asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy regarding the gap between the levels of agricultural wages, and industrial wages.

Consideration of the level of agricultural wages is a matter for the Agricultural Wages Board, which will no doubt take account in its future deliberations of the views expressed in the recent Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will divide the total annual cost of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, between research and maintenance of the grounds which are open to the public.

The current annual cost to this Department of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is about £625,000, including the maintenance of the grounds. Of this it is estimated that £395,000 is attributable to research and £230,000 to other services, but there are no figures available to show what part of the latter sum is used in maintaining those parts of the grounds that are open to the public.

asked the Attorney-General what was the number of evictions with a court order in each of the years since the Protection from Eviction Act, 1965; and what was the number of evictions for each of the two years previous to the coming into force of the Act.

Prior to the Protection from Eviction Act, 1964, many evictions took place without a court order. The total number is not known. In 1963 and 1964 the number of court warrants for possession were 3,804 and 3,769 respectively. Following the passing of the 1964 Act, which made it unlawful to evict a tenant without an order of the court, the number of County Court Orders were 4,204 in 1965, 5,445 in 1966, and 5,390 in 1967. The figures for 1968 are not yet available. Evictions can also take place under orders issued by the High Court and, in certain cases, the magistrates' courts, but no figures are available in relation to them.

asked the Attorney-General how many complaints have been received by the Legal Complaints Tribunal established on 1st October, 1968; and with what results.

None. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, apply.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service of the 5,619 qualified scientists and engineers employed in Government research establishments at the beginning of 1969, how many are employed in establishments situated in Scotland.

Three hundred and eighty-three.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to overhaul the security vetting procedure for employees of firms engaged on secret contracts for the Ministry of Defence in the light of the conviction of Michael Alan Pells at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, 25th February.

Without accepting the accuracy of the Press reports, I can assure the hon. Member that, in consultation as necessary with other Government Departments, our security procedures are kept constantly under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present total of army hirings in the Woking constituency; and what was it on 1st January, 1965.

364 and 247 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the total cost in the current year, respectively, of the Army Personnel Research Establishment at Farnborough, the Royal Naval Physiological Laboratory at Alverstoke and the Stores and Clothing Research and Development Establishment at Colchester.

As I explained in my reply to the right hon. Member for Harrogate (Mr. Ramsden) on 13th February, 1969, it is not the practice to publish a breakdown of costs by establishments.—[Vol. 777, c. 374.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give details of his current examination of running the defence research establishments more economically;(2) what plans he has for transferring to industry development work now carried out in the defence research establishments.

I cannot at this stage give any further details of the studies referred to in paragraph 8 of Chapter VI of the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1969 (Cmnd. 3927). These studies will necessarily take some time to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what purposes a major redeployment and reinforcement exercise is to take place in the Baltic region in the late spring of 1969.

A brigade group of 3 Division and aircraft of 38 Group R.A.F. are now deploying via southern Jutland to Schleswig-Holstein, thus practising the reinforcement of Allied forces in Allied Command Baltic Approaches. This is one of the responses by the United Kingdom to the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia, as part of the collective effort to strengthen the defensive forces of the Alliance of which my right hon. Friend informed the House on 14th November, 1968. The forces concerned are part of the mobile force earmarked for assignment to N.A.T.O. in May, 1968. They will join Danish and German forces in a N.A.T.O. exercise, Bold Adventure, with the aim of exercising command and control of composite N.A.T.O. army and air forces.—[Vol. 773, c. 146–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the long-term purposes of the joint Five Power Exercises in the Far East to be held in 1970.

We made it clear in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy, 1968 (Command 3701) that, apart from the general need to continue exercising our forces outside Europe after 1971, one of our main purposes in contributing to the Commonwealth Exercise in 1970 would be to demonstrate our continuing ability to deploy effectively significant forces overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of United Kingdom participation in the joint Five-Power Exercise in the Far East to be held in 1970.

Plans for this exercise are not yet complete, but it would in any case be misleading to attempt to isolate the cost of a particular exercise. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 17th July last, the forces participating in this exercise would, if it were not held, be training elsewhere overseas.—[Vol. 768, c. 1397–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the electronic projects on which Her Majesty's Government are collaborating with the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The electronic projects on which the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany are co-operating consist mainly of the development of army field radars and submarine electronic equipment. In some of these projects other N.A.T.O. countries are also participating.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the unit cost of the SA330, SA340, and WG13 Anglo-French helicopters, respectively;(2) what is the latest available unit cost of the Harrier vertical and short take-off and landing aircraft.

