asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guarantees he has obtained from the Irish Government that they will not subsidise the export of beef in the future, as they did in the autumn of 1966.

I have had talks with the Minister of Agriculture for the Irish Republic about the trade in live animals and carcase meat between the two countries. I shall be continuing these talks next month. Meantime it would be wrong to comment on topics we are discussing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy regarding the proposal to increase the proportionate use of cyclamates in food and soft drinks in the United Kingdom; and if he will now make a statement.

I am not aware of any proposal to increase the quantities of cyclamates permitted to be used in soft drinks, the only food (as defined in the Food and Drugs Act, 1955) in which such use is at present permitted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is aware of the concern felt by sheep farmers in the Mynydd Hiraethog area about the harm that may be caused to their flocks during the coming summer as a result of Army exercises and, in particular, the use of low-flying military helicopters; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the least possible damage is occasioned by any exercises in the area.

Yes. Low-flying is kept to a minimum. We are aware of the sheep farmers' concern and in planning and carrying out each flight we take care to avoid their flocks as much as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is now able to indicate when he expects to announce the result of the inquiry into the Parkes case.

As the right hon. Gentleman is no doubt aware, Mr. Parkes has been arrested by the police on a charge of perjury. In the circumstances, I am unable to make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the discussion he has had in London with Mr. Herbert Chitepo, one of the leaders of Zimbabwe African National Union, on the situation in Rhodesia.

It is my practice to keep myself informed, as far as possible, of all sectors of opinion concerning the Rhodesian problem, and that was the purpose of my recent talk with Mr. Chitepo.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) as a consequence of reorganisation on comprehensive lines, what is the total number of temporary headteacher vacancies in schools awaiting closure, how many previous vacancies have been filled without being advertised, and how many have been filled by the automatic promotion of the deputy headteacher to acting headteacher;(2) how many headteachers, redundant as a consequence of reorganisation on comprehensive lines, are being employed as supply teachers or in administrative capacities;(3) how many headteachers made redundant as a consequence of reorganisation on comprehensive lines have left the teaching profession or retired early;(4) how many headteachers, by local authority areas, have lost headships through the reorganisation of their areas on comprehensive lines.

The employment and promotion of teachers are the responsibility of the school authorities and the information asked for is not recorded in my Department.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many children in urgent need of admission to the special care unit of the Neasden Junior Training School are now on the waiting list; what plans he has to increase the accommodation; and when he expects to complete the increased provision;(2) what plans he has to increase the number of staff available for special care units of junior training schools in the London Borough of Brent.

The primary responsibility in these matters rests with the London Borough of Brent. I am informed that two of the 20 children on the waiting list are in urgent need of admission, and that the Council plans to replace the 36 places in the present special care unit with the same number in a new centre. I hope to be able to recommend loan sanction for this in the present financial year. Six staff are employed in the unit and the Council sees no need to increase the number.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will help the development of ultrasonic torches to assist blind people.

I am informed that research into ultrasonic blind guidance systems is proceeding as rapidly as is consonant with the safety of potential users, and no help from me appears to be necessary.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, why the grant aid given to local authorities to clear oil from beaches applies only to the oil from the "Torrey Canyon"; and whether he will take immediate steps to allow the grants to be available for other outbreaks.

The assistance given to local authorities in connection with the "Torrey Canyon" was emergency aid to help them fight pollution on a scale unprecedented anywhere in the world and which they could not have tackled unaided without placing an intolerable burden on the rates. Small-scale pollution involves different considerations, but I am making a study of all aspects of the problem, administrative, financial and technical.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, what were, approximately, the total rebates to individual ratepayers in 1966–67 under the Rating Act, 1966, in each of the urban districts of Colne Valley, Denby Dale, Holmfirth, Meltham and Saddleworth; and what variation he estimates that the figures for 1967–68 will show.

For 1966–67 the information asked for is as follows:—

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he will ensure that the building, in which the Royal Mint is now located, will be preserved, in view of its architectural and historical interest.

