asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to what extent the Government's prices and incomes policy has improved the position of the low paid worker; and if she will make a statement.

Since the inception of the policy in April, 1965, there has been an improvement in the relative position of workers in a substantial number of industries with below average earnings. Although the policy includes special provision for low paid workers, consideration of their claims rests in the first instance with those responsible for their wage negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many industries have 15 per cent. of their workers earning less than £15 per week.

I regret that up-to-date figures showing the distribution of earnings in different industries are not at present available. The new earnings survey recently undertaken by my Department has been designed to provide information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what further requests she has received for the establishment of an industrial retraining centre in Portsmouth; and what reply she has sent.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when she intends to introduce an occupational health service.

I assume my hon. Friend has in mind the proposals for reorganising the Appointed Factory Doctor Service. These proposals are being pursued but I cannot at present say when the necessary legislation will be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will issue a guideline for increases in earnings during 1969.

The Government's incomes policy for 1969 was set out in the White Paper "Productivity, Prices and Incomes Policy in 1968 and 1969", published last April. The ceiling for pay increases continues to be 3½ per cent. per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what plans she has for future New Year's Days so that industry and commerce can plan ahead either to eliminate absenteeism or for factories and offices to be closed on that day.

New Year's Day is a Bank Holiday in Scotland and is widely taken as a public holiday in certain areas in the north of England. It is primarily for industry to decide whether in other areas New Year's Day should be a working day or a holiday.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity which areas were worst hit by absenteeism on 1st January, 1969; and how much production was lost to the country through it.

Arrangements to collect such information systematically were not made and would not be justified. I thus cannot add to what has been reported in the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many men and women and young persons are unemployed in the Plymouth area; and what opportunities there are for school leavers to obtain employment in the neighbourhood.

At mid-January, 1969, 2,679 men, 581 women and 161 young persons were registered as unemployed in the Plymouth area. For young persons there were 142 vacancies in the same area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many meetings she has had in 1968 with employers and trades unions to discuss the question of equal pay for work of equal value in regard to women's pay; and what progress has been made.

I met representatives of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress personally last July in separate meetings to outline proposals for preparing a phased programme of implementation. These meetings were followed by several meetings at official level which resulted in agreement on the details of a joint inquiry currently being undertaken into the cost of equal pay in particular industries which all parties agreed were essential to further discussions. I will be resuming personal discussions after the results of the inquiry become available in two to three months' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether, following her discussions on her proposals on industrial relations reform with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry, she will now issue a Green Paper in order to promote the fullest public debate on these issues before legislation is drafted.

The Government's proposals on industrial relations are set out in the While Paper "In Place of Strife" (Cmnd. 3888) which I published last Friday.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many times her Department has intervened on behalf of the Redundancy Fund in proceedings before the tribunal which investigates the causes of dismissals alleged to be due to redundancy; and with what results.

A sample check has shown that the Department was represented in about 10 per cent. of redundancy payments cases heard by industrial tribunals during 1968. Awards of redundancy payments were made in about 60 per cent. of such cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the number of self-employed workers in the construction industry in the month of June in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968; and what percentage of the labour force these figures represent.

Information from the 1966 Census of Population, my Department's mid-year employment statistics and National Insurance records suggests that the number of employers and self-employed in construction in mid-1966 was around 210,000 or about 11 per cent. of the total engaged in construction, and in mid-1967 was around 230,000 or 12 per cent. Comparable figures are not available for 1965 nor, yet, for 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what study she has made of the practice in the construction industry of dismissing workers on short time before the completion of two years' employment with the employer; and what steps she proposes to take to deal with the practice.

I have no evidence of this alleged practice, but I should be pleased to consider any information my hon. Friend is able to give me about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what addition, in percentage terms, to any nationally negotiated wage settlement for the engineering industry she estimates will arise from the detailed application of such a settlement, with its productivity guide lines at plant level.

It is not possible to estimate the cost of plant agreements which may be negotiated but any such agreements will have to be separately justified under the productivity, prices and incomes policy and any additional costs covered by savings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she has now obtained the information on the past productivity performance of journalists working in the London and Manchester offices of national newspapers; and if she will now circulate in the Official Report the details of the productivity element in the recent pay settlement and an estimate of the percentage increase in productivity expected during the next two years.

