asked the Minister of Health what definition of disability is to be used in the survey on the disabled being carried out by his Department.

The survey as now planned will cover persons aged 16 and over who are living at home and are substantially and permanently handicapped in the activities of daily living.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider his decision not to exempt women pensioners between 60 and 65 years old from the payment of prescription charges.

No.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what arrangements he is making for the training of wardens of homes for old people;(2) what study he has made of the recommendations of the Williams Committee on Caring for People, a copy of which has been sent to him; what conclusions he has reached; and if he will make a statement.

My Department are considering, with the other Departments concerned, the training recommendations of the Williams Committee, which relate

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN ENGLAND AND WALES, 1967
	Number of seats open to election	Number of seats open in which contests took place	Percentage of the total electorate that went to the poll
County Boroughs, Municipal Boroughs, Urban and Rural Districts	18,961	10,000	41·7
ounty Councils	3,778	1,822	38·7

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken by his Department to warn the public, as a preventive measure, that the debilitating genetic disease known as sickle-cell anæmia, not present in the indigenous to a number of forms of residential care besides that of elderly people. Meantime the short courses for heads of homes for the elderly run by the National Old People's Welfare Council are expected to continue.

asked the Minister of Health how many vacancies there are for qualified teachers of the mentally handicapped in adult training centres and junior training centres, respectively.

At 30th September, 1967, there were in training centres 74 vacancies for teachers of mentally handicapped adults and 83 for teachers of mentally handicapped children.

asked the Minister of Health how many students are receiving full-time training on the courses run in the present academic year under the aegis of the Training Council for Teachers of the Mentally Handicapped.

About 460 students on courses approved by the Council.

asked the Minister of Health how many seats were open to election in all categories of local authorities in England and Wales last year; in how many of these seats contests took place; and what percentage of the total electorate went to the poll in those seats.

The following is the answer.population of Great Britain, can be inherited by the offspring of racially-mixed unions.

None. Sickle-cell anæmia can occur in children only where both parents carry the necessary mutant gene.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to permit the supply of deaf hearing aids to those in need of them on the same conditions in the National Health Service as for spectacles.

No. Medresco hearing aids suitable for all except a small minority of those who can benefit from an aid are available free under the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health what plans there now are for the provision of special facilities for the treatment of psychopathic patients; whether he is satisfied with this provision; and if he will make a statement.

Many psychiatric hospitals, including the special hospitals, admit psychopathic patients who are thought likely to benefit from medical treatment. Some hospital authorities are developing special forms of care, which may however only be needed for a minority of such patients.

asked the Minister of Health how many special units there now are for the treatment of adolescents with psychiatric problems; whether he is satisfied with this provision; and if he will make a statement.

Thirteen; 30 to 35 more are planned. Guidance was given to hospital authorities in 1964 about the provision of such units and boards are fully aware of their advantages.

asked the Minister of Health how many special units there now are for the treatment of adolescents with psychiatric problems; whether he is satisfied with this provision; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Health how many special units there now are for the treatment of adolescents with psychiatric problems; and whether he is satisefid with this provision.

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport (Mr. Roy Hughes).

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement about the work of the recently formed special unit at Fulham Hospital in London.

A sterile unit for the treatment by chemotherapy of chorion-epithelioma (a rare form of cancer which affects women following pregnancy) was opened in 1964, consisting of eight beds. The mortality from this condition was about 90 per cent. but under the new form of treatment has been reduced to below 20 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in the recruitment of volunteers in the local authority and hospital services as recommended in his Circular 7/62.

Voluntary work is normally arranged locally and full information about it is not available centrally. A great variety of voluntary service is given by many agencies and individuals to hospitals of all types and to the local authority health and welfare services, and all authorities are well aware of my strong desire for its continued expansion.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many social workers in training are unable to have the experience of a student placement in a psychiatric hospital for lack of a senior psychiatric social workers to teach them; and if he will take steps to increase the numbers of such senior psychiatric social workers.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Dr. Winstanley) earlier today.

asked the Minister of Health how many members of the Leeds Regional Hospital Board have been on the board for over 20 years; and when he will offer other people an opportunity to serve.

Two. Over half the present members of the Board were first appointed within the last 6 years.

asked the Minister of Health how many vacancies there now are for ear, nose and throat consultants in Birmingham; and what measures he is taking to fill them.

Two. I understand that one vacancy is at present covered by locums and that the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board expects to interview candidates for the regular appointment this week. The second vacancy has been advertised on several occasions but no suitable candidate has applied; the Board is considering how the post can be made more attractive.

asked the Minister of Health (1) why he was unable to supply information regarding tendering of building work by regional hospital boards to the Economic Development Committee for Building during the compilation of its survey of Action on the Banwell Report, when similar information was made available by other Departments of State; and what action he has taken to improve his statistical services in this regard;(2) whether he will set out in tabular form the statistics regarding tendering for building work requested by the Economic Development Committee for Building which he was unable to give in advance of the publication of its Survey of Action on the Banwell Report along the lines set out in table two of this report.

