asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the cost of structural alterations to the Government Whips clerk's office carried out during the Christmas Recess 1967–68.

About £250.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, by how much he estimates the cost of timber for building will rise in 1968–69; how much of this will be due to the increased cost of timber imports; and what this will add to the cost of the average house or housing unit.

I cannot yet estimate the rise in timber costs in 1968–69. The increased cost of timber imports directly cue to devaluation will add not more than £30 to the cost of building the average house. The increase will be much less for flats.

asked the Minister of public Building and Works if he will make a statement on the effect of devaluation upon building costs.

It is too early to estimate the indirect effects of devaluation on building costs, or the effects of the other measures which have since been taken. The estimate I gave of the direct effect of devaluation on contsructing costs in my reply to the hon. Member for Londonderry (Mr. Chichester-Clark) on 24th November still stands.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, in view of the proposal to place a commemorative plaque to Sir Thomas More in Westminster Hall, what steps he will take to protect in future the simplicity of this building.

The plaque to Sir Thomas More will be set in the floor of Westminster Hall, where there are already several tablets, and will in no way interfere with the simplicity of the building.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what cuts he intends to make in the building programme overseas; and in particular, whether he proposes to reduce expenditure on the provision of embassy offices in Athens and the building of accommodation in Brazilia.

Building activity overseas will be less in 1968–69 than in the current year. I must ask my hon. Friend to await the presentation of the Estimate for details.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether the Government's economy measures will delay the Whitehall Plan.

No. Apart from acquiring the rest of the Bridge Street site and starting to clear it, we expect no significant expenditure to be incurred before 1971. The next 2 or 3 years will be spent on planning the first stage of the redevelopment.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will re-examine the principles relating to legal aid before administrative and industrial tribunals.

The Advisory Committee set up under the provisions of Section 13 of the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 are already considering to which Tribunals legal aid should be extended when financial circumstances permit. This enquiry involves examination of the principles of legal aid in those cases.

asked the Attorney-General what sum was spent on legal aid in the last year for which figures are available; and of this figure what was the approximate sum spent on aiding divorce proceedings.

The total sum spent on legal aid in 1966–67 was £8,150,849 of which £2,155,971 was spent on matrimonial causes.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he is aware of the low state of the order books of many machine tool manufacturers and the consequential short-time working; and what action he is taking to make sure that the skills of the workers in this industry are fully employed.

Apart from general measures to encourage investment, special help to the machine tool industry is being provided through my Department's pre-production order and risk-sharing stock-building schemes, and through the Clearing Banks buyer credit scheme for machine tools. I should add that exports reached record levels last year.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state his plans to assist the British shipbuilding industry as an alternative to the withdrawal of facilities by the Shipbuilding Credit Act 1964 and having regard to the increased and increasing competition of foreign shipbuilders.

Section 7 of the Shipbuilding Industry Act already empowers me to guarantee loans to finance on favourable terms the construction in U.K. shipyards of ships ordered by home owners. Measures being taken by the industry, with the assistance of the Shipbuilding Industry Board under that Act, are designed to enable shipbuilders to compete with foreign yards.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in view of the hardship which it causes to those who have to use these appliances, he will now refer the increase in the price of hearing-aid batteries to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to similar Question this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Technology what consultations took place prior to the increase in prices of hearing aid batteries; and whether this increase is to be referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

Prior notification of the proposal to increase the prices of these batteries was given to my Department and the proposal was discussed with the manufacturers.As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to similar Questions in the House today.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now take steps to include all dental technicians in the category qualifying for a refund of Selective Employment Tax.

No. The making of dental appliances is already a manufacturing activity eligible for Selective Employment premiums. Establishments engaged in it receive premium if they meet the conditions laid down in the Selective Employment Payments Act.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the settlement of municipal bus workers' pay resulting in an increase in the driver's basic rate of 7·7 per cent., in the light of the report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes and the talks he has been having with representatives of the employers and the unions.

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Labour have referred this settlement to the National Board for Prices and Incomes and have directed that a standstill shall be imposed on its implementation.

asked the Minister of Labour what provision has been made by he Construction Industry Training Board for glass processing; what is the length of the course proposed; and how many workers he estimates will take advantage of it.

Flat glass processing activities were brought within the scope of the Construction Industry Training Board only in July 1967.I understand that the Board is consulting the employers' and workers' organisations concerned about its draft proposals for the training of glaziers. In the meantime, grants are available for existing training within the scope of the current grants scheme.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the change in the number of workers employed in service industries between September 1966 since he setting up of the Selective Employment Tax and October 1967.

