asked the Minister of Overseas Development what requests he has received from the Government of South Vietnam for assistance, and for what purposes; when he expects to complete his survey of this problem; and if he will make an interim statement.

The most important among numerous requests are for an expansion of our activities at the Children's Hospital in Saigon, for additional Colombo Plan training places in the United Kingdom, for equipment and advisers for educational and government establishments, and for help in the rehabilitation of refugees. I am hoping to enlarge our paediatric team, to provide more equipment for the Children's Hospital, and to provide more training places.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will seek to establish in this country an international school textbook centre in which will be made available all textbooks used in schools in countries abroad so that people in this country may be able to discover at first hand what is being taught about Britain in overseas countries.

No. I sympathise with the intention of this suggestion but do not think that the use likely to be made of such a centre would justify the money and effort that would be needed.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what amount of revenue he estimates will be lost to the Exchequer over the next five years by the policy of granting interest-free loans to developing countries rather than charging interest at an economic rate.

It is not possible to give a definite Answer to this Question, since it would depend on a series of variants, such as the waivers of interest which might have been granted had there been no interest-free terms. It would also depend on the dates on which drawings from loans will be made and on the interest ruling at the time of drawing.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the revisions of salary and inducement allowance scales for Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service officers serving in the Seychelles.

The Commissioner who was appointed in January to review the terms of service for the Seychelles Public Service has now submitted his recommendations, which my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary and I are considering in consultation with the Governor.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what success he has had in the last three years in collaboration with the Minister of Labour in increasing technical training for overseas students within industry in this country.

The number of overseas trainees coming to this country under official schemes of technical assistance, who have been found industrial places by the Ministry of Labour is as follows:

1964	…	…	…	89
1965	…	…	…	64
1966	…	…	…	79

I would also refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to his Oral Question today which describes the new industrial training scheme by which, with the help of the Ministry of Labour, we hope to increase the number of industrial trainees coming from the developing countries.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether discussions have yet been held with the Government of Ghana to settle the amount and terms of Great Britain's aid for Ghana for 1967; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Following the meeting held in Paris last April under the ægis of the International Monetary Fund, Her Majesty's Government has offered the Ghana Government a £4 million loan for the purchase of British goods and services in 1967. This was announced in the Press on the 25th May. Disbursements will be charged to the Overseas Aid (Bilateral) Vote.The loan will have a maturity of 25 years. It will bear interest at the Exchequer lending rate current at the time of each drawing for loans of a comparable period. There will be a seven-year waiver of interest and a five-year grace period on capital repayments.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the net effect on United Kingdom balance of payments of each £ sterling granted to the International Development Association.

I.D.A. contracts are awarded on the basis of international competitive tender. The cumulative total of contracts placed up to 31st December 1966 showed that the United Kingdom had received order equivalent to about 30 shillings for every £1 sterling contributed by the British Government.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what specific steps he will take to increase the proportion of United Kingdom aid and development programmes organised on a multilateral basis and whether he will make a statement.

While it is our policy to give high priority to multilateral aid, there are also many and pressing claims on the aid programme from individual countries. In view of the current limitations on the size of the aid programme, therefore, our ability to increase the multilateral element is necessarily limited.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) what is the estimated likely future output of coal as set out in the National Plan brought up to date;(2) what is the estimate of the future amount of coal likely to be conveyed by rail in the 1970's as set out in the National Plan brought up to date.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power told my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on 6th June, future levels of coal production and demand are being considered in the current review of fuel policy. I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await the report on this aspect of national economic planning which my right hon. Friend has promised to give the House before the Summer Recess. The amount of coal to be carried by rail depends, of course, largely on the level of consumption.—[Vol. 747, c. 175.]

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what proposals he has for the voluntary consideration of proposed price increases in a manner similar to the arrangements whereby the Trades Union Congress considers wage claims by affiliated unions.

The Government are continuing discussions with the Confederation of British Industry and trade associations for the development of the voluntary early warning system as envisaged in paragraph 8 of Cmnd. 3235.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will provide a more detailed explanation of the statement published by his Department on Thursday, 22nd June, and that of the 2½ per cent. rise in prices since July, 1966, 2 per cent. of this increase was due to the Government's own actions in increasing Purchase Tax, postal charges, Selective Employment Tax and seasonal charges; and by how much he estimates that prices will rise as a result of the forthcoming increases to be paid by workers and employers for social security contributions.

