asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how long it was planned to take to provide all London's children with non-selective comprehensive secondary education under the proposals recently submitted to him and more recently withdrawn by the Inner London Education Authority; and how long he estimates it will take to provide the same educational coverage for every area in London on the basis of a purpose-built comprehensive school for its secondary school children.

The proposals to which my hon. Friend refers did not include any precise time-table for their fulfilment. The rate at which they could have been implemented would have depended on a number of factors, including notably the size of future school building programmes. For the same reason I cannot make the estimate requested in the second part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many post-graduate awards will be offered by the Social Science Research Council for the coming academic year; and on what basis they will be allocated between different university departments.

535 new studentships and 15 new fellowships. Approximately 90 per cent. of the studentships have been allocated in the light of preferences expressed by students, of departments' bids, and of other relevant information. The other 10 per cent. have been held in reserve and together with any of the 90 per cent. remaining unfilled will be awarded to departments' nominees on a competitive basis. Fellowships are awarded individually by competition.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science at what age most children start to learn the decimal system of arithmetic.

Before they leave the primary school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps have been taken to assist the Hartlepool Education Committee following a fire in the Brinkburn Grammar School; what was the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage; and what advice has been given to ensure the maximum of protection measures against fire in schools in future.

The Hartlepool Education Committee have not found it necessary to ask for any help at present. I understand that neither the cause of the fire nor the exact cost of the damage which was considerable, have yet been ascertained. Advice on fire precautions in schools and the planning of schools to avoid fire risks is given in the Department's Pamphlet "Safety Precautions in Schools" and in "Building Bulletin No. 7".

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his latest estimate of the number of teachers by which the total required for maintenance of current staffing standards will fall short on raising the school leaving age to 16 years in 1970; and what proposals he has for reducing this expected shortage.

I am currently engaged on revising the calculations on the Ninth Report of the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers which foresaw a deficiency of 40,000 teachers in 1971–72 when the effects of raising the age will first be felt. Since the report was published I have launched my 14-point programme which is designed to increase the supply of teachers faster than the Council expected.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for raising the proportion of men recruited for teacher training up to the level of 35 per cent.

The number of men entrants to the colleges of education has increased over the last four years from about 5,000 to 9,500, but with the rapid increase in total intakes the proportion of men in the entry has remained at about 28 per cent. We are taking a number of steps designed to ensure that boys in sixth forms are fully aware of what the colleges have to offer by way both of higher education and preparation for a teaching career.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now ask the University Grants Committee to invite universities to give particulars of any funds they have set aside to mitigate hardship which may arise from the increase in fees for overseas students.

No. Such action by individual universities is entirely a matter for their discretion. Moreover, I understand that some of them propose to deal with hardship cases ad hoc rather than by setting aside a specific sum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in staging the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

The staging of the Games is the responsibility of the main organising committee. Edinburgh corporation is proceeding with its plans for providing a swimming pool and athletics stadium.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the bad lavatory accommodation in many Somerset primary schools and the cut in the minor works building programme since 1965, he will now allocate more money for urgent improvements.

The initial allocation for the Somerset minor work building programme was higher in 196667 and 1967–68 than in 1965–66. It is too early to say whether any supplementary allocation can be made. The allocation of resources available for minor work is a matter entirely for the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many complaints from members of the public or Members of Parliament have been received by his Department since 20th July, 1966 about specific increases in prices; and in how many cases he took action to reduce prices.

One hundred and forty seven complaints from members of the public or Members of Parliament have been received by my Department since 20th July, 1966 about specific increases in prices.All the complaints were followed up unless from information available to the Department the justification for the increase was already known to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applications to increase prices have been made to his Department by manufacturers or retailers since 20th July, 1966; and in how many cases the requested increase was approved.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the total expenditure on the education service in 1970–71 on the assumption that the school-leaving age is not raised; and what is his estimate of the increased cost resulting from raising the school-leaving age to 16 years in 1970.

