asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the effect of the Non-Proliferation Treaty upon the replacement of the present tactical nuclear weapons in the British Army of the Rhine.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs explained during his statement in the House on 8th July, 1968, the Treaty will have no effect upon any replacement of the present tactical nuclear weapons in the British Army of the Rhine.—[Vol. 768, c. 38.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the design of new classes of surface ships already announced for the Royal Navy.

The design of the new Sea Dart Destroyer and the new commercially designed frigate are both reaching an advanced stage and orders for the prototype of these two classes will be placed as soon as the designs have been accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to reduce the number of noncombatant vehicles in the Army.

The Army's holdings of administrative vehicles has been reduced from a total of about 116,000 in January, 1964, to about 91,000 at the beginning of this year: a reduction of 25,000 or 21 per cent. in four years. We aim to continue this process.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the Rhine Army Brigade now stationed in this country can be used to reinforce North-West Europe rapidly in an emergency; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The brigade remains equipped and trained for its N.A.T.O. rôle and in an emergency could be returned to the continent in a matter of days.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why his Department has made rules in Service prisons different from those in civilian prisons.

Imprisonment and Detention Rules for the Armed Forces are generally in line with those applicable in civil prisons except where special Service requirements prevent this.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what amount of the Defence budget was spent in the United Kingdom in the latest annual period for which figures are available; and what percentage of this total was spent in Scotland.

About 87 per cent. of defence budget expenditure in 1967–68 occurred in the United Kingdom. Of this proportion approximately 8 per cent. was spent in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on the building and repair of naval vessels in the United Kingdom in the latest annual period for which figures are available; what percentage of this total was spent in Scotland; and what were the comparable totals and percentages in 1965, 1963 and 1961, respectively.

The total amount spent in the United Kingdom on the building and repair by contract of Royal Navy vessels in 1967–68 was£68 million; of this 11 per cent. was spent in Scotland. The comparable figures for 1961–62, 1963–64 and 1965–66 were£40 million and 20 per cent.,£53 million and 21 per cent. and£67 million and 12 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of United Kingdom defence forces operating in overseas countries at the last available date.

It is not possible to apportion total costs in any meaningful way between forces at home and overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the future of the new Royal Defence College.

I would refer the hon. Member to my announcement in the Supplementary Statement Cmnd. 3701, Chapter VIII, paragraphs 66 and 67 on Defence Policy, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what air support is planned to be available for the general purpose elements of the Fleet, on these being required to be sent outside the European theatre in 1973.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force gave the hon. Member for St. Albans (Mr. Goodhew) on 1st May, 1968.— [Vol. 763, c. 1089–90.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the numbers of officers, ratings and their dependants, respectively, for whose medical and dental care there are responsible in Malta one surgeon-rear-admiral, three surgeon-captains, seven surgeon-commanders, four surgeon-lieutenant-commanders, five surgeon-lieutenants, one squadron-leader, two executive officers, 28 clerks and typists, one catering supervisor, one principal matron, two matrons, five superintending sisters, 41 sisters, 49 nurses, and 60 medical ratings.

The R.N. Hospitals at Bighi and Imtarfa provide for members of all three Services, United Kingdom-based civilians, locally entered personnel, and dependants. In total this amounts to 20,360, broken down as follows:

U.K. Service officers	580
U.K. Service other ranks	3,440
Families of U.K.-based servicemen	6,330
Locally entered officers	40
Locally entered other ranks	1,720
Families of locally entered uniformed personnel	6,340
U.K. based civilians	540
Families of U.K.-based civilians	1,160
N.A.T.O servicemen and their dependants	210
	20,360

In addition, all H.M. ships visiting Malta discharge their patients to these hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make arrangements to post to National Health Service hospitals some of the complement of one surgeon-rear-admiral, three surgeon-captains, seven surgeon-commanders, four surgeon-lieutenant-commanders, five surgeon-lieutenants, one squadron-leader, two executive officers, 28 clerks and typists, one catering supervisor, one principal matron, two matrons, five superintending sisters, 41 sisters, 49 nurses, and 60 medical ratings at present in Malta, to keep them fully occupied and to assist civilians, especially young chronic sick.

No. It must be remembered that the staff must cover a wide range of specialities and a reduction of more than 50 per cent. is already intended to match the rundown of the Forces in Malta. The manpower savings that will be made in Malta will be very welcome to the Royal Navy to relieve shortages of Naval medical staff elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps he is taking arising from the discussions on mutual force reductions in Europe at the recent council meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to page 6 of the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy, 1968 (Cmnd.3701).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the consignment of British armoured fighting vehicles at present being shipped to Nigeria on the Dutch ship "Batu", some of which bear British Army number plates, have been supplied from official stocks from his Department.

