asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the value of manufacturers' stocks, of materials and fuel in September, 1967, March, 1968, and the latest convenient date.

At book values, manufacturers' stocks of materials and fuel amounted to £2,500 million, £2,300 million and £2,700 million (provisional estimate) at the ends of September, 1967, March, 1968, and September, 1968, respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the movement of manufacturers' stocks of materials and fuel, work in progress, and finished goods, respectively, in 1969 as compared with 1968.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given in this House on 25th June by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.—[Vol. 767, c. 217–8.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the direct contribution of the tourist industry to the balance of payments; and with which manufacturing industries this most nearly compares.

In 1967 overseas visitors spent £236 million while in the United Kingdom, about £85 million in fares to British carriers, and about £15 million on the personal exports of cars and purchases on British carriers and in duty-free shops. An industry which in 1967 had exports closely comparable in value to the expenditure of overseas visitors was Chemicals and Dyes as defined in the Standard Industrial Classification.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his esti- mate of the amount of investment which can be directly attributed to the temporary increase in investment grants; and what effect he estimates the termination of the increase will have on investment

Neither influence can be separately measured.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider reducing investment grants by substantially more than the proposed reductions to 20 per cent. and 40 per cent. which he intends to make on 1st January, 1969.

No. The rates will return to 20 per cent. and 40 per cent. on 1st January, 1969, as announced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to amend the Industrial Development Act to give him discretion to continue payment of investment grants on machinery bought on hire purchase by a manufacturing company and transferred to an operating subsidiary without change of use or location before the instalment payments are completed.

No. I am keeping this aspect of the present legislation under review but I am not at present satisfied that an amendment of the sort the hon. Member envisages would be appropriate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the grants described in paragraph 54 of his Department's pamphlet on Investment Grants are made available only to manufacturing industries and processes.

Investment grants are available on equipment for the protection against fire of premises or property used for carrying on any qualifying industrial process or related scientific research. They may thus be paid to the extractive and construction, as well as to the manufacturing industries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for grants he has received from England and Wales and Scotland respectively, for fire fighting and other protection equipment as described in paragraph 54 of his Department's pamphlet, Investment Grants, a Guide for Industry; and how many have been granted in each case.

This information could not be provided except at disproportionate cost of time and effort since it would necessitate the identification and extraction of many individual items from 180,000 claims covering all assets on which investment grants have been claimed and paid.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much factory space governed by industrial development certificates has been granted to the West Midlands during the past two years; and how much was granted during 1963 and 1964.

In 1963 and 1964 industrial development certificates were issued in the West Midlands for 8· 5 million sq. ft. excluding ancillary space for which i.d.c.s were not required at that time. In the two years ending September, 1968, the comparable area was 10· 2 million sq. ft. (or 17· 4 million sq. ft. if ancillary space is included).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that certain cosmetics in general use are now more expensive than precious metals; if he will consider submitting the price of certain cosmetics to the National Board for Prices and Incomes; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering referring to the National Board for Prices and Incomes manufacturers' prices in the toilet preparations industry and have recently consulted the trade associations concerned on the terms of such a reference, which would cover cosmetics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to extend the development areas to include the rural district of Oswestry.

My right hon. Friend has no proposals at present to extend the Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the freight on board value of imports for the year to date; how this compares with the corresponding figure for the preceding year; what is the estimated change in volume; and what evidence he has of import substitution by home manufacture following devaluation.

The value of imports, free on board, in the first three quarters of 1968 was about £5,050 million, seasonally adjusted, compared with £4,114 million in the same period of 1967. The volume of imports was 9 per cent. higher in the first three quarters of this year than in the same period last year. It is not possible to distinguish the effect which devaluation has had in encouraging import substitution.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports into the United Kingdom in the first five months of 1968 divided into raw materials, sections 2 and 4 of the Standard International Trade classification, industrial machinery and equipment, divisions 71 and 72, excluding domestic appliances and aircraft engines, and consumer goods respectively.

