asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now make a statement of Government policy on the future of the library at the British Museum.

The functions and organisation of the British Museum Library together with those of other national libraries are to be considered by the Committee which I am setting up under the chairmanship of Dr. F. S. Dainton.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for relieving overcrowding at the British Museum, for providing for improved display and for further amenities for the staff and public.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to her on this subject today.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to establish schemes for major scholarship awards and bursaries to remove differences which exist between local education authorities' schemes at the moment.

None, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor) on 23rd October.—[Vol. 751, c. 386.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if it is his Department's policy that caning should be ended in primary schools;(2) if he will state his Department's policy regarding the caning of handicapped and maladjusted children in schools catering for such children.

A statement on this subject will be made within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amounts were paid from public funds to organisations in Northumberland for the encouragement of sport for 1965–66 and 1966–67; and if he will publish the list of organisations concerned.

Instalments of capital grant amounting to £11,489 and £5,870 were paid in 1965–66 and 1966–67 respectively against offers totalling £22,844 made to the following organisations in Northumberland:

• Amble Cricket Club.
• Berwick on Tweed Sailing Club.
• Guide Post Cricket Club.
• Hexham Boat Club.
• Morpeth Harriers Athletic Club.
• Newcastle Benwell Cricket Club.
• Northumberland Gliding Club.
• South Northumberland Cricket and Tennis Club.
• Stamfordham Playing Fields Association.
• Stocksfield Golf Club.
• Tyne Amateur Rowing Club.
• Tynedale Lawn Tennis Club.
• Tynemouth Squash Club.
• Whitley Bay Rockcliff Rugby Club.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of Government funds expended on the encouragement of sport throughout the country was paid to the Northern Region in 1965–66 and 1966–67.

Of the total payments of capital grant to local voluntary sports organisations in England and Wales 8·3 per cent. in 1965–66 and 7·1 per cent. in 1966–67 were made to organisations in the Northern Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent last year, to the nearest convenient date, on research into the foot-and-mouth disease virus and its transmission.

At the Animal Virus Research Institute, Pirbright, in the financial year to 31st March, 1967, approximately £452,000 of which approximately £26,000 was capital expenditure.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Education and Science, if he will introduce legislation to limit the action of school authorities in sending home erring students and thus transferring their functions of training and teaching to the parent or the community.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action is being taken following the Report of the Lloyd Committee recommending the establishment of a National Film School.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on this subject today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wandsworth, Central (Dr. David Kerr).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of Her Majesty's Government's estimate that the 1 million coloured immigrants now in Great Britain, will increase to 1,750,000 by 1975 and to 3,500,000 by 1985, what legislation he proposes to introduce to prevent the coloured immigrants from outnumbering the white British people in the next 75 years.

As was clearly explained by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the debate on the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, this estimate was based on assumptions made by the hon. Member which Her Majesty's Government do not accept. There is no prospect of the situation envisaged by the hon. Member arising.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the large and persistent unemployment and the concern that this will increase, if he will as an emergency step stop forthwith all further immigration into Great Britain, in view of its adverse effect on the unemployment position.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the extensive police practice in different parts of the country of fingerprinting and photographing convicted juvenile offenders without the approval of one of the parents; and if he will introduce legislation to end this practice.

I am studying the cases brought to my attention by my hon. Friend, some of which are still being investigated, and will consider whether they reveal a need for general guidance to chief officers of police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed increase in salary of the Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board has been referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will categorise the type of murders committed during 1965 and 1966 which would, before the abolition of the death penalty, have been capital murders, according to whether they were by shooting, in the course of committing a felony, or under other appropriate headings;(2) what evidence is in his possession as to the cause, in cases of premeditated murder, of a change of method within the overall decrease in the number of murders committed since the abolition of the death penalty which would explain the rise in formerly capital murders.

