asked the Minister of Health whether he will encourage hospital management committees and boards of governors to raise endowments for additional comforts and amenities by public appeals.

No. It would be inappropriate for authorities providing statutory services to make appeals of this kind.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the proposed development of the Hospital of St. Cross, Rugby.

I cannot add to the Answer I gave my hon. Friend on 21st June.—[Vol. 74B, c. 297–8.)

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that his advice regarding the procedures to be adopted when patients come into touch with teaching practices is being followed in the London teaching hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to believe that my advice is not generally followed in these hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health what reply has been sent to the letter of the honorary Secretary of the Cheshire Non-County Boroughs Association about membership of hospital management committees.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the reply.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to ensure that the medical staffs of hospitals are not delayed in journeys to work as a result of the dislocation of transport services due to current disputes in municipal bus undertakings.

I am not aware of any difficulties, but it would be for the hospital authorities in the area to consider whether any special arrangements are needed locally.

asked the Minister of Health what action is being taken to recruit male nurses for the hospital service in the development areas; and whether he will make a statement.

Recruitment of staff is a matter for hospital authorities and both in and outside development areas they undertake a wide range of nursing publicity and recruitment activities. For the Hospital Regions where there are development areas, the proportion of male nursing staff to total nursing staff is higher than the average for England and Wales. Nursing as a career for men is being publicised nationally and the number of male nursing staff has been rising steadily.

asked the Minister of Health what is the ratio of nurses to patients at St. George's Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland; and what steps are taken to recruit, especially male staff.

1:3.8. Nursing staff for the hospital, both female and male, is recruited principally through the medium of the local Press and selected local journals.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if, in relation to his recent review of pay-beds, he will state for each hospital concerned the percentage occupancy by private patients during the last year, the recommendations of the medical committee of each hospital regarding future numbers of private beds, the recommendations of the appropriate hospital management committees regarding future numbers of private beds, the recommendations of regional hospital boards to his department, and the numbers finally authorised by his Department;(2) if, in relation to his recent review of pay-beds, he will state for each teaching hospital concerned the recommendations of the medical committee regarding future numbers of private beds, the recommendations of the board of governors of each teaching hospital where these differed from those of the medical committee, and the numbers of private beds finally authorised by his Department.

The information requested is not available centrally and as nearly 900 hospitals are concerned its collection would involve a disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Health what response he has received from regional hospital boards, hospital management committees and boards of governors to his memorandum on the Hunt Committee recommendations for

Date		0–1month	1–2 months	2–4 months	4–12 months	12+months	Total
November, 1967	…	287	164	206	377	11	1,045
November, 1964	…	332	170	144	112	Nil	758
November, 1963	…	299	195	119	78	4	695

asked the Minister of Health how many disabled people are entitled to invalid vehicles; how many have now been issued; what is the capital cost of those which have been issued; and what is the annual maintenance cost.

The number of cars and powered tricycles on issue at 30th September, 1967, was 22,924. The total capital cost is not readily available but the cost in 1966–67 was£1,640,139. Maintenance expenditure in the same year was£1,626,544. Many disabled persons entitled under present rules have received grants in respect of their own cars. The number of disabled persons who might be eligible if they applied is not known.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average cost of an invalid tricycle; what are its annual maintenance costs; how many are produced each year, in regional basis; and if the establishment of supplies committees on a regional basis; and if he will make a statement.

Comments on my memorandum from hospital authorities have all been considered and a further memorandum is about to be issued. This asks regional hospital boards to set up regional supplies committees and to submit to me their plans for the organisation of supplies work in their regions.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the number and length of time on the waiting lists of persons awaiting admission as inpatients in each of the hospitals administered by the Gateshead and District Hospital Management Committee at the latest available date; and what were the corresponding figures for 1963 and 1964.

The information which is available only for the hospital he will give details of the number produced at each factory for the last convient 12 months.

It is not customary to disclose Government contract prices. The average annual maintenance cost is£62. In the year 1966–67, 4,383 tricycles were produced in four factories, namely:

A.C. Cars Ltd.	2,309
Invacar Ltd.	1,200
F. Tippen & Sons Ltd.	816
W. & F. Barrett Ltd.	58

asked the Minister of Health what is the normal incidence of active pulmonary tuberculosis in this country; and what are the figures per thousand for those born in this country. for immigrants from European countries, immigrants from Africa and immigrants from Asia.

The incidence of notifications of respiratory tuberculosis in England and Wales in 1966 was 26 per 100,000 of the population. National morbidity statistics do not distinguish between immigrants and other residents, or between active and quiescent pulmonary tuberculosis, but surveys have shown a relatively higher incidence of tuberculosis in this country among persons born in Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to ensure adequate general medical services for Thundersley, Essex, an area of increasing population.

