asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will now cease all financial aid to Commonwealth countries who discriminate against British subjects of non-indigenous origin.

No.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development in which years between 1960 and 1968, inclusive, official Government overseas aid fell below 0·5 per cent. of the gross national product; and whether he will make a statement.

Gross official aid was above 0·5 per cent. of G.N.P. for each of the year 1960–67, inclusive. Net aid fell below it in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967. Percentage figures for 1968 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps he is taking to assist the Hong Kong Government to obtain extra teachers to staff the expansion in technical education that is needed in the Colony.

The Ministry's adviser on technical education will be going to Hong Kong next month to discuss plans for the expansion of technical education in the Colony with the authorities there. We have met all Hong Kong's requests in the past for staff in this field, and I foresee little difficulty in the future.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a grant to the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

My Ministry is already making a grant of £50,000 a year to the International Planned Parenthood Federation. The first payment was made in 1967–68 and I have undertaken to continue to make the grant for five years.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he has yet received an application for aid from the Government of North Vietnam; and what action he has taken.

No such application has been received.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans he has for establishing further development divisions, including one for Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland, as recommended by the Estimates Committee.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair).

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when he will resume technical and capital assistance programmes in Tanzania.

I regret I cannot forecast any date for the resumption of these programmes.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will initiate discussions with the Commonwealth Development Corporation about the possibility of raising capital for its programme from other Commonwealth governments.

I am advised that subject to Ministerial approval there is nothing in the present legislation which need prevent the Corporation from raising capital for its programme from the Government of other developed Commonwealth countries and I would be ready to discuss this possibility with the Corporation if they so wish.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of those occasions in the past 10 years on which Her Majesty's Government has prevented the Commonwealth Development Corporation from going ahead with proposed developments.

There have been none in the past 10 years.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will initiate discussions with the Commonwealth Development Corporation about the possibility of reducing the interest rate charged by the Government to the Corporation for specific projects in which an 8½ per cent. return on capital cannot be expected.

There is already an arrangement by which part of each year's Government advances to the Commonwealth Development Corporation carries a seven year waiver of interest. As I informed my hon. Friend on 21st January, out of a total of £10 million provided for 1968–69, £5 million will carry this waiver of interest.The purpose of the concession is to enable the Commonwealth Development Corporation to carry out development projects it could not otherwise undertake and to furnish it with some relief from the present interest burden.—[Vol. 776; c.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will initiate discussions with the Commonwealth Development Corporation to review the area within which it operates and the possibility of extending its work beyond the Commonwealth; and whether he will make a statement.

As I said in the debate on aid to underdeveloped countries on 2nd December last, legislation is under consideration which would make it possible for the Commonwealth Development Corporation to extend its activities to additional countries. These could include non-Commonwealth countries.—[Vol. 774; c. 1101–2.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what action he is taking in response to the United Nations decision to conduct a feasibility study into the possibility of a United Nations volunteer programme.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said on this subject in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Longden) on 17th February.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of Great Britain's capital and technical assistance programmes in Tunisia in each of the past five years and the proposed programme for the financial year 1969–70.

Britain has not given any capital aid to Tunisia in the past five years. Some technical assistance has been provided, mainly for the El Fouladh Steelworks. Annual disbursements under the technical assistance programme are as follows:

£'000s
Estimated
	1964–65	7965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
Experts	3	2	2	1	0
Training	25	0	1	1	*
Equipment	0	0	0	0	*
Consultancies	0	0	20	0	0
TOTAL	28	2	23	2	1
* Less than £500.

2. In recent discussions with the Tunisian Government, we offered to provide capital aid of £50,000 a year for 2–3 years once a suitable project has been identified. A number of possibilities for technical assistance were also discussed including the provision of assistance in education, and particularly English language teaching, forestry, management training and productivity. These possibilities are now being examined in detail and it is hoped that an expert on English language teaching will be visiting Tunisia in the near future to formulate firm proposals in this field.3. It is not possible at this stage to estimate the cost of the likely programme of technical assistance programme in 1969–70 but it is hoped that a modest but worthwhile programme will be initiated in the second half of the year and continued in subsequent years.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the recent discussion with the Tunisian Government concerning an aid programme.