The Royal Mint will not cease to use its present buildings before 1973 and no decision on their future use has yet been taken. The land is owned by the Crown and the responsibility for the buildings at present belongs to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works. Both he and my right hon. Friend are fully aware of its architectural and historic importance, to which full regard will be paid when its future use comes to be considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the acreage of agricultural land which would be lost by the construction of the four proposed new reservoirs in East Anglia.

The four sites mentioned in the reply to the hon. Member's Question on 22nd March are at Empingham and Manton, both situated in Rutland between Oakham and Stamford, and at Whitchurch and Waddesdon, near Aylesbury. Investigations as to how far these sites are practicable are now being undertaken. If all four sites were used, 7,900 acres would be needed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, whether he is now aware that local authorities are still insisting on financial contributions towards car-parking facilities as a condition for planning permission; and if he will now issue fresh guidance to them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) on 25th April.—[Vol. 745, c. 241–242.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the information and returns about new issues of shares originally and currently requested by the Inland Revenue in their negotiations with the banks.

The banks were asked, in January last, to give as regards each issue made by them since 5th April, 1966, that fell within the provisions of Paragraph 7, 10th Schedule, Finance Act, 1965, particulars of the number of allottees and of the records available for the purpose of making returns under that paragraph if called for.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the total amount of post-war credits originally created; how much has so far been repaid; and if he will consider amending the regulations to enlarge the categories at present entitled to repayment.

£765 million; £537 million has been repaid. My right hon. Friend cannot at present propose any extension of the categories qualifying for payment.

asked the Postmaster-General what instructions he gave to his publicity department in providing information to the Press on the Data Processing Bill; and what he is doing to improve departmental explanations to the Press on technical matters in the scope of his Department.

My publicity department gave the Press all possible help in explaining the Post Office's plans for the National Data Processing Service. Briefings on technical matters will be given to the Press at any time on request and on appropriate occasions, as they arise.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of telephone kioks damaged in the county borough of Gateshead to the latest convenient date for the last 12 months; what are the comparative figures for the previous 12 months; how many prosecutions have been brought against the persons causing the damage to telephone kiosks in the borough of Gateshead in the last 12 months; and what penalties were inflicted upon the persons found guilty of wilful damage.

64 and 65 for the years ending 31st March, 1966, and 1967, respectively, but the number of cases dropped from about 160 to 130. Three offenders were prosecuted, found guilty and fined in the last 12 months.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the qualifications and numbers of his technical team concerned with North Sea gas.

Problems of North Sea gas impinge directly and indirectly on much of the work of the Ministry and I can, of course, call on many forms of expertise. Of the staff immediately concerned, nine have university degrees or equivalent qualifications in science or engineering.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) what representations have been made to her regarding the payment of National Insurance contributions and the receipt of benefit during trade disputes whether strikes or lock-outs; and whether she will take action in advance of any recommendations of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers Organisations, in view of the urgency of the situation created by the current lock-out of shipbuilding draughtsmen who are not in dispute with their employers;(2) whether she will introduce amending legislation in advance of any recommendations of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers Organisations to require employers to pay contributions in respect of employees not in dispute but whom the employer has locked-out.

I have received a number of representations about various aspects of the trade dispute disqualification for unemployment benefit. This is such a complex matter and goes so deeply into the field of industrial relations, that I must await the report of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations before I can consider changes in the present position.

asked the Minister of Social Security, how many claims for supplementary pensions have been received since 3rd October, 1966 from the area covered by her Department's Huddersfield office; and how many of these have resulted in the award of a supplementary allowance.

About 4,100 up to 28th March 1967; about 2,600 resulted in pension awards.

asked the Minister of Technology, what study he has made of the evidence submitted to the Fulton Committee by Mr. J. H. Robertson, in particular in relation to the impact of computer technology on the work of Government.

