asked the Minister of Labour if the Engineering Employers Federation or any of the unions concerned requested a reference of all aspects of pay and conditions of staff workers in the engineering industry to the National Board for Prices and Incomes; and whether he will give an assurance that on receiving a general or unanimous objection by unions and employers to the reference as a whole or any part of it, he will withdraw it.

Before this reference was made I consulted the Engineering Em- ployers Federation and the six trade unions concerned. Although the trade unions would have preferred not to have the reference made. I understand that both they and the Federation will assist the Board in its inquiry. My right hon. Friend the First Secretary and I consider that the inquiry will be a most useful one, and there is no question of withdrawing the reference.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the latest figure in total numbers and percentage for unemployment in the North-Western Region; and how this compares with the corresponding month in 1962.

The figures were 74,836 and 2.5 per cent. in May, 1967 and 71,978 and 2.4 per cent. in May, 1962.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the latest figure in total numbers and percentage for unemployment in Wales; and how this compares with the corresponding month in 1962.

The figures were 38,543 and 3.8 per cent. in May, 1967 and 27,767 and 2.8 per cent. in May, 1962.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the latest figures in total numbers and percentage for unemployment in Glamorgan and in the borough of Barry, respectively; and how these compare with the corresponding month in 1962.

The figures for Glamorgan were 20,523 and 4.2 per cent. in May, 1967 and 12,833 and 2.7 per cent. in May, 1962.

Numbers unemployed at Barry at these dates were 830 and 583, respectively, and the percentage rates for the Cardiff travel-to-work area, which includes Barry, were 3.4 and 2.3.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of unemployed in Weymouth and Portland; and what steps he is taking in order to reduce these figures.

At 8th May, 1967, 712 persons were registered as unemployed in the Weymouth Employment Exchange area, which includes Portland. My local officers will continue to do all they can to help those registered to find work and will offer opportunities for training in suitable cases.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the latest figures of the total number and percentage of unemployed in the Northern Region; and how they compare with the figures in the corresponding month in 1962.

The figures were 49,545 and 3.7 per cent. in May, 1967, and 45,035 and 3.4 per cent. in May, 1962.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the percentage of the numbers of wholly unemployed in Scotland in general and in Aberdeen in particular for eight weeks or more to the latest convenient date.

At 8th May, 1967, the percentages registered for more than eight weeks were 64.5 and 55.0, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of registered unemployed in the North-East, and the comparative figures for March and April.

The number in March, April and May, 1967, were 45,902, 47,720 and 44,954, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of skilled men currently on the unemployment register.

At 13th March, 1967, the latest date for which an occupational analysis of the wholly unemployed is available, there were 51,066 men registered in Great Britain in occupations commonly regarded as skilled within the engineering, building, vehicle building, woodworking and printing industries.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken to encourage employers to employ persons over the age of 40 years; whether he has plans to provide incentives for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the full statement I made in the Adjournment debate on 26th January, 1967. I do not consider that financial incentives to employers would be appropriate.—[Vol. 739, c. 1926–30.]

asked the Minister of Labour what are the latest figures in total unemployment and percentage of working population unemployed for Hartlepool; and how the situation compares with the corresponding months in 1962 and 1963.

Total numbers registered at Hartlepool and West Hartlepool were 364 and 1,936 in May, 1962, 742 and 3,055 in May, 1963, and 354 and 1,798 in May, 1967, respectively.

The percentage rate of unemployment for the travel to work area formed by Hartlepool and West Hartlepool was 6.1 in May, 1962, 10.2 in May, 1963, and 5.9 in May, 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of those displaced from manufacturing industry since 20th July, 1966, who are known to his Department, have taken jobs in service and in manufacturing industries, respectively.

Records have been kept of the re-employment of workers who lost jobs as a result of a number of the larger redundancies in manufacturing firms since July, 1966. About half went to jobs in manufacturing industries, less than a quarter to service industries and the rest to construction, Transport and extractive industries.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to meet the need, emphasised by the first report of the West Midlands Planning Council, for more detailed figures of employment growth in the West Midlands.

There are considerable technical problems involved in compiling sufficiently reliable estimates of employment, analysed by industry, for areas smaller than regions. My Department, in conjunction with others concerned, is studying these problems. Estimates of total employment in sub-divisions of Regions are being compiled from the 1961 census of population data, and will be compiled from the 1966 Census of Population data, when available, in order to provide a comparison with estimates based on Ministry of Labour data.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish the survey of the likely demands for labour by occupation and industry of the Manpower Research Unit of the Ministry of Labour.

The Manpower Research Unit is currently studying the methods of forecasting demand for labour by occupation and industry and hopes shortly to publish a study of recent occupational and industrial trends which will serve as a basis for forecasting future demand.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will seek to amend the Selective Employment Payments Act so that steel stockholding-processing qualifies for the premium.

