asked the Minister of Labour what will be the total amount repaid by his Department under the Selective Employment Tax Act in 1968; and how this compares with the figure for 1967.

Payment by my Department under the Selective Employment Payments Act 1966 are expected to amount to£552 million in 1968, compared with£655 million in 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour how many extra staff will be required in his Department during 1968 in order to ensure that Selective Employment payments are not made to employers who have not paid Selective Employment Tax.

The work of checking that selective employment payments are not made to employers who have not paid Selective Employment Tax is being extended. The new checks will involve no extra staff.

asked the Minister of Labour how many civil servants in his Department were wholly or partly employed in the administration of Selective Employment Tax and repayments during 1967.

The equivalent of 478 full-time staff were employed on the administration of selective employment payments in 1967 on the average. It is not possible to say how many individual members of the staff were directly involved because much of the work is spread in small quantities throughout the Ministry's network of local offices.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of those employed in the service industries in Wales, England, Scotland and the planning regions of Scotland have moved to manufacturing industries since the introduction of the Selective Employment Tax.

Employment estimates for the standard regions are analysed industrially in respect of June each year. Changes between June 1966 and June 1967 in the levels of employment in manufacturing and service industries in Wales, England and Scotland can be measured later this month when the 1967 estimates become available but changes for parts of standard regions, such as the planning regions of Scotland, cannot be measured until the local employment estimates for 1967 become available later in the year.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now able to announce the result of his review of classifications for the purposes of the Selective Employment Tax.

I hope to be able to do so in the near future.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many extra staff he expects to be employed by his Department during 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively, to ensure that the re-employment of Service personnel is smoothly carried out during the rundown of the armed forces.(2) what arrangements he is making for the retraining and placing of personnel who will be involved in the proposed rundown of the armed forces; and what he expects the extra cost to be to his Department of these arrangements.

In addition to the voluntary organisations there are already extensive Governmental arrangements for resettlement and retraining of ex-regulars. These are being reviewed to ensure that they are adequate to meet the additional outflow arising from the proposed rundown. It is not at present possible to estimate what extra staff will be needed for this work or what extra cost will be incurred.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the estimated number of coloured immigrant workers; how many have been admitted to membership of the six trade unions for the most skilled and highly paid; and how many more coloured workers he estimates the labour market can absorb.

As regards the first two parts of the Question, the information is not available. As regards the last part, employment is one of the factors the Government takes into account in its policy on immigration.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of those put out of work in the last two years on account of industrial redundancy in South Dorset are being retrained under Government auspices.

During the last two years 10 men whose homes are in South Dorset have completed training at Government Training Centres and seven are at present in training. I cannot say how many of these were redundant workers when they applied for training.

asked the Minister of Labour when he will improve wages for workers in Remploy.

Remploy wages are negotiated between Remploy Ltd. and the trade unions concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour how many organisations, to whom the first consultative document on New Safety, Health and Welfare Legislation was sent, have to date submitted their observations.

Thirty-two.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of building trade workers in Scotland, skilled and unskilled, who were unemployed at any recent convenient date; and what were the figures at the same period in 1964, 1962, and 1960.

As the reply consists of a table of figures, I will with permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will seek to amend the Redundancy Payments Act 1965 to ensure that workers with long service are safeguarded for redundancy payment and that employers cannot use other reasons for dismissal to avoid payment under the Act.

The Act already provides the necessary safeguard.

asked the Minister of Labour why his Department's officials, both locally and nationally, refused the Manchester and District Committee of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers the information they required regarding whether a firm, whose name has been sent to him, had applied for a joiner at the local employment exchange at the time a joiner employed by them for twenty years had been dismissed.

Information about particular vacancies notified by employers to employment exchanges is given to registrants seeking employment but is not disclosed to other enquirers. This is a long-standing rule which is essential for the effective operation of the employment service.

asked the Minister of Labour what instructions are issued to managers of employment exchanges regarding the disclosure of information concerning individuals registered with exchanges to employers and other enquirers.

Managers are instructed to treat information about individuals registered with employment exchanges as confidential and not to disclose it to employers or other enquirers without the registrant's consent.

asked the Minister of Labour what he estimates the expenditure of his Department on Government training centres will be in 1968 in Scotland and the United Kingdom, respectively; and how this compares with expenditure in 1967.

