asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why days lost due to industrial disputes have increased from 2·925 million in 1965 to 4·692 million in 1968; and what steps she is taking to reverse these trends and the evil consequences to exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she is taking to reduce the 4,600,000 working days lost through strikes in Great Britain in 1968, which was the highest since 1962, to the level of the 25,000 working days lost in West Germany, in the same year.

Industrial disputes arise essentially from defects in collective bargaining procedures, agreements and institutions. Their reform is a key feature of the Government's proposals in the recent White Paper "In Place of Strife".

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity in which years since 1955 has the number of working days lost due to industrial disputes exceeded 4 million; to what extent the increased loss is due to the growth of unofficial strikes; and what steps she intends to take in the future to reverse this trend.

Since 1955 the number of working days lost exceeded 4 million in each of the years 1957, 1959, 1962 and 1968. The figures for each of these years included substantial losses caused by official strikes involving large numbers of employees. The general increase since 1960 in the number of stoppages in industries other than coalmining has been almost entirely due to unofficial strikes, which have accounted for a consistently high percentage of stoppages and, except in 1962 and 1966, for the great majority of days lost. The Government's proposals for the reform and improvement of industrial relations are set out in the White Paper "In Place of Strife".

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will redefine the criteria for productivity bargains in conformity with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

The present policy, including the productivity elements, is intended to cover the period up to the end of this year. The policy after then is currently under consideration. The National Board for Prices and Incomes is at present carrying out a second inquiry into the subject of productivity bargaining.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what proposals she has for dealing with strikes arising out of inter-union disputes.

The proposals in the White Paper for the reform of collective bargaining procedures should assist the settlement of inter-union issues. Proposals for dealing with inter-union recognition disputes are contained in paragraphs 60 and 61 of the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will set up a court of inquiry to look into the causes of, and the solutions to, the six months old strike at Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness.

I have appointed a court of inquiry under the chairmanship of Sir Jack Scamp. The court will begin its hearings tomorrow in Barrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a statement on the results of her consultation with the Trades Union Congress on industrial relations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the result of her discussions with the Trades Union Congress on the White Paper, In Place of Strife; and if she will make a statement.

I had full discussions with the Trades Union Congress before the publication of the White Paper and I have invited them to have an early meeting with me about the implementation of my proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many miners are now redundant as a consequence of the closure of Roslin Colliery, Midlothian; and what are their respective ages.

Eighty-seven workers have been made redundant as a result of the closure of Roslin Colliery. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of the ages of the men concerned.

AGES OF MEN REDUNDANT AT ROSLIN COLLIERY
Age	Number
31	1
47	1
52	1
56	4
57	4
58	8
59	13
60	12
61	12
62	10
63	15
64	6
	87

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the result of her investigation into the violation of port loading regulations and the possible danger to dock workers arising from overloading, both of which result from the practice known as cube-cutting.

I have still no reason to think that cube-cutting causes danger to dockers. I have examined the position at five major ports where, in the last two years, Factory Inspectors have investigated 16 incidents involving overloading of lifting machinery. Only one was due to understating the load, which was a consignment from abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to what extent the increase in the salaries of bank employees compares with the average increase in earnings which has taken place since the Government introduced its productivity, prices and incomes policy.

Between April, 1965 and November, 1968 (the latest available date) average earnings, as measured by the monthly index, rose by nearly 26 per cent. i cannot give a directly corresponding figure for average earnings of bank employees of all grades. The N.B.P.I. report should add to the available information which is at present limited to rates for recruitment grades. The increases in these rates have been in the range of 12 to 37 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what instruction was given to the National Board for Prices and Incomes as to the regard which they should have to Government policy on equal pay when the reference of the Bank pay settlement was made to the Board.

None. The Board is required to pay regard to the principles of the productivity, prices and incomes policy but, as I have made clear on previous occasions, there is nothing to prevent progress towards equal pay within the criteria of the prices and incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many employees are now covered by cost of living sliding scale agreements; what she estimates has been the average percentage increase in their rates of pay on account of the rise in prices since November, 1967; and in how many cases increases based on a cost of living sliding scale have exceeded 3½ per cent. in a 12-month period.

About 375,000 manual workers are now covered by cost-of-living sliding-scale arrangements under the provisions of national collective agreements. I regret that the other information is not available in the form requested because the cost-of-living provisions in the various agreements do not follow a standard form. The 375,000 manual workers now covered received cost-of-living increases amounting to £160,000 in weekly rates of wages during the period end-November, 1967 to end-January, 1969. These figures exclude the total amount of £210,000 paid to building and construction manual workers in March, 1968 since the cost-of-living provisions in their national agreements have now terminated.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many municipal bus undertakings signed pay agreements with their employees based on the model agreement approved by her Department in August 1968; how many workers were covered by such agreements; and what was the increase in pay that they received.