The position of steel stockholding establishments under the Act is the subject of a number of cases which are due to be heard before the High Court. When the present legal position is clear we shall consider whether any change is necessary.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he will increase the number and type of courses for the hotel and catering trade run by his Department so that the number of permits granted to aliens for seasonal work in this trade can be reduced;

(2) what steps he is taking to train Commonwealth immigrants and their children for the hotel and catering trade so as to reduce the demand for permits for aliens to work in that trade.

I recognise the importance of increasing the supply of trained staff for the hotel and catering industry. That is one of the main functions of the Industrial Training Board set up in November last year. I expect their proposals to apply as much to suitable Commonwealth immigrants as to others.

The facilities at Government Training Centres would not permit any significant expansion in training for this industry.

asked the Minister of Labour what further plans he has to assist the resettlement of those persons over the age of 50 years who become unemployed; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the full statement made in the Adjournment debate on 26th January, 1967.—[Vol. 739, c. 1926–30.]

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that certain small-and medium-sized firms are concerned about the apparent anomalies arising from repayments for training under the Industrial Training Scheme; if he will take steps to remove these anomalies; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of this feeling and so are the Industrial Training Boards concerned. The Boards are keeping the operation of their grants schemes under close review and I will expect them in due course to submit proposals for improvements in the light of experience.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state to what extent the cost of gas supplied to industry and the general public is used in his cost of living index figure; and by how much the index figure would rise if the proposed 8 per cent. increase in the charges made for gas supplied to industrial users and the general public were initiated by the Gas Council.

The Index of Retail Prices measures changes in the average level of prices of goods and services purchased by domestic consumers. The weight assigned in the index to gas used by domestic consumers is 11 out of a total of 1,000 for all items. The direct effect of a rise of 8 per cent. in domestic gas prices would therefore be a rise of nearly one-tenth of one per cent., in the all-items index figure. Unless they are absorbed by increased efficiency, the indirect effects on the index of increased gas prices to industry, might be about a half of the direct effects, producing a total result of rather less than 0.15 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour on what basis his cost of living index figure takes account of electricity charges paid by industry in general and private consumers in particular; and what effect he estimates an eight per cent. to 15 per cent. increase in these charges will have on an accumulative basis to the costs of fares, rents, rates, steel, coal, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, on the basis that all of these increase their prices and charges to offset their electricity charges.

On average, expediture on electricity accounts for about 2.3 per cent. of the total expenditure on goods and services by domestic consumers, whose expenditure patterns provide the weighting basis of the Index of Retail Prices. The direct effect on the Index of an 8 per cent. to 15 per cent., increase in electricity charges is therefore a rise of between 0.2 and 0.4 in the all-items index figure. Unless they are absorbed by increased efficiency, the indirect effects on the index of the same increases for electricity supplied to manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, might be about half of the direct effects.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the estimated changes in wages and salary scales which will result on Britain's entry into the Common Market; and whether he will publish a table giving the relative wage and salary rates for workers in each of the countries of the European Economic Community compared with those in Great Britain.

It would not be possible to make any useful estimate. Comprehensive information about rates of wages in the United Kingdom is published in the annual volume "Time Rates of Wages and Hours of Work"; weekly rates for manual workers in a large number of individual industries are regularly published in "Statistics on Incomes, Prices, Employment and Production." Equivalent data are not available from the usual international sources for the European Economic Community countries with the exception of France for which data are published in the I.L.O. Bulletin of Labour Statistics.

Similar information is not available for salary rates.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the official figures given for the rise in food prices and cost of living on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, by how much he estimates that wage and salary scales would have to increase to offset these rises in prices and maintain the standard of living of the wage and salary earners.

It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the net effect of price rises and price reductions and of changes in other charges on personal incomes.

asked the Minister of Labour what is his latest estimate of the number of places required in sheltered employment for the mentally ill; and by what date these will be provided.

The number of metally ill persons (as distinct from the mentally subnormal) registered at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain and considered unlikely to obtain employment other than under sheltered conditions was 667 on 10th April, 1967. Provision for such persons can normally best be made through the expansion of sheltered employment facilities for the severely disabled in general; expansion of these facilities is under constant review.

asked the Minister of Labour what instances he has found of persons being retrained at Government retraining centres in Scotland not being accepted by the trade unions to fill vacancies in Scottish industry; and if he will make a statement.

Difficulties exist in some trades and some areas. I appeal to those concerned to ensure that adults trained at Government Training Centres are accepted into industry at the level of skill to which they have been trained.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to stop the Furniture and Timber Training Board from arbitrary discrimination regarding travelling expenses in connection with the Training Grant Scheme.

I am unaware of any arbitrary discrimination by the Furniture and Timber Industry Training Board concerning grant for travelling expenses, and I understand that the Board have received no complaint on this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the approximate number of employees in manufacturing and service industries, respectively, on the date of the introduction of Selective Employment Tax, and at the most recent count.