This information is not readily available for calendar years. Net Ministry of Labour expenditure on all Government Training Centres in Great Britain for the financial year 1966–67 was£6,652,000; for 1967–68 it is expected to be£8,760,000. Separate figures for Scotland are not available, but it is estimated, on the basis of the numbers trained, that expenditure on Scottish Centres was£913,000 in 1966–67, and will be£1,270,000 in 1967–68. The estimates for the financial year 1968–69 will be placed before Parliament shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will locate in Woolwich the new Government industrial training centre proposed for South-East London.

I am not yet in a position to decide on the precise location of this Centre, but I expect that it will be convenient for Woolwich residents.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his Department was consulted by the General Electric Company before the decision was taken to close down its Woolwich factory, employing 5,500 persons; and what action he is taking to review the employment outlook in the Woolwich area, including the problem set by the influx of 60,000 residents to the new town of Thamesmead.

I was given confidential advance information of the company's decision shortly before it was announced. The Company has promised full co-operation and information is being col- lected about the occupations and place of residence of the workers concerned and about suitable vacancies locally and within daily travelling distance. It is too early to assess the effect, if any, of this closure on the employment pattern in Thamesmead. This will be kept under close review with the Greater London Council and the Greenwich and Bexley Councils.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will name the centres in Wales from which agricultural training under the Agricultural Training Board will be provided.

This is a matter for the board concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will cause areas such as Wales to be exempted from the payment of levy until facilities for agricultural training within reasonable distance of employees' homes or places of employment are available.

No. The levy proceeds will help the Training Board to provide or arrange for necessary training facilities, including assistance to farmers to improve practical training on the farm.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to ratify the standard set by the International Labour Organisation instrument in 1959 on minimum age of entry into the fishing industry.

Complete conformity with Convention 112 as I indicated in my Answer to my hon. Friend on 12th February, requires new legislation, now in course of preparation. [Vol. 758, c. 264–5.]

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of employees who have received wage and salary increases since July, 1966; and what is the total value of such increases.

It is estimated that 11½million manual workers were affected by changes in basic weekly rates of wages or minimum entitlements during the period 1st August, 1966, to 31st December, 1967. The total weekly increase in these basic rates and minimum entitlements amounted to just under£9 million and about two-thirds of this amount resulted from changes made during the last six months of the period.Changes made under centrally-negotiated agreements usually relate to minima and may not result in corresponding changes for workers whose pay is in excess of the new minima.Corresponding information for administrative, technical and clerical employees is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour in view of the fact that the Stockport Joint Committee for the Building Industry on Thursday, 27th July, upheld a claim by the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers on behalf of one of its members against a firm, whose name has been sent to him, whether he will reconsider the decision to reject a claim by an Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers' member against this firm.

The decision to which my hon. Friend refers was given by an Industrial Tribunal, which is an independent statutory authority, and my right hon. Fhiend has no power to intervene.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disablement resettlement officers are employed in Scotland; how many of these are permanent; and how many are seconded to the service on a five-year basis.

There are 162 disablement resettlement officers (part time and full time) in Scotland. They are established officers of the Ministry who have been specially selected and trained for the work and who normally expect to remain on it for five years.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total amount contributed by farmers to the Agricultural Training Board so far; what is its total expenditure; and how much of it was spent in the South-West Region.

The Board has not yet begun to collect levy from employers. Its expenditure so far has been mainly devoted to establishing is organisation and met from public funds. A regional breakdown of this expenditure is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has now made to the South African Government about the illegal trial of South-West Africans in Pretoria in order to comply with the resolution of the Security Council adopted on 26th January; and what response he has received.

Her Majesty's Ambassador in Cape Town has on instructions expressed to the South African authorities Her Majesty's Government's concern about the trial. As my hon. Friend will be aware such exchanges are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government sent an official observer to the trial in Pretoria of the 35 South-West Africans whose trial has been condemned by the United Nations Security Council.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many Gibraltarians are serving in the Foreign Service; how many of them are connected with the department dealing with Spain; and what steps he will take to ensure that some who come from Gibraltar or have had close connections with Gibraltar will be attached to the Spanish side of his Department.

I know of no officers of Gibraltarian origin in the Diplomatic Service. The department dealing with Spain keeps in close touch with the Commonwealth Office over matters affecting Gibraltar.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further progress he has made in his discussions with the United States Government concerning compensation for British nationals in the Philippines arising from the last war in the Far East; and what steps he now proposes to take in this matter.

