asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will release unwanted surplus Royal Air Force equipment for use in schools by those pupils studying technical subjects.

There are longstanding arrangements whereby other Government Departments, including the Department of Education and Science, are notified of surplus Royal Air Force equipment which may be of interest to them and which they may wish to purchase. I understand that the Department of Education and Science is currently examining this question.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make arrangements to help those who leave regular service in Her Majesty's forces to find appropriate work in the British educational system.

Yes. This is already done; but if my hon. Friend has any particular suggestion I should be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the estimated cost of our military presence in Singapore and Malaysia, respectively, for 1967–68; and what proportion of this cost will be in foreign exchange;(2) what is the estimated cost of our military presence in Hong Kong for 1967–68; and what proportion of this cost will be in foreign exchange.

For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 1st March, I do not propose to give the budgetary cost. The estimated foreign exchange figures for 1967–68, on the same basis as that of Annex H of the Statement on Defence Estimates, 1967, (Cmnd. 3203) are Singapore £58 million, Malaysia £16 million, Hong Kong £11 million.—[Vol. 742, c. 91.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the budgetary cost of British Forces in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, the Middle East, Cyprus, Malta, North Africa and Gibraltar, respectively; and how much of this cost is in foreign currency in each case.

For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Salford. East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 1st March, I do not propose to give the budgetary cost. For the foreign exchange costs for Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond). The corresponding information for the other areas is as follows:

				£ million
Cyprus	…	…	…	15·5
Middle East	…	…	…	23
Malta	…	…	…	12·5
Libya	…	…	…	1·5
Gibraltar	…	…	…	6·5

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the recently completed garrison church in Aden; and how it is intended to dispose of it after the withdrawal of British forces.

The Garrison Church, All Saints, was built at a cost of £53,000 on land made available in 1960 by the Government of Aden. The property will be transferred to the Federal Government in office on Independence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the withdrawal of British forces from Aden when that territory becomes independent in 1968.

I have nothing to add to the very full statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 19th June.—[Vol. 748, c. 1126–44.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now classify the Aden theatre as active service instead of internal security duties.

I am considering the matter in consultation with those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will rescind the restrictions upon the use of weapons now imposed on United Kingdom troops in Aden.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now give fresh instructions to British troops in Aden concerning the use of force to defend themselves against attack and to apprehend the terrorists.

I would refer to my reply to similar Questions on 29th June.—[Vol. 749, c. 128.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what use the Little Aden cantonment will be put after the withdrawal of British forces.

This will be for the Federal Government to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiry is being held into the response by the British forces in Aden to the mutinies by local troops and police.

None. The response was appropriate to the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instruct the military command to recapture the Crater district of Aden.

British troops re-entered the Crater district two days ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of ceremonial in the armed forces in 1967–68; and how this compares with the £7·5 million spent on military bands in 1966–67.

Ceremonial is an integral part of the Armed Forces' duties; its cost cannot be separately assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the children of aliens living in Great Britain are denied the right to join the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, West (Mr. James Davidson) on 12th April.—[Vol. 744, c. 1203–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what increase in the sale of military equipment has resulted from the appointment of an arms salesman.

I am quite satisfied that the appointment of Head of Defence Sales last year has added to the effectiveness of our sales effort. It is, of course, too early to attempt to quantify this.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 220 persons, employed in the Arms Salesman's Department are paid commission in addition to their ordinary salaries; and what for.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to institute arrangements for the payment of service pensions by payment directly into a bank account.

I have nothing to add to my answer of 18th January to the right hon. Member for Stafford and Stone (Mr. Hugh Fraser).—[Vol. 739, c. 60.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what British forces are stationed, or are to be stationed in Northern or Western Australia.

No British forces are stationed in Northern or Western Australia, nor have any decisions been taken to station British forces in Northern or Western Australia at any time in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much more land will be required for expansion of the Polaris Base at Faslane on the Clyde.

No more, on present plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what British service units are now based on Madagascar.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Torquay (Sir F. Bennett) today on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the closing of the Suez Canal with the consequent enhancement of the importance of the Cape route to the Merchant Marine, what extra warships are to be sent to the area; and what assistance he has sought from the South African Government for its protection.