I regret that the information is not available. The numbers of employees in service industries are estimated only once a year in June. The estimates for June 1967 will be available at the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will set up a committee to consider the question of establishing a national minimum wage related to the cost-of-living index.

I have nothing to add to my written reply to the hon. Member for Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton) on Monday, 29th January, 1968.—[Vol. 757, c. 216.]

asked the Minister of Labour whether skilled tradesmen are eligible for Government retraining schemes.

Yes, if they are no longer able to make use of their skills. Skilled men are also eligible for training in a few trades (e.g. draughtsmanship) in which previous experience of engineering is a requirement.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to prohibit restrictive practices which prevent persons of over 45 years of age obtaining employment.

It is the Government's policy to encourage industry to remove unnecessary restrictions on the engagement of older men and women. When employers seeking the help of the Ministry in filling their vacancies impose age limits my officers would send forward workers outside the limits if they had the necessary qualifications. It is considered that compulsion is not the best way of implementing this policy.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are at the moment pursuing a course of industrial retraining at Government training centres in Wales.

On 8th January, 1968, 489 trainees were in training at the Cardiff and Llanelli Government training centres. By arrangement with the Ministry of Defence, there were also 28 Government trainees at the Royal Air Force Station at St. Athan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Israel concerning the prevention by Israeli forces of the clearance of obstructions in the Suez Canal by the employees of the Government of the United Arab Republic.

My right hon. Friend is in touch with both the Israel and the United Arab Republic Governments, and very much hopes that arrangements can still be made to secure the release of the ships blocked in the Canal. But the observance of the cease-fire in the Canal area is of course primarily a matter for the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what contribution Her Majesty's Government proposes to make to the work of the United Nations Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations.

The Committee's next task is to prepare a study on matters related to facilities, services and personnel which member States might provide for United Nations peace-keeping operations. We hope that this will be a useful exercise, and we will certainly contribute fully in its preparation in line with our stated support for United Nations activities in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what precautions have been taken to protect the British Embassy and British personnel, including women and children, in Saigon; and whether any damage or injury has been sustained against British personnel or property.

We have been in touch with our Ambassador in Saigon, who has taken all possible precautions and is doing everything he can to help British citizens in Vietnam. Communications inside Vietnam are not yet fully restored but at present we are hopeful that there have been no British casualties. The only known damage to British property has been broken windows at the Embassy.

asked the Minister of Social Security to what extent it is the practice in local offices of her Department for letters to be fed into a dictating machine and the tape sent to her Department in Blackpool to be typed and returned; and what is the reason for this procedure.

Typing facilities at my Department's Blackpool Central Office are used by about 24 of our local offices in the London Postal Area where typists are in short supply, in order to give as rapid as possible a service to the public.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many coloured immigrants she estimates are now receiving social benefit payments; and what is the approximate annual cost.

Figures of social security beneficiaries which distinguish coloured, or other, immigrants are not maintained, since social security benefits are paid as of right, if the relevant conditions are satisfied, regardless of a claimant's country of origin.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she is satisfied that the salaries being paid at local offices of her Department are adequate; to what extent enough competent people are applying for these jobs; what difficulties they are having in acquiring staff; and if she will make a statement.

The salaries paid at local offices in my Department are common to the Civil Service generally. Allowing for the necessary interval between a vacancy occurring and being filled, our local offices generally are staffed up to complement except in parts of London.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether, under her regulations, an Englishman who left England in 1957 to work in Kenya, and has since paid annually a lump sum to cover his contributions for an old-age pension, will lose his 25 years' payments and forfeit his right to a pension on becoming a citizen of Kenya.

No. He can qualify for a retirement pension on the same terms as a citizen of this country.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will give the number of registered unemployed included in the unemployment figures published in each of the past six months which represent persons retired from highly-paid posts on pensions at the age of 60 years who are drawing unemployment benefits until the age at which they are qualified for the retirement pension of the State.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Minister of Social Security what was the total amount of National Insurance contributions collected in Scotland in the year ended 5th April 1967.

The total amount received in respect of National Insurance contributions by collecting authorities in Scotland in the year ended 5th April 1967 is estimated to have been of the order of £130 million.

asked the Minister of Social Security what were the amounts of money paid out to unemployed males over the age of 18 years in the borough of Rhondda in the year 1967 in the form of unemployment benefits and supplementary benefits, respectively.

