asked the Minister of Technology what is the estimated extra cost to the Concorde development programme of the delays in flying the French prototype; and whether such extra cost will be shared equally between France and Great Britain.

The causes of the delay are complex and it is not practicable to isolate them and give an estimate of the effect on the cost of the programme as a whole. The risk of delay in first flight is one of the contingencies for which allowance is made in the overall cost estimate which is kept under continuous review. The costs of the programme will be shared equally between the two Governments.

asked the Minister of Technology on what detailed investigations and calculations he bases his estimate that 450 Concordes will be sold.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have made a forecast of the total number of Concordes likely to be sold, although our view is that it will be a substantial number.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps are being taken to encourage the export of steam-generating heavy water reactors now that the reactor at Winfrith has reached full design power.

For the past two years the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority have been carrying out a promotion campaign overseas to make foreign buyers aware of the advantages and features of the Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor, and this effort is now being stepped up following the successful commissioning of the Winfrith prototype.Commercial designs based on the Winfrith prototype have been completed for a range of sizes and price indications have been submitted to fourteen poten- tial purchasers. A firm bid is under consideration by the Finnish utility Imatram Voima.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement about the development of an economic reactor for nuclear-powered surface vessels.

asked the Minister of Technology what information he has on the actual and estimated operating costs of nuclear-powered surface vessels; and whether he will revise his estimates of the period within which conventional fuels will retain an advantage.

A very large power output is required to make nuclear reactors competitive for marine propulsion. A requirement has not yet been found for the combination of speed and size, either for tankers or container ships, which would require this power output. The matter will be kept under review.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the progress of work on optical character recognition for computer input directed or sponsored by his Department.

Work at two firms is being supported by the Ministry under the Advanced Computer Technology Project. At Plessey a single font reader, based on research done at the National Physical Laboratory has been successfully demonstrated and will be in production by the end of this year. A multi-font reader is being developed in collaboration with the N.P.L. Mullard Limited hope to demonstrate the feasibility of reading hand-printed characters within twelve months.

asked the Minister of Technology what measures have been taken to improve security at Atomic Energy Authority establishments since the investigation into the damage to steam-generating heavy water reactors at Winfrith was completed.

The Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor project is unclassified and military security was not involved in this incident. The Authority have, however, carried out a comprehensive review of the arrangements for protecting unclassified projects at their sites. This has shown that the arrangements are generally satisfactory; but in future special attention will be given to certain aspects of them in cases in which intentional or unintentional damage would have particularly serious consequences.

asked the Minister of Technology what is his policy with regard to continuing to give contracts to companies who have been found on authoritative investigation to have made excessive profits at public expense on previous Government contracts.

There have been two cases in which it has been necessary to make authoritative investigations into excessive profits made on Government contracts—Ferranti Ltd. and Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd.The decision to continue dealing with Ferranti was taken by the party opposite. In the Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited case the question does not arise. The firm have been bought by Rolls Royce who have earned the highest reputation in all respects.

asked the Minister of Technology how many mergers of shipbuilding firms have been arranged; and what is the number of firms engaged in negotiations on merger proposals.

Since the Shipbuilding Industry Act was passed groups have been formed on the Upper Clyde, the Lower Clyde and the Tyne. Two firms in East Scotland have announced their intention to merge and three firms on the Wear are considering grouping proposals. Discussions between some other shipbuilders are proceeding on a confidential basis.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of work done in research establishments, subject to his Department, in the field of industrial aerodynamics, relevant to the construction of the Forth Road Bridge, West Lothian/Fife and the Tay Road Bridge.

The design and erection of the Forth Road Bridge was guided by extensive research carried out by the Aerodynamics Division of the National Physical Laboratory. An account of this was published in the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers in May 1967 (vol. 37, pp 87–108). No aerodynamic studies were made for the Tay Road Bridge.

asked the Minister of Technology what study he is making of the problem of how the rate of technological innovations, hitherto dependent on Government expenditure on defence research, can be geared to expenditure on civil research.

One of the most important functions of the Research Group, recently set up in the Ministry, is to seek to maximise the benefits to civil industry from work undertaken primarily for defence purposes.

asked the Minister of Technology what he is doing to promote the civil application of research in defence establishments on electronic materials.

An Electronics Materials Unit has been set up at the Royal Radar Establishment, Malvern to meet quickly the demands of industry, universities and other research centres for research quantities of materials not available from normal commercial sources. The Unit also helps industry by demonstrating new methods of growing and testing materials and by making available designs of equipment used in the Establishment's own manufacturing processes. The Unit's Information Centre gives advice on sources, availability and performance. Visitors are welcomed to see and discuss the work at Malvern.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of personnel at the Industrial Applications Unit at Royal Radar Establishment, Malvern; how many qualified scientists and engineers work in it; how much it cost during 1967; and what it has done to identify advanced electronic techniques in industry at large.

