asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the procedure by which he can recommend dismissal of staff from approved schools, so as to allow the right of appeal to anyone whose dismissal he has recommended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will provide an appeal procedure for teachers dismissed from approved schools.

I am considering what changes should be made in the appeals procedure and other matters concerning staff in approved schools and intend shortly to consult the associations representing the managers, heads and staff and the National Union of Teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce amending legislation which would require a taxi driver who is not carrying a fare and who is not plying for hire, to have some easily seen and simple method of indicating this or simply to put out the For Hire lights.

The matter is within the competence of the Departmental Committee which is currently examining the London taxi cab and private hire services. My right hon. Friend proposes to wait for the report of this Committee before considering further legislation in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of the time it will take to reactivate the Civil Defence control system from the start of a national emergency.

The existing buildings and communications in the control system could be reactivated fairly quickly. Measures involving the training of large numbers of volunteers would require several months' preparations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he intends to complete the proposed reduction of Civil Defence to a care and maintenance status.

Substantial reductions will be made by September, 1968, and the changes should be completed by 31st March, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Civil Defence organisation against his decision to put the organisation on a care and maintenance basis; and whether having regard to such representations he will now reconsider his decision.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from authorities and organisations concerned with civil defence and from individual members of the voluntary services, but he sees no grounds for departing from the decision announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making for the transfer of Civil Defence officers or to compensate them for the loss of their careers.

It is for the local authorities concerned to decide the extent to which redundant civil defence staff can be transferred to other local authority work. I am sure that they will do what they can; but a provision in the Public Expenditure and Receipts Bill will, if approved, enable my right hon. Friend to provide by regulation for compensation to those who lose their jobs or suffer a reduction in their emoluments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received from members of the Civil Defence Corps and the Auxiliary Fire Service offering to continue to serve without bounty or expenses; and what answer he has sent to such offers.

My right hon. Friend has received about 100 letters from individuals and groups in these two services offering specifically to continue training without bounty or other expenses. He is most grateful for these offers but in acknowledging them he has felt bound to point out that the total amount which would be saved by the sacrifice of bounty and other payments is only a small part of the cost of these services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, before disbanding the Auxiliary Fire Service, he will inquire of local authorities if they would be prepared to support the maintenance of this service by the provision of limited facilities and finance.

No. Disbandment of the Auxiliary Fire Service is unavoidable if the necessary savings in Home Defence expenditure are to be achieved. There is no half-way house.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has made for the protection of the civil population in the United Kingdom in the event of war after the abolition of the Civil Defence Corps; and if he will make a statement.

The Warning and Monitoring Organisation, and plans for giving advice to the public, will be maintained and physical assets are being preserved. Local authorities and essential services will continue sufficient planning to enable them to resume active preparations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Asian holders of United Kingdom passports have entered, and remained in, this country since the independence of Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika and Zanzibar; how many are entitled, and how many are estimated, so to enter; how many such passports have been issued; what study has been made of the housing, employment and other problems involved; and what measures are being taken to meet them.

The number of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies in these four East African countries who hold British passports enabling them to enter the United Kingdom without restriction is about 230,000. The annual totals of arrivals in the last 3 years have been about 6,150, 6,800 and 13,600 respectively, mainly from Kenya.The Government keep under continuous review the level of Commonwealth immigration as a whole, and the social and economic consequences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the numbers of holders of British passports entering the United Kingdom from Kenya; and whether he proposes to control this new source of immigration.

Separate figures of arrivals from Kenya are not available, but I have given information about the number of arrivals from East Africa in my reply to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of known immigrants who have entered the United Kingdom from Kenya during the last complete 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Asian immigrants were admitted from Africa in 1967; and if he will impose restrictions against the 200,000 who are waiting transport to immigrate to Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the intake of British or Commonwealth citizens from Kenya during each of the past six months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the rate of immigration, during the last year, from Commonwealth countries in East and Central Africa; how many of these are Asian residents of Africa holding British passports; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making for the reception and assimilation of the quarter million Kenya Asians who are now in the process of migrating to this country.

The monthly figures of arrivals from East Africa for each of the last six months for which figures are available are set out below. Separate figures for Kenya are not available. As regards the other information asked for I would refer hon. Members to my Answer to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) today.

July	…	…	…	896
August	…	…	…	1,493
September	…	…	…	2,661
October	…	…	…	1,916
November	…	…	…	1,334
December	…	…	…	1,907

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to take action to prevent 200,000 Asians now living in East Africa from immigrating into Great Britain.