				Percentage rates of unemployment
				Newquay and Perranporth	Bude	Camelford	Launceston	Wadebridge*
1962
15th January	…	…	…	6·0	4·1	6·6	1·5	4·5
12th February.	…	…	…	5·9	3·7	5·8	1·2	4·3
12th March	…	…	…	5·6	3·4	6·0	1·2	4·1
9th April	…	…	…	5·2	3·4	5·4	1·2	3·8
14th May	…	…	…	3·6	2·6	3·5	1·1	2·6
18th June	…	…	…	1·6	2·3	2·4	1·1	2·0
16th July	…	…	…	1·1	2·2	2·5	1·2	2·0
13th August	…	…	…	1·5	2·3	2·9	1·3	2·3
10th September	…	…	…	2·1	2·4	2·9	1·5	2·7
15th October	…	…	…	5·5	3·5	5·8	1·5	4·2
12th November	…	…	…	6·9	4·4	7·4	1·9	4·7
10th December	…	…	…	7·2	4·5	7·9	2·2	4·8
1963
14th January	…	…	…	7·5	5·6	12·1	2·3	5·3
11th February	…	…	…	7·8	6·3	9·9	2·6	6·1
11th March	…	…	…	6·7	4·9	7·8	1·9	4·5
8th April	…	…	…	5·5	4·6	6·2	1·4	3·9
13th May	…	…	…	4·1	3·3	10·2	1·4	3·2
10th June	…	…	…	2·0	2·7	3·1	1·3	2·9
15th July	…	…	…	1·8	2·4	2·5	1·2	2·6
12th August	…	…	…	2·1	2·4	2·5	1·3	2·7
9th September	…	…	…	2·1	2·5	2·7	1·5	3·2
14th October	…	…	…	5·9	3·7	5·7	1·6	4·3
11th November	…	…	…	6·8	4·2	7·0	1·6	4·8
9th December	…	…	…	6·5	4·4	7·9	1·8	5·2

Discussions with the parties to the settlement are still continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if he has now concluded his consultations with the employers and unions concerning the proposed increase in the pay of workers in the bacon curing industry; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The settlement was approved on 9th December, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will state the unemployment rate for the Newquay group, Bude, Camelford, Launceston and Wadebridge employment exchange areas for each month since January, 1962.

Following is the information:

				Percentage rates of unemployment
				Newquay and Perranporth	Bude	Camelford	Launceston	Wadebridge*
1964
13th January	…	…	…	6·9	4·8	7·4	1·7	5·2
10th February	…	…	…	6·5	5·1	7·4	1·7	5·2
16th March	…	…	…	5·4	5·0	6·2	1·5	5·2
13th April	…	…	…	4·6	4·7	5·1	1·4	3·7
11th May	…	…	…	3·4	3·9	4·7	1·5	4·9
15th June	…	…	…	1·5	2·4	2·7	1·2	2·7
13th July	…	…	…	1·3	2·4	2·0	1·0	2·9
10th August	…	…	…	1·4	2·4	2·7	1·1	2·9
14th September	…	…	…	2·0	2·2	2·9	1·2	3·6
12thOctaber	…	…	…	5·3	3·4	5·1	1·3	5·2
9th November	…	…	…	6·0	4·1	6·2	1·6	6·6
7th December	…	…	…	6·2	4·4	6·5	1·5	7·0
1965
11th January	…	…	…	6·5	4·3	7·1	1·7	7·5
8th February	…	…	…	5·9	4·2	6·9	1·7	7·3
8th March	…	…	…	5·8	4·1	7·0	1·5	6·8
12th April	…	…	…	5·2	3·7	5·5	1·4	6·7
10th May	…	…	…	3·8	3·2	5·0	1·5	3·8
14th June	…	…	…	1·7	2·1	2·8	1·2	3·9
12th July	…	…	…	1·3	1·8	2·4	1·2	3·8
9th August	…	…	…	1·6	2·5	2·9	1·5	3·9
13th September	…	…	…	2·8	2·6	3·5	1·5	4·5
11th October	…	…	…	4·9	3·7	6·1	2·1	6·3
8th November	…	…	…	7·0	4·4	6·9	2·0	8·2
6th December	…	…	…	7·2	4·6	7·6	1·9	8·3
1966
10th January	…	…	…	7·1	5·0	8·0	2·4	7·9
14th February	…	…	…	6·7	5·1	7·3	2·0	7·6
14th March	…	…	…	6·4	5·0	6·9	2·0	7·0
18th April	…	…	…	4·9	4·3	6·1	1·7	6·8
16th May	…	…	…	3·7	3·4	4·5	1·8	4·1
13th June	…	…	…	1·5	2·8	2·6	2·0	2·7
11th July	…	…	…	1·4	2·8	2·4	1·7	2·8
8th August	…	…	…	1·7	3·0	2·3	1·6	4·1
12th September	…	…	…	2·9	3·9	2·8	2·0	3·7
10th October	…	…	…	6·3	6·2	5·9	2·3	6·7
14th November	…	…	…	8·2	6·9	8·5	2·6	8·8
12th December	…	…	…	8·8	7·2	11·0	3·0	8·6
1967
9th January	…	…	…	9·1	8·2	11·5	3·1	8·9
13th February	…	…	…	8·8	7·4	10·4	3·1	8·6
13th March	…	…	…	7·8	6·8	9·7	3·0	7·9
10th April	…	…	…	7·1	6·1	8·6	2·7	7·5
8th May	…	…	…	6·1	4·9	6·8	2·4	7·1
12th June	…	…	…	2·7	4·0	4·7	2·5	4·8
10th July	…	…	…	2·5	3·9	3·9	2·2	4·8
14th August	…	…	…	2·6	4·6	3·8	2·2	5·4
11th September	…	…	…	3·5	4·7	4·3	2·2	5·8
9th October	…	…	…	7·7	6·8	6·0	2·5	8·1
13th November	…	…	…	9·0	8·1	7·8	2·8	10·7
11th December	…	…	…	9·5	8·1	8·5	2·6	10·6
1968
8th January	…	…	…	9·3	8·0	8·7	3·0	10·4
12th February	…	…	…	9·4	8·0	7·3	2·7	9·0
11th March	…	…	…	8·3	7·7	7·0	2·7	8·4
8th April	…	…	…	7·5	7·6	6·5	2·3	6·7
13th May	…	…	…	5·8	5·7	5·8	2·3	5·5
10th June	…	…	…	3·1	5·1	3·9	2·2	4·5
8th July	…	…	…	2·4	5·6	3·3	1·9	5·3
12th August	…	…	…	3·2	4·8	3·6	2·0	4·8
9th September	…	…	…	3·0	5·8	4·0	2·1	4·4
14th October	…	…	…	7·8	7·0	6·1	2·3	8·7
11th November	…	…	…	9·2	8·0	6·9	2·5	9·8
9th December	…	…	…	9·5	7·5	6·8	2·3	9·5
1969
13th January (provisional)	…	…	…	9·2	8·2	7·5	2·5	9·7
*Until April, 1964, the percentage relates to the area covered by both Wadebridge and Bodmin Employment Exchanges. For later dates it relates to Wadebridge only.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she has now been informed of the basis of the settlement of the pay claim by staff at Glasgow Airport; what is the estimated percentage increase in rates and earnings; and what is the estimated percentage increase in productivity arising from this settlement.

Yes. The respective percentage increases amounted approximately to 6½ per cent., 10 per cent. and 10 per cent. The percentage increases in rates and earnings included an element in anticipation of the general increase subsequently agreed for local authority manual workers in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is now satisfied that the pay offer made by Perkins Engines Limited to its 6,500 manual employees is consistent with the Government's incomes policy; and what is the estimated percentage increase in productivity likely to arise from this settlement.

Discussions are continuing between the company and the unions and the company has promised to notify details of any settlement to my Department under incomes policy early warning arrangements. As a final settlement has not been reached I cannot say what would be its effect on productivity or whether it is consistent with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is now that state of negotiations for wage increases for ship's clerks in the Port of London; and if the employers' proposals are consistent with the Government's incomes policy.

An interim productivity agreement for the clerks, providing for an increase of £2 18s. 4d. per week in the basic rate, came into effect on 6th January. In deciding not to prevent implementation of the agreement the Government took account of increased productivity since decasualisation; of immediate changes in working practices to ensure greater mobility and more flexible arrangements; and of the need to clear the way for the comprehensive productivity agreement for the clerks which will form part of the second stage of the Devlin modernisation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will now make a statement on the negotiations between shipping-off gangs, who struck in November, 1968, at the Royal Group of Docks, and the Port of London Authority.

I understand that the negotiations, to which I referred in reply to the hon. Member's previous Question on 12th November, 1968, have not yet been concluded.—[Vol. 773 c. 86.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what decision she has reached regarding the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes into the wage rise proposed for bank employees.

We have not yet received the Board's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the change in the number of persons in employment in Scotland between October, 1964, and October, 1968.

