asked the Minister of Technology what proportion of research sponsored by his Department is carried out in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with other regions of the United Kingdom.

About 0·3 per cent. at present. The percentages in other regions are higher. The details are as set out below. In all cases, the percentage relates to work carried out at the Ministry's expense by agencies other than its own research establishments.Following are the details:

	per cent.
Scotland	3·3
Northern	1·9
Yorkshire and Humberside	2·7
North West	10·7
East Midlands	10·3
West Midlands	4·2
Wales and Monmouthshire	0·4
East Anglia	5·3
South East	46·9
South West	14·0

asked the Minister of Technology what plans he has made for increasing work sponsored by his Department in Ulster; and whether, in view of the high unemployment in the area, he will expedite such plans.

The Shipbuilding Industry Board, with my approval, have agreed in principle to give financial assistance for the construction of a new shipbuilding dock in Belfast. Discussions are under way on details.

asked the Minister of Technology what requests he has received from the French Government for scientific and technical co-operation; and what replies he has sent.

There are in existence a number of major projects which involve technological collaboration between the United Kingdom and France, either as part of a bilateral arrangement or as members of a multilateral group. (A notable example of the former arrange- ment is, of course. Concorde). During the past months no new proposals specifically for scientific and technological cooperation have been received by H.M.G. from the French Government.

asked the Minister of Technology what kinds of technical cooperation are envisaged in the Anglo-Soviet Agreement signed on 19th January 1968; and if he will make a statement.

The Agreement provides for a wide range of possible technological collaboration between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, including organisations and firms on both sides. The main method of this collaboration, in the initial stages, will be for working parties representing both sides to examine the possibilities of such collaboration in detail within the specific areas to which the two Ministers have agreed. I am forwarding further details to the Hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Technology if, arising from the recent merger in the motor car industry between Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings, he will initiate discussions with the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation in order to examine the possibilities of the British Leyland Motor Corporation siting a major car plant in the North-East.

I am not sure that this is the right way of going about it. But any major new development proposed by British Leyland Motor Corporation would be discussed with the Government at an early stage. We would of course try to see that planned expansion took place in the most suitable area.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he is aware that the official United States estimate of compensation payable by Great Britain for the cancellation of the F111 is $330 million; on what basis he has estimated compensation of $40 million; and what steps he is taking to secure an agreed figure.

Discussions with the U.S. authorities are proceeding. I cannot comment on the figures quoted in the Question.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in view of the fact that the price of Mercury batteries for hearing aids has been increased from a retail price of 12s. to £1 1s. for six, he will now refer this increase to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to similar Questions on Monday, 5th February, 1968.—[Vol. 758, c. 31–33.]

asked the Minister of Technology when he will send a reply to the letter of 8th January, 1968, sent by the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe, referring to the increased charge for hearing aid batteries.

As the hon. Member will know a reply has now been sent to his letter of 8th January.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking to secure an independent European aviation industry and to identify with a view to their removal the obstacles in the spheres of technology and management which prevent its achievement.

We are collaborating with European partners on a number of projects in order to achieve a wider market for our joint products and thus to secure the objectives which my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Minister of Technology what consultations have taken place between his Department and the Saudi Arabian Air Defence Consortium; whether he will refuse assistance to the Consortium in view of the recent changes in defence policy laid down in Command Paper No. 3515; and if he will make a statement.

The approval of the supply of defence equipment is not dependent on the disposition of our Forces abroad. The Department is in continuous contact with the Consortium, and we intend to stand by our assurances to the Saudi Arabian Government that we will keep in close touch with the progress of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the nature of the cuts of £3½ million in 1968–69 and £6 million in 1969–70 in the research and development programme of the Atomic Energy Authority; and if he will give a detailed break-down of these cuts to the nearest £100,000.

The Authority aim to achieve the cut in the cost of their civil research and development programme in 1968–69 mainly by some reduction in capital expenditure and by some run down of manpower. The balance of the cut will be met by limiting extramural research and development contracts. The effect of the cuts in 1969–70 is still being studied by the Authority.

asked the Minister of Technology, in view of the cancellation of orders for the F111, what estimate he has made of the cost of remaking the prototype of the TSR2 to the standard achieved in trial flights before the project was cancelled in 1965, and of the cost of re-making the specialised jigs and tools required for this aircraft.

None.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he is taking to prevent the shut-down of the Hawker Siddeley Dynamics factory at Whitley, with the consequent dispersal of its labour force, including design teams with highly specialised skills indispensable to the future development of technology.

The company's future programme of guided weapons work will not support design teams at both Whitley and Hatfield, and it therefore makes industrial sense for the Company's activities to be concentrated at one establishment.

asked the Minister of Technology what consideration he is giving to the future of the National Gas Turbine Establishment.

