asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proportion of overseas aid is sent by sea from Bristol docks; and what estimate has been made of the additional amount which could be exported through the proposed new Bristol West Dock.

It is not possible to say what proportion of goods purchased with our overseas aid has passed through any particular port.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he is aware that there is a danger of default in repayment of the loan of £2,800,000 which is to be given to the Government of Ghana; and what steps he is taking to secure himself against this default.

No. I do not consider that there is a danger of default by the Ghana Government: repayments of a previous loan are being made normally. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans he has for the expansion of the Home-base Appointments Scheme, with particular reference to agriculture.

The generous provision made when the home-base scheme was introduced in 1965 has so far proved adequate. I shall not hesitate to consider the need for expansion should the overseas demand in agriculture or any other field justify it.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development why representatives of Great Britain, as a donor country, did not commit the Government to a date for the provision of 0·75 per cent. of the gross national product to aid develop- ing countries when the recent meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was held in New Delhi.

The general agreement at U.N.C.T.A.D. was to endeavour to provide 1 per cent. of gross national product in official and private transfers; as our first priority must be to strengthen the balance of payments, we did not feel able to accept a specific time limit, but we shall do our best to achieve the target in due course.We already provide in the region of 0·9 per cent. The statement of several countries at U.N.C.T.A.D. that they would attempt to provide 0·75 per cent. of gross national product in official financial transfers was put on record but the majority of developed countries preferred a target for public and private flows combined.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will create a development division to serve the new East Africa community.

It is not my right hon. Friend's present intention to set up a Development Division in East Africa.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps he has taken to ensure the continued payment of pensions to natives of Malawi, Pakistan and India, who were employed by Her Majesty's Government and retired from Government service in Tanganyika before 1st July, 1961.

At the time the Tanzanian Government announced their decisions affecting pensions of officers covered by the Tanganyika Public Officers' Agreement, they indicated that they would continue to discharge their pension obligations to locally engaged officers. As far as I am aware, therefore, the pensioners of the former Government of Tanganyika to whom the hon. Member refers are to continue to receive their pensions as hitherto.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will make a statement on the annulment by Tanzania of the agreement providing for payments to Britons employed in Tanzania prior to independence.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave on 20th June to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) and the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Tilney).—[Vol. 766, c. 174–6.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what has been the number of requests for experts from the Corps of Specialists since 1964; and in what fields have these been requested.

Requests cover a very wide range of appointments and do not normally specify a source of recruitment; the Corps is only one of the sources used. Since it was set up in 1965, 39 requests have been met from it; in addition, 19 members are still abroad completing commitments entered into before they were accepted for the Corps.The fields involved are Agriculture; Administration; Architecture and Planning; Audit; Co-operatives; Engineering; Income Tax; Law; Marketing and Valuations.

asked the Postmaster-General what response the National Giro has had from the business world.

The National Giro service has been warmly welcomed by a wide range of businesses. I am encouraged, in particular, by the large number of companies who have reserved account numbers.

asked the Postmaster General to what extent the airmail parcel is now being used for the despatch of goods abroad.

The number of airmail parcels has almost doubled to over two million in the last six years. As a result, nearly one third of all overseas postal parcels now go by air.

asked the Postmaster-General how many of the 2,000 accidents involving parked or stationary telecommunications vehicles each year involve vehicles belonging to his Department.

All of them.

asked the Postmaster General what estimate he has made of the cost of damage to Post Office equipment and telephones in Scotland caused by vandalism in the latest annual period for which figures are available.

Repairs to damaged telephone kiosks cost about £40,000 in the financial year 1967–68.Figures are not available for other equipment, but the cost would be small compared with that for kiosks.

asked the Postmaster General what plans he now has for further experiments in local broadcasting.

I refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave earlier today, to his Question and the Question from the hon. Member for Howden (Mr. Bryan).

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress there has been in the discussions with the local authorities and the Mid-Wales Industrial Development Association by his Department with reference to the Rhayader Expansion Plan; and if he will make a statement.