I would refer the hon. Member to answers I gave to Questions earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of prosecutions for motoring offences in 1957 and 1967, respectively.

The figure for 1967 is not yet available; for 1957 (for England and Wales) it was 542,711.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the efforts of his Department to find employment for those members of the staff of Court Lees School, who have not been taken into the employment of the Surrey County Council, have been successful.

Three are now placed, interviews have been arranged for two others, one did not seek the help of the Home Office and one other no longer needs it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- ment what is the sum calculated as due by him to reimburse Surrey County Council for the acquisition of Court Lees School; and what provision has been made in the estimates.

A final valuation is now under negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the net increase in the number of probation officers will be sufficient for the effective implementation of the parole policy to be pursued during the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

The present rate of expansion of the service should enable it to meet its new responsibilities in respect of parole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that before a court passes sentence upon a convicted thief, it should ascertain what subsequent action is to be taken by the injured party for the recovery from the offender of the value of the stolen goods.

The relationship between criminal proceedings and the victim's civil remedies is being studied by the Advisory Council on the Penal System as part of its inquiry into reparation by the offender. My right hon. Friend will consider the need for legislation in the light of the Council's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to strengthen the immigration service in 1968–69.

In pursuance of the Government's decision not to allow the Civil Service to increase, I shall have difficulty in providing enough officers to cope with the increasing needs, and some delay in dealing with passengers is inevitable, although I shall do my best to minimise it by adjusting staffs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement of policy on the codification of the criminal law.

I would refer the hon. Member to the proposals, which are welcomed by the Government, in the Second Programme of the Law Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider a system of limiting the admission of the family or dependants of immigrants to those whose names have been included in the original application.

It is already the practice to ask Commonwealth citizens overseas who are issued with employment vouchers or entry certificates to provide particulars of their dependants, and I am not persuaded that any extension of this practice would be feasible or effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that nearly 15,000 coloured immigrants were admitted to the United Kingdom in the month of December, 1967, under Part I of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, bringing the total to well over 1,000,000, at what level he proposes to take steps to stop further immigration; and when he expects that position to be attained.

I cannot accept the hon. Member's figures, which cover all arrivals for whatever purposes, including visitors, students and businessmen, and take no account of departures. It remains the policy of the Government to control the entry of immigrants so that it does not outrun our capacity to absorb them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to curtail the influx of immigrants into Great Britain.

The number of Commonwealth citizens admitted under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962 is kept under careful review. As regards citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who are not subject to the Act, I would refer the right hon. Member to the Answer I gave to earlier Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the increase in unemployment in recent months, if he will now further restrict levels of immigration into this country.

No. The number of Commonwealth immigrants admitted for employment is already very small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the operation of the system of training grants for trainees for the probation service; what steps he is taking to effect the introduction of a training salary; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a Question by the right hon. Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) on 25th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 158.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the new rank of senior officer is to be introduced into the Prison Service.

Agreement to introduce the rank of senior officer was reached on 7th February and promotion boards will start to interview eligible officers within a few weeks. It is expected that the first appointments will be made in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables on means taken to enforce strict observance of present speed restrictions on all classes of roads.

No. My right hon. Friend is in close enough touch with chief constables to know that the police do what can reasonably be done to enforce the speed limits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask for a report from the chief constables concerned on the crime rate and the crime detection rate for the Northumberland county, Tynemouth and

					Known to the Police	Cleared up	Per cent.
Northumberland County	…	…	…	1964	8,255	4,112	49·8
				1965	8,519	4,188	49·2
				1966	9,034	4,367	48·3
Provisional	…	…	…	1967	9,266	4,424	47·7
Tynemouth	…	…	…	1964	1,904	915	48·1
				1965	2,302	1,212	52.6
				1966	1,925	945	49·1
Provisional	…	…	…	1967	2,293	1,236	53·9
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	…	…	…	1964	13,423	5,385	40·1
				1965	13,015	4,900	37·6
				1966	14,328	5,849	40·8
Provisional	…	…	…	1967	13,126	5,932	45·2

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to public funds of the operations leading to the recapture of Mr. Charles Wilson.

£544.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following the representations of the hon. Member for Newark regarding periodicals tending to corrupt and deprave, and openly available on the bookstalls of London and provinces, he will now seek to amend the Obscene Publications Acts, 1959 and 1965.

