asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will take steps to ensure that 12 months after the publication of a report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes, the parties affected by the report will be given the opportunity of meeting the Board and the Minister concerned to discuss how the proposals are being applied.

It is clearly the Government's primary responsibility to ensure with the parties that the Board's recommendations are followed up, and there are well established arrangements for this. The Board is always consulted during this time, if this seems necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what criteria productivity agreements will have to fulfil in order to have the approval of her Department; and how many staff will be employed in examining such agreements.

The guidelines for productivity agreements are set out in Appendix II of the White Paper "Productivity, Prices and Incomes Policy in 1968 and 1969". With regard to staff employed in examining agreements I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 10th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 160.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many staff are employed by her Department at regional and local level to vet wage claims.

At regional level 64 officers work part or full time on vetting pay claims. This work is not done at local level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what increases in staff she has made, and intends to make, to further her policy of stimulating greater productivity and of assessing more critically the workings of the prices and incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what increase of staff she estimates will be necessary in the next 12 months to cope with the vetting of wage increases.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 10th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 160.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the percentage change in the estimated total number of employees, employed and unemployed, between June, 1966, and June, 1967, in each region of Great Britain.

Following is the information:

PERCENTAGE CHANGES BETWEEN JUNE, 1966 AND JUNE, 1967 IN THE ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED, IN STANDARD REGIONS OF GREAT BRITAIN
			Per cent.
South East	…	…	-0.9
East Anglia	…	…	+0.3
South Western	…	…	-1.0
West Midlands	…	…	-2.1
East Midlands	…	…	+0.5
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	…	-2.0
North Western	…	…	-1.5
Northern	…	…	-0.1
Scotland	…	…	-0.8
Wales	…	…	-2.0
Great Britain	…	…	-1.1

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what she estimates will be the total cost of the Royal Commission on Trades Unions and Employers Organisations.

Provisionally about £100,000. This estimate includes the cost of research work undertaken by the Government Social Survey Department on behalf of the Royal Commission and excludes any profit or loss which the Stationery Office may make as a result of its publications for the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the latest figures of employment in the hotel and catering industry for men and for women, and the corresponding figures before the imposition of Selective Employment Tax.

The estimated numbers of employees in employment in Minimum List Heading 884 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Catering, Hotels, etc.) at June, 1967, were 200,800 males and 381,200 females. Comparable figures for June, 1966, were 211,700 and 395,800.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress is being made in her Department with the introduction of electronic data-handling equipment to facilitate the handling of routine transactions, upkeep of records and for other purposes.

The main items of the work of my Department that are already processed by computer are payroll, statistics and payments made under the Selective Employment Payments Act. A start will be made shortly on processing claims to unemployment benefit. Other possible applications are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what further progress has been made in negotiations for a guaranteed working week; and at what stage before Section 3(1) of the National Insurance Act comes into operation will the Government implement their undertaking to review these negotiations.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question from my hon. Friend the Mem- ber for Chislehurst (Mr. Macdonald) on 29th January, 1968. [Vol. 757, c. 870.] The consultations mentioned there are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is satisfied that the labour force in the Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Area is adequate to meet the needs of companies seeking to expand in that area; and if she will make a statement.

On the whole, I am satisfied that the supply of workers to fill vacancies notified by employers is adequate. There may be some shortages in certain skilled occupations, but these are local rather than general and their extent varies according to occupation and area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many stoppages due to industrial disputes occurred in the United Kingdom during 1967; and if she will state from figures available to her from international sources how this compares with France, West Germany, the United States of America and Sweden when expressed in number of stoppages per 100,000 workers.

The number of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes which began in 1967 in the United Kingdom was 2,116. The figures exclude stoppages involving fewer than 10 workers, and those which lasted less than one day, except any in which the aggregate number of working days lost exceeded 100.Information about other countries expressed in terms of the number of disputes per 100,000 employees is not included in the material supplied to the Department by the International Labour Organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, how many days work were lost through industrial disputes during the year ended March, 1968; and if she will make a statement.

In the 12 months ended 31st March, 1968 the number of working days lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes was about 3,039,000. This is higher than in the preceding 12 months but not significantly different from the average annual number of days lost through stoppages over the past 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the change in the numbers of part-time workers employed in manufacturing, in construction and in distributive and other service industries, respectively, between June, 1966, and June, 1967; and what percentage these figures represent of the total change in numbers employed in each of these sectors.

Information is available only for manufacturing and relates only to female employees. Between June, 1966, and June, 1967, the number of female part-time employees in manufacturing is estimated to have fallen by 45,000, or 9 per cent. This represented about one-sixth of the total decrease in manufacturing employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many people have lost their employment as a consequence of the closure of James Brown and Company Limited, Penicuik, Midlothian; and if she will break down the figures into males, females and juveniles.