It is now for the focal authorities concerned to submit formal proposals on the basis of the Pilot Study Report. The Welsh Office have arranged a further meeting on 22nd July with the Radnorshire County Council, the Rhayader Rural District Council and the Mid-Wales Industrial Development Association. Procedures for the submission of schemes will be discussed at this meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what he estimates will be the details of expenditure from public funds on the accommodation of the Royal Household at Caernarvon on the occasion of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon.

It is not yet known how many members of the Royal Household will be at Caernarvon, but my estimates do not provide for any charge to public funds for their accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received against the expenditure of public money on the proposed Investiture of the Prince of Wales; and if he will publish the terms of his reply.

I have had only three letters of protest against the proposed expenditure of £200,000. My replies have stressed the emphasis that has been placed on economy, the modesty of the expenditure in relation to that for previous State occasions of comparable importance and the benefits to Wales of having the ceremony within the Principality rather than elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on what basis he calculated that the cost to public funds of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales will be recouped by six or seven times in terms of increased tourist trade; and if he will publish the detailed analysis of his calculations.

The annual revenue from tourism in Wales was estimated by the Wales Tourist Board to be about £65 million. Because of the added attraction of the Investiture and the associated celebrations, it is not unreasonable to expect an increase in this revenue of just under 2 per cent. Indeed, it could be argued that this is a very conservative estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will name the towns in Wales which have current and uncompleted town development schemes.

Although a number of Welsh authorities have made agreements under the Town Development Act, 1952, no town development schemes have been started by them.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the original estimate of the Hay Water scheme when taken over by the Radnorshire and North Breconshire Water Board; what is the estimated cost at present: what grant has been allowed by his Department: whether the construction work is proceeding in accordance with schedule; and when it is estimated the shortage of domestic water in the town of Hay-on-Wye will be alleviated.

The estimated cost of this scheme, when the Board took over, was £1·07 million, and the latest estimate is £1·144 million. A grant of £32,000 per year has been awarded for approved expenditure of £0·814 million and an award for the rest of the scheme will be made when tendered costs are known. A difficulty over the supply of pipes and fittings caused some delay; but better progress is now expected. Supplies in the town of Hay should be improved by the end of 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will recommend to local education authorities that children living in homes run by charitable organisations who attend local schools should be provided with free meals at those schools.

No. The provision of free meals is governed by regulations made by my right hon. Friend under Section 49 of the Education Act, 1944. These relate to family circumstances and it would not be appropriate to apply them to children living in homes run by voluntary societies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the fact that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors supports the courses for general surveying and building economics at the Bournemouth College of Technology, he will now, for the purposes of paragraph 20 of Command Paper No. 3006, A Plan for Polytechnics and Other Colleges, rank the College as a centre of higher education in this specialist field.

Bournemouth is one of a large number of colleges offering professional courses in building and related subjects, and it would not be appropriate to deal with it under paragraph 20 of the White Paper. Subject to the possible need for further concentration of work in these fields, there is, however, no reason why the college should not continue to offer its existing courses as long as there is a sufficient demand from students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in which programme he will include the extensions to Plymstock Comprehensive School, in order to convert it into a 10-form entry comprehensive school.

The extension of this school to 8-form entry size was originally approved for 1969–70 and will be reviewed this autumn with the rest of the programme for that year, but I cannot forecast the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in the measures taken to encourage general instruction in computer technology in schools and colleges; and if he will make a statement.

In schools there is a steady growth of courses in computer oriented mathematics and appreciation of computer techniques, and an increasing number of pupils have access to computersColleges of further education offer a wide range of specialised courses for various categories of computer personnel, and many non-specialist courses for persons who require some appreciation of computers and their operation. A growing number of advanced further education courses, especially in engineering, have computation as a necessary element; courses in mathematics, management and business studies include the study of computer techniques. The number of computers in colleges has more than doubled since 1965.My Department has recently published a special information bulletin giving full details of computer courses in technical colleges, including a list of the colleges where they are provided. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will seek the necessary powers to enable him to institute inquiries into the extent of international or foreign interference at British universities.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply on 20th June to the hon. Members for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) and Cambridge (Mr. Lane). —[Vol. 766, c. 161–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how much of the allowance granted for educational priority areas will be used for nursery education.

