asked the Minister of Power if he will now make a statement on the reorganisation of the electricity industry.

No. It will be some time yet before I am able to report my conclusions to the House. Work is being pressed ahead as fast as possible.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will authorise the Central Electricity Generating Board to purchase coal from whatever source it may choose after 1971, in accordance with the White Paper on Fuel Policy.

I shall be reviewing this in due course.

asked the Minister of Power what is the cost of demolishing the South Western Electricity Board buildings in Weston-super-Mare; on what date these buildings were erected; what was the cost of their construction; and whether he will make a statement on this matter.

The estimated cost of demolition, including the removal of fixtures and fittings is £14,250. The buildings were erected in 1960, costing about £100,000, but were found to be structurally unsound in 1966.

asked the Minister of Power if he will initiate a comprehensive survey into the widespread practice of illegal over-charging by landlords of their tenants in the sale of electricity, details of which are given in the Reports of the Consultative Council.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 15th October.—[Vol. 770, c. 79.]

asked the Minister of Power what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to maintain recruitment to the coal industries, particularly with regard to juveniles and specialist craftsmen, having regard to the overall decline in manpower and, in some areas, the high level of redundancy.

Recruitment is a matter for the National Coal Board. They make full use of the services of the Department of Employment and Productivity.

asked the Minister of Power what information he has received, in considering the National Coal Board's application for approval of capital expenditure on the production of Homefire smokeless fuel at its Coventry plant, as to the likely weekly and yearly output of this fuel during 1968 and 1969, and as to the likely final capital cost of the Coventry plant.

The bulk of the capital cost, which is estimated to total £12 million, has already been incurred. Commercial production began in October. It is expected to grow from 2,500 tons a week at present to 10,000 tons during 1970 or an annual rate of from 125,000 tons to 500,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Power what representations he has received regarding future coal requirements; and what action has been taken as a result.

I have heard and read of many views regarding future coal requirements and these are taken into account in the continuing work of my Department.

asked the Minister of Power what is the most recent figure of average revenue per them accruing to the Scottish Gas Board; and by what percentage this exceeds the average revenue of gas boards in England and Wales.

27·95 pence per therm in 1967–68. This is nearly 27 per cent. above the average figure for England and Wales, but there are similar differences between some of the Area Boards in the two latter countries.

asked the Minister of Power what changes have been made in the future coal requirements of the gas industry in the United Kingdom; and what its anticipated requirements will be for 1969.

New gas-making processes and the discovery of North Sea have reduced coal use by the gas industry in recent years. Consumption in 1969 may be from 5 to 6 million tons.

asked the Minister of Power when he last held discussions or consultations with the European Free Trade Association countries on fuel and power matters; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not had a personal discussion, but officials of the Department are frequently in touch with other countries, including E.F.T.A. countries, on energy policy.

asked the Minister of Power if he will now approve the construction of a nuclear power station at Heysham, Lancashire; and if he will make a statement.

I am still considering this application.

asked the Minister of Power if he has now considered the report of the Consumer Council on the Consumers Consultative Councils associated with the electricity and gas supply industries; and if he will make a statement.

The Report has been examined in consultation with the Consultative Councils. A number of the recommendations are acceptable in principle and will be implemented as opportunity occurs.

asked the Minister of Power what changes have been made in the Fuel White Paper's forecast of future oil requirements for the United Kingdom and what is the forecast for 1969.

Current trends suggest that oil consumption is likely to increase rather faster than foreseen in the Fuel Policy White Paper. Forecasts for individual years are very sensitive to fluctuations and I should prefer not to give a figure for 1969.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the recent floods.

The floods which occurred in East and South-East England in mid-September were caused by rainfall so exceptionally heavy that it is not to be expected more than once in 150 years. Moreover, this rainfall itself followed a period of heavy rain, as a result of which the land was waterlogged.In these unprecedented conditions, magnificent work was done by the local authorities, river authorities, police, fire brigades, the armed Services and voluntary organisations such as the W.R.V.S.We are assessing the lessons to be drawn for any future occasions of this kind and shall be issuing guidance to local authorities. On the flooding that took place elsewhere on 2nd and 3rd November, I have nothing to add to what I said in answering a Question yesterday by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Ellis).A number of local flood relief funds have been set up, and the Government will decide on an appropriate contribution when it has more information than is at present available about the response to public appeals and the extent of uninsured losses. The administrators of these relief funds have been asked to provide this information as soon as possible.So far as local authorities' losses are concerned, sympathetic consideration will be given to assistance in the light of the scale of the damage, the availability of specific grants and insurance, and the extent of local resources.Parliament will be asked to sanction this expenditure by means of a Supplementary Estimate to be presented in due course. In the meantime the money will be advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.—[Vol. 772, c. 482–5.]

I regret that this information is not available, and collecting it would involve unjustifiable expense.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what are his intentions for the introduction of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968.

