asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that registered letters delivered to buildings in multiple occupation have been signed for by persons other than the addressee and the contents stolen; and what safeguards he proposes to introduce to prevent this fraudulent practice.

Yes. We undertake to deliver a postal packet at the premises to which it is addressed. The introduction of further safeguards would not be practicable.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is satisfied that the quality of glass in the Post Office screen, now being offered to sub-post offices, provides bullet-proof protection, and that its qualities fulfil the recommendations made for it by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The glass in the screen now being offered to sub-postmasters meets the requirements laid down by the Department's security advisors.] am sure the hon. Gentleman will agree that it would not be in the best interests of sub-postmasters if I were to make its precise specification public knowledge.

asked the Postmaster-General what further provision he plans to make in order to protect sub-post offices from criminal attacks; and if he will make a statement.

We are encouraging sub-postmasters in crime-prone areas to install Post Office designed anti-bandit screens, by offering to pay the majority of their cost. This is in addition to burglar and bandit alarms and other security devices which we have already fitted at many offices. These and other measures for the security of sub-post offices are under constant study and are discussed at regular meetings between our security advisers and the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters.—[Vol. 766, c.56.]

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will publish in HANSARD a detailed statement giving full particulars of increases made and officially announced, since 16th October, 1964, in postage rates, telephones, telegrams and all services provided by his Department.

The information is given year by year in Appendix 4 of the Post Office Annual Report and Accounts which is presented to Parliament. Changes since the Report for 1966–67 was published are as follows:

(a) Telephone calls to Canada were put on the same basis, from 1st May, 1967, as had applied for calls to the U.S.A. from 1st February, 1967;

(b) On 1st July, 1967, the rental for an auxiliary telex line was reduced by £40 a year.

(c) The rate per word for ordinary Press telegrams to Commonwealth destinations and Nepal was increased by 2d. on 1st September, 1967, with corresponding increases in the ordinary and urgent Press rate to some other countries.

(d) Some charges for telephone calls from abroad on a transfer charge or credit basis were increased on 24th April, 1968.

In addition, proposed increases in some inland telephone and inland and overseas postage rates were circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT of 10th April, 1968.— [Vol. 762, c. 1379–1402.]

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether, under his new arrangements, delivery of mail from Tiverton to London constitutes a long and difficult journey; and whether, after 17th September, 1968, first-class mail posted in Tiverton before the last post leaves each day will be delivered in London next day;(2) what action he is taking to ensure that first-class mail paying the new 25 per cent. increased postal charge of 5d. is delivered in London the day after it is posted in time to catch the last mail in Tiverton.

Tiverton to London is not a particularly long or difficult journey and first-class mail posted in time for the last collection at Tiverton will normally be delivered in London next day. We cannot eliminate all causes of delay to mail, but we will do our best to make the first-class letter service reliable.

asked the Postmaster-General what financial benefit will accrue to the Post Office from the added costs of the introduction of higher telephone and postal charges in Scotland.

The yield in Scotland of the higher charges required to meet the increased cost of providing postal and telephone services is estimated at about £6 million in a full year.

asked the Postmaster General whether he will now arrange for vehicle licence application forms completed in Welsh to be accepted at post offices in Wales.

Yes. As from 17th September we shall accept such applications at all post offices in Wales which now do vehicle licence business. Where we have Welsh-speaking staff to deal with applications, licences will be issued in the normal way. Where this is not the case, the application and the fee will be accepted against a receipt and will be forwarded to the local taxation office for subsequent issue by post as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster General when he expects the work in providing a new and up-to-date telephone service in the Cramlington area will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Early next year we will open the new telephone exchange which will give our customers S.T.D. facilities. They will then be able to dial 75 to 80 per cent. of their trunk calls. In the meantime as my hon. Friend knows we are arranging to give service to all customers waiting for the telephone. The present bottleneck on lines between Newcastle and Morpeth which has been giving rise to difficulties on many trunk calls from Cramlington will be ended within three months when we will practically double the number of circuits.

asked the Postmaster General what is the annual average cost of maintaining and depreciating the equipment related to an exclusive personal telephone and two telephones on a shared line, respectively.

The current average annual cost, including interest, of an exclusive exchange line with one telephone instrument is about £18. The corresponding cost of service to two telephones sharing a line is about £34.

asked the Postmaster General what steps he is taking, within his procurement policy, to assist the export of telecommunications equipment produced by United Kingdom firms.

We aim to help the export of telecommunications equipment by (1) examining and trying out in public service and certifying equipment which might be exportable (2) taking export considerations into account when preparing specifications for equipment to be used at home (3) providing consultancy services or loaning experts to other administrations; and (4) training large numbers of staff from other countries in British methods and equipment.

asked the Postmaster General, why special telephone links are provided for individuals who voluntarily entomb themselves in coffins; and if he will ensure that the 3,000 people on telephone waiting lists in South Bedfordshire are connected up before any further special links of this sort are provided.

