures she has under consideration.

:A. My right hon. Friend has made the following regulations to improve the safety of vehicles:Amendments to Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations on red rear reflectors, S.I. 1966 No. 30;Amendment to the Construction and Use Regulations banning the use of re-cut tyres, S.I. 1966 No. 724;The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Extension) Order 1966, to reduce the age limit of vehicles subject to the test to four years and subsequently three years, S.I. 1966 No. 973;Amendments to the Construction and Use Regulations on Brakes, S.I. 1966 No. 1288:

asked the Minister of Transport how many garages have been struck off the list of authorised vehicle testers on proof of inadequate testing.

363 authorisations have been withdrawn for the improper issue of test certificates.

asked the Minister of Transport what integrated transport schemes for rural Norfolk have been submitted for her consideration.

None, but it will be the task of the Regional Passenger Transport Co-ordinating Committee for East Anglia, which my right hon. Friend has recently appointed, to advise on the better coordination of transport facilities in all parts of the region.

asked the Minister of Transport what representation she has received from the National Farmers' Union urging compulsory insurance cover against damage by vehicles to all classes of property in addition to the present requirements of cover for damage to persons; and whether she will introduce legislation to this end.

Since December, 1965, the National Farmers' Union has twice suggested that motorists' liabilities for property damage should be made compulsory, claiming that farmers experience difficulty in recovering the costs of damage to farm walls and fences. But we have no evidence of particular hardship in this connection, and do not propose to introduce legislation.

asked the Minister of Transport why she has rejected the request of Shrewsbury Borough Council that traffic signs of the Warboys design should be of smaller dimensions when used in the centre of the town where the streets are exceptionally narrow.

Agreement has been reached with the Borough Engineer of Shrewsbury for the smallest prescribed directional signs to be erected. As far as we are aware the Borough Council are satisfied.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the proposal for the setting up of a conurbation transport authority in the West Midlands.

I had very useful discussions in the West Midlands on 19th and 20th January. I am now working out detailed proposals for conurbation transport authorities to be included in the Transport Bill. My intention is to seek powers which would enable me to set up such authorities for the West Midlands and other suitable areas.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date it is intended to set up the Tyneside Conurbation Transport Authority, in view of the fact that the Northern Region Transport Co-ordination Committee has no Tyneside representative on it.

As soon as possible after I secure the necessary powers. As regards appointments to the Co-ordinating Committee, the hon. Lady may like to know that it is my intention to include someone from Tyneside.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will increase the number of spot-checks on lorries in the Bristol area, paying particular attention to the exit and entry trunk roads.

Spot checks have been carried out on lorries on trunk roads in the Bristol area and further checks will be made from time to time. It would be difficult to increase the number of checks in this area without reducing the number elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will instruct her Bristol-based officials to carry out spotchecks on lorries on the hilly sections of trunk roads to and from the city.

Special smoke checks are already carried out on the hilly sections of trunk roads to and from the city and these will continue. Vehicles are not stopped for inspection on hills because of the danger to other road users and to the examiners.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made towards implementing the suggestion made in 1963 that the traffic signals in major cities should be controlled by computer.

Two experimental computer installations will be commissioned shortly, one in West London and the other in Glasgow.They will provide results on which policy for future use of computers can be determined.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made on discussions with insurers whereby registration books may be sent to taxation authorities for over-stamping to indicate that a vehicle has been subject to insurance write off.

Final details are now being worked out and I hope to make an announcement soon after Easter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the nationalised transport service in London is being subsidised, she will consider subsidising the Crosville bus service in North Wales which is a nationalised undertaking.

No. The circumstances are not the same.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will introduce legislation to ensure that commercial travellers using estate cars to carry hand samples are not charged excise duty at the goods rate.

No. We see no reason for a special concession for commercial travellers.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has to make an official visit to Cornwall in 1967.

None at present. But I hope to find an early opportunity to pay another visit to the South-West.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what evidence she has that there is no demand for an additional filling station on the site proposed at the Five Lanes bypass;(2) why she directed the Cornwall County Council, as planning authority, to refuse Mr. L. Hooper, of Five Lanes Garage, Altarnun, Launceston, Cornwall, permission to resite his garage on a site adjacent to the Five Lanes bypass.

The Five Lanes Diversion form part of the Trunk Road A30. There is one petrol filling station about one mile to the east of Mr. Hooper's site on the same side of the road, one about 5¼ miles to the west on the same side of the road and another on the other side of the road about one mile to the west; three stations in less than 7 miles. This seems to be adequate to meet requirements. This is a fast road where an additional access would be a potential source of danger.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is her policy to increase the size of the transport fleet of the British Railways to a level which would make them independent of private hauliers for the servicing of line-train terminals.