Thirty-five undertakings signed agreements based on the model worked out by the employers' Federation. In their original form most of these agreements required clearance by the industry's National Joint Industrial Council. This was not forthcoming. Some were amended and resubmitted to my Department. As a result 19 agreements covering some 7,000 workers were implemented. They provided for an increase of 10s. per week in the basic rate, with effect from December, 1967, and a bonus of 10s. per week for one-man operation with effect from June 1968 to be consolidated into the basic rate from January 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by how much average earnings in the road haulage industry in the East Midlands Region have risen during the past 12 months; and what she estimates has been the increase in productivity achieved by the workers concerned during this period.

Between October 1967 and October 1968 average weekly earnings of adult men in the road haulage industry in the East Midlands Region rose by 26s. 9d. which represents 6·l per cent. Average hourly earnings rose by 4·2d. or 4·5 per cent.Corresponding information concerning the increase in productivity is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she plans to take to carry out the recommendation of the National Board for Prices and Incomes in their report on productivity agreements in the road haulage industry that as her Department develops its advisory activity on productivity, attention should be paid to the road haulage industry; and what priority she intends to give to this recommendation.

My officers are giving urgent attention to this recommendation. Approaches have been made to both sides of the road haulage industry and the services of my manpower advisers are available to advise local firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when the terms and conditions of the current prices and incomes policy as promulgated by her Department expire; and to what extent she has made plans for policies after that date.

Current prices and incomes policy is intended to last until the end of 1969. As regards the Government's consideration of the policy after then, I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions by the hon. Members for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne), Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) and Heywood and Royton (Mr. Barnett) on 20th January—[Vol. 776, cols. 8–10.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what is the average length of time taken to settle claims for refunds of Selective Employment Tax to manufacturing businesses upon the completion of the quarterly period from which they arise;(2) how many claims for the refund of Selective Employment Tax due to manufacturing businesses are now outstanding in excess of the average period taken to settle such claims.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what conclusion she has now reached on the method of reducing delays now being experienced in the refunding of Selective Employment Tax.

The work of processing claims was transferred to another computer installation earlier this month. As a result the average interval between the submission of a claim and its payment has been reduced to 10 days. Only those claims which were incorrectly completed and therefore needed reference back to employers are outstanding in excess of this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity in which trades and professions equal pay for men and women is paid for equal responsibility.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many persons were unemployed in Scotland at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many unfilled vacancies there were on the same date.

In February, 1969, 85,700 persons were registered as unemployed and 17,800 notified vacancies remained unfilled in Scotland. These figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she has considered the findings of the inquiry into the recent Glasgow fire disaster, details of which are in her possession; and whether she will consider introducing regulations under the Factories Acts in the light of this report.

In consultation with her right hon. Friends concerned, my right hon. Friend is considering the recommendations of the jury in the fatal accident inquiry to which the hon. Member refers, include those which call for legislation. The Government's conclusions on these matters will be included in the statement which my right hon. Friend will be making to the House as indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Shoreditch and Finsbury (Mr. R. W. Brown) on 20th February, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what have been the results of her discussions on the problems posed by unofficial strikes in the docks; and if she will make a statement.

As indicated in Reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Horn-church (Mr. Alan Lee Williams) on 12 th February, the object of the discussions with officials of my Department on 6th February was to ensure that all the implications of the London Port Employers proposed disciplinary action against unofficial strikers were fully considered before the action was taken.Reduction of unofficial strikes in the docks is one of the objectives of the continuing programme of reform based on the Devlin Report. The number of days lost through strikes (nearly all of them unofficial) has in fact shown a marked reduction since decasualisation, once the initial troubles were settled.—[Vol. 777. c. 337.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether the agreement reached between the South Yorkshire Road Haulage Association, the Transport and General Workers' Union and the United Road Transport Union for a £2 a week basic-wage rise, with no provision for productivity, to operate from 3rd March, with a guarantee of £16 weekly minimum, conforms with the prices and incomes policy: and if she will make a statement.

No agreement has been notified to my Department, but inquiries are being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what discussions she has had recently with the management of the General Electric Company and Associated Electrical Industries on the subject of consultation with the employees' representatives relating to redundancies, reorganisation, and women's rates of pay.

