asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken to examine the implications of Report No. 27 relating to the pay of workers in the retail drapery, outfitting and footwear trades; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he intends taking in regard to the general recommendations made in connection with the future of wages councils in the light of Report No. 27 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to be able to make a further announcement on his policy towards the growth of self-employment in the building industry.

This must await the report of Professor Phelps Brown's Committee of Inquiry into the engagement and use of labour in building and civil engineering with particular reference to labour-only sub-contracting.

asked the Minister of Labour whether fluctuations in council house rents are reflected in the Cost-of-Living Index, published by his Department.

Yes. For the purposes of the Index of Retail Prices information about average rents is obtained from about 175 local authorities which own about 2,000,000 dwellings.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the increases in the Index of Retail Prices for nationalised industries, for food, for clothing and footwear, for durable household goods, for miscellaneous goods, and for services since October, 1964.

The increases between 13th October, 1964, and 21st February, 1967, were as follows:

		per cent.
Nationalised industries	…	14·6
Food	…	8·8
Clothing and footwear	…	5·8
Durable and household goods	…	5·7
Miscellaneous goods	…	7·7
Services	…	15·6

asked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage increase in the unemployment percentage rate in the South-West Region between July, 1966, and February, 1967; and what is the national percentage increase.

Between 11th July, 1966, and 13th February, 1967, the total number registered as unemployed increased in the South-West region by 139·7 per cent. and in the whole of Great Britain by 128·2 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the total number of unemployed persons resided in the South-West Region, in February, 1963 and February, 1967, respectively.

At 11th February, 1963 and 13th February, 1967, 5·5 and 6·5 per cent. respectively, of the total numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain were in the South-West Region.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of immigrant trainees who have applied for training and have been accepted in each Government training centre for the years 1965 and 1966; and to what extent information regarding the facilities offered is brought to the attention of the voluntary liaison committees in the main industrial cities where immigrant communities live.

Separate records of immigrant trainees are not maintained, but immigrants are accepted for training provided they satisfy the normal eligibility requirements. No special steps are taken to draw the attention of voluntarily liaison committees to these training facilities, but full information about them is available at every Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed there are in Lyme Regis; what percentage of the working population this represents; and how this compares with a year ago.

Separate figures are not available for Lyme Regis, which forms part of the area covered by the Bridport Employment Exchange.On 13th March, 1967, there were 299 persons registered as unemployed at Bridport representing 4·7 per cent. of the estimated number of employees in the area. The corresponding figures for 14th March, 1966 were 219 and 3·4 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the deterioration in the employment position in Gains-borough and that the percentage of employed population now unemployed at 2·7 per cent. has exceeded the national average of 2·4 per cent. for the first time for 11 years; and what steps he will take to remedy the situation.

The percentage rates of unemployment in Gainsborough have in fact exceeded the national rate on a number of occasions in recent years. Our local officers are doing all they can to help those at present unemployed to find suitable work and offer opportunities for training in suitable cases.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the inability of shipbuilding draughtsmen to carry on their employment even when they have no dispute with their employers; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this situation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend on 22nd March to a Question by the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett).—[Vol. 743, c. 288.]

asked the Minister of Labour if he will seek to intervene in the trade dispute caused by the present lock-out of workers by the Shipbuilding Employers Federation.

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the Answer I gave earlier today to a similar Question from my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Mr. Blenkinsop).

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce legislation to stop firms issuing written delivery instructions that goods must only be delivered to them by drivers holding, and being in possession of, a membership ticket of a trade union; and whether he will make a statement.

It would be wrong to consider a suggestion of this kind in advance of the report of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations.

asked the Minister of Labour when he received from the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North the recent letter from Aberdeen Trades Council about the lockout in the shipbuilding industry; and what reply he plans to send to it.

My right hon. Friend received the letter referred to by my hon. and learned Friend on 6th April, and will be sending an early reply.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total value of financial assistance given by his Department for training personnel in non-Government centres for work in private industry in the Principality of Wales during the year 1966.