The Unit consists of 3 scientists, 2 electronics engineers and 1 typist. During 1967 it cost approximately £22,000. Areas in which the Unit has encouraged the use of advanced electronics techniques in industry include:

1. The development of static inverters for use in the electro-heating industry.

2. The use of in-process guaging for machine tool control using optical and electronic sensors and servo systems.

3. The application of infra-red-techniques in industries where surface temperature variations are important.

4. The use of microwave and optical techniques for distance and velocity measurement in various industries where non-contacting methods are necessary, such as the steel and transport industries.

5. The use of real time computing, concentrating on the problems of the man communicating with his machine in process control and management systems.

asked the Minister of Technology what the Industrial Applications Unit at Royal Radar Establishment, Malvern, has done to help the paper industry in Scotland.

The Unit is currently working with the Paper Division of the Research Association for the Paper and Board, Printing and Packaging Industries (P.I.R.A.) and with two large paper manufacturers on the development of methods of measuring moisture content in paper mills. Wastage due to incorrect moisture content is a serious problem and improved measuring would have a considerable impact on the economics of the paper industry, much of which is based in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of his industrial liaison centres.

With financial assistance from my Department 66 Industrial Liaison Centres have been established at the universities and technical colleges, etc., shown below.The centres are intended to help those firms which possess limited expertise in technological, and organisational, aspects of production, by indicating the means available for solving current problems, and by encouraging the introduction of new methods and techniques. The Industrial Liaison Officer's own university or technical college plays an important part in backing this assistance for industry, about one-third of all matters handled by the centres being eventually referred to the technical college, or university staff.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of Techlink as an information retrieval unit; and how many firms take part in the Techlink project.

Techlink is intended to be a service for the selective dissemination of information rather than an information retrieval unit. Its aim is to stimulate a closer technological link between research and industry. It operates through the Mintech Regional Organisation and its function is the selection of technological information and its prompt dissemination to where it can be used in industry.Although still in a comparatively early experimental stage, the scheme currently has approximately 3,000 recipients in some 2,500 participating firms.

asked the Minister of Technology when the Water Pollution Research Laboratory completed its most recent specific research into disposal of farm wastes; and if he will make a statement.

At the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Water Pollution Research Laboratory investigated carrot washing plants in November and December, 1967 and recommended suitable treatment for the waste waters. Last month the Laboratory produced a report on the problems encountered in disposing of other farm wastes, particularly poultry manure and piggery slurry, which has been made available to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and hence the National Agricultural Advisory Service, as well as to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and the National Farmers' Union Panel on Farm Effluents and Wastes.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give details of the circulation of his publication, "New Technology ", and of the purposes of this publication.

The current distribution of "New Technology" is at the rate of 55,250 copies a month. About half goes direct to manufacturing industry and a large proportion of the remaining copies go to industry through the Industrial Research Associations. Other recipients include educational establishments, professional bodies and trade unions. The main purpose of the journal is to keep industry informed of the Department's activities and services and to bring to notice significant technological trends, processes and techniques.

asked the Minister of Technology what estimates he has made of the level of demand for sea and air passenger traffic on the North Atlantic route over each of the next ten years; and what share of this traffic he estimated would be carried by British ships and aircraft in that period, when he approved the Queen Elizabeth II and Concorde projects.

I understand that when the Queen Elizabeth II and Concorde projects were approved by the previous Administration, estimates were made of the prospective level of demand for sea and air passenger traffic on the routes on which the craft were likely to be used and that they showed that a significant share of this traffic should be carried by British ships and aircraft, including the Queen Elizabeth II and the Concorde.

asked the Minister of Technology what reappraisal he has made of his policy as a result of the observations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report on Science Policy in the United States of America on the extent of spin-off or the indirect consequences of Government sponsored research and development.

The report is being carefully studied. In so far as it is concerned with the rapid application of science to production, the Industrial Expansion Bill will be a useful new instrument available to my Department and the Government generally.

asked the Minister of Technology when the Advisory Council on Technology was appointed; on what dates it has met; what matters it has considered; and when it will report.

The Advisory Council on Technology was appointed in November 1964. It has met on 27 occasions as follows:

• 25th November 1964.
• 9th December 1964.
• 6th January 1965.
• 27th January 1965.
• 24th February 1965.
• 24th March 1965.
• 14th April 1965.
• 19th May 1965.
• 16th June 1965.
• 14th July 1965.
• 20th October 1965.
• 17th November 1965.
• 15th December 1965.
• 19th January 1966.
• 16th February 1966.
• 20th April 1966.
• 15th June 1966.
• 13th July 1966.
• 12th October 1966.
• 16th November 1966.
• 14th December 1966.
• 15th March 1967.
• 26th April 1967.
• 7th June 1967.
• 18th October 1967.
• 29th November 1967.
• 13th March 1968.

