asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables on the action taken by the police against unlicensed and uninsured foreign lorries using British roads.

On my present information, I should not feel justified in putting chief constables to the considerable trouble involved; but if my hon. Friend will let me know what particular point he has in mind I shall gladly see whether I can help.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will alter the Firemen's Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order, 1968 so that the widows of all firemen killed on every type of duty, and not merely those killed risking their lives attempting to save life during a fire, shall be eligible to the special gratuity which is at present £2,494.

As my predecessor stated in reply to Questions by my hon.

MOTOR ACCIDENTS ON Ml MOTORWAY ATTENDED BY THE LUTON FIRE BRIGADE AND THE SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE BEDFORDSHIRE FIRE BRIGADE
Luton Fire Brigade
		1964*	1965	1966	1967	1968†
Accidents not involving fires	…	14	12	18	14	11
Vehicle fires	…	18	14	15	10	9
Total	…	32	26	33	24	20

Southern Division Bedfordshire Fire Brigade
		1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968†
Accidents not involving fire	…	11	8	8	8	7	13
Vehicle fires	…	24	21	14	29	29	26
Total	…	35	34	27	37	36	39
* Luton Fire Brigade was formed on 1st April, 1964.
† Totals up to 1st November, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what grounds, other than ability to pay, legal aid is under the regulations refused to defendants in proceedings before magistrates' courts;

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times in the last five years were fire brigades in England and Wales called out to motor accidents; and how many times in this period were the Luton and Dunstable fire brigades called out to motor accidents on the Ml motorway.

In 1967, fire brigades in England and Wales attended 11,105 road accidents, excluding fires. I regret that corresponding figures for earlier years are not readily available.Following are details of attendances in the five year period by the Luton fire brigade and the Southern division of the Bedfordshire fire brigade at accidents on the M1 Motorway.(2) whether he will have discussions with the Magistrates' Association and other appropriate bodies regarding the granting of legal aid to defendants in proceedings before magistrates' courts.

The Criminal Justice Act, 1967 provides that a court may grant legal aid (subject to means) where it appears to the court desirable to do so in the interests of justice. The Departmental Committee on Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings made recommendations on this matter which are, no doubt, well known to magistrates' courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will introduce legislation to make it mandatory for the names of magistrates on duty in magistrates' courts to be displayed prominently so that they can be seen by accused persons and witnesses taking part in the proceedings.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many maintenance orders imposed by the courts of summary jurisdiction have remained unpaid; and what is the sum involved since the introduction of new Criminal Justice Bill.

I regret this information is not available. The Criminal Justice Act, 1967 did not change the law with regard to the enforcement of maintenance orders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money arising out of fines for motoring offences is owing to the courts of summary jurisdiction through nonpayment since the introduction of the new Criminal Justice Bill.

I regret that the figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the firms contracted by the Metropolitan Police for office cleaning operate the Fair Wages Resolution; and if he will make a statement.

All cleaning contracts placed by the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District provide that the obligations specified in the Fair Wages Resolution shall be observed. If my right hon. Friend has information to suggest that this condition is not being met and will let me have it, I will see that it is investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to transfer from the probation service the responsibility for reports on the possibility of reconciliation between husbands and wives.

My right hon. Friend has no such transfer in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many thefts have been reported, to the Metropolitan Police in each of the past three years from aircraft and passengers' baggage betwen landing at London Airport and Customs clearance; and what action is being taken by the Metropolitan Police to prevent them.

I regret that the information is not available. The responsibility for police action, including the prevention of crime, within London Airport lies with the British Airports Authority Constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times in the last three years Bootle Fire Brigade has been in attendance at the Linacre gas works in Bootle.

I am told that in the last three years the Bootle Fire Brigade has made 36 attendances at these gas works to deal with fires, most of which were quite small, and that other visits have been made for fire prevention purposes and for exercises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will specify the recommendations in the Littlewood Report which he accepts.

