asked the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans he has made for manning the forces in the event of the requisite number not being forthcoming on a voluntary basis.

Recruitment has been unsatisfactory, but at the moment it shows some small signs of improvement. We are not planning for the hypothetical situation of a breakdown in the voluntary system. It is better to emphasise the fact that the Services have a clear and worthwhile future, and that young men of the right quality are assured of an absorbing and rewarding career.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how the intake of British cadets at Sandhurst over the last three years compares with the requirements.

In 1966 almost the same; in 1967 the January course was 35 short and the September course was 1 over; in 1968 both intakes were a dozen short.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce the new titles, descriptions and qualifying periods of the long service awards to be made to members of the Army Volunteer Reserve; and if he will make a statement.

The titles, descriptions and qualifying periods for the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve Efficiency Awards have not yet been approved but are under urgent consideration and it is hoped that a statement will be made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish a list of Royal Air Force airfields in Great Britain where facilities are allowed for use by civil aircraft operating regular services.

Civil aircraft operate scheduled services from R.A.F. airfields at Ballykelly, Leuchars, Machrihanish and St. Mawgan. During the summer of this year Leconfield was used for scheduled services. In addition, Abingdon and Manston are used regularly by civil operators for non-scheduled charter flights.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent developments have occurred in effective ways of silencing submarines moving below the surface; and what consequent action he proposes to take with regard to the effectiveness of anti-submarine ships and submarines of the Royal Navy.

Noise reduction in submarines is under constant review in the Royal Navy and developments and advances continue to improve the effectiveness of submarines in this respect.To increase the Fleet's ability to detect submarines, a new research programme has recently been commenced which will provide a new generation of improved sonar equipments for surface ships, submarines and A.S.W. aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to complete his revision of the commutation of pension regulations for all three services.

I am unable to say at present when this review will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's assessment of the threat to British and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation shipping outside the Atlantic in the event of prolonged global conflict; and what provision the Government is making to meet this threat.

The Answer to both parts of this Question is none; since N.A.T.O. no longer regards a prolonged global conflict as being a likely contingency for which we should plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to arranging for the cruiser H.M.S. "Belfast" to become a floating museum when she is paid off.

My interest is limited to arranging for this ship to be handed over for use as a floating museum if this is found to be a viable proposition. This is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether flash warnings of rainfall likely to lead to floods were given to the public by radio and television by the Meteorological Office to Yorkshire and the Midlands be fore the recent flooding.

Routine forecasts, which correctly predicted the persistent rain from 31st October to 2nd November, were supplemented by "Flash" messages. These included two on sound radio for Yorkshire and the Midlands on 2nd November. The Meteorological Office is not responsible for the issue of flood warnings, but, in the areas affected river authorities who are responsible, received rainfall warnings throughout the period from 31st October to 2nd November.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Trades Union Congress about trade union membership in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions with the T.U.C. took place in October, 1967 with the object of ensuring as a resettlement measure that all relevant Army trades had been considered for recognition by the appropriate craft union.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many days H.M.S. "Britannia" has been at sea in connection with the Royal visit to South America; and what has been the total cost per day.

Thirty days.The average weekly cost of maintenance for the Royal Yacht, including crew costs, is £9,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the agreement in principle reached to install a new computer in the Meteorological Office; and why this decision was arrived at.

A more powerful computer will be needed in the Meteorological Office in the next few years in order to apply techniques which are under development for more accurate rainfall forecasting and forecasting for 5 to 7 days ahead. The computer will also provide better research facilities and permit greater centralisation and efficiency in the organisation of work.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make a statement as to how the accuracy of weather forecasts has improved since the installation of computers in the Meteorological Office.

Computer forecasting techniques are subject to continuous research and development, and several years' experience at least will be needed to make a firm judgment of their effect upon the accuracy of forecasts. Nevertheless practising forecasters consider that computed forecast pressure charts are consistently more reliable than those produced by traditional subjective methods, and that they provide valuable guidance in a number of typical situations which have presented major difficulties to forecasters in the past.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish in the Official Report the training areas and facilities available overseas to Her Majesty's forces; and which of these will remain available after the proposed withdrawal from east of Suez.

