asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to Canada.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans for an official visit to Canada.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the National Farmers Union about fuel costs; and to what extent he has considered publicising the cost advantages of solid fuel.

Over the past year my Department has received representations from the National Farmers' Union of Scotland about the adverse effect of increased oil heating costs on glasshouse growers.With regard to the second part of the Question, that is a matter for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he will reconsider his decision to make a grant towards turning Great Western Road, Glasgow, into an expressway by widening it and thus destroying the amenity of the area.

My right hon. Friend does not propose to alter this decision. The Corporation's scheme will enable Great Western Road to function more effectively as a direct and convenient route for a heavy volume of traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to extend the work of rent officers to cover all rent-restricted houses.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 6th December, 1967.— [Vol. 755, c. 1443–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will initiate a study into the possibilities of constructing a complete local authority register of property ownership including surveyors' reports, enabling houses to be purchased and sold through the local authority as a simple log book transaction, thus ensuring that all houses are at the required standard; and if he will make a statement.

No. I think it is better to proceed on the principle which the Government have already accepted, that registration of title should be introduced in Scotland as soon as possible. My right hon. Friend hopes to have, by the end of the year, the report by the expert committee which was appointed under Professor Henry to work out the details.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will request the Tayside Study Group to publish an interim report this summer on which he could make a decision regarding the trunking of the A94.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish a statement showing for each water board area the state of finances of each water undertaking on the date of transfer of its assets to such water boards.

This information is not available centrally but all local authorities are required to make abstracts of their accounts available for inspection in their offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what communications he has received from Scottish pharmacists on administrative difficulties in operating prescription charges since 10th June; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no such communication.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much CS gas has been purchased by, or on behalf of police forces in Scotland since 1965; and what instructions he has issued on the use of CS gas in emergency.

I am informed that initial supplies of 32 grenades were purchased in 1965 and that five grenades have since been purchased to replace four used in practice and one in an incident involving an insane person.My right hon. Friend has advised chief constables that those weapons should be used only to deal with armed criminals or violently insane persons in buildings from which they cannot be dislodged without danger of loss of life, or as a means of self-defence in a desperate situation, and that in no circumstances should they be used to assist in the control of disturbances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all rivers in Scotland in which fish disease in salmon, ulcerative dermal necrosis, has now been confirmed.

Yes.The information is as follows:The presence in varying degree of the disease known as ulcerative dermal necrosis has been confirmed in the following Scottish rivers: Annan, Ayr, Bervie, Brora, Aberdeenshire Dee, Kirkcudbrightshire Dee, Deveron, Don, Doon, Border Esk, North Esk, South Esk, Find- horn, Girvan, Nairn, Nith, Spey, Tay, Tweed, Ythan.In addition, a few fish with typical symptoms have been examined from the following rivers: Alness, Barr Water, Beauly, Carron, Cassley, Conon, Forth, Helmsdale, Leven (Dunbartonshire), Lossie, Lunan, Naver, Ness, Oykel, Ugie.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his reasons for publishing in the Edinburgh Gazette of 21st June official notices of regulations for the import of meat and meat products from France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Federal Republic of Germany; and what quantities of such products he estimates will be imported into Scotland in the next 12 months.

These notices were published in conformity with longstanding statutory procedure to indicate which establishments overseas have been approved as meeting our hygienic and other requirements for importing meat and meat products.The answer to the last part of the Question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who published similar notices for England and Wales, but publication is not related in any way to the likely volume of imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all the housing authorities in Scotland whose rent income represents less than 100 per cent. of the gross annual value of their houses, giving in each case the average weekly rent increases per house which would be required to bring rent income up to 100 per cent. of gross annual value.

The latest available figures will be found in the Return of Rents of Houses Owned by Local Authorities in Scotland, 1967. (Cmnd. 3523).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the amount to be spent or road works in Scotland in the current financial year; and what percentage increase this represents compared with the previous two years.

Expenditure on all new construction and improvement this year is currently estimated at £ 37·8 million, which represents increases of 18·9 per cent. and 1·3 per cent. over the amounts estimated for 1966–67 and 1967–68 respectively. Expenditure on the trunk road programme is expected to be 11·5 per cent. higher this year than last.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the capital value of educational building projects, including further education buildings, on which work was started in 1967; what percentage increase this represents compared with 1966, 1965 and 1964, respectively; and what estimate he has made of the capital value of projects to be starled in 1968.