The total amount of unemployment benefit and Supplementary Allowances paid out in 1967 by the Tonypandy, Ferndale and Treorchy employment exchanges, which serve the Borough of Rhondda, was £411,860 and £224,554 respectively. I regret that information about payments to particular categories of claimant is not available.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) if she will state the number of days lost through sickness per 1,000 of the population in the Northern Region and in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1967, with comparisons for the rest of England, England and Wales, England, Wales and Scotland, the whole country and South-East England, respectively;(2) if she will state the number of days lost through industrial injuries per 1,000 of the population in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the Northern Region in 1967, with comparisons for South-East England, the rest of England, England and Wales, England, Wales and Scotland, and the whole country, respectively.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will state the number of retirement pensioners per 1,000 of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the Northern Region in receipt of supplementary benefits, with comparisons for South-East England, the rest of England, England and Wales, England Wales and Scotland, and the whole country, respectively.

Statistics are not available in a form which would enable these comparisons to be made. The available information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will state the total number of retirement pensioners in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and in the urban district of Newburn who are in receipt of supplementary allowances.

In the Ministry's offices serving the county borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the urban district of New-burn (which also serve an extensive territory outside these areas) there were, at 21st November 1967, about 22,400 retirement pensioner households receiving Supplementary Pension. In some cases the Supplementary Pension covered the requirements of a man and his retirement pensioner wife.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will state the number of persons per 1,000 of the population of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the Northern Region in receipt of supplementary benefits, with comparisons for the South-East of England, the rest of England, England and Wales, England, Wales and Scotland, and the whole country, respectively.

The number of persons receiving regular weekly payments of Supplementary Benefits in the Northern Region in December 1967 was 212,000; the numbers in England. Wales and Scotland were 2,128,000, 178,000 and 271,000, and in South-East England 698,000. The total of 2,577,000 recipients in Great Britain, with their dependent wives and children, represented about 3·5 million people or about 70 per 1,000 of the population. I regret that insufficient information is available to enable comparable ratios to be calculated for Scotland, Wales, England or parts of England.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters he estimates will be available for Her Majesty's forces returning from overseas in the next 12 months.

Married quarters are not specifically kept available for families returning from overseas. However, by February 1969, the total number of married quarters on present estimates will be about 102,900, including hirings.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what study he has made of the strategic implications for the availability, in the event of war, of capacity for the manufacture of fuses, mine and precision mechanisms of the threatened run-down of the United Kingdom clock and watch industry arising from the import of cheap clocks and watches from Russia.

We keep defence needs for war purposes, and the capacity to meet them, under continuous review.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent in regard to the sale of surplus land it remains his practice to offer such land to all other Government Departments to see whether it is required for public purposes.

My right hon. Friend has no intention of changing the long-standing practice by which land vesting in him and surplus to the requirements of the National Health Service is offered first to other Government Departments.

asked the Minister of Health if he will seek to bring to an early conclusion his negotiations with Hampshire County Council regarding the proposed establishment by Havant Council of a health centre at Waterlooville.

I am in touch with both parties and shall certainly do everything possible to secure an early decision.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of dental practitioners in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and in the Northern Region per 10,000 of the population compared with the South-East of England, the rest of England, England and Wales, England, Wales and Scotland, and the whole country at the latest available date.

At 30th September, 1966, the latest date for which figures are available, the position was as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the effect upon the health and productivity of the working population of Great Britain of the introduction of health charges.

The Government's proposals for prescription charges are designed to avoid any adverse effects on health or productivity.

asked the Minister of Health what the annual gross expenditure on General Dental Services in England and Wales when the charge of £1 was first introduced, compared with the most recent year for which figures are available and with the income from charges in those years; and what is now the estimated income from the proposed charges.

The figures for 1953–54, the first financial year in which the treatment charge had full effect, and 1966–67 are:

asked the Minister of Health what action has been taken to improve the family practitioner services since 1964; and what further action is proposed.