When the general structure of legislation to replace the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876 has been determined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many voluntary civil aid societies have been formed since the disbanding of the Civil Defence Corps; and what help he has given and plans to give towards their activities.

I understand that 98 groups were represented at a conference of these societies held in October.As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr) on 7th November and to the debate on the Motion for Adjournment on 12th November.—[Vol. 772, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many explosions have been caused by saboteurs in Wales or on pipe-lines leading from Wales in the past three years; how many arrests have been made in consequence thereof; how many charges have been laid; and how many persons convicted.

Eleven have been reported to the police. One person was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of explosives. He was acquitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to call a conference of chief police officers to consider action to be taken to ensure that those responsible for bomb explosions in Wales and to pipe-lines leading from Wales are apprehended.

The chief constables mainly concerned have already had a number of meetings, some of which have been attended by Home Office officials.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what special financial assistance he proposes to give to the borough of Bedford in view of its high immigrant population, half of whom are non-Commonwealth citizens.

The initial phase of the urban programme was confined to county and London boroughs with specially urgent social problems. In later phases, which I hope to initiate early next year, proposals will be considered from other areas. While I cannot say what particular assistance will be given to particular authorities, Bedford will benefit from the higher percentage rate of grant which I have proposed should be paid under Section 11 of the Local Government Act, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the constitutional talks he opened in May last with the representatives of Jersey, Channel Islands.

Meetings on constitutional matters were held in May and September with representatives of Jersey, at their request. I invited them to consultations in November on the establishment of the Commission on the Constitution as it affected Jersey, and I await the considered views of the Insular Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, as the result of acts of violence by gangs of youths, more than 400 members of bus crews operating from the Brixton garage of London Transport have refused to work after 9 p.m. on Saturday nights; and whether he will arrange for motorised police to patrol the bus routes concerned so that offenders will be apprehended, bus crews protected and normal services restored.

The Commissioner of Police is aware of this problem. He has been in consultation with the London Transport Board and has taken suitable action to deal with incidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis he estimates the cost of giving details concerning the number of successful prosecutions in the London area for the offence of evading the payment of the road fund licence, in view of the fact that this information is readily available on application by his Department to the appropriate authorities.

On the time that would be spent by staff and a computer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that there are 50,000 forged road fund licences circulating, he will take steps to secure extra vigilance in examining vehicles for road fund licences, so as to save the revenue from this potential loss of over £1,250,000.

I am confident that the police do all they reasonably can to detect these offences, and I understand that there were over 11,000 prosecutions in England and Wales during 1967 for forging motor vehicle, licences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the Chief Constable on the present strength of the police force in Hertfordshire, and the extent to which it is below establishment; and what action is proposed to bring it up to strength.

The establishment is 1,400 and the strength is 1,049. About two-fifths of the recruits are supplied by the cadet force, which the police authority hope to expand when economic circumstances allow. There is an advertising campaign for direct entry recruits and a steady flow of suitable applicants is coming forward.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he rejected the Lindsey County Council standard fire station proposals, which would have saved Government expenditure, and required larger, higher buildings to be erected at higher cost to local authority and public funds.

The Council's proposals have not been rejected. The only modification required was an increase in the floor area of the appliance bay to allow clearance for efficient working.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the Chief Constable stating the actual strength of the West Midlands Constabulary at 31st October, 1968, and to what extent it was under strength at that time; and whether he will make a statement.

The strength was 1,364, representing a deficiency against establishment of 605.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the pay rise recently agreed for the police is in accordance with the Prices and Incomes Policy; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The last increase in pay of the police was on 1st March, 1967, and the present award is consistent with the ceiling of 3½ per cent. a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an undertaking that he will seek to bring the proposals of the Boundary Commission into effect without delay, upon receipt of them.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said during the debate on electoral law on 14th October, 1968.—[Vol. 770, c. 36.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being given to using the Giro system for payments of maintenance awards and fines.

My right hon. Friend is examining the possibility of using the system for these purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of his proposal in the Immigration Appeals Bill, what administrative action is being taken to provide accommodation for those whose entry is to be subject to an appeal.