The evidence submitted to the Committee on the Civil Service is still being considered by that committee. That of Mr. Robertson has, however, been seen by those concerned with computer technology in my Department.

asked the Minister of Technology, whether any portions of the TSR2 have been disposed of, otherwise than as scrap; and whether any have been so disposed of to the United States.

In terms of weight of metal the bulk of the TSR2 manufacture has been disposed of as scrap, but there are some important exceptions.Of the first five prototype aircraft, three have now been allotted to Government establishments for ground research purposes and one each of the other two to Cranfield College of Aeronautics and Henlow Aeronautics Museum. The engines and some major aircraft structures are reserved for other research work. The more important equipments designed specially for the TSR2 have, in most cases, been used in Ministry establishments in aid of general development work or have been transferred to other aircraft projects. In addition, but on a lesser scale, we have either sold or given equipment to several educational bodies.Raw material and components of general aircraft application have, of course, been absorbed into stocks held by Ministry of Technology establishments and Ministry of Defence units wherever practicable. The balance has been sold, generally through normal tender or auction arrangements.As regards the second part of the Question, I am not aware of any such disposal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, how many industrial development certificates have been applied for in Heywood, Crompton, Royton, Newhey, Milnrow, Wardle, Littleborough and Whitworth, and how many have been granted; how many have been applied for and how many granted in Lancashire, outside the development areas; how many in development areas generally; and how many in the whole of the country.

Extraction of the figures in the form asked for would entail a disproportionate amount of work. Industrial development certificates approved in the employment exchange areas—Heywood, Littleborough, Royton and Shaw—approximating most nearly to the towns mentioned, from 1st January, 1960, to end of March, 1967, were 38, compared with 795 in the Merseyside Development Area, 2,682 in the North Western Region, 4,256 in all the development areas as defined under the Industrial Development Act, 1966, and 20,093 in Great Britain.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, how many vacant textile mills there are in Lancashire; what information he has as to the average rent per square foot being asked; how this compares with the price of warehouse and factory space in the country generally; and if he will make this information available over the widest possible area of industry together with the labour position in the vicinity of the mills, with special reference to the quality of the labour, particularly its comparative trouble-free record.

The Board does not control the disposal of vacant industrial premises, and does not keep information about them except in development areas. I am, of course, aware that as a result of the planned reorganisation of the cotton textile industry a considerable number of mills have become vacant and are available at very reasonable prices. Many Lancashire cotton mills have already been acquired by firms outside the textile industry and I think that industry generally is well aware of the possibilities of making use of premises of this kind and of the high quality of Lancashire labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to provide employment opportunities for school leavers in the Rhondda area.

The steps we are taking to bring new employment to the area, including the establishment of the Royal Mint at Llantristant, will assist school leavers as well as others seeking employment.

asked the Minister of Transport, what is the estimated increase in the volume of traffic on the southbound carriageway of the M1, south of the junction with the M45, when the M1 has been completed into the West Riding; and what further additional load on this stretch of motorway will occur when the M6 link carrying the South Lancashire traffic is made with the M1.

The volume of traffic on the southbound carriageway of the M1, south of the junction with the M45 is estimated to increase by about 50 per cent. between 1966 and 1972. It is not possible to estimate the increase in traffic directly attributable to the existence of the M1 extension or the M6 link.

asked the Minister of Transport, what steps she is proposing to take to implement the proposals in paragraph 108 of Regent's Canal—a policy for its future, by the Regent's Canal Group, a copy of which has been sent to her.

We were interested to see this report which, I am sure, will be of value both to the British Waterways Board and to the Greater London Council. Paragraph 108 of the Report brings two proposals specifically to the attention of the Government. The first is that there should be a guaranteed future for the canal. On this, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answers given to him on 19th April.The second proposal, which seeks to secure an amendment to town and country planning legislation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government.—[Vol. 745, c. 579.]

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for co-ordinating transport outside urban conurbations.

Particular passenger transport needs are now being tackled by the Regional Co-ordinating Committees which I set up recently. Details of my proposals for passenger transport authorities must await the legislation proposed for next Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what exceptions he has made to his general policy of refusing loan sanction for the erection of local authority office accommodation in Wales pending the clarification of the future pattern of Welsh local government; and for what reason.