Following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the present method of seasonally adjusting the recorded values of monthly trade; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The present computer routine was designed specially for the monthly trade statistics after thorough analysis of the data and the appropriate techniques. It is kept under continuous review. Improvements in sub-routines of the general method have been and will continue to be made in the light of experience and technical developments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the breakdown of £3½ million of extra dairy products imported into this country during the month of October.

The figure of £3½ million is on a seasonally adjusted basis and a finer breakdown on this same basis is not available. Imports of recorded trade are given on pages 13 and 14 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for September and October, 1968.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories in Scotland are currently completed but unoccupied; what is the length of time since completion in each case; and what is the total cost of such factories to public funds to date.

14 advance factories in Scotland await tenants. On average these factories have been completed for 10 months. Their total cost was about £1· 5 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the arrangements made so far for the British Trade Fair in Sã o Paulo next March; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The British Industrial Exhibition which will be held in Sã o Paulo from 5th-16th March will be a very significant feature of our export promotion efforts in Brazil next year. This event has been wel- comed and encouraged by the Brazilian Government. The Board of Trade and the British National Export Council are giving full support. The range of British products to be shown is encouraging evidence that our exporters will make full use of the opportunity presented by this trade exhibition.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will refer increases in the price of books to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I do not think a reference is called for at present but I am keeping a careful watch on the situation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to implement the recommendations of the departmental Committee on Hallmarking, published in March, 1959; and when it plans to do so.

We have not so far decided what form revision of the hallmarking law should take, and cannot yet say when it will be possible to legislate on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the annual losses in invisible and visible exports to the British motor industry as a result of the Rhodesian Government's decision to set up and sponsor car assembly lines using kits from Italy, France, Germany and Japan.

Exports of cars and parts from Britain to Rhodesia are prohibited. The four countries mentioned by the hon. Member have all informed the Secretary-General of the United Nations that they have taken action to implement Resolution 232 of the United Nations Security Council, which was a decision to prevent, inter alia, the supply to Southern Rhodesia of motor vehicles and of equipment and materials for the manufacture or assembly of motor vehicles in Southern Rhodesia. We have drawn the attention of the Governments concerned to recent Press reports and have asked them to comment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with the European Free Trade Association since the 10 per cent. tariff was reimposed on frozen fish fillets bought from European Free Trade countries; and to what extent he estimates that imports of these fillets will be brought back to the 24,000 tons a year level.

Discussions took place at the E.F.T.A. Ministerial meeting in Vienna last month. As my right hon. Friend said in the House on 2nd December, it will be some time before we are in a position to identify the effects of this measure as imports fluctuate markedly and are to a large extent subject to forward contracts.—[Vol. 774, c. 1167–83.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals have been made by France and the European Economic Community to reduce discrimination by the Six against European Free Trade Association imports; and what was the response to Her Majesty's Government and of other member governments of European Free Trade Association, respectively.

No proposals for a trading arrangement between the E.E.C, and E.F.T.A., have been put forward by the E.E.C, and therefore no response has been made. E.F.T.A. Ministers, at their recent meeting in Vienna, had a full discussion of European integration, the outcome of which is recorded in the Communiqué which was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 26th November.—[Vol. 774, c. 88–9.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that productivity and employment in Aberdeen is being prejudiced by the drift south to England of skilled craftsmen and women and other workers of both sexes; and if he will state his plans to assist industry there and so negative this drift south.

I shall continue our efforts to assist the provision of more employment opportunities in Aberdeen by making full use of the wide range of incentives now available to industry in Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the potentialities of Northern Scotland for employment and productivity and particularly of exports to Northern Europe are not being fully used and exploited; and if he will state his plans to assist those regions in employment, productivity and exports.

The Government are concerned to see a full use of all national resources and will continue to apply its wide range of policies to help industry. Firms in Northern Scotland will continue to enjoy the substantial benefits available in the development areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ensure that when new financial policies affecting commerce or industry are introduced adequate arrangements are made for the prompt reporting of economic statistics in a form compatible with the general body of economic statistics.