Two more doctors have recently set up in practice in this area. Special allowances of£400 are payable to all doctors providing full medical services in the area and initial practice allowances are also available to doctors starting to practise there.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of those local authorities who do not provide facilities under the Mental Health Act for training children, young people, or adults, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the detailed information about the provision made by local authorities published last year in Command Paper 3022 on "Health and Welfare: the Development of Community Care".

asked the Minister of Health whether, in his review of the administrative structure of the National Health Service, he will include consideration of the administration of the school medical and dental services.

The school medical and dental services come under my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and they are therefore outside the scope of my review, but if any changes proposed for the struc- ture of the Health Service had implications for the school health service, these would need to be taken into account.

asked the Minister of Health why, in view of the waiting list of 257 elderly people for accommodation, he has refused permission to the Plymouth City Council to build a residential home in 1968.

The total value of current proposals of local authorities for building homes for the elderly exceeds the capital allocated for this purpose and it is therefore necessary to have regard to priorities of need in different areas. Accordingly my right hon. Friend has been able to allocate Plymouth loan sanction for one home in 1966–67 and one in 1969–70, but none in 1968.

asked the Minister of Health when he anticipates that the results of the survey he is initiating on the problems of the long-term disabled will be available.

We expect useable results in about two years.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that when a woman died her husband returned 15 dozen aminophylline suppositories, 18 choledyl tablets, 200 grammes; 466 cardophyllin tablets; 45 lasix tablets, 45 digoxin tablets, 300 slow-K tablets, and 200 largactil tablets, 25 milligrammes; and what action he is taking to stop this over-prescribing.

A number of measures are taken to foster effective and economical prescribing. Doctors have been asked to exercise care over the quantity prescribed, and any apparent instance of excessive quantity is discussed with the doctor concerned. I shall be glad to enquire into this case if the patient's name and address is supplied.

asked the Minister of Health how many officials from, and consultants employed by, his Department have visited the United States of America in the last six months; and what was the cost to his department of these visits.

Twenty persons employed by my Department have visited the United States since 1st June last at a cost to the Exchequer in travelling and subsistence allowances of about£7,000. I do not collect information about visits abroad of consultants employed by hospital Boards.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now received the report of the Board which recently visited the United States of America and Canada to interview British doctors who had expressed interest in return to National Health Service practice; whether it will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, and I am considering the best way of making its contents available for publication. The Board found a substantial number of British doctors now working in North America anxious to return to this country. Arrangements for the return of some 50 doctors are well advanced and the number ultimately returning is likely to be higher. In the light of the report I shall consider further action to diminish the loss of British doctors through emigration.

asked the Minister of Health in which areas in the NorthWest of England meat which had become uneatable due to the dock strike in the northern ports was buried; to what extent there was liaison between his Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and who was responsible for the burials.

Neither I, nor the appropriate local authorities have been able to trace any such burial, but if the hon. Member will give me further particulars I will look into them.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to stop the prescribing of the drug methedrine to drug addicts.

Legislation would be necessary to prohibit prescribing. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and I are considering recent reports concerning use of this drug.

asked the Minister of Health how many general medical practitioners are now working in the National Health Service from purpose-built health centres; and how many he expects to be by 1970.

Approximately 300, of whom about 50 per cent. use the centres as main surgeries. My information about centres being built or planned suggests that the total may exceed 1,000 by 1970, of whom at least two-thirds would be using the centres as their main surgeries.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to overcome the shortage of general practitioners in Darlington, in view of the fact that five doctors have resigned in recent months and that the present doctor/ patient ratio is one to 2,837 as against the national average of one to 2,433.

My information is that only two doctors have resigned in recent months, that one of them has been replaced and that the other vacancy is shortly to be filled. The total number of doctors providing full medical services in Darlington has been unchanged since 1965 and has only slightly fallen since 1948. However, Darlington remains one of the areas of greatest shortage, and the measures now being taken to attract more general practitioners to such areas were described in the reply of 6th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Renee Short). [Vol. 753, c. 609.]

asked the Minister of Health what changes he proposes in Breconshire and Radnorshire as to the building of clinics by the respective health authorities; and whether it was with his consent that a population limit unsuitable for rural areas has been given, in view of the fact that the 10-year programme for clinics has been curtailed.

Earlier this year all local health authorities were informed by circular that my right hon. Friend did not consider that the need for purpose-built clinics should normally arise where the population to be served was less than 7,000 and that he would hesitate to approve any scheme to provide in areas of small population premises which were not also intended to provide accommodation for general medical or dental practitioners.Breconshire County Council have been asked to reconsider their clinic programme of consultation with the Breconshire Executive Council and the results are awaited by the Welsh Board of Health. My right hon. Friend would expect Radnorshire County Council to bear his views in mind should they contemplate further purpose-built clinics.

asked the Minister of Health how many cervical cytology clinics now operate in Wales; and how many have been established since November 1964.

The number of clinics of all kinds where cervical smears may be taken is not recorded centrally but progress of the service in Wales can be measured by the fact that the monthly rate of testing has increased from 938 at December 1964 to 6,327 at June, 1967.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL, REPORT the list of newspapers and journals in which his advertisement requiring the registration of private nursing homes under the Abortion Act has appeared, and the number of insertions made.