Despite the normal policy that details of arms sales are not disclosed, I am prepared to say that the vehicles referred to were supplied from British Army stocks but are not armoured fighting vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ten main training areas used by the British Army of the Rhine in Western Germany together with their acreage.

The British Army of the Rhine has only eight major training areas in the Federal Republic of Germany. They consist of seven areas which are shared with other N.A.T.O. Forces and the Soltau-Lueneburg training area which is for our exclusive use.The details are as follows:

Training Area	Acreage	Controlling Nation
Soltau-Lueneburg	80,000	Great Britain
Bergen Hohne	76,800	Germany
Sennelager	66,600	Great Britain
Munster South	18,600	Germany
Haltern	16,000	Great Britain
Vogelsang	11,500	Belgium
Putlos	2,880	Germany
Todendorf	Anti-aircraft gun sites only	Germany

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the fees charged to civilians of£10 5s. per day in the officers' wards and£9 5s. per day in the ratings' wards of the Royal Naval Hospital, Malta, meet the cost of treatment and board.

For the sake of simplicity, the same fees are charged at all Service hospitals overseas. A typical hospital is costed; and the fees are designed to cover the full costs of treatment, board and overheads. This arrangement is of long standing. The Army Department, which is responsible for producing the costs and proposed fees, is now considering a revised costing.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will detail the circumstances which have led to the decision to blow up H.M.S. "Roebuck"; and what is the purpose of this exercise.

H.M.S. "Broadsword" and H.M.S. "Roebuck" are taking part as target ships in underwater explosion trials now being held. Realistic conditions are essential for these trials. The results of the trials will be mainly used in the development of new naval weapons.Both ships are on the scrap list. Both have had their equipment removed. All practicable measures, however, have been taken to prevent the ships from sinking. In any event, there will be no danger to navigation involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assurances he gave to United Kingdom South East Asia Treaty Organisation allies during his recent visit, about his plans for the sea and air transport, staging facilities, stockpiling and ground installations which will be necessary to enable suitably equipped British forces to have a credible general capability of intervening in the Far East and the Middle East after the withdrawals from both areas are completed; and if he will make a statement.

The visit which my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Seretary and I recently made to the Far East had nothing to do with the South East Asia Treaty Organisation. It was for the purpose of attending the Five Power Conference of Commonwealth countries in Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of the Prune Minister of Malaysia. I have given a full account of the outcome of that Conference in my statement in the House of 17th June and in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy 1968. The question of the Middle East did not arise. —[Vol. 766, c. 713–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce legislation to amend Section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act, 1947, which rules out any claim for compensation at common law for members of the Armed Forces injured whilst on training or other duty if others concerned were also members of the Armed Forces.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of Seawolf.

An 18 months' Project Study of the Seawolf close-range S.A.G.W system has been satisfactorily completed and a start has recently been made on the development programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Royal Malta Artillery.

As part of the revised rundown plan for Malta announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister without Portfolio on 13th March, 1967, the United Kingdom will retain responsibility for the Royal Malta Artillery until 30th September, 1970. The future of the force after that date is a matter for the Government of Malta.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters will be carried by H.M.S. "Blake" in her new rôle.

Four.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the case of Major Pike, ordered home before the expiration of his normal tour of duty in the Far East and thereby incurring additional Customs duties; and if he will make a statement.

Major Pike served in the Far East from January, 1966, to August, 1967. When there was no suitable job for him in the Far East he was posted to his battalion in the United Kingdom. He was told of this move in January, 1967.In July, 1967, very shortly before his return, he got married, and on arriving in this country had to pay£180 in customs duties on wedding presents. Major Pike would have been liable to customs duty on goods purchased abroad whenever he returned to the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he is giving to improving the conditions of the older service pensioners.

We are giving this the most careful consideration but I cannot at present add to what my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury said in the debate on 9th May about public service and Armed Forces pensions.— [Vol. 764, c. 641–700.]

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now state the date on which an announcement will be made about the Bristol West Dock Scheme.

My hon. Friend will be aware of the announcement my right hon. Friend made on 5th July and his speech on the Second Reading of the Bristol Corporation Bill.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has sought the observations of the Council of Wales and the Secretary of State for Wales on the Report he has received from the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for Wales and Monmouthshire on the proposal of the Railways Board to withdraw the passenger train service from the Central Wales line; and if he will make a statement.