An estimated £200,000 was spent by the Ministry in 1966 in Wales on training under the Vocational Training Scheme in technical colleges and employers' establishments and under the scheme of training grants for firms in Development Areas. Other grants were made, for which figures for Wales are not readily available, both to industrial training boards and to individual employers.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) what affirmative Government action he proposes to deal with racial discrimination in employment, whether in engagement or in promotion, in Government services and elsewhere in the public sector while legislation is being considered;(2) what action he proposes to deal with racial discrimination in employment in the private sector, especially in the field of Government contracts, while legislation is being considered;(3) what steps are being taken to deal with racial discrimination in employment by local authorities while legislation is being considered.

The House knows from the reply given to Questions on 9th March by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department that the Government are about to review the need for and the practicability of strengthening the law and administrative machinery concerned with racial discrimination. This review will include the question of racial discrimination in employment. As my right hon. Friend said, the Government is awaiting the report of the survey of racial discrimination in housing and employment commissioned by the Race Relations Board and the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants, which is expected this month. Meanwhile the Ministry of Labour and the other Departments concerned are carrying out some preliminary studies.—[Vol. 743, c. 1729–31.]

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has made to trade unions for legislation to deal with any racial discrimination in the practice of any trade union at any level.

None.

asked the Minister of Labour why engineering drawing firms are classified as service industries for the purposes of paying the Selective Employment Tax, in view of the fact that they are classed as manufacturing industries for the purposes of paying the Engineering Training Board levy.

Under the Selective Employment Payments Act 1966 activities are generally treated according to their position in the Standard Industrial Classification, under which drawing offices which are not part of manufacturing firms are classified to Heading 879/1, "Scientific and Technical Services". The scope of the Engineering Industry Training Board as defined in the appropriate Industrial Training Order (S.I. 1967 No. 279) is determined by industrial training considerations and not by the Standard Industrial Classification.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress is being made towards the provision of a sheltered workshop for Brighton.

My Ministry, in co-operation with the Local Authority and others concerned, has just completed a fact-finding survey of severely disabled persons within reasonable travelling distance of Brighton who might benefit from the provision of sheltered employment. The survey report is now being studied.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number of terrorist incidents reported to the British authorities in Aden and South Arabia so far this year compared with the same period in 1964.

During the first three months of 1964, 3 incidents were reported in Aden and 96 in the rest of South Arabia, as compared with 363 and 150 respectively during the same period this year. Casualties were 2 and 19 respectively in 1964 and 369 and 115 respectively this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what will be the cost to British and Federal public funds, respectively, of the United Nations mission to South Arabia.

In accordance with normal United Nations practice, the cost of the visit to South Arabia of the United Nations Special Mission will be borne primarily by the United Nations. However, in the special circumstances in Aden Her Majesty's Government have agreed to pay for the Mission's accommodation there and for certain transport costs. The Mission visited London as guests of Her Majesty's Government. The total cost cannot yet be established.No cost is expected to fall to Federal public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when federal forces will be used in Aden on internal security duties.

A beginning has now been made in the use of Federal troops alongside British forces in Aden under British command. This will provide valuable experience for local forces in preparation for the time when Aden ceases to be a British colony, and internal security becomes the responsibility of the local government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Her Majesty's Government has no diplomatic representation with the Imam of Yemen.

The Government of the Imam maintains a Legation in London. This provides for adequate contact with the Royalist Government. Physical reasons would make it impracticable to provide British representation with the Imam's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the official application by Hungary and Rumania to do business with the World Bank with only trades with countries who have paid their debts, if he will inform the World Bank of the amount of money these two countries owe to the United Kingdom on bond issues and of the offers they have so far made to repay them.

The World Bank has received no official application from either Hungary or Rumania.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress he has made in completing the agreement on the settlement of Anglo-Soviet claims connected with the former Baltic States drawn up during the Soviet Prime Minister's visit to London.

We have made useful progress, but the formulation of the agreement is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Her Majesty's Government have refused to supply sufficient information to enable British holders of Baltic Bonds to sell them on the Stock Exchange since the agreement was reached with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and what information the Government is withholding from the Stock Exchange on Baltic debts which is considered necessary.

We have been in close contact with the Stock Exchange but I do not think it would be helpful for me to say anything more at present except to reaffirm my concern for the interests of the British Bond holders, as indeed of all British claimants.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals have been made to Spain regarding the resumption of talks about Gibraltar.

On 29th March we proposed that further talks, called for by Resolution 2231 of the United Nations General Assembly, should begin between officials of the two Governments on 18th April. On 3rd April the Spanish Government accepted this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics towards the signing of a treaty of friendship and peaceful co-operation.

