asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what action he is taking to provide maintenance for Terendak Camp, Malaysia.

My Department will continue to maintain Terendak Camp whilst it is occupied by the Commonwealth Brigade.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will take the chair at the meeting of the National Consultative Council of the Building and Civil Engineering Industries on 19th March.

Yes, I always do.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he proposes to grant permission for the use of the old Tea Pavilion in Hyde Park as a theatre.

No.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware that the 2¼-inch diameter Prince of Wales Investiture medals in both silver and gilt bronze issues were sold out by 28th February; whether he will state the manner in which orders were executed on behalf of his Department by Spink and Son Limited; and in how many cases one person, firm or company received more than one medal.

Yes. The number of silver medals to be minted had been over-subscribed by 13th February. At this stage it was decided to stop accepting further orders for the silver medal and allot the medals by ballot amongst those whose orders had already been received. As part of normal trading arrangements 28 firms and companies concerned with medal retailing are being allocated more than one medal.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what arrangements he has made with Spink and Son Limited for the sale of Prince of Wales Investiture medals.

At the request of the Welsh Office the Department accepted responsibility for commissioning the Royal Mint to produce medals to commemorate the Investiture of H.R.H. Prince Charles as Prince of Wales and to arrange for their sale through Spink & Son Ltd., and at some of our ancient monuments. Spink and Son Ltd. have been dealing with orders and requests from the general public, coin dealers and banks.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the persons, firms and companies who have been allocated more than five Prince of Wales Investiture medals.

No individuals have been allocated more than five 2¼ inch Prince of Wales Investiture medals. Out of 1,500 2¼ inch silver medals and 3,000 gilt-bronze medals some 250 silver medals and 360 gilt-bronze medals have been allocated amongst 28 firms and companies who deal in coins. In the circumstances there seems little point in listing the firms and companies concerned. The allocation of the additional 7,500 I¾ inch silver medals is not yet completed.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a statement about the medals he has authorised the Royal Mint to strike in connection with the Investiture of the Prince of Wales.

At the request of the Welsh Office The Department accepted the responsibility for commissioning the Royal Mint to produce medals to commemorate the Investiture of H.R.H. Prince Charles as Prince of Wales and to arrange for their sale through Spink & Son Ltd., (medallists to the Queen) and at some of our Ancient Monuments. After discussion with Spink & Son Ltd., it was agreed that 1,500 2¼-inch silver medals would be struck, 3,000 2¼-inch gilt-bronze medals, and an unlimited number of 1¼-inch bright bronze medals. The medals will be available in June.It was originally agreed that 1,000 silver, 2,000 gilt-bronze and 4,500 bright bronze medals would be sold by Spink & Son Ltd., and the balance would go on sale at our monuments at the time of the Investiture. As a result of the unprecedented publicity the announcement of the issue received, it rapidly became apparent that the issue of silver and gilt-bronze medals would be oversubscribed within a very few days. It was decided that all these medals would be allocated immediately, and to satisfy public demand arrangements have now been made for a further 7,500 1¾-inch silver medals to be struck.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works in view of the high rate of unemployment in many parts of the country, what action is being taken by his Department to expand programmes of public works.

Some £10 million of additional public sector work has been authorised for this winter.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will consider stipulating steel for use in public contracts to greater degree and thereby save imports.

The factors deciding the choice of materials used in contracts placed by my Department are best value for money, functional suitability and the maximum use of indigenous materials. Steel is used where it meets these criteria.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what assistance his Department is giving in the study of alternative sites for the Tate Gallery.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member earlier today.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a further statement on the proposal of the Estimates Committee that he should introduce legislation to amend the Commissioners of Works Act, 1852.

I have nothing to add to the observations I have already made on this proposal.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement on the results of his recent official visit to a part of the Scottish coalfield.

I visited Whitrigg Colliery as part of my continuing programme of coalfield visits and was encouraged to see the results of effective co-operation between management and men in overcoming difficult mining conditions.

asked the Minister of Power what are present coal stocks on the ground; and what effect the level of these stocks will have on his fuel policy.

Undistributed stocks are about 26½ million tons; distributed stocks about 13 million tons. The relationship with fuel policy is described in paragraphs 105 and 118 of the 1967 White Paper (Cmnd 3438).

asked the Minister of Power whether, owing to the rate of unemployment in the Dearne Valley constituency being more than twice the national average, he will ask the National Coal Board to defer the closing down of the Wombwell Main Colliery until suitable alternative employment is provided for the men who will be declared redundant.