The Council is an advisory body, at which I take the chair. It considers and advises generally on the policies of the Ministry. Its proceedings are necessarily confidential. Since no reports are written the question of publication does not arise.

asked the Minister of Technology why in view of the fact that the firm is advertising in the United Kingdom on behalf of American companies for scientists and engineers to go to the United States, he has made a £75,000 contract with Management Selection Limited for a recruiting campaign to induce British engineers and scientists to return from the United States of America.

Because I was satisfied that, by their wide experience of British industry, of the international market for qualified manpower, and of employment conditions in North America, Management Selection Limited were the best-equipped British firm available to undertake this work.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has to change the structure of the Youth Employment Service and if he will make a statement.

As the reply is a lengthy statement I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the statement:When I gave a general welcome to the recommendations of Lady Albemarle's Working Party on the Youth Employment Service I said that I proposed to consult local authority associations on those recommendations whose implementation would require legislation.These consultations have taken place. I have also received advice from my National Youth Employment Council. The issue with which all those who have advised me have been most concerned is the dual system of local administration. It is the virtually unanimous view that the dual system should go. The majority of those consulted believe that the youth employment service should be provided locally by local education authorities if, as they assume, such authorities will eventually become fewer and bigger. There is, however. a body of opinion that feels strongly that the door should not be closed to more radical changes in the system which would enable careers and occupational advice to be given to all those who seek it, whether young or old, by a single specialist organisation.I have been impressed by the developments that have taken place in recent years in the provision of advice in schools by careers teachers and counsellors, and I have no doubt that the vocational guidance of young people must be closely linked with these and other developments in the educational process. I am not convinced, however, that the right answer at this moment is simply to require all educational authorities to provide the service. In the first place I believe it would be unrealistic to take any decisions when the structure and functions of local authorities are currently being examined by two Royal Commissions. I am also concerned lest we create a fixed pattern for the service at a time when it should remain sufficiently flexible to benefit from the new and far-reaching developments in schools and in further and higher education and in industrial and commercial training. I believe too that there is considerable scope for experiment in forms of co-operation in this diverse field before decisions are taken.It may be that when the Royal Commissions have reported we shall find that a service provided everywhere by local authorities is the best course in the circumstances. I do not wish to prejudge that. I do think it important, however, that we should in the meantime examine very carefully the practical implications of such a change in structure and the steps that would have to be taken to ensure coordination with other public employment services. Of one thing I am certain. There will in any circumstances be a strong and growing need for the skill and enthusiasm of the youth employment and careers officers who run the service. And there is another point I would emphasise. The Albemarle Report gave an impetus which I am determined shall not be lost during this interim period. None of us will be distracted from the continuing duty of improving the facilities which the service provides.

asked the Minister of Labour how many wage and salary earners, respectively, received income increases during 1966 and 1967.

It is estimated that basic weekly rates of wages or minimum entitlements were increased in industries or services employing some 8½ million manual workers during 1966 and 11½ million during 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that days lost through industrial injuries continue to be about 10 times as great as those lost through strikes; if he will take steps to publicise these facts; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The figures have been published and attention is drawn to the facts at every suitable opportunity.

asked the Minister of Labour how much in Regional Employment Premiums has been allocated to Cumberland during the past three years.

Regional Employment Premium has been payable only since 4th September, 1967. Payments are analysed only by region and I regret, therefore, that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in approving the loan proposals to Egypt to provide a short-term facility from Western financial institutions to meet its obligations to the International Monetary Fund, he obtained an assurance that the loan granted would not be used for the purchase of armaments for belligerent purposes, and any loan support would be withdrawn if President Nasser continues to advocate military action against Israel.

No. But my hon. Friend will have seen the reports that the United Arab Republic has, following the granting of the facility, met its obligations to the International Monetary Fund.The intention is that the facility should be repaid in full following further drawings which the International Monetary Fund have just agreed should be made to the United Arab Republic.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the continuous increase of armaments being acquired by the United Arab Republic and President Nasser's advocacy of military action againset Israel, he will reconsider Her Majesty's Government's decision to lend money to the United Arab Republic to enable her to obtain further loans from the international funds without adequate safeguards that any such loan will not be used for belligerent purposes.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer today to my hon. Friend the Member for The Hartlepools (Mr. Leadbitter).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the future of the Falkland Islands has figured in talks or negotiations with the Argentine Government in recent months.

