asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will give in the monthly Press release and the Board of Trade Journal an estimate of the total balance of trade in goods and services;(2) whether he will give more information in the monthly Press release and the Board of Trade Journal on the invisible earnings, gross and net, of the private sector, excluding interest, profits and dividends.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 11th February.—[Vol. 777, c. 285.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it remains the Government's intention to introduce another Companies Bill before the end of this Parliament.

It is now unlikely that there will be time in the 1969–70 Session for another full Companies Bill which would implement the remaining recommendations of the Jenkins Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints he received in 1966, 1967 and 1968 of the unsolicited postal delivery of books; and if he will take steps to prevent firms from sending out for sale unsolicited books and magazines.

In these three years there were seven, six and nine, respectively. I do not think this provides sufficient evidence of abuse to justify legislation on the subject, particularly as the recipient of such unsolicited goods is under no obligation either to pay for or to return them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the date of commencement of building Board of Trade factories in Midlothian in order of sequence; when were they completed; how many are now standing empty; and what is the location of the factories.

One Board of Trade factory has been built in Midlothian. This is the 12,400 square foot advance factory at West Calder, construction of which began in January, 1965. It has been tenanted since it was completed in July, 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms in Midlothian were refused Board of Trade grants in some form or another during 1968 and to the nearest available date.

I regret that such figures are not readily available in this detail.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he intends taking to prevent the water content in solid fuels from adding unreasonably to the cost of such fuels; if he will take proceedings against dealers who either by design or neglect allow a high water content to be present in their deliveries; and if he will make a statement.

The practicability of controlling the moisture content of smokeless fuels is being examined by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power; if it appears that the use of Board of Trade powers might assist, we shall consider it. Proceedings under the existing law are a matter for local weights and measures authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the shortage of accountants; what advice he has received from his Companies Act Accountancy Advisory Committee in this respect; whether he will list the members of the Committee, giving their professional qualifications and the organisations or firms with which they are associated; and on what dates the Committee last met and during the preceding five years.

I have not received advice from the Companies Act Accountancy Advisory Committee on this matter, which is outside the Committee's terms of reference. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names, professional qualifications and associations of the members of the Committee. The Committee last met on 21st May, 1968, and met previously on 22nd June, 1965, 3rd December, 1964, and 4th May, 1964.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the criteria which he uses to decide whether or not to recognise associations of accountants under Section 161(1)(a) of the Companies Act, 1948.

The Board of Trade have regard to the standard of the body's examinations, the proportion of members who have passed the examinations, disciplinary arrangements, and the number of members in practice and in employment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the increase in the rate of investment by manufacturing industry as a proportion of gross domestic product between 1964 and 1968.

Full information is not available, but the ratio is likely to be much the same in the two years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the report of the Crowther Committee on Consumer Credit; and when he anticipates that it will be published.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Mr. H. Boardman) on 12th March.—[Vol. 779. c. 301.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the imports of wheat and barley last month; how much came from France; and how the figures compare with similar figures last year.

The latest available monthly figures are for January. With permission, I will circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following are the figures:

	January,1968	January, 1969
	Tons	Tons
Imports of Wheat (including spelt) and meslin Total	404,518	394,962
of which, France	26,971	50,184
Imports of Barley Total	2,662	890
of which, France	1	4

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that equivalent British goods are being rejected because the purchasers are importing similar goods duty free; and whether he will now take steps to check such imports.

I have no evidence that relief of import duty recommended by the Board of Trade causes purchasers to reject equivalent British goods. Generally, it would be contrary to our international obligations and our commercial interests to impose import duties on goods which are not liable to duty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to bring new industry to the special development area at Stanley, County Durham, to provide employment for the men who will be made redundant by the closure of Craghead Colliery.

Substantial new industry has already been introduced into the area, and a third advance factory has been authorised. The Board of Trade will bring the advantages of the area to the attention of industrialists on all suitable occasions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the conclusions of the Law Commission on the law relating to sale of goods.

We expect to receive the Interim Report within the next month or so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received an application from Grampian Chemicals for investment grant towards the cost of setting up a petrochemical plant at Invergordon; and what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of each job created by payment of such a grant.

It is not our practice to reveal details of individual applications to, or inquiries from, the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further consideration he has now given to the termination of the accounting exemptions presently enjoyed by banking houses and shipping companies.

As regards banking houses, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given today to the hon. Member for Acton (Mr. Kenneth Baker).As regards shipping companies, the Companies Act, 1967, has much reduced the number which qualify for exemptions. The Government do not propose to terminate the existing exemptions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ensure that any fall in the input of American capital in the British film industry will be more than made up by British investment.

