asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of the net additional cost to the balance of payments arising from the decision of the British Steel Corporation to buy oil instead of natural gas until 1972.

For the reasons given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Beaney) on 21st January [Vol. 776, c. 67], there should be no additional cost to the balance of payments.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will refuse to authorise the construction of any more nuclear power stations until the second part of the coal-fired power station at Drax has been completed.

I shall consider proposals in the light of the policy described in paragraph 98 of the Fuel Policy White Paper.

asked the Minister of Power when he expects to make an announcement on the future shape, scale and organisation of the steel industry.

I am now discussing these matters with the British Steel Corporation and hope to say more about them during the passage of the forthcoming Bill dealing with steel. Meanwhile, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers to my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Eddie Griffiths) and Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton) on 22nd January.—[Vol. 776, c. 136.]

asked the Minister of Power what he estimates is the capital cost of second coal-fired power stations at Drax and West Burton.

The cost of the whole Drax power station was estimated to be £52 per kW. The second half, if built, would cost less than this because it would share certain facilities with the station now being built. I have no estimate for a second power station at West Burton, but in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Swain) on 1st April, 1968 [Vol. 762, c. 38], it was estimated that the cost of a new coal-fired power station would be about £55 per kW.

asked the Minister of Power what application has been made to him for the development of open-cast coalmining on the site of the Royal Air Force Station, Acklington, Northumberland; and whether he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Minister of Power when he proposes to introduce legislation to reorganise the electricity industry.

The need for legislation will not be settled until I have reached decisions on the future structure of the industry in the light of the current examination.

asked the Minister of Power what is the annual fixed charge to domestic consumers in each of the electricity boards.

Fixed charges are part of tariff structure and this is a matter for the Boards. I am accordingly asking the Chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power what is the percentage margin of spare electrical generating capacity now available; and how this compares with the margin set as a target by the Central Electricity Generating Board.

21 per cent., which compares with the Central Electricity Generating Board's present planning margin for six years ahead of 17 per cent.

asked the Minister of Power when he proposes to introduce legislation to reorganise the gas industry.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Barkston Ash (Mr. Alison) on 10th December last year.—[Vol. 775, c. 63.]

asked the Minister of Power what supplies of natural gas will be available in Scotland; and what estimate he has made of the effect which such supplies will have on the price of gas in Scotland.

Initial supplies will reach Scotland next year. Between 15 and 20 per cent. of needs will probably be met from natural gas in 1970 and this proportion will increase in subsequent years. I expect prices to fall in real terms as national gas supplies build up, but I cannot forecast by how much.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to extend the powers of the Parliamentary Commissioner to include local government matters.

As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 23rd July, this is not a proposal which the Maud Committee on Management favoured. This must be considered in the context of many interlocking local government issues.—[Vol. 769, c. 56.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the contamination of water in the Huddersfield area by the dumping of chemicals, in particular phenol; and if he will take action under the Water Act, 1945, to secure the prohibition of such dumping, in view of the distress caused to people living in the area who are supplied by the Wessenden Head Reservoir.

I know about this irresponsible dumping of chemicals and the unpleasant effect it has had on local water supplies, and I am satisfied that Huddersfield Corporation is taking effective measures to deal with the problems created. As regards action under the Water Act, 1945, I imagine my hon. Friend has in mind the making of bye-laws under Section 18 for the prevention of pollution of sources of water supply. Huddersfield has not made bye-laws under this section but since it owns this part of the reservoir catchment, it can take legal proceedings if the offender is traced.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total amount of housing subsidies granted to the City and County of Norwich for the years 1962 to 1968, respectively.

The subsidy payments made to the corporation in respect of housing provided by them under the Housing Acts were as follows:

				£
1961–62	…	…	…	236,515
1962–63	…	…	…	240,689
1963–64	…	…	…	239,118
1964–65	…	…	…	243,385
1965–66	…	…	…	253,453
1966–67	…	…	…	282,674
1967–68	…	…	…	336,948
1968–69	…	…	…	390,709

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress he has made with his review of housing cost yardsticks in the light of evidence submitted to him by the National Federation of Building Trades Employers, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Association of Municipal Corporations.