Four hundred and fifty-four people are affected by this closure (238 men, 176 women and 40 juveniles). I understand about 250 have already left.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many of the former employees of James Brown and Company Limited, Penicuik, qualify for redundancy pay; and what is the total sum involved.

It is estimated that about 225 employees will qualify for re- dundancy payments. Because the company is insolvent the employees concerned are applying to my Ministry for payments to be made to them direct from the Redundancy Fund. The total amount involved will not be known until all the employees have been discharged and all applications have been dealt with.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps have been taken to assist former employees of James Brown and Company Limited, Penicuik, Midlothian, to find alternative employment.

All employees wishing to register have been seen by our employment officers and special approaches are being made on their behalf to firms in the area, including other paper mills. Several employers have arranged to interview at the mill. Everything possible will be done to help the redundant workers to find other jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many ships were held up in the London Docks as a result of the strikes and demonstrations during the weeks ended 27th April and 5th May; how many men were involved; and at what cost to exports.

As the number of ships and men involved varied from day to day, I will, with permission, circulate this information in the OFFICIAL REPORT. It has not been possible to estimate the cost to exports.Following is the information:

				Ships idle	Number of Men involved
23rd April	…	…	…	37	2,467
24th April	…	…	…	14	1,132
25th April	…	…	…	1	829
26th April	…	…	…	29	4,584
1st May	…	…	…	16	1,563

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps are being taken to find jobs for the older men rendered redundant and now signing on at the Ashington Employment Exchange, Northumberland; and whether she will make a statement.

My officers are doing all they can to help these men to find jobs. Opportunities in the area are, at present, limited, but the Government development area policy is encouraging the development of new industry and the expansion of existing industry in this part of the country and a substantial number of new jobs are in prospect.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she has noted the observations of Mr. J. Shaw, chairman of a tribunal under Section 9 of the Redundancy Payments Act 1965, that Mrs. Jean May of Edinburgh Crescent, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, was deprived of her entitlement to a further redundancy payment by the failure of officials at the employment exchange at Scotland Green to put in her application in due time; and what steps she intends to take to make redress to Mrs. May.

I have noted the observations of the tribunal and my Department is urgently investigating the question of making redress.

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED AT MID-1966 IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES (ORDERS III TO XVI OF THE STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION), CATERING, HOTELS, ETC. (MINIMUM LIST HEADING 884) AS A PERCENTAGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED) AT MID-1966; TOTAL REGISTERED UNEMPLOYED AT APRIL, 1968 AS A PERCENTAGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED) AT MID-1966.
		Percentage of employees in all industries and services
		Manufacturing mid-1966	Catering Hotels, etc., mid-1966	Total of registered registered unemployed April, 1968
Areas listed in Schedule 17 in the Finance Act 1968 in:
Northern Development Area	…	20	6	3·6
Scottish Development Area	…	15	6	5·5
Welsh Development Area	…	14*	7*	4·4*
South-Western Development Area	…	15	9	5·4
Other Areas:
Tranent and North Berwick†	…	7	9	3·4‡
Haddington and Dunbar†	…	27	3	2·2
Notes:
* The figures given for the Welsh Development Area exclude Conway since separate employment estimates are not available for that area.
† Separate employment estimates are not available for Dunbar, and therefore percentages cannot be given for Tranent, North Berwick and Dunbar put together.
‡ Separate percentage rates of unemployment are not calculated for Haddington and Dunbar, and this percentage includes Musselburgh.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what is the percentage of those employed in manufacturing industry, and in hotels and catering, respectively, in the Tranent, North Berwick and Dunbar employment exchange areas or sub-areas put together; and what is the percentage of unemployed in these three areas put together.(2) what is the percentage of those employed in manufacturing industry and in hotels and catering, respectively, in the four groups of employment exchange areas or sub-areas, that is the 25 areas in the Northern Development Area, the 38 in the Scottish Development Area, the 34 in the Welsh Development Area and the 17 in the South-West Development Area as set out in Schedule 17 to the Finance Bill; and what is the percentage unemployed in each of the same areas.

Only broad estimates of the number of employees in individual industries in local areas can be provided. The following table gives the information requested in so far as it is available; percentages of employees in manufacturing and hotels and catering are rounded to the nearest whole number.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by what date she intends to implement her policy of equal pay for equal work by women in all fields.

The Government is currently studying, with the C.B.I. and the T.U.C., the technical issues relating to equal pay, so that it can be in a position to implement the principle as soon as economic circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will arrange for copies of the Survey of Women's Employment to be made available in the Vote Office.