Standard telephone facilities have been provided in two cases, but no "special" telephone links have been required. Spare lines and equipment are available in the localities concerned to meet demand for similar types of service. Provision of these telephones in no way impedes the progress being made in providing cable and exchange equipment to serve people waiting for telephones elsewhere, and failure to do so would not help progress in the areas of shortage.

asked the Postmaster General when was the last occasion a Postmaster General paid an official visit to the municipal telephone exchange in Hull.

So far as can be ascertained, 1935.

asked the Postmaster General whether he has considered the representations that have been made to him for a better reception service for the British Broadcasting Corporation television services in Mid-Wales; and what progress there has been with surveys, particularly for a B.B.C.2 service.

Yes. The survey is not yet complete. It relates particularly to B.B.C.l which has attained nearly 100 per cent. population coverage in the United Kingdom. The development of the U.H.F. network to transmit B.B.C.2 has not yet reached the stage when plans to extend it into mid-Wales can be formulated.

asked the Postmaster General whether he has now given further consideration to the question of granting concessionary television and radio licences to old persons' homes; and if he will make a statement.

I am proposing to lay Regulations which will introduce a new licence for old people's homes. This licence will cover the use by residents in their own rooms of mains-operated, as well as battery-operated, sets.

asked the Postmaster General if he will seek powers to amend the Charter of the British Broadcasting Corporation so as to prohibit references in all programmes other than news programmes to sub judice matters, in the light of the action of the Corporation during the trial of Emil Savundra.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his Question earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales who were the consultants that advised him on the Investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon; on what they advised him; and what fees they were paid.

I have commissioned no consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consider publishing in brief handbook form a description of the services in Wales for which he has direct responsibility and oversight responsibility.

I am considering the merits of producing a Welsh Office publication similar to the Handbook of Scottish Administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the extension to the Brixton School of Building has been deferred.

This project was among a number which it was necessary to defer in order to keep within the total capital allocation for further education building in 1968–6

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what allocation for 1968–69 and 1969–70 for capital works he has made in respect of Pursglove County Secondary School, Tideswell, Bakewell Church of England Secondary School for boys and Bakewell Highfield County Secondary School for girls, Bakewell, in view of the postponement in converting Lady Manners Grammar School into a comprehensive school for the area.

The Derbyshire Authority did not ask for any allocation for these schools in 1968–69. I do not yet know whether they have any proposals for them in 1969–70.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further research is being undertaken under the authorisation of his Department into possible health hazards from the use of asbestos in beer filter pads.

A wide range of studies on the biological effects of asbestos is continuing under the auspices of the Medical Research Council and in university departments. The scientific workers concerned will be aware of the recent report of the finding of asbestos fibres in beer and this will be followed up as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in view of the difficulties parents of children attending schools experienced during periods of educational reorganisation, if he will advise local education authorities to adopt a flexible policy in matters affecting individual children, until reorganisation is completed; and if he will make a statement.

In examining reorganisation proposals I pay close attention to how the arrangements will affect pupils at the various stages of implementation. I do not think that any general advice would be appropriate, but I hope that local education authorities will always be as flexible as possible in considering the needs of individual pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that Hornsey College of Art will reopen its normal quota of departments in September; and if he will make a statement.

The arrangements for the re-opening of the college and the departmental structure are the responsibility of the local authority and the governing body. I understand a commission has been established to discuss issues concerning the college, on which the principal, and members of the staff and students, are serving.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he has reduced the educational building programme for Cheshire from £4½ million to £2½ million; and what will be the effect of this reduction on the county council's school building programme.

The Cheshire Authority wanted to start projects valued at £4½ million in 1968–69 but we were able to authorise only £2½ million. But this will mean that the most urgent projects will start in this year and I shall of course consider the others when the Authority submit their revised proposals for 1969–70.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he has not included in the education building programme for Cheshire a new Roman Catholic-aided primary school for Stockton Heath which has been asked for by the County Education Authority in each of the years 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69.

The Cheshire Authority did not submit the project for the revised 1968–69 building programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that many parents in areas where there is separatism in secondary education do not know of their rights of appeal with regard to the schools allocated to their children; and whether he will make a statement setting out the machinery of appeal available to parents in this matter.

There is no statutory right of appeal but parents, like other members of the community, are free to complain about any action of an authority with which they disagree.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the reason for the delay in announcing a decision on the revised scheme for the reorganisation of secondary education in the London Borough of Harrow.

All reorganisation schemes require careful examination. The Harrow plan is one of several at present under consideration and I hope to announce my decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Report of the Public Schools Commission.

I expect to make a statement later this year after I have completed my study of the Report. Meanwhile I should like to take this opportunity of thanking Sir John Newsom, the Chairman of the Commission, and the other members, for the work which they have done.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has accepted the report of the working party on compulsory school meals duties; if he will specify the date on which voluntary arrangements will come into force; and if he will make a statement.