I regret the need to close Wombwell Main Colliery, but the National Coal Board expect to offer other work to all the men under 60 years of age. There seems, therefore, to be no case for deferring the closure of this colliery.

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish a revised White Paper on fuel policy this year, taking account of the economic forecasts in the Green Paper published at the end of February.

There is nothing in the Green Paper which calls for revision of the White Paper on fuel policy (Cmnd. 3438), but I shall continue to keep developments in the energy sector under close review.

asked the Minister of Power on how many occasions his Energy Advisory Council met in 1968; and with what results.

None.

asked the Minister of Power how many product divisions will be established by the British Steel Corporation in their reorganisation; and where the headquarters of the various divisions will be located.

asked the Minister of Power if he will direct that the headquarters of at least one of the proposed product divisions of the British Steel Corporation should be sited in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The British Steel Corporation has made a Second Report on Organisation to me under Section 4(1) of the Iron and Steel Act, 1967, and I have laid this before Parliament today in accordance with Section 4(4) of that Act. As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Bothwell on 22nd January [Vol. 776, c. 136], further studies are in progress about what should replace the present Group structure, in which special attention is being given to Scottish, Welsh and regional interests. When the Corporation's full proposals have been received the Government will consider its decision.

asked the Minister of Power what investment proposals he has received from the British Steel Corporation, including plans for the development of a deep water iron-ore terminal in the Clyde area.

The B.S.C. is considering proposals for the development of a deep-water ore terminal in the Clyde area in the context of its long-term planning.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will give a general direction to electricity boards not to advertise or to sell transistor radios so as to compete with tax-paying private enterprise.

No.

asked the Minister of Power why he approved the allocation of foreign currency to enable the Gas Council to carry out their emergency agreement with Gaz de France to take delivery of 11,000 tons of frozen gas to meet the deficiency of natural gas reserves following the major North Sea shut-down.

No payment is involved in this transaction. The Gas Council will deliver to Gaz de France later in the year an equivalent cargo from its own shipments from Algeria. This initiative on the part of the Gas Council at a time of supply problems and the co-operation between the French and British gas industries are both to be commended.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a further statement on the price of steel and its effect on the shipbuilding industry.

I am awaiting the report on steel prices by the N.B.P.I.

asked the Minister of Power if he is satisfied with the standards of safety on oil rigs operating in the North Sea; to what extent provision is made for fire drill and abandon rig procedures at regular intervals; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied with the standards set by the Code of Safe Practice which licensees must observe. Provision is made for fire drill and escape procedures to be practised at regular intervals. H.M. Government has, however, decided that the safety procedures governing continental shelf operations should be secured by statute as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether the Tate Gallery is scheduled as a building of architectural or historical interest.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, whether he intends to give planning permission to the Trustees of the Tate Gallery to proceed with their proposed development.

Any extension of the Tate Gallery will be development carried out by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works and, as such, planning permission is not required.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to publish the report of the Committee on Public Participation in Planning.

It is hoped to publish the Committee's report early in July.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many schemes submitted by Luton County Borough Council for new roads, new schools and new houses are awaiting approval, and for how long in each case.

I understand that there are 24 school building projects, submitted in October, 1968, of which 13 are new schools and 11 extensions. Three schemes for new houses are awaiting approval, one being the later stages of a scheme submitted in July, 1967, one submitted in August, 1968, and one submitted this month. The scheme for the Inner Ring Road was submitted in July, 1967; the first phase is being built and the next phases are awaiting approval.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to assess the cost to local authorities arising from the changeover to the metric system; and what proposals he has to assist local authorities on this account.

No useful estimates can be made at this stage. Local authorities receive assistance in many ways towards the burdens falling upon them. If metrication increases those burdens this will fall to be taken into account in the same ways as other similar increases.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimates were submitted to his Department of the effects of the Chelmsley Wood development on the domestic rate in Warwickshire during 1969–70.

The Warwickshire County Council's estimate is an additional county rate poundage of 1·16d.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many representations he has received from local councils and individuals about the Government's advice to local authorities to reduce demands on resources and to slow down the introduction of smoke control measures.

I asked local authorities in February, 1968 to restrain the growth of their expenditure, and to apply to expenditure on public health projects a test of comparative urgency. Local authorities outside the "black areas" who were not already carrying out approved programmes of smoke control have, when they sought my advice, been asked to consider postponing its introduction. I have had representations about this advice from two local councils and one individual.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) how many cases were dealt with by the rent officer in Hartlepool during each of the past six weeks and how many during each of the past six months; and what staff is employed in his office;(2) how many applications were made to the rent officer, Hartlepool, for a reduction in rent; how many of these were successful; and what office hours were allocated to deal with these cases during the past four weeks.