Discussions with the medical profession, designed to improve (he family doctor service for doctors and patients alike, have already achieved a new system of remunerating doctors which has made it possible to relate their pay more directly than in the past to workload and to encourage better prac- tice organisation, such as practice in groups and the use of ancillary staff. There are also better allowances to encourage doctors to take postgraduate education and to practise in the areas where they are most needed. The doctors' terms of service under the National Health Service are being comprehensively revised. Other measures to improve the family doctor services have included the direct supply through Executive Councils of disposable hypodermic syringes and needles; the provision of grants to doctors carrying out improvements to existing practice premises; the setting up of a General Practice Finance Corporation to make loans for provision of premises; and a campaign to encourage the public to make the best use of family doctors' time. I shall encourage better practice organisation through the further development of group practice, closer working with local authority nursing and other domiciliary staff, and the building of specially designed practice premises, whether by local authorities in health centres or by doctors themselves with the help of loans from the Finance Corporation.The Health Services and Public Health Bill which is at present before Parliament includes provisions to make the Supplementary Ophthalmic Services permanent and to facilitate the provision of family practitioner services at health centres.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to relieve general medical practitioners of the work involved in national health certification.

Changes introduced in 1966 have reduced the number of medical certificates issued for National Insurance purposes by about 15 per cent. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Social Security and I have no further changes in mind.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to alleviate the distress caused to the hard of hearing by the increase in the cost of batteries, which has risen from 11s. for six to 16s. 6d. for six, a majority of users being old-age pensioners.

This type of battery is not used in any model of hearing aid currently supplied under the National Health Service.Both aids and batteries provided under the Service are free.I have no powers to regulate retail prices of mercury type batteries sold commercially, and do not intend to seek them, but my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology is considering whether the increase in prices of mercury type hearing aid batteries should be referred to the Prices and Incomes Board.

asked the Minister of Health what sum is now allotted by his Department for research into rheumatic diseases.

No funds are allotted by my Department specifically for research into rheumatic diseases. Research in these diseases is, however, being carried on in a number of National Health Service hospitals and rheumatism centres, with financial support from the clinical research allocations which my Department makes to hospital boards, from board's own resources and from charitable sources. The clinical research allocations are usually contributions towards the total cost of Boards' research programmes, and it is not possible to say what proportion of them is used for rheumatism research.In addition to the work done in the Health Service hospitals, research in rheumatic diseases, together with a wide programme of basis biological research which may increase our knowledge of these diseases, is being carried out in Medical Research Council establishments and in university departments.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the shortage of home-helps in the country as a whole.

A study of the operation of and demand for the home help service is at present in progress which should make possible a reliable estimate later this year.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he will give the national figures per 100,000 population for patients aged 20 years and over discharged from mental hospital units, including teaching hospitals, according to the diagnoses of anti-social personality and other character and behaviour disorders;(2) if he will give the national figure per 100,000 population for patients aged 20 years and over discharged from mental hospital units, including teaching hospitals, according to the diagnosis of drug addiction;(3) if he will give the national figures per 100,000 population for patients aged 20 years and over discharged from mental hospital units, including teaching hospitals, according to the diagnosis of alcoholism.

Information is not available in the form requested. For the whole population of England and Wales the number of discharges excluding deaths in 1966 per 100,000 population were as follows:

• Character or behaviour disorders 18·7.
• Alcoholic psychosis, alcoholism and other addictions 15·0.

asked the Minister of Transport what has caused the delay in setting up the inquiry into the widening of New Street, Chipping Norton; when the inquiry will be started; and if she will make a statement.

It had been intended to hold an inquiry under the powers given in the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act 1946 into the Compulsory Purchase Order providing for the acquisition of property needed for the road widening, but it now appears that the Oxfordshire County Council will acquire the property by agreement. In these circumstances the question of the powers under which it would be appropriate to hold an inquiry is under consideration with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will publish the report on research into the track costs of road vehicles mentioned in paragraph 67 of the White Paper on the transport of freight, Command Paper No. 3470.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 29th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 227.]

asked the Minister of Transport what financial loss per mile is suffered on railways in the United Kingdom, in England, and in Wales, respectively.

In 1966, the average loss including interest, per route mile, for Great Britain as a whole, was approximately £9,500. An average figure, of course, obscures the wide differences in the circumstances of operation and in profitability of different lines.Figures for the United Kingdom, and for England and Wales separately are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will publish the result of the study initiated by her Department of the factors influencing industrial firms in their decisions when choosing the methods of transport for their goods.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Survey of Transport from Manufacturing Establishments which was carried out in stages between September 1966 and July 1967. Analysis is nearly complete and a report will be published in the summer.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the latest total estimated cost of the Victoria Underground improvements.

The London Transport Board estimate that the line between Walthamstow and Victoria will cost, including rolling stock, approximately £68,000,000 and the extension from Victoria to Brixton about £16,000,000.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in her proposed legislation to nationalise the ports, she will take steps to ensure that the administrative offices are decentralised in Scotland and not centralised in London.