This evidence is being considered along with all the other information which has been collected. Considerable progress has been made, but my right hon. Friend is not yet ready to make an announcement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the growing practice of film and business people paying no tax on their incomes on grounds that they are not resident in this country; and whether he will amend the laws so that people who earn money whilst working in this country pay tax at normal rates and those holding British passports are prevented from evading taxes by claiming not to be resident in this country.

Subject to double taxation relief, which is allowed on a

BRITISH HOME CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC DRINK 1938–68
Year				Mature British spirit* (million proof gallons)	Other spirit† (million proof gallons)	British wine (million gallons)	Imported wine (million gallons)	Beer (million bulk barrels)
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
1938	…	…	…	6·9‡	4·6‡	6·4‡	15·2	25·0
1939	…	…	…	n.a.	n.a.	6·9‡	14·5	26·0
1940	…	…	…	6·2‡	3·8‡	6·4‡	12·1	25·9
1941	…	…	…	5·4‡	4·6‡	3·9‡	7·9	29·4
1942	…	…	…	6·1‡	3·7‡	3·1‡	2·4	29·7
1943	…	…	…	5·8‡	3·6‡	2·9‡	1·7	30·3
1944	…	…	…	4·6‡	3·7‡	2·7‡	1·7	31·9
1945	…	…	…	4·7‡	4·2‡	2·9‡	2·7	33·3
1946	…	…	…	4·7‡	5·3‡	3·0‡	6·7	31·2
1947	…	…	…	3·2‡	6·8‡	3·7	9·0	30·5
1948	…	…	…	2·5‡	6·4‡	3·4	8·8	28·7
1949	…	…	…	3·0‡	6·8‡	3·4	7·5	26·9
1950	…	…	…	3·8‡	7·6‡	4·3	8·6	25·8
1951	…	…	…	3·5‡	6·2‡	4·6	10·1	25·6
1952	…	…	…	3·9	6·4	4·6	9·6	25·5
1953	…	…	…	4·4	6·4	4·8	10·3	25·6
1954	…	…	…	4·8	6·5	5·0	11·3	24·5
1955	…	…	…	5·3	6·9	5·4	12·5	25·1
1956	…	…	…	5·8	7·1	5·7	13·1	25·1
1957	…	…	…	6·0	7·1	5·5	14·5	25·5
1958	…	…	…	6·0	7·3	5·7	15·0	24·8
1959	…	…	…	6·9	7·5	6·6	16·1	26·2
1960	…	…	…	7·3	8·0	7·8	18·7	27·3
1961	…	…	…	7·9	8·2	7·2	21·2	28·5
1962	…	…	…	7·9	8·4	7·6	21·8	28·6
1963	…	…	…	8·7	8·6	8·2	24·4	28·9
1964	…	…	…	9·2	9·6	9·3	27·9	30·2
1965	…	…	…	9·0	8·5	9·3	26·2	30·2
1966	…	…	…	9·0	8·8	9·3	28·3	30·9
1967	…	…	…	9·2	8·7	9·7	32·0	31·4
1968§	…	…	…	8·6	7·4	9·6	32·3	29·3
* Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey retained for consumption in the United Kingdom. Separate figures for Scotch whisky only are not available.
† Excluding Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey.
‡ Figures are available only for financial years: those shown relate to the financial year beginning on 1st April of the year in column (1).
§ Figures are available only for the period from January to November, 1968.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures for British home consumption of Scotch whisky, other spirits, home and imported wines and beer, respectively, for each year from 1938 to 1968.

The following is the available information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates will be the annual loss to the revenue when the income of the Duchy of Cornwall is transferred to the Prince of Wales.

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member's Question on 28th January, the issues from the Consolidated Fund for the annual Civil List are abated by the appropriate share of the net revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall.The present abatement is at the rate of approximately £170,000 a year; this will cease when the Duchy revenues come to the Prince of Wales in full.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times he has increased Public Works Loan Board interest rates in the last 18 months.

Since 30th June, 1967, the P.W.L.B. rates of interest on quota loans have been changed 14 times. On 10 occasions rates were increased; they were reduced on two occasions and twice there were both increases and decreases.Over the same period, P.W.L.B. non-quota rates have been changed 13 times; on 10 rates were increased and on three there were reductions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence is now available as to the increase, the stability, or the decrease in the volume of internally generated funds available for company financing which has resulted from the corporation tax provisions of the Finance Act, 1965.