No. It is already an offence under the 1959 Act to publish an article if its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision he has reached in consequence of the report made to him by the independent police officer appointed to inquire into the case of Frederick Luckhurst.

I have considered the report on the independent inquiry made Newcastle city police areas for 1967, 1966, 1965 and 1964.

Figures of indictable offences known to the police for these police area together with the figures of those offences which were cleared up, are as follows:by Detective Chief Superintendent Brennan of the Birmingham City Police, who has reinvestigated all the facts of the case and made inquiries into all the pointed raised on behalf of Mr. Luckhurst.On police procedure, the investigating officer has drawn attention to a number of procedural details in regard to the conduct of the identification parade attended by Mr. Luckhurst which could have been dealt with better, but he concludes that none of these affected the fairness of the parade. He considers that the Acting Chief Constable of Buckinghamshire was under no obligation to treat the case as a complaint under Section 49 of the Police Act 1964 and that, while it might have been advisable for the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions to have been sought, there are no grounds for suggesting that the prosecution was not properly initiated.I agree with these conclusions. I propose to seek the advice of my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General on the scope of Section 49 to see if any further guidance is required to Chief Officers of Police on the circumstances in which they should consult the Director of Public Prosecutions. I further propose to give some general guidance on the way in which identification parades should be conducted where police officers are involved.These further thorough inquiries have not brought to light any significant new evidence or materially supplemented the facts of the offence as known at the time of the trial; and, after most careful consideration, I can find no grounds on which I should be justified in recommending any intereference with the verdict of the jury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department has advised the police forces of the United Kingdom that they are to take advantage of the random element in the discretionary power conferred on constables under Section 2(1,b) of the Road Safety Act, 1967.

The Home Office circular merely described the power conferred by Parliament and drew attention to its deterrent effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will grant political asylum to United States citizens who refuse service in the American forces.

A refusal to accept military service obligations is not, in general, a ground for political asylum and it seems to me unlikely that the considerations which govern the grant of asylum in the United Kingdom would arise in the kind of case mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will permit Vietnamese orphans sponsored by a charity to enter the United Kingdom.

I am considering one such proposal that has just been put to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it clear in his publicity campaign that during the present fire-arms amnesty weapons can be handed in to gunsmiths as well as the police; and if he will advise the police not to destroy weapons of antique value.

No. The amnesty is only for those who surrender illegally held weapons or ammunition to the police. My right hon. Friend has already given suitable advice to the police about antique weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in his inquiries into the working of the laws affecting the adoption of children.

The statistical survey by the Home Office Research Unit and the Government Social Survey of the operation of the Adoption Act, 1958, is well advanced. The Home Office has already received a number of memoranda in response to its request to the voluntary adoption societies and the local authorities for information on the working of the adoption law, and others are expected soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Cardiff on the result of the police inquiry into the explosion at the Temple of Peace at Cardiff.

The Chief Constable has sent me a report; the inquiries which have been made have not so far led to criminal proceedings being taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the prevention of the sale of electrical appliances which have not been tested by a recognised body; and if he will make a statement.

A resolution to this effect has been received from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and will be taken into account in a study which my Department is making of the safety of domestic electrical appliances. Meanwhile, I will gladly arrange for specific investigations to be made if any particular appliance, thought to be unsafe, is brought to my attention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Deparment what figures he has as to the average prison sentence imposed by senior courts for offences against property, compared with those for offences against the person.

Information about the length of sentence imposed by the higher courts in England and Wales is given in Table III of the Criminal Statistics. In 1966 the length of imprisonment most frequently imposed was:

For offences against the person, over 1 year and up to 2 years;

For offences against property with violence. over 1 year and up to 2 years;

For offences against property without violence, over 6 months and up to 1 year.

Sentences take account of so many factors and vary so widely within the whole range of custodial and non-custodial treatment that it might be misleading to quote an average length of sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Government's proposed cuts in public expenditure will affect the implementation of the Mountbatten recommendations on prison security.

The major effect is to defer the start of the proposed maximum security prison on the Isle of Wight.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now state the conclusions he has reached from his inquiry into the problem of mentally-ill patients remanded in custody.