We regret that we cannot commit the Government to a course of action in a hypothetical situation. The future of Government assistance to the film industry is under consideration and I shall make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will control by licence the export of hangman's nooses to South Africa.

I have no evidence that such exports are taking place.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much tin was bought by Great Britain from Malaysia in 1968 and how the price paid compared with world prices.

United Kingdom imports of tin metal from Malaysia in 1968 amounted to 1,025 tons valued at £1,375,000; these were supplied at world prices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many British ships have been held up in the last 12 months in United States ports for not complying with United States regulations; and what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government because of this.

One, the "Carmania". Her Majesty's Government have expressed their concern to the State Department and further talks have been arranged.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to deal with the unemployment in Pembrokeshire resulting from the closure of the Royal Naval Air Service Station, Brawdy.

The whole of Pembrokeshire forms part of the Welsh Development Area. We shall continue to encourage new manufacturing industry to settle in the county and existing industry to expand using the full range of inducements available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the official proposal that certain preferential trade treatment should be given for underdeveloped countries to assist the development of their economies; and whether he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government strongly favour the proposal, and are playing a prominent part in the work on it which is continuing in the O.E.C.D

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the number of industrial development certificates refused, industrial expansion and rationalisation schemes abandoned and the total value of such projects in each of the years 1945–68.

With permission I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the numbers of industrial development certificates refused in the years 1960–68. I regret that this information for earlier years is not readily available and could not be provided without an undue expenditure of time and money. Information is not available to enable me to answer the other aspects of the hon. Member's Question.Following is the information:

I.D.C. Refusals
Year	Number
1960	169
1961	117
1962	123
1963	88
1964	150
1965	193
1966	207
1967	229
1968	233(1)
(1) Provisional figures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what tonnage of sawn hardwood mining timber was imported from Europe in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Figures for sawn hardwood mining timber are not separately distinguished in the trade statistics. But I understand that there were no imports in 1966 to 1968.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are his plans to regulate and improve in accordance with the latest scientific developments the regulations imposing stabilisers on fishing vessels using the North Sea and Arctic fishing grounds.

There are no such regulations. But if, as I assume, my hon. and learned Friend is referring to the general question of trawler stability, I can tell him that my Department is engaged in a very close investigation of the stability characteristics of typical trawlers of the existing distant water fleet in relation to the criteria recommended last year for new vessels by international agreement and with the full support of the United Kingdom in the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation.The investigation of existing vessels was necessary in order to obtain an appreciation of the size of any problem which might exist and so that consideration of the practical measures which might need to be taken to deal with it might be on an informed basis. The computations for the first few vessels have been completed and the comprehensive data is being studied.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will invite a delegation representative of the three Chambers of Commerce in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, to meet him to examine and increase the trade relations between those three countries and Scotland.

While I and my noble Friend are always happy to meet representatives of trade organisations from other countries, we already have other measures in hand which I think more likely to be effective for the purpose which my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps, other than the application to join the European Economic Community, are being taken by Her Majesty's Government in pursuance of their policy of liberalising world trade which has been the basis of their commercial policy as declared in their planning document, entitled The Task Ahead: Economic Assessment to 1972.

Her Majesty's Government are playing a full part in the work which is going on in the G.A.T.T. in preparing the ground for possible further measures of trade liberalisation at the appropriate time. Meanwhile, the tariff reductions agreed on in the Kennedy Round will be introduced by stages until January 1972.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories in his Department's control in Scotland over the last ten years have consisted of old buildings, as distinct from being built for the purpose.

On two occasions in the past ten years the Board of Trade have acquired existing factory premises in Scotland in order to provide advance factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will allocate an advance factory to Peterhead.

The needs of Peterhead, along with those of other areas in Scotland, will be considered in any future advance factory programme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will extend the Consultancy Aid Scheme for small firms to new towns; and whether he will make a statement on the general administration of the scheme.

We are now considering the possibility of a scheme for the country as a whole including new towns. On the second part of his Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Heywood and Royton (Mr. Barnett).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number and type of advance factories he has built in Aberdeen during the last 10 years; how many are now occupied and in what trades and industries; how many remain unoccupied; and how many more he plans to build there.

Two advance factories have been built in Aberdeen in the last ten years. The larger one is occupied by a clothing manufacturer and the smaller one is not yet occupied. The claims of Aberdeen will be considered in any future programme of advance factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a White Paper on the present state of Scotland's trade, industry and employment and his plans for increasing these aspects of Scotland's prosperity and exports.