Information on the training areas and facilities used by all three Services is given regularly in the Defence Estimates Memoranda. It would not be possible to forecast which areas and facilities will be used in the future but I have no reason to believe that they will not meet our requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether in view of the fact that in Sweden all research on defence against chemical or biological warfare is done openly, he will declassify similar work in this country.

I have had enquiries made and I am informed that it is not in fact the case that the Swedish Government has declassified all research on defence against chemical and biological warfare. The policy of the Swedish Government is similar to our own: it is to make public as much information as possible about work in this field, but as in this country there are certain areas of work which have to remain classified in the interests of national security.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to assist the Malaysian Government in the defence of Sabah.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in the planning of adequate accommodation in barracks and housing for members of Her Majesty's Services who are being withdrawn from overseas; and where the accommodation is to be sited.

We expect that existing barracks and married quarters, together with those in our normal construction programmes, and married quarters being purchased, will provide sufficient accommodation for Service men and Service families returning from overseas and that further special measures will, therefore, not be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings he has had with local authorities regarding the future use of Leconfield Aerodrome; and if he will make a statement.

R.A.F. Leconfield is at present available for civil use during normal station working hours subject to the prior permission of the Sation Commander. During this summer, by special arrangement, AUTAIR International Airways Ltd. were afforded limited use of the airfield. The extent to which the airfield might be made available for regular civil use has been examined in the light of long term defence needs and I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on this. I have had no meetings with local authorities, but they will of course be consulted if regular civil use of the airfield proves practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of Leconfield Aerodrome by civil aircraft operating companies.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what British Naval ships, Army formations and Royal Air Force squadrons are assigned to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in in 1969 and earmarked for assignment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in 1969; and what forces it is planned to assign to these categories for the following four years.

The following information relates to the position today:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has for strengthening the United Kingdom contribution to the defence of Western Europe and the Middle East in view of threats from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;(2) if he will now halt the run down of the armed forces and reserve forces, in view of recent events and threats in Europe and the Middle East.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to similar Questions earlier this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to safeguard British defence secrets, by severely limiting knowledge of them, following the revelation of spying affecting the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in West Germany.

We have of course our obligations as members of N.A.T.O. to share some of our defence secrets with that organisation but appropriate security precautions are taken and are constantly under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what official arrangements exist for Service personnel to insure private motor vehicles in Germany.

The names of British firms meeting the requirements of Federal German law are published from time to time in Unit orders. The requirements are also brought to the attention of personnel posted to Germany. In addition Pay Staffs give advice to individuals about their insurance problems, and N.A.A.F.I. are able to arrange insurance of cars with British firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether in view of the loyalty and cost effectiveness of the Gurkhas in the anti-subversive rôle, he will reconsider his plan to reduce the strength, by 2,000 a year, from 14,000 to 6,000.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how the present re-engagement rate in the Royal Navy compares with the previous five years.

I am happy to say that the re-engagement rates for men in the Royal Navy at the end of their initial 9 and 12 year engagements have improved over the past 3½ years from 23 per cent. and 47 per cent. to 33 per cent. and 51 per cent. respectively.Rates for re-engagements in earlier years are not strictly comparable with these figures since they do not reflect the change in the length of initial engagements introduced in 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in the development of surface to surface weapons for the ships of the Royal Navy, and in the development of counter measures against such weapons.

A new improved naval 4·5 inch gun is currently being developed and is expected to be in service by the early 1970s. As explained on a number of occasions we have no plans to provide the Fleet with guided weapons to be fired directly by ships against surface targets, if that is what my hon. Friend has in mind.Apart from attack on the launching vehicle a counter to surface-to-surface missiles will be provided by the Navy's Seaslug surface-to-air missile system, and by the new close range Seawolf and medium range Seadart systems now being developed. Electronic techniques for frustrating a missile attack are also available and new ones are under development.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of persons employed in England by the Forestry Commission on 1st April, 1964 and 1st April, 1968; and what is the estimated number for 1st April, 1972.

The total numbers of persons employed by the Forestry Commission in England on 1st April, 1964 and 1st April, 1968 were 6,045 and 5,048 respectively. The estimate for 1st April, 1972 is about 4,100.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of persons employed by contractors for work in Forestry Commission

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what research is being conducted in Scotland into the problems of sewerage and sewage purification; and what steps he is taking with reference to Section 40 of the Sewerage (Scotland) Act, 1968 to encourage local authorities to undertake such research.

