asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he will offer to prospective Commonwealth immigrants in their countries of origin concerning conditions in Great Britain.

A leaflet "Introduction to Britain has been produced in English and five other languages and is already available through our High Commissions in Commonwealth countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants were returned to their countries of origin after being refused permission to enter Great Britain during 1967.

I understand that my hon. Friend is referring to Commonwealth citizens. 2,219 were refused admission to the United Kingdom during 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many United Kingdom passport holders from East Africa have presented themselves for entry at United Kingdom ports since the passage of the recent immigrants legislation.

175, up to 26th March. None of these would have required a voucher or fallen within the allocation of 1,500; almost all were dependants coming to join relatives already here.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice has been given, and will now be given to motorists, the police, and public analysts, about procedures to be carried out in the case of blood tests, where drivers are suspected of excess alcohol in the blood.

Advice to the police, including suggestions about what the motorist should be told, is given in Home Office circulars Nos. 129/1967 and 79 /1968, copies of which were placed in the Library when they were issued. It is not for me to advise public analysts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will take steps to ensure that blood samples supplied to motorists after a breath test are properly sealed in adequate containers.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has recently given further advice to the police about this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he can now make a further statement about a review of the law of contempt as it affects comment on, or statements made about, matters referred to a tribunal of inquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I intend to set up a Committee with the following terms of reference:

"To inquire into the law of contempt as it affects comment on or statements made about matters referred to a tribunal of inquiry set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act. 1921 and the interviewing of potential witnesses concerning such matters and to report."

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to limit all demonstrations in the Metropolitan Police area, above a manageable size, to Hyde Park.

No. Even if this were within my powers, I doubt whether a restriction of this kind would be practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to obtain powers analogous to those contained in the Prevention of Violence (Temporary Provisions) Act 1939 to make expulsion orders and prohibition orders against persons not ordinarily resident in Great Britain through the last 20 years who are concerned in the preparation or instigation of acts of violence designed to influence public opinion or Government policy.

No. I am not satisfied that there is a need for such exceptional powers at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to make it an offence analogous to the offence in section 1 of the Tumultuous Petitioning Act, 1661, for more than a prescribed maximum number of people to proceed to an embassy for the purpose or purported purpose of presenting a petition, complaint, declaration or other address.

No. Power to protect embassies and control demonstrations are already available to chief officers of police under other legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deputations of foreigners were allowed to attend the Peace in Vietnam demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 17th March which terminated in a riot; from what countries they came; and whether they were required to produce passports on entry into Great Britain.

I was informed by the Commissioner of Police that students from Germany, Holland, Sweden, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Iran were observed at this demonstration. All foreign nationals entering this country are required to produce passports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimated extent of the partipation of students from British universities in the demonstration in Grosvenor Square on 17th March; and which universities were involved.

The police do not find it possible to make an estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police horses were injured in the demonstration in Grosvenor Square on Sunday, 17th March; what was the nature of their injuries; and whether any have had to be destroyed.

Nine police horses were injured of which eight received minor abrasions and scratches and are back on duty. The remaining horse sustained a puncture wound in its neck and is recovering under veterinary supervision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will introduce legislation to provide that those found guilty of disturbing the peace, causing wilful damage to public and private property, or, failing them, the organisers of demonstrations causing this, should make full payment for the repair of such damage as would otherwise be met by the taxpayer and ratepayer.

The criminal courts already have power to order persons convicted of committing damage to property to pay reasonable compensation for the damage. The Advisory Council on the Penal System is examining the question of reparation by the offender and I shall consider the need for further legislation in the light of its recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many extra police were called on duty because of the demonstrations in Grosvenor Gardens and Trafalgar Square on Sunday, 17th March;(2) what has been the cost of the extra police precautions made to cover the demonstrations in Trafalgar Square and Grosvenor Square on Sunday, 17th March; and what estimate he has made of extra payments required to cover damage to the police and their property.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Alan Williams) on 25th March. The full cost of replacing all items of police uniform and equipment lost or damaged would be about £1,150.—[Vol. 761, c. 201.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish the names of the individuals and organisations responsible for the pro-Vietcong demonstrations in Trafalgar Square and Grosvenor Square on 17th March; what other organisations took part; and who were the individuals who came from abroad especially for the occasion.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Hastings) on 26th March and to the reply I gave today to a Question by the hon. Member for Dorset, West (Mr. Wingfield-Digby).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will implement the recommendations of the Wilson Report.