Yes. This has already been arranged.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Employment and Productivity, when she expects to complete her consultation with industry regarding the addition of further items to the list of items under the early warning system of price increases; and if she will state what are these additional items.

Arrangements have now been agreed for the addition of linoleum and of cigarettes and tobacco. The other items will be announced as soon as the discussions with industry have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT all wage and salary increases involving more than 500 workers implemented since 1st January, 1967, showing the net hourly, weekly, or annual cash increase as appropriate, and the percentage increase in each case over the rates previously applicable.

Information supplied to my Department under the early warning system is given in confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she will state the numbers of civil servants and their respective categories, during the past 12 months, who have taken part in strikes or other industrial action, respectively, and the number of days occupied by such strikes and industrial action, respectively.

In the 12 months ended 31st March, 1968, the latest period for which figures are available, there was one stoppage of work due to an industrial dispute involving non-industrial civil servants. About 36 civil servants took part and about 60 working days were lost. Figures are not compiled in respect of industrial action not involving a stop-age of work, or in respect of industrial civil servants as a separate group.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she will provide a detailed analysis showing the total number of men made redundant following the closure of the Michael Colliery in Fife, the number who have obtained work at other collieries, the number who have left the industry, the number who have accepted re-training, and the number still unemployed.

Of the 2,193 workers who were employed at the colliery, 94 are still employed, 997 were redeployed to other collieries, four have retired and 1,098 were declared redundant. Of those redundant, five have gone back to coal-mining, 488 have been placed or have found work in other industries, 10 are undergoing training at Government training centres, one is at an industrial rehabilitation unit, 12 have died, 27 are sick, one has emigrated, and 406 are registered as unemployed. No information is available about the remaining 148.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, why the honourable Member for Louth has received only a printed postcard in reply to his letter of the 18th March, informing him that the matter of unemployment pay abuse was receiving attention; and when he may expect a full reply to be sent.

The hon. Member's letter drew the attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power to a Question he had tabled which was in fact answered on 25th March—[Vol. 761, c. 178–9]. My right hon. Friend made it clear in his reply that inquiries had failed to reveal the identity of this person but that he was ready to investigate the case if further details could be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the latest comparable, and fully revised figures, for operative hours worked in manufacturing industry based on the average of 1955 equalling 100, seasonally adjusted, from the first quarter of 1955 to the latest available quarter.

Following are the figures:

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED QUARTERLY INDEX OF OPERATIVE HOURS WORKED IN MANUFACTURING
(1955 average = 100)
		1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter
1955	align="right">…	99·7	99·8	100·0	100·5
1956	…	100·2	99·2	98·3	98·5
1957	…	98·4	98·7	98·7	97·7
1958	…	96·9	95·1	93·7	93·0
1959	…	93·3	94·7	95·8	96·9
1960	…	98·0	97·5	98·0	97·7
1961	…	97·2	97·5	97·0	95·7
1962	…	95·2	95·0	94·5	93·1
1963	…	91·8	92·5	93·3	93·8
1964	…	94·2	94·6	94·9	95·0
1965	…	94·6	94·6	93·8	93·7
1966	…	93·0	92·6	92·0	89·7
1967	…	88·2	87·2	86·8	86·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are her criteria in deciding what price increases are unnecessary; how many such increase have already taken place; and how much it will cost her Department to reduce them.

Price increases should take place only where justified under the criteria of Cmnd. 3590. The Govern- ment have power to refer increases to the National Board for Prices and Incomes and are seeking power to require price reductions on the Board's recommendation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will move to amend the practice of the House so as to restrict oral questions to the Prime Minister to one per week per Member.

Not without a recommendation from the Select Committee on Procedure.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of current concern among hon. Members about the present situation he will move to appoint a Select Committee on Procedure to re-examine the whole problem of Parliamentary Questions.

No.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will consider means whereby members of the public desiring to attend the proceedings of Select Committees may more readily ascertain when and where these committees are sitting and what particular sessions are open to them;

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will arrange to give adequate publicity, on a weekly basis, to the Press and to the public in general, about those meetings of Select, and Standing Committees, or their subcommittees, which are open to the public.

I will ask the Services Committee to see what can be done about this.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made towards opening to the public in the Summer adjournment the dining facilities in the Houses of Parliament.

This proposal was carefully considered by the Services Committee. The Committee, however, decided that, apart from the administrative and security difficulties, it would not really be appropriate for the Houses of Parliament to be used in this way.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will take steps to provide on-line general computing facilities, using Datel or other suitable transmission devices, for the use of hon. Members.

