asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department upon what estimate of the number of survivors in the event of a major nuclear attack on this country he bases the civil defence of the United Kingdom.

The number of survivors would depend on so many variable factors that no worthwhile estimate can be given. The Government is nevertheless satisfied that on any reasonable assumption there would be millions of survivors, and that sensible plans for Civil Defence would add greatly to their number.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of off-licences held now and in 1961, respectively.

26,590 in England and Wales on 30th June, 1966; and 23,934 on 30th June, 1961.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions Her Majesty's Government held with the British Council of Churches with a view to establishing a fixed Easter Bank Holiday and a fixed Spring Bank Holiday at Whitsun; what information he has now received from the World Council of Churches and the British Council of Churches; what further initiative Her Majesty's Government proposes to take either through the United Nations or other organisations; and if he will publish a White Paper.

At the suggestion of the Government of the day, the British Council of Churches raised the issue of a fixed Easter with the World Council of Churches in 1964. Replies, most of them favourable, have been received from more than half of its member churches. Further consultation is now to be carried out by a study group of the World Council and a report prepared. If Easter could be fixed it would be for consideration whether the spring bank holiday should fall at Whitsuntide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Government of the Isle of Man alleging interference by Her Majesty's Government in the internal affairs of the island.

There have been some recent disagreements with the Isle of Man on various issues including the extension to the Island of the Marine etc. Broadcasting Offences Act, but I am glad to inform the House that, following the highly successful visit to the island last month of my noble Friend, the Minister of State, the Isle of Man Government have accepted my invitation to engage in discussions with us of relations between the two Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give in column form the number of murders for each of the last 10 years, and for 1967 to the latest convenient date, for all crimes designated as murder on the same basis as 1957.

The latest corrected figures for offences of murder known to the police in England and Wales are:

1957	…	…	…	151
1958	…	…	…	125
1959	…	…	…	141
1960	…	…	…	135
1961	…	…	…	130
1962	…	…	…	142
1963	…	…	…	133
1964	…	…	…	153
1965	…	…	…	151
1966	…	…	…	141

All the figures are given on the same basis, except that those for 1957 may include some offences for the first two months of that year which, as a result of the Homicide Act 1957, would not now be classified as murder. The figure for 1966, which has recently been reduced by 2 as a result of decisions by the Court of Appeal, still includes one offence not yet disposed of by the courts. I hope to be able to give the 1967 figures next May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what administrative reasons, and on whose specific authority, Charles Connelly was allowed out of prison without escort within the first year of his sentence.

Connelly, who was not in his first but his fifth year of sentence, was granted parole on the authority of the Governor of Parkhurst prison to attend his brother's funeral.

asked the Secreary of State for the Home Department how many people from Kenya of Indian or Pakistani origin have ben given leave to land and to settle in the United Kingdom so far this year, and what further numbers of them are likely to apply for admission during the next year or two; whether he will make a statement on the nature and size of the problem; and what steps will be taken by Her Majesty's Government to deal with it.

If the right hon. and learned Gentleman is referring to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies resident in Kenya and holding passports issued by the Government of the United Kingdom, they do not require leave to settle here. Statistics are not available in the precise form indicated by the Question, but I have no doubt that there has recently been an appreciable increase in the inflow. I shall continue to watch the position carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had, or intends to have, with the Governments of the Channel Islands concerning Great Britain's entry into the Common Market; and whether he will give an assurance that no action on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community will be taken which will affect the Channel Islands, until the authorities there have signified their acceptance.

There has been the closest consultation on this matter between Her Majesty's Government and the Insular Authorities in the Channel Islands for a considerable time, and this will continue as necessary. My right hon. Friend is now awaiting the formal views of the Islands' legislatures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for authority to proceed under the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967 are currently before his Department; what is the average time between receipt of these applications and their disposal; whether he is aware that delay is occurring in the disposal of cases by the courts in consequence of the delay in obtaining authority to proceed; and what action he proposes to take to reduce the possibility of delay.