It is not the normal practice to disclose aircraft unit costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to date of British involvement in the associated development of the Ikara Australian long-range anti-submarine weapon system.

The amount spent so far by the United Kingdom on the IKARA weapon system is about £5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost to the United Kingdom of the Mallard tactical trunk communication system for the 1970s.

There has been no significant change in the estimated United Kingdom share of research and development costs for this project since my predecessor answered Questions on this point on 13th December, 1967. It is too early to give any indication of production costs.—[Vol. 756, c. 412.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what compensation has been paid to locally employed civilian personnel in Singapore who have been discharged in the last 12 months or any other convenient date.

Terminal benefits, at scales agreed with the trade unions in Singapore, are paid to locally engaged civilian personnel who leave Ministry of Defence employment. Between 1st January and 31st December 1968, these amounted to £2,800,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the operation Military Aid to the civilian community in Western Malaysia.

At the request of the Malaysian Federal Land Development Authority, a team of about seventy Royal Engineers are undertaking a community development project at Bukit Mendi in Pahang. Work started in December, 1968, and will continue until the end of this year. During this period the team will construct 40 to 50 houses, a community centre and about 15 miles of roads and tracks. It will also dredge watercourses.The Federal Law Development Authority is meeting those additional costs which the Army would not incur if the men involved were carrying out normal military training. These are estimated at $50,000 (approximately £7,000). As well as being of value to the Malasians, this project will be good training and experience for the men involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a statement about his studies related to the feasibility of establishing a computer-based combined services medical statistics unit.

This extensive study is proceeding satisfactorily, and I hope that a statement can be made after the Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence with which university he is negotiating with a view to arranging that a complete year of uninterrupted study should be considered as the first year of a three-year degree course; and if he will make a statement.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement about the negotiations on which we are currently engaged with universities, but I intend to do so in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his negotiations with the universities to increase the number of university cadetships for the Royal Air Force.

An increase in the number of R.A.F. university cadetships does not involve direct negotiations with university authorities, though they have been kept fully informed of the R.A.F.'s intentions to expand recruiting in the graduate field. Under this scheme a young man's entry into university remains dependent entirely on his academic achievements and his personal acceptance by the university authorities. Once accepted for a full-time course of study leading to the award of a first degree, he may then apply to compete for an R.A.F. university cadetship.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of adapting the Buccaneer Mark 2 to carry air-to-surface Hunter guided weapons.

I assume that the question refers to the Martel air-to-surface guided weapon. The total capital cost, including research and development, of adapting the Buccaneer Mark 2 to carry Martel is estimated at approximately £10 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the nature of the proposals he is studying for adventure training in the Army as an incentive to recruiting.

I am not able to give details at this stage but I will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons he withdrew from the project of developing Anglo-Dutch 3-D surveillance radar.

Because of changes in naval plans and development difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy for the participation by civilian scholars in the honours and ordinary degree courses at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham; and if he will give a table of relative civilian and service numbers involved.

Civilian scholars have participated in the degree courses at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham for a number of years, and my present intention is that this should continue so far as available facilities permit.At the present time there are 46 civilian scholars at the college studying for honours or ordinary degrees, together with 207 Service students. The number of civilian scholars is at present below the authorised intake.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what programme he has to study the movement of sediment on the sea-bed near the entrance to harbours; and if he will make such knowledge available to owners of deep-draught ships and tankers.

As well as a continuing programme of routine re-surveys of shallow waterways in unstable areas, we have in recent years instituted a number of special surveys to study in detail the movement of sea-bed sediment. Arising from these studies recommendations have been made and implemented to reduce siltation in several areas. Two major studies in this series have been published for the information of ship-owners and others. In addition, of course, the information from these surveys is incorporated in charts and is discussed from time to time with the Chart Users Advisory Panel consisting of the marine superintendents of about forty major British shipping companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of the ships referred to in the Statement on Defence as being earmarked for scrapping.