Some provisions which require no accompanying regulations will be brought into operation at the end of this month. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I expect to bring in the bulk of Parts II to VI of the Act on 1st January, 1969. Part I will be brought into operation in selected areas at times fitting local circumstances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, when he will introduce the Bill to amend the Leasehold Reform Act, 1967, so as to separate service and maintenance charges from reckonable rent under section 39(1)(a) in the case of long leases.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he intends to introduce legislation amending the Leasehold Reform Act to remove the present uncertainty regarding long leasehold dwellings where there is a variable service charge recoverable as rent; and from what date such legislation will take effect.

Legislation on this subject is being prepared and will be introduced at the earliest possible opportunity during the present session of Parliament. The intention is that the legislation should cover cases where the problem has already arisen as well as those where it will arise in the future.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the object and result of his meeting with rent officers during the summer adjournment; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I met a number of rent officers from different parts of the country in April. The object of the meeting was to enable us to hear how the Rent Act was working and what problems were being encountered, and to express to them our close interest in the service they were performing. They confirmed that in general the fair rent provisions were working well but they thought that many more tenants could benefit by applying to the rent officer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the amount of betterment levy collected up to 30th September, 1968 by the West Midland Regional Office of the Land Commission; and what were the running costs of that office to the same date.

The amount of betterment levy was £228,400 on account for a total assessment of £752,900. Staff costs were £218,900 which are attributable to the land transactions of the Commission as well as the collection of levy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a statement about the question of appeals in connection with outdoor advertisements.

Interested bodies are being consulted about an alternative system of appeals proposed by the Outdoor Advertising Council. Meanwhile no amending regulations affecting appeals will be laid.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish the Report he has received from the Royal College of General Practitioners about the health hazards of constructing a reservoir in the Meldon Valley, Devon.

I have received no report. I have, however, had passed to me a letter written by the Chairman of the Council of the Royal College to the then Minister of Health, enclosing a copy of a letter which he had received from the Research Adviser to the College, and I shall reply to it after I have taken and announced my decision on the Meldon order.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much land has been available in the Houghton-le-Spring area for industrial use in the last four years; how much of it has already been taken up or is already allocated; and what has been the number of male jobs per acre provided.

About 190 acres have been available for industrial use, and 8 acres have so far been developed. My information is that employment for 178 men, 22 male jobs per acre, has been provided.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much land has been available in the new town of Washington for industrial use in the last four years; how much of it has already been taken up or is already allocated; and what has been the number of male jobs per acre provided.

320 acres, already developed or earmarked, were available in 1964. A further 445 acres were allocated subsequently. Completed factories occupy 92·5 acres of the latter and factories under construction 98 acres; 560 male jobs have so far been provided but the final male employment per acre cannot yet be estimated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much has been paid out on account of the Southern Regional Office of the Land Commission at Reading from its inception to the nearest convenient date under the headings shown in Estacode Volume I of (Allowances) and Db (Overtime).

£987 4s. 3d. and £0 10s. 2d. respectively up to 1st November, 1968.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now take steps to make it compulsory for local authorities to provide in door play space for young children in high blocks of flats.

I hope that if possible flats in high blocks will not be allocated to families with young children, and with advancing techniques of layout and design it should normally be possible to avoid doing so, even at high densities; the Ministry's Research and Development group are studying these problems and the results will be published in due course.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why, in view of the need for the Bournemouth Borough Council to encourage house purchases, the quota for advances for the current year has been reduced; and whether he will ensure that the future quota will not be on the level of advances for the current financial year.

The quota has been reduced because of the overriding need to restrain public expenditure and borrowing. The method of calculating allocations for next year will be discussed with the local authority associations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities exceeded their revised quota for advances for house purchase before the expiration of the quota period; and how many kept within the quota and yet have been re fused permission to make further advances up to that quota.

According to the returns made as at 30th June, 176 authorities had by that time already committed themselves to a figure in excess of 80 per cent. of their original quota for the full year, but other cases have been and are still being notified; 882 authorities had not so committed themselves, of whom 391 were given nil quotas for the second half-year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the fact that the Irthlingborough Urban District Council have kept within the limit in respect of advances for house purchase and that they have approximately £8,000 avail able for this purpose without applying for loan sanction, he will reconsider his decision not to sanction any further advances during the half year ending 31st March, 1969.

No. There is no reserve within the revised overall total available for housing advances from which any such cancelled quota can be reinstated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will review his decision to reduce funds available for mortgages for the Atherstone Rural District Council, in view of the representations he has received and the high level of unemployment in the area.

No, I regret that there is no reserve within the overall total available for housing advances from which any such cancelled quotas can be reinstated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities who have kept within their revised quota for advances for house purchase are not at a disadvantage compared with those authorities who exceeded their quota before the expiration of the quota period.