Public expenditure on education in Great Britain last year was about £1,870 million. Until the current review of public expenditure has been completed I cannot give a comparable figure for 1970–71. Expenditure in that year associated with raising the school leaving age will be about £45 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the amount spent by the Medical Research Council in 1965–66 on research in the field of mental illness, and the proportion of total research expenditure by the Medical Research Council in that year which this represents, the corresponding approximate figures for 1966–67 and the corresponding target figures for 196768, respectively.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) on 8th June, 1967. The corresponding approximate figures for 196566 were £771,000 (8 per cent.); and for 1966–67, £893,000 (8·5 per cent.).—[Vol. 747, c. 240.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the annual transport costs of transporting all secondary school pupils from Portland to Weymouth.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those international bodies concerned with science and technology which have headquarters or operational stations sited in the United Kingdom.

The following are the major intergovernmental bodies concerned with science and technology which have headquarters or operational stations sited in the United Kingdom: —

The Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, whose headquarters are at Farnham Royal, Bucks., have the following Institutes and Bureaux sited in this country:—

• The Commonwealth Institute of Entomology, London.
• The Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew, Surrey.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Edinburgh.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Animal Health, Weybridge, Surrey.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Animal Nutrition, Aberdeen.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Dairy Science and Technology, Reading, Berks.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Forestry, Oxford.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Helminthology, St. Albans, Herts.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Maidstone, Kent.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Pastures and Field Crops, Maidenhead, Berks.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cambridge.
• Commonwealth Bureau of Soils, Cambridge.
• The Commonwealth Foundation, London.
• The Commonwealth Scientific Committee whose Executive Sub-Committee meets in London and whose Secretariat is located in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reply he has sent to the request from the Amateur Rowing Association for help in sending a crew by air or sea to the Canadian Centennial Regatta in Ontario from 10th to 13th August.

I have received no such request.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the extent of the participation of the United Kingdom in the European Molecular Biology Organisation as regards financial commitment, representation on policy or executive bodies, provision of equipment or facilities, and in any other way.

The European Molecular Biology Organisation (E.M.B.O.) is a formal association of leading European molecular biologists. At present it is financed largely by a grant from the Volkswagen Foundation which expires in 1968. The possibility of intergovernmental support, both financial and by the provision of equipment and facilities, following the cessation of the Volkswagen grant is currently under discussion at a series of conferences convened by the Swiss Government. At present thirty three British scientists are members of the Organisation, in a private capacity. Of these, one is the Chairman and one is member of the E.M.B.O. Council, and four serve on executive committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the 43 school building projects approved by him on 3rd May for the South-West Region do not include a project for a school in the constituency of South Dorset.

The projects announced on 3rd May for the South-West region were secondary projects to be started in the year 1968–69. The local education authority did not propose any secondary projects in the constituency of South Dorset for that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Scince why his Department took until April, 1967, to reply to a letter, details of which have been given to him, concerning a routine matter within his responsibility, sent in September, 1966.

I regret that, partly owing to shortages of staff, this case was seriously mishandled. Replies were sent to the persons concerned on 19th and 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the latest figure available, in percentage terms, of school leavers who are unable to swim.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make available financial grants to enable ballet companies to tour the provinces.

The allocation of grants is a matter for the Arts Council but I can tell the hon. Member that in the current year over £200,000 is being made available to enable ballet companies to tour the provinces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will, as a regular policy, ensure that every committee or working party studying penal practice, prison conditions, or aftercare, shall include at least one rank-and-file prison officer, at least one probation officer, and at least one prisoner or rehabilitated ex-prisoner.

It is always my aim to ensure that any committee or working party that I appoint is appropriately constituted for its assignment; but whether the membership should include persons in particular categories must depend on the nature of the assignment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will continue summer-time throughout the coming winter as an experiment.

Any measure of this kind would require legislation, and so could not be introduced this winter. I hope shortly to be in a position to announce the Government's intentions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ask the Commissioner of Police to advise Metropolitan policemen that when members of the public ask them to take note of the numbers of unlicensed road vehicles on the public highway without a current road fund licence and ask them to report this to the proper authorities they should not reply that they are too busy or that the offence is too prevalent for action.

No. This is a matter primarily for the Commissioner of Police. If a member of the public wishes to complain that a Metropolitan Police officer has dealt with him discourteously he should do so to the Commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will exercise his powers under Section 80 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907, and Section 249 of the Local Government Act, 1933, to deal with the nuisance of cattle being driven in numbers along the highway between York and Osbaldwick.

It is for the local authorities concerned to ask me to apply Section 80 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907, to their areas, or to confirm any byelaws which they may make under Section 249 of the Local Government Act, 1933. I will give prompt consideration to any such requests which I may receive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders were known to the police in the first five months of 1967; and what were the numbers for the same period for each of the preceding five years, calculated on the same basis.

