asked the Minister of Social Security when she intends to announce tie measures necessary to protect the most vulnerable sections of the community nom the effects of devaluation.

There is nothing I can add at this stage to the reply I gave the hon. Member and other hon. Members on 29th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 853–7.]

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he intends to remove the new lamp standards in Constitution Hill; what decision he has now reached regarding the lights; and if he will make a statement.

The new lamp standards will be removed shortly. The old gas lamp standards are being retained. Experiments are being carried out to determine how the best standard of lighting can be achieved.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what account was taken of the need for road-building in the area of the Bedworth Urban District Council, because of a rapidly expanding population in his De- partment's recommendations for the making of grants for additional winter road works.

None. The sole criterion used for the provision of extra construction work during the winter months was that, in areas outside the Development Areas, the level of unemployment in the construction industry was 6 per cent. or more.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many times historical monuments, including Stonehenge, have been defaced in the past 12 months; and whether any permanent damage has resulted.

Nine times. I hope that no permanent damage has resulted but I cannot be sure. What is quite certain is that the unsightly patches left by cleaning will take years to weather away.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the total number of men employed to undertake preparatory work prior to the installation of three telephones in the Secretaries' Rooms at No. 7 Old Palace Yard; what was the nature of this work; what was the total number of hours spent and the total cost involved; and whether this represents a typical example of manpower involved in work of this nature.

Before the telephones were installed, acoustic booths were provided for them and the work of fixing these into position occupied two men for about eight hours between them. The booths cost about £50 and their installation about £5. I consider that the manpower used was reasonable for the work in question.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what extra costs are involved at the Horseferry Road, S.W.1, building site as a result of continuing building management-worker friction since November, 1967.

The building contract for these offices is on a firm price basis under which the contractor carries full responsibility for labour supply, materials, etc.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give the dates of official visits by himself and junior Ministers of his Department to defence research establishments since the creation of his office.

In the period since my Department assumed responsibility for the Aviation research establishments on 15th February, 1967, I have myself visited R.A.E., Farnborough on 12th April, 1967, R.R.E., Malvern on 5th May, 1967 and N.G.T.E., Pyestock on 7th July, 1967.The Minister of State visited R.A.E. on 17th February, 1967 and N.G.T.E. on 7th July, 1967 and 26th January, 1968.There were visits by one or more of the Joint Parliamentary Secretaries to R.A.E. on 10th May, 1967, R.R.E. on 24th May, 1967 and N.G.T.E. on 7th July, 1967.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of requests made by industrial firms in 1965–67 for research work to be done by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, over a value of £10,000, in matters unconnected with defence.

There were no requests for civil work costing more than £10,000.

asked the Minister of Technology what initiatives he has taken to bring work done on electro-chemistry at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, to the notice of British industry.

The Royal Aircraft Establishment's work in electro-chemistry is primarily concerned with batteries, in particular monitoring research contracts placed with industry and universities and advising on development problems. There is little intramural research. The Estab- lishment has very close day-to-day contact with the battery industry and users and no special initiative to publicise this work is necessary, though there was a prominent exhibit at a recent Royal Aircraft Establishment Open Day.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of non-classified extra-mural research projects of value more than £8,000 placed by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, with British university departments.

The following current agreements over £8,000 in individual value have been placed by the Department on behalf of R.A.E. Farnborough:

University	Description of work
Cambridge	Friction and lubrication.
Glasgow	Effect of stress concentration on static strength.
	Electrostatic heating for hypersonic tunnels.
	Degradation of Friedel-Craft polymers.
Imperial College.	Effect of kinetic heating on characteristics of thin wings.
Loughborough	Human analogues.
	Study of the contributions of radio navigation aids to the cockpit work-load in civil aircraft.
	Practical visual and televisual detection studies.
Lancaster	Cost effectiveness of navigation systems for transport aircraft.
Leeds	Investigation into electrode losses in electric arc gas heaters.
Newcastle	Hybrid navigation-system radio aid computer programming study.
Nottingham	Investigation of visual detection thresholds.
Oxford	Impact of high speed neutral particles on solid surfaces.
Southampton	Investigation of Q-switched lasers and laser amplifiers.
Surrey	Mechanism of diffusion of hydrogen in iron and steel.
Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.	Polymers containing nitrogen or sulphur.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give the numbers and qualifications of personnel in the assessment division of the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.

The assessment of new projects is not primarily a Royal Aircraft Establishment function. It does, however, play an important part in the technical assessment process and this work is focussed in two divisions which draw on the general experience of the Establishment.These divisions, each of which is led by a Senior Principal Scientific Officer, employ in total 18 Principal Scientific Officers, 5 Senior Scientific Officers, 4 Scientific Officers, 2 R.A.F. Squadron Leaden. and 23 supporting staff.The staff have appropriate qualifications and are specially selected for their aptitude for assessment work.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the names and addresses of subcontractors' men employed in equipping the "Queen Elizabeth II".

