asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what machinery of consultation has been established between his Department and the Board of Trade about alternative industry in Midlothian arising out of the White Paper on Fuel Policy.

Through the Scottish Economic Planning Board and other channels, my Departments are in close and constant contact with the Board of Trade on matters concerning industrial development in Scotland. I do not consider that the White Paper on Fuel Policy requires any alteration in this machinery of consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has had from the Scottish Trades Union Congress about employment and prospects in Scotland; and what reply he has sent.

Employment and economic prospects were among the subjects discussed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress at its meeting with the Prime Minister and myself on 19th October. The S.T.U.C. was assured that, with the help of the wider range of incentives now available, the Government will operate their regional development policies with the firm aim of substantially reducing, and eventually eliminating, the disparity in unemployment between the development areas and the rest of Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to make a further statement on the Government's policy regarding the proposal that the Scottish Grand Committee should hold meetings in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now move to amend the Standing Orders and practice of the House with a view to improving parliamentary control over Scottish affairs by enabling the Scottish Grant Committee to hold more meetings, to include in their proceedings additional Scottish question sessions, and to hold some meetings in Edinburgh.

This Session, for the first time, the report stage of Scottish Bills may be taken in Scottish Grand Committee. I am not yet satisfied that there is any general desire to add further to the Committee's work at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made with the installation of closed-circuit television for teaching purposes in Scottish schools.

The Glasgow Education Authority has been using closed-circuit television for teaching since September, 1965, and a second channel has recently been brought into use. In Edinburgh plans are being made for setting up a similar service. There are a few other small installations elsewhere where the circuit is confined to a single school.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress with the power station at Longannet.

The South of Scotland Electricity Board expects that the first two 600 MW sets will be completed in 1969, and that the station will be fully commissioned during 1971 as planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has studied the Report on the Springburn District of Glasgow, prepared at the request of his Department by University of Glasgow and the planning department of Glasgow Corporation; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions contained therein.

My right hon. Friend has received the report, but it would be inappropriate for him to make a statement before Glasgow Corporation which commissioned the report, has indicated what action it has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the co-operation he has received from general practitioners in Scotland in his endeavours to increase the number of health centres.

A health centre is essentially a co-operative effort, and the large number of proposals now under consideration shows that many general practitioners now wish to practise in health centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in which areas health centres are now established; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those areas for which additional health centres have been requested.

Health centres have been established in Edinburgh, Stranraer, Cumbernauld, Huntly and Langholm.Following is the information referred to:

Areas in Scotland for which health centres have been requested
Aberlour.	Jedburgh.
Airdrie.	Keith.
*Alloa.	*Kilsyth.
Biggar.	Kirkcaldy.
*Blackburn.	Kirkcudbright.
*Bonnyrigg.	Kirkwall.
Brechin.	*Lerwick.
Campbeltown.	Livingston.
Castle Douglas.	*Newton Stewart.
Clydebank.	Oban.
Crieff.	Paisley.
Cumbernauld.	Penicuik.
Cupar.	Perth.
Dingwall.	*Renfrew.
Dumbarton.	Rothesay.
Dumfries.	Rutherglen.
Dundee.	St. Andrews.
*Dundonald.	Selkirk.
Duns.	*Stenhousemuir.
East Kilbride.	*Symington.
Edinburgh.	*Thurso.
Falkirk.	*Tillicoultry.
*Fort William.	*Tullibody.
Glasgow.	Vale of Leven
*Golspie.	(Alexandria).
*Grangemouth.	*West Kilbride.
Grantown.	Wick.
Greenock.	Wishaw.
*For these places, the proposal is that the health centre should be provided by the local health authority under powers delegated by the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made, and is being made, through central and local government action, in encouraging the growth of the arts in Scotland.

Government expenditure on the arts, including the National Museums, Library and Galleries has risen from £696,000 in 1964–65 to an estimated £1,251,000 in 1967–68 and I am sure that this has resulted in much increased activity in the arts in Scotland. One major local authority capital project is under construction.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what feasibility studies of the region of the Clyde Valley are now being made, or are planned.

None.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Scotland how many students are in teacher training colleges; and of these how many are university graduates.

On the provisional figures for the current session, 10,242, including 1,304 graduates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for dealing with the need to recruit and train child care officers for the staffing of children's homes, and assistance to children's departments of local authorities.

There are at present in Scotland six courses providing training at various levels in the residential care of children, and five courses providing training for child care officers in the field. Proposals for several further courses are under consideration. Recruitment is a matter for each local authority, but my child care inspectorate assists in any way it can.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to amend the law which at present requires corroboration of evidence.