The Bill makes provision for the release of appellants on bail. For those who must be detained, extra accommodation will be provided, where needed, before the appeal system is introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women are in prison awaiting trial; for how many months they have been there; and what is the average length of waiting.

On 30th November there were 623 males and 22 females in prisons and remand centres in England and Wales awaiting or in the course of trial at higher courts. I regret that the other information asked for is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the growing number of fire disasters causing loss of life and damage to property, he will arrange for regular periodical Ministerial broadcasts on fire prevention to be televised so that the general public may be instructed and advised on all matters pertaining to fire prevention, control and drill, etc.

I am grateful for the suggestion but doubt whether this would be the most effective way of giving detailed advice. However, when considering what further publicity should be undertaken by the Home Office in the coming year, I will bear in mind the desirability of Ministerial support on appropriate occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual scientologists are prohibited from entering this country as visitors.

One. Since 25th July 129 foreign nationals seeking entry not as visitors but in order to study at Scientology establishments have been refused leave to land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to compensate local authorities via Exchequer grants for expenditures necessitated by the introduction of British Standard Time.

This is not a case for a special grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will make a statement on the Humberside Economic Survey.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement already made in answer to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson) yesterday.—[Vol. 775, c. 173–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he now expects a report from the Hunt Committee.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 14th November to similar Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) and The Hartlepools (Mr. Leadbitter).—[Vol. 773, c. 601–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will publish a list showing the main financial advantages which have been gained to the British economy during the month of November on account of the change to British Standard Time.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the total number of salaried statutory appointments which he is entitled to make; and what is the range of salaries involved.

The only such appointments for which my right hon. Friend is responsible are to the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, the maximum membership of which is 15. At present eight part-time members receive £1,000 a year, and the Managing Director receives £20,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will introduce legislation to implement paragraphs 58 and 62 of the Economic Review of the Trades Union Congress for 1968, details of which are in his possession; and if he will make a statement.

On paragraph 58 my hon. Friend has already been assured, the Government will not overlook the contribution which any of the public enterprises might be able to make in helping to bring employment to areas affected by pit closures and the rationalisation of the steel industry. The problem, however, goes wider than these two industries. With the help of Government incentives, including the incentives available under the scheme for Special Development Areas, progress is already being made in attracting industry to such areas.As regards paragraph 62, re-training facilities are available to help those needing to obtain other employment and they are being extended. As the Review re- cognises, the Redundancy Payments Act was a major step in providing assistance for people affected by economic change and the introduction of the earnings related supplement to unemployment benefit has been a further step in this direction.

asked the Postmaster-General, why on two occasions letters, details of which have been sent to him, posted in Nelson on a Wednesday by a pharmaceutical company have failed to reach their destination in London by the first post on the following Friday.

asked the Postmaster-General why a letter posted in Nelson by a pharmaceutical company on Saturday, 23rd November, 1968 and bearing a 5d. stamp did not reach its destination in Hampton, Middlesex, until after noon on Tuesday, 26th November, 1968, details of which case have been supplied to him.

We do not keep records of the movement of individual letters through the post, and as the envelopes of those for London are not available, I regret I have been unable to make any useful inquiries about these particular delays. The letter for Hampton, Middlesex was unfortunately missorted. Generally the service between Nelson and London is working well, and I am sorry these letters were delayed.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has considered the letter from the secretary of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association, drawing his attention to the burden inflicted on old-age pensioners by increased postage; and if he will devise and implement a method of exempting old-age pensioners from the increases in charges.

Yes. I have every sympathy with old-age pensioners but concessionary charges, the cost of which would have to be borne by other users, are not an appropriate way of dealing with this problem.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue booklets of the stamps commemorating the investiture of the Prince of Wales in which Welsh industrialists will be able to advertise.

