asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are the latest available figures on average earnings in Portsmouth as compared with those in South-East England and Great Britain as a whole.

Reliable estimates of earnings in Portsmouth are not available. According to the results of the April, 1968 inquiry into the earnings of manual workers, the average weekly earnings of adult male manual workers in the South-East region and in the United Kingdom were £23 5s. 10d. and £22 5s. 3d. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will make a statement on the level of unemployment in the Portsmouth area as compared with that in the South-East Region and Great Britain as a whole.

On 14th October, 1968 the unemployment rate for the Portsmouth travel-to-work area was 2·9 per cent. On 9th September, the latest date for which national and regional figures are available, the rate for Great Britain was 2·3 per cent. and that for the South-East Region 1·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many productivity agreements are checked for satisfactory progress; at what intervals such checks are made; and how many civil servants from her Department are engaged in this work.

Progress reports are called for as appropriate when a productivity agreement is approved. The nature of these agreements is so varied that a standard interval would be inappropriate. This work is not separately organised but forms part of the duties of those officers who examine pay claims and settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what increase in employment in manufacturing industry has occurred since the imposition of the Selective Employment Tax.

It is provisionally estimated that between September, 1966, and August, 1968, the numbers employed in manufacturing industries (Orders III to XVI of the Standard Industrial Classification) decreased by 346,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many pay cases were handled by her Department and its predecessor under the early warning system in each quarter since January, 1967; and how many of these were productivity deals.

My Department's records do not provide a basis for the statistical analysis for which the hon. Member asks. The total number of pay cases dealt with by my Department since January, 1967, is 9,319 of which 1,708 were productivity cases.Following are figures of pay proposals advanced wholly or mainly on productivity grounds which have been dealt with under the Government's policy for productivity, prices and incomes:

Numbers of Productivity Cases Handled
First quarter 1967	171
Second quarter	159
Third quarter	202
Fourth quarter	227
First quarter 1968	190
Second quarter	289
Third quarter	470

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will seek to exempt motoring organisations from Selective Employment Tax.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will end the anomaly in the refunding of Selective Employment Tax to the fishing industry whereby a fish salesman who owns a share in a fishing boat can qualify for refunds for his employees working on shore, whereas a fish salesman who does not own such a share cannot qualify.

No. I do not accept that there is an anomaly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the figures of unemployed at each centre in Pembrokeshire at the last convenient date, and the comparable figures for 1966 and 1967.

Following is the information:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN IN AREAS COVERED BY EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN PEMBROKESHIRE.
	October, 1968 (provisional)	October, 1967	October, 1966
Fishguard	151	99	107
Haverford west	338	175	209
Milford Haven	677	373	433
Narberth	90	202	175
Pembroke Dock	304	134	115
Tenby	144	68	83

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is aware of the large number of young persons registered as unemployed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and if she will take steps to reduce this number.

The number fell from 729 in September to 377 in October. Youth employment officers will continue to do everything possible to help these young persons find employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is aware that new industry coming to the North-East of England is finding an inadequacy of required skills; and if she will institute an inquiry into the possibilities of establishing new courses in training centres in the region.

I have no evidence of any general shortage of skilled labour in the North-East, and the number of courses now provided at Government Training Centres in the area is sufficient to meet industry's present needs. To provide for the future we shall be setting up three new centres in the North-East within the next two years; and we are also introducing new trades and modernising some of those already taught.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why the former Liphook Employment Exchange which used to open six hours per week is now opened six days per week.

To meet the increasing flow of public business, the hours of opening at this local office were extended from six to 10 hours a week in February this year and, again, to full time in September.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will obtain from the National Joint Council an accelerated decision about the recommendations on higher pensions for dockworkers, made by the Wordie Committee in March, 1968, particularly for those men receiving only 11s. 6d. a week.

My right hon. Friend hopes to receive the views of the National Joint Council on the Wordie Report as a whole after their meeting on 28th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether unemployment in Thorne has yet reached the level she regards as intolerable and unacceptable; and what action is planned to alleviate the situation.