Apart from H.M. Ships on passage to and from the Far East, which will have to use the Cape route while the Suez Canal is closed, no extra warships are being sent to the area. No requirement for the protection of the Cape route has arisen.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent Greek military officers accredited to North Atlantic Treaty Organistion headquarters have access to classified information from British sources.

Greek military officers, filling international appointments in N.A.T.O. headquarters, have the same access to classified information as have military officers, filling similar appointments, who are nationals of other N.A.T.O. countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to obtain an outside assessment of the potential market for the services of the Meteorological Office.

A survey of the potential market is being made by the Meteorological Office with other Government Departments and representatives of industry, commerce, and agriculture.To provide further help in future planning, a market research firm is surveying the Tyneside area, where a new Weather Centre has been opened at Newcastle.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to implement the recommendations of the Third Report of the Estimates Committee in Session 1966–67.

Action has been taken, or is in hand, on the lines indicated in the Eighth Special Report from the Estimates Committee, Session 1966–67.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will conduct an inquiry into boy service in Her Majesty's forces; and if he will seek to amend the law so as to allow each boy to opt yearly to continue to serve, the final option being made at 21 years of age.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my Answer of 31st May to my hon. Friend the Member for Barkine (Mr. Driberg).—[Vol. 747, c. 93.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what year the system whereby members of Her Majesty's forces could purchase their release from the services was introduced; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the practice was first introduced into the Army in 1810; into the Royal Navy in 1861; and has applied in the Royal Air Force since its inception.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the recent weekly expenditure on the aircraft carrier and its aircraft that are to operate in South Arabian waters.

The average weekly cost of operating an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and its aircraft throughout the world is estimated at about £150,000. This includes costs of refits and maintenance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now reconsider his policy of refusal to replace aircraft carriers on the grounds that they have little use in modern conditions, in view of recent events in the Middle East.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answers to similar questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instruct the Royal Engineers to use a section of the A4 road in the Minster Ward in Reading for a bridging, operation when that corps is next engaged in a routine practical exercise of this kind in the Southern Command, in order to provide a temporary safety measure for the benefit of pedestrians crossing this road.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to him on 7th June on the question of a subway under the A4 road. Similar considerations apply to this suggestion.—[Vol. 747, c. 203.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware of the dissatisfaction among women stewardesses at Women's Royal Air Force Station, Stanmore Park, who are expected to do domestic chores for the wives of officers, which are duties not included in the literature advertising the service; and if he will take steps to prevent such misemployment of stewards.

No. I am aware of only one stewardess who appears to be dissatisfied with her duties at this station. No misemployment is taking place. Personal service for officers living in married quarters is limited to those duties which would properly be performed for officers living in mess. No steward or stewardess is required to do more, and such service does not extend to officers' families. All stewardesses at Royal Air Force Stanmore Park were advised very clearly, as recently as March, of their official duties. These are set out in the R.A.F. trade publication; they are contained in the form of notes for guidance issued to the occupants of every married quarter at Stanmore Park; and they are exhibited in the Stewards' Control Office at Stanmore Park for all stewardesses to see.Additional work may only be undertaken voluntarily with suitable recompense and I understand this was the position in the case referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many airwomen stewardesses are employed at Royal Air Force, Stanmore Park; and how many of these have indicated that they prefer work in married quarters to other duties.

There are 25 stewardesses at Royal Air Force Stan-more Park; 18 are employed in public married quarters. All of these 18 have expressed a preference to stay in married quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual expenditure on defence services personnel attached to the British Embassy in Washington.

British Defence Staffs in Washington including attaches and assistant attaches, other staffs, Scientific staff and staff employed in N.A.T.O. who are shortly to move to Belguim, at present cost about £1 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Women's Royal Air Force are stationed in the Ladywood constituency of Birmingham.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the area of his Department's installation at Shoeburyness.

About 9,400 acres. In addition use is made of some 30,000 acres of foreshore.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will have all wartime forts in the seas around Great Britain blown up or otherwise destroyed.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to my Answer of 10th May to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mr. Rowland).—[Vol. 746, c. 232.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to resume effective control of the Crown property erected by his Department and known as Roughs Tower.