I have not yet received the views of either the Welsh Council or the Secretary of State on the Railways Board's proposal to withdraw passenger services from the Central Wales Line. I shall, of course, take full account of their views before reaching a decision.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list setting out the dates and amounts of increases in standard railway fares from 2nd February, 1965, until the latest available date.

There have been no increases in standard railway passenger fares since 1st February, 1965. In their Report No. 72 of 30th May, 1968, which the Government have accepted, the National Board for Prices and Incomes recommended that British Railways should increase their revenue not through general increases in standard fares, but through greater differentiation of fares by route and by class.

asked the Minister of Transport of the deficit of British Railways of£153 million in 1967, how much was attributed to passenger traffic, and how much to freight traffic; and what was the loss expressed in terms of deficit per passenger mile and per ton mile and expressed as a percentage of the cost of these services, respectively.

Before taking account of profits on ancillary activities such as ships and hotels, the loss on passenger traffic and freight traffic in 1967 was£162 million, inclusive of interest and historic depreciation charges. Of this sum, the Railways Board allocate£79 million to passenger traffic and£83 million to freight traffic. These losses represent about 30 per cent. of allocated costs in each case, or just over 1d. per passenger mile and slightly under l½d. per net ton mile.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the British Railways' deficit in each of the last 10 years; and what recent estimate he has made of the deficit in the current year.

The figures of net deficit on revenue account are as follows:

BRITISH RAILWAYS*
(under the British Transport Commission)
				£ million
1958	…	…	…	90·1
1959	…	…	…	84·0
1960	…	…	…	112·7
1961	…	…	…	135·9
1962	…	…	…	159·0

BRITISH RAILWAYS BOARD†
1963	…	…	…	133·9
1964	…	…	…	120·9
1965	…	…	…	132·4
1966	…	…	…	134·7
1967	…	…	…	153·0
1968	…	…	…	152 (estimated)

NOTES:

asked the Minister of Transport, if he will bring the recommendations of the Report of the Merthyr Committee on Hedgerow and Farm Timber to the attention of local highway authorities.

The attention of highway authorities was drawn to this Report by a Circular from the Department issued on 18th December, 1967.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on the price of new potatoes.

Prices of early potatoes fell rapidly in the first three weeks of June but since then they have fluctuated with the weather. This week the prices paid to producers have varied widely from place to place between£10 and£23 a ton. This is an improvement on prices in England and Wales in the first week in July; the crop is still bulking up and this also helps to increase the return per acre.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what legislation he plans to introduce to enable local authorities to require industrial developers to provide adequate drainage and thus to eliminate the flooding of neighbouring agricultural land; and if he will make a statement.

None; but my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Housing and Local Government, proposes to issue a circular in terms agreed with my right hon. Friend advising planning authorities on the use of existing powers to overcome this problem.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the progress in the eradication of brucellosis is seriously impeded by the increase in the cost of laboratory test.

I am sure this has had no influence on the progress of the Brucellosis (Accredited Herds) Scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that a disease is causing high mortality rates among Portuguese oysters in France; and what action he proposes to take to prevent its becoming established in shellfish beds in this country.

My scientists have been keeping in close touch with the situation and I have concluded that it would be desirable to prohibit until further notice the relaying of oysters imported from France in shellfish beds in this country. An Order is being made giving effect to this decision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, following his announcement of the minimum import prices for cereals, he is now in a position to announce the target indicator prices for the 1968 wheat and barley crops.

The target indicator prices for the cereal year 1968–69 beginning on 1st July will be 21s. 6d. per cwt. for wheat and 20s. 8d. per cwt. for barley. These prices take into account the increased minimum import prices for cereals which will be coming into operation on 1st August.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now decided to send an observer from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland to the Conference on Fishing Ports and Port Markets to be held in Bremen from 23rd to 28th September.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many beds are available for geriatric patients in the county of Lanark; and in which hospitals they are situated.

1,005 beds at the following hospitals:

Cleland County	…	…	…	198
Coathill	…	…	…	218
Hairmyres	…	…	…	20
Law	…	…	…	168
Roadmeetings	…	…	…	104
Shotts	…	…	…	52
Stonehouse	…	…	…	47
Strathclyde	…	…	…	114
Western Moffat	…	…	…	36
Wishaw	…	…	…	48

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the further difficulties which have arisen in connection with the Metro-Cammell and Rolls Royce order, he will make a further statement on Great Britain's trade relations with Greece.

