asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what major schemes of road construction are now in hand to support industrial development in Central Scotland.

All the motorway and dual carriageway schemes in progress or planned will support industrial developments in Central Scotland. 176 miles are in use, 50 miles are under construction and, as a result, a total of 212 miles will be in use by the end of 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the progress of the housing programme in support of industry in the Linwood area.

The Scottish Special Housing Association is building over 1,600 houses in support of current industrial developments, and about 200 of these have been completed. Under earlier programmes a substantial number of houses was built in the area, both by the Association and by local authorities, for industrial growth and overspill.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what infrastructure support is being planned for the aluminium smelter at Invergordon.

Nearly 450 houses; improvements to roads; increased water supplies and drainage; and expanded facilities for education and social services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much he estimates an increase in Exchequer support for agriculture is needed to sustain an expansion of 40 per cent. in Scottish agricultural production.

The increase in Exchequer support would be considerable but, in the absence of details about the increased production of various commodities which would contribute to an overall expansion of 40 per cent. in Scottish agricultural production, it is not possible to put a figure on it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the costs of reclamation of an acre of bogland for arable agricultural purposes; how this compares with reclamation of an acre of land from scrub or heather-covered ground for similar purposes; and if he will make a statement.

In Scotland virtually all land of arable potential has already been reclaimed for arable farming. Reclamation for grazing purposes is encouraged by a variety of schemes, with rates of grant of up to 85 per cent. For bogland the range of costs is usually from £70 to £150 per acre; for scrub and heather covered land, from £30 to £50 or more. This does not include the high continuing costs of maintenance and additional necessary investment in fixed equipment including buildings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will now be the rate of interest charges to local authorities for money borrowed for housing purposes in Scotland.

I understand that most borrowing at present is at rates between 8½ and 9 per cent., but Government subsidies in effect reduce the rate of borrowing for new housing to 4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average annual cost per prison inmate in 1967 in relation to the figure for 1966; and if he will make a statement.

The average annual cost per inmate in Scottish penal establishments in the financial year 1966–67 was £728 2s. 7d. compared with £788 Is. 4d. in the previous year. The cost per head was less in 1966–67 because, although expenditure rose in that year, there was a greater proportionate increase in the average number in custody.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he now has to extend trout farming in specially constructed rearing stations, in the light of experiments at nuclear power stations.

The requirements for successful trout farming are now well established and several commercial enterprises are operating in Scotland; the experimental work on rearing fish in the warm water from Hunterston Generating Station is concerned with marine fish.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will amend clause 12 of the regulation relating to disabled persons' cars, which provides that when the child or children of the disabled person reaches the age of 14 years or ceases to depend on the disabled person the car will not be replaced, by substituting a later age which will enable the disabled person to continue his or her care of the relevant children.

No. But I would stress that the car is not withdrawn until it is unserviceable, which may be some time after the child reaches his 14th birthday.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the minimum, maximum and average salaries paid to school secretaries.

This information is not collected centrally. The terms of employment of school secretaries are a matter for negotiation between the employers, that is, education authorities and other school managers, and the staffs concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the existing police juvenile liaison schemes established in Greenorb, Stirling; and what plans he has to assist the extension of such schemes to other towns.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to assist the wider establishment of police juvenile liaison schemes.

In addition to Renfrew and Bute and Stirling and Clackmannan Police Forces, juvenile liaison schemes are operated by Argyll, Ayrshire, Inverness, and Perth and Kinross Forces. I welcome experimentation in police methods to prevent crime. Police juvenile liaison and similar schemes are, however, essentially matters for local initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent there will be an overall increase in educational building in Scotland in the period 1968 to 1970 as against 1966 to 1968.

The value of educational building starts in the period April, 1966, to March, 1968 was £70 million. I cannot yet give a precise figure for the period April, 1968, to March, 1970, but I expect it to be a good deal higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures showing the expected income from rates of each local authority in Scotland for the financial year 1969–70, and the proportion of that income that will be derived from agricultural buildings for the intensive rearing of livestock.

