asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the nature of the proposal to commission Messrs. Harland and Wolff to build a fire ground at the new Fire Service Technical College; and what estimates have been received as to the likely cost.

A large fireground estimated to cost about £1 million is being provided to meet the requirements of the new Fire Service Technical College. Messrs. Harland and Wolf Ltd. were consulted at one stage about one small part of the project but are not otherwise concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the number at the last convenient date of civilians employed to service British forces in Germany.

Some 33,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the rôle of the new radio research station at Orfordness in giving Great Britain warning of an attack by missiles.

As I have said in answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Eye (Sir H. Harrison) on 12th March, this station will carry out radio research, some of which could have a bearing on methods of early warning of missile attacks.—[Vol. 760, c. 273.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in his Department, the number of temporary civil servants, and the total amount of salaries and wages paid for the years ended 31st December, 1951, 1962 and 1967.

The Ministry of Defence did not exist in its present form until 1964. The total numbers of staff employed by the Ministry of Defence, the Admiralty, the War Office and the Air Ministry at 31st December, 1951 and 31st December, 1962, and by the Ministry of Defence at 31st December, 1967, were:

Date	Established Civil Servants	Temporary Civil Servants	Total Civil Servants
31.12.51	101,450	344,600	446,050
31.12.62	155,140	302,150	457,290
31.12.67	129,400	226,750	356,150

The total amount of salaries and wages were:

	£ millions
31st December, 1951	133·5
31st December, 1962	299·2
31st December, 1967	355·4

asked the Minister of Technology what is now the number of Beagle Pup aircraft for which firm orders, backed by deposits, have been received.

A number of firm orders, backed by deposits, have now been received; but it would not be in the commercial interests of the company for me to disclose the exact state of their order book.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the additional cost per year to the forestry industry in Scotland of the wear-and-tear tax specified in the Transport Bill.

No realistic estimate can be made of the total cost to forestry of the proposed road haulage charges, but my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has estimated that, in general, the charges will increase the operating costs of the vehicles affected by 2½ to 3½ per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the additional cost per year to farming in Scotland of the wear-and-tear tax specified in the Transport Bill.

The increase in these costs cannot be assessed at this stage. It has been estimated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport that in general the charges will increase the operating costs of the vehicles affected by 2½to 3½ per cent. Farmers' goods vehicles will, however, be charged at lower rates.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that a recent libel case which took only 17 days in court is estimated to have cost between £75,000 and £100,000; and whether he will ask the National Board for Prices and Incomes to investigate the fees and salaries paid to those connected with this case, to ascertain to what extent such payments observe the Government's policy on prices and incomes.

The proceedings in this matter consisted of four separate actions which for convenience and with a view to saving time and expense were all heard together. I do not know how the estimate referred to by my hon. Friend was arrived at. I have no reason to suppose that the costs incurred did other than reflect the importance which the several parties attached to have the particular solicitors and counsel of their own choice acting for them. Counsels' fees are always the subject of negotiation in non legal aid cases.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of the high legal costs involved in several recent court cases; and what action he has taken, or intends taking, to limit and reduce these costs in view of the Government's prices and incomes policy.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is always anxious to do whatever he can to reduce the cost of litigation. He is, however, satisfied that barristers and solicitors in general receive no more than is reasonable for the responsible work they do in connection with litigation. The high costs incurred in exceptional cases reflect the determination of litigants with ample means that solicitors and counsel of their own choice should act for them. Counsels' fees are always a matter for negotiation in non legal aid cases and ample opportunities exist for seeing that fees charged by solicitors in litigation are open to review by the Taxing Masters.

asked the Attorney-General what was the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in his Department, the number of temporary civil servants, and the total amount of salaries and wages paid for the years ended 31st December, 1951, 1962 and 1967.

