asked the Minister of Social Security if she will take steps to ensure that needy families in receipt of supplementary pensions and/or widow's pensions and who have young children, receive the full benefit of legislation improving family allowances.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will take steps to restore the supplementary benefits to widowed and separated mothers, which were reduced as a result of the family allowance increases.

No. The reason is that supplementary benefits are intended to bring a person's income up to a guaranteed level and must therefore be adjusted when other income, including that from family allowances, increases. My hon. Friends will know, of course, that the specific purpose of the family allowance increases is to help the families of low wage earners who are poorer than those on supplementary benefit.

asked the Minister of Social Security what safeguards have been introduced to ensure that those Commonwealth immigrants who have been assisted by her Department to return home do not immigrate again at a later date.

I am satisfied that in practice there is not a real problem here. One of the conditions governing the advance of the costs of repatriation by the Supplementary Benefits Commission is that the person concerned has been unable to find work in this country and is unlikely to be able to settle down here. He returns at this own wish. In these circumstances, it is most unlikely that he will seek to return to this country.

asked the Minister of Social Security how many immigrants have been repatriated under her Department's scheme; and how many of these have been repatriated within the last year.

From 1935 to 1948, at least ten persons were assisted. Since 1948 the costs of repatriation have been advanced for upwards of 1,200 individuals or families, including aliens. In 1967, 72 were assisted.

asked the Minister of Social Security how the total cost of administration within her Department is divided between the various benefits, employment, sickness and injury benefits, retirement pensions and supplementary benefits.

The total administrative cost of my Department in the last financial year (1967–68) was about £94 million divided as follows:—

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she is satisfed as to the security aspect of the payment of benefits by uncrossed postal drafts sent in easily recognised envelopes; and if she will make a statement.

Yes. There is no way of avoiding recognisable envelopes; and crossed drafts would be much less convenient than uncrossed ones for most old and sick people.

asked the Minister of Social Security what percentage of benefit payment drafts and pension books sent through the mails are lost or stolen in transit; and whether this per- centage has increased over the last four years.

During 1967 about 0·026 per cent. of postal drafts and order books issued were lost for stolen in transit. The comparable figure for 1964 was 0·007 per cent. smaller.

asked the Minister of Social Security if she will investigate and report on the case, sent to her by the hon. Member for Louth, of a deserted married woman with one child to maintain, whose wages after paying rent for her council flat left her with only 12s. 6d. a week, who applied for social security help, was refused because she was working, but was offered £11 a week if she stopped working; and if she will stop this policy which encourages idleness.

I am writing to the hon. Member about the personal case he has mentioned. It is, of course, a firm principle that supplementaray benefit is not payable to people in full-time work. But it is; payable to an unsupported woman with a dependent child without any requirement to seek work; and if such a woman makes a claim while working full-time for wages below the supplementary benefit level I think it is absolutely right not simply to tell her that she is ineligible while working full time, but also to explain to her what her entitlement would be if she were working part-time and thus eligible for supplementary benefit.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) what estimate she has made of the number of fatherless families there are living below supplementary benefit level, with the mother earning under £5 per week; and how many of these would be entitled to supplementary benefit if they applied;(2) what estimate she has made of the number of families living below supplementary benefit level in which the wage earner is earning less than £5 per week, and is in full-time work.

I have no information on which the estimates sought by the hon. Member could be based.A woman who is the head of a family and is in full-time work is not entitled to draw supplementary benefit; but if she is not in full-time work she would normally qualify for some supplementary benefit if she has no other income.

asked the Minister of Technology what is now the approximate date in 1971 when the Dounreay experimental fast reactor will come into full operation; what supply in kilowatts and what area will then be supplied in Scotland with particular reference to Aberdeen; and what is the number and status of the persons now and also then employed there.