My right hon. Friend intends to introduce legislation as soon as convenient to implement the recommendation of the Scottish Law Commission that the requirement of corroboration should be abolished in most types of civil proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an assurance that he will refrain from introducing legislation in this parliamentary session to put unpaid fines on the same basis as unpaid debts.

Fines may already be recovered as civil debts. My right hon. Friend is not contemplating any legislation on this subject during the present Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total of all fines due to be paid in Scotland at the most recent convenient date; and how much of this sum is reckoned to be overdue.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a list of the different offences for which fines were imposed over six months ago and which remain unpaid by more than 50 per cent., and the total amount involved in each category.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases there are in Scotland in which fines were imposed more than a year ago, and in which not more than half of the sum involved has been paid.

I do not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the fines which have not yet been fully paid in Glasgow were imposed because of the carrying of offensive weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total, at the most recent date available, of all fines due in Scotland which were imposed for the carrying of offensive weapons; and what percentage this represents of all fines which have not been fully paid.

I do not have this information.

asked the Secretary for State for Scotland (1) what discussions have taken place regarding the future of Paisley College of Technology; and what proposals have arisen therefrom;(2) what are his proposals for the expansion of student intake at the Paisley College of Technology.

Officers of my Department have had discussions with the governors of the College about the future expansion of student intake and with the governors and Paisley Town Council about the best method of developing the College to accommodate increased numbers. My right hon. Friend hopes to reach a decision on these matters soon and will write to my hon. Friend thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what specialist centres there are for the treatment of paraplegics.

There is a specialist unit at Edenhall Hospital, Musselburgh, and a smaller unit with limited facilities at Philipshill Hospital, Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many temporary homes over 10 years old are still occupied by council tenants in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

About 11,000, of which 6,000 have been approved for removal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the building of further coal-fired power stations in Scotland.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraph 98 of the recent White Paper on Fuel Policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make available to the hon. Member for East Renfrewshire the findings of the post-mortem on her constituent Alexander Charles Margrett.

A copy of the findings of the sheriff's inquiry into the death of this boy has been sent to the hon. Member with a transcript of the evidence and the post-mortem report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take either directly or through the Highlands and Islands Development Board, to reduce freight charges in the Highlands and Islands.

As I indicated in my reply on 25th October to the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. MacArthur), I am having a study made of the level of charges for sea transport in the Highlands and Islands. I shall make a further statement on this question as soon as I can.—[Vol. 751, c. 469–74.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number and value of pedigree cattle whose export from Scotland has been prohibited because of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in England.

I am informed that 94 pedigree cattle from Scotland have been stopped. These were consignments, or parts of consignments, intended for Russia, Argentina and Kenya. I understand that the Russian export was to consist of some 460 cattle from both England and Scotland valued at about £124,600; this included 65 cattle from Scotland. I have no information about the value of the 10 cattle to Argentina, but I understand that the Kenyan consignment of 19 cattle were valued at £3,125.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what forecast he has made of a reduction in the number of jobs in Scotland in coalmining, heavy engineering and shipbuilding, respectively, over the next 10 years; and what related provision he proposes to enable those who are displaced to be retrained in other skills.

It is impracticable to make firm forecasts for individual industries so far ahead, but measures to deal with training and retraining needs have been greatly advanced since the problems of structural change in Scottish industry were fully identified in the White Paper on the Scottish Economy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the increase in the total of rates to be paid in Scotland in 1967–68 as compared with the previous year.

On the basis of information relating to 93 per cent. of Scottish rateable valuation, I estimate that the increase will be about £3·9 million or 2·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to enable justices of the peace who lose work in order to attend court, to claim compensation for loss of earnings; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Legislation to enable justices of the peace to claim a financial loss allowance will be introduced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost per school place, as set out in the Scottish Education Department's School Building Code, Schedule A 1 a-e, of the round secondary school in Provan, Glasgow; what is the average cost of such a place elsewhere; and how this cost compares with a similar place completed in 1965.

The common cost per place of Smithycroft Secondary School in Glasgow was £249. The average common cost of all complete new secondary schools started in the same year, 1964, was £254. The average common cost for similar places completed in 1965 was £243.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many members of his staff in the Scottish Development Department have received specialised training in the matter of alleviating the problems of traffic congestion in cities, with particular reference to one-way street schemes; and whether the advice of any such experts has been made available to Edinburgh Corporation.