As some authorities entered into firm commitments to borrowers in excess of their quotas, it was necessary to reduce quotas for other areas in order to keep faith with these borrowers. My right hon. Friend regrets this and will be discussing with the local authority associations measures to avoid a recurrence of it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of houses to be built in 1968 in the public and private sectors.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses will have been completed in the year ending 31st December 1968; and how many will be under construction at that date in the public and the private sector, respectively.

I am not prepared to make a precise forecast for each sector but I expect the combined total of completions to exceed last year's record figure. The number under construction at the end of the year may be a little less than last year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is satisfied that under existing arrangements, steps have been taken to ensure the success of the Birmingham overspill scheme at Daventry; and if he will make a statement.

I recognise the concern of the local authorities about this town expansion scheme. My right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will shortly be meeting representatives of the Birmingham City Council, the Northamptonshire County Council and the Daventry Borough Council to discuss it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish for the years 1963, 1964 and for the most recent year for which figures are available the total amounts paid in housing subsidies to the London Borough of Lambeth and to the Greater London Council for houses in Lambeth.

The information for Lambeth is as follows:

	Housing subsidies including improvement and other grants
Former Metropolitan Borough of Lambeth	£000
1963–64	297
1964–65	506
London Borough of Lambeth (including part of former Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth) 1967–68	558

Separate information is not available for subsidies paid to the London County Council or the Greater London Council for houses in Lambeth.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take steps to give special financial assistance to housing societies which are unable to proceed with schemes already approved by the Housing Corporation because of the shortage of building society finance.

Since the setting up of the Housing Corporation under the Housing Act, 1964, housing societies have been expected to find at least two-thirds of their finance from building societies or other private sources. My right hon. Friend sees no reason for varying this rule.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the considerable savings which would result from a concentration of the activities of hospital management committees, especially through the sale of sites no longer required, if he will arrange for a proportion of the savings made from such amalgamations to be made available to hospital authorities, so as to encourage them to co-operate in amalgamation schemes which would improve the efficiency and productivity of the hospital services.

No. The present arrangements are based on the general principle, endorsed by the Public Accounts Committee, that the proceeds of sales of publicly owned assets should not be used to support expenditure without specific Parliamentary authority. I see no justification for waiving the principle in this case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the most recent discussion between his Department, the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund delegation on the control of the money supply.

The discussion took the form of an exchange of views between experts on the relationships between monetary factors, including the money supply, and other economic variables. It was not intended to and did not lead to specific conclusions on issues of current policy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to promote or improve coordination between Government Departments and other public bodies where purchases from public funds are involved.

The Government is exploring, in co-operation with other public sector bodies, the extent to which economic objectives can be pursued through purchases by each part of the sector, and the most appropriate measures for that purpose. The co-ordination of purchasing between Government Departments and other bodies is one of the measures under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the proportion of the gross domestic product taken up by the public sector in the United Kingdom in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and from figures available to him from international sources comparative figures for the same years in the United States of America, Japan, West Germany, France and Italy.

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON GOODS AND SERVICES AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCE AT FACTOR COST
			1964		1965		1966		1967
			(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
United Kingdom	…	…	27·9	21·5	28·4	21·9	29·8	22·6	32·0	24·0
United States	…	…	23·7	23·2*	23·4	226·9*	2·3	23·8*	26·3	25·8*
Japan†	…	…	20·9	16·7	22·2	17·4	…	…	…	…
West Germany	…	…	…	22·3	…	22·7	…	23·0	…	…
France	…	…	25·2‡	19·2	25·6‡	19·4	26·0‡	19·6	…	…
Italy	…	…	…	190	…	19·7	…	19·6	…	…
* Including any change in stocks of public enterprises.
† Figures relate to the fiscal year beginning on 1st April of the year stated.
‡ Excluding the change in stocks.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total net income per head of the population for Cornwall, for the South-Western Region and for England as a whole; and what are the totals for those counties in England with lower totals than Cornwall.

The latest available estimates are as follows:—

	Population	Total Net Income	Average per Head
	'000	£million	£
England	45,070	19,955	443
S.W. Region	3,585	1,364	381
Cornwall	349	113	324
Counties less than Cornwall
Shropshire	317	100	315
Durham	1,536	469	305
Yorkshire, North Riding	581	175	302

The figures of total net income have been derived from the results of the 1965–66 Incomes Survey, published in the 110th