No. I do not think I can usefully add to the information already available about the situation in Scotland and the progress being made. Scotland will continue to prosper as the Government's economic measures both national and regional succeed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to arrange in the near future an international exhibition of Scotland's trade and industry in North-East Scotland.

No. The organisation of trade and industrial exhibitions within Scotland is a matter for firms of trade fairs organisers and the trade associations concerned. The Board of Trade provides considerable direct and indirect assistance to many Scottish companies taking part in British industrial exhibitions and international trade fairs overseas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give in his monthly Press release and Board of Trade Journal the dealings of Scottish invisible earnings, gross and net, of the private sector, including interest, profits and dividends.

It is not possible to compile figures of this kind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about the shortage of waste paper from the Waste Paper Advisory Council; and what reply he has sent.

I have seen copies of the two circulars recently issued by the Joint Waste Paper Advisory Council. I welcome the emphasis on long-term contracts at realistic prices as a means of encouraging local authorities to recover waste paper. I am well aware of the Council's views on Selective Employment Tax and Investment Grants.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the consequent saving to imports, he will send a circular advising local authorities to collect waste paper in separate bundles from other refuse.

I do not think I can usefully add to the guidance recently given by the Joint Waste Paper Advisory Council. The Council has urged local authorities to expand collections in consultation with their mill and merchant outlets and has specially emphasised the need to conclude appropriate long-term contracts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will undertake to initiate discussions with the hotel industry in Great Britain and with overseas Governments for the purpose of drawing up a standardised international system of symbols for indicating the facilities available at hotels and other similar establishments.

The British Travel Association is considering extending the range of basic accommodation symbols which it has already drawn up and published in consultation with other tourist organisations in this country. As a member of the International Union of Official Tourist Organisations, the Association is also co-operating in the work of the Union's European Committee which is considering the use and possible standardisation of symbols to indicate hotel facilities. In these circumstances, I doubt whether any additional action by the Board of Trade is necessary at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the nature of the survey his Department has undertaken into the effects of the Selective Employment Tax and increased fuel oil duties, respectively, upon the growth of non-industrial employment and general economic activity in each of the scheduled development areas.

The Board of Trade have not undertaken such a survey.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the number of years for which the present distribution of industry policy will continue before the Government's estimate of a suitable balance of industry and population throughout the United Kingdom has been achieved.

I expect that during the 1970's the disparities between the development areas and the rest of the country will be greatly reduced, but that there will be a need for distribution of industry policies in some form for many years to come.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the nature of the study his Department has undertaken of the effect of subsidies and tax policies in comparable industrialised countries in the fields of transport subsidies and public-aided investments, and tax policies; and if he will circulate a synopsis of this report.

The Board of Trade have not undertaken such a study.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the annual cost to industry and the economy of the industrial development certificate system in each year 1945–68 under the following headings, namely, administrative costs and the number of man hours in industry and in central government and local government departments.

Jobs arising from assistance offered in Financial year ending 31st March		Scottish	Welsh	Northern	Merseyside	South Western	Gt. Britain*Total
1961	…	20,300	6,560	··	··	··	57,400
1962	…	16,700	2,800	··	··	··	27,600
1963	…	5,900	800	··	··	··	27,100
1964	…	18,500	1,000	··	··	··	41,800
1965	…	21,390	2,088	··	··	··	60,243
1966	…	42,267	6,389	··	··	··	92,494
1967	…	36,128	12,979	23,737	11,211	1,658	86,183
1968	…	25,394	13,260	18,724	7,898	1,971	67,404
1969 (Apr./Dec.)	…	14,457	10,566	19,300	7,407	2,116	53,936
* Includes former development districts not included in the development areas.
··Not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what criteria he uses when deciding whether development area status should be granted to or retained by a given region.

Those laid down in Section 15(3) of the Industrial Development Act, 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made in establishing the proposed new Waterton Industrial Estate.

After full investigation and survey a site of some 260 acres was selected for this estate. In view of the number of interests involved it was decided to proceed by compulsory purchase. Objections were received

I regret that this information is not available and could not be obtained without an undue expenditure of time and money.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate his Department has made of the total number of jobs created in each of the scheduled development areas in each year 1945–68 as a result of the development area policy.

The Board of Trade have not made such estimates. However firms receiving financial assistance under the Local Employment Acts 1960–66 which is linked to the provision of employment have estimated that the following jobs will arise:to the draft Compulsory Purchase Order; a public local inquiry will accordingly start at Bridgend on 1st April, 1969.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now make a statement on the results of his inquiry into auction rings.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made yesterday.—[Vol. 780, c. 214–223.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in deciding applications for industrial development certificates from the West Midlands, he will give an undertaking to take into account the industrial links between firms in that area as reported by the West Midlands Economic Planning Council; and if he will make a statement.