Tabulations in the form initially requested by the Economic Development Committee for Build- ing were not available centrally and could not then, and cannot now, be produced without unwarranted diversion of resources from other tasks. The Committee were accordingly provided with, and accepted, information in a different form. I do not agree that the inquiry established a need to alter the form of the statistical information available. It is not apparent from the publication "Action on the Banwell Report" that in general most other Departments consulted were able to supply comprehensive analyses from central records.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what advice he has given to regional hospital boards about liaison with regard to building projects so that specialised building and design teams will not be disbanded on the completion of the project; and what request he has made to be kept informed of progress in this regard.(2) what advice he has given to regional hospital boards about the desirability of full integration of design and production, and of specialist mechanical and electrical services, at an early stage of building work; and what requests he has made to be kept informed of progress in this regard.

Continuous programmes of work which would be necessary to enable builders and designers to remain in association on the completion of a project, could only be arranged at the cost of infringing the principle of open competition for public contracts. The planning procedures issued by my Department as guidance to Boards encourage integration of building and engineering design and, in suitable cases, contractor participation from the earliest stages of planning. A compendium of building assemblies has also been compiled and issued to Boards as a result of advice received from manufacturers on the design and specification of individual items. I am kept fully informed of progress on both planning and construction of all major hospital projects.

asked the Minister of Health what advice he has given to regional hospital boards regarding the desirability of serial contracting of building and construction work; whether he is satisfied with the progress in this regard; and whether he will make a statement.

Serial contracting requires continuity of work of a similar character. I am currently discussing with Regional Hospital Boards the co-ordination of their requirements for residential accommodation with the aim of facilitating serial contracts for this type of work, and will continue to encourage Boards to adopt this method wherever appropriate for hospital work.

asked the Minister of Health what action he has taken to encourage regional hospital boards to reduce the number of building firms which they invite to tender for specialist heating, ventilating and electrical work; and with what result.

I have recommended that regional hospital boards invite tenders from no more than six contractors whether for building or specialist engineering work. A recent enquiry confirms that this advice is generally being followed.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the confusion resulting from the management side's interpretation of the prices and incomes policy in their negotiation with National Health Service medical laboratory technicians, who have not had a pay increase for 30 months; and if he will seek to prevent the strike called by A.S.T.M.S. for 20th June by asking the management side to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with their employees.

Negotiations in the Whitley Council are proceeding on a claim for a salary increase to take account of the outcome of negotiations, which are still in progress, for comparable grades in the Civil Service. Meantime a salary increase of 7 per cent. from 1st April, 1968, was agreed on 6th June. As the current salaries have been in operation since 1st January, 1966, the increase does not exceed the ceiling for settlements in paragraph 28 of Cmnd. 3590. The Staff Side of the Council have made no proposal for strike action, and the settlement emerged from normal negotiations without intervention by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will arrange for resident staff in hospitals to receive credit for meals they do not take.

This is a matter for the Whitley Councils concerned, but there are a number of arrangements for remission of fixed national charges in appropriate cases.

asked the Minister of Health what percentage of the towns of Great Britain with a population of 95,000 or over have a casualty unit within their boundaries.

I regret that this information is not available. The report of the sub-committee of my Standing Medical Advisory Committee on Accident and Emergency Services recommended a concentration of these services in a pattern of accident and emergency units staffed and equipped to deal immediately with major injuries and other emergency cases at any hour of the day and night, and that such units should each serve populations of at least 150,000. Rationalisation along these lines inevitably involves the closure of casualty departments at some hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now take steps to stop the practice whereby any increase in nurses' salaries is automatically accompanied by an increase in the charges made for living within the hospital.

This is a matter for negotiation on each occasion by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council. The recent increase in board and lodging charges which was linked with a 4 per cent. increase in pay from 1st October, 1967, was recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now appoint as a member of Bracknell Development Corporation another member of Easthamp-stead Rural District Council.

My right hon. Friend hopes shortly to consult the local authorities about an appointment to fill the existing vacancy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement about the final plans for the reconstruction of Piccadilly Circus.

Discussions have been going on between the Greater London Council, the Westminster City Council and the private interests concerned with the redevelopment of the Circus. I understand that a comprehensive scheme has been produced and that it is proposed to put this on display in the Criterion, Piccadilly Circus, in July (1968). The public will thus have an opportunity of commenting before final decisions are taken by those concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now announce the Government's decision on the future use of the Pinewood Hospital buildings near Wokingham.

Difficult issues are involved, but my right hon. Friend hopes to be able to give a decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what housing allocations were asked for and granted to the Basford Rural District in each of the years 1961–62 to 1968–69.

Housing programmes are related to calendar years and allocations asked for and granted to Basford Rural District Council for each of the years 1961 to 1968 were as follows:

	Asked for	Allocated	Tenders submitted and approved
1961	304	100	31
1962		60	57
1963	None	None	None
1964	598	198	None
1965			266
1966	64	314	213
1967	338	120	213
1968	200	66	—

In 1966 the Council agreed to build houses for incoming miners and the allocation was increased to provide for this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what housing allocations were asked for and granted to the Beeston and Stapleford Urban District for each of the years 1961–62 to 1968–69.

Housing programmes are related to calendar years and allocations asked for and granted to Beeston and Stapleford Urban District Council for each of the years 1961 to 1968 were as follows: —

	Asked for	Allocated	Tenders submitted and approved
1961	200	200	97
1962	239	113	248
1963	328	141	141
1964	176	176	60
1965	181	None	127
1966	200	200	8
1967	200	200	208
1968	200	200	—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the fact that the monthly reserve figures are incomplete and therefore misleading, if he will cease their publication and issue a six-monthly report giving the true position, including all short-term debts and the exchange of swap credit lines between Central Banks, even though these figures may be six months old.