I have given very careful thought to the form and content of the treaty and am sending a senior Foreign Office official to Moscow to join with Her Majesty's Ambassador in communicating our ideas to the Soviet Government later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 480 on civil liability for motor accidents, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th January 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.

Recommendation 480 relates to the European Convention on Compulsory Insurance against Civil Liability in respect of Motor Vehicles and to the new intergovernmental study in the European Committee on Legal Co-operation on the harmonisation of national laws on the civil liability of motorists. The United Kingdom has not become a party to the Convention, since to do so would call for substantial and controversial changes in legislation which would not be justified on grounds of domestic need. The intergovernmental study has wide implications to which we are giving careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken since October 1964 to establish a nuclear-free zone in Europe.

We continue to seek progress towards a more secure Europe and there have been numerous discussions to this end, with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Allies and with Soviet and Eastern European leaders.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will list in the Official Report the treaties and other agreements which are regarded by Her Majesty's Government as obliging the United Kingdom to keep a military presence in the Persian Gulf, Cyprus and South-East Asia.

Our relations with the countries concerned are affected by a number of international instruments, including inter alia the South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty of 1954, the 1955 Pact of Mutual Cooperation (C.E.N.T.O.), the Anglo/Malaysian Defence Agreements of 1957 and 1963, the Brunei Agreement of 1959, the 1960 (Cyprus) Treaties of Establishment and Guarantee, the 1961 Exchange of Notes with Kuwait and the various treaties and agreements relating to the Persian Gulf referred to by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State in his written reply of 28th February, 1966. While none of these specifically requires us to maintain a military presence, Her Majesty's Government consider at present that the current deployment of our forces is consistent both with the obligations to which these instruments give rise and with our general interests in the areas concerned.—[Vol. 725, c. 177.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs by what authority he prevented the publication by the President of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, then in London, of an official statement by the Hungarian Finance Minister concerning the negotiations on Hungarian bonds, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion.

By agreement with the Hungarians, the negotiations on the Hungarian bonded debt are confidential. Exchanges are still continuing. There has, therefore, been no question of an official statement by either side at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what percentage of entrants to the administrative and executive grades of the foreign and diplomatic services came from each of the following universities during the last

PERCENTAGES OF ENTRANTS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND EXECUTIVE GRADES OF THE FOREIGN AND DIPLOMATIC SERVICES DURING THE YEARS 1962–1966

1962

1963

1964

1965

No. 13 1966

A

B

A

B

A

B

A

B

A

B

Oxford

…

…

…

61·5

3·8

60·0

—

66·6

16·6

28·9

2·3

42·8

7·7

Cambridge

…

…

…

23·1

—

32·0

11·5

22·2

10·0

39·5

9·3

38·4

5·7

London

…

…

…

—

3·8

—

19·2

5·5

3·3

7·9

7·0

7·7

3·8

Newcastle

…

…

…

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2·3

—

—

Durham

…

…

…

3·8

—

—

—

—

3·3

—

2·3

—

—

Manchester

…

…

…

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

3·8

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the sum total of applicants for the administrative and executive grades of the Foreign and Diplomatic Services from the Universities of Newcastle, Durham, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and Hull during the last five years; and how many were successful.

ADMINISTRATIVE/EXECUTIVE GRADES APPLICANTS (Figures of those successful are shown in brackets)
No. 14
		1962		1963		1964		1965		1966
		A	B	A	B	A	B	A	B	A	B	Totals
Newcastle	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	5(0)	1(1)	8(0)	3(0)	17(1)
Durham	…	5(1)	—	9(0)	1(0)	4(0)	1(1)	15(0)	4(1)	9(1)	—	48(4)
Leeds	…	2(0)	—	2(0)	1(0)	5(0)	2(0)	3(0)	—	1(0)	8(0)	24(0)
Sheffield	…	—	—	2(0)	1(0)	1(0)	—	—	2(0)	2(0)	1(0)	9(0)
Manchester	…	8(0)	3(0)	2(0)	1(0)	9(0)	—	6(0)	4(0)	17(0)	7(2)	57(2)
Liverpool	…	—	—	1(0)	2(0)	2(0)	1(0)	5(0)	—	8(0)	1(0)	20(0)
Hull	…	2(0)	—	—	—	1(0)	1(0)	3(0)	1(0)	—	4(0)	12(0)
Totals	…	17(1)	3(0)	16(0)	6(0)	22(0)	5(1)	37(0)	12(2)	45(1)	24(2)	187(7)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works at what price the original contract for the construction of the Coulport Base was placed; and what he estimates the final cost of these works will be on completion.

