asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many successful applications have been received from small farmers in Wales for assistance under the Small Farms Management Scheme.

Up to the end of September this year 791 farmers in Wales who had submitted programmes under the Small Farm (Business Management) Scheme had received approval. In addition, 47 farmers have programmes under examination and 111 have submitted applications and been found eligible but have not yet submitted a programme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for publicising to small farmers the benefits of the Small Farmers Management Scheme.

The benefits of the Small Farm (Business Management) Scheme are publicised by the National Agricultural Advisory Service in personal contacts with farmers and in articles in local newspapers. Since this summer a special leaflet on the scheme has been available at meetings of farmers attended by officers of the National Agricultural Advisory Service. In addition the Ministry's publication "At the Farmer's Service" which is seen by many farmers includes details of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about independence for Swaziland.

Backed by a unanimous resolution of the Swaziland Parliament the Swaziland Government have asked Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to introduce legislation providing for the establishment of Swaziland as an independent sovereign State on 6th September, 1968. Her Majesty's Government have agreed to this request, and it is expected that all the necessary steps can be completed to enable Swaziland to become independent on that date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total dollar debt incurred in the United States of America for the purchase of United States military aircraft, including the C-130, between 28th October, 1964 and the latest date for which figures are available; and how much of this debt had been repaid by 30th September, 1967.

The total debt is 339·2 million dollars of which 12·3 million dollars had been repaid by 30th September, 1967.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the local authorities which have decided to levy rates on empty property in the financial year 1968–69.

Local authorities have until March, 1968 to resolve to rate unoccupied property in their areas in 1968–69. The following have already done so:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, what proportion of the land in the United Kingdom is in public ownership by area and by value, distinguishing the different categories of land, agricultural, housing, commercial, industrial and other, and the different categories of owner, central government, public corporations, local authorities, and others.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on the development of a hoverport at Pegwell Bay.

My right hon. Friend is awaiting the report of the inspector who held the re-opened public inquiry on 12th to 15th September 1967. He will give his decision as soon as possible after receiving the report.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the local authorities which have Increased the rents of council houses since 1st July, 1966.

I estimate that nearly 400 local authorities have increased rents in the period in question. Local authorities were, however, under no obligation to notify me of such increases and the information in my possession does not enable me to provide a comprehensive detailed list.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list those local authorities which have announced reductions in their future house-building programmes since May, 1967.

There have been reports of a few local authorities considering reductions in their house-building programmes, but no comprehensive list is available of authorities who have decided to make cuts. Forward programmes for all the main authorities for the period up to 1970 are currently being negotiated with the Ministry and, until this review has been completed, it will not be possible to say which authorities are reducing their programmes and which are increasing them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total of private arms sales abroad in each of the last three years; and what is his policy towards this.

Precise figures are not available but it is estimated that private sales accounted for approximately 70 per cent. of the totals given in reply to the hon. Member's question on 25th October. The Government's policy is to encourage sales of defence equipment subject to strict observance of all relevant political economic and strategic considerations.—[Vol. 751, c. 485–486.]

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of employees in each of the development areas qualified in 1966–67 for Selective Employment Tax premiums and refunds; what proportion were employed in the service industries; and what were these proportions for those parts of Great Britain outside the development areas.

I estimate that those employed in establishments in respect of which S.E.T. premiums are payable are about 34 per cent. of the employed population in Scotland; about 36 per cent. in the Northern Development Area; about 39 per cent. in the Merseyside Development Area; about 30 per cent. in Wales; about 19 per cent. in the South Western Development Area; and about 38 per cent. in the parts of Great Britain outside the Development Areas. These figures are very approximate. I regret that comparable figures are not available

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of unemployed, males and females, respectively, who are registeredat

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the unemployment figures and percentage at all the employment exchanges in Monmouthshire on the following dates, namely. September, 1957, September, 1961, September, 1964, September, 1966, and September, 1967.

Following is the information:at the Mexborough and Wombwell employment exchanges at the latest available date; and how these figures compare with the national percentage of unemployed.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of disabled persons registered at the Wombwell and Mexborough employment exchanges; how many of them are unemployed; and how many of the latter are ex-miners.

On 17th April, 1967, 1,195 persons were included in the Disabled Persons Registers held at the Wombwell and Mexborough employment exchanges. On 1st November, 1967, of those registered as disabled 117 were also registered as unemployed, and of those registered as unemployed 25 had employment in the coalmining industry as their last occupation (14 as underground workers and 11 as surface workers).

asked the Postmaster-General what financial objectives will apply to the Post Office after the existing target period ends in March, 1968.

From 1st April, 1968 the present target for the whole Post Office, of a net return of 8 per cent. on net assets, will be replaced by separate targets. The objectives, to be achieved on average over the succeeding five years, will be:Postal services—A margin of 2 per cent. on expenditure.Telecommunications services—A net return of 8½ per cent. on net assets.

asked the Minister of Power what the financial objective of the gas industry will be for 1968–69.

The Area Gas Board's objectives for 1968–69 will be the existing rates of return which average 10·2 per cent. gross for the industry as a whole.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount and value of iron and steel drop forgings imported into the United Kingdom in 1966 and the proportion imported by the motor industry.

I regret that drop forgings are not separately distinguished in the import statistics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many companies resident in this country are now owned or controlled by United States of America companies; and what is the estimated value of the net assets of these companies, their annual sales and number of employees, distinguishing the different categories of manufacturing, oil, trading and other companies.

About 1,650. Annual sales and employment figures are not as yet available. Estimates of the book values of net assets at mid-1967 are as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of industrial development certificate approvals have gone to each development area in each of the last five years.

The percentages are given in the table below; they are based on floor space. In the Northern Region, Wales and Scotland the floor area was taken to include ancillary space, but in the rest of the country until mid-August, 1966, such space was excluded. Since

asked the President of the Board of Trade which completed advance factories are at present empty; and for how long each has been unoccupied.

Twenty-five advance factories are at present completed and not occupied; fourteen of these have been completed only since July, 1967. The details are:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what advance factory area is now available in the Levenmouth

31,000 square feet which can be extended by 100,000 square feet. Four acres of land owned by the Board of Trade are available for development. A further 37 acres are available which are zoned for industry in the local authority's plan.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to announce the name of the further member of the Committee of Inquiry into Civil Air Transport.

I have now appointed Sir Reginald Wilson to be a further member of this Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will publish the Report of the Joint Steering Group on Railway Policy.

The Report will be published on Monday as an annex to the White Paper on Railway Policy. Copies will be available in the Vote Office at 11 a.m.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state, giving the mileage in respect of each, those motorways or lengths of motorway for which no line had yet been proposed, a draft scheme had been published, a scheme had been made, tenders had been invited, a contract had been placed, which were under construction and which were in use, respectively, as at 31st October.

The information is set out below:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he is yet able to announce the names of the chairman and members of the parole board for Scotland.

I am glad to say that the Very Rev. Dr. Leonard Small has agreed to serve as chairman of the parole board for Scotland. I hope to be able to announce the names of the other members shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the total amount of moneys likely to be expended in Cardiganshire by the proposed Mid-Wales Development Corporation by the end of 1970.

Until the Government gives it a further remit, the Corporation's expenditure will be limited to the area designated for the doubling in size of Newtown.

asked the Minister of Technology what proposals he has to advance the discounted value of investment grants for numerically controlled machine tools accompanied by loans amounting to the discounted value of future depreciation allowances being guaranteed by the National Research and Development Council; when he expects these proposals to be put into effect; and if he will make a statement.

I am, at present, considering a request by the National Research Development Corporation for approval of a project very much on the lines suggested by the hon. Member.