Seventeen professional engineers, qualified by training and experience to advise on traffic management, are available in my Department to assist Scottish highway authorities, including Edinburgh Corporation, which have from time to time sought and been given advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to improve tourist opportunities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, in view of the continuation next year of the restrictions on the travel allowance for foreign travel for British subjects.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave on 29th November to the hon. Member for Moray and Nairn (Mr. G. Campbell). In addition, the Highlands and Islands Development Board has offered more than £700,000 in grants and loans for tourist projects in the last two years, and the Board has set up a tourism section which, working in close co-operation with the Scottish Tourist Board, has already in hand a number of measures designed to attract business and to improve accommodation and other facilities.—[Vol. 755, c. 108–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to prohibit the use of gin traps.

Yes. I am satisfied that because of the cruelty involved to animals taken by means of the gin trap its continued use cannot be justified, and I propose to introduce in due course the legislation necessary to enable me to ban it. At the request of the Humane Traps Panel, which advises my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and myself on the development of new traps, however, a further period will be allowed before the prohibition becomes effective, during which time the Panel will continue its efforts to develop a suitable alternative trap.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the increasing use of dangerous weapons for assaults on persons, he will introduce legislation to give the police and courts more effective power to deal with this menace; and if he will make a statement.

The recent Criminal Justice Act has already given increased powers to the courts by increasing maximum fines both on summary conviction and on indictment. This will come into operation on 1st January, 1968.I am still considering other aspects of this problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that existing safeguards will prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of the tremendous efforts my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and his Department are making to prevent the further spread of foot-and-mouth disease into those areas, including Scotland, which are still fortunately free from it. Otherwise, I have nothing to add to what I said on 29th November in reply to the Private Notice Question by the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. David Steel) and the supplementary questions put to me by other hon. Members.—[Vol. 755, c. 441–5]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prevent shooting parties from England shooting over Scotland during the period of foot-and-mouth disease.

As my right hon. Friend and I have indicated already many times—in reply to Questions in the House and elsewhere—it is in the national interest that non-essential activities of any kind that involve movement over agricultural land should be curtailed. And none should take place without the agreement of the farmer concerned. I cannot too strongly emphasise these warnings. This is the advice my Department has been giving, and I am grateful to the many recreational (and other) organisations that have followed it and publicised it to their members.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what precautions have been taken to guard against a spread of foot-and-mouth disease to Scotland.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food imposed controlled area restrictions throughout the whole of Scotland from midnight on Friday, 24th November. This means that no movement of livestock can take place except under licence, store markets are prohibited, and movements of livestock, under licence, are allowed to fatstock markets specifically licensed for that purpose on condition that the animals are moved from the market direct for slaughter within 96 hours. Movements of livestock to and from England are in general prohibited.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursery schools there are in Lanarkshire and in the parliamentary constituency of Hamilton, respectively; where they are situated; and how many places each school offers.

There are two education authority nursery schools in Lanarkshire, one at Coatbridge and one at Hamilton. In January, 1967, these schools had 40 and 55 children, respectively, on their rolls. There is also one nursery class, with 17 children, in Lanark. I have no details about private nursery schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions in the court there were in the city and in the county of Aberdeen from November, 1960 to January, 1961, concerning the control of dogs; and how many of those were instigated because of the foot-and-mouth disease restrictions in the area.

None in the City of Aberdeen. I regret that information is not available for the county.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions are being made for the recruitment of domiciliary nurses specialising in the care of the elderly.

The training of home nurses employed by local health authorities already includes the care of the elderly, and about two-thirds of the visits now paid by these nurses are to persons aged 65 and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much public money was spent on the police service in each of the last five years.

The total expenditure incurred by Scottish police authorities and by the Exchequer, less receipts, was:—

Year	£
1962–63	15,619,065
1963–64	17,295,902
1964–65	18,602,570
1965–66	20,458,561
1966–67	21,509,117

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new houses will be completed in the North-East of Scotland, county by county, in the course of the current financial year.

I cannot say precisely. The Housing Return for Scotland to 30th September, 1967, which was published on 9th November, shows for each local authority area the number of houses started and completed between January and September and the number under construction at 30th September.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to take powers which would enable him to instruct local authorities in Scotland to consider afresh their house-letting schemes and to submit their schemes to him for his approval; and if he will make a statement.

This is one of the matters dealt with in the Report on Allocating Council Houses, prepared by a sub-committee of the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee. I am examining it, but I do not intend to take any decision until I have the views of local authorities and the full Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in order to alleviate the burdens at present borne by local councillors, he will introduce legislation to ensure that the allocation of houses to tenants becomes the ultimate responsibility of housing managers, whilst leaving councillors with the right to make representations on such matters, as recommended by the report on Housing Management in Scotland submitted to him by the Sub-Committee of the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee.

No. The ultimate responsibility must rest with the elected members. The Report on Housing Management recommended that the operation of a scheme of allocation approved by the council should be delegated to the housing manager. This would not require legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has now taken on the Kay Report on the Allocation of Council Houses.

