asked the Minister of Overseas Development how the terms of debt relief to be offered by the United Kingdom to India at the forthcoming consortium meeting of donor countries compare with terms offered by other donor nations last year.

Consortium Members			Amount of Debt Relief (U.S. $ million)	Type of Debt Relief	Repayment Terms	Grant*Element (per cent.)
1. Austria	…	…	0·89	Refinancing	24 years maturity including 7 years grace at 3 per cent. interest.
			0·51	Grant (by reduction of interest).	—	69·9
			1·40
2. Belgium		…	1·10	Cash Credit	25 years maturity including 7 years grace at 3 per cent. interest.	53·2
3. Canada		…	0·91	Rescheduling	Postponement for 10 years at 6 per cent. interest.
			1·07	Cash Grant (to offset interest)	—	65·4
			1·98
4. France	…	…	5·00	Cash Credit	12 years maturity including 31½ years grace at 3·5 per cent. interest.	33·5
5. West Germany		…	14·44	Refinancing	10 years maturity including 3 years grace at 3 per cent. interest.
			8·00	Cash Credit	25 years maturity including 7 years grace at 3 per cent. interest.
			4·85	Grant (by reduction of interest)	—	50·3
			27·29
6. Italy	…	…	5·50	Cash Credit	12 years maturity including 3 years grace at 4 per cent. interest.	30·1
7. Japan	…	…	16·83	Rescheduling	12 years maturity including 3 years grace at 4 per cent. interest.	30·1
8. Netherlands		…	0·58	Grant (by reduction of interest)	—	100
9. U.K.	…	…	18·00	Refinancing	25 years maturity including 7 years grace, free of interest.	76·1
10. U.S.A.	…	…	8·73	Rescheduling	Postponement for 10 years without interest.	62·3
11. IBRD	…	…	15·00	Rescheduling	Postponement for 10 years with rates of interest specified in applicable loan agreements.	n.a.
Total		…	101·41		Average overall grant-element (excluding IBRD)	51·7
* Using a discount rate of 10 per cent.

If, as I hope and expect, all members of the Aid India Consortium agree to the continuation of the debt relief scheme in 1969–70 the United Kingdom contribution will again be by interest free loan for 25 years with a 7 year grace period. I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the terms on which other donor countries contributed to the scheme last year.Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the expected total of interest payable to the United Kingdom in 1969 on overseas loans and in each year up to 1972.

Estimates including projected new loans are:

	£m.
1969	21·1
1970	20·4
1971	22·7
1972	23·9

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will publish as a White Paper the submissions made by the United Kingdom delegation to the Preparatory Committee for the Second United Nations Development Decade.

I do not think that a White Paper would be justified at this early stage of the discussions, but I have placed in the Library of the House copies of the United Nations document E/AC.56/L.1/Add.4, which contains the preliminary comments of Her Majesty's Government, together with copies of the principal United Nations document to which it refers, viz. E/AC.54/L.30.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what, under his regulations, is the length of time which sickness and other benefit drafts are valid from the date of issue.

Regulations made under the recent National Insurance Act extend the period for cashing instruments of payment to twelve months, with a further extension where there is good cause for failure to cash within that period.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the annual cost of increasing retirement pensions in the autumn.

The retirement pension increases announced by my right hon. Friend on 15th April will cost about £170 million in a full year, but the total cost of the increases in national insurance benefits will be nearly £250 million in a full year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost to public funds of increasing the retirement pension by 10s. a week in November and of pro rata increases in all other social security benefits.

Rather under £250 million in a full year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much extra provision on top of the £250 million needed to pay for the pensions increases this autumn he intends to make to take account of the existing imbalance between income and expenditure of the main National Insurance Fund.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the full statement on the forthcoming uprating which will be made as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether in his forthcoming orders increasing charges for benefits under the National Health Service, he will exempt from payment of any charges, old-age pensioners, the blind and those registered as permanently disabled.

As I have already announced, I propose continuation of present arrangements for exemptions.—[Vol. 783, c. 43.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a further statement on the Report of the British Medical Association on Aids for the Disabled.

My right hon. Friend will shortly be making a full statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total number of working days lost in 1968 through sickness and industrial injury giving the figures for diagnostic groups, the percentage of days in the period and the cost in benefits.