Firms' links with other industry in the area are already among the factors taken into account in considering applications for industrial development certificates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many replies he has received from companies receiving the Census of Production forms relating to the engineering industry; and how many sent out have not yet been completed.

About 3,500, out of 21,000 forms sent to engineering firms classified to orders VII to XI of the Standard Industrial Classification. I expect the bulk of the forms to be returned between now and December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the annual cost of paying investment grants respectively three, six or nine months earlier than at present.

The cost would not be an annual cost; it would be an additional cost during the period in which the payment on the additional quarters was made. and would depend on the amount of the qualifying investment in those quarters. For example, if the acceleration were made in 1969–70, and all the additional claims were made and paid in that year, I estimate that the additional cost of paying grants three, six and nine months earlier, would be of the order of £115 million, £230 million and £345 million, respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will build an advance factory in the Machars of Wigtownshire, in view of the persistent high unemployment there.

I am aware of the nature of the unemployment problem in the Machars of Wigtownshire. We have no plans to build an advance factory in the area, but assistance under the Local Employment Acts is available to an eligible industrialist wishing to establish a factory there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many proposed industrial foreign investments in Great Britain were abandoned or re-located as a result of the distribution of industry policy in each of the years 1945–68.

We are not in a position to analyse the reasons which have influenced foreign firms in their investment decisions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now take steps to implement the recommendation of the National Board for Prices and Incomes that the clearing banks should be required to disclose by how much their profits exceed the 20 per cent. or more they declare.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Acton (Mr. Kenneth Baker).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will reconsider his decision not to give assistance to the small clothing company, particulars of which have been given to him by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, which has been invited to take part as the sole British exhibitor in the Trade Fair in Czechoslovakia in May.

No. Assistance of this kind is available only to firms taking part in collective participations at overseas trade fairs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many small businesses he is assisting by way of aid for consultancy.

Up to 14th March 230 small businesses had been offered grants towards the cost of consultancy assignments. Applications from a further 23 firms are still under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why Bristol was chosen as the area for his pilot scheme to assist small businesses with a consultancy service.

Bristol and Glasgow were chosen in order to give a good cross-section of small businesses in two different parts of the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultancy firms he is using for the purpose of his pilot scheme for giving aid to small businesses.

Any consultancy firm with appropriate qualifications chosen by the applicant business.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what basis the firms were chosen in his pilot scheme for the purpose of giving aid by way of a consultancy service.

Applications were invited from all businesses in the two areas with between 25 and 500 employees, but these limits have not been strictly interpreted and applications from some businesses outside these limits have been approved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the total cost of consultancy service to each firm he is allowing in his pilot scheme to aid small businesses.

The proportion is 50 per cent. of the cost of approved applications up to a maximum of £5,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress of the pilot scheme to aid small businesses.

The closing date for applications was 28th February. Up to 14th March 274 assignments, 97 in Bristol and 177 in Glasgow had been approved involving £420,846 in grants (£129,169 in Bristol and £291,677 in Glasgow). A further 52 applications are still being considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy with regard to the air fares of British airlines, having regard to the general policy of the International Air Transport Association on this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken, or proposes to take, in regard to the substantial increase in air fares recently recommended by the International Air Transport Association; and whether he will make a statement.

It will be some time yet before I have received copies of all the recent LATA. Resolutions and have been able to form a view of them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give details of the terms on which the British Overseas Airways Corporation have negotiated a loan of 30 million Swiss francs; and whether he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to overseas borrowing by the nationalised corporations for which he is responsible.

The loan is a bridging loan made by three Swiss banks pending a bond issue by B.O.A.C. on the Swiss market.The air corporations possess powers to borrow abroad and are encouraged to do so. The British Airports Authority do not at present have these powers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if, with a view to taking steps to reduce noise nuisance, he will consult municipally-owned airports over the hours per week permitted for airline pilot training and the need to restrict night flying practice periods; and whether he will make a statement;(2) whether he will introduce legislation to control the use of airports by British airlines for pilot flying training so that they only use airports which are not adjacent to urban areas.

I appreciate the noise nuisance sometimes caused by training flights, amongst others, and the Board of Trade is always prepared to give advice to airport owners on steps to reduce it. But to prohibit training flights at the many aerodromes near urban areas would entail disproportionate problems. However, with the co-operation of the British Airports Authority, we have successfully encouraged the use of Prestwick for conversion training.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the policy of the official British delegation at the coming conference of International Air Transport Associations on the restriction keeping up the cost of package holidays to at least the cost of the scheduled air fares.