The published statement to which the hon. Member refers is, I assume my Department's Progress Report for June. This shows that about 1 per cent. of the rise in the Retail Price Index is accounted for by increases in Purchase Tax, S.E.T. and postal and telephone charges. Seasonal changes affecting foodstuffs and coal, which are independent of Government action, accounted for almost another 1 per cent.I would not expect the relatively small increase in social security contributions to have a noticeable effect on retail price levels.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will seek powers to refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the financial inducements including inducements to purchase stock offered by companies to people under contract to other companies to persuade them to transfer their services.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) whether he will introduce legislation to enable increased emoluments, resulting from the transfer of an employee from one company to another, to be considered by the National Board for Prices and Incomes;(2) whether he is aware that since the Independent Television Authority have announced the allocation of new commercial television contracts to existing and new commercial television companies, bids are being made for the existing staff of the British Broadcasting Corporation to transfer over to these commercial companies at salaries and other benefits far in excess of their existing rates of pay; and, as this is both inflationary and contrary to the Government's wages, prices and incomes policy, what action he proposes to take.

I am aware that there is keen competition for the services of staff for the production of television programmes and also of reports of attractive terms being offered by new television companies to staff employed by the B.B.C. and existing companies. My right hon. Friend has drawn the attention of those concerned to Command 3150 and 3235 which give guidance to all involved in the determination of incomes.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will now reply to the request from the Cumberland Development Council for a measure of Exchequer assistance.

Yes, subject to Parliamentary approval, it is the Government's intention to offer the Council the grant of up to £4,000 in 1967–68, and up to £2,000 in 1968–69, on conditions to be agreed. The limited duation of the grant is in harmony with the terms on which grants are now being given to other development councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what correspondence he has received from Studley College; on what date letters were received; on what date answers were dispatched; and if he will publish the correspondence.

I assume that the hon. Lady has in mind correspondence relating to the decision, announced in February, to terminate grant to Studley College in 1969. Since that announcement was made my right hon. Friend has received written or oral representations from the staff and from many other quarters, but he has had no letters about the decision as such from the College authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will ensure that families who will benefit from increased social security will not he disadvantaged in means-tested applications for school meals, maintenance grants or other assistance.

I intend to amend the national scale for the remission of the charge for the school meal so that it continues to be based on the level of supplementary benefit payments. Other educational grants to families with children at school are at the discretion of local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to announce plans for the Open University.

At present I have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 7th April.—[Vol. 744, c. 96.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made with plans for the reorganisation of secondary education in the London Borough of Harrow.

£ million (to nearest million)
Financial Year	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67
Primary and Secondary Schools
Value of major projects started	57	66	70	66	64	69	87
Recosted to 1966–67 building costs	72	76	80	72	68	73	87
Further Education (excluding CATs)
Value of major projects started	16	14	12	11	18	12	20
Recosted to 1966–67 building costs	18	15	13	11	18	12	20

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now make a statement concerning revisions of the foreign travel allowance outside the sterling area for British nationals; and of the allowance for British businessmen conducting essential export business, both to take effect from 1st November, 1967, or earlier.

Travel agents and others should plan on the assumption that the basic allowance of foreign currency for holiday travel in the year November, 1967, to October, 1968, will again be £50. I shall naturally keep the possibility of relaxation under review, but this will depend on the development of the balance of payments situation. Banks already have authority to allow travellers on export business up to £20 a day and more can be obtained if it is shown to be necessary.

I told the authority on 26th January that I could not accept the plan which they submitted to me last October. I understand that, following discussions with my Department, the authority are now considering new proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the value of major building projects for schools and further education started in 1966–67 compared with earlier years.

More work was started than ever before. The following table gives the figures, for primary and secondary schools and for further education, for each of the last seven years, both at their original value and revalued to 1966–67 building cost limits:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the current value at 1st June, 1967, taking into account the fall in the value of the £ sterling, of Premium Bonds purchased at the date of the introduction of the bonds in 1956.

About 15s. 2d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list and give details of the four examinations in this country which have led the Treasury to conclude that there is no evidence that present rates of taxation exert any deterrent effect on the working of overtime or on salaried workers generally.

