asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the increase in cost of ordnance survey sheets in the last 12 months and over the last three years, respectively; and whether he will refer the recent price increase to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

There has been no recent increase since prices of large-scale maps were increased in April, 1966. These publications still have to be subsidised.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will announce his decision on the Master Plan Proposals for Redditch New Town into which there was a public local inquiry in July and August, 1967.

I hope to announce my decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given to local authorities about their responsibilities for the disposal of trade effluent.

I am sending the hon. Member copies of circulars sent to local authorities in 1961, explaining the effects of the relevant legislation passed in that year, and in 1967, urging them to consult undertakings if the treatment of their wastes is likely to affect the design of new sewage works or extensions.

asked the Minister of [-lousing and Local Government what is the total cost of grants given to industry for the disposal of trade effluent; and to what extent industry is disposing of its own effluent as opposed to using facilities provided by local authorities.

The first part of the Question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the staff of the Land Commission employed at its regional offices are not fully occupied; and whether he will therefore direct the Commission to reduce their numbers.

No direction is required. Staff reductions have already been made, and the process is continuing.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the Buchanan study of Ashford.

The views received from the local authorities and other bodies who have been consulted confirm my preliminary conclusion that Ashford should not be expanded on the scale which the consultants were asked to examine. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the letter informing the authorities that Ashford will not be designated as a new town. Some further expansion under Town Development Act powers will, however, be considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, whether, as a result of the statement on public expenditure in 1968–69 and 1969–70, of 16th January, 1968, any amendment of the terms of reference or the timetable of the Morecambe Bay Barrage Feasibility Study is to be made; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Study will go ahead on the original basis.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he will seek to make a payment to the Greater London Council sufficient to pay for the damage done to Grosvenor Gardens and Trafalgar Square as a result of the demonstrations on Sunday, 17th March.

No. In any case, my right hon. Friend has no reason to believe the Greater London Council suffered any damage.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consultations he has had with the Benfleet and Canvey Island Urban District Councils concerning the proposal of the county borough of Southend to dump its refuse on Hadleigh Marshes to the detriment of amenities in the South-East Essex constituency; whether this proposal has been rejected by the Essex County Council as planning authority; and whether he will call a conference of all local authorities concerned to secure agreement in a long-term programme for refuse disposal in the area with the minimum injury to amenities.

The Essex County Council have refused planning permission for the tipping of refuse on Hadleigh Marshes and the Southend Borough Council have lodged an appeal against that decision. My right hon. Friend has had no consultations with the two district councils and he would prefer to reserve judgment on the hon. Member's suggestion for a conference until the appeal has been dealt with.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government at what stage his Department's views will be sought before a final decision over choice of route is taken on that part of the proposed M53 which lies within the West Cheshire Green Belt.

The Department's views were sought before the Ministry of Transport's draft scheme and draft orders were published.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on his policy regarding the municipalisation of rented property.

The major evils caused by the 1957 Rent Act have been met through protection from eviction, the outlawing of harassment, and the fair rent machinery. We are at present considering proposals for repair and improvement of older houses. A continuance of our record completions of new houses will steadily reduce the impact of scarcity. All local housing authorities already have wide powers enabling them to take rented houses into municipal ownership for statutory duties under the Housing Act.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the number of cases dealt with by the Rent Officer in Hartlepool, the number of reductions, increases, and no change in rent, which resulted, and the cost in staff and maintenance of the office and administration directly arising from the work of the Rent Officer.

Seventy-five applications for registration of rent had been received up to 8th March, 1968; 61 of these had been determined and 13 were withdrawn or not entertained. The original rent was reduced in 39 cases, unchanged in 16 and increased in 6.The amount claimed to date in respect of the rent officer service in Hartlepool since its inception is £3,907.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what guidance he has given, in the light of the Government's policy on prices and incomes, to local housing authorities regarding the offering of additional payments to attract labour to their direct building departments;(2) whether the practice of local authorities in offering additional payments to attract labour to their direct building departments is in accordance with the Government's policy on prices and incomes

Last June, local authorities were advised that pay increases to attract labour can be justified only where they have to be made to prevent the break-down of an essential service. I have no evidence that authorities are disregarding that advice, but if the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will send me the details.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, how many cases of planning blight affecting householders are known to the planning authorities in England and Wales and how many individual householders are involved; and what proposals he has to alleviate the hardship caused by prolonged delay in making planning decisions.

The information is not available. Where no statutory remedy is available, we have urged local authorities to buy properties in advance of requirements in cases of established hardship. Loan sanction is readily given for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the fact that in 51 per cent. of all the 64,981 rent determinations under the Rent Act, 1965 from 1st January, 1966 to March, 1968, the original rent has been increased, whilst in only 32 per cent. has it been decreased, what proposals he has to amend the Act.