Governments are not represented at these conferences. Before the conference began in September, 1968 the Board of Trade reminded the United Kingdom member airlines of the need to take account of the interests of inclusive tour passengers amongst others.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will make a statement about the short-list of possible sites submitted to him by the Commission of Inquiry on the Third London Airport;(2) whether he will make a statement about the timing of the local inquiries announced by the Roskill Commission; what is the policy of his Department regarding sites not on the short list; and whether he will give an assurance that the final choice will be one of the four short-listed sites.

As my hon. Friend, the Member for Leicester, North-East (Mr. Bradley) was told on 3rd March, a copy of the letter I received from the Hon. Mr. Justice Roskill setting out the sites on the Commission's short list has been placed in the Library of the House. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the sites themselves, on the reasons for their selection by the Commission, or on the timing of the Commission's local hearings: these are matters for the Commission. I have, nevertheless been assured that in the case of the Foulness hearing the Commission will treat flexibly the published closing dates for applications and submissions. As for the date of the hearing itself there is a proper need in the interests of all concerned to move speedily, but it is, of course, open to anyone to make representations to the Commission for deferment of the hearing.I understand that there is some concern at the absence of maps of flight paths and stacking areas from the Commission's published material. This is, of course, entirely a matter for the Commission, but they have preferred to publish maps of noise contours because in themselves flight path maps do not give a good indication of the disturbance caused by aircraft using them in the vicinity of the airport. I am told that the Commission have it in mind to publish flight path maps for the Stage V enquiry.The Commission's recommendation on the choice of site will obviously carry great weight, but the final decision must remain a matter for the Government at the time.—[Vol 779, c.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will undertake to bear the costs of those appearing before the Commission of Inquiry on the third London airport; and whether he will make a statement.

No. To do so would be contrary to normal Government practice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will ensure that evidence is made available to the committee inquiring into the possibility of siting the third London airport at Foulness, concerning average winter sea temperatures in that area, and the likely period of survival of passengers forced to take to the water from an aircraft ditched off the coast.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the conclusions reached, at the meeting on 21st August, 1968 between his officials and representatives of other organisations, on meteorological services at airports; whether he is satisfied that the facilities at Bristol Airport for written forecasts and the provision of synoptic charts supplemented by individual briefing across the table or by telephone are adequate; and whether he will make a statement.

The meeting on 21st August was part of a review of the meteorological requirements of all civil aerodromes in the United Kingdom. The review is still proceeding and conclusions have not yet been reached. The level of meteorological services at Bristol Airport is a matter for the Bristol Corporation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the official forecast of the International Civil Aviation Organisation that by 1980 passenger traffic on scheduled services of airlines of contracting states will be on average five and a half times what it was in 1967 with freight traffic on average seven times as much as it was in 1967, what steps are now being taken to prepare for the smooth and speedy handling of this traffic at airports and on roads.

As my hon. Friend knows the question of the Third London Airport is being examined by the Roskill Commission. Apart from this, most airports in this country should be able, with their planned expansion, to handle the increases forecast. The requirements of airport traffic are taken into account in road planning.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the working of the system governing the importation of wheat and barley, including feed grains and denatured wheat; what steps he is taking to prevent evasion of country levies on imports coming in between 11th March and 25th March; and what modifications he intends making to prevent forward contract registrations undermining the position of British producers.

Levies were imposed on these grains when the general level of offering prices from the countries concerned fell below the minimum import prices. Forward contracts made before that time are accepted for registration at nil rate of levy provided application is made between the dates mentioned. All purchases made on or after 11th March are subject to the appropriate rate of levy. The arrangements for the registration of forward contracts, which are an essential feature of the grain trade, are at present under consideration by my Department. I can however assure the hon. Member that the arrangements are being operated to achieve the object of maintaining a stable market for home-produced cereals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much wheat Great Britain bought from the United States of America in 1968; and how the price paid for this compared with current world prices.

Approximately 300,000 tons. The prices paid did not differ from world prices, since export prices for United States wheats were the same for all destinations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on his agreement with the Government of Ireland concerning the restriction of cheese exports to the United Kingdom.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend, the Member for Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris).—[Vol. 780, c. 63.]

asked the Minister of Technology what official discussions are taking place with other countries about metric packaging; and what discussions have taken place with consumer bodies in this country.