During the last six weeks one application for the registration of a fair rent was determined. This application by a tenant was made to, and determined by, the rent officer for Hartlepool during the four week period ended 28th February, and resulted in the rent previously payable by the tenant being reduced. During the last six months a total of 17 fair rents were registered. Two in September, 3 in October, 5 in November, 3 each in December and January and 1 in February. In the same period two certificates of fair rent were issued in September and one in December. The rent officer is employed on a part-time basis and is assisted by one shorthand typist.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has to seek to revise the overcrowding standards contained in the Housing Act, 1957; and if he will make a statement.

Part IV of the Housing Bill contains proposals for regulating more effectively the conditions in houses in multiple occupation, and it is in this context that I think the problem of overcrowding should be dealt with, both because it mainly occurs in this context and because powers relating to multiple occupation can be operated with less hardship to tenants.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the operation of the Rent Act 1965, Part III; how many offences since the date of the Act are recorded for harassment and illegal eviction; how many local authorities are giving guidance to tenants on their rights under the provisions of the Act; and if he will make a statement.

From the coming into force of this Act up to 30th September, 1968, there were 456 prosecutions for the offence of harassment resulting in the conviction of 186 persons in respect of 243 offences, 236 fines were imposed and three persons were imprisoned; there were 398 prosecutions for illegal eviction resulting in the conviction of 241 persons in respect of 269 offences; 268 fines were imposed and one person was imprisoned. Also, many local authorities have found that where it appears an offence of this kind is being committed or contemplated, a warning to the landlord can often terminate or prevent it. My right hon. Friend is proposing to give new publicity to tenants' rights later this year.The number of local authorities who have made special arrangements for giving guidance to tenants is unknown, but such arrangements are common where complaints of these offences are frequent.My right hon. Friend considers that Part III has had a valuable effect in discouraging harassment and illegal eviction and that it can continue to do so, but he will not be satisfied so long as these offences occur.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the number of private dwellings affected by floods, in each borough, urban or rural district in the area for which the Thames Conservancy is responsible, during and since September last.

The full information is not readily available. But it may help the hon. Member to know that a report made to the Surrey County Council last October indicated that the damage to houses in the County was district by district as follows:

	Damage to House
	Serious	Slight
County District
Guildford B.	250	Not known
Esher U.D	4,000	4,000
Godalming B.	5	105
Farnham U.D.	121	26
Hambledon R.D.	Not available
Leatherhead U.D.	—	300
Haslemere U.D.	4	—
Dorking and Horley R.D.	400	500
Reigate B.	100	100
Dorking U.D.	45	25
Godstone R.D.	320	—
Bagshot R.D.	—	20
Chertsey U.D.	240	—
Egham U.D.	—	20
Sunbury U.D.	—	6
Walton and Weybridge U.D.	1,000	1,000
Woking U.D.	1,200	Not known
Frimley and Camberley U.D	—	4
Guildford R.D.	25	185

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give for the longest convenient stated period of time full details of the companies which have been permitted to increase their dividends above the Government's norm, the reasons for this and the amounts of such increases over previous and stated dividends; and whether he will include particulars of the recent proposals concerning Hoover Limited.

Between 19th March, 1968, and 28th February, 1969, the following numbers of companies obtained Treasury clearance for dividend increases of more than 3½ per cent. above the levels of immediately preceding account years:

(i) In order to resist published takeover bids	27
(ii) When increased dividends provided the only means of maximising remittances from overseas	12
(iii) In order not to enforce a reduction in another company's dividend under a binding legal agreement	1

In the same period over 3,000 dividends were announced by quoted companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will take steps to provide easier credit for medium-sized companies who require increasing finance in view of the annual rise in exports of non-capital goods;(2) whether he will take steps to provide easier credit for those companies whose foreign customers require four to six months' credit and whose costs are consequently inflated by 4 per cent. to 5 per cent. as a result of the recent increase in Bank Rate.

No. The guidance on lending provided to the banks makes it clear that finance for exports should be given the highest priority. Medium and longer-term export credit lending for exports guaranteed by the E.C.G.D., which is available at 5½ per cent., is exempt from the ceiling. The rate of interest on this lending does not fluctuate with Bank Rate. Shorter-term guaranteed export credit is available at Bank Rate. Interest costs are not a very significant element in the price of exports sold on shorter-term credit and for the bulk of such credit the recent increase in Bank Rate will not increase prices of these exports by more than a small fraction of a percentage point.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual interest cost of the National Debt with a Bank Rate of 8 per cent. and how much of this is paid internally and externally, respectively.