I regret that this information is not available to me, and is a matter for the company concerned.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will bring up to date the estimate of over 3,000 computers in operation or on order in the United Kingdom with an additional 1,000 at the planning stage by 1970, given in the report of the Interdepartmental Working Group entitled Computer Education.

It is estimated that the number of computer installations in operation or on order in the United Kingdom will not be less than 5,000 by 1970. It is more difficult to estimate numbers at the "planning stage" but I would not expect this to be less than 1,500.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in the light of current trends, he will revise the estimates of the numbers of advanced programmers, systems designers, systems analysts and operators needed in the United Kingdom by 1970 and given in paragraph (5) on page 6 of the Report of the Interdepartmental Working Group entitled Computer Education.

The estimates given in paragraph (5) on page 6 of the Report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Computer Education were based on figures prepared in 1964 and 1965. It is not possible to be precise, but applying the same basis to 5,000 installations in 1970, then the revised estimates for the categories mentioned are:

Advanced Programmers	300
Systems Designers	20,000
Systems Analysts
Operators	25,000

asked the Minister of Technology what proportion of research conducted by his Department is carried out in Wales; and what is the corresponding percentage for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.

Separate figures are not available for expenditure on research. 3·3 per cent. of the research and development work undertaken by the Department's establishments is carried out in Wales; the corresponding percentages for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are 89·9 per cent., 6·8 per cent. and nil respectively.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he is aware that the Loewy Robertson plant shortly to be closed down in Bedford by Tube Investments Limited following the merger with Davy-Ashmore has some of the most modern machine tools in Europe; and what action he intends to take to ensure that this equipment does not remain idle.

I am aware that the Loewy Robertson factory at Bedford was well equipped with machinery for steel works plant production. The merger with Davy-Ashmore Limited should strengthen the industry by bringing together available design, engineering and marketing resources to meet strong international competition for limited home and overseas orders. I understand that Tube Investments Limited are considering the use to which the factory and its equipment should be put after the merger has been completed.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are at present undertaking courses in Government train- ing centres in the Northern Region; and what were the corresponding figures for 1964.

On 12th February, 1968, 769 persons were in training at centres in the Northern Region. The corresponding figure for 1964 was 199.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the fact, stated in his Department's latest report, that there are more men out of work in Birmingham than at any time in the last 20 years, what steps he proposes to take to protect the jobs of those in employment, and to stop further unemployed immigrants entering the labour market.

Employment is one of the factors taken into account in deciding what the level of immigration should be. Under the voucher scheme immigrants must either have a job to come to or be the holders of special qualifications which are in short supply in this country.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in the Common Market countries workers enjoy better holiday conditions than those in Great Britain; and if, as a means of facilitating British entry into the Common Market, he will take whatever action may be necessary to raise the holiday entitlement of British workers to the level of those enjoyed by workers in the Common Market.

Holiday entitlement in the E.E.C. countries is often but not always better than the corresponding entitlement in this country. But the working week is often longer there than here. The level of holiday entitlement in Britain is not a hindrance to entry into the E.E.C.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons in the Huddersfield area have qualified for payment under the Redundancy Payments Act; and what are the total amounts involved.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the average wage in Portsmouth during each of the past six months, and how this compares with the average for the country and for the South-East Region, respectively.

The information requested in the first part of the Question is not available, but in October, 1967, the average weekly earnings of adult male manual workers in the South-East region and in the United Kingdom as a whole were £22 3s. 11d. and £21 7s. 6d., respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement about the issue of employment vouchers to Commonwealth immigrants.

