asked the Minister of Social Security when she will be able to announce her intentions in respect of widows under the age of 50 years at the time of their husbands' death who are not in receipt of pensions.

This is a matter for our general review of the social services and I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling) on 28th November.—[Vol. 737, c. 5.]

asked the Minister of Social Security how many persons not formerly in receipt of National Assistance

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will now consider adjustments to the present allowances for pensioners and widows in the light of the rise in the cost of living during the last year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick) on 6th February.—[Vol. 740, c. 1081–2.]

Since the new scheme started the number of beneficiaries has increased by over half a million, of whom over 400,000 are receiving supplementary pensions. Most of these 400,000 had not formerly received National Assistance; no such estimate can be made for supplementary allowance recipients.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will provide a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT showing the number of social benefits increased since October, 1964, the total annual cost of each increase, and the estimated loss in real value of each, as a result of inflationary processes.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Social Security what her plans are for the introduction of wage related pensions in old age; whether she will introduce a system to ensure automatic cost of living increases in all pensions and other social security benefits; and what arrangements she will introduce to ensure that all those receiving such benefits will also automatically share in any generally improved standard of living.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling) on 28th November.—[Vol. 737, c. 5.]

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she is aware that employers are, in some cases renegotiating terms of employment with their employees with the object of passing the burden of Selective Employment Tax on to the employee; and whether she will introduce legislation to end this practice.

It is an offence to deduct Selective Employment Tax from the wages of an employee, but the negotiation of rates of wages is primarily a matter for the parties concerned and it is not proposed to introduce fresh legislation on this subject.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) how many people in Glasgow and Scotland, respectively, have not received earnings related sick ness benefit on time because of

asked the Minister of Social Security what was the total of men and women not contracted out of the graduated pension scheme, the amount paid out during 1966 under this scheme and the average weekly amount per person.

The number of adult employed contributors not contracted out of the graduated pension scheme is about 10½ million men and 6½ million women. The average graduated addition to pen-

I regret that because of a temporary shortage of forms BF161 a few offices in the Glasgow area have recently been unable to issue them at the proper time. Only a few hundred cases have been affected and in general there has been no delay in the payment of earnings-related supplement to sickness benefit. Further supplies of the form have already been sent to the offices concerned.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the contributions received and the benefits paid out each year since the inauguration of the graduated pension scheme.

The figures are as follows:sion paid in the year 1965–66 was Is. 4d. a week at an annual cost of £1·8 million.

asked the Minister of Social Security what was the number of men and women in receipt of retirement pensions in 1966, and the total sum paid out for such pensions.

The average number of retirement pensioners in 1966 was about 2·2 million men and 4·3 million women. The total sum paid out for retirement pensions in the financial year 1965–66 was £1,238 million.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to draw to the attention of the public the deleterious effects of aspirin on patients suffering from dyspepsia.

None, advice in such general terms would be inappropriate and for individual patients should be sought from their own doctors.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the cost of administration of each branch of the National Health Service, that is to say, general medical services, hospital services and local health services; and the cost of central administration.

Expenditure on administration in 1965–66 was as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that an urgently required group practice surgery for South Ham, Basingstoke, is held up pending approval of loan sanction by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, which was applied for on 26th September, 1966, which approval is in turn held up for lack of support by his Department; and if he will now give his necessary support for this proposal.

My Department supports the proposal and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government wrote on 18th April approving it in principle subject to the submission of a formal application for loan sanction by the Basingstoke Borough Council.

asked the Minister of Health what discussions he has initiated on the rôle of voluntary social welfare organisations in collaboration with the statutory services.

My officers are in frequent contact with a number of national voluntary organisations on matters of concern common to them and the statutory welfare authorities, as are those authorities themselves with local and national voluntary bodies. If my hon. Friend has some particular point in mind I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) what estimate he has made of the extent to which the cost of living, as expressed in the official index, varies in Scotland compared with England and Wales;(2) whether he will investigate the possibility of establishing a separate cost of living index for Scotland.

No estimate has been made of the extent to which the cost of living varies in Scotland compared with England and Wales. My right hon. Friend is proposing, however, in accordance with a recommendation in the Report of the Estimate Committee on Government Statistical Services, to ask the Cost of Living Advisory Committee to consider again the desirability of the calculation and publication of separate indices for regions and for special social and income groups.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes to take to ensure that industrial tribunals appointed under the Redundancy Payments Act adhere to common principles and criteria in making their decisions.