The Sewerage (Scotland) Act, 1968 is not yet in operation, but six research projects sponsored by sewerage or river purification authorities are forests on 1st April, 1964 and 1st April, 1968; and what are the estimated numbers for 1st April, 1972.

The estimated numbers employed by contractors including timber merchants, for work in Commission forests in England on 1st April, 1964 and 1st April, 1968 were about 900 and 700 respectively. No estimates for 1972 can be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many deaths have been caused by lung cancer in each of the last 10 years; how many other deaths were caused by cancer over the same period; and what facilities are being provided for early detection of the disease.

The early detection of lung cancer is a function of the clinical diagnostic services which are fully available in hospital specialist departments supported by the chest X-ray screening programme provided by the mass radiography service.Following are the figures:at present in hand; they relate to the design and performance of plant and to methods of treating sewage and trade effluent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken during the last three months and plans to take to add to Dounreay Experimental Station a plant to utilise electric power for the use of the trade and industry of the City of Aberdeen.

None. Electricity is already fed into the grid from the experimental reactor at Dounreay and the amounts supplied will be greatly increased when the prototype fast reactor at present being built comes into operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total saving expected in Scotland by the recent Government decision to reduce expenditure on school meals; how much reduction is expected in the expenditure of Glasgow, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Edinburgh; and how many school children will be affected in these areas.

The total saving over a full year is estimated at £400,000. Estimates of the effect on individual areas are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now secure the appointment of a full-time Parliamentary draftsman to assist the Scottish Law Commission.

The Lord Advocate and I agree as to the desirability of making such an appointment but I am afraid that I am not in a position to say when sufficient Parliamentary draftsmen will be available to make this possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the present provision of manpower, equipment and vehicles in the ambulance services throughout Scotland is adequate to deal with emergencies; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to suppose that the Scottish ambulance service is not capable of dealing with any foreseeable emergencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list those local authorities who charge fees to the parents of some children attending schools in their area;

The education authorities which charge fees in some of their schools or departments are Angus, Dumfriesshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, Invernessshire, Kincardineshire and Renfrewshire. In January, 1968 these schools and departments had 16,930 pupils; no details are available of the number of pupils in respect of whom fees may be remitted under local arrangements.On the same date there were 19,904 pupils attending schools grant-aided under the Grant-Aided Secondary Schools (Scotland) Grant Regulations 1959, and 17,477 pupils attending independent schools. Figures for the session 1968–69 are not yet available.Information about the number of pupils at independent schools who have had their fees paid by local authorities is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether as a result of his official discussions with the Governor of the Bank of England and the Chairman of the City Take-over Panel, he will make a statement on the action he plans to take regarding the News of the World situation.

I am in touch with the Governor of the Bank of England about plans for strengthening the City Code and the Panel and the possible reinforcement of these measures by the Board of Trade. I have, however, no statement to make at this stage either about these general matters or about the News of the World situation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will tabulate the number of industrial development certificates granted in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region during the current year; how this figure compares with previous years; and what is the additional employment resulting from it.

The table is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an estimate as to the proportion of the home market which it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the cotton textile industry should retain after the expiry of the existing quota arrangements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take to encourage the substitution of imported electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances by the homeproduced article, in view of the 42 per cent.

I hope to form a view of the future size and structure of the industry when I have the report of the Textile Council's Study on Productivity and Efficiency.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories, and in which industrial areas, have been constructed in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region to date this year; how this figure compares with previous years; how many are planned for the current year and next year; and how many are not yet in use.

The Board has no powers to build advance factories outside development areas. No Board of Trade advance factories have therefore been constructed in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region, which is not a development area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the latest figures for the granting of industrial development certificates for the Northern Region; and how these compare with the previous two years.

Details of industrial development certificates approved in the Northern Region in the first nine months of this year with comparable figures for 1966 and 1967 are given below:rise in imports during the third quarter of this year.