The names of the ships approved for disposal by scrapping during 1968–69 are as follows:

5	Destroyers
	H.M.S. "Daring".
	H.M.S. "Delight".
	H.M.S. "Cambrian".
	H.M.S. "Carysfort".
	H.M.S. "Aisne".
6	Frigates
	H.M.S. "Crafton".
	H.M.S. "Pellew".
	H.M.S. "Blackwood".
	H.M.S. "Relentless".
	H.M.S. "Zest".
	H.M.S. "Loch Fada".
1	Ice Patrol Ship
	H.M.S. "Protector".
4	Submarines
	H.M.S. ''Amphion".
	H.M.S. "Artful".
	H.M.S. 'Tabard".
	H.M.S. 'Trump".
11	Coastal Minesweepers
	H.M.S. "Clarbeston".
	H.M.S. "Maryton".
	H.M.S. "Carhampton".
	H.M.S. "Derriton".
	H.M.S. "Dufton".
	H.M.S. "Flockton".
	H.M.S. "Kemerton".
	H.M.S. "Kildarton".
	H.M.S. "Penston".
	H.M.S. "Picton".
	H.M.S. "Rodington".
1	Inshore Minesweeper
	H.M.S. "Brearley".
1	Survey Vessel
	H.M.S. "Mermaid".
1	Submarine Depot Ship
	H.M.S. "Maidstone".
2	MCM Support Ships
	H.M.S. "Mull of Kintyre".
	H.M.S. "Plover".
3	Accommodation Ships
	H.M.S. "Girdle Ness".
	H.M.S. "Narvik".
	H.M.S. "Chevron".
4	Helicopter Support Ship
	H.M.S. "Lofoten".

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether further ships, other than those referred to in the Statement on Defence, will be disposed of during this year.

I assume that the hon. Member is asking whether further ships will be disposed of during the last nine months of 1969. Other ships are planned to come to the end of their life in the Active Fleet during this period, but I am unable to say at this stage whether they will be disposed of by sale or scrapping.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish his current review of service resettlement arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

A review of Service resettlement arrangements is at present being undertaken by a committee of officials from my Department and other Departments concerned in collaboration with the recently appointed Adviser on Forces Resettlement. It is not intended that this committee should publish a report but such improvements to the Forces Resettlement Service as are acceptable will be implemented as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give examples of development including the evaluation and adaptation of commercial equipment for military use in the field of equipment and procedures for biological and chemical defence.

Examples of development include respirators, protective clothing, detection equipment, decontamination procedures and equipment, and prophylactic measures.Examples of commercial equipment evaluated and adapted for use in chemical and biological defence are butyl rubber gloves for protection against chemical agents; a talcum powder dispenser for decontaminating personal weapons and equipment with fuller's earth; a fire extinguisher for decontaminating vehicles, buildings and terrain.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the total number of ships in the active fleet and in reserve, respectively, during each of the past six years.

The following table shows the numbers down to and including submarines and minesweepers, but excluding survey ships and craft, and depot and support ships.

	Operational training and trials	Reserve, long refit, conversion and modernisation
1964	181	170
1965	175	85
1966	178	76
1967	172	69
1968	166	60
1969	144	60

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the composition of the new on-call Allied Naval Force in the Mediterranean; and for what strategic purposes it is to be created.

£m. (1969–70 Estimated prices)
			1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70
(a) 1964 Programme	…	…	2,690	2,780	2,840	2,900	2,960
(b) Estimates	…	…	2,570	2,480	2,430	2,380	2,266
Saving	…	…	120	300	410	520	694
[Vol. 755, c. 69.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of Terrendak Camp.

When the Commonwealth Brigade has been withdrawn from Terrendak Camp in 1970, British assets at the camp will be transferred to the Malaysian Government under the arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development on 30th May, 1968. Parliamentary approval will be sought in the usual way by laying

The on-call Allied Naval Force, once established, is expected to consist of about half-a-dozen ships of up to destroyer size; the Royal Navy will be contributing to it. Its purpose will be to demonstrate the solidarity of the N.A.T.O. Alliance, and to carry out surveillance in the Medditerranean. To this end, the aim is that it should be assembled periodically for exercises and for good will visits, and during periods of tension as required.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what savings, by comparison with the defence programme in 1964, is represented by the recently published defence budget estimate for 1969–70 and by the estimates for the year 1965–66 to 1968–69.