I am unable yet to add to my Answer of 10th May.—[Vol. 746, c. 232.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of demolishing Roughs Tower and demolishing other properties initially erected by his Department in offshore waters.

Very tentative estimates have been made; but I should prefer to say nothing further until the examination referred to in my Answer of 10th May has been completed.—[Vol. 746, c. 232.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give particulars in chronological and departmental order of Colonel Lohan's service, the security vettings necessary and carried out and the findings appropriate to each occasion.

These matters are currently being discussed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition and I would be grateful if the hon. Lady would allow me to defer answering her Question until those discussions are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assurances he has given to the Government of Singapore regarding the continued presence of a British military base there; and what is the purpose of that base.

I have given no such assurances. The purpose of the base is to support British forces in the Far East.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many retired officers of the women's armed services are in receipt of retired pay under each of the eight retired pay codes; and, in each case, how many are over 60 years of age, and, of the latter, how many are over 70 years of age.

The information is as follows:—

Pensions Code		(a) Number of retired officers of the Women's Services in receipt of retired pay	(b) Number included in Column (a) who are over 60 years of age	(c) Number included in Column (b) who are over 70 years of age
1919	…	38	37	35
1945	…	122	122	99
1950	…	103	86	50
1956	…	89	52	—
1960	…	151	44	—
1962	…	123	13	—
1964	…	70	5	—
1966	…	65	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what opportunities were offered to Leading Aircraftwoman Betty Jones, presently stationed at Royal Air Force, Stanmore Park, to transfer from married quarter duties; and what was her response.

Leading Aircraft-woman Jones was asked on several occasions if she wished to transfer from married quarter duties. She always said she preferred to work in married quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will give details of any complaints made to her superiors by Leading Aircraftwoman Betty Jones, presently stationed at Royal Air Force, Stan-more Park, concerning the nature of her duties.

LACW Jones made no such complaint. Indeed she said she wanted to remain on the same duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information on the trade and duties she could expect to undertake was given to Leading Aircraft-woman Betty Jones, presently stationed at Royal Air Force, Stanmore Park, at Birmingham Careers Information Office and elsewhere.

This airwoman was given a full explanation of her trade and duties at both the Careers Information Office and at Royal Air Force Spitalgate when she entered the W.R.A.F. At Royal Air Force Stanmore Park she was informed of her duties and these are exhibited in the stewards' control office clearly for all stewardesses to see.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many caravans are being used as dwellings on Hornchurch airfield; what agreement has been made between the caravan dwellers and his Department as to tenure and rent and what discussions he has had with the local authority concerned about the public health aspects of the use to which the airfield is now being put.

There were 17 caravans at the last count; their occupants are trespassing. We have had full discussions on the problem with the authorities concerned, in which my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Alan Lee Williams) has been closely associated, and I am hopeful of an early solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for how many of the 1,447 houses required for Army families returning from Germany, and of the 3,700 houses required for service families returning to the United Kingdom under the Defence Review, authority for purchase has now been given.

About 8,300 houses are now required; the purchase of 5,255 has so far been authorised.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the research on oceanography carried out by his Department and to make appropriate information resulting from it available to other Government Departments and civil organisations.

The Naval Oceanographic Research Programme has gained definition in recent years and material resources have been strengthened, although plans for extending the research have unfortunately been hampered by a shortage of suitably qualified staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Australian and New Zealand Governments concerning mutual defence problems in the Far East.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my Answers to similar Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what improvements are being made or planned for the British A3 Polaris weapon.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answers to similiar Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is to be the future use of the buildings of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

I am unable yet to add to my statement of 3rd May.—[Vol. 746, c. 494–506.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now announce the future size and composition of the Royal Navy.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answers to similar Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what tactical and strategic nuclear weapons are now available to the British Army of the Rhine; and how this availability compares with the armies of Great Britain's major North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.

The British Army of the Rhine is equipped with the Honest John free flight rocket and the 8-inch howitzer, both of which have a tactical nuclear capability, and this compares not unfavourably overall with the armies of our major N.A.T.O. Allies. In common with other N.A.T.O. armies B.A.O.R. does not have strategic nuclear weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has yet reached agreement with the French Government on the specification of the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answers to similar Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the rôle and adequacy of British forces in Hong Kong.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to the hon. Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will send additional naval repair work to Malta to compensate for the loss of merchant ship-repair work, due to the closing of the Suez Canal.