No such requests are currently before my Department. In the case of the one request that has been received since the Act came into operation on 1st September, the authority to the court to proceed was issued fifteen days after the receipt of the request, which I am satisfied was not an unreasonable time in the circumstances of the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been released from prisons as a result of the Sexual Offences Act, 1967.

Having regard to the change in the law, I authorised the earlier release of two persons sentenced before the Sexual Offences Act, 1967 came into force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that during the month of July, 1967, the number of Commonwealth citizens admitted into the United Kingdom, under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, included 5,717 from India, 4,358 from Pakistan, and 1,623 from Jamaica, and included 2,694, 2,278 and 440 men, respectively, how he proposes to implement the Government's policy of keeping immigration down to 7,500 per annum.

The limit of 7,500 applies to the number of employment voucher holders who may come here in a year from the Commonwealth (excluding Malta). As the hon. Member is well aware, his figures include business men, students and other visitors admitted temporarily, as well as residents, and take no account of departures during the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will commission an inquiry into the effect which violence in books or television has upon readers or an audience.

Research into these matters has already been initiated by the Television Research Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. T. A. F. Noble, Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University. The Committee's terms of reference cover the way in which young people are influenced by television and other media.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will propose to introduce a simplified form of granting alcoholic licences for premises.

The Finance Act, 1967 has simplified licensing law by abolishing retail excise licences from 1st October. If my hon. Friend has any other suggestions, I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an estimate of the total amount being spent annually on criminological research.

The approximate cost of criminological research falling on the Home Office Vote is expected to be £187,000 in the present financial year. This figure comprises expenditure on external research and the salary costs of the Home Office Research Unit, which is mainly engaged in criminological research. In addition, it is estimated that about £3,000 will be spent during the year by the Government Social Survey for carrying out related work on behalf of the Home Office.I am unable to give any close estimate of the amount spent on criminological research by other bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for legislation allowing greater flexibility in shop opening hours.

Consultations with interested organisations on the suggestions published in the Home Departments' booklet "Retail Trading Hours" show that there is no approach to a common view on weekday hours. In the absence of broad agreement on the suggestions—to which, as was made clear, the Government were not committed—my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I do not intend to introduce legislation to amend the present provisions governing weekday hours. We hope that the abolition of statutory controls may come to be widely recognised as the right way of achieving greater flexibility.As regards Sunday trading in England and Wales, the Report of the Crathorne Committee on Sunday Observance contains recommendations which in my view represent a reasonable basis for eliminating the worst anomalies of the present situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in co-ordination with the local authorities concerned, he will draw up a longterm plan for selling the sites of obsolete urban prisons to finance the construction of modern penal establishments on less valuable sites.

I am in touch with the appropriate local authority associations on this general issue, and I shall consult the individual local authorities concerned as soon as it is possible to formulate proposals for particular prisons. But for some years to come the weight of our effort must regrettably go to relieving the present serious overcrowding by building additional rather than replacement prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons at present use group therapy; and whether he will encourage such techniques by professional courses for prison staff.

Group therapy is used in appropriate cases by the prison medical officers and visiting psychotherapists who provide formal psychiatric treatment in 27 prison service establishments in England and Wales. Group counselling by specially trained prison staff is in use in 12 establishments.Prison medical officers are encouraged to acquire psychiatric qualifications. Training is arranged for group counsellors at the Prison Service Staff College and in their own establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of prisons which are over 50 years old, together with their date of construction, for how many prisoners they were built, and their present number of prisoners.

The available information in respect of prisons in England and Wales is given in the table below. The number of prisoners for which each prison was built is not known, but the daily average population at the turn of the century is given.

