asked the Minister of Power what progress has been made towards reducing the delays in finding acceptable sites for power stations and overhead lines while safeguarding the need for full consultation.

There has been less objection and consequently less delay to some recent power station proposals, though sites remain difficult to find particularly in the Greater London area and the south-east. With overhead lines there has been little change.

asked the Minister of Power what plans he has for development of tidal power stations as a contribution to Great Britain's energy requireraents; and whether he proposes to hold discussions with the French Government on this subject.

There are no plans for the development of tidal power. Prospects in this country do not seem sufficiently promising to justify the discussions suggested.

asked the Minister of Power whether the estimated prices of electricity generated by nuclear fuel in the next decade are based upon the a3sumption that Great Britain's military nuclear rôle will remain constant.

No. These costs are independent of the military nuclear rôle.

asked the Minister of Power whether the revised estimates of cost of electricity to be generated by the early A.G.R. stations, take account of the cast of work done on the process by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

The published estimates did not include royalties which will be payable to the Atomic Energy Authority at 0·014d. per unit sent out.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the total capital cost of the nuclear stations now operating and the cost of the same amount of conventional capacity commissioned at about the same time.

For C.E.G.B. nuclear stations £390 million and about £120 million respectively; these figures exclude interest during construction and the cost of the initial fuel for nuclear stations.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the latest estimates of the cost per kilowatt hour of electricity generated from Dungeness B and Hinkley Point B power stations.

0·51d. for Dungeness B and 0·47d. for Hinkley Point B, excluding royalties payable to the Atomic Energy Authority.

asked the Minister of Power whether, when he is considering applications by the Central Electricity Generating Board for permission to build nuclear power stations, he takes into account the fact that a higher return of earnings would be possible, if the extra capital required by comparison with a conventional station, were used for other purposes.

The adequacy of the rate of return on the extra capital required for nuclear power stations compared with conventional stations is one of the factors taken into account in considering the Board's investment programme.

asked the Minister of Power why he permits the running of the present nuclear power stations at a high load factor, when the power they generate costs much more than that produced by conventional stations, which because of the priority given to the nuclear stations, are operated a lower load factor.

asked the Minister of Power what is the amount of coal now being displaced from power stations by nuclear stations; and what the amount would be if the nuclear stations were loaded in accordance with their operating costs instead of on base load.

Nuclear power accounted for the equivalent of just under 8 million tons of coal in 1966.Nuclear stations are operated at a high load factor because their replacement fuel costs are much lower than those of conventional stations.

asked the Minister of Power whether he has approved proposals for a nuclear power station to be built at Heysham; and when work on its construction will commence.

The application for consent to construct this station is still being considered. I cannot yet say when work will commence.

asked the Minister of Power by what amount the average annual household bill for electricity has been affected by the Government's policy of requiring the Central Electricity Generating Board to use more coal than would have been justified on straight commercial grounds.

The cost of the preference which the Central Electricity Generating Board gives coal in operating power stations is less than per cent. of the industry's total revenue from electricity sales. In addition the Board has deflected investment decisions in favour of coal, but it is not possible to put a figure to this.

asked the Minister of Power by what amount the average annual household bill for electricity has been affected by the costs of operating the present nuclear power stations, which would not have been justified on straight commercial grounds.

The Central Electricity Generating Board estimate that when the first nuclear power programme is completed in 1969, the additional annual cost as compared with a programme of conventional power stations will be about 2 per cent. of the industry's total revenue from electricity sales.

asked the Minister of Power what arrangements he intends to make to prevent the distributive trade increasing ordinary and smokeless fuel prices over the next year.