The prototype fast reactor is expected to reach full power during the second half of 1971. Its 250,000 kilowatts output will supply the North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board's area, including Aberdeen.Employment at Dounreay should remain fairly stable over the next few years at not much less than the present level of 2,300.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he is taking to ensure that there is adequate British manufactured equipment available when the change is made to the decimal system in 1971.

Action to promote arrangements for the adaptation or replacement of equipment is taken by the Decimal Currency Board in accordance with the Decimal Currency Act 1967. In exercising this function the Board are in close touch with all British and other manufacturers and suppliers concerned and there is no reason to doubt that manufacturers in the United Kingdom are preparing to supply the largest possible share of the requirements.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he proposes to take to encourage the development of standardised containers to operate in conjunction with road, rail, sea and air services.

The Department has assisted the British Standards Institution in preparing specifications for general-purpose freight containers used in transport services. These comply with recommendations of the International Organisation for Standardisation. I propose to support the extension of such standards to other types of container.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in view of the fact that only one company has sought a financial guarantee under the Government's scheme for ensuring machine tool companies against loses on stockpiled production, he will now wind up the scheme.

The final date for application under this scheme was 31st March 1968, so no further requests for support can be considered. Apart from honouring our obligation to the one applicant, the scheme is now therefore closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has made of the annual cost of extending the regional employment premium to include the hotel industry.

None. It is not proposed to pay regional employment premium to the hotel industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why she agreed to civil servants' pay increases from 10½ per cent. to 14·4 per cent., which is contrary to the 3½ per cent. limit set out in the White Paper; and whether she will grant permission to private employers to pay similar increases.

Increases of varying amounts, including those referred to in the Question, are due to about 375,000 civil servants from 1st January, 1968, on the basis of pay research surveys. The staff concerned have not had an increase for two years. The ceiling of 3½ per cent. per annum is accordingly being applied so as to limit to 7 per cent. the increase payable frpm 1st January, 1968. Any balance due will be withheld for a year. Private employers are similarly expected to conform to the 3½ per cent. ceiling.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) if she will publish a table showing the highest summer and winter unemployment figures, expressed as a percentage, in the employment exchange areas specified in Schedule 17 of the Finance Bill from 1964 to date;(2) if he will publish a table showing the highest summer and winter unemployment figures, expressed as a percentage, in the following employment exchange areas, Fleetwood, Thornton Cleveleys, Blackpool, Lytham St. Annes, Southport, Morecambe, Heysham and New Brighton from 1964 to date.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will summarise the work of her Department on the lines of the examples given in the case of the Home Office in paragraph 34 of the Centre for Administrative Studies Occasional Paper No. 4, published by Her Majesty's Treasury.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 23rd May to the right hon. Member for Wallasey (Mr. Marples) and the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Peter Walker).—[Vol. 765, c. 132–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, whether, taking 1964 as equalling 100, she will state the annual percentage rise and fall in hourly earnings in the manufacturing industry in this country compared with the United States of America, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, from information available to her from international sources.

The following information has been derived from the Quarterly Bulletin of Labour Statistics issued by the International Labour Office except where otherwise indicated. Owing to differences in concept, scope, methodology and presentation it cannot be

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, what progress she has made with the establishment of the Printing and Publishing and the Paper and Paper Products Industry Training Boards.

My right hon. Friend has today laid Orders establishing these Boards to take effect from 29th May. The following have accepted my invitation to become members of the Boards:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she proposes to take to resolve the dispute between the Clerical and Administrative Workers Union and the British Steel Corporation arising from the refusal to recognise the union as a negotiating body for clerical and administrative staff.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Mr. Victor Yates).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the British passport of Mr. J. Deegan was impounded by the British Embassy in Lomé, Togo; and if he will now arrange for its return.

The passport was impounded in order to enable us to inquire fully into the circumstances leading up to the arrest and detention of Mr. Deegan and his companions in Togo. As the hon. Gentleman knows, Mr. Deegan has since been informed that his passport facilities are to be restored.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further representations Her Majesty's Government have made about British subjects detained in China; and if he will make a statement.