The Falkland Islands have been the subject of discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the Argentine Government since 1966. The talks have been held in accordance with Resolution 2065 (XX) of the United Nations General Assembly of the 16th December, 1965, which called on the two Governments to find a peaceful solution to the problem.The negotiations are continuing and are confidential. In these negotiations, Her Majesty's Government are being guided by strong regard for the interests of the people of the Falkland Islands, and in any event will see that there is the fullest consultation with them.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the statement relating to the wishes of the people of the Falkland Islands, made by Lord Caradon at the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1965, he will give an assurance that no transfer of the sovreignty of the Falkland Islands will be made against the wishes of the inhabitants.

I have been asked to reply.Lord Caradon's statement of the 1st of December, 1965, was followed by the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on the 16th of December, 1965, of Resolution 2065 (XX) calling on the two Governments to find a peaceful solution to the problem. In this connection I would refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to my reply today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison). I can only add that Her Majesty's Government will not fail to take into account the wishes of the inhabitants of the Islands.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now provide an extra day for Scottish Questions.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the sizes of House of Commons envelopes which will be available when the new postal regulations come into force.

I will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of sizes of envelopes which will be available to Members when the new postal regulations come into force.Following is the information:

asked the Lord President of the Council how much and for what purposes powered milk is used in the Refreshment Rooms of the House; and whether such powdered milk is home produced.

I have been asked to reply.The Refreshment Department uses 120 pounds of home produced powdered milk per week for beverages and puddings.

asked the Lord President of the Council from what date powdered milk has been used in the Refreshment Rooms of the House.

I have been asked to reply.For the past three weeks.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects to make proposals for further accommodation for the House of Commons.

This matter is under consideration by the Services Committee who hope to be able to report to the House shortly.

asked the Lord President of the Council why television organisations were refused permission to film the ceremony unveiling the plaque in memory of Sir Thomas More in Westminster Hall on 13th March, 1968, when no question of intrusion into either House was involved.

There are no precedents for the admission of television cameras in these circumstances. Television cameras are only admitted to the Palace of Westminster on very rare occasions.

asked the Attorney-General if he will instruct the Director of Public Prosecutions to take proceedings against the leaders of the illegal régime in Rhodesia and all those involved in the recent hangings on a charge of murder.

If at any time any person against whom there is evidence of a criminal offence in respect of these matters comes within the jurisdiction of the courts of this country, I will consider, with the Director of Public Prosecutions, whether the available evidence justifies the commencement of criminal proceedings.

asked the Attorney-General what estimate he has made of the number and cost of additional civil servants likely to be needed because of transfer of divorce jurisdiction to the county courts.

It is thought that the transfer of divorce jurisdiction to the county courts will require 29 additional civil servants at a salary cost of £16,200 a year. The increase is due to the fact that certain work which was formerly done by solicitors will in future be undertaken by the court officials, with a consequential saving in solicitors' costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of training a Fleet Air Arm pilot; and how many will become redundant owing to the accelerated phasing out of the aircraft carriers.

The cost of training a Fleet Air Arm pilot varies in accordance with the rôle for which he is being trained. The approximate cost for a fixed-wing pilot is £180,000, and £90,000 for a helicopter pilot. These figures take into account all elements of cost including provision and maintenance of aircraft and running costs of air stations.As to the second half of the Question I have nothing to add to what I said in the Navy Estimates debate last week.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he is satisfied that adequate arrangements exist to protect the beaches, landing ground and other vital areas in the Falkland Islands in the event of attempted invasion by unfriendly forces; and if he will make a statement;(2) what plans he has to increase the air defences of the Falkland Islands.

The Government are always concerned to ensure that adequate arrangements exist for the defence of the Falkland Islands. The level of forces considered necessary may vary at different times: at present our forces consist of a Royal Marine detachment supported as necessary by H.M.S. Protector. There is also a small local defence force. Together these are considered adequate to deal with any situation foreseen at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will arrange for a British naval detachment to be based in the Falkland Islands;(2) if he is satisfied with the civil defence arrangements in the Falkland Islands; if adequate arms are available locally; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Questions earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what active steps he is taking to train officers, serving in Ministry of Technology project teams, for appropriate management positions after they have left the Services.

These officers usually have good qualifications for management positions. Like other officers, they can take advantage of the facilities which exist for obtaining such qualifications while serving, and of the special resettlement courses which are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty houses for the forces there are in the Edinburgh area.

One hundred and nineteen houses, which are for officers and men of the Black Watch who will shortly return from Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing and maintaining a British South Atlantic defence force.

None: any naval forces required in the area would be deployed from elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the towns in Mid-Wales which he has named as suitable for development are within areas designated as National Parks.

The only Mid-Wales town which I have named for special development by the machinery of the New Towns Act is Newtown which is not within a National Park.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many fatal accidents and non-fatal accidents, expressed in figures per mile, occurred along the A5 road in each of the four North Wales counties over the last five years.