The Government's prices policy for the 12 months following the period of severe restraint applies to coal distribution as to any other trade. The coal trade associations have given good co-operation during the earlier stages of the Prices Policy and I expect this to continue.

asked the Minister of Power if he will tabulate the capital employed, and if written down, the equivalent value had this not been so, turnover, profit, percentage profit on turnover, and return on capital employed, respectively, at the end of the financial year for each of the wholly- and partly-owned subsidiaries or the National Coal Board, and in total; and what forecast and budget have been made for the current year.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the Board's Report and Accounts for the year ended March, 1967. It is not the Board's practice to publish forecasts of financial results for future periods.

asked the Minister of Power what rate of return was forecast by the National Coal Board when applying for approval of the investment of £1 million in the Desford brickmaking plant.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn).

asked the Minister of Power what steps he intends to take to hold the prices of gas, coal and electricity steady over the next year.

The nationalised industries are under the same obligations as the rest of industry to contribute to the general objective of price stability, while taking account of their financial and social obligations.

asked the Minister of Power if he will tabulate the capital employed, and if written down, the equivalent figures had this not been so, turnover, profit, percentage profit on turnover, and return on capital employed, respectively, at the end of the financial year for each of the wholly-owned and partly-owned subsidiaries of the Gas Council, and in total; and what forecast and budget have been made for the current year.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the Council's Report and Accounts for the year ended March, 1967. It is not the Council's practice to publish forecasts of financial results.

asked the Minister of Technology what additional Government orders are to be given to British shipyards to fill the gap in the order book left by the Government's refusal of overseas warship orders.

asked the Minister of Technology, in view of the fact that British shipbuilders have received only 34 orders for ships in the first quarter of 1967, against 43 last year, and that the industry's order book now stands at a four-year low figure, what new steps he is taking to help this industry, and to implement Her Majesty's Government's policy of providing full employment for the workers.

My Department does not place orders for ships and I have no plans for doing so.The Government have already taken steps through the export credit arrangements and by introducing the Shipbuilding Industry Bill to enable yards to compete for home and overseas orders. I hope that shipbuilders will now make full use of these facilities to obtain the orders they require to maintain employment.

asked the Minister of Technology, in view of the calculations of profits in the aircraft industry made by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a copy of which has been sent to him, whether he will introduce legislation to take the aircraft industry into public ownership.

No.

asked the Minister of Technology what will be the net cost to public funds of the Government's investment in the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company; how much of the investment he expects to recover; and by what date.

The Government has invested £530,000 in the ordinary shares of Fairfields (Glasgow) Ltd., and my right hon. Friend has no present plans for disposing of these shares. In addition the Government has put £940,000 into 7 per cent. unsecured load stock issued by the company and this is due to be repaid by 31st December, 1975.

asked the Minister of Technology what he estimates will be the value of helicopter imports into the United Kingdom in 1967–68 and 1968–69, respectively.

Military imports are estimated at £1 million and £5½ million respectively. I regret that I cannot offer a useful estimate of the likely value of civil imports.

asked the Minister of Technology whether the £6 million a year spent by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, on work in support of the AGR designs for the Dungeness B and Hinkley Point B power stations, is taken into account when estimates are being made of its total operating costs.

The Atomic Energy Authority's present expenditure of £6 million is on research and development designed to obtain the full potential of the A.G.R. reactor system. It has been agreed that the Generating Boards will pay a royalty to the A.E.A. of ·014d. for each unit sent out from their A.G.R. stations, including Dungeness B and Hinkley Point B. For a 1200 M.W. power station with an assumed life of 20 years and a lifetime load factor of 75 per cent. the total cash return to the A.E.A. would be somewhat over £9 million which would have a present value discounted at current rates of just over £4½ million. The total royalty paid will depend upon the number of A.G.R: stations built. This royalty has not been included in the estimates of unit costs published so far but is negligible in relation to them and would not affect comparisons.

asked the Minister of Technology what research activities, research bodies and research groups have now been set up at the establishments of the Atomic Energy Authority to carry out work in fields other than atomic energy; and if he will tabulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the name of the group, the activity, the number of scientists, technologists and engineers involved in the activity and the budgeted cost in the current year in each instance.

