asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many cases he has made representations to the Zambian Government on behalf of Rhodesian Africans abducted for service with guerrilla forces operating, or intended to operate, south of Zambia; and with what result.

I have been asked to reply.None. On the basis of the information available to me, I am satisfied that action of the kind described is unnecessary since the Zambian Government have taken rigorous action.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common wealth Affairs whether he will now pro pose that Greece should be expelled from the Council of Europe.

No

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an official visit to Singapore.

I have no plans at present to make another visit to Singapore.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an official visit to Indonesia.

I have no present plans to make another visit to Indonesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make available a list to date of all exchanges which have taken place between this country and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the scientific and technological fields under the terms of the Agreement made between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics in 1965 and renewed in 1967.

Yes. The following is the list:EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE SOVIET UNION IN THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDS UNDER THE ANGLO-SOVIET AGREEMENTS ON RELATIONS IN THE SCIENTIFIC, TECHNOLOGICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL FIELDS FOR 1965–67 And 1967–69.Under both Agreements Articles II and III provide for exchanges in the fields of Science and of Technology respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the latest occasion on which representations were made to the Government of South Africa about the continued unlawful presence of South African forces on British territory.

I have been asked to reply.As my hon. Friend was told on 21st October, I renewed our representations about the unauthorised presence of South African police in Rhodesia during my visit to South Africa in August.—[Vol. 770, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Diplomatic Service dismiss women from the service if they marry.

Women officers in the Diplomatic Service are not dismissed on marriage. If the officer concerned wishes to remain in the Service, efforts are made to allow her to do so, provided this is consistent with her altered circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to consult Great Britain's European Free Trade Association partners, to strengthen the Treaty of Stockholm, pending the enlargement of the European Economic Community.

My right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will be reviewing the Association's progress with our partners at the meeting of the European Free Trade Association Council in Vienna later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conversations took place with Great Britain's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies, and particularly with West Germany, before Her Majesty's Government reached the decision to ratify the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, regardless of the invasion of Czechoslovakia.

We maintain the closest contact with all our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and in recent weeks I have myself had opportunities for discussing the Non-Proliferation Treaty with my N.A.T.O. colleagues. We took their interests fully into account before reaffirming our decision to ratify the Treaty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common wealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest constitutional developments in the Persian Gulf.

The Rulers of the nine States forming the Union of Arab Emirates met in Doha from the 20th to the 23rd of October. I understand that the atmosphere at the meeting was good and that substantial progress, which we welcome, was made on the political issues involved in the closer association of the States within the Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when was the last time a request was made by his Department for Russian pre-1939 claims to be registered; and if he will now prepare a more up-to-date list together with a request for banks holding Russian assets in the United Kingdom so to inform Her Majesty's Government and to state the amounts;(2) whether he has yet informed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that he wishes to discuss the question of Tsarist and other pre-1939 debts; what reply he has received; and how he intends to deal with the matter.

As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have informed the Soviet Government of our readiness to discuss the question of pre-1939 claims. No reply has yet been received. A register of private claims against the Soviet Government was opened by the Foreign Office and the Board of Trade in September, 1918, and is still open to amendment. I think we should see what the Soviet Government have to say on the subject before considering further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the number of issues of Czarist Bonds which are held jointly by British, French and other nations and their subjects, he will consider approaching these countries with a view to a joint approach to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as regards compensation or payment of these debts.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him earlier today.—[Nos. 43 and 44.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions he gave to the permanent representative at the United Nations to follow up the proposals made by the Secretary-General in his annual report for the year 1966–67 regarding the membership of micro-States and the question of observer status.

We were willing to participate in discussion of the Secretary-General's suggestions by the Security Council Admissions Committee this year, but no meeting has been held. We have also supported the current study of the whole question by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if official access has been granted by the Chinese to Mr. George Watt; and what representations he is making in order to obtain a review of his case.

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary told the hon. Gentleman on 21st October, the Chinese authorities have refused access to Mr. Watt on the grounds that he has been convicted of espionage. A review of the case has not been requested, but we are considering the possibility. We shall continue to press for consular access.—[Vol. 770, c. 206–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with the Government of Malta with regard to the rundown of British defence expenditure in Malta.

Talks between British and Malta Ministers have been held this year both here and in Malta. The British High Commissioner and the Service authorities are also in constant touch with the Malta authorities about the implementation of the rundown.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, at the forthcoming meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, he will propose a small publicity budget for the Secretary General's Department.

It is not customary to disclose the agenda for discussions at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Meeting, but if it were found that there was general Commonwealth support for a publicity budget for the Common- wealth Secretariat, the British Government would consider the matter with the greatest sympathy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from the Hunt Mission on the numbers dead, receiving hospital treatment, not receiving assistance, and the numbers dying each week from famine and the spread of disease in Nigeria and Biafra.