It has been necessary to make a re-examination of the legal basis for our claims. Further representations will be made to the United States Government in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what current South-East Asia Treaty Organisation activities Great Britain is involved in; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government are supporting a number of civil projects sponsored by the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation, including a Cholera Research Laboratory in Pakistan, a Hill Tribes Research Centre in Thailand, and an Agricultural Research project in the area. In addition, we customarily participate in the normal series of South-East Asia Treaty Organisation military exercises of which one, a communications exercise "Rama-soon", will be held in Thailand from the 4th to the 15th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what controls are still retained by the United Kingdom and her allies, over the external and internal actions of the Government of the Federal German Republic, pending the conclusion of a peace treaty; and what application he has had to modify or set aside those controls in the light of the emergency legislation now under consideration in the Bundestag.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the rights and responsibilities retained by the United States, France and the United Kingdom under the Bonn Conventions of 1955 and in particular to Articles 2 and 5(2) of the Convention on Relations.The draft emergency legislation now before the Bundestag has been prepared by the Federal Government in the knowledge of the views and requirements of the United States, French and British Governments. If the legislation as finally enacted meets the requirements of Article 5(2) of the Bonn Convention to which I have referred, the rights temporarily retained by the Three Powers under that Article will lapse in accordance with its provisions. The rights and responsibilities retained by the Three Powers under Article 2 will not be affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what funds are made available annually for the North Atlantic Assembly; and if this sum will be increased, reduced, or remain the same during 1968–69.

Subject to their approval of the budget of the North Atlantic Assembly, Her Majesty's Government undertake to pay 19·5 per cent. of the Assembly's expenses. The funds made available therefore vary according to those expenses. The Assembly's total budget for 1968 is the same as for 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the present delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly is maintained with the present personnel for at least the next two years to allow for some degree of continuity.

The North Atlantic Assembly is an unofficial body and the British delegation is appointed by Mr. Speaker and the Lord Chancellor after consultation through the usual channels. Her Majesty's Government have no responsibility in this matter, either in the choice of the delegation or the length of time hon. Members serve on it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied that the daily allowance given to the members of the British delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly is adequate in comparison with allowances other nations give to their delegates to the Assembly; and if he will make a statement.

When the provision of free hotel accommodation and transport is taken into account, there is no reason to think that the daily allowance of the British delegation compares unfavourably with other delegations or that it is not adequate. The allowances for our delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly are on the same basis as other delegations to Brussels, for example to Committees of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what facilities Her Majesty's Government gives to the North Atlantic Assembly and its various committees.

Her Majesty's Government support the North Atlantic Assembly by paying on the Foreign Office vote 19·5 per cent. of its approved expenses and the travel and accommodation expenses of the British delegation attending regular meetings of the Assembly and Committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what help the British Government intend to give the College of Europe at Bruges in Belgium for the training of public servants in international administration;(2) if he has considered the report of the Committee on Education, Cultural Affairs and Information of the North Atlantic Assembly, a copy of which is in his possession; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding its recommendations that there should be a pilot scheme for international training at the College of Europe in Bruges for those persons who are in important administrative positions in their respective countries.

Her Majesty's Government give a grant of£2,500 per annum to the College of Europe in Bruges but this is not tied to any particular aspect of its activities. We will be considering recommendations of the North Atlantic Assembly, including the ones to which my hon. Friend refers, later in the year in preparation for the meeting of the North Atlantic Council of which Britain is a member.

asked the Secretary of State State for Foreign Affairs if he will give support to a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation mobile centre to operate in the United Kingdom.

We support the British Atlantic Committee whose work in this country is assisted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Mobile Information Centre. The costs of the centre are financed from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation budget to which Her Majesty's Government contribute.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what efforts are made by Her Majesty's Government to help in the distribution of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation letter.

Her Majesty's Government distribute the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Letter through the Central Office of Information's Overseas Affairs Mailing List. As at the 1st of January, 1968, 16,631 copies were distributed to 8,572 addresses in the United Kingdom, some of which take bulk supplies for further circulation. Recipients include universities, education officers, school teachers, public libraries, political parties, Members of both Houses of Parliament, trade unions, voluntary organisations such as the British Atlantic Committee, representatives of industry and local government, as well as private individuals.Of the total number regularly distributed, 600 are sent to the Press via the Central Office of Information's News Distribution Service with a covering press notice prepared by the Central Office of Information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding assistance to the Atlantic Institute.

Her Majesty's Government support the aims of the Atlantic Institute, and contributed to it for its first three years. They decided last year to make a further grant to the Institute of£500 a year for five years and provision is being sought for the first payment in the 1967/8 spring supplementary estimates.

asked the Minister of Social Security on what date the question of paying unemployment benefit to people who choose to retire on pension from posts before they reach the age at which they qualify for retirement pensions from the State, was referred to the National Insurance Advisory Committee; and when she now expects the Committee to make a report.