The Working Party is meeting today at my right hon. Friend's request to consider some questions regarding the interpretation of its report which certain of its members have brought to our notice as needing clarification. I await a report of the proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many children who attended preparatory schools outside Bootle and who passed the Bootle eleven-plus examination in the last 15 years, have been allowed to attend grammar schools outside the boundaries of Bootle with financial assistance from Bootle Education Committee; and how many of these children attended Bootle primary schools for two years continuously before taking the eleven-plus examination;(2) how many children who attended preparatory schools inside Bootle and who passed the 11-plus examination in the last 15 years, have been allowed to attend grammar schools outside the boundaries of Bootle with financial aid from Bootle Education Committee; and how many of these children attended Bootle primary schools continuously for two years before taking the 11-plus examination.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils who have passed the 11-plus examination in the county borough of Bootle have now been awarded places this year in Bootle Grammar School for Boys, Bootle Grammar School for Girls, Maricort Comprehensive School for Girls, Salesian College for Boys, St. Mary's College Grammar for Boys, Merchant Taylor's Crosby for Boys, Merchant Taylor's Crosby for Girls and other grammar schools, respectively.

The information is as follows:

Bootle Grammar (Boys)	74
Bootle Grammar (Girls)	120*
Maricourt Comprehensive	66
Salesian College	85
St. Mary's College	6
Merchant Taylor's Crosby (Boys)	6
Merchant Taylor's Crosby (Girls)	3
St. Edmund's Church of England Grammar	3
Seafield Roman Catholic Grammar	6
* Includes 27 girls whose parents' first choice was the Maricourt Comprehensive School. Replies are awaited from the parents of three children also offered places in this school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many girls who have passed the 11-plus examination this year in the county borough of Bootle have not been placed in schools of their parents' choice; and how many will be placed in a grammar stream in a modern secondary school in Bootle.

The answer to the first part of the question is 67, of whom so far 64 have accepted grammar school places. The local education authority await replies from the parents of three children who, with others, were offered the choice of places either at Bootle Grammar School for Girls or in a grammar stream which it is proposed to establish in a Roman Catholic Secondary Modern School.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many suitably qualified girls applied for admission to medical schools, and how many of these obtained admission, in each of the last five years;(2) how many suitably qualified boys applied for admission to medical schools, and how many of these obtained admission, in each of the last five years.

The following information relates to entry to pre-clinical courses in medical schools in Great Britain:

	(A)		(B)
	Numbers applying through Universities Central Council on Admissions (U.C.C.A.)		Numbers admitted (including applicants outside the U.C.C.A. Scheme)
	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls
1963–64	Not available		1,739	542
1964–65	3,475	1,358	1,871	536
1965–66	4,342	1,674	1,937	541
1966–67	4,667	1,607	1,933	569
1967–68	5,590*	1,771*	1,929†	615†
* Includes Queen's University, Belfast (separate Great Britain figures not available).
† Provisional.

The figures in column A are not comparable year by year because the number of institutions participating in the U.C.C.A. scheme has increased progressively; for 1967–68 the figures include applicants for admission to Queens University, Belfast, although Scottish candidates for certain Scottish universities are still outside the scheme. Statistics are not available for candidates applying out- side the U.C.C.A. Scheme. Columns (A) and (B) are therefore not directly comparable. It is not known how many of the candidates were suitably qualified, because the individual universities decide what qualifications are acceptable to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in view of the fact that the lower priority now given to the building of denominational schools and the deterioration in the facilities in these schools is now resulting in parents not sending their children to such schools, whether he will now make a statement on his future policy towards denominational schools.

My policy continues to be to consider denominational school building proposals which form part of an authority's submission for their area equally with county school proposals. Priority in recent years has had to be given to projects which provide places for children who would otherwise have no school to go to, leaving little margin for the improvement or replacement of existing schools. I am satisfied that denominational schools have had their fair share of the resources available including more than a quarter of the special allocation of £16 million for the improvement of schools in educational priority areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that overspill population accommodated in development on the periphery of Birmingham will be adequately served by schools and other educational facilities within the city of Birmingham.

The provision of school places for the children who move out of Birmingham is the statutory responsibility of the local education authorities for the areas into which they move. I understand that the Birmingham Authority are proposing to co-operate so far as practicable by continuing to provide places in Birmingham schools for children moving into the outer areas for whom places are not yet available in those areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the anxiety which exists in areas which maintain separatism in education owing to some primary schools preparing children for the 11-plus examination while others do not; and whether he will set up an inquiry to ascertain the effects which differing practices over preparing children for the 11-plus examination have on the chances of children entering grammar schools.