Except where there has been a conviction of capital murder, any figures for capital murder are necessarily hypothetical. The figures in the following table include the 8 murders in 1965 that resulted in convictions of capital murder before the coming into effect on 9th November, 1965 of the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act, but otherwise are based on estimates of whether, under the Homicide Act, 1957, the offence was or would have been one of capital murder; in a number of such cases a jury might have decided otherwise.Moreover, it would be too early to attempt to draw any conclusions from the figures for the short period of total

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF CAPITAL MURDERS (ENGLAND AND WALES)
		Murder in the course or furtherance of theft	Murder by shooting	Murder in the course of resisting arrest	Murder of police officer in course of duty	Murder of prison officer in course of duty	Total
1965	…	5	24	—	2	1	32
1966	…	16	15	—	4	—	35

NOTES: Murders are classified according to the categories used in Section 5 of the Homicide Act, 1957.Where a murder was a murder by shooting and also the murder of a police or prison officer, it is classified in the latter categories. There was 1 such case in 1965 and 3 in 1966; in all 4 cases the victim was a police officer, and the 1965 murder was committed in the course of committing a felony but not in the course or furtherance of theft.Where a murder was a murder by shooting and is also estimated to have been a murder in the course or furtherance of theft, it is classified as murder by shooting, unless it was the murder of a police or prison officer. 2 such cases were classified as murder by shooting in 1965 and 2 in 1966.There were no other cases of murder by shooting in the course of committing a felony.Of the murders by shooting, 11 in 1965 and 6 in 1966 were followed by the suicide of the suspect.

LATEST CORRECTED FIGURES OF MURDERS KNOWN TO THE POLICE AND MANSLAUGHTERS UNDER s. 2 OR S. 4 OF THE HOMICIDE ACT 1957 (ENGLAND AND WALES)
Year				Murder	Manslaughter under s. 2 of the Homicide Act 1957	Manslaughter under s. 4 of the Homicide Act 1957
1956	…	…	…	150	—	—
1957	…	…	…	151	21	3
1958	…	…	…	125	27	2
1959	…	…	…	141	20	1
1960	…	…	…	135	31	1
1961	…	…	…	130	29	—
1962	…	…	…	142	42	—
1963	…	…	…	133	56	—
1964	…	…	…	153	35	—
1965	…	…	…	151	50	—
1966	…	…	…	141	62	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give in column form the number of murders committed each year since 1956 which would include those now designated as manslaughter, but which prior to the 1957 Act were still murder, and the number for 1967 to the latest convenient date.

The information requested cannot be given precisely. The Homicide Act, 1957 provided for a verdict of manslaughter, instead of murder, where the person who killed was suffering from diminished responsibility (Section 2) or was the survivor of a suicide pact (Section 4). The following table gives the figures for offences of manslaughter under these sections, together with the figures for murder, but it cannot be assumed that all the convictions of manslaughter would have been convictions of murder under the law before 1957, since the charge might then have been reduced to manslaughter because of provocation or on some other ground.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement concerning what further guidance he intends to give to the courts on the award of costs to acquitted persons.

Courts already have guidance as to the considerations which they should take into account in deciding whether to award such costs. The question which I am now considering, in the light of consultations which are not yet completed, is whether any further guidance is desirable as to the basis on which the costs should be assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are being made for the purchase of cars for new systems of policing.

I have informed police authorities and chief officers in England and Wales that I am prepared to authorise additional expenditure during the current financial year on vehicles for new systems of policing. Most forces have sufficient local resources available for this purpose, but in some cases I have undertaken to arrange for the purchase of additional vehicles against repayment by police authorities as early as possible in the next financial year. A supplementary estimate to cover these purchases will be presented to Parliament in due course. In the meantime the necessary funds are being advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the Boundary Commission's recommendations for constituency changes in England and Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to an earlier Question today.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will initiate discussions with developing countries of the Commonwealth, with a view to Great Britain taking over the pensions of ex-members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service in return for a reduction in aid.

No. The responsibilities of Commonwealth Governments for the payment of these pensions and the functions of Her Majesty's Government in granting aid are separate matters.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will state the composition of the Dudley Mission to Singapore; and whether any of its members have themselves had any industrial or business experience.

