asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what studies he is making of the size and competitiveness of individual industries.

Information on these subjects is available to my right hon. Friend from a number of sources, particularly the Economic Development Committees and Government Departments with sponsorship responsibilties for particular industries.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what terms of reference he has provided for the study, under the chairmanship of Sir Joseph Hunt, of areas which are neither development areas nor considered to be at risk of excessive pressure on their economic resources.

The terms of reference will be:

"To examine in relation to the economic welfare of the country as a whole and the needs of the Development Areas, the situation in other areas where the rate of economic growth gives cause (or may give cause) for concern, and to suggest whether revised policies to influence economic growth in such areas are desirable and, if so, what measures should be adopted."

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how many cases he has referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes under Section 2(1) of the Prices and Incomes Act, 1966, which affected company directors, stockbrokers, self-employed persons and those in receipt of incomes above £2,000 per annum; and how these references compare with those of persons in income groups below £2,000 per annum.

Twenty references relating to specific incomes and professional fees have been made to the Board since the enactment of the Prices and Incomes Act, 1966. About half of these references have covered a number of persons in receipt of incomes above £2,000 per annum. No references have been made in relation to the incomes of company directors or stockbrokers; two references cover fees charged by persons who may be self-employed.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what has been the expenditure of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on management consultants and outside consultants in the preparation of reports; and how much of this money has been paid to British subsidiaries of wholly owned foreign consultancy companies.

£153,520 and £6,028 respectively.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what reply he has received from the Independent Television Authority to the communication which he sent drawing that Authority's attention to Command Papers Numbers 3150 and 3235 on the question of excessive salaries and payments to staffs employed by television companies.

My right hon. Friend drew the attention of the programme companies to the criteria for prices and incomes behaviour. The replies which have been received include assurances that those concerned intend to take proper account of these criteria.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what study he has made of the latest report of the Mechanical Engineering Economic Development Committee; and if he will make a statement.

Close attention is always given to reports coming from the Economic Development Committees. The Mechanical Engineering E.D.C.'s most recent published forecast of the industry's output shows no great change from the forecasts made in its two previous reports. Forecasts are always subject to revision on later information, but the report's outlook is consistent with the Government's expectations.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how many different types of official form were being used in his Department.

153.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the afternoon postal collections from boxes in the Baldersdale area are to be withdrawn from 15th June; and that a similar proposal in 1965 was turned down after discussion with Post Office authorities; and if he will now withdraw the present proposal.

I am sorry my right hon. Friend is unable to do as the hon. Gentleman asks. Few letters are posted, which makes it very uneconomical to make two collections from all five boxes in the area. But we are looking into the possibility of making a late collection from one of the boxes and I will write to the hon. Gentleman about this.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that a Humberston, Grimsby, builders merchant was recently given three telephone lines on the already overcrowded Marsh-chapel exchange and not on the Humberston exchange, that their numbers were omitted from the directory, that private household numbers were wrongly given as theirs; and if he will now put the matter right.

Yes. Marshchapel lines have been provided temporarily because Humberston cannot take any more connections pending an extension. This is in hand. The directory errors will be corrected in the next editions. It the meantime, calls to the private household number are being diverted to Post Office operators, so that calls for the firm can be correctly connected.I am sorry for the inconvenience which has been caused, and I am offering a rebate of rental.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will seek power to prevent the Independent Television Authority giving any consent to programme contractors for Stock Exchange flotations, and so safeguard minor investors from the consequences of the termination of contracts.

No. I recognise the force of the considerations which have led my right hon. Friend to table his Question; but investors have already the general protection afforded by the law governing the issue of company prospectuses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the proposals of the new Bristol Education Authority to halt and reverse the progress of the city towards a full and complete system of comprehensive education; and whether such proposals will have his approval.

My right hon. Friend has received no such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what sums of money have been authorised by his Department for expenditure on educational purposes by the Surrey County Council in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and the first six months of 1967, expressed in respect of each separate year.

The available information is as follows:

EDUCATIONAL EXPENDITURE IN SURREY
		Total Net Expenditure
Financial Year		School Meals and Milk	All Other Expenditure	Total
		£	£	£
1964–65 (Actual pre-audit expenditure)	…	2,245,437	28,441,378	30,686,815
1965–66*(Actual pre-audit expenditure)	…	1,662,889	21,148,529	22,811,418
1966–67 (Rate estimates)	…	1,919,850	23,467,435	25,387,285
1967–68 (Rate estimates)	…	2,101,590	25,753,375	27,854,965

NOTES:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the amounts of capitation allowances for stationery and equipment in the various categories concerned for Redbridge schools in the years 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1967–68, respectively; and what other additional allowances have been made in the years in question.

I am informed that the capitation allowances for stationery and equipment in Primary and Secondary schools made by the London Borough of Redbridge are as follows:

	1965–66		1966–67		1967–68
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Primary Schools
Infants	30	0	35	0	40	0
Juniors	35	0	40	0	45	0
Secondary Schools
Pupils under 15 years	72	0	80	0	80	0
Pupils over 15 years	83	6	90	0	90	0
Sixth forms	160	0	160	0	160	0

In addition, special allowances have been made for a number of items, including the purchase of calculating machines, visual and aural aids, and musical instruments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the need for greater up-to-date accommodation to meet the steady growth of the Barry Welsh School; and if he will now take steps to ensure that the school shall be provided with such accommodation.

