asked the Postmaster-General what financial objective will be set for the National Data Processing Service.

The target will be a net return of 8 per cent. on net assets averaged for the period 1968–69 to 1971–72. The target takes into account a common pricing policy for Post Office and non-Post Office customers and allows for the initial setting-up costs of the new organisation.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what were the receipts of moneys paid by visitors for entry and literature at Caernarvon Castle in 1968.

The total receipts in 1968 amounted to £31,634, of which £6,758 was received from the sales of literature.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many firms with head offices in Scotland were given the opportunity of undertaking the building works at the Faslane and Coulport missile depots.

105.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will initiate through his Departmental Working Party consultations with British motor manufacturers about after-sales service and supplies of spare parts to foreign buyers following the recent evidence produced by the Automobile Association, details of which are in his possession.

The Working Party under Sir Eric Mensforth has already received evidence from the motor industry about national arrangements in the field of quality assurance. The question of sales and service lies outside its terms of reference.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will show separately the total number of qualified engineers and scientists who have joined or left Culham Laboratory and Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment, respectively, during the last 12 months, indicating in each case the numbers who came from or left for other Government research establishments, universities, industry, or overseas.

The information is as follows for permanent staff:

Recruits	to:	Harwell	Culham
from:
Government research establishments		2	6
Universities		24	4
Industry		8	2
Overseas		4	2
		38	14
Leavers	from:	Harwell	Culham
to:
Government research establishments		6	3
Universities		4	5
Industry		16	5
Overseas		6	3
Others (including deaths and retirements)		2	1
		34	17

In addition, a number of qualified scientists and engineers are granted fixed-term appointments as Research Fellows or Research Associates. The number of such appointments and termination of appointments during the last twelve months were:

Appointments	to:	Harwell	Culham
from:
Government research establishments		Nil	Nil
Universities		1	6
Industry		1	1
Overseas		16	10
		18	17
Terminations	from:	Harwell	Culham
		23	9

A complete analysis of the destination of these leavers is not available.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the non-Government projects making use of the facilities of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, and Culham Laboratory, showing in each case the industrial or academic establishment concerned, the total man-days spent on each project during the last six months, and the method by which each project is being financed.

The terms on which the facilities at the Harwell and Culham establishments are made available for non-Government projects are part of the day to day commercial business of the Atomic Energy Authority.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what consultations he has had with the National Union of Mine-workers about the operation and amendment of the Redundant Mineworkers' Payment Scheme, 1967; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many representations he has received for changes in the administration of the Redundant Mineworkers' Payment Scheme, 1967; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has had regular consultation with the Union during the preparation of the Scheme and since. The Unions and other interests have made representations notably for the revision of the initial date for eligibility for benefit; the method of calculating offset of other benefits against Scheme benefit; the conditions for disqualification from benefit during absence abroad; the calculation of pre-redundancy earnings; and the entitlement of mineworkers who, while otherwise eligible, died before the Redundant Mineworkers' (Payments Scheme) Order, 1968 came into force. All have been considered carefully and sympathetically.My right hon. Friend has been unable to agree revision on the first two points; the third is being considered; in the last two cases concessions have been agreed. Considering that some 20,000 men have so far benefited under the Scheme representations have been relatively few.

asked the Minister of Power what studies his Department have undertaken into the labour shortage now being created in certain coalfields by the administration of the Redundant Mineworkers' Payments Scheme, 1967; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

Perhaps my hon. Friend would let me know in more detail what he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the probable consequences of the failure to recognise the right of non-manual employees to join a trade union of their choice; and if he will take steps to deal with this matter.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the statement which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity will be making as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in view of increased demand and higher steel prices abroad, the British Steel Corporation has increased its export performance; and if he will make a statement.

Finished steel exports by the British Steel Corporation in 1968 are estimated to have reached 361 million tons. The comparable figure for 1967 was 3·43 million tons. Mounting home demand, including steel for manufactured goods for export, may limit the volume of direct steel exports in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has of the total cost to the British Exchequer of foreign students at British universities.

I cannot estimate what proportion of the total cost of Universities to the Exchequer is attributable to students from overseas. In the academic year 1967–68 assistance to such students through the aid programme of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development, the British Council, Commonwealth Education Cooperation schemes and the fund set up for the relief of hardship following the raising of tuition fees in 1967 is estimated to have cost between £3·3 million and £4·3 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the additional amount of investment grants payable on the basis that expenditure on computer software ranked for grant; and what was the amount of investment grants paid in the financial year 1967–68 on software included in the purchase price of computers.