My right hon. Friend is considering this and will announce his conclusions as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport what advice she received as to whether the Central Wales line should be included as a grey line in recent British Railways Network for Development Plan from the Economic Council for Wales.

The advice which the Government receives from Economic Planning Councils is treated as confidential.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will make a statement about future plans for the mid-Wirral Road.

I have nothing at present to add to the statement I made during the Adjournment debate on 14th April. Consideration of the alignment in the Bebington area is still proceeding with a view to early publication of draft proposals showing the line for the whole route.—[Vol. 744, c. 1618–28.]

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the increased traffic on the A16 road due to the developing of South Humberside industrial area, and the greater east-west coastal holiday traffic both through the narrow and congested streets of Louth, if she will authorise the immediate construction of the Louth by-pass road, plans for which were submitted by the Lindsey County Planning Officer on 8th January, 1963.

No. In 1963 the development plan was amended to show a line for the by-pass, but no detailed plans have been prepared, and it is not in the trunk road programme or preparation pool. All factors affecting traffic volumes through Louth will be taken into account when the by-pass is considered for inclusion in a future instalment of the preparation pool.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent it is her policy to provide crawler lanes for slow moving heavy-goods vehicles on trunk roads at suitable points so as to reduce, so far as possible, the formation behind them of queues of faster motor vehicles wishing to pass; what is the present number and length of such lanes; and what are her current plans for extending them.

Our policy is to provide crawler lanes on trunk roads where there is a need for this facility but the cost of providing them has to be considered; the number and lengths of these lanes are not readily available.

asked the Minister of Transport if she is aware that recently there have been two deaths and nine serious accidents at the bottom of Polhill, near Sevenoaks; and what plans she has for redesigning the road to prevent further accidents.

Kent County Council is the highway authority for this road. In the last three years there have been three fatal accidents on Polhill, two of which occurred last month. The County Council and the Divisional Road Engineer are examining the situation.

asked the Minister of Transport for how long a section of the A303 at Stonehenge is to remain blocked to traffic; what is the nature of the work being done; and why this could not have been done before the peak holiday traffic period had begun.

800 yards of the section of trunk road A303 between the junctions with A344 and A360 will remain closed until towards the end of this month. The length concerned, where traffic conditions have been dangerous, is being regraded and the work includes filling up a dip. Subject to favourable weather conditions the scheme will be completed before the heaviest traffic flow.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she has completed her consideration of the need for giving grants to encourage the container revolution not only at port terminals but also at inland depots; and if she will make a statement.

In the light of current proposals for the provision of inland clearance depots to meet the needs, in particular, of container traffic, the Government do not consider that grants are needed to encourage the development of these depots.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to relax the present conditions for hire-purchase agreements covering washing-machines and refrigerators; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to make regulations to cover the crating and conditions of travel governing the export of animals for vivisection.

I am concerned to ensure that all carriage of animals by sea or air is performed under proper conditions whatever the purpose for which they are being carried. My Department will therefore be ready to co-operate with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in any action needed to implement the Council of Europe's Convention on the International Transit of Animals if and when that is ratified by the United Kingdom. In the case of carriage by air, I am, as I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 2nd May, 1967, awaiting the findings of a special study by the International Air Transport Association.—[Vol. 746, c. 57–8.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take powers to require establishments that breed animals for research purposes to render a return of the categories and numbers of animals exported for research purposes and the countries to which they are sent.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about the siting and scope of the work of new factories in Aberdeen; and if he will give details of the employment they will provide.

Since 1st January, 1966, 14 industrial development certificates have been issued for new factories and extensions in the Aberdeen Ministry of Labour Local Office area for a range of industry including electrical engineering, food processing, and metal manufacture. The developers estimate that 200 workers, 150 of them men, will be required, to which will be added employment in the two Board of Trade advance factories for which we are actively seeking tenants.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has now given to the representations he has received about the prices of rubber and canvas footwear imported from certain East European sources; and if he will make a statement.