Negotiations on this order are, I understand, continuing. On the general question, I have nothing to add to my reply to the right hon. Member for Leeds, North-East (Sir K. Joseph) on 3rd July.—[Vol. 767, c. 1499–1503.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many additional jobs have been created in the Nelson and Colne employment exchange area as a result of the five industrial development certificates applied for and granted since the introduction of investment grants on 19th August, 1966.

Applicants for the five industrial development certificates estimated that their projects when complete and fully manned would provide employment for 48 people.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the direct and indirect savings in expenditure which will result from his decision to restrict the assistance for which service industries will be eligible under the Local Employment Acts.

It is not possible to estimate these precisely. Offers of assistance to service industries under the Local Employment Acts in the year to 31st March, 1968 totalled£5·6 million. It is estimated that the bulk of this related to projects which would not in future qualify for assistance under these Acts. Future expenditure will depend on the size and nature of eligible projects coming forward.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in respect of how many hotel projects providing less than 50 additional jobs assistance has been offered under the Local Employment Acts since October, 1964.

These figures are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that the Crowther Committee on consumer credit invite evidence or suggestions from the general public; and to which address such evidence should be sent.

I have no doubt that the Committee will wish to receive evidence and suggestions from all sources including the general public.In due course the Committee may invite evidence or suggestions from particular interests, or on particular matters, but if any person wishes to put any matter to the Committee he should write to the Secretary, Mr. N. H. Nail, Economic (General) Division 2, Board of Trade, 1 Victoria Street, London, S.W.I.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been refused in the three years to May 1968, to industries wishing to move into Sheffield or the neighbouring area up to about 10 miles from the city boundary.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether to prevent misunderstanding of the annual statistics of applications for industrial development certificates refused, he will simultaneously publish a breakdown of the figures, showing the type of development applied for, the alternatives available, and the reasons for refusal, together with a similar breakdown of applications granted.

The information is not generally available to permit the analysis suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the average length of stay of visitors to this country.

About 17 days in 1967.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many foreign visitors have come to Great Britain so far this year; and how this compares with the figures for similar periods in each of the last five years.

The figures, which are available only for the United Kingdom as a whole, are for the five months January to May:

1968	…	…	…	865,312
1967	…	…	…	758,497
1966	…	…	…	672,095
1965	…	…	…	600,211
1964	…	…	…	540,860
1963	…	…	…	453,127

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the weekly expenditure of British holidaymakers abroad and at home, respectively.

The expenditure of United Kingdom residents on holidays abroad in 1967 is estimated to have been about£19 per person per week; this figure does not include international fare payments, estimates of which are not yet available. For holidays at home the British Travel Association estimates that the average expenditure on main holidays of four days or more was about£12-£15 per person per week, including fares.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what other possible sources of supply were explored before deciding to approve British Overseas Airways Corporation's request to order seven Jumbo jet aeroplanes at a cost of£42 million.

My hon. Friend is presumably referring to the order for a further five Boeing 747s, the approval for which my right hon. Friend announced on 16th November last. No other aircraft is available from any source with the capacity and range of the B.747.—[Vol. 754, c. 182.]

asked the Minister of Health if he will now state his future policy with regard to state-registered nurses who take their midwifery or any further nursing qualification; and if he will give an assurance that salary incentives for increased skills will be introduced and that state-registered nurses on attaining additional qualifications will not incur a reduction of salary.

The recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on allowances during training and increments thereafter are for negotiation in the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council.

asked the Minister of Health what answer he has now given to the chemists who made representations to him on the difficulties experienced by their profession on the re-introduction of prescription charges.

I expect a reply to be sent within the next few days.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the findings of a group of scientists in the Scripps Clinic in California, as reported in Volume 219, 68 1968 of Nature, details of which have been sent to him, he will order a study of the biological consequences of ingesting aspirin.

These reported findings are of scientific interest and will no doubt be followed up by research workers; but the possible side-effects of aspirin are well known to doctors, and I do not consider that there is need for a Government-sponsored study.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average cost of a motorised invalid tricycle, the estimated life and mileage of such a vehicle and the average servicing cost and maintenance charges borne by his Department.

Motorised invalid tricycles are bought under contract and it would therefore be contrary to normal practice to disclose prices. The normal life of a motorised invalid tricycle properly maintained and used is about six years. Comprehensive mileage statistics are not available but tricycles used daily by those in employment frequently cover about 5,000 miles per year. Information is not available about the cost of servicing and maintenance alone; the average cost in 1967–68 of modifying, reconditioning, making good accident damage and servicing and maintenance was£76.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the cost of adapting small cars for use-by invalids; and what is the estimated life and mileage of such a car when driven by an invalid and the average cost of maintenance and servicing.