In the year ended 31st December, 1951, the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in my Department was nine, two of the posts being filled by temporary civil servants. The total wages and salaries for that year amounted to approximately £5,250. In the year ended 31st December, 1962, the authorised establishment was nine, there were no temporary civil servants, and wages and salaries amounted to £13,447. In the year ended 31st December, 1967, the authorised establishment was 10, two of the posts being filled by temporary civil servants and wages and salaries amounted to £21,636.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the facilities at the post office at Arndale Centre, Leeds, 16, are insufficient, that there is unnecessary delay, that the hours of opening, especially on Saturday, are inadequate, that it is impossible to park outside the post office because of traffic restrictions and that the car park on the second floor behind the post office is inconvenient for elderly people; and if he will investigate these matters and make improvements.

I am satisfied that the facilities given at the post office at Arndale Centre, Leeds, 6, meet the reasonable needs of the area. Some queuing is inevitable at the busiest periods and could only be avoided at heavy cost. There has not been any widespread complaint about the hours of opening. On Saturday in particular the office has been closed in the afternoon for several years and we are reluctant to change this arrangement although the matter is being kept under review. Parking facilities are better than those in many other shopping centres.

asked the Postmaster-General why a letter, details of which have been sent to him, posted in Leeds before 5 p.m. on 28th February was not delivered in Westminster until 1st March.

The letter should have been delivered on the 29th February, and I very much regret the delay. I have not been able to find the cause; but, as I indicated in Answer to the hon. Gentleman on 11th March, I am having enquiry made into the postal services between London and Leeds.—[Vol. 760, c. 226.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in his Department, the number of temporary civil servants, and the total amount of salaries and wages paid for the years ended 31st December, 1951, 1962 and 1967.

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (at first called the Ministry of Local Government and Planning) was formed in 1951 from the Ministry of Town and Country Planning and parts of the Ministry of Health. On 31st December, 1951 the authorised establishment of the Department was 3,699, and the numbers employed totalled 2,817 permanent staff and 673 temporary staff. At later dates the figures were:31st December, 1962:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the progress of registration of common land, bearing in mind that the free period for making application ends on 30th June, 1968, after which applicants will usually incur a registration fee of £5; and if he will make a statement.

Just over a half of the commons have been registered so far. This is fair progress, but an intensified effort from local authorities, societies and private persons is required during the next few months, and my right hon. Friend is asking local authorities to give further publicity to this. An application made after 30th June will not incur a fee if, before that date, the applicant gives the registration authority the simple notice on Form 5 of his intention to make an application.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the interests of Anglo-Kuwait relations, he has considered the case of Mr. M. D. O'Hara of Harrow, a British citizen, who has been dismissed by the Kuwait Government; if he will seek to secure compensation for loss of office for Mr. O'Hara; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Representations about Mr. O'Hara's dismissal without notice or compensation were made to the Kuwaiti authorities on three occasions by our Consul. I much regret that these have not been successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in his Department, the number of temporary civil servants, and the total amount of salaries and wages paid for the years ended 31st December, 1951, 1962 and 1967.

The staff employed by the Foreign Office on 1st April, 1951, totalled 4,926. Of these, 3,437 were established and 1,489 temporary. The total annual rate of their salaries and wages was £2,918,000.Corresponding figures for 1st April, 1962, were a total of 4,173 staff, of whom 3,258 were established and 915 temporary: salaries and wages were £6,474,000.The establishment, on 1st January, 1965, of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service makes it impossible to provide exactly comparable figures for 1967 in respect of the Foreign Office alone. For the Diplomatic Service as a whole, the corresponding figures were 6,570; 5,327; 1,243 and £11,850,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make representations to the Rumanian Government to start payment of overdue interest on the Rumanian 4 per cent. Consolidated Bonds owned by British subjects.