The information is not available. Applicants for grant are not asked to identify separately that part of the capital cost of a new computer which relates to software. Furthermore, I have no basis on which to estimate the amount of subsequent expenditure on software on which grant is not paid.

asked the President of Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the additional amount of investment grants payable on the basis that capital expenditure on installation of a computer ranked for grant notwithstanding the fact that the computer is leased and not bought outright.

Investment grant may be paid on capital costs incurred by lessors in the installation of leased computers. Had grant been payable on installation costs incurred in 1967 by lessees the additional amount is estimated at about £1¼ million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that his Department is allowing investment grants for data transmission equipment and computer terminals where these are located in the same building as the central computer, but not when they are carrying out an identical function at another location; and if he will give instructions for this distinction to be removed.

Equipment whose primary function is data transmission does not rank for grant. The admissibility of other computer equipment for investment grant does not depend on its location, though other differences, e.g. of function or of ownership, can affect the decision whether grant is payable. If the hon. Gentleman will give me details of any case where he believes there has been inconsistency of treatment I will investigate it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, in view of the fact that in a computer installation, both magnetic tapes and magnetic discs are used for the storage of information, investment grants are payable on the latter and not on the former.

Grant is payable on an initial supply of magnetic tapes as part of the cost of a new computer, but not on subsequent purchases as these tapes have the character of consumable stores. Magnetic discs are, however, long-lived capital assets.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the proportion of overseas visitors to Great Britain during the last year for which figures are available who spent at least one night in Wales.

About 3 per cent. in 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate annual running, maintenance and capital costs of all Service, war and unit museums.

The readily identifiable, current annual cost to Defence Votes—covering staff salaries and grants-in-aid is approximately £200,000. It would not be possible without disproportionate effort to assess works' and other ancillary costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will withdraw British forces from the defence of any country which enforces restrictions on those forces or their possessions based on racial or religious prejudice.

The policy on the withdrawal of British forces was set out in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1968 (Cmnd. 3540).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of adoptions legalised during the last full year for which statistics are available; and of these, what proportion of those adopted were aged between birth to six months, seven to 12 months, 13 to 24 months and over 24 months, respectively, when their adoptions were legalised.

The number of children legally adopted in England and Wales under orders registered in 1967 was 22,802. Of these, 4,965 or 21·8 per cent. were aged under six months, 7,205 or 31·6 per cent. were between six and twelve months, 2,033 or 8·9 per cent. were between one and two years, and 8,599 or 37·7 per cent. were over two years of age on adoption.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those adopted during the last full year for which statistics are available, were adopted through third parties, and through adoption societies, respectively.

The preliminary results of the statistical survey by the Government Social Survey and the Home Office Research Unit of adoption applications to the courts in 1966 show that in England and Wales about 5 per cent. of adoptions were arranged by third parties, 40 per cent. by adoption societies, 17 per cent. by local authorities, and about 8 per cent. were direct placements by a parent. In about 30 per cent. of the applications one of the adopters, or the sole adopter, was a parent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of children in the care of local authorities in England and Wales; and what is the average cost of each child per week at present compared to five years ago.

69,358 on 31st March, 1968.Taking account only of children on whose maintenance expenditure was incurred, the average cost of maintenance per child per week was £7 6s. 2d. in 1967–68 and £5 3s. 7¼d. in 1962–63, towards which parents contributed an average of 7s. 1d. per child per week in 1967–68 and 6s. 3d. in 1962–63. Items of general expenditure which cannot be apportioned between children in care and the other services provided by local authority children's departments are excluded from the calculation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the reservations which Great Britain made when signing the United Nations International Convenants on economic, social and cultural rights and on civil and political rights; and what action he is taking to remedy the causes of these reservations.

The following are the texts of the notes addressed by Her Majesty's Government to the Secretary-General of the United Nations setting out the reservations and statements of interpretation made on signature of the Covenants:1.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost to the National Health Service of the total number of legal abortions carried out in England and Wales since the date of implementation of the Abortion Act, 1967.

No separate costing figures are produced in respect of the treatment of different medical and surgical conditions, and I regret therefore that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of legal abortions carried out under the National Health Service in 1968; what proportion of these involved unmarried women; and what proportion of such unmarried women were under 18 years of age at the time of the operation.