The costs of adaptation are covered by contracts and it would be contrary to normal practice to reveal them. The cars are expected to have a life of about seven years. Comprehensive mileage statistics are not available but annual mileages of the order of 7,000 are not unusual. The persons to whom the cars are issued receive an allowance to cover maintenance, servicing, garaging and other items and separate figures for the first two are not therefore available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he plans to take to amend the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, as recommended by the Littlewood Committee, so that it applies clearly to any experimental procedure liable to cause pain, stress, or interference with an animal's normal condition of well-being;(2) what plans he has to seek to impose restrictions of general application on the infliction of avoidable pain, severe pain which endured or is likely to endure, and discomfort which is likely to endure, in accordance with recommendation two of the Littlewood Committee;

In general the objectives sought by the hon. and gallant Member are largely secured by long-standing restrictions imposed by and under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876. As regards the introduction of legislation to give statutory force to all such requirements, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on 4th July to a Question by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor).—[Vol. 767, c. 261.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will take steps to amend the Home Office Notes on Delegation in order to ensure that, where the services of a veterinary surgeon are not available only persons adequately trained in anaesthesia by a senior licensee shall be allowed to anaesthetise animals;(2) what guidance has been given by his Department to people holding licences to carry out experiments on animals on methods of painless killing, in accordance with Recommendation 7 of the Littlewood Report;(3) if he will give details of the instructions issued to applicants for licences for experiments on animals to avoid unnecessary repetition or duplication in their proposed experiments in accordance with Recommendation 11 of the Littlewood Report.

The Departmental Committee on Experiments on Animals recommended that no changes in the existing system of control should be introduced before new legislation took effect. At this stage, my right hon. Friend has no proposals in mind for implementing recommendations numbers 4, 7 and 11 made by the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspections of applications for licences to carry out experiments on animals, together with checks on record books to avoid repetitive work, have been carried out in 1967 and in the first six months of 1968.

The recommendation that Home Office inspectors should examine applications and record books to check against the possibility of repetitive work cannot be implemented in advance of the introduction of a revised system of control over experiments on living animals. All applications for licences are at present scrutinised to ascertain whether they should be granted under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876. The number of licence applications received is not readily available, but in 1967 2,763 licences were granted; the corresponding figure for the first six months of 1968 is 1,187.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that the decerebration of warm-blooded animals for teaching purposes will no longer be authorised by licence under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.

This must depend on legislation to allow the use of fatally anaesthetised animals for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for bringing the breeding of animals for research under statutory control.

I cannot say when it might be practicable to introduce legislation on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue instructions that no operative procedure more severe than simple inoculation or superficial vivisection shall be permissible in any experiment on an animal without anaesthesia, in accordance with Recommendation 23 of the Little-wood Report.

Every certificate allowing an experiment to be carried out without anaesthesia is already restricted by such a condition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes regarding taxi fares for journeys between London and Heathrow Airport; and if he will make a statement.

The reference to the Board was made only on 26th June. It concerns only the question of a general fare increase. Account will need to be taken of the Board's report before the fares for journeys over six miles can be prescribed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the prices charged for meals in the new Citadel Restaurant in Carlisle are in excess of those charged for the area generally; if he will inquire into this matter; what representations have so far been made; and if he will make a statement.

I am told that customers generally have commented favourably on the prices of meals at the Citadel Restaurant, which, as recently reconstructed, offers a facility not available elsewhere in the area. One complaint against the level of prices charged for meals has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what additional measures he is taking to ensure freedom of communication with Berlin, following the discussions on that subject at the recent council meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Following the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Council Meeting, the British Ambassador in Moscow, together with his American and French colleagues, presented Notes to the Soviet Government protesting at the recent East German measures affecting Berlin traffic and calling upon the Soviet Government to fulfil their international obligation to assure freedom of access to the city. The Soviet Government can be under no illusion about our determination to maintain freedom of access to and from Berlin on the basis of Allied rights and responsibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what are the present arrangements for co-operation between the Hong Kong authorities and the United States naval ships using Victoria Harbour.

There is, of course, close liaison between United States representatives in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Government as part of the normal arrangements which operate between the authorities and visiting naval vessels of a friendly power.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to receive the report of the inquiry into opera and ballet conducted by the Arts Council; and if he will make a statement.

The report is at present being drafted. It is likely to be completed later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount in grants paid to the Ballet Rambert and Western Theatre Ballet for their two to three week London seasons; and if he will make a statement.