My officers are in close touch with the management of G.E.C./A.E.I, on questions of consultation with employee representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what further discussions her officials had with the new management of the combined General Electric Company and Associated Electrical Industries about alternative employment for the employees who will become redundant as a result of the closing of the switchgear factory at Willesden; and what steps are now being taken to help the employees concerned to find other work in the area.

My local officers have remained in close touch with the management of the switchgear factory at Willesden since the announcement of the proposed closure. Tentative preparations are being made for helping the employees to find other jobs but few positive steps can be taken until the consultations between the unions and management have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many men unemployed and registered by her Department in Hartlepool are between 40 to 45 years of age, 45 to 55 years of age and 55 to 65 years of age, respectively; and how many of the total have been unemployed for more than six months.

At 13th January, 1969, of a total of 2,326 males who were registered as wholly unemployed in the area covered by the Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland Employment Exchanges, 257 were aged 40 and under 45, 399 were aged 45 and under 55 and 409 were aged 55 and under 65. Of the total of 1,065 aged between 40 and 64, 509 had been registered for more than 26 weeks.

asked the Secretary of c State for Employment and Productivity whether she will take powers to make it n obligatory to have joint representation on all safety committees.

This subject is under urgent consideration by a sub-committee e of my Industrial Safety Advisory Council. The Factory Inspectorate are now carrying out a survey of the arrangements for joint consultation on safety in factories employing more than 50 people to of assess what progress has been made since a similar inquiry in 1967. A delegation from the Sub-Committee is to visit Sweden in April to look at the statutory arrangements for joint consultation on safety in that country. Any decision on ' legislation must await consideration by the Sub-Committee of the results of the second survey and the outcome of the g visit to Sweden.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she has taken; on paragraph 47 of the Third General Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes which proposed that employees should share in the capital growth of industry by receiving an entitlement to capital assets; and what further action she intends to take thereon.

The Board suggested that this was a matter which would repay study. . The subject is a complex and difficult one. We have been studying it and shall be giving further consideration to it in consultation with our colleagues.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of non-Governmental bodies that have been consulted by her Department about proposed new safety, health and welfare legislation and indicate if this includes research organisations.

On the first part of the Question, the list contains about 700 names and I see no useful purpose in publishing it in this way. I will, however, send the information to the hon. Member. On the second part, the only non-Governmental research organisation consulted was the National Research Development Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she is aware that the United Kingdom-Australia Container Service which was scheduled to start next month will now quit British ports and use Rotterdam instead, because of the dispute arising from the refusal of the Port of London dockers to allow their ships to be handled; and is she will intervene to resolve the dispute so as to enable the service to use the Port of London as planned.

I am aware that it has been decided to operate this service from Rotterdam for the time being. I understand that implementation of a pay and productivity agreement to operate the terminal at Tilbury is linked, in the view of the union concerned, with current negotiations on the second stage of the Devlin modernisation programme covering the port as a whole. My Department is in touch with both sides with a view to assisting progress in these negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she plans to take to prevent the recurrence of industrial action by members of the Clerical and Administrative Workers' Union in the steel industry, which led last year to the establishment of a court of inquiry.

Following publication of the Report of the Court of Inquiry in August last year, my Department, the British Steel Corporation and the unions concerned took part in discussions which unfortunately did not lead to an agreed solution of the problem of trade union recognition for white collar employees in the nationalised steel industry. In December, my right hon. Friend sought the help of the T.U.C. which made recommendations to the unions involved and the British Steel Corporation, which has statutory responsibility for deciding questions of trade union recognition in the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has made of the loss of production of steel products and motor cars which occurred as a result of the industrial action of the Clerical and Administrative Workers' Union in May to July, 1968 in campaigning for recognition from the British Steel Corporation.

Official estimates are not available of the loss of production involved. It is estimated that a loss of 44,000 working days were incurred by those on strike and by those laid off as a result.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will now implement the recommendations of the recent court of inquiry under Lord Pearson into the dispute between the Clerical and Administrative Workers' Union members and the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs, on the one hand, and the British Steel Corporation, on the other.

Following publication in August 1968, of the Report of the Court of Inquiry under Lord Pearson, the British Steel Corporation had discussions with all the trade unions concerned to explore the possibilities of finding a solution acceptable to all parties on the lines recommended in the Report. Subsequently my Department also had discussions with all the organisations concerned. These discussions did not result in agreement on a solution. My right hon. Friend has no power to impose the recommendations of Courts of Inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if, in view of the recommendations of the Pearson inquiry in the dispute between the Clerical and Allied Workers Union and the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs, on the one hand, and the British Steel Corporation, on the other, and the recommendations of the Trades Union Congress in the same dispute, if she will now reconsider the proposals in the recent White Paper for the setting up of a commission on industrial relations.