No. The outcome of the balance of payments is published quarterly in Economic Trends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in the last three years have claims on the reserves been held in suspense that would otherwise have been a charge on the reserves; what amounts were involved; from what countries mainly they came; and if he will stop this practice, which tends to mislead as to the true size of the reserves.

The answer to the first Question is, none. The other Questions do not arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the £540 million adverse balance of payments for 1967 to be eliminated, and whether he is still planning to add an extra £500 million to the reserves each year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answers which I gave him on 14th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 1020–1.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now abolish tax relief for standard rate taxpayers on personal loans for private consumption.

No. While I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion, it raises serious practical and other problems.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his talks with the Governor and Financial Secretary of the Colony of Hong Kong.

As was announced on 1st June, a facility is being established by which the Hong Kong Government will be able to hold a substantial part of its reserves in this form of a United Kingdom Treasury bond denominated in Hong Kong dollars. This was a satisfactory outcome and I regard the arrangement as well suited to the special situation of Hong Kong.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the pattern of capital distributions to shareholders in Burmah Oil and Castrol Limited prior to 1967 which led him to conclude that the capital distribution in 1966 should be included for the purpose of calculating the consistency of Burmah Oil's 1967 distribution with the Government's proposed ceiling on dividend increases.

Recent capital dividends paid by Burmah Oil Company Limited are as follows:

• 1963: 3d. per £1 unit.
• 1964: 3d. per £1 unit.
• 1965: 2·6175d. per £1 unit.
• 1966: 3·3825d. per £1 unit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he accepts the 28 per cent. increase in total distributions by Capper-Neill, the 17·5 per cent. increase in total distributions by John Martin of London, the 16 per cent. increase in total distributions by Tudor Jenkins, and the 36 per cent. increase in Shipping Industrial Holdings as being consistent with the Government's proposed ceiling on dividend increases; and if, in the last case, he would specify the nature of the formal commitment regarding distribution entered into prior to the Budget.

Capper-Neill Limited gave an undertaking at the time of a rights issue made prior to the Budget to pay a final dividend of 16 per cent. John Martin of London Limited agreed not to exceed the level of an earlier year. Tudor Jenkins and Company Limited did not pay a greater amount to shareholders than for the previous year, after allowing for the ranking for dividend of Deferred Ordinary Shares for the first time. The Board of Shipping Industrial Holdings Limited formally and publicly recommended before the Budget the final dividend to be paid.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the 20 per cent. increase in total distribution by Ada (Halifax), the 3·8 per cent. increase by Airborne Industries, and the 11 per cent. increase by Mitchell Construction Holdings, are in conformity with his proposed dividend ceiling; if he will publish, in each case, the actuarial calculations on which his decision is based; if he will inform these firms that the ceiling has no legal basis; and if he will undertake not to prevent the distributions proposed.

Ada (Halifax) Limited issued stock in respect of an acquisition before the Budget which entailed the payment of an 18 per cent. final dividend. The excess of 0·3 per cent. in the case of Airborne Industries was allowed in error. Mitchell Construction Holdings Limited distributed no greater amount to shareholders for the year than for the previous year plus 3½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define the circumstances under which, and the extent to which, the repatriation of overseas earnings by a public company is accepted as a justification for such a company exceeding the Government's proposed ceiling on dividend distribution.

Where the requirements of the voluntary dividend restraint policy and the need to maximise remittances to the United Kingdom are in conflict, the Treasury will waive the requirements to the extent necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the grants and loans to nationalised industries in the financial years 1963–64 to 1967–68, inclusive, and estimated to be made in

£ million
	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69 Estimated
Deficit Grants (to British Railways, L.T.B. and B.W.B.)	127·7	121·0	131·8	142·1	166·1	149·7
Investment Grants (mostly for steel)	—	—	—	—	13·7	17·8*
S.E.T. Additional Payments	—	—	—	0·7	1·2	2·1
Regional Employment Premiums (mostly for steel)	—	—	—	—	0·5	7·9
Bus fuel grants	—	—	2·2	2·5	2·9	5·7
Grants under the Transport Bill	—	—	—	—	—	5·5
Ports Modernisation Grants	—	—	—	—	0·8	2·0
Grants under the Coal Industry Acts, 1965 and 1967	—	—	—	1·3	8·4	19·5
* This figure corresponds with the provision included for public corporations in 1968–69 Estimates, but may be exceeded when the requirements of the British Steel Corporation are more closely defined.
In addition there are various small grants, e.g. under the Local Employment Acts, 1960–66; for Fish Research; and for Civil Defence.
Provisions made since October, 1964 for further grants (other than those of general application such as Investment Grants, Selective Employment Additional Payments and Regional Employment Premium) are as follows:
Coal Industry Act, 1965, Section 3, as amended by the Coal Industry Act, 1967, Section 2.
Coal Industry Act, 1967, Sections 4, 5 and 6.
Transport Finances Act, 1966, Section 1.
Finance Act, 1968, Section 92, as amended by Section 1 of the Bus Fuel Grants Act, 1966, and Section 1 of the Finance Act, 1967.
—[Vol. 739, c. 307–8]

Much of the information required is already available in published documents: details of loans and of borrowing powers in the White Paper "Loans from the Consolidated Fund 1965–66 " (Cmnd. 2624), 1966–67 (Cmnd. 2974), 1967–68 (Cmnd. 3243), and "Loans from the National Loans Fund 1968–69 (Cmnd. 3565) and the Financial Statement 1968–69; of financial results in the White Paper: "Nationalised Industries. A Review of Economic and Financial Objectives" (Cmnd. 3437, Tables 3 and 4); and of the write-off of capital debt in the reply given to a Question by the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkes-bury on 25th January, 1967. The nationalised industries borrowing powers listed in Table 1 of Cmnd. 3565 do not, however, take account of recent increases in statutory borrowing limits to £270 million in the case of the London Transport Board and to £210 million in the case of the British European Airways Corporation.Grants to the nationalised industries during the period in question are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield of Capital Gains Tax for the last financial year; how much came from individual taxpayers and how much from companies; and what estimate he has made of the field for the current financial year.

