asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will increase the British contribution to the United Nations Children's Fund which has remained constant since 1965.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government propose to increase the contribution to U.N.I.C.E.F. this year from £400,000 to £500,000. Supplementary provision for the additional £100,000 will be sought in due course.

asked the Minister of Agrictulture, Fisheries and Food how many persons are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion of these are employed in Wales.

This Department employs 16,601 staff of whom about 9 per cent. are employed in Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now state his plans for action on the Wise Committee's final Report.

I have carefully considered the Report of the Wise Committee on the Land Settlement Association. I agree with many of the Committee's specific recommendations, in particular that the structure of the L.S.A. scheme should be improved by concentrating on horticultural production. It follows that those estates which cannot readily make this their main activity should be withdrawn from the scheme. But I do not share the Committee's doubts on the continuing national need for the scheme. The scheme has achieved a striking success in the marketing of the produce grown by some 500 smallholders on widely scattered estates and I consider it is in the public interest to maintain this unique form of co-operative organisation. I therefore propose, subject to the changes set out below, to continue the present form of organisation which in my view offers better prospects for the tenants than the Wise Committee's alternative of creating independent co-operative units.I am glad to say that the Association are willing to continue to act as my agents in managing the estates on this basis. The Association's Executive Committee has proposed certain administrative changes which will among other things, I hope, meet tenants' wishes for closer ties with the management. They will be discussing these proposals with the tenants and will seek any necessary amendment of the Association's Rules. It is intended that tenants will have increased latitude in the use of several of the centralised services now provided, including the supply of requisites; but subject to this they will continue to be under a contractual obligation to purchase requisites through the centralised services and to use those services which are essential to the centralised marketing, packing, grading and propagating of the horticultural produce.My predecessor withdrew from the scheme four estates in the North of England which were mainly dependent on small scale livestock production. Of the remaining 14 estates, 11 are suitable for intensive horticulture and will remain in the scheme. This includes four estates which have been the subject of expert examination as recommended by the Wise Committee (Abington, Andover, Fulney and Snaith); some of these estates have still a substantial livestock interest but they are turning to horticulture with increasing success.I accept the Wise Committee's assessment of Oxcroft, Elmesthorpe and Harrowby and their recommendation that these estates should be withdrawn from the scheme. All the tenants on these estates will be interviewed and the terms of notice and compensation to those who wish to leave their holdings will be discussed with them. Those who wish to keep on their agricultural tenancies will of course have the right to do so; and any tenants who wish to remain within the L.S.A. scheme will be considered for vacancies on other estates. Every effort will be made to meet the wishes of those who are prepared to give up their agricultural land but would like to remain in houses on the estates. These three estates will revert to the Ministry for management and possible disposal of unoccupied holdings.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the total savings to date from the downgrading of head post offices; if he will list the individual savings from each downgraded head post office, and the total savings anticipated by the completion of the downgrading programme.

The phasing of the transfer of work and other measures we take to ease the problems of transition for the staff make an exact statement of savings at individual Head Post Offices impracticable, but I estimate the total annual saving on the 83 Head Post Offices regraded so far at about £350,000. On completion of the programme the annual saving will be approximately £1·3 million.

asked the Postmaster-General, by what authority he restricts licence concessions to battery-operated portable radio and television sets used by those in old persons homes.

The Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcast Licence Charges) Regulations, 1967, do not authorise me to allow the concession in the case of mains operated sets.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now able to state when colour programmes will start on B.B.C.1 and independent television.

As my predecessor said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. E. Rowlands) on 27th July, 1967, B.B.C.1 and independent television programmes in colour will start in London, the Midlands and the North of England simultaneously.For an operation of this complexity and magnitude I still cannot guarantee a start before early 1970 but we are working in close co-operation with the broadcasting authorities and industry and will bring the date forward if we can.—[Vol. 751, c.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of imported waste paper, including newspapers, in each of the last three years to the latest convenient date.

Imports of waste paper and paperboard, which include newspapers for packing or pulping, were as follows:

					£'000 (c.i.f)
1965	…	…	…	…	444
1966	…	…	…	…	71
1967	…	…	…	…	56

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent he estimates United Kingdom exports to India will be affected by the Tripartite Agreement on trade expansion and economic co-operation between India, the United Arab Republic and Yugoslavia.