I am yet to be convinced of the extent to which Members would make use of any such facilities, but I will gladly look into any proposals that the hon. Member cares to put to me.

asked the Minister of Social Security what has been the total payment to date of supplementary benefit to the families of men involved in the Liverpool bus strike; and what has been the average payment per family per week.

Up to 7th May £53,220 had been paid to the families of men in- volved in the Liverpool bus strike, representing an average payment per family of £5 19s. a week.

asked the Minister of Social Security what is the estimated value of benefits currently being paid by her Department; what percentage of this is represented by benefits involving a test of means; what is the total staff of the Department; and what is the estimated number involved in administering means tested benefits.

Social security benefits are being paid at the rate of about £3,000 million a year, of which supplementary benefits represent approximately 13 per cent. The total staff of my Department is about 62,000, of whom some 18,000 are employed in the administration of supplementary benefits.

asked the Minister of Social Security when a reply may be expected to the letters written by the hon. Member for Hornsey dated 4th March and 10th April concerning the case of Mrs. Shevlin's widow's pension.

As I informed the hon. Member on 29th February, neither I nor my right hon. Friend has power to intervene in decisions of the independent adjudicating authorities under the National Insurance Acts and it would not have been proper for me to comment whilst Mrs. Shevlin's case was in effect sub judice. I am sorry that the hon. Member's subsequent letters were not acknowledged until I was in a position to tell him of the decision given. I have now written to the hon. Member informing him of the outcome of the local tribunal hearing last Wednesday, 8th May, of Mrs. Shevlin's appeal.

asked the Minister of Social Security what calculations her Department makes on the amount pensioners spend on heating, lighting and cooking.

Levels of benefit are determined according to what is reasonable overall, rather than based upon detailed calculations of the sums spent on particular items, since varying factors are involved, including the personal circumstances and preferences of individuals. But the costs of the items mentioned by my hon. Friend, together with other relevant factors, are of course carefully observed.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will investigate the case sent to her by the hon. Member for Louth, of an ex-prisoner unemployed whose social service payment is limited to £4 1s. a week because he has gone to live with his mother and is thereby debarred from drawing the lodging allowance; and if she will amend her regulations so that people who live with their parents are not penalised for so doing.

I am looking into the case about which the hon. Member wrote on 9th May and I will be writing to him about it. Meantime I should perhaps say that £4 1s. is the rate of supplementary benefit prescribed under the Ministry of Social Security Act for a claimant

(£'000)
	Date started	Description	Expenditure to 31st March, 1968 (£'000)	1968–69 (Estimated)
A. Civil R and D Work for Government Departments
1. Work completed	April, 1963 onwards	Various	575	—
2. S.R.C.	April, 1965	Space technology	215	230
3. M.O.H.	April, 1966	Medical, Engineering and Services	110	180
4. Home Office	April, 1966	Forensic science	110	55
5. M.O.H.	October, 1966	Dental materials	25	20
6. Mintech	October, 1966	Aldermaston project for application of computers to engineering (APACE)	95	185
7. Mintech	October, 1966	Advanced computer interconnections	75	65
8. M.P.B.W.	August, 1967	Glass fibre reinforced plaster	15	25
9. Other Work in hand (minor projects)	Various	Various	(inc. in 1 above)	200
B. Civil R and D work for other customers
Various customers	April, 1963 onwards	Various	90	40
		Total*	1,310	1,000
None of the above projects forms part of any international effort.
Figures of expenditure cover full cost, including depreciation and similar notional overheads. Full cost is recovered from all customers.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the overseas countries which are participating in the various items of civil non-nuclear

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the various items of civil non-nuclear work at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment carried out on repayment conducted under special Ministerial approval, showing the date each was started, the amount so far spent on each, the extent to which each forms part of an international effort, the estimated cost to the United Kingdom in the current financial year, and the proportion which this represents of international total contributions to each item.

The following information has been provided by the Atomic Energy Authority:work at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, giving the amount contributed by each country concerned.

None.

asked the Minister of Technology why he rejected the site clear of a road proposed to him by the Aldermaston March organisers for their tea-break, thereby causing the blocking of a main road to all traffic for two hours.