On 11th February, 1966. On the second part of the Question, as I said in my reply of 7th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, North-West (Sir B. Janner), the Committee's Report is now being printed, and I am studying their recommendations.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will introduce legislation to enable a woman to cover the risk of widowhood if she so desires by payment of her National Insurance contribution.

The provision to be made for women is being studied in the context of work on our wage-related pension scheme.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many people since 1948 have contributed towards a National Insurance pension but do not receive a pension due to insufficient contributions; and how many receive reduced pensions because their number of contributions do not qualify them to receive a full pension.

About 250,000 people in Great Britain have reached the minimum pension age of 65 (60 for a woman) since 5th July, 1948 and have either not paid any contributions or not paid sufficient contributions to qualify for a retirement pension. This figure does not include married women, who generally qualify for retirement pension on their husband's insurance.Some 300,000 retirement pensions are reduced because the contribution conditions are not fully satisfied.

asked the Minister of Social Security what is the total amount a married couple born in 1884 paid in National Insurance contributions during the 10 years from 1947 to 1957; how much would have been drawn by them in old-age pensions to date; and how much of that pension came from taxation.

On the assumption that the man was a new entrant into insurance in July 1947, he and his employer could have contributed about£130. He and his wife could have received up to£2,800 by way of retirement pension on his insurance. Retirement pensions are paid out of the National Insurance Fund. Payments into the Fund by the Exchequer during the relevant period constituted about 16 per cent. of its income.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many civil servants are employed at the Selective Employment Tax repayments office, Cumbernauld; and what is the cost of maintaining this office per annum.

146 civil servants are employed at this office. Including salaries, the cost of maintaining the office is about£200,000 a year.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he has received the final report of the Mann Committee on Government direct labour building activities; and whether he will make a statement.

I have received this Report and am studying it very carefully. I intend to make a statement about my directly employed labour as soon as I have completed the necessary consultations, including discussions with the trade unions.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what reduction in the programme of opening new and renovating old employment exchanges will result from the recently announced restrictions on public expenditure.

None; inasmuch as it is required for reasons such as the replacement of premises which are below standard or are held on leases which are expiring.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the total expenditure on providing new and renovating old employment exchanges during 1967; and what he expects this total to be during 1968.

About£500,000 in 1967–68 and£800,000 in 1968–69.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the sums spent in the last financial year by his Department on research in Wales and England, respectively.

Expenditure on Departmental research for the construction industry in England, Wales and Scotland in 1966–67 was£33,000. The majority was spent in England but is for the benefit of the construction industry generally.Expenditure by the Building Research Station, responsibility for which was transferred to my Department from the Ministry of Technology on 1st July, 1967, is not included in these figures.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the estimated saving to the public funds of the replacement of women cleaners by a firm of contract cleaners.

I have been asked to reply.The best estimate I can now make is that the transfers to contract cleaning proposed for 1968–69 will save£400,000 in 1969–70, or about one third of the present cleaning cost of the areas to be transferred.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many licences to operate one-arm bandits were in issue at the most recent date for which figures are available; how many were in Scotland; and what was the revenue from such licences in 1967.

At the end of December 1967, about 36,000 gaming machine licences were in force; about 2,000 were issued to applicants in Scotland. The revenue from licences in the calendar year 1967 was about£3·05 million and£0·16 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of the closure of the Vickers plant at Weymouth, the redundancy caused by the closure of defence establishments in the Bovington area and the laying-off of 48 workers by Portcrete in Portland and the growing employment difficulties of the Dorset area, he will take steps to remove or diminish the effect of the Selective Employment Tax in that area.

No. The problems of areas like South Dorset come within the scope of the Hunt Committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the special weekly tax tables covering Leap Year weeks 48 to 52 have been printed; what was the cost of printing them; and what was the cost of distributing them.

2 million;£26,256; about£32,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in order to give the additional information included in the special weekly tax table covering Leap Year weeks 48 to 52, he did not issue a short list relating the week numbers in existing tables to Leap Year dates and a circular stating that if a pay day fell on 4th or 5th April, the instructions for week 53 in paragraph 4 on the Blue Card should be followed.

Printing special tax tables was thought to be a more effective safeguard against excessive P.A.Y.E. tax deductions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the questions asked and the answers given regarding the British Government's intention to restrain consumer demand and the new steps to be taken to curb home demand and boost exports, by the central bankers at Basle last week, before they would agree to renew the international arrangement for the protection of sterling worth£416 million; and if he will place in the Library a copy of those new agreements.