The Act provides for the fixing of fair rents which exclude from consideration scarcity values. If a landlord wants to increase a recoverable rent, his proposal must be submitted to this test, and I do not intend to alter this obligation. I am undertaking further publicity to encourage people with regulated tenancies who think their rents are too high to apply for a fair rent to be fixed.As already announced, the Government intend, in the interests of price restraint, to include provision in the Prices and Incomes legislation to enable sharp increases in private rents to be phased.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he plans to repeal the Small Tenements Recovery Act, 1838 by virtue of the power given to him under Section 35(5) of the Rent Act, 1965 in order to give security of tenure to tenants of council houses.

My right hon. Friend would prefer to wait for the report of the Withers Payne Committee on the enforcement of judgment debts, which I understand will be available soon, before taking a decision.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he will introduce legislation to enable rent tribunals to grant security of tenure in cases where landlords let furnished accommodation on short, fixed-term agreements, which they renew on a regular basis.

My right hon. Friend has no evidence that these lettings are causing a serious problem, but he will gladly consider any information my hon. Friend has.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, whether he will, in view of the economic situation, postpone indefinitely the date from which local authorities will be required to provide lifts to premises on the third floor instead of the fourth floor as at present.

Tenants ought not to have to walk up more than two storeys to reach their front door, and four-storey walk ups will not, therefore, be permitted after 1st January next. Lifts are only one way of meeting the new standard.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what restrictions are to be imposed on housing construction in the area covered by the Easington Rural District Council and the Peterlee Corporation; and what estimate he has made of the effect on the existing waiting list.

The programmes of the priority authorities and of the new town corporations, such as Peterlee, will be safeguarded. Easington Rural District Council, though not a priority authority, has substantial housing needs and it will be given as much preference as possible within the programme available for non-priority areas. As discussions are still going on with the main housebuilding authorities, it is not yet possible to give figures for individual authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to announce a decision on the development of land for housing at Kemplah Fields in the area of Guisborough Urban District Council which was the subject of an inquiry in July, 1967.

My right hon. Friend has received the Inspector's report and hopes to be able to issue his decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further proposals he has for assisting local housing authorities in providing rent rebates to tenants with low incomes.

The Government intend that housing subsidies should be used in large part to provide rent rebates for tenants whose means are small. The Housing Subsidies Act, 1967 greatly increased the subsidies for new housebuilding by local authorities. I have no further proposals in view at present.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on his investigations into the possibility of setting up, with the use of a computer, a central clearing house system to help tenants exchange local authority accommodation in different parts of the country.

My right hon. Friend's investigations have shown that the use of a computer for arranging such exchanges is technically feasible. It would not, I think, be financially viable if it were used for this purpose alone.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date he proposes to publish a White Paper on the subject of amendments to the existing improvement grant procedure under the Housing Act, 1964.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today in reply to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Norwood (Mr. John Fraser).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the purchasing value of the £1 sterling has fallen in the first three months since devaluation.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the £ as 20s. 0d. in November 1967, its value in February 1968 is estimated at 19s. 8d. This estimate is based on movements in the index of retail prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what savings he estimates from the increase of 6d. in school meals and from the abolition of milk for secondary school children in Great Britain.

From the increase of 6d. in the charge for school meals in April, 1968, a net saving of £15 million per annum after allowing for the cost of improved arrangements for remitting charges. From the withdrawal of school milk from secondary schools in September, 1968, £3 million in 1968–69 and £5 million per annum thereafter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the proportion of holders of post-war credit certificates who, on qualifying for repayment, are informed for the first time that the post-war credits have previously been set against tax under-payments; and why the holders are not so informed at an earlier date;(2) if he will review the practice of notifying holders of post-war credit certificates only when they qualify for repayments through age or other reason of alleged under-payment of tax previously set against the sums specified in the certificates, in view of the fact that under this system holders need to retain records for more than 20 years.

The hon. Member is referring to a practice authorised by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer by which arrears of tax outstanding at the end of the war were set off against Post-War Credits for 1945–46. The rule was for the credit holder to be notified of the set-off at the time but, because of current conditions, this did not always happen. The number of such cases is unknown and I fear that it is not possible now to pick them out in advance of the time when repayment is claimed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate lie has made of the effect on the retail price index of the increase in selective employment tax announced on 19th March 1968; and over what period he expects this change to take place;(2) what estimate he has made of the total effect on the retail price index of his Budget proposals of 19th March 1968; and over what period he expects this change to take place.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the change in the retail price index between January 1968 and January 1969 and between March 1968 and March 1969;(2) what estimate he has made of the rise in the retail price index arising from the increases announced on 19th March 1968 in purchase tax and in the duties on hydrocarbon oils, tobacco, spirits, wine and British wine, respectively; and what he estimates will be the total effect of these changes on the retail price index.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has now made of the total effect on the retail price index of the devaluation of the pound sterling; and over what period he expects this change to take place.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the retail price index between March 1968 and March 1969 of the gas and Post Office price increases recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes, devaluation, and his Budget proposals of 19th March 1968, respectively; and what he estimates will be the total effect on the retail price index of these changes in that period.