The Authority utilises its existing resources in undertaking the research into fields other than atomic energy which I require it to perform in accordance with Section 4 of the Science and Technology Act, 1965.The necessary effort is contributed full time or part time as appropriate, and is measured in units equal to the annual effort of a qualified scientist or engineer.Provision has been taken in 1967–68 as follows:

asked the Minister of Technology how many qualified scientists, technologists and engineers are employed by the Atomic Energy Authority establishments; how this figure compares with last year; and how many of each category are involved with work connected with the atomic energy and how many are used on other research programmes.

4,885 on 1st April, 1966, and 4,730 on 1st April, 1967.The Atomic Energy Authority's provisional estimate is that during 1966–67 an effort equivalent to 65 qualified scientist and engineer man years was deployed on civil research into matters not connected with atomic energy including work commissioned and paid for by other bodies, mainly Government Departments.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the budgeted cost of the research activities of the Atomic Energy Authority in the current year compared to the previous year; and how much of this will be spent on research in atomic energy and how much in other fields.

The Authority estimates that its expenditure on civil R. & D. in 1967–68 will amount to £50 million (including £48 million on research into atomic energy), as compared with some £51 million in 1966–67.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the future of Culham Laboratory.

The Government are considering proposals about the future of the fusion programme which have now been put to me by the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority.

asked the Minister of Technology (1) what steps he has taken to implement recommendation xix of the Plowden Report that the Government should arrange with the aircraft industry to carry out jointly a full examination into measures to improve efficiency in the industry;(2) what inquiries he has made into the relative efficiency in productivity of the British aircraft industry compared with the American and the French industries.

The Ministry of Technology and the Society of British Aerospace Companies have agreed to carry out a joint inquiry into ways and means of improving the productivity of the national aircraft effort. This examination, under the chairmanship of Mr. St. John de Holt Elstub, who was a member of the Plowden Committee, is already wider way. This Committee, in the course of its deliberations, will be making comparisons of our performance with that of other countries.

asked the Minister of Technology under what conditions he proposes that compensation should be payable to the owners of property damaged by sonic booms.

Claims for damage believed to have been caused by sonic bangs produced by aircraft under Ministry of Technology control are investigated by the Claims Commission of the Ministry of Defence. The Commission pays compensation when a claim can be substantiated.

asked the Minister of Technology which is the earliest year when it is expected that it will be possible to run a nuclear reactor on fuel produced by a fast breeder reactor.

Plutonium produced by the first fast reactor power station will start to become available within a year or two of its going into commission. It will supplement the plutonium available from the thermal reactor power stations for fuelling subsequent fast reactors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to examine the method of allocation and administration of the payment of Exchequer grants and loans made by Government Departments.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider extending to individuals the four per cent. interest rate now to be payable on tax reserve certificates purchased by industrial firms.

No. Interest on all Tax Reserve Certificates is free of tax. The 3½ per cent. interest rate paid to holders of the current Personal Tax Reserve Certificates offers an attractive yield in comparison with yields on other short-term investments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total of direct personal taxation, namely, Income and Surtax rates and social service contributions, for the last tax year for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of personal incomes for the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, West Germany, Sweden, and the United States of America.

The following information is taken from returns made to O.E.C.D.: —

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the maximum marginal rate of Income and Surtax, and at what level of income it becomes effective, in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, West Germany, Sweden, and the United States of America.

The income levels at which maximum marginal rates become

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent Great Britain's entry into the Common Market will affect taxation in respect of personal incomes, company and corporation taxes, Purchase Tax, and sales and added values taxes; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the present differences in these taxes between Great Britain and the countries of the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association.

On the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Financial Secretary's speech in the Second Reading debate on the Finance Bill on 2nd May. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is too extensive to put into a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT, but a useful account is given in a 300 page publication by the C.B.I. entitled Taxation in Western Europe, 1966.—[Vol. 746, c. 442–4.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost to this country to date of the Greek Loan Act, 1898; what discussions he has had with the present Greek Government on this subject; and whether he will seek to amend the terms of the Act guaranteeing the loan in view of changed circumstances since the passing of the Act.