The yield of capital gains tax in 1967–68 was £15¾ million; all of this was collected from individuals. Capital gains of companies are chargeable to Corporation Tax and it is estimated that they accounted for £7 million of the £1,426 million collected in 1967–68. The corresponding estimates for 1968–69 are £44 million and £25 million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those departments in which studies of the feasibility of applying the output budgeting technique are in progress, showing in each case the date on which these studies were started and the date on which they are expected to be completed; and if he will give details of each of the major civil programmes involved.

Yes. An initial study of the feasibility of applying output budgeting in the Department of Education and Science started in November 1967 and is nearing completion. A similar study relating to the Overseas Services and involving a number of departments, principally the Foreign Office, Commonwealth Office, Diplomatic Service Administration Office, the Ministry of Overseas Development and the Board of Trade, started last month. It is hoped to complete it by the end of the year.In addition, the Ministries of Transport and Health are studying the feasibility and usefulness of applying this form of analysis to the programmes for which they are responsible as part of wider studies of quantitative techniques of management.I would also refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. David Howell) on 14th May, 1968.— [Vol. 764, c. 233–4.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South, may expect to receive a reply to her letter of 1st May about recoding of tax demands in connection with future increases in family allowance payments.

I have written to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to announce the results of his discussions with the electronic engineering industry on the profit formula.

The implementation of the agreement in principle announced on 26th February has given rise to a number of points of detail which are under active discussion.—[Vol. 759, c. 947–53.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking 1952 as a base year, what was the value of the £ on 1st January, 1962, and 1st January, 1968, respectively.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the £ sterling as 20s. in 1952, its value in January, 1962, and January, 1968 are estimated at 15s. 10d. and 13s. 3d., respectively.These estimates are based on changes in the consumer price index for calendar years adjusted by movements in the retail price index for the months at the end of the periods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to extend the system of special merit promotions within the Civil Service.

No. The system already applies to scientists, engineers and members of analogous classes and enables them to concentrate on individual research work without the managerial responsibility normally attaching to senior posts. A comparable scheme applies in the medical officer class.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many blind people benefit from the £100 tax allowance; how many benefited from relief at the standard rate of tax in 1967; and what was the total cost to the Exchequer of this allowance in 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967, respectively.

The latest estimate suggests that about 24,000 people qualify for the blind persons' allowance or a restricted part of it, of whom about 6,000 benefited at the standard rate on the whole allowance. For the years 1964–65. 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1967–68 the costs are estimated at £½ million, £¾ million, £¾ million and £¾ million, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking on the resolution adopted by the United Nations Committee on Colonial Affairs on the subject of Bermuda, which called upon the United Kingdom, as the administering power, to take certain action.

None. As the United Kingdom representative made clear in the Committee of 24, for the most part the conclusions and recommendations adopted by that Committee on 17th May were unacceptable.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the breakdown of talks between the Nigerian Federal Government and the Government of Biafra, he will reconsider Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of arms shipments to Nigeria.

We deeply regret that the Kampala peace talks were broken off at a time when there seemed to be a possibility of their making some progress. I understand, however, that the talks were suspended or adjourned, rather than abandoned, and it must be the hope of all of us that it will be possible for them to be resumed soon. The Federal delegation who were prepared to continue the talks in Kampala, have made it clear that they are ready to reopen discussions whenever the other side wish. We do not think it would be helpful in these circumstances to alter our arms policy although, as the Commonwealth Secretary made clear in the House on 21st May (HANSARD Col. 264), we would be very ready to suspend deliveries if this were agreed on both sides.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, who have not signed the embargo against trade with Rhodesia, are purchasing ferro-chrome from Rhodesia; and what tonnages of ferro-chrome have been imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1965, 1966 and 1967.

I am not aware that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are purchasing ferro-chrome from Rhodesia. The latest available figures show that the Soviet Union does not import ferro-chrome; that country is in fact a major producer and exporter of chrome.I assume the second part of the Question refers to imports of ferro-chrome from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics into the United Kingdom. Figures for these imports are as follows: —

1965	4,548 tons
1966	5,031 tons
1967	4,529 tons

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what estimate he has made of the extent to which the decision of the Security Council in paragraph 3(A) of its resolution of 29th May, that members shall prevent the import into their territories of all commodities and products originating in Rhodesia, will not be observed by other countries.

The resolution requests the Secretary General of the United Nations to report to the Security Council on the progress of implementation by the 1st of September, 1968. In his annual report for 1966–67 the Secretary General has called attention to non-compliance by certain states as far as earlier sanctions are concerned. It is not for us to anticipate his forthcoming report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps the Minister of State responsible for disarmament is taking to give publicity to Her Majesty's Government's policy in this matter.