No assurances of this kind were sought or given in connection with the central bank facilities which have recently been renewed. There are no new agreements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total of Corporation Tax paid in Scotland in 1966–67, broken down under the main Industrial classification headings.

£63,633,307 as shown in Table 3 of the 110th Report of the Board of Inland Revenue. No breakdown of this figure by industry is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state in respect of the first year of the operation of Selective Employment Tax the total amount collected, the total amount refunded and the total amount of premiums paid in Scotland.

I estimate that the total amount collected in Scotland in the first full year will be£101 million. Refunds to the refund sector will amount to approximately£35 million and premium payments to the manufacturing sector to approximately£46 million, of which some£35 million represents refund and some£11 million the additional sum. With effect from 4th September, 1967, Scotland will receive some£40 million a year in Regional Employment Premium.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the companies in which the Government has a shareholding, stating the value and number of shares held in each case.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 14th February, 1968.—[Vol. 758, c. 384–8.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage in value of all goods or services purchased or hired by the Government in the United Kingdom is purchased or hired in England.

About 90 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many gaming establishments and casinos were registered in Scotland at the most recent date for which figures are available.

At 31st December, 1967 the number of current gaming licences issued in Scotland under the Finance Act 1966 was 286, of which 246 were for bingo only.

asked the Minister of Technology when he was first informed of the proposal by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics to close their Whitley factory; and when he was first informed of the company's decision to do so.

The Department was informed on 26th January of the company's proposal and I was formally advised by the company of their decision on 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he has considered the criticism made in the annual report of the National Institute of Industrial Psychology of the use of aptitude tests by commercial computer training schools; and what action he proposes to take to prevent the exploitation of potential students by these schools.

I have noted the criticism mentioned by the hon. Member, but have no control over the activities of private computer training schools nor over their methods of selection.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will publish particulars of the scheme evolved to promote the sale of advanced machines at home and overseas; what is the value of the orders to date, in itemised form, naming the firms who received such orders; and what opportunity is offered to firms in development districts to participate in the scheme.

The purpose of the preproduction orders scheme for machine tools is to reduce the gap between the completion of development of new and advanced designs of machine tools and associated equipment and their acceptance in industry on a scale sufficient to justify the

Company	Machine	Value
		£
Bennett Tools Ltd.	Double action Helical Spring Coiling Machine	17,000
Binns and Berry Lathes Ltd.	TB Mk. IV Centre Lathe	19,000
BSA Electrochemical Machines Ltd.	EC Deburring Machine	37,000
Churchill-Redman Ltd.	NC P5 Lathe	156,000
Ferranti Ltd.	Drawing Measuring Machine	92,000
Ferranti Ltd.	Hydro-cord-3-D Measuring Machine	45,000
J. Goulder & Sons Ltd.	Single Flank Gear Tester	29,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	2M Robot Lathe	123,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	3M Robot Lathe	79,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	2 Auto Flashcap Lathe	37,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	3 Programauto Lathe	229,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	4 Programauto Lathe	149,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	3/6 Vertical Auto Lathe	217,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	Robodrill Machining Centre	130,000
Alfred Herbert Ltd.	3 Turning Centre	247,000
Hydraquip Ltd.	Hyvarmill Variable Speed Hydraulic Milling Unit	41,000
B. & S. Massey Ltd.	Hydrostamp Double-acting Die Formating Hammer	240,000
Midland Machine Tool Co. (Birmingham) Ltd.	3-Spindle Turning and Boring Machine	44,000
Molins Machine Co. Ltd.	3 Axis NC Controlled Twin-Spindle Milling Machine	136,000
Optical Mechanical (Instruments) Ltd.	Optimel MK. IIA Presetting Machine and Adaptor	16,000
Precision Machining (Swindon) Ltd.	Preset Tooling System	5,000
Stats Systems Ltd.	Preset Tooling System	29,000
Techne (Cambridge) Ltd.	Fluidic Automatic Control System	9,000
Vero Machine Tool Co. Ltd.	2000 Series 20/40 Machining Centre	79,000
Wavis Engineering Development Ltd.	Starmatic Machine	45,000
Wickman Ltd.	Single Spindle Chucking and Secondary Operation Machine	44,000
Wickman Ltd.	1¾ in. Single Spindle Bar Automatic	81,000
Wickman Ltd.	345 Internal Grinder	35,000
Wickman Lang Ltd.	30 in. Numericon Tape Controlled Lathe	90,000

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement about British national and international contribution towards using the resources of the sea-bed; what is the present annual expenditure from public funds in this field; whether he is satisfied with present co-ordination and progress; and what estimate he has of the potential resources.