While I cannot anticipate the Queen's Speech, legislation on this subject is high on the list of Bills which the Government is considering for introduction next session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to manufacturers and others concerned regarding the need to limit the amount of irradiation emitted by luminous clocks and watches.

None; but the trade are represented on the technical committee which is preparing a new British Standard based on international agreement. The trade have long been working within the limits of radioactivity which the Standard will prescribe.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue a further circular to the London Boroughs Management Service Unit and all local authorities advising them to refrain from attempting to introduce organisational changes in their social welfare schemes, prior to the implementation of the findings of the Seebohm Committee.

I do not think a circular is required but I take the opportunity of saying that it must be obvious that it would be unwise for authorities to make any changes in the organisation of the local authority personal social services which prejudice the outcome of the Seebohm Committee's review of that very question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, when the regulations making changes in the wording of the Poisons Rules to limit the amount of hormone used in bust-developing creams are introduced, he will include a provision laying down a date beyond which it will not be permissible for such creams, manufactured before the regulations come into force which exceed the new limit, to be offered for sale.

Bust-developing creams containing a hormone content in excess of the specified limit will be available only on prescription.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to ensure that on application for a warrant the magistrate is given the precise source of the information on which the warrant is claimed, that the warrant if granted contains the name of the police officer swearing the information submitted, and that a copy of the warrant is given to the person to be searched.

It is for the magistrate to satisfy himself on the information sworn before him whether a warrant should be issued. A warrant includes the name of the person swearing the information and is always shown to the person in charge of the premises to be searched.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the chief constable on the explosion at the Inland Revenue offices, Llanley, Cardiff.

I have asked the Chief Constable to send me a report on this incident. I understand that at 2 a.m. on Sunday, 24th March, an explosion occurred in Block 3, Spur J of the Inland Revenue Office at Llanishen. An explosive device had been placed behind a door of an inner office; it caused extensive damage, estimated at £3,000. The police were on the scene immediately. They are now making extensive inquiries to ascertain responsibility for this deplorable and wanton act of violence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the Chief Constable on the bomb explosion at the Inland Revenue offices at Cardiff and as to the steps taken to establish where the responsibility lies.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to a Question by the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. E. Rowlands).

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 Essex; and where and at what cost to public funds.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 26th March to a Question by the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr).—[Vol. 761, c.249.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Detective-Constable John Luney of Forest Gate Police Station has been sentenced to eight years on menaces charges: to what extent this man was connected with the Olujima drug raid; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of convictions obtained as a result of this man's work during the past one-and-a-half years.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes"; to the second, that I am told that this officer had no part in the search of Mr. Olujimi's house; and to the third, that the information is being obtained, and I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the number of convictions for drunkenness and convictions for the age groups under 18 years and between 18 and 21 years in the Metropolitan Police district and in the City of London, respectively, during the calendar year 1967.

The provisional figures for 1967 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date and in what manner the Deputy Commissioner of Police apologised to Mr. Olujimi for the abortive drug raid made by the Metropolitan Police recently.

The police officer in charge of the search on 25th June, 1967 apologised orally to Mr. Olujimi, before he left the House, for any inconvenience which had been caused. The same officer repeated this apology when Mr. Olujimi called at Forest Gate police station later the same evening.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date and in what manner the Deputy Commissioner of Police apologised to Mr. Peter George of Kilburn for the abortive drug raid made by the Metropolitan Police recently.

The officers who conducted the search apologised orally to Mr. George and his wife on 15th January, 1968 immediately the search was concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware that along Chestnut Road, N.17, a main bus route, on 23rd March there were parked 34 vehicles at 9 p.m. without displaying current road fund licences, additionally many others without lights, and many parked illegally, that buses were impeded, and that similar events occur every Friday and Saturday evening; and why the police from the adjoining Tottenham police station did not seek to enforce the law.