A new booklet, "Disarmament: The Path to Peace", is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. It is available at Government bookshops or through any bookseller, price five shillings and six pence. Members can obtain the booklet through the Vote Office, and copies have also been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the cost of the charter of an aircraft for his recent visit to Moscow; and what was the lowest tender he received for this charter.

The cost of chartering the British European Airways Comet IV aircraft for my visit to Moscow and Bonn was £4,250. The only other tender was from a private charter company. Unlike British European Airways, this company would have been obliged to carry on board a Soviet screening team. This would possibly have involved an inter-mediate stop at Copenhagen. The cost of this charter would then have been £3,260. In view of the long operating experience of British European Airways on the Moscow route, and of the greater operating flexibility offered to British European Airways at the time that arrangements were being made, I decided that it would be right on this occasion for me to travel by the national airline.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the National Board for Prices and Incomes Review of salaries for academic medical staff.

The standing reference on the remuneration of university academic staff covers medical staff. Under Section 3(3) of the Prices and Incomes Act 1966, it is for the Board to report from time to time as it thinks fit.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated population of nursing school age in the London Borough of Havering; how many nursery schools there are in Havering; and what is the total number of places available within them.

Of the estimated 13,400 children over two and under 5 years old in Havering in January 1967, 484 (including about 120 in five nursery classes) were attending maintained primary schools. There are no maintained nursery schools in the borough; the one independent nursery school had 34 pupils, of whom 11 were under five.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his approval was sought by the Agricultural Research Council before they accepted a 9,000 dollar contract from the United States armed forces for work on the study of the chemistry of radiation-included changes in protein at the Agricultural Research Council, Cambridge.

No. The content of the research programmes of the Agricultural Research Council Institutes is a matter for the Council itself and the acceptance of this contract did not require approval by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the amount to be spent in 1968–69 by the Medical Research Council on research into mental illness; and what proportion of the total budget this represents.

The Medical Research Council expect to spend approximately £678,000 on research into mental disorder and £362,000 on related psyohological studies in 1968–69. Together these sums represent 8·3 per cent. of the Council's total estimated recurrent expenditure for the period. In addition, a wide programme of basic biological research being carried out under the Council's auspices may help to shed light on some of the problems in the field of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the total spending on grants to postgraduate students, in respect of the academic year 1965–66 and how was this sum divided between his Department, local education authorities, university grants committees, research councils and other sources.

The estimated cost of postgraduate awards in Great Britain in 1965–66 was about £8 million. Of this sum £2·6 million was spent by my Department, £0·5 million by local education authorities, £3·9 million by the Research Councils and £1 million by other Government Departments, including the Scottish Education Department. Information is not available about grants to postgraduates by universities and colleges from their own funds, or by business concerns.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further calculations on the close approach to the Earth by the plant Icarus on 15th June, 1968, have been made by his Department since he wrote to the hon. Member on 30th October, 1967; and if he will make a statement.

Since October, 1967, further calculations have been made on the orbit of the minor planet Icarus both in Leningrad and in Cincinnati. A further special study has also been re- ported in the International Astronomical Union's Circular no. 2065 of 16th April, 1968. The closest approach of Icarus to the Earth will occur on the evening of 14th June at a distance of some 3·95 million miles.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for encouraging more research into the cause and cures of rheumatic diseases.

The allocation of Government funds to different areas of medical research is a matter primarily for the scientific judgment of the Medical Research Council; and the Council already has in hand a considerable programme of research on rheumatic and related diseases. Further research is undertaken in university departments with support from Government and voluntary funds, and in a number of National Health Service hospitals and rheumatism centres. There is also a great deal of fundamental research in progress which may prove to be relevant to the problem.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why his Department failed originally to comply with Circular 100 of 1950 in respect of the proposed erection of an engineering and maintenance workshop at Benton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and whether he will make a statement.

There was, I regret to say, a misunderstanding between my headquarters, which is concerned with the overall plan for redeveloping the site, and my local office, which designed this particular building, as to which of them was going to seek Circular 100 clearance. In the event my local office started the building under the impression that the necessary clearance had been obtained by headquarters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to announce the full membership of the Commission appointed to enquire into the need for and the siting of the third London Airport.

Very soon.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultation he had with local authorities before agreeing to the large transfer of oil between Shell tankers off Lyme Regis on 29th May; whether he has authorised further discharges at this point; and what consideration he has given to the harmful effect of any oil leakage which would affect the beaches along this coast.

This operation took place off Tor Bay on 30th and 31st May and the results were satisfactory. I was kept fully informed but I saw no need to consult local authorities. I shall keep in close touch with the progress of similar operations around our coasts and I shall of course consult local authorities if necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about his plans to encourage smaller firms to employ expert advisers.

I am today launching a pilot scheme to help smaller firms in the Glasgow and Bristol areas to increase their efficiency and profitability by employing consultants and other expert advisers. The scheme will enable industrial and commercial firms—in the main those with between 25 and 500 employees—to obtain grants of up to 50 per cent. of such expenditure to improve their management, product design, and production and marketing methods. Subject to the approval of Parliament, expenditure of up to £500,000 is proposed on the scheme, and a supplementary estimate will be presented in due course.

asked the Minister of Social Security how the review of cases of wage-stopped disabled people is proceeding.

