asked the Minister of Technology what discussions he has held with the motor industry, following the recommendations contained in the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes, about the wide variations in the standards and costs of motor repairs and servicing.

Officals are discussing with the manufacturers and distributors the recommendations in paragraph 131.1 of the Report.

asked the Minister of Technology what proposals the Government have to assist the motor industry.

My Department is currently discussing with individual firms a number of research and development projects which should material assist the industry.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the value of orders taken by the British shipbuilding industry in the latest six-month period for which information is available.

The value of orders for new construction taken in the six months April-September, 1967, is estimated at £49 million. Information is not available about orders taken for repair work.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the expected total research and development costs at 1966 prices of the Concord supersonic aircraft.

The latest estimate agreed between the two Governments of the expenditure that will be incurred in respect of work done by the contractors remains at £500 million at 1966 prices.In addition to the £500 million, we have estimated that costs at Mintech's Research Establishments will amount to about £30 million. Intramural expenditure on the French side is on a broadly comparable scale.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will give an undertaking that before coming to a decision on the method of financing the production of the Concord there will be an opportunity of debating the matter in the House.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to similar Questions this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the nature of the technical troubles which have caused the increase in the development costs of the Concord.

The latest firm estimate agreed with the French Government remains at the £500 million figure given last year, plus intramural expenditure expected to reach £30 million in Ministry of Technology establishments in Britain, and a broadly comparable amount in France. In this complex project a large number of technical problems have been met and overcome. The manufacturers have recently agreed on modifications to meet the needs of the airlines. This has resulted in an increase in design take-off weight from 350,000 lbs. to 367,000 lbs. In view of this it is proposed to reduce the maximum permissible structure temperature.

asked the Minister of Technology what progress has been made during the last three years in research supported by the Government in evolving quieter aircraft engines.

Direct expenditure by the Department on engine noise research is estimated at £450,000 this year—an increase of about 50 per cent. over last year.In addition contracts to the value of £1·3 million have been placed with Rolls Royce for the development of advanced technology engines and further support is being negotiated. These engines, among which is the RB.207 which will be used in the European Airbus, and the RB.211 which will also have important applications, will reduce jet noise substantially through the use of high by-pass ratios.

asked the Minister of Technology what recent progress has been made to reduce noise of aero-engines; how many staff are directly engaged upon research and design in this field; and when he expects a breakthrough in this work.

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair).Most of the work in this field is carried out by Rolls Royce under direct contract from the Department and on their own account. Nineteen of my Department's research staff—including technical management and supporting grades—are directly employed on supporting work in the Department's establishments.

asked the Minister of Technology, in the light of the Eighteenth Annual Report and Accounts of the National Research Development Corporation, what plans he has to introduce legislation to increase the borrowing powers of the National Research Development Corporation.

I propose to introduce legislation during the present Session to increase the limit of advances from the Ministry to the Corporation from £25 million to £50 million.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will take the initative in calling an international conference to discuss the problems of sonic booms and propose to that conference international restrictions to prohibit supersonic flight over land.

We have regular consultations with the French and American authorities on this subject and have also discussed it with I.C.A.O. and O.E.C.D. I do not think an international conference on it would serve any useful purpose at this moment.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he proposes to take to improve efficiency in air-frame and air-engine factories engaged in Government contracts; whether he will examine the amount of sub-contracting and the methods used to choose the subcontracting firms; what measure of efficiency is expected from the sub-contractor; and if he will inquire why more work cannot be handled by the main contractors in their own workshops.

As the House was informed on 9th May last a committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. St. John de H. Elstub is now engaged in a general study of the ways in which productivity and efficiency can be further improved in the industry; and the part played by sub-contractors and equipment suppliers will no doubt be considered in its report.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will announce his decisions regarding action he proposes to take as sponsor of the telecommunications industry in the light of recommendations made by the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation.

The recommendations are at present being studied by the Departments concerned, and it is too early yet for any statement to be made.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement about the decision to establish the Hovertrack Limited company, and the construction along the hundred-foot river bank running through the Isle of Ely of an experimental track and full-scale prototype hovertrain, showing when work will begin, how much it is expected to cost, the time scale of the experiment, and what steps are being taken to avoid interruption to road traffic at Mepal and Welney.

