asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, consequent on the Government's grant in aid, he is satisfied with the degree of co-ordination between Sadlers Wells Opera Company and the Royal Opera House; and if he will make a statement.

A Royal Opera/Sadlers Wells Co-ordinating Committee has been in being for several years. Since the move from Sadlers Wells to the Coliseum, this Committee has been meeting every two months and the Arts Council is satisfied that there is the fullest co-operation between the two companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has held with the General Administrator of the Royal Opera House following the recent annual report of that organisation.

The Arts Council decides the level of grant to the Royal Opera House so that the question of my having discussions with the Administrator does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial incentives are given to encourage mature men and women with experience in other occupations to take up a career in teaching.

The Burnham Committees have made special provision for experience outside teaching to count in determining the starting pay of newly-appointed teachers. These provisions, which are very detailed, are set out in the published salaries document.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of teachers in maintained grammar, comprehensive and secondary modern schools, respectively, were graduates, in 1968 and the three preceding years.

Figures for 1968 are not yet available. The following table gives the percentages for the earlier years. These show a small decline in all three types of school, but the total number of graduates is increasing slowly.The percentages of graduates in maintained secondary schools were:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of young workers under the age of 18 years were receiving part-time further education in 1968 and in each of the preceding four years.

In 1967–68, 260,000 young workers under 18 representing 22·5 per cent. of the total, were released by their employers for part-time day or block release courses. Corresponding percentages for the preceding four years, beginning 1963–64, were 18·4, 19, 19·9 and 22·1. These percentages do not include students on evening-only courses. In addition, over 600,000 young people over compulsory school age were still at school in January, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to improve the salaries of school secretaries and make them more uniform over the whole country.

My right hon. Friend has no power to do so. The pay of non-teaching staff in the local education service is a matter for negotiation between the local authorities and the staff concerned. The Government are not represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the number of medical students enrolled during each of the past six years, and the numbers of women students for the same period.

The following information relates to entry to pre-clinical courses in medical schools in Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has considered the representations made to him that a medical school should be established in Stoke-on-Trent and Keele University; and what action he proposes to take.

As my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins) on 14th April, the increase in the number of entry places at medical schools to 3,700 by 1975 will be achieved, mainly—apart from the new school at Southampton and Nottingham—by expanding existing schools. The recommendations made by the Royal Commission for Medical Education for subsequent expansion and for establishing new schools are still under consideration.—[Vol. 781, c. 222.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many further education grants qualifying for assistance from his Department are at present being made to students whose homes are within the county of Pembroke.

Awards made by the local education authority and current on 31st December, 1968, consisted of 399 for first degree and 13 for postgraduate courses at universities and further education establishments; and 253 for other courses at further education establishments. The number of awards for postgraduate courses made by the Department is 26.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement regarding unsponsored apprenticeships at technical colleges in the Northern Region.

A number of colleges of further education in the Northern Region offer full-time integrated courses of education and practical training for first-year apprentices. These courses are intended for young people following an apprenticeship and therefore already in employment, although at present a few places are, exceptionally, filled by students unsponsored by an employer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost incurred by the Air Council in respect of courses Nos. 67 and 72 on gliding held for teachers between 13th and 19th April at Husband Bosworth Airfield, Leicestershire, and at the Kent Gliding Club, Challock, Kent.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave him on 17th April.—[Vol. 781, c. 278–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to introduce legislation to implement some of the recommendations contained in the Report on Football; and if he will make a statement.

No decision has yet been reached on those recommendations which involve possible government action. Discussions with the football authorities are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the report on the behaviour of football crowds is to be published.

I understand the working party examining this subject is considering a draft of its report.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in the world-wide clinical trials in a vaccine against rubella; for how long the clinical trials have been taking place in the United Kingdom; and when he expects to receive a report on the vaccine from the Dunlop Committee.

Extensive clinical trials of several types of vaccine are still proceeding in a number of countries and the results to date are encouraging. The United Kingdom trials have been in progress since October, 1967, under the auspices of a Joint Committee of the Medical Research Council, the Health Departments and the Public Health Laboratory Service. Questions relating to the Dunlop Committee are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in settling the dispute between members of the National Association of Schoolmasters and the Durham County Education Committee.

I understand that the Durham local education authority are continuing to explore ways in which the dispute could be settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he does not allow the National Association of Schoolmasters to be more fully represented on the Burnham Committee.

Because I think that its representation at present is fair.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will specify the number of applications by students for admission to each of the Scottish universities, naming each university, which were received during each of the last five years; how many students of each sex were admitted for which courses; and how many students achieved the relevant degrees in each year in each course.