Lord Hunt and his colleagues visited Nigeria in July. Their report, published as Cmnd. 3727, gave estimates at that time of about one million people in real need in the Federal areas, and at least half-a-million refugees in camps on the other side with many more outside them. They completed their task of advising Her Majesty's Government on relief expenditure some time ago and are not in a position to give the further and up-to-date information for which my hon. Friend is asking.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many voluntary organisations are working on relief work in Nigeria and Biafra with the support or assistance of Her Majesty's Government.

Our contribution to relief operations in Nigeria is being made under the auspices of the International Red Cross which coordinates the work of the voluntary agencies. In accordance with the Hunt report, Her Majesty's Government are giving direct financial assistance towards the cost of four medical teams and a transport maintenance unit provided by the Save the Children Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much damage has been done to British-owned property due to the Nigerian civil war.

Considerable damage has been done to British-owned property, but until the civil war ends it will not be possible to make an accurate estimate of its extent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of relief work for the civilian population involved in the Nigerian civil war.

Responsibility for relief work in Nigeria lies mainly with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Nigerian Red Cross Society. The distribution of relief supplies has been difficult and frustrating, particularly in the Ibo areas, but the relief effort has now gathered considerable momentum. The contribution made by Her Majesty's Government and by British voluntary societies has been used to good effect. According to a recent report of the International Committee a total of 1,250,000 refugees, including half a million children, received food supplies in September and October.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for making effective a stoppage of the supply of arms to Nigeria, in view of the movement towards a final military solution by the Nigerians; and when he proposes to put forward such proposals.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley on the 22nd October. There is no change in our policy on the supply of arms.—[Vol. 770, c. 237–44.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent it is still Her Majesty's Government's policy to re-negotiate the Nassau Agreement.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State informed the hon. Gentleman on 13th November, 1967, it is our intention to re-negotiate the Nassau Agreement with the United States Government at the appropriate time.—[Vol. 754, c. 17–18.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received concerning the continued detention of five British nationals at Ban, Italy, in respect of smuggling charges after nine months; and whether he will make representations to the Italian authorities for an early trial date to be fixed.

The five men were arrested on the 3rd of January and are still in detention. They are all legally represented. Our Consul in Ban has pressed the Italian authorities on several occasions for an early trial. They have told him that the trial is now expected to take place in December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communication he has received from the Secretary-General of the United Nations on proposals for a summit meeting in 1969 to discuss the functioning of the United Nations; and what was the substance of his reply.

The text of the Secretary-General's letter of 7th October to my right hon. Friends, M. Debré, Mr. Gromyko and Mr. Rusk is available in the Library of the House. U Thant has been informed that Her Majesty's Government would give sympathetic and constructive attention to his suggestion for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four major powers, which he hoped might lead to a meeting of Heads of State and Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make representations to the Mexican Government regarding the continuing discrimination against United Kingdom citizens who wish to travel between Cuba and Mexico.

No. I have no evidence that such discrimination is being practised against United Kingdom citizens.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what level Her Majesty's Government was represented, Ministerially and diplomatically, respectively, at celebrations in London and foreign capitals at this year's celebrations of the Russian Revolution.

No Ministers attended the Soviet Ambassador's reception in London. Some officials were present. Her Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow did not attend either the Soviet Government's reception or the military parade. His Defence Attaches attended the latter. In other foreign capitals Heads of Her Majesty's Missions were represented at receptions by Counsellors or junior officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a decision has yet been reached on the date for the Constitutional Conference for British Honduras.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the next stage of constitutional development for British Honduras; and whether he has now received a request from the British Honduras Government regarding a constitutional conference in 1969.

No date has yet been fixed for a Conference. As frequently stated in the House, when detailed constitutional proposals are made we shall be ready to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the respective responsibilities of each of the Ministers in his Department.

The responsibilities of Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by his Department to the British Broad casting Corporation in connection with the Corporation's decision to terminate their Hebrew Service; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary informed my hon. Friend the Member for York on the 26th of July, the decision to terminate the British Broadcasting Corporation's broadcasts in Hebrew was taken by Her Majesty's Government after a careful review in which the views of the British Broadcasting Corporation were taken into account.—[Vol. 769, c. 240–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to receive a reply from the High Commissioner for Nigeria regarding the claim for compensation made against the High Commission in 1966 by Mr. Joseph Combes and raised in correspondence by the hon. Member for Bromley in May, 1968 and July, 1968.