I summoned the Chinese Charge d'Affaires on 24th May and raised individually the cases of all those persons we know or believe to have been detained, including the case of an officer of a British ship, Captain R. V. Pope of the "Fortune Wind", whose arrest in Tientsin on 17th May has recently been reported. I expressed most strongly our serious concern at the disgraceful failure of the Chinese Government to provide information about detained British subjects and to grant consular access to them; and I renewed the demand for information and access which I made on 5th April.The British Charge d'Affaires in Peking is continuing to make regular representations about British subjects to the Chinese authorities there. He has already asked for consular access to Captain Pope and details of any charges against him.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the pensions of retired schoolteachers; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury during the debate on Public Service and Armed Forces Pensions on 9th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 691–6.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will appoint a committee of inquiry to determine the relative advantages of applying selective social welfare through a system of negative personal tax rather than by administered means-tested benefits.

I have nothing to add to the replies to Questions on other aspects of this subject given to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 23rd January and 7th March and to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Chiswick (Mr. Barnes) on 23rd January.—[Vol. 757, c. 61; Vol. 760, c. 134.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the International Monetary Fund held a further investigation into the state of the United Kingdom economy over and above those specified in his predecessor's letter of intent; and if he will state the outcome of this latest investigation.

Last week's consultations were the regular annual consultations which the Fund conducts with all member countries. The discussions were confidential.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the total cost to the United Kingdom arising from the closure of the Suez Canal; what added costs have been met by British shipping; and what losses have been borne by the owners of the ships held up in the Canal.

It was estimated that the effects on the balance of payments of the situation in the Middle East and Nigeria might have been something under £100 million in July-December, 1967. The cost has certainly been running at a much lower rate this year. But as world trade adapts itself to the present situation, it becomes increasingly unrealistic to quantify this, in isolation from all the other factors currently affecting our overseas earnings and payments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to call for a further economic conference of western countries to discuss the price of gold.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) why the administrative practice under Section 6(1) and (2) of the Finance Act, 1964 has been changed to exclude from hydrocarbon oil duty relief on certain oils which have hitherto been eligible for that relief;(2) to what extent was prior notice given to industry of the exclusion from relief of certain hydrocarbon oil duties previously eligible under section 6(1) and (2) of the Finance Act 1964; and what consultations took place.

Legal advice showed that in some cases relief from duty under this Section had been allowed where it was not authorised by law.Prior notice was given to suppliers and industrial users of oil by the issue of an explanatory memorandum. Local Officers of Customs and Excise explained the change in person to industrial users whose eligibility for duty-free use of oil appeared likely to be affected. There were consultations centrally with representatives of certain industries affected by the change.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the increased primary costs to industry arising from the exclusion of metal-working oils from hydrocarbon oil duty relief.(2) what estimate he has made of the increased, revenue resulting from the decision to restrict hydrocarbon oil relief under section 6(1) and (2) of the Finance Act 1964 to those oils which enter physically into the composition of the finished article.

Relief from oil duty under this Section is not confined to oil which enters physically into the composition of a finished article; it applies also to oil used as a solvent, extractant, preservative or finish in the manufacture or preparation of the article. Under the recent change in practice, relief to the extent of £400,000 a year has been withdrawn, but new relief to the extent of £170,000 a year has been allowed, and the net annual additional revenue is thus just under £¼ million.The loss of relief on metal-working oils as such is not known, but on oils of all kinds used in the metal manufacturing industries it is estimated at about £100,000 a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he considers that the 11·1 per cent. increase in distributions by Hunting Associated Industries, the 16·6 per cent. increase in distributions by Kampong Lanjut Tin and the 4·05 per cent. increase in distributions by Overseas Trading Corporation (1939) are in accordance with the Government's proposed ceiling on dividend distributions; if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the actuarial calculations on which his decision, in each case, is based; and if he will give an undertaking, in each case, not to take steps to interfere with such distributions.