The position has been affected by the change from investment allowances to investment grants. If allowance is made for this, figures published by the Board of Trade indicate that the funds available to quoted companies increased in 1967.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that boys' shirts with collar sizes of 12 to 14 are now subject to Purchase Tax if the garment is presented in a form suggesting that it is suitable for someone older than 14 years of age; and if he will take steps to amend the relevant provisions so as to remove this anomaly.

This matter is under review in consultation with trade representatives and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as the outcome is known.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield to the Revenue in 1967 and 1968 from Stamp Duty on leases where the rent was under £100 and £200 per annum, respectively; and what was the total yield from all leases in those years.

The information requested in the first part of the question is not available. The total yield in 1967 was £3·3 million and in 1968 £2·9 million. These figures do not include duty paid on transfers of leases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield to the Revenue in 1967 and 1968 from Stamp Duty on conveyances and transfers of freehold property where the consideration was under £10,000; and what was the total yield from all conveyances and transfers in those years.

Separate figures for freehold property are not available. The yield from all conveyances of land and buildings where the consideration was under £10,000 is estimated at £8 million in 1967 and £6 million in 1968. The yield from all conveyances and transfers (including transfers of stocks and shares), in 1967 was £57 million and in 1968 £79 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield to the Revenue in 1967 and 1968 from Stamp Duty on share transfers where the consideration was under £100, under £1,000, and under £10,000, respectively; and what was the total yield from all shares transfers in those years.

The information requested in the first part of the Question is not available. The total yield from share transfers in 1967 was £38 million and in 1968 £58 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the new evidence supplied to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North since 25th November, 1968, regarding deliberate evasion of the payment of income tax and surtax, what action he proposes to take to ensure that the law is enforced.

The Inland Revenue already takes such action as is available to it for the recovery of tax which is legally due.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give, to the latest convenient date, the increased revenue that the Treasury have received from the increase in the road vehicle licence fee made in the last Budget.

£79·7 million to the end of December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to expedite the suspension of Greece from membership of the Council of Europe, following the vote on the recommendation in the General Assembly.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will take steps to sequestrate the several £ million worth of Russian assets in the United Kingdom with a view to meeting the debts to the United Kingdom due from Czarist days;(2) if he will now press the Soviet Government for a reply to his note sent to them on 10th October inviting them to discuss the Czarist debts, to which they have not replied.

I have nothing to add for the present to the replies which my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, gave the hon. Gentleman on 16th December.—[Vol. 775, c. 242–3.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service which new Government offices or agencies were sited in Scotland in 1968; and how many jobs were provided in each case.

No new dispersed offices were sited in Scotland in 1968 but in August it was announced that an Inland Revenue Computer Centre to do London work would be located in the Edinburgh area. On present estimates up to 3,000 jobs wil be provided. In December it was decided that the central London Drawing Office of the G.P.O. should be moved to Glasgow. About 100 people will be employed in it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what number of officers and other ranks, respectively, are employed on the permanent staff at the Highland and Lowland Training Depots, respectively.

The military establishments of the Depots of the Scottish Division at Bridge of Don and Glencorse are 16 officers and 79 other ranks and 15 officers and 77 other ranks, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects to receive the Report of the Hunt Committee on Grey Areas.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to similar Questions on 30th January.—[Vol. 776, c. 367–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will give a detailed list of the official functions and conferences attended by him and the Ministers in his Department for the longest convenient period; and what plans he has for attending such functions and conferences in 1969.

No. A complete list of the Ministerial engagements of myself and my colleagues would be too lengthy for circulation in the OFFICIAL REPORT and would include a large number of meetings between Ministers which it is not customary to disclose. But among the more widely known official functions the economic, industrial and regional planning activities of the D.E.A. involve—and in future will increasingly involve—wide ranging contacts and regular meetings with N.E.D.C, E.D.C.s, the I.R.C. and the Regional Economic Planning Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether her employees in regional headquarters and employment exchanges are entitled to a third day's holiday in Christmas week; and when this is taken.