There were various factors involved. I reached my decision after careful consideration of all these factors and after discussions with the organisers.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the cost to his Department of the gates, fencing, barbed wire and police arrangements at Burfield Royal Ordnance factory on Good Friday; and whether an attempt was made

(£'000)
Date Started				Description		Expenditure to 31st March, 1968 (£'000)	1968–69 (Estimated)
1.	23rd April, 1965	…	…	Desalination	…	1,461	1263
2.	21st May, 1965	…	…	Biological centrifuge	…	43	—
3.	11th October, 1965	…	…	Hydrostatic extrusion	…	250	47
4.	31st January, 1966	…	…	Transducers	…	38	—
5.	6th May, 1966	…	…	Beryllia ceramics	…	25	—
6.	27th January, 1967	…	…	Non-destructive testing centre	…	143	175
7.	27th January, 1967	…	…	Ceramics centre	…	232	370
8.	9th June, 1967	…	…	Improved structural steels	…	39	39
9.	26th July, 1967	…	…	Atmospheric pollution	…	44	95
10.	23rd November, 1967	…	…	Heat transfer and fluid flow	…	—	110
11.	28th November, 1967	…	…	Tribology	…	5	100
12.	20th December, 1967	…	…	Carbon fibres	…	25	257
13.	8th April, 1968	…	…	Quality control	…	—	390
14.	Various	…	…	Minor Schemes	…	49	—
				Total*	…	2,354	2,846
* Figures of expenditure cover current and capital expenditure, and thus represent the cash amounts for which provision is taken in the Atomic Energy Vote. Substantial revenue is expected from certain of these projects as they mature.

asked the Minister of Technology when he expects to receive the report on the price of hearing aid batteries from the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 8th April, 1968; Vol. 762, c. 199]: My right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity and I have received this Report which is being published today. The Govern-

The additional cost to my Department was about £750. No demonstrator attempted to enter the factory.

asked the Minister of Technology, if he will list the various non-rechargeable projects undertaken by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority under Section 4 of the Science and Technology Act, 1965, the date on which each was started, the amount so far spent on each, and the estimated cost in the current financial year.

The following information has been provided by the Atomic Energy Authority.ment intend, as the N.B.P.I. has recommended, to invite the company to withdraw the price increases which were introduced on 1st January, 1968. The Government are already in touch with the company to this end.The Government will also enter into discussion with the company in relation to the issues involved in the international pricing arrangements which have been examined by the Board and which were the most important factor in the company's decision to raise their domestic prices.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the various rechargeable projects undertaken by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority under Section 4 of the Science and Technology Act, 1965, the date on

Customer	Date started (Section 4 requirement)	Description	Expenditure to 31st March, 1968 (£000)	(£000) 1968–69 (estimated)
1. E.S.R.O.	16th July, 1965	Scientific package for E.S.R.O. Large Astronomical Satellite	143	23
2. S.R.C.	21st December, 1966	Advanced Radio Telescopes	20	26
3. Gas Council and Ministry of Defence	4th April, 1967	High temperature fuel cells	20	—
	5th April, 1968		—	75
4. Computer Board	14th March, 1968	Development of computer links between Culham and 7 Universities (COTAN)	—	15
		TOTAL*	183	139
* Figures of expenditure cover full cost, including depreciation and similar notional overheads. Full cost is recovered from all customers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the European Free Trade Association meeting recently concluded.

The E.F.T.A. Council and the Joint Council of Finland and E.F.T.A. met in London at Ministerial level on 9th and 10th May. The outcome of the meeting is recorded in the following communiqué:MINISTERIAL MEETING OF E.F.T.A. COUNCILS LONDON, 9TH AND 10TH MAY, 1968

The following information has been provided by the Atomic Energy Authority:of Europe which has always been an objective of E.F.T.A.Discussions are at present proceeding within the European Economic Community on the possibility of interim solutions, including trading arrangements, pending the enlargement of the Community. Such solutions, which cannot be considered as a substitute for wider integration, might reduce the effects of the division of Europe. Ministers expressed their readiness to consider in a positive spirit any constructive proposals that might be put forward by the Community, provided that these proposals were in conformity with their international obligations. All E.F.T.A. countries should have the possibility to partipate from the beginning in any negotiations for a trading arrangement which might follow, without renouncing the aim of their respective government policies to achieve either membership of the Community or any other form of participation in a wider European market. All Ministers undertook to consult fully in the event of any proposals being addressed to them individually or collectively.Ministers were unanimous in their view that, so long as the establishment of a single European market remained out of reach, their co-operation in E.F.T.A. should be actively pursued. Accordingly, they instructed the Councils at official level to work on lines set out in a programme which covers a wide range of activities. This programme, which takes account of the proposals put forward by the four Nordic E.F.T.A. Governments, is based on three main principles: first, to improve still further the trading opportunities opened up by the Free Trade Area; secondly, to permit a more precise interpretation of the provisions of the E.F.T.A. Convention, including the rules of competition; and finally, to extend consultation within E.F.T.A. in a number of fields. In reviewing current E.F.T.A. business, Ministers took note of the extent of agreement reached by the working party on government aids, and instructed the Councils at official level to pursue the study of the subject.Ministers discussed the impact on E.F.T.A. trade of the proposed expansion of aluminium smelting capacity in the United Kingdom with the assistance of government aids available under general legislation and the effects which this could have on Norwegian exports. At the Councils' request the United Kingdom and Norwegian Governments agreed to have urgent further bilateral talks on this topic and to report to the Councils on them. The United Kingdom Minister said that his Government would take full account of these talks in arriving at decisions.Ministers expressed their satisfaction that the partners in the Kennedy Round of the United States had found it possible to envisage an accelerated application of the agreed tariff reductions. They recalled the constructive offer which E.F.T.A. Governments had made in this direction. They agreed to keep in close touch with each other and with the other participants in the Kennedy Round in order to maintain the present high degree of liberalisation of world trade.At the invitation of the Austrian Government, the next Ministerial meeting of the Council will take place in Vienna on 21st and 22nd November, 1968.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received a copy of the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on butyl rubber.