Hunting Associated Industries Limited is a close company. Neither Kampong Lanjut Tin Berhad nor Overseas Trading Corporation (1939) are incorporated in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates, for the purposes of his proposed ceiling on dividends, to have been the gross distribution to shareholders from profits, and the value of capital distributions, in aggregate, and per share, respectively, to shareholders in Burmah Oil Limited and in Castrol Limited, respectively, in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966, and the comparable figures in each case, in respect of 1967, with the percentage changes, year by year, in each and every case.

I suggest the hon. Member might consult available published sources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new steps he proposes to take to implement his undertaking to provide full employment; and why unemployment persists at higher levels than at any time since 1951.

The Government's policies are designed to secure full employment on the basis of a steady rise in production led by export demand. Provided that the export opportunities created by devaluation are vigorously seized, the present level of unemployment should tend to decline.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue from the short-term Capital Gains Tax in the current year.

About £5 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the desirability of making further information about public expenditure available on a functional basis, he will publish in convenient form a summary of unit costs in the main programmes.

Yes. I have arranged for the publication, as an experiment, of a booklet containing a selection of unit costs from some of the main civil programmes. I hope this will assist the discussion of public expenditure, in this House and elsewhere. The booklet will be on sale at the Stationery Office on 28th May and copies will be placed in the Vote Office.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to receive the report of the committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice Payne inquiring into the law and practice relating to the recovery of debts.

The Committee hopes to report later this year.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has yet decided whether there is to be an underground station in Pimlico; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the net capital cost of electrifying the railway lines from Euston Station, London, to Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, leaving out of account the cost of track repairs and improvements which were in any case required; and what were the receipts from the passenger and freight, respectively, as a result of this capital expenditure during the last 12 months before the electrified services began operating and during the 12 months preceding 1st January 1968.

The Railways Board tell us that the net cost was about £90 million including electric rolling stock. It is not possible to say what receipts are attributable to the capital expenditure on electrification.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made by the Railways Board for a variation in the terms of the closure order made for the Leamington Spa—Coventry and Nuneaton railway line.

None—apart from the application to delete some of the existing bus services referred to in the Answer given to my hon. Friend's previous Question on 19th February, 1968.—[Vol. 759, c. 43–44.]

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied that the proposal to single the railway track between Nuneaton, Coventry and Leamington Spa, is in accordance with the terms of the closure order made on this line; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The official letter sent to the Board on 18th September, 1964 conveying the consent of the Minister to the withdrawal of rail passenger services from the Nuneaton-Coventry-Leamington line included a request that the Railways Board should notify the Minister if they decided to remove the track from any part of the line. I understand that the Board are now considering proposals for singling most of the track, and I have no doubt that they will inform me if they decide to do so. Freight services will in any case continue to operate over the whole length of the line.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of providing a temporary bridge at the automatic half-barrier level crossing at Leominster.

None. Such matters must await the conclusions of the Hixon Level Crossing Tribunal.

asked the Minister of Transport what tonnage of goods was transported on the inland waterways and canals of Great Britain during the calendar year 1967.

The total freight traffic conveyed on the nationalised inland waterways during 1967 was 7,106,000 tons. Over 90 per cent. of this was carried on the 340 miles of the system which are classified as commercial waterways in the Transport Bill. We have no figures available of the tonnage carried on the independent inland waterways.

asked the Minister of Transport what surveys his Department has conducted or commissioned in connection with quantity licensing; and when they were completed or received by his Department.

The quantity licensing proposals were drawn up in the light of statistical and other information already available to the Ministry. No survey has been conducted or commissioned specifically on quantity licensing.

asked the Minister of Transport what mileage of dual carriageway roads he plans to have in England by 1973.