The cost of interest, including management and expenses, on the National Debt in the current financial year is estimated to be about £1,350 million. This includes the effect of the increase in Bank Rate to 8 per cent. from 27th February. No estimate is yet available of how much of this is payable internally and externally respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the weekly or monthly magazines or journals which are published by Government Departments, showing the circulation and profit or loss made by each.

The details are given below. The "profit" or "loss" figures, which relate only to sale copies, are based

	Circulation
Title	Official	Sale	Annual Profit	Annual Loss
Weekly			£	£
House of Commons Hansard, Weekly Edition	1,300	1,500	The loss for all issues of Debates in 1967–68 including daily parts, volumes and Select Committee Debates was £207,000
House of Commons Hansard, Weekly Index	900	675
House of Lords Hansard, Weekly Edition	725	275
House of Lords Hansard, Weekly Index	425	225
Board of Trade Journal	3,200	9,000		15,600
Registrar General's Weekly Return of Births, Deaths and Marriages (England and Wales).	1,336	64	These are priced on scales which cover also many other publications which are designed, overall, to make neither a profit nor a loss.
Registrar General's Weekly Return of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland).	320	86
Monthly
Agriculture	400	11,100	425
Building Research Station Digests	34,400	19,100	240
Building Science Abstracts	235	1,315	32
Changes in Rates of Wages and Hours of Work	2,140	1,485		173
Economic Trends	2,336	553		375
Employment and Productivity Gazette	7,350	3,400	400
Financial Statistics	420	992		220
Hospital Abstracts	135	1,240	—	—
Meteorological Magazine	800	1,200		100
National Lending Library Translations Bulletin	100	950		350
Overseas Trade Accounts of the United Kingdom	50	1,780	2,000
Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette	350	975		75
Registry of Ships (Supplements)	312	290		200
Report on Overseas Trade	740	210		50
Signal Letters of United Kingdom and Commonwealth Ships (Supplements)	2,125	146	7
Soldier	1,000	41,000	14,700
Monthly Digest of Statistics	1,348	4,177	50
Monthly List of Statutory Instruments	480	1,645		1,900
Water Pollution Abstracts	155	1,580		50
Weather Report	1,050	450		60

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pennies, threepences, sixpences and half crowns, respectively, were minted by the Royal Mint in 1968; how many of each will be minted in 1969; and if he will give an estimate of the average cost per piece of producing each of these coins and melting them down again after decimalisation.

In 1968 the Royal Mint struck 170 million pennies, 48 million threepences, 76 million sixpences and 14 million half crowns. In the first six months of 1969 the Royal Mint plans to strike 135 million pennies, 25 million

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of Government advertising in 1968 in each of the following: Tribune, The New Statesman, The Economist, The Spectator, New Socieyt, Co-operative News, The Radio Times, TV Times and Private Eye.

The following table shows the estimated cost in 1968–69 of display advertising in the publications named.

ESTIMATED AMOUNTS PAID BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS (excluding the Post Office) ON DISPLAY ADVERTISING SPACE IN CERTAIN PUBLICATIONS IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1968–69.
Publication			Expenditure
			£
Tribune	…	…	Nil
The New Statesman	…	…	Nil
The Economist	…	…	3,136
The Spectator	…	…	Nil
New Society	…	…	Nil
Co-operative News	…	…	148
The Radio Times	…	…	31,320
TV Times	…	…	112,901
Private Eve	…	…	Nil

NOTES:The amounts are those paid to advertising agents.Comparable information for semi-display and classified advertising is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now approve for grant purposes the building of the tunnel under the Thames on which the development plan for Thamesmead has been based.

I have agreed with the Greater London Council that a tunnel would be the better form of crossing here and have told it that I am prepared to pay grant of 75 per cent. towards the cost of a suitable scheme.

				Year ending 30th September
			1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
Drivers hours and records offences
Prosecutions†	…	…	‡	4,988	5,570	5,284	8,997
Summonses	…	…	14,826	18,746	19,777	17,563	25,918
Convictions	…	…	14,026	17,158	18,512	16,790	24,761
Construction and use offences§
Prosecutions†	…	…	‡	1,496	2,090	2,015	2,298
Summonses	…	…	4,086	3,506	4,406	4,703	4,136
Convictions	…	…	3,965	3,393	4,233	4,557	3,938
* The figures are of prosecutions brought by Licensing Authorities, or by the Police in co-operation with Licensing Authorities.
† A prosecution may include several summonses.
‡ Not available.
§ Including overloading

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the number of bridges which, in the area for which the Thames Conservancy is responsible, have been destroyed or damaged by flood during and since September last.