As I reported to the House on 27th November, 1967, the Defence Budget Estimates for the years 1965–66 to 1968–69 inclusive represented a reduction of £1,200 million on the defence programme planned and costed by my predecessor. Revalued to 1969–70 Estimates prices, and including the 1969–70 Budget Estimates, the aggregate saving is about £2,040 million. Details of the figures are given in the table below:a Treasury Minute before the House.—[Vol. 765, c. 2115–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the size of the garrison maintained by Her Majesty's Government in Brunei; and for what purposes it exists.

The British garrison in Brunei consists of one battalion. It is part of the forces at present stationed in the general area.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) in view of the fact that the percentages of unemployment in Millom and Cleator Moor are 11·5 and 14·4 per cent., respectively, what efforts are being made to bring employment to these areas; and with what success;(2) what action has been taken to reduce the 14·5 per cent. unemployed in Cleator Moor and the 11 per cent. unemployed in Millom, in view of the fact that figures elsewhere have fallen.

The February level of unemployment at Millom of 11·5 per cent. is still high, but it was 16·2 per cent. last October, following the closure of the ironworks. As my hon. Friend knows, Millom is designated as a Special Development Area, and the Board of Trade encourages suitable firms to take advantage of the additional incentives available there. In her reply of 27th February to my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade has referred to the good prospects for securing some new projects before long.The current level of unemployment for the Whitehaven travel to work area, in which Cleator Moor is included, is 7·6 per cent. As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary has explained, the policy of advance factory building in Special Development Areas has already had some success in attracting new projects to Cleator Moor.—[Vol. 778, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether the Northwest Regional Economic Planning Council was informed of the decision to place all future nuclear submarine contracts with Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness; and what representation it has made to his Department about the effects of this decision upon the employment situation on Merseyside.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given on 19th February by my hon. Friend the Minister of Defence for Equipment to a question by the right hon. Member for Harrogate (Mr. Ramsden), that there is only enough work in the nuclear submarine construction programme to keep one yard economically employed. I am writing to the Chairman of the Economic Planning Council about the considerations which led to this decision.—[Vol. 778, c. 102.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the Central Planning Unit proposes to have discussions with local authorities affected by the study on Severnside.

For the reasons explained in my Answer to the hon. Member on 21st February, the time for consultation with local authorities will come once the Unit's general assessment of the Severn-side area has been submitted to the Government.—[Vol. 778, c. 233.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the present membership of the Central Planning Unit conducting the survey on Severnside; and how many of these are representative of local planning authorities in South Wales.

The Central Unit for Environmental Planning consists of civil servants drawn from various Departments but working together as a team. The unit has 15 members (four full-time), comprising administrative officials, economists, statisticians and physical planners. It has been assisted in its Severnside work by a Physical Planning Unit composed in the main of staff of various disciplines seconded from local authorities within the area of study. Out of the total of ten professional officials so seconded, three have come from South Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the estimated total cost in the current year of the Rutherford High Energy Laboratory, giving the number of qualified scientists and engineers at present employed there and listing the five most expensive projects on which the Laboratory is at present working, showing the cost of each in the current year.

The estimated net expenditure in 1968–69 by the Rutherford High Energy Laboratory is £7,387,000. There are 302 qualified scientists and engineers on the staff. In addition about 200 university research workers use the laboratory's facilities. The five most expensive projects, with their estimated cost in 1968–69, are

	£ thousands
1. NIMROD accelerator operation	2,282
2. High energy physics counter experiments.	1,461
3. High energy physics bubble chamber experiments.	830
4. Computer operation	432
5. Nuclear structure experiments	255

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total cost to public funds during the current financial year of the Daresbury Nuclear Physics Laboratory, together with the total staff employed there, showing separately the number of qualified scientists and engineers; and if he will list the five most expensive projects currently being undertaken at this establishment, showing the total cost of each to date.