Provisional estimates of employees in employment in manufacturing industries in Great Britain at September 1966 and April 1967 were 8,892,300 and 8,568,700, respectively. The monthly surveys, on which these estimates are based, do not cover all service industries and the only reliable estimates for these industries are for June each year. Estimates for June 1967 will became available early in 1968.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will refuse the facilities of employment exchanges to all employers who impose any discriminatory condition on the grounds of race, colour, religion or ethnic or national origin.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 26th November 1965.—[Vol. 721, c. 113–14. ]

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the estimated change in employment in industries covered by the Index of Production since July, 1966.

It is provisionally estimated that between July, 1966, and April, 1967, the number of employees in employment in Index of Production industries in Great Britain fell by 385,000.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Law Commission, the question of the need for reform of the law of defamation, with special reference to the principles upon which damages are assessed by courts, and the relationship between the scale of damages awarded in the last five years against defendants, and the scale of fines for criminal offences.

Although the Law Commission is making good progress with its first programme, it is not yet ready to undertake the examination of another substantial subject and my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor considers that it would be premature to refer this particular topic to the Commission at present.

asked the Attorney-General if he is aware that solicitors requiring appointments with the Divorce Registry, Somerset House, to get orders for permanent maintenance have to wait three weeks for replies to their applications for appointments, that those replies fix a day for hearing three weeks ahead and that this delay often obliges poor applicants to apply for supplementary pension; and what action he will take to eliminate such delay.

An order for permanent maintenance cannot take effect until the decree is made absolute which is normally three months after decree nisi. There should therefore be no difficulty in making an application in sufficient time for the order to come into force at the earliest possible moment. If a wife is in need of immediate financial support, she can apply for alimony pending suit. This can be done at any time after the petition is filed, and her application will be heard with very little delay.

asked the Attorney-General if he is aware that the present law, a statute of 1870, is not sufficient to protect motor cars stationed in public city streets from damage done by cattle being driven along those streets and to provide compensation for damage so done; and if he will take steps to bring the law up to date in this respect.

I am not aware of any Act of Parliament, whether passed in 1870 or at any other date, which has the effect attributed to it by my hon. And learned Friend. At common law, anyone who drives cattle through the streets is under a duty to take reasonable care to prevent them damaging other people's property and is liable to an action for damages if he fails to take such care. I have no evidence to suggest that this rule is unsatisfactory?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his visit to Russia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent talks with Soviet leaders in Moscow.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Moscow.

I had useful exchanges with the Soviet Government on a number of international and bilateral questions. Much of the discussion centred on the Middle East crisis and we affirmed our common interest in seeking to prevent the outbreak of war. We also discussed Vietnam, disarmament and European questions; and I explained the political considerations which were implicit in our application to join the European Economic Community. No specific conclusions were reached, but these were frank and friendly exchanges which served to clarify our understanding of each other's policies and formed part of the continuing process of discussion between the two Governments.

Much of my programme had to be cut when the visit was shortened but I was able to give an address on British foreign policy to an invited Soviet audience and also to answer questions from Soviet journalists. I took the opportunity to put Her Majesty's Government's views on major international questions in unambiguous terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent, during his recent visit to Moscow, the question of Britain's entry into the Common Market was discussed; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached.

I had useful exchanges with the Soviet Government on a number of international and bilateral questions. Much of the discussion centred on the Middle East crisis and we affirmed our common interest in seeking to prevent the outbreak of war. We also discussed Vietnam, disarmament and European questions; and I explained the political considerations which were implicit in our application to join the European Economic Community. No specific conclusions were reached but these were frank and friendly exchanges which served to clarify our understanding of each other's policies and formed part of the continuing process of discussion between the two Governments.

Much of my programme had to be cut when the visit was shortened but I was able to give an address on British foreign policy to an invited Soviet audience and also to answer questions from Soviet journalists. I took the opportunity to put Her Majesty's Government's views on major international questions in unambiguous terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what protests have been made to his Department concerning terrorist attacks on unarmed civilians in Aden in the last 12 months; and what reply he has made.

I cannot trace any specific protest. In addressing me about the situation in South Arabia generally a number of persons has deplored, as I do, these cowardly attacks of which most of the victims are Arabs and which do nothing to advance the interests of the people of the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many terrorist incidents have occurred in Aden during the months of March, April and May of this year.

In March there were 107 incidents in which 9 persons were killed and 77 injured, in April 402 incidents in which 23 persons were killed and 94 injured and in May 237 incidents in which 24 persons were killed and 74 injured.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he proposes to take to reassure and protect the interests of Mrs. Beatrice Mabel Hkio, the English wife of Sao Hkun Hkio, the Sawbwa of Mongmit and Burmese Foreign Minister in the former U Nu Government, who has been in solitary confinement without trial or charge since 11th May, 1962; and whether he will intercede with General Ne Win and offer to afford Mr. Hkio, a Cambridge graduate who was educated in this country, asylum in Great Britain so that he may be reunited with his wife and four children, all of whom are British subjects.