I am informed that the local police give special attention to Chestnut Road on Friday and Saturday evenings and that no difficulties caused by cars parked there on 23rd March were reported to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, if he will make a statement on the work of the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation.

Since the statement in reply to my hon. Friend on 9th November last, the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation has continued its task of promoting reorganisation and development in industry. It has agreed to provide financial assistance to mergers in the nucleonic instrument and pressure vessel industries and to make a loan of £25 million to the British Leyland Motor Corporation. Financial help has been given under Section 2(1)(b) of the I.R.C. Act to the Reed Paper Group in order to develop production of newsprint from de-inked waste paper. The Corporation has also been associated with other mergers without undertaking a financial commitment.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, if the senior post as a public relations officer at the National Economic Development Office has yet been filled.

No, but I understand that steps are being taken to do so as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, what was the total amount paid to industrialists in the Northern Regional Development Area for the year 1967.

The information required is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, as the Government's proposal on wage limitation to 3½ per cent. does not apply to overtime earnings, what method he proposes to take to prevent employers from giving wage increases by creating overtime, or paying increased rates for overtime theoretically worked.

The 3½ per cent. ceiling is intended to apply to increases in rates and scales of pay, including overtime rates, but not to increases in earnings which are due to increases in actual hours worked.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether the Government's proposals regarding the 3½ per cent. wage and salary increase will apply to lawyers and others who fix their own fees; and how this will operate.

The incomes and the scales of charges and fees of the professions are subject to the considerations of the prices and incomes policy and the need for substantial restraint over the next two years applies to increases in professional incomes as to increases in wages and salaries.

asked the Postmaster-General how many of the recent stamp issues and of what values have been withdrawn; why they have been withdrawn; and what has become of those withdrawn.

Special postage stamps are normally withdrawn from sale from post offices two months after the date of issue. Unless stocks have been exhausted, they can be obtained from the Philatelic Bureau in Edinburgh, and the philatelic counter at London Chief Office, for 12 months after the date of issue. Remaining stocks are then destroyed, except for a few retained for exhibition and record purposes.

asked the Postmaster-General when the next issue of postage stamps will be issued, and of what values; and which of them will depict Scottish scenes of rivers, mountains and bridges.

The next issue of postage stamps will be on 29th April. It will be a special issue of four stamps depicting British bridges. The values will be 4d., 9d., 1s. 6d. and 1s. 9d.; the 9d. stamp will show Aberfeldy Bridge in Perthshire.

asked the Postmaster General if he will make a statement on the new management recruitment centre recently set up to assist in dealing with the problem of undermanagement.

The Post Office Appointments Centre has been set up to recruit staff, generally with degree of G.C.E. A-level qualifications, to the main levels of entry for management and professional posts. Hitherto this work has been done for the Post Office by the Civil Service Commission.Staff recruited at lower levels will continue to have opportunities of appointment to the higher grades through internal selection.Apart from its primary task of selection, the Centre will publicise Post Office career opportunities by visits to universities, etc., through the Youth Employment Service and otherwise. As recommended by the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries, special efforts are being made to recruit more staff with higher educational qualifications.

asked the Postmaster General what was the cost to public funds of producing and circulating, respectively, the advertising material, including the pamphlet "A lot of things change in 100 years", for the yellow pages in the Northern Ireland telephone directory.

The production cost of the 234,000 leaflets circulated was £3,804. Half were distributed with the directories at no additional expense; the remainder were delivered by post for a further £1,950.

asked the Postmaster General whether he will make a statement on the future of the bulk supply agreements.

As I have previously told the House, the Telephone Apparatus Agreement which expires on 31st March, 1968 is not to be renewed and in future telephone apparatus will be bought by competitive tender. To give some assurance of continuity to manufacturers I intend to include a proportion of three-year as well as one-year contracts. We also intend to buy complete telephones, instead of buying some of the main parts separately, although in the early years of the new arrangements this may not be wholly practicable. These arrangements are consistent with recommendations of the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation.The Government accept the principles laid down by the I.R.C. for exchange equipment, which are that procurement policy should:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what additional major improvements he plans during the next five years for the main road communica tions between Cardiff and Swansea, and also on the main coastal roads between Bridgend and Cardiff via Llantwit-Major and Barry.