14,564 (provisional) in National Health Service Hospitals. The other figures requested are available only up to 30th September, and are—provisionally—41 per cent. unmarried (including widowed, divorced and separated) women, of whom 19 per cent. were under 18.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the proportion of women dealt with under the National Health Service for whom the use of the intra-uterine device has been found to be inadvisable or harmful on health grounds.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many redundancies have been announced in the Nailsworth-Stroud-Stone-house area to take effect within the next six months; how many new opportunities for employment she expects within the same area during that time, and in what categories; and whether she will make a statement.

Approximately 300 redundancies have been notified as due to take place in the next six months. At present there are 547 notified vacancies (124 for men, 136 for boys, 133 for women and 154 for girls). We know of about 50 new jobs due to arise in leather goods manufacture, fibreglass moulding and stationery manufacture and a substantial expansion in a local engineering works is expected to begin this year. These figures can only be taken as a general indication of job opportunities and we are hopeful that few of the redundant workers will have serious difficulty in finding other employment. Our employment staff will do all they can to help.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why she appointed the Pearson Committee; what steps she proposes to take following the rejection of its findings by the Trades Union Congress; and if she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend asked the Pearson Inquiry to inquire into the causes, circumstances and effects of the dispute over the British Steel Corporation's refusal to recognise the Clerical &; Administrative Workers' Union and the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs. Despite extensive discussions not all the parties accepted the Court's recommendations. My right hon. Friend will inform the House more fully of subsequent developments at the earliest appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is yet in a position to make a statement on the negotiation between shipping-off gangs, who struck in November, 1968, at the Royal Group of Docks, and the Port of London Authority; on what date she was informed of the gangs pay and conditions claim; and if she has made a provisional estimate of the expected increase in earnings they imply.

I understand that negotiations on the claim by these gangs of which my Department was first informed on 7th November, 1968, have not yet been concluded. As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member's previous Question on 12th November, 1968, the Port of London Authority estimates that the claim, if conceded, would increase the average total earnings of the men concerned by between six and seven per cent.—[Vol. 773, c. 86.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated percentage rise in rates, earnings and productivity arising from the proposed pay and productivity deal for 6,000 workers employed by Rootes at Coventry.

I understand that negotiations are still taking place between Rootes Motors Ltd. and the trade unions concerned to conclude a productivity agreement at the Company's Coventry plant, but my Department has not yet been notified of the terms of any agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated percentage increase in rates, earnings and productivity arising from the productivity deal proposed for employees of Smiths Industries, Witney; and what are the corresponding figures taking into account the recent national engineering award.

Negotiations between the parties concerned are still taking place and it is not yet possible to estimate the percentage increase in rates, earnings and productivity likely to arise as a result of a settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated increase in rates, earnings, and productivity arising from the pay settlement for 4,000 hourly paid workers in the gases division of British Oxygen; and what is her estimate of these figures taking into account also the recent national engineering award.

It is estimated that the average increase in rates will be approximately 2 per cent. The effect on earnings will depend upon achievement of target performance, which would give an average increase of about 12 per cent. and increased productivity of at least 18 per cent. The national engineering agreement does not affect the workers covered by this settlement.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to ensure co-ordination of the most beneficial use of the routes of disused railway lines.

No. If a disused line is unlikely to be needed for future rail services, the Railways Board are free to dispose of the land. They have undertaken to offer it first to local authorities, to ensure the most beneficial use in the public interest.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals have been made by the Railways Board for the electrification of the Nuneaton-Coventry railway line.

No such proposals have been put to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what further consideration he has given to the proposals of the Railways Board for the electrification of the main north-west coast railway route to Scotland; and whether he will make a statement.

I am continuing my examination of the Board's proposals, but at present I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. Monro) on 5th November last.—[Vol. 772, c. 76.]

asked the Minister of Transport how much was spent on road building in Kent in each of the years 1963 to 1968.

Expenditure on new construction and improvements to roads in the county of Kent for the years 1963–64 to 1966–67 is shown below:

	£ million
1963–64	1·854
1964–65	4·334
1965–66	5·812
1966–67	4·163

The figure for 1967–68 is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the increased cost of a crate of homegrown lettuce as a result of the 50 per cent. deposit scheme.