No estimate is possible at present, not least because all rate pound-ages for 1969–70 will not have been fixed until October this year. Rates payable on intensive livestock buildings in Scotland during 1968–69 are estimated to amount to about £200,000, which is about 0·1 per cent. of all rate income.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what percentage the average domestic rates burden increased between 1964 and 1968.

Between 1963–64 and 196768 the average domestic rate burden rose by about 22 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plan he has for reforming the rating system; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member on 23rd October, 1968.—[Vol. 770, c. 277–78.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for the conservation and protection of threatened species of indigenous fauna in Scotland.

As my hon. Friend will be aware, specific conservation measures

Local Authority	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	Total
Galashiels Town Council	40	136	16	—	—	192
Hawick Town Council	102	156	120	148	80	606
Innerleithen Town Council	—	—	—	22	—	22
Jedburgh Town Council	3	—	12	58	28	101
Kelso Town Council	30	58	56	90	46	280
Melrose Town Council	—	—	—	—	38	38
Peebles County Council	—	—	12	—	—	12
Peebles Town Council	—	14	28	50	—	92
Roxburgh County Council	5	6	17	65	38	131
Selkirk County Council	—	4	—	—	8	12
Selkirk Town Council	—	24	102	48	136	310
	180	398	363	481	374	1,796
In addition, the Scottish Special Housing Association completed 276 houses in the area during the period, and 519 were built for private owners and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inquiries have been received as a result of the Government-sponsored scheme to publicise Inverurie Railway Workshops; what proportions of these inquiries have been related to the labour force, the whole premises and to only part of the premises, respectively; and how many of the inquiries have been followed by firm appointments by management staff actually to visit the premises.

Ten positive inquiries about development at Inverurie have so far emerged as a result of the publicity campaign. Information about these inquiries, including the details asked for in the Question, has been fully set out in a letter sent by my Department to the Railway Workshops Manager at Inverurie with a request that he conveys its contents to the local works committee. I have arranged for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of houses built by each of the 11 housing authorities in the Counties of Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles in the years 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what date the second round of tests against Warts Disease will be completed.

These tests, which are being carried out on soil from two farms, should be completed within a month.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what channels of communication are permitted between Peterhead and Porterfield prisons; and whether he will appoint an independent committee to inquire into conditions at both prisons.

A prisoner serving a sentence is not normally permitted to communicate with a prisoner in another prison. I see no reason to institute any special inquiry into conditions at Peterhead and Inverness Prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will amend the regulations so as to allow teachers who are near the end of their career and who refuse to register with the General Teaching Council to retire with full pension rights.

The superannuation of teachers in Scotland is governed by the Teachers Superannuation (Scotland) Act, 1968, and the Teachers Superannuation (Scotland) Regulations, 1969.A teacher's entitlement to retirement benefits depends entirely on the statutory provisions and I have no power to vary them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will amend the regulations so as to safeguard the rights of teachers dismissed by education authorities on his instructions for upholding their principles and refusing to register with the General Teaching Council.

The procedure on dismissal is governed by Section 85 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the total number of road casualties and the number of child casualties in the British Standard Time period of 1967–68 compared with the same period of 1968–69.

The confirmed figures for the period 27th October to 15th February are as follows, child casualties being given in brackets:

	Fatal	Serious	Slight	Total
1968–69	250	2,875	5,769	8,894
	(19)	(490)	(1,127)	(1,636)
1967–68	243	2,798	6,115	9,156
	(29)	(498)	(1,155)	(1,682)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will forthwith institute discussions with the Scottish National Farmers Union about ways in which the disadvantage of the Scottish agricultural industry resulting from the disproportionate incidence of rating of intensive livestock units can be recouped.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of his talks with the Scottish National Farmers Union in relation to the rating of agricultural buildings.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. Monro).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the results of the farm Price Review; and what replies he has sent.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) on 16th April.—[Vol. 781, c. 251–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what correspondence has he received from organisations concerning heating of Government buildings and offices at St. James Square, Edinburgh; and whether he will consult with the Minister of Public Building and Works on the matter.

