asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made with the Government's survey into the numbers of old controlled tenancies; and if he will make a statement.

From a survey undertaken last year by the Department of Employment and Productivity it is estimated that in December, 1967, there were in England and Wales some 1,550,000 controlled tenancies; this estimate however includes a figure of 350,000 for the Greater London area, which may need to be adjusted after further analysis.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he intends to take to prevent further increases in the interest repayments on mortgages.

I know of no proposals for further increases in the immediate future and house purchasers are being helped through tax relief on the interest they pay or through the option mortgage scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what principal factors he attributes the increase in the price of new houses since 1964.

Rising costs, the strength of demand, recent improvements in quality and shortages in the overall supply of houses arising from past neglect.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now announce his detailed proposals for giving to local authorities the power to make payments in respect of removal costs and legal expenses to council tenants wishing to move into home ownership in the private sector.

My right hon. Friend is advised that authorities have the legal power to pay removal expenses of a council tenant moving out to a house of his own, but not legal expenses. He is considering this matter further in consultation with the local authority associations and in the Housing Programme Working Party.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how the process of improvement and repair of old houses will be affected by the cut in money available for local authority mortgages.

Loans for improvements, conversions and repairs are outside the quota arrangements for house purchase loans.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in the light of the 53,168 fall in the number of new houses and flats started in 1968 compared with the previous year's total of 447,567, what estimate he has made of the number of dwellings likely to be completed this year and also the number started this year; and what steps he proposes to increase the number of starts.

I do not at present see reasons for expecting any dramatic change in the figures for 1969 as compared with 1968. Local authorities in the priority areas have been urged to maintain their building figures at a high level. Starts in the private sector depend largely upon the state of the economy and the availability of mortgage finance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government by how much, as a result of public acquisition by the Land Commission, he estimates the cost of building land has been cheapened; and whether he will make a statement.

The cost of building land is influenced by the supply. The Commission can make the most favour-able impact on land prices by ensuring a steady supply to the market and its acquisition programme is being built up to this end.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what evidence he has received from the Federation of Registered House-Builders regarding the likely trend of house starts and completions in 1969; and what action he has taken in that regard.

In assessing the private house building prospects for 1969 I have taken account among other things of the results of the enquiry conducted in November by the Federation of Registered House-Builders.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what evidence his Department has given to the Reddaway Inquiry into the Selective Employment Tax as to the effect of that tax on house-building costs; and whether he will publish it.

None, but the Department is ready to give Mr. Reddaway any information or assistance he may seek.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what additional cost to the Exchequer was accrued in 1968 by subsidy payments under the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967.

It is estimated that the additional cost accruing in the financial year 1968–69 under the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967, compared with the cost had that Act not been passed, will be around £11 million for England.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what are the reasons for the reduction in the funds available to local authorities for mortgage advances in the new financial year.

Because of the continuing need to restrict public expenditure and borrowing by public authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the hardships imposed on many owner-occupiers by the imposition of a levy by the Land Commission, he will now take steps to exempt owner-occupied houses from the operation of this levy.

No. The vast majority of sales by owner-occupiers do not realise development value and no levy is charged. In those cases in which development value is realised there is no justification for exempting them from levy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that a man's labour is taken into consideration when assessing development value and costs that can be set against such values.

The value of an owner's labour cannot be admitted as a deduction from market value, but in so far as it increases the current use value of the land on which the work is done it will benefit him in the assessment of levy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now introduce amending legislation in order to impose penalties on tenants who habitually evade payment of rent.

No. Non-payment of rent is under the Rent Act a ground for seeking an order for possession of a dwelling let on a protected tenancy, and it is also open to the landlord to seek a judgment in the county court for the recovery of unpaid rent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to extend his proposals for the control of multiple occupation of houses to occupation by more than one family.

Experience of Local Act powers suggests that the scheme of registration in Clause 65 of the Housing Bill should have this level of exemption. The rest of Part IV of the Bill and the earlier legislation applies to any house in multiple occupation. My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will be very willing to consider the views of hon. Members on this point.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will issue a circular to local housing authorities on the circumstances in which they should allocate dwellings scheduled for redevelopment and standing unoccupied to applicants from their housing waiting lists.