No. We still consider that the proposals in the White Paper are appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the average weekly wage of motor vehicle industry employees in Scotland, England and the relevant regions of England, respectively, at the latest convenient date.

Following is the information, derived from the Department's half-yearly inquiries into the earnings and hours of manual workers:

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF ADULT MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER, 1968*
MOTOR VEHICLE INDUSTRY†
	£	s.	d.
Scotland	23	5	4
Englandt‡	27	8	5
Regions of England
South East	27	6	3
East Anglia	21	0	8
Southwestern	27	0	8
West Midlands	29	13	7
East Midlands	25	0	0
Yorkshire and Humberside	22	14	6
North Western	25	9	2
Northern	26	1	10
* Details for Scotland and for the regions of England are available only for adult male manual workers. October, 1968 is the latest date for which information is available.
† Minimum list heading 381 of the Standard Industrial Classification, 1958.
‡ Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many statutory appointments are within her patronage; and how many of the recipients of this patronage are of Scottish domicile.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer about salaried statutory appointments which I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) on 9th December, 1968. In addition, my right hon. Friend makes a large number of unpaid statutory appointments; information about these is not readily available. I regret that it would not be practicable to say how many of those holders of appointments are of Scottish domicile.—[Vol. 774/5, c. 25.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when the interdepartmental committee considering the technical problems involved in the calculation of regional price indices is now expected to report its findings.

I regret that I am unable, at present, to say when the Committee is likely to report its findings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by what date she expects to receive the representations of the national farmers' unions on her proposals for the financing of the Agricultural Training Board; and when she will lay regulations before Parliament for these new financial arrangements.

I have asked the farmers' and workers' unions to let me have their comments on the proposals as soon as they can. The implementation of the proposals will depend on the outcome of these further consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by what percentage the items contained in the cost of living index have risen in price since October, 1964; and what is the comparable percentage for the foodstuffs element contained in the index.

The Index of Retail Prices all-items figure rose by 19·6 per cent. between 13th October, 1964 and 14th January, 1969; the figure for the food group rose by 16·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will introduce legislation to enable citizens who feel themselves to have been defamed by reports of the National Board for Prices and Incomes to seek redress at law; and if she will issue a direction to the Board that pending the introduction of such legislation it should refrain from criticism of individuals unless such individuals have been confronted with the criticism prior to publication.

I do not think such legislation would be desirable. The Board must be able to report fully and freely on the matters referred to it. No. direction is necessary on the second point which the Board has assured me it fully accepts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will authorise opticians to dispense spectacles with toughened glass under the National Health Service for children under the age of 14 years.

Such lenses may already be supplied on request, in most cases on payment of a specified charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the application for a war pension made by Flight Lieutenant Cockayne, retired, of Polvron, Cornwall, details of which have been sent to him.

We are not yet in a position to make a decision on Flight Lieutenant Cockayne's claim, which was submitted on 29th August, 1968. The medical questions are complex and there is a great deal of documentary evidence, much of it relating to the period since the officer left the R.A.F. in 1954, all of which must be carefully evaluated by the doctors and consultants concerned with the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that owing to a shortage of doctors in the Dearne Valley constituency a reduction is taking place in the number of child-care examinations in the Mexborough district; and what action he is taking to bring the number of doctors up to the required figure so that regular child-care examinations can take place.

I am aware that the number of county council whole-time medical staff is below strength in the area, but I understand that this has not affected the child health service for which the council also employs general practitioners and married women doctors on a sessional basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make a statement on the machinery being set up in his Department to deal with the implementation of the Seebohm Committee Report.

I am responsible for coordinating the examination by the Government of the issues involved in implementing the Seebohm Report. A small separate staff assists me in my co-ordinating rôle in relation to the social services generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at how many clinics in the London Borough of Brent advice on family planning is available; what is the total number of sessions each week and the cost of prescriptions and supplies provided free to medical cases since the Ministry of Health Circular No. 15/67; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that eight weekly sessions are provided at seven clinic buildings. It is not possible to isolate the cost of prescriptions and supplies for medical cases but the council's estimate of net expenditure on family planning in 1969–70 is £3,580.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute a study into the effect upon the illegal abortion rate of the provisions of the Abortion Act, 1967.

Precise information about the number of illegal abortions is not available. But comparisons which I propose to make of trends in admissions for abortion (and particularly septic abortions) to National Health Service hospitals before and after the Act came into force may throw light on the effect of the Act on illegal abortions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures since the reintroduction of prescription charges of prescriptions issued on payment and exemption, respectively.