I am advised that in recent years both local education authorities and the staffs of primary schools have made considerable efforts to reduce strain on pupils as they near the age of transfer to secondary schools and that both selec

VALUE OF MAJOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS APPROVED, UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETED, FINANCIAL YEARS 1960–61 TO 1967–68
MANCHESTER
£million
	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
Approvals	1·0	0·7	1·6	2·3	1·9	1·2	1·4	0·8
Under construction at end of financial year	2·6	2·0	2·2	2·3	3·8	4·3	3·0	3·0
Completions	0·8	1·3	1·2	0·8	1·4	1·1	1·9	2·1

LANCASHIRE
£million
	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
Approvals	2·2	4·5	4·6	2·4	2·6	4·2	5·6	4·7
Under construction at the end of financial year	4·3	5·3	7·8	6·8	4·8	4·4	6·7	9·9
Completions	2·3	2·0	3·2	3·7	5·3	2·8	3·3	3·3
Note: This table does not include special schools or projects costing less than £20,000 each.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to promote the establishment of a Chair in Maritime Economics at a British university.

This is primarily a matter for the universities, in consultation with the University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will send a circular to local education authorities recommending them not to economise

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the amounts for school building approved, under construction and completed for Manchester Local Education Authority and Lancashire Local Education Authority in the years since 1961.

The information is as follows:on swimming instruction to schoolchildren of all ages who live in areas where there are considerable numbers of water hazards; and if he will make a statement.

No. Local education authorities are aware of the importance of swimming instruction. It is for them to decide how best to allocate their resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for the establishment in Wales of Welsh language nursery schools or classes.

I am considering whether more nursery provision might be made by local education authorities in selected areas; but I cannot at present say whether this will include Welsh language nursery schools or classes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his plans for recognition of schools as schools of exceptional difficulty at which a £75 salary addition is to be paid to qualified teachers under section SS of the 1967 primary and secondary schools salaries document.

I have examined in detail the lists of schools recommended to me by local education authorities for recognition. Although I know that authorities have tried with great care to apply fairly the criteria laid down by the Burnham Committee, I have reached the conclusion that I cannot, without creating serious anomalies which would be difficult to explain or defend, make a selection from among a large number of schools whose claims for recognition appear to be comparable. I have therefore asked the Committee if in these circumsances they would wish to see whether they can devise any other approach, with prospects of a fairer result, to the problem of making money available to create incentives for teachers to serve in schools of exceptional difficulty within the total provision of £400,000 a year which they have set aside for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has now agreed the sum to be granted from Goveriment funds to assist in the purchase of Aintree racecourse.

If Liverpool Corporation acquire the site of the Aintree racecourse it will be open to them to apply to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government for a grant under the Local Government Act, 1966, in respect of that portion of the site which is to be kept as public open space. It is not possible to say at this stage what the amount of that grant might be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the procedure for testing alcohol content in the blood by means of breathalyser and blood tests as now practised by forensic laboratories; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied with the reliability of the approved breath testing device and of the forensic science laboratory procedures for the determination of blood alcohol levels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of the Resolution and Report of the British Medical Association at their Annual Conference, a copy of which has been sent to him, on the procedures for blood and breathalyser tests of alcohol content in the blood; and what additional instructions he has given to the courts and the police in this matter.

I am not aware of any resolution or report of the British Medical Association that would cause my right hon. Friend to give additional advice to the police about procedures under road safety legislation. It is not for him to give instructions to the police or the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that he will not propose an extension of the closing hour of betting offices until the House has had an opportunity to debate this matter.

The hours of opening of betting offices can be changed only by statutory instrument subject to negative resolution procedure. My right hon. Friend has no change in contemplation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he proposes to make in the existing law regarding the operation of betting offices to prevent continuous betting being carried on in such offices, in view of the growth in this type of betting since the enactment of the Betting and Gaming Act, 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce amending legislation to ensure that continuous betting will not take place in licensed betting offices.

My right hon. Friend has no proposals in mind for legislation on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been injured during the protest marches and demonstrations which took place in London during the past year.

255.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not place a ban on further demonstrations in London until such time as suitable arrangements have been made for such activities to take place without violence or inconvenience to the general public.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 22nd July to a Question by the hon. and learned Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Hogg).—[Vol. 769, c. 34–40.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra costs have been incurred by the Metropolitan Police during 1968 in the course of controlling public demonstrations; and what fines have been collected during 1968 from persons found guilty of offences arising from these demonstrations.

In answer to the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 15th July to a Question by the hon. Member for Cathcart (Mr. Edward Taylor). There have been four major demonstrations in 1968 and 29 smaller ones. The information requested in the second part of the Question is not readily available.—[Vol. 768, c.175–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the police to keep the base of the Eros Statue in Piccadilly Circus clear of the adolescents who sit about there at all hours, presenting to visitors and tourists an unrepresentative picture of British life.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision he has reached on the Report of the Advisory Council on the Penal System on the régime for long-term prisoners in conditions of maximum security.