As was explained to the hon. Member in reply to Questions on 9th March and 19th May, 1966, it is the established practice to adjust the statistics of offences of murder known to the police to exclude offences initially recorded as murder but later found not to be murder, and these figures are compiled for complete years only.The figures for 1966 and the preceding ten years were given in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford on 14th June, 1967.—[Vol. 748, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide information concerning the degree of accuracy of the breath testing equipment which has been purchased for use by the police to enforce the new drink and driving laws.

When the devices were tested at the Home Office Central Research Establishment, Aldermaston, correct readings were obtained in all cases in which the blood alcohol concentrations were above 80 mgs. per 100mls. False positive indications were obtained in 8 out of 33 cases in which the level was below this figure. The breath-testing device will, of course, be used only for a preliminary check.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that there will be no risk, due to inaccuracy of the breath testing equipment to be used by the police to enforce the new drink and driving laws, that a driver with a blood/alcohol level of less than 80 milligrams/100 millilitres will be required to go to a police station and asked to submit to a blood or urine test.

Since breath testing devices are not precisely accurate analytical instruments, there must always be some risk of a false positive indication. But the requirement in the Road Safety Act that a second breath test must be administered at the police station before a blood or urine sample is taken will reduce the risk of a motorist being subjected to those additional tests as a result of inaccurate breath testing devices.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects the report of the South West Regional Economic Planning Council to be published.

On 20th July.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will take steps to amend the constitution of the East Anglia Planning Council with a view to widening its membership.

The East Anglia Planning Council is constituted on the same lines as other Economic Planning Councils throughout the country. We have no present plans for making changes in the way they are constituted. This already provides for the appointment of members with the widest range of experience in the region.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how many recruits for the National Economic Development Office were obtained by Mr. F. Catherwood as a result of his recent inquiries when visiting North America.

None so far. The Director General is in touch with a number of students from Business Schools in North America about the possibility of employment with the National Economic Development Office.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects to announce a decision on the form of the new regional employment premium.

The form of the regional employment premium was set out in the new Clause to the Finance Bill which was considered in Committee yesterday.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue postage stamps to commemorate the completion of Sir Francis Chichester's feat of sailing round the world single-handed.

My right hon. Friend will issue a special 1s. 9d. stamp to mark this achievement on 24th July.

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for the launching of an all-British communications satellite.

The United Kingdom has no plans for a British communications satellite.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will investigate why a letter marked Urgent, posted at the Leicester Head Post Office at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 31st May to the House of Commons, was returned to the sender on Monday, 5th June, the envelope of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Louth; why the contents were so battered and torn; and what new steps he is taking to give the general public a better and more prompt postal service.

I regret the delay and damage to this letter and I am writing to the hon. Gentleman about it. The postal service is generally good, but in some areas there are still shortages of staff and it is not always possible to give the scheduled service. We are doing all we can to remedy this.

asked the Postmaster-General what his plans are with the Government of the Republic of Ireland to reduce the delays on telephone calls between the two countries.

Additional circuits are being provided between Liverpool and Dublin, and arrangements have been made to strengthen other routes to the Republic of Ireland in anticipation of increased traffic.

asked the Postmaster-General at what date a very high frequency transmitting station will be introduced to make available B.B.C.2 programmes in Caithness and Sutherland.

The extension of the coverage attained by B.B.C.2, which is broadcast only in the ultra high frequency band, is primarily the responsibility of the Corporation. It tells me, however, that its plans include a B.B.C.2 station in Caithness but that it is too early to say when it can be provided or what its area coverage will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes, following the removal of the Co-operative Wholesale Society depot from Cardiff to Bristol, to co-ordinate a unified effort to publicise the attractions of South Wales as a commercial and distribution centre for the Severnside area.

Much must depend on local initiative. I hope that the Development Corporation for Wales, in

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the original announcement dates of all major trunk road schemes and motorway schemes in Wales since 1960 till now; what was their estimated or actual date of completion; and what was the cost of each individual scheme.