The present national annual expenditure on research and development in marine science and technology is of the order of£13 million. The Working Party on Marine Science and Technology, to which reference has been made in the House on a number of occasions, is considering what action is needed to estimate the potential resources of the sea-bed. Any new arrangements which may prove necessary to co-ordinate future programmes of work in this field will be decided in the light of their Report. The United Kingdom is playing a full part in international co-operation in N.A.T.O., O.E.C.D. and the International Oceanographic Commission of the U.N.

asked the Minister of Technology, what financial arrangements have been undertaken by the Government to assist in the merger of the Leyland and British Motor Corporation companies.

None. But the companies are in touch with the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation with a view to negotiating a loan.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the light of Lord Denning's ruling in the Appeal Court regarding the practices in gaming establishments in London, he will request the Lord Advocate to investigate existing practices in gaming establishments and casinos in Scotland.

No. The present Gaming Bill before the House contains a number of provisions to control gaming clubs. In the meantime if the hon. Member has any evidence of any offence being committed in such an establishment, and brings it to the notice pf the Lord Advocate, it will be investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if repairs to fences which separate farm land from woodlands and which were damaged in the recent storm are being approved for Farm Improvement Grant at the full rate.

Subject to the other conditions of the scheme such applications will now be approved on the basis that the grant will be related to the full cost in gale damage and in other cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if repairs to fences on hill land which were damaged in the recent storm will receive grant at the rate of 50 per cent.

Yes, provided other relevant conditions of the Hill Land Improvement Scheme are satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is in a position to make a further statement on the assistance which he is making available to deal with the hurricane damage in Scotland; and, in particular, whether he will prepare a scheme to provide for grants to be made available to owner-occupiers affected by storm damage.

I have at present nothing to add to the statement I made to the House on 7th February.—[Vol. 758, c. 420.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are being made to assist tenants residing in single-end apartments and one-room and kitchen apartments who suffered gale damage; and whether, in repairing damage, priority will be given to such apartments over larger premises.

I explained to the House on 7th February the arrangements which Glasgow Corporation is making for the repair of privately owned tenement houses where the owners are unable to instruct repairs. Many factors have to be taken into account in deciding the priorities.—[Vol. 758, c. 420.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown into counties of the 5,885 children receiving, only part-time education in Scotland; and what is the official definition of part-time education.

The total is made up of 3,490 primary and 327 secondary pupils in Glasgow, 868 secondary pupils in Dunbartonshire, 600 primary pupils in Lanarkshire and 167 primary and 433 secondary pupils in Renfrewshire. The amount of school time lost varies and the

(1)					(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
Year					Boys under 18 enrolled in day (including block) release classes*	Column (2) as percentage of Boys under 18 in insured employment	Girls under 18 enrolled in day (including block) release classes*	Column (4) as percentage of girls under 18 in insured employment
1958	…	…	…	…	15,119	18·4	2,815	3·5
1959	…	…	…	…	14,352	17·9	2,911	3·6
1960	…	…	…	…	13,790	16·6	2,940	3·5
1961	…	…	…	…	14,854	18·6	3,053	3·7
1962	…	…	…	…	17,033	20·3	3,226	3·8
1963	…	…	…	…	18,420	20·9	3,813	4·2
1964	…	…	…	…	19,931	22·4	4,204	4·6
1965	…	…	…	…	21,496	26·2	4,299	4·9
1966	…	…	…	…	19,761	25·3	4,103	5·1
1967	…	…	…	…	21,443	27·5	4,478	5·5
						(estimated)		(estimated)
* The statistical basis of these returns was changed in 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in which subjects are day release facilities available for boys and girls.

I am sending my right hon. Friend a copy of the latest edition of my Department's Directory of Day Courses, which gives information as to courses for each further education college. Information as to subjects and numbers of day-release students is given in tables 16, 17 and 18 of "Scottish Educational Statistics, 1966".

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children aged 15, 16 and 17 years, respectively, were receiving full-time education in Scottish secondary schools in 1967; and what were the comparable figures for the same date in each of the previous four years.

The following table gives the information requested, in respect of all figures quoted are for pupils losing more than two hours of instruction per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many boys attended day release classes in each of the years from 1958 till the latest available date; and what percentage these numbers represented;(2) how many girls attended day release classes in each of the years from 1958 till the latest available date; and what percentage these numbers represented.

The information is as follows:secondary schools-education authority, grant-aided, independent and special.