Fifty-eight million and 57 million respectively of National Health Service prescriptions dispensed by chemists in England and Wales in the period from the reintroduction of charges on 10th June, 1968, to 30th November, 1968. Charges for 2 million items were refunded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prescriptions have been made since the re-introduction of prescription charges to the latest available date; and how this compares with the prescriptions issued for a similar period prior to the reintroduction of prescription charges.

Precisely comparable figures are not available. One hundred and fifteen million National Health Service prescriptions were dispensed by chemists in England and Wales in the period from the reintroduction of charges on 10th June, 1968, to 30th November, 1968, and 133 million between 1st June. 1967, and 30th November, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health centres were provided in the period 1962 to 1965; how many have been provided since 1965; and how many are at present under construction.

Seven health centres were opened in England and Wales between 1962 and 1965. Since then 57 have been built and a further 68 are at present under construction.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what amounts were spent by his Department on the provision of health centres in each year from 1962–63 to 1967–68; and what is the estimate for expenditure during the current year.

Capital expenditure approved by my Department in this period for the provision of health centres by local health authorities in England and Wales was as follows:—

1962–63	134,405
1963–64	177,070
1964–65	36,448
1965–66	342,142
1966–67	1,057,004
1967–68	2,099,678

The estimate for the current year is £3·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he plans to replace the corresponding points system of assimilation, at present operating through the hospital service, by the method of assimilation proposed for medical assistants in paragraph 126 of the Ninth Report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.

This is a matter for the individual Whitley Councils or appropriate negotiating bodies concerned with the pay and conditions of service of hospital staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the additional geriatric beds to be provided in the later stages of the redevelopment of St. Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, will become available.

It is not possible at present to forecast the timing of the later stages of this redevelopment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the waiting list for geriatric hospital beds in the North West Surrey area, on the basis of the present proposals of the South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, at the end of each of the next five years.

It is not possible to make forecasts of waiting lists, which depend on a variety of factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will order an immediate investigation into the fitness of some doctors from abroad to be left on their own to see and treat patients.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the percentage of doctors from abroad who occupy posts in hospitals under the National Health Service; if he is satisfied with the standard they maintain; and if he will make a statement.

Thirty-three per cent. of hospital doctors were born overseas. All these doctors have been registered by the General Medical Council, and have either qualified at medical schools approved by the council or have been approved by the council as suitable to fill specific posts suited to their skills. Most of them are in training posts and work under consultant supervision. As I have already said, the work done by the great majority of these doctors is of high quality.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when negotiations for the purchase of a site for the proposed new general hospital at Newbury will be concluded, and the site acquired.

The regional hospital board is discussing a site for a new hospital with the planning authority. The form of the development has yet to be determined and no starting date has been fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total administrative staff of the Welsh Hospital Board and its managements and committees at the date of their inception; and what are the equivalent figures today.

Eight hundred and eighty at 31st December, 1948; 2,285 at 30th September, 1968.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will issue a general direction to British Railways to ensure that guards on trains delayed for long periods outside major stations inform passengers of the reasons for the delay and either ask them to remain in the train or ensure that if they desire to walk to their destination, they do so in an organised and safe manner.

No. This is a matter of management for the Railways Board. I understand, however, that guards are instructed to inform passengers as soon as possible of the reason for any undue delay. It is against Railway byelaws for any person to alight from a train between stations except in emergency or at the express request of the guard who would take all steps to ensure the safety of the passengers.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the total sum of the social grants he has to date decided to allocate in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, under Section 39 of the Transport Act, 1968.

The estimated totals for 1969 of grants under Section 39(1) are:

England	£47·217 million
Scotland	£9·787 million
Wales	£2·812 million

Grants for Anglo-Scottish and Anglo-Welsh services have been apportioned on a mileage basis.As explained in my Answer on 28th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Manuel), these figures are still subject to certain adjustments. They do not take account of transitional grants under Section 39(4).—[Vol. 776, c.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the Coventry City Council for the setting up of a Passenger Transport Authority for the Coventry sub-regional area; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present capital debt of London Transport; and what it was in each of the last five years.

The present capital debt of the Board to the Minister is £258·8 million; and was as follows at the end of each of the last five years:

	£million
1964	178·3
1965	196·3
1966	215·8
1967	231·3
1968	255·3

asked the Minister of Transport how many statutory appointments are within his patronage; and how many of the recipients of this patronage are of Scottish domicile.