£2,003,081 5s. 10d. Discussions with the Greek Government on all outstanding debts have been taking place over the last two years; we are at present awaiting a reply to an aidememoire presented to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier this year. I do not propose to seek to amend the terms of the Act of 1898, which constitutes an obligation of Her Majesty's Government to the bondholders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the anticipated yield, respectively, for earned and unearned income in each of the bands of Surtax during 1967–68; the total respective yields from earned and unearned incomes for Surtax; and the total Surtax yield anticipated in 1967–68.

The estimated surtax yield in 1967–68 is £250 million as shown in the Financial Statement. I cannot answer the first two parts of the Question since surtax is charged on total income and not on earned and unearned income separately; nor are useful figures available of the total Surtax yield split between the Surtax bands.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of insured workers in the five counties of Mid-Wales in respect of whom Selective Employment Tax is paid; and what is the corresponding percentage of those in respect of whom refund is paid.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of insured workers in Cardiganshire in respect of whom Selective Employment Tax is paid; and what is the corresponding percentage of those in respect of whom refund is paid.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the public interest raised by the proposed selling of Snowdon in the near future, he will facilitate grants to enable this national landscape to be acquired by the nation.

In advance of the discussions which are shortly to take place with the relevant organisations, I am not able to say what arrangements will be necessary to preserve Snowdon for the nation. But I can assure my hon. Friend that it is my intention that satisfactory arrangements shall be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect he estimates that the economic measures of July, 1966 have had upon personal savings.

No estimate can be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to ensure that the £9 million of civil private purchases in 1967–68 set under the terms of the Tripartite Offset Agreement is not fulfilled by the inclusion of export transactions to Germany which he estimates would have occurred in any case.

I would refer the hon. Member to the copy of the new Anglo-German Offset Agreement which has been placed in the Library, and particularly to Article 4 and paragraph 4 of the Annex. These provide that civil private purchases to be counted under the Agreement must be additional and must bring benefit to the British balance of payments. The Joint Committee of British and German Officials set up to administer the Agreement have to agree each case as conforming to these conditions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason have students, wishing to travel abroad for educational purposes between leaving school and entering university, been refused suplementary travel allowances.

Special allotments are made available to students attending courses at educational institutions abroad or organised by responsible educational bodies in this country. No special allotment is made for individually arranged trips because it is necessary to restrict travel expenditure generally and because of the difficulty of distinguishing between educational and recreational elements in particular cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many students wishing to travel abroad for educational purposes between leaving school and entering university have been refused supplementary travel allowances.

I regret that this information is not available. Applications which satisfy appropriate conditions are not refused.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek to provide public funds for the restoration of the fabric of cathedrals and other ecclesiastical building of architectural importance.

The Church authorities have not so far sought Exchequer help towards the cost of restoring cathedrals and other ecclesiastical buildings still used for public worship. If such a request were made, it would be most carefully considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to require planning consent for the erection by nationalised industries of potentially unsightly structures within three miles of the English coastline.

Nationalised industries are already required to seek planning approval for major new development, except where this has been specifically authorised by Parliament in a private Act or Order.They are, in common with private industry, given various authorisations by the General Development Order: but these are, broadly speaking, restricted to minor works, and to the erection of plant and structures less than 50 feet high and of certain buildings on operational land.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent coastal local authorities empty untreated sewage into the rivers and the sea; what advice he has given to local authorities and industry, respectively, who use waterways as a cheap means of getting rid of foul sewage; and if he will make a statement.

My information is not complete, but, of the 226 coastal authorities which replied to letters from the Department, 153 said that they discharged untreated sewage into the sea or an estuary. Where on investigation evidence of beach pollution has been found, my right hon. Friend has urged the need for improvements.The Department also publishes general advice on sewage treatment and disposal from time to time and our technical officers are always available for consultation with river or sewerage authorities. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the most recent circular to local authorities on the subject.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will refuse all applications for sewage work loans or grants unless the local authorities concerned give an undertaking that foul sewage will be dealt with by means other than disposal into the sea or rivers; and if he will make a statement.