Thirty highway or railway bridges were destroyed or seriously damaged. Some 90 or so more suffered slight damage but I do not have full details of the exact number.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has formed of the cost to public funds of expressing road speed limits in metric terms.

Our preliminary estimate is that the cost will be of the order of £1½-£2 million.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the numbers of prosecutions and convictions for offences concerning lorry drivers' hours, maintenance and overloading in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively.

Following are the figures^*:

asked the Minister of Transport what is the average time taken from application to decision stages for heavy goods vehicle A and B licences by the various licensing authorities; how this compares with the last four years; and whether he will make a statement.

The information is not readily available and to obtain it would require disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Minister of Transport if it is now his intention that tachographs should be installed in goods vehicles before the proposed reductions in drivers' hours are implemented.

In relation to the first stage of drivers' hours reductions the Answer is "No".

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to the National Freight Corporation to publish a detailed breakdown of the operating costs and revenues of undertakings under its control.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave him on 12th

			1965–66		1966–67		1967–68
			Income	Expenditure	Income	Expenditure	Income	Expenditure
			£	£	£	£	£	£
Camden	…	…	147,308	117,892	171,781	125,115	185,357	149,682
Croydon	…	…	48,903	42,349	52,697	43,829	50,166	51,753
Greenwich	…	…	11,548	14,906	11,107	14,138	10,755	15,101
Hackney	…	…	15,675	18,566	14,652	19,845	14,286	20,557
Havering	…	…	—	—	—	—	4,982	7,566
Islington	…	…	19,904	26,888	35,179	47,502	59,326	84,006
Kensington and Chelsea	…	…	—	—	—	—	46,692	45,026
Kingston-upon-Thames	…	…	28,408	22,074	28,230	26,033	29,754	31,678
City of London	…	…	133,104	84,912	146,638	83,533	141,519	82,776
Merton	…	…	—	—	—	—	18,734	17,581
Redbridge	…	…	—	—	—	—	14,982	20,155
Tower Hamlets	…	…	5,362	7,369	10,134	14,010	10,983	20,990
Westminster	…	…	865,540	447,904	883,890	436,965	921,251	627,739

Figures for 1967–68 are provisional.

asked the Minister of Transport how much of the money collected from parking meters has been used for off-street car parking facilities.

This information is not readily available. Local authorities are required under S.44(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1967, to keep accounts of their parking meter schemes, but they are not required to send us copies.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the gross income, expenditure on administration, enforcement, maintenance, servicing of loans and taxation, respectively, for parking meters in each of the London boroughs for the years ended 31st March, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968.

The following table sets out the total income and expenditure on controlled parking zones for individual London boroughs for the years ending 31st March, 1966, 1967 and 1968. Details of earlier years and a breakdown of expenditure figures are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept of the current address, occupation and state of health of members of the Army General Reserve; how many members are known to be medically unfit, in reserved occupations, or for other reasons not available for military service; and if he will give in the OFFICIAL REPORT a breakdown of their age groups.

On joining the Army General Reserve, each reservist must give the military authorities a record of his current address, occupation and state of health. Thereafter each reservist is responsible for notifying them of any change in this respect. The number of men not available for military service for any reason varies from corps to corps, but one-third is the highest proportion unfit. The great majority of Army General Reservists are aged between 30 and 33.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date was the firm of Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness, first informed of his Department's decision that in future it was to be the monopoly supplier of nuclear submarines; and on what date was this decision first reached by his Department.

The decision not to put future contracts for nuclear submarines out to competitive tender was reached in February, 1968. It has not been formally communicated to Vickers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much expenditure has been incurred by the Government and by the firm of Cammell Laird under contract with Her Majesty's Government, respectively, during the years 1962 to 1968, inclusive, in the provision of those facilities required specifically for the construction of Polaris and Fleet nuclear submarines; and what is the present value of those facilities.

£1·4 million by the Ministry of Defence and £2·5 million by Messrs. Cammell Lairds. Towards this latter sum the Board of Trade made a grant of £0·5 million. It is not possible to assess the value of the Government-owned assets until decisions have been taken about the use to which they can be put when they are no longer required for the present contract. The value of the assets financed by Cammell Lairds is a matter for the company itself to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appeals in 1967 and 1968 were made to sheriffs against detention under Sections 39, 40 and 44 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act, 1960; and what were the results of such appeals.