I do not consider that the location of administrative offices should be laid down in the Statute. It will, of course, be necessary to have decentralised administrative offices in Scotland and elsewhere.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what recent investigations have been carried out at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, or elsewhere at the request of the Air Registration Board into the airworthiness of Argonaut aircraft, at what cost and with what result; and if he will make a statement.

None. Tests on Argonaut aircraft are being conducted at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down and components are being investigated at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, in connection with an engineering appraisal of the fuel system which is being made at the direction of the Court of the Public Inquiry into the Stockport accident. The cost is, not yet known.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what factors were decisive in the Government's decision to recommend the purchase of Trident 3 aircraft by British European Airways rather than the BAC 211; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend made in the House on 15th December, 1967.—[Vol. 756, c. 779–84.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase the quotas of goods imported into the United Kingdom which are restricted according to the value, by the equivalent of devaluation or to adhere to the sterling value; and if he will make a statement.

The effects of devaluation on prices and volume of sales will vary from item to item and from country to country; Any requests by exporting countries to review quotas expressed in value terms in order to take account of devaluation will be discussed with the country concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether it has now been decided to set up the special inquiries into the loss of the Hull trawlers "St. Romanus" and "Kingston Peridot"; and when he expects they will make a report;(2) if he will give further details of the period of time between the last communication received from the" Kingston Peridot" and the setting up of the search.

With deep regret, I now have to presume that the overdue trawlers "St. Romanus" and "Kingston Peridot" are lost. I have today ordered preliminary inquiries into both casualties. The preliminary inquiries will be followed by formal investigations. I take this opportunity to convey my sympathies to the relatives of those who were lost.As regards the time scale between the" Kingston Peridot's" last 'Communication and the setting up of the search, there appears to be some conflict of information. Such questions will be looked into during the investigations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the apparent loss of the" St. Romanus" and" Kingston Peridot", he will, before introducing his major reform of the Merchant Shipping Act, introduce specific legislation to deal with the safety and conditions of trawlermen.

The revision of the Merchant Shipping Acts which is being prepared will cover Parts II and IV of the 1894 Act relating primarily to the conditions of service of merchant seamen and fishermen. I am considering separately whether new legislation relating to the safety of fishing vessels and their crews is necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many organisations have now replied to his memorandum about revision of Part IV and other provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts dealing with the conditions of service of fishermen; and if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those organisations that have replied and those from whom he has yet to receive a reply.

Replies have been received from twenty-six organisations in the fishing industry. Seven organisations have not replied, but in some cases their views may have been expressed in comments from related organisations. The following list indicates by asterisk the organisations from which comment has yet to be received.

• The Aberdeen Fishing Vessel Owners Association.
• The Aberdeen Skippers' and Mates' Association.
• The Association of Sea Fisheries Committees of England and Wales.
• British Trawlers Federation Ltd.
• The Clyde Fishermen's Association.
• English Herring Catchers' Association Ltd.
• The Federation of British Trawler Officers.
• The Firth of Forth Fishermen's Association.
• Fisheries Organisation Society Ltd.
• The Fleetwood Fishing Vessel Owners' Association Ltd.
• ^*Granton and Leith Trawler Skippers and Mates Protective Association.
• Grimsby Fishing Vessel Owners' Association. The Grimsby Seiner Association.
• ^*Grimsby Steam & Diesel Fishing Vessels Engineers' and Firemen's Union.
• Grimsby Trawler Officers' Guild.
• The Herring Industry Board.
• Hull Fishing Vessel Owners' Association Ltd.
• The Hull Trawler Officers' Guild.
• The Lowestoft Fishing Vessel Owners' Association Ltd.
• The Mallaig and N.W. Fishermen's Association.
• Newhaven and Granton Trawler Owners' Association.
• The North East Coast Fishing Vessel Owners' Association Ltd.
• ^*North East Coast Fishsalesmen's Association.
• ^*North Scottish Light Trawl Fishermen's Association.
• Scottish Committee of the White Fish Authority.
• The Scottish Inshore White Fish Producers' Association.
• The Scottish Herring Producers' Association Ltd.
• ^*Scottish Trawlers' Federation.
• ^*Shetland Fishermen's Association.
• Transport and General Workers' Union.
• The Trawler Owners' Association Ltd.
• ^*Ulster Sea Fishermen's Association.
• White Fish Authority

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the circular which his Department sent out about 18 months ago requesting that Trawlers should report their positions daily.