No. Stamp booklets are produced primarily as an economic way of selling small quantities of stamps in a form convenient for customers. Because of the size and design of these special stamps, and their common issue date throughout the country, their incorporation in booklets would present considerable production and distribution problems.

asked the Postmaster-General what increase there has been in telephone calls to the continent of Europe this November as compared to last year between the hours of 7 to 8 a.m., 8 to 9 a.m., and 9 to 10 a.m. respectively.

Hourly figures of telephone calls to Europe are not available as more than half are dialled direct by subscribers.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the policy of his Department regarding the priority to be given for the provision of telephones to the houses of county councillors with whom their constituents wish to communicate urgently; and what degree of priority is given for this need.

Chairmen of county councils are given a high degree of priority but other county councillors are not given any special priority.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the factors which prevent the installation of telephones free of charge in the homes of physically disabled persons living alone.

If the Post Office installed telephones free of charge in the homes of certain disabled people, other telephone users instead of the Government would have to bear these social welfare costs. The Post Office has no fund for welfare purposes; no organisation for assessing the many claims which would be made, nor the right to inquire into personal circumstances.

asked the Postmaster General whether he will examine the economic advantages to the Post Office of offering the public the opportunity of purchasing a five-year television receiving licence for a reduced charge of £17 10s. as an optional alternative to the annual £5 licence.

The annual television licence fee will be £6 from 1st January. A material loss of revenue would result from the introduction of a five-year licence at an issue fee of £21.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of local education authorities who have complied, or who have notified him that they intend to comply, with his request that the deemed proportion and standard rate in respect of fees charged by colleges for industrial training be increased.

The recommendation to increase the standard rate charged by technical colleges for industrial training was made by the associations of local authorities, and conveyed by the Department on their behalf to local education authorities. The associations did not recommend any increase in the deemed proportion. Local education authorities do not notify me of their intentions with regard to guidance of this nature.

asked the Secretary of Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the policy objectives as set out in the White Paper, "A Policy for the Arts", Command Paper No. 2601, paragraphs 38–48, are being met, in view of the fact that in 1966–67 £630,000 was spent on the arts in Scotland, £430,000 in Wales but only £175,000 in the Northern Region; and if he will make a statement.

The Arts Council estimate that in 1967–68 the Northern Region benefited directly or indirectly to the extent of just over £250,000. This does not include any allocation of the Councils administrative costs. The figures of £630,000 for Scotland and £430,000 for Wales were the Arts Council's allocations for 1967–68, not for 1966–67. About 30 per cent. of the Scottish grant and over 50 per cent. of the Welsh grant were in support of Scottish and Welsh National institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the size of the major school-building programme for the West Riding County Council in each of the last seven years; and what is the figure for 1969–70.

Values of major building programmes as announced for primary and secondary schools in the West Riding are as follows:

				£ million
1962–63	…	…	…	2·3
1963–64	…	…	…	1·4
1964–65	…	…	…	1·6
1965–66	…	…	…	3·9
1966–67	…	…	…	3·5
1967–68	…	…	…	3·7
1968–69	…	…	…	2·6
1969–70	…	…	…	3·3

The values shown for the years 1968–69 and 1969–70 are authorised starts on the basis explained in Circular 6/68: in these figures are school buildings to the value of £0·3 million approved for the 1967–68 programme but which had not started by 31st March, 1968. In addition, school buildings to the value of £0·2 million under the special programme for educational priority areas were allocated to the West Riding for 1969–70.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the names of the primary schools which were scheduled to be built in the Dearne Valley constituency for the years 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively, and have now been deferred; and when these schools will be included in the building programme.

This information is not readily available since the schools submitted for building programmes are not classified by reference to Parliamentary constituencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will complete his consideration of the need for speech therapists, their function and their training; and if he will make a statement.

The Government expect to complete their preliminary consideration of this matter in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to obtain from local education authorities an assessment of the effects of his recent Memorandum 9/66, Addendum 1, on the level of enrolment for the first year of off-the-job industrial training.