The percentages for the first six Universities named are shown on the attached table.There were no entrants from the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, Hull and Liverpool during the years 1962–66.

There were 187 applicants for the Administrative and Executive grades together from these seven Universities during the years 1962–66. Of these seven were successful. The breakdown of these figures is as follows.

The main contract for the construction of the armament depot at Coulport was placed at approximately £3·3 million in June, 1964. Direct contracts placed by the M.P.B.W. for the associated electrical and mechanical work amount to £1·1 million. Allowing for additional requirements subsequently found to be necessary, I estimate the final cost on completion at £5·5 million.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many new defence contracts appertaining to military bases in Malaysia, the Persian Gulf and Singapore have been placed since 1st January, 1966; and what is the total cost to British public funds of these contracts.

282 contracts for works services, at a total cost of £10,391,722, were placed between 1st January, 1966, and 31st January, 1967 (the latest date for which figures are available). The breakdown is as follows:

		Contracts	Value
Malaysia	…	93	£794,933
Persian Gulf	…	33	£8,212,676
Singapore	…	156	£1,384,113

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works on what date negotiations for the closed-circuit system of television in the House were begun; and on what date the contract was signed.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the closed-circuit television which has been installed in lieu of annunciators in a few areas of the House as an experiment. The dates in question are 14th October, 1966, and 30th November, 1966, respectively.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the capacity of the brick-industry at mid-1966.

I estimate that at the end of June, 1966, the brick industry had a potential annual capacity for producing between 8,200 and 8,500 million bricks.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she is aware of her Department's refusal to recognise that under an Order in Council Mr. W. P. Locke, of 120 Frankwell, Shrewsbury, is regarded as a war disabled person; why the assessment of Mr. Locke's disability was reduced although her Department's own medical advisers found no improvement in his condition, and whether she will now reconsider the case.

Mr. Locke received a war disability pension between August, 1941, and October, 1942, when it was decided that his disability had ceased to be aggravated by his Army service. This decision was confirmed in 1960 by the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal whose ruling is legally binding upon my right hon. Friend. As I have explained in detail in my letter to the hon. Member, the Order in Council to which he refers has no effective bearing on Mr. Locke's war pension claim.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she has yet received a report from the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations on the effect of Section 22(1) of the National Insurance Act 1965 on the payment of unemployment benefit during a trade dispute for workers declared redundant; and if she will make a statement.

The trade dispute disqualification for unemployment benefit in Section 22(1) of the National Insurance Act 1965 is only one of the matters which the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations are considering and I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer that my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour Rave to the right hon. Member for Mitcham (Mr. R. Carr) earlier today about the publication of their report.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will list in a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT what percentage of the average earnings are the various social security benefits at the latest available date; and what the percentage was of the average earnings in 1938, 1945, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1964.

The following table gives this information for the main benefits of the War Pensions, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Schemes:

asked the Minister of Social Security what progress is being made in her Review of the National Insurance Scheme.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 6th February to the hon. Members for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick), Newbury (Mr. Astor) and Bradford, West (Mr. Haseldine).—[Vol. 740, c. 1082–3.]

asked the Minister of Social Security by what amount the present scale of family allowances would have to be increased to maintain their original purchasing power.

The 8s. rate payable for a second child was introduced in September 1952, and the 10s. rate paid for third and subsequent children in October 1956. To restore the value of these rates at those dates would require the addition of 4s. 6d. and 3s. 7d. respectively.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will list in a table the social security contributions paid by the employee as a percentage of the average weekly earnings from 1948 to the latest available date.