Discussions on this and other sterling loans were held between the Council of Foreign Bondholders and the Rumanian Government in the context of the intergovernmental negotiations on the Rumanian debt in 1966. Our exchanges with the Rumanian Government continue and we hope to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the outstanding claims.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) how many port authorities have sought her approval for container berth schemes; and if she will give details of these proposed schemes including their estimated cost, the proposed number of container berths in each scheme, the location of the separate schemes, and the date when it is expected that the new berths will come into operation;

Authority	Location			Number of berths			Approx. Cost per berth	Date of coming into operation
							£m.
Port of London Authority	Tilbury	…	…	5 Deep-sea (plus 3 similar berths for forest products in unit loads)			2·5	January—Decembe 1968
				1 Short-sea	…	…	1·3	April, 1968
Mersey Docks and Harbour Board	Liverpool Gladstone Graving Dock			1 Deep-sea (temporary facility)			1·0	September, 1968
Mersey Docks and Harbour Board	Seaforth	…	…	3 or 4 deep-sea	…	…	2·5–2·7	From early in 1971
British Transport Docks Board	Southampton		…	1 Deep-sea	…	…	2·5	September, 1968
British Rail	Harwich (Parkeston Quay)			1 Short-sea	…	…	1·5	March, 1968
Clyde Port Authority	Greenock	…	…	1 Deep-sea	…	…	2·4	October, 1968

My right hon. Friend's authority was not required for a number of other container facilities, mainly short-sea but including five berths suitable for deep-sea use. She is still considering the Port of Bristol Authority's West Dock proposal: this could include one or more container berths if required at an approximate cost of £3·5 million upwards per berth. There is also a possibility that a deep-sea berth at Newport authorised for general cargo at a cost of rather more than £1 million might be made available for container services.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give her estimate of the annual sum yielded in Wales by the proposed wear-and-tear tax on lorries.

About £1¼ millions.

asked the Miinster of Transport what was the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in

Since the Control of Harbour Development Order came into force on the 15th September, 1964, my right hon. Friend had received the following proposals and approved them:her Department, the number of temporary civil servants, and the total amount of salaries and wages paid for the years ended 31st December, 1951, 1962 and 1967.

The authorised complement for all staff was 6,917, 7,730 and 9,361; the number of temporary staff employed was 1,545, 1,289 and 2,369, and the total salaries and wages cost was £3·22 million, £7·56 million and £10·36 million respectively.

asked the Minister of Transport how the facilities for transporting abnormal indivisible loads by road and rail in Great Britain from factories to ports for export abroad compare with those of our principal competitors in the manufacture and export of this type of equipment, in the light of information available to her Department from international sources.

Most countries impose restrictions on the movement of abnormal indivisible loads by road. Movement by rail is subject to the limitations of rail gauges.

asked the Minister of Transport what approximate estimate she has made of the annual cost of free public transport in London, making allowances for the saving in fare collection and enforcement.

None. Free public transport is not a part of the Government's transport policy. Nor would it be consistent with policies for the nationalised industries generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the authorised permanent establishment of civil servants in his Department, the number of temporary civil servants, and the total amount of salaries and wages paid for the years ended 31st December, 1951, 1962 and 1967.

Details by the calendar year are not available; the table below gives staff figures as at 1st April for each of the following financial years: 1951–52, 1962–63 and 1967–68.

Staff	1951–52	1962–63	1967–68
Total complement at 1st April	10,244	7,375	17,556
Temporary staff in post at 1st April	3,970	1,588	4,645

Expenditure	1951–52	1962–63	1967–68
	£m.	£.m.	£m.
Salaries and wages etc.	5·1	8·7	25·7 (estimates, including Supplementary)
(Complement means the total number of posts authorised, i.e. including those filled by temporary staff.)

The increased figure for 1967–68 takes account of the large blocks of staff transferred with their work to the Board of Trade from the Ministry of Transport in 1965–66 and the Ministry of Aviation in 1966–67.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state as at the latest convenient date the total number of advance factories completed in Wales, the number of those factories already let, and the number of persons employed in those factories.

Of the 38 Board of Trade advance factories announced for Wales since 1959, 25 have been completed, 10 have been let and one sold. Employment in these factories totalled approximately 880 at the end of December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of our export trade by value consists of abnormal indivisible loads; and by how much has this trade grown in recent years.