When this matter was raised with the High Commissioner in the course of a call at the then Commonwealth Office in August he undertook to have enquiries made without delay. I do not know when the results of these enquiries will be known but we are continuing to press for a satisfactory solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now terminate the grant paid out of public money to Great Britain in Europe, the College of Europe in Bruges and other kindred organisations.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the following organisations on the use of public money paid to them in grants, namely, Britain in Europe, the College of Europe in Bruges, the European Schools Day, the Committee of Students Association, and the European Atlantic Movement for Education; and whether he will place such reports in the Library.

Copies of the latest report received from Britain in Europe Limited were placed in the Library of the House on the 14th of May, 1968, in accordance with an undertaking given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary on the 1st of March 1968. Copies of the latest reports from the other organisations will be placed in the Library as soon as they are available.—[Vol. 759, c. 439–40.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will seek to ratify the International Convention on the Eliminatiton of all forms of Racial Discrimination; and if he will undertake to do this before 10th December, 1968.

As I said on 21st October, we have this question very much in mind. It has, of course, been necessary for us to await the passage into law of the Race Relations Act, since its precise form might have affected our ability to accept the obligations which the Convention would impose. I am well aware that it is desirable to reach a decision on this before the end of Human Rights Year, and I very much hope that this may be possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money will be expended in 1969 on overseas broadcasting; and how much will be spent on broadcasts in Arabic and Hebrew, respectively.

The estimates of expenditure on overseas broadcasting during the financial year 1969–70 have not yet been finalised.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the future of the United Nations Consolidated Education and Training Programme for Southern Africans.

Her Majesty's Government believe that this programme, which combines earlier programmes in respect of South Africa, South West Africa and the Portuguese Territories of Angola and Mozambique does much good work. They support its objectives in the same way as they did those of the earlier programmes. Accordingly, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Caradon has informed the Secretary-General that, subject to Parliamentary approval, Her Majesty's Government will make a contribution of £41,667 to it. Parliament will be asked to approve the necessary supplementary estimate in due course. In the meantime, an advance will be sought from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have signed and ratified the treaty on the principles governing the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space including the moon and other celestial bodies; which countries have signed but not ratified the treaty; and which countries have given official notification of their intention of signing the treaty.

The following states have deposited in the archives of the Governments of the United Kingdom, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics or the United States of America their instruments of ratification or accession to the Treaty on the Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies;Argentine, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Libya, Malagasy Republic, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Rumania, San Marino, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, United Arab Republic, United States of America, Upper Volta.The following states have signed the Treaty in London, Moscow or Washington but have not ratified it:Afghanistan, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Ceylon, Chile, Columbia, Congo (Kinshasa), Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Germany: Federal Republic, Greece, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Ghana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Somali, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia.No other countries have given official notification to Her Majesty's Government of their intention of signing this Treaty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in view of the fact that the development of the fractional orbital bombardment system by the Soviet Union is contrary to Article IX of the treaty on the principles governing the activity of states in the exploration and use of outer space, whether Her Majesty's Government will propose at the United Nations' Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space that appropriate international consultation should take place on this activity by the Soviet Union.

No. It is the view of Her Majesty's Government that the development of a fractional orbital bombardment system, however much we may deplore it, does not infringe the Outer Space Treaty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make an official visit to Belgrade.

I visited Belgrade in June, and had useful discussions with the Yugoslav Foreign Minister in New York in October.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with representatives of the United States Government on ending the war in Vietnam.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which he received from my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 7th November.—[Vol. 772, c. 1073–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on recent developments in the techniques of detecting underground nuclear explosions;(2) if, in view of recent developments in the techniques of detecting underground nuclear explosions and the possibility of a resumption of atmospheric testing because of the development of the anti-ballistic missile system, he will take the initiative to secure a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

Recent developments have been described in the report of the International Institute for Peace and Conflict Research (S.I.P.R.I.) which was produced by scientists from 10 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the Soviet Union. They concluded that it was now possible by seismic methods to distinguish between explosions and earthquakes down to the equivalent of 10 kilotons in hard rock; further improvements in identification could be expected from the application of current research results, but the validity of the technique below 10 kilotons had yet to be established. It was further recognised that weaker signals would be received from explosions carried out in less dense material or in underground cavities; in these conditions the apparent size of explosions would be reduced or they might be unidentified.My right hon. Friend the Minister of State with special responsibility for disarmament has already taken the initiative in putting forward proposals for a comprehensive test ban to the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Committee which he described to the House on 18th July.—[Vol. 768, c. 1804.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has made to Portugal and South Africa about their trade with Rhodesia and the continued unauthorised presence of South African troops on the British territory of Rhodesia.