Information about applications is not available. I will send my hon. Friend details of students entering courses and obtaining degrees for the latest available year. Information about the four previous years is published in "Returns from Universities and University Colleges" Command Nos. 2456, 2778, 3106 and 3586, and in Table 24 of Volume 6 of Statistics of Education, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what number of students lost their mature students grant as a result of the change in qualifying conditions in autumn 1968; and what was the total saving as a result of these changes;(2) if he will circulate local authorities advising them not to take from mature students, whose grants have been withdrawn, retrospective refunds of grants already paid; and if he will take steps to pay compensation to these students to offset their loss of grant.

This change was not retrospective, but the grants of some students beginning a course in Autumn, 1968, which had been assessed under the old system, were revised from 1st September. No entitlement to grant has been withdrawn and no question of compensation arises. As a result of the 1968 review of student awards, mature students as a group received substantial increases in grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will hold an inquiry into the operation of the 11-plus examination in Surrey, in particular in the Banstead area; and if he will make a statement.

I have asked the Surrey L.E.A. for its comments on complaints I have received from several parents about the results of the first stage of the selection procedure in the Banstead area this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will make a statement on the results of his inquiries into the use of the initial teaching alphabet.

The inquiries were commissioned by the Schools Council and not by me. I would prefer not to make any statement, at any rate until the results have been published and other educational interests have had an opportunity of studying them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many plans he has approved for the reorganisation of secondary schools, single sex and co-educational, respectively, involving 11–18 all through comprehensive schools of less than six-form entry.

Since the issue of Circular 10/65 my predecessors and I have approved 19 schemes of secondary reorganisation which include 11–18 comprehensive schools of less than six form entry size. 116 schools, many in rural areas, are involved, and 33 are single sex. Many should eventually attain at least six form entry size.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Reading County Borough Council concerning their proposals for secondary reorganisation.

I have not yet heard from the local education authority about the deliberations of its recently reconstituted working party. I assume that these are still proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on his consideration of the objections raised to the scheme for comprehensive education to cover the districts of Brecon, Crickhowell, Defynnog, Hay and Talgarth proposed by the Breconshire local education authority; and whether he will now announce his decision on this matter.

I am not yet in a position to reach conclusions on the authority's proposal. My Department has written asking the authority to clarify certain aspects of the reorganisation proposals, and I hope that its answer will enable me to decide what is feasible in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will circulate the new Highway Code to local education authorities for the guidance of older children.

I understand that copies have already been sent by the Ministry of Transport to all local authorities and road safety officers, and that free copies will be provided to children enrolling in the National Cycling Proficiency Scheme. Local education authorities may purchase such additional copies as they require.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the estimated expenditure by local education authorities on further education in 1969–70;(2) what is the estimated expenditure by local education authorities on primary education in 1969–70.

I estimate current expenditure by local authorities in England and Wales on further education and primary education in 1969–70 at about £180 million and £402 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total value of building programmes for primary schools submitted by local education authorities for 1969–70; and what was the value of the programme approved by him.

£71 million and £36 million respectively for the major building programme. In addition £8 million was allocated to the educational priority areas and £27·5 million for the minor works programme, the primary element in which cannot be separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of additional current expenditure which will arise from the raising of the school leaving age in 1972–73.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer that was given to my hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Newens) on 5th December.—[Vol 774, c. 532.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the grading and salary structure for university technical staff, in view of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on University Salaries.

Report No. 98 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes was concerned with the remuneration of university academic staff. The grading and pay of university technical staff is a separate matter, and one for negotiation between the Universities' Committee on Technical Staffs and the staff and their unions.

asked the Secreary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish a report on the work of the Milson and Fairbairn Committee.

My right hon. Friend has recently received from the Youth Service Development Council a consolidated Report, based on the work of these two Committees, which contains the Council's recommendations for the future development of the Youth Service as a whole. He is at present considering the Report and will decide after completing his study what action is to follow the submission of the Council's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware that at a Kent school a jar of uranium nitrate which is a radioactive-type substance was spilled on a classroom floor during a science lesson; whether his regulations allow this substance to be used in all schools throughout the country; and what action is taken to prevent accidents of this kind in view of possible danger of contamination.