Accidents involving injury to persons per mile on the A5 road in each of the four North Wales counties during the five years period 1963 to 1967 were as follows:

	Fatal	Non-fatal
Anglesey (21·41 miles)	1·03	18·18
Caernarvon (23·67 miles)	0·25	15·23
Merioneth (10·52 miles)	0·09	8·7
Denbigh (27·20 miles)	0·48	12·35

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Wales is within areas designated as a National Park; and what proposals have been made for the extension of this area.

The Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons National Parks cover approximately 20 per cent. of Wales. The National Parks Commission are considering the designation of an area of Mid-Wales equal to a further 6 per cent. as another national park, but no proposals have been formally submitted to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether in considering suitable sites for the administrative centre of the proposed Gwynedd Authority, he will take into account the claims of Bala as a centre for all or some major services in accordance with his undertaking to encourage the development of one of the existing towns in Mid-Wales.

The administrative centres for the new local authorities will be decided by the new councils themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount granted from public funds to Cardiff Corporation under the Rating Act 1966 in rate rebates; and how this amount compares with that under the Rating (Interim Relief) Act 1964.

Exchequer grant totalling £71,780 was paid to Cardiff Corporation in respect of rate rebates allowed during 1966–67, and £77,625 has been paid for 1967–68, subject to adjustment when final figures are available. In the three years 1964–67, £405 was paid under the 1964 Act for individual relief.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons in Cardiff have benefited by the rate rebate scheme since its inception to the latest available date; and what was the average amount of rebate.

Rate rebates were introduced in April 1966. 4,753 ratepayers in Cardiff received rebates in the first half of 1966–67 and 5,383 in the second half-year ending in March 1967, which is the latest date for which figures are available. The average amount of rebate for the year as a whole was £19 18s. 2d.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes in the interests of the tourist industry and of local residents in the interim period before the completion of the Newport-Worcester trunk road, to protect by diversion or otherwise the A466 Wye Valley Road from the ravages of heavy traffic.

This is a matter for the Monmouthshire County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons in Wales have benefited by the rate rebate scheme since its inception; what is the total amount in rebates; and how this compares with the amount under the Rating (Interim Relief) Act 1964.

59,111 ratepayers in Wales received rebates in the first half of 1966–67 and 64,395 in the second half-year. The total amount of rebates was £775,111. Relief to individual ratepayers under the 1964 Act totalled £4,824 for the three years 1964–67.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of public and private house completions in each of the years from 1962 to 1967.

Year	Public Sector	Private Sector
1962	7,609	7,501
1963	6,471	7,609
1964	9,207	9,762
1965	10,023	9,501
1966	9,743	9,617
1967	10,936	9,222

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the expenditure on major roads and local authority roads, respectively, in each of the years from 1962 to 1967.

Expenditure on Welsh roads has been as follows:

Year	Trunk Roads	Local Authority Roads	Total
	£m.	£m.	£m.
1962–63	6·0	11·2	17·2
1963–64	6·8	14·4	21·2
1964–65	10·7	14·8	25·5
1965–66	11·7	14·5	26·2
1966–67	14·4	17·0	31·4

Details of expenditure up to 1966 are given in Table 105 of the Digest of Welsh Statistics No. 13/1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the grant of £50,000 to the Nottingham Playhouse for the year 1968–69 is a direct grant; what proportion of it is a guarantee against loss; and whether the grant differs in any respect from that for the year 1967–68.

The whole amount will be a direct grant and none of it will be a guarantee against loss. The grant will differ in no respect from that given for 1967–68.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the cost of the school building programme in 1967 he estimates was accounted for by Selective Employment Tax.

At the most 2½ per cent. on building work.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average cost of providing a new school place in primary schools, in secondary schools and overall, respectively, in each of the years 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967; and what are his estimated figures for 1968 and 1969.

Information is not available in this form.

				1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
				£	£	£	£	£
Welsh Arts Council	…	…	…	140,000	156,000	210,000	305,000	430,000
National Library of Wales:
Maintenance	…	…	…	134,000	170,500	165,000	192,700	188,400
Capital expenditure	…	…	…	109,000	67,500	10,000	—	—
National Museum of Wales:
Maintenance	…	…	…	210,725*	254,500	268,000	337,000	355,600
Capital expenditure	…	…	…	247,500	128,000	54,000	38,000	109,800
Council of Museums in Wales		…	…	—	—	—	—	1,200
Purchase grants to local Welsh institutions			…	—	95	196	140	300
British Film Institute	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	9,000
* Includes a special purchase grant of £15,000.