The implementation of the Commission's wage-stop decisions is being carried out in three stages. The first of these stages, namely the introduction of the Local Authority (National Joint Council) rates for labourers formerly on regional rates and the abolition of the 7s. 6d. deduction for "intangible expenses" for these cases was carried out in March. The second stage, involving the abolition of the 7s. 6d. deduction for expenses in cases not covered by the March review; discussion with the claimant of the figure being used for net earnings; substitution of three months for six months as a measure of temporary sickness (with a corresponding reduction in the case of prisoners' wives); and the discontinuance of the practice whereby a wife's earnings may be deducted in full from her husband's wage-stopped benefit is now being carried out as individual cases come up for review.The third and last stage is the special review of disabled cases. Consultations with other Ministries are necessary and it is hoped to carry out the review in the Autumn.

asked the Minister of Social Security when she will be able to state how many immigrants are claiming benefit for dependants resident outside Great Britain and how many dependants are involved; and if she will give the relevant particulars of the reciprocal agreements with Australia, New Zealand, Malta, Cyprus, Turkey and Western European countries.

We do not distinguish between immigrants and other people who satisfy the appropriate benefit conditions, but I have set in hand a general study to see if useful figures would be reasonably accessible on this and related questions. I cannot say what the outcome is likely to be. The terms of the individual reciprocal agreements referred to vary, but in general, a person qualifying for benefit in Great Britain would be able to have a dependant in the other country treated as if he or she were here. The texts of the agreements are available to Members in the Library.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now reached a decision on the proposal to discontinue rail passenger services on the Edinburgh-Hawick-Carlisle line.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make a decision within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Transport for how long he expects the work which has commenced on the A3 X-way crossing at Burpham Roundabout to be halted by his Department; when he intends to permit the work to recommence; and whether the work will be completed on Monday, 10th June, when children return to school after the Whit-sun holidays.

I have told the Guildford Borough Council that I cannot authorise this proposed crossing until I have taken a decision on the future of X-ways generally, whether in their present or in any modified form. I hope to reach this decision very shortly and the council will be notified immediately I have done so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take in the case of Mr. Rex Martin regarding his liability for foreign service, details of which have been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Martin is a United States citizen permanently resident in this country and I have no action under consideration in his case.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers and men of all three Services were discharged unfit during the last two years as a result of nervous and mental breakdown; and how many were granted a disability pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers and men of all three Services were discharged unfit during the last two years as a result of nervous and mental breakdown; and how many were granted a disability pension.

The answer to the first part of the Question is as follows:—

	1966	1967
Officers	57	33
Other Ranks	1,262	1,013

These figures relate to men discharged on account of illnesses which can be described in lay terms as nervous and mental conditions. I understand that approximately 190 of these men were awarded a disability pension or gratuity.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that under the present arrangements some reports of unidentified flying objects are made to the Ministry of Defence and police reports are made to the Board of Trade; and whether he will arrange that all such reports are made to one department.

No, I am not so aware. Reports from any source, including any received by the Board of Trade, are passed on to the Ministry of Defence.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the protracted difficulties being experienced by the parties to the Nigerian civil war peace talks, he will now approach other interested Governments with a view to imposing a ban on the export of arms to both sides.

As my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary made clear in the House on 21st May, Her Majesty's Government would be very ready to co-operate in a general standstill on further supplies if this were agreed by the two sides in Nigeria. But without such agreement I have no reason to believe that action on our part alone would be effective or help to clear away the difficulties which have arisen in negotiations between the two sides.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his inquiries into the circumstances in which British passports may have been issued to terrorists acting against the illegal regime in Rhodesia.

As the House knows Rhodesians of all races are United Kingdom nationals. It follows that, provided applicants can prove Rhodesian citizenship, our posts abroad have authority to issue British passports to them—and several thousand have been so issued since the illegal declaration of independence. These passports, which are made valid for six months at a time are not, of course, issued to people known to be terrorists; nor, if it subsequently came to light that a passport had been issued to a terrorist, would that passport be renewed when it expired. I am satisfied that our posts have been following their instructions correctly.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department at Blackpool on 29th May concerning prices and incomes policy represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Secretary of State for the Home Department at Blackpool on 29th May on prices and incomes legislation represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government about the future need for prices and incomes legislation was made clear by me in a speech on 13th May, a copy of which is in the Library, and by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity in this House on 21st May.—[Vol. 765, c. 408–20.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the additional cost of deficiency payments caused by uncontrolled importation of cattle and subsidised beef from Southern Ireland in the last financial year.

It is impracticable to isolate the effect of any specific factor in determining the average market prices on which deficiency payments are based. The level of imports was only one among many things that influenced prices during the financial year 1967–68; and total imports from all sources, including fat cattle, were less than in any year since decontrol.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many former employees of James Brown and Company, Penicuik, have had their applications accepted for redundancy payments; and how many of these are women.

180 including 41 women. Applications from a further 37 employees, 11 of them women, are being dealt with. Some of these employees have not yet been discharged.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the unemployment figures in Scotland in the years 1952 to 1968, respectively, for May, giving a breakdown of the figures for male, female and juvenile unemployment in each year.