Yes. The Report is to be published today. I accept its conclusion that the price increase made on 1st January was consistent with the Prices and Incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what organisations, in addition to the Association of County Councils in Scotland, have made representations to him or the social Work Services Group in favour of county councils being the responsible authorities for the purposes of the Social Work (Scotland) Bill in relation to counties, including large burghs; and what organisa- tions have made representations to him or the Social Work Services Group in favour of the responsible authorities under the Bill being both county councils and the councils of large burghs.

The following organisations in addition to the Association of County Councils in Scotland have since the publication of the Social Work (Scotland) Bill made representations in favour of the councils of counties (including large burghs) and counties of cities being the responsible authorities for the purposes of the Bill:—

• The Aberdeen and North-East Counties Social Workers' Group.
• The Association of Social Workers (Edinburgh and East of Scotland Branch).
• The Guild of Service.
• The National Association of Probation Officers.
• The Residential Child Care Association.
• The Scottish Association of Voluntary Child Care Organisations.
• The Scottish Children's Officers' Association.
• The Scottish Council for the Unmarried Mother and her Child.

A professional working party representing:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has received and what experiments are being made with regard to the introduction of hovercraft as ferries on the West of Scotland waters.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made by all local authorities in Scotland towards the organisation of comprehensive education.

All education authorities have submitted schemes of reorganisation which have now been wholly or substantially accepted. Implementation is going forward steadily; progress depends on widely varying local circumstances. Roughly speaking about half the secondary pupils are in schools which are now comprehensive.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost per week to the average family of the increases in indirect taxes, since 1964, including excise duties, postal charges and National Insurance contributions, on the basis of average weekly expenditure as shown in the Family Expenditure Survey for 1964.

Weekly expenditure of the average household as reported in the Family Expenditure Survey for 1964 amounted to 390s. 0d. This included postal charges but excluded National Insurance contributions, which averaged 16s. 2d. per week. On the same pattern of expenditure and disregarding increases in prices not attributable to tax, it is

	1966	1967	1968
	£	£	£
Social Security pensions	259,000	270,000	47,000*
Civil Service, Armed Forces and public service occupational pensions paid entirely from Votes	155,000	152,000	47,000†
Pensions of the Indian and Burma services, supplements to pensions paid by overseas governments, and loan advances to Tanzanian pensioners in Rhodesia	97,000	100,000	28,000‡
Notes:
* Total relates to January and February
† Total comprises partly items for January and February; partly for January to April.
‡ Total relates to January to April.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what payments have been made from Rhodesian sterling accounts with respect to pensions to United Kingdom and other sterling area residents in each of the calandar years 1966 and 1967, and this year to the latest convenient date.

The following are the figures for debits from the Rhodesia special account in respect of pensions due from Rhodesia to residents of the Scheduled Territories:

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

Invisible receipts from Rhodesia (excluding unremitted earnings from direct investment) were probably about £20 million in 1965, £4 million in 1966 and £3 million in 1967.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total of payments by the British Government to Rhodesian sterling accounts with respect to pensions in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967, and this year to the latest convenient date.

The estimated total of payments in the categories shown below is as follows:

£000
1966	1967	1968 Jan.—April
453	368	162

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the continuing rise in the cost of living and the resultant depreciation in the £ is adversely affecting retired local government employees' pensions; and whether he will introduce a new pensions increase Bill for local government employees, making this applicable to former tramwaymen.

The possibility of a further measure to increase public service and armed forces pensions was the subject of a debate in the House on 9th May, and I have nothing to add to what I said then.As to former tramwaymen, I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to his Question of 10th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 691–6; Vol. 764, c.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of private British investment overseas in recent years has been in underdeveloped countries.

About a third of private British investment overseas in recent years has been in developing countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the actuarial calculations which led him to conclude that the increase in total distributions to shareholders by Burmah Oil Limited from 3s. to 3s. 1½d. per share did not exceed the Government's proposed ceiling on dividend increases.