I have not received correspondence from any organisations concerning the heating of the Government building at St. James Square, Edinburgh. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works consulted me about the method of heating this building, and I concurred in his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the value of building authority warrants approved during 1968 for each authority in Scotland and the comparable figures for 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967; and what was the value earmarked for housing by private persons and local authorities and the number of houses involved in each of the same years.

The buildings authorities do not supply this information to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of murders in Scotland in 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively.

The provisional annual figure for 1968 for cases of murder made known to the police in Scotland, uncorrected in the light of subsequent judicial determinations, was 41. The comparable figures for 1966 and 1967 were 30 and 41. Corrected figures for 1966 and 1967 were 30 and 39. A corrected figure for 1968 will not be available for some time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that plans for the reorganisation of education on comprehensive lines put forward by local authorities and approved by his Department are implemented.

My Department maintains close contact with education authorities, principally through H.M. Inspectors, on the implementation of schemes of reorganisation. In many areas progress towards reorganisation depends to some degree on new building for which my approval must be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has further to consider legal fees in Scotland in view of Statutory Instrument No. 299 of 1969 made on 7th March whereby solicitors' remuneration in England and Wales is kept under continuous review by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I am not aware of any proposal to increase solicitors' fees in Scotland and I have no plans at present to refer their remuneration to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instruct- tions he has given to local authorities regarding their spending programmes in 1969–70; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot instruct local authorities about their general expenditure. A Circular, dated 7th March, 1969, of which a copy has been placed in the Library, was issued by the Scottish Development Department to provide local authorities with guidance on the policy underlying the Rate Support Grant (Scotland) Order, 1969, and its implications for the budgets which they will shortly be drawing up.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will annnounce his decision regarding the future trunk status of roads A92 and A94.

Not until I have considered the results of the Tayside Study.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra costs have been incurred by Scottish local authorities this winter in snow clearing operations; and what cost has been incurred in the clearing of trunk roads.

The cost of dealing with snow and ice on trunk roads is estimated at £532,000 for the year ended 31st March, 1969, which is about £75,000 more than in 1967–68. I have no information about the cost of snow clearing on roads for which local highway authorities are responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the dual carriageway roads to be built: in Scotland in the early 1970s will be below motorway standards.

Over 41 miles of motorway and over 26 miles of all purpose dual carriageway trunk roads are likely to be started between 1970 and 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what increase he estimates there will be in cheese production as a result of the award to milk producers in the recent price review.

The distribution of milk between the various manufacturing outlets, of which cheese is only one, is a matter for the Milk Marketing Boards in the light of commercial considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion, expressed as a percentage of the total, of the Exchequer support for agriculture will be disbursed in Scotland during the ensuing year; what is the estimated proportion of agricultural production of Scotland as expressed as a percentage of the total agricultural production for the United Kingdom for the same period; and if he will give similar figures for the current year.

It is expected that the proportion of United Kingdom Exchequer support for agriculture disbursed in Scotland in 1969–70 will be much the same as in 1968–69, that is about seventeen per cent. The value of Scottish agricultural output expressed as a percentage of United Kingdom agricultural output is also expected to be little different from that in 1968–69, namely about 11 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimated effect on the number of houses to be built in Scotland of the 8 per cent. Bank Rate.

I refer to the Answer given earlier today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost to public funds to date of the publication, "Quarterly Report", published by the Scottish Economic Development Department; and if he will seek means of relieving public funds of this expenditure.

About £7,600. No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his recent negotiations with advertising firms indicating the subjects discussed and the results achieved.

We have had no recent negotiations with advertising agencies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the United Kingdom to exhibit at the Fiera del Pacifico to be held next year in Lima; what amount of public expenditure is involved; and what assistance is being given to private British exporters to exhibit there.