The Railways Board's policy, with which I am in full agreement, is to provide sufficient road vehicles to deal with the volume of freightliner traffic requiring collection and delivery by its own fleet.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will make a statement on her decision on the projected closure of Brentford Dock.

The railway dock at Brentford was closed by the British Railways Board on 31st December 1964. My right hon. Friend's consent was not required.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the cost to public funds of making the Marplan study on railway closures.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects to be able to publish the Marplan survey on railway closures.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date she received the report from Marplan on railway closures.

asked the Minister of Transport why she has not yet published the Marplan survey on railway closures.

The basic information collected by Marplan was received in October, 1965. The cost was £9,100. The Department has completed the necessary detailed statistical analysis and summary and a Report will be published shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport how many, and what, official visits she and her Parliamentary Secretaries propose to make in the next six months in regard to her railway responsibilities.

On present plans my right hon. Friend will be making three such visits in the course of the next six months.On 31st March she will open the new design centre at the British Rail Workshops, Derby. On 9th June she will visit the latest stage of the suburban electrification scheme at Glasgow; on 10th July she will attend the inauguration of the new electric service between London and Bournemouth.I have the following engagements during the same period: 10th March, tour of British Rail in Devon and Cornwall followed by meeting with railway trade unions in Exeter; 15th April, meeting with Manchester District Council of the National Union of Railwaymen; 22nd April, weekend school organised by the North East London Divisional Council of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association at Felixstowe.These are the firm engagements which my right hon. Friend and I have at present. There will doubtless be others.

asked the Minister of Transport how many official visits she has made to railway centres; and how many times she has inspected railway workshops in the last six months.

My right hon. Friend has made no visits to railway workshops during this period, but she has made the following railway visits since becoming Minister of Transport:

22nd April, 1966: Inspection of London Midland electrification at Crewe and Manchester.

July, 1966: Visit to freightliner terminal at York Way, London.

25th November, 1966: Leeds City Station which has just been rebuilt.

20th January, 1967: New Street Station, Birmingham which is being rebuilt.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will make a statement about Government plans for the extension of the existing underground railway network in London.

No general statement about long-term plans for the Underground network will be possible for some time. London Transport, who are responsible for initiating schemes, have plans for possible extensions at various stages of preparation. Any which are justified before overall plans are ready will be announced when they are approved.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she has now reached a decision about extending the Victoria underground to Brixton.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is now able to say whether the Victoria Line will be extended to Brixton.

I have at present nothing to add to the Answer given to my hon. and Gallant Friend the Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) on 25th January, 1967.—[Vol. 739, c. 1466–7.]

asked the Minister of Transport how many manufacturers have indicated a wish to convey their own goods to and from the proposed open railway terminals; and whether she has contacted private manufacturers to find out how many would use the liner train service if provided throughout by the Railways Board.

Manufacturers have been at liberty since freightliner services started to convey their own goods to and from the terminals or to use the collection and delivery services provided by the Railways Board. Contact with prospective customers is a matter for the Board.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give a general direction to British Railways to seek to install telephones on main line trains.

No. The provision of facilities of this kind is a matter for the Railways Board, who have carried out experimental tests to investigate the considerable practical problems involved.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate she has made of the amount by which the £130 million loss forecast for British Railways during 1967 would be reduced if the maintenance of the track and signalling system was financed from the same sources as the roads.

The cost to the Railways Board of track and signalling maintenance is in the region of £70 million per annum including amortisation, but excluding interest and cost of signalling operation. The maintenance of roads is, of course, financed from general revenues to which road users contribute in the form of fuel tax and vehicle excise duties.

asked the Minister of Transport how many rail closures have taken place in the two years to the end of December, 1966; and what financial saving this represents, taking into account the cost or estimated cost of providing alternative transport.

In 1965 and 1966, 110 passenger services were withdrawn or modified and 29 individual passenger stations were closed. This represents a net annual financial improvement of about £7½ million.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a general direction, in the public interest, to British Railways to run more goods and passenger trains through Mid-Wales.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she has yet made any decision in regard to the Railway Board's proposals to withdraw passenger services between Birmingham, Snow Hill, and Wolverhampton low level, and Birmingham, Snow Hill, and Stratford-on-Avon.

No, my right hon. Friend is now studying these important proposals.

asked the Minister of Transport what degree of subsidy is included in the charges made by British Railways for transport by freightliner trains.

None. The freightliner investment so far authorised was approved on the basis that charges will cover costs and make a contribution towards reducing the Railways Board's deficit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans Her Majesty's Government has for replacing imports of Rhodesian tobacco with supplies from elsewhere.