It is not customary to disclose detailed forecasts of prices. However, I see no reason to modify the Government's earlier estimate that devaluation will raise the retail prices index by about 3 per cent. I estimate that the tax measures in my right hon. Friend's Budget will add about 1½ per cent. to the index by the end of this year and a further ¼ per cent. by the end of next year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the retail price index of the price increases for gas and Post Office services which have been recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No firm estimate can yet be made because the final details are not yet settled. The best estimate I can make at present is a little over 0·2 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the retail price index of the changes in direct taxation announced on 11th November, 1964, 6th April, 1965, 3rd May, 1966, and 20th July, 1966, respectively; and what he estimates to have been the total effect on the retail price index of these measures.

I assume that the hon. Gentleman means changes in indirect taxation since changes in direct taxation are not normally considered to have significant and measurable effects on prices in the short-term. The changes in indirect taxation announced in November, 1964, April, 1965, and May and July, 1966, are estimated to have raised the retail prices index by 0·4 per cent., 1·3 per cent. and F3 per cent., respectively, making 3 per cent. in all.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of retirement pensioners who will benefit from the raising of the age exemption limits.

Some 350,000 will get some benefit; of these about 50,000 will become fully exempt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, why, in Scotland, confirmation dues are higher than Probate Court fees in England.

Confirmation dues in Scotland are prescribed by Act of Sederunt made by the Court of Session with the concurrence of the Treasury.The present level of dues was the subject of comment by the Committee on the Sheriff Court, Cmnd. 3248, and the Committee's recommendations on this matter are under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the additional taxation to be imposed on Scotland as a result of his Budget proposals.

Excluding those reductions in personal allowances which are intended only to recover from standard rate taxpayers the increase in family allowances, the only estimates available of the additional taxation paid by residents of Scotland in a full year as a result of the Budget proposals are as follows:

	£ million
Motor Vehicle Duties	10
Duty on light oils and diesel road fuel	6
S.E.T. (net)	14
Direct taxes (other than Corporation tax)	13

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to private motorists in Scotland of the increase in vehicle licence duty, and in duty on hydrocarbon oils, respectively.

Detailed statistics for precise calculation are not available but it is estimated that the additional cost to private motorists in Scotland is of the order of £6·2 million and £2¼ million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to industry in Scotland of the increase in vehicle licence duty and in duty on hydrocarbon oils, respectively.

Detailed statistics for precise calculation are not available but it is estimated that the additional cost to industry and commerce in Scotland is of the order of £3·7 million and £3¼ million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up an inquiry into the relationship between the rate of spirit duty and the consumption of whisky, with special reference to the implications for employment in distilleries in development areas of Scotland.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of value of taxable estates at which 50 per cent. of the people who have died in each of the last three years have left an estate of such value or more.

About half the estates paying duty in each of the three years 1964–65, 1965–66 and 1966–67 were greater than £9,750, £9,600 and £9,400 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the people who have died in each of the last three years have left a taxable estate of £5,000 or more.

About 10·3 per cent., 10·6 per cent., and 11·3 per cent. respectively for 1964, 1965 and 1966, the most recent years for which information is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his estimate of the total sum he hopes to raise in Wales from his new taxation proposals.

Excluding those reductions in personal allowances which are intended only to recover from standard rate taxpayers the increase in family allowances, the only estimates available of the additional taxation paid by residents of Wales in a full year as a result of the Budget proposals are as follows:

	£ million
Motor Vehicle Duties	6
S.E.T. (net)	5½
Direct taxes (other than Corporation tax)	3½

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount raised by Selective Employment Tax during 1967.

I would refer the hon. Member to table 4 of the Financial Statement 1968–69.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in costs for manufacturing industry in Scotland and in England, respectively, resulting from changes in duties on hydrocarbon oils and in vehicle excise licence rates introduced since October, 1964, including those proposed in his latest Budget.

I regret that no estimate is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what part of personal savings for each year from 1946 to 1967 relates to Scotland, in total and per head.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give forecasts for a number of years ahead for the capital requirements of the nationalised industries.