This is a matter for each local authority to consider in the light of the particular circumstances. A sub-committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee is looking generally at allocation policies.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he is taking to assist financially Ashington Urban District Council in the provision of house purchase services during the period 1969–70; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has allocated Ashington Urban District Council a quota of £10,000 for loans for house purchase in 1969–70.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what reply he has sent to the Liverpool Corporation in response to their request for a contribution towards making good the damage caused by an act of sabotage to the River Dee Aqueduct.

A copy of the reply has been sent to my hon. Friend. It gives my right hon. Friend's reasons for not meeting the corporation's request for an extra-statutory contribution from the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what guidance he is giving to local authorities on the application of charitable rate relief to sports clubs.

None. This is a matter which Parliament has left to the discretion of the rating authorities and it would not be appropriate for my right, hon. Friend to interfere.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now review the working of the Land Commission Act; and if he will make a statement.

The working of the Act, which has been in operation for less than two years, is under continuous review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what study he has made of the problems of land use and planning arising from the proposal made to him by the Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Council, involving the development of the Thorne waste land in the West Riding of Yorkshire as an international airport.

No such proposal has been made to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further steps he proposes to take to reduce foaming on the River Aire.

I understand that the manufacturers are still trying to develop substances suitable for industrial use in place of those that mainly cause the foaming. The Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents are actively considering the problem.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now publish the technical report of the investigation into the possibility of a movable barrier or permanent barrage as flood protection for London against surges from the North Sea; and if he will make a statement.

No. This interim technical report was prepared by officers of the Greater London Council for the information of the inter-departmental committee controlling the investigation. I shall keep the House informed of progress.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the increase in water rates in North-East Essex since 1964; and what he estimates the increase will be in 1969.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the area of the Tendring Hundred Waterworks Company. Their water rate, which was Is. O¼d. in 1964, is 2s. Id. for 1969—an increase of Is. O¾d of which 6½d. was added this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to prohibit river authorities from demanding payment from mills which are not extracting water from a river or changing it in any respect but are only using it to drive machinery.

No. Some mills have certain rights to a constant flow of water, and I do not think it unfair that they should pay a small contribution to the river authority's operations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he is considering for the creation of a country park to cover the area of the Norfolk Broads, or for part of the area.

This would be a matter in the first place for the local authorities, who under the Countryside Act, 1968 can seek grant of up to 75 per cent. of the cost from my right hon. Friend on the recommendation of the Countryside Commission. No proposals have however so far been received for the creation of country parks in the area of the Norfolk Broads.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the fact that a number of local authorities have incorporated provisions in their private Bills to facilitate the introduction of district heating, if he will introduce legislation to give these powers on a national basis.

Most of the district heating schemes of local authorities can be undertaken within their existing powers, and my right hon. Friend has no present proposals for legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he observes control of money supply techniques in the budgeting of his Department.

Control of the money supply is a matter concerning the economy as a whole. The activities of the Department are controlled in conformity with, and as part of, the Government's economic policies.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will use his powers under paragraph 15, section 6 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949, to secure access to Abbeystead Moors in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

No. Abbeystead Moors in the Forest of Bowland, to which I understand the Question refers, was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1964. The local planning authority has since made a recreational study of the whole area which has already resulted in the acquisition of a 269-acre site for access and other purposes. I understand that three areas at

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many chief officers of administrative counties and county boroughs have been dismissed or prematurely retired on grounds of inefficiency in the past five years.

Available information relates only to the dismissal of clerks of county councils and medical officers of health of county councils and some county boroughs, of whom none has been dismissed in the last five years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has for modification of Green Belt boundaries or green belt policy.

None for green belts already approved. The final definition of other green belt proposals must await the preparation of up-to-date regional plans. Meanwhile the proposed green belts are safeguarded by day-to-day planning control.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has to change the policy regarding charging for reservoirs laid down in paragraph 42 of the White Paper on the Water Resources Act published in 1962.