I have decided to accept the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Penal System that high security risk prisoners serving long sentences should be dispersed among selected prisons. Under the scheme these prisoners will not be kept isolated as a group but will be detained with other prisoners requiring secure conditions.The prisons to be used will have a high standard of security, especially the perimeter, with the result that there can be greater freedom of movement inside than is possible within the present security wings. The necessary security improvements at a number of existing prisons will be sufficently advanced to enable me to start to disperse prisoners from the present security wings by the end of the year. In due course a number of new prisons will become available for this purpose. Two are being planned at Long Lartin, Worcestershire, and Full Sutton, Yorkshire. The present security wings will be phased out as the new arrangements are completed. I have consulted the staff associations before reaching these conclusions.The decision means that the proposed maximum security prison at Alvington in the Isle of Wight, in which it had been intended to concentrate all high security risk prisoners, will not now be built.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many coloured personnel are now serving in each of the branches of public service for which he has responsibility under the headings of catering, domestic, and other domestic grades, clerical, secretarial, machine and typing, executive and analogous grades, administrative and analogous grades, medical and nursing, paperkeeping and messengerial, prison officer, night patrol, statistical, technical and analogous grades, probation service, child care service, and police, respectively; in what rank or capacity they are serving; and what proportion of the total stall in each case they comprise.

The information about coloured personnel directly employed by the Home Office is as follows:

	Coloured Staff	Total Staff
Administrative and analogous grades	NIL	NIL
Catering, domestic and other industrial grades:
Craftsmen	19	420
Drivers, semi-skilled and unskilled workers	13	2,105
Stokers	10	350
Catering and domestic workers	12	962
Clerical, secretarial, machine and typing grades:
Clerical Officers	27	1,692
Clerical Assistants	13	572
Personal Secretaries	5	110
Typists	13	623
Teleprinter Operator	1	1
Machine Assistants	1	54
Executive and analogous grades:
Executive Officers	2	798
Immigration Officers	6	649
Interpreters	5	7
Medical and nursing grades:
Medical Officers	6	124
Nurses	21	97
Paperkeeper and messengerial grades:
Paperkeepers	3	124
Messengers/Porters	8	194
Prison Officers and night patrol grades:
Prison Officers	8	7,754
Civilian Instructional Officers	1	438
Night Patrols	3	489
Statistical grades:
Assistant Statisticians	1	4
Technical, Scientific and analogous grades:
Scientific Assistant	1	43
Draughtsmen	3	17
Wireless Technicians and allied grades	13	367
Records are not kept centrally of coloured persons employed in the probation service, child care service and police service and the information cannot be readily obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum permitted membership of the Race Relations Board; and how many vacancies he anticipates in 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively.

Under the Race Relations Act, 1965 the Race Relations Board consists of three members including the chairman. The Race Relations Bill will increase the Board's membership to a maximum of 12 including the chairman. I cannot forecast what vacancies there may be in future years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Race Relations Board have political affiliations; and how many belong to each party.

This is not my responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for legislation to reform the law of criminal evidence.

I am awaiting the outcome of the review of criminal evidence by the Criminal Law Revision Committee. I am glad to say that Sir Frederic Sellers, who has recently told me of his wish to relinquish the chairmanship of the Committee, has agreed to remain as chairman until the Committee's review, which is nearing its final stages, has been completed. Lord Justice Edmund Davies has accepted my invitation to succeed him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new borstal institutions are to be established in the next three years, and where; and how many existing borstals are to be enlarged in the same period.

A new borstal at Onley, Northamptonshire, is expected to be ready later this year. In England and Wales planning work has begun on three further borstals but these will not be completed within three years. Two, a borstal allocation centre and a training borstal, will be built at Glen Parva, Leicestershire; a site for another allocation centre is under consideration. The rebuilding of two borstals has started and this will give some extra accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average amount of time per day spent on useful work, on education and instruction, and on exercise, respectively, by prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons awaiting places in borstal institutions; and what is the average time spent in the cells.

The situation varies in different establishments in England and Wales. The approximate average time per weekday spent on useful work is 5 hours; on education, instruction and interview 2 hours; and on exercise and association with others 3½ hours. The remaining 13½ hours are spent in the cells. At the week-end a longer period would normally be spent in cells.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist for maintaining a central register of places available in borstal institutions; if he will give consideration to installing a computer in order to expedite the availability of such information; and if he will make a statement.

A central register is maintained showing, fortnightly, the accommodation available in borstal institutions in England and Wales, the number of places occupied, the number of boys received under sentence at remand centres and local prisons and the number awaiting transfer to allocation centres. In addition weekly reports are made showing the number of boys allocated to the various training borstals, the number of vacancies notified by these institutions and any surplus or shortage of borstal places. The statistics relating to the borstal population will be transferred to a computer in September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department at which prisons in England and Wales the borstal wings are overcrowded, giving the actual number and the authorised number of inmates in each.