The Government have decided that certain changes should be made in the arrangements for the issue by the Ministry of Labour of vouchers to Commonwealth citizens wishing to work in this country which were set out in the White Paper "Immigration from the Commonwealth" (Cmnd. 2739). These changes will come into force on 1st March. They are designed to reduce the waiting lists that have built up; to relate the issue of vouchers more closely to this country's economic and social needs; to help those with Category B vouchers to obtain employment which is commensurate with their qualifications; and to assist the dependent territories.Applications for Category A vouchers for employment in manufacturing industry will continue to be dealt with as at present, as will those for any type of job obtained through properly organised recruitment schemes, operated either by employers in co-operation with Commonwealth Governments or by the Governments themselves, and approved by the Minister of Labour. All other applications will be considered on their merits and only those relating to work which is, in the opinion of the Minister of Labour, of substantial economic or social value to the United Kingdom will be accepted for inclusion on the waiting list. To avoid hardship to those near the top, people already on the waiting list whose applications would have been due for consideration before 1st June will be dealt with under the present rule of "first come, first served". The new criteria will apply to the remainder of the current waiting list and to all fresh applications.The issue of Category B vouchers for teachers will be restricted to those who, in addition to being eligible for qualified teacher status, possess a teacher training qualification acceptable to the Department of Education and Science. As far as scientists and technologists are concerned, Category B vouchers will only be issued to those holding qualifications which are likely to be acceptable to employers here. As a corollary, it will no longer be necessary to have a minimum of two years' experience in suitable employment since graduation. Applications from teachers, scientists and technologists which would have been due for consideration before 1st June will be dealt with under the existing rules. Non-graduates with certain professional qualifications, if they have the firm offer of a job will no longer have to have had two years' experience in suitable employment since qualifying. Doctors with suitable qualifications to practise here who apply for vouchers and who produce evidence that they have either obtained places in the Ministry of Health's attachment scheme or medical posts to come to will be given priority.Applications for both Category A and Category B vouchers in respect of persons belonging to United Kingdom dependent territories will be dealt with separately from applications in respect of other Commonwealth citizens. A quota of vouchers amounting to 600 per year will be allocated to them with the proviso that as a general rule no one territory may receive more than 50 per cent. of the quota. The new criteria for Category A vouchers will not apply to the dependent territories or to Malta.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to use the base at Akrotiri to defend the Republic of Cyprus against external threat, in accordance with the Treaty of Establishment Guarantees.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence informed my hon. Friend on 14th February, we continue to need both our Sovereign Bases Areas for various defence purposes.The position of the British Government under the various treaties in relation to Cyprus to which this country is a party remains unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agreement reached on the independence constitution for Swaziland.

The Swaziland Independence Conference was held at Marlborough House from 19th to 23rd February. The delegation from Swaziland which was accompanied by Her Majesty's Commissioner was drawn from members of both Houses of Parliament in Swaziland and was led by the Prime Minister. It is proposed that the Report of the Conference should be published at an early date.The Conference discussed proposals for adapting the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland for the independence constitution. These proposals had been approved by both Houses of Parliament of Swaziland unanimously. The Conference approved them subject to modifications described in their Report, copies of which have been placed in the Library.The Conference was informed of the agreement of the Governments of all other Commonwealth Governments that Swaziland should become a member of the Commonwealth on attaining independence.The Conference received confirmation that the necessary legislation would be undertaken to safeguard the position after independence of holders of stock issued by the Swaziland Government under Colonial Stock Acts; and that a Public Officers' Agreement would be entered into in accordance with normal arrangements when independence was achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he intends to hold with the members of the Anzam to reach agreement on the proposed alteration of the United Kingdom commitments under that Treaty.

None, since there is no A.N.Z.A.M. treaty, and accordingly no commitments under it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of loans given to hotels in Scotland under the Hotel Loans Scheme, and their total value.

None, so far. Only three applications have been received concerning hotels in Scotland. Of these, one has been withdrawn by the applicant who preferred an alternative form of assistance available in development areas. The remaining two are under examination.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the statistics for the number of fatal accidents in relation to the number of passenger miles flown by British European Airways, the British Overseas Airways Corporation, and British independent airline operators since 1958.

The following is the information:—

B.O.A.C.
Year		Passengers killed	Million Passenger miles	Passengers killed per 100 million Passenger miles
1958	…	Nil	1,417	Nil
1959	…	Nil	1,925	Nil
1960	…	Nil	2,339	Nil
1961	…	Nil	3,090	Nil
1962	…	1	3,119	0.03
1963	…	Nil	3,411	Nil
1964	…	Nil	3,967	Nil
1965	…	Nil	4,596	Nil
1966	…	113	5,041	2.24

B.E.A.
Year		Passengers killed	Million Passenger miles	Passengers killed per 100 million Passenger miles
1958	…	26	961	2.71
1959	…	Nil	1,131	Nil
1960	…	Nil	1,352	Nil
1961	…	20	1,500	1.33
1962	…	Nil	1,667	Nil
1963	…	Nil	1,887	Nil
1964	…	Nil	2,212	Nil
1965	…	30	2,480	1.21
1966	…	Nil	3,616	Nil

INDEPENDENT AIRLINES
Year		Passengers killed	Million Passenger miles	Passengers killed per 100 million Passenger miles
1958	…	Nil	186	Nil
1959	…	Nil	215	Nil
1960	…	Nil	272	Nil
1961	…	67	1,450	4.62
1962	…	110	1,664	6.61
1963	…	Nil	1,900	Nil
1964	…	75	2,576	2.91
1965	…	23	3,144	0.73
1966	…	91	4,219	2.16

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the different kinds of live animals which were imported into this country to a total value of £686,000 in 1967.

No, the information is not available from the trade statistics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the reasons which prevent him announcing a decision on the setting up of an in-dependant British inquiry into the Munich air crash of 1958.

As the hon. Member knows, the prior consultations involved will necessarily take some time to complete.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the imposition of export licences for scrap metal, in view of the greatly increased price of scrap on the home market, due to increased demand from overseas since devaluation.