Useful discussions were held which we hope will lead to a worthwhile increase in our aid programme to Tunisia.An offer was made of a limited amount of capital aid and it is hoped that a suitable project can be agreed with the Tunisian Government. A number of possibilities for technical assistance were identified the most promising of which is English language teaching. We are

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND
STATEMENT I
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 1967
Income		U.S.$	U.S.$
Contributions from Governments, including receivables	…	28,382,344·77
Contributions from non-governmental sources	…	5,544,788·53
Greeting Card Fund	…	3,000,000·00
Other income	…	1,541,245·24
Total income	…	38,468,378·54	38,468,378·54
Expenditure
Supplies and equipment, including freight	…	25,959,035·03
Non-supply assistance:
Fellowships and training grants	…	3,733,511·72
Project personnel	…	1,363,086·67
Other services	…	544,435·39
Operational services	…	5,312,469·00
Administrative costs	…	3,054,516·45
Total expenditure	…	39,967,054·26	39,967,054·26
Excess of expenditure over income	…		(1,498,675·72)

STATEMENT II
FINANCIAL POSITION AT 31ST DECEMBER, 1967
Liabilities	U.S.$	U.S.$
Allocations approved by the Executive Board to be fulfilled	63,289,415·48
Other liabilities	6,098,564·93
Total liabilities	69,387,980·41	69,387,980·41
Assets		38,243,300·45
Balance: Approved allocations to be financed from future income		31,144,679·96
In addition, formal commitments approved by the Executive Board against future income, but against which no allocations have yet been made, amounted to		30,462,200·00
Source—United Nations Children's Fund: Financial Report and Accounts for the year 1967.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans he has to make a further increase to Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nation's Children's Fund in the next accounting period; and if he will make a statement on the current state of the Fund.

I have made provision for a contribution of £500,000 for the financial year 1969–70. I will consider the possibility of increasing this contribution in subsequent years. The current position of the Fund is shown in the statements below.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many of his staff have been seconded to embassies to act as aid attachés.

Twenty-four members of the staff of my Ministry have at various times served on secondment to the Diplomatic Service, seven in embassies and seventeen in high commissions.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether interest and capital repayments, shipping and banking charges are taken into account when assessing the effect of Great Britain's aid programme on the balance of payments.

Interest and capital repayments constitute an important offset to the outward flow of aid in the longer rather than the shorter term, because of the initial grace periods and interest waivers now accorded to most aid loans.Receipts from shipping and banking services may well arise from the aid programme, but there are difficulties in measuring them precisely.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what progress he has made in seeking an amelioration of the position of the widows of former overseas service pensioners of Ceylon following the representations that he has been making since November, 1967.

This matter is still outstanding. I am very anxious to get it settled and I spoke to the Prime Minister of Ceylon about it when he was in London for the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference. I hope and expect to receive his Government's decision soon.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development whether he has studied the effect of the incentives given by the West German Government to private enterprise for investment in developing countries, details of which have been sent to him; and what plans he has for achieving similar mutual benefits for trade between the developed and developing countries.

I am aware of the West German incentives to private investment in developing countries. There are differences, mainly of historical development, between British and West German aid programmes. The general question of incentives to private investment overseas is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans he has for giving Parliament and the public more detailed information about the cost of the annual aid programme together with an assessment of commitments for future years.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member's similar Question.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's aid for the road development programme in Sierra Leone.

A loan of up to £1·8 million has been offered subject to the approval of Parliament, to the Sierra Leone Government towards the cost of constructing a new road between Taiama and Bo in the Southern Province. The actual amount to be loaned will depend upon the value and the sterling content of the contract awarded.The loan will be for 25 years on interest-free terms with no repayments for the first two years, graduated repayments for the next five years and equal repayments thereafter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the price of the publications of the Department of Employment and Productivity.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to bring the taxation of war widows' pensions into line with the practice in the member States of the Western European Union.

There appears to be no uniform practice among the member States.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount, excluding Government borrowing, owed by the Government to firms and individuals at the latest convenient date.

I regret that this information could not be assembled without a disproportionate expenditure of time and money. As the House knows, the Government's accounts are on a cash basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum he expects to raise in fuel tax, vehicle licences and Purchase Tax on cars in 1969; and what was the comparable figure in 1964.

Estimates for 1969 are not yet available. For the calendar year 1964, the yield from these taxes on cars is estimated to have been about £560 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the estimated tax revenue in the current financial year exceeds the actual sum collected in tax in the year 1964–65.

