asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will now make a statement on the results of his inquiry into the standards of artificial lighting in those parts of the Palace of Westminster in use by Members of this House.

A pilot survey shows that lighting standards are in many cases lower than those now accepted nationally. I will now put in hand a detailed examination and programme for improvement of specific areas of the House in turn.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) whether he will give an assurance that the only cars permitted to be parked on the Horse Guards Parade fall within the terms of his letter to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury dated 23rd November, 1965, namely, official cars and cars that must necessarily be used for official purposes, and that the parade is not used for the all-day parking of cars which do not fall within these categories;(2) whether he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a list of persons who hold permits to park their cars on the Horse Guards Parade who are not required to use their cars in the course of their duties.

Permits are issued in accordance with the terms of my predecessor's letter to the hon. Member which, as he will know, went a little wider than his present Question. The actual holders of permits will change from time to time—particularly those who need to travel to work by car for medical reasons, and I hope the hon. Member will agree that there is no point in keeping an up-to-date list in the Library.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is aware that civil servants employed by his Department who have to move from one country to another changing appointments often find that their children's education is thereby interrupted; and what steps he proposes to take to help such civil servants to achieve continuity of their children's education.

Yes, but I am satisfied that existing arrangements for staff of my Department posted overseas are adequate. Such officers may leave their children in the U.K. with a guardian or at a boarding school, and allowances are payable in either case. If children accompany their parents overseas, free education is available in schools provided for families of the armed services, or fees charged by local schools will be reimbursed from public funds.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether, in view of the amount expended annually on the import of timber from abroad, he will arrange for all the Government Departments concerned to examine now to what extent they can make better use of home-produced wood and home-produced wood chipboard in connection with all building operations.

As I explained in my written reply to the hon. Member on 6th March, I have asked the Economic Development Committees for Building and Civil Engineering to examine this possibility among other means of saving imports of building materials. When I have this report, I will consider what steps the Government should take to implement its recommendations. Homegrown wood is already used in a number of schemes by my Department.—[Vol. 742, c. 179.]

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has made to the Greater London Council regarding the proposed helicopter service over Richmond Park.

Assuming the hon. Member has in mind B.E.A.'s proposal for a helicopter service between Heathrow and Central London, I would refer him to the reply given on 5th April by my hon. Friend the Joint Minister of State for the Board of Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins). Planning permission for the construction of a new heliport is still being discussed between the Greater London Council and B.E.A. and the public interest, including the possible effect any helicopter service might have on the amenities of Richmond Park, will be fully taken into account.—[Vol. 744, c. 55–6.]

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) what was the estimated and actual price of the three, four and five apartment houses built on the Churchill Estate for the naval personnel engaged at the Polaris naval base;(2) how many firms submitted tenders for the building of the houses on the Churchill Estate, Helensburgh; and how many were Scottish.

The prices are about £2,600 for a three-apartment house and £2,800 for a four-apartment house. The five-apartment houses have not yet been designed. Road and site works add about £1,000 to the cost of each house. The houses are being designed and constructed by the Scottish Special Housing Association. No private firms have been invited to tender for this work.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the total area of office accommodation for which he is responsible in the United Kingdom; and what percentage of this accommodation is in London.

Excluding Post Office buildings, the total area in the United Kingdom is about 38 million square feet. Approximately 40 per cent. of this is in the Greater London area, but under 30 per cent. is in Central London.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what consultation he has had with the local authorities, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institution of Civil Engineers about the future of the Broad Sanctuary site; and whether he will make a statement.

My Department recently approached the bodies mentioned about discussions, which I hope will start shortly.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from the building industry about building standards; and what reply he has sent.

None, as such, but this is one of the considerations involved in proposals for registration of builders from time to time.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he is taking to secure employment for workers threatened with redundancy on Merseyside and elsewhere, who are at present employed by Plesseys Limited.

We are in touch with the factories likely to be affected and should any redundancies arise, arrangements will be made to give those involved every possible help to find other jobs.

asked the Minister of Labour what communications he has had from draughtsmen, etc., and the Shipbuilding Employers Federation about the lock-out by the latter of workers in the former; if he is aware of the loss this lock-out is inflicting on the shipbuilding industry and on the national trade balance; and what steps he has taken and plans to take to resolve the dispute, end the lock-out and secure the resumption of productive work in that industry.