I am aware of this incident, in which a substance of very low radioactivity was spilled. Under the Regulations controlling the use of radioactive substances in schools, uranium nitrate is not one of the substances for whose use my approval is required. Local education authorities are, however, advised that the normal precautions for the use of toxic or irritant chemicals should be taken for pupils using chemically prepared uranium or thorium compounds. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Regulations and Administrative Memorandum No. 1/65 which gives detailed guidance on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to reach a decision on the plans for a community centre on the St. Matthew's Housing Estate, Leicester.

I am not required to approve these plans but I expect to be in a position to advise my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government on the suitability of the revised drawings and specifications of the proposed Youth Centre within the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many holders of entry certificates issued by the United Kingdom High Commission in Australia have been refused admission into the United Kingdom over the last 12 months.

Seven Australian holders of entry certificates were refused admission in 1968, the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why P.C. T.D.1128 issued a parking fine ticket to a driver of a van delivering moneys to a bank at 470 Lordship Lane at 2.48 p.m. on 11th April and to a war-disabled driver, whose vehicle carried certificates to this effect, for a three-minute wait in this no waiting area; and why a ticket was not issued to three vehicles left within the same area for over 20 minutes.

These are matters which are within police discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the urgency disclosed in the correspondence sent to him by the hon. Member for Rye on 18th April, if he will now extend to 1st December, 1969, the coming into force of the Electrical Appliances (Colour Code) Regulations, 1969.

These regulations provide that after 1st July, 1970, three-core flexes fitted to domestic electrical appliances offered for sale must be coloured in accordance with the new international code. Until that date, flexes in the old British Standard colours will also be permitted. The date for the final change has already been deferred once to meet the wishes of the trade, and it would not be in the interests of the safety of the public to defer it yet again.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the danger to small children from bath sponges and toys made from synthetic foam; and, in view of the findings of the coroner's court in respect of the death in Canterbury last week of Stephen Hodgman, aged 10 months, if he will take steps to require that such articles may not be sold without a label warning prospective buyers of the dangers involved.

I learned with regret of this child's tragic death, but I am doubtful whether a warning label of the kind suggested would have much practical value.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on Northern Ireland.

Yes. Since I addressed the House on Tuesday, 22nd April, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland has stated that his Government are determined to secure acceptance of the principle of universal adult suffrage in local government elections. I am sure the House will welcome the Northern Ireland Government's decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of their special position as household pets, he will introduce legislation to limit the experiments which may be permitted to be performed making use of cats and dogs.

Restrictions on experiments on cats and dogs are already imposed by Section 5 of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now able to state when he expects to receive the reports of the Boundary Commissions on their general review of constituencies.

The Boundary Commission for England submitted its report to me on 21st April. I understand that the reports of the Commissions for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the Armed Forces of the Crown in Northern Ireland will follow the instructions of the civil authority there.

The armed forces in Northern Ireland are responsible through their superior commanders to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will now publish the findings of the Humber Feasibility Studies Unit upon the development of Humberside.

The Humberside Report will be published on Wednesday next.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state how many persons have held, and now hold, Premium Bonds since they were started; how many persons have won prizes of each value once, and more than once, repectively; and how many holders of Premium Bonds since they began have never won any prize.

I regret that the answers to these questions could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Postmaster-General what expert scientific advice he sought and acted on when installing the computers which at present operate the Premium Bonds system; and how many, and which types, of computers he experimented with before and during the operation of the present system.

Computer processing for Premium Savings Bond work is confined to a number of routine operations which follow the generation of prize-winning numbers. ERNIE (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment), which produces these numbers, was designed by the Post Office Research Department, on principles that have been fully explained to the Royal Statistical Society. ERNIE's output is regularly tested to ensure that it is free from statistical bias.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will set up a public and expert commission into the working of the Premium Bonds machinery to examine the extent to which that machinery operates fairly to the holders of Premium Bonds in bulk and singly, respectively.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the envelopes containing copies of the speech by the Chairman of the National Coal Board at Londonderry on 26th March have now been sent to him, he will cause an inquiry to be made into the postal delay involved.

I regret I am unable to say with certainty the cause of the delay, but checks show that franked mail is not being properly segregated into 1st and 2nd class streams by the poster. This may have been the cause of the delay: in addition the envelope which the hon. Gentleman sent me bore an unnecessary abbreviation for "Northern Ireland" and the letter could possibly have been missorted to London, N.1. Londonderry is sufficient for postal addressing purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what proposals for modification of the prices and incomes policy she is now considering.

My right hon. Friend is reviewing all aspects of the current policy, and will be consulting the T.U.C. and C.B.I. before reaching decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when the Government expect to complete consultations on the White Paper, "In Place of Strife".