Yes, in Wales and most of England. The third day is normally taken either on Christmas Eve or on the day following Boxing Day, but in part of northern England it is taken on New Year's Day. In Scotland the three days of holiday are Christmas Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated percentage increase in rates and earnings arising from the bonus claim and interpretation of the national engineering industry settlement, which has given rise to a dispute at Armstrong Patents; and if he will make a statement.

This dispute is over the interpretation of the engineering national agreement and my Department has not been notified under incomes policy early warning arrangements of a claim for a pay increase. No settlement has been reached and the information requested is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the new pay award to farm workers will be taken into consideration at the forthcoming Farm Price Review.

As my right hon. Friend the First Secretary and Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity said in her statement on 30th January, we already take into account at Annual Price Reviews the industry's gain in efficiency and cost increases, which in this case would include the effect of the wages award. It is not possible for my right hon. Friend to say to what extent a single factor among the many relevant considerations will influence the award this year or to anticipate the Review in any way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, to the latest convenient date, has been the cost of operating the licensing and inspection scheme for riding establishments under the Riding Establishments Act, 1954; what has been the revenue obtained from the licences during the corresponding period; and what is the estimated effect of the recent increase in licence fees from 10s. to £10 per annum.

Under the Riding Establishments Act, 1964, local authorities are responsible for licensing riding establishments. No information is available centrally about the total cost involved. The licence fee was raised to £10, with effect from 1st April, 1968, in the light of representations received from local authorities that the 10s. fee was inadequate in relation to the expenditure, including the cost of veterinary reports, incurred in administering the licensing system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being instituted by the Metropolitan Police to ensure security in and about banks in West Norwood following the shooting of two security guards on 29th January, 1969.

The police are giving the area special attention; but it would not be in the public interest to disclose particulars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in drafting his proposed legislation on reform of the House of Lords he will provide that members of that House should bear the title Mister.

The Parliament (No. 2) Bill includes no provisions on titles or forms of address since these matters are outside the scope of a Bill which is concerned with the position of another place as the second Chamber of Parliament.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what he estimates will be the wages bill, at current wage and salary levels, for minor engineering grades in the years 1968–69 and 1969–70;(2) what are the latest forecasts of investment in telecommunications plant for the years 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71 under the following heads, trunks and junctions, local lines, subscribers' circuits, exchange equipment, inland telegraph equipment, and miscellaneous and overseas services;(3) what proportion of capital requirements he estimates will be financed by borrowing and internally, respectively, in 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71.

For 1968–69 the latest forecasts are:

	£ million
Wages	127·5
Investment
Trunks and Junctions	63·1
Local Lines	48·9
Subscribers Circuits (including Datel)	52·9
Exchange Equipment	98·1
Inland Telegraph Equipment	7·0
Miscellaneous	1·2
Overseas Services	17·1
Total Telecommunications Plant	288·3

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the difficulties experienced by members of the public and Members of Parliament in obtaining telephone connections with the Treasury on Monday, 27th January; what was the reason for this; and what action he proposes to take to prevent this in the future.

Yes. I assume that the difficulties to which my hon. Friend refers were those created by an apparently unofficial walk-out of most of the Post Office telephonists staffing the Treasury switchboard. The action was taken in furtherance of the recent industrial dispute between the Post Office and the Union of Post Office Workers. Unofficial action at a time of such dispute cannot always be prevented. I regret the difficulties that were caused to callers.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what area of Government offices has been redesigned on the open-plan system in the last 12 months.

None has been redesigned within the last twelve months; one experimental scheme of 3,500 sq. ft. was carried out in 1967 and has been in use for fifteen months, and a new purpose designed office of 12,600 sq. ft. is due to come into use this month.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what has been the cost of repairing the clock of St. James's Palace facing St. James's Street in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of a new clock with the latest British equipment.

No repairs have been necessary since my predecessor's reply to the hon. Member's Question on 1st May, 1967. Routine maintenance cost £12 in the year ended March, 1968, and £9 since 1st April, 1968. A new clock with British equipment would cost about £2,500.—[Vol. 746, c. 88.]

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will reinstate the railings on the Green Park side of Piccadilly, in continuation of those already there; and if he will so design them as not to prevent the hanging of pictures for sale on them at weekends but to look suitable for the boundary of a Royal Park during the week.