The Industrial Tribunals are independent judicial bodies and it would not be proper for my right hon. Friend to attempt to influence their decisions. Published reports of selected decisions, with the reasons, are available to all chairmen and members of the tribunals. The selection is made by the Presidents of the Tribunals in conjunction with a legal editor, and the reports include all decisions of the High Court and Court of Session on appeal on a point of law. I understand that the Presidents of the Tribunals also hold discussions with the chairmen which are helpful in achieving consistency.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied with the co-operation he is receiving from the trade unions in support of making full use of Government training centres; and if he will make a statement.

The arrangements for training at Government training centres are in general the subject of agreement with both sides of industry at national level. It follows that trainees are normally accepted into employment with the co-operation of the trade unions. In some areas, however, there are local difficulties with trade unions over certain trades.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, having considered the report from the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation following the discussions between the Federation and Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association on the lock-out of 1,600 draughts-men, he will state when his observations may be expected.

I have been informed that the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the T.U.C. are discussing the position with representatives of the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association on 3rd May. In the circumstances, it would be inopportune to make the statement requested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of employees in each of the Highlands and Islands counties was employed in manufacturing and in service industries, respectively, at the latest date for which the figures are available; and if he will give the figures in the Lewis and Harris area.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now make a statement about the establishment of a programmed instruction centre.

On the recommendation of the Central Training Council I have made arrangements with the University of Sheffield that a centre should be established in association with the University's Department of Psychology. The centre will be under the general direction of Professor H. Kay whose Department will provide the necessary administrative and technical control. The salaries of the additional staff required and the costs of setting up and running the centre will be met in full by equal contributions from the Ministry and the industrial training boards. I hope that the centre will come into operation during the summer of this year.The centre is intended to give a service to the boards by acting as a focal point for the interchange and evaluation of information about programmes and about programmed instruction generally. As a result of the documentation work a service of this kind will entail, the centre will be ideally placed to appraise the quality of validation studies coming to its notice and to set in train further studies where, in its judgment, these are required. It will also be able to identify areas where further research into the use of programmed instruction is needed. It will thus be able to carry out some direct research of its own and also to advise the Central Training Council on projects which the Ministry might assist other bodies to undertake.

asked the Minister of Power what are the weekly wages paid to datal and surface workers engaged in the Durham area coal industry; and what are the average earnings of face workers.

I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to my right hon. Friend and to give him the information.

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of intended future opencast coal output; and if he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board to revise this figure to take account of reduced coal consumption.

Output during 1967 is not expected to vary significantly from its present level. In the longer term it will depend upon considerations of fuel policy now under review. This is not a matter on which a general direction would be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Power what stocks of coal were held by the National Coal Board in April and September 1965, in April and September 1966, and at the last available date.

The information required is as follows:

asked the Minister of Power, what he estimates the production of natural gas from the North Sea will be in 1968–70, 1971–72, and 1973–75, in terms of coal equivalent.

The growth of production between 1968 and 1975 will depend on a number of factors including the results of further exploration. All that can be said at present is that at least 2,000 million cubic feet a day, or 26 million tons a year coal equivalent, should be available by 1970 or soon after.

asked the Minister of Power what, in terms of coal equivalent, he estimates will be production of nuclear energy in 1968–70, 1970–72, and 1973–75.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 25th April, 1967. [Vol. 745, c. 256.]

asked the Minister of Power (1) what encouragement he is giving the Atomic Energy Authority and the consortia in their plans to reduce the cost of manufacture of fuel elements;(2) what long-term proposals he is putting to the Atomic Energy Authority and the consortia on the standardisation of fuel elements.

The design of fuel elements is primarily a matter for the electricity supply authority concerned, as was explained in answer to my hon. Friend on 10th April—[Vol. 744, c. 142]. However, I understand that the Select Committee on Science and Technology has asked the C.E.G.B. to supply evidence on this matter; and the Board will of course consider any recommendation the Committee may make.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the figure of the waiting list for the West Midlands telephone area on 31st December 1966; and what proportion this is to the total number of subscribers in this area.

5,280 and 4.27 per cent. respectively. Over 2,000 of those applicants waiting on 31st December have since been connected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Far East.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give an assurance that Government contracts for Admiralty work require firms not to lock-out employees engaged on such contracts in an attempt to break a strike or in any other way to further a dispute concerning pay or conditions on merchant shipping contracts; and if he will make a statement.