Preparatory work on the Pyle bypass is proceeding and traffic between Swansea and East Cardiff will benefit from the Gabalfa interchange and Eastern Avenue schemes at Cardiff. Preparatory work on the new intermediate bypass between Cardiff and Bridgend will also be undertaken during this period. Improvements on the coastal road are primarily a matter for the Glamorgan County Council as highway authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to enable the necessary road links to be built within Cardiff to serve the business, industrial and housing areas at the same time as the intermediate by-pass which is now to be added to the trunk road preparations pool.

Road links in Cardiff are primarily a matter for the city council. I have, however, indicated to Cardiff that I am ready to include in the preparation list of principal roads the most urgent schemes with primary distributor status to enable traffic within the city to make the best use of the intermediate by-pass. I now await proposals from the city council.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average amount of central Government expenditure upon housing in Wales in 1967; and how this figure compares with that for England.

The average amount of expenditure on housing in Wales per head of population, included in the Civil Estimates for 1967–68, is £2 7s. 0d. The corresponding figure for England is £2 6s. 0d.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will cause an investigation to be made into the operations of the First Cathays Housing Society and the Second Cathays Housing Society on the Brymynach Housing Estate, Ystrad Mynach, Glamorgan; and if he will state the amount of Government money given by way of grants and loans to these societies.

This is primarily a matter for the Housing Corporation since the scheme was carried out under powers conferred on them by Part I of the Housing Act, 1964. No Government money has been given to the Society by way of grants but a loan of £31,316 which is repayable over 40 years, has been advanced by the Housing Corporation from funds made available to the Corporation under the provisions of Section 9 of the 1964 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take to implement the Arts Council Report on Young People's Theatre.

Implementation is a matter for the Arts Council. Many have already been put into effect. A Young People's Theatre Panel has been established, and emergency grants totalling £14,350 were made in 1966–67 to five professional children's theatre companies. In 1967–68 the Arts Council has allocated £90,000 for the support of young people's theatre.

asked the Secretary of State of Education and Science if he has yet received proposals from Brighton Corporation regarding future comprehensive schooling; and what is the basis of such proposals.

My right hon. Friend has received an interim plan, involving a middle school system with guided parental choice to upper schools, but as yet no long-term plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what qualifications and experience he has laid down for senior educational psychologists appointed by local education authorities.

None.It is for local education authorities to assess the qualifications and abilities of staff they appoint to educational psychologist posts. My right hon. Friend is now considering a report on the matter recently submitted to him by a Working Party under the chairmanship of Professor Summerfield.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what application for aid for the British teams competing in this year's international motor cycle trials in Italy in September he has received; and what reply he has sent.

No such application has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will reply to the letter of 11th January from the hon. Member for Ripon with regard to the transportation of primary school children to Galphay; why they are made to travel to Kirkby Malzeard which is further from their homes and to an overcrowded school; and if he is aware that the proposal of the parents which has been sent to him would save a considerable amount of money.

I have written to the hon. and gallant Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount per head of population paid in 1967 by the central Government towards the cost of university education in Wales and England, respectively.

Grants paid on the advice of the University Grants Committee and the Computer Board to university institutions in Wales and in England for the financial year 1966–67 represent £4 10s. 8d. per head and £3 15s. 4d. per head respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the need to reduce agricultural imports, he will advise local authorities to make additional land available for the provision of allotments.

Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to ensure that enough land is available for those who want allotments. My right hon. Friend will be willing to take up any particular case the hon. Member has in mind with the authority concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the reasons which prevent him from calculating the percentage increase in rates and earnings represented by the proposed increase of 4½sd. an hour for craftsmen in the water supply industry; and if he is now able to confirm that the settlement falls within the prices and incomes policy as recently restated.

The percentages are those I gave in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 5th March.