Until it is established whether a sufficient number of British firms wish to participate in a British Pavilion at the Fiera del Pacifico in November I am unable to say whether there will be a United Kingdom exhibit and consequently what amount of public expenditure might be involved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total annual tonnage of imported Chinese rabbits into this country.

Imports of rabbit meat from China in 1968 were 6,421 tons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the latest annual trade balance with the Republic of China.

The figures of imports, c.i.f. and exports and re-exports, f.o.b. are given on page 291 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for December, 1968. The difference between these figures is not, however, a good measure of the visible trade balance with China because, inter alia, of the difference in the bases of valuation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will establish a special development area in North-East Scotland.

No. Special development area incentives were introduced to help alleviate high levels of unemployment resulting from colliery closures. The full range of development area benefits continue to be available in North-East Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the net contribution of the tourist industry to the balance of payments in the last year for which figures are available.

Provisional estimates for 1968 are that overseas tourist earnings were £274 million, and expenditure £272 million, excluding fares to and from the United Kingdom, for which estimates are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement about the advance factory programme in Scotland.

Since October, 1964, the Board of Trade has authorised the construction of 54 advance factories in Scotland. So far, 41 have been completed and, of these, 31 have been allocated. The last programme was announced in January, 1969, and, at present, we have no plans to authorise further advance factories other than as replacements which may be necessary in special development areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, following the recent Budget decision on Selective Employment Tax, he has reconsidered his policy on the payment of investment grants on equipment provided for use in the processing of scrap metal and waste paper.

Yes. Although decisions taken under the S.E.T. and investment grants schemes do not always follow the same pattern, my right hon. Friend has decided that capital expenditure incurred in the provision of new plant and machinery for use in certain processes carried on by the scrap metal and waste paper industries will, subject to the normal conditions, be admissible for investment grant. The processes concerned are processes for the production from scrap metal of material to a specification required for use in further manufacture, and processes for the production from waste paper or waste paper board of material to a specification required for making pulp. Investment grants will not be available to firms engaged only in sorting and merchanting scrap metal or waste paper. Arrangements will be discussed by the Board of Trade with the industries concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the details of all aviation pooling arrangements entered into with other Governments.

Pooling arrangements are not made between Governments but are commercial agreements between airlines and are confidential to them. Air services agreements on aviation traffic rights concluded between the United Kingdom and other States are already published as Command Papers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is now his policy concerning changes in the administration of airports in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

No change in the general administrative responsibilities of the Board of Trade for aerodromes in Scotland is in mind. Our policy remains to relinquish the management and ownership of aerodromes whenever this can be done on reasonable terms and without detriment to the standard of service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when and by whom a decision was made to house families of soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders in separate blocks of flats; how many families have been moved in consequence of this decision; what has been the total cost to public funds; what further movements are proposed and at what cost; and what is the difference in the nature of the accommodation.

Where there are multiple blocks of hirings, as in Minden Garrison, it is customary for senior and junior ranks to be housed with their families in separate blocks. The decision to move four junior ranks recently was taken by the Minden Garrison Housing Committee at the request of the commanding officer on 26th March. The moves cost £50. No further moves are planned and there is no difference in the nature of the accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department was first requested to make land available for road improvements at Heatherside Crossroads, Camberley; why the transfer of this land has not yet been effected; and when he expects it to be completed.

A general approach was first made to the Ministry of Defence in March, 1967, and specific proposals were received in August, 1968. Discussion of

Site						Approximate total acreage	Approximate acreage let for agricultural purposes
Aberdeenshire, Black Dog		…	…	…	…	140	Nil
Angus, Barry Buddon	…	…	…	…	…	2,500	2,500	(seasonal grazing)
Dunbartonshire, Garelochhead			…	…	…	4,700	4,200	(mainly grazing)
Fifeshire, Rosyth	…	…	…	…	…	470	470	(mainly arable)
Inverness-shire, Outer Hebrides, South Uist				…	…	1,100	920	(seasonal grazing)
Kirkcudbrightshire, Kirkcudbright			…	…	…	4,700	3,900	(grazing)
Midlothian, Castlelaw/Dreghorn			…	…	…	2,100	1,800	(mainly grazing)
Ross and Cromarty, Tain		…	…	…	…	2,500	2,500	(grazing)
Sutherland, Cape Wrath		…	…	…	…	2,700	2,700	(seasonal grazing)
TOTAL		…	…	…	…	20,910	18,990