44 in 1967 and 40 in 1968; three appeals, two in 1967 and one in 1968, were successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received objecting to his Circular No. 21/1968 on health and welfare services; and what replies he has sent.

The only representations I received about this circular concerned the postponement of the implementation of Section 15 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968. In reply I have indicated that in deciding on a date for implementation I shall have to have regard to the pressure on local authority resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Sewerage (Scotland) Act, 1968, will be brought into operation.

I cannot yet say, but I will ensure that all concerned are given adequate notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much more or less public money has been spent on Scottish roads, schools, technical colleges, hospitals, housing, slum clearance, derelict area clearance and agriculture, respectively, over the past four years in actual terms and real terms, respectively, than over the preceding four years; and what percentage change in real terms has occurred each year on each item as compared with the previous year.

For available information on identifiable public expenditure in Scotland at current prices I would refer the hon. Member to Table 61 of the Digest of Scottish Statistics. It is not practicable to revalue these figures at constant prices, or to give comparable figures for years before 1962–63.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what percentage the number of new houses completed in Scotland has increased or decreased each year since 1960 to the present time.

Taking 1960 as 100, the figures for the years 1961 to 1968 were 95, 94, 99, 130, 123, 126, 145 and 147.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in view of the facilities extended to members of the Press in respect of certain meetings of local authorities, if he will authorise regional hospital boards to place copies of minutes of meetings in public libraries for perusal by interested members of the public.

STAFF IN SCOTTISH DEPARTMENTS
			Whole-time staff in post*			Cleaners included in total
Date			Non-industrial	Industrial	Total	Whole-time	Part-time
January
1969	…	…	7,936	842	8,778	13	365
1968	…	…	7,990	839	8,829	13	439
1967	…	…	7,755	828	8,583	14	444
1966	…	…	7,293	813	8,106	16	443
1965	…	…	6,883	798	7,681	17	413
1964	…	…	6,502	814	7,316	15	393
* Part-time staff are counted as half units in the numbers shown in these columns.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons entered the Special Recruitment Scheme for teachers in 1968; and what

I do not think there is sufficient public interest to justify such a widespread issue of these minutes; but I have asked regional boards to make copies of their future minutes (excluding any confidential items) available for inspection by the public at their offices. The Press already have access to such minutes and may normally attend board meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of teaching posts in Scottish local authority schools in December, 1967; and what was the total at the most recent date for which figures are available.

In December, 1967, there were 38,421 full-time certificated teachers in these schools. Education authorities then estimated that they needed an additional 3,842, making a total estimated requirement of 42,263. More recent figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants were in the employment of his Department at the most recent date for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures in the same month of each of the previous five years; and how many office cleaners were included in each total figure.

The information is set out in the table below:were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years.

The figures are given below:

1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
935	1,097	1,202	1,013	1,330	1,528

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many uncertificated teachers were employed in Scottish local authority schools at the end of 1967; and what were the numbers at the end of each of the previous five years.

The figures are given below:

1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967
2,271	2,343	2,441	2,750	2,892	2,519

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to publicise the fact that under the proposed new regulations the colour coding of the three-core electrical flexes for domestic appliances will be brown for live, instead of red, since appliances with the new colouring are now in shops, and there is danger that members of the public might connect the brown flex to the earth, with fatal results.

An extensive publicity campaign is being promoted by my right hon. Friend's Department to publicise the new colour code. This includes a leaflet for retailers to hand to customers, which is already being distributed; press announcements; television "filler" films; and a householder's card. The Regulations introducing the new colour code will require appliances to be appropriately labelled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to enable local authorities, when granting permits for the provision of amusements with prizes, to make such grants subject to conditions and with the power immediately to revoke permits in the event of any breach of the conditions; and if he will make a statement.

I am not at present satisfied that there is a need for such a change in the law, but my right hon. Friend is keeping the matter under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to allow local authorities to pass general policy resolutions in respect of amusement arcades, so as to ensure that the amount of gambling in such places is adequately controlled by the local elected representatives; and if he will make a statement.

I am not satisfied on my present information that the powers of local authorities are inadequate, but my right hon. Friend is keeping the matter under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were in prison in England and Wales for each of the last five years for non-payment of debts (other than fines and maintenance payments); what percentage of the prison population this represents; and what was the estimated cost to public funds of keeping these persons in prison for each of these years.

Figures for 1968 are not yet available. Following is the information for each of the five previous years.