Manufacturers are free to import from any source other than Rhodesia and have not expressed any fear of being unable to obtain adequate supplies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the decrease in textile imports from Malta in 1966 compares with changes in the level of such imports from other Commonwealth countries; and what consideration has been given to an increase in order to assist Malta in her present difficulties.

Maltese exports of cotton textiles, in common with those of most other Commonwealth countries, are included in the global quota. Within this quota she had done better than some and worse than others, the position varying as between different types of goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take additional steps now needed to create employment in Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardigan (Mr. Elystan Morgan) on Tuesday, 14th February: and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a statement I made in Swansea on 24th February.—[Vol. 741, c. 86.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of several recent convictions on charges of fraudulent misrepresentation, he will seek power to protect investors who are being currently deceived by this practice.

If my hon. Friend will let me know what kind of fraudulent misrepresentation he has in mind, I will consider whether I need further power to deal with it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he is making in revising Section 4 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 dealing with safety at sea of fishing vessels; and with what other Government Departments he is co-operating.

A memorandum about revision of Part IV and other provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts affecting the conditions of service at sea of fishermen has been circulated to some 30 organisations and unions in the fishing industry. To date 18 have commented upon it, and replies from the other organisations are awaited. The Board is also in consultation with the fisheries departments and with the Ministry of Labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects that the preliminary inquiry by the two assessors of his Department regarding the fire upon the Hull freezer trawler "St. Finbarr" which occurred on Christmas morning 1966 is likely to be completed.

I have now received the report of the preliminary inquiry into the loss of the "St. Finbarr" and have decided that a public formal investigation should be held.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries he is making into the circumstances whereby a man officially reported missing from the De la Pole Hospital, Willerby, spent more than three weeks aboard the Hull trawler "St. Amant"; and whether he will make a statement.

I have made inquiries and understand that the man in question, who had previous fishing experience, presented himself for employment and was accepted in the normal manner. It was not known that he was missing from the hospital, to which he returned at the end of the voyage. I will write to my hon. Friend more fully about this case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish in HANSARD a table showing particulars of British trade with the Commonwealth available to him on 23rd February.

Statistics of trade with the Commonwealth, in total and with individual Commonwealth countries, are given on pages 279–282 of the Overseas Trade Accounts each month. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a statement I made to the Commonwealth Producers Organisation on 23rd February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the British Overseas Airways Corporation have refused to extend to civil servants of the Crown serving in the Middle East the concessions in respect to fares which they grant to members of Her Majesty's armed forces serving alongside them in the same stations; and what action he propses to take to protect the interests of these officers.

Yes. The extent of fares concessions granted by B.O.A.C. to members of the armed forces or others is governed by their commercial judgment. I do not propose to intervene.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that imports of cotton piece goods from Portugal in the month of January, 1967 were equal to 30 per cent. of cotton piece goods imports from Portugal for the whole of 1966, and equal to 66 per cent. of the total for the whole of 1965; and whether he will hasten action to deal with this damaging situation.

I know that Portuguese imports rose sharply after the removal of the Temporary Import Charge. But following discussions which I have recently had with the Portuguese, I have every reason to expect that the rate of Portuguese exports to this country this year will be substantially below that of recent months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Portuguese cotton industry is placed in an unfairly advantageous position in competition with Lancashire by its exemption from taxes and the granting of other incentives under a law passed in 1963, by large imports of raw cotton from Mozambique at under world prices, and by the low wages paid to Portuguese cotton workers; and if he will make a further statement on the results of his representations to Portugal on this matter.

The Portuguese authorities state that they operate a price equalisation system to ensure that exporters of cotton textiles do not pay more than world market prices for raw cotton from the Portuguese overseas territories. An E.F.T.A. Working Party on Government Aids is studying this.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what industrial development certificates have been issued in the Bristol, North-West, constituency in the last five years.

In the employment exchange areas approximating most nearly to the constituency—Bristol, Avonmouth and Westbury-on-Trym—105 for a total floor space of 2·6 million square feet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek powers to require insurance companies to register details of their reinsurance arrangements and also proof of their net free assets and investments.

The Companies Bill would enable the Board of Trade to require from insurance companies information on these matters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that imports of cotton and man-made fibre cloths in January, 1967, were the highest on record; and if he will hasten steps to establish a textiles imports commission or committee.

The announcement in May last year of the removal of the Temporary Import Charge in November resulted in a steady decline in textile imports up to that month and a rise thereafter. Imports in the three months to January, 1967, were in fact nearly 40 million square yards less than in the first three months of 1966.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state his plans as a result of the recommendations in the Fish Stock Record for 1965 by the scientists of the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, and the Fisheries Laboratory, Lowestoft; and what effect those plans have had on the British North Sea fishing industry.