As my predecessor informed the House on 30th November, 1967, it was not intended that the £16 million for school building in educational priority areas should cater for any new departure in nursery education. Nevertheless, among the proposals approved were 23 which included the replacement of existing nursery classrooms or the provision of new ones under current policy. The value of these nursery elements cannot be separately identified.—[Vol. 755, c. 619–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give a list of those of Her Majesty's prisons situated in urban areas, together with the area of land occupied by each, the estimated value of the land and the present owner of the freehold, together with any special conditions of ownership or tenure which may apply to particular cases.

I will, with permission, circulate the list in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Up-to-date estimates of site values are not available.Following is the list:

Prisons in urban areas in England and Wales
			Acreage
Aylesbury	…	…	26
Bedford	…	…	5
Birmingham	…	…	9
Bristol	…	…	8
Brixton	…	…	5
Canterbury	…	…	5
Cardiff	…	…	7
Chelmsford	…	…	16
Dorchester	…	…	3
Durham	…	…	7
Exeter	…	…	4
Gloucester	…	…	3
Holloway	…	…	12
Hull	…	…	12
Kirkham	…	…	63
Lancaster	…	…	3
Leeds	…	…	10
Leicester	…	…	4
Lewes	…	…	14
Lincoln	…	…	13
Liverpool	…	…	25
Maidstone	…	…	14
Manchester	…	…	16
Northallerton	…	…	11
Norwich	…	…	12
Nottingham	…	…	21
Oxford	…	…	4
Pentonville	…	…	10
Preston	…	…	8
Shepton Mallet	…	…	2
Shrewsbury	…	…	5
Stafford	…	…	7
Swansea	…	…	5
Wakefield	…	…	29
Wandsworth	…	…	36
Winchester	…	…	15
Wormwood Scrubs	…	…	20

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total amounts of unpaid court fines, respectively, on the date when the relevant sections of the Criminal Justice Act, 1967, came into force and on the latest date for which figures are available.

£2,921,000 on 31st December, 1967, and £2,968,000 on 31st March, 1968. (These are the figures for magistrates' courts outside Inner London.)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys sentenced to Borstal training have remained at Wormwood Scrubs Prison for one month, two months, three months, four months, five months, a greater period than five months, and the whole of their sentence, respectively, during the two years ended on 1st July, 1968.

For the two years ended 31st December, 1967, 2,963 boys remained in the allocation centre at Wormwood Scrubs for up to four weeks, 2,538 for up to eight weeks, 880 for up to 13 weeks and 148 for up to 15 weeks; 201 boys remained for more than 15 weeks because of special circumstances. I can trace only one case where a boy spent the whole of his sentence in Wormwood Scrubs. He was in hospital there for medical treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he last visited the allocation centre at Wormwood Scrubs Prison.

7th March, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many holders of provisional licences for experimenting upon animals were granted a full licence in 1967 and in the past six months of 1968; and how many were interviewed by one of his Department's inspectors;(2) whether the licence issued for experiments on animals records all the usages of animals that the holder is authorised to undertake or procedures he is allowed to perform;(3) if he has now issued a code of practice for experiments on animals, as recommended by the Littlewood Committee;(4) what steps he plans to take to require teaching or training establishments making experiments upon animals to provide a detailed scheme giving information about syllabus, procedures, staff and students' qualifications, and the maximum numbers and species of animals to be used;(5) how many persons who have not shown proof of comptence were allowed to carry out surgical work without recovery on animals in 1967;(6) in how many cases experimental surgery or surgical or non-surgical work likely to give rise to pain, lasting discomfort or incapacity to animals, have required prior approval by his Department of particulars of purpose, procedure, species and numbers, duly endorsed by sponsors, during 1967;(7) in how many cases experimentation designed to induce stress upon animals have required prior approval by his Department of particulars of purpose, procedures, species and numbers, duly endorsed by sponsors in 1967;(8) when he plans to issue an interim code of standards governing the care and accommodation of laboratory animals; and when he plans to make the necessary regulations;(9) if he will give details of the examination made of applications by establishments intending to accommodate laboratory animals to ensure they are capable of complying with required standards before registration is issued;

The new system of statutory control that these Questions envisage has not been set up, depending, as it does, on the implementation of the Departmental Committee's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals have been used for experimental purposes in 1965, 1966, 1967 and in the first six months of 1968.