A committee which includes representatives from industry, is currently examining the role of N.G.T.E. in the light of the merger of Rolls Royce and Bristol Siddeley Engines. We expect to receive the Committee's report shortly and will consider the future of the Establishment in the light of its recommendations.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will tabulate the research or development contracts placed by his Department with private industry, stating the value of each contract and the company, research association or organisation with which the contract has been placed in each case, respectively, during 1967.

It would be contrary to established practice to disclose details of individual contracts. The total value of research and development contracts I gave in the reply to a similar Question today.

asked the Minister of Technology when the Elstob Committee, which he has convened to inquire into the efficiency of the aircraft industry, will report.

No date has yet been fixed.

asked the Minister of Technology how many scientific officers of all ranks employed in the research and development establishments for which he is responsible left Government service after less than five years' employment in each of the last five years.

The details asked for are as follows:

1963	…	…	…	…	34
1964	…	…	…	…	45
1965	…	…	…	…	51
1966	…	…	…	…	56
1967	…	…	…	…	50

asked the Minister of Technology what is the average age of each rank of scientific officer employed in those research and development establishments which are responsible to him.

On 1st January, 1968, the average age of the officers in each grade of the Scientific Officer Class employed in the Research and Development establishments of the Ministry of Technology was:

Chief Scientific Officer	52 years
Deputy Chief Scientific Officer	50 years
Senior Principal Scientific Officer	47 years
Principal Scientific Officer	45 years
Senior Scientific Officer	33 years
Scientific Officer	26 years

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the loss of orders for Beagle aircraft for export to the Union of South Africa, with particular reference to the exchanges on this matter between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States of America.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave this afternoon to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Fortescue).

asked the Minister of Technology what discussions are in progress with other European countries for the creation of a European satellite telecommunications system by combining the European Launcher Development Organisation, the European Space Research Organisation and the European Conference on Satellite Communications.

The future of European co-operative space activities has recently been examined by an Advisory Committee set up by Ministers at the European Space Conference held last July. The Committee's Report will be considered by Ministers at the 1968 Conference which is likely to be held in Bonn in June.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the revised date for the first flight of Concorde.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to similar Questions today.

asked the Minister of Labour what further consideration he has given to the provision of a Government industrial training centre at Hartlepool.

We are reviewing the need for more Government Training centres, but there are no present plans for a centre at Hartlepool. The two existing centres at Billingham and Tursdale are within daily travelling distance of Hartlepool and Billingham is being extended to provide 78 more training places. My hon. Friend will also be aware that two new centres, at Darlington and near Durham, are planned to open by the end of 1969.

asked the Minister of Labour what records are kept of the movement of workers as a result of redevelopment and the change from defence to civil work; and what evidence is in his possession to show that skilled workers continue to be usefully employed.

Workers who change their jobs are not obliged to use the employment exchanges; therefore in general it is not possible to record and analyse the many millions of job changes which take place each year. But the experience of the employment exchanges is that in most areas redundant skilled workers have little difficulty in obtaining useful alternative employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the current unemployment percentage in Thorne and Goole, and in the nearest area designated as a development area.

At 8th January the percentage rate of unemployment for the area covered by the Thorne and Goole employment exchanges was 7 per cent. For the area covered by the Thirsk, Malton and Scarborough employment exchanges in the Northern Development Area it was 5·2 per cent. The rate for the Northern Development Area as a whole was 4·6 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the average percentage increase in wage rates since 1st January 1966; and what has been the change in the cost of living index over the same period.

During the period end-December 1965 to end-December 1967 there were increases of 9·4 per cent. in the weekly wage rate index and 10·8 per cent. in the hourly wage rate index. The Index of Retail Prices rose by 6·2 per cent. between mid-December 1965 and mid-December 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour what International Labour Organisation conventions in fishermen's conditions of employment have been ratified to date by the British Government: when this took place and which conventions so far adopted by the international Labour Organisation have not been ratified.

The following is the information:—I.L.O. Conventions regarding conditions of employment on fishing vessels ratified by the United Kingdom are:

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to find alternative employment for those becoming redundant in the Scottish factories of Remington Rand at Hillington and Thornliebank.

Arrangements are being made for employment officers to go to the two factories to interview the workers before their employment comes to an end. Every possible assistance to Lind other jobs will be given, including the provision of training in suitable cases.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of redundancies in industry on the Tyne and Wear, consequent upon the decisions of the Government not to take up the South African arms order; and if he will take urgent steps to provide alternative employment.