We have done, and shall continue to do, everything we properly can to protect Mrs. Hkio's interests, but her husband is a Burmese citizen. While we all would be happy, on humanitarian grounds, to see him released this is not a matter in which I can officially intervene. I have however asked the Burmese Ambassador to inform his Government that Mrs. Hkio's husband would be permitted to come to Britain, on his release, to join his family.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether a date has yet been agreed for the independence of South Arabia;

(2) whether a date has yet been fixed for the final evacuation of British troops from South Arabia.

The timing of these two actions has not yet been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now accept the same safeguards for the peaceful use of nuclear equipment as are to be required of non-nuclear weapon countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of Her Majesty's Government's decision to apply for membership of Euratom, he will hence-forth oppose the inclusion in a non-proliferation treaty of any proposals which are considered by existing members of the European Economic Community to discriminate between or against them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, if he will make a statement on the part played by Her Majesty's Government in preparing the present draft of the proposed non-proliferation treaty.

Her Majesty's Government have played a full part in the discussions which we hope will result in the near future in the tabling of an agreed draft non-proliferation treaty at Geneva. My right hon. Friend discussed the outstanding problems during his recent visit to Moscow. There is no conflict between our support for this treaty and our application for membership of the European Communities. It is accepted by all that the treaty must permit the full and free development of civil nuclear technology and that discrimination must be no more than naturally arises from the very nature of a non-proliferation treaty. As my right hon. Friend told the House on 17th April we are considering what we can do to reduce discrimination in the safeguards field.—[Vol. 745, c. 81–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of Her Majesty's Government's decision to apply for membership of the European Economic Community, he will now investigate the possibility of arriving at an agreed Western European policy towards the achievement of peace in Vietnam.

We frequently exchange views with our West European friends on a wide range of subjects including Vietnam. If the possibility were to arise for joint action over Vietnam we should naturally pursue it, as we are ready to pursue any possibility which might lead to peace.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now take the necessary steps to bring about a recall of the 1954 Geneva Conference to discuss Vietnam peace proposals.

There are a number of ways in which the Vietnam dispute might be brought to the conference table. The Geneva machinery may at some stage play an important part in this process. However as my right hon. Friend told my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on the 1st of June, we have no reason to think that the North Vietnamese or their allies are yet ready to attend a conference. Nevertheless we must remain flexible and concentrate on whatever approach seems most likely to succeed—[Vol. 747, c. 59. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the necessary visas have yet been issued by the authorities of North Vietnam to enable the staff of the British Consul General in Hanoi to be brought up to strength.

I have nothing to add to my reply to a similar Question by the hon. Gentleman on 17th April.—[Vol. 745, c. 6. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made in recent weeks to the Government of the United States of America about the bombing of North Vietnam.

My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have made it clear on very many occasions that we are in close and constant contact with the American Government on a wide range of subjects including Vietnam. However, as the House will understand, it would be wrong to reveal the details of confidential exchanges of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that in the negotiations for British entry into the European Economic Community the interests of the United Kingdom's European Free Trade Association partners will be fully safeguarded in accordance with the 1961 London Agreement.

No, Sir. As was made clear by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 1st May, there is general recognition in the European Freen Trade Association that the 1961 London Declaration no longer applies in the circumstances of today.—[Vol. 746, c. 87.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions he has given Her Majesty's Ambassador in Athens regarding the safeguarding of the lives and property of British subjects in Greece following recent events there.

There has been no reason to change the standing instructions to our Ambassador on the protection of the lives and property of British subjects. The Ambassador's own position and safety are not in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the position and safety of and instructions to Her Majesty's Ambassador in Greece since the coup d'etat in that country; and what steps he has taken and plans to take to protect British citizens and British interests in Greece.

There has been no reason to change the standing instructions to our Ambassador on the protection of the lives and property of British subjects. The Ambassador's own position and safety are not in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Her Majesty's Consul-General in Johannesburg makes available to racialist organisations copies of documents produced as background briefing for members of the Diplomatic Service.

Members of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service have discretion to show to others on a personal basis some documents which are produced for their background information but steps have been taken to ensure that such documents will not in future fall into wrong hands.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the present and future policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to Spain.

Our policy is to stand by the people of Gibraltar, to uphold British rights there and to seek a peaceful solution of our differences with Spain over Gibraltar.

In view of the Spanish Government's announcement of a Prohibited Area for flying near Gibraltar on 12th April Her Majesty's Government postponed the talks with Spain on decolonisation which had been due to start in London on 18th April. Meanwhile, at our suggestion talks with the Spanish Government on the Prohibited Area start in Madrid today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Great Britain is giving de facto recognition to the newly-restricted Spanish flying areas near Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government contest the validity of the Prohibited Area in so far as it affects normal access to Gibraltar airport, and maintain that it does not comply with Article 9(a) of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. Talks begin in Madrid today between British and Spanish Delegations about the Prohibited Area.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the relations between Great Britain and Spain concerning the claims of the latter to rights in Gibraltar.