The Governments of the United Kingdom, France and Germany have established a Tripartite Committee on Standardisation, which has set up a working group on packaging that has so far exchanged information on the packaging of liquid food products. Any recommendations of this working group will be referred to the British Standards Institution which plays a prominent part in the extensive work on packaging of the International Standards Organisation. The Institution's committees include extensive consumer representation and, in particular, take the views of their Women's Advisory Committee which is representative of 28 leading women's organisations, such as the National Federation of Women's Institutes. There are other international bodies, such as the International Organisation for Legal Metrology, with United Kingdom membership, that are also discussing metric packaging.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the representations made to him on the development of the ocean environment on 12th and 13th February by Messrs. Vickers, Hawker Siddeley, British Aircraft Corporation and Lintott.

I presume that the Question refers to the presentations which took place on 12th and 13th March. These are being studied but it is unlikely that any public statement will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to local education authorities about the use of solidly-constructed Victorian schools, which are no longer used for educational purposes.

I have given no general advice on this matter, since the education authority is best placed to judge what is suitable in the local circumstances. But Scottish Education Department Circular No. 550, on the development of facilities for sport and recreation, suggested that education authorities might be able to make redundant schools available for use as bases for organised outdoor activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average figure of net emigration from Scotland over the period of the last four years; and what was the corresponding figure for the preceding 13-year period.

The figures are 42,000 and 30,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the increase or decrease in each year over the preceding year in net emigration from Scotland from 1959–60 to the latest available date.

The changes in net migration figures in each year since 1959–60 are shown in the following table:

	Increase (+) or Decrease (−) over preceding year
1959–60	+ 8,200
1960–61	+ 6,100
1961–62	− 5,100
1962–63	+ 4,500
1963–64	+ 6,600
1964–65	+ 2,400
1965–66	+ 4,000
1966–67	− 2,000
1967–68	− 12,000

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will convene a conference of the relevant local authority interests to consider the optimum use of buildings and lands, formerly, but no more, used for educational purposes, and hospital lands and buildings no longer currently used by the National Health Service.

No. I think it is preferable for each case to be considered individually.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to promote the training of medical administrators.

A scheme for the annual recruitment of up to three doctors for training in medical administration in the Scottish Hospital Service was introduced by my Department in 1966 with the support of regional hospital boards and of Edinburgh University. The programme of study covers three years and its principal objective is to provide training in the planning, co-ordination and evaluation of systems of medical care.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the annual costs or, in cases where this is not yet available, estimates of the annual costs of investment initial and annual allowances and investment grants, where applicable, for each financial year over the period 1963–64 to 1968–69.

The latest estimates for the private sector are as follows:—

			£ million
	Investment Allowances	Initial Allowances	Other Allowances
1963–64	209	114	540
1964–65	275	109	636
1965–66	357	131	779
1966–67	255	91	628
1967–68	85	103	697
1968–69	14	121	754

The tax has been calculated on the basis that all the initial and investment allowances on expenditure in a year together with the annual allowances on assets in use at the end of the accounting period and the other allowances due for the year had the effect of reducing the tax due in the following year.Payments of investment grants to the private sector amounted to £314 million in 1967–68, and it is estimated that £395 million will be paid in 1968–69.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the livelihood and future prospects of many skilled individual craftsmen is endangered by the present level of Purchase Tax on their products; and if he will take steps to reduce it.

No. Any such special concession would cause anomalies, and would be unfair to other producers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the approximate cost of abolishing the present charge of Purchase Tax on instruments used in brass bands; whether he has considered the petition sent to him by the National Association for Brass Band Conductors in this connection; and whether he will give this matter further consideration.

Information is not available on which to estimate receipts of Purchase Tax on instruments used in brass bands. As regards the second part of the Question, I have assured the Association that I have taken note of their representations and that they will be borne in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated loss to the revenue on the basis that the first £10 of investment income of an individual in the financial year 1968–69 is ignored for tax purposes, excepting the effects of the special charge.