My notice inviting applications for approval under the Act appeared three times in November in The Times, the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, the Sunday Times, the Observer, the Sunday Telegraph, the Lancet, the British Medical Journal, the Medical News, the Medical Officer, the Nursing Times and the Nursing Mirror. In addition to these 36 individual insertions I issued two general Press statements.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for oat cakes to be available in the refreshment Departments of the House of Commons.

if there is evidence of sufficient demand I will certainly consider it.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now consider allocating another day for Scottish oral questions.

I am not sure whether my hon. Friend is asking for a change or for an extra day for Scottish Questions. But as I said in reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North (Earl of Dalkeith), the roster for the post-Christmas period will soon be considered and I will take his views into account.

asked the Minister of Labour how many school leavers got apprenticeships in the county of Midlothian in the year 1966 and to the nearest available date in 1967; and how many he estimates that there will be in 1968.

1,609 in 1966 and 1,550 during the first ten months of 1967. I do not expect any substantial change in the figures for 1968.

asked the Minister of Labour how many school-leavers, male and female, are registered at the employment exchanges in Ashington and Morpeth, in the county of Northumberland; how long they have been waiting for employment; and whether he will make a statement.

On 13th November 18 boys and 17 girls at Ashington, 3 boys and 4 girls at Morpeth. Statistics showing how long school leavers have been registered for work are not available. Youth Employment Officers will continue to do everything possible to help these young persons find employment.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate foreign ownership and control of industrial firms in this country and the role of multi-national corporations carrying foreign investment in British industry with particular reference to the need to ensure that they operate with due recognition of valid and long established employment practices.

No.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men will not be reabsorbed in other pits, following the closure of North Walbottle Colliery; and what consultations have taken place on the provision of alternative employment.

It is not yet known how many of the present labour force will have to seek work when North Walbottle Colliery closes. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 13th November by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade. —[Vol. 754, c. 41.]

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the dispute concerning the British Air Line Pilots' Association.

As the House will know, I had prolonged discussions on 7th and 8th December with representatives of the two Air Corporations, of the British Air Line Pilots' Association (B.A.L.P.A.) and of the National Joint Council for Civil Air Transport. As a result of these meetings, I have decided to set up a court of inquiry with the following terms of reference:

"1. To inquire into the causes and circumstances of the present dispute.

2. To review the machinery of negotiation of the Civil Air Transport Industry.

3. To consider how the Air Corporations can best fulfil their duty under Section 23 of the Air Corporations Act, 1967, having regard to the dissatisfaction of B.A.L.P.A. with the existing negotiating machinery;

and to make recommendations."

I hope to announce the membership of the Court in a day or two, and I will ask the court to conduct the inquiry as a matter of urgency.In the light of this decision, I urged B.A.L.P.A. to cancel the 48-hour strike of their members in B.O.A.C. on 9th and 10th December. I regret that the Association felt unable to agree to this. Their representatives undertook however, provided no disciplinary action was taken against their members for taking part in the strike, to do their best to ensure that no further industrial action takes place pending the outcome of the Inquiry.I understand that B.O.A.C. pilots have reported for duty in the normal way today and that the Corporation expect that services will return to normal within a short time.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a further statement about the National Union of Bank Employees' claims for recognition and joint negotiating machinery with the London Clearing Banks' Committee.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now set up an inquiry into the dispute between the bank employees and the banks about recognition of the National Union of Bank Employees for negotiating purposes.

My right hon. Friend hopes to see the parties to the dispute at an early date. In these circumstances I should prefer to say no more at this stage.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to intervene in the bank dispute to avoid a disruption of trade over the Christmas holiday period.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will seek to hold discussions with the Committee of London Clearing Bankers with a view to the setting up of national negotiating machinery so that the National Union of Bank Employees may negotiate with the banks collectively on behalf of all bank staffs.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger) and Norwood (Mr. John Fraser).

Industrial Training Board

Date of Establishment

Employees Covered (Thousands)

Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry

…

…

15th August, 1966

…

…

500

Carpet

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

18th March, 1966

…

…

44

Ceramics, Glass and Mineral Products

…

…

23rd July, 1965

…

…

415

Chemical and Allied Products

…

…

…

…

9th October, 1967

…

…

500

Civil Air Transport

…

…

…

…

…

8th March,1967

…

…

60

Construction

…

…

…

…

…

…

21st July, 1964

…

…

…

1,700

Cotton and Allied Textiles

…

…

…

…

20th July 1966

…

…

…

200

Electricity Supply

…

…

…

…

…

…

24th June 1965

…

…

…

250

Engineering

…

…

…

…

…

…

23rd July, 1964

…

…

…

3,600

Furniture and Timber

…

…

…

…

…

9th December. 1965

…

…

215

Gas

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

24th June, 1965

…

…

120

Hotel and Catering

…

…

…

…

…

7th November, 1966

…

…

1,000

Iron and Steel

…

…

…

…

…

…

3rd July, 1964

…

…

…

327

Knitting, Lace and Net

…

…

…

…

…

18th March, 1966

…

…

160

Man-made Fibres Producing

…

…

…

…

23rd February, 1966

…

…

50

Petroleum

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

18th May, 1967

…

…

84

Road Transport

…

…

…

…

…

…

15th September, 1966

…

…

900

Rubber and Plastics Processing

…

…

…

…

9th August, 1967

…

…

250

Shipbuilding

…

…

…

…

…

…

19th November, 1964

…

…

136

Water Supply

…

…

…

…

…

…

24th June, 1965

…

…

44

Wool, Jute and Flax: Original Wool Board

…

…

29th June, 1964

…

…

200

Jute, Flax and Cordage industries included

…

…

27th April, 1966

…

…

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish the amount of annual levy collected by each industrial training board; and if he will indicate the method of levy calculation adopted by each board.

This information is published in the Annual Reports of industrial training boards, which are laid before Parliament in accordance with Section 8 of the Industrial Training Act.The amount of levy collected by industrial training boards in the year ended 31st March, 1967, was as follows:

I.T.B.	£
Construction	13,712,794
Electricity Supply	24,715
Engineering	76,274,935
Furniture and Timber	740,946
Gas	141,860
Iron and Steel	3,375,566
Shipbuilding	790,862
Water Supply	424,947
Wool, Jute and Flax	1,324,590
Total	96,811,215

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now list and give the date of establishment of the existing industrial training boards; and if he will also state the number of people covered by each of the existing boards.

Following is the information:All these boards raised levy as a percentage of total emoluments, except the Iron and Steel Industry Training Board, which levied a fixed sum per employee.

asked the Minister of Labour which proposed industrial training boards have not yet been established; when he expects to establish them; and if he will give an estimate of the numbers of people affected by each future board.

My current programme includes boards for the following industries: printing and publishing (covering about 400,000 employees); paper and paper products (about 250,000); distributive (about 2,500,000); food, drink and tobacco (about 1,300,000); footwear, leather and allied products (about 180,000). I expect to establish these five boards during 1968.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications have been received, up to November, 1967, by the Engineering Industry Training Board for grants towards the initial and/or running costs of machinery; and how many such applications remain unsettled at the present time.

This is a matter for the board concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, male and female, and persons under 18 years of

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE GATESHEAD EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND IN THE NORTHERN REGION
		Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total	Percentage rate for the Tyneside area which includes Gateshead
GATESHEAD
13th November, 1967	…	1,597	97	189	41	1,924	4·4
9th November, 1964	…	1,122	129	142	13	1,406	3·1
11th November, 1963	…	1,562	205	400	35	2,202	4·7
12th November, 1951	…	1,021	39	524	37	1,621	4·1
		Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total	Percentage rate
NORTHERN REGION
13th November, 1967	…	44,737	2,300	8,186	1,365	56,588	4·5
9th November, 1964	…	28,378	2,170	8,244	1,301	40,093	3·0
11th November, 1963	…	39,632	3,992	12,369	2,310	58,303	4·4
12th November, 1951	…	16,824	526	10,931	1,064	29,345	2·4
Percentage changes in the total numbers registered as unemployed were:

					Gateshead	Northern region
November, 1951 to November, 1963	…	…	…	…	+35·8	+98·7
November, 1963 to November, 1964	…	…	…	…	-36·1	-31·2
November, 1964 to November, 1967	…	…	…	…	+36·8	+41·1

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a list of the 20 employment exchanges in the United Kingdom with the highest rates of unemployment.

Following is the information for 13th November, 1967:

Ballymoney.	Newcastle
Brixham.	(Northern Ireland).
Campbeltown.	Newry.
Enniskillen.	Omagh.
Gunnislake.	Porthcawl.
Helston.	Portree.
Ilfracombe.	Rothesay.
Kilkeel.	Stornoway.
Lerwick.	Strabane.
Londonderry.	Wadebridge.
	Wick.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a list of Welsh employment exchanges which have a percentage of unemployment below the national average, specifying for each area the percentage of unemployed persons.

Following is the information:

In the following four Employment Exchange or travel-to-work areas in Wales the percentage rate of unemployment at 13th November, 1967, was below the rate for Great Britain (2·5):—

• Brecon (2·2^*).
• Carmarthen (2·1).
• Shotton (1·8^*).
• Denbigh (1·6).
• ^*Travel-to-work area.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the proportion of unemployed persons in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, who are under 20 years of age.

Age analyses of the registered wholly unemployed are made in January and July each year. In July 1967 about 12 per cent., 16 per cent. and 17 per cent. of all persons registered as wholly unemployed in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, were under 20 years of age.

asked the Minister of Labour in how many months in the 13 years up to October 1964 unemployment stood at 500,000 or above; and in which months in 1967 unemployment stood at 500,000 or above.