I have no intention of departing from the broad charging principles set out in that document.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he proposes to take to clarify the law on the rating of agricultural buildings now that he has discussed the matter with the National Farmers Union.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement regard- ing the progress of his discussions with the National Farmers Union on the rating of intensive livestock units.

My right hon. Friend is considering the Union's representations in conjunction with his right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The Government's conclusions will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the larger scale ordnance survey maps for East Anglia, showing field boundaries, are now mostly out of date and inaccurate; what steps he is taking to re-survey the region by aerial photography and other means; and when revised editions of such maps will become available.

There is a serious lack of up-to-date large scale maps for East Anglia and most other parts of Great Britain. A major expansion of the work of the Ordnance Survey was announced in 1966. The re-survey of the larger towns is now virtually complete; that of the smaller towns should be completed by about 1970 and of the rest of the country by about 1980. Air survey is widely used.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received about introducing a system of block sanctions for local authority borrowing; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received from the Association of Municipal Corporations a memorandum about revising the system of control of local authority capital expenditure which is exercised through consents for borrowing. I expect discussions with the local authority associations on this memorandum to take place shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will receive a joint deputation from the Liverpool and Birmingham City Councils, to discuss with them the provision of compensation for the damage caused by acts of sabotage to the water supply installations of those cities.

I have sent my hon. Friend copies of replies to Liverpool City Council's representations on the question of compensation. These explain my right hon. Friend's refusal to make extra-statutory Exchequer payments. If my hon. Friend still wishes to bring a joint deputation from the two city councils perhaps he will write to me to arrange this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the borough of Nuneaton will be informed of the amount of rate support grant that it will receive for the forthcoming financial year; and how this will compare with the two previous years.

					1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
					£	£	£	£
Rate Support Grant
Needs Element	…	…	…	…			5,932,844	4,267,666
Resources Element	…	…	…	…			—	—
Domestic Element	…	…	…	…			198,301	401,187
Total	…	…	…	…			6,131,145	4,668,853
General Grant	…	…	…	…	4,728,824	5,153,241
Rate deficiency grant	…	…	…	…	—	—
Total	…	…	…	…	4,728,824	5,153,241

The figures for the needs element of rate support grants are the amounts after deduction of the proportion to be transferred to the Great London Council—1/9th for 1967–68 and 40 per cent. for 1968–69. The transfer of a greater proportion of grant to the G.L.C. is reflected in a reduction in the G.L.C. rate pre cept. No account is taken of the effects of Rate Equalisation Schemes. These for the years 1965–66 to 1967–68 involved redistribution of the general grant and the needs element of rate support grants.Source—Departmental Records.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he intends to bring into force Part II of the Caravan Sites Act, 1968.

I regret that in present economic circumstances I do not think it would be right to impose this additional

The Nuneaton Borough Council was informed of the estimated amounts of rate support grants for the year 1969–70, together with revised estimates for the years 1967–68 and 1968–69, on 3rd January, 1969. The amounts are as follows:

	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70
	£	£	£
Resources element	188,181	166,434	170,043
Domestic element	25,354	52,396	81,349
Total	213,535	218,830	251,392

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the rate support grant to the London Borough of Lambeth in 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1967–68; and what is the estimated grant for 1968–69.

The estimated rate support grants payable to the London Borough Council of Lambeth for 1967–68 and 1968–69 and the corresponding grants for the two previous years are as follows:obligation on local authorities. I repeat the assurance given by my right hon. Friend on 12th November that the Order will be made as early as conditions allow. In the meantime loan sanctions for sites will be considered sympathetically.—[Vol. 773, c. 192–193.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Water Act, 1945, to permit restrictions to be imposed upon the consumption of water during periods of emergency by large-scale consumers, such as owners of private swimming pools.

If my hon. Friend has in mind widening the scope of Section 16 of the 1945 Act, I will bear his point in mind. Solution of the problems lacing the Wirral Water Board, which serves my hon. Friend's constituency, depend on the carrying out of works to improve its distribution system; further restrictions on the use of water would not help them significantly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many acres have been released by local authorities following his appeal to authorities in the Outer Metropolitan Area to release land to build 35,000 houses per year for seven years; and whether he will publish the results of the investigations by the Land Commission into what land is available for development, stating if it is publicly or privately owned, and how this information will be used to ensure adequate land for housebuilding.