The estimated net expenditure in 1968–69 by the Daresbury Nuclear Physics Laboratory is £3,516,000. The present total staff is 467, of whom 74 are qualified scientists and engineers. In addition 67 university research workers use the laboratory's facilities. The expenditure on the laboratory cannot readily be separated to individual projects. The main areas of expenditure in 1968–69, which together constitute total expenditure are (with their estimated cost):—

	£ thousands
1. High energy physics	1,404
2. NINA machine operation	1,164
3. Computer operation	384
4. Building and civil enginering work	366
5. Applied physics	198

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange to display the Nigerian Cultural Art Exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall on 24th and 25th August.

Yes, I shall be happy to sponsor the booking of the Upper Waiting Hall for the display of this exhibition on 24th and 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest representations he has made to General Gowon about a mercy land corridor; and what reply he has received.

Her Majesty's Government are regularly in touch with the Nigerian Federal Government and with other Governments and organisations, including the Organisation of African Unity and the International Red Cross, in support of efforts to encourage agreement on a surface route or routes for relief supplies into the area occupied by Colonel Ojukwu. On 21st February the Federal Commissioner for External Affairs announced that the Federal Government has offered to put their airstrip at Obilago, near the secessionist area, at the disposal of the relief organisations for ferrying in relief supplies by air during daylight hours under international supervision, for transportation by road from Obilago into the secessionist area. This offer, if accepted, would enable the amount of relief for the secessionist area to be greatly increased.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest communications he has sent to Colonel Ojukwu about a mercy land corridor; and what reply he has received.

Her Majesty's Government have made no official representations direct to Colonel Ojukwu. However, Her Majesty's Government are in regular consultation with governments, organisations and individuals concerned with relief, including those who are in touch with Colonel Ojukwu, in the effort to promote agreement on a land corridor for relief supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consult with the Government of Hong Kong with a view to introducing legislation governing the hours worked by shop attendants, waiters and lift operators in order to establish for them a working week not exceeding 50 hours; and if he will make a statement.

Although the hours for women and young persons in industrial establishments are limited by statute, this is not the case in other sectors. The conditions of employment of young persons in the hotel and restaurant trades are currently under examination by the Hong Kong Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what changes she plans to make in the method of collecting data for the statistical series at present produced by her Department to take account of the Government's proposals for earnings-related social security; and what estimate she has made of the change in cost.

The White Paper Cmnd. 3883 envisages that National Insurance cards should be withdrawn. A new method of compiling employment statistics, probably by means of a simple return from all employers, would then be introduced. Plans are currently under consideration and tests on the most suitable methods will be carried out in the next two years.The change-over to a new system would lead to additional initial costs but thereafter the costs for the new system are not expected to differ much from those for existing procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many factory doctors appointed by the Chief Inspector of Factories now work in Halifax; if she is satisfied that this constitutes an adequate service; and whether she will increase it.

There is one appointed factory doctor in Halifax; in addition, one works medical officer holds appointment as appointed factory doctor in the factory which employs him. There is no evidence that an adequate service is not being provided and we have no plans to increase it. My hon. Friend will, however, know that the Government are pursuing proposals for reorganising the Appointed Factory Doctor Service as a whole along the lines recommended by the Industrial Health Advisory Committee Sub-Committee set up to review the Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he is seeking from the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence in connection with the fresh legislation he intends to introduce on drug control.

I look forward to full consultation with and advice from the advisory committee in the preparation of any new proposals and shall take full account of any recommendations it wishes to offer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what amounts of money Nuneaton Borough Council has received for the building of local authority houses in the years 1966, 1967 and 1968, and what will be the amount for the forthcoming year.

The subsidy payments made to the council in respect of housing provided by it under the Housing Acts have been as follows:

	£
1965–66	100,121
1966–67	107,381
1967–68	129,311
1968–69	143,762

I cannot yet say what amount will be payable for 1969–70.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what amounts of money Bedforth Council, Warwickshire, has received for the building of local authority houses in the years 1966, 1967 and 1968; and what will be the amount for the forthcoming year.

The subsidy payments made to the council in respect of housing provided by it under the Housing Acts have been as follows:

	£
1965–66	49,352
1966–67	50,909
1967–68	57,802
1968–69	69,234

I cannot yet say what amount will be payable for 1969–70.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to remove the obligation placed upon householders whose homes are in the direct line of an adopted road to advertise the sale of their blighted properties before being able to serve a purchase notice.