Prisons over 50 years old	Date of construction	Daily average population for year ending 31s March 1901	Number of inmates on 30th September 1967
Aylesbury	1845	124	182
Bedford	c. 1848	101	219
Birmingham	c. 1845	492	892
Bristol	1883	182	516
Brixton	c. 1853	380*	819
Camp Hill	1912	78†	332
Canterbury	1852‡	170	325
Cardiff	c. 1830	188	379
Chelmsford	c. 1812	230	423
Dartmoor	c. 1800	946	551
Dorchester	1879‡	82	185
Durham	c. 1881	446	925

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will hold an inquiry into the arrest and detention of Cass Elliott; and if he will make a statement.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the warrant for Miss Elliott's arrest was issued by a magistrate on the application of a private person at West London magistrates' court. It gave no authority for her release on bail pending her appearance in court. Miss Elliott was arrested at Southampton on 5th October, taken to London on the same day and detained overnight at a police station. Her case was heard by a magistrate on the following day and dismissed. In the circumstances the police had no option but to act as they did, and I can find no grounds for a further inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to reverse the decision in Sneddon versus Stevenson and to make the evidence of agents provocateurs inadmissible in courts.

The question of what shall be admissible evidence in criminal cases is under consideration by the Criminal Law Revision Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider taking steps by legislation or otherwise to require the licensing of, and enforcement of, minimum standards of private security organisations.

I am not at present persuaded of the need for such action, but I shall keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the Gibraltar referendum on 10th September, he will now relax the application of the Commonwealth Immigration Act affecting Gibraltarians.

No. The referendum was not concerned with immigration to the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the sale to the public of breathalysers similar to those used by the Metropolitan Police Force.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to a Question by the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers in the Metropolitan area were made to take the breathalyser test during the first two weeks after the introduction of the Road Safety Act; how many of these were found to be within the safety limit; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the grounds on which these drivers were stopped by the police.

Roadside breath tests were required of 616 persons, 397 of whom appeared from the test not to have a proportion of alcohol in the blood exceeding the prescribed limit. Information on the last part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he refused permission for three Vietnamese students arriving from Canada to stay in this country for a short time for the purpose of expressing to British students the point of view of those Vietnamese who are opposed to the present regime in Saigon.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the speech made by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 23rd October.—[Vol. 751, c. 1430–44.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the improvement in the crime rate during the first six months of 1967.

In London, during the first six months of this year, recorded crime was 4 per cent. down compared with the corresponding period last year. It was 2 per cent. down in Birmingham. 6 per cent. down in Hampshire and 8 per cent. down in Lancashire. In certain other areas the position was not so satisfactory, but in the country as a whole, during the first six months of this year, recorded crime increased by only 2 per cent. over the corresponding period of 1966, whereas the increase in the first six months of 1966 over the corresponding Period of 1965 was 7 per cent. Increases in the corresponding periods in the years 1959 to 1965 averaged 9 per cent. These figures clearly give no ground for complacency, but they give reasonable grounds for hope that the steep rise in crime which has occurred every year since the mid-fifties may be flattening out.

asked the Postmaster-General why, in the course of printing the new Croydon telephone directory, the postal codes have been omitted from the addresses of subscribers.

Postal codes were not included because this would have increased the size and cost of the directory, and because of the risk that postal codes would have been dialled instead of telephone numbers.These difficulties would prevent postal codes being included at present, but the long-term arrangements are under review.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants were waiting for telephone service in the Sunbury-on-Thames area in July of this year; and what degree of priority was given to the application by Mr. Tom Jones.

321 at 31st July. Business users are generally given priority over residential applications, and Mr. Tom Jones' application was given business priority under the normal rules. We were able to give him service quickly because there was already a telephone in the house.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephone services are on the waiting list at Ashington, Morpeth, and Newbigginby-the-Sea, in the county of Northumberland; what is the maximum waiting period; and what action is being taken to reduce it.