		Number of pupils aged
		15	16	17
January, 1963	…	34,100	17,900	8,900
January, 1964	…	36,300	21,400	11,400
January, 1965	…	36,200	20,300	13,100
January, 1966	…	36,500	20,600	12,400
January, 1967	…	37,400	20,800	12,600

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) why the Government has refused to undertake a review of students' grants following the increased cost of living and the announced increases in students' residence charges;(2) whether he will state the reasons for the Government's failure to adopt the recommendations of the advisory panel on students grants set up by the Government.

The Government's policy in this matter was explained by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the debate on 14th February.—[Vol. 758, c. 1373.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many agricultural holdings are held by the

Administered By	Up to 2 years	2–3 years	4–5 years	6+ years	Total Unlet
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland	69	23	4	17	113
Forestry Commission	4	—	—	—	4

Under 3 per cent. of my total holdings are currently unlet. Most of these are in process of being relet or are held for enlargement, development or afforestation. A few are poor subjects for which there is at present no demand. Where-ever possible temporary uses, e.g. grazings lets, are found for unlet holdings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to authorise a new building for the Clenoch Maternity Hospital, Stranraer.

I understand that the Western Regional Hospital Board is planning on the basis that work should start in the early 1970s, subject to the availability of funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of adults over 21 years of age who received dental treatment in each of the years 1956 to 1967, inclusive, were provided with full or partial dentures.

The following table shows for each year from 1961 to 1966 the percentage of courses of treatment given to adults of 21 years and over in which full or partial dentures were provided. Complete statistics of this nature were not maintained before 1961; the figures for 1967 are not yet available.

1961	…	…	25·78 per cent.
1962	…	…	24·11 per cent.
1963	…	…	23·95 per cent.
1964	…	…	23·42 per cent.
1965	…	…	22·56 per cent.
1966	…	…	21·87 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage Department of Agriculture and the Forestry Commission, respectively, which are not currently let; how many of these have not been let for two, four and six years, respectively; and whether he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:of adults over the age of 21 years issued with full or partial dentures in each of the years 1956 to 1967, inclusive, had, since the inception of the National Health Service, received orthodontic treatment.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy on the future of the Scottish Country Industries Development Trust in the Highlands and Islands; and if he will make a statement.

The Highlands and Islands Development Board is undertaking most of the services previously provided by Scottish Country Industries Development Trust in its area, but S.C.I.D.T. will continue certain of its services in the Highlands, including its itinerant instruction in welding, weaving, wrought iron work and woodwork, its craft advisory service, and such other specialist services as the Board may require from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total of local youth service capital grants in each of the past five years.

The following amounts of grant towards capital expenditure were paid to local voluntary youth organisations:

				£
1961–62	…	…	…	1,400
1962–63	…	…	…	23,065
1963–64	…	…	…	63,541
1964–65	…	…	…	90,152
1965–66	…	…	…	92,566
1966–67	…	…	…	88,680

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of milk producers and of dairy cows at the most recent convenient

			Scottish Milk Marketing Board		Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board		North of Scotland Milk Marketing Board
			Registered Producers	Dairy Cows	Registered Producers	Dairy Cows	Registered Producers	Dairy Cows
1967	…	…	5,222	280,000	454	29,000	287	19,000
1966	…	…	5,548	282,000	472	30,000	295	19,000
1965	…	…	5,843	289,000	510	31,000	310	19,000
1964	…	…	6,095	291,000	533	31,000	327	19,000
1963	…	…	6,369	301,000	556	33,000	349	20,000

Producer numbers are taken from the relevant December Census, as being the most recent available. The figures for 1967 are provisional.Dairy cow numbers are taken from the final results of the June Census and are to the nearest thousand.The provisional results of the December 1967 Census, which indicate a rise of 2 per cent. in total dairy cow numbers in Scotland, are not available on a county (or Board area) basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what road projects in Scotland will be affected by the recent cuts in Government expenditure.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Angus on 18th January.—[Vol. 756 c. 658.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers on average emigrate each year from Scotland, and how many inquiries he has received from those thinking of returning.

I do not have information about the numbers of teachers emigrating each year from Scotland, but 189 teachers who withdrew their superannuation contributions during 1967 were understood to have gone abroad. A few inquiries were received by my Department last year from teachers thinking of returning to Scotland. I would expect such teachers more often to apply direct to an education authority.

The information is set out in the table below.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the grave shortage of teachers, he will send an official team to North America, with a view to inducing and helping teachers to return to teaching in Scotland.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for new factories in South Ayrshire to provide work for miners who are likely to lose their employment following the closure of the collieries at Muirkirk and Beoch.