Travel to work between the Doncaster, Thorne and Askern areas is now so extensive, that calculation of a separate unemployment rate for Thorne is no longer realistic. The October rate for the combined area is provisionally 4·3 per cent. I am, however, concerned at the numbers of Thorne residents registered as unemployed. Pending the Hunt Committee's report on their studies of the economic problems of such places, the Board of Trade will consider very sympathetically any proposals for industrial development which will help Thorne.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is satisfied with the operation of the regulations governing the employment of the disabled; and if she will make a statement.

I have no reason to be dissatisfied with the operation of the

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE LIVERPOOL TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA, WHICH INCLUDES THE AREAS COVERED BY LIVERPOOL, BEBINGTON, BLRKENHEAD, BOOTLE, CROSBY, ELLESMERE PORT, GARSTON, HOYLAKE, KIRKBY, WESTON, OLD SWAN, PRESCOT, REGENT ROAD, WALLASEY AND WALTON EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES, AND IN THE MERSEYSIDE DEVELOPMENT AREA WHICH IN ADDITION INCLUDES ST. HELENS, RUNCORN AND WIDNES
			Liverpool travel-to-work area		Merseyside Development Area
			Total registered unemployed	Percentage rate	Total registered unemployed	Percentage rate
10th September, 1962	…	…	30,555	4·6	34,465	4·4
9th September, 1963	…	…	32,691	5·0	36,531	4·6
14th September, 1964	…	…	23,210	3·5	26,145	3·2
13th September, 1965	…	…	18,106	2·7	20,653	2·5
12th September, 1966	…	…	17,246	2·6	19,240	2·4
11th September, 1967	…	…	24,486	3·7	27,532	3·4
9th September, 1968	…	…	24,715	3·7	27,217	3·4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she has now agreed a timetable with both sides of industry for the implementation of equal pay for women; and if she will make a statement.

I have had preliminary talks with the C.B.I. and the T.U.C. on this matter, and further discussion will take place when we have received the findings of an inquiry which is being jointly undertaken by my Department,

PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN DEVELOPMENT AREAS
	…	September, 1968	February, 1968	January, 1968	December, 1967	September, 1967
Northern	…	4·8	4·5	4·6	4·4	4·2
South Western	…	3·6	5·8	6·0	5·9	3·6
Wales	…	4·5	4·7	4·9	4·8	4·6
Merseyside	…	3·4	3·4	3·4	3·1	3·4
Scotland	…	3·8	4·4	4·7	4·2	4·0

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the figures for unemployment in Liverpool and the Merseyside area for the month of September in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Following is the information:the C.B.I. and the T.U.C. into the cost of equal pay in particular sectors of industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the percentage unemployed in each of the development areas at the last convenient date, 12 months previously, in December 1967, and in January and February 1968.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the number of unemployed, men, women, boys and girls, respectively, registered at the Mexborough and Wombwell employment exchanges, at the latest available date, together with the percentage rates.

On 14th October 1968 there were 895 men, 54 boys, 175 women and 36 girls registered as unemployed at Mexborough; and 267 men, 21 boys, 39 women and 11 girls registered at Wombwell. The percentage rate for the Mexborough travel to work group which includes Goldthorpe was 5·8 per cent. and that for the Barnsley group which includes Wombwell was 4·2 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are the most recent figures of full-time and part-time employment of men and women in the hotel and catering industry and the comparable figures before the imposition of Selective Employment Tax.

Estimates of the numbers of employees in employment in Catering, Hotels, etc. (Minimum List Heading 884 of the Standstill Industrial Classification) are available for June each year and do not distinguish between full-time and part-time workers. There are no later estimates than those I gave in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 13th May, 1968. —[Vol. 764, c. 169.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many new jobs have been created in Scotland in manufacturing industry, the construction industry and the service industries, respectively, since 1965; and how many jobs have been lost.

This information is not available in the form requested. Midyear estimates of employees in employment can be compared for different years to show nit changes, but "jobs created" and "jobs lost" cannot be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is now the average time spent waiting for appeals to be heard to decide eligibility for redundancy payments in the city of Birmingham; and what steps she is taking to reduce this period.