The statutes provide for me to make up to 126 salaried appointments. Ninety-eight such appointments are held at present, seven of them by people who live in Scotland.The statutes do not in every case limit the number of holders of non-salaried appointments to the other statutory bodies for which I am responsible; 396 such appointments are current, and 51 of them are held by people who live in Scotland

asked the Minister of Transport when the last traffic survey was carried out on that part of the A5 trunk road which is in the borough of Tamworth.

This length of A5 was included in the survey made in January and February, 1967, by the consultants who are studying traffic conditions in Tamworth. In addition a count was taken on this road as part of a national census in August, 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport when work is expected to start and be completed for lighting the A45 trunk road between Coventry and Stonebridge.

The proposal for lighting between Coventry and Stonebridge is part of a larger scheme which has been programmed and is in its preparatory design stages. There are special problems to be resolved, particularly in relation to the proximity of Birmingham Airport. On present information it is expected that work will start in the latter part of 1970 and take about seven months to complete. If practicable, part of the scheme will be progressed in advance of the rest.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now able to announce a starting date for the scheme for licensing and testing drivers of heavy goods vehicles.

Yes. I propose to make an Order to bring the scheme into force with effect from 2nd February, 1970.But I intend to operate the scheme on a voluntary basis with effect from 4th August, 1969. This should enable the scheme to get off to a smooth start and will permit those drivers who need to hold the new licence on or shortly after 2nd February to make application and. if need be, take the test, in good time

asked the Minister for the Civil Service on what grounds he approved the increase of 3· per cent. paid to building workers employed by the Ministry of Public Building and Works from July 1968.

On the grounds that the pay of industrial civil servants had fallen out of line with that given for comparable work in outside industry and needed in the national interest to be improved.

asked the Paymaster-General how many statutory appointments are within her patronage; and how many of the recipients of this patronage are of Scottish domicile.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will stop the two separate shipments of arms and ammunition for Nigeria, each of approximately £300,000, which have recently been arranged, in order to reduce the scale of fighting there.

Without accepting my hon. Friend's description of the supplies in question, I am satisfied that a diminution in supplies from this country would not of itself lead to any reduction in the scale of the fighting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the increase in the Index of Retail Prices since October 1964 has been due to increases in taxation.

Between October 1964 and January 1969 the Index of Retail Prices rose by 19·6 per cent., of which I estimate that increases in indirect taxation, including the Selective Employment Tax, accounted for about 6 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is expected that the Reddaway Committee investigating the Selective Employment Tax will examine the effect of the tax on the dyeing and cleaning industry.

The field of the inquiry is very wide and it is for Professor Reddaway to determine how extensively he can cover it and in what sequence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the total interest due to be paid on all foreign loans to the United Kingdom, including drawings from the International Monetary Fund, in each of the years 1969 to 1975, inclusive.(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the capital outstanding on each foreign loan to the United Kingdom including drawings from the International Monetary Fund on 31 st December 1968 and at the latest available date, and the repayments of capital and payments of interest due to be made in each month of 1969.

Interest due up to 1975 on all external loans taken by H.M. Government, including I.M.F. drawings, is as follows:

£ million
1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
87	76	70	47	43	41	39

The amounts of capital outstanding are as follows:—

£ million
	Amount outstanding at
	31st December,	24th February,
Lender	1968	1969
Portugal	23	23
United States Line of Credit	1,262	1,262
United States Lend-Lease	197	197
Canadian Credit	369	369
United States Economic Co-operation Administration	108	108
United States Mutual Security Agency	18	18
Germany—European Payments Union	25	25
International Monetary Fund—May, 1965 drawing	500	417
Parallel Swiss Loan	11	4
International Monetary Fund—March, 1966 drawing	51	51
United States Export Import, Line of Credit (Military Aircraft Loans)	229	230
Bank for International Settlements	43	26
Deutsche Bundesbank	21	21
International Monetary Fund—June. 1968 drawing	583	583
TOTAL	3,440	3,334

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Inland Revenue to reach a decision on the refund of pension moneys to former employees of British Eagle airlines; and if he will make a statement.

The Inland Revenue will be arranging to discuss this problem shortly with the trustees of the pension fund, and I hope this will enable them to reach a decision.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes increases of the order of 400 per cent. by service charges imposed on consumers of gas by the South Eastern Gas Board.

No increases of this order have taken place.

asked the Minister of Power what tonnages of steel have been imported and exported by the British steel industry each quarter for the years 1962 to 1968.

