asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the estimated intake of qualified women into agriculture each year over the past five years.

The information asked for is not available, but a special return obtained by the Department of Education and Science indicated that about 280 of the women who left agricultural colleges and county institutes in 1965 took up their first employment in agriculture (including horticulture and estate management).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him on the price policies of the Egg Marketing Board; and what reply he has sent.

I have received representations from several sources about the price policies of the British Egg Marketing Board. The determination of both the buying and wholesale selling prices for its eggs is primarily a matter for the Board itself.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what talks he has now held with Common Market countries about the effect on British agriculture of Great Britain's joining the Common Market.

I have held no formal talks with E.E.C. countries on this subject, although from time to time I have met and discussed many matters of common interest with agricultural Ministers of the Six. My Department has frequent contacts with their official representatives on all matters of common concern in the food and agricultural sector in the course of its normal business. In addi- tion there have, of course, been the talks which my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have been having with Governments of the Six.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase or decrease there has been in beef cattle numbers in Dorset over the last year, to the nearest convenient date.

The beef herd in Dorset increased between June, 1965 and June, 1966 by over 500 head, or 10 per cent., and the number of steer and other male calves under 2 years old by over 2,000 head or 9 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider reintroducing the issue of cheap cartridges for pigeon destruction.

Grants are still available towards the cost of cartridges purchased by rabbit clearance societies for use by or on behalf of members to protect their crops but not for mass shoots.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sum of money during the last year was saved by his Department in respect of his refusal to pay corn subsidies to farmers who were entitled to them but who were late in submitting their application.

This information is not available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate effort.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he is ceasing to send reminders about the return of Form CDP2, relating to corn acreages.

As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary said in reply to a Question by the right hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Godber) on 20th July, 1966, it is the farmer's responsibility to submit his claims in time and we do not issue reminders under other subsidy schemes. The closing date for forms CDP2 is 31st March.—[Vol. 732, c. 603–4.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in butter and cheese production he expects as a result of the Price Review; and whether it is his policy to expand production as a means of saving imports.

It is impossible to say how much extra milk will be produced as the dairy herd expands. Some part of any extra production will be needed to meet the home growing market for fresh milk and cream: some part may go to butter and cheese, the demand for which is also increasing. In reply to the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (Mr. Stodart) on 2nd November, 1966.—[Vol. 735, c. 431.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for encouraging production of home-grown apples and other fruits.

The first need is to increase the consumption of home-grown fruit. Whilst sales promotion is primarily a matter for the industry, the establishment of the Apple and Pear Development Council and the introduction of statutory grading will both contribute to this end.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for stabilising the price of agricultural feedingstuffs.

Notifications of proposed increases in the prices of manufactured animal feedingstuffs will continue to be subject to rigorous scrutiny. But prices in this country could not be insulated from changes in the world prices of raw materials without subsidies or far reaching changes in our import policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify how the cuts on the fertiliser subsidy of £2 million per annum will be applied to individual plant nutrients.

The conclusions of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and myself, after the usual consultation with the Farmers' Unions, will be placed before Parliament in a Draft Order as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider providing for the appointment of one member from Wales on the Distribution Committee connected with the Meat and Livestock Commission provided for under the Agriculture Bill.

The first priority is to provide for adequate representation on the Distribution Committee of the various types of interests listed in paragraph 2 of Part III of Schedule 1 to the Agriculture Bill. So far as is consistent with this objective, it is certainly our intention to make the membership of the Committee as geographically representative as possible of all areas in England, Wales and Scotland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the proposed organisation of and representation on the Production Committee of the Meat and Livestock Commission.

I am at present consulting the interests concerned about the composition of this Committee. Until these consultations are completed, I am unable to add anything to the information on the composition of the Committee given in paragraph 1 of Part III of Schedule 1 to the Agriculture Bill.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of the net award of the Agriculture Price Review each year since 1948, both in actual terms and adjusted to constant prices using 1967 as the base.

The information is as follows:

Year of Annual Review	Net Award	Net Award adjusted by Consumer Price Index
1948	+40	+76
1949	-9½	-17
1950	-17½	-30½
1951	-32½	-54½
1952	- 2	- 3
1953	- 1½	- 2½
1954	-24	-34
1955	- 6½	- 9½
1956	-11½	-15½
1957	-23½	-30½
1958	-30	-37½
1959	- 8½	-10½
1960	-22	-26½
1961	- 5	- 6
1962	-30	-35½
1963	-13	-14½
1964	+ 7½	+ 8
1965	-18½	-20
1966	- 9	- 9½
1967	+10	+10

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cost of maintaining the provincial offices of his Department; and what part of this cost is for items other than wages and salaries.