The Arts Council's grants are given towards the annual work of the two companies and not for seasons or performances. Each company received£60,000 in 1967–68 and the grants for 1968–69 will be the same.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the average earnings of workers employed in public administration in October, 1964, and in June, 1968; what were the average earnings of workers in industry in October, 1964, and the average earnings in June, 1968; and if she will make a statement.

The average earnings of men and women working full-time are as follows:

		Men(21 years and over)
		Average weekly earnings		Average hourly earnings
		s.	d.	d.
Public Administration*
October, 1964	…	278	8	74·6
October, 1967†	…	335	3	92·1
All industries and services covered‡
October, 1964	…	362	2	91·1
October, 1967†	…	427	6	111·0

		women(18 years and over)
		Average weekly earnings		Average hourly earnings
		s.	d.	d.
		s.	d.	d.
Public Administration*
October, 1964	…	186	9	54·9
October, 1967†	…	209	6	62·7
All industries and services covered‡
October, 1964	…	179	1	54·5
October, 1967†	…	211	2	66·3
* "Public administration" is taken as Order XXIV of the Standard Industrial Classification, 1958, which comprises national and local government service. This does not include national and local government employees whose employment is classified to other industries such as education, construction, water supply, transport and communications, engineering and shipbuilding. The earnings surveys do not include the police, fire services or H.M. Forces.
† The latest date for which information is available.
‡ Manufacturing, mining and quarrying (except coal), construction, gas, electricity and water, transport and communication (except railways, etc.), certain miscellaneous services, and public administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT lists for the nationalised coal, gas, and electricity industries, re-

COALMINING—GREAT BRITAIN
		Standard shift rates of wages at 7th June, 1966		Amounts o f increase						Standard shift rates of wages at 12th July 1968
Occupations (men 21 years and over)				23rd February 1967		30th October, 1967		20th May, 1968
		s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Underground workers:
Grade I	…	47	9	—		2	1	—		49	10
Grade II	…	46	1	—		2	1	—		48	2
Grade III	…	44	10	—		2	1	—		46	11
Grade IV	…	44	2	—		2	1	—		46	3
Surface workers:
Grade 1A	…	51	10	—		2	1	—		53	11
Grade IB	…	44	3	—		2	1	—		46	4
Grade I	…	42	9	—		2	1	—		44	10
Grade II	…	41	6	—		2	1	—		43	7
Grade III	…	40	10	—		2	1	—		42	11
Engineering Craftsmen:
Underground:
Colliery electro-mechanic	…	57	1	1	5	2	1	1	4	61	11
Colliery fitter/electrician	…	54	7	1	5	2	1	1	4	59	5
Grade I	…	54	7	—		2	1	—		56	8
Grade II	…	47	0	—		2	1	—		49	1
Surface:
Colliery electro-mechanic	…	53	7	1	5	2	1	1	4	58	5
Colliery fitter/electrician	…	51	1	1	5	2	1	1	4	55	11
Gradslplus	…	53	7	—		2	1	—		55	8
Grade I	…	51	1	—		2	1	—		53	2
Craftsmen:
Underground:
Grade I	…	51	7	—		2	1	—		53	8
Grade II	…	46	2	—		2	1	—		48	3
Surface:
Grade I	…	48	1	—		2	1	—		50	2
Grade II	…	42	8	—		2	1	—		44	9

Note:

The above rates are time rates of wages and are not applicable to pieceworkers except insofar as they relate to the guaranteed wage, waiting time payments, and, in certain circumstances, "make-up".

GRADING OF OCCUPATIONS

Examples of grading of occupations are as follows:

Underground workers:

Grade I—Colliers, rippers, packers, timberers, power loader operators, coal cutter men, conveyor movers, hard ground men, salvagemen, onsetters I.

Grade II—Onsetters II, assistant colliers, assistant rippers, airway repairers, loco, or heavy road layers, loco, drivers, supports recovery checkers, supplies transporters.

Grade III—Onsetters' assistants, haulage enginemen (higher grade), supports checkers, road layers, loadermen (higher grade).

Grade IV—Conveyor operators, conveyor transfer point attendants, clippers, rope changers, belt patrolmen, haulage enginemen (lower grade), pump attendants, rope runners, loadermen (lower grade), general workers, tub manipulators.

Surface workers:

Grade IA—Winding enginemen.

Grade IB—Loco, drivers (including BR lines), banksmen I, slant enginemen.

Grade I—Loco, drivers (NCB lines), banksmen II, washery operators I, first-aid room attendants, shunters (including BR lines).