Consultations on the proposals in the White Paper have been in progress since shortly after its publication. They are being pursued urgently in respect of the matters to be dealt with in the interim Industrial Relations Bill to be introduced this Session. Consultations on the remaining proposals are expected to be completed in time for the introduction of a further Bill in the next Session of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what representations she has had from trades unions on the Government White Paper, "In Place of Strife", and whether she will request each trade union to send representations to her Department and publish a synopsis of these in the Official Report.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Carshalton (Captain W. Elliot) on 31st March.We have not had any representations direct from individual unions. Documents setting out the views of two unions have been received from hon. Members, including my hon. Friend.—[Vol. 781, c. 6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Emloyment and Productivity (1) whether she will publish a detailed list in HANSARD of the various trades unions which have advised her of their support for the policies contained in the Government's White Paper, "In Place of Strife";(2) whether she has yet received the communication from the honourable Member for West Ham, North, together with enclosures from the Clerical and Administrative Workers Union; and whether she will discuss with this union their representations against the Government's policy in the White Paper, "In Place of Strife".

Consultations with the trade union movement are being conducted through the T.U.C. and we have received views from only a relatively small number of individual unions. These include the communication which my hon. Friend has sent from the Clerical and Administrative Workers Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether, in view of his success in resolving the British Overseas Airways Corporation pilots' strike, she will appoint Mr. Clive Jenkins as a National Industrial Disputes Officer to settle industrial strikes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the numbers of registered unemployed, male, female, boys and girls, in the Mexborough and Wombwell employment exchanges, respectively, at the latest available date.

At 14th April, 1969, there were 1,060 men, 59 boys, 185 women and 22 girls registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Mexborough employment exchange. The corresponding figures for the Wombwell area were 312 men, 21 boys, 42 women and 8 girls. These figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate her Department has made of the number of new posts coming available within the county of Pembroke each year on average, during the last three years, requiring graduate or similar further education qualifications.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she is taking to reduce the waiting list for entry into Government training centres in the Northern Region.

In the next two years the five centres and 1,100 training places now available in Northern Region will be increased to eight centres and over 1,800 training places. At present the waiting list is large only because too many applicants want training in a few popular trades. My officers are therefore encouraging potential trainees to apply for the engineering trades in which there are immediate vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is her estimate of the number of outworkers in Great Britain; and if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing the distribution of these by trade and locality.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will initiate a general inquiry into the employment of out-workers in Great Britain with the aim of finding conditions of employment and the establishment of a pattern of minimum wages, in view of the fact that the present Wage Council provisions are not always appropriate.

In the course of examining pay and conditions in the clothing industry the National Board for Prices and Incomes carried out a sample survey of homeworkers' earnings in Basildon, Central London and Luton. In the first two areas the results of the survey suggested that rates were generally well above the statutory minima laid down by the Wages Council concerned and that working conditions were usually good. In Luton, where the homeworkers were mainly employed on hats, the survey suggested the existence of a less satisfactory situation which is now being investigated by the Wages Inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish a White Paper on the political and military aspects of the invasion of Anguilla.

I told the hon. Gentleman on 3rd April that there was no invasion of Anguilla. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told the House yesterday, he will certainly consider giving more detailed information on the situation in Anguilla which led to the installation of Her Majesty's Commissioner, and what would be the most appropriate form.—[Vol. 781, c. 166; Vol. 782, c. 493.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, during the visit to Great Britain of President Saragat of Italy, he will discuss with the President the case of William Bryce Reay of Cheltenham, who has been held in prison in Italy for 15 months without trial.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on 21st April, my right hon. Friend intends to raise the case of the five British prisoners held in Bari prison with the Italian Foreign Minister during the current State Visit. Mr. Reay is one of these men.—[Vol. 782, c. 10–11.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has put specific proposals for mutual troop reductions before the Warsaw Pact countries.

No. The Warsaw Pact countries have not responded to the call to join in the search for progress in mutual force reductions made by the North Atlantic Council at its meeting in Reykjavik in June, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what criteria the Forestry Commission calculates the value of the stretches of river for hire; and what provision is made for those anglers with average incomes.

The Forestry Commission's criterion is the market value. It is always open to offers on this basis from angling associations, to which many of its fishings in Scotland are let.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what criteria the hydro-electric board calculate the value of the stretches of river for hire; and what provision is made for those anglers with average incomes.