Figures for 1968 are not available but days of incapacity recorded in the period from 6th June, 1966 to 3rd June, 1967 amounted to 301 million for sickness and 23 million for industrial injury. The major groups of illnesses, with percentages, are shown in the following table:Days of incapacity due to sickness and industrial injury

	Days (Millions)	Per cent.
All causes	324	100
Sickness
Mental, psycho-neurotic and personality disorders	30	9
Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs	23	7
Diseases of the circulatory system	36	11
Diseases of the respiratory system	65	20
Diseases of the digestive system	27	8
Diseases of the bones and other organs of movement	30	9
Accidents and poisonings other than those which attracted benefit under the Industrial Injuries Acts	26	8
Industrial Injury
Accidents and prescribed industrial diseases	23	7

In the financial year ended 31st March, 1967 the cost was £262 million for sickness benefit and £32¼ million for injury benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from householders about the questions asked in the Test Census on Population Form recently distributed; and why he requires such additional information.

Fifteen such letters, on a variety of subjects, have been received from the half-million people living in the test areas in England. The questions included in the test census were chosen after consultation with a wide circle of users both inside and outside Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now review, in the light of the reduction in the value of money, the maximum of personal savings disregarded by his Department in awarding supplementary benefits.

No. This would benefit only those living above the normal supplementary benefit levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to prevent pharmaceutical companies making gifts to medical students in their final year.

I am not aware that pharmaceutical companies in this country make such gifts to any significant extent. I will gladly consider any evidence my hon. Friend may have.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, to what extent the certificates signed by medical practitioners under the Abortion Regulation 1968 in relation to terminal operations performed at the seven private clinics, which have been given approval for two months only, have been inspected by officers of his Department; and whether these disclose an unusual predominance of any one of the four reasons for termination.

My officers have no right to call for production of these certificates; but statistical analysis by the Registrar General of the confidential notifications sent to the Chief Medical Officer shows that the predominant ground for termination, here as in the country as a whole, was that the continuance of the pregnancy would have involved risk of injury to the physical or menal health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the annual cost to the National Health Service of chemists and doctors prescribing proprietary brand drugs instead of their non-proprietary equivalents;(2) what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of proprietary equivalents being prescribed instead of paracetamol.

Exact equivalence is rarely demonstrable, but I estimate that use of non-proprietary products instead of proprietaries with the same amounts of the same active ingredients would currently save about £1·4 million a year, including about £130,000 for paracetamol.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will circulate National Health Service chemists and doctors with a recommendation that they prescribe oxytetracycline, which costs 7s. 4d. per 250 milligram tablets, instead of terramycin which costs 22s. 4d.

A number of circulars drawing attention to the difference in price have been sent to doctors, the most recent on 31st March.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to enable local authorities to order the closure of cafes, restaurants and other eating places which fail to conform to the required standards of health and hygiene.

No. Section 14 of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 already em- powers local authorities to ask the courts to disqualify caterers who are convicted of a breach of the Food Hygiene Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date he decided to raise the charges for health benefits under the National Health Service by 25 per cent.

It is not the normal practice to disclose the precise timing of Government decisions and I have nothing to add to my announcement of 5th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give details showing how his estimates that the costs of health benefits under the National Health Service have risen by 25 per cent. since 1961 were arrived at.

The reference in my statement on 5th May was to the cost of dentures and lenses. The cost of a complete set of National Health Service plastic dentures—the most widely used type—has increased since 1961 by 27½ per cent. For other kinds of dentures and for partial dentures the cost increase ranges from about 26 per cent. to 43 per cent.The average cost of lenses has increased by about 53 per cent. since 1961. If account is taken also of the dispensing fee the overall increase averages about 30 per cent.—[Vol. 783, c. 42–50.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ensure that official addressed envelopes are provided for use by householders when the census forms are next circulated in order to avoid the need for persons to return completed forms to collectors who are neighbours.

This facility was available to both householders and individual members of households in the recent test census and will be offered in the next full census. So far as possible, enumerators are not posted to the district in which they live.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an inquiry into the employment of domestic labour at the Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he is aware that bills of costs in unopposed cases for sums of under £500, taxed by taxing officers at Somerset House, are being delayed for 10 weeks; what is the cause of this delay; what action is being taken to improve the position; and what he expects the delay to be in the future.