Our policy is to stand by the people of Gibraltar, to uphold British rights there and to seek a peaceful solution of our differences with Spain over Gibraltar.

In view of the Spanish Government's announcemnt of a Prohibited Area for flying near Gibraltar on 12th April Her Majesty's Government postponed the talks with Spain on decolonisation which had been due to start in London on 18th April. Meanwhile, at our suggestion talks with the Spanish Government on the Prohibited Area start in Madrid today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representation he is making to Venezuela to protect the interests of British citizens living in the West Indies who wish to trade and travel in Venezuela.

None because none appears to be required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what protection is afforded by Her Majesty's Government to British nationals, including Servicemen, in respect of prosecutions under racial laws in South Africa.

Consular protection is available in South Africa in the same way as in other countries where we maintain Consular posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, whilst still recognising the Chinese mainland Government, in view of recent insults to the United Kingdom, he will withdraw representation from Peking; and if he will now upgrade United Kingdom consular representation in Taiwan.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will review the need to maintain a Consulate in Shanghai in view of the small numbers of British nationals now living in that city; and whether their interests could be safeguarded either by the British Consul at Peking or by the representative of a friendly Power in Shanghai.

Since 1954 we have had an arrangement with the Chinese by which one officer from our Mission in Peking has resided in Shanghai to look after the interests of the small British community. As my hon. Friend will know, on 22nd May the Chinese Government unilaterally abrogated this arrangement. The interests of our nationals in Shanghai are now being looked after by our Mission in Peking.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what advance he can report in his talks with Hungary over the last few weeks concerning her bonded debt; and when he will be in a position to make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 10th April.—[Vol. 744, c. 118. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement in relation to British recognition of the Cambodian frontiers.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, in a letter to Prince Sihanouk dated 11th May, 1965, stated that it is the firm policy of Her Majesty's Government to respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Cambodia and this assurance has since been renewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the 1888 Suez Canal Convention, regarding the freedom of passage of ships of all nations in peace and war through the Canal, is not being observed by Egypt; and if he will make representations about the effect of this on British shipping interests.

The attitude of the British Government on this matter has been made clear frequently in the past. The last confirmed incident of interference with British shipping using the Suez Canal occurred in 1964. As the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs told the House on 16th March, 1964, Her Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo protested at the delay to the British ship concerned and reserved Her Majesty's Government's rights in the matter.—[Vol. 691, c. 112. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will seek international agreement to prohibit the supply of any further arms to the Middle East.

Her Majesty's Government deplore the arms race in the Midle East and would welcome international agreement to bring this to an end. They will continue to seek the co-operation in achieving this aim of all the major suppliers of arms to the area, including the Soviet Union. Hitherto this has not been forthcoming.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Her Majesty's Government has changed its policy regarding the connection between the foreign exchange costs of United States troops in Great Britain and United Kingdom troops in Germany.

There has been no such change.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the Government's basic conditions necessary for affording recognition of a foreign Government enjoys with a reasonable prospect of permanence, the obedience of the mass of the population and the effective control of the greater part of the territory of the State concerned, why Her Majesty's Government will not, on these conditions, afford recognition to the Government of the German Democratic Republic.

For reasons set out in my reply of 7th November 1966 to the hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Northwich (Sir J. Foster), the question whether the East German authorities meet the basic conditions for recognition as a Government does not arise.—[Vol. 735, c. 204. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has yet completed his review of the staffing of the United Kingdom delegation to the European Communities in Brussels; and if he will give details.

I have nothing further to add to the statement issued on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 23rd May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that for alleged infringements of fishing in British and foreign territorial fishing grounds, respectively, there are great disparities in the fines inflicted by foreign and British courts to the disadvantage of British trawlers; and if he will present this aspect to the Court of International Justice with a view to securing equality of treatment for British trawlers, or initiate international discussions on this matter.

Disparities in fines are not necessarily unjustifiable. If proceedings in a foreign court involving a British subject produced a denial of justice or failure to accord the treatment guaranteed under a bilateral treaty of commerce or the European Convention on Human Rights, Her Majesty's Government would take action with the Government concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in his forthcoming visit to the Far East, the Under-Secretary of State intends to visit Burma.

I shall be visiting Bangkok, Saigon and Djarkarta between 23rd June and 6th July, but I regret that, in view of the limited time available, it is unlikely that I shall be able to visit Burma on this occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has as to the nationality of the ownership of the oil-tankers which are transporting oil supplies to the illegal Rhodesian régime via Lourenço Marques;

(2) whether he will now prevent oil for the illegal régime in Rhodesia from being unloaded at Lourenço Marques, in the same way as Her Majesty's Government prevented it from being unloaded at Beira.