I understand that rents are fixed on a commercial basis, in the light of catches in previous seasons and of market values, and that rents for existing leases are reviewed annually in discussion with the tenants, which include local angling clubs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of obsolescent Crown grants and leases, he will publish a list of current titleholders on all rivers, since some angling clubs are not having leases renewed when properties change hands.

No. I am not sure how publication of this kind of comprehensive list would help to resolve any individual difficulties that may be arising from unwillingness of some new owners of fishing rights to renew leases, and I do not think that the expenditure of time and money involved would be justified for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions he has given to area water boards in relation to restricting angling in the waters under their control.

None. This is a matter for each board to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is giving to the provision of angling facilities to satisfy the demands of those of average income in new towns in Scotland.

A main objective of the Hunter Report is to increase the angling facilities available to the public at a price within the means of the ordinary angler: I am considering how this aim can best be achieved for the benefit of anglers in all parts of Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the inequality in educational opportunities caused by the variations in pupil-teacher ratios in Scottish secondary schools; and what steps he proposes to take to achieve greater uniformity in the distribution of teachers in secondary schools.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a Memorandum "Staffing of Secondary Schools in Scotland" that will be published later today. This describes two staffing studies carried out by my Department and includes a great deal of information about the extent and possible causes of variations in pupil-teacher ratios. I have written to education authorities, teachers' associations and other interests drawing attention to the memorandum, inviting their comments and making suggestions for action.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take steps to provide that the Greater London Council shall reduce the fees it now charges for sporting facilities in the parks, for example, 5s. for a lawn tennis court for one hour, and 35s. for a football pitch for one match.

These charges are determined by the local authority and my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he has taken to draw to the attention of local authorities the comments in Report 71 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes concerning local authority architects' departments.

This recommendation has been brought to the attention of the associations of local authorities. It will be further referred to when, in due course, my right hon. Friend gives advice to local authorities in England on the Board's main recommendations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether the terms of his Ministry circular 24/67 on the sale of houses are intended to cover sales by the Commission for New Towns and New Town Development Corporations.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT for each of the new towns in England the total number of dwellings, the number owner-occupied and the number of rented new town dwellings now available for purchase freehold or long leasehold.

At the 31st March the figures for houses provided by Development Corporations and the Commission for the New Towns, or on land made available by them, were as follows:

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that five Ministries are under present circumstances concerned with water resources, flood protection and warning, reservoirs and hydraulic research; and if he will consider appointing a single Minister to deal with these matters or arrange for some other method of co-ordination.

Although the machinery of government is kept under continuous review, I do not think that it would help to have a single Minister of the kind my hon. Friend suggests and I prefer to rely on the existing arrangements for co-ordination which enable my right hon. Friends to work very closely together on these matters.

asked the Prime Minister when he will propose to nominate the members of the Select Committee to consider the problems associated with hon. Members and their outside financial interests.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Motion for the setting up of this Select Committee which appeared on today's Order Paper.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to be able to give details in the OFFICIAL REPORT of the total cost to public funds of his recent visit to Nigeria and Ethiopia, including the diversion of troops and warships for this purpose.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to a Question by the hon. Member for Windsor (Sir C. Mott-Radclyffe).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the military authorities have taken to ascertain that the civil authority in Northern Ireland are unable to deal with the present situation by means of the local police, supplemented by any additional police that could be procured from elsewhere or by the police reserves or special constabulary.

As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary indicated in the House on 21st April—[Vol. 98, c. 32–34.]—the Northern Ireland Government requested the assistance. The question of the use of police and their ability to safeguard the key installations concerned is a matter for them and not for Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether a request for assistance to enforce law and order in Northern Ireland was received from the Inspector General of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and by what authority troops are being used for such purpose.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's statement in the House on 21st April—[Vol. 98, c. 32–34.]—in which he made it clear that Her Majesty's Government authorised the assistance following a request from the Northern Ireland Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost of imports of coal mining machinery in each of the last three years.

Figures of imports of power-operated coal cutters are given on page 94 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for December, 1967, and 1968. Other items of coal mining machinery are not separately distinguished in the trade statistics but are included in the other headings for all mining machinery on pages 94 and 95 of those publications.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who have been appointed to the working group following the publication of the Ely Hospital report; and if he will make a statement.

I have so far appointed the following outside members:

Mr. Geoffrey Howe, Q.C.

Dr. G. O'Gorman, M.R.C.S., M.R.C.P., D.P.M., Physician Superintendent, Borocourt Hospital.

Dr. J. Revans, C.B.E., M.R.C.P., Senior Administrative Medical Officer, Wessex Regional Hospital Board.