It is estimated that there will be some 2,000 miles of dual-carriageway trunk roads, including motorways, in England by 1973. An estimate for dual-carriageways on other roads is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what further discussions he has had on industrial development with the North Regional Economic Planning Council; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I are regularly in close consultation with the Chairman of the Planning Council regarding industrial development in the Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what proposals he has to inform Members of Parliament of the regions concerned of the nature of his replies to proposals made by the regional economic planning councils.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mr. Hawkins) on 23rd May. —[Vol. 765, c. 111.]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give an assurance that a young man, whose name has been sent to him, settling in Rhodesia will be allowed to retain his British passport while on a visit to this country.

I understand that the young man in question is coming here for family reasons. Provided that he is travelling on a United Kingdom passport, no action against it will be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue a White Paper containing the despatches and other communications between his Department and the Governor of the Falkland Islands during 1967 and 1968.

No. We see no occasion for such a departure from normal practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give an assurance that there is to be no rundown of the Naval base and underwater establishment at Portland.

We are engaged on a comprehensive review of all Naval establishments in the United Kingdom with a view to reducing and rationalising shore support for the Navy in the 70s. This review is still going on. Until it is complete I am unable to give a full assurance on the future of the Portland Naval Base and the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a claim has been made, or compensation offered, in respect of the aircraft assigned by the Government for the use of the British Military Attache in Amman, and destroyed on Amman Airfield by the Israeli Air Force.

No compensation has been offered, and after careful consideration, we have concluded that, in the circumstances, a claim for compensation would not be practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, if he will publish the correspondence concerning the Falkland Islands which passed between his Department and the Argentine Ambassador during 1967 and this year.

No. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 27th March, the Anglo-Argentine exchanges about the Falkland Islands are being conducted on a confidential basis.—[Vol. 761, c. 1466.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs where, when and in what words Her Majesty's Government received an assurance from the Mexican Government that it had dropped all territorial claims to the territory of the Colony of British Honduras.

In a Mexican Foreign Ministry Press Statement concerning the British Honduras mediation issued in Mexico City on the 30th April it was stated:

"As the President declared in his report to Congress on 1st September, 1966, Mexico has not and has never had any territorial ambition in respect of Belize. We hope that this complex and long standing problem will be resolved in accordance with law and justice and with strict regard to the wishes of the people of Belize."

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made by the special inter-departmental committee concerned with race relations in the field of promoting nursery and primary school education for all children in the United Kingdom, regardless of geographical area.

The Government's study is concerned with aid to urban areas of social need, including those which contain substantial numbers of immigrants. I hope to make a statement within a matter of weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Blackburn into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(2) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Blackburn into how many people in the county borough of Black burn were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965, during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(3) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Burnley into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(4) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Burnley into how many people in the county borough of Burnley were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965, during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(5) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Bolton into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(6) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Bolton into how many people in the county borough of Bolton were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965, during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(7) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Lancaster into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(8) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Lancaster into how many people in the county borough of Lancaster were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965, during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(9) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Preston into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(10) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Preston into how many people in the county borough of Preston were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965, during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(11) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Southport into how many people in the county borough of South-port were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965, during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(12) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Southport into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(13) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Carlisle into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(14) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Carlisle into how many people in the county borough of Carlisle were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965 during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1964 during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(15) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Blackpool into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(16) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Blackpool into how many people in the county borough of Black pool were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965 during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1964 during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(17) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Wigan into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs were known to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(18) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Wigan into how many people in the county borough of Wigan were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965 during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1964 during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years;(19) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Warrington into how many offences of breaking and entering chemists' shops and stealing drugs wereknown to the police to have been committed in the years 1966 and 1967, respectively;(20) whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable for the county borough of Warrington into how many people in the county borough of Warring ton were convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965 during the years 1966 and 1967, respectively; what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years; how many people were convicted of offences under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1964 during the same years; and what proportion of those convicted were under the age of 21 years.