Grants to the National Library of Wales, the National Museum of Wales and the Council of Museums in Wales are borne on the Vote of the Welsh Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he has made to have milk-vending machines installed in secondary schools to meet the requirements of students after September; and whether he will make a statement.

None; this is a matter for individual schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has given loan sanction for, or otherwise approved, the proposal by the West Riding County Council to develop additional land adjoining Garforth Ninelands Road Primary School, Garforth, for educational purposes.

Date				Permanent (established) staff	Temporary (unestablished) staff	Part-time staff*	Total Full-time equivalent
31st December, 1951	…	…	…	2,526	553	171	3,164½
31st December, 1962	…	…	…	2,447	564	181	3,101½
31st December, 1967	…	…	…	3,058	1,160	272	4,354
* These are counted as ½

Salaries and wages paid for the financial years 1951–52, 1962–63 and 1967–68 are as follows:
1951–52	…	…	…	£2,029,000
1962–63	…	…	…	£3,927,000
1967–68	…	…	…	£6,675,000 (part estimated)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the amounts of the grants in each of the years 1963 to 1967 made by his Department for the encouragement of the arts and other cultural activities in Wales.

Grants in support of the arts and other cultural activities in Wales for the years 1963–64 to 1967–68 were as follows:

No such application has been made to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science 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 information is not available in the form requested. Numbers of staff in the former Ministry of Education in 1951 and 1962 and in the Department of Education and Science (which has much wider responsibilities than the Ministry had) in 1967 are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the ratio of proposed polytechnics to the population in England; and what is the similar ratio in Wales.

One to 1·6 million population in England; one in 2·7 million in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many authorities, organisations and individuals have made representations to his Department in London or to the Welsh office of his Department regarding the establishment of a polytechnic in North Wales.

There is no record of any representations having been made to the Department.

REVISED ALLOCATIONS OF RECURRENT GRANT 1967–72 QUINQUENNIUM
University				1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72
				£	£	£	£	£
Bath	…	…	…	1,390,500	1,377,500	1,422,200	1,409,000	1,458,800
Bradford	…	…	…	2,843,000	2,672,000	2,686,500	2,698,200	2,726,600
Essex	…	…	…	788,100	864,800	988,900	1,071,400	1,154,900
Loughborough	…	…	…	1,813,400	1,702,000	1,716,200	1,729,200	1,753,200
Southampton	…	…	…	2,583,900	2,550,700	2,643,000	2,720,600	2,839,000
Surrey	…	…	…	2,065,000	1,958,900	1,972,500	1,955,700	1,978,700
Sussex	…	…	…	1,959,800	2,029,600	2,088,100	2,210,300	2,333,500
York	…	…	…	1,128,300	1,145,400	1,217,700	1,292,400	1,398,100
Wales	…	…	…	8,358,000	8,553,300	8,868,100	9,219,300	9,584,700
Heriot-Watt	…	…	…	813,000	839,900	875,900	917,400	958,900
St. Andrews	…	…	…	1,332,600	1,361,600	1,394,300	1,429,200	1,463,900
Strathclyde	…	…	…	3,043,100	3,022,200	3,121,100	3,213,900	3,347,600

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new teacher training places have been created in Wales in each year from 1962.

Total student numbers in colleges of education in Wales in the academic year 1962–63 were 3,221. Increases in subsequent years were as follows:

Academic Year	Increase over previous year's total
1963–64	603
1964–65	507
1965–66	727
1966–67	499
1967–68	466

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the revised allocations of the recurrent grant to the universities in Great Britain for each of the years of the current quinquennium consequent on the recent reconsideration by the University Grants Committee and the revised student numbers on which the allocations for 1971–72 have been based.

The allocations listed in Appendix B of the University Grants Committee Annual Survey for the Academic year 1966–1967 (Cmnd. 3510) have been revised by the U.G.C. in twelve cases. The revised allocations, which are set out below, are not related to any calculated increase in student numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the expenditure on school building in each local authority area in Wales in each year from 1962.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what steps were taken to check the credentials and authority of the person purporting to act on behalf of the three Africans under sentence of death in Rhodesia, before the petition for mercy was submitted to Her Majesty the Queen and before he advised Her Majesty to grant a reprieve.

No special credentials or authority are necessary to enable a person to submit such a petition to Her Majesty. I was, however, satisfied that the petitions in this case were submitted by the lawyers who had been acting in conjunction with lawyers in Rhodesia on behalf of the condemned men.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what changes are now contemplated in the structure of the Government of the Falkland Islands, and in its relationship with the United Kingdom.

None. I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

asked the Minister of Transport how many copies of Circular Roads No. 7/68 were sent to authorities directly concerned with motorways and trunk roads and to authorities concerned only with the maintenance and improvement of unclassified roads to which this circular made no reference and was irrelevant, respectively; and if she will take steps to prevent the waste of time and money involved in sending circulars to authorities with no concern in the subject matter.