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN SCOTLAND
		Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
12th May, 1952	…	36,970	1,385	25,579	2,308	66,242
11th May, 1953	…	38,299	1,304	22,070	1,252	62,925
10th May, 1954	…	37,130	1,604	20,606	1,459	60,799
16th May, 1955	…	29,088	1,321	16,684	905	47,998
14th May, 1956	…	30,599	1,075	18,786	1,301	51,761
13th May, 1957	…	34,255	1,372	18,308	1,025	54,960
12th May, 1958	…	50,334	2,293	23,174	1,725	77,526
11th May, 1959	…	64,015	3,822	25,189	1,533	94,559
16th May, 1960	…	52,083	2,498	20,910	992	76,483
15th May, 1961	…	43,643	1,686	18,497	1,056	64,882
14th May, 1962	…	52,035	2,875	19,540	1,550	76,000
13th May, 1963	…	70,459	5,041	25,602	2,647	103,749
11th May, 1964	…	53,398	2,813	21,439	1,490	79,140
10th May, 1965	…	42,100	1,833	17,165	1,066	62,164
16th May, 1966	…	38,481	1,589	14,038	881	54,989
8th May, 1967	…	59,088	2,422	19,847	1,546	82,903
13th May, 1968	…	59,928	2,113	16,645	1,111	79,797

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the increases in the index of retail prices for nationalised industries, for food, for housing, for fuel and light, for durable household goods, for clothing and footwear, for transport and vehicles, for miscellaneous goods, for services and for all items in the index since October, 1964, since July, 1966, and since November, 1967, respectively, to the latest convenient date.

The percentage increases were as follows:

	13th October, 1964 to 23rd April 1968	19th July, 1966 to 23rd April, 1968	14th November, 1967 to 23rd April 1968
Nationalised industries	20·3	9·1	2·1
Food	14·4	6·3	4·5
Housing	21·5	8·2	2·2
Fuel and light	21·5	11·4	2·5
Durable household goods	9·8	5·4	3·4
Clothing and footwear	7·1	2·5	0·9
Transport and vehicles	16·6	8·7	4·8
Miscellaneous goods	17·9	10·4	8·1
Services	20·7	8·2	2·0
All items	15·7	7·0	3·7

The following is the information:Notes:1. The items included under the heading " nationalised industries " are:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will review the working of industrial training boards with special reference to the criteria for assessing levies on small firms with specialised skills.

Industrial training boards are very much aware of the problems of small firms and I myself will continue to keep these in mind when considering proposals from boards for the exercise of their various functions including the raising of levy.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many people in Leamington Spa and district are on the waiting list for telephones.

710 people in Leamington Spa and district are on the list and have been waiting on average five to six months. The exchanges involved and the numbers on each are:

Leamington Spa	446
Warwick	245
Kenilworth	19

At both Leamington Spa and Warwick there are shortages of equipment and cables; but in Kenilworth only of cables. We have plans which will enable service to be given to most of those waiting at Kenilworth and Warwick by late summer, about 250 in all, and about 430 early in 1969 including most of those waiting at Leamington Spa. Unfortunately, a few may have to wait until the middle of 1969. Service to some people will be delayed because it is necessary to provide cables on new housing sites and the speed with which they can be laid depends on the progress of development of the new estates.

asked the Postmaster General how many people are on the waiting list for telephones in the Uxbridge constituency; and what estimate he will make of the likely delay they will suffer.

At 31st May, 1968, there were 48 people on the waiting list with an average waiting period of 4 months. All are awaiting service from Harefield Telephone Exchange. The exchange will be enlarged, and converted to Subscriber Trunk Dialling, by late summer of this year and all the people who are waiting will then be given service.

asked the Minister of Power, in view of representations asking for the dismissal of Mr. Cecil King from the National Coal Board, if he will give an assurance that he will retain his services as a part-time member of the Board.

I am not contemplating any change.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the Scottish Housewives' Association regarding the appointment of women to public bodies in Scotland for which he is responsible; and what reply he has sent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he has sent to the letter from the Scottish Housewives' Association of 17th May, 1968, with reference to the appointment of women to advisory and other official or semi-official bodies.

The Association wrote to me last month suggesting that I should appoint more women members to various advisory and consultative bodies. In the reply, copies of which I am sending to the hon. Members, it was explained that members are appointed primarily for the personal contributions which they are likely to be able to make, and not as representatives of a particular organisation, interest, or indeed sex.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he will not seek to give local authorities power to control the sale of dairy cattle known to be carriers of brucellosis, in order to prevent the spread of infection.

I stated the Government's policy in my reply to the hon. Member on 2nd February last. The suggestion that local authorities should be given power to control the sale of dairy cattle known to be carriers of brucellosis will be considered in the review of Scottish milk and dairies legislation now in hand against the possibility of legislation when an opportunity arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the grounds for his decision that no useful purpose is served by making brucellosis a notifiable disease.

Owing to the time which elapses between infection and diagnosis the compulsory notification of brucellosis would not assist in the detection of its sources and facilitate measures to prevent its spread.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many seats were open to election in all categories of local authorities in Scotland last year; in how many of these seats contests took place; and what percentage of the total electorate went to the polls in those seats.

In all categories of local government elections in Scotland in 1967, the number of councillors returned unopposed was 1,972, the number returned as the result of contests was 1,176 and the percentage of the electorate voting in these contests was 46·6.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of agricultural executive committees in the seven Highland crofting counties; and what are their duties.

Three. Their main duties include functions of agricultural pests and weed control delegated to them by the Secretary of State and consideration of the agricultural implications of proposals put forward by local planning authorities. They have some residual functions in relation to schemes approved under Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts, and have recently been given the task of reviewing certain decisions under the Farm Structure Schemes made under the Agriculture Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of river boards with the task of regulating fishing, and of river pollution boards in the seven Highland crofting counties.