The matter is under active consideration, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the home trade sales of the 120 concerns which account for half United Kingdom total exports.

I regret that this information is not at present available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many orders have been made since 1964 under the anti-dumping legislation as it affects agriculture and foodstuffs; and if he will list the orders.

None. Nine applications affecting such articles have been dealt with since 1st January, 1964. In three cases, satisfactory settlements were reached with the supplying countries concerned: the other six were rejected because they failed to meet the criteria laid down in the Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the average length of time that elapses between the receipt of an inquiry from an industrial enterprise wishing to come to Scotland and the actual commencement of the jobs provided by such an undertaking.

The length of time varies widely. When special buildings are required it might be two years or more. When an advance factory or other existing premises meets a firm's requirements, the time might be only a few months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the annual rate of growth of air freight traffic at each of the main British airports, other than the London airports, for each of the past three years; and the anticipated growth rate for each of the next three years.

Annual rates of growth over the last three years of air freight traffic, including the weight of vehicles on Vehicle Ferry Services, at the principal British airports, other than the London airports, are given in the following table:

	Percentage Growth
Airport	1964	1965	1966
Belfast (Aldergrove)	+29·4	+41·8	+125·3
Birmingham	+15·3	+18·5	+49·4
Edinburgh (Turnhouse)	+16·9	+28·3	+42·0
Glasgow (Abbotsinch)	+32·1	+27·7	+42·5
I.O.M. (Ronaldsway)	+13·3	+14·4	+73·9
Liverpool	+19·5	+7·1	+94·0
Lydd	-0·9	-31·0	+7·5
Manchester	+12·2	+29·2	+45·1
Prestwick	+43·8	+52·8	+39·2
Southend	+5·2	-6·1	+3·6

Forecasts of the growth of air freight traffic are not available for individual airports, but total freight traffic at all British airports is likely to grow at an average rate of about 20 per cent. annually in the next few years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Aviation Operational Research Branch had carried its studies of traffic problems in the London terminal area to a point where it was able to make any submission before the decision on the third London airport was taken.

Operational research into air traffic problems in the London terminal area, and the communication of the results, which are carefully considered, is a continuing process.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the fate of the cabin cruiser "Blow Me" which left Aberdeen Harbour on 27th June and has not been seen since, notwithstanding searches by Aberdeen lifeboats.

The "Blow Me", an auxiliary sloop, was caught by fog after leaving Aberdeen Harbour on 27th June. The Aberdeen pilot cutter discovered it and its owner safe and well at 5 a.m. the next morning offshore some two miles south of Aberdeen, and towed them into the harbour there.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he is aware of the evidence that the forthcoming apple crop will be a poor one, with cooking apples falling short of normal supplies by 25 per cent. and the Cox's dessert apple being 50 per cent. of normal tonnage; and what action he has taken to prevent an autumn rise in prices of apples, due to shortage of supply, by price control;(2) what was the last allocation of import quotas for dessert apples allowed by his Department; and, in view of the evidence that home grown dessert apples will be as much as 50 per cent. less than last year, what representations he has received to increase the import quota and with what results.

For the period 1st July to 31st December, 1967 the quota for imports of apples from the Dollar and Relaxation Areas and Japan is 15,200 tons. My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade are considering repre- sentations received from my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) and from a number of processing firms that additional imports of both dessert apples and apples for processing should be permitted because of a possible shortfall in home supplies. The most recent crop forecast prepared by our Department recognises the effect of frost, poor pollination and considerable runoff and indicates that, while some improvement could be brought about by favourable weather from now until the harvest, production is likely to be below the average of recent years. It is too soon to make the quantitative assessments needed for policy decisions but my right hon. Friends will continue to review the position at frequent intervals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of milk produced in Wales by registered milk producers is purchased by the Milk Marketing Board.

I refer to the reply given to my hon. Friend by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary on 12th May.All milk offered to the Milk Marketing Board by registered producers in Wales is bought by the Board but some 5 million gallons is sold direct to the public by producer retailers and an unknown quantity is retained for consumption on the farm.—[Vol. 746, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has of the effect of the explosion of China's H-bomb in contaminating milk and other foodstuffs in Great Britain.