My right hon. Friend approved the formation of Tracked Hovercraft Ltd., in September. I under- stand that their programme, for which £2 million has been earmarked by the National Research Development Corporation, and which will be reviewed on the completion of the first stage, envisages the construction, starting in 1969, of an experimental track alongside the Old Bedford River. It is hoped that the test vehicle will be running in 1970. The form of the road crossings including those at Mepal and Welney is under discussion with the county authorities.

asked the Minister of Technology when the National Board for Prices and Incomes can be expected to make its report on television rental charges; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the National Board for Prices and Incomes expects to report not later than January next.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent he consults with British European Airways in the framing of their procurement policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The framing of B.E.A.'s procurement policy is by statute a matter for the Corporation and the Board of Trade. There is extensive consultation by both of them with the Ministry of Technology.

asked the Minister of Technology what value of orders have been received to date this year for home market and export markets respectively for machine tools; what are the value of deliveries to date this year to the home market, to the export market and in total; and how this performance compares with the same period last year.

In total, orders are 3 per cent. lower and deliveries 5 per cent. higher than in January—september, 1966. Orders for machine tools in January-September, 1967, are provisionally estimated at £63 million for the home market and £45 million for the export market; deliveries were £82 million and £34 million respectively. It is not possible to make an exact comparison with last year for home and export separately but it is estimated that orders for export were 35 per cent. above 1966 and for home 20 per cent. below and that the increase in deliveries was much the same on the export market as the home market.

asked the Minister of Technology (1) what was the amount of work carried out as a percentage of total expenditure between defence and civilian projects by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, during each of the past three years;(2) what was the amount of work carried out as a percentage of total expenditure between defence and civilian projects by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, during each of the past three years.

It is not possible to make a precise division of the total effort between defence and civil since much of the work is relevant to both these fields. The expenditure is therefore charged to the defence or civil budget on the basis of certain conventions, the effect of which is that in each of the past three years about three-quarters has been charged to defence and the remainder to civil. This applies to R.A.E. as a whole, including both Farnborough and Bedford.

asked the Minister of Technology what progress has been made during the last three years in the placing of Government contracts with a view to assisting the electronics industry in the North-East.

My Department has continued to bear in mind the capabilities of electronics firms in the North-East and has placed some contracts. The National Research Development Corporation are supporting the development by a firm of production methods for microcircuits. There has also been a marked increase in employment in factories supplying the Post Office with telecommunications equipment.

asked the Minister of Technology who is to fill the vacancy on the Shipbuilding Industry Board; and for how long this vacancy has existed.

The Board's membership is above the statutory minimum and there is no vacancy although my right hon. Friend has power to appoint a further member.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in the light of the difficulties in disposing of the radioactive effluent from fast breeder reactors, he will now reconsider his decision to reduce research expenditure at Culham on fusion reactors.

No. The disposal of radioactive effluent from fast breeder reactors presents no problems of a kind different from those already encountered and solved successfully in the operation of existing power reactors.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking to implement those recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Migration—The Brain Drain, which affect his Department.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas) today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the administration of regulations restricting the use of foreign currency for overseas travel as they apply to academics seeking to attend conferences abroad; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received correspondence from the hon. Member and others about two such cases involving complaints about requests for information and about delay. He wrote to the hon. Member explaining the matter. In both cases a special allotment of foreign currency was approved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will send a representative of his Department, together with a small team of qualified engineers, to examine proposed expenditure on the Aldabra Atoll in the India Ocean.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works told the House on 6th November, 1967, there have already been surveys of the Atoll by officials with experience of airfield and marine engineering.—[Vol. 753, c. 42.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of the analysis carried out by Dr. Balopoulos, details of which have been sent to him, he will review the techniques at present employed by the Treasury to estimate the effects of tax changes on Government revenue.

The Treasury and the Revenue Departments are continually reviewing and improving the techniques they employ to estimate the effects of tax changes on Government revenue, in the light of new developments in analytical methods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his proposals to create a new agency to provide for the capital requirements of the nationalised industries and local authorities.

As I indicated in my speech in the Debate on the Address, I hope that the Bill to establish a National Loans Fund will be introduced very shortly.—[Vol. 753, c. 865.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the seasonably adjusted current account deficit on the balance of payments for the second quarter, and also give details of the last occasion on which this deficit was exceeded.

The quarterly figures back to 1958 are published in Economic Trends for September, 1967 (page xi).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to announce his decision on whether or not to exercise a waiver of service payments due on the post-war dollar loans at the end of this year.

In December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up an inquiry into methods and distribution of Government advertising in the national daily and Sunday newspapers.

No. Government advertising is placed on a commercial basis so as to achieve the required results in the most economical way.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the net amount of Selective Employment Tax, after repayment of refunds and premiums, which accrued from the seven crofting counties during the first year of the tax;(2) what percentage of the Selective Employment Tax paid in the Highlands and Islands, consisting of the area of the seven crofting counties covered by the Highland Development Board, was repaid, or to be repaid, in that area in refunds and premiums during the first year of the tax.