My right hon. Friend is still awaiting the comments of many important local authorities before consulting the Housing Advisory Committee and the local authority associations preparatory to reaching conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount paid in housing subsidies and farm subsidies, respectively, in each of the last five years.

The total amounts paid by way of grants for housing purposes and the total amounts paid to farmers in Scotland by way of agricultural grants and subsidies (including agricultural price guarantee payments) were as follows:—

(1) Housing Subsidies
	Gross £ million
1962–63	18·7
1963–64	18·4
1964–65	21·1
1965–66	22·6
1966–67	24·2
(2) Agricultural Grants and Subsidies
	£ million
1962–63	46·6
1963–64	45·8
1964–65	40·9
1965–66	39·0
1966–67 (provisional)	43·5

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of teachers who will retire in Scotland in the years 1968, 1969 and 1970, showing the figures for primary and secondary schools, respectively.

About 1,020 in each of the three financial years beginning 1968–69. It is not possible to apportion the figures between primary and secondary schools, but the estimates allow for more than twice as many women as men teachers retiring over the three-year period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons own over 5,000 acres of land in the Scottish Highlands.

I cannot give details of ownership, but according to the June, 1967 Agricultural Returns there were 298 Agricultural units over 5,000 acres in the Highlands. Of these 198 were owner/occupied and 100 tenanted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many additional hospital beds he estimates will become available in each of the Scottish hospital board regions over the next six months.

It is estimated that between 1st December 1967 and 31st May, 1968 the following beds will become available in new or substantially converted accommodation:

Northern Regional Hospital Board	Nil
North-Eastern Regional Hospital Board	120
Eastern Regional Hospital Board	70
South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board	650
Western Regional Hospital Board	610
	1,450

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many hospital beds are available in hospitals in each of the regions managed by regional hospital boards in Scotland; and what numbers were occupied at the most recent date for which figures are available;(2) how many beds were vacant in the hospitals run by each of the regional hospital boards in Scotland at the most recent rate for which figures are available.

The figures are as follows:

Regional Hospital Board	Available Staffed Beds as at 31st March, 1967	Average number of occupied beds during the six month period to 31st March, 1967
(1)	(2)	(3)
Northern	2,572	2,289
North-Eastern	6,078	5,149
Eastern	6,649	5,541
South-Eastern	12,923	11,135
Western	34,543	29,402
	62,765	53,516

The number of beds vacant at any time is not known but the difference between columns (2) and (3) gives an approximate indication of the average percentage occupancy. It will be appreciated that an occupancy of, or approaching, 100 per cent. is not achievable except in a long stay hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that many persons requiring hospital treatment in Scotland are unable to obtain admission because of the shortage of hospital beds; and what plans he has to improve the situation in the near future.

I am aware that in some areas and in some specialties there are not enough beds. Schemes now under construction will provide about 3,300 beds and schemes being planned to start in the period to 1971 should provide over 5,000 more.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the shortage of hospital pharmacists in Scottish hospitals at the most recent date for which figures are available; and what the shortage within hospitals run by the Western Regional Hospital Board on that date.

At the beginning of November there were 34 vacancies for hospital pharmacists in Scotland of which 30 were in the Western Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were on the waiting list for admission to hospital in each of the districts operated by regional hospital boards in Scotland at the most recent date for which figures are available.

At 31st March, 1967, the numbers on the respective waiting lists for admission to hospital were as follows:

Northern region	1,421
North-eastern region	4,566
Eastern region	4,901
South-eastern region	14,852
Western region	29,690
Scotland	55,430

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the shortage of nurses in hospitals in each of the regions managed by the regional hospital boards in Scotland at the most recent date for which figures are available.

There are no fixed establishments of nursing staff for hospitals in Scotland, and figures for vacancies are not available centrally. Over the last 10 years the number of nursing staff (whole time equivalent) has increased on average by about 3·7 per cent. per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will complete his consideration of the application by the South of Scotland Electricity Board to convert certain generating stations to oil-firing; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has informed the Board that, after balancing the economic and technical advantages against the wider social and other implications, he cannot approve the conversion of these stations to oil-firing at the present time. This does not preclude the Board from renewing the applications at some future date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board was refused permission to convert the remainder of the Carolina Port, Dundee, generating station to oil firing; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this decision on the cost of electricity to consumers in the Board's area.