The effect of the import deposits scheme cannot be assessed separately from other factors affecting the cost of a crate of home-grown lettuce.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now received the report from the Committee of Investigation into the representations of the South Eastern Region Registered Milk Producers on transport costs; and when he will announce the conclusions to the House.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 22nd January to the hon. Members for Cornwall, North (Mr. Pardoe) and Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Eldon Griffiths).—[Vol. 776, c. 103.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps are being taken to replant hardwood trees such as oak;(2) what estimate he has made of the number of oak trees and other hardwood trees cut each year.

The Forestry Commission plants hardwoods on suitable sites: and Forestry Commission grants are available to private woodland owners for hardwood planting.No estimate is available of the number of oak and other hardwood trees which is filled each year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (1) whether he will give an estimate of the total value of imported tin, sugar, wheat, meat, butter and coffee, respectively, both at world prices and at managed prices over the years 1958 to 1967 or 1959 to 1968;(2) whether he will publish a table showing present differences between world prices and managed prices for tin. sugar, wheat, meat, butter and coffee respectively.

The United Kingdom is a signatory to international agreements covering tin, sugar, wheat and coffee; United Kingdom imports of butter are subject to quotas, and those of bacon to the Bacon Market Sharing Understanding. It is not possible to provide a valid comparison between so-called world prices and those of United Kingdom imports as the proportion of trade transacted outside these arrangements is generally small and unrepresentative.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many probation officers there are presently in Scotland; and how many there were three years ago.

There are 316 at present including trainees compared with 263 in December 1965. There are also a few part-time officers in remote areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scottish prisons are presently serving sentences in excess of six months, three years and 10 years, respectively.

The statistics are not maintained quite in the form requested. The position at 18th February 1969 was as follows:—

Prisoners and inmates of young offenders institutions
Sentences of six months and up to three years	1,544
Sentences of over three years and up to ten years	462
Sentences of over ten years	21
Life sentences	120

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places are available in Scotland in open prisons; and how many men were in the training for freedom unit at Perth Prison at the latest convenient date.

63 places are available in Penninghame Prison, the only open prison in Scotland. There are at present six prisoners in the training for freedom hostel at Perth Prison.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the figure per head of the population spent in Scotland on police and prison services in the last financial year.

For 1967–68 the figures are:

	£	s.	d.
Police	4	15	8
Prisons		14	8

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the ratio of staff to prisoners in Scottish prisons; and what is the figure at Barlinnie, Saughton, Peterhead and Craiginches Prisons, respectively.

The ratio of staff to inmates in Scottish prisons and young offenders institutions is 1 to 3·12; and at particular establishments, as follows:

Barlinnie Prison and Young Offenders Institution	1 to 4·99
Edinburgh Prison	1 to 2·70
Peterhead Prison	1 to 2·37
Aberdeen Prison	1 to 2·75

NOTE. At Barlinnie the staff are common to the prison and the young offenders institution.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the capital sum spent on Scottish prisons and penal institutions in the last three financial years and the estimated expenditure in the years 1968–69 and 1969–70.

The figures are as follows:

	£
1965–66	871,900
1966–67	917,652
1967–68	811,182
1968–69 (estimate)	1,062,000
1969–70 (estimate)	888,000

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were serving sentences in Scottish prisons at the latest convenient date; and what was the comparable figure three, five and 10 years ago.

On 31st December, 1968 there were in Scotland 3,111 persons serving sentences of imprisonment or detention in a young offenders institution. The comparable figures three, five and ten years previously were 2,246, 2,311 and 1,974.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates to be the number of prisoners in Scotland presently eligible for parole; how many have been recommended for consideration by the local review committee since the inception of the scheme; and how many have been released on parole during that period.

At present 206 prisoners and young offenders are eligible for consideration for parole. All cases are considered by local review Committees and to date 773 cases have been so considered. 120 of these have been referred to the Parole Board, on whose recommendation 49 have been released and two more will be released shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the investigations by universities or other institutions into any aspect of crime or its prevention which have been commissioned by his Department and the cost of each.

It would be difficult to describe all the research being carried on in Great Britain sponsored by the Government of relevance to crime. This would have to extend beyond the field of criminology to medicine, psychology and sociology. It would have to include all the work (such as the extensive probation research project) of the Home Office Research Unit which operates on behalf of both Home Departments. The following is a list of research projects being carried out, or recently completed, in Scottish universities with financial assistance from my Department:—

(1) Study of approved school boys who have been in care. Completed: cost £4,500.