The figures are £ 30·5 million, 20·2 per cent., 407 per cent. and 6·7 per cent. respectively. I cannot yet say how much work will start in the calendar year 1968, but it will be considerably higher than in 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many certificated teachers liable for registration with the General Teaching Council have so registered to the latest convenient date; and how many have failed to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many certificated teachers liable for registration with the General Teaching Council had failed to register at the latest available date.

42,700 certificated teachers have applied for registration of whom 35,637 have paid the registration fee and are thus registered. I cannot yet assess the number of teachers serving in schools who are unregistered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had regarding the proposed restriction on employment of teachers in Scottish schools to those teachers registered with the General Teaching Council; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had various representations for and against these proposals as set out in the Draft Schools (Scotland) Code (Amendment No. 1) Regulations, 1968. After having considered these representations he has decided to make the Regulations in final form.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recommendations he has received from the South-West Economic Planning Consultative Group to help provide employment in the area; and what steps he has taken to implement them.

The Group has proposed a comprehensive study of the resources and requirements, including in particular the employment requirements, of the South-West. I was glad to be able to tell the Group on 20th June that, subject to consultation with the local authorities, such a study would be put in hand forthwith.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if an officer in charge of the Regional Crime Squad has been appointed.

I would refer to the Answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Galloway (Mr. Brewis).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated decrease in the population of Scotland in the last year.

It is estimated that the population of Scotland fell by 4,200 in the year ended 30th June, 1967, the latest year for which figures are available. The Registrar General's estimate for 30th June, 1968 will be available about the end of November.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the rate of return to raspberry growers; and if he will make a statement.

The information available for recent years suggests that the return per acre has compared favourably with that for other crops.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about problems confronting the raspberry-growing industry in Scotland; and what reply he has sent.

I have received representations from the National Farmers' Union of Scotland whose main concern is about alleged dumping of raspberry pulp from Yugoslavia. As the Union is aware, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is looking into this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to public funds of the operations of the Land Commission in Scotland to the latest available date.

£ 160,000 for the 14 months from April, 1967 to May, 1968, excluding the costs of services provided by other Departments which cannot readily be apportioned between the Scottish and other offices of the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total capital cost of the Hunterston "A" nuclear power station; and what this cost represents per kilowatt.

The total capital cost of Hunterston "A" was £ 64 million, representing £ 185·5 per kilowatt sent out.

asked the President of Board of Trade what representations he has had from residents in the Southampton area regarding aircraft noise; and what reply he has sent.

We have received about a dozen complaints this year. In reply we have explained why it has been necessary for the College of Air Training to use Southampton, and have suggested that the Southampton airport authority are best placed to decide what noise abatement measures are required.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute an inquiry into the effects of aircraft noise upon households in the immediate vicinity of Birmingham airport.

No. This is a matter for the airport authority, Birmingham Corporation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider making a grant to the Airports Authority in Carlisle so as to ensure that the present air services run by Autair can continue to give a service to the city of Carlisle and district.

Any request for a further grant will, of course, be considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will initiate discussions with industrialists in Sheffield and South Yorkshire regarding the re deployment of manufacturing industry to the South of England and the East and West Midlands.

No. As I indicated on 22nd May, I doubt whether such discussions would be fruitful.— [Vol. 765, c. 86.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of firms in Hillington Estate which have ceased production; and what steps are being taken to bring them back into use.

One firm has ceased production and vacated its factory, which has been re-let on a short lease from 1st August, 1968. A second factory will fall vacant in August and interest has already been expressed in it by another company. Every effort is made to find suitable tenants when factories fall vacant and I am happy to say that little difficulty has been experienced at Hillington.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the report of the inquiry submitted to him by the Norwegian Government into the performance of the United Kingdom rescue services in the case of the m.v. "Blenheim" which was on fire in the North Sea in May.

No report of the inquiry into the circumstances of these events has so far been received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give consideration to the siting of an aluminium using factory at Bedlington in Northumberland near the new aluminium smelter at Lynemouth, similar to the project recently installed in Norway, details of which have been sent to him.

Whether new aluminium fabricating capacity should be installed is a matter for commercial judgment; but we will gladly consider any proposals that firms may wish to put forward.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why his Department is still working on the preparation of reports of statistics for the year 1963.