I regret that it is not practicable to provide this information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total yield from the general betting duty since its introduction on 23rd October 1966 in the first 12 months of its operation in respect of duty received from on-course bookmakers, duty received from off-course bookmakers, duty received from horse race totalisator and duty received from greyhound totalisator, respectively.

Receipts of general betting duty since its introduction on 24th October, 1966, have been as follows:

£ million
	General betting duty received during
	October 1966	November, 1966 to September, 1967	October, 1967
From
On-course bookmakers	0·05	3·1	..
Off-course bookmakers	0·8	22·5	..
Horserace totalisators	— †	0·8	..
Greyhound totalisators	— †	1·6	..
TOTAL	0·85	28·0	2·8*
* A detailed analysis of the receipts during the month of October, 1967 is not yet available.
† Duty receipts from totalisators in respect of events in this period were not brought to account until November, 1966.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legislation he intends to introduce to control foreign takeovers of British industry.

Extensive powers are already available in the Exchange Control Act, 1947 and the Monopolies and Mergers Act, 1965.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has for allowing Government contracts to be allocated to the development areas in Wales; and what special action is being taken immediately to steer contracts to areas with high rates of unemployment.

On the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 7th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardigan (Mr. Elystan Morgan). The Government is however taking special action which will result in the expenditure of about £27 million on building and other work to be carried out soon in areas of high unemployment—of which Wales was about £E4½ million.—[Vol. 753, c. 81.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the establishment of civil servants, both industrial and non-industrial, in the Greater London area in October, 1964; and what are the equivalent figures for the latest convenient date.

Comprehensive figures of establishments or numbers of posts are not maintained. The numbers in post at the nearest dates are:—Non-industrial staff, 1st July, 1964–132,000.Industrial staff, 1st January. 1965–30,000.Non-industrial staff, 1st July, 1967–147,500.Industrial staff, 1st January, 1967–28,000.The non-industrial figures refer to a 16 mile radius, the industrial figures to an 18 mile radius from the centre of London. Both exclude Post Office staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information the Central Statistical Office has of contracts placed abroad for imports into the United Kingdom by the nationalised industries, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, the Ministry of Public Building and Works and other Departments for the 12 months ending 31st December, 1966, 1967 and 1968; and what is the forecast of all types of Government importations for all Departments, including defence, for each of the financial years 1969–72 inclusive.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to make Scottish bank notes legal tender in England.

Except in wartime bank notes other than those issued by the Bank of England have never been legal tender in England. My right hon. Friend sees no reason to make a change.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table comparing productivity in Great Britain with other major industrial countries in terms of the number of men required in each country to achieve the same results.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of Customs and Excise officers employed in connection with distilling and with brewing in Scotland; and what will be the estimated saving in staff and expenditure as a result of the present reorganisation of duties.

The changes in the revenue control of spirits affect Excise Officers employed in connection with the production and warehousing of spirits. About 550 were so employed in Scotland prior to this reorganisation. The estimated eventual saving in the number of Officers is about 180, offset by an increase of about 145 in the lower grade of Watcher. The direct saving in expenditure is estimated at over £200,000 per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pay as you earn computer centres have been established; and where there are situated.

The Centre for Scotland at East Kilbride is nearing completion and will begin to operate next year. Locations for three further Centres have been decided. They are Bootle, Cardiff and Manchester.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will convene an international conference to discuss the implications of the increasing non-monetary use of newly mined gold.

This, and other aspects of the question of international liquidity are dealt with through the I.M.F. and the Group of Ten, and I do not think a special international conference would assist.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the rapid growth of the Euro-currency market presents a potential danger to the future of the £ sterling; and whether he will consider calling an international conference to examine its implications.

There is regular study and discussion of capital movements including the effect of the growth of new markets in the O.E.C.D., and other bodies concerned, in which we participate fully.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the present permanent under-secretaries of each Government Department showing what courses, covering techniques of management, each has attended during the period since January, 1965, giving in each case the duration and location of the course.

The need at this level is being met not by formal courses but by presentations of new techniques, such as those arranged in respect of computers. These presentations are carried out by various organisations, including Departments and outside bodies; but no central record is kept of the attendance of Permanent Secretaries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of servicing the National Debt in Scotland in 1966–67 on a basis proportionate to the population.

Approximately £66 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average income of self-employed persons in England and Scotland, respectively, in 1964–65 and 1965–66.