I have the number of experiments performed annually by persons licensed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, but not the number of animals used; 4,751,060 experiments were performed in 1965 and 4,615,023 in 1966; the figures for 1967 will be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many coloured personnel are now employed in all branches of public service for which he is responsible; in what grades they are serving; and whether he will make a statement.

There are some 190 coloured persons directly employed by the Home Office in the following grades:

• Catering and domestic (and other industrial grades).
• Clerical, secretarial, machine and typing.
• Executive (and analogous grades).
• Medical and nursing.
• Paperkeeping and messengerial.
• Prison Officer and night patrol.
• Statistical.
• Technical (and analogous grades).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the increased revenue he estimates he will obtain by limiting the present purchase tax-free concession to skirts under 20 inches long instead of skirts under 24 inches long, as today; and whether, in order to obviate Treasury interference with fashion, he will consider imposing a lower rate of tax on all skirts however short or long and without prejudice to calf-length hem-lines.

The purpose is not to increase the revenue but to maintain it. The Treasury has no intention of interfering with fashion and the answer to the second part of the Question is therefore "No".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what rate to the pound Her Majesty's Government buys French francs; and why this differs from the official rate of 11·70 francs to the pound.

I am not clear what sort of transaction the hon. Member has in mind. The French franc/sterling parity, derived from the French and the United Kingdom's declaration of par value to the I.M.F., is French francs 11·849 to the pound. Under I.M.F. rules a small percentage variation from parity is permissible in dealigns between member countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give, for the most convenient stated period of time since October, 1964, the number of Commonwealth immigrants who have been taken on in his Department in executive and administrative employment other than manual or industrial employment, the countries of origin of these immigrants and their actual stated appointments; and whether he will give similar details for the various departments for which he has financial responsibility.

In the Treasury, a special count shows that the number employed on 15th July, 1968 was 42, including 2 from Canada, 16 from Caribbean countries, 4 from Ceylon, 3 from Ghana, 9 from India, 5 from Nigeria, 1 from Pakistan, 1 from Sierra Leone and 1 from Singapore. There were 2 economists, 27 clerks, 11 typists and 2 messengers. Figures for earlier dates and for the other departments referred to cannot be given without disproportionate effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the rate of interest on the $2,000 million stand-by has now been fixed; and at what rate per annum.

I have nothing to add to my statement of 8th July.—[Vol. 768, c. 48–9.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimated annual income from British overseas investments and their estimated market value, the total sterling balances held in London, and the annual interest being paid on them.

Estimates of interest, profits and dividends received in 1966 on British overseas investments, and estimates of the market value of portfolio assets and the book value of direct investments at the end of 1966, are published in the 1967 Pink Book on the United Kingdom balance of payments: estimates for 1967 will be published in the 1968 Pink Book in September. Quarterly figures for external sterling liabilities are published in "Economic Trends"; the interest charge on these net liabilities has been running at about £150 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the maximum amount of Central Bank assistance received by the United Kingdom in 1965: and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the information which has already been published on this subject in the quarterly articles in "Economic Trends" (and especially in the issue for March, 1966) and in the Quarterly Bulletins of the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the maximum amount of Central Bank asistance received by the United Kingdom in 1967; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot at this stage add to the information on this subject which has already been published in the quarterly articles in "Economic Trends" and in the Quarterly Bulletins of the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to exempt from Purchase Tax all articles which are specially designed for use with the interests of road safety in mind.