A forecast for 1968–69 is published in the National Loans Fund White Paper. I am considering whether it would be possible to publish figures for investment in later years. I cannot undertake to provide any forecast of the manner in which these capital requirements will be financed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of paying family allowances to all children including the first at a weekly rate of 20 shillings.

The present annual cost would be £718 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what new instructions have been issued to British High Commissioners in Commonwealth countries regarding the issue of United Kingdom passports, in the light of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1968.

Passport officers at British High Commissions have been instructed that passports issued by them in future to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who do not belong to a dependent territory are to be endorsed to show whether or not the holder is subject to control in consequence of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs how many citizens of the Falkland Islands are entitled to full United Kingdom passports; and approximately how many possess only passports of the United Kingdom and Colonies issued by the Government of the Falkland Islands.

It is estimated that 140 citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies in the Falkland Islands are entitled to obtain full United Kingdom passports; 862 Falkland Islanders have been issued with passports by the Governor of the Falkland Islands in the last 10 years, any issued earlier being no longer valid.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what has been the result of the consideration given to matters arising in discussions held with Zambian officials last December about contingency support for Zambia.

The amount required to pay for work on agreed projects up to 30th June, 1967, the limit prescribed in the agreement of February, 1967, is some £8·8 million out of the £13·85 million provided to cover this expenditure. This leaves some £5 million of that sum unexpended. In the light of the review held with the Zambian authorities last December and in order to continue to assist the Zambian Government to meet the cost of helping to put economic pressure on the illegal régime in Rhodesia, Her Majesty's Government have agreed to reimburse the Zambian Government up to the sum mentioned above.Furthermore, the Zambian Government have been informed that the Prime Minister would be ready to have further discussions with the President of Zambia about matters of common interest to the two Governments including contingency support, at a time that would be convenient to the President.

asked the Minister of Power whether he is satisfied that supplies of gas coke or Phimax will be sufficient to meet demands in smoke control areas approved before October, 1963, in accordance with assurances given to the public at that time by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The assurance given referred to the whole range of smokeless solid fuels. Supplies of gas cokes will decline and eventually disappear, due to increased use of oil to manufacture gas and the arrival of gas from the North Sea. In spite of this, supplies of solid smokeless fuels as a whole are expected to be adequate to meet the needs of smoke control areas. I am aware of anxiety in my hon. Friend's constituency over prospective gas coke supplies and would suggest that the local authority pursues inquiries with producers and distributors of alternative smokeless fuels.

asked the Minister of Power, whether the cause of the break-up of the Ocean Prince Sea Rig has been ascertained; when the rig was next due for modification and overhaul; and how often these rigs are required to be checked and overhauled under his regulations.

No, the investigations have not yet been completed. Licensees are required under the terms of their licences to maintain all apparatus and appliances in good repair and to have them inspected regularly. A visual check of "Ocean Prince" was carried out at each move to a new site.

asked the Minister of Power, what research is being conducted into the magneto-hydro-dynamo method of generating energy from coal; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 25th March to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mrs. Ewing).—[Vol. 761, c. 219.]

asked the Minister of Health, what proposals he has for the future of the casualty ward at the Royal Hospital, Richmond; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that this Casualty Department was recently closed temporarily to facilitate the installation of certain new equipment in the hospital. In addition, shortage of staff which has arisen at Kingston Hospital, the main Accident and Emergency Centre for the area, has made it necessary for the Casualty Medical Officer from Richmond to assist at Kingston. For this latter reason there is no immediate prospect of the Department at Richmond reopening. I am advised that accident and emergency services should be concentrated in a limited number of units fully staffed and equipped for the purpose. Any proposal to close the Casualty Department permanently would be considered in the light of this advice.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the action he intends to take so that the 1,173 persons on the waiting list for geriatric beds in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area can be reduced.

Since the end of 1964 the waiting list has been reduced by almost 30 per cent.The Board's building programme includes a number of schemes which will provide additional geriatric beds and geriatric day hospitals. The Board also plan to strengthen the medical staffing.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of geriatric beds in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area for each of the years 1961 to 1966.

The following are the figures:

Year	Staffed beds allocated at 31st December
1961	5,166
1962	5,226
1963	5,318
1964	5,340
1965	5,198
1966	5,260

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the numbers on the waiting list for geriatric beds in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area for each of the years 1961 to 1966.

The following are the figures:

Year	Waiting list for geriatric beds at 31st December
1961	895
1962	1,072
1963	1,335
1964	1,652
1965	1,489
1966	1,171

asked the Minister of Health what hospital facilities for the treatment of heroin addicts will be available in the London area on 16th April, when the regulations restricting to licenced doctors the prescribing of heroin come into force; and, in particular, whether any clinics will provide a 24-hour out-patient service.