At 30th September, 1967, there were none at either Ashington or Morpeth, and 14 at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. No applicant has waited longer than 8 months. Additional equipment has been provided at the exchange, and the lines are being re-arranged to allow service to be given to all applicants; but the connection of four of them will be dependent on wayleave consent by the U.D.C.

asked the Postmaster-General how many complaints he has received from residents in the South Dorset constituency in respect of incorrect entries in the yellow pages of the telephone directory; in how many cases a refund has been offered for incorrect entries; and what funds have borne the cost of such refunds.

Ninety-five. I am sorry for any inconvenience which has been caused. No refunds have been sought from the Telephone Manager. Steps are being taken to improve the accuracy of the next edition.

asked the Postmaster-General why he gives prominence to the name Harrison on the new stamp series; and if he will instead give greater prominence to the name of the artist, for example Stubbs.

To give greater prominence to the artist's name would in many cases spoil the general design of the stamp. Inclusion of the printer's name helps them to compete in the world market with competitors from other countries who have adopted a similar practice.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a commemorative stamp to record the holding of the commemorative Eisteddfod at Caerwys, Flintshire, in 1968, celebrating the foundation of the Welsh National Eisteddford in 1568.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General what proposals he has for the establishment of a National Computing Grid, based upon multi-access computing, to assist in the rational planning of the British economy.

A national computer grid is one of the aims of the National Data Processing Service which I am now setting up. The basis of the grid will be the 20 large modern computers which my Department expects to have for its own purposes by 1971, augmented by other computers as demand may require. Multi-access facilities will be available on many of these computers.The Post Office's data transmission facilities are already in extensive use and are being increased in scope. Existing facilities permit connection to multi-access computers either over the public network or by means of specially rented circuits.I believe that the increasing use of these facilities will contribute materially to business efficiency generally.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the cost of the full-page advertisement inserted in Life Magazine, Atlantic Edition, by the Post Office on 4th September, 1967, about the Marine. &c. Broadcasting (Offences) Act.

£1,190.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any British Broadcasting Corporation Wales or British Broadcasting Corporation 1 television transmitters in Wales have been adapted for British Broadcasting Corporation 2 transmission; where they are situated; and what was the total cost of adaptation in each case.

The transmission of B.B.C.2 requires the provision of ultra high frequency stations: that is, of additional transmitters and aerials designed to radiate signals on frequencies in the U.H.F. bands. So far as possible, these U.H.F. stations are located at existing very high frequency stations from which either B.B.C.1 or independent television programmes are broadcast. The capital expenditure on the B.B.C.2 station at Wenvoe was of the order of £300,000; and on that a Llanddona, £200,000.

asked the Postmaster-General what study has been made of the feasibility of adapting the British Broadcasting Corporation's transmitter at Blaenplwyf and Llandrindod Wells for the relaying of B.B.C.2 services in mid-Wales.

The V.H.F. transmitters currently used could not possibly be adapted to carry U.H.F. transmissions such as those used for B.B.C.2. However, as mentioned in my right hon. Friend's Answers of 22nd June and 4th July to my hon. Friend's Questions a U.H.F. station at Blaenplwyf to transmit B.B.C.2 services is included in plans he has already approved for the extension of the U.H.F. network. As regards Llandrindod Wells the B.B.C. tell me that the development of the network of U.H.F. stations has not yet reached the stage when they could plan for a station to serve that particular area.—[Vol. 748, c. 319–20; Vol. 749, c. 236.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy for comprehensive education following the court decision on the Enfield case; and how many local education authorities have still not had their schemes for reorganisation on comprehensive lines approved by the Department.

The Government's policy is unaltered. The total number of authorities which have not yet had schemes covering either the whole or part of their area approved is 65, including 25 whose proposals are now under consideration in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what legislative steps he now intends to take to prevent local education authorities from deliberately defying Her Majesty's Government's policy on comprehensive education.

I am keeping an open mind on this question until I have made further progress with the examination of plans submitted to me under Circular 10/65.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to ensure that appointments to school management committees are in future made not on a basis of political allegiance but on merit and representation of the community.