I have received no request from either party for intervention. I have had a considerable number of letters from members of the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association, and I have just received a report from the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation setting out the employers' position following informal discussions between the Federation and D.A.T.A., which unfortunately did not lead to a settlement. I am at present considering this report. I note also that D.A.T.A. will be considering this matter at their annual conference this week. I understand that production is at present continuing and that the employment of other workers has not so far been affected, but I am keeping the position under review.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation to prevent the exploitation of female labour by commercial interests which make it a condition of labour that they wear topless dresses.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents to articulated lorries took place in 1965, 1966 and to the nearest convenient date in 1967 through this type of vehicle jack-knifing.

This information is not available, but sample studies have shown that about 10 per cent. of injury accidents involving articulated vehicles were accompanied by jack-knifing prior to the accident. This does not, of course, mean that jack-knifing was necessarily a cause of the accident.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware of a safety device invented in this country and used abroad to prevent articulated lorries jackknifing; and if she will issue regulations for its use in this country.

The Department's engineers are fully conversant with the various methods and devices designed to eliminate jack-knifing of articulated vehicles and with the further research, study and experiment now being undertaken into this problem. It is being tackled in a number of ways, but there is no evidence as yet to justify regulations requiring any particular device to be fitted. Improvements have already been achieved by better distribution of braking effort between the axles of articulated vehicles.It is important to realise that an incident in which jack-knifing occurs is not always caused by the vehicle itself, but may be the result of a collision.

asked the Minister of Transport what is her estimate of the approximate annual total of road accident victims who are at present unable to obtain full compensation or damages because the culprit is unidentifiable, uninsured, impecunious, or for any other reason.

We cannot make such an estimate, but I would remind my hon. Friend that there is protection for statutory third parties who suffer personal injury through the negligence of uninsured or unidentified drivers under the 1946 Agreement between the Motor Insurers' Bureau and the Minister of Transport.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the Railways Board's failure to consult the relevant transport users' consultative committee, she will refer to that committee the inconveniences caused to the public by the closure of all entrances except one to Snow Hill Station, Birmingham, and the temporary access to New Street Station.

No. But I understand the committee have received representations from users which were to be considered at their meeting on 20th April.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the recently announced policy of Her Majesty's Government on prices and incomes, she will issue a general direction to British Railways to restore the travel concession granted to merchant seamen.

No. The withdrawal of this concession was fully considered and approved by the Government in the context of the prices and incomes policy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is satisfied with the safety of the Slochd viaduct, on the Perth-Inverness railway line, in view of the cracks and recent tests with movement gauges; and if she will make a statement.

The British Railways Board is responsible for the safety of the Slochd viaduct.It is satisfied that the viaduct is structurally sound.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware that since alterations were made to Clifton Hall corner, near Penrith, on the A6 in Westmorland, 13 accidents have already occurred in 1967, showing a substantial increase on previous figures; and what action she intends to take to eliminate this new danger point.

Only two accidents at Clifton Hall corner have been reported to the police up to 16th April this year, compared with two in 1966, two in 1965 and four in 1964.The recent roadworks have in fact improved safety at this point, but since the latest accident double white lines have been laid on the bend and crash barriers erected on its western side. Chevron boards indicating the direction of the bend are in course of erection behind the crash barriers.

asked the Minister of Power if, in view of the further increases recently announced in fuel prices in Scotland, he will reconsider his decision not to appoint a committee to investigate the impact and consequences of the differential fuel prices of the nationalised fuel industries.

No. The reasons I gave in answer to the hon. Member's Question of 14th February remain valid.—[Vol. 741, c. 50.]

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of the savings attainable by industry and by domestic consumers in Scotland by charging a uniform price for nationalised fuels throughout the United Kingdom.

It is not possible to calculate this precisely, but industry in Scotland would pay rather less and domestic consumers a little more. There might be an overall saving of about 2 per cent.

asked the Minister of Power if he will provide estimates of the production cost per equivalent therm of electricity generated from the feedstocks at the delivered prices of coal at 4½d. a therm, oil at 4½d. a therm and natural gas at 3½d. and 3d. a therm respectively.