Grade II—Haulage enginemen (higher grade), banksmen's assistants, washery operators II, lampmen, stokers, shunters (NCB lines), platelayers, motor vehicle drivers, timber impregnation plant operators.

Grade III—Haulage enginemen (lower grade), washery attendants, wagon lowerers, baths attendants, tub tippler operators, explosives stores attendants, general workers, screen hands, tub manipulators.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the present levels of the Redundancy Fund.

The Redundancy Payments Act provides that the aggregate amount outstanding in respect of advances from the National Loans Fund may not exceed£8 million unless a higher figure (not exceeding£20 million) has been approved by Parliament. The House approved an increase in the borrowing limit to£12 million in July, 1967 and to£15 million in April, 1968. The Fund's borrowing has now reached£14 million.My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget speech an increase in employers' contributions to the Fund from l0d. to 1s. a week for men and from 5d. to 6d. a week for women with effect from 2nd September, 1968 and a draft Order to that effect was laid on 13th May, 1968. This would have raised the weekly income from the present£690,000 to£835,000. However, weekly payments are now averaging about£900,000 and it is clear that a further increase in contributions is necessary to keep the Fund in balance and repay the debt to the National Loans Fund. My right hon. Friend has therefore withdrawn the draft Order laid in May and replaced it by a new draft Order laid yesterday which increases contributions to 1s. 3d. (men) and 7d. (women) with effect from 2nd September. This increase will produce an income of rather more than£1 million a week.In addition, in order to safeguard the Fund, it is necessary to increase the borrowing limit further. My right hon. Friend has therefore also laid a draft Order revoking the Order made last April and increasing the borrowing limit to £20 million for a period of two years.The Government recognise the importance of ensuring that the cost of the Redundancy Payments Scheme is effectively related to its objectives and is keeping the operation of the Act under review. A research project on a substantial scale is being instituted.

RAILWAY SERVICE
				Amounts of increases
Occupations (Men 20 years and over)			Standard weekly rates of wages at 5th October, 1965	6th March, 1967	8th July, 1968	Standard weekly rates of wages at 12th July, 1968
			S.	S.	S.	S.
Group 1	…	…	218	8	10	236
Group 2	…	…	226	8	10	244
Group 3	…	…	231	8	10	249
Group 4	…	…	238	8	10	256
Group 5	…	…	245	9	10	264
Group 6	…	…	254	9	8	271
Group 7	…	…	259	9	8	276
Group 8	…	…	267	9	8	284
Group 9	…	…	274	10	9	293
Group 10	…	…	288	10	9	307
Group 11	…	…	300	11	9	320
Group 12	…	…	304	11	9	324
Group 13	…	…	323	11	10	344
Group 14	…	…	339	12	11	362

Notes:

(a) Workers employed in the London area receive an additional weekly amount of 6s.

(b) Mileage payments are made to locomotive drivers, secondmen and guards.

(c) Permanent way labourers, lengthmen and relayers, sub-gangers, patrolmen and gangers are paid an additional 5s. a week above the group rate applicable to their grade when employed at London main line termini.

GROUPING OF OCCUPATIONS

The grouping of occupations for conciliation staff employed in the traffic, goods and cartage, carriage and wagon, footplate, locomotive shed, permanent way and signal and telecommunications departments is as follows:

Group 1—Porter, crossing keeper, engine cleaner (with less than 3 years' adult service or until prescribed number of firing turns have been worked representing one year), shedman, carriage serviceman, permanent way labourer, handyman.

Group 2—Station lampman, train attendant, road motor attendant, leading goods porter, oiler and greaser, oil gas maker's assistant, lengthman and relayer (1st year).

Group 3—Leading porter, signal lampman, timekeeper, leading shedman, carriage washing machine attendant, stores issuer, lengthman and relayer (2nd year), storesman, engine cleaner (after 3 years' and under 5 years' adult service, but with less than prescribed number of firing turns representing one year).

Group 4—Senior porter, checker, craneman, capstanman, mobile crane driver (up to 5 tons), tractor shunter driver, engine cleaner (after 5 years' adult service but with less than the prescribed number of firing turns representing one year), shed engineman's mate, senior shedman, lengthman and relayer (3rd year), assistant technician (class 3).

Group 5—Excess luggage collector, interpreter, leading luggage room attendant, ticket collector, guard (1st year), mobile crane driver (over 5 tons and up to 8 tons), storekeeper, timekeeper (NC), foreman's assistant (class 3), oil gas maker, machine operator (group 1), assistant lineman (ETM), inspector's timekeeper's assistant, fireman (1st year), engine cleaner (after prescribed number of firing turns have been worked representing one year).