The table below shows, in the first column for each year, total public expenditure in the United Kingdom on goods and services, whether for current use or capital formation, including capital formation by public corporations and other public enterprises. Comparable figures for the other countries mentioned are shown as far as they are available. Since, for some countries, figures for public corporations and other public enterprises are not available, the second column for each year shows the expenditure restricted to that of central and local government. The figures throughout are shown as percentages of gross domestic product at factor cost, although they include some expenditure on imports which cannot be separately identified.Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. The figures exclude the incomes of persons with less than £275 (the effective tax exemption limit). Total net income is defined as total income before deducting personal allowances and reliefs, or tax. The population figures relate to mid-1965.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive the report of the Reddaway Inquiry into the Selective Employment Tax.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Warrington (Mr. W. T. Williams) on 2nd April.—[Vol. 762, c. 52.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the average employment incomes expressed as an amount per week per employee for each of the three counties with the lowest and with the highest averages, respectively, in England.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, without divulging names or traceable details, he will publish in the Official Report information giving the number of persons who were in arrears with their Income Tax, who declared themselves bankrupt before settling their arrears of tax, the amount of taxation owing to the Inland Revenue, and the amounts eventually paid back for each financial year since 1958.

I regret that the information could only be made available at a disproportionate expenditure of time and money.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the special charge is now expected to produce in the year 1968–69.

The Budget Estimate for 1968–69 is £70 million. It is not the practice to publish revised estimates during the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what United Kingdom drawings have so far been made under the Basle facility; and at what rate of interest these drawings will be repayable.

Some drawings have been made in respect of reductions of sterling area countries' sterling balance which occurred earlier in the year—very largely in the second quarter. The whole proceeds of these drawings have been used to repay short-term debt to central banks and they have not therefore had a net effect on the reserves. In accordance with normal practice, I cannot give details of these drawings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the proportion of the nation's industrial capacity held by the nationalised industries and public corporations, by Government shareholdings, and by local authority enterprises, respectively, in 1954 and 1960, and at the present time.

The table below shows the proportion of the gross capital stock of productive industry held by the different parts of the public sector. The capital stock of productive industry has been taken as the equivalent of "industrial capacity" and covers the industries included in the Census of Production, namely, mining, manufacturing, construction, and gas, electricity and water supply. The figures given for central government cover only Government owned establishments, such as Royal Ordnance Factories. They exclude Government shareholdings in private firms, for which comparable figures are not available.

	Percentage of gross capital stock of productive industry
	1954	1960	1967
Public corporations	26·4	23·4	30·2
Central government	3·0	3·3	2·5
Local authorities	7·2	6·1	5·0

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will co-ordinate the activities of Ministers responsible for the nationalised industries with a view to securing a moderation in the rate of increase of prices charged by those industries.

There is adequate provision for co-ordination already, which includes the reference of all major price increases to the N.B.P.I.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state, giving the mileage in respect of each, those motorways or lengths of motorways, for which no line had yet been proposed, a draft scheme had been published, a scheme had been made, tenders had been invited, a contract had been placed, which were under construction and which were in use, respectively, as at 31st October.

Approximately 23 miles of motorway for which I am responsible were in use on 31st October. Details were given to the hon. Member in a reply of 13th February, 1968.On the 24th May I published a draft scheme and Order for a 4·39 mile dual carriageway by-pass of Morriston. About 4 miles of this will be motorway.Future lengths of motorway for which no line has been proposed are:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the increase in monies to be expended by his Department following the recent vesting in it of new functions; and what percentage increase this new expenditure will represent of the Department's total expenditure.

Total vote expenditure will be about three and a half times greater than is involved by existing responsibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage increase in the personnel employed by his Department he expects to result from the recent vesting in it of new functions.

About 40 per cent., almost entirely as the result of the absorption of the staff of the Welsh Board of Health.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate dis- cussions with the Russian Government aimed at obtaining agreement on steps to be undertaken towards the early reopening to world shipping of the Suez Canal.

No. On 22nd November, 1967 the Security Council, of which the Soviet Union is a permanent member, unanimously adopted a resolution which set out the principles for a settlement in the Middle East, including freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area. It is in the context of such a settlement that I believe the best hope lies for re-opening the Canal to international shipping.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that there is no official British Government representation at this year's celebration of the Russian Revolution, either in Moscow or in London, and also that there is no official British Government representation at any subsequent Russian celebration so long as Russian troops remain in occupation of Czechoslovak soil.

No.While we have made clear to the Soviet Government our views on the invasion of Czechoslovakia and on the continued stationing in that country of uninvited Soviet troops, we are in diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and will continue to observe certain diplomatic courtesies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of Israel's infraction of international law by her conquest of Arab lands in June 1967, and her continuing occupation in defiance of United Nations resolutions requiring her withdrawal, he will seek further action by the United Nations to bring about Israeli obedience to her United Nations obligations.

My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs made clear in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on 21st June, 1967, the view of Her Majesty's Government that war should not lead to aggrandisement. This principle is also embodied in the preamble of Security Council Resolution 242 of 22nd November, 1967, which calls for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on the twin principles of Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in June 1967 and recognition of the right of every State in the area to live in peace within secure and recognised boundaries. This Resolution can only be implemented as a whole on the basis of both these principles and others set out in the Resolution. Dr. Jarring, the Special Representative of the Secretary General, is continuing his efforts to promote a settlement on this basis. Her Majesty's Government are always ready to support his work by any appropriate means but recognise no necessity for further initiative by the United Nations at this time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an emergency grant to Jordan to provide reliefs for the Arab refugees exiled from home by Israeli occupation and now facing their second winter in the open desert.