About two-thirds of the staff of my Department, including almost all the professional and technical services, are based on provincial offices. The total cost of maintaining these offices is estimated at £20 million, of which salaries and wages account for rather more than £14 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that canteen prices have been increased at the firm of Allan West, Brighton; and what steps he will take to see that this firm accords with Government policy.

If my hon. Friend will let me have some further information I will look into this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to improve the financial return of low-ground sheep-farmers.

We have increased the guaranteed price by 1d. per 1b. on fat sheep and lambs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision he will make for retaining at Glasgow University the graduate teaching essential to the furtherance of all other agricultural teaching, research and advisory services in the west of Scotland.

Provision for teaching at a university is a matter for the university itself, but I would refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. Monro) on 1st March.—[Vol. 742, c. 109.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will encourage by donation of a prize the promotion of a competition for the design of a gallery to house the Burrell Collection.

The planning and construction of the gallery are the responsibility of Glasgow Corporation and it is for the Corporation to decide how to select an architect.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the effects on Scottish agriculture of adherence by Great Britain to the common agricultural policy of the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

Any generalisation about the overall effect on Scottish agriculture would be misleading in view of the wide variations in types of farming and the differing consequences which the Community's arrangements might have for these.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether all Scottish local authorities who acceded to the Government's request not to raise rents will be entirely compensated by the Exchequer Equalisation Grant (Notional Rent Income) Order, 1967, taking revaluation into account; and if he will make a statement.

Of the 110 authorities who postponed specific increases or postponed a review of their rents 20 had no low rent reduction from their first advance of Exchequer Equalisation Grant for 1966–67; 78 of the remainder will benefit from the Order and none will be worse off. Since Exchequer Equalisation Grant represents only a proportion of each authority's net expenditure, no authority will be fully compensated by grant for the amount of the rents which it has foregone.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have taken place regarding the amalgamation of police forces in Renfrew-shire and Bute; and what was the result of the discussions.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State met representatives of the County of Renfrew and of the Burghs of Paisley and Greenock on 17th March. Good progress was made, and I now hope that the police authorities will be able to submit a scheme in time for the amalgamation to come into operation on 16th August, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the basis of representation on the body set up to consider the question of the amalgamation of police forces in Renfrewshire and Bute; which local authorities will be represented; and what will be the numbers from each authority.

I understand that the police authorities have not set up formal negotiating machinery for this purpose. Eventually of course a joint police committee will be established under the amalgamation scheme. The representatives of the police authorities who met my hon. Friend the Minister of State on 17th March agreed to recommend that places on the joint committee should be allocated as follows: Renfrewshire 10, Bute 1, Paisley 5, Greenock 4.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations or discussions have taken place regarding the future of Paisley College of Technology; who were the parties to the consultations; and what decisions were taken.

Discussions are taking place between the Governors of the College and officers of my Department, but they are not at the stage at which decisions could be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take to implement recommendations of the report of the Technical Group on the Cairngorm area of the Eastern Highlands, with particular reference to access roads to the Beinn A'Bhuird snow-field.

The report is a technical planning study which I have commended for consideration by all concerned with the future development of the area. Further action is essentially a matter for local authority initiative in association with interested commercial developers.The possible approach roads to Beinn a'Bhuird envisaged in the report would not be classified as principal roads in terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1966. Accordingly if they were to be public roads they would be the responsibility of the county council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to start designating areas in Scotland under the terms of Section 11 of the Rent Act, 1965.

Not until I am satisfied that the rent registration machinery can cope with the additional work.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he requires quotations for home-produced textiles before contracts for such supplies are agreed.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further consideration he has given to the case of Leslie Parkes as a result of the new evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Shrewsbury.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General is considering the possible institution of proceedings for perjury in this case. In these circumstances I have nothing to add to what was said by my noble Friend the Minister without Portfolio in another place on 20th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what he estimates the total additional annual cost would be, to reward World War I holders of the Military Medal, in a similar manner to the recognition already given to World War II recipients.