The total of rents received by the Ministry of Defence, for the acreages shown above, is £7,208 a year. The figure reflects military use of the land.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give an undertaking that no tree felling will take place in connection with any proposals for development at Inkermann Barracks, Woking, until the Woking Urban District Council has been consulted.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all the rural properties comprising land that could be used for agriculture or forestry in Scotland in the ownership of the Ministry of Defence, stating the acreage of each area together with a breakdown figure of the type of land classified as rough grazing, permanent pasture and ploughable land, and the rents received where such land is let to agricultural tenants.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. Details of undeveloped rural land owned by the Ministry of Defence in Scotland are as follows:would be required to staff a new Army Record and Pay Office in Scotland; how many qualified persons are at present available there; how many others serving in different parts of the United Kingdom have been asked if they would like to transfer to a new office in Scotland; and how many have replied in the affirmative.

A new Record and Pay Office will contain an average of 400 non-industrial civilian staff, as well as a number of military officers and soldiers. The exact number of staff in each new office will depend upon the Arm or Corps it administers.The Regimental Pay Office in Edinburgh employs 46 civilian nonindustrial staff on pay duties. There are some 50 civilians who, at one time or another have worked in a record office, who are now employed at other offices in Scotland. Outside Scotland there are eight persons, with some records experience, who have asked to move to Scotland.No formal inquiry has been made to ascertain whether other staff wish to transfer to Scotland. For a variety of reasons it has been decided that one of the five combined Record and Pay Offices should not be located there.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his specialist committees are undertaking into pollution from current farming methods; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith) on 13th March last.—[Vol. 779, c. 340–1.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has now made of the acreages of early potato crops that have been planted in 1969 in Great Britain; and what is his estimate of early potato imports.

The latest available estimate of the acreage of early potatoes in England and Wales expected to be harvested by 31st July is 76,000. Comparable information is not yet available for Scotland. It is too soon to be certain but it seems likely that imports of early potatoes will be less than in 1968.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates his Department has made of the net percentage return on capital invested in land, buildings, live and dead stock in British agriculture after allowing for the cost of labour of farmers and their wives.

My Department does not make such estimates, much of which would inevitably, have to be based on arbitrary assumptions. We do however publish estimates of farmers average net income, assuming the farmer to be a tenant, in the Reports "Farm Incomes in England and Wales".

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce regulations to prevent the contamination of dairy cream; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised that cream has a good record as a safe food, and I do not consider there is any need to supplement the existing provisions of the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has made of the total annual value of production lost due to industrial stoppages.

I regret that the information of which such an estimate could be made is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress has been reported to Het Majesty's Government under the prices and incomes legislation regarding improvements in the salaries, pensions and working conditions of workers in Scottish banks.

Improvements in pay were implemented last year for staff employed by the Scottish Banks of Issue. These were in accordance with the provisions of the Government's incomes policy. No approval has yet been sought for any general improvements in 1969.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the evidence on which he has reached the decision that people over 35 years of age have difficulty in training as overseas telegraph officers in his Department unless they already have typing or teleprinter skills.

I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures which show that older recruits have difficulty in completing the training course as overseas telegraph operators. However, we are having a further look at the position of candidates over 35.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what are the terms of the contract made by the Post Office with a United States company for the supply of petrol and diesel fuel; and what proportion of the total requirements of the Post Office will be so supplied;(2) if fuel purchased by the Post Office from foreign companies is refined outside this country; and what is the additional cost of importing refined petrol from the Chevron company in Holland.