The Barry Welsh School Parents' Association wrote to my right hon. Friend on 14th June about the accommodation at this school. The Education Office for Wales have taken the matter up with the Glamorgan Authority, but have not yet had their full reply. I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will cause a survey to be made of the number of students from Wales currently pursuing courses at veterinary colleges in the United Kingdom who could reasonably be expected to enrol at a veterinary college for Wales.

As I told my hon. Friend on 27th June, the existing facilities for veterinary studies in Great Britain are at present expected to meet the demand for places and the need for qualified veterinarians. I do not therefore consider that such a survey would be justified.—[Vol. 749, c. 73–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is envisaged that the curriculum of the proposed Agricultural College for Wales at Aberystwyth will encompass conquate studies including courses in veterinary medicine and surgery.

No, because these are subjects which can only he taken at university level. But if, as seems likely, courses in subjects such as general agriculture and dairy farming are to be offered at the proposed College, these might well include some instruction on animal health.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will seek to ensure that in future Greenwich Mean Time will be known as Universal Time, U.T., as is accepted by astronomers and makers of nautical almanacs;(2) whether he will now seek to ensure that British Summer Time will in future be called Civil Time, C.T.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for his suggestions, which my right hon. Friend will consider with others he has received. It is not, however, necessary, and would not be simple, to abandon the term Greenwich Mean Time in its specialised uses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the legal fees paid in the trial of Charles Richardson and others.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the latest murder as a consequence of a bank robbery, if he will now introduce legislation imposing the death penalty for cases of murder.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the remarks made by the judge in the recent trial of Charles Richardson and others, he will introduce legislation to give himself power to withhold the administration of legal aid.

No. It is desirable that the grant of legal aid in a particular case should remain a matter for the court's decision. The Criminal Justice Bill now before Parliament, and regulations which I will have power to make under the Bill, should however result in greater uni- formity in the practice of the courts and, by empowering them to order the payment of contributions towards legal aid costs should help to remove anomalies which sometimes arise from the fact that at present legal aid must either be granted free of charge or refused altogether.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report of the local inquiry into the objections to the proposed amalgamation of police areas in the Thames Valley: and if he will make a statement.

I have received a report from Mr. W. L. Mars-Jones, Q.C., who conducted the inquiry into objections to the amalgamation proposal, which affects the police areas of the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire and the City of Oxford and the county borough of Reading. The Report was published as a Command Paper at 2.30 p.m. this afternoon.Mr. Mars-Jones finds the case for amalgamation of the five police areas substantiated in the interests of efficient policing of the area as a whole. I propose to proceed with an amalgamation scheme and I am now consulting the police authorities about the terms of a draft scheme which I shall in due course lay before Parliament.I am most grateful to Mr. Mars-Jones for preparing a most comprehensive report following a long and careful inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now undertake to publish a White Paper on the control of aircraft noise.

I cannot at present add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 15th March.—[Vol. 743, c. 496–7.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now decided the appeal against the decision of the Air Transport Licensing Board in respect of the service between Tees-side (Middleton) and London.

I have rejected this appeal; but have varied the existing licence so as to make provision for the operation after 30th September, 1967, of morning and evening services to and from Heathrow.I am placing copies of the letter conveying my decision, and of the Appeal Commissioner's report in the Library.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the similarity between the local industries and regional employment problems of the Tavistock area with those of Cornwall and North Devon, he will declare the Tavistock employment area a development area.

No, I do not consider the circumstances of this area justify its designation as a development area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many different types of official form were being used in his Department at the latest available date; and if he will give the equivalent numbers for October, 1964.

The number of official forms used in the Board of Trade is approximately 2,300. In October, 1964, the number was 1,430: there have since that date been significant additions to the Department's work, including responsibility for shipping and Civil Aviation.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the increase on 1st July from £1 14s. 6d. to £4 per annum in rental charged by the British Railways Board for a private lock-up is within the prices and incomes policy.

In the circumstances of this particular case, my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the Board's action is not in conflict with the prices and incomes policy.

asked the Minister of Transport what action has been taken since September, 1966, by the West Midlands Traffic Commissioners against owners of fleets of motor vehicles in Birmingham under Section 178 of the Road Traffic Act, 1960; and what inquiries have been held.

Between 1st October, 1966, and 5th July, 1967, six public inquiries were held under Section 178 of the Road Traffic Act; the carriers licences for six goods vehicles were revoked or suspended.

asked the Minister of Transport when the by-pass for Filkins, Oxfordshire, will be started; and if she will make a statement.

The Divisional Road Engineer has received an application for grant but the scheme as proposed is not entirely acceptable. It is being discussed with the County Surveyor and a start of work depends on the outcome.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now announce the route of the M4 Motorway on the section between Liddington and Theale.