The Industrial Tribunals are independent judicial bodies, and the President of the Tribunals is responsible for determining where and when they shall hear applications. I am, however, informed by him that in most cases heard in Birmingham in September, 1968, the time between application and final hearing was 10 to 12 weeks. Some of the cases were put down for hearing earlier in the summer but adjourned to September because of holidays of parties or witnesses; in four cases the period had been extended, mainly through repeated requests by parties for adjournment, to over 30 weeks. I also understand from the President that if the hon. Member cares to write to him on any specific case he has in mind the President will be pleased to investigate it.Reasonably generous time limits for the necessary preparatory stages after the application are laid down in the Redundancy Payments Regulations 1967. Tribunals have discretion to extend these limits and this is done in a substantial number of cases. We do not, therefore, consider it advisable to make any amendment reducing the time limits or restricting the discretion of the tribunals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will make a statement on her discussions during the Summer Adjournment with trade unions and management in the motor industry; and what fresh proposals she has for reducing the damage to the economy caused by unofficial disputes within that industry.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State on 14th October. —[Vol. 770, c. 19–20]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a statement on the latest position on the national and local recognition of staff unions in the steel industry arising from the recent Court of Inquiry decision on this matter.

The British Steel Corporation is at present discussing with the unions concerned the recommendations of the Court of Inquiry under Lord Pearson, which reported on 29th August.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, what estimate she had made of the cost to public funds of the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on the pay and productivity agreements between Dundee Corporation and Dundee busmen.

None. It would involve a disproportionate expenditure of time to cost separately one of the Board's many concurrent investigations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will indicate the number of workers who, during the first nine months of 1968, were initially refused unemployment benefit on the grounds that they were potentially affected by the outcome of a strike in which they were declared redundant by management; and how many of these workers were subsequently successful in winning their claim to entitlement on appeal.

No such figures are available.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the lack of uniformity in the procedures adopted by Ministers in correcting Written Answers, he will move to refer the matter to the Select Committee on Procedure.

I shall bear in mind my hon. Friend's suggestion when the Select Committee on Procedure is set up.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what estimate he has made of the current cost of providing Members of Parliament, in connection with their official duties, free postage and telephone facilities, secretarial assistance and travel within their constituencies, respectively.

I am afraid this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he plans to take to protect the British banks who hold Russian deposits from the Tsarist and pre-1939 days when the decision to pay out this money to claimants is made.

As no decision has yet been taken on the assets, I cannot answer hypothetical questions on the protection of banks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will expedite the acceptance by the United Kingdom of the Optional Clause in the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Luard) on the 8th of July, we intend to consider acceptance of the Optional Protocol only at a later stage when we have seen how the Covenant itself operates. The United Kingdom signed this Covenant and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in New York on the 16th of September. —[Vol. 768, c. 1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will expedite the ratification by Her Majesty's Government of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

My right hon. Friend has this question very much in mind. We have been waiting to see the final form of the Race Relations Bill. When this is known, we shall reach a decision on this matter as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what grounds his Department pay members of the Diplomatic Service grants for children at public schools which are nearly double the amount of those paid to members of the armed forces.

These allowances are based on the recommendations of the Plowden Committee on Representational Services Overseas which reported in 1964 and are paid for the reasons set out in that Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of representations he has received and the importance of maintaining British influence in the State of Israel, he will reconsider the decision to close th2, British Broadcasting Corporation Hebrew Service.

No. We consider that our influence in Israel will be fostered more effectively if the money hitherto spent on Hebrew language broadcasts is used in other ways.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will raise in the Security Council of the United Nations the question of the invasion of British territory by South African forces.

No. But my right hon. Friend the then Commonwealth Secretary took the opportunity when he was in South Africa recently to renew our representations about the unauthorised presence of South African police in Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of recent developments, he will initiate action at the United Nations to restore the determination of the Rhodesian problem to direct United Kingdom/Rhodesian negotiations.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the practice of other Foreign Secretaries, what plans he has for appointing industrialists as Ambassadors.

No industrialist has been appointed as Head of Mission in the Diplomatic Service in the last four years, and my right hon. Friend has no plans to appoint any.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many industrialists have been appointed Ambassadors in the last four years.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what communications have been received from Mr. George Watt; what visits, if any, have been made to him by Foreign Office staff in China since his arrest; and what representations are being made to secure his early release.

The Chinese authorities have not permitted members of our Mission in Peking to visit Mr. Watt. When I summoned the Chinese Charge d'Affaires on the 17th of October I renewed our demand for access to him. The Chargé replied that since Mr. Watt had been convicted of espionage, access would not be appropriate. We have not received any communications from Mr. Watt although I understand that his wife has received letters from him.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give a list of British subjects detained by the Chinese with or without trial; and what efforts he is making to secure their release.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further representations have been made concerning the detention of British citizens in China; and with what result.