		Number of receptions into prison*	Average daily prison population as percentage of total population	Estimated annual cost to nearest £100†
			Per cent.	£
1963	…	7,725	1·01	136,800
1964	…	5,743	0·86	130,100
1965	…	3,981	0·58	103,000
1966	…	3,404	0·42	89,700
1967	…	3,611	0·43	90,500
*Including persons imprisoned for nonpayment of rates.
†Excluding capital expenditure and building maintenance, but including a proportionate share of overhead costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in England and Wales were imprisoned for non-payment of rates in each of the last three years; what was the total amount of unpaid rates involved; and what was the total estimated cost to public funds of keeping these defaulters in prison for each of these years.

Figures for 1968 and details of the amounts of rates unpaid are not available. Following is the other information required for each of the three previous years.

				Number of receptions into prison	Estimated annual cost to nearest £100
					£
1965	…	…	…	333	20,000
1966	…	…	…	392	22,600
1967	…	…	…	478	26,100

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether chairmen of nationalised boards and others who hold full-time and full-paid state employment are allowed by their terms and conditions of employment to claim and receive the 4½ guineas a day tax-free expenses when in the House of Lords.

Members of the House of Lords are entitled to claim reimbursement of expenses actually incurred in attending the House up to a maximum of 4½ guineas per day of attendance. There is no automatic allowance for such attendance and claims depend upon their particular circumstances.I know of nothing in the terms and conditions of employment of peers who are in receipt of a full-time salary from public funds (other than Ministers of the Crown and Lords of Appeal in ordinary) which would debar them from claiming the expenses that they have incurred (if any) in attending the House of Lords.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give the total number of qualified scientists and engineers who are paid salaries for full time work from public funds, excluding those in the nationalised industries; and if he will estimate the total cost of these salaries to public funds in the current financial year.

About 18,000 at a cost of some £55 million in 1968–69.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what studies he has made of the savings to be derived from amalgamating the Royal Naval Scientific Service with the Scientific Civil Service; if he will state the total staff, showing separately the number of qualified scientists and engineers, of each; and if he will make a statement;(2) what estimate he has made of the economies to be derived from amalgamating the establishments of the Royal Naval Scientific Service with the Ministry of Technology research establishments.

The Royal Naval Scientific Service, which constitutes the scientific staff employed in the Navy Department, is an integral part of the Scientific Civil Service. The Scientific Civil Service has a total of about 17,500 employees, of whom some 7,000 are qualified scientists and engineers as defined in Cmnd. 3417. The strength of the Royal Naval Scientific Service is about 2,000, including some 900 qualified scientists and engineers.No change in responsibilities as between the research and development establishments in the Navy Department and in the Ministry of Technology is at present contemplated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the continuation of Merseyside as a development area; and if he will make a statement.

The coverage of the development areas is kept continually under review. We are not able to make a statement about the future of individual areas until the Government have completed their examination of the recommendations of the Hunt Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) in view of the high unemployment existing in the Dearne Valley constituency, what action he intends to take to find suitable jobs for the unemployed people there;(2) if he is aware that the existing high unemployment in the Dearne Valley constituency will be further increased by the closure of the Wombwell Main Colliery; and what steps he is taking in consultation with other Departments to ensure that new industries are brought into the Dearne Valley constituency.

I am aware that the National Coal Board proposes to close Wombwell Main Colliery. It is hoped that many men will be reemployed within the industry.We will continue to follow a liberal policy on industrial development certificates in the area. The problems of South Yorkshire are within the terms of reference of the Hunt Committee, whose recommendations are now being closely considered by the Government.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the cost of installing new subscriber trunk dialling slot machines in telephone call-boxes in Worthing; and what is his estimate of the cost of conversion of these new machines to decimal coinage on the basis that the sixpence is not retained as a 2½ new pence piece, and on the bas is that it is, respectively.

About £25,000. If the sixpence were not retained; about £3,000. If the sixpence were retained, and it was decided not to fit the new mechanism; about £2,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the estimated percentage increase in rates, earnings and productivity arising from the recent pay settlement concerning lorry drivers employed by Knowles Transport; and if such a settlement falls within the Government's incomes policy.

I cannot supply the figures requested as information received under the early warning system set out in Cmnd. 2808 is treated as confidential. Having regard to the productivity provisions of the settlement, no objection has been raised to its implementation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) how many courses were provided at the Construction Industries Training Board, Bircham Newton, during 1968; and how many staff were employed there:

These are matters for the board. I understand, however, that during 1968 over 300 courses were provided at Bircham Newton, and at the end of the year 150 staff were employed there. The board's future plans for the centre inclusive expansion of existing courses in response to demand, as well as the introduction of new courses.

asked the Minister of Technology what proportion of the work carried out at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, is devoted to helicopter research.