Imports of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances during the third quarter of this year were some 42 per cent. higher in value than for the third quarter last year. Compared with the second quarter this year they were 4·8 per cent. higher. The Government are pursuing a wide range of general measures designed to improve the competitiveness of British industry and thus increase exports and save imports. In particular the Electrical Engineering Economic Development Committee is carrying out, on the basis of information provided by H.M. Customs and Excise, a study of imports with a view to encouraging the production of competitive British products. In addition the Board of Trade have held a meeting with British manufacturers and distributors of domestic electrical appliances to discuss the type of goods which the distributors need and the range of goods which British manufacturers have to offer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how soon he estimates that the average import price rise of 13 per cent. since devaluation will fall to the same level as the eight per cent. rise in export prices; and what he estimates that the two will settle at the same figures.

The trend in import prices is difficult to predict but barring any large fall in commodity prices, I would not expect any marked movement down in import prices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of British exports have gone to Commonwealth countries so far this year; what was the proportion for the same period last year; and what was the proportion for the year 1967.

In the period January to October the proportions were 23 per cent. and 25 per cent. respectively, and for the year 1967 24½ per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many inquiries have been made from industry to set up factories in Millom;(2) whether his Department have now bought land in Millom to enable factories to start at once;(3) when the advance factory for Millom will be commenced; and what inquiries there have been for its use.

The Board of Trade has received sixteen inquiries about the facilities at Millom; none referred specifically to the advance factory. This factory will be started as soon as the suitability of the proposed site has been established and entry to the land obtained.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what grants are available to industry commencing in Millom.

Under the Local Employment Acts, manufacturing firms setting up in Millom may be considered for grants towards initial expenses incurred in moving into Millom, special development area operational grants and 35 per cent. building grants. Service industries would be considered for these grants only if they were to introduce substantial additional employment of at least fifty jobs.Manufacturers will also be eligible under the normal rules for investment grants at the development area rate towards the cost of new machinery or plant.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the result of the inquiries made into the export of the Russell papers.

The inquiries are not yet concluded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the number of public companies whose recommended annual dividend for 1967 was reduced by a vote of the shareholders; what was the total value of all the money so preserved for the capital reserves; and what were the corresponding figures for 1960 and 1964.

This information could not be obtained without an undue expense of time and effort.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what estimate he has made of the annual loss of foreign exchange earnings occasioned by the termination of British Eagle air services;(2) what estimate he has made of the additional payments that will be made to foreign airline operators by British travellers following the termination of British Eagle services.

No precise estimates are possible, but the amounts involved are likely to be small.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now publish details of his survey of air craft noise in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

A noise map derived from the survey undertaken in the summer of 1967 has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the expenditure in Scotland involved in giving in formation of Government schemes and social aids in the years 1965 to 1968, respectively; and what is the projected expenditure for 1969.

The assessed amounts of Home Publicity expenditure directly disbursed in Scotland for the calendar years 1965 to 1968 inclusive were £216,000, £255,000, £270,000 and £304,000 respectively. The projected figure for 1969 is £336,000. These figures exclude expenditure by the Post Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will state the gross outflow of private capital from the United Kingdom devoted to portfolio investment in developing countries in the sterling area in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and the first half of 1968.

The available figures, which are not fully comprehensive relate to investment, net of disinvestment, in the securities of these countries. Estimates suggest that in the period 1964 to 1966 there may have been net United Kingdom disinvestment of the order of £10 million a year, and thereafter no further net disinvestment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when the National Board for Prices and

The settlement has not been referred to the Board but is at present under consideration by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many orders he has made in respect of drugs over the past two years; and whether he will summarise these in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Eight, during the period 1st November, 1966, to 31st October, 1968:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it has yet been decided to recommend that the proposed Commission on the Constitution should be a Royal Commission.

The Commission will be appointed by Royal Warrant.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will publish the pilot studies undertaken by consultants on the implication of conservation policies for a number of historic towns, including the city of York.

My predecessor appointed the four consultants in the spring of 1966, and they were to report by October, 1967. But the large number of maps and illustrations which the consultants thought it right to include in their reports could not be ready by that date.The material in the reports was submitted in stages between November, 1967 and the summer of 1968, and was passed to the Stationery Office as it was submitted. I understand that the Stationery Office hope to be ready to publish early next year.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he is satisfied that the football pitches laid out in the Royal Parks are in all cases sufficiently far from footpaths to avoid risk of injury to persons walking on the footpaths; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be possible to eliminate all risk of injury without drastically reducing the number of football pitches. Pitches are, however, carefully laid out to reduce this risk to a minimum and accidents are very rare.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what Social Security allowances or payments were paid in the years 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967 arising from non-payment of maintenance orders.