The company distributed to ordinary shareholders in respect of 1966 £19·877 million, and in respect of 1967 £19·366 million. The amount per share paid in respect of these years is substantially below that paid in respect of 1963 and 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the increase in total distributions to shareholders by J. N. Nichols Limited from 31 per cent. to 33 per cent. is in accordance with the Government's proposed 3½ per cent. limit on dividend increases; and if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the actuarial calculations on which his decision is based.

The actual amount proposed for distribution does not exceed the amount distributed in respect of the previous year plus 3½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he approved the 22 per cent. increase in total distributions to shareholders by the Bovis Group Limited.

The company issued ordinary shares in exchange for the acquisition of another company in a transaction carried through prior to 19th March, 1968. The value of the shares so issued was determined by a commitment by Bovis Holdings Limited as to their final dividend. Documentary proof to this end was provided.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that no steps will be taken to prevent the payment of a 12½, per cent. increase in total distributions to shareholders by Roadstone Limited.

The company is not incorporated in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total annual sum paid in salaries to administrative class civil servants in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

About £8,200,000, £625,000 and £96,000, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost in a full year of increasing the tax relief for persons over 65 years of age with small incomes from the proposed £415 for single persons in the Finance Bill to, respectively, £442 and £450; and what estimate he has made of the cost of increasing the proposed £665 for married couples to £720.

£2 million, £2½ million and £5 million respectively for a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single persons and how many married couples over 65 years of age will be in receipt of tax relief for small incomes under the proposals in Clause 14 of the Finance Bill.

About 25,000 single persons and about the same number of married couples who would otherwise have paid some tax will be exempted by the increases in the age exemption limits under Clause 14. About 150,000 single persons and 200,000 married couples with incomes above the new exemption limits will pay less tax than they otherwise would have done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of total repayment to date of tax to men involved in the Liverpool bus strike; and what this represents per man per week.

Information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which national daily and Sunday newspapers have official advertisements on the new decimal currency been placed.

In the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Sketch, Sun, Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times; and in the News of the World, the People, Sunday Mirror, Sunday Express, Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph and Observer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which national daily and Sunday newspapers have official advertisements on the new National Insurance charges been placed.

In the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Sun, The Guardian and The Times; and in the News of the World, Sunday Express, Sunday Mirror, Sunday Telegraph, the People, Sunday Times and Observer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the date of the first approach by the Greater London Council to his Department in respect of the development of Woolwich/Erith marshes; how many meetings have taken place between officials of his Department and officials of the Greater London Council in connection with the proposed development of this land; and on what dates these meetings took place.

An offer to the London County Council of surplus Government land at Woolwich was announced in Parliament on 4th December 1963. An interdepartmental group of officials, under Ministry of Housing and Local Government chairmanship, was set up and in 1965 this group was enlarged to include officials of the Greater London Council and the Greenwich, and Bexley, London Borough Councils. It has met on twelve occasions, but not since the public local inquiry in October 1967 into the Greater London Council's Thames-mead scheme. I am sending my hon. Friend a list of dates of these meetings. Additionally, there have been the usual ad hoc meetings between officials on detailed aspects of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what was the capital cost to public funds of the last new town completed; and what is its estimated population;(2) what deficit or percentage return was obtainable on the capital involved in the most recent creation of a new town fully occupied.

Full financial and other information about the four completed New Towns—Crawley, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead and Welwyn Garden City—is given in the report of the Commission for the New Towns for the period ending 31st March, 1967 presented to Parliament in July, 1967. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.This is the latest date for which all the relevant information is available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the amount of the proposed increases in expenditure by his Department affecting Nottingham, as a result of the new Government policy of increasing expenditure on central urban areas, and the amount of the proposed consequent economies in expenditure by his Department affecting Nottingham.

As the Prime Minister announced on Sunday, 5th May, the Government are urgently considering the programme of expenditure in urban areas of special need including those areas which contain substantial numbers of immigrants. Information about particular areas will not be available until the study is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many acres of surplus land at the Royal Arsenal Woolwich, have so far been transferred to the ownership of the Greater London Council; on what date the transfer of ownership took place; what was the final purchase price paid for the land; and what was the date upon which payment was made.