Group 6—Shunter, mobile crane driver (over 8 tons), hydraulic engineman, shed chargeman (category "C"), locomotive shed shunter, sub-ganger, patrolman, chainman, inspector's timekeeper (class 2), assistant technician (class 2), senior checker.

Group 7—Signalman (class 4), guard (2nd year), train ticket collector, motor driver (below 18 tons), foreman's assistant (class 2), chargeman engine cleaner, electric train examiner, relaying sub-ganger, inspector's timekeeper (class 1), machine operator (group 2), assistant technician (class 1), assistant overhead traction lineman, fireman (2nd year).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list setting out the dates and amounts of the increases in the basic minimum wages of representative grades of railwaymen from 5th October, 1965, to the latest available date.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the value of the£sterling on 15th October, 1964, taking its value as 20s. on 1st January, 1961;(2) what was the value of the£ sterling on 15th July, 1968, taking its value at 20s on 15th October, 1964.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the£ sterling as 20s. in January, 1961, its value in October, 1964 is estimated at 18s. Taking the purchasing power as 20s. in October, 1964, its value in May, 1968, the latest date for which information is available, is estimated at 17s. 5d. 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 beginning and end of each period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in the dispersal of parts of Her Majesty's Government's Departments and their adjuncts to Northern Ireland.

None, having regard to the difficulty of finding a unit of work suitable for transferring to Northern Ireland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the dispersal of Govern- ment Departments and their adjuncts out of London in the last 12 months; and to what locations they have gone.

The following decisions to disperse work from London have been announced in the last 12 months:

Department	New location		Number of jobs to be moved from London
Charity Commission	Liverpool	…	130
Ministry of Defence	Cardiff*	…	1,500
	Bath	…	950
Royal Mint	Llantrisant	…	1,500
Total		…	4,080
* Cardiff is a likely destination for the 1,500 Defence staff as was indicated in a statement by the Ministry of Defence (Administration) on 22nd November, 1967 (Vol. 754, cols. 368–369).

Dispersal plans usually take some years to implement and the transfer of work has continued during the past year in a number of moves from London on which decisions to move were taken more than 12 months ago.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated value of all British-owned overseas investments, the total sterling balances, the gold and dollar reserves, and the overseas debts, respectively; and, balancing the items against each other, how far the liabilities exceed the assets.

An estimate of our total external assets and liabilities as at the end of 1966 was published in the 1967 Pink Book on the United Kingdom Balance of Payments. An estimate of the position at the end of 1967, taking into account the effects of devaluation, will be published in the 1968 Pink Book in September.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give in column form the profit or loss made in each of the last 10 years by the four nationalised industries, namely, coal, gas, electricity and transport, the new loans raised, total capital invested, losses written off, and the total remaining losses, respectively.

The information required is fully set out in the published Reports and Accounts of the industries concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give in column form the national expenditure on tobacco and alcohol, respectively, for each of the last 10 years.

I would refer the hon. Member to Table 27 of the Blue Book "National Income and Expenditure 1967", which gives the figures for each year from 1956–66 inclusive. Corresponding figures for 1967 and for the first quarter of 1968 are in Table 5 of the Monthly Digest of Statistics. Copies of both publications are in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a decision has been reached on the new profit formula for Government contracts to achieve the target return announced by the Government in February, 1968.

The Government have now reached agreement with industry on the profit rates to be applied to non-competitive contracts let on or after 26th February, 1968, and priced under the new Standard Conditions. For risk work these rates will be 11 per cent. on capital employed plus 3 per cent. on cost. The Rates for non-risk work placed from the same date will be 8 per cent. on capital employed plus up to 3 per cent. on cost for efficiency. This new profit formula is expressed in the terms of the Government's accounting conventions.The Government are now discussing with industry the establishment of the Government Contracts Review Board. In addition to reviewing the profits earned on individual risk contracts priced under the formula the Board will consider periodically the profit formula and average earnings on non-competitive contracts and compare them with the overall average earnings of British manufacturing industry. In the negotiations which have now been concluded the Government and industry have sought to achieve a formula yielding over the next three years an average return in industry's terms of 14 per cent. on capital. The Review Board will be asked to make an interim report within twelve months on some of the complex accounting issues which have a bearing on this agreed target. Meanwhile the Government's present accounting conventions will continue to apply, subject to any agreement which may be reached with industry on any particular point.