My right hon. Friend withheld his consent because the wider social and other implications of a change from coal to oil fuel outweighed the economic and technical advantages. On average over the next six years the consequent reduction in the Board's tariffs might have been no more than one thousandth of a penny per unit.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what examination he has made of the potential of the chipboard industry to aid regional development; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will initiate an inquiry into the rôle of the chipboard industry in utilising the products of Scottish forestry; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is well aware of the significance of the chipboard industry both for Scottish forestry and for the economic development of the areas concerned. The position of the industry is kept under review and my right hon. Friend does not have in mind a separate inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how the costs of electricity supplied from the Galloway Water Power Scheme compare with the cost of electricity at Invergordon.

The cost of generation at the Galloway stations is 0·157 pence per unit. Electricity is normally supplied at Invergordon at an average price of 1·785 pence per unit. The two figures are not comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider seeking to amend the provisions of the Prevention of Crime Act, 1953 to introduce powers of search by police constables in Scotland, and to increase the statutory penalties specified therein in accordance with the provisions of the Firearms Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he will now introduce legislation to enable the police to search persons suspected of carrying offensive weapons.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Coat-bridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now publish a White Paper giving his revised time-scale for the achievement of the targets detailed in the White Paper on the Scottish Economy, Command Paper No. 2864.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith) and Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Wolrige-Gordon.)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what emergency action he will now take to counteract the deflationary effects of rising Bank Rate on the Scottish economy.

The measures recently taken by the Government have preserved the Selective Employment Tax premium in the development area; factory building in these areas will continue to expand t and the banks have been asked to continue to have regard to the Government's regional development policies in dealing with applications for advances.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost involved in trooping by air from 1964 till the latest available date, and the respective allocation of cost between state-owned and independent airlines.

Payments to civil operators for air trooping, including visits by school-children to parents serving overseas, since the beginning of 1964 total £43½ million; of this £8½ million has been paid to the state-owned airlines and the rest to independent operators.Up to November, 1964, B.O.A.C. and B.E.A. were allowed to tender only for ad hoc charter trooping flights, but since that date they have been authorised to tender for long term trooping contracts as well and to offer seats on their scheduled services on a fill-up basis.Excluding Germany, a large proportion of air trooping is now carried out by Royal Air Force Air Support Command and, as the strategic transport force builds up, this proportion will increase.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the expenditure on the Royal Yacht "Britannia" for the year 1967; and what reduction he proposes in this expenditure for 1968, in view of the need for economy in the public services.

£473,000 in the financial year 1967–68, including expenditure on a three month refit. The estimated expenditure in 1968–69 is £435,000. This will cover no more than her normal running expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consult with other relevant Ministers about alternatives to the scrapping of H.M.S. "Victorious", including its possible use as a school journey ship or an anchored hostel.

I am prepared to consider any suitable proposals for using H.M.S. "Victorious" for non-defence purposes after she has paid off.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the West Germans for the development of a joint new naval guided weapon, to be tested at Woomera, Australia.

As reported in the 1967 Statement on Defence Estimates, we had discussions with the West German Government earlier this year on possible collaboration in a new naval short-range surface-to-air guided weapon but the Germans have decided not to pursue the matter, at least for the time being.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to compensate service pensioners living abroad for the loss in the value of their pensions owing to devaluation.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give an assurance that there will be no action taken in respect of the regiments making up the Welsh Brigade before the summer of 1969; and whether he will make a statement.

On present plans I expect the amalgamation of The Welch Regiment and The South Wales Borderers to take place between July and December, 1969. This would permit both regiments to take part in the investiture of his Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value of the buildings, installations, stores and equipment which have been abandoned in Aden following the withdrawal of the British troops.

Assets in Aden and the Protectorates were disposed of as follows: Fixed assets belonging to the Navy, Army and Air Force Departments and the Foreign Office were handed over to the South Arabian authorities without charge as reported in the White Paper on the gift of fixed assets and equipment to the South Arabian Authorities (Cmnd. 3442). These assets included military type buildings, schools, hospitals, fixtures such as air-conditioning plant, kitchen equipment, fuel tanks, roads, jetties and runways. These have been valued at £24·6 million at depreciated present day replacement costs.The contents, not required for use elsewhere, of certain buildings were also handed over without charge as reported in Cmnd. 3442. These comprise items such as school desks, hospital beds and other accommodation stores and technical and medical equipment the removal of which would ruin the buildings as "going concerns". The value of these items is estimated at less than £1 million, based on their depreciated value.Other moveable equipment and stores not required for use elsewhere or not economically worth transporting were sold, prior to withdrawal to the Federal Authorities, to other Governments, or on the open market in accordance with normal Services disposals procedures. In addition a contract was negotiated for the bulk sale of all remaining surpluses arising after 4th September, 1967, and this included those items which became surplus only at the moment of withdrawal.Because of these arrangements and as far as is at present known, it is anticipated that there will prove to have been virtually no abandonment of stores which would have had a saleable value.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated value of military buildings, installations and equipment abandoned in Aden and the Protectorates.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer already given today to the hon. Member for Windsor (Sir C. Mott-Radclyffe).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the cost of maintaining British forces in Bahrain in the year 1955–56, the cost of transferring stores and equipment from Aden to Bahrain in 1967 and the estimated cost of maintaining British forces in Bahrain, including any additional buildings necessary in the year 1967–68.