My right hon. Friend has approved fresh instructions covering the use of special clothing to reduce the risk of suicide, clearer guidance on the need for continuous supervision of some prisoners and the latest medical advice on the detection of proneness to suicide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure is followed by his Department to enforce the deportation of illegal immigrants entering the country without permission.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to Commonwealth citizens. Those found within 24 hours of landing can be required to submit to examination by an immigration officer and, if refused admission, can be returned to their country of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will revise the categories of Women's Royal Voluntary Service work for which his Department agrees a mileage rate so that it can include taking visitors to hospital, in view of the impending closure of many small country hospitals and the closing of many rural bus and rail services.

The arrangements for provision by W.R.V.S. of transport for hospital visits are made locally between the local authority or hospital and the organiser of the Service. General extension of these arrangements would not be practicable, but if the hon. Member has in mind particular cases of hardship W.R.V.S. will always be ready to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the financial saving in Essex from the disbandment of the Civil Defence Corps, the Auxiliary Fire Service and the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, Category III; and in what manner home defence will be kept on a care and maintenance basis.

Expenditure in these three services in Essex has been at the rate of about£205,000 a year, and most of this will eventually be saved. The decision to reduce home defence to a "care and maintenance" basis means that in general existing operational assets will be preserved and that training will be maintained at a sufficient level to preserve a core of knowledge and expertise.

asked the Postmaster-General how many years he estimates it will be before no one has to wait more than a month for a telephone to be installed.

We already complete over 80 per cent. of orders for new telephones within three weeks. I cannot yet say when equipment shortages, which cause most of the delay to the remainder, will be eliminated, but I lose no opportunity to stress to the industry that for the future we must ensure that our requirements are met.

asked the Postmaster-General when it is intended that direct dialling telephonic communication between Great Britain and Austria will be established.

I hope to open a direct dialling service from Great Britain to Austria later this year but there are a number of problems yet to be resolved which may delay its introduction.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will take steps to pay compensation to Mr. C. J. Parker for the consequential loss of£114 suffered by the hon. Member for Richmond's constituent due to devaluation and the mis-delivery of a letter addressed to Mrs. Parker; and if he will make a statement.

Much as he regrets Mr. Parker's loss, my right hon. Friend cannot pay compensation for the reasons he has already explained to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Postmaster-General where the nearest post offices are to the village of Littlethorpe; how far these post offices are from the middle of this village; and on what criteria relating to size of population he decides on the provision of village post offices.

The most convenient post offices are in Ripon and Bondgate, the nearest of these, is about one mile from the centre of Littlethorpe.The population of a village, whilst important, is not the deciding factor in opening a new office. We take account of it along with other things such as the distance from the nearest office, travel facilities, and the general use which would be made of a new office.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) which officer of his Department was responsible for the production of the Greater London Business Directory; and why the British Oxygen Company is incorrectly listed, in view of the accurate preparation of the entry by the company;(2) whether he will give an undertaking that a corrected version of the Greater London Business Directory will be issued as a matter of urgency, and how long it will take to do this.

The first issue of the Greater London Business Directory involved the selection and grouping of the entries for 160,000 customers from a total of over two million customers in an area of 30 miles around Charing Cross. I am sorry that, because of a mistake, the entries for the British Oxygen Company were not placed in the appropriate order. They are, however, listed correctly in the current London A-D and classified directories. The Greater London Business Directory will be reissued in February 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what changes have taken place in the procedure for the pooling of local authority contributions to the Schools Council and National Fund for Educational Research; whether the total financial contribution has been increased; how far the changes which have been introduced have increased the proportionate contribution from local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The arrangements for pooling local authority contributions to the Schools Council were introduced this year, when they decided to make a payment for the first time of about£385,000. The local authorities' pooled contributions to the National Foundation for Educational Research total about£60,000 this year, much the same as last year both in absolute terms and as a proportion of the Foundation's total income.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he is making in his consultations on the abolition of corporal punishment.

We are awaiting replies to the letters which my right hon. Friend has sent to the Associations representing the teachers and the local education authorities about the corporal punishment of handicapped children. On the general question of the use of corporal punishment in schools I have nothing to add to the statement which my right hon. Friend made in reply to a Question in the House on 19th December, 1967.—[Vol. 756, c. 386.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the percentage of the relevant age group obtaining a first degree in Great Britain in each of the last 10 years.