The following table gives the information requested:

EMPLOYEE'S* SHARE OF SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTION† AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS‡ FROM 1948
		Men	Women
1948	…	3·6	5·1
1949	…	3·4	4·9
1950	…	3·3	4·6
1951	…	3·1	4·4
1952	…	3 2	4·7
1953	…	3·0	4·4
1954	…	2·8	4·2
1955	…	3·0	4·8
1956	…	2·8	4·5
1957	…	2·9	4·6
1958	…	3·9	6·0
1959	…	3·7	5·7
1960	…	3·4	5·4

		(§)	(║)	(§)	(║)
1961	…	5·1	4·0	5·6	6·1
1962	…	4·9	3·8	5·4	5·9
1963	…	5·4	4·2	5·7	6·6
1964	…	5·3	3·9	5·4	6·2
1965	…	5 4	4·1	6·2	6·7
1966	…	5·5	4·2	6·2	6·5
(*) Men and women over 18. Lower rates o contribution are payable by boys and girls under 18.
(†) Includes contributions to the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Schemes and the National Health Service.
(‡) Average earnings in October of manual workers in manufacturing and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries.
(§) Percentage payable by an employee participating in the graduated pension scheme and in receipt of average weekly earnings as shown by the Ministry of Labour's half-yearly enquiries; including the graduated contribution.
(║) Percentage payable by an employee contracted out of the graduated pension scheme.

asked the Minister of Social Security what was the number of weekly allowances of supplementary benefits paid from 1950 to the latest available date.

The number of weekly allowances of Supplementary Benefit paid is shown in the table below. The table gives the number of recipients of National Assistance grants at the end of each year from 1949 to 1965 and for October 1966, the latest date for which figures are avail- able before the new Supplementary Benefits scheme became effective. The number of recipients of Supplementary Benefits shown for February 1967 is the latest available figure.

[Year]			[Thousands]
1949	…	…	1,157
1950	…	…	1 350
1951	…	…	1,462
1952	…	…	1,667
1953	…	…	1,761
1954	…	…	1 796
1955	…	…	1,612
1956	…	…	1,656
1957	…	…	1,712
1958	…	…	1,649
1959	…	…	1,766
1960	…	…	1,857
1961	…	…	1 844
1962	…	…	2,007
1963	…	…	1,971
1964	…	…	1,961
1965	…	…	1,997
1966 (October)	…	…	2,069
1967 (February)	…	…	2,576

asked the Minister of Social Security what is the estimated proportion of persons in receipt of retirement pensions, sickness benefit, unemployment benefit and widow's benefit who are also receiving supplementary allowances.

The percentage of retirement pensioner households in which a supplementary pension was in payment at the end of the year was estimated to be 29·6 per cent., and about 14·2 per cent. of persons receiving sickness benefit, and 20·3 per cent. of widow beneficiaries (other than widow basic pensioners) were receiving supplementary allowances.At the beginning of November 1966, the latest date for which figures are available, 15·3 per cent. of persons receiving unemployment benefit were also receiving supplementary allowances.

asked the Minister of Social Security what proportion of the gross national product was devoted to cash benefits paid as social security in each year from 1948 to the latest available date; and how this compares with information she has from other countries.

Figures are available from 1949, which was the first complete year covered by the National Insurance schemes. Since then the proportions which social security cash benefits—National Insurance benefits including those for industrial injuries, war pensions and service grants, non-contributory pensions, National Assistance grants, and family allowances—have borne to the gross national product have been as follows:

Year		Per cent.	Year		Per cent
1949	…	5·4	1958	…	6·2
1950	…	5·2	1959	…	6·4
1951	…	4·9	1960	…	6·2
1952	…	5·4	1961	…	6·3
1953	…	5·6	1962	…	6·5
1954	…	5·3	1963	…	7·0
1955	…	5·5	1964	…	6·8
1956	…	5·4	1965	…	7·4
1957	…	5·4	1966	…	7·6

I regret that comparable figures for other countries are not available.

asked the Minister of Health what is his policy on recognising 25 years of continuous hospital service on the part of a National Health Service employee.

I am considering what advice to give hospital authorities.

asked the Minister of Health when it is proposed to start work on the provision of a new district general hospital on the 40 acres of land east of Rough Hill Wood reserved in the Redditch New Town planning proposals for this purpose; when it is expected the hospital will be completed; whether there will be a resident surgeon; and what maternity accommodation it is intended to provide at this hospital.

It is too early to give a starting or completion date. The intention is to provide the full range of services of a district general hospital, including resident medical staff and appropriate maternity accommodation.

asked the Minister of Health if he will inquire further into the medical aspects of the case where 464 people required hospital treatment after attending a public event at Whitchurch Airfield, Bristol, on 4th March, 1967, and publish a report.