The Census of Production for 1963 was the first of these complex inquiries to be fully processed on a computer. As in other countries, this has presented severe difficulties; but publication of the industry reports should be substantially completed this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish a leaflet, or series of leaflets, to explain the provisions of the new Trade Descriptions Act, for the guidance ofconsumers and shop assistants, along the lines of the leaflet on the Hire-Purchase Act published jointly by the Board of Trade and the Central Office of Information in 1964.

I am considering whether a leaflet would be useful to consumers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what grant aid is provided by Her Majesty's Government to the East European Trade Council and the Agricultural Export Council, respectively; and whether he will make a statement.

Neither the East European Trade Council nor the British Agricultural Export Council receives direct assistance from the Government, though the former is supported financially through the British National Export Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to deal with those responsible for sending the Russell papers out of the country without an export licence.

Any manuscripts and documents over 100 years old which were included in the Russell papers recently exported were exported without a licence in contravention of the export control. The circumstances of the export will be investigated; action will depend on the result of the inquiries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what work has been undertaken by the East European Trade Council during the period 1967–68; how many overseas visits have been made; what impact in practical terms the Council has had on Great Britain's exports; and whether he will make a statement.

The East European Trade Council has aimed to co-ordinate and supplement the work of other organisations active in East-West trade. At home the Council has done much to stimulate interest in developing this trade, and to seek out and satisfy gaps in existing facilities. The Council is, for example, the sponsor of the major industrial exhibition to be mounted by Britain in Bucharest next October.The Chairman and Executive Secretary have visited six countries in East Europe during 1967–68. It is not possible to quantify the impact of the Council's work on British exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the effect that French proposals to impose import controls and export incentives, in order to protect the franc, will have on the market for British exporters, if he will make a statement on his recent study of the possibility of imposing physical import controls, in particular on the extent to which these can be effective without consumer controls; and if he will issue a White Paper giving his decisions.

It is too early to assess the effect of the French measures. As the Government have made clear on a number of occasions, we have no proposals for the imposition of direct import controls.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made towards a long-term trade agreement, between Roumania and Her Majesty's Government, following the visit and exchanges with the first deputy Prime Minister of Roumania; and whether he will make a statement.

The present long-term trade arrangement expires on 30th September this year and negotiations for a successor are to be held in London during September.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates were issued in Wales for each year from 1960, and for what area: and what is the number of new jobs which will result.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of applications for industrial development certificates were approved in the Midlands and London and South Eastern regions, respectively, during the years 1965, 1966 and 1967; what was the area of the factory space involved; and what was the area approved for Wales in the same years.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to safeguard the Scottish raspberry crop in the face of excessive imports of pulp from Yugoslavia.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress of his investigations into the possibility of dumping of raspberry pulp on the United Kingdom market.

Board of Trade officials held a meeting with the National Farmers' Union of Scotland in Edinburgh on 19th June and have had further correspondence with them since. The Board have also asked H.M. Embassy in Belgrade to seek information about Yugoslav domestic prices; a reply is awaited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many Board of Trade factories and extensions he has approved in Wales since November, 1964; and what the comparable totals were for the period 1st April, 1960 to 31st October, 1964.

Since November, 1964, 74 new Board of Trade factories and extensions in Wales have been approved. The total area involved is 2,526,000 sq. ft. and this space is almost exactly divided between new factories and extensions. Included in these figures are 34 advance factories with a total area of 580,000 sq. ft.Between 1st April, 1960 and 31st October, 1964, the comparable figures were 34 new factories and extensions totalling 514,000 sq. ft. of which 5 were advance factories totalling 73,800 sq. ft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make alterations to the low-flying training route so as to reduce the amount of noise experienced by residents in Harrogate.

I am examining afresh the possibility of realigning this particular stretch of low level route but, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, there are serious difficulties in the way of any change. I will write to the right hon. Gentleman when the review is complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made to him regarding the future of Scottish regiments; and what reply he has sent.

Twenty-four letters have been received. The replies correspond to those that have been given to similar questions in the House, namely that no further decisions on the future of any major Army units have yet been taken. Details of further reductions will be given in a statement on defence policy to be published later this month.

asked the Minister of Transport what requests he has received, and what replies have been sent, for the establishment of pedestrian push button control at the junction of Whitton Avenue and Greenford Road, Ealing, Middlesex, to supplement the present traffic lights.