Just under 50 per cent. before making the necessary adjustment for increased prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it remains Government policy that growth in public expenditure in real terms should remain in line with the growth of real resources as a whole.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20th February, 1969.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for improving control of the growth of the money supply during 1969.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he defines the term money supply; and what has been its value on the last day of the years 1963 to 1968.

The official definition of the money supply comprises notes and coin held by United Kingdom residents other than banks plus net deposits by United Kingdom residents with institutions classified to the banking sector. Recent end-year figures for the money supply are published in Financial Statistics (Table 47).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage growth in money terms of the national product and of public sector expenditure, respectively, since October 1964.

Figures by calendar year for the period 1964 to 1967 for the gross national product and for total public expenditure are contained in, respectively, Tables 1 and 53 of "National Income and Expenditure, 1968".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the current yield of Surtax.

The estimate of the yield in 1968–69 is £250 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement on his studies into the disincentive effects of taxation.

I have nothing to add at present to my Answers on 26th November, 1968, and 21st January, 1969.—[Vol. 774 c. 80: Vol. 776 c. 65.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review the Premium Bond Savings Scheme so as to provide a basic 2½ per cent. interest with prize money in addition.

My right hon. Friend is currently reviewing all possibilities for increasing savings and has noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will instruct the Royal Mint to issue a Crown piece to commemorate the investiture of the Prince of Wales on 1st July, 1969.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he of the fact that since the old consols interest rate was reduced from 3 per cent. to 2½ per cent., it has now become worth less than 30 per cent. of its original value and the internal purchasing power of the £ sterling has subsequently fallen to one-third, thereby depriving the original holder of nine-tenths of the real value of his savings, what action he now proposes to take to ameliorate the position of those who have invested in these funds;(2) in view of the fact that the £2,000 million War Loan, originally worth over 100 per cent., is now worth less than 42 per cent., and that the £ sterling is now only worth 6s. 8d. of its 1945–51 value, and £100 War Stock is worth only £13 in real value, what new steps he proposes to take to prevent this loan from becoming further reduced in value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now consider the repayment of 3½ per cent. War Loan to holders of this stock; and whether he will agree to the repayment being made at the full face value of the stock.

I refer the hon. Members to the Answers which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) on 21st November, 1968, and which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) on 28th January.—[Vol 775, c. 316; Vol. 781, c. 275.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the South African Government about the removal of exchange controls by that country in order to assist the United Kingdom balance of payments.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to restrict the outflow of private capital to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Virgin Islands, Malta, and the Channel Islands.

The matter is kept under review. My right hon. Friend has no present plans to modify existing arrangements in this field.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the purchasing power on 31st December, 1968 of £1 invested on 1st January, 1968 in the Post Office Savings Bank, National Savings Certificates and War Loan, respectively, taking into account accrued interest for the year.

Post Office Savings Bank ordinary accounts 19s. 5d.; Investment Accounts 20s. 3d.; National Savings Certificates 19s. l0d.; War Loan 18s. 3d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs will be provided in Edinburgh when the Inland Revenue Schedule E Centre moves there; what is to be the location of the site; and what are the estimated dates for the commencement and completion of the project.

The present aim is that the centre should begin to take on work in 1977 and be fully set up after about two years. It will then it is estimated employ about 3,000 staff. No decision has yet been taken about the site.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table, from information available to him from international sources, showing the ratio, expressed in percentage form, of personal saving to personal disposable income, taking a uniform basis for the derivation of these figures, both as an average over the years 1957 to 1966, and for the year 1966 alone, for Japan, Italy, West Germany, Sweden, France, Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.

The information is given in the table below.

	Average 1957–66 per cent.	1966 per cent.
Japan	17·1	18·2
W. Germany	13·5	12·6
Sweden	9·7	8·8
France	8·1	9·2
Canada	7·6	9·5
U.S.A.	6·0	6·6
U.K.	6·8	8·1
(No figures are available for Italy on a comparable basis).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the yield of Capital Gains Tax on companies, at the Corporation Tax rate, in 1968–69.

The Budget Estimate included £25 million for Corporation Tax on capital gains made by companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual average rate of inflation, expressed as a percentage, over the period since October, 1964.

Inflation can be measured in various ways. On the basis of the average increase in prices over the whole field of goods and services sold on the domestic market, the annual rate of increase between the third quarter of 1964 and the third quarter of 1968, the latest available date, was about 3·9 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether subscriptions to the National Council of Social Service are allowable as a deduction from the incomes of Members of Parliament for tax purposes.