I cannot at present add to the reply I gave to a similar Question on 21st October. Estimates for June, 1968, will become available soon and I will write to the hon. Member giving the change since June, 1964.—[Vol. 770, c. 857–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a further statement on the wage settlement agreed between employers and workers in the Scottish bakery industry.

My right hon. Friend is considering information obtained last week from the two sides of the industry and expects to reach a decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the increases in the index of

		13th october,1964 to 10th December, 1968	19th July,1966 to 10th December 1968	14th November,1967 to 10th December, 1968	16th July, 1968 to 10th December, 1968
Nationalised industries	…	25·5	13·9	6·5	5·0
Food	…	16·1	7·9	6·1	1·3
Housing	…	24·1	10·5	4·4	1·4
Fuel and light	…	26·0	15·5	6·3	4·7
Durable household goods	…	12·1	7·6	5·6	1·3
Clothing and footwear	…	8·7	4·1	2·4	1·1
Transport and vehicles	…	19·6	11·6	7·6	1·8
Miscellaneous goods	…	21·6	13·8	11·4	0·7
Services	…	27·5	14·3	7·7	4·5
All items	…	19·0	10·1	6·6	2·3

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the unemployment figures registered on the last available date at the employment exchanges of Cromer, Sheringham, North Walsham, Fakenham, Holt, Wells-next Sea and Stalham in North Norfolk; and what percentage these figures were of the insured population for the areas concerned.

Following is the information:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT 13TH JANUARY, 1969 (PROVISIONAL)
Employment Exchange area	Registered unemployed	Percentage rate
Cromer (including Sheringham and Holt)	459	6·1
North Walsham (including Stalham)	136	3·0*
Fakenham (including Wells-next-Sea)	304	4·6
* The percentage rate relates to the travel-to-work area which comprises the areas covered by North Walsham and Aylsham Employment Exchanges.

The percentage increases were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will list the number of working days lost though industrial disputes in 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965 and 1964, respectively.

The numbers of days lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the United Kingdom in 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965 and 1964, respectively, were as follows:

1968	…	…	…	4,692,000
1967	…	…	…	2,787,000
1966	…	…	…	2,398,000
1965	…	…	…	2,925,000
1964	…	…	…	2,277,000

The figure for 1968 is provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will list the number of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes, excluding mining and quarrying, for 1968, 1967, 1966, and 1965, respectively.

The number of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the United Kingdom, excluding mining and quarrying, for 1968, 1967, 1966 and 1965, respectively, were as follows:

1968	…	…	…	…	2,125
1967	…	…	…	…	1,717
1966	…	…	…	…	1,381
1965	…	…	…	…	1,611

The figure for 1968 is provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many permits to work in the United Kingdom were isued for Commonwealth citizens and aliens in 1967 and 1968.

In 1967, 8,409 vouchers were issued to Commonwealth citizens and 50,303 work permits for aliens. In 1968, 8,120 vouchers were issued, but the figure for work permits is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity which Ministers were available in the office of her Department on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and for what period of time.

On 31st December two of my Parliamentary Secretaries and I were in our offices throughout the day. On 1st January a Parliamentary Secretary and I were again at my Department. My other Parliamentary Secretaries were readily available to deal with any matters requiring their attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to increase retirement pensions to an extent comparable to the present increased cost of living.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, to my hon. Friend on 2nd December or to the replies I gave to Questions on this subject on the same day.—[Vol. 774, cols. 229 and 1005/8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that supplies of flu vaccine are not available to meet prescriptions being issued in Shrewsbury; and, in view of the outbreak of Asian flu in the West Midlands, what action he proposes to take to obtain immediate supplies of the vaccine for Shrewsbury.

The Government have no direct responsibility for the manufacture or distribution of influenza vaccine. I can however tell the hon. Gentleman that increasing quantities of Hong Kong influenza vaccine are becoming available for retail chemists and substantial supplies have already gone to the West Midlands area. Further despatches will, subject to satisfactory testing, be made this week. Some vaccine has recently been sent to Shrewsbury, but I cannot guarantee that this will satisfy all immediate demands.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he is giving local authorities regarding the setting up of training courses for people wishing to run playgroups.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular sent to local health authoriteis in October last which included guidance on the training of people engaged in the day care of young children, including those running playgroups.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the supply and distribution of the A2 flu vaccine.