I see no reason for a special assessment of this kind. Normal channels of communication are sufficient to ensure that I am informed of any significant effect of this or any other relevant factor on enrolments for off-the-job training courses at colleges of further education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many training and swimming pools there are in primary and secondary schools in Wales; and how many are available for use by the general public.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made, in conjunction with the Cornwall Education Authority, of the future school population in the year 1970–71 for Penzance/St. Ives/Cape Cornwall, Helston, Camborne/Redruth, St. Austell, Liskeard and Bodmin, respectively; and if he will express these figures as a percentage increase over the school population in each of the above areas in 1966–67.

None. The Department has no occasion of its own to make forecasts of school populations for particular localities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many local authorities have introduced later times for starting school for children in primary and secondary schools, respectively;(2) how many local authorities have given discretionary powers to head teachers to determine the time for starting school.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local education authorities in dealing with cases of parents who decline to take their children to school until in their judgment it is sufficiently light for them safely to do so.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the total sums allocated to Scottish universities for capital expenditure in the current and three previous financial years; what this represents as a proportion in each year of the total sum allotted to all universities in Great Britain; and what percentage of the total United Kingdom student population is presently enrolled in Scottish universities.

The capital value of university building projects authorised to start in Scotland in 1965 (January) to 1966 (March) and in the financial years 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69 was £9·4 million, £4·6 million, £3·2 million and £5·2 million, respectively. These figures represented 20·4 per cent., 11·8 per cent., 10·1 per cent. and 27·5 per cent. respectively of the value of university projects authorised to start in Great Britain. According to provisional figures, 15·4 per cent. of the 218,000 United Kingdom university students in October, 1968, were in Scottish universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools were built in the years 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967; how many new school places were made available; and what was the capital cost.

The figures are given in the following table:

Calendar year		Number of schools completed	Number of places provided	Value of projects completed
				£ million
1963	…	482	229,355	58·9
1964	…	580	278,220	76·7
1966	…	535	267,560	63·6
1967	…	729	332,665	81·8

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards giving major artistic institutions security of national subsidy for a period of more than a year in advance to enable them to make long-term plans and commitments.

My Department and the Arts Council have discussed over a long period the possibility of settling grants on a three-year basis, thereby enabling the Council to give advance assurances to their clients. The matter will be further considered in the light of the recommendations made in the Eighth Report of the Estimates Committee. I fully appreciate the importance of long-term planning and some progress has already been made in this direction.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the annual cost to public funds of conveying Pembrokeshire patients to Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen, and vice versa.

The estimated cost for the past 12 months was £20,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many United Kingdom citizens he estimates have emigrated permanently in the first nine months of this year and 1963, respectively.

International convention defines an emigrant as a person going abroad for a year or more. On this basis the most up-to-date estimates are that net migration from the United Kingdom in the first half of 1968 amounted to 59,000 people. The nearest comparable figures are for the years ending mid-1963 and mid-1964, which are estimated at 95,000 and 142,000, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of Servicemen who applied to purchase their discharge, and the numbers allowed to do so, in each of the past four years, together with the totals of those remaining on the waiting lists for purchase of discharge at the end of each of those years.

The following is the information. Numbers of Servicemen allowed to purchase their discharge:

1964	…	…	…	…	7,324
1965	…	…	…	…	8,885
1966	…	…	…	…	8,786
1967	…	…	…	…	9,087

These figures include discharges by purchase as of right during the first three months of service. This right was introduced into the Royal Navy in February, 1967.Numbers of Servicemen remaining on the waiting lists of the Royal Navy and R.A.F. at the end of the years given:

1964	…	…	…	…	1,164
1965	…	…	…	…	1,361
1966	…	…	…	…	1,498
1967	…	…	…	…	660

There is no waiting list in the Army but the entry procedure permits a steady flow of discharges by purchase.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 170,000 national Servicemen with a continuing call-up liability he estimates are available to serve as trained reinforcements in the British Army of the Rhine in the event of a sudden emergency; and from what other sources he proposes to meet the requirement of 15,000 who are currently needed on mobilisation, after their liability ends on 30th June, 1969.

About two-thirds. As already announced, a statement on the Army General Reserve will be made shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the proposed merger between Unilever and Allied Breweries.

We are examining this proposal in the usual way for a merger within the scope of the Monopolies and Mergers Act, and shall decide whether or not to refer it to the Monopolies Commission when we have all the necessary information.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on his proposals for the placing of further orders for Olympus engines for the Concorde, with particular regard to the likely effects upon employment at the Bristol division of Rolls-Royce of any delay in placing further orders resulting from the slippage in the Concorde programme.

The slippage in the development programme has resulted in a consequential delay in the production programme. My officials are currently discussing with the company what the revised production programme should be. The effect on employment will not be clear until this revised programme has been established.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the European Airbus.

The House will recall that, at the meeting in Paris in August with my French and German colleagues, we agreed to give the consortium of firms a further period to complete the design stage of the A.300 aircraft with a view to improving its technical performance, reducing its price and testing the market.The response of world airlines to the revised proposals has not been encouraging and the prospects of an economic return, both to the firms and to the Governments, were not sufficiently good.The consortium of firms have therefore withdrawn the present A.300 design, and have said that they wish now to put forward proposals for a scaled-down version of the aircraft, with around 250 seats, and using the Rolls-Royce RB.211.In these circumstances, the costs involved in developing the RB.207 engine for the European Airbus can be saved, and Rolls-Royce are stopping work on the engine in this application.The withdrawal of the A.300 design presents the three Governments with a new situation which they will have to consider.As far as Her Majesty's Government is concerned, I must make it absolutely clear that I cannot in any way commit the Government to give financial support to any new proposals which may be brought forward by the consortium. In this new situation, we shall judge these or any other proposals on their merits against the stringent economic criteria which we apply when Government launching aid is sought, including the assurance of a firm market, and against the need to control the aggregate level of public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that 87 per cent. of the Scottish public are opposed to British Standard Time; and if he will therefore now move to repeal the Act.

I am aware of the information which has appeared in the Press about public opinion polls on this subject but I think it is too early yet to come to a final conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in the last month from organisations and from individuals, respectively, against the introduction of British Standard Time; and what reply he has sent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received regarding the working of British Standard Time; and if he will make a statement.

Since 27th October I have received representations from three Town Councils and seven individuals. All these representations have been, or are being, acknowledged but no other reply has been sent except where information was specifically requested.I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 5th December to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mrs. Ewing).—[Vol. 774, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prevent the intensification of egg production in Scotland, in view of the danger of a spread of Mareks disease amongst poultry.

No. I have no evidence that restricting intensive egg production would affect the prevalence of Mareks disease.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average number of children in the first infants class in Lanarkshire and the constituency of Hamilton, respectively.

At January, 1968, 36·3 and 351.NOTE.—Composite classes containing pupils at Primary I and other stages were excluded from the calculation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioners, hospital doctors and consultants, respectively, emigrated from Scotland in each of the last five years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what study has been made on the basis of the information available to him through the European

			Killed	Seriously Injured	Slightly Injured	Totals
November, 1966	Children	…	10	108	318	436
	Adults	…	109	650	1,404	2,163
			119	758	1,722	2,599
November, 1967	Children	…	10	155	346	511
	Adults	…	67	645	1,296	2,008
			77	800	1,642	2,519
November, 1968 (Provisional)	Children	…	7	765*	1,542*	2,376*
	Adults	…	62
			69
* Separate figures for adults and children injured in the past months will not be available for a few days.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that farmers in the North-East of Scotland are being approached by mineral companies to grant prospecting rights over their land; and if he will institute a study of mineral wealth there and in Scotland generally.

These imports are not subject to a fixed import quota. Information about the support given to their fishing industries by the major fishing countries is studied in the normal course of administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of children killed in accidents and the combined total of adults and children killed on Scotland's roads in the months of November 1966, November 1967 and November 1968, respectively, together with the number seriously injured, slightly injured and the total of all these categories.

I am glad to state that the provisional figures for November, 1968, show fewer deaths and other casualties than either of the two previous Novembers, as follows:—

I understand that some farmers in the North-East of Scotland have been approached for permission to drill on their lands and that some borings have been taken. On the second part of the Question I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 5th December.—[Vol. 774, c. 555.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many non-industrial civil servants are employed in England and Wales, respectively, in the following Fulton classifications, namely, Aviation, Customs and Excise, Defence

				Non-industrial civil servants employed—1st July, 1968
				In Wales	In England	The number in Wales as a percentage of the total number in the United Kingdom
Ministry of Aviation	…	…	…	*	*	*
Customs and Excise	…	…	…	454	15,015	2·5
Ministry of Defence (Air)	…	…	…	520	20,187	2·4
Ministry of Defence (Army)	…	…	…	1,286	41,286	2·9
Ministry of Defence (Navy)	…	…	…	795	31,083	2·1
Diplomatic Service	…	…	…	103	6,775	1·5
Department of Education and Science		…	…	86	4,228	2·0
Export Credits Guarantee Department		…	…	3	1,326	0·2
General Register Office	…	…	…	1	1,505	0·1
Ministry of Health	…	…	…	13	6,322	0·2
Home Office	…	…	…	440	18,389	2·3
Land Registry	…	…	…	77	3,760	2·0
Ordnance Survey	…	…	…	87	3,889	2·1
Ministry of Power	…	…	…	44	1,621	2·6
Stationery Office	…	…	…	37	3,126	1·1
Ministry of Technology	…	…	…	460	21,020	2·1
Board of Trade	…	…	…	647	15,681	3·6
Ministry of Transport	…	…	…	198	7,530	2·5
Treasury	…	…	…	1	1,736	0·1
* The staff of the Ministry of Aviation were transferred to the Ministry of Technology and the Board of Trade prior to the date to which the figures relate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of Press and information officers attached to the Home Civil Service; and how many of these work in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively.

441 of whom 19 are in Scotland, 10 in Wales and 412 in England. Of the 412 in England, 280 are in Departments serving the whole of Great Britain, i.e. including Scotland and Wales.

asked the Minister of Power what is the cost per ton for the stocking of open cast coal from 1st January to 30th November, 1968.

About £1 for all kinds of coal.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that many local authorities by leaving houses empty for long periods cause concern to many homeless families; if he will introduce legislation to lay down limits on the length of such periods; and if he will make a statement.

I have no evidence that local authorities are leaving houses empty unnecessarily. Inevitably there will be vacancies at any one time, owing to the need for repairs, or when re-lets or transfers are being arranged.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many empty houses and flats he estimates to exist in the inner London area in council ownership and in private ownership; and what steps he proposes to take about their utilisation for people in housing need.

Regular statistics of unoccupied dwellings are not kept but the sample census returns showed that in April, 1966 there were some 36,000 dwellings vacant out of 934,000, in an area which approximated to that of the old London County Council. This is about 3·8 per cent. which, in an area where there is a high turnover of households, is less than that required for mobility of labour and for houses under repair or between changes of occupancy.

asked the Minister of Transport what decision has been reached on the application for an increase in fares charged on the ferry between North and South Shields; and whether he will make a statement about the result of discussions about the ferry service that his Department held with the local authorities and the ferry operator.

No decision has been reached on the application to increase fares. The local authorities are now discussing proposals for the future of the ferry service, which is a matter only they can decide.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Greater London Council have now made freely available information concerning the number of successful prosecutions in the London magistrates' courts for the offence of driving without a road fund licence; and whether he will obtain the same and publish the details in HANSARD.

We are informed that the information made available by the Greater London Council, and which has been sent to my hon. Friend, related not to successful prosecutions but to all reported offenders against vehicle excise law and was as follows. In the first year of the Council's existence they dealt with 15,000 offenders and the fines and penalties imposed amounted to £71,000. In the third year the figures increased to 38,000 offenders and £322,000 in fines and penalties. For the current year, from April to October inclusive, the figures are 23,000 offenders and £250,000 in fines and penalties.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the date he now proposes to approve for the closing down of St. Pancras Station.

No proposal to close St. Pancras station has been put to me by British Railways.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) on what grounds he made his decision not to make a grant to the Railways Board in respect of the provision of a passenger service between Colne and Skipton; and if he will make a statement;(2) how the figure of £110,000, which is the estimated loss incurred by British Railways as a result of the provision of a passenger service between Colne and Skipton, is arrived at.

The decision to refuse grant was made in the light of the cost and usage of the service. My tentative conclusion was that a grant would not represent value for money. The calculation of the annual grant required was based on estimated total costs of almost £115,000 and estimated earnings of £6,000.

asked the Minister of Transport what machinery he has in his Department to evaluate the accuracy of the deficit figures submitted by the British Railways Board for particular rail lines in reaching decisions on whether to give grants to support unremunerative services.

As recommended by the Joint Steering Group in their Report published as the Annex to the White Paper on Railway Policy (Cmnd. 3439) the calculations in a proportion of cases will be checked by independent accountants. I shall select the cases to be checked in this manner.

asked the Minister of Transport why he did not take into account the conclusions of the County of Monmouth Land Use Transportation Study on the need to improve local communications, a copy of which was in his possession, when deciding not to support local train services between Newport and Gloucesler.

Before reaching my tentative conclusion that a grant for the local service between Newport and Gloucester would rot represent value for money I consulted the Welsh Council and the South West Economic Planning Council, whose advice reflects local considerations.I shall naturally study all relevant factors before I make a decision about the closure proposal, notice of which, the Board tell me, they intend to publish tomorrow.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the designed traffic capacity of the A4 road between Reading and Newbury.

The theoretical traffic capacity for design purposes is about 11,000 vehicles per day where there is a single carriageway and about 25,000 vehicles per day where there are dual carriageways.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the designed traffic capacity of the A4 road between Newbury and Hungerford.

The theoretical traffic capacity for design purposes is about 11,000 vehicles per day.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give details of the volume of traffic using the A4 road between Reading and Newbury during each of the last five 12-month periods to the latest convenient date.

The daily average numbers of vehicles for the last five years are as follows:

1964	…	…	…	…	14,427
1965	…	…	…	…	15,665
1966	…	…	…	…	16,902
1967	…	…	…	…	18,420
1968	…	…	…	…	20,000

The figures for 1965 and 1968 are based on actual counts. The others are calculations, based on assumed growth rate.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give details of the volume of traffic using the A4 road between Newbury and Hungerford during each of the last five 12-month periods to the latest convenient date.

The daily average numbers of vehicles for the last five years are as follows:

1964	…	…	…	…	9,997
1965	…	…	…	…	10,866
1966	…	…	…	…	11,735
1967	…	…	…	…	12,680
1968	…	…	…	…	13,829

The figures for 1965 and 1968 are based on actual counts. The others are calculations, based on assumed growth rate.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the number of fatalities that have been caused by accidents on the A4 road between Reading and Newbury during each of the last five 12-month periods to the latest convenient date.

The numbers of fatalities during each calendar year have been:

1964	…	5
1965	…	12
1966	…	12
1967	…	12
1968 to 2nd December, 1968	…	19

asked the Minister of Transport what is the number of fatalities that have been caused by accidents on the A4 road between Newbury and Hungerford during each of the last five 12-month periods to the latest convenient date.

The numbers of fatalities during each calendar year have been:

1964	…	6
1965	…	6
1966	…	3
1967	…	7
1968 to 2nd December, 1968	…	8

asked the Minister of Transport what is the number of accidents involving personal injury that have occurred on the A4 road between Reading and Newbury during each of the last five 12-month periods to the latest convenient date.