The export of scrap metal is already subject to export licensing control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1967. If the hon. Member has in mind ferrous scrap, an application for the revision of the current Open General Licence is under consideration

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories have been set up in Scotland since October, 1964; and of these how many are standing empty.

Of the 43 advance factories authorised for Scotland since October, 1964, 27 have been completed. Eighteen of these are empty but two of them have been allocated to firms who have not yet moved in.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many United States firms have set up or occupied factories in Scotland since October 1964; how this compares with the previous two-and-a-half years; and how many of these firms have closed down or withdrawn since October 1964.

Since October 1964, 28 United States firms have set up production in Scotland. In the previous two-and-a-half years 13 United States firms set up production in Scotland. None of these 41 firms has closed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total actual establishment of the Weights and Measures Inspectorate; and how many vacancies currently exist for weights and measures inspectors.

The number of weights and measures inspectors (including 80 chief inspectors) employed by local weights and measures authorities in Great Britain at the end of 1967 was 1,027. Eestablishments and recruitment are the responsibility of these authorities but I understand that there are currently about 160 vacancies for inspectors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the non-classified work done for his Department by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.

The Royal Aircraft Establishment carries out research and development and provides expert advice and assistance on a wide range of subjects such as all weather operations, aircraft instruments and communications, aerodrome lighting and accident investigation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total amount of redundancy payments to be made to Whitehall's women cleaners following their replacement by a firm of contract cleaners.

This will depend on a great many factors, but the best estimate I can make is that the cost of such payments to the Exchequer is likely to be nearer £50,000 than £100,000 in 1968–69.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the circumstances in which the National Insurance Fund estimate produced in June, 1967, by the Government Actuary was shown to be wrong in January, 1968; and if he will take steps to ensure that this is not repeated.

The circumstances leading to the changes in the estimates have been investigated by the Government Actuary and are described in paragraph 5 of his Report (Cmnd. 3532). The Government Actuary's estimates are based on the information available at the time they are made and it is not always possible to foresee changes in the trends on which the forecasts are based. As regards rates of unemployment to be assumed, he takes instructions from the Government, as explained in his reports.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government Actuary in his calculations for the Public Expenditure and Receipts Bill assumed that earnings would remain constant over the next three years; and whether this figure was assumed until the year 2005.

The assumptions made by the Government Actuary regarding earnings up to 1969–70 in his estimates for the Public Expenditure and Receipts Bill are described in paragraph 12 of Cmnd. 3532. These assumptions correspond to those used in each of the Government Actuary's reports on the National Insurance Fund since 1964. No revision of long-term estimates has been made on this occassion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the saving to the National Insurance Fund of a reduction in unemployment for the years 1968–69 and 1969–70 to 1½ per cent. and 1 per cent. respectively; and, over this period, what is the level of unemployment on which the Government Actuary's figures in Command Paper No. 3532 are calculated.

The savings in the National Insurance Fund from reductions in the cost of unemployment benefit and corresponding increases in contributions and Exchequer supplements, as compared with the estimates in Cmnd. 3532, are estimated to be £60 millions with an average rate of unemployment of l½ per cent, in 1968–69 and £85 million with 1 per cent, unemployment in 1969–70. For the estimates in Cmnd. 3532 the Government Actuary assumed on Government instructions that unemployment would fall by 1969–70 to the long-term rate of 2 per cent, previously adopted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the results already obtained over the last 20 years by the Government Actuary's department in relation to the financing of the National Insurance Fund, what estimates he has now made of the statistical probabilities of the Fund running into an estimated deficit by 31st March, 1969 and 31st March, 1970, respectively.

The Government Actuary's Report (Cmnd. 3532) indicates that, with the increased contributions proposed in the Public Expenditure and Receipts Bill, the National Insurance Fund is not likely to run into deficit on current working before 31st March, 1970.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will explain how the cost of answering oral Parliamentary Questions is broken down.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the average cost of £10 10s. 11d. for mid-1965 referred to in my Answer of 14th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Sheldon). This average figure was arrived at by costing and totalling for each Question answered in the relevant period:

(a) the salary element for Ministers and civil servants concerned in preparing Answers, by reference to the time spent by each

(b) appropriate additions for employers National Insurance contribution and superannuation liability

(c) an element representing stationery and Post Office charges

(d) the quantity of typing involved, by reference to cost per line

(e) an element, related to the time spent on the Answer, for certain overheads (e.g. messengers).

Nothing was included for costs in the House of Commons, or for costs in bodies outside central government whom it is sometimes necessary to consult.A division of the £10 10s. 11d. between the elements (

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the address of the Rye Inland Revenue Office mentioned in his answer to the hon. Member for Rye on 5th February. 1968.

I am very sorry that the reply to the hon. Member mistakenly referred to the "Rye Inland Revenue Office" instead of to the Tax Office in Buckhurst Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, in the Rye constituency.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the proportion of lending by banks to be devoted to financing house purchase, house building. housing improvement, motor car purchases, purchase of private businesses, exports, imports, personal borrowing and commercial borrowing not allocated to any specific purpose, respectively.