Arrangements are made for the collection of statistics about areas of the economy affected by Government measures. These arrangements have to be considered with the need not to place an undue burden on industry. If the hon. Member is concerned about the availability of particular statistics I suggest he writes to me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the survey reported in the New Law Journal of 31st October, 1968, a copy of which has been sent to him, he is satisfied that the Hire Purchase (Advertisements) Act, 1967, is being adequately enforced; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to suppose that there is widespread contravention of this Act. We have, however, instituted a number of prosecutions under it and its predecessor legislation; and if my hon. Friend would give me details of any particular advertisements which trouble him, I will arrange for them to be investigated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will, by a marking order under Section 8 of the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, provide that goods offered for sale on hire-purchase terms shall be marked with the hire-purchase price in print no smaller or less conspicuous than that announcing the cash price.

I am advised that our powers under Section 8 of the Trade Descriptions Act are not wide enough to cover the imposition of such a requirement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he has to report in the inquiries being made by his investigations' board into the practices of auction rings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about his inquiry into auction rings.

Extensive inquiries have been made, and are continuing. They are unlikely to be completed before Christmas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that losses by vendors at auction sales are due primarily to the inadequacy of expert advice on the reserve price rather than the operation of rings; if he will therefore seek powers to appoint a panel of experts to advise vendors on the matter; and if he will make a statement on his inquiry into auction rings.

A reserve price based on sound advice is the best assurance that goods will not be sold for less than their true value, but I do not think it would be appropriate to establish Government appointed panels to provide such advice.As regards the inquiry, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given today to Questions by the right hon. Member for Reigate and the hon. Member for Southend, West.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state arising out of his inquiry into auction rings, in what proportion of auctions rings operate.

The inquiry has not yet been completed, but I do not expect it to provide the information asked for.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to prevent finance houses offering private loans to individuals to finance door-step sales which are not connected with the performance of the goods sold.

No. I understand that my hon. Friend has in mind central heating installations; I am informed that finance houses are only prepared to make loans for installations by approved dealers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to ensure that individuals employed for the installation of central heating apparatus must be qualified in this respect.

I am not aware of any substantial evidence that such legislation is necessary and I am not satisfied that it would be practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action, in view of further recent factory closures in Cardiff, he now proposes to take to assist industry in the city and prevent the drift of industrial employment out of Cardiff to adjacent development areas.

The Board will look sympathetically at applications for industrial development certificates for projects suited to the needs and resources of the area. The Government offices being dispersed to Cardiff will, in due course, provide substantial additional employment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what further plans he has to stimulate industrial development in the grey areas of the South-West of England, and in particular Okehampton in Devon;(2) if he is aware that a large number of men and women in the grey areas of the South-West have not the opportunity of making a contribution to industrial growth; and if he will make proposals to rectify this.

The Government have set up the Hunt Committee to examine the situation in those parts of the country outside the develop-

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has declined to issue an industrial development certificate for extensions to existing premises occupied by Repco Clutch (U.K.) Limited on the Denington Trading Estate at Wellingborough; and if he will make a statement.

The development could not be carried out consistently with the proper distribution of industry. An earlier application for an industrial development certificate for 20,000 sq. ft. for a new factory in Wellingborough was refused in 1967 and the firm were invited to consider a development area location. The revised i.d.c. application was to extend to 20,000 sq. ft. ment areas where the rate of economic growth may give cause for concern. The Government expect to receive the Committee's report early in the New Year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many washing machines, refrigerators and radios were imported during the years 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and the first three quarters of 1968; and what proportion of retail sales of these commodities these imports represent.

Figures are available up to the first half of 1968. Following is a table of statistics:smaller premises which the firm subsequently bought in Wellingborough, and there were not sufficient grounds to justify my reversing the earlier refusal of an i.d.c.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made in the construction of the aluminium smelter in Scotland.

The British Aluminium Company has appointed a British engineering consortium as main contractor for their plant at Invergordon and preliminary site work has begun. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has set up a special steering group, on which the Company is represented, to co-ordinate all constructional work in the area both on major industrial developments and on infrastructure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that KH3 capsules are being sold at 33s. for 30 capsules which cost not more than 2s. 6d. to manufacture; and whether he will ask the National Board for Prices and Incomes to investigate this profit margin.