I regret that this information is not available. However, a survey carried out in June, 1967 showed that of the women then in receipt of supplementary benefit 70,000 held maintenance orders, and 31,500 of these orders were being complied with regularly, whilst 18,000 held affiliation orders and 9,000 of these orders were being complied with regularly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prosecutions were initiated by his Department on behalf of, or in the case of, women receiving Social Security allowances or payments arising from non-payment of maintenance orders in the years 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967, respectively.

I regret the information is not available in the form requested. The National Assistance Board and the Ministry of Social Security took criminal proceedings against men for failure to maintain dependants as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study he has made of the proposals of the Medical Officer of Health for Liverpool, a copy of which has been sent to him, concerning salmonella infection associated with the broiler chicken industry; and if he will now conduct an investigation into this matter.

The proposals of the Medical Officer of Health for Liverpool for the cleanliness of food handling, equipment and premises, reinforce the content of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960. The responsibility for enforcement of these Regulations lies with the local authorities. All those engaged in the handling and preparation of food, particularly the food handler, should be aware of their obligations and in this process of education my Department, the enforcing authorities and the trade all have a contribution to make. The Medical Officer of Health also referred to the importance of cooking to a high temperature, and I cannot emphasise too strongly that all frozen chickens should be properly thawed out and then thoroughly cooked.Officers of my Department were associated with the Medical Officer of Health for Liverpool in investigating the specific incident of salmonella food poisoning referred to in his paper.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will provide details of the programme for implementation of the recommendations for alteration of the automatic half-barrier level crossings throughout the country, made by the tribunal which investigated the Hixon level-crossing accident.

Immediate action was taken after the Hixon accident to ensure that the responsibility for seeing that it is safe to cross a railway line at an automatic half-barrier with a special load is clearly understood. All orders for special loads carried by road have since then contained a condition that drivers or attendants with such loads must telephone the signalman for permission to cross at an automatic half-barrier, and automatic crossings are specifically mentioned in routes prescribed for such loads.Physical measures to be taken at these crossings fall into two categories:(i) on the crossing installation;(ii) on the road over the crossing.So far as the crossing installations are concerned, priority is being given to extending the "second train" time cycle and this particular modification has already been carried out at 23 crossings. Amendment Orders have been issued requiring the same modification at a further 13 sites by 30th November. Work on other sites is progressing and it is expected that over half the automatic half-barrier crossings in the country will have been converted to the new "second train" cycle by the middle of 1969.Another aspect of work on the installation is the extension of the barrier operating time cycle before the arrival of the fastest train on the crossing. The Railways Board's engineers, in consultation with my technical officers, have made considerable progress in devising the amended circuitry necessary for this. I hope that these modifications will be made at all but the most complex installations before the end of 1969.As for the road works, highway authorities have been asked to give immediate effect to the recommendations relating to road markings, including the provision of double white lines and yellow box markings. Road level profiles have been examined and "uneven crossing" signs are being erected where necessary pending the urgent improvement of any profile found to be below the standard referred to in the Report of the Hixon Inquiry. I hope that these markings and signs will be in position by the end of this year.Other aspects of the physical changes recommended in the Hixon Report are being considered by the design consultant whom I appointed to look into the design and presentation of automatic crossings. He is making good progress, and work will begin shortly on the new signs and the advance amber warning signal as soon as the definitive design has been established.A programme for the further conversion of crossings to automatic working is currently under consideration with the Railways Board.I have decided that there is no need for immediate Government legislation on the recommendations of the Report, as existing powers are adequate; but the Railways Board will be seeking in their next Bill, shortly to be presented to Parliament, to make it an offence to misuse the telephone provided at automatic crossings.Publicity about automatic half-barriers and the behaviour of road users at them will continue, at both national and local level, at every available opportunity.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make arrangements for the annual report, Roads in England, to be produced in order that it may become publicly available not more than six months after the end of the period to which it relates.

The report, which was published this year on 6th November, is produced as soon as figures of local authority expenditure on roads are available. Following representations in the House two years ago, the report was expanded to include figures for road expenditure in Scotland where the local authority financial year does not end until 15th May.