asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what grounds it is proposed to close the Ongar War Memorial Hospital; and whether he will make a statement.

The North-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board has not vet submitted to me a formal proposal to close this hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the major psychiatric block at Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry, to come into operation.

It is hoped the unit will begin to operate by the end of 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of geriatric patients waiting for chronic permanent beds in hospital in Mid-Worcester; and what plans have been made to increase the accommodation available.

65 patients are at present on the waiting list for geriatric beds in this area. The Birmingham Regional Hospital Board has future requirements under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the transfer of geriatric patients and beds from Carlton Hospital, Worksop, to Retford Hospital is in the interests of patients and relatives in Worksop; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to him on 14th May. He tries to take account of all the interests of patients and their relatives when considering whether he should approve the closure of any hospital.—[Vol. 783, c. 232–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached by the staff side of the Whitley Council dealing with the claim for £ 1 per week extra for student nurses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 14th May to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward).—[Vol. 783, c. 232.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will apply the system of charges for meals for nursing staff to doctors, executives, chairmen and members of hospital regional boards and management committees, and Ministers when having meals at hospitals on occasions of official visits.

The system of payment for meals as taken applies to doctors and administrative staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations have been made to him regarding the supply of drinks for student nurses in hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

The representations have been mainly that beverages for resident student nurses outside mealtimes should not have to be paid for as taken. The Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council agreed on 13th May that payment for such beverages should be regarded as covered by the existing annual lodging charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the pay and career opportunities for nurses enrolling in the National Health Service is comparable with the same career in the defence forces; and if he will make a statement.

The conditions of service and the liabilities of nurses in the forces differ in many respect from those in the National Health Service and I doubt if comparison would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider introducing tests for the selection of nurses in order to reduce the wastage which is at present occurring.

Statutory minimum qualifications have been laid down for entry to student nurse training, and the General Nursing Council is investigating the possibility of introducing tests for pupil nurses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider re-classifying private nurses as self-employed persons for purposes of selective employment tax.

No. My right hon. Friend has no power to re-classify persons solely for the purpose of selective employment tax, and the question whether a refund of this tax may be made in respect of particular groups is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the issue, during the first four months of the year, of 1,135 category B vouchers for doctors, including 893 from India and 174 from Pakistan, what progress he is making in furtherance of his policy of making the hospital service less dependent on the services of doctors from overseas.

I announced on 14th April that the intake capacity of British medical schools is to be increased from its present level of 2,700 to 3,700 by 1975, the number suggested by the Royal Commission on Medical Education as the highest practicable target. I recognise the desirability of keeping the flow of overseas doctors in step with the essential needs of the National Health Service, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and productivity and I are keeping the issue of vouchers under close review.—[Vol. 781, c. 806–810.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which site has been selected by his Department for the new hospital at Ashford.

The South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board has been asked to re-open discussions with the local authorities about siting the hospital in the Godinton Park area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish details of costs to the hospital services in general as a result of accidents during the past three years.

The cost to the hospital service in England of in-patient treatment as a result of accidents on the roads, in the home and elsewhere is estimated at about £40 million a year at present, but more detailed information about costs is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions he has, when attending official functions at hospitals, been supplied with meals and refreshments at public expense.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study his Department has made of the new means for combating silicosis, now undergoing clinical tests, which has been developed by the German Professor Schlipkoter, details of which have been sent to him; and what action he plans to take as a result.

Research into this method of combating silicosis is being carried out by the Medical Research Council, but no clinical trials are envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further action he intends to take to educate people, and especially the young, on the health hazards of smoking cigarettes.

The Health Education Council is to mount a poster hoarding campaign later this year on the dangers of cigarette smoking. It is also planning a separate campaign specifically aimed at teenagers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to exempt employers from paying National Insurance contributions on behalf of employees who are not required to contribute to the scheme on the ground that they are too old to qualify for benefits.

No. It has never been regarded as right to make an employer's liability to pay flat-rate contributions under the National Insurance scheme depend on whether the employee is liable to pay.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what distribution was made of the leaflet, "The Short Step"; and what further distribution is proposed.