I have been asked to reply.

Deliveries of oil to Lourenço Marques are of both crude oil and refined products. Given the complexity of the pattern of onward deliveries from Lourenço Marques it is not possible to identify the vessels which deliver to Lourenço Marques the oil, whether crude or refined, which ultimately finds its way to Rhodesia.

Her Majesty's ships are preventing the arrival at Beira of vessels reasonably believed to be carrying oil for Rhodesia in pursuance of the Security Council Resolution of 9th April, 1966. Any extension of the sphere of operations is a matter for the Security Council.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has formed of the extra cost to the building industry arising from the incidence of Selective Employment Tax.

The increase is about 2 per cent.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the area of additional office space that has been taken into use by Government Departments in the Greater London Area since October, 1964.

The increase is about 1¼ million square feet of which some 570,000 square feet is outside the Central area. Negotiations for about half of this space started before October, 1964.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the total expended on gas supplies to public buildings by his Department during last year; and what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed 8 per cent. rise in the charges for gas supplies in the current year.

In the financial year 1966–67, gas supplies to the public buildings for which I am responsible cost £609,000. I cannot estimate what the additional costs would be until the details of any increases are know. I understand that only one Gas Board has so far put forward proposals for tariff in- creases and that these are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will state the costs for electricity supplied to all Government buildings for the past 12 months; and to what extent the proposed 10 per cent. increases in electricity charges will affect the current year's expenditure.

In the financial year 1966–67, electricity supplied to Government buildings within my responsibility cost £3,728,000. Increases in charges will vary according to area and the type of premises served, and I cannot estimate their effects until details of the new tariffs are announced.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the number of firms in the building industry in north-east Scotland, the number of workers each employs, and value of the work done there by these firms during each of the last five years.

There are 860 building firms in north-east Scotland and details of the numbers employed by them are as follows: 0–13 employees=731 14–59 employees=96 60–299 employees=28 300–1,199 employees=5

The information requested in the last part of the question is not readily available and could not be obtained without undue cost.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many persons receiving pensions of £5,000 a year, £4,000 a year and £3,000 a year, respectively, are registered for employment but presently in receipt of unemployment benefit.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Social Security what changes she proposes to make in the insuring of young persons who undertake full or part-time work whilst still at school when the school-leaving age is raised to 16 in 1970.

I have no specific changes in mind at present.

asked the Minister of Social Security what allowance she is proposing to cover increases in electricity charges so that these will not fall more harshly on pensioners than increases in rates or the price of coal.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she is aware that all those in receipt of welfare benefits are to have their electricity bills increased by 8 per cent. to 15 per cent. in the autumn; and what action she proposes to take to increase all welfare benefits to compensate for these increases.

As the hon. Members will know, electricity prices are only one item of one group of a whole range of commodities and services which are covered by the official Index of Retail Prices: and many other factors are taken into account in the continuous assessment of the value of social security benefits.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will introduce legislation to protect those who are covered by the payment of benefits based on the stamp contributions from mistaken advice tendered by Government servants, as in the case of Mrs. Winifred MacKenzie versus the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance.

I am considering the introduction of amending regulations to extend my powers in cases of this kind.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she is aware that the purchasing power of the retirement pension for a married couple was a lower proportion of average industrial earnings in January, 1967, than in January, 1964; and whether she proposes to take steps to restore or improve the position during 1967–68.

I am aware of the figures which my hon. Friend has in mind and I am continuing to keep a close watch on the position of retirement pensioners.

asked the Minister of Social Security what information she has about the difficulties encountered by patients discharged from mental hospitals, who are of no fixed abode, in obtaining financial assistance for hostel or other accommodation.

My right hon. Friend is not aware of any difficulties of this kind, but if the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will let me have details I shall be pleased to look into it.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she is aware of the extra burdens now falling on old-age pensioners living in their own homes through the recent rise in local government rates; and what action she proposes to take to relieve them of this additional burden.

Rates are allowed in full in the assessment of Supplementary Pensions, so that increases are automatically provided for. Pensioners whose income is above Supplementary Pension standards may be able to secure a reduction in their rates under the Rate Rebate Scheme. I understand that the average increase in rates for householders in England and Wales is not likely to be more than 1 per cent., and in some areas householder's rates have remained the same or have gone down.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) what action she will take to bring sickness payments into line with those operating in the Common Market countries; and whether she will include the six weeks' pay as sickness leave, as paid to the single man off work in West Germany; and what will be the increased costs to her Department of the adoption of these forms of payment;

(2) in view of the increase in food prices and the cost of living which will result from Great Britain joining the Common Market, what action she will take to bring British retirement pensions into line with those in the Common Market countries; and what will be the increased costs to her Department;

(3) what action she will take to harmonise maternity benefits on the basis adopted in the Common Market countries; and what she estimates will be the increase in costs of implementing the £44 10s. maternity benefit, and the £45 special bonus, for a child born within three years of marriage, and the £45 for each child as now paid in France;

(4) what estimate she has made of the extent to which the total costs to her Department would rise, on paying family allowances on the same basis, and at the same rates, as those now operating in Germany and France respectively;

(5) whether she is aware that entry into the European Economic Community by Great Britain will necessitate increases in family allowances; that France pays £5 per week for three children, and Germany twice the benefits of Great Britain; and what action she has taken or intends to take during the forthcoming negotiations to harmonise these family allowances with those paid in the Common Market countries.