The first announcement of a five year programme for trunk roads was made in 1962. Major trunk road schemes in Wales announced then or subsequently are listed below. Neither estimated dates of completion nor individual scheme costs were given but for the schemes which have so far been completed the actual dates and approximate costs are shown: —schemes with a view to their inclusion in the road programme for the early 1970s: —

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, in view of Her Majesty's Government's policy on trade with Rhodesia, what study he has made of the extent to which the doubling in value of Japanese imports from South Africa during the first quarter of 1967 as compared with the first quarter of 1966 involved an increase in Japanese purchases of goods of Rhodesian origin; and with what result.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend to the Questions by the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 1st June.—[Vol. 747, c. 60–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what opportunities are available for members of the Colonial Office List to transfer to Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service; and how many have availed themselves of such opportunities since 1st August, 1966.

In anticipation of the merger of the Colonial Office and the Commonwealth Relations Office on 1st August, 1966, members of the staff of the Colonial Office were given the option from late 1964 onwards of applying for transfer to H.M. Diplomatic Service or remaining in the Home Civil Service. Of a total of about 150 established officers in the grades down to Higher Executive Officer on 1st January, 1965, 37 members of the Colonial Office staff have applied for membership of the Diplomatic Service and 32 have been accepted. Formalities in regard to a further two officers are still proceeding. Of the total of 32 who have already transferred to the Diplomatic Service, 13 officers have done so since 1st August, 1966. Members of the staff of the former Colonial Office who did not originally opt for membership of the Diplomatic Service and are still serving in the Commonwealth Office (i.e. have not yet been transferred to Home Civil Service Departments) may still change their minds and apply for transfer to the Diplomatic Service if they so wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs how many vacancies have occurred in posts normally filled from the Colonial Office List during the last 12 months; and how many have been filled.

From 1st August, 1966, the Colonial Office and the Commonwealth Relations Office were merged, becoming the Commonwealth Office; the staffing requirements of the Commonwealth Office are met from the staff establishment of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service, which the staff of the Colonial Office have been given an opportunity to join. During the last 12 months, 22 vacancies occurred in the Colonial Office prior to 1st August, 1966, and in the Dependent Territories Division of the Commonwealth Office since then; 20 of them have so far been filled from the common Diplomatic Service establishment.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make feasibility studies of potential areas of co-operation between Great Britain and the United Arab Republic on projects for the desalination of water.

The United Nations are doing first class work in studying water problems and endeavouring to find solutions. It is Her Majesty's Government's view that this is the most appropriate channel for such activities and at the recent Water for Peace Conference in Washington Her Majesty's Government reiterated their readiness to contribute to this United Nations' programme. United Nations' experts have already been to the United Arab Republic.

asked the Minister of Technology what is his latest estimate of the research and development costs of the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar Questiton by the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 4th May.—[Vol. 746, c. 109–110.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to make a further visit to Plymouth: and if he will then make proposals which will help with the problem of unemployment.

I intend to visit Plymouth again on 23rd June, 1967. While I have no proposals to make for any new measures I will be able to hear at first hand about the problems of the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of oil imported into the United Kingdom was carried in foreign tankers in the years 1965 and 1966 and for the period of three months ended 31st March, 1967.

The proportion of petroleum, including petroleum products, imported into the United Kingdom in overseas tankers in 1965 was 62 per cent. and in 1966 71 per cent. Corresponding information for the three months ended 31st March, 1967, is not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now announce the dates for the Bank Holidays in 1968.

As I announced on 3rd June, 1965, the dates of the spring and late summer bank holidays in 1968 will be 3rd June (Whit Monday) and 2nd September.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what stage he has reached in his discussions with the suppliers of infant milk foods on the implementation of the recommendation in the report by the Monopolies Commission on infant milk foods.

I have now reached agreement with Cow & Gate and Glaxo on the voluntary implementation of the recommendation in the Commission's report.The companies have agreed that, where the distance between any post office and the nearest shop at which its infant milk foods are ordinarily sold by retail exceeds half a mile, it will supply those foods, either directly or indirectly through a wholesaler, to another retailer who asks to be supplied and whose shop is in closer proximity to the post office. The companies have further agreed to give sympathetic consideration to any cases brought to their attention by the Board of Trade of hardship caused by the non-availability of their infant milk foods in any place.I expect this settlement to result in a considerable increase in the number of retail outlets for infant milk foods. Moreover, these outlets should be in the places most necessary to remove possible inconvenience to the public. I believe that the settlement is fair and reasonable in the light of the Commission's findings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage changes he now expects in the levels of total manufacturing investment and of manufacturing investment in plant and machinery, respectively, in the United Kingdom as a whole and in Scotland, respectively, in 1967 as compared with 1966, and with 1964, respectively, in each case at constant 1964 prices.