I am not proposing to reinstate these boundary railings for the present. If and when I decide to do so, I will bear the hon. Member's point in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the total supplies of influenza vaccine has been distributed to the south-west of England, and what percentage in other regions of England.

Information in the form required could not be obtained without a disproportionate effort. Supplies are being distributed fairly throughout the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which, contrary to his policy on priorities for the distribution of the A2 vaccine, a supply of 200 doses was despatched to an industrial firm from a British pharmaceutical company and which was discovered when the package was sent in error to a chemist in Perth, details of which have been sent to him.

The suppliers have informed me that this was a mistake, which they much regret. The Royal Burgh of Perth has purchased the vaccine and made it available to local general practitioners. I have written to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give for any convenient stated period, the amount of moneys received in respect of schoolchildren having to pay the prescription charges; and what estimate he has made of the loss to the Revenue in any given year of allowing all disabled and sick schoolchildren to have free prescriptions.

Precise figures for answering the first part of the Question are not available; but, it is estimated that if all schoolchildren were exempt from prescription charges the loss might be in excess of £500,000 in a full year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will extend the present arrangements whereby doctors can obtain financial assistance to improve their surgeries so that assistance can also be obtained for the provision of medical equipment for use in surgeries.

The question whether the General Practice Finance Corporation should be empowered, by virtue of Section 3 of the National Health Service Act 1966, to assist general practitioners with the purchase or hire of equipment for their surgeries is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the pressure on hospital out-patient departments, he will allow state registered physiotherapists who have well-equipped clinics to accept National Health Service patients on an agreed scale of fees.

No such arrangements are envisaged. Hospital authorities have been advised that to obtain maximum benefit to the patient, physiotherapy should be provided under medical supervision backed by the full facilities of a hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the representations he has received from the Scottish Milk Marketing Board that sale of cattle known to be carriers of brucellosis should be controlled, he will now introduce legislation empowering local authorities to control such sales.

The Scottish Milk Marketing Boards have made proposals for dealing with the problem of active excretors, and my Department are discussing these with the Boards.Meantime I cannot usefully add anything to my replies to the hon. Member on 2nd February and 11th June last, and to the reply I gave on 28th January to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mrs. Ewing).—[Vol. 757, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the total cost involved in trials in Kelso last summer in the use of stupefying baits to control woodpigeons;(2) over how many days the trials in Kelso, involving the use of stupefying baits to control woodpigeons, took place last summer; and what were the number of woodpigeons taken thereby;(3) what conditions were contained in the licences which were issued to farmers in Kelso last year to enable them to conduct trials of stupefying baits to control woodpigeons; and to what extent these conditions were observed;(4) what subsidiary instructions were given to farmers in Kelso last year who were conducting trials of stupefying bait, other than those instructions contained in the licences; and to what extent these subsidiary instructions were complied with.

The cost to my Department of the trials was approximately £700.The trials lasted from 7th March to 26th April. Operations were interrupted from time to time by adverse weather conditions. Two hundred and ninety woodpigeons were taken in the course of the trials.Licences were subject to conditions relating to the stupefying substance to be used, the person to lay the stupefying substance, notification to my Department of the laying of the stupefying substance, inspection of sites, collection and humane killing of woodpigeons and certain other harmful birds, the tending and release of birds other than specified harmful birds, disposal of carcases, and the obtaining of agreement to the laying of the stupefying substance from other persons with a relevant interest in the land.In addition the licences reserved my right to disallow the laying of the stupefying substance at any site and to impose any further conditions I might deem necessary.The trials were subject to close supervision by officers of my Department, who made available to the licensees a note providing technical guidance on the conduct of the operations.The licensees co-operated fully with my Department, and I am satisfied that the trials were properly conducted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the effect of the four-week course for the certification of teachers in relation to those members of the teaching profession in Scotland who qualify at the same time by way of the 30-week course at colleges of education; and if he will make a statement.

It is a statutory function of the General Teaching Council to determine the conditions for exceptional admission to the Register, and it may require teachers conditionally registered to complete successful courses of varying length before admission to the Register.The Council has recently published a statement which deals with this matter, and I have asked it to send a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the total number of rabbit clearance societies registered at the latest available date in Scotland.