There are substantial differences between the various social

TABLE 1 BEDS ALLOCATED PER 10,000 POPULATION ON 31ST DECEMBER, 1966 IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITALS IN ENGLAND AND WALES Regions (including teaching hospitals) All Beds General Medicine General Surgery and Unclassified Maternity Mental Diseases Chronic Sick and Geriatric All regions … 97.4 15.3 4.6 42.3 12.3 1. Newcastle … 92.5 15.7 4.5 38.2 11.0 2. Leeds … 104.6 15.2 4.7 44.9 16.3 3. Sheffield … 77.2 9.9 4.0 32.1 11.5 4. East Anglian … 85.2 10.8 3.2 39.2 15.0 5. North West Metropolitan … 98.9 19.6 4.8 40.2 7.9 6. North East Metropolitan … 98.0 21.1 5.3 35.5 12.5 7. South East Metropolitan … 99.2 17.3 4.4 39.7 12.6 8. South West Metropolitan … 138.9 18.3 4.9 81.9 10.0 9. Oxford … 84.4 10.7 4.6 32.4 14.0 10. Southwestern … 109.1 12.9 4.7 52.6 15.6 11. Wales … 100.0 13.9 5.2 40.1 12.1 12. Birmingham … 87.1 12.7 4.1 38.2 12.7 13. Manchester … 91.9 14.2 4.7 37.8 13.6 14. Liverpool … 107.3 23.5 5.0 41.3 9.4 15. Wessex … 92.7 13.0 4.1 44.0 13.0

security schemes of the E.E.C. countries, both in structure and in level of benefit, and the question of bringing our benefits into line with theirs in the sense suggested by my hon. Friend does not arise at this stage. As to what we might do as a result of any increase in the cost of living, I would refer my hon. Friend to what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in his speech in the House on 8th May.—[Vol. 746, c. 1061–97.]

asked the Minister of Health if he will now give a definite date when building will commence for the up-grading of the Montagu Hospital, Mexborough.

The Sheffield Regional Hospital Board propose to replace rather than to upgrade this hospital. It is too early to say when work will commence.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, as a percentage of the population, the beds available in all regions, for general purposes, maternity (pre- and post-natal), mental diseases, chronic sick, geriatric, emergency, cancer, convalescence, tuberculosis, and eye ailments, and, in addition, special centres for treatment of rheumatism and arthritic conditions, day beds for the elderly, physiotherapy treatment, spastics, and war disabled.

Following are the figures:

Regions (including teaching hospitals) Convalescence Ophthalmology Rheumatology All other beds All regions … 0.4 1.0 0.2 21.4 1. Newcastle … 0.2 0.9 — 21.9 2. Leeds … 0.6 0.8 0.7 21.5 3. Sheffield … 0.4 0.8 0.1 18.4 4. East Anglian … 0.2 0.6 0.3 15.9 5. North West Metropolitan … 0.4 0.7 0.2 25.1 6. North East Metropolitan … 0.2 1.7 — 21.7 7. South East Metropolitan … 1.3 1.1 — 22.8 8. South West Metropolitan … 0.1 0.9 0.1 22.7 9. Oxford … 0.8 0.8 0.1 20.9 10. South Western … 0.5 1.0 0.4 21.4 11. Wales … — 1.1 — 27.5 12. Birmingham … 0.3 0.9 0.3 18.0 13. Manchester … 0.1 1.0 0.3 20.1 14. Liverpool … 1.1 1.1 0.1 25.8 15. Wessex … 0.7 0.8 — 17.1

Notes:

( a ) Beds are not usually specifically allocated for cancer, tuberculosis and emergency cases, being made available as required.

( b ) Beds in National Health Service hospitals are not specifically allocated to war pensioners who are treated in beds allocated to the specialties. There were 2,830 war pensioners in National Health Service hospitals on the 31st December, 1966.