Yes. The text of the letter sent by my predecessor on 25th May, 1966, together with a list of the organisations to whom it was addressed is as follows:—Board of Trade,1 Victoria Street,London S.W.1.Abbey 7877.25th May, 1966.From the Minister of State.Our Ref.: MNA.68/10/079.DearI have: now received replies from all but one of the organisations I wrote to on 11th May, 1965, about the need for more regular contact between fishing vessels and their owners. Officials of the Board have subsequently had further discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and the General Post Office.I mentioned in my letter that a reporting scheme providing for regular radio communication between all owners and fishing vessels, or vice versa, would present serious technical problems because the capacity of coast radio stations was limited and because vessels which proceeded beyond the range of the medium frequency coast radio stations would need to be equipped with high frequency radio equipment.The General Post Office have been able to look further into the capacity of their coast radio stations and they now consider that these stations could handle extra messages sent as a result of the introduction of reporting arrangements for fishing vessels equipped with medium frequency radio, provided that the majority of these messages were sent outside peak traffic periods which cover only about 5 hours a day.In the light of the replies to my letter and the discussions held by the Board, I have reached the conclusion that improved reporting arrangements would be of considerable value in the interests of the safety of fishing vessels. I strongly recommend, therefore, that owners of radio-equipped vessels which are normally away from port for more than 24 hours should be in regular radio communication with their vessels while they are within the range of any medium frequency coast radio station in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Such arrangements would enable the Search and Rescue Organisation to be alerted sooner than if there were no reporting scheme and would provide information for search purposes concerning the probable position of the vessel or of any liferafts. Where a vessel is owned by the skipper it would be necessary for the vessel's agent ashore to receive the reports.In my view a daily report is most desirable, but I consider that at the very least there should be communication between owners and skippers, or skippers and owners, once every 48 hours.The General Post Office would have to charge for the transmission of all such messages but I understand that reports in the form of a radio telegram could cost as little as 5s. 0d. The General Post Office would be pleased to discuss the timing of messages and any other details with the organisations concerned before any general scheme is introduced.I consider also that the skippers of vessels not equipped with radio and which are normally away from port for more than 24 hours should leave details of their proposed voyages with someone ashore.I strongly recommend the introduction of reporting arrangements on the lines I have suggested above. I hope that all the organisations concerned, including your own will feel able to support my recommendation which has the full support of Mr. James Hoy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Lord Hughes, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and Mr. Slater the Assistant Postmaster General.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many other nations require compulsory daily reporting of their position by trawlers; and if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those countries which have such mandatory legislation.

I regret that I have no information about the practice of other countries in this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive a report and recommendations from the working group he established to study safety arrangements in trawlers.

The Working Group which was set up on 9th August, 1967 because of the widespread concern felt about the safety of trawler fishermen is studying measures to reduce the high rate of personal accidents in which these men are involved. The Group's aim is to formulate recommendations in the shape of a code of safe working practices designed to protect trawler fishermen from industrial injuries and to safeguard them in their movements about the ship. A first draft of the section of the code dealing with machinery and gear has

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the membership of the working group he established to study safety arrangements in trawlers.

The Working Group on the Safety of Fishermen on Trawlers includes representatives of the following bodies and organisations:

• The Medical Commission on Accident Prevention.
• The White Fish Authority.
• British Trawlers' Federation.
• Scottish Trawlers' Federation.
• Shipbuilders' and Repairers' National Association.
• Fishing vessel mutual insurance societies.
• Transport and General Workers' Union.
• Trawler Officers' Associations.
• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.
• Ministry of Labour Factory Inspectorate.
• The Board of Trade, who also provide the Chairman and Secretariat.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the working group was constituted to study safety arrangements in trawlers; how often it has met; and how many organisations have so far given evidence.

The Working Group on the Safety of Trawler Fishermen was set up at a meeting I had with representatives of the fishing industry on 9th August, 1967. The Working Group met again on 27th September, 1967, when their method of work was decided. Another meeting is being arranged for the middle of this month.Written submissions have been received from the following organisations:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now establish a definite procedure to be followed if a trawler fails to report its position daily.

I am considering, in consultation with the fishing industry, whether additional arrangements should be introduced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms have failed to observe the terms of the circular sent out about 18 months ago requesting that trawlers should report their positions daily.

The circular was addressed to the associations representing fishing vessel owners, skippers and crews, who informed my predecessor that they would be getting in touch with their members. I cannot readily say how many firms have failed to comply with the recommendations in the circular. I am making inquiries and will publish the resulting information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what procedures his Department followed to ensure that the circular sent out about 18 months ago, requesting that trawlers should report their positions daily, was observed.