Sir Alan Dudley, a Deputy Secretary in my Ministry, was supported by officials from my Ministry, the Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, and from the British High Commission including the Senior Commercial Secretary, but no others with direct business experience. The purpose of the visit was to explore with the Singapore Government the extent and types of aid which would be required in helping to offset the economic effects of the defence rundown. The discussions were on a wholly government to government basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what representations he has received seeking the establishment of an export bond on the same lines as premium bonds; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

The establishment of an export bond would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I have nothing to add to the reply to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, West (Mr. Randall) on 29th November.—[Vol. 755, c. 130.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will seek to introduce an additional type of inducement to industry seeking to establish in development areas as a transitional measure to mitigate the present high Bank Rate.

No. The measures introduced on 18th November have already had regard to the special problems of Development Areas. The withdrawal of the Selective Employment Premium will not apply in these areas hence improving the differential advantage which they have from the Regional Employment Premium and banks are to continue to have regard to the Government's regional policies in their lending. Loans are available under the terms of the Local Employment Acts at moderate rates of interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what undertakings he has received from the Trades Union Congress leaders to co-operate in a further wages freeze; and what undertakings he as given in return.

As my right hon. Friend explained to the House on 21st November, the Government have no intention of introducing a wages freeze. No question of undertakings therefore arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if the Government will introduce early legislation to give assistance to workers displaced by the rapid contraction of the cotton texile industry similar to that proposed for the coal industry.

No. The Industrial Development Certificate controls are already operated flexibly to meet the needs of areas where employment is substantially dependent on the cotton textile industry and their longer term problems will be examined by the Hunt Committee which is getting on as rapidly as possible with its work. Pending the report of that Committee my right hon. Friend will continue to watch developments in these areas closely, but there is no indication at present that their economic problems are likely to become as serious as those arising in the areas particularly affected by the coalmining manpower rundown.

asked the Postmaster-General when sufficient repairs will be put in hand to allow more than 70 per cent. of local calls to be correctly routed and with a ringing tone when calls are made on the Victoria Exchange in the morning.

According to our records about 5 per cent. of day-time week-day local calls on this exchange fail for technical reasons. This is poorer than the standard for London as a whole, and a special investigation is in hand.In 25 per cent. of calls the recipient does not reply, or is engaged, leaving about 70 per cent. which are completed sucessfully.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of telephone kiosks damaged in the county borough of Gateshead to the latest convenient date for the last 12 months; what are the comparative figures for the previous 12 months; how many prosecutions were undertaken; how many persons were found guilty; and what was the amount of the largest fine imposed.

The information is as follows:

	Number of kiosks damaged	Number of offenders prosecuted, found guilty and fined
1967 (April to October)	56	13
Year ended
31st March, 1967	65	3
31st March 1966	64	Nil
The largest fine was £120.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made in meeting requests for the installation of telephones in Gateshead; what is the number at present on the waiting list; and how long he anticipates present applicants must wait till their requests have been met.

The waiting list at 31st October, 1967, was 123, compared with 306 a year ago. Of these, 5 should be connected in about one month, 21 in about three months, and the remainder in about four months.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken since November, 1964, to improve the telephone service in Ruislip-Northwood.

Additional exchange equipment, switchboards and cables have been provided to meet the demands for telephone service in this rapidly growing area. Extensive building work to make room for extra equipment has unavoidably affected operator service in the Ruislip area over the past twelve months but is now nearly completed.Special measures are being taken to give service early in the New Year to people in Ruislip who are waiting; additional equipment in Northwood exchange is expected to be in use late in 1968.If the hon. Member has any specific difficulty in mind, I will gladly look into it.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken since November, 1964, to improve the postal services in Ruislip-Northwood.

Though our main problem in the Ruislip and Northwood area continues to be a shortage of staff the position is better than in November, 1964, and the letter delivery service has improved.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the difference in the cost to the Post Office of the greeting telegram service, compared with the ordinary telegram service.