There was a mass distribution to every address in Scotland, Wales, the Northern Region, Merseyside and the South Western Region, and a selective distribution to post offices, Ministry offices, town halls, voluntary bodies, etc., in Manchester, Birmingham, Hull, York and a number of towns in the East Riding and East Anglia.It is not proposed to make a further distribution of the leaflet since some of the information it contains is already out of date and will become further out of date when we increase benefits in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how soon after the publication of the report of the Royal Commission on Local Government he expects to make his statement on the Seebohm Report; and when this will be.

I understand that the Royal Commission's Report will be published soon after Whitsun. I cannot yet say when this statement can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the implementation of the Seebohm Report will be contingent on decisions taken about the re-organisation of the National Health Service.

Decisions in these two fields will not be taken without considering their relationship with each other.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress he has made in the negotiations to enable Buccaline Berna manufactured by the Swiss Serum and Vaccine Institute at Berne to be freely imported; and if he will make a statement.

Officials of my Department are having discussions this week with representatives of the Swiss authorities about the obstacles to the granting of licences for the importation from Switzerland of products controlled under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now change the earnings rule which at present discourages the wives of disabled people from earning more than £2 16s. per week.

I have nothing to add to the replies my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale) on 14th April.—[Vol. 781, c. 781.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to introduce regulations restricting the payment of unemployment benefit to occupational pensioners as recommended in the National Insurance Advisory Committee Report, Command Paper No. 3545.

Draft regulations are at present being considered by the National Insurance Advisory Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now ease the earnings rule for pensioners.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Horncastle (Mr. Tapsell) on 1st Aprii.—[Vol. 781, c. 87.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to provide that emergency dental treatment for children of school age shall be provided by dentists under the National Health Service.

There is no reason why a child in need of emergency dental treatment should not obtain it readily under existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individual cases of disabled persons affected by the wage stop have been examined since 1967; and in how many cases has it been retained, or removed partially and totally.

The consultations referred to in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) on 11th June last raised issues of considerable importance which could not be resolved until recently. I very much regret this has meant that it has not been possible to begin the review of disabled persons affected by the wage stop proposed in the report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission. Instructions to local offices to begin examining individual cases are going out next week.—[Vol. 766, c. 24.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will merge the National Insurance appeal procedures for accident and prescribed disease cases.

The Industrial Injuries Act provides that appeals arising on questions of law or fact, other than questions on medical issues, shall be determined by independent lay statutory authorities. Appeals involving medical issues, such as whether a person is suffering from one of the prescribed industrial diseases or the assessment of the extent of disablement resulting from an accepted industrial accident or prescribed disease, are for determination by independent medical statutory authorities. I can see no useful purpose in merging these appeal procedures, which I am satisfied are in the best interests of claimants for benefit under the industrial injuries scheme.

asked the Secretary of Social Services what categories of persons will be exempt from paying the increased charges for teeth and spectacles, and will be able to claim reimbursement under the supplementary benefit scheme, respectively; how many he estimates will be affected in each category; what is the estimated annual cost of these concessions; and to what extent his estimate of the revenue of £3½ million per annum arising from the increased charges takes them into account.

The arrangements for exemption and refund will continue in their present form. It is not possible to say exactly how many people come into each of the categories, but in 1968 supplementary benefit payments in respect of the present charges for lenses and dentures totalled about £1¾ million in Great Britain. The exemptions and an estimated increase in supplementary benefit payments were taken into account in estimating revenue from the increased charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors have left the United Kingdom to take up posts abroad within the past five years, and how many have returned within the same period; how many women doctors have left the profession due to marriage within the past five years, and how many married women doctors have returned to work during the same period.

Information about doctors going abroad is not available in exactly the form requested but it is estimated that in the four years to 30th September 1966 a total of about 3,450 British doctors left Great Britain and 2,150 returned. The information requested about women doctors is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the total emoluments for an unemployed person, who is married with two children, taking into account the average allowances for rent and other cost of living expenses.