The Board of Trade wrote to the organisations concerned in August, 1966, enquiring whether their members had implemented the recommendations in the circular letter. Assurances were received that, where appropriate, everything possible was being done to ensure that the recommendations were being complied with, but one organisation stated that there were practical difficulties in compliance but that these would be largely overcome by special arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the numbers and percentage of children staying on at school beyond the compulsory leaving age in the Northern Region with comparisons for the other regions of the United Kingdom.

The table shows numbers of pupils in maintained secondary schools, in January, 1967, aged 15, 16, 17 and 18, as percentages of 13-year-old pupils 2, 3, 4 and 5 years earlier respectively. For pupils aged 15 the comparison is restricted to those with birthdays between January and August inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the numbers and percentage of children staying on at school beyond the compulsory leaving age in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and in Northumberland compared with Bristol, Leicester, Birmingham, Coventry and London.

The table shows numbers of pupils in maintained secondary schools, in January, 1967, aged 15, 16, 17 and 18, as percentages of 13-year-old pupils 2, 3, 4 and 5 years earlier respectively. For pupils aged 15 the comparison is restricted to those with birthdays between January and August inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the number of children in all types of school in Bedfordshire who leave school before their sixteenth birthday, and the number in the same age group Who stay on; and how this ratio compares with the average for England and Wales as a whole.

The figures asked for are not available. However, in January, 1967, the numbers of pupils in maintained secondary schools of age 15 who were staying on voluntarily, as a percentage of the corresponding numbers aged 13 two years earlier, were 42·4 per cent. in Bedfordshire, compared with 46·6 per cent. in England and Wales; although a small proportion of these left at Easter before their 16th birthday.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the numbers of nursery school and nursery class places in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the Northern Region with comparative figures the other regions of the United Kingdom and if he will list such numbers as a percentage of the school populations.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reductions in the British contribution to C.E.R.N. will follow from the measures announced in Command Paper No. 3515.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the second phase of the development of the Manor School, Uckfield, will be included in the building programme for 1969–70, in view of the proposed cuts in public expenditure.

The withdrawal of the allocation for raising the school leaving age for the years 1968–69 and 1969–70, and the addition of £8 million to the programme for each of these years have made it necessary for me to ask local education authorities to review their proposals for starting projects in these years. It is likely to be several months before I reach decisions about projects, including this one, which might start in 1969–70.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the universities in Great Britain showing the number of undergraduate and post-graduate students enrolled in each of the current academic year and the recurrent grant per student head for 1967–68.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list those orchestras which receive a grant from public funds; and what is the amount of the grant in each case.

The following are the major orchestras which are receiving grants from the Arts Council with the approximate amount of grant for the year ending 31st March 1968:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a grant to enable the Northern Philharmonic Orchestra to carry on.

The question of a grant for this orchestra is a matter for the Scottish Arts Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the approximate percentage increase in the level of Government support for the arts in Yorkshire in 1967–68 compared with 1966–67, and of the similar percentage increase for the country as a whole.

The total grant to the Arts Council rose by 26 per cent. from £5·7 million in 1966–67 to £7·2 million in 1967–68. Details of expenditure in individual counties are not at present available, but I am asking the Arts Council to assemble figures showing the grants they made in those two years direct to bodies and events in Yorkshire and I will send them to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will introduce legislation to establish rules which television interviewers will be required to observe when questioning individuals before selected audiences who are then invited to pass judgment on the individual's behaviour or actions.

The content of programmes is a matter for the broadcasting authorities. Nevertheless, that is not to say that I in common with hon. Members generally do not have views about the content of programmes.My hon. Friend can be assured that the broadcasting authorities are fully aware of the issues in the kind of programmes to which he refers.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that a boy was recently found dead from hanging after watching a television programme; and if he will direct both the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Television Authority to refrain from broadcasting programmes which include hanging or the preparation for hanging scenes in future.

The content of their programmes is of course the responsibility of the authorities. Nevertheless, I was very concerned to read the report of this sad affair. I am informed that the codes of practice issued by the two authorities to govern the portrayal of violence on television both refer expressly to the risks inherent in the fact that children may copy what they see. The Chairman of the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. will, I am sure, draw special attention to this.I am writing to my hon. Friend about this matter.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give details of the reductions in spending by the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Television Authority amounting to £2 million, announced by the Government on 21st December, 1967.