Greetings telegrams are not costed as a separate service. Extra costs over ordinary telegrams are incurred in delivering almost exclusively by hand, in providing special stationery, and in carrying out additional operating procedures.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will reduce the price of telegrams which are transmitted over the telephone.

No. A telegram message is delivered by the quickest means available, and it is a condition of service that this may be by telephone. Furthermore, a price reduction would not be practicable in a service that is losing £2 million to £3 million annually. Even a telegram delivered by telephone is unprofitable.

asked the Minister or Housing and Local Government what consultations took place with the Greater London Council with regard to the amendment of the Greater London Development Plan before he came to his decision on the site of the British Museum Library.

It was for the Government to decide first whether the site still wanted for the library.Discussions with the local planning authorities about the future of the site, in the light of the Government's decision, will be held shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to provide for free access by bathers to all foreshores.

No. Under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949, foreshores are already included in the definition of open country to which local planning authorities can provide access for the public by agreement, by order or by acquisition.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will now announce the date for the Bewl Valley Reservoir Inquiry;(2) what consultations he has had as to the convenient date and place to hold the inquiry into the Bewl Valley Reservoir.

The Medway Water Board, the Kent River Authority and the Kent and East Sussex County Councils have been consulted but no firm arrangements can yet be made. Legislation is required to remove a doubt which arises on Section 27 of the Water Resources Act, 1963, and which affects this scheme. The question at issue is whether water undertakers who have not yet acquired the land needed for a scheme can in all circumstances make a valid application within the terms of the Section for a licence to abstract water.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress is being made to provide an alternative sewerage system for Brighton and district.

I understand that the Brighton Intercepting and Outfall Sewers Board have accepted in principle recommendations by their consultants for major works of improvement and hope to consider a detailed report on phasing of the works at their January meeting.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to start consultation with the local authorities about the realignment of the runways at Stansted Airport.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Boston) on 28th November.—[Vol. 755, c. 232–33.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what saving will result from the cancellation of the Aldabra project; and how much it will be annually for the next five years.

I have nothing to add to the statement I made during the defence debate on 27th November, 1967.—[Vol. 755, c. 65–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the outstanding cost, showing interest separately, of United States arms and military equipment on order on 8th October, 1964, showing in tabular form the years in which repayments were due to be made; how much of the total amount due remains outstanding; and by how much this amount has been increased as a result of devaluation.

About £80 million of orders outstanding on 8th October, 1964 can be identified. A decision to order the U.S.-engined Phantom for the Royal Navy and certain components for the TSR2 programme had been taken by that time although no orders had actually been placed. The value of these orders would have been about £200 million. It is not possible to say how much of this total of about £280 million would now have been outstanding had the programmes been proceeded with. Substantial additional orders would also have been required to continue with the Polaris programme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek to ban the advertising of French wines and spirits in the United Kingdom until such time as the French Government relaxes the ban on advertising Scotch whisky in France.

No. I have no evidence to suggest that the French ban is significantly affecting our exports of Scotch whisky, which are increasing, or that a retaliatory ban by us would lead to its relaxation.

asked the President of the Boa rd of Trade if he will reopen with the International Civil Aviation Organisation the question of an international agreement prohibiting the use of JP4 fuel in civil aircraft.

No new evidence of sufficient significance has emerged as to justify such action.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations were held by him or his predecessor subsequent to 12th May, 1967 about a possible realignment of Stansted Airport.

The proposal to realign the runways has been discussed with the Government Departments concerned and the British Airports Authority; and will be discussed with the local authorities. The regional planning implications will be discussed with the South-East Regional Economic Planning Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what cost-benefit studies have been made by his Department on the project to create the third London airport at Stansted;(2) what cost-benefit studies have been made by his Department into the possibility of siting the third London airport at Foulness;(3) what cost-benefit studies have been made by his Department into the possibility of siting the third London airport at Sheppey.