I have been asked to reply.We are regularly in touch on a confidential basis with other Governments regarding breaches in sanctions on trade with Rhodesia. We know of no South African troops in Rhodesia, and as regards the presence of South African police, renewed representations have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) under what terms and for how long Her Majesty's Government propose to extend the period of the interim agreement as regards Anguilla;(2) if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding Anguilla, following the breakdown of the recent talks in London between Her Majesty's Government and the leaders of St. Kitts and Anguilla.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 24th October. Until the further communications referred to in my reply are both received I cannot say more about the possibility of extending the interim agreement. As hon. Members will be aware, there are two other parties to this agreement besides Her Majesty's Government.—[Vol. 770, c. 355–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productity whether she intends to implement the recommendation of the Donovan Com mission that the grade or class provision should be abolished as a test of disqualification for unemployment benefit, during stoppages due to industrial disputes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply in the Adjournment debate on 24th October when I advised the House that this and other recommendations made by the Commission were being considered by the Government in consultation with both sides of industry. My right hon. Friend has undertaken to present a White Paper as soon as possible.—[Vol. 770, c. 1727.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will introduce legislation to impose financial penalties, comparable to those imposed upon the workers denied unemployment benefit during industrial disputes, upon employers who engineer lock-outs.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated number of local agreements in the engineering industry expected to be negotiated under the productivity guidelines of the national engineering industry award; by what means she will be informed of these awards; and how many staff will be required to confirm their consistence with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

A large measure of agreement was reached between the parties in the recent discussions at my Department but a final settlement was not concluded. Any domestic agreements reached as a result of the proposed productivity guidelines would be subject to the requirements of the productivity, prices and incomes policy. Under the existing early warning arrangements set out in the White Paper (Cmnd. 3590) there is provision for information on a voluntary basis about claims and settlements to be notified to my Department but at the present time it is not possible to estimate the number of such agreements likely to be notified as the result of the provisions of any national engineering settlement.It is not expected that any increase will be needed in the number of staff who examine proposals for pay increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what percentage of the total labour force in the Petersfield constituency is unemployed; how this compares with last autumn; and whether she expects an increase or decrease in the coming winter.

In the area covered by the Petersfield and Alton Employment Exchanges, the percentage rates of unemployment at November, 1968, and November, 1967, were 2·1 and 2·2 respectively. The figure for November, 1968, is provisional. As I have already said in the House, I am not prepared to give forecasts as to the future level of unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a statement on the latest figures for unemployment in Wales.

On 14th October, 1968, there were 38,872 persons including 29,941 men, registered as unemployed in Wales, including 239 temporarily stopped; this represented an unemployment rate of 3·9 per cent. Although this shows a slight improvement on the position a year ago, the level of unemployment is still a matter of serious concern and it is hoped that the various measures which the Government has taken will bring about a reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the Government's policy towards day release of junior employees in the Civil Service, local authorities, and public services, respectively.

During the debate on the Second Reading of the Industrial Training Bill the then Minister of Labour said that Government Departments would "in respect of their own employees at least equal the standards set by training boards for industrial training and associated further education". This remains the position in relation to day release for junior employees in the Civil Service and I would expect the same policy to be followed in the local authorities and public services.—[Vol. 667, c. 1013.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is aware that the recent settlement of the National Joint Council for the cast stone and concrete industry represents a 15·5 per cent. increase for the third largest manufacturer of roof tiles in this country; and what factors she took into account in assessing the basic minimum wage in the industry.

The increase approved by my Department for the cast stone and cast concrete products industry was for 3d. per hour on an existing national basic rate of 5s. 9d. per hour, which is equivalent to 4·3 per cent. At a meeting with my officials on 5th September employer representatives of the industry estimated that the cost of the proposed increase on the wage bill would be 2·6 per cent. The proposal, included in the agreement for an earnings fall back rate of £13 per week for men was not considered to be inconsistent with incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will list all cases of wage agreements which have been stopped and/or referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes since the introduction of the Government's wage standstill, the number of workers affected in each case, the average wage they received and increase applied for, the amounts allowed and recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes, and similar details for salary earners and executives and directors of companies earning over £2,000 per annum.

Listed in the tables below are proposed increases in incomes which have been the subject of orders under Part IV, or of directions under Part II of the Prices and Incomes Act 1966, together with the approximate number of workers involved in each case and the percentage represented by each proposed increase where this can be calculated. The directions under Part II were accompanied by references to the National Board for Prices and Incomes and the table shows briefly the recommendations of the Board.Information on the level of average wages received is not readily available.A number of senior staff earning more than £2,000 per annum are covered by some of the cases listed but none of the cases relates exclusively to salary earners, executives or directors of companies earning more than this amount.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many male jobs will be lost to the Weymouth area consequent upon the closure of Weymouth's Electric Power Station in Stavordale Road.