The delay in the taxation of bills of costs in unopposed divorce cases for sums of under £500 was caused by increases in the number of bills for taxation coupled with the prolonged illness of one of the taxing officers following a motor accident. Two further taxing officers have been appointed and arrears are already being reduced appreciably. It is hoped to reduce delays to four weeks, of which two are required under the Rules for giving the opposite party an opportunity to be represented.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that writs and summonses in the High Court can only be issued by the personal attendance of a solicitor or his agent; and whether he will seek to provide that work of this nature be transacted through the post as in county court procedure.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is considering with the Senior Master the question of allowing writs and other High Court processes to be issued by post, but it is unlikely that the staff needed to deal with the queries inevitably arising from postal business will be available until the Administration of Justice Bill has transferred some of the debt-collecting work of the High Court to the county court.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in consultation with the Board of Trade which has powers to acquire land for the use of short and vertical take-off and landing aircraft, he will initiate action for such land to be set aside at suitable centres throughout the country, at motorway service stations and elsewhere, for future development.

No. It would be premature to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport what responsibilities are given to road construction units involving making recommendations or decisions on the type of, or standard to which, road schemes to cost over £1 million should be built.

Final decisions on the type of road to be built are made by the headquarters of the Ministry, based on information supplied and recommendations made by Road Construction Units and others. Road Construction Units are required to observe the appropriate departmental standards as applied to the particular circumstances.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will estimate the percentage of car accidents involving fatalities in which excessive speed was a contributory factor.

A firm estimate is not possible as it is very difficult to ascertain the speed of vehicles before an accident. In 9 per cent. of the reports by the police on individual fatal accidents in 1968, the cars involved were reported as travelling too fast for the conditions. But this may well understate the percentage in which excessive speed was a contributory factor.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now make a statement about the financing of the Humber Bridge; and whether the cost is to be met out of tolls.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs announced on 30th April, it is intended that the bridge will be financed by loan, to be repaid from toll revenue. The details of this arrangement will be discussed with the Humber Bridge Board.—[Vol. 782, c. 1437–1442.]

asked the Minister of Transport on how many occasions in the past 10 years hunters and their hounds have been known to have trespassed on motorways or railways; on how many of these occasions were the officials of the hunt prosecuted for trespass; and what action he proposes to take to minimise the danger to human life which such incursions involve.

It is an offence against the Motorway Regulations to allow animals to go on to a motorway. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is aware of seven instances of hounds having done so in the last 10 years, but not of any accidents having been caused nor of any prosecutions having been brought. However, this kind of occurrence is far from desirable in modern traffic conditions and if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind I will look into it.The Railways Board does not keep separate records of this specific form of trespass, but it cannot recollect instituting proceedings in recent years.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the British Steel Corporation proposes to import 1,000,000 tons of ore annually through Immingham for Scunthorpe, that increased coal deliveries will come to the New National Coal Board jetty at Immingham both using the Ulceby level crossing where traffic delays have aver- age half an hour in every hour for road traffic to and from Immingham; and if he will now build a fly-over at Ulceby.

The road concerned (A.160) is the responsibility of Lindsey County Council, which is investigating the possibility of providing a fly-over.

asked the Minister of Transport why no provision has been made for a strategic road connecting the proposed Lancashire/Yorkshire motorway with the industrial areas east and southeast of Manchester and from the Stockport area to Derby.

The proposals made in my Green Paper on Highway Strategy represent, at this stage, a broad strategic plan on which I have invited public comment. Before the final network is announced I will carefully consider all suggestions including those made by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now make permanent the 60 miles per hour speed limit on the A.45 between Thurlaston roundabout and the Birmingham boundary.

The Department's Road Safety Unit at Kenilworth has made a detailed study of accidents on this section of A.45 since the limit was introduced in October 1967. The limit was associated with a series of other safety measures. Accidents and casualties have been substantially reduced. It is not possible to measure the contribution of the limit but there are indications that it has helped. The road meets the revised criteria for a 60 limit and my right hon. Friend has decided that it should remain in force.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will expedite the re-routing of the one way system operating in connection with the A.10 trunk road at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in order to diminish the period during which the residents of Middlefield Road have to suffer the noise and nuisance caused by the passage of through traffic, and so as to comply with the programming originally indicated.