Interdepartmental work using cost benefit techniques supports the choice of Stansted as the site for the third London Airport, as compared with the other sites mentioned by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power (1) whether he will give an assurance that the Welsh Regional Economic Council in their planning of Welsh employment opportunities will be free to consider a projected figure other than 9,000 as the number of miners to be employed in 1980; and what estimate he has made of the number of miners that will be employed in Wales in 1971 and 1980;(2) whether, in view of the public concern at the planning of the National Coal Board based on the assumption that the mining manpower in Wales will be reduced from its present figure of 57,400 to 39,000 in 1971 and to 9,000 in 1980, he will refuse approval to plans involving such reductions; and whether he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend explained to the House on 28th November the decline in manpower is an inevitable corollary of the growth of the industry's efficiency as well as the fall in demand. If efficiency is not raised and costs brought down to the extent we all hope, the loss of markets will inevitably be even faster than we anticipate. No useful estimate of manpower in 1980 can be given because the uncertainties so far ahead are too great. However, the Welsh Economic Council will I am sure, be concerned to assess the likely employment situation in Wales by 1971. Mining manpower in Wales may be about 39,000. As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Wales indicated to my hon. Friend on 16th November, this figure is very close to that on which the calculations in the relevant pages of Wales: The Way Ahead (Cmnd. 3334) were based.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether, when there is a general increase in National Insurance benefits, she will relax the rule that contributors with a yearly average of less than 50 should receive a reduced increase, in the case of widows over 70 years of age.

No. The National Insurance scheme is contributory and the benefit must depend on the contribution record. When there is a general increase in National Insurance benefits, those at less than standard rates are increased broadly in proportion to the increase in the standard rate in order to maintain the relationship between the various rates. It would be out of keeping with the nature of the scheme to select a special small group for different treatment.

asked the Minister of Social Security what is the total amount of supplementary benefit paid to the families of London dockers on strike to the latest available date.

Up to 21st November, 1967, £87,310.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Her Majesty's Government will now take emergency powers in order to deal effectively with the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

I have very considerable powers which I am using under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1950. In addition we are securing in practice a number of other valuable precautions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now impose a complete ban on all meat imports from countries known to be sources of foot-and-mouth disease.

As I have said, the origin of the present epidemic has not been established, but the Government are actively considering the question of imports.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the serious proportions of the present outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, he will ban imports of meat from South America.

The origin of the present epidemic has not been established but the Government are actively considering the question of imports.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food how far a shortage of veterinary officers is now delaying prompt action on suspected fresh outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.

There is no shortage of veterinary surgeons and diagnosis and slaughter has been carried out promptly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the need for a national campaign to persuade the public to buy homegrown food, and of the fact that it is not sufficient to leave the promotion of such a campaign to the various interested bodies, whether he will take the initiative in promoting it.

I think that the initiative should remain with the interested bodies, such as the Marketing Boards, the National Milk Publicity Council, the Apple and Pear Development Council, and the British Farm Produce Council, whose efforts I welcome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated increase in the cost to agriculture of the present 8 per cent. rate of interest over the next 12 months; and what instructions will be given to banks about special facilities for credit for agricultural expansion.

As I explained in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling) on 23rd November, the increased cost to farmers of the 8 per cent. Bank Rate would be about £7 million over a full year, of which about £4 million would be in respect of credit for current farming purposes.As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk. South (Mr. J. E. B. Hill) by

the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 23rd November.—[Vol. 754, c.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he estimates to have been the rise in costs of the farming industry since the last price review in terms of wages awards, fuel, fertiliser and incidental price rises up to 18th November, 1967, and also the rises in costs which can be expected as a result of the devaluation of the £ sterling.

I estimate that the cost changes announced before 18th November would, in a full year, amount to about £14 million for wages, about £3¼ million for petroleum products and about £9½ million for fertilisers. I cannot yet say what the total rise in all relevant costs will be in a full year, and it is too early to assess what additional costs may arise from devaluation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies he has made of the anticipated increase in agricultural output which would result from specific increases in agricultural support; and if he will publish any such tables so that the cost to the taxpayer of agricultural expansion and import substitution at various levels can be known.