The information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a detailed account of the negotiations which took place between Her Majesty's Government and the soap and detergent firms which led to the recently announced price increases for their products.

No. Details of negotiations with firms under the early warning arrangements are confidential. As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, East (Mr. Robert Howarth) on the 4th March, the Board was satisfied that the increases were wholly attributable to increased costs of production flowing directly from devaluation.—[Vol. 760, c. 21.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration his Department has recently given to the recommendations of the Blagden Committee; and what conclusions he has consequently come to about possible changes in the laws governing bankruptcy.

We hope to introduce legislation to amend the bankruptcy law in the light of the Blagden Committee's recommendations but I cannot say when it will be possible to do so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will describe the case of industrial growth and expansion referred to on page 24, paragraph (iii), of Cymru: Wales, which he has presented to Parliament, as being found at St. Clears.

An industrial development certificate was issued last year for a factory at St. Clears. I understand that negotiations about the project are still proceeding.

asked the Minister of Power how many miles of 66 kilovolt underground cable were laid by the electricity boards during the last convenient 12-month period.

During the year ended 31st March, 1967, 19½ miles of 66 kV underground cable were commissioned by area electricity boards in England and Wales. This is about 20 per cent. of the total. Lengths vary as between Boards and seven of them, including the South Eastern Electricity Board, did not commission any 66 kV lines either underground or overhead. Details can be found in the Board's annual reports.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will end the ruling which prevents a widow whose husband died within three years of marriage from getting a pension in cases where the widow had remarried her former husband, to whom, before their divorce, she had been married for several years.

If the re-marriage took place within three years of the divorce becoming absolute the previous period of marriage can be taken into account in the determination of entitlement to widow's pension. It is unusual for a widow to be denied benefit because of the combination of circumstances described. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he can make a statement on the progress of his Department's tests on the River Taff model for the prevention of flooding of the Treforest Industrial Estate.

I understand from the Glamorgan River Authority that the report of the Hydraulic Research Station, expected in January, has been delayed because of the need to resolve new problems revealed during the hydraulic model tests. I am afraid I cannot forecast how soon the final report will be ready.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will issue a White Paper on the land reclamation around the United Kingdom

No, I do not think a White Paper would be justified. A certain amount of reclamation of land from the sea is being carried out. Where land is to be used for agriculture grants may be payable for reclamation and subsequent land drainage works.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what organisations in the United Kingdom other than Government Departments or nationalised industries, funds are contributed by Her Majesty's Government on an annual basis; and if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the grants so made.

Complete information on this point could only be obtained by undue expenditure of time and effort, but grants-in-aid, which cover much of the ground and are usually annual, are always separately specified in the Estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now fix a time limit for the handing in of gold coins under Statutory Instrument 1966 No. 438.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of appointments made by the Government since October 1964 to State boards and other State public appointments where Treasury payments are made, including the salary and expenses in each case, and where known, the previous political activities of the persons appointed to these positions.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to appointments where payments are made from the Treasury Vote. No such appointments have been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will accept the French impressionist paintings left by the late Mrs. Pleydell-Bouverie in lieu of Estate Duty, and place them in the Tate or other public galleries in Great Britain.

To date the Commissioners of Inland Revenue have not received a formal offer from the executors of the will of the late Mrs. Pleydell-Bouverie.

asked the Minister of Health how many and which mental hospitals in the Manchester region are over 50, over 75 and over 100 years old.

The following are wholly or in part:Over 50 years old:

asked the Minister of Health what is the staff/patient ratio in mental hospitals in the Manchester Regional Hospital Board's area; and how this compares with the ratio for England and Wales as a whole.

In psychiatric hospitals and units with 20 beds or more in the Manchester Region the numbers of medical and nursing staff per 100 patients in 1965 (the latest year for which figures are available) were 0·78 and 24·83 compared with 1·04 and 25·02 in England and Wales as a whole.

asked the Minister of Health how often mental hospitals in the Manchester regional area are inspected by fire officers.