I summoned the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires on the 17th of October and raised once again the cases of British subjects whom we know or believe to have been detained in China. I stressed the serious concern with which we view the continued refusal of the Chinese authorities either to provide information or to grant consular access.I have no further information to add to the list which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave in reply to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on the 14th of October. —[Vol. 770, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking to obtain the release of Mr. Anthony Grey, the Reuters correspondent who has been under solitary confinement in his house in Peking for over 14 months.

I summoned the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires on 17th October and renewed our demand for consular access to Mr. Grey, and his early release from confinement. I shall continue to press for his release.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the inquiries he has made of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics regarding the detention of Mr. Nikolai Scharegin; and if he will make a statement.

In response to inquiries which Her Majesty's Embassy in Moscow made on behalf of Mr. Scharegin's British wife and employers the Soviet authorities have said that Mr. Scharegin (whom they know by the name of Budalak) was arrested on the 20th of September and that his case is now under investigation. They have also said that he committed an offence in 1947 while serving with the Soviet forces in Hungary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will seek to negotiate an agreement with the Government of Yugoslavia to dispense with visas between the two countries.

I am happy to say that Her Majesty's Government have already approached the Yugoslav Government with a view to concluding a Visa Abolition Agreement. The two Governments are anxious for such an agreement to be concluded and I hope to inform the House of the successful outcome of the negotiations in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further restrictions have been imposed on the frontier of Gibraltar by Spain since the recent constitutional talks; what action has been taken in pursuance of the undertaking to stand by the people of Gibraltar; and whether he will make a statement.

Since the 27th of July, three days after the constitutional talks ended, Spanish officials at Algeciras have subjected tourists of all nationalities seeking to travel by ferry to and from Gibraltar to long delays, chiefly by carrying out extensive searches of their luggage. The Spanish Government have also severely restricted the carriage of merchandise on the ferry.Our determination to stand by the people of Gibraltar was reiterated at the constitutional talks. Since then Lord Beeching has led a mission to Gibraltar to study manpower questions there. Their report is now being prepared.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will introduce arrangements whereby medical certificates supporting claims for sickness benefit must be signed by salaried doctors rather than by general practitioners whose practice depends on the goodwill of their patients; and if she will make a statement.

No. Sickness benefit is paid for incapacity for work and the person best qualified to certify whether a patient's condition is incapacitating for work is the doctor who is responsible for diagnosing and treating that condition.

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will give instructions that the entitlement of retirement pensioners to a special diet allowance shall not mean disentitlement to the long term addition paid automatically to all retirement pensioners; and if she will make a statement.

The whole purpose of the long-term addition is to give a margin for special expenses necessarily incurred. The Ministry of Social Security Act, therefore, provides that the Supplementary Benefits Commission shall have regard to this addition in deciding whether a supplementary pension should be increased to provide for dietary and other special expenses. If these amount to more than 10 shillings, the level of a pensioner's income can be further increased.

asked the Minister of Social Security why family allowance books which are handed in for stamping, to enable the increased allowance to be drawn, cannot be handed back over the counter instead of being returned by post.

Wherever possible, order books handed in for uprating recently were, if desired, overstamped and returned while the caller waited.

asked the Minister of Social Security which insurance benefits as of right are subject to a test of means.

None.

asked the Minister of Social Security how much has been paid out in unemployment benefits and in supplementary benefits in Thorne during each of the past five years.

The total amount of unemployment benefit paid out in 1966–67 and 1967–68 at the Thorne employment exchange was £75,490 and £164,313, respectively. The total amount of supplementary allowances paid out to those registered at that exchange in those years was £35,830 and £66,436. I regret that corresponding information for earlier years could not be obtained without undue expenditure of staff time.

asked the Minister of Social Security in how many cases during 1967 an insurance officer has supported a widow who has appealed to the National Insurance Commissioner against a decision of a local tribunal rejecting her application for industrial benefit under the Industrial Injuries Acts.

Reliable figures could not be obtained without disproportionate cost and effort. While the Insurance Officer will generally be supporting or opposing a claimant's contention on appeal, his primary function is to assist the Commissioner by presenting the full facts of the case and drawing attention to reported case law.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he plans to reconfirm the order restricting vehicular traffic in the Mall during the year 1969.