The Ealing Federation of Residents Associations were informed on 23rd May, 1967, that their request for push button pedestrian crossings at the junction had been passed to the Greater London Council, who are both traffic and highway authority. I understand that following a traffic count and a site meeting with the Police and London Borough of Ealing, the Greater London Council advised the Association in April, 1968, that additional pedestrian facilities at this junction could not be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has received from any source, on street name plates; and what action he proposes to take.

Many ideas on the siting, size, colour and type of street name plates have been received from interested people, including the motoring organisations, local authority associations, emergency services, General Post Office and the British Medical Association.We are considering these before deciding what action is necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport what representation he has received from the Outlane Golf Club and the Outlane Cricket Club in connection with the Outlane-Calder section of the Lancashire-Yorkshire motorway, near Huddersfield; and why negotiations between these bodies and his Department on the subject of compensation are taking so long to complete.

The cricket club objected to the draft scheme. Both the cricket club and golf club subscribed to the Outlane Objection Committee, who contended at the public inquiry into the scheme that the published line would seriously affect the golf club and would make the cricket ground unusable as such, and suggested an alternative line. The Inspector recommended that the scheme be made as published, and this was done.Negotiations on compensation have not yet been completed because of the complex issues involved and the uncertainty of the clubs' proposals for their future continuation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) how many persons employed in the employment exchange area of Aberdeen fall within categories III to XIV of the Standard Industrial Classification; and what percentage this is of the total labour force employed;(2) what percentage of the total labour force employed in the employment exchange area of Aberdeen, but excluding all those working within the City of Aberdeen itself, falls within categories III to XVI of the Standard Industrial Classification.

Employment estimates are available for the whole of the area covered by the Aberdeen Employment Exchange but not separately for its constituent parts. At mid-1966 there were 26,000 persons covered by Orders III to XVI of the Standard Industrial Classification and these represented 28 per cent. of all employees in the area. Estimates for mid-1967 will become available during the next week or two and I will write to my hon. Friend giving the position at that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will list the employment areas in England where the percentage of unemployed in June was in excess of 5·8 per cent.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many factory inspectors were authorised in the year 1967; how many were in post; and how many assistant factory inspectors have been appointed since 1965.

In mid-1967 539 factory inspectors were authorised and 497 were in post. Since 1965 24 assistant inspectors have been appointed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many man hours were lost due to industrial accidents and industrial diseases compared to man hours lost by strikes in each of the last three years.

The numbers of days for which injury benefit or sickness benefit following the injury benefit period were paid for incapacity relating to industrial accidents or prescribed industrial diseases in Great Britain in the years June 1964 to May 1965, June 1965 to May 1966, and June 1966 to May 1967 were about 26 million, about 27½ million, and about 25 million (provisional figure) respectively.The numbers of days lost in Great Britain through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the same periods were about 2¾ million, about 2¼ million, and about 2¼ million, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) if she is satisfied with the progress made by employers in setting up joint works safety committees during the last two years; and if she will make a statement;

The subject is under urgent consideration by a sub-committee of the Industrial Safety Advisory Council. In May, 1967 the Factory Inspectorate carried out a survey of the arrangements for joint consultation on safety in factories employing more than 50 people. This information provided a base-line from which to assess progress and the results were published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette in November, 1967. A second survey is to take place in the spring of 1969 to see what progress has been made since the 1967 inquiry. Any decision on legislation must await the results of this second survey and their consideration by the sub-committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she has taken to revise the travel-to-work areas which are used by her Department for unemployment percentages and some other employment statistics.

Percentage rates of unemployment are prepared for individual exchange areas where these areas comprise "self contained" labour markets, and for groups of employment exchange areas in other places where there may be such a considerable volume of daily travel to work between a number of areas as to make the production of unemployment rates for the individual constituent parts unsound.The existing travel-to-work areas have been in use, with some modifications, since 1953. Changes in the location of industry, the general tendency towards travel to work over greater distances and the consequent changes in travel to work patterns since that time have meant that in many areas the groupings now in use are unrealistic and the percentage rates of unemployment quoted for certain areas where travel to work has become extensive no longer reflect the real degree of unemployment in the labour market area.My Department has, therefore, conducted a review of these travel-to-work areas on the basis of systematic criteria for the whole of Great Britain, using among other sources of information Census of Population data. As a result, from the count of unemployment on 8th July percentage rates of unemployment will be available for 170 travel-to-work groups and 296 individual employment exchange areas compared with 130 groups and 512 individual employment exchange areas as at present. In addition, there are a certain number of areas where no changes have been recommended at present but where changing travel-to-work patterns suggest that some review is necessary. Further consideration will be given to the position in these areas in the light of information now becoming available.Where as a result of this review, exchanges, or small groups which were previously separate, have been joined in an enlarged "travel-to-work area" the new percentage rate of unemployment will result from amalgamating the figures used to provide the previous separate rates and will therefore in some cases be lower and in some higher than the previous separate percentages. The opposite effect will be seen in the less frequent cases in which a previous group has been split, producing new rates higher and lower than the previous rate. This is an inevitable consequence of a review of this kind, and where it occurs is a reflection of the changed travel-to-work patterns which have made the review necessary.I am satisfied that the unemployment rates in the revised travel-to-work areas will provide a more satisfactory indicator of the real degree of unemployment in the labour market area than has been the case hitherto.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what further additions have been made to the goods and services for which manufacturers give early warning of proposed price increases.