Figures for 1966–67 are not yet available. For earlier years the numbers of students (including overseas students) obtaining a first degree expressed as percentages of the numbers of persons in Great Britain in the relevant age group were as follows:

				Percentage
1957–58	…	…	…	3·3
1958–59	…	…	…	3·7
1959–60	…	…	…	3·9
1960–61	…	…	…	3·9
1961–62	…	…	…	3·9
1962–63	…	…	…	3·9
1963–64	…	…	…	4·1
1964–65	…	…	…	4·1
1965–66	…	…	…	4·1

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the percentage of the relevant age group, showing men and women separately, entering universities in Great Britain in each of the last 10 years.

The number of entrants (including entrants from over- seas) expressed as percentages of the numbers of persons in Great Britain in the relevant age group were as follows:

			Percentage of Relevant Age Group
Academic Year			Men	Women	Total
1957–58	…	…	6·5	2·2	4·4
1958–59	…	…	6·7	2·3	4·5
1959–60	…	…	6·7	2·4	4·5
1960–61	…	…	6·5	2·5	4·5
1961–62	…	…	6·4	2·6	4·5
1962–63	…	…	6·3	2·6	4·5
1963–64	…	…	6·4	2·7	4·6
1964–65	…	…	6·7	3·0	4·9
1965–66	…	…	8·2	3·5	5·9
1966–67	…	…	8·4	3·7	6·1

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has received from the Northamptonshire County Council Education Committee regarding their decision to cease to maintain the voluntary controlled infants school, Winstanley Road, Wellingborough; and what reply he has sent.

The authority have informed me that they propose to cease to maintain the school and have given public notice of their intention in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Education Act, 1944. Until the expiry of the statutory period of two months within which objections may be submitted to me, I cannot come to any decision in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect the cuts in the school building programme for Gateshead will have upon their arrangements for comprehensive education.

The local education authority has informed me that the withdrawal of the capital allocation for raising the school leaving age will jeopardise its plans for establishing senior high schools next September unless an allocation to meet this difficulty can be made from the special addition of£7 million to the major building programme for 1968–69.I am considering their request along with those of other authorities and shall announce my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the numbers and percentage of children staying on at school after the school-leaving age in Gateshead for the latest available date; and how these figures compare with other comparable boroughs.

The table below shows the number of pupils in maintained schools (excluding special schools) in January, 1967, aged 15, 16, 17 and 18, as a percentage of those aged 13 two, three, four and five years earlier in Gateshead and in those boroughs which are most comparable in size:

	15	16	17	18
Gateshead	26·4	17·3	9·4	2·9
Blackburn	35·5	19·2	8·9	2·4
Oldham	28·5	16·9	8·1	3·7
Oxford	55·4	29·9	17·7	6·0
Preston	37·2	20·5	9·9	3·7
Solihull	72·3	37·3	22·0	6·8
South Shields	40·6	19·3	10·3	3·9
Wallasey	48·6	29·0	15·5	5·0
York	36·0	23·4	14·1	5·1

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration has been given to the need for teachers to be represented on academic boards in polytechnics and other institutions of higher education.

I would certainly expect the Articles of Government of Polytechnics and other institutions wholly or primarily engaged in higher education to provide for Academic Boards composed mainly of teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local education authorities in the West Midlands and Birmingham conurbation have not yet submitted their proposals for the reorganisation of secondary education on comprehensive lines.

Birmingham, Walsall, Warley and Wolverhampton.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of immigrant schoolchildren in Huddersfield; and how this compares with other county boroughs in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The following is the information:

MAINTAINED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN HUDDERSFIELD AND OTHER COUNTY BOROUGHS IN THE WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE
County Boroughs			Immigrant pupils as a percentage of all pupils in January, 1967
Huddersfield	…	…	7·2
Bradford	…	…	6·7
Dewsbury	…	…	3·8
Doncaster	…	…	1·5
Halifax	…	…	1·7
Leeds	…	…	3·5
Rotherham	…	…	1·0
Sheffield	…	…	2·2
Wakefield	…	…	0·9

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that some Loughborough, Leicestershire, schools are deprived centres, because children are arriving weekly from India, Pakistan, and East Africa, many unable to speak English; and what particular safeguards he is taking in these areas to prevent English children's education suffering as a consequence.

I know that the number of immigrant pupils in Loughborough schools is increasing. I understand that the local education authority have already appointed additional teachers to the schools most affected and are considering further appointments. The Department of Education and Science have special arrangements to provide additional teacher quotas and minor work building allocations where this is necessary to ensure the maintenance of educational standards for authorities where there is a high proportion of immigrant pupils. I am confident that the Leicestershire Education Authority are well able to maintain standards in their schools.

asked the Secretry of State for Education and Science how many schools already have more than 10 per cent. coloured immigrant children; where they are mostly situated; what special problems they are creating; and what representations he has received from parents' associations, teachers and local education authorities, respectively, on this issue.