I expect to announce the fixing of the line of M4 between Liddington and Poughley, north of Hungerford, before the end of this month.Objections to my proposals for the remaining length from Poughley to Theale are being considered. I hope to fix the line by the end of the summer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will cause a contingency plan to be prepared for implementation in the event of the Milk Marketing Board not being able to function as a purchasing body, on Great Britain's entry to the European Economic Community.

To define the circumstances for which contingency plans will or will not be made would prejudice our position in any negotiations. The Government is well aware of the problems arising in regard to milk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to remedy the anomalies which arise from levying drainage rates on the basis of assessments for the former Schedule A tax.

Yes. The most satisfactory solution to this problem in the long term would be to revalue agricultural land in internal drainage districts. This is not practicable at present, but I propose to introduce legislation as soon as possible to enable internal drainage boards to revise assessments which are seriously out of line with those on comparable properties in the district. Assessments would be revised either at the request of the owner or occupier or on the initiative of the drainage board and there would be provision for appeals. I also propose to make more satisfactory arrangements for assessing the value for drainage rate purposes of rateable properties which are only partly within a drainage district.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that all the functions of rural development boards as set out in the Agriculture Act will be fully exercisable in the event of Great Britain entering the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

While it is not possible to give any specific assurance on this matter, I understand that development programmes similar to those for which the Rural Development Boards are to be responsible are already operated by present members of the Community.I am therefore encouraged to believe that there would continue to be a place for the Boards in a Community of which we were a Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if, in the course of the talks he is now having with the Maltese High Commissioner, he will raise with him the representations made to him by the hon. Member for West Lothian on the provision of educational facilities for British pupils and British teachers in training in Malta.

No, not in the context of these talks.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to ensure that a knowledge of family planning facilities is made available to all sections of the community throughout England and Wales.

I wrote to all local health authorities in February, 1966, stressing the importance of publicity for family planning services including places and times of clinics throughout their areas. Following enactment of the National Health Service (Family Planning) Act, 1967, I propose to issue further guidance to authorities later this month and I will remind them of my earlier advice.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list showing the number of houses owned by the Greater London Council in each of its overspill schemes, and in each case also the number of dwellings that are not occupied.

The number of houses to which the G.L.C. have the right of nominating the tenants, and the vacancies in these houses, are as follows:

HOUSES PROVIDED UNDER THE TOWN DEVELOPMENT ACT 1952 FOR GREATER LONDON FAMILIES
Expanding Town	Town Development Houses completed	Houses not occupied
Andover B.	794	69
Ashford U.D.	770	—
Aylesbury B.	1,600	8
Banbury B.	1,000	30
Basingstoke B.	2,800	—
Bletchley U.D.	2,850	—
Bury St. Edmunds B.	647	42
Canvey Island U.D.	414*	—
Frimley and Camberley U.D.	1,177*	—
Gainsborough U.D.	—	—
Grantham B.	15	—
Haverhill U.D.	1,492	172
Huntingdon B.	1,503	160
King's Lynn B.	859	300†
Letchworth U.D.	500	—
Luton C.B.	1,000*	—
Luton R.D.	1,396	—
Melford R.D.	442	118
Mildenhall R.D.	121	—
Newmarket U.D.	—	—
Peterborough B.	112	—
St. Neots U.D.	382	—
Sudbury B.	—	—
Swindon B.	5,310‡	32§
Thetford B.	1,359	135
Wellingborough U.D.	552	35
Witham U.D.	290	8
Total	27,385	1,109
*Scheme completed.
† 212 are required for workers shortly moving in.
‡ Swindon has no formal agreement with the Greater London Council. This is the number of houses let to London families.
§ This is the number of houses waiting to be relet to London families.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many different types of official form were being used in his Department at the latest available date; and if he will give the equivalent numbers for October, 1964.

The answer to the first part is 274 and to the second 244.

asked the Minister of Power why the cost of nuclear power is not based on working for 85 per cent. of the year with amortisation over 30 years.

This is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. It is aware that some utilities elsewhere use the assumptions stated by my hon. Friend, but in appraising the economics of nuclear power it has always preferred a cautious approach.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many different types of official form were being used in her Department.

Three thousand and four.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will cause to be prepared by the Welsh Economic Council a plan for the comprehensive industrial development of Mid-Wales.

My right hon. Friend has already had advice from the Welsh Economic Council on the general problems of Mid-Wales, and he outlined the Government's policy for encouraging development in the area during the Welsh Grand Committee debate on 13th March, 1967.

asked the Minister of Technology how many different types of official form were being used in his Department.

Approximately 1,900 standard items printed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office are in use in the Ministry of Technology, of which some 340 are also used in other departments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the percentage tax required to be levied on the wage and salary bills of employers, including 75 per cent. of the income of the self-employed, in order to pay for all the benefits listed in Appendix I of Command Paper No. 3220; and what percentage would be required if any part of salaries or wages above £2,100 were excluded.

About 10 per cent. in either case. Exclusion of that part of salaries or wages above £2,100 would make a difference of about ¼ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to seek to amend Section 408 of the Income Tax Act, 1952, in the light of the decision reached in the case of Bates v. Inland Revenue Commissioners, 7th December. 1966.

No. The decision in this case was in accordance with the intention of the Section.