Not more than 10.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she now proposes in respect of the salary increase granted to bank employees in September of this year; and if she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend, after consultation with other Ministers, has proposed that this settlement shall be referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes. She has indicated her willingness to approve an interim pay increase under the settlement on the understanding that it would not exceed 3½ per cent. and would be reviewed when the Board reports. The views of the Trades Union Congress and of the Confederation of British Industry and of the interested parties are awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated percentage increase for rates and earnings arising from the recent offer by Perkins Engines Limited to their 5,600 manual employees; what productivity conditions were involved in the offer; and if it conformed to the Government's income policy.

It is estimated that the offer, which has not been accepted by the unions, would have given an average increase of 6·05 per cent. on rates and 6·09 per cent. on earnings. In return the company were asking for a number of productivity concessions designed to improve flexibility of labour; the introduction of work study in areas where it had not previously been applied, and changes in the procedure agreement for processing grievances. At this state the proposals have not been formally referred to my Department under Incomes Policy early warning arrangements, and it is not yet possible to say whether Government Incomes Policy requirements are satified.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the pattern of unemployment among school leavers in the Petersfield constituency; how it compares with that of last year; and what she anticipates will be the pattern during the coming winter.

On 11th November, 1968, in the Petersfield, Alton and Bordon Youth Employment Office areas, which cover the greater part of the Petersfield constituency, 5 summer school leavers were still registered for first employment out of 562 known to the Youth Employment Service. In November, 1967 the corresponding number was 1 out of 573. I hope that the few remaining summer leavers will soon find employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many men were signing on at the Ashington, Northumberland, Labour Exchange, at the nearest convenient date; and how many of these men were over 55 years of age.

At 11th November, 1968, there were 1,323 men registered as unemployed at the Ashington Employment Exchange. This number is provisional. Detailed age analyses of the numbers registered as wholly unemployed are made in January and July each year. At 8th July, 1968, 936 men were registered as wholly unemployed and of these 537 were 55 years of age or over.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what proportion of the labour force of full-time adults in England and Wales is engaged in agriculture, horticulture and forestry, excluding hill farms and intensive units.

At June 1967, about 2·7 per cent. of the total labour force in England and Wales was in agriculture, horticulture and forestry (Minimum List Headings 001 and 002 of the Standard Industrial Classification). The statistics do not distinguish between adults and young persons or between those working full-time and part-time, and no separate information is available for hill farms and intensive units.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the details of each dispute which has so far affected the motor vehicle industry this year, the number of days lost directly and indirectly due to each stoppage, and the estimated cost of the losses in production which occurred as a result of each stoppage.

It is not my Department's practice to publish statistics of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes naming individual establishments. In the ten months ending 31st October, 1968, the number of stoppages in the motor vehicle industry included in official statistics was 194. The number of days lost directly and indirectly by workers at the establishments where the stoppages occurred was 824,000. Official estimates are not available of the loss of production involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish in full or summarise the communication she has recently obtained from the Trades Union Congress General Council regarding collective agreements and other matters connected with the Council's views on the Donovan Report.

The T.U.C. has already published this.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) whether she will make a statement on the discussions which her department had with employers and trade unions in the civil engineering, construction and building industries on Friday, 8th November;(2) whether she will make a further statement of her intentions regarding the recent award in the building industry.

My right hon. Friend made a statement in the House on Friday, 15th November, which outlined the position at that time. The executives of the trade unions concerned yesterday accepted the proposal which was agreed at my right hon. Friend's meeting with union representatives on 14th November. The proposal has now been reported to the Board with a request to deal with the point at issue in their forthcoming reports on the building and civil engineering industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that barmaids employed in Carlisle were refused wage increases under the Government's prices and incomes policy but were subsequently granted them on changing their designation to industrial civil servants; whether workers in other industries by changing their description of employment will be allowed increases; and whether she will use this method to resolve the present dispute in the building and civil engineering industry.

The barmaids employed in the Carlisle State Management Scheme were industrial civil servants before their recent pay increase. The award was not based on any redesignation. The points made in the second and third parts of the question do not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will include lupus erythematosus amongst the categories of chronic sick entitled to exemption from prescription charges.

No. The pre-payment certificate which came into use on 1st November is designed to help in such cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that reissued pension books are always available during the first week of entitlement.

In the Department's arrangements for dealing with order-books emphasis is laid on the need to ensure speedy issue so that the pensioner is not left without any pension to which he is entitled. I am not aware that any general difficulty arises but if the hon. Member has any particular case in mind perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what qualifications are required in special investigation officers in his department; how these officers are chosen; what is the lower age limit; what are their duties; by what authority they enter and search premises; and if he will make a statement.