The available statistics do not distinguish between coloured and other immigrant children attending particular schools. In January, 1967, there were 1,780 schools in England and Wales with more than 10 per cent. immigrant pupils; of these, 1,087 were in Greater London and the South East, 284 in the West Midlands and 127 in Yorkshire. Problems may arise from the need to provide additional accommodation, extra teachers with relevant experience or training, appropriate teaching materials and any necessary ancillary help. One or two local teachers' associations concerned with teaching English to immigrant children have made constructive suggestions and I am in close touch with the local education authorities and keep myself informed of their difficulties. I have received no representations from parents' associations.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to prevent Sikhs who wish to wear turbans and beards from being discriminated against in employment.

Very few cases of such discrimination have been brought to my notice. I would expect employers to look sympathetically on the outward observances of the Sikh religion and not to use these observances as grounds for refusing employment without clear justification. I am keeping the position under review.

asked the Minister of Labour after the newest industrial training boards have been taken into account what percentage of population undergoes training in Scotland, Wales and England, respectively.

Information in the form requested by the hon. Member is not available, but I estimate that by the end of this year about 85 per cent. of the employees in both England and Scotland and about 80 per cent. of those in Wales within scope of the Industrial Training Act will be covered by industrial training boards.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he will take to increase industrial training and retraining facilities in North Warwickshire, in view of the proposed closure of Arley and Kingsbury collieries.

Redundant miners at these two colleries who want and are suitable for the accelerated training for skill given at Government Training Centres can obtain it at the Birmingham and Coventry Centres, which are within daily travelling distance, or at any of the remaining 36 Centres if they are prepared to live away from home during training. As my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 6th February, we plan to open 17 more Centres including one in the Wolverhampton area, by the end of 1970.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a further statement on the functions of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster regarding the North-East.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to a similar Question by my right hon. Friend and by the hon. Lady the Member for Tyne-mouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 24th October last.—[Vol. 751, c. 451–2.]

asked the Prime Minister what discussions he has held this year with the Trades Union Congress about the level of unemployment.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 6th February to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling).—[Vol. 758, c. 84.]

asked the Prime Minister what arrangements he is making to co-ordinate the activities of all the Ministers with responsibilities for implementing the Government's prices and incomes policy.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs continues to be responsible for co-ordination of the policy.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet reached a decision about the transfer of responsibility for mentally sub-normal children from the Ministry of Health to the Department of Education and Science; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Education and Science have reviewed arrangements for the education and training of mentally subnormal children and are now about to consult the local authority associations and others concerned. A decision about where departmental responsibility for these children should most appropriately lie will be taken when those consultations have been completed.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent during his recent talks he discussed with President Johnson the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Vietnam.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave to Questions on Tuesday last about my visit to North America.—[Vol. 758, c. 1146.]

asked the Prime Minister what was the cost in foreign exchange and to public funds, respectively, of his latest visit to Washington; and if he will specify the duties of each of the members of his official staff who accompanied him on this occasion.

Final accounts are not yet available, but the approximate cost to public funds was£8,900, of which about£300 was in foreign exchange. It is not the practice to specify the duties of individual civil servants on occasions of this kind, but if the hon. Member has any specific point to make I would be happy to consider it.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent conversations with U Thant.

My discussions with U Thant were confidential, but I can tell the House that they were primarily concerned with Vietnam.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now propose the convening of a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference to discuss further steps in the tightening of sanction measures again the illegal régime in Rhodesia.

As the House knows there is likely to be a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Meeting before very long. I would not, however, care to forecast the agenda which is a matter for collective decision by the Prime Ministers concerned.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent official visit to the North-West.