I do not think that I should be justified in calling for these reports. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what report was made by a Metropolitan Police constable concerning an unlicensed paraffin lorry being used on the public highway on 16th May; whether he is aware that this vehicle, SAN 180, had no C licence, no road fund licence and no hooter; and what action the police intend to take.

If my hon. Friend will afford me details of the time and place of the incident, or the identity of the police officer referred to, I will contact the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions ensued as a result of the Metropolitan Police reporting 61,633 drivers in the first four months of the current year for failing to possess a road fund licence; what total fines were imposed; and what were the six most severe penalties imposed by the courts;(2) in how many of the 3,643 cases, reported in the first four months of the current year by the Metropolitan Police, of drivers failing to have a third party insurance, prosecutions ensued; what were the total fines; and what were the six most severe penalties imposed by the courts.

It will be some time before action is completed in all these cases but, in any event, I should not feel justified in putting in hand the very considerable work involved in providing the statistics for which my hon. Friend asks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the persons at present awaiting trial at the Central Criminal Court on bail and in custody have been committed for more than eight months; and what were the corresponding figures for 1950 and 1960.

There are eight persons, concerned in three cases, awaiting trial at the Central Criminal Court who have been committed for more than eight months. Seven are on bail and one is serving a sentence of imprisonment for another offence. Corresponding figures for 1950 and 1960 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware that children employed in the making of television commercials are subject to the direct glare of lamps for many hours and are consequently exhausted and distressed, and that the law regulating their employment is not being properly enforced; and if he will therefore seek powers to make his Department responsible for enforcement.

My right hon. Friend intends shortly to bring into operation Part II of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1963 and to make regulations under it; this will remedy the present unsatisfactory state of the law by providing comprehensive protection for children taking part in performances of all kinds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders were known by the police to have been committed last year; and what were the corresponding numbers for the previous four years.

Following is the information, which relates to England and Wales. The figure for 1967 includes five cases not yet disposed of by the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of prisoners in Her Majesty's Prison, Bedford, and the number who sleep more than one in a cell.

205 on 15th May, of whom 84 were sleeping three in a cell, and 26 two in a cell.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to move Her Majesty's Prison, Bedford, to a new site out of the centre of the town.

None at present.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what were the numbers of patients treated in the ear, nose and throat categories in Nuneaton and district hospitals in the years 1964 to 1967; and what numbers of these will be affected by current proposals to transfer these patients to Coventry; and whether he will make a statement.(2) what representations have been made to him concerning proposals to transfer ear, nose and throat treatments from Nuneaton and district hospitals to Coventry; and whether he will make a statement.

I have not received any proposals or representations.The number of patients treated in the ear, nose and throat categories in hospital in Nuneaton and district were:

asked the Minister of Health what advice he will give as to the ideal long-term number of patients at the Central Hospital, Warwick, after the opening of the psychiatric hospital at Walsgrave.

None. The future number of patients at the Central Hospital will be decided by the practical factors governing long term planning for the area. These involve not only the Walsgrave Unit, but services provided and to be provided by other hospitals and authorities.

asked the Minister of Health (1) on what date the sketch plans for the new psychiatric unit at the Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry, were received in his Department;

asked the Minister of Health (1) when he expects the first patients to be admitted to the new psychiatric hospital at Walsgrave, Coventry;(2) how the current completion date for the psychiatric hospital at Walsgrave, Coventry, compares with the date originally envisaged in the 10-year programme.

No completion date was given for the Walsgrave Psychiatric Hospital in the revision of the hospital plan, and it is now hoped that it will be completed in 1972 so that patients will be admitted by the end of that year. It is intended to seek tenders in the summer of next year, with a view to starting work at the end of that year. The views of the Corporation on the Board's proposals for the use of the site were sought in July, 1959. The Corporation will be invited to comment on the sketch plans when these are ready this summer, at which time they will also be available to the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities in England and Wales have made use of their powers to make grants towards the maintenance of railway lines, in each of the last five years.