The contract was placed with Chevron Oil (U.K.) Limited, for the supply of petrol and derv for one year, beginning on 1st June, 1969. The proportions of total Post Office requirements of petrol and derv to be supplied by this Company are 45 per cent. and 17 per cent. respectively. The Post Office buys fuel oils, by competitive tender, as finished products and has no knowledge of additional costs, if any, incurred by suppliers whose products are refined abroad.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the recent explosions at post offices in Belfast; if he will indicate the cost of the damage to each; and if he will make a statement on the protection of other Post Office property from Irish Republican Army attack.

Attacks were made last Sunday night on 11 offices of which all but three were able to re-open for business on Monday. The offices attacked were not in Crown buildings. Thus the people directly affected were the shopkeepers who run the offices and the neighbouring people whom they serve. The cost of the damage is still being worked out. We are co-operating with the authorities concerned to secure the best possible protection for Post Office property.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much time and money he estimates to be required to ascertain the total money being given for grants for research into management problems and which Departments, other than the Department of Education and Science, allocate money for these purposes.

I estimate that at least 70 man hours' work would be involved in getting out this information, at a cost of not less than £75; any difficulties could produce much higher figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the additional cost of Selective Employment Tax to independent schools which are not charities as a result of his Budget proposals;(2) what is his estimate of the additional cost of Selective Employment Tax to health insurance organisations as a result of his Budget proposals;(3) what is his estimate of the additional cost of Selective Employment Tax to independent hospitals which are not charities as a result of his Budget proposals;(4) what is his estimate of the additional cost of Selective Employment Tax to the tourist industry in the West Country as a result of his Budget proposals.

The necessary information on which estimates could be based is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the recent police raid on a house in Purley.

On 12th April, the police obtained a warrant under Section 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1911, authorising them to search premises at 92 Higher Drive, Purley. The search was carried out on Friday and Saturday, 18th and 19th April. The householder, Dr. A. E. Laurence, was questioned by the police and made a statement on 19th April. The police also obtained a search warrant against premises belonging to Dr. Laurence at Seven Sisters Road, St. Lawrence, Isle of Wight, and a search under this warrant was carried out on 21st April. The statement and the results of the searches are now being assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Miss Pat Arrowsmith at present detained in Holloway Prison, on a six-months sentence and who has now been in prison for five months has not received the usual remission of sentence; and if he will now order her release.

Miss Arrowsmith is now detained in Holloway Prison for failing to comply with an order to enter into a recognisance to keep the peace and to be of good behaviour; she can obtain her release at any time by complying with the order, and she is not, therefore, eligible for normal remission under the Statutory Prison Rules. For assistance which she has recently given to the prison authorities, however, I have recommended special remission which will bring forward her latest date of release by seven days. I cannot find grounds for any other action.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many hours of Parliamentary time on the floor of the House have been allotted by the Government for consideration of purely English business during the last two Sessions.

I am afraid that this information could not be made available in detail without disproportionate research. I am sure, however, that the time taken was very small.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what proportion of all nonindustrial civil servants were employed in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.

The percentages for 1st July each year, excluding Post Office staff, were as follows:

1959	7·9
1960	7·8
1961	7·8
1962	7·9
1963	7·9
1964	7·9
1965	7·8
1966	7·8
1967	7·9
1968	8·1

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Australian Government regarding the United Kingdom claim to some of the six cannon jettisoned by Captain Cook off the Great Barrier Reef to save the "Endeavour" and recently recovered and if he will arrange to make some of them available to the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

On 7th January, 1969 an American scientific expedition discovered four of the six cannon jettisoned by Captain Cook when he went aground on the Great Barrier Reef in 1770. These are now in the custody of the Queensland Receiver of Wrecks.In 1886 the then Secretary of State for the Colonies informed the Governor of Queensland that, if the cannon could be recovered, the British Government would transfer them to the Government of Queensland.Following a request from the Director of the National Maritime Museum, the British High Commissioner in Canberra has been instructed to approach the Australian authorities with a view to obtaining one or more of the cannon for display at Greenwich. The outcome of these approaches is not yet known.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will send a circular asking for returns from local authorities in Greater London on the provision of accommodation for the unmarried mother and her children.