The average incomes after deducting capital allowances are as follows:—

Year of assessment	England	Scotland
	£	£
1964–65	938	1,013
1965–66	1,007	1,045

Incomes below the effective exemption limit are excluded and wives with incomes from self-employment are counted separately from their husbands.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish tables in respect of 1966–67 showing the expenditure per head of population in Scotland, and England and Wales, respectively on each of the services listed in Table 62 of the Digest of Scottish Statistics, which includes expenditure by local authorities and a similar per capita breakdown of expenditure by central Government Departments under these headings, including transfers from the Exchequer to other spending authorities;(2) if he will publish a table in respect of 1966–67 showing the Exchequer element of expenditure per head of population in Scotland and England and Wales, respectively, on those items where it is possible to identify expenditure in Scotland and are not covered by other tables he has been asked to publish.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the table published in reply to his Question of 10th November.—[Vol. 753, c. 208.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Government public relations officers and Press officers have been appointed since October, 1964; and what has been the cost to public funds.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the Answer given to a similar Question on 20th June.—[Vol. 748, c. 231.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has decided to continue the £50 travel allowance.

In order to save foreign currency.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to make an amendment to the existing building regulations in respect of commercial glasshouses.

This amendment is included in the set of amending regulations laid before the House yesterday. The amendment will come into effect on 15th December, 1967.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received about the powers of discretion exercised by local authorities under the Rate Rebate Scheme; and whether be will make a statement.

The only power of discretion given to local authorities under the rate rebate scheme is about late applications: if a local authority wish, they can give a late applicant full rebate instead of deducting an appropriate fraction. My right hon. Friend has had few queries, none recently, about the way this discretion is being exercised. My right hon. Friend hopes that it will be exercised generously because it takes time for people to know how to use the scheme, and most of those eligible for rate rebate are elderly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to issue further guidance to local authorities on the building of houses for direct sale as foreshadowed in Circular 24/67.

I do not propose to issue further guidance on this subject at present. Proposals by local authorities for building houses for direct sale will continue to be dealt with in the light of local circumstances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the availability of funds for local authority mortgages.

The approved total for local authority advances for house purchase in 1967–68 was £121 million in England alone and in the first two quarters about £63 million was advanced. I have recently authorised additional allocations totalling £3 million to authorities in the North, North-West and South-West Regions to help maintain their lending during the coming winter. I have also agreed to the special arrangements which some authorities have made with building societies to borrow money for this purpose outside their normal quota.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the number of references to rent officers at present awaiting consideration within the Greater London area; and what is the average time taken between the submission of a reference and a determination being made.

At 3rd November, 1967, there were 3,990 applications for registration of fair rents awaiting decisions by rent officers in the Greater London area.In general the period from receipt of application to registration of fair rent varies between one and three months.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the number of cases in the Greater London area at present awaiting consideration by rent assessment panels; and what is the average time taken between submission of a reference and a determination being made.

At 10th November, 1967 there were 1,339 references to the London Rent Assessment Panel awaiting decision by rent assessment committees. Of this total, hearings have either been held or will be held within the next 3 weeks in respect of 375 cases. Within the overall total of 1,339 over 750 cases are included in multiple references which will be dealt with in 41 hearings; 4 of these hearings will cover 400 cases.In the last 200 decided cases the average time taken from receipt by the London Rent Assessment Panel was 27 weeks. Where both landlord and tenant act promptly this time is considerably reduced and has been as little as 8 weeks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion of builders are now registered with the National House Builders Registration Council; and what proportion of new houses these builders account for.

About 80 per cent. of all private sector housing is at present being built by registered builders. Nearly all the larger firms are registered, but some of the smaller firms build houses only intermittently and therefore no meaningful percentage of all firms can be given.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress he is making with his review of the Improvement Grants System.

The review is proceeding but I am not yet in a position to make any announcement.

asked the Minister of Power why he has reappointed Mr. William Hogarth, General Secretary of the National Union of Seamen, to membership of the South Eastern Electricity Board; and if he will make a statement.

As I have already informed the hon. Member, I reappointed Mr. Hogarth on his merits.

asked the Minister of Power what is the estimated annual cost throughout the country of lighting electricity board showrooms after office hours.

No records are available of consumption after office hours.

asked the Minister of Power when a decision will be made on the extent of Government support for the new spray steelmaking process invented in the British Iron and Steel Research Association laboratories in Sheffield.

The British Steel Corporation is already pressing ahead with the development of the spray steel making process on a commercial scale and a subsidiary of the British Iron and Steel Research Association has been set up to undertake the commercial exploitation of the process throughout the world.

asked the Minister of Power when he expects to publish the White Paper on National Fuel Policy; and if he will make a statement.

The White Paper on Fuel Policy has been published this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Power how many men were employed in coalmining in Scotland in 1965, 1966, and 1967, respectively; and how many he estimates will be employed in June, 1968.