The intention is that Duke Street should take the through traffic now using Middlefield Road but Duke Street must first be improved. To do this an order under Section 9 of the Highways Act 1959 is required. A draft order has been published but objections to it have been made. I am currently examining these with a view to making an early decision.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will expedite the provision of a light controlled crossing on the A10 trunk road at Wormley, Hertfordshire, and the provision of a pedestrian crossing at Spitalbrook on the same road as requested by the Road Safety Committee and the Hoddesdon Urban District Council.

I have approved the replacement of the zebra crossing at Wormley by a Pelican light-controlled crossing. The changeover will be carried out as soon as the equipment becomes available which should be about mid-July.The need for pedestrian crossing facilities at Spitalbrook is recognised but there are considerable siting difficulties to overcome. My divisional road engineer is now examining the possibility of a footbridge and I will write to the hon. and learned Member when this investigation has been completed.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his estimate of the average number of lorries and vans which pass daily along the present main road between Preston and Blackpool as compared with the average number of lorries and vans which travel daily on the M6 motorway at the point nearest to Broughton.

The number of lorries and vans using the main road between Preston and Blackpool, A.583, vary from 1,179 to 1,759 and 2,894 to 2,104 respectively according to location of counting point. Comparable figures for the M.6 near Broughton vary between 2,894 and 3,009 for lorries and 783 and 1,593 for vans.These figures are from the most recent traffic counts which were taken in August 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his estimate of the average number of vehicles which pass through Preston per day which will avoid the town when the proposed motorway link between Broughton and Blackpool is constructed.

It is estimated that, of the various routes under consideration, a northern by-pass leaving the M.6 at Broughton would in 1975 attract about 30,000 vehicles per day which would otherwise wish to use roads in Preston.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will reconsider his decision not to provide pedestrian crossing facilities at Dordon on the A5 trunk road, in view of the recent accident record through this village.

As I informed the hon. Member on 30th April I am considering what further measures can be introduced at Dordon to improve the safety of pedestrians. There is nothing I can usefully add at present.—[Vol. 782, c. 256–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about progress in the United Nations Special Committee on the question of defining aggression with particular reference to the Soviet draft text.

The Special Committee ended its Second Session on 3rd April, having considered three draft definitions, including one tabled by the Soviet Union. The report of the Committee and a speech by the United Kingdom representative relating to the Soviet draft have been placed in the Library of the House. The Committee reached no conclusions except to recommend unanimously that it resume its work early in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give an assurance that no Government-controlled firm will be allowed to tender for United States military contracts for British-produced machines to be used in Vietnam.

Our policy towards the sale of military equipment to the United States remains as stated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 16th December, 1968, in reply to a Question by the right hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter). We do not sell arms specifically for use in Vietnam. That policy covers Government-controlled as well as private firms.—[Vol. 775, c. 865.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what service industries in Hong Kong the hours worked by employees are still not in accordance with the standards laid down by the International Labour Organisation; and what steps he has taken to deal with the matter.

As the United Kingdom, the Member State concerned, has not ratified those International Labour Organisation coventions which relate to hours of work, the question of applying those conventions to any Hong Kong industry does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British personnel are attached to the British Embassy and Consulate in Moscow.

There are eighty-nine British personnel attached to the British Embassy and Consulate in Moscow. Of these nine are domestic staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his undertaking to the people of Anguilla that they should not live under an administration they do not want was made at the request and with the consent of the State of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in the House on 29th April, certain questions about the discussions with Mr. Bradshaw cannot be answered because those discussions must be confidential.—[Vol. 782, c. 1152.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the talks he has held with Mr. Bradshaw of St. Kitts.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I have had a useful exchange of views with Mr. Bradshaw, Premier, and Mr. Southwell, Deputy Premier, of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla on 7th and 8th May. Both Ministers are staying until tomorrow, 13th May, for further discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an undertaking that the forthcoming official statement on the case of Dr. A. E. Laurence will be made orally on the floor of the House.