The total number registered as unemployed in Great Britain exceeded 500,000 on seventeen occasions between November 1951 and October 1964 and in the months of January to May and August to November in 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation requiring employers to recognise the appropriate trade union in their particular industry or trade.

I would prefer to await the recommendations of the Royal Com-

NUMBERS OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED TO EVERY HUNDRED PERSONS REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED
							November,1967	November,1964	November,1963	November,1951
South East and East Anglia				…	…	…	70·6	188·4	98·6	161·3
South Wcstern		…	…	…	…	…	36·9	80·0	50·8	144·5
East and West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside		…	…	…	…	…	46·7	168·3	66·4	374·7
North Western		…	…	…	…	…	36·7	58·9	27·3	138·6
Northern	…	…	…	…	…	…	15·0	19·6	8·6	37·4
Scotland	…	…	…	…	…	…	17·3	23·2	12·6	41·3
Wales	…	…	…	…	…	…	16·5	35·2	24·9	43·3

The information relates to the present standard regions, either separately, where comparable information for earlier years is available, or in groups. South-East and East Anglia were formerly covered by London and South-Eastern, and Eastern and Southern regions East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside comprise the area covered by Midland, North Midland and East and West Ridings in 1951 and by Midlands and Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in 1963 and 1964.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in establishing a training centre in Darlington; aria when he expects the centre to be in operation.

A suitable site has been found and I have asked my right hon. mission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation to prohibit those staff associations which managements recognise instead of the appropriate trade union.

No.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state for each region and for Great Britain, respectively, the number of vacancies remaining unfilled at the latest convenient date for every 100 persons wholly unemployed; and what were the comparable figures for 1951, 1963 and 1964.

Following is the information:Friend, the Minister of Public Building and Works, to negotiate for it. I expect the centre to open by the end of 1969.

asked the Minister of Labour why 14 per cent. of trainees at Government Training Centres in Scotland in the year ended 11th September 1967 did not find employment in the trade for which they were trained; and what action he is taking to ensure employment opportunities for all who are trained.

The hon. Members' assumption is incorrect. Of the 14 per cent. of trainees who did not get suitable jobs immediately at the end of their courses, a substantial proportion were later placed or found employment themselves in their training trades. My local officers are continuing their efforts to help the remainder The main difficulty is that many of them are unable or unwilling to move to areas within Scotland in which jobs in their trades are available.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to increase the number of training centres in Scotland, in view of the long waiting list for entrants.

The number of Government Training Centres in Scotland has been increased from four in 1964 to eight at the present time. A ninth Centre is planned to open at Bellshill in North Lanarkshire in the summer of 1968. We are, however, considering the need for further Government Training Centres and shall not overlook the claims of Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the staffing of the diplomatic service for purposes of overseas trade promotion compares with the level recommended by Lord Plowden in 1964; and what proposals he has to improve it.

Lord Plowden made no specific recommendations about the number of staff who should be employed on trade promotion. As his Committee recommended, this work has been a first charge on the resources of the Diplomatic Service since its inception in 1965. Many improvements both in the organisation of the work and in the conditions of service of local officers abroad have already been made and others are under consideration. Instructions were issued, following devaluation, to all Heads of Mission to divert staff to trade promotion if necessary at the expense of other work wherever the demand for commercial services from United Kingdom exporters may require it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a guarantee has been obtained from the National Liberation Front in South Yemen that on the formation of a Government they will discharge the normal responsibilities in respect of the salaries and full pension rights of such former employees of the Federal Govern- ment and the Colonial Government in Aden who have volunteered to serve the new Administration when it comes into being.

In view of the shortage of time it was not possible to deal with the question of the public service during the negotiations in Geneva. It was however agreed then that discussions on this subject should take place between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the People's Republic of Southern Yemen at an early date after independence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the present position concerning compensation for British nationals in the Philippines due over claims for the 1939 to 1945 war.

Despite frequent representations at the highest level in Washington no progress has been made in the matter of compensation for British nationals in the Philippines arising from the war in the Far East. Special legislation would now be necessary in the United States. We have instructed our Embassy in Washington to pursue the matter further with the United States Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will now give de jure recognition to the Cambodia frontiers; and whether he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 5th June.—[Vol. 747, c. 105–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many exchange professorships, student fellowships and conferences have taken place between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries in 1967.

In the 1966–67 academic year the United Kingdom did not participate in the north Atlantic Treaty Organisation exchange of professors.In the same year the United Kingdom was awarded two research fellowships.Two United Kingdom students took part in the International Seminar on the Atlantic Community organised in August, 1967 by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Belgian Government.