No redundancies on the Tyne and Wear notified to my Department have been attributed to this cause. The second part of the Question therefore does not arise, but the Government's efforts to create additional employment opportunities in these areas, as in the rest of the development areas, will continue.

asked the Minister of Labour what number of vacancies exist in the Coventry area for the employees likely to become redundant from Hawker Siddeley Limited as a result of that company's announcement of closure plans made on 8th February, 1968.

On 3rd January, 1968, there were 1,387 unfilled vacancies at the Coventry, Nuneaton, Leamington, Bedworth and Rugby Employment Exchanges; 719 for men and 668 for women. It would be wrong to take these figures as representing the total number of jobs available or suitable for workers from the Hawker Siddeley factory. The redundancies there will be spread over a period and the first will not take place till 31st March. There is a steady turnover of notified vacancies at these Exchanges: the average number notified per month last year was between 1,400 and 1,500; and not all openings are notified.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a further statement on action taken by the Government to deal with redundancies arising out of the Associated Electrical Industries—General Electric Company merger.

We are making arrangements for our employment officers to interview and register the workers at the factories concerned and to give information and advice about other jobs, including training in suitable cases.

asked the Minister of Labour what information his Department has been given about possible redundancies from Associated Electrical Industries factories in Sheffield following the General Electric Company/Associated Electrical Industries merger; and if he will make a statement.

As announced, a general rationalisation is taking place in the G.E.C./A.E.I. group, but I am not aware of any decision which would result in redundancies at the Sheffield factories.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he expects a final decision to be reached on the Baltic claim and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Sir W. Teeling) on 22nd January.—[Vol. 757, c. 7–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations with the Government of South Yemen in respect of salaries and pension rights of former employees of the Federal Government and the Colonial Government in Aden, who have volunteered to serve in the new administration.

Discussions on this and other matters have not yet been resumed with the Southern Yemeni Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will approach the Russian Government with a view to coming to an agreement which will prevent the fouling of fishing grounds off Shetland.

Following a series of incidents in 1966, the Soviet Ministry of Fisheries gave an assurance to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland in December of that year that they had issued instructions prohibiting the discard of used netting, packaging and other waste objects in the sea on fishing grounds and places of anchoring of fishing vessels, particularly in the Fetlar/Skerries area. Since that time no incidents have been brought to my right hon. Friend's attention nor to that of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. If there have been further cases my right hon. Friend would be quite prepared, in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, to take the matter up again with the Soviet authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to secure the release of the British seaman, Brian Yates, of London, N.W.9, apprehended and held by Belgian police on a charge for which he has already been tried and acquitted in Italy; and if he will make a statement.

I am glad to say that following representations by our Embassies in Brussels and Rome the Italian Government decided to withdraw their application for extradition. Mr. Yates was released on 7th February and has now returned to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that joint passports are considered invalid when wives wish to travel alone but not when husbands travel alone; and whether he will amend this practice to ensure equality.

Although these passports are commonly called joint passports, this is a misnomer. The passport is, in fact, issued to the husband, and the wife's particulars are included as a matter of convenience if this is requested. This does not make her the joint holder of the passport.As I told my hon. Friend, the Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Gwilym Roberts) on 12th June 1967, the present position stems from an international agreement which it would be wrong to abrogate unilaterally.—[Vol. 748, c. 92–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the decision in respect of former inmates of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, he will now reconsider the question of compensation in respect of British citizens deported during the Second World War to Nazi Germany from the Channel Islands.

No. My right hon. Friends decision regarding the Sachsenhausen claimants in no way changes the rules of the 1964 Compensation Scheme which did not include provision for those deported to civilian internment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will take action to secure an agreement with the German Federal Republic and/or the German Democratic Republic on compensation for British victims of deportation from the Channel Islands who are currently excluded from compensation because their places of internment do not fall within the accepted definition of concentration camps.

There is no possibility of putting forward further claims arising out of the war against Germany at present. It remains the policy of Her Majestys Government to work for a settlement that will bring about a peace treaty with a united Germany. I cannot prophesy what claims will be admitted in such a settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he now expects the mediators report in the dispute between Guatemala and British Honduras.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) on 30th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 281.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the total value of the British financial and property claims against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics which were included in the terms of the Anglo-Soviet financial agreement signed on 5th January; and the value of the corresponding Soviet claims against Great Britain.

My right hon. Friend proposes to give the House a full picture of the figures involved as soon as he is in a position to indicate the main lines of our approach to the questions of distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the light of the Parliamentary Commissioner's Report on the Sachsenhausen Prisoners and his acceptance thereof, he will now agree to admit for compensation the case of the British subject, Leon Greenman, who lost all of his family in a concentration camp, details of which are in his possession.