All psychiatric hospitals in the Region are regularly inspected at least once a year (most of them more frequently) by officers of the local Fire Brigade except two hospitals which employ whole-time fire safety officers and which have been inspected within the last eighteen months.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he is satisfied with the scope of the present regulations concerning fire prevention in mental hospitals; how many times a year must fire drills be held under these regulations; if he is satisfied that the regulations regarding fire drill are being observed; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether, in view of the shortage of staff particularly at night time, he will take steps to ensure that automatic fire alarm devices are fitted in all mental hospitals.

These matters are all dealt with in the existing comprehensive guidance about fire precautions which has been issued to all hospital authorities. Following the undertaking I gave to the House on 26th February, 1968, I am considering whether any changes in this guidance are needed.—[Vol. 759, c. 946.]

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for integrating the treatment of the mentally sick into the general hospital service by eliminating separate hospitals for the care of mental patients.

I endorse the principle of integration of treatment. The method of applying it will vary with local circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average weekly cost of food per patient in mental hospitals; how this figure compares with similar costs two, five and 10 years ago, respectively; and how this figure compares with the cost of food per patient in general hospitals.

I regret that figures for patients separately are not available, but the average weekly costs of provisions for both patients and staff in Regional Hospital Board hospitals in England and Wales for 1966–67 were:

Mental illness hospitals	£1	8s.	3d.
Mental subnormality hospitals	£1	4s.	5d.
All other hospitals	£1	13s.	4d.

Similar information is not available for earlier years.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for increasing the use of occupational therapy in mental hospitals; and whether such therapy is available for chronic patients.

Therapeutic occupation is provided in all psychiatric hospitals of which 63 per cent. have industrial units, particularly for long-stay patients.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications have been received in the last twelve months for retraining in Government training centres from men who have become redundant from the Welsh mining industry.

In the year ending 11th March, 1968, four applications for training at Government training centres were received from Welsh miners who had been declared redundant. The number of applications received from other ex-miners in Wales over the same period is not known but over the past six months 115 such applications have been made.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the estimated weekly wage rates and earnings arising from the recent income increase negotiated for heating and ventilating workers; what is the percentage increase in rates and earnings recently agreed; and if such an increase is consistent with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

Currently hourly wage rates for employees in the heating and ventilating industry in areas within a 20-miles radius of Charing Cross are as follows: Craftsmen 8s. 5½d. and mates 7s. 2½d., and in other areas 8s. 4½d. and 7s. 1½d. respectively. Earnings for 40 hours will therefore be £16 18s. 4d., £14 8s. 4d., £16 15s. 0d. and £14 5s. 0d. in these cases. Information about actual levels of weekly earnings is not available.The recent increase of 7½ per cent. in wage rates is the third stage of a long-term agreement of which the first stage came into operation in February, 1966. The second stage of the agreement was deferred during the period of severe restraint but deferment of the third stage was not required under the terms of Cmnd. 3235.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the basic rate of payment for trainees at Welsh Government retraining centres; and when it was last fixed.

Basic training allowances are the same at Welsh Government Training Centres as at other centres in Great Britain. For details I would refer the hon. Member to the Replies I gave on 31st January to two Questions by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Commander Pursey).The present rates have applied since October, 1965. As was announced during the debate on the Estimates Committee Report on 6th February, 1968, with effect from 1st April, 1968 trainees with two or more dependants will receive increased

allowances; the maximum addition will be £1 10s. per week for a man with a wife and four or more dependants.—[Vol. 757. c.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has been notified of the agreement affecting revised rates and earnings of electricians at the British Motor Corporation Austin factory at Longbridge; and if he is now able to evaluate the percentage increase in rates and earnings provided for by this agreement.

My Department has been notified of an agreement affecting the day-workers at this factory, including electricians. The agreement provides for a change in the bonus arrangements which does not affect the basic rates but which will increase current earnings by an average of 4·8 per cent.