The reductions in 1968–69 will be:

asked the Postmaster-General if he will ensure that the British Overseas Broadcasting Service does not fail to put on a special St. Andrew's Night programme in 1968 as they did in 1967; and if he will give an assurance that in quality and length it will compare with the St. George's Day programme in 1967.

This is not a matter for me but for the B.B.C.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are awaiting telephone installations in the borough of Newark and in the rural districts of Newark and Southwell; and what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting list and to avoid line-sharing.

At 31st December, 1967, there were 9,056 connections on the 17 exchanges serving these areas, and 205 orders outstanding. 96 of these have now been connected; the remaining 109 cannot be served until more equipment is provided at the exchanges. We hope to complete this this year, mostly during the summer and autumn.Our aim is to offer unshared lines to those who prefer them, but this will take time. About 1,200 customers are sharing in Newark and Southwell, and half of these could not otherwise have been given service.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give details of the reductions to be obtained by the slower replacement of Post Office vehicles, amounting to £1 million, announced by the Government on 21st December 1967.

1,767 telecommunications vehicles of various types and 1513 postal vehicles, will not be replaced as planned in 1968.

asked the Postmaster-General, if he will give details o the reductions to be obtained by the postponement of telecommunications building amounting to £1 million, announced by the Government on 21st December 1967.

The reduction will be achieved by deferring, by at least one year, the construction of 45 telephone exchange buildings and 14 other telecommunications buildings, which were due to start late in 1967–68 or in 1968–69.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons on the new Stamp Advisory Committee are Scots.

No one on the Committee has been chosen because of a particular national or regional affiliation.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give details of the reductions to be obtained by the deferment of Post Office store purchases amounting to £3 million, announced by the Government on 21st December 1967.

Nearly two-thirds of the reduction will fall on purchases of telephones and components, and the balance on cable, coin boxes and other stores.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the supply of pulpwood timber to pulp mills will be severely disrupted by the diversion of the forestry labour force to clearing up the mill-sized timber blown down in the recent hurricane; and if he will take steps to enable supplies to be supplemented from areas outside the normal economic radius of these mills and thus eliminate the need for them to purchase imported timber.

I have no reason at present to believe that the supply of pulpwood to pulp mills will be disrupted.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his officers have now examined the latest consignment of meat from the Argentine; whether he is satisfied that it is free from foot-and-mouth virus; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that, as a result of his Department's investigations, the most recent consignment of Argentine meat is free from foot-and-mouth virus; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has taken a number of samples of Argentine meat in the course of its investigations, but I am not in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of pigs in the United Kingdom at the latest available date; and how this compares with the position 12 months previously.

The total number of pigs in the United Kingdom at the time of the December 1967 census is provisionally estimated as 7,636 thousand. The corresponding total in December 1966 was 7,284 thousand.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs why he cannot give the total of Rhodesian gold reserves at a later date than 3rd December 1965.

Up to 3rd December 1965 the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia in Salisbury published a weekly statement of the Bank's assets and liabilities, which included particulars of gold reserves. Publication was discontinued from that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what plans he has to issue an order under the Prices and Incomes Acts delaying the implementation of the settlement between the municipal bus undertakings and the Transport and General Workers' Union and the General and Municipal Workers' Union which was referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes on 27th January.

When the reference of this agreement to the National Board for Prices and Incomes under Section 2 of the Prices and Incomes Act 1966 was published in the London Gazette on 27th January it was accompanied by a Direction under Section 15 of that Act (as extended by Section 2 of the Prices and Incomes Act 1967) which has the effect of prohibiting implementation of the agreement for three months or until the Board reports, whichever is the sooner.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what was the total amount paid to industrialists is the Welsh Development Area in 1967 in all forms of development area assistance.

The information required is given in the following table:

asked the the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the official poster exhibited in 1967 explaining the way in which the taxpayer's money is spent; and at which post offices and Inland Revenue offices it was exhibited in the Rye constituency.

The 1967 Budget poster was, as usual, printed in 3 colours, and 3 sizes, crown folio, crown and double crown. The body of the poster showed the broad distribution of Government revenue and expenditure, and more detailed figures were given at the foot of the poster. The poster was displayed in all Crown Post Offices in the Rye Constituency, but not in all sub-post offices, where display is subject to the availability of space and the discretion of the sub-postmaster. It was displayed at the Rye Inland Revenue Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of local government borrowing comprised short-term loans redeemable within a period one year at the most recent date for which information is available.