My Department has estimated that the annual cost of paying an additional sixpence a day to the pensions of surviving holders of the Military Medal from World War I would be £156,000. There would also need to be a single payment of £600,000, to pay the £20 gratuity to those survivors who do not have a pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances No. 24008747 Private R. W. Grisman, of the 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, was posted to Singapore after a summons had been served on him on 30th September, 1966, a copy being served at the same time on his commanding officer, to appear before the Weobley Magistrates' Court on 6th March, 1967.

The summons was in a civil case, and as a matter of principle the Services do not deny to their members the freedom of choice of action which civilians enjoy in such matters. Members of the Services are therefore not held in this country or compulsorily brought back to answer a civil summons of this nature. Private Grisman went overseas with his unit on a normal posting.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in the light of the proposal under discussion to establish a National Inter-University School of Chinese in Great Britain, he will review his decision to set up other facilities duplicating similar purposes at the Army School of Chinese in Hong Kong.

No. The Army School will meet the special needs of the Services by teaching Cantonese as well as National Chinese, and by providing comparatively short and intensive training.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total annual cost of training interpreters at the Army School of Chinese in Hong Kong; how many are to be trained; and what is the cost per head.

£15,000 for 30 students a year. The cost of £500 each is no more than under present arrangements with universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of the new assault ship for the Royal Navy; how many tanks it will hold; and what they will cost.

About £10 million; 15; £50,000 or £100,000 each, according to type.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will abolish the charges made for the use of service helicopters for emergency ambulance purposes.

No. The charge covers only the extra cost involved. The procedures to be adopted for this form of ambulance service were laid down in Ministry of Health Circular 14/64.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the arrangements planned for the refitting of H.M.S. "Londonderry".

After giving leave at Portsmouth on her return to the United Kingdom later this year H.M.S. "Londonderry" will proceed to Rosyth where she will be handed over to the Dockyard for refit.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware that after a short career in the Services the majority of ex-Servicemen find themselves having to find employment at a difficult age; and whether he will seek to ensure that all persons who serve in the Armed Forces up to the age of 45 years will continue in State employ as civilians until civilan retirement age.

We are aware of this problem, and provide resettlement courses and advice on civil employment for all servicemen who wish for this help. In particular, former regular members of the Forces may compete for posts in the Civil Service, for some grades by special competitions, and for others by concessions on age limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of rehousing in this country the Service families who are to be brought home from Aden.

It is not possible to isolate and cost the element of the United Kingdom housing programme which will be attributable to withdrawals from Aden because the cost of housing an individual family varies greatly according to the type of accommodation provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the exercise carried out by members of the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry on the Tamar Bridge on Tuesday, 14th March.

To seek recruiting publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present strength of the Fisheries Protection Squadron; and why it is proposed to disband it.

Under the new command arrangements introduced on 1st February, 1967, the frigate element of the Fishery Protection Squadron was transferred to the full command of Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet. This reorganisation will give greater flexibility to the resources of the Home Command, and will not affect the level of fishery protection patrols. The six Coastal Minesweepers of the Squadron are not affected by the change.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what were the imports of grain and animal feedingstuffs though the port of Bristol for the last five years;(2) what is her estimate of the amount of grain and animal feedingstuffs the port of Bristol will handle in the next three years.

The Port of Bristol has provided me with the following details:

IMPORTS
Year	Grain	Feeding Stuffs
	(tons)	(tons)
1962	1,300,000	560,000
1963	900,000	490,000
1964	970,000	520,000
1965	950,000	490,000
1966	820,000	450,000

The authority does not expect the total tonnage handled in each of the next three years to vary significantly from those for 1966.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will delay the road improvements on the Harrogate-Skipton Road at Blubberhouses until alternative accommodation has been

EXPENDITURE ON NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS OF CLASSIFIED ROADS IN THE NORTHERN REGION
				Northern Region	Cumberland	Durham	Northumberland
1962–63	…	…	(a)	1·85	0·25	0·53	0·64
			(b)	0·56	0·86	0·35	0·78
1963–64	…	…	(a)	3·23	0·51	1·12	0·93
			(b)	0·98	1·72	0·73	1·13
1964–65	…	…	(a)	4·41	0·39	1·85	1·64
			(b)	1·34	1·31	1·21	1·98
1965–66	…	…	(a)	5·26	0·60	2·18	2·22
			(b)	1·59	2·03	1·42	2·68
(a) Expenditure in £ million.
(b) Expenditure in £ per head of the population.