		Britain in Europe Ltd.	College of Europe, Bruges	European Schools Day	Student European Associations	European Atlantic Movement
		£	£	£	£	£
1963–64	…	1,250	2,500	2,500	1,000	100
1964–65	…	2,500	2,500	1,500	800	200
1965–66	…	2,500	2,500	2,200	400	500
1966–67	…	2,500	2,500	2,100	620	250
1967–68	…	2,500	2,500	2,200	650	500

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose that the United Nations set up a bureau to strengthen the effect of sanctions against the illegal Rhodesian régime.

A working party of the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee, in which Her Majesty's Government is of course represented, is at present studying ways and means of making sanctions more effective. I think it is better to await the outcome of their deliberations before considering what further action can usefully be taken in the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose to United Nations member countries that they boycott those French, Italian and Japanese companies which continue to violate sanctions against the illegal Rhodesian régime.

No. This is a matter for the Security Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number of British embassies and

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the grants given by Her Majesty's Government in each of the past five years to the following organisations, namely, Britain in Europe, the College of Europe in Bruges, the European Schools Day, the Committee of Student European Associations and the European Atlantic Movement for Education.

The following payments were made:consulates, respectively, in overseas countries, the number of persons employed on their staffs and the total cost of their maintenance.

There are 76 Embassies and 234 Consular posts (including 126 honorary posts). 7,362 persons are employed at an annual cost of£13,030,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) when he expects Great Britain will be able to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the elimination of racial discrimination;(2) which United Nations, International Labour Organisation and Council of Europe Conventions he expects Her Majesty's Government to ratify during Human Rights Year.

Of the 21 principal human rights instruments the United Kingdom is a party to 14. We intend to accede in the near future to the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees and, as soon as the necessary domestic legislation can be enacted, to the Genocide Convention. We signed the Convention on Racial Discrimination on 11 th October, 1966. Our position on this instrument, the two International Covenants on Human Rights and the Convention on Consent to Marriage is under active study and we hope to announce our decisions during Human Rights Year. The principal obstacle to ratification of the International Labour Organisation Conventions on Equal Remuneration and Discrimination in Employment and Occupation is the position regarding equal pay for equal work, which is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) how and through which agencies he conducted his recent investigation into the wishes of the people of the Kuria Muria Islands in order to ascertain that they prefer to make their future with Muscat and Oman, rather than with the South Yemen Republic;(2) if he will publish the statistical results of his recent investigation into the wishes of the people of Kuria Muria to join Muscat and Oman.

Consultations were conducted by an Arabic speaking member of the Aden High Commission staff who visited the Kuria Muria Islands on 28th and 29th October. There were 78 inhabitants divided into five families. Their wish to revert to the Sultan of Mucat and Oman was expressed as unanimous.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he anticipates the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Sudan.

During talks held from 23rd to 27th November in Khartoum between the Right Honourable Malcolm MacDonald, British Government Special Representative, and the Sudanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister a common understanding was reached that in principle an early resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries was desirable. It is not yet possible to make an announcement about the timing of such a resumption.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in the interest of good relations with a friendly State, and to ensure the continuation of cultural visits of the highest quality, he will ensure that when visiting orchestras, theatre companies and artists from the German Democratic Republic perform in Great Britain their country of origin shall be correctly described in official documents.

"Germany" is the correct description of their country of origin, and we require that it shall be so described.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the United States bombing of the British Consulate-General Building in Hanoi, North Vietnam; and what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the United States of America over this matter.

Her Majesty's Consul-General in Hanoi reported that during an air raid on 17th November an aircraft rocket fell near to his house and the Consular Office. Both buildings were shaken and were struck by metal fragments and his house had a good many windows broken. We have been in touch with the United States Government, who have expressed regrets at any damage that might have been caused by United States air action and are seeking to establish the facts of the incident.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what discussions he has had recently with the United States Air Force authorities in the United Kingdom on the subject of the employment of British contractors for airfield marking operations and on the use of British materials for such work; and if he will make a statement on the results.

In July, last year, it was agreed that an existing U.S.A.F.E. pavement marking machine might be used at U.S.A.F. main flying bases in the United Kingdom provided that it was operated only by United States uniformed personnel and marking was confined to operational areas. Roads and parking areas, for instance, were excluded.The U.S.A.F. have strictly observed these arrangements but I am considering whether they should be reviewed in the light of representations my Department has received from certain British contractors.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the most recent statistics showing the amount of space occupied in the Palace of Westminster by the Commons and Lords, respectively.

180,000 square feet (net) and 74,000 square feet (net).

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is aware of the shortage of bricks in the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth area; and whether he will take steps by consultation with the manufacturers and the suppliers to ensure that small builders have a better opportunity of receiving supplies.

Although brick supplies generally are now satisfactory, I understand that some local delays may still occur for orders placed through merchants. No delays now exist for orders placed directly with the major producers.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what percentage of new construction work in England and Wales in 1966 was on office development; and how this percentage compares with the years 1960 to 1965, respectively.