Since the Local Government Commission was set up in 1959 it has been the policy of my predecessors and myself to approve proposals for new local authority office accommodation only where the schemes were clearly necessary to meet serious inadequacies and could not reasonably be held up pending final decisions on local government reorganisation.The major schemes which have been approved during this time are:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the percentage change at constant prices in the output of Scottish industry which took place in each of the years 1964, 1965 and 1966.

Taking the output for Scottish industry in 1958 as 100, the output figures for 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966 at constant prices were 115, 124, 129 and 132, and the year-to-year percentage changes from 1963 were 7·8, 4·0 and 2·3.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the percentage change at constant prices in the value of education buildings completed, started and approved, respectively, in the years 1964 and 1966.

It is not possible to give accurate figures on a constant prices basis for completions as the time scale for individual projects varies considerably. The percentage change at current prices is minus 2 per cent. For starts and approvals at constant prices the figures are minus 13 per cent. and minus 14 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the percentage change at constant prices in the value of road projects completed in the years 1964 and 1966.

This comparison could not be made without a large-scale investigation requiring disproportionate effort in analysing the cost of particular schemes. Such an exercise would divert Scottish Office staff from more important work.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the percentage change at constant prices in the value of further education establishments completed, started and approved, respectively, in the years 1964 and 1966.

It is not possible to give accurate figures on a constant prices basis for completions as the time scale for individual projects varies considerably. The percentage change at current prices is minus 67 per cent. For starts and approvals at constant prices the figures are plus 7 per cent. and plus 25 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the percentage change at constant prices in the value of hospital projects completed, started and approved, respectively, in the years 1964 and 1966.

It is not possible to give accurate figures on a constant prices basis for completions as the time scale for individual projects varies considerably. The percentage change at current prices is plus 26 per cent.At constant prices the value of hospital projects costing over £50,000 started in 1966 was 45·3 per cent. below the figure for 1964. The figure for 1964 included the new teaching hospital at Ninewells, Dundee, which was then estimated to cost about £13 million out of a total of £22·4 million for that year.Figures are not available for the value of projects approved in any year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which Scottish local authorities have submitted tourist plans; and which have failed to meet the request to do so.

Statutory proposals have been approved for East Lothian and Roxburgh County and are under consideration for part of Inverness County.Informal submissions have been made for Stirling Burgh and the counties of Argyll, Ayr, Berwick, Bute, Caithness, Fife, Moray and Nairn, Orkney, Perth and Kinross, Wigtown and Zetland. These may be expected to form the bases for statutory submissions in due course.The proposals have not yet been received from the remaining 42 local planning authorities, although a number are known to be in the course of preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the average yearly expenditure on classified roads in Scotland, and in each of the seven Highlands and Islands counties, respectively, in the last five years; and what is the proposed expenditure for each of the years 1967–68 and 1968–69.

Over the five years to 31st March, 1967 the average yearly grant earning expenditure on classified roads in Scotland and in each of the seven Highland counties was of the order of:—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what progress has been made with the proposed vehicular ferry service at Eriskay;(2) what progress is being made towards provision of a vehicle ferry service between Berneray Island and North Uist; what assistance he is offering towards the cost of the project; and if he will make a statement.

The Highland Transport Board recommended that a feasibility study should be made of types and costs of landing craft and terminals for vehicle-carrying services to islands such as Berneray and Eriskay. This study has now been completed, and I shall soon consult the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the county councils concerned about the findings. I am not yet able to say whether services of this kind will he introduced, or what assistance might be offered towards the cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether, following the Government's decision to make a contribution of £200,000, as a measure of their appreciation towards housing the collection given by Henry Moore, he will make a similar contribution to Glasgow Corporation towards the cost of housing the collection given by the late Sir William Burrell.

I hope to make a statement about this subject shortly.