The information is as follows:The answer to the second part of the Question is that the Government have accepted that an increase is justified under incomes policy but the details of the settlement are still under discussion with the industry.—[Vol. 760, c.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that many native-born citizens of London and other cities and towns have by one means and another been obliged to leave their homes owing to pressure put upon them by immigrants; and whether he will take steps to prevent this in any legislation to prevent racial discrimination in housing matters.

My right hon. Friend has no information to lead him to believe that legislation of this kind is either necessary or desirable. It is unnecessary because the Rent Act 1965 already makes it an offence for anyone, whether native-born or immigrant, unlawfully to evict an occupier from his home or to harass him to make him leave. It is undesirable because it would introduce into the legislation discrimination where none exists at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions he has had with Commonwealth countries about the Kenyan Asians who are British citizens.

In the administration of the new Immigrants Act we are maintaining close touch with the Commonwealth Governments most immediately concerned with problems posed by U.K. citizens of Asian origin who are resident in Kenya.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider introducing legislation to require private employers, whether or not public subsidies, grants and assistance are being paid to them, to give adequate notice of impending redundancy following consultations with their employees, having regard to many cases where employees are made redundant without consultations with Government departments, trade unions or regional economic councils.

I do not think legislation on this matter would be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Labour what provision he has made, in calculating the level of payments under the Redundancy Payments Act during the financial year 1968–69, for redundancies in service industries in Scotland and in the distilling industry.

I saw no reason to make any special provision in the calculations on this account.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will specify each of the areas of contact his Department has with industry.

I meet representatives of employers, trade unions and nationalised industries at the quarterly meetings of my National Joint Advisory Council and, together with other Ministers, at the monthly meetings of the National Economic Development Council. I have frequent meetings also on other occasions to discuss particular issues. Officials of my Department at headquarters and in the regions have contact with industry in the work of industrial relations, industrial training, administration of the incomes policy, employment policy, the provision of employment services including services for the disabled, selective employment payments, redundancy payments and industrial safety, and health. Officers in the employment exchanges, the Inspectors of Factories and Wages Inspectors throughout the country are in constant day-to-day touch with industry. I also have contacts with representatives of industry in other countries through the International Labour Organisation and the labour attaché service.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the estimated increase in the salaries of directors of public companies during the past 12 months; and to what extent such increases have been proceeded with after notification to his Department.

As the salaries of company directors are generally settled on an individual basis, increases are not normally notifiable to my Department under the early warning system. The required information is not, therefore, available.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to be able to estimate the increase in rates and earnings arising from the current pay offer under negotiation at the Pressed Steel Fishers' car body factory at Oxford; and if such an increase is consistent with the Government's incomes policy.

After negotiations are further advanced; the second part of the Question does not arise at this stage.

asked the Minister of Labour, if he has now been notified by the employers what percentage increase in rates and earnings is implied by the recent pay claim of the Merseyside tug-men; and if he will publish the figures and indicate if they are consistent with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

I have been notified of a pay settlement for Liverpool tugmen effective from 1st March. This was not a straight percentage increase in rates, since payment for overtime continues to be based on the previous rates subject to special additions for Saturdays and Sundays. The increase in earnings is estimated to average 13½ per cent. The employers were informed that the Government noted the increases but did not propose to prevent payment.

asked the Minister of Labour on how many monthly occasions from October, 1951 to October, 1964 was the number registered as wholly unemployed, excluding school leavers, seasonally adjusted above 500,000; and what was the number of similar occasions in 1967 and 1968.

Seven and eleven months respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total increase in all forms of taxation per head of the population introduced since October, 1964, including the increases contained in the present Budget.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. MacArthur) on 25th March, 1968.—[Vol. 761, c. 227.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost in a full year to the building and construction industry in Scotland of the proposed increase in Selective Employment Tax.

Approximately £5 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if, in his exemption of hotels in rural parts of development areas from Selective Employment Tax, he will so define hotel as to include both cafes and boarding houses.