I have recently had a full discussion with the local planning authorities mainly concerned and asked them to let me have by the end of next month firm proposals for meeting the target. Last year about 30,000 private houses were built in the Outer Metropolitan Area, but figures about acreages are not readily available. The Land Commission's investigations on land availability are internal working documents, not intended for publication. They help to identify the areas where more land needs to be made available for building.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a further statement on the North Peckham building project undertaken by the direct labour department of the London Borough of Southwark; and what action he proposes to take in that regard.

When this project ran into difficulties Southwark Council considered what could best be done, and after investigation appointed Messrs. Bovis Limited to manager the remainder of the work. My right hon. Friend's consent was not required and since the council had professional and independent investigation and advice, he saw no reason to intervene and sees none now.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what savings on the estimated cost of his Department and what reductions in staff he plans to achieve during the current financial year.

There will be a reduction of about 40 staff. The estimated cost of the Department will increase by £591,500 mainly because of pay awards.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what were the main factors that caused an actual adverse balance of payments of approximately £700 million in 1968 following his forecast of a surplus for that year; and what steps he is taking to prevent the same factors from affecting his forecasts for 1969;(2) what were the balance of payments for each of the years 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively; what he estimates the figure will be for 1969; and what are the main factors which he expects will make the 1969 results more favourable than those for 1968.

Estimates of the balance of payments in the years 1964–67 and in the first nine months of 1968 were published in Economic Trends last December. An estimate for the whole of 1968—for which I have never forecast a surplus and for which I do not accept the hon. Gentleman's figure—will be published next month. On the rest of the Questions, I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to similar Questions on 28th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what authority he ensures that the banking system complies with his requests to curtail lending within limits he lays down.

Under the Bank of England Act, 1946, the Bank of England has powers subject to Treasury authority to make recommendations and give directions to bankers. It has never been necessary to use these powers. The banks have always co-operated voluntarily with the authorities' requests, and I believe that they will continue to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of increased taxation needed for 1969–70 to have the same effect on consumption as the estimated effect of the banks bringing their total lending down to £250 million by which they are above the ceiling set by him.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Written Answers I gave him on 11th February.—[Vol. 777, c. 272.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that the Import Deposits Scheme has had the estimated deflationary effect; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot usefully add anything to my Written Answer on 11th February.—[Vol. 777, c. 270.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of Selective Employment Tax per annum has been paid by hairdressing establishments in Scotland since the introduction of the tax.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the nature and extent of Her Majesty's Government's investments in Scottish industry, banks and insurance companies, giving names and details.

Her Majesty's Governments only equity interest in a private concern in Scotland is its 17½ per cent. share of the equity of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates to be the return in taxation from claiming back family allowances in full by reducing the child tax allowance from those above the standard-rate tax threshold for the years 1968–69 and 1969–70, respectively.

It would not be practicable to confine the cut in tax allowances to those liable at the standard rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the forecast figures for estimated public expenditure for the years 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, and 1969–70 at 1965 survey prices made in Command Paper No. 2915 and other publications; what was the actual expenditure, in prices current in the year of fulfilment, for each of the years so far fulfilled; and by what percentage margin fulfilment prices varied from the relevant constant prices.

For published forecasts of expenditure at 1965 Survey prices I would refer the hon. Member to Appendix II to Public Expenditure: Planning and Control (Cmnd. 2915) and to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's reply to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 30th January, 1968.—[Vol. 757, c. 269.]Figures of actual expenditure at current prices for each year from 1964–65 to 1966–67, with a provisional outturn for 1967–68, are published in the Treasury analysis of Public Expenditure in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conditions are necessary according to the policy of Her Majesty's Government before a substantial cut in Bank Rate can be made in order to restore it to 2 per cent.

I see little value in attempting to specify the necessary conditions for such a remote possibility.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to abolish stamp duty on bank cheques.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated revenue from stamp duty on cheques; and what was the amount of such revenue for each of the last five years.