Our assessment is that this Agreement will not significantly affect our trade in goods for which we have contractual preferences in India and I have no reason to expect that it will materially affect our exports to India generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish figures showing the total value of sales of aspirin and aspirin-containing products and the total manufacturing output of such products.

Regular figures are not available. Sales by United Kingdom manufacturers of aspirin and aspirin compounds in tablet form were £13·0 million in 1963 and £6·8 million in 1958.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the approximate cost of removing the Citadel in the Mall.

None recently, but over ten years ago the cost was estimated at some £700,000.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what percentage of the total output of the United Kingdom brick industry is represented by the brick-making subsidiaries of the National Coal Board and National Steel Corporation, respectively.

The output of bricks from National Coal Board subsidiaries is between 7 and 8 per cent. of the total production for Great Britain. The corresponding figure for subsidiaries of the British Steel Corporation is about 2 per cent.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many persons are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion of these are employed in Wales.

My Department employs 58,689 persons in the United Kingdom, of which 4·4 per cent. are employed in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what negotiations are taking place between his Department, British Railways and the Surrey County Council to rationalise responsibility for the ownership and maintenance of certain public roads in the parish of Pirbright, details of which are in his possession.

We are considering terms recently proposed by the Surrey County Council under which the Council might take over full responsibility for certain Ministry of Defence roads at Pirbright. A small part of one road is owned by British Rail.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many acres his Department holds in Great Britain now, compared with in 1938; and what plans he has for relinquishment in view of the defence reductions.

Services land holdings were about 252,000 acres before the 1939–45 war, and about 608,000 acres on 31st March, 1968. Some 26,000 acres are in course of disposal, and more should become available for release when the effects of defence changes have been worked out in detail.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has for evacuating the training centre at Lulworth in view of the beauty of the coast, the assurances that were given to the inhabitants of Tyneham that they could return there after the war, and the damage caused to Tyneham Manor;(2) what plans he has for reducing his training area on Salisbury Plain, in view of the damage to the village of Imber;(3) what plans he has for transferring training to distant uninhabited areas in place of parts of Wiltshire, Devon, Dorset and Pembrokeshire which are areas of natural beauty and tourism.

I have no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many areas of National Park, including Dartmoor, are at present used for training and live firing; and what plans he has for their avacuation.

Twelve areas in five National Parks are used for training and live firing. Apart from Manorbier on the Pembrokeshire coast, I have no plans to reduce any of these areas but I am studying the requirement for all training areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for closing Chatham Dockyard or reducing the present work load there for the repair and refit of ships for the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the statement which I made in the Defence (Navy) Estimates Debate on the 11th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers and men in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines were serving in ships afloat in October, 1964; and what were the comparable figures at 30th April, 1968.

The number of Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel serving afloat varies widely from month to month according to ship dispositions. The following, however, are the numbers required:

	Royal Navy	Royal Marines	Total
October, 1964	37,062	1,322	38,384
31st March, 1968 (latest figures available)	33,196	396	33,592

(These figures exclude locally entered personnel.)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to the Exchequer of the Beira naval patrol in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967 and this year to the latest convenient date.

There have been additional costs to public funds of the naval patrol off Beira as follows:

1966	…	…	£193,000
1967	…	…	£287,000
1968	…	…	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make improvements in the United Kingdom force contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in the light of the Government's policy that Great Britain's defence effort will in future be concentrated mainly in Europe and the North Atlantic area.