The following is the information:

		Exports*	Imports†
			Of material for hire-rolling‡	Other imports by the British steel industry
		Thousand tons	Thousand tons
1962 Quarter	1	697·2	22·0	43·2
	2	770·2	46·6	76·0
	3	686·4	50·6	106·8
	4	725·0	103·2§	170·4
1963 Quarter	1	773·7	72·0	112·0
	2	795·2	78·8	125·9
	3	765·6	43·7	84·0
	4	795·8	77·4	156·3
1964 Quarter	1	830·3	84·8	247·1
	2	911·0	20·5	198·3
	3	832·9	16·3	85·3
	4	823·1	—	51·4
1965 Quarter	1	755·7	—	15·5
	2	917·0	—	2·6
	3	863·3	—	16·6
	4	938·6	—	15·7
1966 Quarter	1	713·5	—	19·7
	2	793·3	—	21·2
	3	792·3	—	17·9
	4	974·9	31·9	24·3
1967 Quarter	1	900·1	26·9	38·7
	2	1,019·5	24·1	39·8
	3	922·3	19·8	29·0
	4	809·1	40·7	63·4
1968 Quarter	1	943·2	38·1	88·7
	2	1,059·2	45·6	91·9
	3	980·8	16·7	96·3
	4	1,037·6	48·6§	117·4
Note:
* Items of steel extracted from the Overseas Trade Accounts.
† Imports of steel reported by British steel producers.
† This material is separately distinguished since after processing it is exported (it is included also under exports for the same or a later quarter).
§ Includes some steel imported at uncertain dates in the same year

asked the Minister of Power if he will direct the British Steel Corporation to amend its proposed price adjustments of alloy steels and associated products, now before the National Board for Prices and Incomes, in view of the increase in the price of nickel.

The Corporation recently gave notice under the early warning arrangements of a proposal to increase its prices for nickel-bearing steels to reflect the increase in the price of nickel. The proposed increases will be examined by the N.B.P.I. as part of its current inquiry into steel prices.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware that the submission of the proposed British Steel Corporation steel price increases to the National Board for Prices and Incomes is causing customers to increase their stocks of certain steel products; what effect this has had on the British Steel Corporation's delivery schedules; and if he will make a statement.

Stockbuilding has increased recently, but this was probably due to the expectation of an increase in consumption and to the fear that production might be interrupted by industrial action as well as to the price proposals. The Corporation tells me that delivery times have lengthened as a result of the current high level of demand but the volume of deliveries to the home market is very high.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the relative salary ranges of the chairman, deputy chairman and full-time directors of the British Steel Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

The information for which my hon. Friend asks is given in the latest annual White Paper on Public Boards published in December, 1968 (Cmnd. 3857).

asked the Minister of Power what has been the estimated percentage increase in rates, earnings and productivity arising from the productivity deal recently concluded between the management of the British Steel Corporation tube works at Corby and the Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers.

The British Steel Corporation tells me it knows of no such agreement.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what is the average price per unit of electricity supplied to industrial consumers in the south eastern region of the country.(2) what is the average price per therm of gas sold to industrial consumers m the south eastern region of the country.

The figures for sales of gas and electricity to industrial consumers in the year ended 31st March, 1968, are as follows:

Gas—Average revenue per therm sold by the South Eastern Gas Board	19.76d.
Electricity—Average revenue per kWh sold by the South Eastern Electricity Board	1.568d.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what is the average price of gas diesel oil sold to industrial users in the south eastern region of the country;(2) what is the average price per gallon of heavy fuel oil sold to industrial users in the south-eastern region of the country.

The published prices of heavy fuel oil and gas diesel oil for minimum bulk loads of 500 gallons in the south eastern region vary according to price zone, and are either 14·92 or 15·42d. per gallon for heavy fuel oil and either 19·795 or 20295d. per gallon for gas diesel oil, including for both products tax of 2·42d. per gallon and temporary surcharge of 0·5d. per gallon. These prices are subject to rebates negotiated individually between consumers and competing supply companies. On the matter of rebates I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend on 17th February, 1969.—[Vol. 778, c. 44.]

asked the Minister of Power what is the average price per ton of coal sold to industrial users in the southeastern region of the country.

The price varies widely depending on the type and size of fuel needed, the method of delivery, the frequency with which delivery is requested, and, above all, the size of the order which tends to influence transport costs. To give an average price would not be meaningful.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what authority the Treasury solicitor has refused to meet the full costs of the defence following proceedings at the Central Criminal Court on 12th June, 1968, against three men for attempted theft of television sets which were not proceeded with by the Crown and in which the court ordered that the costs of the defence should be borne by the Crown.

The Treasury Solicitor was not concerned. The defendants' costs were ordered to be taxed and paid from local funds. The court, in taxing the costs, reduced the amounts claimed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the numbers of policemen and policewomen who would need to be recruited to bring the force up to strength this year in England and Wales; and how this compares with his estimate for each of the last five years.