About £10½ million in 1968–69. Figures for earlier years are given in the 111th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue (Table 143).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will propose in his next Budget the abolition of vehicle licence fees, the substitution of a formal registration fee for ownership, and the recovery of the present revenue from vehicle licensing by an increase in petrol duty.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of public service pensioners, excluding the Armed Forces; how many of them will receive benefits from 1st April, 1969, under the Pensions (Increase) Bill, 1969; and what percentage of the latter is receiving pensions which began before 1946.

There are about 780,000 public service pensioners, excluding Armed Forces pensioners. Over 656,000 will benefit from increases proposed under the Pensions (Increase) Bill with effect from 1st April, 1969, and of this number it is estimated that between 6 per cent. and 8 per cent. are receiving pensions which began before 1946.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many rooms in his and other Government Departments are permanently equipped for simultaneous translation; and what steps he is taking to remedy deficiencies in order to encourage the holding of more international conferences in London, rather than elsewhere.

Two. More are planned in the proposed Government Conference Centre on the Broad Sanctuary site. A few non-Government buildings are so equipped.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in carrying out a review of the structure of the electricity supply industry in England and Wales, he is investigating the possibility of setting up a Welsh Power Board to cover the whole of Wales.

This is one of the many suggestions which I am examining in my review.

asked the Minister of Power how much money his Department is currently spending annually on research and development projects in the United Kingdom; and how much of this money is being spent in Wales.

£480,000, of which none in Wales. I would refer the hon. Member to the Reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Gwynfor Evans) on 25th November.—[Vol. 774, c. 51.]

asked the Minister of Power if he will name the areas where the local committees to examine disputed applications for benefit under the Redun-

					Committee Composition
N.C.B.Area					National Union of Mineworkers	National Coal Board	National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotftrers
Scottish, North	…	…	…	…	4	4	1
Scottish, South	…	…	…	…
Northumberland	…	…	…	…	3	3	1
North Durham	…	…	…	…	3	3	1
South Durham	…	…	…	…
North Yorks	…	…	…	…	4	4	1
Doncaster	…	…	…	…
Barnsley	…	…	…	…
South Yorks	…	…	…	…
North Western	…	…	…	…	4	4	1
North Derby	…	…	…	…	3	3	1
North Notts	…	…	…	…	4	4	1
South Notts	…	…	…	…
South Midlands	…	…	…	…	3	3	1
Staffs	…	…	…	…	3	3	1
East Wales	…	…	…	…	3	3	1
West Wales	…	…	…	…
Kent	…	…	…	…	2	2	1

A representative of the licensed mines may be co-opted to deal with particular cases.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what was the annual production of steel in the United Kingdom from 1958 to the latest convenient date;(2) what was the annual production of steel in Scotland from 1958 to the latest convenient date.

Following is the information:

	Production of crude steel in the United Kingdom	Production of crude steel in Scotland	Percentage of United Kingdom
	(Thousand tons)
1958*	19,566	2,116	10·8
1959	20,186	1,964	9·7
1960	24,305	2,701	11·1
1961	22,086	2,341	10·6
1962	20,491	1,895	9·2
1963	22,520	2,068	9·2
1964*	26,530	2,974	11·2
1965	27,006	3,053	11·3
1966	24,315	2,678	11·0
1967	23,895	2,600	10·9
1968	25,862	3,072	11·9
* 53-week periods. All other periods shown are 52-week periods.

The areas are tablulated below with the composition of the local committees:

asked the Minister of Power when the second phase of the Aberthaw Power Station will be completed; and what additional amount of coal he estimates will be consumed per year when the station is in full use.

Aberthaw B is expected to be completed in 1970. Thereafter its coal consumption is expected to build up to a peak of about2½ million tons per annum, but as a consequence less efficient power stations will be used less intensively, so that the Central Electricity Generating Board's total coal consumption will not increase by an equivalent amount.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to examine the effect of mergers on the British economy.

No. I consider it unlikely that a Royal Commission, or any other body, could reach valid conclusions about mergers in general. By promoting certain mergers through the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, and by providing for the scrutiny of other mergers under the Monopolies and Mergers Act 1965, the Government seek to ensure that individual mergers should contribute as far as possible to the public interest.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about plans for the Ports of Fraserburgh and Peterhead.