No. It is a fundamental principle in these cases that a blight notice should not be served until the owner has tried and failed to sell on the open market.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he replied to the letter dated 11th February from the Clerk to the Church with Chapel Brampton Parish Council, Northants, concerning the Pitsford and Brampton Railway Station proposed crane-hire depot.

The letter of 11th February from the parish council contained representations about an appeal by the British Railways Board against an enforcement notice, and the Department replied on 17th February.

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

Thirteen, of whom one lives in Scotland.

asked the Postmaster-General whether in view of Her Majesty's Government's new policy on financing of nationalised industries, he intends to raise a loan from a European market for the future development of the Post Office.

Not yet.

asked the Postmaster-General what estimate he has made of the average percentage of errors in customers' telephone bills where the customer is charged for calls he has not made; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain) yesterday.—[Vol. 778, c. 1892.]

asked the Minister of Power to what extent he estimates that the constructional difficulties and rising costs on Dungeness B Power Station will affect the interim financial arrangements for supplying power to the aluminium plant at Anglesey.

The supply of power to the aluminium plant at Anglesey is governed by a long term contract and there are no special interim financial arrangements. As regards the effect on this contract of the developments at Dungeness, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ince (Mr. McGuire) on 20th January, 1969.—[Vol. 776, c. 55.]

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he is aware of the research being carried out by the British Coal Utilisation Research Association; and if he will take this into account when reaching decisions on applications by the Central Electricity Generating Board for the construction of power stations;(2) if he will make a statement on the discovery by scientists of the British Coal Utilisation Research Association of a new method of electricity production capable of cutting costs by ½d. per kilowatt.

Yes; I recently visited the B.C.U.R.A. establishment and saw for myself the wide variety of its work, especially the developments in fluidised bed coal combustion, with which my Advisory Coucil on Research and Development has kept in close touch. The Association considers the results obtained so far as very promising: further technical and economic assessments on the larger scale application of the technique are being pressed ahead. I await the results with great interest.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works at what precise moment in the chimes of Big Ben is the hour indicated.

On the first stroke of the hour bell after the chimes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown, according to age, sex, skills and qualifications, of the net emigration total of 33,000 in 1967–68.

A breakdown according to age and sex of the estimated net loss of 33,000 by emigration in 1967–68 is given below. A breakdown by skills and qualifications is not available.

ESTIMATED NET MIGRATION PROM SCOTLAND 1967–68
Age	Male	Female
Under 15	3,700	3,600
15–44	12,200	10,100
45–64	1,700	1,500
65 or over	100	100
All ages	17,700	15,300

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the 245 persons whose appointments were made within his patronage jointly with other Ministers, giving in each instance the title of the appointment and the remuneration received.

I am sending the hon. Member this information, and am putting a copy in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what Government grants are available to assist publication of works of Scottish literature; and how much has been expended in such grants in each of the last three years.

The Scottish Arts Council made grants of £775 in 1966–67 and £2,775 in 1967–68 and has so far offered grants of £4,750 in 1968–69 to assist the publication of Scottish literary periodicals and poetry, as well as giving bursaries to individual writers. Under schemes of Publication Awards to Scottish authors and of Grants to Publishers introduced in 1968 to encourage the publication of Scottish works of literary merit, the council has so far made awards and grants totalling about £3,000. Scottish authors may also receive assistance under the scheme of maintenance grants operated by the Arts Council of Great Britain to supplement publishers' advances to authors of works of outstanding quality.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a statement about the Government's intentions regarding the introduction of legislation about angling in Scotland.

Legislation on this topic would depend on the conclusions I reach on the recommendations in the Report of the Hunter Committee, my consideration of which is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of occupied dwellings within the city boundaries of Glasgow; of these how many are owned by Glasgow Corporation and how many by the Scottish Special Housing Association; and what is the amount spent in the last full year on the maintenance of Corporation houses.

I estimate that there are about 310,000 occupied houses in Glasgow, of which about 142,000 are owned by the Corporation and about 10,000 by the Scottish Special Housing Association. In 1967–68 the corporation spent some £2·3 million on repairs and maintenance.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will indicate the annual cost of all research into Standards which is carried out by the National Physical Laboratory and the proportion which this represents of the total annual cost of that establishment.