About 6 per cent.

asked the Minister of Technology how many wind tunnels are under his control at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford; and what wind velocities each is designed for.

Fowler: There are four main wind tunnels, the wind speeds of which are:

(i) Variable between Mach 2·5 and Mach 5;

(ii) Variable between Mach 0 and Mach 0·8, and between Mach 1·2 and Mach 2·8;

(iii) Variable between Mach 0 and Mach 2;

(iv) Up to 350 feet per second.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the average number of tons of fertiliser used annually in each of the agriculture, holiculture and forestry industries.

Together, the agricultural and horticultural industries in Great Britain currently use about 5 million tons of subsidised fertiliser a year. Applications for subsidy do not distinguish between agricultural and horticultural use but the results of a special exercise relating to 1964–65 suggest that of this total something approaching 5 per cent. (0·25 million tons) are used on holdings classed as predominantly horticultural. Only a very small tonnage of subsidised fertiliser is used in the forestry industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to establish fish farms at power stations using sea water for cooling.

Experimental work is being undertaken by the White Fish Authority on rearing soles in warm water effluent from the Hunterston Nuclear Power Station, but until the considerable scientific and practical problems have been overcome it would be premature to plan for the widespread adoption of this technique on a commercial basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what parts, by name, of the area for which the Thames Conservancy is responsible, have been flooded to a depth of 12 inches or more during and since September last.

The information is not available in the form required. The September floods affected about 5,300 acres in the catchment of the River Mole including parts of Molesey, Esher, Hersham, Leatherhead, Dorking, Redhill, Horley and Crawley; 5,400 acres in the catchment of the River Wey including parts of Weybridge, Byfleet, Guildford, Shalford, Godalming and Farnham; and 4,600 acres in the catchment of the Loddon.In addition, some washlands of the Thames and its tributaries were flooded on this and subsequent occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up a committee of inquiry into staffing problems at Broadmoor special hospital.

The approved nursing staff establishment is at present being reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that security is being maintained at Broadmoor special hospital in view of the ban on overtime working; and if he will make a statement.

Overtime is being worked voluntarily and senior officers of the hospital are continually reviewing the security arrangements with special reference to staffing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the catering arrangements for staff and patients at Broadmoor special hospital; and if he will make a statement.

The present main kitchen is inadequate and will be replaced when Broadmoor is rebuilt. The catering arrangements were reviewed by one of my catering advisers in 1966 and the suggested improvements have been introduced in all cases where this is practicable. I am considering whether a further review is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what complaints he has received from staff, patients and relatives about the standard and balance of diet at Broadmoor special hospital; and what action he has taken as a result.

Complaints about the diet have been rare since a catering committee at the hospital was set up four years ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will hold an inquiry into the death of a patient at Broadmoor hospital caused because her diet did not contain enough green vegetables.

I am awaiting a full report from the hospital and am arranging for one of my advisers on dietetics to visit the hospital this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will request the Health Education Council to disseminate, by advertisements and notices in the Press, television and radio, accurate information about the problem of obesity in general and methods of dealing with it in particular, in view of the danger to the public from ill-informed unofficial advice.

I will bring the hon. Gentleman's suggestion to the attention of the Health Education Council.

asked the Lord President of the Council what constitutes a private call and what constitutes an official call in the terms used by the switchboard operators of the Palace of Westminster; and how the charges for these two types are apportioned to Members.

Members can make all local calls from the Palace of Westminster free of charge, but all Members' trunk calls are chargeable. No need for an apportionment between Members' "official" or "private" calls, therefore, arises. Civil servants and Officers of the House are entitled to make free "official" trunk calls in connection with the business of the House and its Committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has now received from individuals and councils about the Government's educational cuts, and in particular about the stoppage of milk in some independent schools and reductions in adult non-vocational classes; and what reply he has sent.

I have received a number of representations about educational expenditure, including a number on the provision of milk in independent schools and on adult education. I have replied to the effect that expenditure will continue to rise (at constant prices from £2,280 million in 1968–69 to £2,474 million in 1970–71, as shown in Table 2 of Cmnd. 3936); that some restraint is necessary because of the overriding need, in present circumstances, to switch resources to the balance of payments; and that, whilst my advice is to give priority to the training and employment of teachers, detailed decisions on expenditure must be left to the responsible local authorities.