Yes. I shall, of course, be ready to answer any Question that is put down, in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the amount of compensation to be paid to Ronald Avard.

My right hon. Friend has referred the case to an independent assessor and will make an announcement as soon as he has received and considered his advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for exceeding the 60 miles per hour speed limit on the A45 between Thurlaston roundabout and the Birmingham boundary.

It would involve a disproportionate effort to obtain the precise information; but the figures available indicate that during the twelve months following introduction of this limit on an experimental basis on 17th October 1967 over 120 such prosecutions were undertaken. Figures for exceeding speed limits appropriate to various classes of vehicle were considerably greater.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of immigration officers whom it will be necessary to send overseas to assist the staff of the British High Commissions to scrutinise applications by Commonwealth dependants for entry certificates into the United Kingdom.

About 10 additional members of the Immigration Service are being seconded to British High Commission offices overseas to help with this work. They will fill posts as entry certificate officers. There will also be increases in the ancillary and supporting staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the instructions he has given to the Metropolitan Police for dealing with violent picketing at the London School of Economics.

My right hon. Friend has given no instructions in this connection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables and traffic wardens will be on duty at Caernarvon on the occasion of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales on 1st July; and what will be the additional cost to public funds.

I regret that the information is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to lay before Parliament the Parliamentary Boundary Commission reports for England which have now been in his possession for over two weeks.

I shall bring my conclusions before Parliament when I have studied the recommendations in the report and also the recommendations in the reports of the Commissions for Wales and Northern Ireland, yet to be received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy relating to fire risks with particular reference to possible precautions in private homes and public institutions.

I would refer the right hon. and learned Member to the Answer given on 1st May to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Maxwell).—[Vol. 782, c. 261.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consult the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with a view to introducing legislation designed to prevent public acts of cruelty to animals; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that my hon. Friend has in mind cruelty which may result from hunting certain wild animals. My right hon. Friend has no proposals for legislation on field sports at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the per capita expenditure on fire services in the 20 largest cities in England and Wales.

The expenditure per head of population in 1967–68 (the latest year for which full figures are available) was as follows:

	£	s.	d.
London	1	8	3
Birmingham	1	1	5
Liverpool	1	19	1
Manchester	1	2	5
Sheffield		14	10
Leeds		18	4
Bristol	1	7	5
Coventry		18	0
Nottingham		18	2
Bradford		17	2
Kingston-upon-Hull	1	6	7
Cardiff		18	10
Leicester		19	1
Stoke-on-Trent		16	1
Wolverhampton		18	2
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	1	6	8
Plymouth	1	2	8
Sunderland		18	8
Portsmouth	1	1	6
Southampton	1	5	4

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, on what date the Land Commission sold one and a half acres of land at Mudeford, near Christchurch, Hampshire, for £48,600; and if he will give the latest figures for the total acreage of land sold by the Commission for housing purposes and the average price per acre.

I understand that the land was sold at auction and that the sales will be completed very shortly. The Commission has, to date, sold 18·3 acres at an average price of £7,200 per acre.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the Land Commission have not yet reached a deci- sion on the betterment levy demanded by Mr. Jack Pearce, age 76, of Jasmine Cottage, Chaddleworth; and whether he will make a further statement.

This is a matter for the Commission. I understand that it hopes to complete its consideration of this case in the near future.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the average rate of interest paid by local authorities on their total outstanding debt; and what was that rate in October 1964.

The average rate of interest paid by local authorities on their total outstanding debt in 1967–68 (the last year for which information is available) is estimated at 5·6 per cent. The average for the year 1964–65 was 4·9 per cent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to introduce a Rate Support Grant (Increase) Order to offset the increases in local authority spending necessitated by Government measures since October 1968.

The usual time for an Increase Order is in the autumn. I propose shortly to invite the local authority associations to advise me about increases which, in their opinion, have occurred.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to reach an early decision on the confirmation of the Tamworth town map.

I am as concerned as the hon. Member to have this matter settled quickly. My right hon. Friend has just received Staffordshire County Council's views on draft modifications he proposed in March. He is studying these with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport as a matter of urgency.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action has been taken by his Department over the last two years to investigate and make recommendations on the fumes and emissions from the smokeless fuel plant at Keresley in Warwickshire.