The proportion of new orders for office development received by contractors to the total value of orders placed in 1966 was 3·8 per cent. Figures of new orders for office development received by contractors have only been collected since 1964. The equivalent figures for 1964 and 1965 are 6·9 per cent. and 5·2 per cent., respectively.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what percentage of new construction work in England and Wales in 1966 was on shopping developments; and how this percentage compares with the years 1960 to 1965 respectively.

The proportion of new orders for shopping developments received by contractors to the total value of orders placed in 1966 was 3·1 per cent. Figures of new orders for shopping developments received by contractors have only been collected since 1964. The equivalent figures for 1964 and 1965 are 3·8 per cent. and 3·9 per cent., respectively.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will publish as soon as possible the results of the survey of noise levels in London carried out for the Wilson Committee and which have been analysed by the Building Research Station.

Yes. I intend to publish the results of the survey in the spring of 1968.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why, in view of the fact that he does not intend to rent further official accommodation in Brussels, he refuses to disclose the rent already paid for the residence of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs there.

This might prejudice negotiations for the renewal or replacement of this and other short term leases in Brussels and would be a disclosure of what may be legitimately regarded as the private business of the lessor.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many sick and unemployed persons in receipt of supplementary allowances were affected by the wage stop at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many children there were in the families of such persons.

At the end of November there were 32,360 claimants whose Supplementary Allowances were affected by the wage stop, of whom 2,640 were temporarily sick and 29,720 were unemployed. The number of children involved was approximately 95,000.

asked the Minister of Social Security why sick pay has not been allowed to Mr. D. Batsman of the Wivenhoe Cross Post Office, Wivenhoe, during the time he was in hospital in Holland, from 30th July to 4th October, as a result of contracting poliomyelitis.

Mr. Batsman was not covered by any of the exceptions to the general rule that people who are abroad are disqualified for receiving sickness benefit.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many old age pensioners there are in Scotland and Wales, respectively; and if she will give an estimate of the cost of increasing the retirement pension by£2 in Scotland and Wales, respectively.

In Scotland there are about 575,000 people receiving National Insurance retirement pensions and in Wales the number is about 335,000. It is estimated that increasing the standard rate of National Insurance retirement pension for a single person by£2 and other rates proportionately would cost about£55 million annually in Scotland and about£31 million annually in Wales.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) what is the current value of the income of a married couple aged over 65 years, with a rent of 30s. per week, and with only the retirement pension, taking October 1964 as 100;(2) what is the total income of a retired married couple today, as compared with October 1964, taking into account the increase in the cost of living and assuming the couple's only income is the retirement pension.

The current value of the standard rate of National Insurance retirement pension for a married couple of£7 6s. a week represents an improvement in real terms of 25s. 1d. over the rate obtaining in October 1964, and, on the basis of comparison suggested by my hon. Friend assuming constant rent, the current figure would be 127·6.

asked the Minister of Social Security why attendants at lodging houses are not covered by the Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Act in respect of tuberculosis; and if she will amend the regulations to remedy this omission.

Lodging house attendants as a general class do not satisfy the conditions of section 56(2) of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965, which must be met before the existing cover against tuberculosis under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations can be extended to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what obligations Her Majesty's Government are still under to assist Malaysia with armed forces in defending her territory, following the end of confrontation, should a major threat again develop or hostile military incursions take place; under what agreement such obligations arise; and how long they are due to last.

We have undertaken to afford to the Government of Malaysia such assistance as they may require for the external defence of their territory. This obligation arises under the 1957 Defence Agreement with Malaya, as applied to Malaysia by the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.Each party retains the right to suggest a review of the Agreement should this seem necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what obligations Her Majesty's Government are under to assist Brunei with armed forces to defend her territory; under what agreement such obligations arise; and for how long they are due to last.

Brunei is a State under British protection, and our responsibilities are set out in the Brunei Agreement 1959. Broadly, we are responsible for the external affairs and defence of the State, including defence against any grave threat to its peace or tranquility.There is no provision in the Agreement covering its duration.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give an assurance that the question of Her Majesty's Government's responsibility for Gibraltar being transferred from the Commonwealth Office to the Home Office will not be precluded from the Gibraltar Constitutional Conference to be held early in the new year.

I regret that I am not at present in a position to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 5th December.—[Vol. 755,c. 1119–20]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will now give an assurance that the Government of Hong Kong will not make orders, designed for dealing with emergencies, into laws for protecting the peace in normal times, as is now being done in the case of the Public Order Bill 1967.

The Public Order Bill 1967 is not designed for dealing with emergencies. It strengthens and brings up to date the law relating to public order on lines to be found for the most part in legislation in other territories.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to make available to the British public the maximum possible amount of information concerning the injustices and racialism of, and the erosion of civil rights by, the illegal Smith régime in Rhodesia.

On matters affecting Rhodesia my Department are in close touch with the press and broadcasting organisations. These have been vigilant in bringing to the attention of the British public measures by the illegal regime such as the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase there has now been in the number of non-industrial civil servants since October 1964.