I am aware that the facts are broadly as stated by my hon. Friend, but I do not think that a reference to the Prices and Incomes Board would be justified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, why hotel and restaurant interests were not consulted before the preparation and pubication of the Government's proposals for developing the British tourist trade; and whether he will withdraw the proposed scheme and draw up an alternative one after consultation with the interests concerned.

The Government's proposals for hotel development incentives and registration were published in May (Cmnd. 3633) and organisations representing hotel and restaurant interests have since been consulted on them.The proposals for a statutory tourist organisation were discussed with the British Travel Association, whose members include such interests, before my right hon. Friend's announcement of 13th November and it is still open to any organisation to give its views to the Board of Trade.—[Vol. 773, c. 407–16.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he will list for the last 12 months all the items and values of British exports to Western Germany which accrued through the Anglo-German offset agreement on the British Army of the Rhine and not through normal commercial transactions.

The details of individual transactions must remain confidential. The value of British exports accountable under the Anglo- German Offset Agreement during the 12 months ended 31st March, 1968 totalled DM 479 million. Complete figures for subsequent months are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he will give the numbers of applications for industrial development certificates both granted and refused, in the Dearne Valley constituency, for each of the past six years.

In the Local Employment Exchange Areas of Mex-borough and Wombwell two industrial development certificates were issued in 1963, five in 1964, five in 1965, seven in 1966, five in 1967 and nine in the first nine months of 1968. No applications were refused in this period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, in the Mexborough Employment Exchange area, unemployment is in the region of 6 per cent.; and what plans he has for encouraging industrialists to bring male dominated jobs into the area.

I am aware of the high rate of unemployment in the Mexborough area. Since the beginning of 1967 14 industrial development certificates for over 270,000 sq. ft. have been approved in the Mexborough/Gold-thorpe Local Employment Exchange areas, and I will continue to operate the i.d.c. policy liberally there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation specifically to prevent the misleading description involved when goods made in Scotland are marked, Made in England, or vice versa.

No. The prohibition of false trade descriptions in the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, already covers false indications as to the place of manufacture, production, processing or reconditioning of any goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total amount of investment of the nationalised industries, Scottish companies, and United States firms, in Scotland, since 1945.

Partial information, available only from 1951 onwards, is set out in the table below:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount of political contributions made by companies since the Companies Act, 1967, required disclosure of this information.

The requirement to disclose information about political contributions in the directors' report applies to financial years of companies ending after 26th January, 1968. Not all companies have yet sent to the Registrar of Companies a directors' report for a financial year ending after that date. An analysis of the reports sent to the Registrar by companies with net assets exceeding £500,000 or profits exceeding £50,000 shows political contributions totalling £135,000. An analysis of the reports sent by other companies would involve an undue expense of time and effort.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many forms are required by Government Departments to be returned by limited liability companies; and whether he will set out a list of such forms in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

There are 39 forms on which returns or notifications are made by limited liability companies to the Registrar of Companies.The forms are:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many limited liability companies have converted to unlimited companies since the passing of the Companies Act, 1967.

2,159.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications have been received by his Department for certificates under Section 123 of the Companies Act, 1967; how many of such applications have been granted and rejected, respectively; and what is the smallest paid-up capital of a company that has been granted a certificate.

132; 70 were successful, 56 unsuccessful and six are under consideration. A certificate was granted to a company with an issued capital of £100,000 of which £75,000 was paid-up.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how he intends to implement the proposal of the Monopolies Commission that the lamp manufacturers should sell long-life light bulbs to the general public.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that manufacturers of electric light bulbs now produce a long-life electric light bulb.

The Commission have not formally recommended that lamp manufacturers should make long-life lamps available to the general public, though they have expressed the hope that one or more of the manufacturers should reexamine the desirability of doing so. This is one of the matters which the Board of Trade will shortly be discussing with the lamp manufacturers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the quantity and value of grapes imported this year from the United States of America; and what was the quantity and value imported during the comparable period of last year.

Following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the percentage increase of United Kingdom exports and the percentage increase of world imports during 1968.