About £16 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to the revenue of abolishing rates of Surtax above 15s. and 12s. 6d., respectively, on both earned and investment income.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind limiting the top rate of Surtax to 6s. 9d. or 4s. 3d., making a rate of 15s. or 12s. 6d. when added to the standard rate of Income Tax of 8s. 3d. in the £. To do this, leaving other tax rates unaltered, would cost about £30 million or £80 million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the total sum invested in the Trustee Savings Bank, special investment department, during 1968, and the total sum of withdrawals during the same period; and how the net increase or decrease compares with the corresponding figures for 1967;(2) what was the total sum invested in the Trustee Savings Bank, ordinary departments, during 1968, and the total sum of withdrawals during the same period; and how the net increase or decrease compares with the corresponding figures for 1967;(3) what was the total sum invested in the Post Office Savings Bank, special investment department, during 1968, and the total sum of withdrawals during the same period; and how the net increase or decrease compares with the corresponding figures for 1967;(4) what was the total sum invested in the Post Office Savings Bank, ordinary department, during 1968, and the total sum of withdrawals during the same period; and how the net increase or decrease compares with the corresponding figures for 1967;(5) what was the total sum invested in National Savings Certificates during 1968, and the total sum of withdrawals during the same period; and how the net increase or decrease compares with the corresponding figures for 1967.

I would refer the hon. Member to "Financial Statistics", No. 82 February, 1969, Table 23 on pages 25 and 26.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the gain to the revenue of increasing the tax on petrol by 1s. a gallon.

About £270 million, before allowing for the effect on consumption of the increase in price.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a statement on the effects of the closure of the English Electric Vulcan Works, Newton-le-Willows, following the General Electric Company-Associated Electrical Industries-English Electric Company merger on employment in the area.

In an area of relatively low unemployment such as Newton- le-Willows, the effects of the proposed closure of the locomotive mechanical parts side of the Vulcan Works depend to a large extent on the timing and phasing of the dismissals. Until this has been decided no clear assessment of the consequences can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent Her Majesty's ships and aircraft engaged in the Beira patrol perform additional duties; and what is the cost to date to public funds.

While engaged in the patrol, ships and aircraft take every opportunity to carry out routine training. To date the additional cost to public funds has been just under £1½ million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement regarding the future of the air/sea rescue functions of the Royal Navy helicopters used at the Royal Naval Air Service Station, Brawdy.

The search and rescue flight will remain at Brawdy so long as Royal Navy flying continues there.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters are part of the Royal Naval Air Service Station, Brawdy; and what action he proposes to take to dispose of them following the closure of the station.

There are 87 officers and 470 ratings married quarters associated with R.N.A.S. Brawdy. No decision has yet been taken on their disposal when the naval air station closes. This will depend on, among other things, the future use of the station buildings.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what consideration he gave in the light of his investigations in compiling "The Task Ahead" to the potential for economic growth of Wales.

Full consideration was given to the economic potential of Wales in compiling "The Task Ahead". The Government are spending nearly £260 million a year in preferential assistance to help Wales and the other development areas to fulfil their potential.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in what regions he expects a fast rate of economic growth and where he expects a slower rate of growth in the light of Chapter 9(4) of "The Task Ahead".

There are no figures of past or future economic, as opposed to employment growth for separate regions.The prospects for male and female employment between now and the early 'seventies are very different from each other nationally, and also regionally. The continued, though less severe, decline anticipated for male employment in agriculture and in the older industries such as coalmining and iron and steel indicates that the growth of total male employment will not be as fast in regions where these industries are concentrated as in other regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what were the sources he used in compiling Table 9.1 of "The Task Ahead".

The sources used in compiling Table 9.1 of "The Task Ahead" were as follows:A.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will publish a table of international migrants for Wales similar to Table 9.2 in "The Task Ahead" which applies to Great Britain, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Estimates are not available separately for international immigrants and for international emigrants for Wales.The estimate of net international migration for Wales was 0·5 per cent. for the five-year period used in Table 9.2 of "The Task Ahead".

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is his policy in regard to migration from Wales to England in view of his conclusions on movements of population in Chapter 9(4) of "The Task Ahead".

Wales is estimated to have an approximate balance between immigration and emigration, with a net emigration of only 3,000 estimated for the year mid-1966 to 1967. The great efforts being made in pursuit of present regional policy are designed to create the economic conditions in the development areas which will enable them to retain more of their working population. As paragraphs 4 to 6 of Chapter 9 of "The Task Ahead" explain, regional policy must aim at balancing the needs of the remote agricultural areas and older industrial regions for regeneration against the requirement to create a modern national economic structure. In the present situation, to quote "The Task Ahead":

"The balance of economic advantage would seem to lie in a substantial reduction in the present net flow of migrants of working age from the less prosperous areas towards the South and Midlands"

Jobs estimated to arise in Development Areas in connection with the completion of Factory Buildings requiring Industrial Development Certificates*†
Development Area		1964	1965	1966	Estimated number of employees in thousands in 1966
Northern	…	8,800	15,200	15,100	1,377
Scottish	…	10,800	12,200	18,300	1,954
Welsh	…	2,700	2,300	4,600	657
Southwestern	…	600	800	900	137
Merseyside	…	3,400	12,200	5,700	818
All Development Areas	…	26,200	42,700	44,600	4,943
* Source: Board of Trade.
†The estimates are for manufacturing industries and are on the same basis as in Table 9.3 of The Task Ahead, except that the 1966 data includes some revisions to earlier figures

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how much of the annual £10 million investment grant differential referred to in Chapter 9 of "The Task Ahead" accrued to each of the development areas; and what is his estimate of the annual cost of grants for free depreciation to concerns within the present development areas.