52,000, up to the 1st October.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, in the month of October, 1964, was the total cost of the non-industrial Civil Service; and what it was in the month of October, 1967.

I estimate total wages and salaries of the non-industrial Civil Service, excluding the Post Office, at£425 million in 1964–65 and£540 million in the present financial year. Meaningful figures of total cost could not be made available without undue effort and expense.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review the practice of Customs officials removing from travellers and visitors books which have not been the subject of any legal proceedings in the United Kingdom; and which literary or other experts are consulted by Customs officials in deciding which books to seize.

There is a statutory prohibition on the import of indecent and obscene books, which it is the duty of the Customs to administer. I am not aware of any recent general difficulty arising in the administration of the prohibition. However, we are carefully considering a particular case which my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead has raised with my right hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total deficit of the nationalised industries since 1946; and what is the present cumulative deficit.

The total of revenue deficit less surplus of all the nationalised industries in the years 1946–66, after meeting interest charges, was£819 million. The total of cumulative revenue deficits outstanding in the balance sheets of the industries at the end of their last financial year was£6·8 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the latest purchasing value of a Member of Parliament's salary compared with its value on the date when this was raised

						Gross income	Tax	Income net of tax
						£ s. d.	£ s. d.	£ s. d.
1964–65	…	…	…	…	…	3,250 0 0	810 8 9	2,439 11 3
1967–68:
(i) current values			…	…	…	3,250 0 0	858 7 9	2,391 12 3
(ii) mid-October, 1964 values				…	…	2,938 10 10	776 2 6	2,162 8 4

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will set up an expert committee to recommend whether or not the smoking of cannabis should be legalised;(2) whether it is his policy to seek to legalise the smoking of cannabis.

I am waiting for the report of a Sub-Committee of the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence which is currently studying the problems associated with cannabis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the necessary regula- to its present level, taking the£ sterling as then having a purchasing value of 20 shillings, and similar details for the rise in charges for stationery supplied to hon. Members, and taxation, since the same date.

The purchasing value of a Member of Parliament's salary in mid-October, 1967, taking the purchasing value of the£ sterling as 20 shillings in mid-October, 1964, is£2,939.With regard to the second part of the Question prices for stationery items available to Members have remained unchanged since 1965 but are expected to be adjusted shortly; some will be increased and others reduced.As regards taxation the table below shows what taxation would have been in 1964–65 if the new salary level had applied for the whole year, and also what it will amount to in 1967–68, on the following assumptions: the figures are for a married man without children, with no other source of income, and make no provision for expenses nor for any other reliefs or allowances.tions under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1967.

My aim is to make the regulations about notification early in the new year and those about prescribing in the spring. I hope to consult the medical profession on these regulations shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the number of social work staff, child care officers, family caseworkers, etc., employed by children's departments of each local authority on the last available date, giving the percentage of staff who are professionally qualified caseworkers, those with social science, etc., qualifications, and those without appropriate relevant qualifications.

On 31st March last, children authorities in England and Wales employed 2,693 whole-time officers en-

								County Councils	County Borough Councils	London Borough Councils	Total
Professionally-qualified in social casework						…	…	432 (36 Per cent.)	192 (22·3 Per cent.)	237 (37·3 Per cent.)	861 (31·9 Per cent.)
Others holding the Declaration of Recognition of Experience.								114(9·5 Per cent.)	57 (6·6 Per cent.)	25 (6·6 Per cent.)	196 (7·3 Per cent.)
Others holding a university degree, diploma, or certificate in social science.								215 (18 Per cent.)	196 (22·8 Per cent.)	151 (23·8 Per cent.)	562 (20·8 Per cent.)
Others	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	439 (36·5 Per cent.)	414 (48·6 Per cent.)	221 (34·8 Per cent.)	1966,074 (39·9 Per cent.)
Total in post			…	…	…	…	…	1,200	859	634	2,693

I am sending my hon. Friend a list of the 170 local authorities with staffing figures for each, and have placed a copy in the Library.

asked the First Secretary of State according to what criteria invitations were issued to his official conference on social services held at Lancaster House, London, on 2nd December last.

Invitations were issued on a personal basis, but I was concerned to ensure that those attending covered a wide range of interests including the universities, local authorities and voluntary organisations concerned with the social services.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that bones from Argentine chilled beef sold in the London area are not disposed of in rubbish dumps in Hertfordshire, in view of the danger of spreading foot-and-mouth disease.

Any uncooked bones will normally be disposed of for processing. It would be impossible to control absolutely the disposal of others. gaged primarily on work with individual children and their families, distributed as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, to help the Government's prices and incomes policy, he will take steps to stabilise essential food prices at their current level, and to subsidise any increased costs due to devaluation which cannot be absorbed.

No. Devaluation will inevitably increase the price of some essential foodstuffs and the Government has always recognised that as a result there will be unavoidable increases in the cost of living. I intend, however, to ensure as far as possible, by the use of my Department's price surveillance arrangements, that prices do not increase by more than is justifiable.