The European emphasis of Her Majesty's Government's defence policy in future and the need to maximise the conventional capabilities of N.A.T.O. to which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence drew attention in the Defence Debate on 4th March, have led to certain detailed changes in United Kingdom force contributions to the Alliance. Accordingly, my right hon. Friend is today informing the present meeting of N.A.T.O. Defence Ministers in Brussels that, while we have not yet completed our detailed assessment of the implications of the major decisions of defence policy announced earlier this year, we can make some improvements in the immediate future in the degree of commitment of certain of our existing forces.The improvements which, under N.A.T.O. procedure, formally relate to 1968 only, are as follows. Two frigates which were to have been withdrawn will now remain in the Mediterranean, earmarked for assignment to SACEUR. Two commando carriers and two assault ships, with associated R.M. Commandos, and a helicopter support ship will also be earmarked for assignment. Arrangements will be made for a commando carrier to take part in N.A.T.O. exercises in the Mediterranean in 1969. The Canberra reconnaissance squadron in Malta will not now be withdrawn this autumn as previously planned. We also intend to earmark for assignment the following Army units based in the United Kingdom: 3 Division of the Strategic Reserve, two battalions of the Parachute Force, the regular SAS Regiment and an armoured car squadron, the last named forms part of the land element of the ACE Mobile Force. The close support and short range transport aircraft of No. 38 Group will also be earmarked for assignment. Other transport aircraft will also provide airlift for the Army units I have mentioned.These changes are being made in response to the requirements of N.A.T.O's revised strategy. They will contribute, in particular, to strengthening the flanks of N.A.T.O. and to increasing the mobility of N.A.T.O's forces These improvements in the availability of United Kingdom forces will strengthen the Alliance without detriment to our continuing obligations elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many nonmilitary personnel are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion of these are employed in Wales.

356,650 at home and overseas, of which approximately 3 per cent. are employed in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Togoland concerning British members of the crew of the aircraft which recently landed there and was held by that Government.

Her Majesty's Ambassador at Lomé has successively made representations or enquiries to the Togolese Government in order to obtain details of the persons on board the aircraft; to seek consular access to the British subjects among the prisoners; to ascertain when the prisoners would be released; and to obtain an assurance that they would soon be brought to trial. The Vice-Consul at Lomé has been in regular touch with the detainees and has reported that the conditions of their detention are reasonable. Two of them have been released on bail and all are well.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that he will not take action to interfere with the decisions of Atlas Electric and General Company Limited, Dares Estates Limited, and Continental Union Trust Limited to increase total distributions to shareholders in respect of the past year by 4 per cent., 4·35 per cent., and 3·7 per cent., respectively.

I have received no direct communication from any of these companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the tax yield if the income from ancient toll bridges which is at present tax free was charged to tax at the standard rate for a business.

The information is not available on which to base an estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce legislation to tax revenues received from ancient toll bridges.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the concern felt by the pensioners formerly employed by the West and East Ham Tramways Corporations, at not receiving the various pensions increases under the Pensions Increases Acts to local government employees; and, in view of the fact that these workers were promised, on being taken over by the London Passenger Transport Executive, that they would maintain their conditions, what action he has taken to remedy this situation.

At the request of the local authorities concerned, the Treasury have made Extension Orders, under successive Pensions (Increase) Acts, empowering the local authorities to increase the pensions of staff formerly employed in their tramway undertakings by amounts not exceeding those set out in the Acts. Within these limits the amounts paid are entirely for the local authorities to determine. I understand that the practice of the local authorities has been to increase that portion of each pension which relates to service rendered prior to the transfer to the (then) London Passenger Transport Board as if it were subject to the Pensions (Increase) Acts.It is entirely a matter for the London Transport Board to decide whether to increase the portion of each pension relating to service after transfer to the London Passenger Transport Board.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost to the Exchequer of sanctions against Rhodesia, and the Rhodesian situation generally, in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967 and in this year to the latest convenient date.

Direct payments from the Exchequer arising from Rhodesian I.D.I. are as follows:

		£ million
1966	…	14·6
1967	…	12·8
1968 (to 31st March)	…	2·0

These include payments made to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development under guarantee in respect of Rhodesian default, contingency aid to Zambia, the cost of operating the patrol of the Mozambique channel and Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the upkeep of the Beira pipe-line.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to the Exchequer of servicing Rhodesia's external debt guaranteed by the United Kingdom in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967, and this year to the latest convenient date.

The only guarantees in respect of Rhodesia's external debt given by the United Kingdom are those under the Colonial Loans Acts, 1949 to 1962 relating to certain obligations by the Government of Southern Rhodesia to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Total sums issued out of the Consolidated Fund in fulfilment of these guarantees are as follows:

Calendar years
1966	…	£2,605,865
1967	…	£2,709,423
1968 (to 8th May)	…	£658,402

Details of the payments made in the Financial years 1966–67 and 1967–68 are given in H.C. 492 of 31st May, 1967 and H.C. 228 of 30th April, 1968. Recovery of the sums issued under these guarantees will be sought from the Government of Southern Rhodesia when constitutional Government is restored there.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total of United Kingdom invisible payments to Rhodesia in each of the calendar years 1965, 1966 and 1967.