The arrangements in this matter are the responsibility of the West Riding County Council, who are the local highway authority. I understand they propose to phase the work so that the site of the existing post office and shop will not be required before the autumn, by which time alternative premises should be available.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will set up a public inquiry to consider the objections to the proposed underpass at Neasden, Brent.

My right hon. Friend is still considering the objections and will decide shortly whether or not to hold a public inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the annual expenditure on the construction of classified roads in the Northern Region in each year from 1960–61; how much is likely to be expended in 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70; what are the relative amounts for Cumberland, Durham and Northumberland, respectively; and what is the cost ratio per head of the population.

Figures for the years 1962–63 to 1965–66 are set out in the following table:

asked the Minister of Transport what steps are being taken to ensure that motor vehicles are fitted with direction indicators that are visible from all directions.

None. But direction indicators fitted to vehicles first registered since August, 1965, must comply with a comprehensive specification based on international recommendations which include minimum angles of visibility to meet the needs of vehicles to which they are fitted.The Working Party on the lighting of vehicles will shortly consider proposed regulations to make the fitting of direction indicators compulsory on all vehicles with certain exemptions.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is intended to retain any railway track or railway stations other than those shown on the map published by her Department last week.

The map illustrates the basic network which the Government and the Railways Board have decided should be retained and developed. It does not purport to include every station nor to cover all the lines in London and the other conurbations. Nor does it show the track or formation of closed routes retained against possible future needs. The foreword to the map points out that a decision has not been taken to close any of the grey lines which are not proposed for inclusion in the basic network. Proposals for the withdrawal of passenger services using these routes will continue to be dealt with under the provisions of Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962.

asked the Minister of Transport what permission she has given to the Railways Board to raise passenger fares and charges during the period of severe restraint.

The British Railways Board have in accordance with the Government's policy for prices and incomes held their passenger fares and charges at the level they were last July. Since their fares were last fixed, they have faced considerable increases in costs, much of which they have absorbed by means of operating economies. I am, however, satisfied that, in view of the need to cover the increases in costs which the Board have not been able to offset and to contain the railway deficit, the Board should be allowed to make certain selective adjustments in their passenger charges.These include items such as luggage in advance and sleeping berth fees, and also a reduction in the discount on midweek summer concessionary fares and on journeys of over 200 miles and the withdrawal of concessionary rates for merchant seamen not employed by the Ministry of Defence, when travelling off-duty. The Ministry of Defence are considering with the Railways Board arrangements for merchant seamen employed by them. These changes will come in progressively from 2nd April.There will be no increases in the standard passenger fare nor in season ticket rates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to encourage office development in the coastal resort towns of Lancashire.

The Board of Trade's first priority for development of employment possibilities is the Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he now has to increase the levels of British exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Comecon countries.

Our exports to these countries in the first two months of this year are markedly higher than a year ago. I shall continue in the course of negotiations and frequent consultations with the U.S.S.R. and other members of COMECON to seek increased opportunities for British exports. In particular, I expect to have an early opportunity of discussions with the Soviet Minister of Foreign Trade to follow up the matters raised during Mr. Kosygin's recent visit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what recent official discussions he has had with representatives of advertising and for what purpose; and what action he will take as a result.

I met a deputation from the Advertising Association on 3rd November last. I have nothing to add to the statement about this meeting which I made in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne) and the hon. Member for Rutland and Stamford (Mr. Kenneth Lewis) on 8th December.—[Vol. 737, c. 1562–3.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will reconsider his decision excluding accountants, who are able to act only as auditors to an exempt private company, from the opportunity of reporting on applications for investment grants.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why there are no banking facilities at Turn- house Aerodrome, Edinburgh, for the use of tourists many of whom are accordingly inconvenienced; and when they will be provided.

There is no available site in the present terminal building. Banking facilities will be provided in the new terminal which is now being planned and which, it is hoped, will be ready in about five years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total sum of bad debts covered by the Export Credits Guarantee Department for initial orders up to £100 and orders up to £1,000, respectively, from overseas, for the two years January, 1965 to January, 1966, and 1967.

This information is not readily available.Small claims paid in the two years ending 28th February, 1966 and 28th February, 1967 were:

	1965–66		1966–67
	No.	Value	No.	Value
		£		£
Amounts up to £1,000 of which	1,770	458,430	1,855	451,712
Amounts up to £100	644	27,120	813	31,853

These include partial losses under larger orders and are the gross amounts paid. Recoveries are expected to produce substantially reduced figures for net loss.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians Association has an agreement with certain employers that they will not give orders to sub-contractors who do not comply with conditions set by the Association; and whether he will refer such agreements to the Restrictive Practices Court.