In new plant operated at 75 per cent. load factor, approximately 0·6, 0·6, 0·5 and 0·45 pence per kilowatt hour respectively.

asked the Minister of Power if he is satisfied that the regulations contained in the Coal and other Mines (Horses) Order 1956 are being complied with, particularly in the Yorkshire area; what representations he has received that some ponies in mines are being overworked through overloading or too many shifts at a time; and when the last of these animals will be employed.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has received no representations since 1964 about ponies being overworked. I am informed by the National Coal Board that it expects the use of horses in its mines to have virtually ceased by 1970.

asked the Minister of Power what has been the ratio of managerial staff to workmen in the coal mining industry over the past 20 years at five yearly intervals.

I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to my hon. Friend giving him this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will enter ino negotiations with the Belfast Corporation for the sale of Victoria Barracks and Girdwood Park, at present owned by his Department, for development as corporation housing estates.

There is no further Defence requirement for Victoria Barracks; and the property has been offered to the Northern Ireland Government in the normal way. If there is no Government use for it, it will be offered for sale to the local authority.Girdwood Park is still required for military purposes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Warfarin-resistant rats have now spread from the area of containment; and whether he will give precise information about the present position.

Some rats found recently on two farms at Cemmaes about one mile outside the containment area were reported as being resistant to warfarin. This district is being carefully surveyed but so far resistance has not been confirmed. Otherwise the position has not changed since that described in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary on 27th May, 1966.—[Vol. 729, c. 167.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the normal levels of vitamins B1 and C are maintained in food served in schools; and if he will make a statement.

I am sure that local education authorities who are responsible for school meals make every effort to ensure the maintenance of adequate levels of these vitamins. The Department's advice on nutritional standards, last revised in 1966, draws attention to the importance in the diet of fresh fruit and green vegetables.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give an estimate of the number of children of school age who suffer from malnutrition.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 2nd March to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling).— [Vol. 742, c. 125.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will advise local educaiton authorities about the maximum prices which they should be prepared to pay for school equipment, in particular for the new teaching aids.

No. My Department already encourages local education authorities to join consortia for the purchase of furniture and equipment in order to obtain the best value for money. The Educational Foundation for Visual Aids provides advice on teaching aids, and I hope that the new National Council for Educational Technology will extend and strengthen this service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many married women teachers he is trying to attract back to the profession.

As many as possible.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what main industries in Great Britain have exceeded the rise in productivity by the mining industry during the last six years; and if he will list the details.

It is not possible to produce figures for other industries comparable with the usual measure of coal mining productivity, output per manshift, which rose by an annual average of 4·5 per cent. between 1960 and 1966.Broadly comparable figures for coal mining and for other industries can, however, be derived from the index of production and estimates of total employment. The table below shows the average rate of increase in productivity on this basis in coal mining and in those major industrial groups where the rise in productivity has been higher.

Average annual increase in output per head, 1960–66
	per cent.
Chemicals and allied industries	5·0
Bricks, pottery, glass, etc.	3·6
Gas, electricity and water	3·2
Textiles	3·0
Engineering and electrical goods	2·8
Vehicles (including aircraft)	2·7
Coal mining	2·6

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the tax reliefs that he is introducing for women with dependent relatives will apply to unmarried mothers.

An unmarried mother will qualify for an increase in dependent relative allowance under Section 216, Income Tax Act, 1952, on the same conditions as will apply to other single women.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why persons who have lost all or part of the moneys which they have deposited with hire-purchase companies are not able to set off such losses against Capital Gains Tax.

Because under Paragraph 11(1), 7th Schedule, Finance Act, 1965, debts, other than debts on a security, generally speaking, fall outside the scope of the Capital Gains Tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what are the exact personal circumstances and precise conditions that would be met by an individual earning £15,000 per year in order that his effective rate of Income and Surtax combined be 53 per cent.; what proportion of this effective rate is attributable to Income Tax and Surtax, respectively; and what would be the effective rate of Income Tax. of Surtax and of both combined for an individual in exactly the same circumstances earning £5,000, £7,500, £10,000 and £12,500 per year, respectively;(2) on what basis he calculates that the effective rate of tax on a £15,000 a year man is 53 per cent. and what would be the effective rate of tax, calculated on the same basis for an individual in similar circumstances earning £5,000, £7,500, £10,000 and £12,500 per year, respectively.