No. The tax applies to broad categories of goods and it would be impracticable to single out articles designed with the interests of safety in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will recommend the setting up of a Royal Commission to examine and report on the nation's economic situation, with particular reference to the balance of trade and payments.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Treasury consent has yet been sought for the purchase by the American Tobacco Company of a controlling interest in Messrs. Gallaher Limited; whether he intends to grant such permission; and if he will make a statement.

Application for all necessary exchange control consents has been received and is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken to rebuild the hospital, teachers' training college and prison in Tonga.

These matters are within the responsibility of the Tonga Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he is prepared to increase the amount of aid sent to Nigeria following the report of Lord Hunt on his mission to Nigeria.

As the House knows, we recently provided £250,000 for emergency relief in Nigeria, including the Ibo areas. Lord Hunt is expected to return from Nigeria at the weekend to complete his recommendations as to the most effective use that can be made of the money. I will inform the House as soon as I have seen Lord Hunt and studied his full report.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will now make a statement on the withdrawal of the Suez closure premiums on petrol prices.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 17th July.—[Vol. 768, c. 249.]

asked the Minister of Power whether he is aware that under the London Gas Regulations persons intending to install gas appliances have to inform the Gas Board 24 hours beforehand; and in the interests of safety, whether he will take steps to make these regulations generally applicable, and to provide that private gas installations must be passed as satisfactory by a Board inspector before gas connection and lighting by the resident or occupier.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the provision referred to. Check by gas boards of private installation work is one of the matters he is considering in connection with the new Bill on the gas industry mentioned in the debate on the 22nd May by my right hon. Friend the Member for Southwark (Mr. Gunter).— [Vol. 765, c. 549.]

£ million
	1966–67	1967–68	Estimate 1968–69	Total
Grants associated with social costs of pit closures	1·3	5·3	8·0	14·6
Grants for costs of deferred pit closures	—	1·0	2·5	3·5
Grants to C.E.G.B. for additional coal burnt	—	1·5	5·5	7·0
Payments to redundant miners	—	—	2·6	2·6
Total	1·3	7·8	18·6	27·7

In addition the £415 million capital write-off under the 1965 Act has saved the N.C. 8. about £20 million a year in interest payments to the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware of the high prices charged by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes in Germany, and the lack of variety, selection and competitiveness in their goods; and whether he will arrange for some of the major British supermarket stores and companies to be given facilities for establishing shops in areas where British troops are stationed.

In general, the prices of goods, retailed by N.A.A.F.I., both at home and abroad, are based on the prevailing prices for similar goods in civilian shops. In N.A.A.F.I. shops overseas, however, the prices charged reflect any customs or tax concessions enjoyed by Her Majesty's Forces and the costs arising from freight, insurance and special packing in the case of goods imported from the U.K. or elsewhere.I cannot agree that there is any lack of variety or selection in N.A.A.F.I. shops, which have some 10,000 items in everyday supply, ranging from drink and tobacco, groceries and provisions, vegetables, fruit and meat to clothing, sports equipment., gifts and household appliances.As regards the second part of the Question, N.A.A.F.I.'s rôle is to cater for the welfare and needs of Her Majesty's Forces and their dependants worldwide, under the control of the Defence Council. Its employees when overseas are subject to a measure of Service discipline and its surpluses are distributed at the direction of the Defence Council for the benefit of the Services. In Germany, by agreement with the Federal Republic, and in common with certain other non-German, nonprofit making organisations, N.A.A.F.I. enjoys the status of an integral part of the British Forces. Such a privilege could not be accorded to a solely commercial organisation without re-negotiating the Agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the operating theatre was completed at the Royal Naval Hospital, Bighi, Malta; what was the cost; and what are the plans for its use consequent upon the rundown of British forces in the area.

Work on the operating theatre at the Royal Naval Hospital, Bighi, Malta, was commenced in July, 1966 and was completed in October, 1967 at a cost of £50,000 for works services and specialised equipment. It is expected to continue in use until 1970, when its function and specialised equipment will be transferred to Imtarfa hospital. The future of the hospital building itself is not yet decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the wiring of H.M.S. "Delight" has deteriorated to such an extent that he has ordered her scrapping.