My right hon. Friend is prepared to use his powers to the full to assist any sound project creating new employment. To encourage enterprises to settle in this area we are buying for industrial development about 30 acres at Cumnock to add to our existing estate there. We also hope to buy land south of Ayr.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many companies which have Scottish names are in fact registered and incorporated in England; and how many of such companies went into liquidation in the years 1957 to 1967, respectively.

I regret that, even if a Scottish name could be defined with certainty, the information could not be obtained without an undue expense of time and effort.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the minimum length of runway required, consistent with safety, noise and convenience, for aircraft flying on short and medium haul routes up to 1975.

It is not possible to quote a minimum length of runway required as this varies with the type of aircraft, its expected payload and fuel load for the route, and also with the temperature, the wind and physical characteristics of the aerodrome.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications he has received for investment grants from industrial companies intending to construct their own coal-, oil- or gas-fired thermal or nuclear power stations to provide energy for their own manufacturing operations, including aluminium smelting; and whether it is his policy to give investment grants for this purpose.

We have received applications relating to nine new electrical generating stations to be used by manufacturing companies in these circumstances. None is from an aluminium smelting company.Equipment for such stations is normally eligible for investment grant, but for very large stations applications would be considered in the light of the implications for the statutory bodies responsible for the generation and distribution of electricity.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been refused in development areas since October 1964.

Two.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates in the North-East development area have been refused since October 1964.

Two.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been issued in Wales for each of the last four years for which the figures are available; and how many men have been employed in each year in the industries for which the certificates were issued.

The information is given in the following table. The figures of additional employment are based on the estimates by the applicants for industrial development certificates of the number of new jobs expected to arise when the projects are complete and fully manned:—

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES ISSUED IN WALES
Year			Number	Estimated additional male employment
1964	…	…	112	3,420
1965	…	…	135	4,860
1966	…	…	204	17,170
1967	…	…	223	8,000

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the investment grants paid in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, in 1965–66 and 1966–67; and what estimate he has made of the amounts for the current financial year.

Payments began on 1st April 1967. The amounts paid in England, Scotland and Wales during the calendar year 1967 were respectively:£160·7 million,£29·8 million, and£16 million. The total estimate for the financial year 1967–68 is£315 million. This is not broken down geographically, but I would expect that the final out-turn would correspond broadly with the pattern of payments to the end of the calendar year 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what proposals he has to amend the Prices and Incomes (No. 2) Act in the light of the Government's prices and incomes policy in the period of extreme moderation following devaluation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Heywood and Royton (Mr. Barnett) on 8th February last.—[Vol. 758, c. 213.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will take powers to provide for setting up small business centres at universities all over the country, similar to that operating at the university of Aston, details of which have been sent to him.

The Aston Small Business Centre is a pioneer effort, which my Department is supporting financially for an initial period. Its development and work are being closely followed by all the Departments concerned. We shall be interested in any plans of other universites or further education establishments well placed for developing similiar units.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether, bearing in mind the work of many interested bodies in collecting evidence for submission to the Hunt Committee, he will consult with the Committee regarding the publication of a final date for the submission of such evidence.

I understand that the Committee are anxious to have all outstanding evidence submitted to them by the end of March.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what studies are being undertaken to ascertain the effect that current and future industrial mergers will have on the employment situation.

There are many industries in which concentration and rationalisation are necessary if the maximum efficiency and international competitiveness is to be achieved and the Government wish to see such reorganisation pursued vigorously, with due regard to the policies for regional development and the general national interest. The employment effects of mergers often cannot be forecast in advance of their completion, but the Government expect companies to co-operate closely with them and the trade unions so as to ensure that any necessary redeployment of labour is orderly and planned. The redundancy payments system and earnings related benefit system are designed to reduce hardship during any periods of transitional unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what was the expenditure of the National Economic Development Council and the National Board for Prices and Incomes, respectively, for 1967–68; and what is the expected expenditure for 1968–69.

The following is the information:

	Estimated 1967–68	Expenditure 1968–69
	£	£
National Economic Development Council	610,000	752,000
National Board for Prices and Incomes	566,000	757,000

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the number and salaries of public relations officers employed by the National Economic Development Office.

Four.The senior post is at present vacant but the next holder will be paid a salary within the range£3,600–£44,600 a year. The second post carries a salary in the range£2,100–£2,500 a year and the other two posts salaries in the range£1,700–£2,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what steps he is taking to implement the recommendation of the National Board for Prices and Incomes that Her Majesty's Government should make generally available, on a regular basis, the earnings of professional men, to enable fair comparisons to be made.