The basis for this calculation was a married man with two children under 11 with a total income (wholly earned) of £15,000 a year; and it was assumed that he was entitled to earned income reliefs and the personal allowances appropriate to the personal circumstances stated. At present rates of tax the effective rates asked for are as follows:—

Total earned income	Effective rate of income tax	Effective rate of surtax	Total effective rate of tax
£	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
5,000	27·4	—	27·4
7,500	30·5	3·5	34·0
10,000	32·1	8·2	40·3
12,500	33·9	13·3	47·2
15,000	35·1	17·7	52·8

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that full information is obtained at the ports of textiles imported into the United Kingdom, especially as to the place of origin and whether there has been any reshipment via any other country.

Importers are required to declare the country of origin and the country of consignment of textiles (in common with other goods), subject to penalty if the declaration is incorrect, and to produce the commercial invoice from the supplier as a check on these particulars. In a proportion of cases the goods are also subject to physical examination by Customs. I have no reason to believe that the particulars obtained are not full and accurate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Inland Revenue have asked banks to provide details of all applications for new issues of shares and other securities; by what statutory authority they have demanded such information; and if he will make a statement.

Under paragraph 7, 10th Schedule, Finance Act, 1965, any person carrying on a business of effecting public issues of shares or securities may be required to make a return giving particulars of persons to whom such shares or securities are issued. No such returns have yet been called for but, following discussions between the Inland Revenue and representative bodies on procedure, banks have been asked to provide preliminary information about the issues effected by them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the Government's policy of conversion to metric units, he will instruct Her Majesty's Stationery Office to run down their stocks of inch graph paper and procure stocks of millimetre graph paper.

The Stationery Office adjust stocks to needs. Metric graph paper is already available to Departments requiring it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what degree the economy of Singapore would be affected in the event of Britain withdrawing her bases.

I have been asked to reply.The effects on the economy of Singapore of a decision such as that referred to by my hon. Friend would depend on the circumstances and the method of implementing any such decision.

asked the Minister of Health what evidence he has of the extent of rickets among young people.

In 1966 the Medical Officers of Health of 9 cities with a total population of over 4¼ million encountered 34 cases of rickets in pre-school children. Of these, 19 were the children of immigrants. Active rickets is rarely found among young people.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that there is anxiety among veterinary surgeons about the number of monkeys being imported into this country as pets, some of which may be infected with Virus B, a disease which is usually fatal if it attacks human beings; and if he will take steps in conjunction with the other Ministers concerned to have the import of monkeys strictly controlled.

I am aware that monkeys may sometimes be infected with Virus B and am consulting with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on ways in which measures to control this disease may be combined with his proposals for extend-the control of the importation of potential carriers of rabies, which include monkeys.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now satisfied that Mr. Brewis, who suffered from foot-and-mouth disease last summer, is now totally uninfectious, and is able, without any danger whatsoever, to have contact with farm animals; and whether he will make a statement.

I accept the report by Dr. Howie and Sir William Weipers giving their conclusions, based on the series of tests on specimens taken from Mr. Brewis, that on and after 8th August he was not infective. Even before that date the precautions taken were such that he was in no danger of infecting farm animals.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to introduce amending legislation to enable disabled persons to secure suitable dual transport; and whether he will make a statement.

At the first convenient opportunity. I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement on 15th February.—[Vol. 741, c. 523–31.]

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors applied for the vocational training payment and had their application refused because they had not served as trainee practitioners.

I regret that the information is not readily available; and since one of the agreed conditions for payment is that a doctor should have spent a period of recognised training in general practice I see no purpose in collecting it.

asked the Minister of Health how much money was spent last year on medical research; and what proportion it formed of public expenditure on health.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply and those of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Education and Science to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) on 17th April.—[Vol. 745, c. 11 and 35.]

asked the Minister of Health if, in the interests of hygiene, he will take steps to prohibit the practice of females wearing topless dresses in consuming establishments; and if he will make a statement.

The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960, already provide a safeguard for hygiene by requiring food handlers to keep clean all parts of the person which are liable to come into contact with the food.

asked the Minister of Health if he will examine the diets of patients in hospitals, particularly pregnant women, people with chronic bronchitis, obscure nervous diseases and elderly people with frequent fracture of the femur.