Her Majesty's Government is keenly aware of the increased hardship which many refugees in Jordan will face if they have to remain in the highlands for the winter. But I do not think that an emergency monetary grant to Jordan is the most appropriate solution to the problem nor has the Government of Jordan indicated a need for financial assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to look into the question of industrial accidents and their cost to the nation, in view of the fact that in 1967 24,250,000 man days were lost through industrial accidents compared with 2,744,000 lost through strikes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers given by my right hon. Friend on 21st October to similar Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) and Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun). [Vol 770, cc. 872–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will set out in the Official Report a table showing the number of apprentices entering the Construction Industry in each year since 1960, and the total number of apprentices in the Construction Industry in each of these years; and whether she will give the equivalent overall figure in each of those years in industry as a whole.

Following is the information:

Year		Number of Apprentices entering the Construction Industry as their first job on leaving school	Number of Apprentices in the Construction Industry	Number of Apprentices entering Industry as their first job on leaving school
(1)		(2)	(3)	(4)
1960	…	22,418	96,042	122,955
1961	…	26,202	95,875	135,276
1962	…	31,518	103,490	142,760
1963	…	26,869	109,204	117,069
1964	…	29,460	113,929	131,355
1965	…	27,217	119,044	134,675
1966	…	24,960	111,718	131,197
1967	…	23,750	103,492	124,528

These figures cover Great Britain. I regret that comparable figures for the total number of apprentices throughout the industry are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what percentage of the labour force employed and self-employed, respectively, is engaged in agriculture or forestry in the Petersfield constituency; and how this compares with the national average.

At June, 1967, the latest date for which information is available, approximately 10 per cent. of all employees in the area covered by the Petersfield and Alton Employment Exchanges were classified either to agriculture and horticulture or to forestry (Minimum List Headings 001 and 002) of the Standard Industrial Classification). The corresponding figure for Great Britain was 1·8 per cent. My Department does not make estimates of the numbers of self-employed persons in local areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated percentage increase in rates and earnings arising from the claim by staff at Glasgow Airport; how these rates and earnings compare with payments to similar employees at Manchester Airport and airports administered by the British Airports Authority, respectively; what productivity provisions are included in the claim; and if the claim is consistent with the Government's incomes policy.

I understand that a possible basis for a settlement has now been agreed, and information on the proposed increases is awaited. The original claim was for pay and conditions similar to those given by the British Airports Authority, which would have led, on average, to increases of about 11 per cent. in basic pay, and about 17 per cent. on earnings. If the pay and conditions at Manchester were applied at Glasgow, basic pay would increase by about 6½ per cent. and earnings by about 10 per cent. The Government were informed that the claim for British Airports Authority rates was based on comparability, and as such increases are limited by the ceiling to an annual rate of 3½ per cent., it was not consistent with incomes policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has collected from local authorities and what advice he intends to give to local authorities with a view to improving warning systems and emergency action when flooding dangers occur.

As the Ministry responsible for flood warnings, we have convened for the 11th and 12th December a conference of experts from this Department, the river authorities, the Meteorological Office and the police to examine the operation of the flood warning arrangements during the recent floods and ways in which these could be improved. Arrangements by the local authorities and the police to deal with flood emergencies are primarily the concern of my right hon. Friends the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

asked the Prime Minister what further proposals he has for a National Dividend.

The scope for increases in incomes will be an important factor in the discussions which my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State will be having with the T.U.C. and C.B.I., and also with the N.B.P.I., about the future of prices and incomes policy after the end of 1969.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will seek to call a conference of heads of Governments who are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to discuss the future of that alliance.

I have nothing at present to add to what my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said in his speech in the debate on the Address on 31st October.

asked the Prime Minister on how many occasions since the breakdown of the "Tiger" negotiations he has had the opportunity to discuss, with the imprisoned African leaders in Rhodesia, the political future of that country.

I last saw Mr. Nkomo and the Reverend Sithole in October, 1965, but spokesmen for Rhodesian Africans have of course conveyed their views to Her Majesty's Government on many occasions. As I have said many times, there will be no settlement unless it is shown to be acceptable to the people of Rhodesia as a whole.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects the Welsh Office to assume the new functions recently allocated to it.