1. Investigation by the Social Survey into "P.A.Y.E. and Incentives" in 1952, published as Appendix I to the Second Report of the Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income (Cmd. 9105).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a list of Government Departments which are responsible for buying goods and services for their own or other Departments' use, and the amount expended by each for the financial year ended 31st March, 1966.

All Government Departments have power to purchase what is needed for the discharge of their functions and for the purposes of internal administration. Following is a list of the major buying Departments, with figures of their total purchases.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority orders were given recently that British troops dealing with the mutiny in Aden should not use weapons heavier than general purpose machine guns.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, by whom and when, the instructions were given to United Kingdom forces in Aden to restrict the weapons used in the Crater area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been issued to British troops in Aden regarding the use of support weapons; and if the local commander in future engagements will now be authorised to use any degree of retaliatory fire judged necessary in an emergency, to avoid casualties to the men under his command.

The Commander-in-Chief has authority to determine, in consultation with the High Commissioner, what degree of force, if any, should be used in aid of the civil authority. Standing instructions make it clear that no more force must be used than is absolutely necessary to achieve the immediate military aim which is to help the civil authorities to re-establish or maintain law and order. It was decided that the use of heavy weapons in Crater on 20th June would almost certainly have led to further serious loss of life, including a great deal of risk to a large number of law abiding members of the population.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the revised dates for the opening of further sections of the M1 motorway north of Annesley.

The next 3½ mile section from Annesley to Pinxton will be opened to traffic at 10 a.m. next Monday, 3rd July.Latest programmed completion dates for contracts north of Pinxton are still as listed in the Answer given to the hon. Member on 21st April. Programming of the Pinxton-Heath and Heath-Barlborough contracts is at present under review.Sections will be brought into use as far as interchange points as soon as they are ready.—[Vol. 745, c.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many accidents have been reported in East Sussex during the last convenient period of 12 months involving the overturning of a tractor and how many of these proved fatal.

Two accidents involving the overturning of tractors have been reported from East Sussex during the twelve months ending on 31st March, 1967. One of these proved fatal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made with the eradication of swine fever from Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

No case of swine fever has been confirmed since 27th June, 1966. It is extremely unlikely that undisclosed swine fever now remains in this country and it is unlikely to recur unless the virus is introduced from outside. Accordingly swine fever is considered to have been eradicated from Great Britain.A campaign for the eradication of swine fever was begun in March, 1963, and in the first nine months of the programme, there were over one thousand outbreaks and more than a quarter of a million pigs were slaughtered at a cost in compensation of nearly £3½ million. In 1964 the number of outbreaks was just over four hundred, and in 1965 just over one hundred, while in 1966 up to 27th June there were only twenty-five outbreaks. Compensation to farmers whose pigs were slaughtered has cost the taxpayer a total of over £5½ million.Swine fever has been a serious problem in this country for more than a hundred years and many methods have been employed for its control prior to March, 1963. Furthermore, we are the first country in the world in which swine fever has been established as an endemic disease, to have achieved eradication. This is a truly magnificent achievement.All sections of my veterinary staff in the field and in the laboratory must be congratulated on this triumph. British farmers have made a great contribution to the success of the policy; we must not forget the losses they and others have experienced through the imposition of restrictions which have been necessary in fighting the disease. In the understanding and acceptance of these restrictions, farmers and auctioneers have made a most valuable contribution. Practising veterinary surgeons have played a substantial part by the early reporting of their suspicion of the disease.The campaign has demonstrated to the full that, in all organised measures for the control of disease of farm animals, co-operation is the keynote of success.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will state the total cost of aid to Zambia and other Commonwealth countries, whether by way of loan or direct grant, arising out of the imposition of sanctions against Rhodesia.

With regard to assistance to Zambia I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Meridan (Mr. Rowland) on 7th February.No direct assistance arising out of the imposition of sanctions against Rhodesia has been given to any other Commonwealth country, but at the request of the Zambian Government some of the assistance to Zambia has been spent on the development of supply routes through Tanzania and Malawi.—[Vol. 740, c. 271.]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the fact that in the 10 years from 1975 to 1985 the coloured population in Great Britain will increase from 1,500,000 to 3,500,000, if he will seek to amend the Empire Settlement Act so as to provide free passages abroad for those who wish to go.