Invisible payments due to residents of Rhodesia were probably about £8 million in 1965 and £2 million in 1966 and in 1967.

asked the Minister of Power what percentage of the United Kingdom total of industrial castings was produced in Scotland in 1960, 1963, 1966 and at the most recent convenient date.

Production of iron and steel castings in Scotland expressed as a percentage of the tonnage produced in the United Kingdom as a whole, was in:

					Per cent.
1960	…	…	…	…	9·4
1963	…	…	…	…	8·8
1966	…	…	…	…	7·5
1967	…	…	…	…	7·4

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost to the Exchequer of payments to Lonrho, with respect to its pipeline interests in Mozambique, in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967, and this year to the latest available date.

From May to October, 1966 Lonrho received six monthly payments of £54,000 each, a total of £324,000. No payments have been made since October, 1966.

asked the Minister of Transport how many persons are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion of these are employed in Wales.

Excluding staff based overseas 9,172, of whom 223 are employed in Wales.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give the figures of one fifth of the total of reports made last year of failing to show a current licence when owners were in possession of such a licence; and in how many of these cases prosecutions were initiated for this offence.

The estimate that one fifth of apparently unlicensed vehicles are properly licensed is based on returns from only some of the 183 taxation authorities. Figures for the whole country are not available. The provisional figures for 1967 show that the police in England and Wales issued 3,639 written warnings and undertook 2,433 prosecutions in cases where excise licences were obscured or not affixed.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals the Government now has for abolishing ancient tolls on bridges; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member and to the hon. Member for Abingdon (Mr. Neave) on 15th November.—[Vol. 754, c. 435–436.]

asked the Minister of Transport what was the last occasion on which the County Councils of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, or either of them,

			A	B
			Total of all foreign workers admitted to the United Kingdom	Total of all Spanish workers admitted to the United Kingdom	Proportion of B to A Per cent.	Dependants of Spanish workers admitted
1963	…	…	39,663	6,844	17·3	189
1964	…	…	42,584	7,794	18·3	211
1965	…	…	48,874	7,786	15·9	286
1966	…	…	48,637	6,947	14·3	381
1967	…	…	45,867	5,995	13·1	295

The last inquiry on the subject was from Berkshire County Council in October, 1963. It was then explained that available funds had to be concentrated on road works unless in a particular case the redemption of a toll was essential for improving safety or relieving congestion. No further approach by either council has since been made. As the road concerned is not now a principal road, the cost of redeeming the toll would no longer be eligible, under the new grant system, for specific grant.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total expenditure on trunk roads in the South-West Region in the financial year 1967–68.

About £8¾ million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what proportion of the total number of work permits currently issued and in operation in England, excluding Commonwealth citizens, are held by Spanish nationals; and how many dependents of such nationals are involved in entry to the United Kingdom;(2) how many work permits for Spanish workers in this country are currently in issue and in operation.

I have been asked to reply.Information is not available in the form requested, but I hope the hon. Member will find the following tabular statement useful.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the total number of persons in employment in the county of Angus and the city of Dundee, respectively, in mid-1964 and in mid-1967, respectively.

As the mid-1967 employment estimates for local areas are not yet available, I cannot add to my reply of 6th November, 1967 to the hon. Member. [Vol. 753, c. 35.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, in view of the fact that East European countries, China and Spain operate a similar policy of wage freeze to that of Her Majesty's Government, whether she will seek discussions with representatives of the Governments of these countries to ascertain to what extent their systems, details of which have been sent to her, could be adopted in this country.

I have not been able to trace the receipt of the details mentioned in my hon. Friend's Question. We are not calling for a wage freeze.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will give a list of the number of wage applications which the Government have stopped or delayed since the operation of the prices and incomes policy; what was the average wage claim made in each instance; by how much the proposed claims exceeded the Government's norm; and if she will give similar details for company directors' emoluments, indicating how such records are kept and collated within her Department.