No. It is not the purpose of Government contracts for naval work to regulate the industrial relationship between its contractors and their employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that 1,600 draughtsmen employed in the shipbuilding industry and who are not in dispute with their employers have been locked-out for the past eight weeks by the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation, and that the Engineering Employers' Federation have agreed not to employ those seeking alternative work as a result of the lock-out; if he will cause an investigation to be made to ensure that such action is not in breach of any contract which his Department has placed with such firms; and if he will ascertain the effect on cost and timing of contracts.

I am aware of this lockout, and of the advice given by the Engineering Employers' Federation to its members. Such action is not in breach of any contract which my Department has placed with the firms concerned. It is too early to say what if any will be the effect on the cost and timing of these contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the ways in which the former Royal Air Force camp at Wartling is unsuitable for troops and their families returning home in the next 12 months.

The camp will not accommodate a major unit; and there is no minor unit for which Wartling provides a location consistent with current deployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make the drill hall in Kingstanding Road, Birmingham, available to the local authority for community purposes.

This Territorial Army Centre is being retained for the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve. Applications to hire the Centre at times when it is not required for military purposes may be sent to the Secretary of the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association for the County of Warwick.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ban the importation of live tortoises and other animals from abroad unless required by zoological societies.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to establish or encourage the setting up of new factories in the highland area, consequent upon the closure of the British Aluminium Company's factory at Foyers.

I would use my powers to the full to assist any project suitable to, and able to establish itself in this area. We are seeking a tenant for a 6,250 sq. ft. advance factory available at Inverness.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the terms of reference of the inquiry which he has recently asked Lord Cromer to conduct will enable an examination of the support given to British consultants overseas for feasibility studies in relation to the support given to the consultants of other countries in competitive fields.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Anthony John Roberts, of Ladywood, Birmingham, was committed to a Borstal institution, on 2nd January, 1967, and is still awaiting transfer in Wormwood Scrubs; and what steps he is taking to prevent boys committed to Borstal having to remain in prison for such long periods.

I have written to my hon. Friend about this boy, who is now at Wellingborough Borstal. Some boys have been kept in borstal allocation centres for longer than I would have wished because of a lack of places at training borstals; but 400 additional places have been provided at the training borstals in the last 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that children attending Buxlow Preparatory School, Wembley, and other schools near by have difficulty in crossing Castleton Avenue when going to school in the morning; and if he will arrange for a police officer to supervise this junction for a short time in the morning when the peak-hours traffic travelling along East Lane, and also that crossing it, coincides with the arrival of the school children.

A survey carried out by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who is the school crossing authority for the Metropolitan Police District, shows that the volume of traffic in Castleton Avenue at school assembly times is not sufficient to justify police supervision at its junction with East Lane. I understand that children crossing Castleton Avenue to Buxlow Preparatory School are well supervised by a teacher.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to set up a national authority to assist the work done by the voluntary authorities and police in mountain and cave rescue.

I have received no representations from the voluntary associations and other authorities concerned that a statutory organisation is called for; but I will gladly consider any suggestions which my hon. Friend may care to send me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he is satisfied that the Race Relations Board has enough conciliation officers in the field to deal promptly with complaints; and what proposals he has for recruiting and training more;(2) whether he is satisfied that the permanent staff of the Race Relations Board is sufficient to deal with the work it will be facing in the immediate future; and if he will make a statement.

There are now three conciliation officers in post and three more will be appointed shortly. I share the Board's view that their staff is adequate for the present, but I shall consider any further requirements as and when the need arises.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is paid in Selective. Employment Tax in respect of registered disabled who do not qualify for a refund of the tax.

About £9 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is paid in Selective Employment Tax in respect of people over retirement age employed in those industries which do not qualify for a refund of the tax.

Approximately £18 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in HANSARD the latest figures available for the annual turnover of each of the nationalised industries.

The following table shows the latest available figures of turnover in each of the nationalised industries based on information published in their Annual Accounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the tripartite talks on defence costs in Germany.