No. The medical facts are not in doubt.

asked the Minister of Health what is now the number of people on the waiting list to enter Victoria Hospital, Blackpool; and how the figure compares with that at the same time of year in 1965 and 1966.

5,721 on 31st March, 1967. The comparable figures for 1965 and 1966 are 5,069 and 5,607 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the average daily number of occupied beds in all departments of National Health Service hospitals during 1965 and 1966, respectively, and, for each of these years, the average daily number and percentage of occupied beds in psychiatric departments, including beds occupied by children receiving psychiatric treatment, subnormal and severely subnormal patients, the mentally ill, and chronic sick under psychiatric supervision.

The information for 1966 will be available shortly. Details for 1965 are as follows:

Year ended 31st December, 1965
	Average daily bed occupancy
	Numbers	Percentage
All specialties	397,129	100·0
Psychiatry—children	400	0·1
Subnormality and severe subnormality	57,815	14·6
Mental illness	127,185	32·0
Chronic Sick under psychiatric supervision	1,383	0·3
Total psychiatry	186,783	47·0

asked the Minister of Health how many requests for termination of pregnancy were considered at the Psychiatric Termination Clinic attached to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, during 1966; and in how many cases was termination recommended.

One hundred and forty five; ninety three.

asked the Minister of Health how many pregnancies were prematurely terminated at Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Cambridge, during 1960 and 1966, respectively.

Forty-six and one hundred and twenty.

asked the Minister of Health what are the categories of disabled people now eligible for a small car; what are the categories of disabled people still eligible only for an invalid tricycle; and what further grading-up from a tricycle to a small car is proposed for other categories.

Powered invalid vehicles may be provided for:

(i) those with both legs amputated, one or both above the knee;

(ii) those suffering from paraplegia or other defect of the locomotor system equivalent to the total or almost total loss of the use of both legs so that they are to all intents and purposes unable to walk; and

(iii) those slightly less severely disabled with very limited walking ability who need a vehicle to get to work.

Motor cars may be provided for eligible war pensioners; for two related members of the same household who are both eligible for invalid tricycles or where one is so eligible and the other blind; and for a disabled parent eligible for an invalid tricycle who has to care for a child Eligible disabled persons not falling within one of these groups may be supplied with powered invalid tricycles. My right hon. Friend said in his statement on 15th February that he can go no further at present.—[Vol. 741, c. 523–31.]

asked the Minister of Health what has been the result of his consultations with overseas Governments regarding the proposal in paragraphs 30 and 31 of Command Paper No. 2739 that an immigrant should normally be expected to produce evidence of having undergone a medical test in his own country.

Arrangements for immigrants to undergo medical tests in their own countries are being made in collaboration with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs and should be ready to be put into operation in the course of this year.

asked the Minister of Health what discussions are taking place with local authorities regarding the ambulance service; and if he will make a statement.

On 1st March I met representatives of the County Councils Association, the Association of Municipal Corporations and the Greater London Council to discuss my proposal to transfer to the hospital service responsibility for the ambulance service. I now await the memoranda they then agreed to send to me setting out their views.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the progress made in the recruitment of staff for the existing specialist committees and for the Estimates Committee.

There are two vacancies in the authorised establishment of the Department of the Clerk of the House and it is hoped to fill these posts from candidates currently being examined by the Civil Service Commission. The staffing of the Department as a whole, including the Committee Office which supplies Clerks for Select Committees, has been the subject of a recent inquiry by the Organisation and Methods Division of the Treasury, whose proposals are now before the House of Commons (Services) Committee.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will refer to the Services Committee a proposal to set up a committee of inquiry to look into the position of the staff working in the House of Commons.

No. The Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) are themselves the correct body to inquire into the position of House of Commons staff. As a result of a recommendation of the Committee to Mr. Speaker, all the Departments of the House have recently been examined by the Organisation and Methods Division of the Treasury and the staff position was fully covered. The Committee are now considering the Treasury report.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to refer to the Select Committee currently reviewing Parliamentary Privilege the question of the applicability of United Kingdom Parliamentary Privilege to Northern Ireland.

No. The privileges of the House and its Members are already held to apply in the whole of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date he proposes to meet representatives of the Salford City Direct Labour Building Department; and whether he will make a statement.