There are no official estimates for the regional distribution of the £70 million—not £10 million as stated in the question—estimated to have been paid in differential investment grants in the year 1967–68. The same applies to the free depreciation allowed to firms within the development districts—which covered a much smaller area than the present development areas. It should be emphasised that the free depreciation scheme which ended in January, 1966 was not a grant scheme at all—as is implied in the question—but a system by which firms could opt to defer or advance tax liability, as desired.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he estimates that the problem of male

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will publish Table 9.3 of "The Task Ahead" in a form which shows the additional jobs in each of the development areas.

The information requested is as follows:employment objectives will be solved, in the light of the conclusions in Chapter 9(32) of "The Task Ahead".

It is impossible to specify how soon the problems of regional imbalance will be solved, as this depends on the rate of growth achieved in the economy as a whole and on the impact of technological change, as well as on the response of manufacturers to the wide range of regional policy incentives in use.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) what assumptions about the future trend of the activity rate in Wales he made in assessing in "The Task Ahead" whether or not manpower surplus would find employment;(2) in view of the proposals in "The Task Ahead" for a better distribution of economic activity between the regions, when he estimates that the discrepancy between the activity rate in Wales and the regions of England will be overcome.

No specific estimates have been made for changes in relative activity rates. Achieving a better regional distribution of employment growth will result in lower unemployment, lower net migration and higher activity rates in Development Areas; but present forecasting techniques can provide only the broad direction of change of these three elements together. I would, however, expect considerable further progress to be made in the next few years in reducing the present considerable difference between Welsh and English activity rates for women. For men, prospects should improve as the dependence of the Welsh economy on industries with declining employment is reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the total cost to public funds of inducements to industry to scheduled development areas in each of the years 1945–68, both in the form of special grants and in special investment allowances.

The information required is given in the following table. Annual figures for the period 1945–60 are not readily available.

COST OF PREFERENTIAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO INDUSTRY IN DEVELOPMENT AREAS AND DISTRICTS*
		£m. (to the nearest £1m.)
1945–48†	11	Approximate annual averages in the periods given.
1949–58†	4
1958-March 1960†	14
1960–61‡	12
1961–62‡	33
1962–63‡	24
1963–64‡	17
1964–65§	31
1965–66§	75
1966–67§	70
1967–68║	156
1968–69║	260	(estimated)
NOTES:
* These are figures of the total cost of special incentives to industry under regional development policies (insofar as these can be quantified) available in development areas (1945–60), development districts (1960–66) and development areas (since 1966), over and above measures available on a national basis.
† These figures cover principally expenditure on factories and on loans and grants to firms in the development areas designated under the Distribution of Industry Acts 1945–58.
‡ These figures cover principally assistance given in development districts under the Local Employment Acts of 1960 and 1963 in the form of Board of Trade factories, building grants, general purpose grants and loans, and (with effect from 1963) plant and machinery grants.
§ In addition to the incentives mentioned in Note ‡ above, these figures relate to the facility of free depreciation (introduced in the 1963 Finance Act); special assistance for industrial training; and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.
║ In addition to Local Employment Act assistance, industrial training assistance and the H.I.D. Board, these figures principally relate to the regional differential element of investment grants (which replaced free depreciation and plant and machinery grants) under the 1966 Industrial Development Act; regional employment premium; and the refund of selective employment tax to hotels in certain rural parts of development areas. The selective employment premium is also included in 1968–69, following its withdrawal from manufacturers outside development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of the examination into convictions for offences of exceeding speed limits that formed the basis of Circular 249 of 1968.

About £800.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many members will be appointed to the Commission on the Constitution; whether he has decided on a basis for regional representation on the Commission; what representations he has received on representation from outside bodies; and whether he will make a statement;(2) when he will announce the members of the Commission on the Constitution.

There will be 15 members in addition to the chairman. My right hon. Friend has had suggestions on membership from various sources and the names will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what action he has taken as a result of the Report of the Jellicoe Delegation to the International Meeting on Marine Pollution, convened by the Italian Government in Rome in October, 1968;