The number of men employed in Scottish collieries at the end of the financial years 1965–66 and 1966–67 was 44,867 and 41,831 respectively. 39,183 men were on the books of pits in Scotland at the end of last month.

asked the Minister of Power what was the number of coalmines closed in Scotland in 1965, 1966 and 1967, respectively; and how many he estimates will be closed in 1968.

The number of Scottish collieries closed in 1965–66 and 1966–67 was eleven and ten respectively. Five pits were closed during the first seven months of 1967–68 and six other closures in Scotland have been deferred until after the end of 1967 following the Prime Minister's statement on 29th September.The National Coal Board have not so far informed us of any other collieries in Scotland whose results are placing their future in jeopardy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will introduce legislation to prohibit discrimination by local authorities in making educational grants for children of Roman Catholic parents.

I have no evidence that there is any such discrimination.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when a British computer will be available for the University of Aberdeen; and what is to be offered to the university in the interim period;(2) when Aberdeen University will get a computer.

The Computer Board expect that a British computer will be installed at Aberdeen in April, 1968.I am aware of the difficulties which have arisen at Aberdeen. But I understand that in the view of the Board it would not be practicable to make interim arrangements to meet the university's need for on-site computing facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of children being educated in England and Wales in classes which exceed 40 pupils in primary schools and 30 pupils in secondary schools at the latest date for which figures are available.

This information as at January, 1966, has been published in "Statistics of Education 1966, Volume one" (Tables 14–21). Figures for January, 1967 will be available in about two months' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has now decided whether Studley College should remain open or close; and what future activities he envisages for the college.

This college is a private foundation and the decision on its future after the grant from my Department has been terminated lies with the Governors. We have made various suggestions to them and offered assistance in exploring those in which they are interested.

asked the Secretary for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to encourage the development of voluntary community service by young people.

The Government have been greatly impressed by the desire of young people to give help to the less fortunate members of the community and it believes that this constitutes a fund of energy and goodwill which the country should harness. In order to give it the stimulation of a professional approach, backed by the necessary funds and expert knowledge, the Government proposes to establish a unit, under a charitable trust, which will employ and direct a team of experienced workers available upon invitation to assist local and hospital authorities and voluntary bodies to develop voluntary service to the community. My right hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Houghton) has agreed to serve as Chairman and the right hon. Members for Wirral (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd), and Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) have agreed to serve as Vice-Chairmen. The remaining members of the trust will be as follows:—

• Mr. R. I. Brightwell.
• Lt. Col. J. Carreras, M.B.E.
• Mr. H. C. L. Garnett.
• Mr. J. Hardman.
• Mr. L. A. Hart.
• Ald. B. S. Langton, C.B.E., J.P.
• Mrs. L. M. Townsend.
• Mr. D. G. Walters.
• Mr. D. Wilson.

The essential characteristics of the unit will be to establish local "Service by Youth" opportunities in co-operation with local authorities and social service organisations and provision of a consultative service. It is hoped that it will attract financial support from voluntary sources, but to enable it to be started, the Government are making a sum of up to £100,000 available over the first three years of operation towards the cost of this central service. The Unit will, however, be independent of the

BRITISH GOVERNMENT BILATERAL DISBURSEMENT OF ECONOMIC AID TO SOUTH VIETNAM
		Calendar Years				£'000
		1964	1965	1966	1st January, 1967 to 31st January, 1967	Current Estimates. 1967–68
Technical Assistance under Colombo Plan	…	9	19	94	48	210
Financial Aid Grants	…	8	19	38	15	75
Police Training (British Advisory Mission)	…	64	36	52	34	82
		81	74	184	97	367

The main additional commitments incurred since May relate to road building equipment (approximately £75,000); equipment for the Faculty of Pharmacy at Saigon University (approximately £21,000); and X-ray and other equipment for the extension at the children's hospital in Saigon (approximately £35,000). Two extra full-time doctors for the paediatric team have also been employed.Total technical assistance disbursements in the current financial year will depend on the time it takes to complete Government. The Variety Club of Great Britain have agreed to be asociated with the project.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what increase there has been in Government to Government loans made by the United Kingdom in the last two years.

So far as they relate to economic aid, disbursement from Government to Government loans in 1966–67 totalled £96·8 million. The comparable figure for 1965–66 was £80·1 million and for 1964–65, £77·7 million. Figures for 1967–68 will not be available till after the end of the financial year.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the total cost of all overseas aid given to South Vietnam, specifying the form this aid has taken, from 1964 to the latest date.

The figures for bilateral economic aid from Britain to South Vietnam are as follows:the extensions to the hospital and to find and engage five further additional British staff members who are required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish a White Paper on the conversations between Her Majesty's Government and member-countries of the European Economic Community in the last three months.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will bring before tie Security Council the question of the unlawful incursion of the armed forces of the Republic of South Africa into British territory.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply has been received from the Government of South Africa to the protest made by Her Majesty's Government following the incursion of the armed forces of the Republic of South Africa into British territory.