Special investigators are ordinary officers of the Department who are used for making enquiries into cases of suspected fraud on supplementary benefit where the investigation requires more time and attention than an officer in a local office can give to them in addition to his normal duties. There is no lower age limit, but because of the need for experience very young officers are not selected. The youngest officer in post is aged 24. On first appointment a special investigator is given a spell of training during which he works with experienced officers before taking cases on his own.Special investigators have been operating since 1954. There are 145 of them in the whole of Great Britain. They work under the control of the Regional Offices. They have no special powers, and are not to be confused with inspectors appointed under Section 90 of the National Insurance Act who are mainly concerned with enforcing compliance with the contribution requirements of the insurance scheme, and who have a legal right to enter places where employment is carried on (other than private dwelling houses) and to require information to be given by persons in those places.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will indicate the number of applications there have been for the benefit of the prescribed industrial disease of farmers' lung in Wales and Monmouth- shire since the disease was scheduled: and how many have been disallowed.

There have been 37 successful claims for industrial injury benefit and 12 for disablement benefit for prescribed disease No. 43 (farmers' lung) in Wales and Monmouthshire since the disease was prescribed under the Industrial Injuries Act on 21st June, 1965, 22 claims for injury benefit and 5 claims for disablement benefit have been disallowed on the ground that the claimant was not suffering from the disease. It is not known how many claims were disallowed for other reasons. No claims for industrial death benefit have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that the continuing rise in the cost of living is adversely affecting retirement pensioners; and whether he will therefore seek to arrange for all pensions in the Christmas week to be overstamped with a double pension to enable such pensioners to spend more during Christmas.

Our policy has been to do as much as we can for pensioners every week and not just once a year. My hon. Friend should not overlook that despite the price increases to which he refers, retirement pensioners are now better off by some 15 per cent. in real terms than when the Government took office in 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates he has made of the demand for cervical cancer smear tests.

Priority is at present given to the testing at five yearly intervals of women aged 35 years and over, as it is in this group that the yield of prevention is likely to be greatest. 702,950 women were tested in the six months ending 30th June 1968, an annual rate of 1,405,900. There is evidence that the facilities available are not everywhere being used to capacity and hospital authorities have recently been asked to make further efforts to persuade more women of 35 and over to be tested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the cost of extending the provision of cervical cancer smear tests for women under 35 years of age;(2) what is the present cost of the cervical cancer smear test services.

I regret that the information is not available. These services form part of the services provided by hospital authorities, local health authorities and general practitioners, and are not costed separately. Nor is it possible to forecast the response to an extension of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the scale of venereal disease in England and Wales for each of the past five years and comparative figures for each of the 20 largest cities in England and Wales; and whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the problem.

Figures for the 20 largest cities are not available, but the Chief Medical Officers' Annual Report includes in Appendix C figures of the number of cases seen at clinics in England and Wales from 1950 onwards, and in Chapter IIB figures for 1966 and 1967 of early syphilitic infections in ten sample urban areas.The Government take the problem of venereal disease very seriously, and steps are currently being taken to improve the tracing of contacts, which I consider is the most effective way of controlling these diseases. There is also a need to increase public awareness about these infections, and I am sure the newly formed Health Education Council will play an important part in this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether copies of Professor Stallworthy's report on the future of maternity services in the Rugby area are to be given to the Rugby Hospital Management Committee.

This is a matter for the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many patients have been admitted to the General and the Dudley Road Hospitals in Birmingham since 1st August, 1968, diagnosed as suffering from acute myocardial infarction or coronary thrombosis; what are the number and qualifications of staff in these fully equipped intensive coronary care areas assigned to these patients; how many special ambulances are involved in the experiment; and what are the personnel and the technical qualifications of the staff travelling with these ambulances;(2) how many beds fully equipped and monitored have been provided in both the intensive care areas and the general wards in the General Hospital and the Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham, since 1st August, 1966, to deal with cases of myocardinal infarction and coronary thrombosis; and if he will specify in the case of each hospital the number of beds fully equipped and monitored in both hospitals.

Between 1st August and 31st October, 1968, 104 patients with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (which would include coronary thrombosis) were admitted to the General Hospital, Birmingham and 132 to the Dudley Road Hospital. Since October, 1966, five beds at the General Hospital have been fully equipped and monitored for intensive coronary care. Six beds have been similarly provided at the Dudley Road Hospital since April, 1968. The units at both hospitals are supervised by a consultant cardiologist and the patients are also under the care of their own consultant physician. The nursing staff consists of a nursing sister and six staff nurses at the General Hospital and three sisters, four staff nurses and one State enrolled nurse at the Dudley Road Hospital.A medical officer, sometimes accompanied by a nurse, travels to the patient in a special vehicle with resuscitation equipment and may go with the patient to hospital by ambulance. The ambulances are provided by the local authority with the usual personnel.It will be several months before the results of the trial can be assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the Rowley Bristow Orthopaedic Hospital has been refused permission to fill vacancies on its staff of physiotherapists.