The Department's Alkali Inspectorate and medical consultant have made visits to the plant and held discussions with the National Coal Board. They and the Board are co-operating in effecting improvements.

asked the Postmaster-General what official from his Department has been appointed to serve on the Development Commission of Craigavon New Town.

None.

asked the Postmaster-General on what date he expects the new telephone kiosk in Pincott Road, London, S.W.19, to be in operation.

During the week commencing 12th May.

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has to relay the television programmes of Telefis Eireann in Craigavon New Town.

None.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will make a statement about the progress he has made in his negotiations for the supply by his Department of a radio and television relay system for Craigavon New Town;(2) whether he has yet submitted a tender for the supply of a radio and television relay system for Craigavon New Town, and upon what terms as to duration of the agreement, the charges to be made directly or indirectly to subscribers, and the programmes to be relayed.

Negotiations have not yet been completed. The terms of any agreement will be matters for the Post Office and the Development Commission; there will, however, be no commitment in the first instance to provide service after 31st July, 1976.Programmes to be relayed will be:

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will make a statement about the progress he has made in his negotiations for the supply by his Department of a radio and television relay system for Milton Keynes New Town;(2) whether he has yet submitted a tender for the supply of a radio and television relay system for Milton Keynes New Town, and upon what terms as to duration of the agreement, the charges to be made directly or indirectly to subscribers, and the programmes to be relayed.

Formal negotiations have not yet started and a tender has not been submitted; preliminary discussions only have taken place.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the details of the agreements made or tenders submitted for the radio and television relay systems provided or proposed to be provided by his Department for the Washington and Irvine New Town developments as respects the duration of agreements, the charges to be made directly or indirectly to subscribers, and the programmes to be relayed.

Negotiations have not yet been completed for the extension of the network at Washington or for its installation at Irvine. The terms of any agreements will be matters for the Post Office and the new town authorities; there will be no commitment, in the first instance, to provide service after 31st July, 1976.The programmes to be relayed would be:

asked the Postmaster-General in what respects the radio and television relay equipment and cable in the systems offered by his Department for use in the Irvine and Craigavon New Towns differs from that to be provided for Washington New Town.

In principle, none.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the Japanese societies mentioned in his letter of 19th June, 1968, to the hon. Member for North Dorset told British Embassy officials that they had received no report of imported dogs being maltreated in Japan; and what steps the Embassy have taken to obtain an up-to-date report from the society in this matter.

This information came from the Tokyo Office of the Japan Animal Welfare Society.As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 29th April, I am making further inquiries and the Embassy will consult the society again.—[Vol. 782, c.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether a decision has been reached on the proposals made to him affecting the future of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany.

Yes. The Council of the Institute and I have carefully considered, in the light of the views of the Fellows and the constituent organisations, the Report of the Joint Review Group recommending a number of changes at the Institute and in its relationship with the Ministry. We have put as our first consideration the worldwide reputation of the Institute as a scientifically independent body testing plant varieties and giving impartial advice on them to farmers and growers. We have also had in mind the need for a measure of reorganisation in view of the services now provided by the Institute as a result of the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act, 1964, and the substantial sums voted annually by the House for grant in aid to the Institute.We have now agreed that the Institute will remain an independent foundation under the Charitable Trusts Acts. The Institute's staff, working under the Director, will continue to be employed by the Council. There will be some strengthening of the Ministry's representation on the Council and on the Executive Committee. The Council will set up a Statutory Services Committee. Funds will continue to be provided, subject to the authority of the House, by means of grant in aid, and improved arrangements will be introduced for budgeting and control of expenditure. The new arrangements are intended to take effect from the beginning of next year.I am satisfied that these arrangements are in the interests of the Institute and of all those who benefit from its work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff in his Department operate bull and boar licensing both in inspection and in administration.

Most of the staff concerned spend only part of their time on bull and boar licensing. The equivalent number of full time staff would be about 30–35.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state in tabular form the acreage of agricultural land taken for development in each of the last 10 years, subdivided into the different classes of land as used in the land classification survey.