Current guidance on bank lending is set out in the Bank of England's Notice on Credit Restriction, published on 19th November, 1967, copies of which are being placed in the Library. It is less specific than the Question implies. There is a ceiling on aggregate lending to the private sector apart from lending specifically identified with export transactions and fixed rate finance for shipbuilding. Within the ceiling, the banks have been asked to give priority to finance for production and investment designed to promote exports, invisible earnings and import- saving. There is a specific ceiling on lending to persons; but bridging finance for house purchase may continue to be made available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue export bonds as a means of attracting small and large investment in a specific direction.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Gateshead, West (Mr. Randall) on 29th November. 1967.—[Vol. 755, c. 130.]

asked the Minister of Health, what will be the estimated cost to his Department of the refund of prescription charges in 1968–69 and 1969–70.

No close estimate is at present possible.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what arrangements he has made with the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, with a view to promoting research on the problem of easing the load on hip-joints of human beings suffering from arthritis;(2) if he will publicise among regional hospital boards and teaching hospitals research work into arthritis done by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, for the National Orthopaedic Hospital.

The Establishment collaborated with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in the development of a load-bearing sandal, incorporating a radio-telemetry device, as an aid to the measurement of hip function. This development is not directed primarily to arthritic cases, but it may prove helpful in their treatment.The hospital is now carrying out with financial support from my Department an assessment of hip joint action using the equipment. The question of publicising the equipment will be considered when the assessment is complete.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of areas or districts in which the Lancashire County Council Ambulance Service is divided for administrative purposes, the names of the area or district headquarters, and the total area, expressed in square miles, of the area covered or allocated to each area or district.

I am informed by the County Council that the information is as follows.For administrative purposes the Lancashire County ambulance service is under the control of 17 divisional health committees for the following divisions:

Health Division No.	Divisional Office		Area in Square Miles
1	Ulverston	…	220
2	Lancaster	…	218
3	Kirkham	…	103
4	Fulwood, Preston	…	278
5	Accrington	…	89
6	Reedley	…	93
7	Ormskirk	…	150
8	Wigan	…	62
9	Widnes	…	69
10	Newton-le-Willows	…	55
11	Leigh	…	72
12	Bury	…	63
13	Rochdale	…	55
14	Chadderton	…	24
15	Eccles	…	22
16	Urmston	…	20
17	Ashton-under-Lyne	…	20

For operational purposes the County ambulance service is divided into 5 areas formed by the grouping of divisions as follows, each with its own control centre:—

Control Area	Divisions	Control Centre	Area iv Square Miles
1	1, 2, 3, 4	Broughton (Preston)	819
2	5, 6, parts of 12 and 13	Accrington	226
3	7, 8, 9, 10	Whiston (near Prescot)	336
4	11, 15, 16	Swinton	115
5	14, 17, parts of 12 and 13	Whitefield	118

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of recent announcements concerning new developments in the Clyde Valley, he will make a statement concerning future economic, social and environmental development in that area.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Steele) on 22nd February.—[Vol. 759, c. 195–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will propose to the Highlands and Islands Development Board that it should conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a fish processing plant in North-West Sutherland, to take advantage of the heavy landings of white fish at Kinlochbervie and Lochinver.

The Board is well aware of the increased landings in recent years at these two ports and is already carrying out a thorough investigation of the potential for fishery development, including fish processing, in the Minch area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to reduce toll charges for the Tay Road Bridge; what these reductions will be; and to what vehicles they will apply.

I am considering a proposal by the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board that the toll levied on scheduled service buses for crossing the bridge should be reduced and hope to write to the Joint Board very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of houses completed in 1967 by the use of industrialised building methods; and what will be the estimated percentage by such systems in 1968.

Of the houses in the public sector approved in 1967, 14,128, or 36 per cent. of the total number, are to be build by industrialised methods. Statistics are not available for industrialised houses completed, but I estimate that about 10,000 completed in 1967 and about 12,000 completed in 1968 will have been built by industrialised methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates will be the annual saving as a result of the discontinuing of milk for secondary school pupils.

About £0·7 million in a full year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his present expenditure on school milk for secondary school pupils in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh, respectively; and what savings he anticipates when milk for secondary school pupils is abolished.

It is estimated that in a full year the education authorities' expenditure on school milk for secondary pupils is:

			£
Ayrshire	…	…	24,000
Lanarkshire	…	…	81,000
Glasgow	…	…	150,000
Edinburgh	…	…	53,000

The discontinuance of this provision will produce savings of the same order.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to authorise a new building for the Waverley Home, Stranraer.