The results of my Department's latest inquiry into investment intentions, to be published next week, will give for the United Kingdom as a whole estimates of manufacturing industry's total investment for the years specified at constant prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he will arrange for photographic copies of the station flying logs and daily routine orders for the dates 5th, 6th and 7th June of all Royal Air Force stations within 1,000 miles radius of a circle including Gaza, Alexandria and Cairo to be deposited in the Library of the House of Commons;(2) whether he will arrange for photographic copies of the ships flying log and daily routine orders for the dates 5th, 6th and 7th June of all Her Majesty's aircraft carriers which were, on these dates, within 1,000 miles radius of a circle including Gaza, Alexandria and Cairo, to be deposited in the Library of the House of Commons.

In the interests of national security copies of this type of document cannot normally be made available. But in view of the importance of demonstrating the falsity of recent charges of British collusion in Israeli air operations, and of the fact that the United Kingdom has offered to provide the United Nations with all the information necessary to disprove these charges, I am arranging for copies of the relevant documents to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the Royal Navy's commitments still include the blockading of Rhodesian imports through the port of Beira; and what ships were assigned to this duty in the Mozambique Channel during the first week of June.

There is no blockade of the port of Beira but Her Majesty's Ships continue to patrol the Mozambique Channel in pursuance of the Security Council Resolution of 9th April, 1966, to prevent the arrival at Beira of vessels reasonably believed to be carrying oil for Rhodesia. I am not prepared to give details of this deployment.

asked the Minister of Health what evidence he has on the toxicology of cyclohexylamine and its effect on the human system; and whether he will publish such evidence.

Evidence on the toxicology of cyclohexylamine is available in a number of published papers.

asked the Minister of Health if he will initiate research into the level of nutient intake required by different groups of the population for the maintenance of optimum health.

This question is already being considered by an expert Panel of my right hon. Friend's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the total number of persons in Wales at the last convenient date who were employed in manufacturing industry; and how this figure compares with the figure for the corresponding period in 1966.

Employment estimates for Wales, analysed by industry are available only for June each year. Supplementary estimates, in total only, are made quarterly. All of these estimates are based on counts of National Insurance cards exchanged and are available approximately seven months after the reference date.Following is the latest available information:

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what new financial aid Great Britain offered to Pakistan at the Consortium meeting organised by the World Bank in London on 31st May and 1st June.

£8 million was pledged for 1967–68. As in the case of previous aid to Pakistan, this will be in the form of interest-free loans repayable over 25 years with a grace period of 7 years before repayments of capital begin. Disbursements during 1967–68 will be charged to the Overseas Aid (Bilateral) Vote in due course.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on his talks with the Asian Development Bank.

Mr. Watanabe, the President of the Asian Development, visited London earlier this week in the course of a tour he is making of European member countries of the Bank. The useful discussions I and officials had with him were not of a character which would make it appropriate to make a statement about them.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development to what extent capital aid to Indonesia is being continued in 1967.

A small proportion of the commodities being supplied under the 1966 grant of emergency aid to Indonesia has still to be shipped. Her Majesty's Government have recently offered further aid to the Government of Indonesia in the form of a £500,000 interest free loan with seven years' grace period and an overall maturity of 25 years. This offer has been accepted in principle. The loan will be tied to British goods. Disbursements will be charged to the Overseas Aid (Bilateral) Vote.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to central and local funds of road building and road maintenance in each of the years from 1955–56 to 1965–66; and what estimate he has made of the cost in the year 1966–67 and 1967–68.

The information requested, excluding expenditure on road lighting and car parks, is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children at school in Scotland are receiving only part-time education; and what percentage of this total relates to schoolchildren in Glasgow.

The number of children receiving only part-time education is 3,189 of whom 68 per cent. are in Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present authorised establishment of teachers in Glasgow; how many teachers are employed; and how many of these are uncertificated.

At December, 1966 (the latest date for which figures are available) there were 7,220 teachers employed in education authority primary and secondary schools in Glasgow, of whom 447 were uncertificated. There is no authorised establishment as such.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the shortage of teachers in Scotland at the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will give the comparable figures for Glasgow only.