I am continuing the experimental closing of the Mall to motor traffic on Sundays until the end of this winter. Meanwhile, I am considering whether the arrangement should be made permanent and perhaps even extended to other roads in the Royal Parks.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what office space has been vacated by the Departments occupying the old Scotland Yard building; what has been the saving in rental; what consideration was given to the dispersal of these Government offices outside Greater London; and if he will give a breakdown of the numbers of civil servants, according to Department, now using this building.

About 90,000 sq. ft. of office space was vacated. Occupation of the three former Metropolitan Police buildings has saved hiring space that would cost over £300,000 a year to rent. The buildings are occupied by the following staff:

Foreign and Commonwealth Office	350
Board of Trade	300
Ministry of Defence	250

These Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence staff must work in the Whitehall area. The future location of the Board of Trade staff is being considered. The work of all these staff, as of all Government staff, is subject to the Government's policy to disperse work away from London and the south-east wherever possible.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the total cost of the work done on the Palace of Westminster during the summer Recess; and how much of this was attributable to redecoration, to improved facilities, and to the extended installation of closed circuit television communicators.

About £140,000. Of this about £15,000 is for decorations, £50,000 for improved services and facilities, £12,000 for furniture and furnishings, and £25,000 for closed circuit television an- nunciators. The balance is for general maintenance work.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the estimated cost of the redecoration of No. 1 Bridge Street currently taking place; and when he expects No. 1 Bridge Street to be demolished.

The estimated cost of cleaning and redecoration is £1,350. Demolition is not expected to start before 1972.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of leprosy have been reported in the United Kingdom for the last five years for which statistics are available.

The numbers of cases first reported in each of the five years from 1963 to 1967 were 40, 63, 50, 55 and 49, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will introduce legislation making registration compulsory for all chiropodists.

I have no proposals for further legislation but I understand the matter is under discussion within the profession.

asked the Minister of Health what sums are made available to the South East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board for the running costs in the year 1968–69 expressed as a proportion of the relevant capital expenditure; and how this compares with other regional boards in the Metropolitan area.

Information could not be made available in the form requested without undue expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Minister of Health what was the nursing cost per in-patient week in the South East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board in the latest year for which figures are available; and how this compares with the national average for boards of the same type.

Average nursing costs in acute non-teaching hospitals in the South East Metropolitan Region were £12 0s. 9d. per in-patient week in 1967–68 compared with £11 14s. 6d. in the four Metropolitan Regions and £11 9s. 1d. in all Regions.

asked the Minister of Health what criteria he applies in deciding the budgets of regional boards for operating expenses.

Regional Hospital Boards draw up their own budgets, subject to my approval, within the funds made available to them on the basis of comparative needs.

asked the Minister of Health what ratios of trained nursing staff to patients he requires in hospitals administered under the National Health Service in acute, geriatric and paediatric wards, respectively.

There are at present no national staffing ratios for nurses in particular types of wards.

GRANTS
£ million
	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
Electronics Industry	—	—	—	*	*
Aircraft Industry	2·5	1·6	1·9	1·8	1·4
Shipbuilding Industry	0·2	0·3	0·3	0·4	0·4
Engineering Industry	0·4	0·5	0·6	0·7	0·9
Chemical Industry	0·1	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2
Motor Industry	0·1	0·1	0·1	0·1	0·1
	3·3	2·7	3·1	3·2	3·0
* Less than £50,000.

LOANS
£ million
	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
Electronics Industry	—	—	—	—	—
Aircraft Industry	—	—	—	4·2	3·5
Shipbuild ing Industry	—	—	1·0	-0·1	3·5
Engineering Industry	—	—	—	—	—
Chemical Industry	—	—	—	—	—
Motor Industry	—	—	—	—	—
	—	—	1·0	4·1	7·0

asked the Minister of Technology what research has been carried out by his Department during the past three years into the noise reduction problems of light aircraft and helicopters; and at what cost.

In the last three financial years the Government and the industry have together spent about £1½million on noise research. The share attributable to light aircraft and helicopters cannot be separately costed.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value of grants and loans, respectively, made from public funds to the electronics, aircraft, shipbuilding, engineering, chemical, motor industries, respectively, in each financial year from 1963–64 to 1967–68, inclusive, and the amount of interest on any such loans paid to the Treasury by each of the industries concerned in these years.