An unemployed man with a dependent wife and two dependent children would receive flat-rate unemployment benefit of £9 4s. a week for up to a year, plus 18s. a week family allowance. He would also be eligible during the first six months (after 12 "waiting" days) for an earnings-related supplement of up to £7 a week depending upon his previous earnings. Assuming constant earnings at the October 1968 average of £22 19s. 11d. a week throughout the 1968–69 tax year, the supplement would be £4 19s. a week.The same person's weekly requirements under the supplementary benefits scheme would be about £12 18s. made up as follows: for a married couple £7 9s., two children (assuming one under five, one aged 5–10) £2 19s., plus an addition of £2 10s. (average) for rent. If his unemployment benefit, including any earnings-related supplement fell short of these requirements he would be entitled to receive the balance by way of supplementary allowance. The amount of supplementary allowance would, however, be restricted under the "wage-stop" rule if it would otherwise result in his receiving an income higher than when employed in his normal occupation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the number of persons employed by his Department in the Bradford Employment Exchange area, giving figures for men, women, young persons and skilled manual workers, with separate details for Shipley.

The number of persons employed in the Department of Health and Social Security in the Bradford Employment Exchange area and at Shipley is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce the increase, shown as a weekly cash amount, in the social security benefit level.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave the House earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the increase in the cost of supplementary benefits in 1969–70 is included in the total of £430 million which he has estimated is required to keep the National Insurance Fund in balance; and if supplementary benefits are to be financed wholly or partly from the National Insurance Fund.

The cost of supplementary benefits is not financed from the National Insurance Fund at present, nor will it be in the future. It was not therefore taken into account in assessing the needs of the National Insurance Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of deaths from abortion in England and Wales broken down into legal, criminal and spontaneous, for 1967, 1968 and for the first 12 months following the passage of the Abortion Act.

Figures for the first quarter of 1969 are not yet available. For 1967 and 1968 they are are follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to prevent the use of the nude female form in advertising by the pharmaceutical industry.

I understand that in December, 1968, the Code of Practice Committee of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry informed members that they would condemn such promotional methods when designed to altract attention to the text of an advertisement. I do not think that legislation would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to standardise filling shapes for dental caries treated under the National Health Service to conform with Black's cavity outline.

I think the shape of a filling is a matter for the clinical judgment of the individual practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if a dentist in the National Health Service is allowed under his regulations to charge a fee for denture repairs.

; No; repairs to dentures under National Health Service arrangements are free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the maximum fee chargeable to a patient under the National Health Service for dental service in respect of a check up and a clean and polish, respectively.

There is no charge for a simple examination without X-rays Where X-rays are required, the charge will vary, subject to the statutory maximum, according to their number and type. The charge to a patient for scaling and polishing only is 13s. 6d.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute proceedings against dental repair shops which are dealing directly with the public outside the permitted, scope of existing regulations.

Action in connection with any breach of the relevant provisions of the Dentists Act, 1957, should be a matter for the General Dental Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the price for tetracycline paid by the National Health Service when bought by tender as services to the Crown; and what is the price paid subsequently when hospitals purchased direct from the patent holders or their licensees in each of the years 1965. 1966 and 1967.

It is contrary to Government policy to disclose contract prices. However, since the decision in 1966 that hospital authorities should make their own local purchasing arrangements for tetracycline, there has been keen competition among the licensed suppliers and prices have dropped considerably.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to the National Health Service of 25 tablets (250 milligrammes) of oxytetracycline and of terramycin, respectively; if these two drugs are in essence one and the same; and if he will make a statement.

5s. 6d. for oxytetra cycline B.P. and 21s. 2d. for terramycin. Although the products contain similar amounts of the same active ingredient, they are not necessarily exact therapeutic equivalents. I have drawn the attention of doctors to the difference in price by means of circulars and visits by my regional medical officers, and the number of prescriptions for terramycin had fallen to 8 per cent. of the total for all the oxytetracyclines by December 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many students or doctors from India or from Pakistan, apart from vouchers holders, have entered medical schools in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1962, to 1968; how many of these have remained in the National Health Service or in private practice in Great Britain; and how many have returned to their countries of origin or left for other destinations.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation this Session to set up a new National Radiological Protection Board.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 27th February.—[Vol. 778, c. 354.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the additional income accruing from an increase of 1d. per week in the National Health Service element of the social security contribution.