No formal reply has yet been received from the South African Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that, in conformity with Great Britain's position as a cochairman of the Geneva Conference of 1954, for any non-military aid sent to South Vietnam an equal amount of the same aid will be offered to North Vietnam.

Our aid programme to Vietnam is consistent with my right hon. Friend's position as a cochairman of the Geneva Conference of 1954. Certainly we do not rule out the principle of providing humanitarian aid to North Vietnam but Hanoi have given no indication that they would welcome it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the degeneration in morals in London recently, he will introduce legislation to enforce moral standards.

No. I do not believe moral standards can be enforced by generalised legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the circumstances under which a 15-year-old boy, whose name has been given to him, sentenced to Borstal treatment, was held in Lincoln Prison from 1st to 6th November; and whether it is usual for a boy of this age to be held in prison instead of being sent to an appropriate institution.

This boy was detained in Lincoln prison for a few days under Section 46 of the Prison Act, 1952. It has always been the normal practice for boys sentenced to borstal training to be lodged first in local prisons. They are transferred to a borstal allocation centre as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions he has placed on the availability of police-type breathalysers to the public; and if he will take steps to facilitate their availability.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to Questions by the hon. Members for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker) and Bodmin (Mr. Bessell) on 9th and 7th November respectively.— [Vol. 753, c. 154 and c. 86.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the large number of vehicles being left on the roads unlicensed and eventually becoming derelict, that as a number of children in Newham have been burnt when playing with the petrol tanks of these derelicts the police have advised that water should be poured into the tanks to prevent fire and that many councils are now doing this; and, in view of the danger caused by these uncovered petrol tanks, if he will advise the authorities concerned to take action nationally along these lines.

My hon. Friend has sent me a newspaper report on the subject, and I shall be writing in reply to his letter when I have completed my inquiries. He will be aware that the attention of local authorities was drawn some time ago to the need to dispose of abandoned vehicles, and that Part III of the Civic Amenities Act, 1967, will confer new powers and responsibilities on them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Police Constable Alexander Archibald of the Cumbria Police, who was seriously wounded whilst tackling a dangerous gunman, has been offered a pension of only £12; and if he will amend the regulations so as to provide more generous pensions in such cases.

Under the Police Pensions Regulations, Police Constable Archibald is entitled to a basic ill-health pension, after 9 years' service, of £149 a year. He has an additional entitlement to supplemental police pension based on years of service and degree of disablement; but this is reduced by the amount of Social Security benefits to which he is entitled. On present assessment the supplemental pension will not be payable because the Social Security benefits are greater. I understand that Constable Archibald has given notice under the Regulations of appeal against the assessment of degree of disability, and to that extent the matter is sub judice.In addition to the police ill-health pension of £149, Constable Archibald would qualify, subject to satisfying the usual conditions, for social security benefits which might bring his income from public funds to about £835 a year. Not all of these benefits would continue if he were to take on other employment.With regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 13th November.—[Vol. 754, c. 48.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new instructions he will issue to the officials who are responsible for dealing with the admittance of aliens, in view of the inadequacies shown by the case of Signor Vittorio Vita, details of which have been sent to him.

I am having in quiries made into the points raised by the hon. Member and I will consider whether any new instructions are needed. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what assurances the General Electric Company gave to the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation about the future of the Associated Electrical Industries works at Rugby if its takeover bid succeeds.

It is for the Corporation to decide, in consultation with the companies concerned, whether to disclose information about individual merger proposals with which it is associated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the cost has been to the balance of payments for the years 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967, to the nearest available date, through importing sulphur for industrial and other uses.

The value of imports was £6·3 million in 1964, £8·3 million in 1965, £11·6 million in 1966 and for the period January to September, 1967, £8·6 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure that adequate provision will be made for industrial employment in those areas which are chosen for the siting of 15,000 houses to take overspill from Birmingham, to prevent those areas becoming commuter societies.

As the terms of reference of the Birmingham Overspill Study, 1967 made clear, the 15,000 additional municipal houses to be built by 1975 are intended for families which for some years will travel to work in Birmingham. The terms of reference did, however, envisage land being made available eventually for local employment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the total value of imports and the total value of exports of electrical goods for each of the past three years, ended 31st December, 1966, 31st December, 1965 and 31st December, 1964, respectively; and if he will give the corresponding figures for the first six months of the current year.