Before sanctioning loans for new sea outfalls my right hon. Friend has to be satisfied that adequate tests have been undertaken and that they show that there is no likelihood of offence. He is advised that there is then also no danger to health. He would not give loan sanction for a scheme to dispose of untreated sewage into fresh water.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he is taking to dispose of the nuisance caused by the tipping of thousands of tons of coke in a primarily residential area in Coventry; and whether he will take action under the Alkali Works Order to end this practice, which is detrimental to the health of those living in the vicinity.

I agree that this nuisance must be eliminated as far as practicable although I have no evidence of present risk to health. The Alkali Inspector is in touch with the Gas Board, which has already taken steps to reduce the amount of dust that is raised; further measures are being urgently examined. I am also asking my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power to use his good offices with the Board to minimise the handling of coke on the site near Arbury Road and to reduce the amount of coke stocked there as far as practicable. It must, however, be recognised that coke stocks form an invaluable insurance against the heavy demands which arise in very cold weather.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now make a statement on the future of Baguley Hall, Manchester.

I cannot yet add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dagenham (Mr. Parker) on 2nd May.—[Vol. 746, c. 38.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that some local authorities are using their discretionary powers to accord rate relief to licensed clubs; and whether he will consider issuing a circular advising against this practice.

No. Local authorities have been given by Parliament a discretion to grant rate relief to clubs not established for profit which are used wholly or mainly for purposes of recreation. The decision should be taken locally in the light of local circumstances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what criteria he bases the consultations about rent rebate schemes currently being held with the elected representatives of local authority associations; and if he will make a statement.

Consultations with elected representatives, which will be held shortly, derive from paragraph 41 of the White Paper on The Housing Programme 1965 to 1970 (Cmnd. 2838). This stated the Government's approach to local authority rent policies and promised consultations with the local authorities on these and other matters consultations at official level have already taken place.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to be able to give advice to local authorities on rent rebate schemes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he is giving to local housing authorities in respect of the preparation of rent rebate schemes; and whether he is suggesting that family allowances be disregarded in these calculations.

My right hon. Friend is consulting the local authority associations on this matter and, subject to the outcome of those discussions, he hopes to be able to issue a circular to local authorities within a matter of weeks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to prevent evasion of the Rent Act by means of the device of hire-purchase agreements.

I am making some investigations. Anyone buying a house, in whatever circumstances, should take advice about the terms offered, and any existing tenant considering such a step should bear in mind the protection he already has under the Rent Acts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many families in England and Wales are known to have changed their place of residence during each of the years 1961 to 1966, inclusive; and what was the proportion of such families to the total number in each of those years.

Annual figures are not available. Information from two national sample surveys carried out for my department in 1960 and 1963–64 indicate that the annual rate at which households changed their residence during this period was rather more than 10 per cent. This represented about 1½ million changes of residence per year in England and Wales. These are figures for households, a term which covers a wider field than is normally understood by a family; it includes for example people living by themselves.More recent information will become available through the 1966 Sample Census of Population and Housing.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many exchanges of council houses between local authority tenants took place within each county borough in England in the years 1961 to 1966, inclusive; and what was the proportion of such exchanges to the total number of houses completed by each of those authorities in the same years.

I regret that this information is not available. My right hon. Friend proposes to examine whether it is feasible and worthwhile to collect this information for county boroughs and other housing authorities in the light of a pilot survey recently conducted by the Department.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the extra cost of providing central heating for bedrooms in an average council house.

The difference in cost between a three-bedroom house with central heating extending to the two main bedrooms and a similar house with downstairs central heating only, would be from £40 to £60 on average. The extra cost would, however, vary with the type of heating installation and could be considerably in excess of £60.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek powers to obtain from local housing authorities information on changes in council house rents and how far such rents are subsidised out of rates, in view of the need for this information

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 25th April. I do not consider it necessary to seek new powers in order to obtain such information.—[Vol. 745, c. 1302.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion of the expenditure on the housing revenue account incurred by each of the housing authorities in the Merseyside development area was accounted for by repayment of principal on loans, and by interest on such loans, respectively, in each of the years 1961 to 1966, inclusive.