I agree with the views of the Plowden Council that the aim should be to appoint school managers who are genuinely concerned with education and prepared to devote time and trouble to it. But this is a matter which under present legislation, lies in the discretion of appointing bodies. The research now being undertaken by the London University Institute of Education with grant aid from my Department into the functions of managing and governing bodies will, when it is complete, give me an opportunity to review the wider aspects of this question.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to ensure that parents in areas which retain selection for secondary education are able to obtain figures showing the numbers of children from each primary school in each area who have been selected for grammar schools.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the Northern Region has no technological university; and what steps he is taking to remedy this deficiency.

I consider that the needs of the Northern Region can at present be well met by existing higher education institutions. Proposals for a new technological institution in the North-East will be carefully considered when it becomes possible to contemplate the establishment of further new universities, but this is unlikely to be for some years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why there is no Government civil research station in the Northern Region; and what steps are being taken to establish such a station.

Of the bodies for which I am responsible, the Medical Research Council has its Reproduction and Growth Research Unit and Demyelinating Diseases Research Unit at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the Natural Environment Research Council supports the Freshwater Biological Association Laboratory at Windermere in Westmorland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Hertfordshire education authority agreed with the governors of the Watford grammar schools, on their being taken into controlled status, that only pupils of high academic ability should be admitted.

The admission of pupils is governed by the articles of government which were made in 1948 and which include a provision that the local education authority shall determine which candidates are qualified for admission by reason of their having attained a sufficient educational standard. I understand that the local education authority have no knowledge of any specific agreement of the kind referred to, though the schools are of course at present selective in their intake. Under the reorganisation plan for the county, which was approved last month, the schools will in due course become comprehensive.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is able to announce whether a teacher training college is to be sited in Plymouth; and if he will give details as to its size and nature.

The College of St. Mark and St. John, at present in London, has reached agreement with the City of Plymouth to move the College to a site at Plymouth. Consultations are proceeding and I shall be prepared to authorise the provision of premises for a college of 750 places in the first instance, with the possibility of subsequent expansion if circumstances warrant it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the value of voluntary service to both students and parents he will take steps to provide clerical help for grammar schools and technical colleges who have set up school leavers assistance services.

The provision of clerical help in schools and colleges is the responsibility of the local education authorities. Although much useful assistance and co-operation can be given by the teachers, helping leavers to find employment is properly the function of the Youth Employment Service rather than of schools and colleges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will introduce legislation to provide a public lending royalty for authors' books in libraries.

I had discussions with the Arts Council in the summer about the report they submitted to me in May. I have just received an amended report from the Council which I am now studying.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to ensure that authors are paid for the copies of their books that they have to provide under Section 15 of the Copyright Act, 1911.

No. No case has been made out to me for altering the provisions of Section 15 of the Copyright Act, 1911.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will revise the rules governing exports of works of art, in view of the criticisms in the latest report of the trustees of the National Gallery, a copy of which has been sent to him.

I have studied carc-fully the recent report of the trustees of the National Gallery. For the reasons given in my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Alan Lee Williams) on 1st August, 1966 the Government is not able to agree to the proposed establishment of the Fund of £1 million for the purchase of major works of art nor do they accept as valid the criticisms arising from a comparison of the British and American systems of tax practice in this field. I regard the existing rules as preserving a fair balance in this difficult matter. A memorandum of guidance has recently been issued to the expert advisers which will, I hope, improve the working of the system in practice. This was done on the recommendation of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.—[Vol. 733, c. 42–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what inquiries he is making into the carcinogenic effect of maleic hydrazide when sprayed on tobacco leaf; and if he will make a statement.

Some years ago a series of investigations was carried out by Medical Research Council staff and associated workers from which it was concluded that maleic hydrazide was not carcinogenic. The Council are aware that this finding has recently been questioned and the matter will be followed up as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to receive the report on the integration of the public schools within the State system of education.