All the out-patient facilities mentioned in my reply of 30th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, South (Mr. Carol Johnson) will be available before 16th April. There will be regular out-patient clinics at 16 hospitals, seven of which will hold clinics five days a week.For in-patients, in addition to the beds already in use, the new unit at St. Luke's Hospital, Woodside, is expected to be open before 16th April, and the new units at the Bethlem Royal Hospital and St. Clements Hospital in May.The out-patient clinics are not intended to operate on a 24-hour basis, or to provide facilities for an addict to obtain a prescription for heroin at any time of the day or night. I am advised that the consensus of opinion among the psychiatrists in this field is that a 24-hour out-patient treatment service is unnecessary and undesirable in that the attendance of an addict at regular times in a clinic's usual working hours is part of the process of rehabilitation. Any prescription for heroin will normally be sent direct from the clinics to a chemist to be dispensed daily. Emergency treatment for addicts in distress is available at all times in accident and emergency departments and in certain casualty departments; this may take the form of the administration of a substitute drug to tide the patient over until he can attend a regular clinic. A 24-hour service has been set up from which hospitals and general practitioners can obtain information by telephone about the out-patient services available in the London area.—[Vol. 757, c. 260–1.]

asked the Minister of Health if he will set up a new committee of inquiry into the problems of transferable drug resistance.

As regards the public health implications of the use of antibiotics in agriculture, I have nothing to add to the reply my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member on 19th March. I am not aware of any evidence justifying the setting up of a new committee of inquiry.—[Vol. 761, c. 55.]

asked the Minister of Transport which new trunk road improvement schemes, completed in each of the last five years, have included lengths of roadway on which overtaking is prohibited.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will send notices to car owners reminding them that their road tax is due; and if she will make a statement.

This would add unjustifiably to the costs of the present licensing system. If the licence, which shows the expiry date in bold print, is displayed on the vehicle as the law requires, it should act as its own constant reminder.

asked the Minister of Transport if, as a result of her review, she is now satisfied that the system in operation to check that road tax is being paid is effective; and if she will make a statement.

The further measures introduced last year to combat evasion are beginning to take effect but it is too early to assess their full results. The enforcement authorities are active in detecting evasion.

asked the Minister of Labour if employees of British Railways and other nationalised transport undertakings who are employed part-time on the motor repair, petrol supplying and car parking activities of the undertakings referred to in Clause 45 of the Transport Bill, will be credited with the refund of Selective Employment Tax appropriate to a nationalised undertaking.

It will be our aim to achieve equity between nationalised transport authorities and undertakings in the private sector engaged in the same type of activities. Particular cases will be dealt with on their merits.

asked the Minister of Transport how many concessionary railway vouchers were issued to relatives of patients in special hospitals in 1967; and whether she will give a general direction to the Board to continue to provide these facilities.

I understand from the Railways Board that approximately 1,000 of these vouchers were issued in 1967. A general direction to the Board would not be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is proposed that the 145 local authorities, excluding the Greater London Council, will be free to deal direct with the Home Office when regional and sub-regional Civil Defence headquarters have been closed down.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the Government's decision to disband the Civil Defence Corps but retain the warning monitoring system, he will ensure that sufficient scientific intelligence officers are maintained, so that in the event of the Civil Defence Corps being reactivated experienced and trained people will be immediately available to interpret information given by the warning monitoring organisation to the Civil Defence Corps.

My right hon. Friend intends to ensure that local authorities can preserve a core of knowledge and experience of the scientific as well as other aspects of civil defence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what personnel of the Civil Defence Corps, the Auxiliary Fire Service, and the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, Category III, are to continue training in Leicestershire, and where, and at what cost to public funds.

Most local authorities will have ceased all training of the Civil Defence Corps and the Auxiliary Fire Service by 31st March, and if the regulations now before the House are approved, these services will be disbanded on that date. As regards T. & A.V.R. III, I would refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my hon. Friend the Minister of Defence for Administration on 6th March in a debate on the Territorial Army.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now name the individuals and organisations involved in the preparation of the demonstration in Grosvenor Square on 17th March, and the preparation of violence.

Police inquiries are being made about possible proceedings under Section 2 of the Public Order Act, 1936, and I therefore abstain from comment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the minimum number of hours, lectures and classes per week which he requires of an alien before he will accept that such an alien is a bona fide student; whether there are any additional qualifications regarding the times of day of these lectures and classes; and how students can become informed of these conditions.