Development areas are defined in terms of employment exchange areas and not local authorities. The following authorities appear, either in whole or in part (in some cases a very small part) in the Merseyside Development area. The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the likely effects on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Rhodesia, of the sale of the oil pipeline from the Indian Ocean to Rhodesia.

The pipeline has not been sold; the question is therefore hypothetical.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he is satisfied with present security arrangements in British Colonies; and if he will make a statement.

This is a very wide question. I consider that existing arrangements meet present needs; but of course we keep them under continuous review.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will declare Mr Simbule, Zambian High Commissioner designate to the United Kingdom, persona non grata, in view of the statement made by him in Dar-es-Salaam denigrating Great Britain.

On receipt of Press reports of Mr. Simbule's alleged remarks in Dar-es-Salaam, Her Majesty's Government sought clarification from the Zambian Government and are still in communication with them. As the House will understand, I prefer not to comment further on this subject at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will take additional measures to reduce the economic dependence of Swaziland on the Republic of South Africa before that Protectorate is granted independence.

Within the limits of available resources everything possible is being done to encourage the economic independence of Swaziland but her geographical position makes close economic ties with the Republic of South Africa inevitable.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in the provision of refrigeration for the fishing industry in the Seychelles.

Negotiations are now in progress with a view to providing refrigeration facilities for the local inshore fishery by the middle of next year.The larger scale commercial refrigeration required for deep sea fishing industry, creates greater problems which are now being examined by local and overseas commercial interests.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are currently proceeding about the position of expatriates in the Pacific territories; and if he will make a statement.

An interdepartmental working party of officials is considering the staffing of the public services in the Pacific territories, including the position of expatriate officers. A mission from the working party has just returned from discussions in the Western Pacific territories and in Fiji with the Administrations and staff representatives. I hope that study of the mission's report may lead to early decisions and I will make a statement on the matter as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs how much money in India belonging to residents of the United Kingdom is being blocked by the Indian Government; and what action he is taking to get these sums released.

I regret that this information is not available. The release of foreign exchange for private remittance purposes is subject to the Exchenge Control Regulations of the Reserve Bank of India. Representations are made by our High Commission in India in all cases brought to my attention where the holders of blocked accounts suffer exceptional financial hardship, or where it appears that there has been undue delay or that the Regulations may have been misapplied.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many persons in the area covered by the Easington parliamentary division are in receipt of supplementary allowances.

I regret this information is not available, as the Ministry's offices serving the Easington parliamentary division, namely Houghton-le-Spring, Hartlepool North, Hartlepool South, and Durham, also serve a large area outside that parliamentary division. On 28th March in this whole area about 17,300 people were receiving supplementary pensions and 8,500 were receiving supplementary allowances.

asked the Minister of Social Security what was the amount paid in supplementary benefit for the first six months after the abolition of National Assistance compared with the amount paid in the previous six months when it was still in existence.

As the supplementary benefits scheme did not commence until 28th November, 1966, it is not yet possible to make the comparison requested. However, the estimated gross expenditure for the first three months of the new scheme was about £92 million compared with about £69 million paid in National Assistance grants and non-contributory old-age pensions during the previous three months.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present position with regard to the drawing up of a worldwide code of safety standards for motor vehicles; and, in view of the importance of obtaining uniformity in this matter, so as to facilitate the export trade in motor cars, what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to give a lead in the establishment of such a code.