The Hospital Management Committee considers that the present staffing of the physiotherapy department at this hospital is adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to remedy the situation in the National Health Service in North Staffordshire whereby patients have to wait three months to see a specialist and nearly nine months before having an operation for rupture.

Waiting time depends on the degree of medical urgency. Urgent cases are admitted without delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the shortage of operating theatre nurses.

There is at present no consistent basis on which to estimate need, but a committee appointed by the Central Health Services Council is considering the organisation of work in operating theatres and the patterns of staffing required and is expected to report shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of each slot machine placed in hospital outpatients departments to give a prescription tax stamp for each 2s. 6d. inserted; how many of these machines are now installed if a bulk purchase has been made by his department; if the cost is charged to the budget of the hospital concerned; if any contract has been entered into for repair and maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

Around £210 if bought or about £20 per annum upwards depending on the type if hired; the number is not known centrally; no; yes; hiring charges include maintenance and it is usual to have a servicing contract for a purchased machine.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the final capital cost of the premature baby unit at Walton Hospital, Liverpool, which came into use after 9th March, 1965; and what other capital expenditure has been incurred on the maternity wing of this hospital in each of the following years, namely, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1967–68.

About £59,000: none.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the maternity wing at Walton Hospital, Liverpool, will be closed; on what date the decision was taken on closure; and what are the alternative arrangements.

No proposal to close this maternity wing has been received by my Department; the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board will consult with any interests likely to be concerned before making any recommendation to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date the decision was taken to proceed with the District Hospital at Fazakerley, Liverpool.

The Regional Hospital Board was authorised to accept tender for phase 1 of this project in September, 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of the casualties from road accidents, summarised in Table I of Road Accidents 1967, occurred at defined and marked accident black spots.

This information is not available nationally, and to assemble it from local records would be unduly expensive.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will arrange for the publication, Road Accidents, to include a table and map showing regularly the incidence of accidents at accident black spots.

Because chance variations in the incidence of accidents at individual sites can bulk so large, it would not be meaningful to present statistics of this sort.

asked the Minister of Transport what publicity is currently being given to the Road Traffic (Driving Instruction) Act 1967; and when he intends to bring it into force.

I give publicity to the Register of Approved Driving Instructors on every suitable occasion. The advantages of going to a Ministry of Transport Approved Instructor for driving tuition are brought to the attention of every learner driver by means of a leaflet issued with his first provisional driving licence. Posters are also displayed in many places throughout the country. I hope to make an announcement shortly about compulsory registration of professional driving instructors.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish a list of the cities and towns in which local offices will be provided under the centralised scheme, planned for the 1970s for vehicle registration and vehicle and driver licensing.

It has been decided, after consultation with local authorities and other interests, that when the centralised system is in full operation (planned for 1975) there will be 81 local offices of the Ministry at the places listed below, provided suitable accommodation can be found. The locations have been selected not according to national or local authority boundaries, but on considerations of geography, communications and population densities, with the aim of providing the most convenient distribution for the population of Great Britain as a whole. The operation of the local offices will be reviewed after two years' full working, to see what modifications to the network may be desirable.The list is:

asked the Minister of Transport whether the starting date for the scheme for the improvement at Merton Park Level Crossing, Kingston Road, A238, is still mid-1972.

We understand from the Greater London Council, which is the responsible highway authority for this scheme, that it is expecting to start work in December, 1972.

asked the Minister of Transport by how much he estimates that traffic will be reduced on the A45 between Crick and Stonebridge and the A5 between Nuneaton and Brownhills when the Midlands motorway link is open in 1971.

Precise estimates of the effects of the motorway link on individual routes are not available, but some 50,000 vehicles a day are expected to use it and a substantial proportion of this figure would otherwise use the sections of A.45 and A.5 referred to.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to reply to the letter, JAS/MAW/95E, London—Carlisle—Inverness Trunk Road, Buck-well Street, Diversion, Desborough, Northants., of 28th October, 1968, from the Desborough Urban District Council.

A reply has gone today and I will send a copy to my right hon Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for a by-pass for the Cotswold town of Bur-ford in view of its age and its tourist attraction.

None. It would be for the Oxfordshire County Council, as the responsible highway authority for the A.361 which passes through Burford, to formulate proposals for a by-pass. So far it has made no such proposals to me with a view to a scheme being considered for a place in the principal road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for the improvement of the Oxford-Banbury road; when the feasibility study will be completed; when he hopes to give it a date in his programme; and if he will make a statement.

The improvement of this road is linked with proposals for a new route between Oxford and Birmingham.

asked the Minister of Transport by what percentage British Rail's aggregate actual expenditure has turned out to be above or below its estimated expenditure for investment projects which were approved by his Department during a recent year and have been completed.