Mr. Greenman who also possesses Dutch citizenship was granted maximum compensation by the Netherlands Government on account of the tragic loss of his family. I am afraid that this made him ineligible to share in the United Kingdom distribution under paragraph 13 of the Notes for Guidance governing the 1964 Compensation Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government to comply with the resolution unanimously adopted by the Security Council of the United Nations on 26th January, 1968, requiring them to make representations about the illegal arrest, deportation and trial of 37 South West Africans.

Her Majesty's Government are considering what action in pursuance of this resolution will best serve the interests of the prisoners.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works to what extent alterations in specifications by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation authorities were responsible for the escalation in costs of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ammunition and storage depot at Glen Douglas.

There were no substantial alterations in specifications by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, but an additional requirement which itself cost about £100,000 caused consequential changes in the layout of the site. The main increases in cost however were due to unusually difficult site conditions, which in some cases necessitated alterations to specifications and changes in plans, labour problems, and the general rise in prices and wages during the extended period of the contract.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the cost of erecting the unsuitable new lamp standards on Constitution Hill; and if he will halt the installation, in view of the economic situation and the need for depart mental economy.

The cost of the erection of the new lamp standards, including the necessary cabling works, is estimated at £6,500. I am considering what should now be done.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will retain the lamp standards at present in use on Constitution Hill, and cease desecrating the area around the Royal Palace by erecting unsuitable lights; if he will resist pressure from other authorities to modernise for the sake of standardisation; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering what action to take and I must ask the hon. Member to await a statement.

asked the Minister of Health what response there has been in the Birmingham area to the notices inviting private nursing homes to register for the purposes of the Abortion Act.

Applications for approval forms have been received from one establishment in Birmingham, two in Learning-ton and one in Shrewsbury.

asked the Minister of Health how many members of the administrative class of the Civil Service are currently employed in his Department.

122.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what studies he has initiated on the possibility of establishing British-owned Hovercraft ferry services throughout the world.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology has assisted operators to make studies in certain areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding his conference with representatives of the fishing industry on Thursday, 8th February, with particular reference to any decisions or agreements made upon a fishing ban in those waters about the North Cape and beyond Iceland, the carrying of radio operators upon all voyages and the safety inspection of all trawlers before leaving port.

The meeting I held on Thursday, 8th February, with representatives of all sections of the fishing industry reached agreement as follows:1. Trawlers should be withdrawn from the area Isafjord to Langanes and forbidden to enter it until a vessel with a control officer on board and carrying meteorological staff and equipment, arrives in the Iceland area by next Wednesday, 14th February. The vessel will maintain a continuous radiotelegraphy watch.After the arrival of the vessel the control officer, will have discretion to advise vessels against entering or remaining in the area when conditions are dangerous.Trawler skippers will be instructed by the owners to abide by the advice of the control officer.In addition all vessels proceeding to Iceland will be instructed forthwith to proceed by the westabout passage so as to avoid the potentially more dangerous area north of Iceland.The vessel to be despatched will be the British Weather Ship "Weather Reporter" which will be moved from her present position to 6345°N, 33°W, after calling in at Reykjavik to embark the control officer and advisers from the industry. The control officer will be Lt.- Cmdr. J. A. Douglas, R.N. (retired), Deputy Chief Inspector, H.M. Coastguard.2. Distant water trawlers must report to their control ship at least every twelve hours, and the control ship must report to shore at least every twenty-four hours. If contact is not made then the control ship must report to shore immediately. When a distant water trawler cannot report to a control ship then it must report to shore every twelve hours. When contact is not achieved then action must be taken immediately to instruct other vessels in the area to contact the vessel. If they fail to make contact sea and air search procedure will be put into operation.3. (

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the survival of Harry Eddom, who was saved from the wreck of the trawler "Ross Cleveland" in Arctic seas, was due to his wearing a special kind of rubber suit in an inflatable dinghy; and if he will include in his forthcoming inquiry into the incident scientific investigations into the qualities of the suit which had this life-saving effect.

The Medical Research Council has for many years been concerned with the problem of survival at sea, including questions of protective clothing, and I understand that a member of the Council's staff is going to Iceland to collect scientific data about the survival of Mr. Eddom. I am sure that the findings will be made available to interested parties including the formal investigation into the loss of the "Ross Cleveland" and the Committee of Inquiry which I have announced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Overseas Marketing Corporation will publish an annual report of its activities, including its accounts.

As a limited company registered under the Companies Acts 1948 to 1967, the Overseas Marketing Corporation is subject to the full requirements of those Acts, including the obligation to forward copies of its annual accounts and directors' report to the Registrar of Companies. These documents will be available for inspection by the public in the normal way.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects the MS motorway to be completed as far as Edithmead.

By about the end of 1971.

asked the Minister of Transport when she expects the M5 motorway to be completed as far as Bristol.

By the summer of 1971.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what weight restriction is now enforced on the road bridge outside Lewes Railway Station; when the bridge was last inspected to decide on the maximum safe weight; whether the limit applies equally to public service and commercial vehicles; and what arrangements she has made to enforce the limit;(2) if she is aware of the inconvenience and delay caused by the enforcement of a weight limit on the road bridge outside Lewes Railway Station; and what action she proposes to make such a restriction unnecessary at the earliest possible moment.

The bridge was surveyed in February last year by the Railways Board, and I understand that the East Sussex County Council has been considering alternative routes with the Lewes Borough Council in relation to weight restrictions on the bridge pending strengthening works later on this year.I also understand that some diversion of traffic is taking place in Lewes because of road works in the town centre.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents there have been involving pedestrians on the A38 at Cambridge in each of the last five years; and what proposals she has to build a footbridge at this point.

There have been six accidents involving pedestrians on the A38 at Cambridge in the last five years. The details are:

• 1963 1 slightly, 1 seriously injured.
• 1964 1 fatal.
• 1965 1 slightly,1 seriously injured. 1966.
• 1 seriously injured
• 1967 none.

The earlier proposal to provide a footbridge has now been investigated in detail. The number of pedestrians crossing the road is very small there were no accidents last year involving pedestrians; and in some three years' time the M5 Motorway will significantly reduce traffic here. On the basis of this information we regret that the provision of a footbridge is not justified. Further traffic counts will be taken however.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will refuse her approval of the application of British Railways to close the passenger route Waverley-Hawick, Carlisle.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member on 4th December last.—[Vol. 755, c. 241.]

asked the Minister of Transport if she will refuse to approve an application from the British Railway Board to remove the rails and dispose of the land on the suburban routes to and round Edinburgh which have been closed to passenger traffic.

My right hon. Friend considers requests for the disposal of formation and station sites on their merits, and in each case consults the appropriate Economic Planning Council about any planning implications before giving or withholding her agreement. On Scottish lines she also consults my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. She will consider any further requests in the Edinburgh area in the same way. The actual rails and signaling apparatus are subject to rapid deterioration and vandalism and the Board are free to sell them off without my right hon. Friend's agreement.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will refuse her consent to the application to close the line from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh.

There is no current proposal to close the line between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh, though it does not form part of the basic network for development. In considering any future closure proposal for it my right hon. Friend would have particular regard to the adequacy of road alternatives.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will make a statement about his review of the law of contempt so far as it affects tribunals of inquiry.

The Government have decided that there should be a further review of the law of contempt as it affects comment on, or statements made about, matters referred to a tribunal of inquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921, and a further statement will be made in due course.

asked the Attorney-General in how many divorce actions over the last five years it has been alleged that the marriage had broken down because of the practice of scientology by one of the spouses.

I regret that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available.

asked the Minister of Power what consideration he has given to the proposal made to him by the Trades Union Congress that the National Coal Board and the British Steel Corporation should establish a new and independent industrial financing organisation; and whether he will take steps to implement this proposal.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will consider setting up a joint subsidiary of the National Coal Board and British Steel Corporation to assist the redevelopment of areas affected by pit closures and plant rationalisation in the iron and steel industry as suggested in the Trades Union Congress's Economic Review for 1968, a copy of which has been sent to him.

The Government will not overlook the contribution which any of the public enterprises might make in helping to bring employment to areas affected by closures; under the Government's measures for the development and special development areas, substantial incentives are already available to attract new enterprises which will provide additional employment opportunities.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what estimate he has now made of the effect of restrictions on capial investment by the electricity industry on the building of nuclear power stations; what effect this will have on the consumption of coal in 1975; and what effect it will have on hic revised White paper;(2) what effect he expects devaluation will have on the use of fuel oil in power stations; what revisions he is making to his fuel policy White Paper to allow for this; and what will be the likely effect on coal consumption in 1975;(3) what effect devaluation is likely to have on the operating costs of nuclear power stations; what revisions he is making to his fuel policy White Paper to allow for this; and what will be the likely effect on coal consumption in 1975.

As I said in answer to hon. Members in the debate on 22nd January [Vol. 757, c. 147] and in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ince (Mr. McGuire) on 23rd January [Vol. 757, c. 77] and also to Questions on 6th February [Vol. 758, c. 211] the consequences of devaluation are not sufficient to affect materially the policy guide-lines in the Fuel Policy. Paragraph 6 of the White Paper makes it clear that policy will be kept under continuing review.As regards the effect of restrictions on capital investment on the building of nuclear power stations, I have nothing to add to my replies to my hon. Friends the Members for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Ogden) and Ince (Mr. McGuire) on 12th December [Vol. 756, c. 194], the reply by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Palmer) on 21st December, 1967 [Vol. 756, c. 488] and my reply to the hon. Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) on 6th February [Vol. 758, c. 207].

asked the Minister of Power whether he still estimates that the market for gas will double in the next two and a half years; if he is satisfied that North Sea gas will be available ashore in sufficient quantities to make this possible; and if he will make a statement.

I still expect that the market for gas will have doubled between 1966 and the early 1970's as stated in the White Paper and that North Sea gas will be available ashore in sufficient quantities to make this possible.

asked the Minister of Power what effect devaluation will have on the profits or losses of the gas industry in 1968; and what effect this will have on the consumer.

The effect of devaluation, both on the costs of the gas industry and on its prices, is one of the factors being taken into account by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in its present examination of gas and coke prices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the chief constable on the outcome of the on-the-spot inquiry held by police and railway experts at the Leominster level crossing on Wednesday, 7th February.

The chief constable tells me that nothing emerged to suggest the need for police action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of offences alleged to have been committed under Sections 2(1)(a), 2(2)(a) and 2(2)(b), respectively, of the Road Safety Act, 1967, between 9th October and 30th November, 1967.

These provisions do not create offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement to clarify the position as to providing evidence to the court that the breathalyser equipment used by the police is equipment that has official approval.

As the House is aware, my predecessor approved, for the purposes of the Road Safety Act, 1967, the breath-testing device known as the Alcotest, a sample of which was placed in the Library of the House. The police were notified of this approval in a Home Office circular dated 18th July, 1967, and a copy of this circular was also placed in the Library. A printed statement that the device is approved by the Secretary of State appears on the lid of the container in which the device is supplied to police forces. So far as I am aware members of the public have been left in no doubt that the device being used by the police was approved by my predecessor.I understand that an appeal is pending regarding the issue to which the hon. Member refers. I have decided however, in order to allay any doubt in the meantime, to make a fresh approval of the Alcotest device for the purposes of the Act by means of an order which will be printed and placed on sale by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The printed copies will be admissible in evidence under the Documentary Evidence Acts, 1868 and 1882. The order will apply to breath tests required or offered under the Act subsequent to the date of the order. Earlier cases will be covered by a senior official of the Home Office providing, if required, a written statement of evidence for the court, in pursuance of Section 9 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1967, that my predecessor's approval was given to the Alcotest device.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish a frequency distribution of the results of blood and/or urine samples tested as a result of positive breathalyser indications to motorists between 9th October and 30th November, giving the readings in millilitres.

Figures for England and Wales in cases where there were positive results in roadside breath tests or the laboratory specimen was provided in hospital are as follows:

Mgs. alcohol per 100 mils. blood or the equivalent alcohol-urine concentration	Number of cases where a laboratory analysis was made
80 or below	341
81–100	160
101–120	203
121–150	306
Over 150	601

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of the fact that the amount paid in public funds towards legal aid for divorce totalled £2,156.000 last year compared with the contribution of £42,000 to the Marriage and Family Guidance Council, if he will therefore substantially increase the latter figure.

The present annual exchequer contribution to the National Marriage Guidance Council was fixed in April 1966 for a period of three years. The question of any adjustment must await the review which will be made later this year to settle the grant for the following three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent talks with the Government of Gibraltar.

My noble friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs has just returned from Gibraltar where he has had a useful preliminary and informal exchange of views on the constitution with representatives of political parties and others. Detailed consideration will now be given to these exchanges by Her Majesty's Government and in Gibraltar. As I said on 24th October we shall continue to keep in close touch with Gibraltar in preparing for the formal discussions which will be held in Gibraltar early in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has with British subjects still in Biafra: and what steps he is taking to enable those who wish to return to Great Britain to do so.

There is no British Government representative in the secessionist parts of Eastern Nigeria and we have, therefore, no means of keeping in touch with those British nationals who have chosen to remain there. In practical terms, there is very little that the British Government can do at the moment to facilitate the departure of those British nationals who wish to leave, but, of course, if any opportunity occurs for us to lend assistance, we shall do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what further consideration he has given to the official proposal by the Prime Minister of Malaysia that Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia and Singapore should conclude a regional defence agreement for South-East Asia; and if he now plans to take part in a five-Power conference on this subject.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend, the Commonwealth Secretary, gave to a similar Question on 31st January.—[Vol. 757, c. 343–44.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those taxes which give an annual yield of less than £5 million, and the actual yield in each case.

Taxes with a yield of less than £5 million in 1966–67 are listed in the table below. Taxes which are obsolete or for which the full year yield is expected to be more Than £5 million have been excluded.

Taxes with a yield of less than £5 million
	1966–6
Mechanical Lighter duties	£1·3 m.
Gaming Licence duty	£2·0 m,
Gaming Machine Licence duty	£2·7 m,
Excise Licence duties	£1·2 m,
Duties on imported hops, hop extracts and hop oil	£0·04 m

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the compensation which will have to be paid to the manufacturers and owners of automatic vending machines, parking meters and other meters, accounting machines, cash registers and other business machines as a result of the conversion made necessary by the change to the new decimal currency.

The Government have said that compensation as a general principle is not acceptable. It is for the Decimal Currency Board to receive and consider representations for compensation in special circumstances. The Government will consider any recommendations the Board may make.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost to manufacturers and owners of automatic vending machines and parking meters of the changes required in order to conform with the new decimal currency to be introduced in 1971.

On the basis of the estimates given by the Committee of Inquiry on Decimal Currency the cost of converting coin-operated vending machines would be roughly £10 million. This includes parking meters but excludes other coin-operated machines such as gas and electricity meters and Post Office mechanisms. No more recent estimates have been made; to do so would require an extensive and costly survey.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate figure of gross revenue raised by Selective Employment Tax since its inception.

The approximate gross amount paid by employers in Great Britain in Selective Employment Tax from 4th September, 1966, to 31st December, 1967, is £1,415 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate amount paid to manufacturers by way of Selective Employment premium since its inception.

The approximate amount paid to manufacturers in Great Britain in Selective Employment Tax Premium from 4th September, 1966, to 31st December, 1967, is £597 million. This consists of £458 million refund and £139 million additional payments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate annual total of Selective Employment Tax paid by employers in Wales.

£49 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the respective percentages of employees in Wales in respect of whom Selective Employment Tax is collected, premium is paid, or exemption is granted.

The information requested is as follows:

Premium group about 33 per cent.

Refund group (including Public Sector) about 26 per cent.

Tax bearing group about 41 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all equity holding of Her Majesty's Government in the stock of firms in the aerospace and electronic industries.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Prime Minister if he will transfer responsibility for the Agricultural Training Board to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication between the National Agricultural Advisory Service and the present activities of the Board.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the Answer given on 8th February by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to Questions by the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. John Wells) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Sir G. de Freitas).—[Vol. 758, c. 648.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much meat from the Argentine and Uruguay is held in cold storage at present; and what Her Majesty's Government intends to do with it.

The returns made to me by cold storage operators do not identify meat in store by countries of origin. I am not yet able to comment on the disposal of stocks held un under the arrangements I announced on 4th December 1967.

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

My information is that the latest consignment of Argentine meat arrived at the Royal Victoria Docks on 22nd December. Chilled beef in transit when the temporary suspension of imports was announced was distributed only in the Greater London Area and is now all consumed. Frozen meat from countries to which the suspension applies is held in cold store. There is no practicable way of determining with certainty whether virus is present in a consignment of meat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the value of export orders for breeding stock sold to European countries, including the Soviet Union, which were cancelled as a result of the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak; and what was the estimated value of live and dead meat exports to Europe similarly cancelled.

Exports of these items tend to be irregular and it is not possible to say what sales might have been if the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic had not occured.

asked the Minister of Agricuture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the extent to which improvement grants, available under the Horticulture Acts, are being taken up; and if he will make a statement.

The response continues to be encouraging. Since the present Horticulture Improvement Scheme came into force in July 1966 applications for grant have averaged over 700 per month, as compared with 426 per month for the previous Scheme of 1964. The estimated cost of proposals approved in the past year has been over £10½ million of which the Government will find one-third by way of grant under the scheme and a further 5 per cent by way of investment grant under the Agriculture Act, 1967.The glasshouse sector has accounted for over 60 per cent. of the expenditure approved during the past year. There is great need for new investment in this sector; it is very satisfactory that owners of glasshouse businesses are taking the opportunity to modernise and re-equip them with the aid of these grants.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many members of the administrative class of the Civil Service are currently employed in his Department.

In this Department there are currently 132 members of the Administrative Class.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will allocate a vessel of the Fishery Protection Squadron to act as liaison ship with the fishing fleet in Icelandic waters pending the outcome of further inquiries into recent trawler losses.

The hon. Member will now be aware of the arrangements made by the Board of Trade following their discussions with representatives of the fishing industry last week.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he has made to facilitate the coverage by Press and television of the first test firing of a Polaris missile from H.M.S. ' Resolution ' off Cape Kennedy; how many places have been allocated to official guests and how many to United Kingdom and other Press and television correspondents, respectively, on board H.M.S. ' Aisne ' and the United States ship Fred T. Berry '; and it he will give maximum publicity to this event in view of the public expenditure involved.

There will be two viewing ships, H.M.S. Aisne ' and the U.S.S. Fred T. Berry '. Thirty-five places have been allocated for Press, radio, television and film representatives. All these will be on board the Fred T. Berry, which is expected to be in the best position for viewing the trials.Other accommodation has been reserved for representatives of compaines contributing to the Polaris programme, Royal Navy and other British staffs on duty and United States Navy representatives. These arrangements should ensure adequate publicity: they include two film production units.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average age of each rank of scientific officer employed in those research and development establishments which are responsible to him.

Their average ages are as follows:

Chief Scientific Officers	54
Deputy Chief Scientific Officers	45
Senior Principal Scientific Officers	48
Principal Scientific Officers	46
Senior Scientific Officers	36
Scientific Officers	26

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific officers of all ranks employed in research and development establishments for which he is responsible left Government service after less than five years' employment in each of the last five years.

Following is the information:

1963	…	…	…	…	11
1964	…	…	…	…	20
1965	…	…	…	…	12
1966	…	…	…	…	11
1967	…	…	…	…	17

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of defence costs was related to civilian and service personnel's salaries, wages and service pay in the years 1966 and 1967.

For each of the financial years 1966–67 and 1967–68 the proportion has been about 40 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the administrative class of the Civil Service are currently employed in his Department.

260.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to make good the effect of devaluation on service personnel overseas; and if he will make a statement.

We propose to increase the Local Overseas Allowance which is intended to cover essential extra expenditure incurred in the overseas area concerned, as compared with expenditure in the United Kingdom. We have worked on the general principle that the Serviceman overseas should be neither better nor worse off as the result of devaluation than his counterpart in the United Kingdom, and the increase therefore takes account of the rise in the cost of living which must be expected at home as the result of devaluation.The rates now being introduced are interim. They are being followed up by a comprehensive review. Should it turn out as the result of the review that any further upward revision of Local Overseas Allowance is called for, this will be given retrospective effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give an assurance that it is still his policy to encourage primary schoolchildren to drink milk under the school milk scheme; and if he will make a statement.

I can assure my hon. Friend that my policy as regards the provision of milk to primary school children is unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many members of the administrative class of the Civil Service are currently employed in his Department.

117.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many times in the last three financial years he has refused applications by local authorities for supplementary loan sanctions required to cover over-spending by their direct labour building departments.

I regret that I am unable to give this information for the reasons I gave in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 29th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 239.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the increases in local authority expenditure, what analysis he makes of the reasons given by local authorities in their applications for supplementary loans sanctions.

The Department is constantly in touch both with individual authorities and with the Local Authority Associations on all matters of expenditure.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what proportion of housing authorities in England and Wales is now operating differential rent schemes.(2) what proportion of housing authorities in England and Wales is now operating rent rebates schemes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the details of rent rebate schemes contained in Housing Statistics, 1965–66, published by the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants. Of the local authorities which made returns, 44 per cent. had rent rebate schemes. The statistics do not distinguish between differential rent schemes and rent rebate schemes.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will move to reduce the three-week time limit for tabling Questions to the Prime Minister to two weeks so as to enable more topical subjects to be reached orally.

The three-week limit was introduced following a recommendation of the Select Committee on Procedure in their Second Report for the Session 1964–65. If, however, there is now a general wish for changes in the Question Roster, I suggest that they should in the first instance be discussed as normally, through the usual channels.

asked the Postmaster-General when Bexhill-on-Sea will be included in a service area for B.B.C.2.

The extension of B.B.C.2 coverage is primarily the responsibility of the Corporation. They tell me that though Bexhill-on-Sea is within the general transmission area of the East Sussex B.B.C.2 station which is expected to open by the end of 1969, a relay station will be needed to reinforce the service for the Hasting and Bexhill areas. This is planned to open in the following year.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the number of letters posted in Kettering, Northants, between 13th December, 1967, and 2nd January, 1968, was 1,564,000; and how this figure compares with the number posted in an average town of similar population.

Yes; slightly higher.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the number of letters posted in Corby, Northants, between 13th December, 1967, and 2nd January, 1968, was 582,000; and how this figure compares with the number posted in an average town of similar population.

Yes; somewhat lower.

asked the Postmaster-General what is his latest estimate of the cost of altering public automatic telephone mechanisms in order to conform with the new decimal currency to be introduced in 1971.