H.M.S. "Delight" has been placed on the scrap list because, with a reducing Fleet, no further rôle for her could be foreseen. This decision had nothing to do with any deterioration of her wiring.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements have been made with the United States Govment about credit facilities for the Phantom and Hercules aircraft ordered for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

Following the cancellation of the United Kingdom purchase of F.111 aircraft in January this year, discussions have been held with the United States Government about the credit needed for the capital and initial support costs of our remaining purchases of United States aircraft (Phantom and Hercules). For the full purchase, including the F.111 a credit of $1,250 million had been agreed.Before the United Kingdom Government decided to order F.111 aircraft the United States Government had agreed to grant a credit of $700 million to cover the orders for Phantom and Hercules aircraft for the R.A.F. However, as a result of changes in the numbers and cost of aircraft since the original agreement was reached, and because the Phantoms ordered for the Royal Navy which were originally to be paid for in cash have also been brought within the credit arrangements, the total capital and initial support costs of the Phantom and Hercules orders will now exceed $700 million.The United States Government have agreed to grant a total credit of $750 million to cover the estimated total credit requirement up to 30th June, 1969 and to increase this figure if the requirement should show signs of being greater in the period. The credit requirements for the period after 30th June, 1969 are to be discussed again between the two Governments later this year.Because interest rates have increased since the original agreement for a credit of $700 million at an interest rate of 4¾ per cent. was reached the United States Government have felt obliged to charge interest at 6 per cent. on the additional credit of $50 million.We have also undertaken to repay the $49 million which we had already drawn on the credits for the F111 prior to the cancellation of our order. The further cancellation payments which will be payable are still under discussion with the United States Government together with the possibility that the United States Air Force will re-purchase some of our F111 components for their own use. If this possibility is realised the net cost of cancellation will be substantially reduced.An agreement with the EX-Im bank covering our credit requirements for the year ending 30th June, 1969 has been signed. In form this is an extension of and increase in the previous year's credit agreement of $500 million which was not fully used because of the cancellation of the F111 and because progress payments on the other aircraft were lower than had been expected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek permission from the Nigerian Government for permission for Royal Air Force aircraft to overfly Nigerian territory for the purpose of parachuting food into areas where it is most needed.

Many different possibilities have been under consideration. My right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary will be making a statement as soon as Lord Hunt's report has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects to receive the report on tipping procedures in the hotel and catering industries from the National Economic Development Council.

The E.D.C. for the Hotel and Catering Industry has carried out an investigation among both users and suppliers of hotel and catering services, and has accepted in principle the desirability of standardising tipping procedures. The report of this investigation is now being discussed with interested organisations, and when these discussions are concluded it will be possible to consider what action to take.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has now made of the effect on fixed income groups of the rise in the cost of living since devaluation.

None. The Index of Retail Prices has risen by 4·5 points or 3·7 per cent. between 14th November, 1967, and 21st May, 1968.

asked the Minister of Health what measures he proposes to take regarding the pollution of beer by fibres from asbestos filter pads as described in a report from the Medical Research Council Air Pollution Research Unit published in the current issue of Nature, Volume 219, 93, details of which have been sent to him.

I am aware of this report. The presence of these fibres in beer has not been shown to be harmful but my Department will be discussing with the industry the possibility of eliminating unnecessary exposure to asbestos.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what departmental machinery exists in order to obtain information about the methods by which local authorities spend and account for the moneys granted to them; and if he will make a statement.

Information about expenditure by local authorities is obtained in a variety of forms for different purposes. Where grants relate directly to expenditure detailed claims are generally required which are certified by the District Auditor. All local authority accounts must by statute be audited. Most of this is done by the district audit service which provides a source of information on local authority methods of accounting.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, if he will take the whole of the remaining area of the scheduled monument known as Durrington Walls into his Department's guardianship; and what consultations he has had with the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society and other local learned societies concerning this and other ancient monuments.