The table below contains the proposed increases in incomes which have been the subject of orders under Part IV, or of directions under Part II, of the Prices and Incomes Act 1966, together with the average size of each proposed increase where this can be calculated. Since July 1966 there has been a nil norm for increases in incomes. None of the cases in the table relate to the remuneration of directors. Comprehensive information about the remuneration of directors is not available.

Name of firm or organisation	Percentage increase
Thorn Electrical Industries Ltd.	10
National Newspapers	0·7
Rockware Glass	20
Metropolitan Police Draughtsmen	7·6
Printing Ink Industry	2·8
J. Hanger & Co. Ltd.	9·9
Derby Pottery	7·4
Crown Bedding	10·9
Press Association Ltd.	10
Birmingham Corporation (Transport Dept.)	15
Longbridge Group of Delivery Agents	8·1
Royal Borough of Rothesay	7
Electrical Contractor Assoc. of Scotland	13·3
Harland & Wolff Ltd.	7
Road Passenger Transport Municipal Buses	8
Draughtsmen employed by Beckman Ltd.	—
Draughtsmen employed by the Steel Group of Companies	—

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by what amount she expects to increase the number of full-time civil servants above the number previously employed by her Department, on account of the increased responsibilities for administering the policy on prices, incomes and productivity.

My right hon. Friend is not in a position to supply this information until she has completed her plans for the organisation and development of these functions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are the average British hours of work, standard and overtime, today compared with at previous five-yearly intervals for which figures are available.

Precise information is not available about the average amount of overtime worked, but the following table sets out certain relevant details for all full-time manual workers in the industries and Services covered by my Department's April and October enquiries:

October			Average normal weekly hours	Average weekly hours worked
1947	…	…	44·8	45·3
1952	…	…	44·4	46·1
1957	…	…	44·3	46·4
1962	…	…	42·1	45·1
1967	…	…	40·1	44·3

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that certain intensive agricultural holdings are being charged a levy for the Agricultural Training Board as they are carrying out activities within its scope, but are rated as non-agricultural; and if she will introduce legislation to remove this anomaly.

NORMAL WEEKLY HOURS OF WORK OF MANUAL WORKERS (JANUARY, 1956=100)
		All Industries and Services				Manufacturing Industries
Year		1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter
1955	…	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0
1956	…	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0
1957	…	100·0	100·0	99·9	99·7	100·0	100·0	100·0	99·8
1958	…	99·7	99·7	99·7	99·6	99·8	99·8	99·8	99·7
1959	…	99·6	99·6	99·6	99·5	99·7	99·7	99·6	99·5
1960	…	99·0	98·1	97·7	97·2	98·7	97·2	96·9	96·5
1961	…	96·4	96·1	95·8	95·4	95·6	95·5	95·4	95·2
1962	…	95·2	95·1	95·1	95·1	95·2	95·1	95·1	95·1
1963	…	95·1	95·1	95·1	94·9	95·1	95·1	95·0	95·0
1964	…	94·8	94·7	94·6	94·3	95·0	94·9	94·8	94·5
1965	…	93·8	93·2	92·4	92·1	93·6	93·2	92·2	91·9
1966	…	91·4	91·1	91·0	91·0	91·5	91·3	91·2	91·2
1967	…	91·0	90·9	90·8	90·8	91·1	91·1	90·7	90·7
1968	…	90·7	—	—	—	90·6	—	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the comparable, and fully revised figures, of the numbers wholly unemployed in all manufacturing industries for each quarter from the first quarter of 1955 to the latest available quarter.

The averages of the monthly seasonally adjusted figures of wholly unemployed in all manufacturing industries are, in thousands:

We are aware of the position. The scope of the Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry Industry Training Board includes a number of activities related to the main operations of those industries and is not limited by the rating treatment of the land or buildings in question. We do not propose to introduce legislation to change this position.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the latest comparable, and fully revised figures, for normal weekly hours for all workers and for manual workers in manufacturing industries based on 31st January, 1956 equalling 100, showing quarterly averages for each quarter from the first quarter of 1955 to the latest available quarter.

The figures for manual workers are set out in the following Table:

		1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter
1955	…	65	61	59	59
1956	…	61	66	74	75
1957	…	89	87	81	84
1958	…	103	129	146	157
1959	…	150	140	125	114
1960	…	105	96	90	90
1961	…	84	80	82	94
1962	…	103	114	131	150
1963	…	166	160	148	131
1964	…	112	101	97	89
1965	…	82	78	82	79
1966	…	72	71	82	118
1967	…	137	148	165	160
1968	…	151	—	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he did not include among the 80 organisations consulted on the Race Relations Bill in advance of its publication the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Superintendents' Association and the Police Federation.