There are only three prisons with designated borstal wings. These are the allocation centres at Wormwood Scrubs, Manchester, and Holloway. On 30th June there were 457 persons at Wormwood Scrubs and 315 at Manchester against the authorised numbers of training places of 318 and 303, respectively. There were 12 girls at Holloway where the authorised number of training places for this purpose is 20.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys and how many girls are at present in Her Majesty's Prisons awaiting allocation to a place in a borstal institution.

On 30th June, 1968, which is the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,020 boys and 14 girls in England and Wales awaiting allocation to a place in a borstal. Of these, 772 boys and 12 girls were in the borstal allocation centres at Manchester, Wormwood Scrubs and Holloway, which are separate sections of the prison buildings on these sites.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time now spent in prison by a person sentenced to borstal training while awaiting allocation to a place; and what was the average waiting period during each of the last five years.

Persons in England and Wales sentenced to borstal training may spend a short period at a local prison before reception at a borstal allocation centre. The average time so spent for the last five years for which figures are available was:

1963	…	…	1·3 weeks
1964	…	…	1·8 weeks
1965	…	…	3·5 weeks
1966	…	…	3·0 weeks
1967	…	…	4·6 weeks

The average time spent at the borstal allocation centres before transfer to training borstals was:

1963	…	…	5·9 weeks
1964	…	…	5·3 weeks
1965	…	…	5·2 weeks
1966	…	…	5·1 weeks
1967	…	…	5·5 weeks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what immediate, and what long-term, proposals he has to reduce or eliminate detention in prison for persons awaiting places at borstal institutions; and if he will make a statement.

In the short term I am examining the possibility of increasing the numbers of young men in the training borstals so as to relieve pressure on the allocation centres. This cannot be done without increasing the strain on the training borstals, but this will be preferable to the present situation. In the long term there are plans both to replace the two allocation centres by new purpose-built establishments and to increase the number of places in the training borstals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if be will now set up a departmental inquiry into the detention in prison of persons awaiting places in borstal institutions.

No: I am fully aware of the present situation and am taking steps to improve it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now name the Chairman and members of the Gaming Board.

I would refer to the Answer I gave to an earlier Question today by the hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Kitson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of which of the principal prisons in London, namely Brixton, Wormwood Scrubs, Wandsworth, Pentonville or Holloway, he proposes to introduce legislation so that the prison site can be sold and the proceeds used to rebuild elsewhere.

Given that other sites were available, all these prisons could be disposed of without further legislation, but in the case of Brixton, Holloway and Wandsworth the local authorities concerned have a right of re-acquisition at a price fixed under the provisions of section 38 of the Prison Act, 1952. No decision has been taken about the introduction of legislation to repeal these statutory rights, which apply also to the other prisons indicated in my reply of 18th July to a Question by the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Robert Cooke).—[Vol. 768, c.261–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Sexual Offences Act, 1967 so as to reduce the age at which homosexual acts between consenting males becomes lawful.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the undertaking given to civil defence staff in Home Office Circular Number Six of 1968, that on redundancy they would receive compensation on lines similar to those applying to redundancies arising from local government reorganisation, will be implemented.

I hope that the regulations for this purpose can be made within the next two or three weeks.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether, in view of the heavy burden which the pensions of ex-colonial officials were formerly on the Tanzanian economy, he will now resume development assistance to Tanzania.

No. The British Government, in order to avoid hardship to the pensioners, is having to make them advances with the result that the major part of Tanzania's pension liabilities is a charge to our aid programme.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will in future cease from describing funds for the pensions of former Colonial officials as part of the aid and development programme.

No. I sympathise with my hon. Friend's view but the position is that the obligation to pay these pensions was accepted by the governments which employed them. It is therefore proper to treat assistance from Britain to allow them to discharge the obligation as economic assistance and therefore part of the aid programme as in the case of budgetary assistance.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development in what years the £75 million of economic and defence aid agreed to be provided by the United Kingdom at the Kuala Lumpur conference will be paid; and what percentage will be tied to United Kingdom goods and services.

The £50 million and £25 million of special aid offered to Singapore and Malaysia respectively is available for commitment over the five years up to March 1973. Up to 30 per cent. of these totals is available for commitment in the first year up to March 1969. The actual rate of disbursement will flow from the nature of the particular commitments entered into. At least 75 per cent. of the total aid offered to each country will be tied to the procurement of British goods and services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange that before a borrowing powers order for any of the nationalised industries is debated, up-to-date information, including information on the purposes for which the new borrowing is required, is available to the House in the form of a White paper or other similar document.

The Government will provide the House with up-to-date and relevant information when a borrowing order is debated, but this would not necessarily involve the presentation of a White Paper or similar documentation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the fact that the Industrial Production Index for May at 138 is the same as for April, and for manufacturing alone at 139 shows a fall of one point on April, if he will now revise his forecast of the economic outcome for the whole year 1968.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer given to him on 22nd July by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.— [Vol. 769, c.16.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase there has now been, since October 1964, in the size and total cost of the non-industrial Civil Service, excluding the Post Office.

The increase in numbers up to 1st July, 1968, is 58,540. The estimated increase in basic salary and wages costs, comparing the financial year 1964–65 with the present financial year, is £145,000,000. These figures exclude casual or seasonal staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of relief given from Income Tax and Surtax in the years 1965– 66, 1966–67, and 1967–68, in respect of all personal allowances.

If there had been no personal allowances, or allowances for children or other dependants in any of the years in question the extra amount of tax would have been in the region of £3,400 million for each year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Retail Consortium on behalf of the distributive trades about depreciation allowances on the machines needed to deal with decimal currency; and what reply he has sent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, in respect of the distributive trades, which will bear a large share of the work involved in the change to decimal currency, no provision has been made for compensation for the necessary replacement of cash registers and other business machines; and whether he will consider the introduction of an appropriate taxation allowance, such as free depreciation, in respect of such machines.

The Retail Consortium wrote to the Treasury on 16th July, proposing free depreciation allowances, instead of the present initial and writing down allowances, for machines acquired as a result of currency decimalisation. The proposal is being examined.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average Bank Rate during each of the last 10 decades, and during the last nine months.

The average Bank Rate during the last 10 decades is set out in the following table:

Per cent.
1868–1877	…	…	…	3·3
1878–1887	…	…	…	3·3
1888–1897	…	…	…	3·0
1898–1907	…	…	…	3·8
1908–1917	…	…	…	4·2
1918–1927	…	…	…	4·8
1928–1937	…	…	…	3·0
1938–1947	…	…	…	2·0
1948–1957	…	…	…	3·5
1958–1967	…	…	…	5·3

The average Bank Rate during the last nine months was 76 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average yield on 2½ per cent. Consols during each of the last 10 decades, and during the last nine months.

Average yields based on end-year prices for the life of the current issue of 2½ per cent Consols are:

	£	s.	d.
	per cent.
1903–12	3	0	3
1913–22	4	9	6
1923–32	4	8	3
1933–42	3	3	11
1943–52	3	5	10
1953–62	5	0	0
1963–67	6	9	5
October 1967-June 1968 (based on end-month prices)	7	3	10

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the French authorities propose to allow five years to computerise the French tax system; why his Department requires 15 years to computerise the British system; and if he will make a statement.

The scheme proposed for this country involves greater changes both in procedures and in location of staff than that proposed in France.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give details showing to what extent the Government have implemented their policy of reducing the labour force in London and the South-East by reducing staffs employed in Government offices in the South-East; and, taking October, 1964 as the datum time, if he will give either actual or percentage figures of staffs employed in London and the South-East as at June, 1968.

Since October, 1964, decisions have been taken to move away from London and the South-East Government work involving some 14,000 jobs. During the same period, but partly as a result of earlier decisions, some 5,600 jobs have actually moved away from these areas.The percentage increase in the employment of non-industrial staffs between July, 1964 and January, 1968, the nearest available dates, was 12–8 in London and the South-East, and 14–8 elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give details showing to what extent the Government's policy of reducing expenditure has affected his Department; and whether he will give a comparison, either in percentage or actual figures, of the number of staff employed and their salaries and wages in October, 1964 and June, 1968.

The estimates for the Department are prepared in the light of and in conformity with the Government's public expenditure and other policies.In October, 1964 the Department employed 1,500 staff at a monthly salary and wages bill of about £170,000; in June of this year the corresponding figures were 1,745 staff and £239,000 salaries and wages.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total of Ministerial salaries for each month of 1968 to the last convenient date.

The approximate total cost of Ministerial salaries for each of the first six months of 1968 is as follows:

£
January	…	…	…	49,626
February	…	…	…	49,977
March	…	…	…	49,611
April	…	…	…	50,181
May	…	…	…	50,446
June	…	…	…	50,446

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the Purchase Tax now payable under his regulations on bagpipes and all other musical instruments.

Bagpipes are chargeable by statute at the rate of 33⅓ per cent. of their wholesale value, in common with all other musical instruments except certain keyboard instruments, notably organs and pianos which are exempt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a further statement on the location of an Inland Revenue Computer Centre in the North-East.

The matter is still under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a general direction to Government-appointed directors of public companies to use their voting powers under the Companies Act to hold and, where possible, reduce prices of the goods or services of their companies; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State on 14th May.— [Vol. 764, c.217.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what plans he has made in preparation for the transfer of assets in the mature new towns;(2) what discussions he has had with the mature new towns development corporations and locally elected authorities on the transfer of assets and other related matters up to the present time.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Newens) in reply to a Question last Tuesday, my right hon. Friend is still considering the complex and difficult problems involved. A number of development corporations and local authorities have put views to my colleagues and myself; and Mr. Culling-worth obtained the views of substantially all the Development Corporations and District Councils in his inquiry into the ownership and management of houses in new towns.—[Vol. 769. c.53.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what discussions he had between 1st January, 1967, and 30th June, 1968, with the Basildon Development Corporation and the Urban District Council on the transfer of assets.

In April, 1967, the urban district council put further views to the Joint Parliamentary Secretary, now my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what requirements he has imposed through the alkali inspectorate with regard to the emission of fluorine compounds on those operating the electrolyte process of smelting aluminium;(2) what steps he proposes to take to deal with the fluorine contamination to be expected from aluminium smelting at Lynemouth, in view of the experience of other countries operating this process.

Planning permission for the aluminium smelter at Lynemouth has been granted subject to the condition that details of the means of purification and disposal of gaseous effluent shall be submitted to the local planning authority for their approval on the advice of the Alkali Inspectorate. The Inspectorate's recommendations, which take account of experience in other countries and are accepted by the company, are that there shall be 95 per cent. containment of the fumes from the electrolytic pots, with not less than 95 per cent. removal of gaseous and paniculate fluorine compounds from the contained gases before discharge to the air through chimneys 150 feet high. The residual 5 per cent. of the fumes will escape to air through the roof louvres at a height of about 60 feet.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government by what average amount the resources element of the rate support grant is reduced for each £1 raised by the rating of vacant hereditaments for the 48 authorities operating the provisions of section 20(2) of the Local Government Act, 1966, which are in receipt of the resources element: and if he will make a statement.

The average amount of the reduction in the resources element grant payable to the 48 authorities for each £1 raised by the rating of vacant hereditaments is estimated to be 7s. 0d. This reflects the fact that for county district councils a substantial proportion, roughly two-thirds, of each £1 raised is payable to the county council and the resources element payable to the district councils is related to expenditure for local purposes only. For the county borough councils concerned (two only) the average reduction in resources element would be approximately £1.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet made any provisional selection of the local planning authorities who will first be empowered to prepare development plans in the new form.

No formal action to bring the new system into operation in the area of any local planning authority can be taken until the Town and Country Planning Bill becomes law, but I am asking the authorities listed below whether they would be willing to prepare development plans for all or part of their area on the new basis. In doing so, I have asked for assurances that adequate arrangements exist or will be made for collaboration between the authorities in each group and that proper attention will be paid to the views of the public and of objectors to plans.The following is the list:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given to local authorities regarding the fixing of rents for newly-erected dwellings, in view of the restrictions on rent increases for existing dwellings.

I have given no advice to local housing authorities on the levels of rents which they fix for their dwellings, because this is a matter which falls within the scope of their own statutory responsibilities. The rent limitation powers in the Prices and Incomes Act 1968 are concerned in general only with the amount of increases in rent for existing dwellings.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the maximum improvement grant payable in England.

£400, except for dwellings provided by the conversion of houses of three or more storeys where the maximum grant is £500 for each dwelling produced. Proposals for increasing these maxima to £1,000 and £1,200 respectively are contained in the recent White Paper "Old Houses into New Houses" (Cmnd. 3602).

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether, in relation to Gibraltar's formalised constitutional links with the United Kingdom, he will now make a statement on the latest economic measures to support the people of Gibraltar.

We are already giving substantial support to help strengthen Gibraltar's economy. We are now studying further important proposals which were outlined to me when I visited Gibraltar recently.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what agreement has been reached with the Indian Government on the Asian holders of British passports in India; and if he will make a statement.

Our discussions with the Indian Government continue, and we hope shortly to announce certain administrative arrangements which would be acceptable to our two Governments in this matter. For the time being these discussions must remain confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what further plans he has made to send aid to the people of Biafra who are dying from disease and hunger; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my statements in the debate on Nigeria on Monday, 22nd July.— [Vol. 769, c. 50–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will lay an Order in Council, similar to that which is to be made for Gibraltar, declaring that Her Majesty's Government will never hand over the people of the Falkland Islands to another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes.

There are no proposals for constitutional changes in the Falkland Islands which would necessitate the making of a new Order. H.M.G.'s policy concerning the Falkland Islands has been made clear in the House on a number of occasions and I would refer the hon. Member to the assurances given to the people of the Falkland Islands by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 26th March.— [Vol. 761, c. 1458.]

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government still propose to declare invalid all existing Southern Rhodesian passports.

All Southern Rhodesian passports have been invalidated in accordance with the intention announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General on 17th June—[Vol. 766, c. 738.] Her Majesty's Embassies and British High Commissions have been instructed so to inform the Governments to which they are accredited.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made for constitutional talks with the Government of British Honduras.

None. When proposals are put forward we shall of course be ready to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will ensure that the opposition party in British Honduras will be represented at the proposed constitutional conference between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of British Honduras.

As is normal, both parties represented in the British Honduras Legislature would be invited to attend any constitutional conference that may be held.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether he will ensure that the people of British Honduras will have the opportunity at a general election before independence of deciding on the recommendations made by the proposed constitutional conference.

The question of a general election would no doubt be a matter which would be discussed at any constitutional conference.