The concession will apply to hotels, inns, boarding houses and other similar establishments having not less than four bedrooms available for guests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in view of the decision to discontinue Selective Employment Tax in respect of the hotel industry in development areas, he will now take steps to extend the regional employment premium scheme to include the hotel industry.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what criterion he proposes to select the hotels in development areas eligible for Selective Employment Tax premium refund.

I am not yet able to enlarge on the information given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 20th March.—[Vol. 761, c. 456.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, following the telegram sent to him on 22nd March by the Merseyside Chamber of Commerce, he will defer the withdrawal of export rebates to 30th April because of the delay to shipments caused by the current dockers and transport strikes on Merseyside.

I have been asked to reply.No. This would require further legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify each of the areas of official contact he has with industry.

In general, the Treasury has few direct contacts with industry and works instead with the cooperation of other Departments. There are limited contacts on taxation, matters affecting financial institutions, computers, loans of staff, aspects of public purchasing policy and, currently, on dividend restraint. The Treasury provides a quarterly Bulletin on the economic situation for the National Joint Advisory Committee of the Minister of Labour. I personally meet leaders from both sides of industry at meetings of the National Economic Development Council and elsewhere.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue a White Paper giving plans for the growth of public expenditure and loans for the next quinquennium.

Lending from the National Loans Fund is not susceptible to accurate long-term forecasting, because of the difficulties of predicting with sufficient precision the revenue of the nationalised industries, the extent to which local authorities should have access to the Public Works Loans Board, and other factors. As regards public expenditure, I note the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in drafting his Finance Bill, he will provide for a vehicle excise duty rebate to assist those who use private cars out of necessity where there is no public transport.

No. I do not think that this would be a satisfactory basis for a duty rebate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the total incidence of increase in hydrocarbon oils duties and vehicle excise taxes introduced since October, 1964, on the Scottish economy.

£20 million and £14 million per year, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what allowance he has made, in arriving at his estimate of the yield from the latest increase in the duty on Scotch whisky, for a decline in home consumption.

Some 3½ per cent. on average over the next 12 months.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the cost of the survey of goods vehicles currently being undertaken; how many civil servants are engaged; how many questionnaires have been sent out; why they are marked confidential; on what information parts of the Transport Bill were based, in the absence of the information sought in this survey; and what relevance the survey will have to the pattern of transport services proposed in the Bill.

The cost to the end or February was approximately £42,000, including accommodation and other overhead costs. The number of civil servants engaged varies from time to time but at present there is the equivalent of 40 full-time persons.Up to the end of February about 64,000 forms had been dispatched. The forms are marked "confidential" because the information which operators render on the forms is treated as being given in confidence and is used for statistical purposes only.The Transport Bill is based on a wide range of information available to the Department. The main aim of the present survey is to bring up to date statistical data about road goods vehicles and the work which they are doing: the informtion will be of continuing value and most of it will be in relation to transport activities unlikely to be much affected by the provisions of the Bill.

asked the Minister of Transport why the Ministry of Transport Sample Survey of Goods Vehicles was sent to Albert Turner and Son Limited at the wrong address referring to a vehicle that they do not own; and if, in view of the inefficient way in which it has been conducted, she will cancel this survey.

We are sorry that this error has occurred in the course of issuing the large number of forms required for the road goods survey. The survey has been planned so that useful results will be obtained even though some forms go astray, and we do not intend to cancel it.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the result, in terms of forms returned to her Department fully completed, under the random checks being carried out through the Road Goods Transport Survey, 1967–68.

The number of forms returned fully completed up to 27th March was 36,006.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what aircraft currently operating out of London, Heathrow, Airport, are capable, when making a normal take-off with a 75 per cent. of capacity load, of keeping below a noise level of 90 perceived noise decibels.

None at takeoff and, as regards aircraft used on scheduled air services, none even at four statute miles from start of roll after power cutback.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the infringements of permitted takeoff noise levels at London, Heathrow, Airport during 1967 were due to operational safety factors.

This figure is not readily available. However, three-quarters of the infringements were in respect of take-offs on the runways where the monitoring points are closest and in conditions when it would be reasonable for the pilot to exercise his absolute discretion to override noise abatement requirements to provide a satisfactory safety margin.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the annual saving in lime subsidy payable on the basis that farmers in Scotland took up 600,000 tons of lime produced in Scotland, instead of 400,000 tons.