If a registrable Agreement has been entered into, it is the duty of the Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956, to bring it before the court.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of fabricated vessels, heat exchangers, and other equipment for the chemical and power industries imported during the last three months from Italy and other European countries.

Such information as is available is in tabular form and is as follows:

IMPORTS (C.I.F.) OF HEAT EXCHANGERS, ETC. NOVEMBER, 1966—JANUARY, 1967
Import Classification Code
	* 71101	† 71104	‡ 71909 (1966) 71871 (1967)
Country	£	£	£
World	164,226	244,039	2,380,364
Irish Republic	1,845	211	18,709
Finland	91	233	400
Sweden	3,906	87,825	145,574
Norway	412	3,125	3,340
Denmark	10,191	—	154,396
Germany, West	29,754	100,505	561,743
Netherlands	10,327	26,944	198,642
Belgium	663	15,784	181,115
France	1,307	41	279,370
Switzerland	7,356	598	64,911
Italy	50,453	—	410,228
Germany, East	—	—	7,330
Portugal	—	—	16
Spain	—	—	660
Liechtenstein	—	—	26,286
Austria	—	—	19,615
Yugoslavia	—	—	1,207
Cyprus	—	—	40
Rumania	—	—	1,805
Rest of World	47,921	8,773	304,977
* Steam and other vapour generating boilers (excluding central heating hot water boilers capable also of producing low pressure steam).
† Auxiliary plant for use with steam and other vapour generating boilers (e.g. economisers, superheaters, soot removers, gas recoverers and the like); condensers for vapour engines and power units.
‡ Machinery, plant and similar laboratory equipment for the treatment of material by a process involving a change of temperature, etc.— other

The information given below is in respect of equipment which includes heat exchangers. Imports for particular industries are not distinguished in the trade statistics, No information in respect of fabricated vessels and other equipment can be given since these descriptions are insufficiently precise to enable them to be related to headings in the Statistical Classification for Imported Goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many successful prosecutions have been instituted under the Protection of Depositors Act since the passing of that Act in 1963.

Six.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those countries which demand on export invoices the percentage of work done on the finished goods in Great Britain, and the declared country of origin of the goods.

South Africa, South West Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, the Irish Republic and, for wines, spirits and tobacco manufacturers, Gibraltar.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will assist the tourist industry under existing regional development legislation in the safeguarding, maintenance and improvement of one of its principal assets, namely, the beaches of the United Kingdom.

My powers under the Local Employment Act, 1960, and the Industrial Development Act, 1966, do not provide for assistance in the safeguarding, maintenance and improvement of the beaches of the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has from international sources regarding the percentage share of world exports of manufactures held by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the United States, Sweden and Japan, respectively, in 1959, 1964, 1965, and 1966.

The following table shows the percentage shares held by the countries named of the exports of manufactures (Section 5–8 of the Standard International Trade Classification, Revised) from the 12 main manufacturing countries i.e. United Kingdom, United

			1959	1964*		1965	1966 (provisional)
United Kingdom	…	…	17·7	14·2	14·0	13·5	13
France	…	…	9·2	8·9	8·7	8·9	8½
German Federal Republic	…	…	19·1	19·7	19·4	19·2	19½
Italy	…	…	4·4	6·4	6·3	6·8	7
United States	…	…	21·2	20·4	21·5	20·3	20½
Sweden	…	…	3·0	3·4	3·4	3·3	3¼
Japan	…	…	6·7	8·3	8·2	9·4	9¾
* A redefinition of the United States "Special Category" at the beginning of 1965 caused a discontinuity in the series of world exports of manufactures, and hence in the share series. Estimates for 1964 on the new basis are shown to provide a link.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the siting of a new tinplate mill and galvanising plant in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 15th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Coat-bridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey), in which I said that I had received no application for an industrial development certificate for a new tinplate mill.—[Vol. 743, c. 104.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect on the Lancashire cotton industry of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market, in view of the present crisis in the industry.