I understand that the Western Regional Hospital Board is planning on the basis that work on the replacement of the hospital accommodation in this home should start in the early 1970s, subject to the availability of funds; and that the County Council is considering whether to replace the residential accommodation as part of a joint scheme with the Regional Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average cost per new school place provided in secondary schools and in primary schools in each of the past five years.

The information is as follows:

			Average Cost per Place*
Year			Secondary	Primary
			£	£
1963	…	…	357	239
1964	…	…	421	225
1965	…	…	351	266
1966	…	…	410	268
1967	…	…	387	274
* Places provided in new schools or by alteration and extension of existing accommodation. The average cost may be slightly overstated through the inclusion of expenditure which does not lead to the provision of new places.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of new school places provided in secondary schools and in primary schools in each of the past five years; and what is his estimate of the numbers to be provided up to 1971.

26,359 primary and 23,165 secondary places in 1967. The information for earlier years is given in Table 43 of "Scottish Educational Statistics 1966". The figures up to 1971 will be affected by the adjustments to school building programmes now being made, and estimates are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of new places provided in colleges of education in each of the past five years; and what is his estimate of the numbers to be provided up to 1971.

The numbers for the past five years are set out below:

1963	1964	1965	1966	1967
—	1,400	100	1,245	300

It is estimated that a further 2,500 places will be provided before 1st January, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the value of projects started under the school building programme in each of the years 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70.

For 1967–68 the estimate is £27 million. Programmes of projects to start in 1968–69 and 1969–70 are being adjusted to achieve expenditure savings in those years of £2·4 million and £3·5 million, respectively, and figures for the estimated value of starts are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now agree to the proposal that a 30 mile per hour limit should be imposed on the North Road, Bellshill, between Bellshill Cross and Bellshill Maternity; and if he will make a statement.

I have no formal proposal before me for extending the 30 m.p.h. limit to this section of road. If Lanark County Council submit one, with the usual supporting information, I will consider it expeditiously.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities in Scotland have levied half rates on empty houses, and how many houses have been involved; whether he is satisfied that existing legislation is preventing houses from being kept vacant and from rapid deterioration; and what steps he will now take to deal with the problem.

Out of 223 authorities who have so far replied to an enquiry I addressed to them recently, 84 have decided to rate empty property. I have no information about the number of houses involved. Longer experience will be needed before the effectiveness of the legislation can be properly assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he has made with the establishment of the Countryside Commission for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to say that Mr. John McWilliam has accepted my invitation to be the chairman of the Countryside Commission for Scotland. I hope to be able to appoint the other members soon.It has been decided to locate the Headquarters of the Commission in Perth.

asked the Minister of Transport what approaches she has received from private owners regarding the re-acquisition of land on the disused Yatton-Clevedon railway line; and what answer she has sent.

None, apart from the letter from the Clevedon-Yatton Railway Society forwarded by the hon. Member, to which a reply will be sent as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what representations she has received from representatives of the fishing industry in Scotland about the anticipated effect of the Transport Bill upon the costs of the industry; and what reply she has sent;(2) what representations she has received to date from representatives of the agricultural industry in Scotland about the anticipated effect of the Transport Bill upon the costs of the industry; and what reply she has sent.

We have received representations from several fishing and agricultural interests in Scotland about costs arising from the Transport Bill. They have been carefully considered and we have explained how particular proposals fit into the freight transport policy. My right hon. Friend also gave an undertaking in the House on 20th December to consider whether and if so to what extent, the effects of the proposed abnormal loads charge could be mitigated on firms in development areas.

asked the Prime Minister on what date he received a communication from Derek Burrows, of Forest Gate, E.7, concerning the import of frozen chips at a cost of £1,000,000 per annum; on what date he replied; and what was the nature of this reply.

On the 14th January, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food replied to him on my behalf on the 31st January. The gist of the reply was that demand in frozen chips at present exceeded home production, that it would be contrary to our international obligations to ban such imports bur. that the Ministry knew of two firms in this country who intend to expand their production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will request the Committee of Inquiry under the Chairmanship of the Duke of Northumberland to give him an interim report on the advisability or otherwise of lifting the ban on meat imports so that he may take their views into account before taking his own decision in this matter.

I regret that I cannot at present add to the statement that I made on 15th February.—[Vol. 758, c. 1589–90.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of tea has risen by l0d. per pound; and whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether this increase to off-set the effects of devaluation is justifiable;

(2) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of cooking rice has risen by 2d. per pound; and whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether this increase to off-set the effects of devaluation is justifiable;

(3) whether he is aware that the price of gingerbread cake has risen by 2d. per pound since devaluation; and what action he proposes to take to restore the price of this commodity to its pre-devaluation level;

(4) whether he is aware that since devaluation a Is. head of celery has risen in price to Is. 4d.; and what action he proposes to take to reduce the price of celery to its pre-devaluation level;

(5) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of 12 country eggs has risen by 3d.; and what action he has taken, or intends to take, to restore the price of these eggs to their pre-devaluation level.