No. A subscription to the National Council of Social Service would not satisfy the Schedule E expenses rule which limits the deductible expenses to those incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of the duties of the office or employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made towards establishing an overseas investment guarantee scheme to cover political risks in developing countries.

Her Majesty's Government have taken no initiative in devising such a scheme, but are participating in discussions on draft Articles of Agreement for an International Investment Insurance Agency, proceeding under the auspices of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table for 1966–67 comparable to that given for 1967–68 relating to expenses wholly, necessarily and exclusively incurred by Members in the performance of their Parliamentary duties.

I am circulating with the Official Report a table, in similar form to the table for 1967–68 published on 28th January—[Vol. 776, c. 1096)—which classifies the amounts of Members' expenses allowed for Income Tax purposes against their remuneration as Members of Parliament for the year 1966–67. The table includes only those cases where final figures are available. Ministers have not been included.

Expenses allowed		Number of members
£	£
0—	99	1
100—	199	—
200—	299	—
300—	399	4
400—	499	4
500—	599	11
600—	699	9
700—	799	14
800—	899	15
900—	999	17
1,000—	1,099	27
1,100—	1,199	29
1,200—	1,299	42
1,300—	1,399	35
1,400—	1,499	37
1,500—	1,599	22
1,600—	1,699	23
1,700—	1,799	27
1,800—	1,899	19
1,900—	1,999	23
2,000—	2,099	10
2,100—	2,199	14
2,200—	2,299	13
2,300—	2,399	6
2,400—	2,499	10
2,500—	2,599	8
2,600—	2,699	4
2,700—	2,799	4
2,800—	2,899	1
2,900—	2,999	1
3,000—	3,099	5
3,100—	3,199	4
		439

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish revised table of expenses wholly, necessarily and exclusively incurred by Members in the performance of their Parliamentary duties for 1967–68, including figures obtained since those given on 28th January, 1969.

A revised table would not differ significantly from that published as recently as 28th January.—[Vol. 776, c. 1096.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies existed at 31st March, 1968; how many of those companies were close companies within the meaning of the Finance Act, 1965 as amended; how many companies in the construction industry are close companies; and how many are not.

At 31st March, 1968, there were 567,500 companies registered in Great Britain but a large number of these are not active or not profit-making. The number within this total which are close companies is not known. In 1967–68 there were, however, 169,300 assessments to Corporation Tax on close companies, out of a total of 272,300. The corresponding numbers for the construction industry were 17,000 and 24,000 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate value of the issues of paper currency, prior to that now legal tender, which have not yet been returned to the Bank of England.

£70,250,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of Her Majesty's Stationery Office printing and binding work contracted out to commercial firms in each of the five years from October, 1963, to September, 1968.

The details are as follows:

October, 1963–September, 1964	£5,677,000
October, 1964–September, 1965	£6,628,000
October, 1965–September, 1966	£7,481,000
October, 1966–September, 1967	£8,094,000
October, 1967–September, 1968	£9,272,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now seek to increase the dependent relatives allowance of £75 to £110 for single men and put them on the same level as single women in this respect.

My right hon. Friend has noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated loss to the public revenue of raising the personal allowance for Income Tax to £250 a year for a single man and £375 a year for a married man.

The cost of raising the single person's allowance to £250 and the married man's allowance to £375 would be about £280 million for 1968–69.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average income per head of population in Scotland and England respectively, in 1967 and 1968.

The latest available estimates are for 1966–67 and are derived from the 1966–67 Incomes Survey published in the 111th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. They are as follows:—

	population	Total income	Average per head per week
	'000	£m.	£	s.	d.
Scotland	5,191	1,856	6	17	6
England	45,374	20,849	8	16	9

The figures exclude the incomes of persons with less than £275 a year. Total income is computed as for Income Tax and excludes income which is exempt from tax e.g. National Insurance sickness and unemployment benefit. The population figures relate to mid-1966.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has now made of the balance of payments outturn for 1969.

I am not yet in a position to add to the Answers given to similar Questions on 21st and 28th January.—[Vol. 776, c. 229–30 and 1090–3.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent United Kingdom expenditure of all sorts overseas exceeded total receipts from overseas; how far domestic consumption exceeded production in 1968; and what new steps he is taking to prevent such an excess in 1969.