The values of imports and of exports of electrical

UNITED KINGDOM TRADE
		Imports (£ million)				Exports (£ million)
		Year 1964	Year 1965	Year 1966	January to June, 1967	Year 1964	Year 1965	Year 1966	January to June, 1967
Fractional horse power motors		2·6	2·5	2·5*	1·6*	3·8	3·5	3·1*	1·6*
Fractional horse power motors parts		n.a.	n.a.	0·5	0·4	n.a.	n.a.	2·3	2·2
Electric circuit apparatus	…	15·2†	20·1†	23·1	11·5	31·4†	37·3†	34·2	18·8
Relays	…	n.a.	n.a.	3·4	2·3	n.a.	n.a.	1·9	1·1
Instruments	…	12·9	15·5	19·6	12·9	19·6	21·0	21·6	11·0
Instruments parts	…	4·7	5·0	6·4	3·7	2·2	2·3	2·6	1·5
TOTALS	…	35·4	43·0	55·5	32·3	57·0	64·1	65·7	36·1
n.a.= not available.
* Includes D.C. generators.
† Includes relays.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been granted in the Fylde since October, 1964.

Fifty-three industrial development certificates have been approved in this period in the employment exchange areas of Blackpool, Fleetwood, Kirkham, Lytham St. Anne's and Thornton Cleveleys. The area approved is 718,000 sq. ft.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will include in forthcoming legislation provisions to ensure the correct labelling of wine.

The Consumer Protection Bill is designed as a measure of general

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the value of exports and imports for the three years ended 31st December, 1966, 31st December, 1965, 31st December, 1964 and for the first six months of the current year, of electrical circuit apparatus, instruments, relays and fractional horse power motors, respectively; and if he will give details of these, broken down into their appropriate categories.

The following is the information:application; but the question of its application to wine will need to be considered in the light of any proposals that may emerge from the work going on in the Council of Europe to prepare a convention on the production and marketing of wines and spirits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what additional assistance he proposes to make available under the Local Employment Acts to help to attract industry to areas seriously affected by colliery closures; and in which areas such additional assistance will be available.

I am proposing to establish or expand industrial estates either in or at sites which could serve the colliery areas affected. Major estates will be established at Cramlington (Northumberland), Meadowfield (Brandon, County Durham), Bridgend (Glamorgan), and rather smaller industrial estates in West Cumberland, Ayr, Cumnock (Ayrshire), and in the Carnwath/Carstairs/Forth area of Lanarkshire. At Fforestfach, Swansea, I am bringing into use certain land already in Board of Trade ownership. I am also buying additional land for industrial development at Landore, near Swansea, and at Kenfig, and I am looking for land which would be suitable for the needs of Lesmahagow in Lanarkshire.Furthermore, in certain special areas in the development areas, where there may be exceptionally high unemployment through colliery closures, I am making available further incentives to encourage new industry. A rent-free period of up to five years will be available to firms renting a Board of Trade factory and providing suitable employment. Building grants up to 35 per cent. and loans at a moderate rate of interest to assist with the balance of the building costs or for other purposes, will be available. In order to assist new projects in the early years while they are becoming established, it has also been decided to extend the scope of grants under Section 4 of the Local Employment Act 1960 to permit operational grants to be made. These grants will normally be at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum for three years calculated on the cumulative expenditure incurred on the acquisition of eligible buildings, plant and machinery (less any building and investment grants). These incentives will, like other forms of assistance under the Local Employment Acts, be subject to the provision of employment, and we shall have regard to the number of jobs to be provided. Grants and loans under the new arrangements will be subject to the usual check on viability by the Board of Trade Advisory Committee.These further incentives will be available only for new projects being brought into the special development areas. They will not be available to extensions of existing establishments, nor will it normally be possible to provide the special incentives to projects in the service industries whose location is, in the main, determined by the need to serve local markets, nor will they be available for projects which are merely transferred from existing development areas. As regards grants, nationalised industries will continue to be eligible for assistance for projects which are in competition with the private sector.These are intended to be short-term measures; they will only apply so long as the employment needs of these areas continue to justify special assistance.I shall also arrange as Board of Trade advance factories are disposed of in the special areas to replace them as long as letting prospects remain reasonable.The special areas in which I propose to make these additional measures of assistance available are the following Ministry of Labour employment exchange areas:

Scotland
Girvan.	Sanquhar.
Lesmahagow.	Shotts.
Leven and Methil.
Wales
Abertillery	Neath.
Ammanford.	Newbridge.
Bargoed.	Pontardawe.
Blackwood.	Pontlottyn.
Brynmawr.	Resolven.
Cymmer.	Tonypandy.
Ebbw Vale.	Tredegar.
Ferndale.	Troorchy.
Garnant.	Ystalyfera.
Maesteg.	Ystrad Mynach.
Northern
Ashington.	Durham.
Aspatria.	Haltwhistle.
Bedlington.	Houghton-le-Spring.
Birtley.	Lanchester.
Bishop Auckland.	Mary port.
Blyth.	Seaton Delaval.
Chester-le-Street.	Shildon.
Cleator Moor.	Spennymoor.
Cockermouth.	Stanley.
Consett.	Whitehaven.
Crook.	Workington.