We have agreed with the G.L.C. that ownership of the 1,012 acres of surplus land at Woolwich Arsenal shall be conveyed to them on completion of the transaction and not piecemeal. 412 acres were handed over to the G.L.C. for their use on 1st January, 1968, and 'payment of £1,000 was made on 4th January and £1,399,000 on 27th March 1968, in accordance with the arrangements described in my reply to the hon. Member on 2nd May.—[Vol. 763, c. 240.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish the terms of the quadripartite agreement between Great Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States of America on biological warfare;(2) if he will publish the terms of the quadripartite agreement between Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and the United States of America on chemical warfare.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring either to the Technical Co-operation Programme or to the Basic Standardisation Agreement of 1964. In neither case is there a special agreement covering chemical or biological warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware of the noise, nuisance and shaking of windows caused to those living on the western perimeter of Wareham and the adjoining rural area by the gunfire now emanating from the Lulworth Range; what steps he proposes to take to diminish the nuisance; and what compensation he will offer to those affected thereby.

Some additional firing is temporarily necessary on the eastern ranges at Lulworth as other ranges there have had to be closed for renovation. Firings should return to normal in September. I regret the inconvenience this may cause to those living in the area. Compensation is paid wherever actual damage is proved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement about the pay and allowances of the forces.

I am confident that the announcement will be made before the House rises for the Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now ensure that, following the failure of Mr. N. C. Patel to gain entry to Zambia, all British citizens in Kenya are enabled to travel to whatever country is willing to admit them for employment, by using adequate passport endorsements acceptable to other Governments.

Our High Commissioner in Lusaka asked the Zambian authorities to confirm that the certificate entered in Mr. Patel's passport provided satisfactory evidence for their purposes of his admissability to the United Kingdom when his employment in Zambia ended. A definitive reply has not been received but the High Commissioner has drawn the Zambian authorities attention to the hardship suffered by Mr. Patel and is continuing his efforts to obtain an early decision. I have received no reports of other countries refusing admission to U.K. citizens in these circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what advice he has given to British companies trading in Nigeria over the Biafran demand that those companies declare what they intend to do with their assets and staff in Biafra.

No direct advice has been given as we consider that each company must take its own decision whether to comply with the demand or to ignore it, and my understanding is that the companies concerned agree with this view. But we have discussed the issues raised by the Biafran demand with representatives of British business at their request.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost to the Exchequer of establishing, operating and protecting the Francis-town wireless station in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967, and this year to the latest available date.

The cost of installing the Francistown radio station in 1965 was £255,000.Running and protection costs in 1966, 1967 and 1968 until the radio station ceased operations on 31st March were as follows:—

1966 running costs approximately	£100,000
Protection costs	£111,500
1967 running costs approximately	£100,000
Protection costs	£142,500
1968 running costs approximately	£30,000

Now that the station has been closed it is proposed, as the House has been informed in a Treasury Minute laid on 10th May, to make a gift to the Botswana Government of the short-wave transmitter and ancillary equipment. The remaining equipment will be used elsewhere or sold.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost to the Exchequer of official visits to Zambia and Rhodesia by members of the Government in connection with the Rhodesian situation in each of the calendar years 1966 and 1967, and this year to the latest convenient date.

The visit to Zambia in January, 1966 by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and by my right hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough, East (Mr. Bottomley) was part of a wider African tour and it is not possible to calculate its specific cost. This was also the case with my own visits to Zambia and to Salisbury in November, 1967. The cost to the Exchequer in 1966 of other Ministerial visits to Zambia and Rhodesia, connected with the Rhodesian situation, was £20,385 (including the expenses of accompanying officials). There were no such visits, apart from those mentioned above, in 1967 and there have been no such visits in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to curtail the present freedom of British subjects to enter and leave the United Kingdom to or from any destination when not in possession of a British passport.

Perhaps the hon. Member would be good enough to let me know in a little more detail what he has in mind, since it is not altogether clear from his Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the names of the members of the committee to review the law of contempt as it affects comment on, or statements about, matters referred to a tribunal of inquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921.

Quite shortly I hope.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount of the proposed increase in expenditure by his Department affecting Nottingham, as a result of the new Government policy of increasing expenditure on central urban areas, and the amount of the proposed consequent economies in expenditure by his Department affecting Nottingham.

As the Prime Minister announced on 5th May, the Government is urgently considering the programme of expenditure in urban areas of special need. Information about particular areas will not be available until this study is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the Commonwealth immigrants admitted to this country in the last convenient period of 12 months how many were males of working age holding labour vouchers; how many were males admitted on the grounds that they were engaged to be married; and how many were males between the ages of 17 and 21 years making up family units.

The published statistics of Commonwealth immigration in 1967 (Cmnd. 3594) give full particulars of voucher holders; 4,000 men with vouchers were admitted in that year. The information asked for in the last two parts of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have now been issued to the High Commissioner in Ibadan concerning the delay in granting an entry visa to Mrs. Ajala.

An entry certificate was issued on 30th April. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health if he will ensure that tuberculosis, pneumoconiosis and silicosis are included in the list of chronic illnesses to qualify for exemption from payment of prescription charges.