For manufactures, for which a more apposite comparison can be made, the volume of United Kingdom exports rose by 9 per cent. between the first three quarters of 1967 and 1968. The volume of world exports—for which early estimates are available—rose by 13 to 14 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further steps he now proposes in pursuit of his policy of imports substitution with a view to diminishing the deficit in visible trade in 1968 and progress towards parity in 1969.

The Government are pursuing a wide range of measures designed to promote exports and encourage import saving.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect of the latest changes in the system of protection for the Scottish jute industry on employment in the counties of Angus, Fife and Perthshire and the city of Dundee.

I estimate that the total labour force of the jute industry as a whole will show a further slight decline but that this will be covered by normal wastage and retirements. The industry will continue to need to recruit fresh labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the import-export record of the United Kingdom's trade with nations in the Eastern bloc during 1968; what are the prospective increases for 1969; and whether he will make a statement.

Total imports and exports for these countries are given each month on page 286 of the Overseas Trade Accounts. I look for an increase in our trade, but I cannot predict what the figures will be.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make a further statement in regard to the causes of the accident on 8th April, 1968 to a British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 707 aircraft at Heathrow.

We are expecting the report of the Chief Inspector of Accidents early in the New Year, and it will be published in the normal way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is satisfied with existing arrangements for the reporting of aircraft accidents and incidents likely to lead to accidents and for the dissemination of information gleaned from such reports that may be of value in accident prevention; and if he will make a statement.

No major change appears necessary in respect of accidents. As far as incidents are concerned I am considering in the light of the practice in other countries what improvements should be introduced. In both cases I shall be happy to look at any specific suggestions the hon. Gentleman may have.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to enable British airlines to provide improved facilities for passengers.

Within the conditions of air service licences and the approved tariffs, British airlines are free to provide such facilities for passengers as they wish.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the percentage growth of passenger and freight traffic carried by all British airlines since 1964 and his estimate of the growth for 1968 and 1969; and if he will also state the share of traffic won by the two air corporations in each year up to 1968.

In the three years 1964 to 1967 the number of passenger miles flown on all services of British airlines increased by 44 per cent. During the same period the number of freight ton miles flown on scheduled services increased by 57 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy regarding the development of municipal airports.

Development is primarily a matter for the municipal authorities, concerned but the Board of Trade would normally be consulted and would help and advise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recent change that has been made in the responsibility for the answering by Ministers of Questions relating to runways at Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports; and what is the reason for this change.

There has been no change. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland replies to Questions involving planning permission and also those concerning the wider issue of Scottish economy. My right hon. Friend has responsibility for civil aviation matters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the growing importance of air travel between North Wales and London, he will announce plans to replace British Eagle at Hawarden.

The Board of Trade have granted an exemption to Cambrian Airways to operate a daily service between Hawarden and London pending the outcome of licence applications now before the Air Transport Licensing Board.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the majority of the British Overseas Airways Corporation's world-wide routes serve Scotland through connections with British European Airways who operate from Glasgow; and if he will give an assurance that there will be no delays in reaching decisions on approvals for the development necessary at the city's airport to cater safely and expeditiously for this traffic.

I take my hon. Friend's point and, subject to the responsibilities of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for planning matters, we will support in principle any development of Glasgow Airport necessary to cater for the requirements of British European Airways.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will approve the capital expenditure required for the proposals for an adequate and efficient system of long-term parking at London Airport, Heathrow.

I am not aware of the particular proposals to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but I will look into the matter if he can be more specific.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now make a further statement on the effects of the cessation of services by British Eagle.

Immediate action was taken to enable other operators to continue domestic winter services provisionally and all these are currently being flown. Several airlines have now applied to the A.T.L.B. to take over routes formerly served by British Eagle.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ensure that the nationalised airlines comply with the Government's policy in regard to Rhodesia.

My officials have maintained contact with the British airlines concerned, including nationalised airlines, to keep them fully aware of Government policy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will promote legislation requiring all British airlines to provide full data giving details of their equipment, operations, operating costs and finances so that the public and all interested parties would be aware of performance and prospects.