No records of such expenditure were kept for the year 1955–56. Full details of the extra cost to the Defence Budget of transferring stores and equipment from Aden to Bahrain in 1967 are not at present available but it is likely to prove very small. The forecast foreign exchange cost of our forces in Bahrain including works costs in the current financial year is about £7 million.

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 1st January, 1963, excluding the Polaris programme; what was the outstanding cost, showing interest separately, of orders already placed with the United States of America in connection with the Polaris programme; and what was the value of further orders that it was then agreed would subsequently be placed with the United States of America resulting from the Bahamas Meetings in December, 1962.

No reliable figures are available for the cost of United States orders which were outstanding on 1st January, 1963. Items to the value of nearly £20 million have been identified but this figure is unlikely to be exhaustive. No orders had been placed for Polaris on 1st January, 1963, and there was no loan arrangement. The programme envisaged as a result of the Bahamas meeting would, at the prices then current, have cost £200–£250 million in dollars.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the cost of the stores and all other items not treated as capital, respectively, which have been handed over by Her Majesty's Government to the People's Republic of South Yemen and also the quantities of ammunition which are included in the above figures.

Moveable equipment and stores not required for use elsewhere, or whose removal would not have been economic, were sold. Sales included quantities of ammunition to the Southern Yemen authorities. The Southern Yemen Army has been buying its ammunition from British Army sources for some years.As far as is at present known, the only items not covered in Cmnd. 3442 which were handed over were approximately 10,000 tons of fuel oil left as sludge at the bottom of fuel tanks valued at list price as £52,000; and a small quantity of stores, the current depreciated value of which is estimated to be £7,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the total labour employed at Rosyth Dockyard is directly connected with work on the servicing of nuclear submarines as a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitment.

Royal Navy nuclear submarines will be refitted at Rosyth. When a nuclear submarine is in hand for refit she will absorb on average about 40 per cent. of the labour force of Rosyth Dockyard. Within N.A.T.O. repair of warships is a national responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many British armed forces establishments there are in Scot- land; where these establishments are located; and how many persons there are serving in each.

There are at the present time 168 British armed forces establishments, employing 34,500 personnel, at the following locations in Scotland:

Aberdeen.	Inchinnar.
Allrey, Rosshire.	Inverbervie.
Alexandria,	Invergordon.
Dumbartonshire.	Invergowrie.
Almondbank, Perth.	Inverness.
Arbroath.	Irvine.
Aultbea.	Keith.
Ayr.	Kinloss.
Bandeath.	Kinnaber.
Bathgate.	Kirk Liston.
Beath.	Kirkcaldy.
Buchan.	Kirkwell.
Coatdyke.	Lanark.
Collafirth Hill.	Lathalmond.
Coulport, Argyllshire.	Leuchars.
Coulport,	Livingstone.
Dumbartonshire.	Lochgilphead.
Crombie.	Loch Goil.
Cupar.	Lossiemouth.
Dalmuir.	Lyness.
Dalry.	Machrehanish.
Dingwall.	Milton Bridge.
Dounreay.	Mormond Hill.
Dumbarton.	Mossy Hill.
Dumfries.	Old Kilpatrick.
Dunblane.	Paisley.
Dundee.	Perth.
Dundrennon.	Peterhead.
Dunfermline.	Pitreavie Castle.
Dunkeld.	Prestwick.
Dyce.	Rosneath.
East Kilbride.	Rosyth.
Edinburgh.	Saxa Vord.
Edzell.	South Queensferry.
Elgin.	South Uist.
Faslane.	Stirling.
Faslane.	Stonehaven.
Fort William.	Stornoway.
Galashields.	Stranraer.
Garthness.	Troon.
Glasgow.	Turnhouse.
Glen Fruin.	Unst.
Grangemouth.	West Freugh.
Greenock.	Wick
Hamilton.	Wishaw.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will state the costs to date of testing the Hawker Siddeley Sea Dart at Woomera in Australia; and if he will make a statement on the military value of the project;(2) if he will state the costs to date of testing the British Aircraft Corporation Rapier anti-aircraft missile at Woomera in Australia; and if he will make a statement on the military value of the project.

The United Kingdom's share up to 31st October, 1967, of Woomera costs attributable to Sea Dart and Rapier trials was about £440,000 and £195,000 respectively. We attach great importance to the early introduction of both weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign bases there are in Scotland; and how many foreign persons there are serving in each.