As to the first two parts of the hon. Gentleman's Question, I would ask him to await the publication in coming weeks of the official estimates of the balance of payments and national income for 1968 as a whole. As to the last part of the Question, I would refer him to my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement in this House on 22nd November last.—[Vol. 773, c. 1790–1806.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a breakdown of the estimates of expenditure on military defence other than expenditure on the Defence Budget for the years 1968–69 and 1969–70.

The information requested is as follows:

EXPENDITURE ON OTHER MILITARY DEFENCE 1968–69 AND 1969–70
—	1968–69 estimated outturn at outturn prices	£ million 1969–70 estimate at 1969–70 estimates prices
Ministry of Technology and Defence (Army) purchasing repayment services:
Progress payments on U.S. military aircraft	109	90
Other	7	—14
Other military defence expenditure:
Allied Services	78	83
Military Aid	12	8
Other	—37	—42
Total	169	125

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made for progress payments on United States military aircraft for the years 1968–69 and 1969–70 and for the calendar years 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.

Progress payments to the United States of America for military aircraft covered by the Ex-Im loan arrangements were £109 million in 1968–69 and are estimated at £90 million in 1969–70. Figures for the calendar years are as follows:

	£ million
1965	Nil
1966	50
1967	88
1968	98
1969	(Estimate) 117

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he did not reply to the letter dated 15th July, 1968, sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North concerning the condition of the cemetery in the London Borough of Newham, until 13th February, 1969.

My hon. Friend wrote to me on 30th June, 1968, and the Joint Parliamentary Secretary replied on 15th July, 1968, saying that the

		1962–63	1963–64	1964–65	1965–66
		£	£	£	£
General grant	…	4,469,671	5,123,885	5,428,604	6,214,536
Rate-deficiency grant	…	—	—	—	—
Highways	…	32,819	45,140	40,251	34,935
School milk and meals	…	576,231	590,205	653,996	742,376
Rate Support Grant:
Needs element	…	—	—	—	—
Resources element	…	—	—	—	—
Domestic element	…	—	—	—	—
		5,078,721	5,759,230	6,122,851	6,991,847

		1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70
		£	£	£	£
General grant	…	6,764,366	—	—	—
Rate-deficiency grant	…	—	—	—	—
Highways	…	27,778	—	—	—
School milk and meals	…	826,394	—	—	—
Rate Support Grant:
Needs element	…	—	8,604,910	8,990,603	9,826,971
Resources element	…	—	—	—	—
Domestic element	…	—	204,707	416,849	647,460
		7,618,538	8,809,617	9,407,452	10,474,431
Sources: Epitomes of Accounts and Departmental records and grant claims.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many statutory appointments are within his patronage; and how many of the

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the rate support grant or its equivalent paid to Bristol for each year since 1962; and what is the estimated grant for 1969–70.

The estimated rate support grants payable to Bristol County Borough Council for 1969–70, including the domestic element, amount to £10,474,431. The corresponding grants for 1962–63 amounted to £5,078,721. With permission, I will circulate particulars of those amounts and of the amounts for the intervening years in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the information:recipients of this patronage are of Scottish domicile.

I am entitled to make under statute 190 salaried appointments and over 700 fee-paid and unpaid appointments. There are only a few bodies to which I make appointments which have responsibilities in Scotland as well as England. In such cases my action is taken jointly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.Four of the holders of Salaried appointments have Scottish addresses; information about the domicile of fee-paid and unpaid persons is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what consultations he has had with and what representations have been made by the County Borough of Stockport and neighbouring authorities concerned with the proposed realignment of the A6 roadway;(2) what action has been taken in amending thet own map of Stockport, particularly regarding the realignment of the A6 roadway; what provision he will make for public inquiry into any objections to properties affected by such proposed revisions and routes; and if he will make a statement.

The Stockport County Borough Council have prepared a review of their town map which, I understand, will include proposals for the realignment of the A6, and which I expect to be submitted shortly to my right hon. Friend. The review would be put on deposit, an opportunity provided for making objections and, if necessary, a public inquiry held. Where there are objections which are not withdrawn, an inquiry or hearing is always held.Technical officers of the Department have had informal discussions about the realignment of the A6 with officers of Stockport County Borough and neighbouring authorities: there have been no formal consultations, and no representations from any of those authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has now considered the Report of the Joint Review Body on Local Authority Purchasing; and if he will make a statement.