The figures for grants and loans for which I am responsible (including payments in the earlier years in pursuance of responsibilities subsequently transferred to my Department) are:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the annual average job gains and losses in Scotland for the period of three years in 1965 to 1967 on the same basis as those given for 1960–64 in Table B on page 9 of the White Paper on the Scottish Economy, Command Paper No. 2864.

For the three year period mid-1964 to mid-1967 the annual average gains and losses are estimated at 33.000 and 40,000, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the loss and inconvenience which will be experienced in the West of Scotland in consequence of the proposed closure of Glasgow Airport.

None. The consequences of the regrettable situation at Glasgow Airport are not quantifiable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now call a conference of the parties involved in the Glasgow Airport dispute with a view to preventing the closure of the airport.

Any request by the parties for a meeting with Ministers would be given sympathetic consideration in the light of the circumstances then prevailing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the increases in freight and passenger charges of David MacBrayne Limited which came into effect on 9th September, 1968.

No. In considering the level of these charges and of the Government grant to the company I have to take into account considerations which lie outside the scope of the National Board for Prices and Incomes. As was recommended to me by the Highlands and Islands Development Board after the seamen's strike in 1966, the level of charges has not been altered in the past two years, despite the resulting increase in grant. In view of the rise in operating costs during this period, however, I concluded with reluctance that there was no alternative to making the recent increases in charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the number of fully-qualified teachers in Scotland who have not yet registered with the General Teaching Council; and what proportion of these are teaching in primary and secondary schools, respectively.

As well as new entrants to the profession registration is open to all certificated teachers. As the exact number of such persons is not known, I cannot say precisely how many of them have not registered with the Council but it seems clears that only a small minority of those in service have not done so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many teachers, at the latest convenient date, have registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland; and how many have paid their registration fees.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave on 15th October to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor). —[Vol. 770, c. 98.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will introduce amending legislation to clarify the position in regard to the rating of farm buildings in Scotland.

As indicated in the reply to the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith) on 22nd May, I am examining this question; but I am not yet in a position to make a statement. —[Vol. 765, c. 82–3.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what basis the permitted total of 3,500 night jet flights out of London Airport (Heathrow) will be divided between individual carriers during 1969; and what proportion, on this basis, will be allocated to each of the three busiest carriers at this airport.

The airlines themselves make the distribution through their Heathrow Scheduling Committee. The 1969 allocations have not yet been finalised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now publish a White Paper to set out the British record in the control of aircraft noise, to report progress on the main conclusions of the international conference on this subject held in London nearly two years ago and to explain his proposals for the future.

I think that the most appropriate time to consider publishing a White Paper will be when we have firm proposals on aircraft noise certification.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he now expects to publish the report of the Committee under the Chairmanship of Sir Ronald Edwards on Civil Air Transport.

About March next year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of motorists' petrol passed through petrol company-owned stations during each of the last five years.

The statistical information sought is not available. However, it was estimated in 1964, at the time of the Monopolies Commission inquiry into the supply of petrol, that about one quarter was sold through company-owned stations. A more recent estimate, for 1966–67, is that the proportion was about one third.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that British Overseas Airways Corporation has not renewed the Pilots Agreement of Service which expired on 30th September 1967; and if he will give a general direction to the Corporation to renew the Agreement by an interim settlement without prejudice, temporarily.

I am aware that the agreement of service has expired but negotiations on this and other matters are continuing between B.O.A.C. and B.A.L.P.A. under the chairmanship of Professor Wood. These are not circumstances in which the issue of a general direction would be appropriate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now restrict the import of subsidised oilseed rape at a price which is causing the production of the home-grown crop to be uneconomic and which will be a discouragement to the future sowing of this break-crop.

The Board of Trade is urgently considering an application by the National Farmers' Union for the imposition of anti-dumping duties on imports of oilseed rape from East Germany and Poland, and expects to make an announcement before farmers need to decide on next season's sowing of this crop.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the slow progress, reported to the North-East Development Council, towards improving permanent employment on the North-East Coast, what major projects are due for implementation by the end of this year.