There are no foreign bases in Scotland. Some 2,000 foreign civilian and military personnel are serving at various United States and N.A.T.O. military establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many travel warrants were issued at Catterick Camp and Richmond to service personnel for rail travel in 1964, 1965 and 1966.

Owing to unit moves and the fact that details of warrants issued are not retained beyond twelve months, it is not possible to provide this information from service records. It has, however, been ascertained from British Rail that tickets issued in exchange for railway warrants at Catterick Bridge and Richmond stations to personnel and entitled dependants of the Army and Royal Air Force were as follows:

	Catterick Bridge	Richmond	Total
1964	1,766	25,214	26,980
1965	2,763	21,917	24,680
1966	3,349	21,347	24,696

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the numbers of United Kingdom personnel attached, for observer and liaison duties, with United States, Australia and South Vietnam forces engaged in the Vietnam war in each year from 1964 to the present, and the expenditure falling upon United Kingdom public funds as a result of this activity.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why, in view of the fact that Great Britain does not supply weapons for use in the Vietnam war, Her Majesty's Government help to train combatants for this war in Malaysia.

I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave on 13th June, 1966, to my hon. Friend the Member for Feltham (Mr. Kerr) and on 29th November this year to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick).—[Vol. 729, c. 1034; Vol. 755, c. 117.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in order to make Her Majesty's Government's rôle as conciliator in the Vietnam war appear impartial, as well as being in fact impartial, he will now take steps to cease the training of and any other indirect help to the combatants.

No. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, this training, which is on a very limited scale, is not inconsistent or incompatible with our duty of co-Chairman. It has always been accepted that of the two co-Chairmen one represents generally a Western point of view and the other an Eastern point of view. The Soviet co-Chairman has supplied arms on a large scale for the fighting in Vietnam.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the number of United Kingdom personnel engaged on the construction of military airfields and airstrips in Thailand in each year from 1964 to the present, and the expenditure falling upon the United Kingdom public funds as a result of this activity.

One medium range transport airfield was built in Thailand by the Royal Engineers and handed over to the Thais early this year. It was designed to help to provide communications in a poor area, though its use is for the Thai Government to determine. The numbers of U.K. personnel engaged varied between about 350 and about 500, and the extra cost to H.M.G. was about £1·3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now tabulate the minor cuts and deferments, accounting for £60 million of the recently announced £100 million reduction in defence expenditure, but so far unspecified.

I am not at present prepared to add to the statement I made on 27th November. Details of all the changes will be reflected in the 1968–69 Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of moneys expended by his Department in 1966 was spent in Wales.

Exclusive of remittances by Welsh members of the forces serving outside Wales, about 3 per cent. of Defence Budget expenditure was spent in Wales during 1965–66, the most recent year for which such information is readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are employed by his Department in Wales.

About 10,000 civilians in Wales and Monmouth at 1st October, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the fact that the Polaris submarine programme is now to cost £20 million less

				Gateshead			Durham County
					Injury			Injury
				Fatal	Serious	Slight	Fatal	Serious	Slight
October, 1966	…	…	…	1	10	53	17*	385* (combined)
October, 1967	…	…	…	2	10	35	11	92	343
* Excludes Sunderland County Borough.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware that the new lights recently established at the Blue House, Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the A1 are dangerously sited; and whether she will have them re-examined with a view in the interest of safety to their readjustment.

These signals have now been readjusted.

Expenditure on Polaris equipment being bought from the U.S.A. will cost less than originally estimated; and there have been savings on miscellaneous other items.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for acquiring, or by-passing, the Selby Toll Bridge.

Investigation is continuing to see what might be done to improve traffic conditions at Selby. I regret that in my reply to a supplementary Question by my hon. Friend the Member for York (Mr. Alexander W. Lyon) on 15th November I said that there was to be a by-pass at Selby. No decision has in fact yet been reached in this matter.—[Vol. 754, c. 435–6.]

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give figures of accidents on the roads in Durham and Gateshead, respectively, involving fatal, serious and slight injury for the month of October, 1967 and the comparable figures for October, 1966.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will consider a proposal to extend the 30 miles per hour speed limit in Smallfield, near Horley, Surrey, towards Copthorne, in view of the fact that this road is frequently in use by children moving between the divided buildings of the Smallfield County Primary School.

Any extension of the speed limit on this length of road is, in the first instance, the responsibility of the Surrey County Council. Should the Council decide formally to seek my right hon. Friend's consent to such an extension, she will, of course, carefully consider their proposal. I understand that they will be considering the matter shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals she has to improve road communications between the developing industrial site at Tanfield Lea, Stanley, County Durham, and the freightliner terminal at Follingsby.