There are no river boards in the crofting counties with power to regulate fishing. Twenty-four District Salmon Fishery Boards have been established for the main salmon rivers in the crofting counties; their principal function is to enforce the law relating to salmon and sea trout fishing in their areas. In the crofting counties responsibility for administering the Prevention of Pollution Acts rests with the County Councils and Inverness Town Council, except that the upper parts of several rivers which rise there are within the jurisdiction of two river purification boards whose main responsibilities lie elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Technology what are the results of his study of the management of the Nimrod project in relation to future co-ordination between his Department and the engineering industry.

The special feature of the management of the Nimrod project is that the main part of the development and production programme is covered by a single fixed price contract let to the aircraft manufacturer. The latter subcontracts for the engine and other equipment. Another special feature of the project is that one electronic firm specialising in systems management has the sub-contract for the integration of the complex navigation/attack system. So far both these arrangements are going well. The opportunity to repeat them both in one project is unlikely to occur often but the employment of a specialist group for the co-ordination of complex systems has been, and is being considered, for other projects.

asked the Minister of Technology what is his policy in relation to the use of holding contracts in his relations with industry in the field of defence procurement.

To keep them to a minimum. In the year ending 30th June, 1967, only one holding contract was placed; this was because a careful review of policy was necessary before it could be decided whether to proceed with the project in question or not. Two other holding contracts were in existence at the same date because of continuing contractual negotiations on the proposed follow-on contracts.

asked the Minister of Technology what is his policy in relation to placing civil work in Government research establishments in the light of answer 817 given by the Electronic Engineering Association in evidence to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

As regards the defence research establishments, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 11th March. The Department's civil research stations carry out basic research into problems common to many sections of industry and in areas where industry has not taken the lead.—[Vol. 760; c. 967–8.]

asked the Minister of Technology in which Defence research establishments he is sponsoring research specifically designed to promote the development of oceanography and the industry related to the marine sciences in Great Britain in the light of answer 821 in evidence to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

None of the work in the Ministry of Technology's Defence research establishments is directed specifically to the development of oceanography and the industry related to the marine sciences. Some research and development work undertaken primarily for defence, however, has other applications in the marine field. Examples of this are work carried out on the application of thermal mapping techniques to such marine problems as the discharge of industrial effluents into the sea and work on underwater photography.

asked the Minister of Technology what progress chasing has been done since the conference organised jointly by his Department and the Ministry of Defence on Oceanography at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, on 12th March in the light of answer 829 given by the Electronic Engineering Association to the hon. Member for West Lothian in evidence to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

Industry's view on what research and development projects should be undertaken are being sought through the Construction Industry Research and Information Association.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the purchasing policy of the Government in relation to microelectronics in the light of answer 830 by the Electronic Engineering Association in reply to the hon. Member for West Lothian in evidence to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

It is the Government's policy to use its public purchasing to promote the efficiency and competitive power of the electronics industry, including the microelectronics sector. Public purchasing authorities do not, however, buy microcircuits as such, but electronic equipments which incorporate them. In this connection the Department's encouragement to the computer industry and the wider application of computers in itself provides an important incentive to the microelectronics industry.

asked the Minister of Technology for what reasons he is advertising for a scientist or engineer as private secretary to the Parliamentary Secretary; and whether applications for the post are open to those who are working in defence research establishments.

I thought it useful to encourage talented young engineers and scientists to take an interest in the policy and administrative work of my Department at an early stage of their careers. The post was open to staff in my Department and in the defence research establishments.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he is taking to encourage through the research establishments for which he is responsible the actual production of hardware for use and for sale in the light of the evidence of the Electronic Engineering Association to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

If my hon. Friend has in mind commercial production of hardware by research establishments, the answer is that we have no proposals to encourage such activity. On the other hand, it is a major part of the functions of the establishments to give research backing to industry, and it is our policy to take every opportunity to improve the arrangements for consultation with industry about our research programmes, so as to ensure that they are oriented in the most commercially advantageous directions. In this sense we are certainly using the research establishments to support the production by industry of hardware for use and for sale.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the Government's policy on the separation of defence research activities from project development; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's Headquarters and its defence research establishments are engaged both in research activities and in project development work, and it is neither practicable nor desirable to make a rigid separation between them. Most project work is done in industry, but the Department's staff need to be closely associated with this work in order that the research done in the establishments may provide useful support to industry and its results be applied effectively.

asked the Minister of Technology (1) what plans he has to create better facilities for the secondment of staff between defence research establishments and industrial firms.(2) what plans he has for introducing more flexible pension schemes in research establishments for which he is responsible in order to introduce an element of transferability.

I am always prepared to consider requests from industrial firms for the secondment of staff from the research establishment. There are no special difficulties about secondment, although permanent transfer to industry could raise pension problems. The Fulton Committee may have something to say on this matter in their report.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he is taking to lessen delay in decision-making in his Department in the matter of defence contracts with industry in the light of the answer 795 in the evidence of the Electronic Engineering Association to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

It is essential to the proper control of public expenditure that any defence project of the type quoted, which contains novel features and whose total cost runs into millions of pounds, must be carefully assessed from both the technical and operational points of view at certain important stages both within my Department and the Ministry of Defence: in particular immediately before the full development contract is placed and again before the production contract is placed. Reassessment becomes necessary if at any time the cost estimates increase significantly. These processes inevitably take time, but it is right that they should.