As the House knows, I visited Manchester, Burnley and Liverpool on the 8th and 9th January. During my visit I was privileged to meet, and to discuss national and local problems with, a wide range of representatives of both sides of industry and of local authorities and organisations. Among the bodies with whom, or with members of which, I had discussions in Manchester and Liverpool were the North West Economic Planning Council, the North West Economic Planning Board, the Lancashire and Merseyside Industrial Development Association, the Chambers of Commerce of both Liverpool and Manchester, the Confederation of British Industry and the North West Regional Committee of the Trades Union Congress. In Burnley I met members of North East Lancashire local authorities, the North East Lancashire Development Association and industrialists and trade unionists from the area. In addition, I also toured Mather and Platt's factory in Manchester and Leyland's in Liverpool, and in the course of these visits I met and talked to a number of representatives of both sides of industry.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in the light of the recommendation in the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on Solicitors' Remuneration of an. increase of 55 per cent. in county court charges, and the need to economise in the expenditure of public funds, he will recommend that the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1967 endowing the county courts with certain divorce jurisdiction be not brought into effect.

No. Although the implementation of the Board's report would have the effect of reducing the anticipated saving to the legal aid fund from the transfer of divorce jurisdiction to the county court, my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor would not regard this as a sufficient reason for failing to bring the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1967 into operation as soon as the necessary rules of court have been made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will now make a statement about the latest consignment of mutton which arrived at Liverpool from the Argentine; and whether he is satisfied that it is entirely free from foot-and-mouth virus;(2) how many consignments of Argentine mutton have arrived in the country since the import ban was imposed; on what dates; and at which docks.

I cannot add to my reply of 12th February to the hon. Member ex- cept to say that the imports of mutton and lamb from Argentina recorded in the December Trade Accounts totalled 640 tons, all of which arrived at the London docks.—[Vol. 758, c. 285.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount of meat imported to Great Britain from the Argentine in 1967; and how much of this amount he estimates could have been purchased from countries where foot-and-mouth disease is not endemic.

Imports of carcase meat and offal from Argentina in 1967 totalled 132,100 tons. Had none of this been bought some extra supplies of frozen meat from new or existing sources would no doubt have been imported by the trade, if acceptably priced; but of the 88,000 tons of chilled beef included in this total I should not have expected importers to have been able to replace more than a small part with chilled or fresh beef from other sources, even if they paid considerably higher prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now announce the Chairman and terms of reference of the proposed committee of inquiry into the recent epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department have now traced the 1967 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease to any probable cause.

I am examining all the evidence and an announcement will be made as seen as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for more frequent trips abroad for army officers; and what consideration has been given to the effect of training.

Major units of the strategic reserve will need to carry out regular training overseas. The foreign exchange cost will be small compared with that of maintaining bases east of Suez.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the advertisement, The defence cuts, how they would affect you as a future army officer, in the issues of newspapers on 12th February.

Some£3,640.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of Her Majesty's Government's decision to withdraw forces from Singapore and Malaysia, he will offer for sale to Australia, for Commonwealth peace-keeping purposes, one of Great Britain's redundant aircraft carriers.

I will consider this at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will offer the services of the Royal Air Force Transport Command in bringing Vietnamese orphans to this country under the auspices of charitable organisations.

Subject to the support of the Vietnamese Government and to United Kingdom immigration requirements, we would examine any request by a charitable organisation for assistance of this kind on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the fact that a period of approximately six weeks is needed to train men in the Army for service in tropical climates, especially in the different conditions of deserts and jungles, what arrangements are being made, and where the training is to take place.

Units stationed in the United Kingdom already carry out exer- cises overseas in a wide variety of terrain and climate, including desert and jungle. We are making appropriate plans for future training.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation was given by his Department for a serving naval officer to be photographed with a particular brand of motor car in the vicinity of H.M.S. "Warspite".

The officer sought permission which was given by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any payment was made, either to his Department or to the officer concerned, for the appearance of a serving naval officer in an advertisement for a particular brand of motor car published by a national Sunday newspaper on 21st January.

No payment was made to the Department I understand the advertisers have arranged to pay the officer.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the future of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend and I have received various representations about the future of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, Category III; in reply we have referred to the Answer given by me on 24th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 126.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what savings will be effected in 1968–69 and 1969–70 by the disbandment of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III; and how much of this represents expenditure which will have to be absorbed elsewhere in the Army.

There will be very considerable net savings. But I cannot add to that until I have completed the dis- cussions that are now taking place with the Council of Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the Hunt Committee on Intermediate Areas is expected to report.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given on 9th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster (Mr. Hening) and the hon. and learned Member for Darwen (Mr. Fletcher-Cooke).—[Vol. 753, c. 1235–7.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing an Estate Duty savings scheme, enabling an individual to purchase Estate Duty certificates of£100,£1,000, or other suitable denominations, the aggregate value of which in any particular case would be credited against the contingent liability to Estate Duty arising on his death, the sum so saved being itself exempt from Estate Duty, Capital Gains Tax and any other form of taxation and from aggregation.