This assessment would depend on the arrangements for entry. At present, imports of cotton textiles from the E.E.C. into the U.K. are subject to a tariff.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the reduction in the guaranteed price of eggs, published in the 1967 Agricultural Price Review, he will now take steps to pre- States—excluding Special Category exports—E.E.C. countries, Canada, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland. (Figures of the total world imports of manufactures are not available for 1965 and 1966: in 1964 exports of these 12 countries accounted for 86 per cent, of the total.)vent the dumping of foreign eggs on the British market.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Members for Chippenham (Mr. Awdry) and Galloway (Mr. Brewis) on 15th February.—[Vol. 741, c. 116–7.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions are placed upon imported bacon from Denmark.

None. But Denmark is a party to the voluntary bacon market sharing understanding.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much progress has been made during the past six months to persuade further countries, in particular Japan, to accept the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil; if he is aware that the thousand-mile radius off Land's End within which discharge of oil is now prohibited provides an inadequate protection, in view of the Gulf Stream which carries oil to Cornwall and Devon beaches although discharged outside that radius; and if he will seek to amend the Convention accordingly.

The Governments of Greece and Japan recently announced their intention of adhering to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil. It is expected that the Assembly of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation which meets in the Autumn will adopt a resolution inviting all Governments which have not yet accepted the Convention to do so as early as possible.It is already an offence for British ships to discharge an oily-water mixture into the sea within an area extending 1,300 miles westwards from the United Kingdom. As from 18th May, 1967, it will also be an offence for ships of other Convention countries to discharge such a mixture in this zone. In addition, it will be an offence under the Convention for ships of 20,000 g.r.t. or more for which building contracts are placed on or after 18th May, 1967, to discharge persistent oils anywhere at sea.These provisions of the Convention are an interim step towards the ultimate goal of complete avoidance of the discharge of persistent oils into the sea. This is the declared aim of Convention countries. It is the policy of the United Kingdom Government to do everything possible towards the achievement of this end.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to enable stiffer penalties to be imposed on offending shipowners under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1955.

The Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1955 provides that the fine on summary conviction for an oil pollution offence shall not exceed £1,000 but there is no statutory limit to the fine that may be imposed if a person is convicted on indictment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps on behalf of anyone who should suffer financial loss as a result of oil pollution resulting from the wreckage of the 'Torrey Canyon' to ensure that adequate compensation is available.

I regret that I cannot give such an assurance. Questions of compensation may affect a number of commercial interests.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the mishap to the Aberdeen trawler "Juniper", which was grounded early in February on the Shetland Isle of Papa Stour, indicating his plans to mitigate the dangers of that sea area.

This vessel stranded in the early hours of 19th February on rocks off Papa Stour. Her skipper and crew of eleven were taken off the ship by the Aith life-boat. A. Formal Investigation under the Merchant Shipping Acts has been ordered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will approve the proposal by Burnley County Borough Council to make arrangements under the Town Development Act, 1952, to provide houses for people from Liverpool, Manchester and London.

I am telling the local authorities concerned that I have been able to approve the proposal, which it is hoped will provide about 1,600 houses for newcomers to Burnley by 1973, and eventually a total of 5,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on the latest position over the feasibility study for the Wash barrage scheme.

My right hon. Friend has given careful thought to the Water Resources Board's recommendation that an early start should be made on a feasibility study and have discussed this with the Board. The Board have now approved the Thames Conservancy Ground Water Pilot Scheme and the first stage of a

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many agricultural colleges in England and Wales provide a two-year course of training for women in horticulture or agriculture.

Seven.

asked the Postmaster-General how many complaints and what representations he has received from members of the public and various organisations about the increased cost for sending out printed matter weighing more than two ounces.

The only recent increases in charges for printed matter were those in October, 1966, for overseas full rate printed papers. We have received 14 letters about these increases from members of the public and none at all from trade organisations.Even at the increased rates the overseas printed papers service from this country will run at a loss of about £2 million a year.

asked the Post-mast-General whether, in the interests of road safety, he will issue postage stamps depicting the new road signs.

No. I cannot add to the programme of special stamp issues which I have already announced.

asked the Postmaster-General when he is proposing to reopen negotiations with the Society of Post Office Engineers to discuss the pay claim of executive engineers and senior executive engineers.

I have nothing to add to my reply on 6th March to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Astor). —[Vol. 742, c. 218.]

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephones have been reported during the period 1st October, 1966–31st January, 1967 as being out of order for more than two days in Leigh Park, Havant; how many of these have been repaired, and at what cost; and what percentage of out-of-order public telephones to total public telephones is considered to be acceptable in this area and in Portsmouth and the United Kingdom as a whole, respectively.