The North-East's share of industrial development certificates continues to grow. In the first 9 months of this year industrial development certificates for 9·8m. sq. ft. were issued in the North-East, nearly 12 per cent. of the total for Great Britain. This compares with an annual average of 6·4m. sq. ft. or less than 9 per cent. of the total in the preceding 3 years. The industrial development certificates granted so far this year are estimated by the applicants to provide 15,200 additional jobs, of which 11,200 are jobs for men; and they include 12 major projects of more than 100,000 sq. ft.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he now proposes to refer to the Monopolies Commission the question of the right of manufacturers to determine what their retail outlets should be.

My right hon. Friend asked the Monopolies Commission on 11th October for a report on the general effect on the public interest of the practice of refusing to supply goods and of the practice of entering into exclusive supply agreements. It is for the Commission to interpret the exact scope of this requirement, but I would expect them to consider the issue to which the hon. and gallant Member has referred.

asked the Lord President of the Council what discussions he has had with local authorities and social service organisations in connection with the consideration of the findings of the Seebohm Committee Report.

Letters inviting comments on the Seebohm Committee's recommendations by 30th November and offering discussions were sent to local authority associations on 2nd August. The Departments concerned have written to certain other interested bodies and a Press notice was issued containing an open invitation to send comments to the appropriate Department by 30th November.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the popularity of the Burns stamp in Scotland, if he will consider making a new issue on 25th January, 1969.

No. It is only three years since we issued two stamps commemorating Robert Burns. There are many other great poets and writers whom we have not yet had the opportunity to commemorate in this way; and in the circumstances I could not agree to a further Burns issue at this stage.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, due to the new postal system, mail to and from Members of Parliament and their constituents is being delayed; and, as this impedes Members in carrying out their Parliamentary duties on behalf of their constituents, if he will arrange for mail to and from Members of Parliament to have first-class service.

I have no evidence that mail to and from Members of Parliament is being delayed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether mail posted overseas addressed to the United Kingdom is dealt with as first- or second-class mail on arrival in Great Britain.

Incoming international mail receives first-class service in this country unless it is readily identifiable as proper for second-class treatment—for example, individual lightweight printed matter items and bulk posted printed matter received by surface route. In particular, all air mail correspondence, including air mail printed matter, is treated as first-class mail.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state, under separate heads, the total amount of money spent in advertising the new 5d. postal service through the media of the Press, television and door-to-door communications; and what proportion of this expenditure is borne by local authorities.

	£
Press: National and Provincial	142,000
Television	31,000
Leaflets (door to door)	86,000
Leaflets (in Post Offices)	5,000
	£264,000

None of this expenditure will be borne by local authorities.

asked the Postmaster-General how many gun licences for shot-guns were issued during the last five years in which such licences were issued by the Post Office.

Year	Number issued
1962–63	386,772
1963–64	355,855
1964–65	375,467
1965–66	384,057
1966–67	317,416
	1,819,567

Licences for shot-guns have not been required since 13th December, 1966.

asked the Postmaster-General what conclusion he has now reached on the question of assisting old people in need to meet extra television licence fee costs.

I cannot yet add to my reply of 14th October to my hon. Friend the Member for The Hartlepools (Mr. Leadbitter). —[Vol. 770, c. 54.]

asked the Postmaster-General on what date authorisation was given to build the £4 million deep level telephone exchange with entrances in Manchester and Salford; and by whom.

Construction of the deep-level "Guardian" exchange at Manchester was authorised in 1958 by the Government of the day. The total cost was £2,086,000, of which £1·6 million was spent on the tunnel itself.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the total cost of the four underground telephone exchanges in London, Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester; and what were the original estimates of cost.

The project for an underground exchange at Glasgow was abandoned after completion of bore-holes. The total cost for the London "Kings-way", Manchester "Guardian" and Birmingham "Anchor" exchange tunnels was £4,600,000. The original estimate was £6,400,000. These figures are exclusive of the cost of telephone equipment, which, together with some additional building costs, would have been incurred in any case to meet the needs of public traffic.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the purpose of the four underground telephone exchanges; and why their use is to be run down in future.