I have considered such a scheme but I am not in favour of its introduction.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he caused weekly tax tables for weeks 48 to 52 of Income Tax year 1967–68 to be issued in view of the fact that instructions for deducting Income Tax for this period are given on pages 6 and 41 of Employer's Guide to Pay As You Earn; and what cost was involved by this issue.

These tables were issued to avoid excessive P.A.Y.E. deductions which would have resulted from using the dates for these P.A.Y.E. weeks printed in the previous tables. It was considered that the references in the Employer's Guide would not have been a sufficient safeguard against such mistakes. The cost of printing the tables and distributing them to employers was about£58,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to public funds in producing and posting the special weekly tax tables for the period 29th February to 3rd April, 1968, which have become necessary because 1968 is a leap year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have made today to a Question by the hon. and learned Member for Buckinghamshire, South (Mr. Ronald Bell).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total amounts received by way of Income Tax and Surtax from individuals in England and Wales, respectively, in 1966–67; and what was the average amount per head of population of Income Tax and Surtax collected in each country in 1966–67.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the recent increase in employees' National Insurance contributions, he will seek either to restore the tax allowances formerly granted, or to compensate with an increase in the appropriate personal allowances.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what resources are referred to in the Government's proposal in Command Paper No. 3515, to achieve a shift of resources from home consumption, public and private to exports and import replacement; whether such resources include manpower; and what manpower transfers from the public sector are anticipated.

The specific identification of future resources is impossible. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Prime Minister's speech in the House of 16th January.—[Vol. 756, c. 1577–1620.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to prevent the£1,000 million real increase in Government expenditure in 1968 from weakening confidence in sterling.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January, published as Command Paper No. 3515, which shows how the Government will reduce by£300 million the earlier estimate of an increase of about£990 million in public expenditure in 1968–69 compared with the estimate for 1967–68. The statement also made clear that the review of public expenditure is a continuing process and that they would be reinforced by further measures to hold back consumption.—[Vol. 756, c. 1577–1620.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what authority inspectors of tax are assuming increases in family allowances in the notices of coding sent out for the year 1968–69.

The Family Allowances and National Insurance Act, 1967 provided for increases in family allowances from 9th April, 1968; and the increased allowances have been taken into account in determining P.A.Y.E. coding for 1968–69 by virtue of the Income Tax (Employments) Regulations, 1965.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now publish the economic forecasts that will underlie his Budget, which already go to Ministers and civil servants whose job it is to propose policy.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my Written Answer of 30th January last to the right hon. Member for Reigate (Sir J. Vaughan-Morgan).—[Vol. 757, c. 272].

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet decided on what date in 1971 the currency system provided for by the Decimal Currency Act, 1967 should be introduced; what progress has been made in planning the timing and phasing of coinage changes, including designs for the decimal coinage; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. I have accepted the Decimal Currency Board's recommendation that Decimal Day should be Monday, 15th February, 1971. A Treasury Order under Section 1(2) of the Decimal Currency Act, 1967 giving effect to the Board's recommendation has been made today. I also accept the Board's recommendation that banks should be closed for normal business on Thursday 11th, Friday 12th, Saturday 13th as well as on Sunday, 14th February, 1971.The Decimal Currency Board has also made a number of recommendations on the timing and phasing of coinage changes. On the basis of these recommendations Her Majesty's Government propose to advise Her Majesty in due course to make Royal Proclamations under section 11 of the Coinage Act, 1870 demonetising all halfpennies from 1st August, 1969 and all halfcrowns from 1st January, 1970; and have advised Her Majesty to make a Royal Proclamation under Section 11 of the Coinage Act, 1870 and Section 2(4) of the Decimal Currency Act, 1967 authorising the issue from 1968 of 5 and 10 new penny pieces for use respectively as shillings and florins.With the approval of Her Majesty The Queen designs for the new coinage will be published today and I have asked Mr. Speaker to accept a set of five trial coins of the denominations 10 new pence to the new halfpenny for exhibition in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many local authorities in Scotland have instructed English firms of architects to handle their housing projects in the last two years to the most convenient date;(2) what advice has been given by his Department to local authorities concerning the appointment of architects for public contracts; and if he will take steps to ensure that architects practising in Scotland are preferred.