I had a discussion with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Direct Labour Building Committee on 21st March. The next steps are for the Council.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his estimate of the total financial benefit to individual ratepayers in England and Wales from the Rating Act 1965; and how this compares with the total financial benefit to individual ratepayers in England and Wales from the Rating (Interim Relief) Act 1964.

Rate rebates for 1966–67 are expected to amount to about £16 millions, compared with relief under the 1964 Act totalling about £0·22 million for the three years 1964–65 to 1966–67.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his estimate of the total financial benefit to individual ratepayers in the City of Manchester from the Rating Act 1965; and how this compares with the total benefit to individual ratepayers in the City of Manchester from the Rating (Interim Relief) Act 1964

Rate rebates for 1966–67 are expected to total about £187,000 compared with relict under the 1964 Act of £1,061 for the three years 1964–65 to 1966–67.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has to protect the Fal estuary and the River Helford against oil pollution from the wreckage of the "Torrey Canyon" by means of booms.

The Fal estuary was originally protected by a plastic foam boom. This broke away from its moorings, and investigations are under way with several different types of boom in case it becomes necessary to replace the original one. In the Helford River an air bubble boom and a boom of polythene-wrapped straw bales have been placed as an experiment across the narrows seaward of the ferry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further proposals he has to protect the estuaries of Cornwall from oil pollution resulting from the wreckage of the "Torrey Canyon".

Experience has shown that booms where practicable provide the best method of protecting estuaries from large scale oil pollution. Supplies of boom materials are held at Plymouth and are available to local authorities should need arise. The Boom Advisory Unit at Plymouth and the Department's technical officers are available to advise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has for erecting a barrier to prevent oil from the "Torrey Canyon" coming up the Severn Estuary.

The Severn Estuary is not at present threatened by oil from the "Torrey Canyon", and I should not be justified in encouraging the local authorities to provide a barrier.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the possible reservoir sites now being surveyed, or about to be surveyed, with his approval, with the approximate area of land likely to be affected in each case.

Many surveys of reservoir sites are carried out without my right hon. Friend's approval being required. Consequently a list of those which he has approved would give only a small part of the picture over the whole country. If the hon. Member cares to write to me about particular cases in which he is interested I will give him all the information I can.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the percentage increase or decrease of council houses built by the following local authorities in 1966 as compared with 1965, namely, Cardiff, Llanelli, Swansea, Newport, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle.

The percentage changes were:

PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN THE NUMBER OF LOCAL AUTHORITY DWELLINGS COMPLETED 1965–66.
Local Authority			Percentage Change
Cardiff C.B.	…	…	-24·0
Llanelli B.	…	…	-52·1
Swansea C.D.	…	…	-33·2
Newport C.B.	…	…	+7·9
Bristol C.B.	…	…	-7·9
Manchester C.B.	…	…	-22·6
Liverpool C.B.	…	…	+24·4
Leeds C.B.	…	…	+17·7
Newcastle C.B.	…	…	+59·7

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage of the houses completed by the following authorities in 1966 were built by industrialised building methods approved by his Department, namely, Cardiff, Llanelli, Swansea, Newport, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle.

Neither the Department nor the Welsh Office approve specific building methods, but in respect of completions for the following local authorities in 1966 the percentages built by industrialised methods were as follows:

Local Authority			Percentage Industrialised
Cardiff C.B.	…	…	61·4
Llanelli B.	…	…	Nil
Swansea C.B.	…	…	68·2
Newport C.B.	…	…	70·2
Bristol C.B.	…	…	14·6
Manchester C.B.	…	…	21·9
Liverpool C.B.	…	…	64·2
Leeds C.B.	…	…	66·3
Newcastle C.B.	…	…	13·9

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter dated 31st January sent by the hon. Member for South Augus on behalf of Mrs. Kasprowicz, of 15 Inveraldie Crescent, Tealing, by Dundee, about naval recruitment; and why he has failed to reply more promptly.