The Report of the Joint Review Body on Local Authority Purchasing was published on 23rd January. It is a valuable study which makes a number of major recommendations designed to co-ordinate the purchasing activities of local authorities.Before reaching a final view on those recommendations, which are addressed to both Government Departments and the local authorities, my right hon. Friend will want to discuss the Report with those concerned. He hopes to do this shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received on the level of the compensation awarded to small shopkeepers on the compulsory acquisition of their livelihoods; what consideration he has given to those representations; and if he will make a statement.

As I told my hon. Friend on 27th November representations about compensation for small shopkeepers have been received from several sources, and are being studies as part of the Government's review of the compensation code.—[Vol. 774, c. 144–5.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in how many cases during each of the last five years compensation has been paid to shopkeepers on weekly or other small tenancies by local authorities under the provisions of Section 37 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, 1954; what is the total amount of compensation involved in each of these years; and what was the average compensation paid to each tenant in each of those five years.

This information is not available; and its collection would involve disproportionate expense.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will issue a circular to local authorities advising them on giving priority to small shopkeepers displaced by the compulsory acquisition of their properties when making lettings of other business tenancies in their ownership.

The planning bulletins on town centre redevelopment, issued in 1962–63, emphasised the importance of making adequate provision for traders displaced by redevelopment schemes. I do not think that any further advice to local authorities is required.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will issue a revised edition of his memorandum on the Preservation of Trees and Woodlands, first published in 1949.

A revised and expanded edition was issued in September, 1966.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what discussions he is having with Birmingham City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Meriden Rural District Council about a change in local authority status for Chelmsley Wood.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received in connection with the preservation of Woburn Square, Bloomsbury; and what action he proposes to take to prevent the demolition of houses in this square.

Outline planning permission for the redevelopment of Woburn Square was given by the London County Council in 1965 and approval of details by the G.L.C. last year. I have recently received a number of representations in favour of preservation, including a petition from my hon. Friend and one from students of London University. I have also noted the report of the decision of Convocation last Thursday and I am considering the matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will send a circular to local housing authorities advising them to ensure that applications for housing accommodation remain valid unless the applicant himself withdraws and to issue a receipt for all applications to ensure that proof of registration exists.

The Central Housing Advisory Committee have on several occasions emphasised the importance of keeping housing lists up to date by removing those who no longer need accommodation. If my hon. Friend has any evidence of failure to acknowledge receipt of applications not handed in personally, I would be glad to know of it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many properties in England and Wales, affected by slum clearance proceedings which were begun before 23rd April, 1968, and which are still awaiting his confirmation, are classified as unfit and are in owner occupation.

In England and Wales there are 22,240 houses against which slum clearance proceedings were started before 23rd April, 1968, and which are not yet in orders or are included in orders not yet confirmed. It would not be possible without incurring undue expense to ascertain the precise number of owner-occupiers affected. While the proportion of owner-occupied houses in orders varies considerably, the average in recent times has been about 20 per cent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the approved expenditure on the Bristol slum clearance programme for the years 1962–63 to date.

My right hon. Friend has set no limit on Bristol's slum clearance programme. Details of their actual expenditure for this purpose are not recorded separately.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT for each of the last three years and for each of the 15 Rent Assessment Panels, the number of cases received, and withdrawn before any hearing, the number of decisions taken to reduce, increase, and to make no alteration in rents, respectively, and the total amount of increases and decrease