(2) Study of the types of offender sentenced to detention in a young offenders' institution and the effect of this disposal on detention centres and borstal institutions. Completed: cost £1,180.

(3) Study of the effects of the deferred sentence. Completed at minimal cost to my Department.

(4) Research into the prevention of juvenile delinquency with special reference to the relationship between school and the community. Completed: cost estimated at about £6,500.

(5) Investigation into police procedure for recording crime in order to achieve uniformity and a more accurate assessment of the state of crime. Cost to date—£3,600 (suspended pending implementation of Thomson Committee report).

(6) Study of the methods of dealing with police-detected juvenile offenders to assist in the consideration and implementation of the Social Work (Scotland) Act. 1968. Nearing completion. Estimated cost—£3,310.

(7) Study of the system of imposing and enforcing fines. Expected to be completed in about two years' time and to cost £7,000.

(8) Study of the primary methods of selection for, and the effectiveness of the parole system. Estimated cost over a three year period £4,160.

(9) Study of the sub-cultural aspects of crime. Duration and cost subject to review, Current estimate of cost of the order of £10,000.

(10) Study of juvenile delinquency in Aberdeen. Estimated cost over a three year period about £7,500.

(11) Continuing studies on various aspects of juvenile delinquency, including the methods of dealing with petty offenders and the background of boys placed on probation. Estimated cost—about £1,600 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present authorised police establishment in Scotland; and to what extent recruitment falls short of this.

Police officer establishment is 11,169 and strength 10,308. Total recruitment in 1968 was 883 and the net gain in strength 49.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the comparable rates of public expenditure per head of the population between Northumberland, Durham and Scotland.

Figures of public expenditure in Northumberland and Durham are not available. Figures relating to identifiable public expenditure per head of population in Scotland in 1967–68 were given on 28th January, 1969 in my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Wright).—[Vol. 776, c. 280–2.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the approximate annual average rises in prices, incomes and dividends, respectively, for each of the last 10 years.

The following is the information:

PRICES, INCOMES AND DIVIDENDS CHANGE COMPARED WITH PRECEDING YEAR
	Retail prices*	Total domestic income†	Total personal income†	(per cent.) Dividends on company ordinary shares
1959	+ 0·6	+ 6·2	+ 6·0	+ 17·4
1960	+ 1·0	+ 8·8	+ 7·7	+28·4
1961	+ 3·4	+ 5·9	+ 8·2	+ 13·9
1962	+ 4·2	+ 4·4	+ 5·3	− 0·4
1963	+ 2·0	+ 6·5	+ 6·0	+ 11·9
1964	+ 3·3	+ 8·7	+ 8·0	+ 15·2
1965	+ 4·8	+ 7·4	+ 8·7	+ 14·1
1966	+ 3·9	+ 4·5	+ 6·4	− 1·2
1967	+ 2·5	+ 3·8	+ 4·4	−5·0
1968	+ 4·7	+ 8·7‡	+ 7·9‡	+ 3·2‡
* Based on index of retail prices.
† Before providing for depreciation and stock appreciation.
‡ First three quarters of 1968 compared with first three quarters of 1967

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appointments have been made to the stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds since October 1964; and if he will state dates of appointment and retirement of each.

Four. The details are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what weight of lettuce has been imported from Holland this year; and what duty was paid on it.

Information on the imports of lettuces from Holland in January, 1969 will be available shortly and I will then write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total amount of financial aid given to the London Borough of Greenwich from Government sources in the financial years 1963–64, 1964–65,

			1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70
			£	£	£	£	£
Rate support grants
Needs element	…	…	—	—	3,655,804	2,666,838	2,915,395
Resources element	…	…	—	—	—	—	—
Domestc element	…	…	—	—	129,665	262,472	407,750
Total	…	…			3,785,469	2,929,310	3,323,145
General Grant	…	…	2,870,326	3,139,938	—	—	—
Rating (Interim Relief) Act, Sections 1 and 5	…	…	29,218	31,405	—	—	—
Rate rebates	…	…	—	49,592	48,101	—	—
Specific Revenue Grants
Local Health	…	…	28	47	214	—	—
Clean Air	…	…	32,890	43,642	12,943	—	—
Care of Aged, etc.	…	…	5,222	5,031	5,086	—	—
Protection of Children	…	…	8,656	8,481	11,166	—	—
Improvement Grants	…	…	26,741	30,030	34,229	—	—
Highways	…	…	—	994	—	—	—
Civil Defence	…	…	26,910	27,066	18,443	—	—
Housing	…	…	373,157	445,861	475,529	—	—
Miscellaneous	…	…	—	4,273	8,645	—	—
Capital Grants
Highways	…	…	70,787	65,328	65,489	—	—
Total	…	…	3,443,935	3,851,688	4,465,314