Six, all of which had been wilfully damaged. Three have been repaired so as to restore emergency call facilities.Our aim is to keep all public telephones in full working order, but with 130,000 incidents of wilful damage a year it is not possible to keep them all working all the time.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the ratio of new public telephones to total resident population installed in the United Kingdom, Hampshire and Leigh Park in the years 1964, 1965, and 1966, respectively.

I am sorry that the information is not available and could only be obtained as a result of extensive inquiries which I do not consider to be justified. New kiosks were provided at Leigh Park in 1964 and 1966, and another has just been added, making 18 in all.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many false fire alarms have occurred during each of the past four years; and if, in consultation with the Postmaster-General, he will introduce schemes to reduce such calls to a minimum.

In England and Wales, 28,312 in 1963; 36,624 in 1964; 37,722 in 1965; and 36,876 in 1966. Some

PERIOD OF SENTENCE SERVED CONTINUOUSLY IN ENGLAND AND WALES (EXCLUDING PERIODS OF ESCAPE AND PRISONERS RECALLED AFTER RELEASE ON LICENCE)
			Over 25 years	Over 20 years	Over 15 years	Over 10 but not over 15 years	Over 5 but not over 10 years*	Over 1 but not over 5 years*
Men	…	…	—	—	1	13	330	4,600
Women	…	…	—	—	—	—	7	70
* Approximate; exact figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about his proposals for improving prisoners' earnings.

A scheme will be introduced on 28th March at Kirkham Prison which will enable prisoners in workshops there to earn up to £1 a week as compared with their present maximum of about 11s. 0d. Higher earnings will depend on increased productivity. The scheme is intended as a forerunner for others.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to the Metropolitan Police for the detection of those who are still holding gold coins contrary to the provisions of Statutory Instrument, 1966, No. 438.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table in HANSARD, showing the number of male and female persons at present in Her Majesty's Prisons who have been continuously in prison, excluding periods of escape, for over one year, over five years, over 10 years, over 15 years, over 20 years, and over 25 years.

On 15th September a circular letter was sent to all chief officers of Police in England and Wales drawing their attention to the provisions of this Order. It is not the practice to give guidance on the detection of offenders in connection with specific offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total sum of fines imposed by magistrates' courts in England and Wales in 1964–65 and 1965–66.

The fines and fees collected in 1964–65 amounted to about £8¼ million and in 1965–66 to about £9½ million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of university graduates who have entered Her Majesty's Prison Service in each of the last five years.

Following are the particulars for England and Wales.Graduates joining as Assistant Governors direct from university:

1962	3
1963	6
1964	1
1965	3
1966	0

Graduates joining as Assistant Governors having first had other employment:

1962	5
1963	1
1964	6
1965	4
1966	3

Graduates recruited to professional posts, e.g., medical officers, chaplains, psychologists:

1962	14
1963	14
1964	33
1965	17
1966	24

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the person fined at St. Austell for not offering gold coins for sale to an authorised dealer, under Statutory Instrument, 1966, No. 438, has now been registered as a collector; how many coins the Treasury, or other authority, has subsequently given permission for him to retain; and what advice was given to him on the disposal of other gold coins in his possession.

An application for collector status made on Mr. Knight's behalf by his solicitors has been approved in principle. It is being treated in accordance with the normal rules. The Bank of England will be advising Mr. Knight's solicitors which coins he may retain. They number over 200. The remainder will have to be disposed of within a reasonable period in the usual way.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to publicise the liability to prosecution of those who have failed to hand in gold coins under Statutory Instrument, 1966, No. 438.

The Exchange Control (Gold Coins Exemption) Order, 1966, was announced in a Press Notice issued s by the Treasury on 26th April, 1966. It was debated in the House on 13th June, 1966. It has been fully reported and discussed in the national Press. I do not think further steps are called for at present, but if the hon. Member has specific proposals to make I will be glad to consider them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in reviewing anomalies in the operation of the Selective Employment Tax, he will bear in mind the hardship caused to large numbers of housewives who can no longer get part-time work, and the loss of their services to the community.

As my right hon. Friend has said on a number of occasions, he is watching the effect of the tax on part-time workers. My hon. Friend will not expect me to say more now.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the cost of collecting the Selective Employment Tax, including the cost of paying premiums and refunds, compares with the cost of collecting other taxes.