I have been asked to reply.Plans for the development of harbours are a matter in the first instance for the harbour authorities concerned and I have no firm proposals before me at present for future works at either Fraserburgh or Peterhead. A section of the main breakwater at Fraserburgh Harbour is being strengthened, with the aid of grant from my Department. Peterhead Harbour Trust, following the completion of a major programme of maintenance works, which was also grant-aided, has made a preliminary approach to me about assistance towards the cost of improving the fish landing and fish marketing facilities there, but has agreed to defer these proposals for a year so that it can be determined whether there is likely to be a permanent need for the improvements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will conduct an investigation into the extent to which the failure of United Kingdom exports to South Africa to rise by more than 2 per cent. in sterling value during the first 11 months of 1968 when the dollar value of United States of America, German and Japanese exports to South Africa rose by 8 per cent., 10 per cent. and 9 per cent., respectively, was due to Her Majesty's Government's ban on sale to South Africa of arms for use against external aggression.

The increase in our exports to South Afica in the first eleven months of 1968 compared with the same period of 1967 was somewhat greater, and the increases in exports from the U.S. and Japan somewhat less, than those stated in the Question. I have no evidence that these differences were due to Her Majesty's Government's policy of implementing the United Nations Resolution on the supply of arms, which is also the policy of the other countries mentioned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has recently received from local authorities in the Thames estuary regarding the safety of the wreck of the munitions ship "Richard Montgomery"; and what reply he has given.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the present plans of the South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board are adequate to meet the need for geriatric hospital beds in the Woking area; and if he will make a statement.

The board is well aware that Woking is one of the areas in the region where there is at present a deficiency of geriatric beds. The later stages of the redevelopment of St. Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, will include additional geriatric provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present waiting list for geriatric hospital beds in the North-West Surrey area; and what it was five and 10 years ago, respectively.

163 at 31st December, 1968; 139 in 1963 and 94 in 1958, but the last figure includes some patients who were already in hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what account is taken of large seasonal influxes in population in determining the need for additional hospital accommodation; and what estimate he has made for this purpose of the additional holiday population of the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft areas.

The need to provide services for holidaymakers is taken into account. I understand that over 100,000 people are visiting the Great Yarmouth/ Lowestoft area at the peak of the holiday season.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the likely population in the combined Yarmouth/Lowestoft area by the year 1975; how many hospital beds for acute cases and supporting facilities will be available per 1,000 population; and how this compares with the national average, and with the local position at King's Lynn and Bury St. Edmunds.

I understand that the Regional Hospital Board assume a figure of 156,500 for planning purposes. It is not possible to say what the ratio of hospital beds for acute cases to population will be either nationally or locally in 1975 because capital programmes are kept under review to take account of changes in priorities and in the pattern of medical care.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that conditions at the operating theatre in the Gloucester Royal Infirmary give rise to dangers due to the impossibility of rendering the premises sterile, and that amenities for the operating staff are unsatisfactory; what proposals he has for remedying this situation; and when he will put them into effect.

We are satisfied that the sterility of the operating theatre at the Southgate Street Branch of the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is properly safeguarded and checked regularly. We recognise that conditions for staff outside the theatre are not up to the standard expected in a modern hospital, but this will be put right when the operating theatres in the new Gloucestershire Royal Hospital are ready in about four years' time. In the meantime, the regional hospital board is urgently considering with the hospital management committee interim measures to improve conditions which it hopes to introduce by the end of 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average length of stay of all patients in Bedford General Hospital, South Wing, in 1968; and the average length of stay of those patients suffering from ear, nose and throat complaints.

7·8 days; 4·6 days.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to introduce a maximum charge for certificates of unfitness or fitness for work or school signed by doctors in cases where the patient receives neither pay nor sickness benefit.

The amount charged for private certificates is a matter for agreement between doctors and their patients, but the British Medical Association has issued guidance on the subject to its members. The Government encourages employers and others to reduce to a minimum their requirements for private certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will lay the regulations implementing the police salary award agreed in London on 12th November, 1968.