None so far.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking to reduce sonic boom effects in The Wash coast area.

The Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, has made a series of test flights at supersonic speeds over The Wash coast area during the past few weeks. These have now been completed. They have no direct connection with the programme of tests about which I informed the House yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent conference of Caribbean countries held in London.

Consultations were held in London from 19th to 22nd June between British Ministers and representatives of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and British Honduras. These discussions related to the special problems which would be involved for Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean if Britain were to become a member of the European Economic Community.The consultations covered a wide field, including possible arrangements for association between Caribbean Common- wealth countries and an enlarged Community. The export of commodities on which these countries, either individually or collectively, are heavily dependent and the protection which they now enjoy in the British market were also discussed as well as financial questions, migration and other matters of mutual interest relating to possible British entry into the Community.It was agreed that there should continue to be close contacts and continued consultation between the British Government and the Caribbean Commonwealth Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by the St. Kitts Government to the Governor's appeal on 30th June that all political detainees should be released as soon as possible; and what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to secure the release of Mr. James Milnes Gaskell, a British citizen, who was arrested when in transit to London.

I understand the right hon. Member to refer to the Governor's recent broadcast address. The reactions of the Government of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla to this are not a matter within my responsibility. But we must all share the hope he expressed that all persons detained could be released as soon as possible, and that the situation could return to normal in the very near future.As regards Mr. Gaskell, on 1st July, the British Government Representative renewed his urgent representations that he should be released or brought to trial.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether proceedings under the Habeas Corpus Acts are being taken in respect of Mr. James Milus Gaskell who has been held in prison without trial in St. Kitts for more than three weeks; and with what result.

The British Government Representative has reported that an habeas corpus application in respect of Mr. Gaskell is due to be heard either today, 5th July, or tomorrow. I will let the right hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what proposals he has for renegotiating the agreement to defend Malaysia and Singapore.

I have no proposals of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the annual cost of conveying Mr. Adam Ogilvie from Parkhurst Prison to Perth Prison for accumulated visits; what is the number of escorts required; and what time is taken on the journey both ways.

Journeys of this nature are not organised individually but as part of a standard procedure for the transfer of prisoners from one establishment to another, making use of certain prisons as collecting centres and staging posts. It is not possible to give the costs in one specific case, but Ogilvie's journey would not increase the overall expenditure on escorts. Allowing for stops at prisons to make connections with other escorts the journey from Parkhurst to Perth took 14 days. Ogilvie is now at Durham prison awaiting an escort to Parkhurst.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the future of the Industrial Civil Defence Service.

Following discussions with both sides of industry and commerce, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to reorganise the Industrial Civil Defence Service to take account of recent changes in local authority civil defence arrangements and in the Civil Defence Corps.The organisation of the Service will be simplified. Its main purpose will continue to be to help managements in directing life-saving operations and in the control and deployment of their resources in a war emergency. Its members will also supplement the peace-time arrangements of industrial and commercial estab- lishments for first aid, fire-fighting and rescue. Detailed guidance about the changes will shortly be issued to managements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken by authorities under his jurisdiction to deal with the disturbances on board the off-shore installation known as Roughs Tower.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the incidents at Roughs Island.

I cannot add to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) on 3rd July.—[Vol. 749, c. 191.]

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is the general practice of his Department to provide a telephone repair service to deal with faults which occur at the weekend.

We endeavour to repair on Saturday faults reported up to 1.30 p.m. on that day. An emergency service is available throughout the weekend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress he has made in his discussions with the National House Builders Registration Council on overcharging for their certificates; and, in view of the fact that two firms in the Wrexham area, details of which have been sent to him, are continuing this practice, if he will discuss the possibility of introducing the Council's new agreement forthwith.

The National House Builders Registration Council's new form of agreement between builder and purchaser, to which I referred in my Answer to my hon. Friend's Question on 14th March, has now been promulgated and will apply to all houses for which foundations are laid after 1st August, 1967.It will be a condition of the agreement that the certificate be issued on payment of one shilling, and any registered builder who charges more than this will be answerable to the Council.—[Vol. 743, c. 202.]