Before publication of the Bill these organisations were sent a memorandum explaining how the police service would be affected. The Bill includes a technical provision adapting the employment provisions to the circumstances of the police service but otherwise it contains no special provisions affecting the police.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure on trunk roads in Wales in the financial year 1967–68.

About £9·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants are now employed by his Department in Wales.

The number of civil servants employed by the Welsh Office and permanently stationed in Wales was 496 on 1st May 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the three sites which are being examined on behalf of the Government and the National Ports Council with a view to meeting the basic requirements of a maritime industrial development area include any in Wales; and if he will identify them.

The three sites which satisfy the basic requirements and are being examined in greater detail on behalf of the Government Departments concerned and the National Ports Council include one in Wales. It comprises the coastal strip to the west and east of Newport covering an area generally known as the Wentloog and Llanwern Flats.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he will pay to farmers the Upland Ewe Subsidy announced in the Price Review of 1967.

Payments of subsidy on regular upland flocks have now commenced and will continue as quickly as possible; payments on other upland flocks will start in July. Virtually all claims should be settled by the end of September.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the value of loans which have been made or committed by the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation to the mill industry to assist in the installation of de-inking plants; and what savings on imports are anticipated from this investment.

The Industrial Reorganisation Corporation is providing a loan of £1·5 million to the Reed Paper Group, in accordance with Section 2(1)(b) of the I.R.C. Act, to help finance two plants to de-ink and reconstitute waste paper. It is anticipated that these plants will yield a total import saving of the order of £1·5 million annually, when working at full capacity.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will change the classification from unfit to fit of certain houses in Ancona Road, S.E.18 and Pattison Road, S.E.18, against which compulsory purchase orders have been issued.

The Ancona Road compulsory purchase order has now been decided, and I am today sending my hon. Friend a copy of the decision letter from which he will see that of the 38 properties classified as unfit my right hon. Friend has reclassified 6 as fit. The Pattison Road compulsory purchase order is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Health how many people entitled to motorised invalid tricycles have opted for a four-wheeled vehicle.

About 6,000 including over 5,500 war disabled pensioners are using four-wheeled cars supplied by my Department; and in addition about 4,500, including 1,250 war disabled pensioners, elected to use their own cars, adapted as necessary.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average annual cost per head involved in the issue to the disabled of motorised tricycles, including maintenance and free petrol and their capital value.

About £140.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total annual administrative cost of the section of his Department which controls the issue, maintenance and return of motorised invalid tricycles.

It is regretted the information is not available, because all the staff concerned have other duties.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the number of persons entitled to invalid motor tricycles; and how many disabled claim these carriages from his Department.

Something like 100,000 persons may have the physical disabilities which would qualify them for an invalid three-wheeler but many of these would be unable to control one. About 27,000 have been provided with vehicles i.e. powered tricycles or cars, or have had their own vehicles converted to hand control.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost to his Department of issuing free invalid tricycles to the disabled and of providing their repair facilities; and what estimate he has made of the value of a transport allowance equal in total to this cost which would be payable to those receiving these benefits.

In the year ended 31st March, 1968 the expenditure on provision, repair, maintenance, garaging etc. of invalid tricycles was £2,785,352. An allowance in lieu of a tricycle would not meet the needs of the severely disabled, and no estimate has been made.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the National Health Service during the latest convenient year of the prescription of proprietary drugs for which there are cheaper non-proprietary equivalents, including meprobamate, paracetamol, predrisolone, bendrofluazide and phenoxymethyl penicillin; and what steps he is now taking to eleminate these unnecessary costs.

It is rarely possible to demonstrate exact equivalence; but I estimate that there would have been a saving of a little over £1 million in the year ending 30th September, 1967 (including about £200,000 in respect of the five drugs referred to) if, where there are nonproprietary products containing the same amounts of the same active ingredients as proprietaries, the former had been supplied instead of the latter.I use all convenient means constantly to draw the attention of doctors to the different prices of drugs.