At the end of the present financial year, except that the creation of the new statutory tourist board for Wales must await the passing of the necessary legislation.

asked the Attorney-General why he has decided not to have an inquiry into the law of contempt so far as it relates to the publication and transmission of interviews with, and comment about, persons whose arrest might be imminent.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and I are not satisfied that this aspect of the law of contempt works unsatisfactorily and we do not think that an inquiry into its operation is at present justified. We will, however, consider the matter further in the light of the report of the Interdepartmental Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Justice Salmon, which is at present examining the law of contempt as it applies to Tribunals of Inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Parliament was first informed of progress on the Linesman air defence system; and what provision has been made in the current defence estimates for expenditure on this system.

In February, 1961 the Memorandum on the Air Estimates (Cmnd. 1292) notified the start of work on the air defence system subsequently known as Linesman. Provision for Linesman in the current defence estimates is about £5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in what numbers and percentage of maintained primary schools in Cornwall and in England as a whole, respectively, the oldest main building dates from before 1902; and in which local education authority areas is there a higher percentage of maintained primary schools in which the oldest main building dates from before 1902.

Up-to-date information is not available. But I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the School Building Survey 1962 which gives certain facts about the age and conditions of maintained schools at that time, analysed by region.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the amount of grant made available in the year 1968–69 for further research into rhematoid-arthritis and kindred illnesses.

No specific sums are earmarked for research in particular fields but the Medical Research Council are continuing to provide support for a wide programme of research on this problem. Further work will be undertaken in university departments, National Health Service hospitals and rheumatism centres.Medical Research Council activity is centred on its Rheumatism Research Unit at the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital at Taplow. In addition, research is also being carried out at Nether Edge Hospital, Sheffield, by a member of the Council's external scientific staff; and other related studies are in progress with M.R.C. grant support in a number of university departments. Research is being conducted at a number of universities, notably Leeds, London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if following the receipt of representations on corporal punishment, details of which had been sent to him by the hon. Member for South Bedfordshire, he will now make an official statement giving guidance on the use of corporal punishment in schools.

Academic year of termination				Number of extensions		Number of extensions as per cent. of those due to terminate
				through illness	through equipment delays and failures, or for other reasons
1967	…	…	…	9	35	3·6
1968	…	…	…	9	29	2·8

The majority of these extensions were for a period of three months only.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for furthering parent-teacher co-operation; and whether he will introduce legislation to increase parent representation on boards of governors and managing boards of schools.

On the first part of the Question, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply to his similar Question on 17th October, 1968. I understand that the survey referred to in my reply will now be published on 12th November. On the second part, I refer him to the reply to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Marks) on 24th October, 1968—[Vol. 770, c. 150 and 331.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given this year to local

I would refer my hon. Friend to my Answer on 27th June to a Question on this subject by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne).—[Vol. 767, c. 797–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what numbers and percentage of postgraduate students in receipt of Science Research Council grants had those grants extended before the three-year period due to circumstances such as illness or to enable them to complete their work within a reasonably extended period.

The figures are as follows:education authorities, headmasters and teachers in warning pupils of the hazards arising from fireworks and home-made explosives.

My Department arranges publicity of this kind in cooperation with the fire authorities, the British Firework Manufacturers Safety Association and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. 75,000 schools and youth organisations have this year received appropriate publicity material and many schools will no doubt have been visited by officers of the fire brigades. Supporting publicity has appeared in television and radio broadcasts and in the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the names, addresses, age, nationality and profession of all those convicted of offences in connection with the anti-Vietnam war demonstration on Sunday, 27th October.

I do not think that this would be appropriate.

asked the Postmaster-General why postcards posted in the centre of Hull early in the morning, and previously delivered locally that afternoon, under the new system are now held up and not delivered until two whole days later.

Postcards pre-paid 5d. and posted in time for the first morning collection should be delivered locally the same day; and the next day if prepaid 4d. If my hon. and gallant Friend knows that this service has not been given for particular postcards, and will let me have details, I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the Postmaster General if the free post allowed to candidates in parliamentary elections and by-

Grade		Establishment	Numbers in post	Establishment	Numbers in post	Establishment	Numbers in post
		1.10.65	3.1.66	1.10.66	2.1.67	31.7.68	31.7.68
Engineering Grades:
Technical Officers	…	20,051	20,050	21,031	20,915	24,206	22,732
Assistant Executive Engineers	…	5,870	5,868	6,495	6,037	7,407	6,951
Executive Engineers	…	1,389	1,248	1,499	1,331	1,909	1,773
Senior Executive Engineers	…	498	454	534	523	665	635
Assistant Staff Engineers	…	140	139	144	132	191	191
Staff Engineers	…	40	39	43	42	51	49

asked the Postmaster General what were the establishment and the numbers in post on 1st January, 1966, 1st January, 1967, and 1st July, 1968 of the following sales grades employed in the Post Office,

