asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Libya for the supply of guided missiles, hovercraft, military vehicles and other defence equipment.

The House will have read with pleasure B.A.C.'s announcement that they have signed a multi-million pound contract with the Libyan Government for the supply of an air defence system.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further cuts in defence establishments in the South-East of England are planned to take place in the next two years.

The implications of the recent Defence White Paper for our establishments in the United Kingdom are still being worked out, and I cannot yet say which units or establishments will be affected. We shall, in accordance with our normal practice, consult with those Departments responsible for regional planning and inform the employees concerned and the hon. Members whose constituencies are affected at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy with regard to the role of bacteriological weapons in Great Britain's deterrent strategy.

We neither develop nor produce bacteriological weapons and no question of a role for them in our deterrent strategy arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in order to indicate the credibility of Great Britain's nuclear deterrent, he will now publish details of the nuclear weapon stock at the disposal of Her Majesty's Government.

No. It is not the practice to give details of this kind. In any case, British strategic nuclear weapons represent our contribution to the Collective Western Strategic nuclear deterrent, and it is the credibility of that deterrent with which we are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the United Kingdom-based Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force personnel, respectively, are stationed or based on Scottish territory.

The figures requested expressed as percentages of the total numbers in each Service stationed in the United Kingdom, are approximately:

			Per cent.
Royal Navy	…	…	14½
Army	…	…	4
Royal Air Force	…	…	4

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the figures of recruitment in Scotland for the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, respectively, as percentages of total recruitment for each Service for each of the past five years.

Following are the figures:

Per cent.
	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967
Royal Navy and Royal Marines	10·3	9·7	10·4	9·8	8·1
Army	11·5	10·9	10·5	11·5	11·1
Royal Air Force	11·3	13·7	12·0	11·9	11·0

The percentages given are for male recruits since detailed figures for women are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the request by the Italian Navy for the purchase of 20 Hawker Siddeley Harriers.

I am not aware of any such request. Nor is the manufacturer. We know, of course, of the Italian Navy's interest in this unique aircraft. It performed the first landing and take off by any fixed wing aircraft on a small helicopter platform on a ship when it visited the Italian cruiser "Andrea Doria" at La Spezia in October, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of Her Majesty's ships, and of what type, have been engaged on the Beira patrol during the last two years.

In the two years from March, 1966, when the patrol began, 46 different warships have been employed on the patrol. These have included aircraft carriers (which took part in the early stages of the patrol), destroyers and frigates, and coastal minesweepers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost to date of the Beira patrol by the Royal Navy and the Royal Aid Force.

To date the additional cost to public funds of the Beira patrol by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force has been about £1 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of Her Majesty's ships, apart from H.M.S. "Protector", and from what stations, have visited the Falkland Islands during each of the last three years; and what plans he has for such visits during the coming year.

No visits were paid in 1965. Two frigates from the former South Atlantic and South American Station visited Port Stanley in 1966. One frigate of the Western Fleet visited the Islands in 1967.As regards the second part of the Question, it is not the custom to disclose future dispositions of the Fleet.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what orders have been placed for Phantom spares; and what orders remain to be placed.

Orders worth about £71 million so far. I expect we will order about another £14 million worth to complete the first outfit of spares.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will send to members of the corps a message of appreciation of the services, past and future, of the Royal Observer Corps in the defence of the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend appreciates the valuable work which R.O.C. members perform for the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation. But, although the Corps is being reduced in strength, it will continue in being and a special message does not therefore seem called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give further details of the recently published figure of 100,000 redundancies in the Armed Forces arising from the accelerated defence rundown.

No such figure has been publicised by us and redundancies of that order are not expected. The numbers declared redundant in 1967–68 were under 2,000 and are expected to amount to about 3,000 in 1968–69. Nearly all have been volunteers. The greater part of the rundown over the next five years will be achieved by normal wastage which amounts to over 40,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest number of flying hours per month of aircraft carrying nuclear weapons which overfly the United Kingdom.

It would not be right for me to give operational information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to complete his review of the future of naval dockyards; and what arrangements he has made for consultations with other relevant departments.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 20th March.—[Vol. 761, c. 91.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to close down H.M.S. "Mauritius" on completion of the East of Suez withdrawal in 1971.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs said on 19th March, 1968, the Defence Agreement with Mauritius signed on 12th March, 1968 provides for the U.K. to use facilities in Mauritius for a period of six years after which time the agreement may be terminated by one year's notice by either Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will give details of expenditure on the Royal Naval Wireless Station, H.M.S. "Mauritius", incurred over the past five years.

The expenditure incurred over the past five years on the Royal Naval Wireless Station, H.M.S. "Mauritius", including all its supporting services such as medical and educational facilities, is about £3,830,000. This figure is broken down on a financial yearly basis as follows:

1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
£	£	£	£	£
690,000	708,000	783,000	783,000	866,000

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if the automatic six-inch gun turrets removed from H.M. ships "Tiger" and "Blake" during the course of their conversions to carry helicopters will be retained as reserves for ships of the Tiger class.

Suitable components will be retained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, to what extent the £2½ million estimated cost of the conversion of H.M.S. "Blake" to carry helicopters has been maintained; and whether he will give the revised figure.

The latest assessment of the cost of refitting and converting H.M.S. "Blake" to carry helicopters is about £5¾ million compared with the original estimate of £5 million quoted on 29th November 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to transfer H.M. Submarine "Onyx" or another unit of the "Oberon" class to Argentina in order to facilitate the construction in Argentina of ships of this class under licence, or the placing of orders for such submarines in British shipyards.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what rôle is planned for the Fleet Air Arm Phantom aircraft upon their transfer to the Royal Air Force in 1972 after the phase-out of the Royal Navy's fixed-wing carriers in view of the lack of a requirement in the Royal Air Force for all-weather interceptors in addition to the Lightning III aircraft.

Phantom FK4 aircraft will enter service with the R.A.F. in 1969 and the last of these naval aircraft will be transferred in 1972. These aircraft will continue to be used in the air defence rôle, including the air defence of the Fleet.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his policy to fit the Fleet Air Arm Phantom aircraft with the necessary equipment for the close ground-support rôle after their transfer to the Royal Air Force in 1972; what is the estimated cost for rebuilding the aircraft accordingly; and what plans he has to provide a second air station for these additional Phantoms in view of the inability of Royal Air Force Station Coningsby to handle both Royal Air Force and former Naval Phantoms.

No. Phantom F4K aircraft will continue to be used in the air defence rôle in the Royal Air Force and will continue to contribute to the protection of the Fleet. Plans for their deployment are still being worked out.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to provide additional Royal Air Force aircrews for former Naval aircraft upon their transfer from the Fleet Air Arm in 1972.

No particular difficulties are foreseen in the long term in providing Royal Air Force aircrews to fly the Phantoms and Buccaneers to be transferred from the Royal Navy. During the transitional period, however, it will be helpful for the Royal Air Force to draw upon Naval personnel with experience of these aircraft. We hope, therefore, that a number of Naval pilots, engineer officers, aircraft controllers and ratings in certain specialised trades will serve with the Royal Air Force on loan, and there will be openings for some to transfer permanently, if they wish, to the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Fleet Air Arm officers have sought to transfer to the Royal Air Force during the past two years; and how many have indicated their willingness to seek transfers.

Four Fleet Air Arm officers have indicated their willingness and have sought transfer to the Royal Air Force during the past two years. Of these four officers two have been eligible for transfer.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what inducements are being offered to Fleet Air Arm personnel to transfer to the Royal Air Force; and whether an officer, upon being accepted for transfer, retains the same seniority in his rank that he held in the Royal Navy.

There are several schemes under which Fleet Air Arm personnel of certain ranks, seniorities and specialisations may transfer to the Royal Air Force. There are no special inducements; the attraction is the opportunity to continue a career connected with flying in the Armed Forces of the Crown. The seniority of officers accepted for transfer is adjusted, if necessary, to bring them into line with R.A.F. officers of comparable age or length of service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the estimated maintenance costs of retaining existing Sea Vixen aircraft in service until 1972 for use in H.M.S. "Eagle"; if he is satisfied that their retention until that time will in no way jeopardise the lives of aircrew in view of the length of operational service already performed by these aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Sea Vixen aircraft are currently planned to remain in service for some years after 1972 for training purposes. The maintenance costs of operating extra Sea Vixens until 1972 in H.M.S. "Eagle" are estimated at about £1 million per annum from 1969 to 1972; but these costs will be more than offset by the savings which will result from not embarking Phantoms in "Eagle".I am satisfied that no special flight safety risks are involved in operating Sea Vixens in "Eagle" until 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is still planned to convert H.M. Ships "Devonshire" and "Hampshire" to carry the Seaslug II missile during their extended refits in accordance with his policy announced in the 1967 Statement on Defence Estimates.

In view of the progress with our plans for the new Sea Dart destroyers, we have now decided not to convert H.M. ships "Devonshire" and "Hampshire" to carry Sea Slug II. Plans for the conversion of H.M. ships "Kent" and "London" are being considered in the light of the Prime Minister's statement on economic policy in January.—[Vol. 756, c. 1583.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define functionalising control of defence finance and functional permanent under-secretaries.

I assume that the hon. Member wishes me to elaborate on paragraphs 29–32 of Command 3540, which described the basic concept.Functionalising control of defence finance means, in this context, changing the present system whereby each single Service Department and the Central Defence Organisation control all expenditure within their respective departmental votes. Under the new system financial control will be exercised according to particular categories of expenditure each of which will cover the whole defence requirement for expenditure within that category.The functional Second Permanent Under-Secretaries of State, under the Permanent Under-Secretary of State, have replaced the three single-Service Second Permanent Under-Secretaries of State. They are responsible respectively to the Minister of Defence for Administration and to the Minister of Defence for Equipment for all the duties in the fields covered by the Ministers' terms of reference which are normally undertaken by a Permanent Under-Secretary.The functional Permanent Second Under-Secretaries are members of the three Service Boards and will attend their meetings.The changes made on 1st April are interim and it is intended to introduce revised Defence votes on a new unified Defence vote structure by 1st April, 1970, subject to the agreement of the Treasury, the Comptroller and Auditor-General, and Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the outcome of the discussions with the German Government regarding ways and means of meeting the stationing costs of the British Army of the Rhine after the expiry of the Anglo-German off-set agreement on 31st March, 1968.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on 1st April, 1968.—[Vol. 762, c. 32–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what weapons are being developed for ships which will enable them to counter the growing missile threat from enemy ships and submarines.

All ships of frigate size and above will carry helicopters armed with air-to-surface missiles for short range strike against Komar-type patrol boats. The helicopters will operate under the cover of the Fleet's surface-to-air missiles which will deal with enemy fighters out to the necessary distance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement summarising the future programme of construction of Fleet submarines.

I have nothing to add to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 16th January.—[Vol. 756, c. 1583.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for decreasing the vulnerability to enemy action of helicopters carrying AS12's.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bolton, East (Mr. Robert Howarth) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many new dwellings have been built for Royal Navy families; where these are situated; and what is the total number available.

There is a large and continuing naval married quarter building programme. Since April, 1963, we have built the following married quarters:

Portsmouth	2,040
Plymouth	600
Scotland	650
Naval Air Command (at air stations in various parts of the United Kingdom)	900
	4,190

The total amount of accommodation (married quarters and hirings) at present in the United Kingdom for naval families is approximately 13,200.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the fact that in future fewer Royal Navy families will be able to obtain overseas postings, what will be the conditions for occupation of service tenancies in the United Kingdom.

With our new married quarter building programme we do not expect that the naval married quarters position will become more difficult. Any future changes in the rules for eligibility are therefore likely to be relaxations rather than restrictions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the rôle of Great Britain's amphibious forces after the completion of the withdrawal from East of Suez.

We are examining the rôle of our amphibious forces in the N.A.T.O. setting as part of our current

$M.
	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
Expenditure on U.S. Defence Equipment	58	74	83	148	185*

Against this, U.K. receipts from sales of equipment to the United States during the period are estimated as follows:—

$M.
1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
—†	5	4	24	49*
* Estimate.
† Not available.

It is not the practice to give forecasts of such expenditure beyond the Estimates year. There were no cancellation costs during the four years 1964–65–1967–68. For 1968–69, the position on F.111 cancellation charges remains as in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's reply to the hon. Member for Cardigan (Mr. Elystan Morgan) on 18th January. The expenditure figure quoted above includes no provision for these charges.—[Vol. 756. c. 666.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on burial arrangements for the late Flying Officer M. J. Dunne, 364 Chepstow Road, Newport, who was killed in the Mediterranean area on 11th March, 1968 when flying a Royal Air Force Canberra aircraft.

On the morning of 11th March, a Royal Air Force Canberra aircraft in which Flying Officer Dunne, and two other officers were flying, crashed into a mountain-side in Calabria in Southern Italy. The aircraft was on

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the annual expenditure in dollars on United States defence equipment and cancellation costs for each of the last four years; and what is the estimated expenditure for 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71.

The following is the information:a low level training sortie from Akrotiri in Cyprus. A Royal Air Force Board of Inquiry was immediately set up and visited the scene of the accident.The aircraft virtually disintegrated on impact and the burnt wreckage was scattered over a wide area. This made identification of the remains of the three members of the crew extremely difficult. Italian legal requirements meant that a full investigation by an official Italian pathologist should be carried out before the remains could be taken out of the country. Our Embassy in Rome was informed that this investigation might take a considerable time to complete. Representations were immediately made and have continued to be made through our Embassy in Rome and the Foreign Office in order to try to speed up these investigations, and we believe that they are now approaching their final phase.The delay in completing the funeral arrangements is obviously deeply distressing to the relatives, but we are in constant touch through our Consul with the Professor who is in charge of these very difficult investigations. There will be no delay in carrying out the reverent disposal of the remains, in accordance with the wishes of the next-of-kin, as soon as the investigations of the Italian Authorities are complete and we are allowed to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has approved a requirement for an airborne early warning system.

Such a requirement is under consideration. Meanwhile preliminary work on the radar elements of a system has started in industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for developing a replacement for the Victor Tanker aircraft.

None, but we are considering the possibility of converting the later Victor Mark 2 aircraft to this rô

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for developing a replacement for the C130 and Argosy transport aircraft.

None at present.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his estimate of the loss of earnings which the proposed restriction on drivers' hours in the Transport Bill will cause to long-distance drivers from Norfolk who will no longer be able to complete a round trip to the London area or elsewhere with a return load in one day.

The recent Report by the National Board for Prices and Incomes on the road haulage industry showed that there is considerable scope for increasing productivity in the industry. This should enable costs to be kept down and drivers earnings to be maintained. As announced last week, we intend to introduce the new statutory limits on drivers hours in two stages to help firms adjust their working practices to the new rules.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has to introduce further legislation to deal with the nuisance of overnight parking of lorries in residential areas.

Clause 141(1)(c) of the Transport Bill proposes to give local authorities wider powers to regulate traffic in the interests of amenity. In addition, Clause 65 as amended in Committee will enable licensing authorities to revoke, suspend or curtail operators' licences for frequent convictions for parking illegally.These new provisions, together with their existing powers of traffic regulation, should be sufficient to enable local authorities to deal with any such problem.

asked the Minister of Transport whether fireclay, fireclay goods or firebrick are included within the categories of goods which the Government propose to prescribe a bulk commodities subject to quantity licensing.

The provisional list of bulk goods, which was published on 3rd April, was expressed in terms of general headings. Whether or not particular goods will be included in the Regulations which my right hon. Friend will be laying before Parliament will depend on the outcome of consultations with the interests concerned.

asked the Minister of Transport how many vehicle excise licence application forms were issued during 1966 but are non-applicable for current licences; and what is the approximate cost of these forms which are to be destroyed.

Some 21 million of these forms were issued during 1966. None remained in central stock, but I regret it is not possible to ascertain how many had to be destroyed locally by the 17,000 post offices and 183 tax offices holding them when they were instructed in September, 1967 to replace any remaining local stocks with the current versions.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list in table form the total number of road casualties in Great Britain in each year since 1961 to the latest available year, showing the number of accidents, the number and dif-

	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967
Number of injury accidents	270,295	264,032	271,531	292,245	299,229	291,733	276,942
Number of casualties—total	349,767	341,696	356,179	385,499	397,937	392,457	369,978
Fatal	6,908	6,709	6,922	7,952	7,952	7,985	7,319
Serious	84,936	83,915	87,776	95,460	97,865	99,838	93,757
Slight	257,923	251,072	261,481	282,219	292,120	284,634	268,902
Number of vehicles involved—
total	430,933	421,578	436,967	472,070	484,592	468,211	441,110
Pedal cycles	49,863	45,153	41,679	41,133	37,864	32,480	29,834
Mopeds	6,808	6,169	6,421	8,005	7,312	6,230	5,534
Motor scooters	28,764	28,253	26,893	28,940	27,809	25,093	22,040
Motor cycles	63,048	55,150	51,668	56,674	51,177	43,886	37,535
Cars and taxis	181,273	185,060	203,867	229,163	251,799	257,985	249,375
Public service vehicles	24,235	24,086	23,969	23,975	23,338	21,644	21,119
Goods vehicles—
under 1½ tons	41,486	43,907	45,131	46,171	46,822	43,363	39,538
1½—3 tons	13,324	11,256	12,178	11,187	8,999	8,904	7,927
over 3 tons	16,396	16,792	19,004	19,961	22,627	22,376	22,413
Other vehicles	5,736	5,752	6,157	6,861	6,845	6,250	5,795
Number of fatal and serious casualties in hours of darkness*	34,058	34,129	36,399	41,528	42,844	44,952	40,219
* Numbers of accidents in hours of darkness are not readily available; these figures are for numbers of casualties.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet able to make a reply to the representations he has received about further experiments with postal bus services.

In addition to the three experimental mailbus services already in operation, my right hon. Friend the Postmaster General hopes to inaugurate a service between Innerwick, Spott and Dunbar in East Lothian early in June and the arrangements are now being finalised. This route was one of two suggested by the county council. Possible sites for the remaining two experiments are still being investigated.

asked the Minister of Transport what recommendations of the Regional Transport Users' Consultative Committee have been for-

Following is the information:warded to him by the Central Transport Consultative Committee concerning the reduction of the direct rail link between Shrewsbury and London; and if he will make a statement.

None. I understand that no recommendations have, in fact, been made by the Area Transport Users' Consultative Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements he is making to provide a more permanent road/rail crossing at Bechingham, Bassetlaw, in view of the recent traffic accident there and the dangerous condition of traffic congestion.

The accident which took place at Bechingham on 16th April was the subject of an inquiry by an Inspecting Officer of Railways on 25th April. The Inspecting Officer's report will be forwarded to Mr. E. Brian Gibbens, Q.C., Chairman of the formal investigation into the Hixon accident and into the general safety of automatic half-barrier crossings. I cannot make any statement about the future of these crossings in advance of Mr. Gibben's report.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will issue a general direction to British Railways to install closed-circuit television linking all automatic half-barrier level crossings with the neatest signal box;(2) if he will take steps to ensure that automatic half-barrier level crossings will not be installed in the future on A class roads;(3) if he will take steps to ensure that, in future, automatic half-barrier level crossings will not be installed in built-up areas;(4) if he will take steps to ensure that, in future, automatic half-barrier level crossings will not be installed on railway lines where trains travel at more than 40 miles per hour;(5) if he will institute a nation-wide campaign to instruct all road users as to the operation of existing automatic half-harrier level crossings;(6) if he will ensure that road signs at the approaches to automatic half-barrier level crossings are standardised nationally and readily visible.

The Court of Inquiry into the Hixon level crossing accident and into the general safety of automatic half-barrier protection resumed its public hearings on 29th April. The court has before it a Ministry paper on long-term policy for level crossings, dealing with all aspects of automatic operation, including forms of protection, road signs, selection of sites, and publicity. I cannot anticipate the findings of the court.

asked the Minister of Transport on how many miles of motorway work is under way; and how this compares with the same time in 1966.

118·25 miles in 1966 (at 31st March) and 97·64 miles now. It is expected that contracts for a further 37·28 miles will be let during the next two months.

asked the Minister of Transport what adjustments in starting dates have been made in the national road programme affecting the Northern Region.

We have made none yet, so far as major schemes are concerned.In the case of smaller works in the Northern Division costing under £¼ million each, a reduction of just over £½ million has been made to the total value of trunk road schemes to be authorised and of principal road schemes to be approved for grant during 1968–69. Revised programmes have been drawn up for 1968–69 and 1969–70 and notified to the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for the introduction of regulations under the Farm and Garden Chemicals Act, 1967.

Departments are preparing proposals to require that the name of the active ingredients of farm and garden chemicals should appear on the labels of such products. I will write to my hon. Friend when my right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland have considered these proposals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will refer the increased prices in foodstuffs sold in Littlewoods' cafeteria, Glasgow, to the National Board for Prices and Incomes; and if he will make a statement.

I am looking into these increases, of which my hon. Friend has now sent me details, and I will write to him when my inquiries are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the quantity of windblown timber in Dumfries and Galloway which has not yet been harvested.

An estimate is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance is available to help meet transport costs when a death takes place in a distant general hospital and the relatives wish to hold the funeral in the deceased's home district.

Where a patient dies in a hospital distant from his home, the hospital board may meet the cost of transporting the patient's body back to his home if the relatives are unable to meet the cost themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for improving the standards of education and the emoluments of teachers in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The General Teaching Council has considered the qualifications for entry to teacher training but has not recommended that they should be altered. Courses of initial training at the colleges of education are kept under review by the college boards of studies; and I established last year a National Committee to keep under review the general arrangements for in-service training and to secure appropriate co-ordination between education authorities, Colleges of Education and other agencies.New salaries for Scottish teachers came into effect as recently as 1st April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify the nature and number of representations he has received from Scottish hotel keepers against the recent Budget proposals; and what action he plans to take to assist the tourist industry in Scotland.

I have received five representations from hotel and tourist associations about the exclusion of certain areas from Schedule 17 of the Finance Bill.As regards the Government's plans to assist the tourist industry in Scotland I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Boston) on 9th February, and the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) on 20th March.—[Vol. 758, c.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether the 7s. 6d. a week limit to increases in local authority rents will also apply to the rents of houses in new towns in Scotland belonging to the Secretary of State.

I have been asked to reply.No houses in new towns belong to the Secretary of State. The limit will apply to houses which belong to the development corporations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions either the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board or any members of it have held proceedings in Scotland.

All Scottish cases are heard in Scotland. From its inception in August, 1964, to 31st March, 1968, the Board sat in Scotland on 31 days.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what action he intends to take to permit the deferment of capital repayment to the loans pool and/or the capitalisation of interest payments in respect of land awaiting development and buildings in course of construction in the case of local authorities in Scotland with large current building programmes which are required to limit increases in the rents of council houses;(2) what steps he intends to take to require local authorities in Scotland to adopt a uniform scheme of rent rebates;(3) what steps he intends to take to ensure that local authorities in Scotland which are required to limit proposed increases in the rents of council houses do not suffer consequentially from loss of Exchequer contributions.

These matters will be discussed with the Scottish local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to ensure that percentage increases in rents in Scotland do not exceed the limit on percentage increases in council house rents recommended in Command Paper No. 3604.

As was announced in the White Paper on Productivity, Prices and Incomes Policy in 1968 and 1969, the legislation which the Government intend to introduce will empower me to make Regulations for phasing over a period not exceeding three years increases above a stipulated minimum amount in rents determined under the Rent Act, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to permit local authorities in Scotland whose rate fund contribution to the cost of housing exceeds the average figure of 35 per cent. to exceed the level of increases in average council house rents recommended in Command Paper 3604.

I will not normally accept increases in average standard rents exceeding 7s. 6d. a week in any one year, but before I give directions to any local authority proposing increases I will take all relevant factors into account, including the amount of the rate fund contribution to the costs of housing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the normal registration office hours, and whether he will take steps to ensure that they allow for registration of births and deaths to be made without the informant having to take time off during usual working hours.

There are no standard registration office hours applicable throughout Scotland. It is for the local registration authorities with the approval of the Registrar General to fix the hours of business for registrars, and the hours vary from one district to another according to circumstances, including public demand. In sparsely populated districts there may be no set hours, the part-time registrar being expected, so far as possible, to meet the convenience of informants. When a birth or death has to be registered there are several persons qualified to act as informants and normally there should be no need in any district for the breadwinner in a household to take time off work in order to attend at the registration office.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children of school age suffer from dyslexia; and what special facilities are provided for their education.

The precise number of children affected by this condition, about which there is some controversy, is not known, because they are not separately distinguished for statutory purposes. Children with reading difficulties can be helped in a number of ways within the special school and ordinary school systems and by the child guidance service provided by education authorities. Units that specialise in the treatment of reading difficulties are provided in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made on the construction of the Alexandria bypass on the A82 trunk road.

I have just placed a contract for £2,400,000 for the construction of stage 1 of the bypass from Barloan roundabout in Dumbarton to Howgate Lodge. This includes a new major bridge across the River Leven.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for Scotland the total estimated road construction commitments outstanding on 31st March last, and the total estimated new commitments in 1968–69 in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for principal roads and loans to highway authorities, respectively.

Commitments for new road construction and improvements outstanding at 31st March, 1968, were:

	£ million
Trunk roads (including motorways)	30·8
Principal roads (grants)	23·7
Loans	Negligible
	54·5

Provisional totals for new commitments in 1968–69 are:

	£ million
Trunk roads (including motorways)	32·5
Principal roads (grants)	9·4
Loans	Nil
	41·9

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has made as a result of his recent conference with the Scottish Trawlers Federation for a solution and settlement of the problems of the fishing industry.

I cannot anticipate the announcement to which I referred in the answer to my hon. and learned Friend's Question of 5th April.—[Vol. 762, c. 157–8.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, in view of recent developments in the perfection of copying machines, many firms and other organisations now photostat extracts from books, memoranda and documents and make them available to their staff or members without reimbursement to the persons possessing the copyright of the original document; and whether, by introducing an amendment to the Copyright Act or other means, he proposes to take action in this matter.

I am aware of the problem; but it is not easy to find a satisfactory solution for it. There has been much international discussion of this subject and there is to be a meeting this summer at which this country will be represented. Meanwhile, the Society of Authors and the Publishers Association have issued as a guide a pamphlet entitled "Photocopying and the Law".

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department is taking to provide alternative industry in Penicuik, Midlothian, as a consequence of the voluntary liquidation of James Brown and Company.

I regret that James Brown and Company have found it necessary to take this step. My Department will bring Penicuik to the attention of suitable industrial firms seeking development area locations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to exempt from the projected increase of 50 per cent. in Selective Employment Tax the processors of secondary copper, nickel and other nonferrous metals, in view of their importance to the national economy.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he has approved the purchase by British Overseas Airways Corporation of a new aircraft following the loss of the Boeing 707 in the accident at Heathrow on 8th April.

Yes. Following the unfortunate loss of a Boeing 707–436 in the accident at Heathrow on 8th April, B.O.A.C. found themselves faced with an immediate and serious shortage of capacity which would continue to be felt for a substantial period. Since it was not possible to overcome the problem by accelerating delivery of any aircraft already on order, B.O.A.C. decided, with the approval of my right hon. Friend, to take advantage of an immediate opportunity of buying a Boeing 707–320C in course of construction from Saturn Airways which can be delivered in June. The dollar expenditure involved will be financed by B.O.A.C. through overseas borrowings.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the final cost of each Phantom aircraft on order for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

The final costs will not be known until all the aircraft have been delivered and contract negotiations have been completed. The present estimated production costs are about £1·4 million and £1·5 million for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force versions respectively.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the unit cost of the Harrier aircraft at present on order for the Royal Air Force; and what reduction in the cost would result from a doubling of orders for the aircraft.

Negotiations with the contractors are still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he anticipates will be the future rôle of the Royal Observer Corps in the active defence of the United Kingdom.

The future rôle of the Royal Observer Corps, which is part of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation, will be, as at present, to report nuclear bursts and radioactive fallout.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to what use the Royal Observer Corps posts to be taken out of service are to be converted; and at what cost.

The posts which are to be closed will be disposed of under the normal arrangements for surplus government property. It is not possible to give a general estimate of cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mounted police are now available in the Metropolitan area for use excepting those used for ceremonial purposes; and to what extent and for what purposes other than ceremonies he proposes to maintain this establishment of mounted police.

The Mounted Branch of the Metropolitan Police consists of 210 officers with 201 horses. None is exclusively employed on ceremonial duties. No change in the establishment of the Branch is contemplated. It will continue to be engaged mainly on regular patrol work and occasionally on crowd control duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what authority he has given to the Metropolitan Police to acquire prototype and specimen water cannon of the type used in West German cities for quelling civil disorder and disturbance; and whether he will make a statement.

No such authority has been sought or given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the increase in the number of licensed clubs in Wales and Monmouthshire since the introduction of the Licensing Act 1961.

The relevant provisions of the Licensing Act, 1961, came into force on 1st March, 1962. The figures are, as at 30th June in each year:

1962	1967	Increase
85	154	69

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the names of the 80 organisations whom he consulted about the Race Relations Bill before its publication.

The list is as follows:

• Association of British Chambers of Commerce.
• Association of County Councils in Scotland.
• Association of Education Committees.
• Association of Insurance Brokers.
• Association of Municipal Corporations.
• Association of Scottish Life Offices.
• Association of Land and Property Owners.
• Atomic Energy Authority.
• Bank of England.
• Board of Deputies of British Jews.
• British Airports Authority.
• British Bankers Association.
• British European Airways.
• British Insurance Association.
• British Overseas Airways Corporation.
• British Rail.
• British Steel Corporation.
• British Transport Docks Board.
• British Waterways Board.
• Campaign Against Racial Discrimination.
• Central Committee of Sikhs in Great Britain.
• Chamber of Shipping.
• Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.
• Civil Service National Whitley Council (Staff Side).
• Confederation of British Industry.
• Convention of Royal Burghs.
• Co-operative Union.
• Corporation of Insurance Brokers.
• County Councils Association.
• Electricity Council.
• Employment Agents Federation.
• Entertainment Agents Association Limited.
• Equal Rights Group.
• Estate Agents Council.
• Finance Houses Association.
• Forum on Pakistan Affairs in Great Britain.
• Gas Council.
• Greater London Council.
• Hire Purchase Trade Association.
• House Corporation.
• Indian Workers Association in Great Britain (Birmingham Branch).
• Indian Workers Association (Southall).
• Industrial Insurance Commissioner.
• Industrial Life Offices Association.
• Joint Co-ordinating Committee for Government Industrial Establishments.
• Joint Council for Immigrant Welfare.
• Life Offices Association.
• Lloyds
• London Boroughs Association.
• London Clearing and Scottish Banks, etc.
• London Transport Board.
• Mail Order Trades Association
• Management Consultants Association Limited.
• Multiple Shops Federation.
• National Association of Retail Furnishers.
• National Caterers Federation.
• National Chambers of Trade.
• National Check Traders Association.
• National Coal Board.

		1962		1967
Type of licence		England and Wales	Wales and Monmouthshire	England and Wales	Wales and Monmouthshire
Restaurant	…	1,318	97	4,599	274
Combined restaurant and residential	…	942	99	1,769	208

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the increase in the number of off-licences in Wales and Monmouthshire since the introduction of the Licensing Act, 1961.

The relevant provision of the Licensing Act, 1961 came into force on 1st November, 1961. The figures, as at 30th June in each year, are:

			Increase over
1961	1962	1967	1961
782	873	1,068	286

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences have been granted to restaurants and grocery shops as a result of the Licensing Act, 1961.

No separate figures are available for restaurants licensed before 1st November, 1961, when the provisions of the Licensing Act, 1961 introducing the new restaurant (and combined residential and restaurant) licences came into force. Figures for such licences granted in England and Wales and in Wales and Monmouthshire are, as at 30th June in each year:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what ways and to what extent Her Majesty's Government intends to meet the obligations of membership of the Central Treaty Organisation and the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation after the withdrawal of British forces from the Middle East and South-East Asia in 1971.

We shall continue our membership of both organisations. Any forces which it was decided to make available would come from the United Kingdom, the European area and the Mediterranean. We shall also continue to play our full part in the activities of these two Treaty Organisations in fields other than defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further discussions have been held with the Governments of the Persian Gulf States about Great Britain's military withdrawal; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add yet to my reply to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 26th February.—[Vol. 759, c. 229.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken since devaluation to reduce the foreign exchange costs of Her Majesty's missions overseas, with particular reference to cuts in the personnel establishment; and what total annual savings he estimates would result from a cut of 10 per cent. in such establishment.

There is no scope for a cut of 10 per cent. in the establishment without reducing the functions of our posts abroad. The very thorough system of regular inspection ensures that their size is kept under constant scrutiny now as before devaluation.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he has considered the comments of the Chief Justice of the Seychelles regretting the failure of the authorities to enforce the marine laws on the Seychelles; what action is being taken to ensure that local schooners cease to proceed to the other islands without qualified masters aboard; and what costs fell upon the British funds arising from the search for the "Voltigere".

The comments of the Chief Justice were made at the hearing of charges against the persons in control of the schooner "Voltigere" which undertook an unauthorised voyage on 8th July in direct and deliberate contravention of the law. The Governor of Seychelles has informed me that a misunderstanding occurred during the hearing which led the court to think that the local Unseaworthy Vessels (Prevention) Regulations had at no time been invoked and enforced, when, in fact, they had been.The law is generally observed but the temptation to flout it is compelling particularly during the restricted but profitable season for sea birds' eggs. Prevention of clandestine voyages and the collection of evidence after the event is extremely difficult but it is hoped that proposed amendments to the law providing stiffer penalties and simpler procedures will lead to greater observation of the regulations and less need to attempt to enforce them.Maintenance, repatriation and search costs are to be recovered.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions have been held with the Government of Singapore about Great Britain's military withdrawal; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Winchester (Rear-Admiral Morgan Giles) yesterday.—[Vol. 763, c. 167.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish a list of the proposals for new schools and new extensions to schools made to him by the West Suffolk Education Authority in respect of its school-building programme for the years 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71, respectively, indicating the locations of the proposed new buildings involved in each:(2) if he will list those school building projects recommended by the West Suffolk Education Authority to be started in the years 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71 which he has not approved, or has called

WEST SUFFOLK—PROPOSALS SUBMITTED FOR MAJOR BUILDING PROGRAMMES, 1968–69 AND 1969–70
Place 1968–69	Proposal	Remarks
(a) Primary Schools
Beyton	New area school for 120 children to replace Beyton County Primary School and Drinkstone Voluntary Controlled Primary Schools.	Not included in a programme.
Clare	New five-class school for 160 children as replacement for the existing County Primary school.	Not included in a programme.
Elmswell	New school for 240 juniors and infants to replace present County Primary School.	Not included in a programme.
Great Waldingfield	New school for 120 junior and infant pupils to replace existing Voluntary Controlled School.	Included in 1969–70 programme—4 class school for 120 pupils. See Note 3.
Ixworth	New school for about 185 children to replace the existing Controlled Church of England School.	Added to 1967–68 programme—5 class school for 160 pupils.
Kedington	New school for 280 pupils to replace the existing Voluntary Controlled School.	Included in 1968–69 programme—5 class school: 200 places. See Note 2.
Long Melford	New school for 280 pupils to replace the existing Voluntary Controlled School.	Not included in a programme.
Mildenhall (Aided)	Remodelling and extension	Not included in a programme.
Newmarket All Saints Junior and Infants (Aided) Schools.	Remodelling and extension to produce a 280 place school.	Not included in a programme.
Bury St. Edmunds	Two new schools each of 350 pupils to match new housing.	Included in 1968–69 programme—280 places (Hospital Road area (Westgate School)). See Note 1.
		Included in 1968–69 programme—280 places (Nowton area). See Note 2.

The projects put forward by the West Suffolk Local Education Authority for inclusion in the 1968–69 and 1969–70 major building programmes are set out in the table below: it shows which were included in a programme and which were not. The authority made no submission for the year 1970–71.The cost of the proposals submitted by authorities far exceeded the resources available and it was possible to include in programmes only the most urgent projects submitted for West Suffolk. The resources which could be spared for improvement and replacement of schools were severely limited and were allocated mostly to schools in areas likely to be considered "educational priority areas".We expect to complete within the next month, the review under Circular 6/68 of projects which authorities have asked to be allowed to start in the current year. A similar procedure will be introduced for 1969–70. The notes on the table indicate which projects are affected by these reviews.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local authorities have informed him that they will be continuing, at their own expense, the free provision of milk to children in secondary schools from September next; what information he has received on their reasons for continuing this provision; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) for how many teachers the Birmingham Local Education Authority qualify under the quota arrangements; and how many such teachers are currently being employed by the authority;(2) how many teachers, extra to the quota, have been requested by the Birmingham Local Education Authority during the past 12 months, in order to deal with newly arrived immigrant children.

The Birmingham quota for 1st February, 1968 was 6,838. At that date the authority were employing 6,820 teachers covered by the quota.The quota for the school year 1968–69 is 7,002. This figure includes 157 teachers allocated at the request of the education authority specially to deal with immigrants.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in English schools and Welsh schools, respectively, were receiving part-time education as at 22nd March, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, and 1964.

The annual census of pupils in schools is taken each January. The table below gives the number of part-time pupils in January of each of the year's stated:

		England	Wales
1964	…	24,494	415
1965	…	29,418	582
1966	…	31,747	939
1967	…	36,019	1,077

These part-time pupils were all under five years of age. Figures for 1968 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if he will take steps to ensure that all schoolchildren are instructed as to the operation of automatic half-barrier level crossings as a routine part of their road safety tuition.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his similar Question on 1st February. I am assured by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport that, when half-barrier crossings are introduced, officials of British Rail will visit local schools to give detailed advice to the children on their operation, to show films and to distribute posters and pamphlets.—[Vol. 757; c. 1545–6.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he changed the Pay As You Earn regulations for short-period casual workers, which now require employers to apply full Pay As You Earn procedure to people who in any week earn more than £5 5s., even if average earnings over the year do not amount to this sum; why this change was made; and what consultation he had with employers, particularly in the agricultural and horticultural industries.

The statutory regulations applicable to P.A.Y.E. have not changed; but in the April, 1967 issue of the Farmer's Guide to P.A.Y.E. the instructions to farmers relating to the application of P.A.Y.E. to short-period or casual workers earning £5 5s. a week or more were brought into line with those given to all other employers. The change was notified in advance to the National Farmers Union.

asked the Minister of Health what further progress has been made in extending arrangements for unrestricted visits by parents of children in hospital; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick) on 30th April.—[Vol. 763, c. 988–9.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will refer the proposed new increased water rate to be charged by the South Cornwall Water Board to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No. I have no reason to suppose that the Board has disregarded the criteria for price increases laid down in the recent White Paper (Cmnd. 3590). This is the Board's first year of operation.The establishment of a new undertaking involves initial expenditure, and also some costs have increased. At the same time the Board will be receiving much less than its predecessors from the general rate, and so the net effect on payers of general rate and water rate in the districts that have been contributing will be less than appears at first sight.