A sub-committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee is at present reviewing the practice of housing authorities in allocating tenancies and in rehousing, and my right hon. Friend is awaiting its report before considering any action of the kind suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish the departmental reply to the Eighth Report from the Estimates Committee in Session 1967–68, which was published in December, 1968.

On 2nd May.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what reduction there was in 1968–69 in aid to the United Arab Republic, Tanzania, and Zambia; and what reduction there was in aid to the other countries which voted against the Gibraltar referendum in the Trusteeship Commission.

Figures of aid disbursements for 1968–69 are not yet available. Figures for the calendar years 1967 and 1968 were:

	1967	1968
	£'000	£'000
U.A.R.	1	2
Tanzania	1,226	1,832
Zambia (including contingency assistance arising from the Rhodesia situation)	14,051	10,794
Total	15,278	12,628

Economic aid disbursements to the other countries which supported the resolution in question totalled £23·6 million in 1968 compared with £34·7 million in 1967. The reduction does not reflect any change in aid policy towards the countries concerned. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on the 29th February, 1968—[Vol. 759, c. 1746–47]—it would be contrary to the interests both of ourselves and of developing countries if our aid policies were to vary with every vote in the U.N.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proportion of Government aid overseas goes to management training and education; and whether he will detail the bodies through which this is channelled.

A considerable part of our bilateral technical assistance funds is devoted to improving management skills in the broadest sense through the provision of experts, courses in the United Kingdom and other means. Expenditure on management training and education in the narrower sense is only a part of this, but the problems of definition are such that any precise figure would be open to question.

asked the Minister of Power when he now expects the Wylfa Nuclear Power Station to come into operation; what extra costs will arise from the delay; and what is the latest estimate of the cost per unit sent out from this station.

The C.E.G.B. inform me that the station is expected to come into operation early in 1970 and that estimates of the cost of delay cannot be readily broken down to individual stations: their estimate of base-load generating cost per unit remains at 0·70d.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with the health control of imported Chinese rabbits; what health checks are made in this respect; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied that imported Chinese rabbits are fit for human consumption; and if he will make a statement.

Imported Chinese rabbits are subject to the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, and the Imported Food Regulations, 1968, which empower authorised officers of the local and port health authorities to examine any food intended for sale for human consumption; if it is found to be unfit it is condemned and disposed of. I am advised that these procedures should pro- vide adequate safeguards for human health.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of salmonella from frozen imported Chinese rabbits have been reported.

None, so far as I am aware.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to provide for adequate and more specific labelling instructions regarding the cooking and defrosting of frozen chickens; if he will give publicity to the dangers to health of the inappropriate treatment of frozen chickens; and if he will make a statement.

The safety of this food lies in the hygienic handling and proper thawing and cooking of the birds. Hygienic handling can be assured by compliance with the provisions of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960. I am considering what more can be done to publicise the need for proper thawing and cooking, e.g. by adequate labelling, and to this end have instituted discussions with the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is aware of the hold-up in the traffic in and out of the town of Brecon during the Easter Bank Holiday, which caused inconvenience to local people; and whether he will make a statement on the progress made on the planning and construction of a by-pass of the borough.

I am aware of the difficulties referred to by my hon. Friend.I have included a by-pass south of Brecon, with a spur to the east of the town, in the preparation pool of trunk road schemes. Possible lines for the roads are being considered, and I shall publish a draft Order giving my proposals as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give the names of the firms in the two consortia which have been set up to design and construct nuclear reactors and power stations at home and abroad.

The two nuclear design and construction companies are the Nuclear Power Group (T.N.P.G.), and British Nuclear Design and Construction Ltd. (B.N.D.C.). The firms which have shareholdings in them are: