asked the Secretary of State for Defence why a team of outside welders and fitters was brought in to carry out recent urgent repairs to a Royal Navy supply vessel at Chatham Dockyard; and what was the extra cost of employing these private contractors.

This work was put out to contract because the available dockyard labour could not have finished the job in the required time scale. Special diversion of existing dockyard labour is often justified but for this comparatively small job was not considered. Instructions have now been issued to ensure that such diversion of dockyard labour will be considered in future in any similar case. Final costs have not yet been assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Portsmouth City Council about changed manpower requirements in the Royal Naval dockyards, following the latest Government defence review; what reply he has sent; and whether he will make a statement.

The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth wrote last month expressing concern about the effect of further defence cuts on the City's economy. I have replied that we are now examining urgently how the cuts in defence spending announced by the Prime Minister on 16th January will affect the dockyards. This review is a complicated one and is bound to take some time. I have also made it clear to him that the Portsmouth City Council will be fully informed of our decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to review the role of naval dockyards in the Government's new defence policy.

I have nothing to add to what I said in the Adjournment debate on 23rd January, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how the general capability of British forces for use overseas will be maintained after they have been withdrawn from East of Suez.

Our general capability will be drawn from forces based here and in Europe. Its effectiveness will not be dependent on overseas bases.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the microbiological research undertaken at Porton Down is for defence purposes.

The Microbiological Research Establishment at Porton Down is a defence establishment concerned primarily with defence work. However, the problems of microbiological diseases are the same whether they are disseminated by man or by nature and to that extent all the work at M.R.E. has civil significance. Much of the work attributable to defence is eventually published; last year the amount was over 90 per cent. The establishment is, however, progressively undertaking on repayment more projects of exclusively civil interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what sums will be required of Her Majesty's Government for cancellation charges as a result of recent reductions in defence programmes; and what estimate he has made of the value of orders lost through the lapse of offset arrangements.

No estimate will be available until the precise implications of these reductions have been worked out. So far as the cancellation of the F.111K aircraft is concerned, the costs of cancellation and the future of the offset arrangements are at present under consideration with the U.S. authorities and the firms concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total amount incurred since October, 1964 by way of cancellation charges on defence equipment.

A total of about £200 million has been paid out on the main defence projects cancelled since October, 1964. This amount includes payments for equipment delivered or in course of manufacture, and materials and equipment obtained for the purposes of the contracts as well as compensation payments for unavoidable terminal costs by reason of the cancellations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the total cancellation charges resulting from the Defence cuts announced on 16th January, 1968.

No estimate will be available until the precise implications of the decisions announced on 16th January, 1968, have been worked out.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many requests are presently outstanding from civil authorities in Scotland for help under the programme for military assistance to the community; and what plans he has to expand this programme.

25 projects are due to start this year; 45 others have been accepted in principle but require further feasibility studies. Future plans for military aid to the civil community will be mentioned in the forthcoming Statement on Defence Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he is making for rehousing servicemen and their families returning to the United Kingdom from East of Suez.

I am studying this problem in the light of our overall plans to reduce the size of the Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel will be brought home from east of Suez during the financial year 1968–69; and what will be the budgetary saving.

Detailed planning of redeployment following the recent decision to withdraw from Singapore and Malaysia by December, 1971, is not yet completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what amphibious forces will be available for use East of Suez after 1971.

We are examining the future role of our amphibious forces in the N.A.T.O. setting as part of our force level studies. Their availability for use East of Suez, as part of our capability based in Europe, after our withdrawal from Singapore, Malaysia and the Persian Gulf, will depend on the outcome of these studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to which countries in the Middle East the Government are currently providing arms; and what proposals they have to extend the supply of arms to that area.

It is the established practice not to disclose information about the supply of arms to individual countries. I can however say that some arms are being supplied, but it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to encourage the limitation of arms supplies to the Middle East rather than to extend it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the withdrawal to this country of units with a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation rôle in Germany will involve the duplication of barrack accommodation, vehicles, stores, weapons or other equipment; and if he will make a statement.

The amount of duplication resulting from the agreed redeployment in peacetime of certain units from Germany to the United Kingdom is very small indeed; this has been achieved without detriment to the general operational efficiency of the units concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much budgetary as opposed to foreign exchange saving will result from the withdrawal of units from Germany; and if he will make a statement.

The budgetary saving is now estimated to be a little over £1 million a year after the redeployment is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to discourage contractors for the supply of defence equipment for his Department from employing self-employed designers and technicians wherever possible, in view of the fact that those not genuinely self-employed avoid much of the legislation to which other workers are subject.

My Department already adopts a critical and discriminating attitude to employing self-employed designers and technicians and discourages the practice in those cases where it is not properly justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he proposes to close the Ordnance Explosive Sub-Depot at Melmerby; and what plans are being made for the provision of alternative employment for the established and temporary staff at present employed at the sub-depot.

The aim is to close this depot by 31st December, 1968. This is however subject to disposing of stocks held there by that date.So far as alternative work for the employees is concerned, I can add little at present to what I told the hon. Member in my letter of 8th January, 1968. We expect to find work in other Army establishments for the established staff. But it is unlikely that alternative employment will be available for the unestablished staff and the Ministry of Labour has been asked to assist in finding jobs. My Department will also give any help within its power.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the role of cadet forces following the Government's latest defence review.

I have no proposals for changing the roles of the cadet forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why virtually no reduction has been made in the Polaris weapons system or the British nuclear deterrent in the cuts in defence expenditure announced in January.

One reason is because virtually nothing would be saved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further amalgamation of regiments is planned as a result of the announcements in Command Paper No. 3515, Public Expenditure in 1968–69 and 1969–70; and if he will make a statement.

Further details of reductions and amalgamations of major Army units will be given in a statement on Defence Policy to be published later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to announce the major Army units which are to be disbanded or amalgamated.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the Answer I gave today to the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with the Australian Government the possibility of extending the plans to develop naval support facilities at Cockburn Sound in Western Australia in the light of the feasibility study now under consideration, so as to include British requirements in the area.

Our requirements if any for facilities in the area after the withdrawal from Singapore in 1971, have yet to be determined.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value to date of contracts placed by the United States in Great Britain as a result of the F111 aircraft offset agreement; and what is the estimated value of the outstanding contracts.

$184 million, for which payments of $9 million had been made by the ned of December, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to ensure that in the planned reduction in the armed forces redundancies in the higher ranks will proceed in line with those in the other ranks.

We intend to ensure that the Forces maintain an appropriate balance between the ranks.

				Royal Navy	Royal Marina	Army	Royal Air Force	Total
October, 1964
Men	…	…	…	86,016	9,348	186,894	127,252	409,510
Women	…	…	…	3,461	—	6,520	5,656	15,637
October, 1967
Men	…	…	…	83,559	9,351	188,898	116,451	398,259
Women	…	…	…	3,789	—	6,237	5,454	15,480

These numbers exclude members of forces enlisted outside the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Defence what is the estimated capital value of the military installations and facilities in Singapore now in use by British forces.

I regret that no valuation is available at present.

asked the Secretary f State for Defence if he is aware of the failure of the Meteorological Office in Scotland to forecast the recent severe storm timeously; and if he will take steps to avoid a repetition.

The Meteorological Office gave warning of gales in Scotland from 10 a.m. on the day before the storm. I gave full details in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol. North-West (Mr. Ellis) on 19th January.— [Vol. 756. c. 707.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated number of coloured immigrants who have joined the Armed Forces; and what percentage this is of the Armed Forces and the total number of coloured immigrants in the United Kingdom, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total number of all ranks in the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and Royal Marines, respectively, in October, 1964, and in October, 1967.

The following are the numbers:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to provide safety precautions for Vulcan bomber crews as effective as those provided for their pilots.

The practicability of providing ejection seats for the rear crew of V-bombers was examined twice during their earlier years in service, but on each occasion was rejected after careful consideration, though in 1964 it was decided to fit swivel seats which enable a more rapid escape to be made. The question of ejection seats for the rear crew is being examined again, with particular reference to possible technical developments and to current consideration of the future of the V force in the context of the reshaping of our air forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for strengthening British naval forces in the Mediterranean, in view of the concentration of Russian naval ships in the area.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 31st January to the hon. and gallant Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby).—[Vol. 757, c. 326.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total cost of the defence research establishments in 1968–69 and 1969–70.

These costs will be components of the 1968–69 and 1969–70 Defence Estimates; and it is not our practice to anticipate their presentation to Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what fresh instructions have been issued to generals and other ranks about their rights in communicating political views to the newspapers.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied regarding the safety of bathing beaches from the danger of explosive missiles from World War 2; and whether he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the Services do all they can to search and clear beaches where evidence exists that unexploded missiles may he present.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers and men were on the payroll of H.M.Y. "Britannia" during January, 1968; what were their ranks; and what was the total pay received by each.

The gross amount paid to officers and ratings of H.M.Y. "Britannia" in January, 1968 was £23,419 9s. 4d. The net amount after deductions for Income Tax, N.H.I. and other payments was, £16,172 3s. 8d. made up as follows:

Rank Office's			No.	Net Payment
				£	s.	d
Rear-Admiral	…	…	1	333	17	11
Commanders	…	…	5	955	19	3
Lt.-Commanders	…	…	5	706	16	0
Lieutenants	…	…	6	760	5	6
Total	…	…	17	£2,756	18	8

Ratings
R.N
C.P.O	…	…	28	2,785	9	8
P.O.	…	…	26	2,123	8	4
Other Ratings	…	…	170	7,988	11	5
R.M.
N.C.O.	…	…	2	337	15	3
Other Ranks	…	…	7	180	0	4
Total	…	…	233	£13,415	5	0

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will reconsider the defence plans of the United Kingdom in the Persian Gulf, with a view to assisting certain states in maintaining their security upon the basis that the costs are met by such States.

No, but assistance, for example, over the provision of some advisers could continue to be possible on this basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what sums have been spent on providing and improving installations in the Persian Gulf in the past three years; and what further sums remain to be spent there.

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames on 5th February.—[Vol. 758, c. 11–12.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what forces will be available after 1971 for deployment in support of the United Kingdom's interest in the prosperity and security of the Persian Gulf.

Such of those forces based in Europe (including the United Kingdom) as in our judgment circumstances demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the defence of the Arabian Persian Gulf area after 1971.

Our planning is based on the fact that we shall have withdrawn our forces from the Persian Gulf by the end of 1971; that our basic interest in the prosperity and security of the area remains and that we shall retain a general capability based in Europe (including the United Kingdom) which will be available for deployment wherever in our judgment this is right having regard to the forces available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Command about Sir John Hackett's letter to The Times of 6th February; and whether permission was sought by Sir John Hackett from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation political authorities to publish the letter.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is ' None '. General Hackett has stated that he obtained the approval of his superior N.A.T.O. Commander, C.I.N.C.E.N.T., before sending his letter of 6th February to The Times.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that both British bases in Cyprus are fully used and required for defence commitments in the Mediterranean; and if he will make a statement.

There have been no changes in military requirements which call for a statement on the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus both of which continue to be needed for various defence purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the medical profession are engaged in research into chemical and biological warfare.

Eleven, all members of the staffs of the C.D.E.E. and the M.R.E. which, as my hon. Friend knows, are concerned with defence against chemical and biological warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT particulars of the ships of all kinds which have been ordered by his Department from shipbuilders outside the United Kingdom during the past three years, together with the dates on which the contracts were placed.

The only vessel so ordered by my Department is one diving tender for use in the Far East which was ordered in April, 1967 from a Singapore subsidiary of a British firm.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the United Kingdom's range of minor military commitments to Fiji, Honduras and the Falkland Islands; and what plans he has for terminating them.

The United Kingdom is responsible for the external defence and internal security of Fiji, British Honduras and the Falkland Islands. We shall retain these responsibilities so long as these territories remain dependencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will draw the attention of all officers serving with the British Army of the Rhine to paragraph 680 of Queen's Regulations.

No. It is the duty of all officers to be conversant with Queen's Regulations and I can see no reason to issue a further instruction.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the future of the Simonstown Agreement.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby) on 31st January. —[Vol. 757, c. 328.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to seek to make alterations in the terms of the Simonstown Agreement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Naval Air Station at Lossiemouth in the light of the most recent announcements of reductions in defence expenditure.

I have nothing to add to what I wrote to the hon. Member on 26th January, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what orders the Royal Air Force has given for Beagle light aircraft; and for what purpose they are to be used.

20 Bassetts have been purchased for communication purposes in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment H.M.S. "Glamorgan" carries for the specific purpose of resuscitation of electrical casualties.

H.M.S. "Glamorgan" has a modernised oxygen resuscitation outfit which is available for all cases needing such treatment, including electrical casualties. External cardiac massage and other means of personal resuscitation with the use of certain drugs are available to trained staff also.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence where H.M.S." Resolution "is; and when she will become operational.

As has been announced recently, H.M.S. "Resolution" is currently in American waters for her demonstration and shakedown operation. It is still the intention, as previously announced, that she will become operational in mid-1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence with which countries he intends to conduct negotiations for over-flying rights for use of the air-portable strategic reserve.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking in regard to H.M.S. "Ark Royal"; and if he will also make a statement on the future of carriers in the forthcoming White Paper on Defence.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on 18th January.—[Vol. 756, c. 665.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for a Canberra replacement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what type of aircraft will be available to fulfil the reconnaissance rôle in Europe which had been intended for the F111.

I would refer to the Answer I have to the hon. Members for Woking (Mr. Onslow) and for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of total defence spending in 196869 and 1969–70 will be saved by the cuts announced on 16th January.

As appears from the table circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT in connection with the Prime Minister's statement on public expenditure on 16th January last there will be no reduction in 1968–69; the reduction in 1969–70 will amount to about 5 per cent. of the defence budget previously planned for that year.— [Vol. 756, c. 1619–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is intended to maintain the British contribution to the Commonwealth Bridge after 1971.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions in naval construction are planned in the 1968–69 programme.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer I have given today to the hon. Members for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger) and Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the number of ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

We are now examining the future role of the Navy's support ships. including Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, in the context of reduced commitments overseas. Our plans regarding the number of these ships will he developed in the light of these studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to announce the cuts which are to be made in the transport force of the Royal Air Force.

This is part of the wider problem, now being tackled, of reshaping the services for their long term role after our withdrawal from the Far East and the Persian Gulf. I cannot forecast a definite date for the announcement of decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement indicating the principal service resources which will be released for civil production from 1969–70 onwards.

Detailed planning has not reached the stage where I can add anything to the statement made by the Prime Minister in this House on 16th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give further details of the priorities to be established with a view to strengthening the peace-keeping capabilities of British forces, as outlined in Command Paper No. 3515.

These were clearly set out in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of the 16th January. —[Vol. 756, c. 1580.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for making credible Great Britain's capacity to meet her commitments and obligations to the Government of Singapore concerning the defence of that country after 1971.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January.—[Vol. 756, c. 1580–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the procedure agreed by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries by which senior serving officers, such as army group commanders, can make public statements.

Under N.A.T.O. procedure senior N.A.T.O. commanders may make public statements on matters concerning their commands and within the framework of N.A.T.O. policy, subject to the authority of their superior commanders.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the consequences of the proposed changes in the United Kingdom's general defence capability to the Anglo-Malaysian Defence Agreement.

I have nothing to add to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January.—[Vol. 756, c. 1581.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total number of workers, other than qualified engineers and scientist, working in defence research establishments at October, 1964, and October, 1967;(2) if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total number of qualified engineers and scientists working in defence research establishments at December, 1964 and at December, 1967.

Details are as follows:

STAFF IN NAVY AND ARMY DEPARTMENT R. & D. ESTABLISHMENTS
	31.12.64	31.12.67
Qualified engineers and scientists*	2,612	2,838
	1.10.64	1.10.67
Other staff	13,096	12,900
* As defined in Cmd. 6679.

asked the Minister of Transport how much of the reduction in public expenditure on roads will be incurred in the Northern Region.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Evelyn King) on 23rd January.—[Vol. 757, c. 90.]

asked the Minister of Transport if she will take steps in conjunction with the highway authorities to introduce a light or white coloured pavement edging material as a clear guide between the vehicular and pedestrian areas of the highway.

We do not think the need for better visibility of pavements is sufficiently great to justify the considerable expense which would be involved in the general use of edging material.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will give a general direction to the Railways Board that in order to minimise disruption of road traffic, work on railway tracks which involves closures of level crossings should always be done on Sundays, and that full and early notice should be given to the public in the area concerned so that they can seek alternative routes.

No. I understand from the Railways Board that it is already their practice to carry out such work on Sundays wherever possible and to consult in advance the police and the highway authority.

asked the Minister of Transport why it has not been possible to publish the report of the study into track costs prior to the committee stage of the Transport Bill.

asked the Minister of Transport when she will publish the Report on Road Track Costs.

Copies of the report will be available in the Vote Office at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow and will be on sale to the public on Friday. This will be well in advance of the date when the proposed road haulage charges will be considered in committee.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she is satisfied that the light beacons at uncontrolled pedestrian crossings are of sufficient brilliance; and whether she will authorise the development of an alternative installation producing a flashing light of greater intensity, similar to that now incorporated in other hazard warning signs.

To make the flashing of the bulbs as conspicuous by day as by night a tenfold increase of intensity would he needed by day and a return to normal at night. This would also require an automatic switching mechanism. We have looked into this and concluded that it would not be worth the cost. The alternative suggestion would entail redesigning the beacon head and its expense would not be justified by its benefits.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration she has given to the development and erection of special warning signs, incorporating a flashing light and the words Caution—School Crossing Ahead, for use at appropriate times in the morning and afternoon whenever schoolchildren are obliged to cross roads on which there is fast-moving traffic.

Experiments are now being done with a symbolic "school" warning sign which remains a blank until it is switched on, when it becomes internally illuminated in flashes. Below the triangle is a plate with the word "Patrol and stating the distance ahead. A variant of this has an amber light between the triangle and the plate. This flashes with the triangle.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she has yet received from the Southern Region of British Railways the report on the outcome of their special investigation into the condition of the track and on the adequacy or otherwise of their maintenance arrangements; and whether he will make a statement.

The special investigation into the Southern Region track by the British Railways Board was for their own purposes since responsibility for the condition of the track and for its maintenance lies with the Board. Certain specific investigations are being made for the Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways in connection with the accident at Hither Green, and I would ask the hon. Member to await this Report which will be published.

asked the Minister of Transport what further progress has been made in the testing of safety devices to prevent the jack-knifing of articulated vehicles; and if she will make a statement.

We have undertaken, joined in or observed trials of a number of anti-jack-knifing devices. We have kept fully in touch with possible developments and new ideas.Extended trials of one type of device fitted to a large fleet of vehicles in normal operation are now proceeding and arrangements for similar large-scale trials of another kind of device are well advanced. These operational trials may need to continue for 12 months or more before conclusions can be reached.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the figures of accidents on the roads in the county borough of Gateshead, involving fatal, serious and slight injury for the month of December, 1967, and the comparable figures 12 months earlier.

The numbers of casualties in road accidents were as follows:

			December
			1967	1966
Fatal	…	…	3	3
Serious	…	…	7	11
Slight	…	…	33	48
Total	…	…	43	62

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will finance the building of a mother ship for the North Atlantic fishing trawler fleet, to be equipped with medical personnel and facilities, and to carry meteorological officers to give local weather forecasts for the vessels fishing in those waters.

This suggestion will no doubt be considered by the proposed Committee of inquiry into. the safety of fishing vessels at sea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to how many countries outside the British Isles it is possible to fly direct from Scottish airports without going through England; and if he will list these countries, the airports from which the flights are made, and the frequency interval in each of the last five years to the most convenient date.

WEEKLY SCHEDULED PASSENGER SERVICES FROM SCOTTISH AIRPORTS TO COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND ISLE OF MAN IN JULY OF THE YEARS 1963–1967
To Country		From Scottish Airport	July 1963	July 1964	July 1965	July 1966	July 1967
U.S.A.	…	Prestwick	26	21	24	26	24
Canada	…	Prestwick	15	11	16	21	19
Spain	…	Glasgow	4 (via Manchester)	3 (via Manchester)	4 (via Manchester)	4 (via Manchester)	4 (via Manchester)
		Glasgow	—	—	—	—	4
		Prestwick	—	1	2	3	—
France	…	Glasgow	7 (via Birmingham)	14 (via Manchester Birmingham)	7 (via Birmingham)	7 (via Birmingham)	7 (via Birmingham)
Belgium	…	Glasgow	4	3	4	—	—
Iceland	…	Glasgow	17	20	10	9	7
		Prestwick	1	3	3	1	1
Denmark	…	Glasgow	7	7	9	7	5
		Prestwick	7	4	4	6	5
		Kirkwall	—	—	—	2	3
Faroes	…	Glasgow	4	5	1	1	1
		Kirkwall	—	—	2	2	3
Netherlands	…	Prestwick	9	6	7	7	6
		Glasgow	—	—	—	6 (via Newcastle)	6 (via Newcastle)
Germany	…	Prestwick	—	3	3	4	4
		Glasgow	—	—	—	6 (via Newcastle)	5 (via Newcastle)
Norway	…	Prestwick	7	7	7	7	3
Czechoslovakia	…	Prestwick	—	—	2	2	2
Irish Republic	…	Glasgow	38	40	30	28	31
		Glasgow	3 (via Belfast)	3 (via Belfast)	3 (via Belfast)	2 (via Belfast)	—
		Edinburgh	15	17	—	11	16
		Edinburgh	—	—	4 (via Belfast)	5 (via Belfast)	—
Flights making traffic stops at United Kingdom airports outside Scotland which do not involve a change of aircraft for through passengers are included and shown separately.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what regulations he imposes on fishing trawlers to protect them from the dangers of ice in Arctic seas.

A temporary operational restriction off North Iceland was agreed at my meeting with the industry on 8th February. There are no statutory regulations regarding operations or equipment designed specifically to cover the problem of icing. This will be one of the aspects of trawler safety which the independent committee of inquiry will investigate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he

I assume the hon. Member is asking about scheduled services.Weekly scheduled passenger services were:will make a statement on the scale of compensation available to the crews and their families suffering from exposure to unusual and unpredictable dangers in Arctic seas.

There is no scale of compensation. Seafarers, including fishermen, are generally covered for the appropriate benefits of the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Schemes. Additional assistance is available by way of supplementary benefits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to find out the possibilities of clearing ice from the superstructure of fishing trawlers by means of electronic methods using ultra-sonic vibrations.

Possible methods of de-icing are among the many aspects of trawler safety that the committee of inquiry will need to investigate. The Board of Trade with other Departments concerned will consider what research can usefully be undertaken in the meantime.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when and where the emergency inquiry he has set up to inquire into the recent trawler disasters in the North Sea and Arctic seas will sit; who will conduct it; what witnesses will give evidence: whether the trawler officers and crews and their families will be legally represented; and what power it will have to award compensation.

I have announced that public formal investigations will follow the preliminary inquiries into the three trawler disasters. The arrangements for those formal investigations will be made as soon as the reports of the preliminary inquiries have been received.As regards the special committee of inquiry into trawler safety, I shall announce the terms of reference and membership as soon as possible. It is customary for such committees of inquiry to invite evidence from anyone who wishes to give it.Neither a court of formal investigation nor a departmental committee of inquiry has powers to award compensation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has tot amending the Restrictive Trades Practices Act; and when the amending legislation will be introduced.

I hope to introduce a Bill during the present session broadly on the lines announced by my predecessor on the 28th February and 28th July last year.I propose to include a provision which would enable me in appropriate cases to grant temporary exemption from regis- tration under the 1956 Act to agreements which are positively beneficial to the national economy. My proposals will also include an additional defence for agreements which do not materially restrict competition, and the widening of the Board of Trade's powers in relation to insignificant agreements.In order to strengthen the legislation, I propose to seek power by Order to make information agreements registrable. I shall not proceed with the other main provision, designed to strengthen the legislation, which would have made it unlawful to enter into a registrable restrictive agreement without the leave of the Restrictive Practices Court. Instead I propose to include a simpler provision which would make any registrable restrictive agreement unlawful if it came into operation before registration, or if it were not registered within three months of its making, whichever was the earlier. Civil remedies for damages would be available to persons harmed by such an unlawful agreement.I also propose to make two additions to the proposals announced by my predecessor. First, in order to assist the operation of the Government's prices and incomes policy, I shall seek powers comparable with those contained in Section 24 of the Prices and Incomes Act to enable the Government to exempt from registration price agreements made at the Government's request in support of the prices policy. Secondly, I shall propose an extension of the powers to take action against restrictive trade practices where this is found necessary under the Stockholm Convention and the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement.

asked the Secretary of the Board of Trade what regulations are in force to control the export to South Africa of tear gas, chemicals for the manufacture of tear gas, police batons, gas masks and high pressure hoses, respectively.

The export of tear gas and gas masks to South Africa, as to all other destinations, is subject to licensing control. Exports of the other items are not controlled.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now exercise his powers under the Companies Act 1967 to suspend the exemptions enjoyed by banks from certain of the accounting provisions of the Companies Act 1948, so that shareholders may have all the information necessary for them to arrive at a judgment on merger proposals offered to them.

No. As my right hon. Friend informed my hon. Friend the Member for Heywood and Royton (Mr. Barnett) on 20th December, Her Majesty's Government consider that they need more time to study the full accounts of the banks over a period in order to assess the consequences of full public disclosure before deciding whether to continue the exemptions. For the time being they have concluded that the desirabiliy of giving more information to shareholders is over-ridden by the arguments against disclosure.—[Vol. 756, c. 433–4.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that the greatest possible use will be made of Monmouthshire County Council's film, "Fair Land of Gwent ", details of which have been sent to him, by his Department at home and abroad in efforts to attract industrialists to the county.

I am arranging for officials to see this film and then we can determine how it might best be publicised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in adidtion to increasing the price of the Daily Mirror by 25 per cent., the International Publishing Corporation have increased the prices of their publications Woman's Own and Woman from 8d. to 10d.; and whether, when he discussed the price increases in the Daily Mirror, he also dealt with these increases.

Yes; the new prices of Woman's Own and Woman came into effect with the issue of 10th February. The discussions with International Publishing Corporation on the Daily Mirror arose out of the National Board for Prices and Incomes' report on national daily newspapers and therefore did not cover the prices of these periodicals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what investment grants were paid in each of the quarters of 1966 and 1967, indicating in each case the periods in which the underlying expenditure was incurred.

The first payments of investment grants were made on 1st April, 1967. Payments made in the second, third and fourth quarters of 1967 were as follows:

	£
Second quarter	32,230,829	On expenditure in the first quarter of 1966.
Third quarter	55,707,625	£12 7m. on expenditure incurred in the first quarter and £43m. on expenditure incurred in the second quarter of 1966.
Fourth quarter	118,594,697	Payments relate substantially to expenditure incurred in the third and fourth quarters of 1966 for which combined claims were invited. Some claims however covered expenditure over the whole of 1966; and payments respectively of £6m. and £14m. were made specifically on expenditure in the first and second quarters.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether, in view of the necessity of improving the balance of trade, he will circularise all architects and engineers drawing up plans for building connected with defence, to ensure that wherever possible indigenous materials are used for such buildings and imported materials reduced to a minimum; and whether there are existing instructions to architects and engineers in this connection and of what nature.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer given to him on Monday, 5th February.—[Vol. 758, c. 10.]

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the total amount spent since October, 1964, on construction of British military facilities in the Persian Gulf.

About £14½ million.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the cost of soap used by the Departments under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland, during the year to the last convenient date, listing each supplier, where the soap was manufactured, and from what companies it was purchased.

The annual cost of soap used by Departments under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland is about £6,500.The names of the companies supplying various kinds of soap during 1967–68 and the places of manufacture are:

Name of Contractor		Place of Manufacture
Lever Industrial Ltd.	…	Port Sunlight
Gerard Bros. Ltd.	…	Nottingham
Liquid Soaps Ltd.	…	Mitcham
London Oil Refining Co. Ltd.	…	Reading
Peter Lunt & Co. Ltd	…	Liverpool
C.W.S. (Manchester) Ltd.	…	Irlam

Scottish firms are invariably invited to tender but in 1967–68 were unsuccessful.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society was given opportunity to tender for contracts for soap used by Government Departments in Scotland, before the soap-works at Grangement was closed down.

Yes. In 1967–68 this firm was invited to tender for soap flakes, soap powder, soft soap, liquid toilet soap, toilet soap, white Windsor soap, yellow soap and carbolic soap.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of goods manufactured in Scotland for export were shipped from ports in England for the year to the last convenient date.

No estimate can be made.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the total amount paid in cancellation charges for the TSR2 and its equipment; and what are the current cancellation estimates for the F 111 and the British equipment which was being developed and produced for it.

Payments on all TSR2 contracts up to the time of cancellation amounted to £125 million. Since cancellation a further £53 million has been paid in respect of work done and other charges. With regard to the second part, I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 18th January.[Vol. 756, c. 666.]

asked the Minister of Technology what are the current estimates for the cancellation charges for 10 Buccaneers and their associated equipment.

As discussions with the two principal contractors are still at an early stage I should not give an estimate at present.

asked the Minister of Technology at what date the jigs and drawings of the TSR2 were destroyed; what was their total value; and why this action was taken on that date.

One complete set of TSR2 drawings has been retained. The rest of the drawings, and the jigs, were scrapped in 1965, when they had scrap value only. Such action is normal at the end of a contract.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the increases taking place in the cost of batteries for hearing aids, if he will publish details of such prices for the years 1966–68.

I have been asked to reply. There are three main types of battery involved and the position on each is as follows:

(i) Mercury Batteries
Type		Previous		Price as from
		Price		1st Jan., 1968
		s.	d.	s.	d
RM 13GH	…	2	0	1	11
RM 41GH	…	2	0	1	11
RM 31ZH	…	1	7	2	1
RM 40IH	…	2	4	4	2
RM 575H	…	1	10	2	6
RM 625H	…	2	0	3	6
RM 675H	…	1	10	2	9

The prices of the first two, which were first introduced in 1964 at 2s. 3d., were reduced to 2s. in March, 1967. The remainder remained unchanged in price since April, 1964 or earlier.(ii)