There are at present 111 registered rabbit clearance societies in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many local authorities in Scotland have increased the rents of their houses in the year 1968; what were the highest and lowest increases; and what was the average increase;(2) what is the average rent of a local authority house, a Scottish Special Housing Association house and a new town corporation house, respectively, to the latest convenient date.

The hon. Member will find the information he seeks in the Rent Return for 1968 which will be published as a White Paper in about a month's time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average rate in the year 1968–69 for each of the main valuation subjects.

According to present information, about 21s. 2d. on domestic subjects and 22s. 10d. on other subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the decrease in the average domestic penny rate between 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69.

In 1967–68 the average rate on domestic subjects dropped by 6d.; in the current year, according to present information, there has been an increase of about 1s.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average rate increase between the years 1967–68 and 1968–69.

About 1s. on domestic subjects and 1s. 10d. on other subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of cases considered by the Parole Board in Scotland in 1968, the number of prisoners released on parole, and the number of those released who broke their parole.

In 1968 the Parole Board for Scotland considered 119 prisoners and

£000
	Prior to 1967–68	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71
1. Marine hovercraft trials	—	114	148	161	160
2. Ship designs	500	138	118	117	120
3. Radioactivity measurements	*	123	115	126	125
4. Radiation dosimetry	*	90	104	115	120
5. Data communications using computers	35	45	107	178	150
* It is not practicable to estimate the cost of the work on these programmes which have been proceeding since the 1920's.

The expenditure on individual programmes does not reflect the balance of effort between the Laboratory's Divisions and Groups.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the five most expensive non-military research programmes

	Current financial year	Next year	Following year
	£	£	£
1. Civil Transport Aircraft	742,000	686,000	668,000
2. Take-off and Landing Aids, and Air Traffic Control	571,000	482,000	436,000
3. Supersonic Transport Aircraft	487,000	414,000	360,000
4. Industrial Applications (including Central Unit for Scientific Photography)	232,000	238,000	257,000
5. Satellites and Launchers	187,000	178,000	158,000

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the five most expensive research programmes at present being carried out at the National Physical Laboratory, showing for each the estimated cost in the current financial year and the next two financial years and also the cost to date.

The five most expensive current research programmes and their estimated costs for the present financial year and the previous and the two future years are as follows:—at present being carried out at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, showing the cost of each programme in the current financial year and the next two financial years.

Most of the research work at R.A.E., as distinct from project support work, has both military and non-military significance. The five most expensive programmes on wholly or mainly non-military work are the following:

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the research establishments under the Atomic Energy Authority, including their location, the date they were originally established, the total staff, both qualified engineers and

A. CIVIL RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENTS
					Net Cost £ million
Name	Location	Year of Origin	Q.S.E.	Other Staff	1958–59	1968–69 (Estimated)
Atomic Energy Research Establishment.	Harwell, Berks.	1946	900	4,580	10·0	13·4
Research Laboratory	Wantage, Berks.	1956
Culham Laboratory	Culham, Berks.	1960	185	610	—	2·5
Atomic Energy Establishment.	Winfrith, Dorset	1957	380	1,770	0·7	3·3
Experimental Reactor Establishment.	Dounreay, Caithness	1955	250	2,055	2·5	4·5
Reactor Fuel Element Laboratory.	Springfields, Lancs.	1946	140	475	3·4	6·1
Reactor Engineering Laboratory	Risley, Lancs.	1961	90	345
Reactor Materials Laboratory	Culcheth, Warrington, Lanes.	1951	95	190
Reactor Development Laboratory.	Windscale, Cumberland.	1947	140	305

B. DEFENCE RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENTS
Name		Location			Year of Origin
Atomic Weapons Research Establishment	…	Aldermaston, Berks.	…	…	1951
Foulness Establishment	…	Foulness, Essex	…	…	1948
Orfordness Establishment	…	Orfordness, Suffolk	…	…	1959

It would not be in the public interest to publish figures of the staff and expenditure of the Defence Research Establishments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of crankshafts and forgings for the shipbuilding industry imported from Italy in 1967 and 1968; what rate of duty was levied; what representations have been made to him about dumping of such subsidised products from Italy; and what reply he has sent.