Panel Area		Applications Received	Withdrawn	Previous Rent Reduced	Previous Rent Confirmed	Previous Rent Increased	Total Determined
1966
London	…	2,033	13	498	29	120	647
Northern	…	105	7	73	—	4	77
Yorkshire	…	124	8	55	5	9	69
Manchester	…	125	14	91	2	5	98
Liverpool	…	65	4	34	3	12	49
West Midland	…	188	22	124	2	14	140
East Midland	…	72	12	36	2	6	44
Eastern	…	82	2	24	—	4	28
Luton	…	57	3	12	—	22	34
Thames Valley	…	38	—	15	—	2	17
Bristol	…	46	2	19	1	13	33
Devon and Cornwall		61	—	28	4	21	53
Southern	…	41	2	12	1	12	25
Surrey and Sussex	…	82	13	30	3	19	52
Kent	…	54	6	25	—	10	35
Total	…	3,173	108	1,076	52	273	1,401
1967
London	…	2,696	259	1,779	76	766	2,621
Northern	…	122	15	58	2	60	120
Yorkshire	…	61	4	81	—	20	101
Manchester	…	102	3	63	7	24	94
Liverpool	…	75	7	34	2	19	55
West Midland	…	81	16	60	5	16	81
East Midland	…	57	10	16	9	31	56
Eastern	…	109	7	55	7	81	143
Luton	…	124	3	131	3	4	138
Thames Valley	…	40	8	27	2	19	48
Bristol	…	46	7	20	3	24	47
Devon and Cornwall		18	7	6	—	10	16
Southern	…	89	18	38	1	29	68
Surrey and Sussex	…	93	17	41	7	39	87
Kent	…	47	9	20	1	28	49
Total	…	3,760	390	2,429	125	1,147	3,724
1968
London	…	1,274	157	1,148	47	601	1,796
Northern	…	85	13	28	—	38	66
Yorkshire	…	371	27	32	2	241	275
Manchester	…	73	15	32	4	36	72
Liverpool	…	32	6	30	2	13	45
West Midland	…	76	15	34	—	19	53
East Midland	…	160	25	13	—	74	87
Eastern	…	49	8	35	1	13	49
Luton	…	72	19	18	—	35	53
Thames Valley	…	36	8	14	2	8	24
Bristol	…	52	8	27	3	16	46
Devon and Cornwall		35	6	7	3	16	26
Southern	…	46	12	23	1	23	47
Surrey and Sussex	…	67	15	26	4	26	56
Kent	…	32	11	13	—	7	20
Total	…	2,460	345	1,480	69	1,166	2,715

This information is tabulated below, except for figures of the total amounts of increases and of decreases in rents decided by panels, which are not available and cannot be secured without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice or guidance has been given by him to chief officers of police with regard to contingency planning and preparation for peacetime emergencies.

There is standing machinery for discussion of operational matters of this kind between the Home Office and chief officers of police, with whom responsibility for the preparation of emergency plans by police forces rests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the various licence fees charged in different parts of the country for the transmission of music in public halls.

Under the public general Acts applying to Greater London, the Home Counties and much of England and Wales, as amended by the Miscellaneous Fees (Variation) Order 1968, the basic fee for a public music and dancing licence is £5. In some areas Local Acts apply: information regarding these cannot readily be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why different licence fees for the transmission of music in public halls are allowed to be charged in different parts of the country.

Because the regulation of public music and dancing is governed by a variety of statutes, including some 40 Local Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he allowed a 2,000 per cent. increase in licence fees for the transmission of music in public halls.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the fee for a public music and dancing licence under the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1890, which was one of those brought up to date by the Miscellaneous Fees (Variation) Order 1968. This fee had remained unchanged, at 5s., since it was first fixed nearly 70 years ago. The increase in fees payable under other more recent Acts is much less.The Order was made after a comprehensive review by the Government of a wide range of fees following representations from the four local authority associations concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the parts of the country in which, under his regulations, it is permitted to pay the licence fee monthly for the transmission of music in public halls;(2) why he allows variation in the payment of licence fees for the transmission of music in public halls; and what action he proposes to take to bring about a standardisation both of the fee and of the method of payment.

Payment of public music and dancing licence fees monthly is permitted by the relevant statutes in Greater London and in some areas to which local Acts apply, and is no doubt designed to suit local requirements. Some degree of standardisation has been effected by the increase to a uniform £5 of the basic fee under the public general Acts applying to Greater London, the Home Counties and many other parts of England and Wales. The Government have no further changes in mind at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what time, and on what date, the police applied for a search warrant to search Mrs. Skekel's home in Forest Gate, E.7; to which magistrate the application was made; when the warrant was issued; and whether he will make a photostat of the warrant available to the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

The warrant was applied for, and issued, on the morning of 2nd December, 1968 at the Newham magistrates' court. It is not the practice to publish the particulars of a warrant, but the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has sent me a copy and if my hon. Friend has good reason I am prepared to show it to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many children of the age of 10 years were proceeded against for offences in the juvenile courts in England and Wales during the years 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively;(2) how many children of the age of11 years were proceeded against for offences in the juvenile courts in England and Wales in the years 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively;(3) how many children of the age of 12 years were proceeded against for offences in the juvenile courts in England and Wales in the years 1966, 1967 and 1968 respectively;(4) how many children of the age of 13 years were proceeded against for offences in the juvenile courts in England and Wales for the years 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively.

The numbers of children proceeded against for offences in the juvenile courts in England and Wales in 1966 and 1967 are shown in the following table. Figures for 1968 are not yet available.