The extra administrative cost of operating the Selective Employment Tax is estimated at about £1½ million in a full year, representing about 0·75 per cent. of estimated net revenue. The estimated cost in 1965–66 of collecting other taxes, expressed as a percentage of receipts, was given in my answer to the hon. Member for Wavertree on 20th December, 1966. The figures range from 0·86 per cent. to 2·03 per cent.— [Vol. 738, c. 250–2.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums due in fines imposed by quarter sessions and assize courts were written off as unenforceable during 1964–65 and 1965–66; and what was the total amount of fines imposed by such courts during the same periods.

These tines are payable to the Treasury and are never written off as unenforceable, but there is a procedure whereby the process of collection may be suspended when fines have been outstanding for three years. The amount of fines on which process was suspended in 1964–65 was £10,200 and in 1965–66 £8,300. In addition fines to the amount of £1,500 in 1964–65 and £3,200 in 1965–66 were remitted by Treasury warrant or by court order.The total amount of fines imposed by quarter sessions and assize courts in 1964–65 was about £270,000 and in 1965–66 £480,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the figure of industrial production at the latest convenient date as compared with the same figure two years ago.

The index of industrial production, seasonally adjusted, for January, 1967, published today was 132. The figure for January, 1965 was 133.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how many the number of civil servants employed by the Government has increased between October, 1964 and the present date; and by how much the Civil Service salary bill has risen on account of these extra Government employees.

The number of non-industrial civil servants, excluding the Post Office, increased by 32 thousand between October, 1964 and January, 1967. The annual salary bill, using the average salary for civil servants in the year ended 31st March, 1966, has risen by approximately £38 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the net revenue from petrol tax in Cornwall in each year between 1960 and the latest year for which figures are available;

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to deal with the matter raised with him by the hon. Member for Horsham on 1st March, 1967 concerning compensation by Her Majesty's Government as a result of unilateral declaration of independence in Rhodesia for his constituent Mr. Marcus Thomas.

A letter has been sent to Mr. Marcus Thomas informing him that he has been accepted as eligible for assistance under the scheme announced in this House on 22nd December, 1965.—[Vol. 722, c. 469–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether all classified letters and documents emanating from the Foreign Office are copy numbered; and what steps he has taken to ensure that each copy is written off after destruction by pulping or by combustion.

No.Measures are in hand to ensure the copy-numbering of all Top Secret documents in the Foreign Office and at Office posts abroad.The copy-numbering of the very large quantity of less highly classified documents dealt with in the Foreign Office and Foreign Office posts abroad would entail very considerable additional man- power and expense which would far outweigh the advantage of such a measure. However, all practicable precautions are taken to ensure that less highly classified documents both in the Foreign Office and at Foreign Office posts abroad are properly safeguarded and destroyed by secure means as and when appropriate.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the cost to public funds in Wales in 1966 of the Meals on Wheels service and the home help service, respectively.

The cost to local authorities in Wales, including Monmouthshire County Council, of the home help service was about £1,049,000 in 1965–66; the estimated cost in 1966–67 is about £1,138,000. I regret that information about expenditure on the Meals on Wheels service is not separately available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the lock-out of members of the Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians Association by the Shipbuilding Employers Association; and what action he proposes to take to resolve this dispute.

I am following developments closely. I have not been approached for help by either party, but if one or both sides should want my assistance, I am ready to consider whether there is any way in which I can help.

asked the Minister of Labour how many shipbuilding and marine engine workers he estimates are likely to be redundant in the Tyne, Wear and areas within the next six Tees months.

900 employed by one firm are expected to become redundant by the end of this year. No firm estimate can be given of other possible redundancies.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what representations he received during his recent visit to Guyana in favour of the creation of a Caribbean federation; and what is now his policy in this regard.

None. Any questions of policy in this regard would be for my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary.

asked the Minister of Power if he will now make a statement about the future of the Brymbo and Round Oak Steel Works.

Not yet. Discussions with Guest Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd. and Tube Investments Ltd., are continuing.

asked the Minister of Power if he has studied the report on balance of payments implications of North Sea gas submitted to him by the Gas Council; what is the estimated annual balance of payments savings to be effected by North Sea gas by 1975; and to what extent this amount will be reduced as a result of profit remittances abroad by foreign-based producers on the basis of the following purchase prices payable to producers for North Sea gas by the Gas Council, namely, 1d., 2d., 3d. and 4d.