I refer my hon. Friend to my answer on 23rd October, to my hon. Friend the Member for Totten-ham (Mr. Atkinson).—[Vol. 751, c. 387–8.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what assurances he has obtained from local authorities that their Sikh employees will be permitted to wear turbans on duty in accordance with their religion; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend would in general deprecate any rules which could be held to discriminate against any group of employees, but rules governing the dress to be worn by staff on duty are best left to the good sense of individual local authorities. If however the hon. Member has any cases of difficulty in mind I will gladly have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to bring to the notice of low income ratepayers the provisions for rebates now available.

Publicity has already been given to the rate rebate scheme by Press advertising and eleven million leaflets were distributed earlier this year through Post Offices to people drawing pensions and allowances; there have also been radio and television features. A press notice about the progress of the scheme issued by the Department last week has received widespread publicity and a fresh series of advertisements will be appearing in the next few days. Rent officers, local officers of the Ministry of Social Security and members of voluntary organisations are helping by drawing attention to the scheme in suitable cases.In addition local authorities have made their own arrangements for bringing rate rebates to the attention of their citizens and I hope that they will do more, particularly in areas where the response has so far been poor.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion of domestic ratepayers in the borough of Hastings received rebates in 1966–67.

About 12 per cent., as against about 6¼ per cent. in the rest of England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) how many extraordinary district audits he has commissioned or approved into local authority direct labour building departments in each of the years 1965 and 1966; what is the equivalent figure for 1967; and whether he will list the local authorities concerned;(2) in how many of the special audits which he has commissioned or approved since 1965 in local authority direct labour building departments the district auditor has now reported to him; and in how many cases he still awaits an interim or final report.

No extraordinary audits of the account of local authority building departments were authorised in 1965 or 1966. During 1967 such audits were authorised in respect of Camden London Borough and Southwark London Borough.The district auditor makes his report to the local authority and not to my right hon. Friend. I understand that an interim report has already been made to the Camden Borough Council and that one will be made to the Southwark Borough Council very shortly. Final reports are not expected for some time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the action he has taken in the light of extraordinary reports of district auditors into local authority direct labour building departments, giving the information for each local authority separately.

My right hon. Friend has received only an interim report dated 24th August and relating to the direct labour department of the London Borough of Camden. The Council are already taking action on the lines suggested by the District Auditor and I am keeping in touch with the situation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many surveys by the National Building Agency have been commissioned by local authorities into their direct labour building departments since 1965; by which local authorities; and in how many cases he advised the local authority concerned to consult the National Building Agency.

Since 1st January, 1965, 19 authorities, on their own initiative, have sought the advice of the Agency in matters involving their direct labour organisations. Of these the following eight specifically consulted the Agency about the organisation and management of their direct labour organisation either in connection with new building or with maintenance:

• Basildon U.D.C.
• Camden L.B.C.
• Felling U.D.C.
• Greenwich L.B.C.
• Manchester C.B.C.
• Salford C.B.C.
• Wandsworth L.B.C.
• Wigan C.B.C.

In addition, with the agreement of the London Borough of Southwark, my right hon. Friend sought advice from the Agency on whether a particular scheme should be carried out by the Borough's direct labour organisation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he has taken in the light of each report of the National Building Agency on the efficiency of a local authority direct labour building department since 1965.

These reports were commissioned by the councils concerned who have taken or are taking appropriate action. The Salford Council consulted my right hon. Friend about the Agency's report and about other reports they had commissioned on their direct labour building department, and accepted his suggestion that they should for a time reduce the amount of new construction work undertaken by the department.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what discussions he has had with representatives of local authorities regarding the audit of direct labour building departments; and whether he will make a statement on those discussions.

There have been no discussions on the audit of building departments, but discussions are still in progress on the study carried out by the District Auditors' Society of financial control in such departments.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the percentage of planning appeals which he has dismissed in cases where his inspector had recommended that the appeals should be allowed during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, and the percentages for comparable periods three years, and six years previously.