Miss F. E. Skellern, S.R.N., R.M.N., S.T.D., Superintendent of Nursing, The Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital.

Professor Peter Townsend, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce a charge for navigation services at the Highlands and Islands aerodromes.

No. The air services associated with these aerodromes satisfy a recognised social need and it would be unreasonable to increase the substantial losses incurred by introducing charges for navigation services.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce charges for such minor services as are at present given free to aerodromes which provide their own navigation services.

There are about 90 such aerodromes nearly all of which represent a significant financial burden on their owners. It is not reasonable at present to charge for the minor assistance they receive when six important aerodromes owned by local authorities have the benefit of navigation services provided by and at a substantial loss to the National Air Traffic Control Service.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration is being given to reducing the costs of aerodrome navigation services provided by the National Air Traffic Control Service as an alternative to the increase in charges prescribed in Statutory Instrument, 1969, No. 510.

We are about to appoint outside consultants to advise on our efficiency in this field but we judge it unlikely that any savings will be sufficient to extinguish the trading loss at the relevant aerodromes even after taking into account the higher revenue that will derive from the increased charges.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the expenditure of his Department in 1968 on horticultural products.

The amount directly spent by my Ministry on the purchase of horticultural products for amenity tree and shrub planting and maintenance in the financial year 1968–69 was £49,508. No figures are available for expenditure on horticultural products by contractors executing trunk road works or by agent authorities, or for the amount of Ministry grant towards principal road schemes which relates to expenditure on horticultural products.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for speed limits on the A5 trunk road between Atherstone and the borough of Tamworth.

I am considering imposing a limit, possibly of 50 m.p.h., on about 9 miles of the A5 between its junction with the A47 near Nuneaton and the Staffordshire County boundary, excluding the Atherstone by-pass.

asked the Minister of Transport what time was allowed for representations to be received from local authorities in respect of speed limit proposals for the A5 trunk road within the Atherstone rural district; and whether this period of time is standard for the making of such representations.

No proposal has yet been formally advertised, though the local authorities concerned are being consulted on the possibility of imposing a 50 m.p.h. limit on part of the A5 near Atherstone. If a proposal is advertised there will be a minimum of 28 days for representations to be made. This is the usual period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many clubs had paid duty for a licence for all games under Section 13 of the Finance Act, 1966, in March, 1968, and March, 1969, respectively, in London and other areas.

Of 784 gaming licences for all games in force on 31st March, 1969, 128 were issued in London and 656 in other areas. In some cases licences were for premises outside the area of issue. Corresponding figures as at 31st March, 1968, are not available but it is estimated that about 1,000 such licences were then current.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to public funds of affixing the 6d. ad valorem stamp to documents.

The cost to public funds of 6d. stamps for ad valorem duties is negligible. The cost of supplying adhesive stamps for the fixed 6d. duties is about £25,000 a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the location of the work of the department for National Savings in relation to the recent Save-As-You-Earn proposals.

The administration of the Save-As-You-Earn scheme will be located in Durham alongside the Savings Certificate Office of the Department.This decision, together with the Post Office reorganisation under which the Department for National Savings will become a separate Department responsible to Treasury Ministers, affects other plans. The small headquarters of the Department will now have to remain in London in order to maintain close and continuous contacts with the Treasury and other organisations, including the National Savings Committee, which are vital to the proper administration of national savings.The decision to locate the administration of the S.A.Y.E. scheme at Durham will create several hundred new jobs there.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the visit of the team of inspection from the International Monetary Fund, and on the progress of his plans for a rescheduling of the Government's overseas debts.

I have nothing to add to recent replies to similar Questions on this subject.—[Vol. 781, c. 61–62.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to set up a working party for Wales to make recommendations on matters of policy which arise from the report on Ely Hospital.

I have arranged with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services for a Welsh Office observer to be appointed to the working party which he has set up to advise him on the policy matters arising from the Ely Hospital Report. In the light of the working party's recommendations I shall consider what arrangements are necessary in relation to hospitals in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will now make a statement regarding the rebuilding of the hospital at Withybush, Haverfordwest, following upon the visits of the Minister of State for Wales and the Under-Secretary of State for Wales.

A new 314-bed hospital for Withybush is being planned with all possible speed, and it is hoped to start construction within the period up to 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will now make a further statement regarding the future alternative uses of the Royal Naval Air Station, Brawdy, and the School of Artillery at Manorbier, following the visit to Pembrokeshire of the Minister of State for Wales.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 20th March.—[Vol. 780, c. 136.]