My Department has issued advice to hospital authorities on the special dietary needs of various types of patient.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he is satisfied that patients in hospitals do not become more deficient in vitamin C and B—group during their stay; if he is satisfied that cooking methods in hospitals retain vitamins B and C; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he is satisfied that the normal levels of vitamins B1 and C are main- tained in food served in hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

The advice which my Department has given to hospital authorities should ensure that patients in hospital receive adequate quantities of vitamins B, B1 and C. Investigations are however proceeding on this subject.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the post of chief pharmacist at Shelton Hospital, Shrewsbury, has remained vacant since November last despite advertisement in the Pharmaceutical Journal; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this situation.

Yes, though as the hon. Member knows a locum chief pharmacist was employed for eight weeks during this period. This is essentially a local problem but my right hon. Friend is considering whether any general action might help to reduce recruitment difficulties in this and other areas.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the name of each housing authority in England which completed more than 1,000 houses in 1966.

Information on the number of dwellings completed for each housing authority in 1966 is given in Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales, No. 1, January 1967. H.M.S.O.The list is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of Commonwealth immigrants, coloured and white, respectively, admitted during each year from 1960 to 1966; and what were the corresponding numbers of coloured and white or Commonwealth United Kingdom citizens who emigrated permanently during each of these years.

Statistics are not kept on the basis of race or colour.Estimates of the net balance of immigration from Commonwealth territories in the Caribbean, Asia, East and West Africa and the Mediterranean before 1st July 1962 are as follows:

1960	…	…	…	57,700
1961	…	…	…	136,400
1962	…	…	…	94,900
(to 30th June)

The net balance of immigration of Commonwealth citizens subject to Part I of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 was as follows:

	Canada, Australia and New Zealand	Other Commonwealth territories
1962 (from 1st July)	—6,182	8,685
1963	8,951	57,049
1964	13,382	62,117
1965	10,402	53,417
1966	4,395	46,953

The minus sign denotes a net outward movement.As to emigration, the Registrar General has made the following estimates:

			Emigrants with other Commonwealth passports
		Emigrants with United Kingdom passports	To Canada, Australia and New Zealand	To other Commonwealth territories	To foreign countries
1964	…	202,000	11,000	15,000	3,000
1965	…	222,000	12,000	18,000	6,000
1966	…	230,000	13,000	17,000	3,000

Corresponding figures are not available for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the total number of Commonwealth immigrants admitted in each calendar year since 1962 was represented by voucher holders, dependants and students, respectively.

Disregarding visitors for less than three months, passengers in transit and persons returning to the United Kingdom from temporary absence abroad, the percentages are as follows:

			voucher-holders	Dependants	Students
1963	…	…	28·8	25·1	17·7
1964	…	…	14·4	36·6	19·6
1965	…	…	13·3	42·4	14·4
1966	…	…	5·9	45·0	14·8

asked the Postmaster-General (1) why the new exchange for Bude will not now be completed by the middle of 1967;(2) when the new exchange for Bude will be completed;(3) if he will give the name of the company which promised to supply the Post Office with the new telephone exchange for Bude by the middle of 1967; and what reasons have been given by this company for defaulting on its contract.

While the extension of equipment at the existing Bude exchange-which we hoped to have ready this summer-will not now be fully completed until early in 1968, equipment provided in advance of full completion will enable service to be given to most of the waiting applicants by the end of this year. I am sorry for the deferment, but I do not think it would be fair to publicise the name of the contractor in this context. All our contractors are under heavy pressure at present due to the greatly increased demands we have made on them for exchange equipment.

asked the Postmaster-General on what date the new telephone booths were installed in the Members' cloister and in the new Star Chamber building; when instruments were ordered for them; when they will be installed; and why there has been so long a delay.

The booths were installed on 17th February: the equipment for them was ordered in December.Seven, providing local automatic service, will be brought into use on 24th April. These have been delayed by shortage of the trunk-barring equipment. The remainder have been delayed by the alterations necessary for a larger attendants' switchboard to be fitted. These will be completed as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take on the Scottish Law Commission's memoranda on legitimation and corroboration that were published on 20th April.