At October, 1966 (the latest date for which figures are available) education authorities estimated that, for primary and secondary schools managed by them, they would require 3,667 teachers to fill vacancies, reduce oversize classes, replace uncertificated teachers and replace re-employed teachers over 70. The comparable figure for Glasgow only was 1,308.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now appointed the development corporation for the new town of Irvine; and if he will make a statement.

As I informed my hon. Friend on 10th May, Mr. A. W. Hardie has agreed to serve as Chairman. I am glad to say that the following have accepted invitations to serve on the Development Corporation:

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total value of contracts for carriage and wagon repairs placed by British Railways with private carriage and wagon repair firms in each of the last 10 years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a general direction to British Railways that their workshops should quote fixed prices in tendering for carriage building contracts from British Railways.

No

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total sum paid by British Railways to the British Railways workshops for carriage building work in each of the years 1966, 1965 and 1964; and what was the total of the original estimated costs tendered by the workshops for these contracts.

The information requested in the first part of the Question is:

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will issue a general direction in the public interest to the British Railways Board that in calculating the amount of lump sum and annuity payable from superannuation funds they should take as a basis the full salary, including any merit award which would have been paid at the date of retirement but for the intervention of the Government's wage freeze.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) in which council areas the experimental offset double white line system has been tried; with which councils she consulted before her public announcement of the decision to discontinue this experiment; and if she will give an assurance that she will not make public announcements in future about matters normally within the authority of county councils without prior consultation;(2) why she gave instructions to discontinue the experimental offset double white line system on the A259 road between Seaford and Saltdean, initiated by the county surveyor of the East Sussex County Council with her approval, without any prior consultation with the County Council and in spite of the fact that accidents and injuries relevant to the markings have both been reduced on this section of the road during the experimental period;(3) if, in view of the fact that the East Sussex County Council, the Newhaven and Seaford urban district councils, the Chailey Rural District Council and the Peacehaven and Telscombe parish councils all share the opinion that the experimental offset double white line system on the A259 between Saltdean and Seaford should be continued, she will cancel her instructions to end this experiment on this road;(4) when she sought the opinion of the Traffic Committee of the Central Conference of Chief Constables about the experimental offset double white line system on roads before deciding to discontinue this experiment; and what views they expressed.

In my letters of 18th April and 7th June to the hon. and gallant Member I gave a list of the Councils concerned in these trials and explained why the lines must be removed.My right hon. Friend initiated this experiment, which was not a matter of the type normally within the authority of the county councils, to see whether these off-set lines could be used generally on three-lane roads to assist safe overtaking.In assessing the value of the lines the experiment must be viewed as a whole. The significant increases in accidents at every site where the effect of the lines could be accurately calculated showed clearly that the lines had not contributed to road safety as we had hoped. Consultation with county councils and the Traffic Committee of the Central Conference of Chief Constables could not have altered this fact and was not undertaken.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the nature of minor roadworks on the A30 on 9th June, 1967 at the junction with the A329; why all but a single traffic lane of this main exit from London to the South-West was closed on a Friday evening; and to what extent consideration was given to the needs of the motoring public.

The roadworks in question were the provision of a duct for cables required for the installation of traffic signals at the junction of A30 and A329. The work, originally planned for 8th June but unavoidably delayed until 9th, was carried out in two stages each necessitating the closure of half the carriageway. Some inconvenience to the motoring public is inevitable in all road improvement schemes but all possible measures are taken to keep it to the minimum.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the purpose of the £5 minimum charge for a car breakdown on the Severn Bridge; and what evidence she has regarding the extent to which the charge is achieving this objective.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my replies to Questions from the hon. Member for Leominster (Sir Clive Bossom) on 19th April and 31st May.—[Vol. 745, c. 558; Vol. 747, c. 15.]

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent delays on the Severn Bridge during the Whitsun period were caused by the toll gates; and if she will consider the possibility of stopping the collection of the 2s. 6d. toll at bank holiday periods.

Traffic delays were caused by a number of vehicle breakdowns on the bridge, not by the toll gates. The toll collection system is expected to be able to meet all demands of traffic using the bridge. We have therefore no plans to stop collection of tolls at bank holiday periods.