I am considering what additional information regarding airlines should be published and intend to have further consultation with the airlines and other interested parties.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is proposed to introduce legislation amending the Merchant Shipping Acts.

As soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the result of the inquiry appointed by him to investigate the loss of the standby vessel "Hector Gannet", as a result of which two members of the crew lost their lives; how many such accidents and losses have occurred near oil drills in the North Sea; and what precautions he has taken in conjunction with the Minister of Power to prevent a recurrence of such accidents.

We are studying the report of the preliminary inquiry and, in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power, we are considering whether there are any lessons to be learnt.Apart from some minor incidents, there has been one other case of a vessel being lost when giving aid to an offshore drilling rig. There was no loss of life.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate how long it will take for the Army's permanent bomb-disposal units to complete work known to be outstanding and any necessary investigations.

I am not able to make a precise estimate in view of the large wartime areas involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many permanent bomb-disposal units the Army have.

One unit of Royal Engineers about 250 strong. In addition there are Royal Army Ordnance Corps explosives specialists attached to all headquarters of Army Commands in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentages of the total United Kingdom defence budget for the past year have been spent in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and overseas, respectively.

For the year 1967–68, 75¾ per cent., 6¾ per cent., 3 per cent. 1½ per cent. and 13 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in how many international inquiries into chemical and bacteriological warfare Her Majesty's Government is currently assisting or taking part.

Her Majesty's Government which has put forward proposals in the field of chemical and biological weapons in the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Committee in Geneva, intends to co-operate fully with the Secretary General of the United Nations in the study under his auspices which is now under discussion in the United Nations General Assembly. In addition, we have during the last eighteen months welcomed visits to the Porton establishments by officials of the Western European Union Arms Control Agency, and we have supplied some information to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute for a study on this question.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total expenditure by the United Kingdom on the provision of naval, military and air forces associated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation since 1952; and what amount was on account of foreign exchange.

I regret that the information is not available. The functional cost of B.A.O.R. only for the three financial years 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69 has been estimated at £169 million, £180 million and £207 million respectively. On the second part of the question, estimated foreign exchange costs in West Germany since 1952, after allowing for offset payments, amount, by the end of 1968–69, to some £360 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to ensure that the Changi murals in our base in Singapore will be preserved, and the buildings maintained and made readily accessible to visitors, particularly ex-Service personnel, after the withdrawal from the Singapore base.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made for the preservation of the Changi murals in the British base in Singapore after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Far East and for maintaining their accessibility to ex-Service visitors from this country.

I have arranged for a full study to be made of the best method of preserving these murals, if this can reasonably be done, and of maintaining access to them by interested members of the British public. This will inevitably take a little time, and I will write to my hon. Friends when it is complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to discontinue the Polaris base in Scotland altogether or to move the base away from its present situation adjacent to the dense population belt of Scotland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what ships of the Royal Navy other than aircraft carriers can operate Harriers.

Only the Commando Ships could operate the Harrier in an effective military rô le; though the aircraft could land on, and take off from, the converted Tiger Class cruisers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of a nuclear powered surface ship for the Royal Navy or Royal Fleet Auxiliaries.

Although I do not exclude the possibility of applying nuclear propulsion to naval surface vessels at some time in the future, we have no plans for this in the next generation of ships which we are now developing.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many fully trained reservists, showing officers and Servicemen separately, are needed to bring all British Army units and formations up to war establishment.

About 6,000 officers and about 54,000 soldiers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many fully trained reservists, showing officers and Servicemen separately, he estimates will be required as first reinforcements in 1969, 1971, 1973 and 1975 to fulfil the United Kingdom's commitments, including that to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

It would not be in the public interest to provide figures in answer to this Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has set a limit on the number of coloured men who may be recruited into the Army.