Consent has been given under Section 136 of the Local Government Act, 1948 to two authorities to make such grants. I have no information about any grants that local authorities may have made for this purpose under other powers.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the companies which supply the National Health Service with Halothane, Chlorpromazine, Ampicillin, Cloxacillin, Tetracycline, Methicillin, Phenethicillin, Sodium Diatrizoate, Fusi-dic Acid and Hydrocortisone Sodium Succinate: Inj.

The list is as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he is aware of the increasing difficulties which are being caused to residents in Hertford through the delays in installing new telephone exchange equipment; and whether in the Post Office contract for this work there is a penalty clause to ensure that the work is kept to schedule;(2) why the new telephone exchange equipment at Hertford, which was expected to be completed by June or early July 1968, is now not expected to be completed until October, 1968.

The job involved complicated re-arrangement and re-allocation of plant which meant delaying the installation of the last of the new equipment. I am very sorry for the inconvenience which this has caused to the residents at Hertford. Because the date for completing the work was rearranged with the full agreement of the Post Office, the penalty clause in the contract is not applicable.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will explain the delay being experienced by residents in Codsall, Staffordshire, in obtaining telephones.

I am sorry for the delay. It is due to manufacturers' difficulties in the supply of exchange equipment. We expect to provide service for all the people who are waiting early next year.

asked the Postmaster-General why he is phasing out the present London Telephone Directory in favour of a large number of inconvenient smaller directories.

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for altering the format of the London telephone directories; and what consultations he has had in this connection.

By 1975, with the very rapid growth in the number of subscribers, the present directories would more than double in size. This has caused us to examine alternatives to the present directory arrangements which would meet the needs of subscribers and might offer some advantages to them. Research into the way in which present subscribers use the number information services led to the evolution of a plan to provide each user with a single directory about the size of the existing London A-D book. This would be specially compiled to provide him with virtually all the information he needs— not only information about his own neighbourhood but also about installations in the whole of London such as railway termini and hospitals. The Post Office Users Council, the Greater London Council, the London Boroughs Association and the London Chamber of Commerce were consulted on the scheme in outline and the proposed plan will be the subject of an independent public opinion survey before an irrevocable decision is taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is considering in view of recently expressed judicial anxiety to ensure that senior counsel are not unnecessarily employed in cases of little complexity where the litigants are in receipt of legal aid; and whether he will make a statement.

Under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Scheme 1958 an assisted person is entitled to the services of counsel to be selected by him in the Court of Session but it has been suggested, in relation to consistorial actions, that the prior authority of the Supreme Court Committee should be required before he is given the services of more than one counsel. I am considering the implications of this proposal in consultation with the Law Society of Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many posts of principal teachers of physics there are in senior secondary schools in Scotland;(2) how many honours physics graduates are in principal teacher posts in Scotland.

My information is that the number has increased considerably since Angust, 1962, when Circular 509 suggested that principal teachers might be appointed in the separate science subjects, but to ascertain the precise number would require a special return.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior secondary schools in Scotland have abandoned physics teaching to university entrance standards in the past five years.

The school curriculum is primarily a matter for education authorities but I have no information that any senior secondary school has ceased to present pupils at the Higher grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of tobacco imports to the United Kingdom in 1964 and 1967 from the sterling area and from the dollar area, respectively.

There is no current definition of the dollar area. Following are details of imports of tobacco:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now make a statement about the date for shops to change over to the metric system.

I would refer the noble Lord to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Warrington (Mr. W. T. Williams), on 5th March.—[Vol. 760, c. 59–60.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on new industrial development inquiries and proposals arising from Government policies since devaluation was announced.

There has been some increase in applications for industrial development certificates in the last quarter of 1967 and the first quarter of this year, though it is too early to draw any firm conclusions from these figures about the trend in industrial development.