No. The time for any amendment to the Commonwealth Settlement Act would be in 1972 when it will be due for renewal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will take steps to implement the recommendations of the Committee on Theatre Censorship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the recommendations contained in the report of the Joint Committee on the Censorship of the Theatre; what legislation he intends to introduce to implement these recommendations; and whether he will, in connection with the preparation of such legislation, consult with the principal interested parties who will be affected by any change.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier today to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. Archer).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about appointments to the office of Inspector of Constabulary.

The present establishment for England and Wales is for a Chief Inspector of Constabulary and ten Inspectors, including the Commandant of the Police College and the Head of the Police Research and Planning Branch. As the programme of amalgamations of police forces proceeds, it will be possible to reduce the number of Inspectors engaged on general inspection duties. It is, however, becoming clear that the rapid introduction of new techniques and new equipment in the police service makes some degree of specialisation desirable, so that the Inspectors can develop the more constructive side of their work. I have decided that this situation can best be met by appointing to two of the existing posts one Inspector specialising in all police aspects of road traffic and another specialising in all matters concerning crime, including crime prevention.The duties of these two officers, under the Chief Inspector, will be to advise me and my Department, and other Departments as necessary, on all professional matters within their particular fields. They will also support the district inspectors in giving advice to Chief Constables in these fields. For the time being, until the programme of amalgamations has been completed, they will also assist with the routine work of inspection.Mr. F. E. Williamson, the Chief Constable of Cumbria, has been selected for appointment as specialist Inspector on crime and Mr. J. T. Manuel, who is already an Inspector of Constabulary, for the new post on road traffic. Mr. R. G. Fenwick, the Chief Constable of Shropshire, has been appointed an Inspector of Constabulary. It is expected that these officers will take up their new duties towards the end of the summer. These appointments involve no increase in the establishment of the inspectorate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the Greater London Council is offering mortgage facilities to selected tenants of the Council's housing accommodation for the purchase of their dwellings, notwithstanding the suspension of the Council's general home loans scheme with effect from 7th June; and if he will decline to grant loan sanction for this purpose.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwood (Mr. John Fraser) on 19th June, 1967.—[Vol. 748, c. 194.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date he proposes to publish the White Paper on the reform of the town and country planning procedures.

The White Paper was published yesterday.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of industrial training boards in England and Wales; and in which areas they are.

Nineteen. Each exercises its functions throughout Great Britain for specific activities of industry or commerce.

asked the Minister of Labour how many industrial training boards give grants for the training of shop stewards, and trade union representatives; and if he will list them.

So far, the Industrial Training Boards for the Construction, Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Water Supply industries have published grant schemes which provide for payment of grant for approved courses of training for shop stewards. The Iron and Steel Board's scheme also covers part-time trade union officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about assistance for the housing of the Burrell Collection.

When Glasgow Corporation has prepared plans for the gallery, the Government are prepared to make a once-and-for-all contribution of £250,000 towards the capital cost, subject to the authorisation of the necessary funds by Parliament. This contribution will be given in recognition not only of the unique nature of the Burrell Collection and its importance to the whole nation, but also of the satisfactory settlement of the future of Pollok House.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms in Scotland went into voluntary or compulsory liquidation in each of the years 1964, 1965 and 1966; and how many employees were involved each year.

The numbers of liquidations of companies begun in Scotland during the last three years were as follows:—

		Voluntary
Year				Compulsory
		Members'	Creditors'
1964	…	215	85	14
1965	…	278	103	29
1966	…	457	125	35

The numbers of employees involved are not known.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whom he will nominate as independent members of the council which the 10 principal societies of estate agents are proposing to set up.

I intend to nominate the following as independent members of the Estate Agents Council:

• Mr. I. V. Cassam.
• Mr. C. H. Charlesworth.
• Mr. A. L. Diamond.
• Mr. G. B. Esslemont.
• Mr. G. Picton.
• Mrs. P. Sheard.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why permission to operate the Canadian Beech 18 aircraft for public transport use in Scotland has been withheld; and if he will make a statement.

If the hon. Member will give me details of the case to which he refers I will be pleased to look into the mater.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total of the special, additional, expenditure which has been and is to be authorised on new construction and improvement of roads in development areas; and what percentage this forms of the proposed total road programme expenditure for the develop-areas and for Wales, respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Gwynfor Evans) on 28th June.—[Vol. 749, c. 116.]