I think the hon. Member has in mind the agricultural land classification currently being undertaken by my Department. If so, I am afraid the information for which he asks is not available, as the survey does not include details of land which has already been taken out of agricultural use

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the value in 1968 of the United Kingdom imports listed in sections 5 to 8 of the Overseas Trade Accounts of the United Kingdom from the Commonwealth, the European Free Trade Association, the European Economic Community and the rest of the world, respectively.

£689 million; £648 million; £1,032 million; and £1,404 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he intends to take steps to renew the scheme for cheaper detergents and for adding a cheaper enzyme detergent; and whether he will make a statement about the results of the scheme over the last two years.

We hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the calculations which have led him to estimate the current differential advantage of the devaluation of 1967 at 7 per cent.

I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the statement made in the Budget debate by the President of the Board of Trade. This calculation was based on the reduction in the average dollar price of United Kingdom exports since devaluation in comparison with the average dollar prices of our main competitors' products.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the decisions reached as a result of the recent discussions with the International Monetary Fund in London.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given in reply to his similar Question on 2nd May and to the Question from the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. BruceGardyne) on 5th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount in the last financial year of income tax relief granted in respect of the maintenance of dogs; and what are his criteria for tax relief.

The total amount so allowed is not known. Relief may be claimed by reference to the same criteria as any other expense incurred either in a trade or in an employment. Expenditure on dogs kept as pets is not allowable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the assumptions on which his 1969–70 estimates of the yield of corporation tax have been based.

The estimated yield of corporation tax in 1969–70 depends mainly upon the levels of profits earned and capital expenditure incurred by companies in 1968 about which there was a substantial amount of information available by the time the Budget estimates were made. I would refer the hon. Member to tables 3 and 9 in the National Income White Paper (Cmnd. 3983).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the delivery of Phantom and Hercules aircraft, respectively, will be completed; how many were delivered up to the end of the financial year 1968–69; and how many will be delivered in the financial year 1969–70.

All 66 Hercules aircraft were delivered before the end of the financial year 1968–69. Ninety-seven Phantom aircraft were delivered before the end of March 1969, and the balance of 73 aircraft are due for delivery before the end of 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what proportion of primary school children in the East Riding is being educated in schools built or modernised since the war;(2) what proportion of secondary school pupils in the East Riding of Yorkshire is being educated in schools built or modernised since the war.

I am informed by the East Riding Education Authority that 36·4 per cent. of junior pupils and 85·5 per cent. of senior pupils were in schools built or modernised since the war in the spring term 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new or enlarged primary schools have been provided in the East Riding of Yorkshire since the passing of the Education Act 1944.

Forty-nine.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the population, in the last year for which figures are available, received university awards from local education authorities in the East Riding of Yorkshire, the Yorkshire and Humber-side Region as a whole and in England as a whole, respectively.

The numbers of new university awards taken up in 1968 represent 77·8 per 1,000 of a single age group in the East Riding of York shire, 58·9 in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region and 67·0 in England as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of children in the East Riding of Yorkshire, the Yorkshire and Humberside Region as a whole and in England as a whole, respectively, remained at secondary schools until the age of 16 years, in the last year for which figures are available.

In January 1968 the figures were 32·0 per cent., 26·1 per cent. and 28·7 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of students from the East Riding of Yorkshire, the Yorkshire and Humberside Region as a whole and from England as a whole, respectively, in the last year for which figures are available, entered colleges of education to train as teachers.

Of the new awards and grants given to students by local education authorities in 1967 as detailed in Statistics of Education 1967, Volume 5, table 28, the proportions given to entrants to colleges of education by the East Riding of Yorkshire, the Yorkshire and Humberside Region authorities and those in England as a whole were 29·8, 32·2 and 25·8 per cent., respectively. Figures are not available of the total numbers of entrants to higher and further education according to their home areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which education authorities do not give full grant awards to students on Higher National Diploma Courses; and what, in each case, is the extent to which the grant is reduced.

There is nothing I can add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) on 24th March.—[Vol. 780, c. 229–30.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education for Science if he will publish the list of persons and organisations that have made representations to his Department for the abolition of religious education in the schools: and if he will make a statement.