Almost one million doses of Hong Kong influenza vaccine will have been distributed by the middle of this week. Supply is still not meeting demand but increasing quantities are going to retail chemists to meet doctors' prescriptions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many man-hours have been lost through industrial accidents in the last four years, respectively.

The number of work days lost through industrial accidents was as follows:

June 1963 to June 1964:	23½ million.
June 1963 to June 1964:	23½ million.
June 1964 to June 1965:	25 million.
June 1965 to June 1966:	26½million.
June 1966 to June 1967:	24 million.

These figures include days of incapacity continuing after the end of the injury benefit period for which industrial accidents are the likely cause.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the increase needed in the weekly National Insurance contribution in order to provide for widows' pensions at 40 years of age.

To reduce the qualifying age for widows' pensions under the present National Insurance Scheme from 50 to 40 would require an increase in the weekly contribution of about 2d. each from employer and employee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which Ministers were in attendance at their London offices on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and for what period of time were these Ministers in their offices.

I was in attendance on 31st December and on an official visit on 1st January.The Minister of State (Health) and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Health) were in attendance on both days.The Minister of State (Social Security) was on sick leave both days.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to produce a White Paper on the reform of the National Health Service.

I have not yet received all the comments on the Green Paper published last July, but I have begun discussions with representative organisations. I can give no precise date for a further statement.

asked the Secreatry of State for Social Services when he expects to introduce legislation to abolish or drastically amend the Graduated Pension Scheme.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the White Paper on the Government's pensions proposals which is to be published on 28th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an undertaking to abolish prescription charges as soon as Great Britain secures a favourable balance of payments.

No. It would be necessary to take into account all relevant considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total administrative cost of running the Ministry of Social Security in the financial year 1967–68.

£94 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the most recent estimate of the number of persons over 80 years of age who are not receiving a pension or supplementary benefit; and how many of these are men and how many are women.

It is estimated that there are some 30,000 men and 60,000 women over the age of 80 who receive neither a national insurance retirement pension nor a supplementary pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the defects recently discovered in the ceilings at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary; if he will make a full statement indicating the number of ceilings affected, the number of wards affected, and how many patients have had to be moved to other wards and/or to other hospitals; and why these defects have arisen in a hospital that has only been open two years.

Yes; tests are being made throughout the hospital. There is no evidence of any failure in the phase I contracts but so far a large proportion of the ceilings erected in the second phase of building (mainly the out-patient department and 10 wards) have been found to be affected. Defects are being remedied two wards at a time. Sixty patients have so far had to be moved, 29 of them to other hospitals. The defects are due to the wrong plaster being used in certain areas for the first coat applied beneath the concrete structural floors. The contractor has accepted financial responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the size of the population served by the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board; and how this compares with other regions.

The most recent estimates for the Birmingham and other Regional Hospital Board areas are those for 30th June, 1967, published in the Registrar General's Quarterly Return for December 1967, and are as follows:

Birmingham	5,067,400
Newcastle	3,082,400
Leeds	3,202,100
Sheffield	4,599,400
East Anglian	1,686,600
North West Metropolitan	4,217,000
North East Metropolitan	3,384,300
South East Metropolitan	3,519,000
South West Metropolitan	3,267,000
Wessex	1,933,600
Oxford	1,858,100
South Western	3,057,000
Wales	2,709,900
Manchester	4,554,700
Liverpool	2,252,300

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he estimates the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board will announce its plans for the future of maternity services in the Rugby area.

The hospital services needed for this area will be studied by a working party recently set up by the Board and the Hospital Management Committee, which will consult the local authorities and others concerned in the provision of related services. I cannot yet say when the Board will be ready to make any firm proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he estimates the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board will consider the Rugby Hospital Management Committee's proposed 120-bed unit at St. Cross Hospital, Rugby.

This is being considered as part of the Board's current review of its forward capital programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many Coventry people have been admitted to St. Cross Hospital, Rugby, during each of the last three years.

The number of Coventry people discharged (including deaths) was 241 in 1966 and 248 in 1967. Precise figures for 1965 are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will seek further information from the Greater London Council to show how the £250,000 fines imposed on motorists evading the payment of road fund licences was made up; whether he will give examples of the heavier type of fines and penalties imposed; and how many so fined have been guilty of this offence on more than one occasion.

I am informed that the sum of £250,000 is made up of £76,000 from fines, £14,000 from costs, £59,000 arrears of duty—all imposed by the courts—and £101,000 from penalties imposed by the Greater London Council.Recent heavy penalties imposed by courts in the Greater London area ranged between £130 and £680, made up of a statutory fine, an order for payment of back duty and costs. Information is not readily available about the incidence of offences committed by any particular individual.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will obtain from the other licensing authorities details of reported offences against vehicle excise law similar to those made available by the Greater London Council; and whether he will publish them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Returns from the other local authorities do not show precisely the same details as those from the Greater London Council. In the calendar year 1967, which is the last complete period for which their returns are available, the 182 other authorities dealt with 14,389 cases by caution, 63,961 by mitigated penalties and 99,536 by prosecutions. As regards the latter, the penalties imposed by the courts amounted to £614,678, including £47,608 in respect of back duty where offences were committed on or after 21st July 1967.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what is the result of the consultations his Department has had with the Federal Department of Transportation in Washington, United States of America, about the lessons to be drawn from the working of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority;(2) what is the result of the consultations his Department has had with the Federal Department of Transportation in Washington, United States of America, about the lessons to be drawn from the working of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit System;(3) what is the result of the consultations his Department has had with the Federal Department of Transportation in Washington, United States of America, about the lessons to be drawn from the working of the Chicago City Transit Authority;(4) what is the result of the consultations his Department has had with the Federal Department of Transportation in Washington, United States of America, about the lessons to be drawn from the working of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

We have greatly benefited from American experience in framing the provisions in the Transport Act for the new passenger transport authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will refer the decision of Western Region British Railways to raise seat reservation fees by 660 per cent. to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No. The supplementary charge of £1 for return journeys to and from London and the West of England on Saturday mornings and early afternoons in summer is in line with the recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes that British Railways should adjust their fares to individual markets. The supplement ensures a seat for the traveller on both journeys and contributes to the cost of providing additional services and facilities during peak periods. I also understand that many trains will be speeded up during the summer period.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware, that following his undertaking that he would consider an official name for the M6 motorway section which passes through Westmorland, if a proposal were to emerge locally, he will approve the name, the Westmorland Highway, which has been agreed to at a local meeting, details of which have been sent to him.

I am sorry that we do not find this acceptable, as it would be confusing to long-distance travellers if we were to name sections of a motorway according to the individual counties through which it passes.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he has taken to arrange for a traffic census, or censuses, to be taken to measure the extra volume of northbound or southbound transit traffic flowing through Leeds following the opening of the Ml motorway link to the city.

No census with this specific object has been arranged, but two large-scale investigations now being made are relevant to traffic needs in the area. A Project Feasibility Study, announced last year, is assessing traffic movements with a view to a possible new north-south route east or west of Leeds; and the West Yorkshire Land Use/Transportation Study, which is concerned with traffic predictions for 1981 and 2001, takes account both of current traffic patterns and likely expansion and development.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the membership of the Hong Kong Committee of Review to which Chinese detainees may make representations for release.

The Committee of Review consists of a Chairman and two members. As regards their identity, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 10th December, 1968, to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Richmond, Surrey (Mr. A. Royle).—[Vol. 775, c. 87.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, under his regulations, the decisions of the Hong Kong Committee of Review, to which Chinese detainees may make appeals, are binding on the Governor.

No. The Committee of Review is an advisory body.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries who voted in the General Assembly on 18th December 1968 against self-determination for Gibraltar or abstained from voting are in arrears in their contributions to the United Nations.

Of the 101 countries who either voted in favour of General Assembly Resolution 2429 (XXIII) or abstained, 59 were in arrears, on 31st of December 1968, in their contributions to the United Nations Regular Budget. Since the list of countries is long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he now proposes a renewal of the discussions with the Spanish Government, in view of the Trusteeship Committee of the United Nations Resolution on Gibraltar being accepted by the General Assembly.

Neither Her Majesty's Government nor the Spanish Government have proposed a renewal of talks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT all those countries which, on 18th December, 1968, voted in the General Assembly against self-determination for Gibraltar, and failed to express a view, respectively.

The countries that voted for General Assembly Resolution 2429 (XXIII), those that abstained and those that were absent from the voting were listed in my reply to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Wembley, South (Sir R. Russell) on 20th December, 1968.—[Vol. 775, c. 504.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of his efforts to achieve greater co-operation with West European countries outside the Treaty of Rome.

We are engaged with other members of W.E.U. in thorough preparation for the discussion of M. Harmel's proposals at the next Ministerial meeting of W.E.U. in Luxembourg on 6th and 7th of February.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to visit Washington; and if he will invite the new American Secretary of State to pay a visit to this country.

I hope to visit Washington shortly, but dates have not yet been agreed.I shall certainly take an early opportunity of telling Mr. Rogers that he will be most welcome to visit whenever he can come.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the developments affecting British interests that have taken place in the Middle East in the dispute between Israel and the Arab States.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present position in the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the situation in the Middle East.

We are seriously concerned about the situation in the Middle East, not least because the security of our interests in the region requires the achievement of a settlement and the establishment of peace.My right hon. Friend is in touch with a number of Governments, including those of the United States, the Soviet Union and France, about ways in which Dr. Jarring might be helped to make progress in promoting agreement among the parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to stop the flying of the flag of the illegal Government of Rhodesia.

I have been asked to reply.I am advised that, though the flag has itself no legal validity, there is nothing in our law which makes it an offence to fly it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now recommend the Hong Kong Government to suspend for one year Regulation 31 of the Emergency (Principal) Regulations which gives them powers to detain persons for a period of one year without trial, without expressing any reason, and to continue this process at the end of the year.

No, Regulation 31 of the Emergency (Principal) Regulations will be continued in operation only for so long as is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he proposes to visit Israel in his forthcoming tour of Middle East countries.

No. I myself am undertaking this tour; and I shall be paying visits only to the United Arab Republic, the Sudan and Morocco.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what substantive points agreement has been reached with the Argentine Republic in current talks.

As I told the House on 11th December, a measure of understanding has been reached in the Anglo-Argentine talks but there are important divergences. I cannot for the present go into any further details.—[Vol. 775, c. 425.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the costs of the British Advisory Police Mission in South Vietnam in 1968; how many men were employed there; what was their pay; how much was received by the mission from the American command; and if he will take steps to reduce the expenditure there in 1969.

The total cost of the Mission to Her Majesty's Government in 1968 was £51,865. Nine Police Advisers were employed; their pay and allowances amounted to £49,223. Members of the Mission received a further allowance totalling £21,944 from the United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam. The British Mission is an important, and I believe much appreciated, part of Her Majesty's Government's civilian aid to South Vietnam.We have no plans to reduce expenditure on the Mission in 1969 providing that the South Vietnamese Government wish to continue to receive its services.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his talks with Mr. Dermot Murphy, Governor of St. Helena, and four other leading citizens of the territory.

The talks with the Governor and representatives of the Islanders were concluded on 23rd December and the delegation returned to St. Helena the following day. A scheme was worked out during the talks to which representatives of the South Atlantic Trading and Investment Company Limited indicated their agreement. Since the return of the delegation the scheme has been discussed in St. Helena and fully accepted. A press release was issued on 10th January and a copy has been sent to my hon. Friend. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House. Arrangements for the conclusion of a formal agreement embodying the agreed proposals are now in train.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guarantees he has been given that a system of apartheid will not be introduced in St. Helena.

In the course of the discussions with the St. Helena delegation held in London during December, the Managing Director of the South Atlantic Trading and Investment Company Limited furnished certain assurances as to the policy and practices that his Company intended to pursue in St. Helena, including an assurance regarding racial discrimination. These assurances are regarded as fully satisfactory by the St. Helena Government and by my right hon. Friend. Any form of racial discrimination would in any case be contrary to the policy of both Her Majesty's Government and the St. Helena Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for a referendum to be held in St. Helena.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has now received from inhabitants of St. Helena about the impending sale of Solomon's Limited to South African control; and what safeguards they have been given that no element of apartheid will be permitted in St. Helena.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my replies to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the Government's action taken in relation to the shipment of contraband chrome exported by Rhodesia and carried in the merchant vessel "Tjibodas".

I have been asked to reply.As the first report of 30th December of the Committee of the Security Council established in pursuance of Resolution No. 253 (1968) indicates, we presented a Note to the Committee on a possible violation of sanctions in regard to the export of chrome sand, suspected to be of Rhodesian origin. The Committee has taken this up with the Governments concerned and will no doubt consider further action when these Governments have replied.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual administrative cost of running the Embassies and High Commissions in each of the following cities overseas, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok, Paris, Washington and Moscow.

The annual cost of the administration sections of the Missions concerned seems the best of several ways of assessing administrative costs. These costs are as follows:

	£
Singapore (High Commission)	15,000
Tokyo (Embassy)	19,000
Bangkok (Embassy)	16,000
Paris (Embassy)	78,000
Washington (Embassy)	74,000
Moscow (Embassy)	26,000

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Soviet missile ships which visited Aden in early January were provided with oil or other facilities by British-owned or operated companies in which Her Majesty's Government has a shareholding; and if he will define British policy in regard to such Soviet naval visits to the Gulf and Arabian ports.

The answer to the first part of the question is: No. As regards the second part, no visits by Soviet vessels are contemplated to ports of countries for the conduct of whose relations Her Majesty's Government are responsible. Her Majesty's Government has no responsibility for visits by the vessels of foreign powers to other Arabian ports.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers were in attendance at the Foreign Office on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and for what period of time were these Ministers available.

I was in attendance on New Year's Eve but was absent from London fulfilling an engagement for part of New Year's Day. The Ministers who were in attendance on both days during normal office hours were:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds he objected to the extension of the period of emergency in Rhodesia from three to six months, which period obtains in other parts of Africa and of the Commonwealth.

I have been asked to reply. 1 explained in my statement to the House on 18th November, 1968, why we could not accept this proposal.—[Vol. 773, c. 899.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom has offered the Malawi Government for the relief of distress caused by the Shire River floods.

None. On present indications this emergency, unfortunate though it is, is within the scope of local resources. We are, of course, in touch with our High Commission in Zomba.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on his efforts to obtain the release of Mr. Anthony Grey.

			Estimated Midyear Population
County	…	…	1948	1950	1961	1964	1967	1968
Argyll	…	…	66,335	67,320	60,409	59,646	58,525	58,180
Caithness	…	…	23,664	22,791	27,620	28,493	28,285	28,307
Inverness	…	…	84,151	88,624	82,838	81,165	84,333	84,548
Orkney	…	…	22,070	21,830	18,636	18,424	17,878	17,557
Ross and Cromarty	…	…	63,872	63,149	57,414	57,568	56,914	56,632
Sutherland	…	…	14,393	13,951	13,290	13,313	13,137	13,056
Zetland	…	…	20,263	19,869	17,690	17,719	17,231	17,122
Total	…	…	294,748	297,534	277,897	276,328	276,303	275,402

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the consultants' reports that have been submitted to him during the past month with particular reference to the siting of new power stations in Scotland in the 1970s and to the fuel to be used.

I have not received any consultants' report dealing with these

I regret to say that the Chinese continue their unjustified detention of Mr. Grey. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State summoned the Chinese Charge d'Affaires on 9th January to demand Mr. Grey's release and improvements in his conditions of detention.We shall continue to make every effort to secure his early release.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the population of each of the Highlands and Islands counties in 1948, 1950, 1961 and 1964, respectively; and what is the population of each at the present time.

The Registrar General's estimates are set out in the table below:subjects for Scotland as a whole, but I understand that the consultants appointed by the Clyde Estuary Development Group, in their reports which are to be published tomorrow, refer to the siting of possible new power stations in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what survey he has commissioned from the National Coal Board in Scotland regarding coal production in Ayrshire, in order to enable him to reach a decision on a new power station after 1970.

I am considering the Scottish Electricity Board's proposal for a new generating station in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power, who is closely in touch with the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the extra cost to the rates in Glasgow following the abolition of fee-paying schools.

	1966				1967				1968
	November		December		November		December		November		December
	Killed	Injured	Killed	Injured	Killed	Injured	Killed	Injured	Killed	Injured	Killed	Injured
1. CHILD CASUALTIES
Police Force Area
Inverness	—	2	—	9	—	8	—	2	—	11	—	3
Ross and Sutherland	—	—	—	3	1	3	—	6	—	1	—	1
	—	2	—	12	1	11	—	8	—	12	—	4
Of which in the Outer Isles area of:—
Inverness	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	2	—	1
Ross and Sutherland	—	—	—	1	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	3	1	1	—	—	—	2	—	1
2. ADULT CASUALTIES
Police Force Area
Inverness	1	38	3	37	2	40	—	43	1	51	—	41
Ross and Sutherland	2	29	1	33	1	17	—	29	1	24	—	18
	3	67	4	70	3	57	—	72	2	75	—	59
Of which in the Outer Isles area of:—
Inverness	—	—	—	3	—	4	—	1	—	10	—	11
Ross and Sutherland	—	7	—	8	—	10	—	5	—	—	—	—
	—	7	—	11	—	14	—	6	—	10	—	11