The figures for the needs element of rate support grants are the amounts after deduction of the proportion to be transferred to the Greater London Council—One ninth for 1967–68 and 40 per cent. for 1968–69 and 1969–70; the deductions concerned, £456,975, £1,777,892 and £1,943,596 for the years 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70 respectively, are reflected in lower precepts by the Greater London Council. No account is taken of the effects of the Rate Equalisation Schemes. For the years 1965–66 to 1967–68, these involved redistribution of the general grant and the needs element of rate support grant.

asked the Minister of Housing end Local Government (1) what consideration he has given to proposals for the development of new road layout

The details of the grants to the London Borough of Greenwich for the years 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1967–68, together with the latest estimates of rate support grants for 1968–69 and 1969–70, are as shown below. The amounts of the other grants for 1968–69 and 1969–70 are not yet known. Comparable figures for 1963–64 and 1964–65 for the areas now comprising the London Borough of Greenwich are not available; much of the total grant was then payable to the London County Council.Following are the figures:and for the proposed erection of storage buildings and a petrol filling station at Blackbrook Farm, Wellington Road North, Stockport, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Stockporth, North; and what conclusion he has reached;

None, nor have there been consultations. Stockport County Borough Council have given planning permission for a store and a petrol filling station at Blackbrook Farm. No amendment to the town map has been needed and there are no formal proposals yet for a road improvement at this point.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the amounts advanced by the Housing Corporation to housing associations and societies and the amounts of capital repayments received by the Housing Corporation in the year 1968.

The Corporation advanced £12,137,301 and received capital repayments of £8,762 in the calendar year 1968.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the estimated capital repaid by way of instalment repayments and redemptions on house purchase loans by local authorities in 1968.

Information on local authority mortgage repayments is only available for financial years. The estimated amount of the total repayments in England by way of instalment repayments and redemptions for the financial year 1968–69 is about £90 million.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses built by development corporations or local authorities for sale to owner-occupiers are at present unoccupied in each of the designated new towns; and how many of these have been unoccupied for six months or more.

The only designated new towns in England where development corporation houses built for sale are at present unsold are:

	Houses at present unsold	Of which. unsold for 6 months or more
Bracknell	14	14
Harlow	177	144
Skelmersdale	14	13
Washington	3	3

These figures exclude houses on which formal negotiations to purchase are proceeding.In none of these towns do local authorities have such houses unsold.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applicants for rented accommodation are at present on the housing lists of the development corporations and the local authorities in each of the designated new towns.

The respective figures in the following table are not necessarily comparable, since the areas of many of the local authorities concerned extend well beyond the new town boundaries.

Town	Development Corporation	Local Authorities
(1)	(2)	(3)
London New Towns
Basildon	542	808
Bracknell	976	514
Harlow	1,073	145
Stevenage	500	239
Milton Keynes	Building not started	985
Northampton	Building not started	2,270
Peterborough	Building not started	1,721
Midlands
Corby	1,500	(Joint List)
Redditch	138	1,495
Telford	368	4,735
North West
Runcorn	158	703
Skelmersdale	103	310
Warrington	Building not started	2,401
North East
Newton Aycliffe	1,000	1,445
Peterlee	1,355	2,853
Washington	700	4,338

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list separately the yearly totals of new housing units provided in Bristol by the corporation and private builders, respectively, for the years 1962–63 to the latest convenient date.

The information is as follows:

BRISTOL COUNTY BOROUGH—COMPLETIONS
Year ending 31st March	Local Authority	Private Sector
1963	601	521
1964	532	1,030
1965	1,172	1,510
1966	1,375	1,127
1967	1,079	695
1968	901	961
1969 (to end December 1968)	270	643

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many housing units were built in Bristol under the auspices of the Housing Corporation in each year from 1965 onwards; and of these how many were flats or maisonettes and how many were houses.

None were completed in 1965 and 1966; in 1967, 81 dwellings of which 42 are flats and 39 houses; and in 1968, 63 dwellings, all flats. These are in five completed schemes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many concessionary freeholds have been granted by the Land Commission.

None.