Age of Child	1966	1967
10 years	2,903	3,189
11 years	5,457	5,582
12 years	9,281	9,156
13 years	13,886	13,336
TOTAL	31,527	31,263

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give to date the costs to the Exchequer of the legal aid granted to Dr. Savundra; and on what basis such legal aid was granted.

I stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 23rd July last that the cost of the legal aid granted to Dr. Savundra was approximately £10,000. It was granted after enquiry into his means by the courts. There was at that time no statutory power to require him to contribute towards the cost. No further aid has since been granted to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any local authority in Scotland has forfeited any rate support grant because it has acceded to a request by the Government to reduce a proposed rent increase in order to conform with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an assurance that no local authority in Scotland will forfeit any rate support grant under the Rate Support Grant Order (Scotland), 1969, Schedule 4, because of the Government's prices and incomes policy.

Any authority whose rents are now at or approaching the prescribed percentage of gross annual value for the current year should be able to achieve the new percentages prescribed in Schedule 4 to the Rate Support Grant Order, 1969, notwithstanding the restriction of rent increases under prices and incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the proposals submitted to him by Airdrie Town Council to build a new public health clinic in Airdrie; and if he will give details of site, estimated cost and a possible starting date for the project.

My Department has completed consideration of revised plans prepared by Airdrie Town Council for a public health building in Adam Avenue/ South Nimmo Street which will include administrative offices, a clinic, and other facilities. The estimated cost of the project is £124,000. Borrowing consent will be intimated to the Council very shortly and a possible starting date will then be a matter for them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the proposals submitted to him by Airdrie Town Council to build a new old folks home in Airdrie; and if he will give details of site, estimated cost and a possible starting date for the project.

Plans have been examined. The site is at Forrest Street, Airdrie, and the present estimated cost £126,760. I cannot yet say when consent to borrow funds for this project will be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff are employed in special schools in Scotland; how many of these are over 50 years of age; and how many under 30 years of age.

In January 1968, 731 certified teachers were employed in education authority and grant-aided special schools. In January 1966, the latest date for which an age distribution is available, 53 per cent. of the certificated teachers in special schools were 50 years of age or over and 8 per cent. were under the age of 30.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many drivers and conductors of public service vehicles were assaulted in the course of their employment in 1968 and in each of the previous five years; and if he will give separate figures for assaults on employees of the Glasgow Transport Department.

This information could be obtained only by imposing a substantial extra burden on the police.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what technical and other assistance his Department provides to municipal and other transport undertakings in connection with the installation of two-way radio equipment and other security equipment designed to afford protection to drivers and conductors of public service vehicles: and if he will make a statement.

None. The provision of security equipment on buses is a matter for the operators, who will, I am confident, always find the police ready to advise.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the numbers of deaths and of persons suffering serious injury as a result of fires in the home in each of the past 10 years and to the nearest convenient date this year.

Figures of deaths and of persons who suffered injury as a result of fires in the home in Scotland have been collected centrally only since 1961 and are given in the table below. The figures for non-fatal injuries do not distinguish between serious and less serious injury.

	Fatal	Non-Fatal
1961	21	70
1962	30	106
1963	80	172
1964	63	89
1965	68	256
1966	87	337
1967*	81	250
1968*	89	306
1969* (to date)	27	39
* The figures for these years are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been spent in each of the past 10 years by his Department and by local authorities in promoting fire prevention in relation to fires in the home and to fires in commercial and trade premises.

I regret I have no information on the expenditure incurred by fire authorities specifically on promoting fire prevention measures. Their efforts are supplemented centrally by the Home Departments, the Central Office of Information and the Scottish Information Office, who work closely together and incur expenditure jointly. The total expenditure on the promotion of fire prevention measures in Scotland cannot be separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what use is made by the Government of television, of radio and of advertisements in newspapers to promote fire prevention in the home.

The Government make wide use of television and radio for fire prevention publicity, including the promotion of fire prevention measures in the home, and much assistance is given editorially by the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated amount of rates levied in 1967–68 on intensive livestock buildings.

The total rates payable in 1967–68 in respect of intensive livestock buildings situated on farms, and assessed for rating in that year, are estimated at £133,000.

asked the Prime Minister if he will take steps to improve the co-ordination between the Ministers responsible for new towns and those responsible for dealing with the economic effects of these towns on other areas.