Safe design features for motor vehicles have been the subject of recommendations prepared under the aegis of the Economic Commission for Europe. Certain types of motor vehicles sold in the United States of America next year will be required to comply with Initial Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which were published last January by the United States Department of Commerce. Representatives of that Department attended a special E.C.E. meeting last week to draw up a programme of work taking account of both the European and the United States safety rules. A further meeting under the aegis of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is being held this week. We are well aware of the importance of designing motor vehicles for safety and of achieving international iniformity. The United Kingdom will continue to take a full part in this work and my right hon. Friend will initiate any new approach which may seem to be desirable.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give a general direction to British Railways to retain cheap rail facilities for seafarers and their families.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 26th April, 1967.—[Vol. 745, c. 303.]

asked the Minister of Transport about how much it would be necessary for British Railways to increase freight charges to make up for the loss of revenue if natural gas were used during the summer in coal-fired power stations to the extent of one, two, three, four or five million tons of coal equivalent.

The Department and the Ministry of Power are discussing with the nationalised industries concerned the effects of the possible summer use of natural gas in power stations. It is not possible at the moment to say how this might affect the Railway Board's revenue position.

asked the Minister of Transport what alternative arrangements are being made to serve the public need, in view of disruption of the rail service from Paddington station to Bristol and the Western Region; and if he will make a statement on the position.

As my hon. Friend will know, the unofficial strike at Paddington has been called off and no further special arrangements are, therefore, necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now announce the first instalment of the preparation list for the principal road programme.

Yes, the first instalment will be published tomorrow and will be available in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will intervene in the labour dispute at Paddington Station; and if he will make a statement.

I understand normal working was resumed on Sunday.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied that the objectives of the Selective Employment Tax on moving workers from service industries into production industries have proved successful; and what are the numbers of works who have changed their employment from service to productive industry as a result of the operation of the tax.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) on Monday, 13th February.—[Vol. 741, c. 11.]

asked the Minister of Labour how many vacancies exist on the books of the employment exchanges for placings with central Government and local government departments, respectively.

At 5th April, 1967, the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in national and local government service, Minimum List Headings 901 and 906 of the Standard Industrial Classification, were 7,437 and 6,377, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will list the Asian countries who have notified the International Labour Organisation of legal permitted maximum working hours for women and young persons equal to or in excess of those legally permitted in Hong Kong.

The authorities on Formosa.Nine Asian countries in membership of the I.L.O. have reported no legislation on this subject.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how it is intended to proceed with the fulfilment of the new Royal Mint project; whether competitive tenders will be invited for its erection; and by whom the design of the building will be determined.

Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners are being commissioned by my Ministry to prepare designs for buildings for producing the new decimal coinage, and to supervise their erection, for which competitive tenders will be sought. Design proposals will be subject to approval by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost of electricity sent out from Hunterston A nuclear power station; and what is the cost of electricity generated from any conventional station of about the same size that came into operation at about the same time.

The average cost of electricity sent out from Hunterston in 1966–67 was 1·06d. per unit. During the same year the average cost of electricity generated at Kincardine coal-fired station was 0·786d. per unit. Nuclear plant capital costs are depreciated over 20 years and conventional over 25 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fires in woodlands, both private plantations and on Forestry Commission lands, were reported in each of the last five years to the nearest convenient date; what was the extent of the damage; what was the estimated loss, to private landowners and the Forestry Commission, respectively, in each year; and how many of the fires resulted in prosecutions.

The following is the information for the Forestry Commission:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will cause a survey to be made in England and Wales of the most suitable type of agriculture to which small farmers, now mainly dependent upon milk production, could turn in the event of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

The most suitable type of agriculture for these small farmers would depend on the relative profitability of milk and other commodities in Common Market conditions. This in turn would depend on the nature of the arrangements agreed for an enlarged Community. Until these arrangements are known, any such survey would be premature.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the review of the practice of caning juniors in the Royal Navy has been completed; and whether he will make a statement.

Caning has been accepted for many years as one form of discipline of juniors in the Royal Navy. It has not been a subject of complaint from parents.Nevertheless the practice has now been reviewed and it has been decided to bring the Navy into line with the other two Services in this respect. The practice of caning has therefore been abolished.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total amount of Government funds spent upon the encouragement of the arts during the last ten years; and through what agencies this was channelled.