CENTRES FOR RHEUMATISM AND ELDERLY DAY PATIENTS ON 31ST DECEMBER, 1966 Number of Centres Region (including teaching hospitals) Rheumatism * Day Centres † for elderly patients Population (10,000s) All regions … … … 72 113 4,807.5 1. Newcastle … … … — 10 307.2 2. Leeds … … … 10 12 319.0 3. Sheffield … … … 8 5 456.8 4. East Anglian … … … 4 8 165.6 5. North-West Metropolitan … … … 9 4 421.0 6. North-East Metropolitan … … … 1 5 336.9 7. South-East Metropolitan … … … 1 7 349.3 8. South-West Metropolitan … … … 7 8 325.8 9. Oxford … … … 4 10 182.0 10. South Western … … … 11 1 303.3 11. Wales … … … 2 14 270.1 12. Birmingham … … … 9 6 502.1 13. Manchester … … … 3 18 453.8 14. Liverpool … … … 3 3 224.4 15. Wessex … … … — 2 190.1

Notes:

* Hospitals with beds allocated to rheumatology and rheumatology out-patient clinics. The number of beds are given in Table 1.

† Day Centres at which provision was made for attendance by geriatric and chronic sick patients. No information is available of the number of beds (if any) at these centres.

( a ) There are no special centres for physiotherapy treatment, as it forms part of the normal hospital and specialist services.

( b ) There is no specific allocation of day beds for spastics. Many hospitals have clinics and treatment which consists mainly of physiotherapy and occupational therapy is provided at most centres and many schools.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital beds in the area of the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board are not in use for lack of staff; what percentage this is of the total beds in the area; and how this percentage compares with other regional hospital boards.

212 at 31st March; 0.6 per cent.; comparable figures are not available for all regions.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give further financial aid to the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board, so that the target of obtaining 100 consultants, registrars and medical assistants, between 1968 and 1971, can be reached.

Within the increased allocations which I make to them, it is for the Board to decide the priority among various kinds of development. Proposals to increase the establishment of medical staff have also to be considered against the numbers available.

asked the Minister of Health in how many hospitals under his jurisdiction is research being conducted to find improved methods of treating migraine, and with what practical effect in reducing the numbers of sufferers from this illness or mitigating the severity of its impact.

Comprehensive information on the extent of this research and its effects is not available, but there is a considerable number of special migraine clinics in National Health Service hospitals seeking improved methods of treatment.

asked the Minister of Health what progress he has made in reviewing the system of remuneration for staffs in psychiatric hospitals so that it is not related to the number of beds.

This is a matter in the first instance for the appropriate Whitley Council.

asked the Minister of Health, how many paid organisers of volunteers there are in psychiatric hospitals and mental health divisions of local authorities.

Information is not available centrally in this form. I know of three such appointments in psychiatric hospitals, but others may have been made where the appointment was within the discretion of the hospital board concerned.

asked the Minister of Health how many appointments to the grade of senior enrolled nurse have been made so far in mental hospitals.

None. The grade of enrolled nurse was not generally introduced in psychiatric hospitals until December 1964, and no decision has yet been taken on the introduction of the senior enrolled nurse grade for which, in general hospitals, three years' experience as an enrolled nurse is required.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of admissions to mental hospitals under short-term compulsory powers were under Section 29 of the Mental Health Act in 1966; and if he will give corresponding figures for 1965 and 1964.

62 per cent.; 65 and 68 per cent. respectively (estimated).

asked the Minister of Health how many nurses are now training to become enrolled nurses in psychiatric hospitals.

933 at 30th September, 1966, the latest date for which figures are available. In addition, 22 pupil nurses were training in psychiatric units or wards of general hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health what is the amount to be spent in 1967–68, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of total capital expenditure on hospitals, on psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric wards of general hospitals.

Capital expenditure in 1967–68 on the Special hospitals, on National Health Service psychiatric hospitals and on psychiatric facilities at other National Health Service hospitals is estimated at about £9.5 million or just over 10 per cent. of the total capital expenditure on those hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the mental hospital admission rate for new towns is different from the rate for high density areas; and whether he will make a statement.

The information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients were admitted to mental hospitals in 1966 under Section 29 of the Mental Health Act.

The number of admissions under Section 29 to psychiatric hospitals and units in 1966 was 17,887 (estimated).

asked the Minister of Health whether he will institute a review of the method of appointment of hospital management committees.

No. Present methods of selecting members of Hospital Management Committees are designed to secure a suitable range of experience and interests and I have no plans for changing them.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that psychiatric social workers are leaving the psychiatric hospitals to work for local authorities where the rates of pay available to them are higher; and if he will take the necessary steps to stop this flow.

Some movement is to be expected because of the planned expansion of the community social work services, but staff move between the services in both directions and the latest hospital staffing returns show a net increase in the number of psychiatric social workers.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to ensure that, in hospitals for the subnormal, accommodation for children is separate from that provided for adults, as is already the practice in other hospitals.

Children in subnormality hospitals are usually accommodated separately.

asked the Minister of Health what is the extent of the waiting list for hospitals for the subnormal; and what proposals he has for reducing the present overcrowded conditions in many of these hospitals.