I have now replied. These cases merit careful and mature consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state in tabular form the total Deutschmark cost in sterling to Great Britain of United Kingdom forces in Germany; the amount recouped by Her Majesty's Government from German financial contributions, the amount borne by Her Majesty's Government, that is the difference between the two first items; and if he will state the amount of purchases from Great Britain by Germany of arms and equipment considered to be a set-off of part of British foreign exchange costs, for each year from 1955 together with the current estimates for this year and next year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Statement published in

Financial Year					Total Deutschemark Cost borne by H.M.G.	Offset Payments		Net Total Deutschemark Cost born by H.M.G.
					£ million	£ million		£ million
1964–65	…	…	…	…	82	24	170 See Note 1	82
1965–66	…	…	…	…	84	38
1966–67	…	…	…	…	86*	54*
1967–68	…	…	…	…	82* See Note 2
Note
1. This includes further offsetting payments and deposits totalling £54 million in* the period 1964–66.
2. The net total Deutschemark cost borne by Her Majesty's Government in 1967–68 and future years depends on the outcome of the triparte discussions with the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany. Meanwhile the United States Government has undertaken to make additional purchases relating to the six months ending 30th June, 1967 amounting to £12·5 million.
* Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what investigation he has carried out into the loss of the confidential Ministry of Defence (Army) document found in a public place by Miss Elaine Bishop; and if he will make a statement.

The documents found at Greenwich on 3rd April, 1967, were from the same consignment to which I referred in my Answer to the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell) on 15th March, 1967.These documents which were unlawfully removed from the private premises of Messrs. Maybanks had not been handed in to the police. They were unlawfully retained until they were dumped on a nearby building site.—[Vol. 743, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate, respectively, the cost of providing accommodation in the United Kingdom for one brigade of troops, and their families, at present stationed in Western Germany and the cost of providing accommodation in the United Kingdom for two brigades of troops, and their families, at present stationed in Western Germany.

About £6 million for the first brigade and £7½ million for the second, assuming the greatest use of existing assets and hirings.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much money will

About £20·8 million and £11 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he has yet considered how he proposes to inform local authorities in whose areas camps lie to which Servicemen are to be returned from overseas bases of the likely additional demand for local authority services of all kinds;(2) whether his Department is prepared to make any financial contribution towards the provision of additional local authority services where these have to be expanded to meet the calls upon them following the return of Servicemen and their families from overseas.(3) whether he is prepared to authorise district and/or sub-district commands to enter into ad hoc liaison arrangements with the appropriate representatives of local authorities in whose areas camps lie to which Servicemen from overseas bases are to be returned.

Local service commanders maintain a close relationship with the local authorities to ensure that they are informed of any developments in their areas which would lead to additional demands on the amenities and services they provide. Any assistance from the Exchequer would have to be provided through the normal machinery of local government finance.I will be writing to the hon. Lady about the problem in her own area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many indegenous people are employed in Malta, Cyprus and Singapore, respectively, as a result of the British military presence in those areas.

About 7,670; 6,960; and 33,570 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether all Servicemen being recalled to the United Kingdom will be able to follow their present trades; and if he will make a statement.

They will do so wherever possible.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will ensure that the Departments charged with the responsibility for drawing up tanker routes to United Kingdom ports will consult with the tanker industry at an early stage.

It is the Government's normal practice to consult the appropriate shipping interests in such matters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an assurance that any toxic effects of detergent used to clean beaches or harbours will be less detrimental to marine life than oil pollution.

The detergents are generally more toxic than the oil but they are of course only being used where oil contamination has already occurred. Used in large quantities on open beaches and rocky coasts they are likely to destroy plants and animals living between tides and perhaps for a short distance below the low tide mark but local authorities have been advised to allow several tides to elapse between each spraying so as to permit the detergent to be dispersed and diluted. Other measures are being taken to protect estuaries where stocks of shellfish would be endangered by detergents.Detergents used in the open sea have had no appreciable effects on the fisheries. Even on shores where detergents have been extensively used, very few dead fish have been found.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what arrangements have been made for specific Welsh representation on the distribution committee of the Meat and Livestock Commission;(2) how many representatives of the retail meat trade are to be appointed on the distribution committee of the Meat and Livestock Commission; and if any of them will represent Wales.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are consulting the interests concerned about the composition of this Committee, and I cannot at present add any specific information to that given in paragraph 2 of Part III of Schedule 1 to the Agriculture Bill. I can, however, say that the first priority must be to provide for adequate representation on the Committee of the various types of interests listed in the Schedule. 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 Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the financial proposals of Her Majesty's Government in relation to the frigate, under construction on the Clyde, for the former Government of Ghana, and unwanted by the present Ghana Government.