So far my Department has received 2,268 letters in favour of the retention of the compulsory religious education provisions in the Education Acts and 123 against.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give the total number of working days lost in 1968 through industrial disputes, the total of the insured population and the average number of working days lost through industrial disputes per person insured.

During 1968 the total number of working days lost in the United Kingdom through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes was 4,690,000. Official statistics express loss of working time in relation to the number of employees in employment. The latter figure for the United Kingdom at mid-1968 is estimated to be 23,125,000, giving an average of working days lost per employee of 0·2.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she proposes to take, in the light of the details supplied to her by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, concerning a firm which has evaded the Government's policy on prices and incomes during 1967–68.

My Department is asking for further information from the firm. I will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether, in her forthcoming Industrial Relations Bill, she will make provision for workers who go slow, work to rule, take holidays, go sick and take off days to go to race meetings and other sporting events.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council what action has been taken to ensure that On Her Majesty's Service envelopes have sufficient adhesive on them to enable them to be sealed, as a result of his consideration of this matter.

It is regretted that the adhesive on some recent deliveries of O.H.M.S. buff envelopes to the House has been unsatisfactory. Fresh supplies are being ordered, and as soon as they are available, present stocks will be withdrawn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in view of the fact that over 67 per cent. of those members of Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce who replied to a questionnaire about the continuance of British Standard Time were opposed to it, if he will take action accordingly.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. MacArthur) on 2nd April.—[Vol. 781, c. 105.]

asked the Minister of Power if, from information available to him from international sources, he will list those European countries which have higher cost petrol than Great Britain, showing in each case the retail price per gallon of the two top grades; and if he will also give available comparable information for those European countries which have cheaper petrol.

Comparisons between retail petrol prices in Western European countries are not exact, as zonal practices and grade definitions vary. The approximate prices per gallon for the top two grades, equivalent to recommended prices in London of 6s. 5½d. and 6s. 7½d., for those countries with higher prices, are:

France	7s.	10½d.	and	8s.	1½d.
Italy	7s.	9½d.	and	8s.	5d.
Belgium	6s.	5d.	and	6s.	9½d.

For those with lower prices, the figures are:

Austria	4s.	10d.	and	5s.	6½d.
Denmark	5s.	11½d.	and	6s.	3d.
Irish Republic	6s.	1d.	and	6s.	4½d.
Germany	5s.	9d.	and	6s.	1½d.
Luxembourg	6s.	0d.	and	6s.	1½d.
Netherlands	5s.	10½d.	and	6s.	2½d.
Sweden	6s.	3d.	and	6s.	5½d.
Switzerland	4s.	11½d.	and	5s.	3½d.

The figures for France are those for the Paris zone, those for Italy are the official maximum prices, and those for the Irish Republic reflect the recent tax increase. Tax being the main element in all the prices listed, differences in price substantially reflect differences in the level of taxation. In view of the different market practices and the artificial exchanges rates, it is not possible to provide comparable figures for the Eastern European countries.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on British participation in the proposed European experimental television relay satellite.

At the European Space Conference in November, 1968 the United Kingdom stated its willingness to participate in a European applications satellite programme based upon the tele- vision relay satellite proposed by C.E.T.S.—provided that (a) it used the most economical launcher and (b) we were relieved of part of our remaining anticipated contribution to E.L.D.O. In the course of the Conference, arrangements were worked out under which the greater part of the extra cost of using a European launcher in preference to a cheaper alternative would be borne by those countries concerned with the continued development of a European launcher, and the excess cost to the users would be limited; the United Kingdom agreed to these arrangements on the basis of its relief from E.L.D.O.This was achieved at the E.L.D.O. Ministerial Conference on 15th April, when agreement was reached on a reduction of £6 million in the United Kingdom's expected contributions to E.L.D.O. This enabled the United Kingdom to confirm its willingness in principle to participate in the C.E.T.S. television satellite project, and I notified the Secretary-General of the European Space Conference accordingly on 15th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the progress being made in the provision of road links between the Midlands and South Wales; when the work will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave him on 4th February. Since then work has started on the Raglan-Usk section and a draft compulsory purchase order has been published for the final Usk-Coldra section of the new Midlands road. I still expect the completed road to be opened in 1972.—[Vol. 777, c. 82.]