Aside from costs falling on the Ministry of Public Building and Works, which cannot be allocated, the cost of this work is estimated at about £1 million or approximately 13 per cent. of the annual cost of the laboratory.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give the total value of expenditure from public funds on machine tools research, development and trials in the current financial year; and if he will list the Government or other research establishments at which this work is being carried out, showing the expenditure at each establishment.

Final figures for the current financial year are not yet available. The Ministry, however, expects to spend some £2·6 million on research, development and trials in the machine tool field during the current financial year. Of this sum, £1·5 million represents part of the £6 million expenditure authorised under the Pre-production Order Schemes for advanced machine tools. In addition to this, the Science Research Council expects to make grants of some £110,000 for relevant academic research and universities also support work in this field out of general grants, but this cannot be costed.The principal Government and other research establishments at which machine tool research and development is being carried out are, with assessed 1968–69 costs:—

	£
The National Enginering Laboratory	530,000
The Institute of Advanced Machine Tool Control and Technology	70,000
The Production Engineering Research Association	170,000*
The Machine Tool Industry Research Association	90,000*
The Atomic Weapons Research Establishment	35,000
* Covers Ministry grants for the Associations' general programme and specific contracts.

The balance of Ministry research development and trial expenditure (£205,000) is for projects being undertaken in universities and industry and for work on a small scale at other Ministry Establishments and Research Associations. Expected expenditure during the current year does not, of course, represent the full cost of projects which, for the most part, extend over a number of years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated increase in the volume of air traffic by 1980 in the long haul and medium range sectors throughout the world based on information available to him from international sources.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation has forecast that in 1980 the volume of passenger traffic on scheduled services of airlines of contracting States will be between 3½ and 8½ times what it was in 1967 with a middle estimate about 5½ times. The volume of freight traffic is forecast to be between 4½ and 10½ times as much with a middle estimate of 7 times. Separate forecasts are not available for long-haul and medium-range traffic.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now received the Report of the Working Group on the Safety of Trawler Fishermen; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I have received the Report with its attached Code of recommended safe working practices and have placed a copy in the Library. Copies are also being distributed to all those concerned in the trawling industry who should immediately consider adopting the very sensible safe working practices recommended. I should make it clear that the Working Group was established some time before the disasters of February 1968, which led to the setting up of the Holland-Martin Committee of Inquiry. The Working Group, whilst making in its Report a number of most Valuable ancillary recommendations, has concentrated its attention on the preparation of the Code itself. Government decisions on action which may need to be taken in the whole field of trawler safety, including the area covered by the Working Group's other recommendations, will necessarily have to await the receipt of the final Holland-Martin Report which may be expected about the end of April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount by weight and value of imports of fishmeal into the United Kingdom for each of the past five years to the latest convenient date.

Annual figures for imports of fishmeal and flour are given on page 28 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for December of each year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what Government subsidy is given each year to the National Film Finance Corporation.

The Government do not give a subsidy to the National Film Finance Corporation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total profit or loss on loans made by Her Majesty's Government to the National Film Finance Corporation in each of the last five years.

I assume that the Question relates to profit or loss made by the National Film Finance Corporation in respect of the use made by the Corporation of the £6 million advanced by the Board of Trade, with the consent of the Treasury, under the Cinematograph Film Production (Special Loans) Act, 1949, as amended.The following figures are taken from the Corporation's Annual Reports and Statements of Accounts. Column 2 shows the total profit or loss. Column 3 shows the deficiency on interest account each year, a major part of which is attributable

to the Corporation's continuing obligation to pay interest to Her Majesty's Government on money which the Corporation regards as irretrievably lost:

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Year to 31st March	Annual Profit Accounts	Loss attributable to payment of interest on money irretrievably lost
	£	£
1964 (Profit)	72,864	—
1965 (Loss)	149,855	90,739
1966 (Loss)	203,717	133,459
1967 (Loss)	369,699	169,328
1968 (Loss)	159,098	183,709