I regret that the precise information asked for is readily available only for the 11-month period November, 1966 to September, 1967. During this time dismissals of appeals which Inspectors had recommended allowing amounted to 2·9 per cent. of appeals dismissed after local inquiries.The following more general figures give comparisons over two intervals of three years.

	1960	1963	1966
Number of appeals decided after local inquiry	4,451	5,147	4,557
Number of appeals where the decision was contrary to Inspector's recommendation	228*	87	97
Percentage of decisions contrary to Inspector's recommendation	—	1·7	2·1
* Part year only.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will set out in tabular form the amount of loan sanction given to local authorities in England and Wales in the years 1960 to 1966, inclusive, for the building of houses for direct sale; and how much loan sanction will be given for that purpose in 1967.

Separate loan sanction figures are not available, because such houses frequently form part of a larger contract for a local authority housing scheme which is the subject of a single loan sanction.

LOCAL AUTHORITY DWELLINGS BUILT FOR SALE AND SOLD: ENGLAND AND WALES
Local Authorities which sold more than 20 dwellings in the years shown:
Number of dwellings
		1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967 to 30th September
Northern Region
Hartlepool C.B.	…	—	—	—	—	—	44	—
Sunderland C.B.	…	—	—	46	—	—	—	—
Hebburn U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	53	40	—
Hexham U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	33
Yorkshire and Humberside Region
Normanton U.D.	…	—	38	—	—	—	—	—
Rawmarsh U.D.	…	85	—	—	—	—	—	—
Rothwell U.D.	…	—	—	22	—	—	—	—
Sowerby Bridge U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	23	36
Stocksbridge U.D.	…	—	—	28	38	—	—	—
Swinton U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	38
Rotherham R.D.	…	—	—	36	—	46	—	—
North West Region
Chester C.B.	…	24	—	—	42	—	—	28	31
Wigan C.B.	…	—	44	82	—	100	—	—
Crosby B.	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	22
Hyde B.	…	—	145	53	—	—	—	29
Stalybridge B.	…	—	25	33	—	—	—	—
Widnes B.	…	—	—	—	—	23	—	—
Nantwich U.D.	…	—	72	95	—	—	—	—
East Midland Region
Stamford B.	…	26	—	—	—	—	—	—
Worksop B.	…	62	28	—	44	—	—	—
Alfreton U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	49	—
Corby U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	24	—	—
Chesterfield R.D.	…	—	—	—	40	—	—	—
West Midland Region
Birmingham C.B.	…	—	—	—	56	39	—	—	403
Coventry C.B.	…	110	24	—	—	—	—	—
Dudley C.B.	…	—	29	26	35	—	—	—
Stoke-on-Trent C.B.	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	56
Walsall C.B.	…	—	—	—	—	47	57	—
Bridgnorth B.	…	—	—	—	—	21	—	—
Hereford B.	…	63	—	—	—	—	—	—
Shrewsbury B.	…	50	—	—	51	—	—	—	45
Tamworth B.	…	—	—	39	—	—	—	—
Aldridge-Brownhills U.D.	…	—	—	83	—	—	—	—	22
Bedworth U.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	26	—
Oakengates U.D.	…	—	22	—	40	—	—	—
Redditch U.D.	…	—	—	21	—	—	—	—
Market Drayton R.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	24	—
Rugby R.D.	…	—	—	—	—	—	34	—

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will list the local authorities in England and Wales who built more than 20 houses for direct sale in each of the years 1960 to 1966, inclusive, showing separately for each year the number of houses built by each local authority; and whether he will give similar figures for the first nine months of 1967.

The local authorities which built for sale and sold more than 20 dwellings in each year in the years 1960 to 1966, inclusive, and in the first nine months of 1967, are listed below, together with the details of the number of dwellings.