I am not yet able to give details of the offset arrangements for 1967–68: I expect that the House will be informed in the very near future.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing, for 1938 and for each year since 1946, total company gross trading profits, total United Kingdom taxes paid by companies, total United Kingdom taxes paid by companies as a percentage of the gross national product at factor cost,

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what action he is taking, either through the North Western Economic Planning Council or in any other way, to assist the textile areas of Lancashire; whether he will now seek to give these councils special executive powers; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade described to the House on 20th March the measures being taken by the Government in relation to the Cotton Textile Industry. These include a liberal administration of the industrial development certificate control in the areas affected. In considering these problems, the Government have had advice from the North West Economic Planning Council.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as he has readily available, giving the numbers of wage orders introduced since July, 1966, stopping or delaying wage increases, the number of workers involved, the average wage increases in each case, and the number of orders preventing price and dividend increases for the same period.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th April, 1967; Vol. 745, c. 327], circulated the following details of the two further Orders referred to:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report on corporal punishment at a Liverpool special school; and whether he is satisfied that those teachers responsible are suitable for being in charge of maladjusted children.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Education and Science whether he will take steps to make it a condition of a public subsidy to any artistic concern, including the National Theatre, that the artistic directors of such concerns have complete freedom in choice and presentation of their works.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make it a condition of a public subsidy to any artistic concern, including the National Theatre that they have complete freedom to choose or present works, provided they do not propagate slanderous accusations or accusations of murder, against public figures during the lifetime of the immediate families of such persons.

The way in which decisions are taken by artistic concerns receiving public subsidy is a matter for the organisations themselves, each working within its own constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance or directive his Department has given to local education authorities upon the question of the appointment of female married teachers in preference to unmarried female teachers.

I have repeatedly emphasised to education authorities the importance of employing as many married women teachers as possible, in order to increase the supply of teachers and reduce the number of oversize classes. Authorities which by employing married women can reduce their demands on the available stock of mobile teachers are giving valuable help to areas with a grave shortage of teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prohibit the use of females wearing topless dresses in clubs and other establishments in Scotland, in view of the expressed intentions of sex commercialists to introduce this practice; and if he will make a statement.

I am arranging to be kept informed of the position. But it appears to me at the present time that the existing law may well be adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what quantities of fuel-ash from coal-fired generating stations are now being produced annually in Scotland; whether he is satisfied that adequate provision for disposal of fuel-ash is available without giving rise to either the spoiling of land or creation of a nuisance; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised by the Scottish Electricity Boards that in the year ending 31st March, 1967, they produced 848,000 tons of fuel-ash. 65 per cent. of this was sold, and the remainder was used for land reclamation and for improving land by filling in quarries and levelling other small areas which will eventually be grassed and made available for agriculture. I am not aware of any criticism of these disposal methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking, through the Highland Development Board, to bring new industry to the area of Foyers where the closing of a factory has recently removed the main source of employment.

The Board is putting a great deal of effort into finding projects which would be capable of development at Foyers. It is continuing to give the matter very special attention.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations she has received about safety measures to be taken on the trunk road at White Hart Hill, Guestling; and what action she intends to take.

The Divisional Road Engineer has received representations from Guestling Parish Council about a speed limit, measures to overcome dangerous conditions on White Hart Hill, and a prohibition of overtaking.On 3rd April an Order was made imposing a 40 m.p.h. speed limit over most of this road. "Bend" signs have recently been erected, and we propose to provide double white lines where the road is wide enough and visibility is restricted.

asked the Minister of Transport when a decision may be expected on the request for a speed limit between Staces Green and Telham on the Battle-Hastings road.

My right hon. Friend agrees tie need for a 40 m.p.h. speed limit on this road. Her formal consent will be sent to East Sussex County Council very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will place in the Library the report of Professor Lord Llewelyn Davis and the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College, London, on motorway service areas, which was commissioned by her and is now in her hands.

No. This is a confidential report. But we have agreed with the Bartlett School that it may publish factual and statistical data accumulated during the study.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the light of the prices and incomes policy, she has approved a substantial increase in charges by British Railways for passengers' luggage in advance collected and delivered.

Yes. I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Oakes) on 22nd March.—[Vol. 743, c. 270.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received for the making of a new link road from Maerdy in the Rhondda, to Hirwaun, thus linking the Rhondda Fach to the new Heads of the Valley road; and what reply he has sent.

This would be a classified road and I am not aware of any proposal by Glamorgan County Council to build such a road. We have received representations from the Borough of Rhondda that certain existing classified roads should have their status enhanced to principal roads and my officials are seeing a deputation from the borough about this on 4th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for improving road communications from the Rhondda Valleys to the new industrial estate at Ynysmaerdy, Llantrisant.

Responsibility for improving these classified roads rests with the appropriate highway authorities—the Glamorgan County Council and the Rhondda Borough Council. The Glamorgan County Council are improving the access road from the A4119 to the industrial estate with the aid of a grant from the Welsh Office and a contribution from the Welsh Industrial Estates Corporation but the highway authorities have no immediate plans for major improvements of other roads in this area.