On Thursday, 20th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the administrative and legislative procedures which have been followed by his Department since 12th November, towards implementing the police pay settlement agreed on that date.

First, the Joint Secretaries of the Police Council had to calculate and apply the award in detail to various individual scales with effect from two different dates. Regulations were then drafted and agreed with the Joint Secretaries of the Police Council and the local authority and police associations which are consulted under statute. Thereafter the regulations had to be printed, proofs checked and submitted to Ministers for approval.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the procedures involved in implementing police pay settlements in order that payment of awards can be made more speedily at the time of the next review.

The existing statutory procedure has been operated for a number of years with the full agreement of the Scottish Police Federation and has hitherto been regarded by it as safeguarding its interests. If it now proposes changes in the procedure, I will be glad to consider them with all the interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the average cost of heating a three-bedroom council house in Glasgow by solid fuel, electricity and gas, respectively.

The Government obtain only limited information about expenditure by individual householders, and the precise information referred to by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to reply to the request of 9th October, 1968, for approval of the terms of the lease in connection with a grant under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1947, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Ilford, North.

The club concerned was sent confirmation of its grant on 23rd December, 1968, when all conditions, including acceptance of the terms of the lease, had been met.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of students enrolled for local education authorities' discretionary further education courses in each of the past four years together with the estimate for 1969–70; and whether he will make a statement on the effects upon such courses of current Government restrictions on local government expenditure.

Local education authorities are under a duty to secure the provision for their areas of adequate facilities for further education, but this general duty does not extend to the provision of particular individual courses. The following are the figures of students attending grant-aided establishments:

		Thousands
1964	1965	1966
2,725	2,916	3,091
1967	1968	1969
3,194	3,290*	3,446*
* Estimates.

In arriving at estimates of relevant expenditure for rate support grant in 1969–70 I assumed that expenditure on further education would rise in real terms broadly in line with the growth in the number of students indicated above, allowing for some reduction in teaching costs per student. This should be possible with the continued implementation of the recommendations of the Pilkington Report for the size of teaching groups.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has studied the report of the inspector appointed to inquire into the proposal to establish a Welsh Rural Development Board; when it will be published; and when he will be making a statement.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales, and my right hon. Friend hope to publish the report and their conclusions on it before very long.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the date of purchase and original cost of the 1,200 Longines and Omega watches which he is selling by auction on 4th March, 1969, what is the reason for the sale, and how many such watches were purchased during each of the last five years.

The watches were purchased on varying dates between 1940 and 1965; I regret that records showing their exact date of purchase and original cost are not now available. The watches are being sold because they are surplus to the requirements of the Royal Air Force in that they no longer reach the exacting standards required for aircrew duties.I can find no record of any such watches being purchased during the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the hospitals for which his Department is responsible, showing the number of beds and the average total weekly cost of an in-patient in each.

The Service hospitals for which the Ministry of Defence is responsible are listed below, together with the number of beds in each:—

IN UNITED KINGDOM
Name and Location	Authorised Beds
Haslar	460
Plymouth	386
Millbank (London)	200
Royal Herbert (Woolwich)	330
Colchester	114
Cambridge and Louise Margaret (Aldershot)	413
Tidworth	200
Catterick	200
Mhyusgravc Park* (N. Ireland)	44
Halton	201
Wroughton	280
Ely	188
Cosford	160
Nocton	196
Uxbridget†	68

ABROAD
Name and Location	Authorised Beds
Berlin	80
Iserlohn	270
Munster	200
Rinteln	227
Hannover	172
Wegberg	235
Gibraltar	67
Malta	169
Dheklia (Cyprus)	70
Akrotiri (Cyprus)	123
Mauritius	32
El Adem (Libya)	39
Muharraq‡	100
Singapore‡	400
Changi (Singapore)‡	115
Kluang (Malaysia)‡	50
Terendak (Malaysia)‡	160
Penang (Malaysia)‡	20
Hong Kong	230
Dharan	70
Notes:
* Service wing of civilian hospital.
† To close in 1970.
‡To close in 1971.

The average weekly in-patient costs in Service hospitals in this country are about £85. I regret that a comparable figure for Service hospitals abroad is not readily available.