In addition to being sent to some 400 authorities who were involved, I regret that this circular was also sent in error to about 450 authorities to whom it was of no interest.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated total number of vehicles which used the Exeter Bypass in the latest convenient year.

It is estimated that in 1965, the last year for which figures are available, more than two million vehicles passed a census point south of the junction A.3085/A.38 and 6 million vehicles passed another on the bridge below Countess Wear Hotel.

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will issue a general direction to the Board of British Railways to ensure that adequate supplies of wagons are readily available for meeting the transport needs of the potato trade.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given on 4th December to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne).—[Vol. 755, c. 242.]

asked the Minister of Transport what is the total mileage of railways closed with her approval in the counties of Devon and Cornwall since 1947.

I am having inquiries made and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will list the railways closed in Wales since 1960, and give the mileage of each line.

I am having inquiries made and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport what is her estimate of the date by which the freightliner service will have reached the stage of development, foreseen in paragraph 62 of her White Paper on the Transport of Freight, Command Paper No. 3470, when the proposed new quantity licensing system will be brought into effect.

As indicated in the White Paper, the stage of development foreseen is that when the freightliner service has proved itself in practice. It is, in the nature of things, impossible to estimate in advance when that stage will have been reached.

asked the Minister of Transport what initiatives she is taking in asking the Roal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough to do research for her Department on inland transport.

We will seek the help of the Royal Aircraft Establishment with research on inland transport problems whenever appropriate. The answer to my hon. Friend of 21st February described the work they are already doing in this field.—[Vol. 759, c. 117.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is still his policy to release beef in store from countries where foot-and-mouth disease is endemic for processing purposes only; and if he will make a statement.

After I announced on 4th March the lifting of the temporary ban on all imports of meat except mutton and lamb (including their offals) from countries in which foot-and-mouth disease is endemic, the trade organisations were told that meat, other than mutton and lamb (including their offals), would be freely licensed out of cold store. Licences for mutton and lamb (and their offals) imported from these countries are being issued only for processing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the fact that a bone depot situated near Woodborough, Nottinghamshire, was specifically mentioned as a possible source of foot-and-mouth disease infection in Command Paper No. 3560, he will take steps to ensure that all such depots are recorded by the appropriate local authority and that precautions are taken to make them secure against scavenging animals.

This and a number of other similar problems are now being considered and will be presented in the evidence to be submitted to the Committee of Inquiry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an assurance that he will accept the recommendations of the Northumberland Committee relating to beef imports from countries where foot-and-mouth disease is endemic.

No. It would be wrong for me to prejudge the Government's decision on a report which has not yet been written.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the cost to agriculture in England and Wales of complying with river pollution regulations.

It is not practicable to make such an estimate since the cost would depend on the circumstances of each individual farm.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the United Kingdom has ceased to be a member of the International Agricultural Aviation Centre.

Membership of the International Agricultural Aviation Centre was taken out on the clear understanding that industry was interested in the Centre and would show this by contributing half the subscription. Industry's share had to be raised by contributions from individual organisations. This support has fallen away in recent years in spite of approaches to other possible subscribers. Because of this our officials consulted subscribers last year. Subsequently, those aircraft operators who had contributed confirmed that they no longer wished to do so. In view of the lack of support the United Kingdom membership was given up.

asked the Prime Minister on what date and at what time the first communication was made by his office to the solicitor in London acting for the three Africans recently executed in Rhodesia.

No such communication was made.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the consultations over the future of the second chamber of Parliament, he will seek to include the question of moving that chamber out of the present Palace of Westminster in order that the Commons may have more adequate accommodation.

No, the consultations are concerned with the composition and powers of the House of Lords not the accommodation available to the Commons.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what proposals he has to require compulsory notification of all income increases, and to prevent by statute the back-dating of individual and collective pay settlements.

These are matters for consideration in the context of future policy for productivity, prices and incomes and my right hon. Friend intends to deal fully with this during the Budget Debate.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will now announce the appointment of a Chairman of the North- West Economic Planning Council in succession to Mr. Charles Carter.

I am pleased to say that Mr. W. L. Mather, O.B.E., M.C., T.D., D.L., Chairman of Mather & Platt Limited, has accepted my invitation to serve as Chairman of the Planning Council from 1st April, 1968. Mr. Mather has been a member of the Planning Council since it was formed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what entry was made in the Exchequer Accounts concerning the f15 million loan made by the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation to The English Electric Company Limited during 1967 in respect of which that company issued to the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation £15 million of subordinated unsecured loan stock.