It is not possible to make an estimate in the absence of adequate information about the cost of producing such a substantial increase in Scottish lime output.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the subsidy on lime delivered into Scotland from England is 10s. 6d. per ton more than on lime which is produced in Scotland, having regard to the fact that Scottish lime producers are working at only two-thirds of their potential output.

The higher subsidy payable in respect of lime delivered into Scotland from England is related to the cost of transporting the material. Scotland is not self-sufficient in lime production: rather more than one-half of the requirements of Scottish farmers is met from Scottish production, and the balance is supplied from other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the scheme for provision of a jetty in the Isle of Vatersay; and if he will explain the delays over several years with this project.

Following discussion with my Department, Inverness County Council is now considering the extension and widening of the existing slipway at Vatersay instead of a new jetty; and last month submitted proposals for test bores which are now being examined by the Department.Progress on the improvement of landing facilities at Vatersay were delayed until last year mainly, I understand, because of the County Council's shortage of engineering staff; and since then by the need to consider its proposals in the light of the recommendations of the Highland Transport Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give a general direction that any oil-burning power stations for which he is responsible are to be used only for peak load operation, in order to reduce imports.

No. The arrangements under Section 6 of the Coal Industry Act, 1967 which are at present being operated by the Scottish Electricity Boards provide for the maximum substitution of coal for oil in the generation of electricity.

asked the Prime Minister what official requests he has received from the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand for a United Kingdom military contribution in Vietnam.

None.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the steps taken to evaluate the effect of nationalisation measures on domestic prices in advance of their presentation to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

All relevant considerations are taken into account when considering further schemes of public ownership.

asked the Prime Minister, if he will now make a further statement on Rhodesia.

asked the Prime Minister, if he will now seek to extend sanctions against Rhodesia under Article 41 of the United Nations Charter.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the speeches of my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary and myself in yesterday's debate.

asked the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress on prices and incomes and productivity legislation.

In addition to those meetings mentioned in the Answer I gave on 14th March to a Question by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, Lang-stone (Mr. Dan Lloyd), some of my colleagues and I had a meeting with the Economic Committee of the Trades Union Congress on 25th March. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and the Minister of Labour have also had discussions with both the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry about the new phase of prices and incomes policy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will answer the letters of the hon. Member for Saffron Walden about the liquidation of T. Grayton (Contractors) Limited.

The letters have been answered. I regret that for reasons explained in the answers more progress has not been possible in the matter raised by the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total quantity and value of imports of United States tobacco during each of the last five financial years.

The information is available on page 40 of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for March and December, 1963 and 1964, and on page31 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for those months in respect of the remaining periods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give his estimate of the amount spent by British tourists in Spain from 1966 to the latest convenient date.

United Kingdom residents whose principal destination was Spain are estimated to have spent £43 million abroad in 1966; the provisional figure for 1967 is about £40 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will request the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to take special precautions to prevent the Greek Military Government's having access to secret North Atlantic Treaty Organisation plans or weapons, in view of its misuse of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation plans and arms for the purpose of the rebellion last April and the danger of further abuses.

No. Greece is a signatory of the North Atlantic Treaty and, even if my hon. Friend's apprehensions were well-founded, it would not be possible to discriminate in the manner suggested between allies participating in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's integrated military activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will state the actual expenditure on the training of South Vietnamese troops at the British Jungle Warfare School, Johore, Malaysia from 1961 and the estimated expenditure for this purpose in 1968–69.

For the financial years 1961–62 to 1967–68 inclusive the total expenditure was about £173,000. The expenditure during 1968–69 is estimated at about £30,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proposals Her Majesty's Government has for further negotiations to establish an international commodity agreement for cocoa.