Changes in the level of agricultural output cannot be related simply to changes in the level of agricultural support. Many other factors are involved such as changes in factor cost, technological developments and improvements in efficiency. It is not practicable therefore to publish the type of information requested.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the Government's policy of requiring agriculture to play a special rôle in replacing imports, the supplement and abatement system on the guaranteed price for livestock will be abandoned so that farmers will know that whatever the state of the market and whatever number they produce, the guaranteed price will remain the same; what such a change would cost in the next 12 months; and what effect this would have on the production of beef and mutton.

Producers collectively are assured of the annual guaranteed price however many eligible fat cattle and sheep they produce, since this price is compared at the end of the year with their average total returns from the market and from weekly deficiency payments. Any shortfall is then made up by a final payment.The system of making abatements and supplements to the weekly deficiency payments is designed to encourage farmers to watch the course of market prices and sell their stock to the best advantage. It also discourages the practice of seeking certification, when deficiency payments are high, of stock that could still be retained on farms and slaughtered when market prices recover.It is impracticable to estimate how much the Exchequer cost of the guarantees would rise in 1968–69 if this system were abandoned. There is no reason to assume that total production would be affected.I see no justification for ending the system.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he intends to review the policy of the Government towards the fishing industry in the light of the devaluation of the £ sterling; whether it is still intended to cut Government subsidies annually and to reduce the size of the fishing fleet; and to what extent the British fleet could expand its activities and replace some of the present imports of fresh and frozen fish;(2) what studies are being made by his Department of the possible expansion of the fishing fleet and of domestic production dependent on increased governmental aid; and if the relevant information or statistics will be published.

These matters are being taken into account in the current review of fisheries policy about which I will make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether it is the policy of the Catering Department of the House of Commons to trade in wines; and what commission is received by the Department on bulk sales of wines.

I have been asked to reply. We receive no commission on bulk wine.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the daily consumption of oeuf en gelee in the Members' Dining Room up to the last convenient day before it ceased being placed on the menu.

I have been asked to reply.This is considered to be a summer dish and in acordance with normal practice the

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on British policy towards the European Free Trade Area.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government has been, and will remain, to play the fullest and most constructive part in the work of the Association in accordance with its aims and objectives.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will recommend to the House the establishment of a new honour for outstanding service by individuals or institutions to the people of Great Britain, to be called the Award of Parliament.

My hon. Friend and I have already had an opportunity for a brief discussion of his interesting ideas on this subject. He knows there are formidable objections to his proposals, but I am grateful to him for putting them forward and will bear them in mind.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a further statement on his exchanges with Sir Humphrey Gibbs and Mr. Ian Smith.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a further statement on Rhodesia.

I have as yet nothing to add to the Statement made on 14th November by my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary.—[Vol. 754, c. 231.]

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with co-ordination between the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and the Chancellor of the Exchequer towards achieving a three per cent. growth rate in the economy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will establish a department for social affairs for the purpose of co-ordinating short-term and long-term social policies.

Our present arrangements already ensure the proper co-ordination of the Government's social policies, but if my hon. and learned Friend has any specific proposals to make I would be happy to have them examined.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a further statement on Great Britain's application to join the European Economic Community.

asked the Prime Minister if, in the light of President de Gaulle's announced policy on British membership, he will now make a further statement on the application to join the Common Market.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the official statement of the President of France about the entry of the United Kingdom into the Common Market, it is still his policy not to accept a refusal; and what is his plan for the United Kingdom.

I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions on 28th November and to the speech I made yesterday, a copy of which is in the Library.—[Vol. 755, c. 234.]

asked the Prime Minister what changes have been made in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The hon. Members for Glasgow, Shettleston (Sir M. Galpern), Halifax (Dr. Summerskill) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Rhodes) have been appointed substitute members of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Council of Europe and the Western European Union in place of the hon. Members for King's Lynn (Mr. Derek Page), Wolverhampton, North East (Mrs. Renée Short) and Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling).