I have been asked to reply.A payment of £15 million to the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation will be recorded in the Appropriation Account of the Department of Economic Affairs for 1967–68.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the anticipated contribution to local rates in respect of the new Government office block between Horseferry Road and Great Peter Street.

Contributions in lieu of rates are at present being paid on the basis of £10,388 R.V. in respect of parts of the original building still remaining in beneficial occupation on this island site. Owing to the delay in building operations on the new office block no realistic estimate of the ultimate value has yet been made.

asked the Minister of Health what approximate estimate he has of the proportion of profit to drug manufacturers represented in the cost of drugs to the National Health Service.

According to the report of the committee of inquiry into the relationship of the pharmaceutical industry with the National Health Service, in 1965 the profits before interest and taxation of all pharmaceutical companies completing the questionnaire issued by that committee represented 20·7 per cent. of their total income from products which might be used in the National Health Service. Manufacturers' profits on this basis possibly represented about one-eighth of the total cost of drugs to the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health whether he receives in the case of all drugs full details of their costs from drug manufacturers, in order to enable him to ascertain whether their profit in supplying the National Health Service is reasonable.

Under the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme maximum prices of many drugs are determined by various criteria which do not call for disclosure of manufacturing costs; for certain firms who together supply some 60 per cent. by value of the total medicines used in the general pharmaceutical service, there are direct negotiations under the Scheme based on information about costs, capital employed and profits earned either in relation to a particular product or, more usually, in relation to the whole of the firm's National Health Service business. In such cases the information is sufficient to enable me to assess whether or not the profit is acceptable in the context of the present Scheme. Future pricing arrangements are at present under review.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to take steps to implement the recommendations of the Salisbury Committee regarding controlling excess profits in drugs.

The Committee made a number of recommendations about future pricing arrangements, patents, brand names, etc., which are at present under consideration and consultation with the industry. I will announce my conclusions as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take after considering the resolution condemning fluoridation carried by the International Society for Research on Nutrition and Vital Substances, Hanover, a copy of which has been sent to him.

None. The resolution appears to be based on evidence already considered by authoritative scientific opinion here before concluding that fluoridation as commended to local authorities is safe.

asked the Minister of Health on what date the forward medical aid units within the Leeds Regional Hospital Board area were disbanded; what has happened to their equipment; and if he will make a statement with regard to the future maintenance of forward medical aid units, in view of their important part in casualty evacuation plans.

The plans of the Leeds Regional Hospital Board to set up Forward Medical Aid Units in wartime have not been changed, and no equipment associated with the Units has been disposed of. In accordance with national policy, the Regional Hospital Boards are preserving their wartime plans, but are discontinuing training.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all the Asians and their families who arrived from Kenya before the passing of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 were medically examined.

No. But the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 now gives power for medical examination.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the authorized permanent establishment of civil servants in his Department,

					1951	1962	1967
Authorised establishment	…	…	…	…	13,127	17,726	22,923
Temporary staff employed at 31st December			…	…	3,842	4,851	6,444
Salaries and wages	…	…	…	…	£6,079,000	£17,278,000	£30,304,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of drivers who were stopped and requested to take a breathalyser test in each of the Metropolitan Police districts since the tests came into force; the numbers which proved positive and negative, respectively; and the numbers prosecuted.

Following are the figures for breath tests required under section 2 of the Road Safety Act 1967 between 9th October 1967 and 11th March 1968:

	Adjudged positive	Adjudged negative	Failed or refused	Total
No. 1 District	502	658	70	1,230
No. 2 District	449	428	60	937
No. 3 District	342	297	46	685
No. 4 District	444	512	63	1,019

Statistics for prosecutions are available only for the force as a whole and for the period 9th October to 31st December 1967, when there were 902 prosecutions for alleged offences under Sections 1 or 3 of the 1967 Act or Section 6 of the Road Traffic Act 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider reducing the period of service required by members of the Civil Defence Corps for qualification for the Long Service Medal from 15 years to 10 years, so that volunteers will have some recognition

The information is follows:of their service following Her Majesty's Government's decision to disband the corps.

I do not think there are sufficient grounds for recommending such a major change in the rules of the Royal Warrant relating to qualifying service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the average amount of time which elapses between receipt of a letter by his Department and the despatch of the full reply.

It is not possible without costly research to give an exact figure relating to all items of correspondence—now arriving in headquarters offices alone at a rate approaching 1 million letters a year. Every endeavour is made to answer letters quickly; and the staff are well aware of the importance I attach to this. But some letters cannot be answered until enquiries have been made, sometimes of outside bodies such as local authorities, and the police, and their replies received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in his talks on pay for employees in the State Management Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

A settlement has been reached with representatives of the brewery workers in Carlisle for a pay increase of 14s. a week payable from 4th September, 1967.