The Post Office has for many years constructed deep tunnels in order to avoid serious sub-surface congestion in cities. After the 1935–45 war it was decided that further tunnels required for his purpose should be placed at such a depth and used for such facilities as would protect the public telephone service from total breakdown in a severe emergency. It was for this reason that the London, Birmingham and Manchester deep-level exchanges were constructed.The exchanges exist to provide through telephone connections between exchanges of the public network. There are no plans for running them down.

asked the Postmaster-General why the existence of the four underground telephone exchanges was not revealed to the public from approximately 1954 to 7th October 1968; if "D" notices were issued to the Press about them; and why the news has now been released.

The exchanges were provided as part of national civil defence planning and were consequently subject to a Defence Notice. Since the London "Kingsway", Birmingham "Anchor" and Manchester "Guardian" exchanges have now lost their defence significance, there is no longer any reason why knowledge of their existence should be withheld and this has now been released to the public.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he is now able to make a statement on his plans for taking the ports into public ownership;(2) to what extent his plans for ports reorganisation include the taking into public ownership of privately-owned ports, stevedoring and lighterage companies.

I will make a statement on port reorganisation as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now considered the report of the Welsh Consultative Transport Committee concerning the future of the mid-Wales railway line; and if he will make a statement.

We have not yet completed our consideration of this very complex closure proposal. We shall be taking into account the views of the Welsh Council and the Secretary of State for Wales as well as the report of the Transport Users Consultative Committee for Wales and Monmouthshire.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has yet reached a decision regarding the recommendations of the Russell Committee relating to illegitimacy.

The Government accept the recommendations of the Russell Committee and have implemented those affecting Scotland by legislation which I hope will receive the Royal Assent before Prorogation. The Government also intends to implement the recommendations affecting England and Wales.

asked the Attorney-General whether action is being taken to identify and charge the murderer who caused the loss of 66 lives in the British European Airways aircraft lost through a bomb explosion off the Turkish coast on 12th October, 1967; and if he will make a statement.

The causes of this disaster were investigated most carefully by the Accidents Investigation Branch of the Board of Trade and by the Metropolitan Police in this country and overseas. Although these investigations have established that the cause of the disaster was the detonation of a high explosive device within the cabin while the aircraft was in flight, the Director of Public Prosecutions has advised that there is no evidence at present available to justify criminal proceedings against any individual.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calves have been exported to Europe in each of the last three months and to the nearest convenient date this month; how this compares with the same period last year; what estimate he has made of the effect of this trade on supplies of store stock; and if he will make a statement.

Exports of calves are not shown separately in the Trade and Navigation Accounts. However, there were no exports of cattle, other than for breeding, in July and August, 1968. Later figures are not yet available.Returns made to this Department by our veterinary officers at the ports suggest, however, that the number of calves exported in September and the first two weeks of October is very little (around 1,000) higher than in the same period last year.This slight increase is outweighed by the reduction in calf slaughter this year. But we are watching the position closely.

asked the Secretary of State (1) whether he will give instructions that no further equipment is to be withdrawn from units in the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III until Parliament makes a decision as to its future rôle;(2) whit instructions he has given for equipment held by units of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III to be withdrawn from these units.

Commands have been authorised to arrange for the withdrawal of equipment held by units of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III if the shortage of permanent staff makes it impossible for units to safeguard or maintain it. Any such withdrawals will in no way prejudice the decision on the possible future use of the assets and manpower of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III on which I hope an announcement can be made before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will issue a Special Order of the Day congratulating and thanking all ranks in the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III for their devotion to duty in serving at their own expense during summer 1968.

I fully appreciate the keenness and enthusiasm of members of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve III in continuing to train during the Summer of 1968. As the hon. Member knows, it is hoped to make a statement on the Army Reserves later this year, and it will be better to consider in the light of that statement what formal expression of thanks would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the latest available figures on average earnings in Portsmouth Dockyard.

The latest available figures are those for the week ended 13th September, 1968:

	Average Gross Earnings (i.e. before tax deductions, etc.)			Average Hours
	£	s.	d.
Craftsmen	21	16	11	43·85
Skilled Labourers	18	11	11	45·66
Ordinary Labourers	15	9	9	42·70
Overall average	20	11	2	44·40

These figures are on the same basis as those given in my reply of Wednesday, 24th July, 1968. —[Vol. 769, c. 135–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many military aircraft have crashed in the United Kingdom during each of the past three years; and what were the annual totals of service and civilian casualties.