Sales Grades:		Establishment	Numbers in post	Establishment	Numbers in post	Establishment	Numbers in post
		1.10.65	3.1.66	1.10.66	2.1.67	31.7.68	31.7.68
Sales Representatives	…	1,050	1,038	1,083	1,054	1,119	1,077
Sales Superintendents	…	380	377	426	420	534	516
Senior Sales Superintendents	…	100	95	106	104	139	130
Chief Sales Superintendents	…	42	39	44	42	63	61
Controllers	…	1	1	1	1	Nil	Nil

asked the Postmaster-General if will omit from the address of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Telephone

These communications are neither first nor second class letters within the meaning of the Inland Post Regulations, 1968; we shall continue to accept and deliver them in accordance with the Regulations made under Section 79 of the Representation of the People Act, 1949.

asked the Postmaster-General what were the establishment and the numbers in post on 1st January, 1966, 1st January, 1967 and 1st July, 1968, of the following engineering grades employed in the Post Office, namely, technical officers, assistant executive engineers, executive engineers, senior executive engineers, assistant staff engineers, and staff engineers.

I regret that figures are not readily available in the precise form or at all the dates specified. Close approximations are as follows:—namely, sales representatives, sales superintendents, senior sales superintendents, chief sales superintendents, and controllers.

I regret that figures are not readily available in the precise form or at all the dates specified. Close approximations are as follows:—Area the words "seventh floor" and New gate Street in view of the fact that it now has a postcode.

The words "seventh floor" will be omitted but the name of the street is required for delivery purposes.

asked the Postmaster-General to what proportion of the people of England and Wales, respectively, B.B.C. 1 is available; and to what proportion of the two countries, respectively, B.B.C. 2 is available.

In addition to B.B.C. 1 and B.B.C. 2, Wales has a third service, B.B.C. Wales. The B.B.C. estimate the population coverage to be:

England				Percent.
B.B.C. 1	…	…	…	99·9
B.B.C. 2	…	…	…	77·0
Wales
B.B.C. 1	…	…	…	87
B.B.C. 2	…	…	…	60
B.B.C. Wales	…	…	…	72

In Wales, 61 per cent. of the population live within range of both B.B.C. Wales and B.B.C. 1 and so can get an extra service. Together, B.B.C. 1 and B.B.C. Wales cover 97 per cent. of the population of Wales.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what inquiries he is currently making into the common trench building and civil engineering services; and whether he will make a statement.

The report of the Committee set up by my predecessor to advise on the co-ordination of Underground Services has now been published under the title "The Common Trench" and is available at the Library and through Her Majesty's Stationery Office, price 3s. 6d. The Committee is continuing its work and a further bulletin on legal, financial and management aspects of this problem will be published early next year.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a statement about the proposed extension of Department of Employment and Productivity premises in Rugby.

My Department is negotiating for additional land with a view to starting the construction of an extension early in 1970

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of principals in general practice in Scotland at the latest available date; and how this total compared with the number on 18th October, 1964.

There were 2,604 principals providing general medical services under the National Health Service in Scotland on 1st July, 1968, compared with 2,684 on 1st October, 1964. These figures include principals providing restricted as well as unrestricted general medical services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has given to pharmacists in Scotland about claims for exemption of prescription charges in the case of a mother of a still-born child.

I have been asked to reply, None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will direct planning authorities in Scotland to compile a list of public rights of way in their areas, in order that they may fulfil their functions under the Countryside (Scotland) Act, 1967 in regard to the protection of these rights of way.

No. I consider that decisions about how they should carry out these duties are best left to the discretion of local planning authorities acting, as appropriate, in consultation with the Countryside Commission for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now completed his consideration on authorising the supply of disposable syringes and needles for general dental practitioners in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am still considering this matter in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. Discussions will be held with the British Dental Association as soon as circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the organisations and individuals whom he has officially consulted on the Hunter Report on Salmon Fishing.

The information is given below. In addition, many other individuals and bodies, including angling clubs affiliated to national angling associations, sent me their views on the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the recent proposals of the Crofters' Commission regarding the ownership of crofts and the earlier proposal of the Federation of Crofters' Unions, details of which have been sent to him, that crofters should be given the right, if they so desire, to become owner-occupiers of their crofts.

I have just received the Commission's far-reaching proposals which take account of the Federation's earlier resolution and I am studying them with interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of deaths that occurred in the last convenient 12-month period from cancer of the lung amongst those below retirement age; and what was the average age at which these deaths occurred in men and in women.

Of the 23,548 male deaths in England and Wales attributed to cancer of the lung in 1967, 11,058 were below age 65. Of the 4,704 female deaths, 1,478 were below age 60. The average age at which deaths below these ages occurred was 57 for men and 52 for women.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the standard figure for raw food materials per person per week allowed by his Department for acute hospitals;(2) what is the present national average figure for raw food materials per person per week at the present moment in acute hospitals; and if he will take steps to reduce the figure.