The Lord Advocate and I are studying these memoranda with a view to the possibility of legislation. We should be glad to receive any comments which interested persons or organisations may wish to make.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will review the national contributory pensions scheme with a view to the inclusion of British people who have been excluded in the past through exceptional circumstances and who might be given the opportunity to pay the necessary additional payments in order to qualify.

The point which the hon. and gallant Member has raised will be borne in mind in our review of the National Insurance Scheme, but I cannot hold out any hope of substantial new concessions in favour of people who have gaps in their National Insurance records because they have lived abroad, or for other reasons.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will now make a statement on the Government's plan for dealing with family poverty.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what I said in the debate last Thursday.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will allow the retirement pension of Miss Sali Davies, of Llwyn Dewi, Cellan, near Lampeter, Cardiganshire, to be paid in full from the date of its maturity as Miss Davies has at all times been willing to supply the information lawfully required, in the Welsh language.

Decisions on claims for National Insurance benefit, including decisions on the question of the commencing date of payment, are made by the independent adjudicating authorities in accordance with the provisions of the National Insurance Acts and regulations, and I cannot intervene. Miss Davies has a right of appeal to the National Insurance Commissioner from the recent decision of the local appeal tribunal.

asked the Minister of Social Security what she estimates the cost of basic unemployment benefit and wage-related supplement, respectively, would be in a year in which unemployment averaged 400,000.

£60 million and £15 million respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the fact that it is Her Majesty's Government's policy that the growth rate of economy should now be 3 per cent. he will seek to renegotiate the global agreements on the restriction of textile imports into the United Kingdom.

No; the quotas were based on the average of trade for the three years 1967 to 1964, and their growth is limited to 1 per cent. per annum.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that his Department is receiving sufficient information to establish whether textiles being imported into this country are being dumped or unfairly subsidised by their country of origin; and if he will make a statement.

Before I can consider allegations of dumping or subsidisation the British industry affected must make an application under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1957 supported by information indicating that the imports are being dumped or subsidised and are causing or threatening material injury.The reason for this is that action cannot be taken on grounds of dumping, or subsidisation alone, and only the industry can provide evidence of actual or threatened material injury. The Board of Trade have recently accepted two applications for investigation, one in respect of nylon carpet staple fibre, the other on rayon yarn.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what instructions he has given to commercial attachés at embassies and to consular officials in countries which are exporting cheap textiles to the United Kingdom to establish whether the prices of such exports are subsidised either directly or indirectly.

Her Majesty's representatives abroad have a general responsibility for reporting on matters likely to affect the interests of United Kingdom industry, and on a member of occasions have specifically inquired into the possibility that cheap textiles exported to the United Kingdom may have been subsidised directly or indirectly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer the proposed 12 per cent. increase in domestic air fares to the National Board for Prices and Incomes; and if he will make a statement.

No. These applications to vary the United Kingdom Domestic Air Tariff will be decided by the Air Transport Licensing Board in accordance with the Civil Aviation (Licensing) Act, 1960, and the Regulations made thereunder. In the exercise of this function the A.T.L.B. also has the statutory duty under Section 23 of the Prices and Incomes Act. 1966, to have regard, in addition to and so far as consistent with any other matters they may be required to take into account, to the considerations of the Government's Prices and Incomes policy as set out in Schedule 2 of the latter Act.Any appeal against the decision of the A.T.L.B. would be made to the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories of the type now being built for the Board of Trade could be built for £45,000,000.

This would depend on the cost of acquiring land, on the cost of site preparation, the provision of services and the size of factories to be built.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the current discussions between the National Research and Development Corporation and firms in the micro-electronics industry.

The National Research Development Corporation is at present in discussion with several firms in the industry, with a view to providing assistance for the further development of micro-electronics.In consultation with the Department, financial assistance has been given to Welwyn Electric, and negotiations with another firm have reached an advanced stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many new houses will be completed in Wales during the course of 1967; and upon how many new houses work will be commenced in the year.

It is not possible at this point in the year to forecast what the numbers of houses completed and started during the year will be. But I have no reason to doubt that completions will be well up to the high level of the previous two years. There has recently been an encouraging rise in the private sector of housing from the relatively low level of starts in the latter part of 1966.