It is not possible to distinguish imports of crankshafts and forgings for the shipbuilding industry in the import statistics. The normal rate of duty on imports of these items from Italy is 11 per cent. but relief is available to the shipbuilding industry under Sections 5(2) and 5(3) of the Import Duties Act, 1958.

Information about Atomic Energy Authority research establishments is given in the following tables:The British producers of crankshafts and running gear for marine engines have sought guidance from the Board of Trade on the kind of evidence needed to support an application by them under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Acts, 1957 and 1968; and advice on this has been given. If the industry submits an application with supporting

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that certain British travel agents give bookings to foreign airlines in order to obtain votes for recognition by International Air Transport Association; what estimate he has made of the loss of revenue to British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation arising from this practice; if he will take steps to end this practice; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to suppose that there is any net loss of revenue, since with the worldwide I.A.T.A. system any loss suffered by British airlines in the United Kingdom is likely to be offset by gains abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the code of recommended safe working practices being prepared by the Board of Trade Working Group on the Safety of Fishermen on Trawlers.

We are expecting to receive the Report of the Working Group and its annexed code of recommended safe working practices within the next few days and hope to publish it as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied with the cleanliness and state of repair of the direction signs on the M1 and M45 motorways; and if he will make a statement.

I am generally satisfied, but it is difficult to maintain a high standard of cleanliness in winter weather. Emergency cleaning is carried out as necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the five problems on the solution of which the Road Research Laboratory is spending most money in the current financial year, showing estimated expenditure in the current year and in the next two financial years and the total cost to date on each of the problems.

The research programme of the Road Research Laboratory is divided into 17 main areas. Their order, in terms of resources, can only be determined on a rather arbitrary basis. On the basis of the research staff effort devoted to them the five largest are:

	Estimates Expenditure	Possible Expenditure
	1968–69	1969–70
1. Research into road user behaviour, training etc., and child road safety	110,000	200,000
2. Vehicle design: methods of reducing accident injuries	200,000	150,000
3. Bridge design problems*	170,000	210,000
4. Road making material	130,000	130,000
5. Road construction methods and maintenance	120,000	180,000

Details of the research programmes under these five headings are given in the Laboratory's Annual Report "Road Research" and also in their "Annual Research Programme".Figures are not yet available for estimated expenditure under the five headings for 1970–71.As the programmes under the various headings are continuing ones, the total cost to date under each heading is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration he is giving to the opening of the upper River Waveney from Beccles to Bungay for river craft; and whether he will use his powers to ensure that no obstacle is placed in the way pending the Broads Consortium Report.

My Department has recently been in correspondence with persons interested in reopening to navigation this and other waterways in the Broad lands area and has suggested that they put their proposals to the Broads Consortium Committee. Meanwhile I do not think I can usefully intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales in view of the heavy road traffic on the A467 highway from Newport to Brynmawr and of the need to provide transport facilities for future industrial expansion in the Abertillery constituency, a special development area, what study he is making of alternative routes and means of communication to ensure the carriage of manufactured and general goods, and for future industry in the area.

The A467 is a principal road and primarily the responsibility of the local highway authorities. A major improvement was recently completed between Crumlin and Pant Bridge at a cost of over £460,000 towards which I gave a 75 per cent. grant. The improvement is to be continued southwards to Cross Keys in three stages over the next two to three years at an estimated cost of over £1·2 million.Following the completion of a project study the Monmouthshire County Council expects to start shortly a major land use transportation study which will indicate the needs and priorities for further improvements of the roads in the county including the A467 road.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, to ensure that all consumers are represented, he will appoint a person with experience of industry either on the managerial or trade union side, to the Committee for Wales of the Countryside Commission.

The Committee for Wales of the Countryside Commission is appointed by the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with progress being made on the completion of the remaining sections of the road links between the Midlands and South Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Nearly five miles of dual carriageway were brought into use between Mitchel Troy and Raglan on 1st February, completing the New Midlands Road between the Herefordshire border and Raglan. The contract for the Raglan-Usk section of the road should be let very shortly and work will start soon afterwards. Orders establishing the line of the final Usk-Coldra section of the road were made last month and a draft compulsory purchase order should be published at the end of this month. The complete road should be open in 1972.Having regard to the statutory procedures that have to be followed and to other calls on the national resources, I consider the rate of progress being made on this road to be satisfactory.