The question of further negotiations has been under discussion at the United Nations Trade and Development Conference and we hope this will lead to the early conclusion of a satisfactory international cocoa agreement.

asked the Minister of Health if the Government have now received the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on the pay of nurses and midwives in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Report is being published today. The Board were asked to examine pay structure, levels of remuneration and conditions of service. Nurses' and midwives' last pay increase took effect from 1st July, 1965 and the Board now recommend a general increase of 9 per cent., a further 5 per cent. for certain grades and a number of other improvements. These recommendations would be for implementation in stages, beginning with a 4 per cent. increase from 1st October, 1967, the final stage of the percentage increases not taking effect until 1st January, 1969. The settlement as a whole would last until 31st March, 1970. The Report also makes a number of important recommendations on training and management.The Report makes it clear that its recommendations are designed to develop a new salary structure as an incentive to improved performance and that the Board attach considerable importance to this in the interests of economic efficiency. The Government accept that a restructuring is necessary, and that the pay increases required are therefore consistent with incomes policy. Those recommendations on pay and conditions of service which fall within its province will now be the subject of negotiations in the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council. The Council will need to pay special attention to the proposed lead for geriatric nurses, which may pose practical difficulties.The other recommendations including those on training and management will need to be considered in consultation with all the interested parties and in the light of available resources of finance and manpower.

asked the Minister of Power what is the Government's policy on the combining of new overhead power lines, when this is technically possible, in order to prevent loss of countryside amenity resulting from the erection of duplicate lines.

The consent of my right hon. Friend has to be obtained to an overhead electric line, and both the electricity boards and he are bound by statute to have regard to the preservation of amenity. I would not expect the boards to propose duplicate lines if there were acceptable alternatives. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and sends me details I will look into it.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will give a general direction that North Sea gas is not to be used in power stations in the summer when de mand from other consumers is low.

No. Any application for my consent to use North Sea gas in a power station would be considered on its merits in the light of the considerations referred to in paragraphs 35 and 121 of the White Paper on Fuel Policy (Cmnd. 3438).

asked the Minister of Power whether he will make a statement about the number of gas leaks which have occurred during the conversion of Burtonon-Trent to North Sea gas supplies; and whether he will take steps to ensure that these occurrencies are not repeated as other towns are converted.

I am informed that as a result of a leakage survey in the Burton-on-Trent and Swadlincote districts since conversion to natural gas, the East Midlands Gas Board have repaired about 150 leaks in mains and services. In finding these leaks the board have used a recently developed detector of great sensitivity.Leaks attributable to natural gas are chiefly caused by the drying effect of the gas on certain joints in gas mains. All boards are taking steps to ensure that the risk of gas leakage is reduced to a minimum.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he proposes to publish the report of the Mann Committee.

The report of the first Mann Committee, which was largely concerned with contract arrangements, contained information made available to the Committee in confidence and so cannot be published. The work of the second Committee is still under study. As I told the hon. Member on 19th February, I intend to make a statement as soon as I can, and I will deal then with the question of publication.

asked the Minister of Technology how much of the £13 million spent annually by the Government on research and development in marine science and technology is spent in Scotland.

Government expenditure in Scotland on marine science and technology is estimated to be over £2 million in 1967–68, excluding expenditure by universities and subcontracts which may be placed by main contractors to organisations in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Technology in view of the purchase by Messrs. Whessoe Limited of the fabrication business of Asmore, Benson Pease Limited, which was assisted by a loan of £3½ million from the I.R.C., what steps he proposes to take to ensure that orders for pressure vessels and associated work, which are now being placed by the oil, chemical and gas industries with foreign firms, are diverted to British firms in the vessel pressure field.

I am satisfied that the purchase by Whessoe of the Stockton South Works of Ashmore, Benson, Pease & Co. will strengthen the com petitive position of this group. The Government maintain close contact with the industries concerned to ensure that the pressure vessel manufacturers are given every opportunity to obtain orders both at home and in overseas markets.

asked the Minister of Technology what representations have been made to him about the possibility of securing an order for a 240,000 ton tanker to be built by the Furness Shipbuilding Company; and what action he proposes to take.

I have been asked whether there is any company with whom negotiations could take place about the possibility of purchasing a vessel from this yard. Such inquiries are being taken into account in the economic appraisal now being made in consultation with the unions and others of whether any way can be found to put the yard on a long-term viable basis.