I am at present considering what steps should be taken to preserve this site in accordance with recommendations made to me by the Ancient Monuments Board for England.My Department have not themselves had consultations with the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society or any other local society.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will give an assurance that in transferring Questions to other Ministers she will follow the practice of notifying hon. Members not later than two sitting days after the appearance of the Question on the Notice Paper, as recommended by the Select Committee on Procedure in their Fifth Report, Session 1966–67.

Yes, whenever possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his proposed inquiry into moral and religious education.

In response to representations about the need for an inquiry, and after consultation with the local authority associations. I have appointed a committee on this subject. It terms of reference are:

"Within the existing framework of the statutory provisions governing the obligation to continue religious instruction, the responsibility for its content and the question of inspection, to review the current practice of Scottish schools (other than Roman Catholic schools) with regard to moral and religious education and to make recommendations for its improvement".

I am very glad that Professor W. Malcolm Millar of the Department of Mental Health in the University of Aberdeen has agreed to act as chairman of the committee. The members of the committee include teachers in primary and secondary schools, Ministers, lecturers in religious education, and a number of other people with experience of social work and interest in the welfare of young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take as a result of his examination of the effects of the last revaluation on commercial premises.

After studying carefully all the relevant information which could readily be obtained I have decided that it does not lead to any clear conclusion, and that a more comprehensive inquiry is needed. I am therefore appointing a committee

"to examine the effects of the 1966 revaluation on commercial subjects, and, if they deem it necessary, to consider what alternative courses of action could be taken to modify these effects by amendment of the valuation law, having regard to the consequences of such action in relation to domestic, industrial and other rateable subjects".

I am glad to say that Mr. David S. Anderson, C.A., Professor Emeritus of Accounting and Business Method at Edinburgh University, has agreed to act as chairman of this committee.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give a breakdown of the figure of £11·6 million for the total of Government support for the computer industry.

The figure of £11·6 million was composed as follows:

	£m.
S.R.C.
Research grants in computing science (including allocation for awards to September, 1968)	2·5
N.R.D.C. (Excluding £4m. lent to I.C.T.)	3·0
Mintech
Advanced Computer Technology Project (authorised ceiling to March, 1969)	2·6
Atlas C.A.D. Centre, Cambridge	2·5
University Research Contracts	0·5
U.K.A.E.A. sponsored work (mostly Aldermaston Project for the Application of Computers to Engineering)	0·5

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to cause an investigation to be made into the affairs of the South Western Deposit and Loan Society, a society registered under the Friendly Societies Acts, on the grounds that depositors are unable to obtain repayment of sums due to them.

I regret that the Board of Trade cannot invoke their powers under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, or Section 109 of the Companies Act, 1967, to inquire into the affairs of the South Western Deposit and Loan Society because it is not a company or body within the terms of those Sections. I am writing to my hon. Friend about this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the numbers of applications both granted and refused for the Nuneaton and Bedworth employment exchange areas for industrial development certificates for the years 1966, 1967 and 1968.

The information is as follows:

		Issued (exceeding 5,000 sq. ft.)	Refused (all, including those not exceeding 5,000 sq. ft.)
1966	…	3	2
1967	…	9	2
1968 (January-June)	…	9	None

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for the granting of industrial development certificates to the Nuneaton and Bedworth employment exchange areas his Department are presently considering.

Five applications for projects exceeding 5,000 square feet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he has made in his investigation into the possibility of establishing a separate category in the visible trade statistics for imports of raspberry pulp.

The investigation is proceeding and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as a decision can be given.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will extend to other British airlines the financial facilities which he has provided for British European Airways for the purchase of their fleet of Trident 3B's, for the purchase of these or comparable British aircraft.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied that the proposed railway level crossing control at Silchester involving a 30 seconds warning of train approach will be effective in view of the fact that slow moving farm machinery uses this road; and if he will make a statement.

The British Railways Board have applied to me for an Order authorising the installation of miniature red and green light protection at Silchester level crossing, and their application is at present being considered in the light of the representations made to me by the highway authority and the local branch of the National Farmers Union. My decision on the Order will be made only after a thorough assessment of all relevant factors, including the adequacy of the proposed 30-second warning period in relation to particular types of traffic at the site.