TOTAL ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT *
Development Areas
		Northern	Merseyside	S.W.	Wales	Scotland	Total†	Great Britain outside DA	Great Britain†
1963
Number	…	5,230	10,440	560	6,440	9,680	32,350	30,860	63,210
Per cent.	…	(8·3)	(16·5)	(0·9)	(10·2)	(15·3)	(51·2)	(48·8)	(100)
1964
Number	…	8,770	3,380	560	2,650	10,840	26,200	35,120	61,320
Per cent.	…	(14·3)	(5·5)	(0·9)	(4·3)	(17·7)	(42·7)	(57·3)	(100)
1965
Number	…	15,220	12,240	820	2,270	12,160	42,700	41,520	84,220
Per cent.	…	(18·1)	(14·5)	(1·0)	(2·7)	(14·4)	(50·7)	(49·3)	(100)
1966
Number	…	15,060	5,740	940	4,570	18,260	44,570	33,170	77,740
Per cent.	…	(19·4)	(7·4)	(l·2)	(5·9)	(23·5)	(57·4)	(42·6)	(100)
1967
Number	…	11,860	3,810	930	4,830	15,690	37,110	28,350	65,460
Per cent.	…	(18·1)	(5·8)	(1·4)	(7·4)	(24·0)	(56·7)	(43·3)	(100)
* Employment expected to arise when projects are fully manned as estimated by the applicants for the certificates at the time of application.
† Because of rounding adjustments the sum of the constituent parts need not necessarily equal the total.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has considered the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, enclosing a communication from Mr. A. G. Harradine, Secretary of the Abbey Lane Estate Tenants Association, together with a petition requesting a pedestrian crossing at Stratford High Street-Abbey Lane, E.15; and what was the nature of his reply.

Yes. Provision has been made for a pedestrian subway beneath Stratford High Street at its junction with Abbey Lane in my grant programme for 1968–69. The Greater London Council, as highway and traffic authority, is also arranging additional safety measures in

asked the President of the Board of Trade what number of jobs are estimated to have arisen in connection with the completion of factory buildings requiring industrial development certificates in each of the development areas and in Great Britain outside the development areas for each of the last five years; and what percentage each of these figures represents of the national figure for each year.

The information asked for is given in the following table. I regret that figures for 1968 are not yet available.conjunction with the police and the Newham Borough Council. I am sending my hon. Friend a full reply.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give details of the cases in which harbour authorities have exercised their powers under Section 37 of the Docks and Harbours Act, 1966.

The exercise by harbour authorities of their powers under Section 37 of the Docks and Harbours Act, 1966, does not require my consent except in the case of inland clearance depots, and no such consents have been requested.

asked the Minister of Transport how many applications for licences there have been under Section 3 of the Docks and Harbours Act, 1966; how many of these applications have been refused; and what is the total of compensation paid under Section 13 of the Act.

Applications for employers' licences are made to and determined by the licensing authority for the port concerned. I am involved only if an appeal or objection is made to me against a decision of the licensing authority.Similarly, applications for compensation are made to the licensing authority, and I am involved only when a disputed determination is referred to me for reference to an arbitrator.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what extra expenditure is being incurred by Caernarvon Town Council and the Caernarvonshire County Council in connection with the Investiture of the Prince of Wales; what are the various items of expenditure; and what grant is being given to those authorities for these purposes by the Government.

The Royal Borough of Caernarvon will be providing, on behalf of the Welsh Office, temporary toilets and car parking accommodation, etc., at a cost of about £29,000. Any other expenditure by the Royal Borough and any expenditure by Caernarvonshire County Council is for those councils to determine and will not be grant aided.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average expenditure per mile in 1967–68 in Wales on the new construction and improvement of principal roads and other roads, respectively; and the average expenditure per mile on maintenance of principal roads and other roads, respectively.

Provisional figures for the year give average expenditure per mile as follows:

	Principal Roads	Other Local Authority Roads
	£	£
New Construction and Improvements	2,845	184
Maintenance	1,692	614

The figures include administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he estimates that the construction of the 27·5 miles of motorways in Wales for which there are schemes in the preparation pool will be completed.

The 4-mile Morriston By-pass should be completed towards the end of 1972. The relative priorities and timings of the other schemes have not yet been finally decided and are subject to the availability of funds. I hope it will be possible for them all to be completed by about 1976.