The Annual Fish Stock Records are published to assist the fishermen in planning their operations for themselves.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what future pattern of handling, transportation and distribution is to be made at the proposed new market site at Nine Elms.

This will depend on consultations the Covent Garden Market Authority is now having with the interested parties both about internal arrangements within the market and facilities for the arrival and departure of produce by road, rail and river. If my hon. Friend has any particular point in mind and will write to me, I will consider what information I can helpfully give him at this stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with the Defence Department over the disbanding of the Fisheries Protection Squadron; and what representations he has received from the fishing industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the changes in the command structure of the Fisheries Protection Squadron; and if he will give an assurance that the fishing fleets in the North Sea will continue to have as full protection from foreign encroachments as heretofore.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the British Trawlers' Federation on the abolition of the Fishery Protection Squadron; and what reply has been sent.

I understand that the change which has been made in the command structure has been to place under the command of the C.-in-C. Home Fleet the frigates which are engaged in distant water patrols. The Captain Fishery Protection will continue to be responsible for the overall planning and co-ordination of fishery protection operations; and the coastal minesweepers which are responsible for fishery protection round the United Kingdom remain under his administrative control.No change is being made in the level of protection either in home or distant waters.Our Department was consulted before these organisational changes were made.The British Trawlers' Federation asked for a clarification of certain Press reports, and I have placed in the Library a copy of the reply which has been sent to them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that agricultural contractors involved in vaccinating, debeaking and caponising of poultry and personally involved in artificial insemination of farm stock or engaged in the feedingstuffs industry are eligible for refunds under the Selective Employment Tax, why an application on behalf of veterinary surgeons engaged in general farm practice for a similar refund was refused; and what steps he proposes to take to arrange a further review of this problem.

Section 2(3,e) of the Selective Employment Payments Act, 1966, provides that only those agricultural activities which fall under Minimum List Heading 001 of the Standard Industrial Classification, as amended by the definition of agriculture in the Act, are eligible for refund of the tax. Veterinary surgeons fall under the Minimum List Heading 879/4 and are not, therefore, eligible.Since there seem to be no grounds for treating veterinary surgeons differently from other professional services included under Order XXII of the Standard Industrial Classification no purpose would be served by a review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state for the latest year for which figures are available the number of gallons of liquid milk accounted for by free school milk, and the farm-gate value of this to British farmers; what proportion this represents of total milk production in the United Kingdom; what proportion this represents of milk sold for liquid consumption; and what proportion the farm-gate value of this is of the total farm-gate value of all milk produced by British farmers.

During the calendar year 1966 free school milk in the United Kingdom accounted for 56 million gallons of milk with a farm-gate value of £9 million; this represented about 2¼ per cent. of the quantity and farm-gate value of total milk production, and about 3½ per cent. of milk sold for liquid consumption.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the independent report on the foot-and-mouth problems in the county of Northumberland, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Tynemouth, he will reconsider his decision not to have an independent inquiry.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce details of the Annual Farm Price Review.

I hope to be able to publish the Annual Review White Paper on Wednesday, 15th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent his plans for house building in Scotland will require alteration on account of the extra burden placed on the construction industry in having to provide special accommodation for military personnel brought back from German, Malta and other overseas bases; and whether he will give an estimate of the likely reduction in each of the next three years in the number of houses to be made available to the public.

No alteration will be required. The extra burden on the industry will be very small.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the stated plans of the Highlands and Islands Development Board for the integrated development of the Strath of Kildonan in Sutherland, he will give a direction to the Board to intervene to prevent the piecemeal afforestation of arable land by private owners, particularly on the estate of Achentoul, in advance of the Board's completion of a proper land use survey of the whole Strath.

I know that the Board is engaged on a study of the possibilities of comprehensive land development, including forestry, in the Strath of Kildonan. The Board is aware of the plantings already taking place or projected, by the Forestry Commission and private owners, and I am assured by the Board that it does not regard these as inconsistent with any plans it may have for the area. In these circumstances I should prefer to await the submission of formal proposals by the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will state the number of pupils who passed O grade examinations in the years 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966, listing the number they passed in; and if he will list the education authorities' numbers and passes;(2) if he will state the number of pupils presented for the O grade examination in years 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966; and if he will list the county education authorities and their numbers;(3) if he will state the number of pupils presented for the Higher Certificate examinations in the years 1963, 1964, 1965

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will seek the establishment of a military ombudsman with power to investigate personal cases where matters of national security are not involved.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are now stationed in Thailand; what is the nature of their duties in that country; to what regiments these troops belong; and what is the cost of maintaining and financing them there.