I shall remove or add places to this list as circumstances require.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance was given by the Government to airfields and air navigation services in Scotland in 1965 and 1966, respectively.

In these years nearly all aerodromes in Scotland were owned and operated, and the corresponding aerodrome navigation services provided by the Government.In the financial year 1965–66 the net deficit on aerodrome account was £149,017 and on aerodrome navigation services £1,057,183. The House has not yet authorised the printing of the 1966–67 accounts.In addition the Government contributed £12.75 million to the capital cost of the Glasgow municipal airport which opened in May, 1966; and minor grants, totalling £2,000, were made to Dundee and Perth.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the OFFICIAL. REPORT a table

REPRESENTATIVE RANGE OF GROWERS' PRICES (G.B.)
— No transactions
* Few potatoes marketed in June
1963–64
Guaranteed Price: £13 5s. per ton
England and Wales														Scotland
Month		Red Varieties (King Edward)						White Varieties (Majestic)						Red Varieties (Kerr's Pink)						White Varieties (Majestic 2¼in.)
1962		From			To			From			To			From			To			From			To
		£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
August	…	16	0	0	18	0	0	13	0	0	14	10	0	—			—			—			—
September		12	0	0	14	10	0	10	10	0	13	10	0	—			—			—			—
October	…	12	5	0	14	15	0	11	5	0	13	15	0	12	5	0	13	5	0	—			—
November		14	0	0	17	15	0	12	0	0	14	15	0	12	10	0	14	0	0	10	5	0	11	15	0
December		15	10	0	17	15	0	13	10	0	14	15	0	14	0	0	16	5	0	11	5	0	12	15	0
1963
January	…	18	0	0	22	10	0	16	0	0	19	10	0	17	5	0	18	0	0	14	15	0	16	15	0
February		20	10	0	30	0	0	18	10	0	25	10	0	18	0	0	23	5	0	16	10	0	22	0	0
March	…	23	10	0	31	0	0	22	10	0	28	0	0	22	10	0	26	0	0	20	0	0	24	0	0
April	…	23	10	0	33	10	0	20	10	0	25	0	0	19	0	0	23	5	0	17	5	0	20	0	0
May	…	23	0	0	35	0	0	18	0	0	25	10	0	15	0	0	20	0	0	15	0	0	20	0	0
June	…		24		10	0		13	10	0	21	10	0	13	15	0	15	10	0	—			—

1963–64
Guaranteed Price: £13 15s. per ton
England and Wales														Scotland
Month		Red Varieties (King Edward)						White Varieties (Majestic)						Red Varieties (Kerr's Pink)						White Varieties (Majestic 2¼ in.)
		From			To			From			To			From			To			From			To
		£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
1963
August	…	9	0	0	13	0	0	7	10	0	10	10	0	—			—			—			—
September		11	0	0	15	0	0	8	0	0	13	0	0	14	0	0	16	0	0	—			—
October	…	11	0	0	20	0	0	12	0	0	16	0	0	15	0	0	18	0	0	13	0	0	14	0	0
November		13	0	0	20	0	0	12	0	0	17	0	0	17	0	0	18	10	0	13	0	0	14	10	0
December		13	0	0	20	0	0	11	10	0	18	0	0	17	0	0	20	0	0	11	10	0	15	0	0
1964
January	…	17	0	0	22	0	0	14	0	0	19	0	0	17	0	0	20	0	0	13	10	0	17	0	0
February		16	0	0	20	0	0	14	0	0	16	10	0		17	10	0			12	0	0	14	0	0
March	…	16	0	0	21	10	0	14	0	0	16	10	0	16	0	0	17	10	0	12	0	0	14	10	0
April	…	18	0	0	28	0	0	15	0	0	18	0	0	17	10	0	18	10	0	12	0	0	17	10	0
May	…	19	0	0	26	0	0	15	0	0	18	0	0	17	0	0	18	0	0	13	10	0	14	10	0
June	…	*			*			*			*			*			*			*			*

The following tables show representative ranges of prices received by growers in Great Britain for maincrop potatoes in the seasons 1962–63 to 1965–66, together with the guaranteed price for each year.A comparable table for 1966–67 is not yet available, but in that season the average price received by growers for potatoes (other than new) sold for human consumption in the United Kingdom was£19 7s. 6d. a ton and the guaranteed price £14 10s. a ton.