Improvement of the access roads at Tanfield Lea should be completed by 31st March, 1968, and the access roads at Follingsby will be improved as part of the £3 million Black Fell-White Mare Pool special road scheme. Work on this and on the £3 million scheme for converting the A1 Birtley By-pass to a motorway is due to start next year. An improvement at Beamish on A693 is about to start.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects to complete her deliberations about reducing the present speed limit and revising carriageway markings on the A33 road at Otterbourne Hill, Hampshire.

The carriageway markings are already being revised. My right hon. Friend will reconsider the case for a lower speed limit on Otterbourne Hill in three months' time, when a new traffic pattern will have emerged following the opening of the Otterbourne and Chandler's Ford By-pass. This will considerably reduce the amount of traffic passing through Otterbourne.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will now impose a speed limit on the Dunchurch-Thurlaston roundabout road, as requested by the hon. Member for Rugby in a letter dated 23rd January, 1967.

As my hon. Friend was told on 16th May, this length of road does not meet existing criteria for a 50 m.p.h. speed limit. However, we are now reviewing the case in the light of new guidance on the application of speed limits which will be issued soon. My right hon. Friend hopes to reach a final decision within a month.

asked the Minister of Transport how many qualified highway engineers have been recruited to the road construction units; how many of these were previously employed by her Department; and how many were previously employed by local authorities.

The Road Construction Units are being manned as a partnership between the Department and certain County Councils. The general aim is that the Department should provide 20 per cent. of the total engineering staff, and the local authorities the rest. One hundred and thirty-eight engineers have taken up duty in the three R.C.U.s set up so far. Fourteen are from the Department, and 124 from the counties.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will introduce legislation instructing motor vehicle manufacturers to fit laminated windscreens to their cars, especially those designated for export.

The available evidence does not show that laminated glass is safer than toughened glass. Manufacturers already fit laminated glass windscreens to cars which are intended for export to countries where these are obligatory.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that the forthcoming legislation to confine road hauliers to a 100-mile radius will cause hardship and inconvenience in the Highlands of Scotland, if she will ensure that the interests of hauliers and the general public will be safeguarded in the new legislation.

My proposal, as set out in the White Paper on the Transport of Freight, is to require all road hauliers carrying goods for more than 100 miles between any two points, in lorries of over 16 tons gross weight, to apply for a quantity licence. The arrangements for obtaining such licences will ensure that the quality of transport services will not be diminished and there will be no uneconomic transfer of traffic to rail.

Williams asked the Minister of Transport if she will make available details of the economic and statistical information on which she based her recent White Paper, The Transport of Freight, Command 3470.

Some of this information is contained in the White Paper itself, e.g. the data on freight traffic by road and rail, broken down by distance, presented in Appendix 1. New material on the costs and revenues of the road system will be published in my Department's forthcoming report on road track costs. Lastly, the study of the comparative economics of road and rail trunk transport (The Transport Cost Model) is now nearing completion and the principal results will be published. Preliminary findings have already proved of great value.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what is the extent to which the added stress of high speed increases the strain on railway lines and rolling stock; and what steps she plans to minimise those strains and so minimise the risk of railway accidents;(2) if she will give a general direction to British Railways to limit the speed of trains in order to minimise the strain imposed on both the permanent way and the ancillary rolling stock.

The British Railways Board tells me that the increase in the stresses in track and rolling stock at high speed is marginal and is allowed for in the maintenance of existing equipment and the design of new equipment.The regulation of the speed of trains is a matter for the Board and it would not be appropriate to issue a general direction.

asked the Minister of Transport why she has authorised the sale of the track of the Dumfries—Stranraer railway; and whether she will now reconsider this decision.

My right hon. Friend agreed to the disposal of track and formation of this line, after consulting my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, because she was satisfied that there was no likelihood of development sufficient to justify the cost of keeping the route open and foregoing the savings from disposal. There was also the possibility that some lengths may be useful for roadworks.The decision was a final one.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate she has made of the effect the decision to hand over the Caerwent site in Monmouthshire to the United States Air Force will have on the volume of tonnage nandled at Newport Docks.

It is not expected to have any significant effect.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories have been built in West Stirlingshire; and what estimate he has made of the immediate prospects in view of the past closures of pits and the possibilities of further closures in the near future.

One factory at Kilsyth. I am aware of the difficulties created by pit closures in West Stirling and we are doing all we can to promote alternative employment by encouraging development of new industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will subdivide untenanted advance factories in development areas, or build new ones, subdivided, so as to make them suitable for firms employing 10 to 50 employees.