In co-operation with the interests concerned, the following items have now been added: cellulose sheet material, matches and television advertising rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many additional inspectors have now been appointed to carry out the programme outlined in the letter from his Department dated 1st March, 1968 to proprietors of unrecognised independent schools; and if he will make a progress report on the programme.

No inspectors have yet been engaged solely for the purpose of inspecting unrecognised independent schools but some of the 51 newly appointed H.M.I.s who are joining the service this year are well qualified for this work and will be used for it as well as for other duties. The first visits to schools under the programme will take place in the autumn term.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, whether he will take steps to make available a series of measured drawings of the architectural metalwork in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The preparation of such a set of drawings would be a full-time occupation for a qualified draughtsman for up to a year. The Museum staff has not sufficient time to devote to it. Even if such drawings were prepared it is highly unlikely that the public demand for them would' repay the time and labour involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average level of charges for accommodation at local colleges in England for Scottish students: and what level he has proposed should be charged as from 1st September.

Authorities differed widely in the extent to which the boarding fee they charged to students from outside England and Wales represented the full cost of the provision. After agreement with the local authority associations and consultations with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, I have recently repeated the advice to local authorities given by my predecessors since 1955 that the charge to such students should cover the full economic costs, which in 1966–67 averaged nearly £10 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the yield in 1966–67 from the increased fees for non-vocational courses in further education; and what he estimates the yield to be in the current financial year.

Local authorities were asked in May, 1967, to review their fees for these courses for the academic year 1967–68. The estimated additional income is £330,000 in the financial year 1967–68 and £400,000 in 1968–69.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to resolve the problems that are concerning the colleges of art.

I have agreed to a request to see a deputation from the National Union of Students, including representatives drawn from the Art Colleges, at an early date.In addition, the National Advisory Council on Art Education (which advises the Secretary of State on all aspects of art education in establishments of further education), met yesterday and announced its readiness to receive and consider views on any matters relating to the general structure of art and design education in colleges and schools of art.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he estimates prices will rise in the current year above the average rate, as a result of devaluation and the increases in indirect taxation.

About 4½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate for the financial year 1967–68 of the total amount collected in taxation in Scotland and of the total of grants, subsidies and other financial disbursements received in Scotland from the Exchequer.

The total amount of taxation excluding Surtax collected in Scotland, which is not, of course, a good measure of the amount borne by residents of Scotland, was about £720 million in 1967–68.For public expenditure in Scotland, figures for 1967–68 are not yet available. In 1966–67 the amount of grants and subsidies paid by the central Government in Scotland amounted to £575 million out of a total for central Government expenditure in Scotland, so far as it can be separately identified, of £783 million. I ask the hon. Gentleman to note that the latter figure covers only a part of Government expenditure in Scotland and is in no way comparable with the taxation figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he now initiate urgent discussions with the Yugoslav Government with a view to avoiding the dumping of Yugoslav raspberry pulp on the United Kingdom market at artificially low prices.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer given to him today by my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade. We are seeking the facts.

asked the Minister of Social Security (1) how much of the annual gross cost of family allowances, following the 3s. increase in October, will be recovered through taxation on families in receipt of family allowances, and how much through other adjustments;(2) what is the estimated annual gross cost of family allowances following the three shilling increase in October.

The gross cost will be about £340 million for a full year. Of this it is estimated that about £75 million will be recovered from tax paid on the family allowances themselves and £83 million from the reduction of the total tax allowances of families in connection with the 7s. and 3s. increases in family allowances this year. In addition, the adjustments to social security benefits accompanying these increases will save about £13 million in a full year.