In order to qualify for admission to the United Kingdom as a student, or for an extension of stay in that capacity, a foreign national is required to enrol for full-time studies at a bona fide educational establishment, and to produce satisfactory evidence that he can maintain himself without taking em ployment. As a general rule, a minimum of 15 hours' attendance a week at daytime classes is required. This information is available to all who inquire of the Home Office.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what estimate he has made of the total cost of the grants payable under the hotel development scheme recently announced by Her Majesty's Government;(2) what estimate he has made of the total amount of loans likely to be made under the hotel development scheme recently announced by Her Majesty's Government.

The cost of grants and loans in any particular year will depend on the nature and timing of investment decisions by the industry. It is too early to publish precise estimates.

asked the Minister of Labour what action the Government are taking to meet the serious situation which is developing on Merseyside owing to simultaneous unofficial strikes of bus drivers and other transport workers.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Tilney) yesterday.—[Vol. 761, c. 911.]

asked the Minister of Labour, what is the latest estimate of the increase in the number of local government employees since October, 1964.

Information about the total numbers employed by local authorities is available only for June each year and I have no estimate later than that given in the reply to the hon. Member on 21st December, 1967.—[Vol. 756, c. 509.]

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the total and percentage wholly unemployed

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED, AND WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED PERCENTAGE RATES, FOR ENGLAND AND WALES AND FOR SCOTLAND
				England and Wales		Scotland
				Registered wholly unemployed	Wholly unemployed percentage rate	Registered wholly unemployed	Wholly unemployed percentage rate
15th February, 1960	…	…	…	338,315	1·7	92,945	4·3
13th February, 1961	…	…	…	268,966	1·3	72,814	3·4
12th February, 1962	…	…	…	336,820	1·6	76,544	3·5
11th February, 1963	…	…	…	544,754	2·6	115,919	5·3
10th February, 1964	…	…	…	360,793	1·7	94,975	4·3
8th February, 1965	…	…	…	282,253	1·3	75,832	3·5
14th February, 1966	…	…	…	266,678	1·2	61,569	2·8
13th February, 1967	…	…	…	454,252	2·2	83,437	3·8
12th February, 1968	…	…	…	507,771	2·4	88,228	4·1

asked the Minister of Labour what were the numbers of persons, male and female, young persons, male and female, unemployed in the

PROVISIONAL TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND NUMBERS OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED IN NORTHERN REGION AND IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE GATESHEAD EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE
				Registered Unemployed (11th March, 1968)
				Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
Northern region		…	…	49,108	1,562	8,041	876	59,587
Gateshead	…	…	…	1,846	61	144	11	2,062
				Unfilled Vacancies (6th March, 1968)
				Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
Northern region		…	…	3,671	1,214	3,801	2,322	11,008
Gateshead	…	…	…	127	33	259	81	500
At 11th March, 1968 the percentage rates of unemployment for the Northern region and for the Tyneside travel-to-work area, which includes Gateshead, were provisionally estimated to be 4·5 and 4·7 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the employment position at Arley Colliery; and what steps his Department are taking to assist the miners becoming redundant, including provision of information about their entitlement under the Redundancy Payments Act.

Arley Colliery is to close on 29th March. The N.C.B. hope to offer jobs in other collieries to about 200 men. A further 30 will be retained for a few weeks on salvage operations. Employment staff were in attendance at

Following is the in- formation.Northern Region and Gateshead, and the percentage of total unemployed in the Northern Region and Gateshead, together with the number of unfilled vacancies at the latest available date.

Following is the information:the colliery from 26th February to 1st March and have been in attendance since 18th March. Just over 400 workers have been registered, of whom 300 are over 55 years of age. Every effort will be made to help to overcome the difficulties that some of these men will have in finding suitable employment. Details of Government training facilities are given to those men who are interested and likely to be eligible. The local employment exchange has explained the provisions of the Redundancy Payments Act to local officials of the N.U.M. and explanatory leaflets have been issued to a number of workers on request.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will instruct all Ministers to investigate what types of computer-stored information, now processed within their Departments, can be made available to Members of Parliament within the Palace of Westminster by on-line terminal facilities, and to report regularly on the progress which is being made in this direction.

The hon. Member has, I understand, been in touch with my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury about his proposal and will know that it is not practicable at the present time. He will, however, also know of the work which is to be done by the newly created Computer and Data Systems Unit of the Central Statistical Office which will include the problems and possibilities of data accessibility.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now advise that the Albert Medal not awarded posthumously should rank as equivalent to the George Cross.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if he will advise Her Majesty to grant an annuity of £100 to the 32 surviving holders of the Albert Medal, whose awards were only given for acts of gallantry at least comparable to those which now merit the Victoria Cross and the George Cross, all the holders of which have received such an annuity since 1965;(2) whether he will advise the reinstatement of the Albert Medal to its former position immediately following the Victoria Cross in precedence.