The Railways Board tells me that, in respect of specific approvals given in the period May, 1965, to April, 1966, it expects the aggregate expenditure to exceed the aggregate authority by about 4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what progress has been made in attracting alternative employment to the special development areas, especially those in Scotland.

It is early yet to assess the full effect of the special incentives for these areas but they are undoubtedly helping to produce new employment opportunities. Four advance factories have already been allocated to industry in the special development areas in Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that an official of his Department was informed on the telephone, by the solicitor to the Society of London Art Dealers, on 23rd August, 1968 of the circumstances surrounding the sale of the Duccio painting in March, 1968; and what steps his Department then took to inform the National Gallery.

I have seen a report in the Press that a firm of solicitors carried out instructions from the Society of London Art Dealers on 23rd August to inform the Board of Trade of the circumstances of the sale of the Duccio painting, and to ask it to convey the information to the National Gallery.The Board has been in correspondence with the solicitor concerned about this report. A letter dated 15th November from him confirms that he did not disclose the circumstances surrounding the sale of the Duccio, but that the Society was anxious to inform the Board of these circumstances, and would do so on 30th September, the earliest date on which it could meet the Board. The solicitor goes on to say that he told the Board that the painting was under offer to the National Gallery, and that the Society thought that the appropriate authorities should be informed.The official concerned in the Board has no recollection that the National Gallery was mentioned. The Board of Trade was, however, already aware at the time from applications received for export licences that Mr. Weitzner had bought the painting at Aldwick Court in March, and that he wished to export it to the United States. This information had been passed to the National Gallery in June.The solicitor also states that his conversations with the Board of Trade left him in no doubt that the Board was already aware of all the allegations concerning this picture and that what was required was concrete evidence. In fact, until the Society came to see my officials on 30th September, they had no more information than was contained in the export licence application.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refrain from deciding appeals made to him against decisions of the Air Transport Licensing Board to transfer or revoke any licence hitherto held by British Eagle International Airlines Limited pending a decision on the reconstruction of the company.

I cannot set aside the statutory procedures relating to appeals, but the Air Transport Licensing Board has not yet considered any applications or proposals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect of the 10 per cent. tariff on the imports of frozen fish fillets; and what increase he expects in the sale of British frozen fish fillets.

It is reasonable to expect home production to benefit from the re-imposition of the 10 per cent. duty, but it is too early to estimate the extent of the benefit in terms of increased sales.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect on the British fishing industry of the Icelandic Government's decision to devalue their currency.

It is not possible at present to assess the effect of Iceland's devaluation on the British fishing industry since we do not yet know how far sterling prices of Icelandic fish will fall as a result of the devaluation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute an inquiry under the Companies Acts into the activities, in contravention of Section 38 of the Companies Act 1967, of the following inter-related companies, Sir Henry Lunn Limited, Minster Assets Limited, Travel Trust Limited, Invicta Airways Limited, and British Eagle International Airlines.

Section 38 of the Companies Act, 1967, extends the powers of the Board of Trade under section 165(b)(i) of the Companies Act, 1948. Section 38 enables the Board to appoint inspectors to investigate the affairs of a company, including a company in voluntary liquidation, where there are circumstances suggesting, among other things, that the business of the company has been conducted with intent to defraud creditors. On present information there do not appear to be grounds for the appointment of inspectors to investigate the affairs of the companies to which my hon. Friend refers but I will consider any information which he may wish to put before me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those foodstuffs adversely affecting the trade figures for the last month with comparable figures for the past three months and for the same periods in 1967.

The £10 million rise, on a seasonably adjusted basis, in food imports in October compared with September was largely accounted for by increases of £3½ million in dairy produce, £½ million in meat and £4 million in miscellaneous food, of which, it is estimated that sugar and fish each accounted for about £2 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will issue a general direction to British Overseas Airways Corporation not to use American-owned agencies in their advertising campaigns and activities.

No. This is a matter within B.O.A.C.'s commercial discretion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the figures for the imports of calves from Eire for October compared with those for 1967.

Information from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shows that 101 calves were imported from Eire in October compared with 307 in October last year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make a statement on the procurement of the mother-ship as recommended in the interim report of the Holland Martin Committee.

I will make a statement very shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what weight limit is in force for civil aircraft movements at Royal Air Force, Northolt.

The present limit is 12,500 lb. but it has been agreed to raise it to 13,500 lb.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why civil aircraft using Royal Air Force, Northolt, are not permitted to fill an instrument flight plan either for arrival or departure.

The amount of traffic to and from R.A.F., Northolt, which can use controlled airspace is severely limited because of the interaction with Heathrow traffic. No I.F.R. capacity can be spared for civil movements which are therefore obliged to fly under Visual Flight Rules.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why civil helicopters are prohibited from using Royal Air Force, Northolt.