My latest information is for all hospitals other than psychiatric in 1967–68, and in these the average cost of food per person fed per week was 33s. 6d. in England and Wales. The average recommended by my Department for acute hospitals feeding more than 275 persons was between 32s. 2d. and 34s. 9d. for the same period. The recommended figure is at present between 32s. 10d. and 35s. 6d., and I see no reason to reduce it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many times per year food costs are audited and costed in acute hospitals.

It is for the individual hospital authority to decide how frequently calculations should be made; each authority's expenditure is audited annually by my Department's officers and food costs for the year as a whole are included in the Annual Costing Returns.

asked the Minister of Technology whether, following the decision to close the Dounreay Materials Testing Reactor, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority will use only the irradiation facilities of Harwell or other authority establishments for materials testing; and if it is intended to invite tenders for this work from abroad.

After the Dounreay Materials Testing Reactor is shut down it is the Authority's intention that experiments which would have been mounted in it will be placed in the Authority's Materials Testing Reactors at Harwell. It is not intended to invite tenders from abroad for this work. The Atomic Energy Authority has for some years used facilities in other countries for irradiation work where these facilities are better suited to a particular purpose than their own. They will continue this practice after D. M. T. R. is closed down, but this affects only a fraction of the total work done.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the rate of unemployment in the Hemsworth constituency, particularly in the townships of South Kirkby, South and North Elmsall, Upton, Moorthorpe, Hemsworth, Kinsley, Fitzwilliam, Bolton-on-Dearne, Goldthorpe and Thurnscoe, in some of which it is 8 per cent., and that Hickleton Main Colliery employing 2,000 men may be closed; and if he will schedule the district as a development area or state what alternative plans he has to alleviate this situation.

I am well aware that the provisional unemployment rates for October in the Hemsworth and Mexborough Groups of Employment Exchange Areas, which include the towns to which my hon. Friend refers, were respectively 8·7 per cent. and 5·8 per cent. I do not however feel justified at present in making any changes in development areas. The situation will be reviewed when the Government receives the report of the Hunt Committee. The Board of Trade will continue to be sympathetic to applications for industrial development certificates in the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he satisfield that the route-rights granted to the British United Island Airways will be fully exploited in the interests of the travelling public; and if he will make a statement;(2) to what extent he has considered alternative proposals for the route-rights granted to British United Island Airways on the basis that difficulty in recruiting pilots prevents them from properly and fully exploiting these rights.

British United Island Airways is a new Company which at present holds no air service licences. If the company wishes to have transferred to it the licences held by other airlines within the British United Airways group, it must apply within 28 days to the Air Transport Licensing Board, with whom, except in the event of an appeal to my right hon. Friend, the decision lies. I am not aware that the company is having difficulty in recruiting pilots, but I understand that there is a dispute between the company and the trades unions regarding the pilots' contracts of service.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories built in Scotland with Exchequer funds are still unoccupied, and whether he will publish details in the OFFICIAL REPORT indicating the size of each factory, its completion date and the cost involved.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 31st October, 1968. The unoccupied advance factories in Scotland are:

		Completed		Sq. ft.
Falkirk No. 1	…	Feb., 1968	…	40,000
Port Glasgow No. 2	…	Sept., 1966	…	12,000
Aberdeen No. 1	…	July, 1967	…	12,500
Girvan	…	May, 1967	…	12,000
Inverness	…	Dec, 1966	…	6,200
Sanquhar No. 2	…	Nov., 1967	…	12,500
Leven No. 2	…	June, 1967	…	18,500
Sanquhar No. 3	…	Nov., 1967	…	18,500
Lochgelly	…	July, 1968	…	27,500
Kilwinning No. 2	…	Nov., 1967	…	27,500
Chapelhall	…	Aug., 1968	…	27,500
Donibristle No. 3	…	Aug., 1968	…	15,000
Kilwinning No. 3	…	June, 1968	…	27,500
Uddingston	…	Sept., 1968	…	50,000
Dumfries	…	Oct., 1968	…	27,000
—[Vol. 772, c. 1.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he estimates that the recently announced new hire-purchase and rental regulations will absorb the whole of the rise of 3 per cent. in retail sales over forecast figures.

While the effect of the changes in the regulations can be estimated only in broad terms, they should help to ensure that consumers' expenditure in the second half of this year will be contained at the level of the second half of last year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will publish the report of the Monopolies Commission on Recommended Prices; and if he will make a statement.

We expect to receive the report in the next few weeks. It will be published as soon as possible after that.

asked the Minister of Transport whether a decision has now been made for electrifying the Carlisle—Glasgow railway line; and when construction will begin.

I am considering with the Railways Board, proposals for investment in the main line from Crewe to Glasgow via Carlisle: but the hon. Member will understand from the Answer given to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Mr. Dance) on 20th December 1967 that this does not imply an early decision to proceed with the electrification of this line.—[Vol. 756, c. 408.]