These matters are too complex to be dealt with satisfactorily by Question and Answer across the Floor of the House and hon. Members interested in this subject may know that my noble Friend Lord Stonham has offered to discuss them with representatives of the Albert Medal Association. When that discussion has taken place I would be very willing to enter into correspondence with hon. Members if they thought this useful.

asked the Prime Minister if he will take steps to amalgamate the relevant Departments under a Secretary of State for Social Affairs.

I have nothing to add to the earlier Answers which I have given to Questions on this subject.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the United States Government is stockpiling tactical nuclear weapons in South Vietnam; and if he will dissociate the United Kingdom from this action.

The answer to the first part of the Question is no. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Prime Minister if he will initiate an early meeting of the European Free Trade Association leaders in London.

At our invitation, the next Ministerial meeting of the European Free Trade Association Council will be held in London on the 9th and 10th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now transfer responsibility for the National Plan from the Department of Economic Affairs to the Treasury.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if he will ensure that the proposed inquiry into Stansted is sufficiently widely based to pay full regard to those considerations of planning which are the responsibility of the Minister of Housing and Local Government, and of road and rail transport as they affect the Ministry of Transport, as well as to the airport requirements which fall to the Board of Trade.

Yes, that is the Government's intention.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to grant the Secretary of State for Wales further executive powers during the present session of Parliament.

The Transport Bill at present before the House, which I am sorry to see that the hon. and learned Member has not felt able to support, will give the Secretary of State new functions, including power to establish Passenger Transport Authorities, and to pay grants for public transport facilities and in support of rural bus and ferry services. Beyond that I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions on this subject on 25th January.—[Col. 757, c. 585–6.]

asked the Prime Minister how many Government research departments are mobile in terms of having no heavy equipment; and if he will list them and name the situation of each.

The hon. Lady's Question is far from clear and cannot be dealt with on a general basis in Question and Answer. If she wishes to have information about the potential mobility of a particular research establishment she should get in touch with whichever of my right hon. Friends is responsible for it.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of his intervention in the dock strike in Liverpool last year, he will now intervene in the present in dustrial troubles on Merseyside to help to get an earlier settlement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to a Question by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Tilney).—[Vol. 761, c. 911.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of grants in England and Wales, respectively, to date, made under the provisions of the Agriculture Act 1967 in relation to co-operative enterprises.

The Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation Scheme came into effect on 2nd October last. None of the proposals received under the Scheme has yet reached the stage of grant payment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many applications for grants for cooperative enterprises have been made in England and in Wales, respectively, since the relevant provisions of the Agriculture Act 1967 came into operation.

I am advised by the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation, to whom proposals under the Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation Scheme are submitted, that, as at 14th March, 105 proposals had been submitted from England and one from Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total expenditure to date on the extension and improvements at Stornoway airfield, including all costs on and in connection with this work and the buildings and installations; and if he will make a statement regarding its military use, and the effect of his decisions on civilian employees.

About £2·3 million has been spent by N.A.T.O. on the airfield facilities at this civil airfield. Future N.A.T.O. use of them is under consideration. There are no plans to remove the small R.A.F. non-flying unit from Stornoway or to make reductions in the small number of civilians employed there by the Ministry of Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has given consideration to the provision of accommodation in Northern Ireland for troops being withdrawn from overseas service; and what locations are under consideration.

At present, our plans for the withdrawal of troops from overseas do not entail the provision of any additional accommodation in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to assist in the establishment of a national opera house and a national symphony orchestra for Wales.

The Committee of Inquiry into Opera and Ballet set up by the Arts Council will be reporting later this year and will be making recommendations about the need for new opera houses and their location. The question of a national symphony orchestra for Wales is under consideration by the Welsh Arts Council.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that there is discontent among Clapham telephone subscribers with the service provided by the Macaulay Telephone Exchange, particularly in relation to crossed lines, wrong numbers and the failure of ringing tones; and what steps he is taking to improve the service to subscribers.

Extensive engineering work is in progress to improve the service by replacing some of the older equipment, and to provide a second exchange. Although every effort is being made to minimise the disturbance, some effect on the service is inescapable. The work should be completed by the end of the year.I am sorry for any inconvenience caused to customers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of extending legal aid to the 50 to 60 average percentage of cases a year in the Scottish Land Court in which legal aid would be appropriate.

I have made no estimate of the cost of extending legal aid to cases before the Scottish Land Court since, in present circumstances, there is no prospect of funds being made available for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he received the Report and Recommendations of the Windblow Action Group on gale damage in Scottish forests; and whether he will make an early statement indicating the action he will take;(2) whether he will deal urgently with the implementation of the recommendations of the Windblow Action Group; and when action will commence.