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many wage claims notified to him as having failed to receive endorsement by the Trades Union Congress vetting committee have subsequently been accepted by the Government as consistent with the prices and incomes policy;(2) if he will state how many wage claims, the number of workers involved and the average percentage claimed increase in income is covered by applications that have been notified to him as having passed the Trades Union Congress vetting committee; and what is the corresponding information on salary claims.

My information about the work of the vetting committee of the T.U.C. does not provide a basis for the statistical comparisons for which the hon. Member asks.

asked the Minister of Labour in what terms he was notified of the proposal of the Labour Party Executive to increase wages and salaries of the Transport House clerical, research, and administrative staff; what is the proposed average percentage increase; and if it is consistent with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

A formal request for agreement to these increases (which average 10 per cent.) was made in writing on 29th June, 1967. Implementation of the new salary structure after the end of the period of severe restraint is in conformity with Government policy. Backdating, as requested, is not. The Labour Party has been so informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to proceed at present with the proposed petro-chemical complex at Invergordon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Government have now taken a decision en the feasibility or adoption of a petrochemical project in the area of Invergordon.

As has been made clear many times it is for the private interests involved to decide in the first place whether they wish to proceed with such a project and if so to formulate proposals for consideration by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what inquiries he has made, and what action he proposes, to ensure that Members of Parliament are informed directly, and not through the Press, of the policy and decisions of the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

It is for the Board to decide how, in the circumstances of each case, it should announce its decisions. I am assured that the Board is anxious to ensure that Highland Members of Parliament are kept fully informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish by conservancy areas of the Forestry Commission in Scotland the estimated tonnage of thinnings which will be extracted for sale in each of the next 10 years; and what proportion he estimates will find a market in Scotland.

The Forestry Commission's production forecasts, which do not distinguish between thinnings and other fellings, indicate that the approximate tonnage of timber which will be sold from its forests in the next 10 years will be as shown in the table below; (similar forecasts are not available for private woodlands). Thinnings will probably account for about three-quarters of this

Thousands of Tons
						Conservancy areas in Scotland
Year					North	East	South	West	Total
1968	…	…	…	…	109	145	98	126	478
1969	…	…	…	…	118	159	104	138	519
1970	…	…	…	…	130	173	110	149	562
1971	…	…	…	…	132	186	128	159	605
1972	…	…	…	…	137	199	147	170	653
1973	…	…	…	…	143	212	165	180	700
1974	…	…	…	…	148	226	183	190	747
1975	…	…	…	…	154	239	202	200	795
1976	…	…	…	…	170	254	225	215	864
1977	…	…	…	…	185	269	249	230	933

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will examine the question of the adequacy of bank credit likely to be available to sheep and cattle dealers with a view to avoiding a recession in the mutton and beef trades, such as occurred in the autumn of last year.

The banks are prepared to meet the normal seasonal credit requirements of sheep and cattle dealers, as they are for agricultural activities generally.

		Central Government employees Change in numbers from 1.10.64 to 1.4.67		Local Government employees Change in numbers from June, 1964 to June, 1966
Total changes		Non-Industrial	Industrial
		39,100* increase	10,300* decrease	159,000 increase
Main categories in which changes took place
Central Government (Non-Industrial)
Trade, Industry and Transport	…	10,800 increase	—	—
Social Services	…	11,700 increase	—	—
Revenue Departments	…	7,900 increase	—	—
Central Government, Home and Legal	…	6,600 increase	—	—
Remainder	…	2,100 increase	—	—
Central Government (Industrial)
Agency Services	…	—	2,000 decrease	—
Defence and Supply	…	—	8,300 decrease	—
Local Government
Education (Lecturers and teachers)	…	—	—	39,900 increase
Education (Other Staffs)		—	—	44,300 increase
Construction	…	—	—	9,300 increase
Health Services etc	…	—	—	28,600 increase
Police Force	…	—	—	5,600 increase
Remainder	…	—	—	31,300 increase
*Excluding Post Office employees; the numbers of whom increased by 25,100—taking non-industrial and industrial employees together.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in numbers of public employees in both Government and local government service since 15th October, 1964; and if he will give a breakdown of the main categories in which such increases have taken place.