(6) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of brussels sprouts has risen by 4d. per pound; and what action he has taken, or intends to take, to restore the price of sprouts to their pre-devaluation level;

(7) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of shortcake biscuits has risen by 2½d. per pound; and what action he has taken, or intends to take, to restore the price of these biscuits to their pre-devaluation level;

(8) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of tomatoes has risen by 6d. per pound; and what action he proposes to take to reduce the price of tomatoes to their pre-devaluation level.

(9) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of English stewing steak has risen by 1s. 8d. per pound and what action he has taken, or intends to take, to reduce the price of stewing steak to its pre-devaluation level;

(10) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of a Is. lettuce has risen to Is. 9d.; and what action he has taken, or proposes to take, to reduce the price of lettuces to their pre-devaluation figure;

(11) whether he is aware that since devaluation the price of English streaky bacon has risen by 3d. per pound; and what action he has taken, or intends to take, to restore the price of this bacon to its pre-devaluation level.

These examples appear to have been taken from a recently-published "shopping basket" list, based upon prices in a butcher's, dairy, greengrocer's and supermarket in South London. They illustrate clearly the dangers of attempting to generalise about food price levels from single quotations. For instance, the price of eggs is now lower than in mid-November, while the prices of several of the other foodstuffs mentioned are in general at the same level as then. There has in the same period been a general increase in beef prices (though this has been, on average, considerably less than that quoted): beef supplies have, of course, been affected by abnormal factors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, when setting up the North Pennine Rural Development Board, he will consider the advantages of establishing the head- quarters of the Board at Kirkby Stephen, owing to its central position and good communications.

I will take these points into account when considering the relative merits of various locations.

asked the Attorney-General what proposals the Government have to computerise United Kingdom Acts of Parliament in order to assist the task of statute law consolidation and reform; and if he will make a statement.

Some research has been carried out on the possibility of computerising the statute book, but the problems involved require a good deal of further study and I am not at present in a position to make a statement.

asked the Attorney-General what estimate he has made of the savings or loss to the legal aid fund from the transfer of divorce jurisdiction to the county court on the basis that county court charges are increased by 55 per cent. as recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

The Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes is under consideration by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and by the Law Society. No estimate of its effect on the cost of legally aided undefended divorces is at present available. As the Board pointed out, it would be for the Rule Committee to consider how to adjust individual fees so as to achieve the result they recommended. The cost to the legal aid fund would depend upon those adjustments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of overseas stations where he is planning for a British military presence for many years ahead, as stated in the recruiting advertisement in the magazine Punch on 7th February 1968; if he will define the phrase ': far away places "used in that advertisement; and if he is satisfied that recruiting advertisements are consistent with Government defence policy;(2) if he will publish a list of those problems in the Far East comparable with the Borneo emergency which remain to be dealt with by the modern army, as suggested in his recruiting advertisement in the magazine

This advertisement was sent to Punch before 4th December by which date copy for the issue of 7th February 1968 had to be with the publisher. It is now no longer used. The advertisement illustrated the task of placing a radio station on top of a mountain. Problems of this sort will continue to exercise the skills of the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what increase in the number of Royal Navy ships he expects to be able to employ in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic as a result of the latest decisions on defence contained in the White Paper.

As stated in Cmnd. 3540, our defence effort will in future be concentrated mainly in Europe and the North Atlantic area.Decisions on the deployment of forces within these areas must await consultation with our allies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of facilities provided for school boys and educational programmes on rocket ranges.

No such facilities are provided at ranges under our control.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the names of firms providing educational programmes at rocket ranges under his control.

There are none.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will state the names and acreages of all guided weapons ranges in Great Britain;(2) if he will take steps to concentrate activity on guided weaponry in Great Britain on to one range, such as Cardigan Bay.

For major guided weapon systems there are three ranges in Britain, namely:

	Acres
Royal Artillery Range and Trials Establishment, Hebrides.	1,320
Trials Establishment, Royal Artillery, Ty Croes	177
Royal Aircraft Establishment, Aberporth	500 (estimated)

For smaller guided weapons, facilities are provided at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Range, Larkhill, and at various other ranges in Britain not exclusively concerned with guided weapons.No one range could accommodate all our current guided weapons programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his negotiations with foreign countries for range facilities.

No such negotiations on our behalf have taken place during the past 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the terms of the licence under which the gas CS is manufactured in the United States of America under licence from the Microbiological Research Establishment at Porton.

No exclusive rights in respect of CS itself are vested in Her Majesty's Government and it is not developed at the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton. Riot-control apparatus suitable as a container for anti-riot agents such as CS is the subject of United Kingdom patent 967660 of 1960, but it is not patented in the United States. In neither case, therefore, does the question of a licence arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the machinery by which he relates work at defence research establishments to the strategic aims of the Government.