A percentage limitation on coloured personnel in the Army was authorised in 1961 at a time when operational circumstances often required units to be stationed in overseas theatres to which it was not customary to send coloured troops. The percentage was increased in April, 1964. No coloured man has ever been turned away as a result. In the light of the changes in defence policy introduced since that date, with its increased emphasis on the Army's rô le in Europe, I have decided that there is now no need for this type of limitation. Should the need ever arise, it would, of course, be open to the Army, as to any other organisation, to secure or preserve a reasonable balance of persons of different racial groups, in accordance with the provisions of the Race Relations Act, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the average employment of destroyers/frigates of the Royal Navy during the year 1967–68 under the following headings, namely, annual mileage, annual hours under way, days of 24 hours under way, and ratio sea: harbour.

I regret that it is not in the public interest to disclose this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the means available to his Department to check the arms shipped to Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Defence equipment for Nigeria, as for all other destinations, is supplied only in accordance with Her Majesty's Government's arms sales policy to the country concerned. The relevant export control procedures apply to equipment provided by my Department no less than to equipment provided from private industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to encourage the production of synthetic and substitute foods, such as protein from natural and synthetic sources; how much money has been spent on research in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the saving on balance of payments due to import saving in this way.

I am keeping in close touch with work in this field and have asked the Food Research Advisory Committee to advise on whether Government support for research on new sources of protein is needed. As much of the research is being undertaken by commercial enterprises, I cannot give figures of total expenditure. Substitute foods have not yet been produced or used on a sufficiently large scale to have any effect on the balance of payments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce the results of his consultations with foreign Governments about the future of the Bacon Sharing Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Multilateral discussions on the future of the Bacon Market Sharing Understanding will take place next week. My right hon. Friend will make a statement on the results as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce his conclusions regarding the operation of the new standards of bacon selection which have operated since May, 1968.

My right hon. Friend was pleased to see the new standards of bacon selection for Wiltshire side production which were introduced by the British Bacon Curers' Federation in May this year. It is encouraging that this substantial section of the industry has improved its grading in this way.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will complete consideration of the Worth Report on the bacon curing industry; and if he will make a statement.

The Worth Report considered various matters concerning the bacon curing industry, including the bacon curing industry stabilisation arrangements and the Bacon Market Sharing Understanding. The Bacon Market Sharing Understanding is in the course of review with our overseas suppliers, and we are continuing discussions with the industry about the future of the stabilisation arrangements. My right hon. Friend hopes to make a comprehensive statement on these matters as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the concern of farmers in Cheshire, he will issue temporary revised instructions about humane killing, the distribution of an effective disinfectant and the prohibition of nearby animal sales; and if he will appoint an overall director of operations in the event of a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

General revised instructions to veterinary officers have already been issued. These include revised instructions on humane killing issued in 1967 as a result of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Northumberland in 1966.It has not yet been possible to make a full revision of the Disinfectants Order, but my right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement about this shortly.Existing regulations prohibit sales of susceptible animals near infected premises and no revision is necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many proposed increases in the prices of chocolates and sugar confectionery have been notified to his Department in the last 12 months; and what action has been taken on them.

There have been 52 notifications, each covering proposals for price increases or weight reductions on a number of lines. Each notification is considered against the criteria in the relevant White Paper. Twenty-six have been accepted, and a further 16 have been accepted after modification. Of the remainder, some have been withdrawn and others are currently being examined.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what requirement is made of manufacturers of food products and drinks containing cyclamates to notify his Department of the extent of such use, so that an evaluation may be made of the extent of the use of cyclamates in food from time to time.

There is no such requirement, but we have asked food and drink manufacturers, and the enforcement authorities, for information about the present usage of cyclamates. My right hon. Friend is grateful for their co-operation and is publishing the results of the inquiry. He intends to make similar inquiries from time to time as part of the continuous review of the use of cyclamates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total returns to the farming industry, including subsidies, for each year from 1954–55 to the latest available date, using the average for the years 1954–55 to 1956–57 as a base with an index of 100.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the net income of the farming industry for each year from 1954–55 to the latest available date, using the average for the years 1954–55 to 1956–57 as a base with an index of 100, and using figures for subsequent years worked out at constant money values.

The index of aggregate farming net income, adjusted to constant money values by the Consumer Price Index, and with the average of 1954–55 to 1956–57 as 100, is:

asked the Minister of Technology what has been the annual production of British steel files over the past six years; and how many files have been imported annually over the same period.