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs under what treaty obligations Her Majesty's Government is committed in guaranteeing the independence of Cyprus; and what recent representations he has made to other powers in the area in the light of these obligations.

The United Kingdom is a party to the Treaty of Guarantee, signed at Nicosia on 16th August, 1960 (Cmnd. 1093).The question of action under this Treaty has not arisen but together with their United States and Canadian colleagues, British representatives at Ankara, Athens and Nicosia are doing everything in their power to avert the threat of war from Cyprus and in particular to support the efforts made in the cause of peace by the United States President's special emissary, Mr. Cyrus Vance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made to the Portugese Government since the Unilateral Declaration of Independence over the supply of good and oil to Rhodesia from Portugal and Portugese colonies.

We of course deplore the failure of any member State of the United Nations to carry out its obligations under the Charter and representations have been made to the Portuguese Government about various breaches of mandatory sanctions under resolutions of the Security Council. Such representations are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the incident involving Brigadier C. D. N. Harper, British Military Attaché in Moscow, at Kishinev on 17th November when he was assaulted and had personal possessions removed; and if he will make a statement.

On 17th November the British and American Military Attachés visited a wine-making farm near Kishinev where they sampled wines and sherries and ate food which was offered them. On returning to their hotel room they both suffered a violet attack of vomiting and retired to their beds. Subsequent medical examination of the two officers gave material evidence for suspecting that the wine had been tampered with.About four hours after the Attachés returned to their room a group of five or six men broke into it, forcibly held them down, tore open their clothes and removed their money belts containing personal papers. The intruders remained for an hour and refused at first to recognise the Attachés as diplomats.This was a serious violation of diplomatic immunity, involving the use of force and strong protests have been made to the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will withhold recognition from any Government of the People's Republic of South Yemen until the release of all members of the former Federal Government now held in custody; and if he will specify the measures of protection he intends to give to British subjects whose contractual relationships with Arab citizens formerly servants of the State expose the British subjects to retaliatory measures.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "No". We have decided to recognise the new State immediately on independence and to enter into normal relations with it.As to the second part, the National Liberation Front have repeated their public assurance that the new Government wishes to protect and encourage the foreign community. The communiqué issued on 29th November records this.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what decision he has taken on the future of Perim, Kamaran and the Kuria Muria Islands, having taken into account the wishes of the inhabitants.

Consultations with the inhabitants of all three groups of islands took place in October and November, starting with those of the Kuria Murias.In accordance with the wishes of hon. Members I pressed for the internationalisation of Perim at the United Nations, but I received confirmation on the 1st of November that this proposal would not be entertained because it was contrary to the letter and spirit of the United Nations Resolutions. Accordingly, I have decided that in all three cases, the wishes of the Islanders should be paramount in deciding their future.The inhabitants of Perim and Kamaran have opted in favour of remaining with South Arabia. The inhabitants of the Kuria Muria Islands have opted for reversion to Muscat. Though administered for convenience from Aden, the Kuria Muria Islands were a separate colony. They originally belonged to Muscat, which ceded them to Queen Victoria in 1854. They have close ties geographically, ethnically and linguistically with the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. They are 200 miles from the nearest South Yemeni territory, and only 20 to 40 miles from the coast of Muscat.We accept that Perim and Kamaran form part of the People's Republic of Southern Yemen and Her Majesty's Government are ready formally to recognise the adherence to it of Perim, now that British sovereignty has ended there. An Agreement for the cession of the Kuria Murias to Muscat has been concluded with the Sultan of Muscat and took effect today. Her Majesty's Government have never had sovereignty over Kamaran and the question of cession does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Health if he will list the number of pay beds available before the review in each appropriate hospital, including teaching hospitals, in the North-West Metropolitan Region, together with the numbers now authorised.

The following is the Information requested:—