I received the Report of the Windblow Action Group about three weeks ago and I have since received the Forestry Commission's advice on it. Some of the Group's recommendations would entail expenditure of Government money; these will take a little time to explore thoroughly, but I fully appreciate the need for an early decision.Meanwhile we are urging all Government Departments, local authorities and wood-using industries to give preference to home-grown timber whenever possible in the next two years. We are also appealing to private woodland owners to exercise restraint in felling while the windblown timber is being marketed, and the Forestry Commission will itself give a lead in this direction.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Home and Health Departments issued directions to Scottish local authorities in respect of checking the social background as well as the professional experience of persons who are appointed to positions entailing work with mentally handicapped children and adults.

No. The need to select persons of suitable character is evident, and it is the normal practice of local authorities to ask for references.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the secondary school population in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Scotland as a whole attends grant-aided, independent and local authority fee-paying schools, respectively.

Following is the information:

	Proportion of secondary pupils attending
	Grant-aided schools	Independent schools	Education Authority fee-paying schools
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Glasgow	7·00	1·20	6·80
Edinburgh	14·50	11·70	11·30
Aberdeen	13·10	—	—
Dundee	5·40	0·11	—
Scotland	4·10	2·80	3·30

NOTE: For the purpose of calculating the percentage figure of secondary school population in each city attending grant-aided and independent schools it has been assumed that all pupils attending grant-aided or independent schools, whether as boarders or day pupils, are part of the secondary school population of the city in which the school is situated.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many additional local authority day nursery places it is intended to provide over the next 10 years; and when these places will be provided.

As the proposed reorganisation of social work services is likely to affect the provision of day nurseries, a long-term forecast would be inappropriate at this stage.

asked the Minister of Social Security how the total administrative cost of her Department, which for 1967–68 is estimated to be £88·7 million, is divided as between the National Insurance scheme, the Industrial Injuries scheme, family allowances, supplementary pensions and benefits and other items, respectively.

The figure of £88·7 million omits some items which could be regarded as part of the administrative cost of my Department and does not take account of Supplementary Estimates. The estimated total administrative cost of my Department in 1967–68 is about £94 million divided as follows:

	£ million
National Insurance	44
Industrial Injuries	8
Family Allowances	5
Supplementary Benefits	26
War Pensions	4
Administration on behalf of other Government Departments	7
	94

asked the Minister for Social Security how many women are currently in receipt of unemployment benefit who have not been in employment since their marriage; and if she will take steps to ensure that all these women are correctly listed as being genuinely available for employment.

I regret that the information is not available.As to the second part of the Question, availability for employment is not always easy to test but people who restrict their availability may have their claims to unemployment benefit disallowed by the independent adjudicating authorities if the restrictions are considered unreasonable.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will bring in regulations to ensure that the wage stop on unemployment and supplementary benefit is related to the wage a man might reasonably earn in the area where he is presently living, and not to the wage he earned in the past in some other part of the country.

No. It is already the practice to restrict supplementary benefit, where necessary, to the amount which the claimant would be likely to earn in the future, rather than to the amount which he may have earned in the past.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) how many official forms or documents issued by her Department to the public in Wales have been issued bilingually in both the Welsh and English languages, and how many are issued separately in both languages, to the latest convenient date;(2) how many Welsh versions of official forms and documents have been issued by her Department for use by the public in Wales since the passing of the Welsh Language Act, 1967, to the latest convenient date;(3) how many forms or documents in the Welsh language she intends to issue for use by the public in Wales between the present date and the end of 1968.

Four forms are available in Welsh and three of these have been introduced since the passing of the Welsh Language Act, 1967. It is intended to make available Welsh language versions of six further forms before the end of 1968. Explanatory leaflets in Welsh are also provided at post offices in the predominantly Welsh-speaking areas when there is a general change in benefit rates. No bilingual forms or documents are issued by my Department.

asked the Minister of Technology which official was personally responsible for ordering the total destruction of all jigs, tools and prototypes of the TSR2 aircraft.

This is a matter of Ministerial responsibility. I should add that not all the prototypes were destroyed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the names of the members of the new Welsh Council.

Consultations about the membership are proceeding and I hope to announce the names in good time for the first meeting of the Council to be held towards the end of April or early May.The Welsh Economic Council advised that the Chairman should be appointed by me rather than elected by the Council as envisaged in the White Paper "Local Government in Wales" and I believe that this would be right at this stage. I have therefore invited Professor Brinley Thomas of Cardiff to fill this important position and am pleased to say that he has accepted my invitation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many forestry workers in Wales have smallholdings.

143 forestry workers employed by the Forestry Commission are tenants of Forest Workers Holdings in Wales.