This is a continuing process to which the establishments themselves and all those concerned with the administration of the defence research and development programme contribute. The arrangements for central control were

Date		Minister	Establishment
2nd December, 1964	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment, Portsdown.
7th January, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Pacific Naval Laboratory, Esquimault (Canada).
17th February, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Army	Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chobham.
19th February, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Air Force.	Aeroplane and Armaments Establishment, Boscombe Down.
1st March, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Royal Greenwich Observatory, Herstmonceux.
2nd April, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Reactor Test Establishment, Dounreay.
28th May, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Research Laboratory, Teddington.
18th June, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment, Portland.
25th October, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Air Force.	Defence Operational Analysis Establishment, West Byfleet.
		Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force.
29th October, 1965	…	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Army.	Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chobham.
3rd December, 1965	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Air Force.	Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
5th January, 1966	…	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment, Portland.
7th January, 1966	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Materials Laboratory, Holton Heath.
14th January, 1966	…	Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.	Services Electronics Research Laboratory, Baldock.
18th January, 1966	…	Minister of Defence for the Army	Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead.
9th May, 1966	…	Minister of Defence for the Army	Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton.
6th June, 1966	…	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Army.	Military Engineering Experimental Establishment, Christchurch.
24th June, 1966	…	Secretary of State for Defence	Defence Operational Analysis Establishment, West Byfleet.
15th September, 1966	…	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Navy.	Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment, Portland.
12th January, 1967	…	Minister of Defence for Equipment.	Admiralty Surface Weapons, Establishment, Portsdown.
27th January, 1967	…	Minister of Defence for Equipment.	Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead.
10th February, 1967	…	Minister of Defence for Equipment.	Services Electronics Research Laboratory, Baldock.
13th February, 1967	…	Minister of Defence for Equipment.	Admiralty Research Laboratory, Teddington.
3rd March, 1967	…	Minister of Defence for Equipment.	Royal Radar Establishment, Malvern.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give dates of official visits to defence research establishments by himself or junior Ministers since October, 1964.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for retirement were received from officers of the Regular Army in December 1967: and what the corresponding totals were in each of the four preceding years.

pursuant to his Answer, [OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd February, 1968; Vol. 759, c. 199], states that the annual totals of retirements given for the years 1963–67 were those considered by the Army Retirements Board from male permanent regular officers only. The annual totals of applications for retirement considered from all categories of officers in- cluding male short service commission officers and female officers were:

1963	…	…	…	408
1964	…	…	…	528
1965	…	…	…	591
1966	…	…	…	598
1967	…	…	…	670

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that Her Majesty's ships have adequate defence against influence mines; what proposals he has for such defence for merchant vessels in a national emergency; and if he will make a statement.

The answer to the first part of the question is yes. As regards the second part, provision continues to be made in current plans for the fitting of equipment in British merchant ships for protection against influence mines.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many different types of aircraft are at present in service with Royal Air Force Transport Command; and how many types he expects to be in service in 1971.

Including helicopters, offensive support and other aircraft, the establishment of Air Support Command (which superseded Transport Command on 1st August, 1967) at present consists of nineteen types. In 1971 the number of types is expected to be eighteen.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to notify parents of large families that the fourth and subsequent children in these families will be entitled to free school meals as a right after Easter.

I shall shortly be sending a circular to local education authorities and issuing a Press announcement so that national publicity will be given to the new arrangements. Local action will be for the authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the cost to Welsh local education authorities of educating and training those persons who had to take teaching posts in 1967 outside Wales.

Expenditure on the training of teachers is chargeable to the teacher training pool, the total cost being apportioned among all local education authorities, both in England and Wales, on the basis of their school population. The fact that some teachers, who were trained in Wales have to take teaching posts elsewhere does not affect the cost borne by Welsh authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the secondary school pupils in Wales and England, respectively, are educated in buildings erected since 1945.

About 55 per cent. and 68 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider taking steps to establish a Welsh Educational and Sociological Research Institute affiliated to the University of Wales, in order to co-ordinate and initiate educational and sociological research in Wales.

It is open to the University of Wales, or to any interested party in consultation with the University, to take an initiative of this kind; but in general the encouragement and support of research in the social sciences by any means throughout the United Kingdom is a function of the Social Science Research Council, and the question of how educational and sociological research in Wales can best be fostered is a matter primarily for that Council to consider in the first instance.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the concern in the county of Huntingdon and in Peterborough over the delay in approving the scheme for reorganisation of secondary education submitted by the county council in March, 1967 and the fact that the expansion of the city of Peterborough will soon commence without an approved policy for the development of secondary schools, when he will inform the county council of his decisions of their scheme.

Consideration of this scheme is almost complete. It is hoped to reach an early decision after further discussion next week between officers of the authority and officers of the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will arrange for separate statistics to be made available for Wales whenever a research project of a sociological nature covering England and Wales as a whole is sponsored by his Department or through a Schools Council Grant.