To bring the police forces of England and Wales up to full establishment by the end of the 1969–70 financial year would require the recruitment of some 24,300 men and women—on the assumption that the number leaving during that year is the average of the past five years. Since recruitment on this scale is not realistic, it serves no useful purpose to make a similar calculation, retrospectively, in respect of the previous five years. On the same assumption about the number leaving, 7,865 will need to be recruited in 1969–70 in order to achieve a net increase of 2,000. I consider this to be a realistic figure and have asked Police Authorities to work to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why payment of the pay increases to the police force, agreed several months ago and backdated to 1st September, 1968, has not yet been made.

Agreement in general terms was reached in the Police Council on 12th November. The Joint Secretaries of the Council then calculated and applied the award in detail to various different scales effective from two different dates. The resulting agreement in detail reached the Home Office on 12th December. Police regulations were then agreed on 27th January with the Joint Secretaries of the Police Council and the local authority and police associations, who must be consulted under statute.My right hon. Friend signed the regulations on 6th February; they were laid before Parliament on 17th February and came into operation on 19th February.The procedure has operated for a number of years with the full agreement of the Police Federation and has been regarded by them as necessary to protect their interests. But my right hon. Friend is examining ways of speeding up the procedure in future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the result of his discussions with the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission about holding their meetings and taking evidence in public.

This will be decided by the Commission as a whole, but I expect that there will be public hearings to take oral evidence as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the sum spent by his Department in each of the last three years on investigations into aspects of crime and its prevention; and what trained staff he has available for such investigation.

If my hon. Friend is referring to the Police Research and Development Branch of the Home Office, its annual budget for 1966–67 and 1967–68 was, respectively, £49,000 and £153,000; and for 1968–69 I expect it to be £240,000. The establishment of the Branch at present consists of 29 scientists, 9 senior police officers, 3 specialist advisers and 4 technicians.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the increase in the number of places available in approved schools in England and Wales during each of the years from 1958 to 1968, inclusive.

The information is not available for the period before 1961. The number of places in approved schools in England and Wales at the end of each year for the period 1961–67, and the net increase or reduction during the same year, are as follows:

Year	Places	Net Increase	Net Decrease
1961	8,805	127	—
1962	9,048	243	—
1963	9,380	332	—
1964	9,463	83	—
1965	9,603	140	—
1966	9,744	141	—
1967	9,533	—	211

The figures for 1968 are not yet available. There is at present about 75 per cent. occupancy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost of maintaining a child in an approved school in England and Wales.

£23 9s. 6d. in the financial year 1967–68.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the children presently in approved schools in England and Wales are permitted to attend normal local schools; and how many candidates from approved schools have been presented and passed the General Certification of Education O-level examination in each of the last three years.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of children leaving approved schools in England and Wales in each of the last five years has been committed to Borstal or other penal establishment in the three years following release.

Information relating to the three year post-release period ending in 1968 is not yet available. For the periods ending in the preceding five years, the percentage of committals to penal establishments or recommittals to an approved school in England and Wales was as follows:—

		Found gulity of an offence within 3 years of release and sent to
Year of release	Number released	Borstal	Prison	Detention centre	Approved school
		Percent.	Percent.	Percent.	Percent.
1960	3,974	11·1	0·9	2·2	7·2*
1961	4,052	9·5	1·1	2·8	9·1*
1962	4,461	13·7	3·3	5·3	9·2*
1963	4,571	14·5	3·1	7·2	7·8*
1964	4,616	18·7	3·7	6·9	3·9
* The figures for the years 1960 to 1963 include boys and girls who were recalled to approved schools without any further order being made.

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

£5 2s. 5d. on police and 12s. l0d. on prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places are currently available in open prisons in England and Wales.

4,324 for men and 124 for women.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present staff/prisoner ratio in the prisons of England and Wales.

1:2·32.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria govern the granting of entry visas to students from overseas.

A foreign national is required to produce evidence of enrolment at a bona-fide educational establishment for a course involving at least 15 hours daytime class attendance a week, and to show that he can support himself without working during his stay. For Commonwealth citizens the requirements are similar.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants there have been for the graduate entry scheme into the police service since its inception; how many have been interviewed and selected; and how many have finally been accepted into the service.

Of the 205 applications so far received, 41 are under consideration. Of the other 164 applicants, 81 reached the stage of extended interview and 23 were selected. Of these, 13 are now serving in police forces, and 7 are expected to join later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has so far been the cost of publicising and promoting the scheme for graduate entry into the police service; and how much per head of those finally accepted was the cost of accommodating, interviewing and assessing candidates.