Of the order of £4 million from insured persons and £4½ million from employers.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to extend financial assistance on social grounds from railway passenger services to include freight services.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport how many diesel locomotives were operated by British Railways in 1968; and how many failures or breakdowns of these engines were reported in the same year.

British Railways operated 4,376 diesel locomotives in 1968. The only failures which are required to be reported to my right hon. Friend are those of a kind which might have caused a train accident. 110 such failures were reported during 1968 and, of this total, 101 were minor fires which were extinguished by the train crews.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the report of the inquiry into the Morpeth train disaster.

The Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways is opening his public inquiry tomorrow, but the report on a major accident of this kind is bound to take some time to prepare.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to make the regulations providing for a reduction in drivers' hours.

When we have completed consultations with the trades unions and employers' associations.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the Lancashire region of the Transport and General Workers Union docks group regarding Her Majesty's Government's proposal to introduce legislation to bring the docks into public ownership; and what reply he has sent.

Representations on two points have reached me through a number of hon. Members. I have replied to the effect that although Manchester Corporation have provided much of the loan capital of the Manchester Ship Canal Company, I do not think it could be claimed that the Company are employing public money in opposing the ports reorganisation proposals; and that I will bear in mind the view that the Port of Manchester should be managed by a separate subsidiary authority, but it will be for the National Ports Authority to consider this in the first instance in preparing a scheme of organisation for my approval.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to assist the provision of more lorry parks, and of arrangements for guarding them.

This is a matter for the local authorities in conjunction with the road haulage industry. It is highly desirable that in the interests of local amenity and safety more lorry parks should be provided. I am taking every opportunity of encouraging their provision.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will seek to amend the 1968 Transport Act to make the provision of concessionary fares for retirement pensioners obligatory on local authorities not operating their own transport.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer on 12th November, 1968, to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline, Burghs (Mr. Adam Hunter).—[Vol. 773, c. 90.]

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to increase the number of public weighbridges to facilitate the checking by road hauliers of weights of laden vehicles.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Leslie Huckfield), on 29th April.—[Vol. 782, c. 215.]

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will state the number of persons employed by his Department, British Railways and British Road Services in the Bradford Employment Exchange area, giving figures for men, women, young persons and skilled manual workers, with separate details for Shipley.(2) if he will state the numbers of persons employed by the British Waterways Board in the Bradford Employment Exchange area, giving figures for men, women, young persons and skilled manual workers, with separate details for Shipley.

In the Bradford employment exchange area my department employs twelve men, none at Shipley. According to accepted practice, statistical information relating to nationalised undertakings is provided only for the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Transport how many new vehicles were registered in the first four months of 1969; and what were the comparable figures in the first four months of 1968.

The figures sought are published regularly as soon as they become available, and I have arranged for the hon. Member to receive a copy each month.

asked the Minister of Transport how many cars were subjected to a Ministry of Transport test in 1968; and how many of these cars passed the test.

6,881,094 motor cars were tested in 1968, and 4,782,387 (or 70 per cent) passed the test.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the obiter dicta in the Appeal Court that there should be legislation making it compulsory for vehicle passengers to be insured; and whether he will make a statement on the Government's intentions.

I have seen the reports of this case, but had already announced my intention to introduce compulsory passenger liability insurance as soon as there is a suitable opportunity, in Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) on 10th March.—[Vol. 779, c. 960.]

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have taken place on the Winchester bypass since 1st January, 1966.

From 1st January, 1966, until 31st March this year there were 132 accidents involving personal injury on the Winchester bypass.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to complete his current examination of the requirements for traffic on the Winchester bypass.

It is too soon to say. We have now received a report by the county surveyor which is being studied urgently in the light of the accident record on this road. As my right hon. Friend has already undertaken, we will write to the hon. and gallant Member as soon as we have more definite information.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the survey of trans-Pennine traffic.

Work on the project feasibility studies is continuing and we expect to have the final reports on these complex studies by the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the proposed new roads in the Chelmsley Wood development that are still awaiting his authorisation; and when he expects to reach decisions in these cases.

The only new road scheme in Chelmsley Wood awaiting Ministry authorisation is the proposed collector road to Castle Bromwich. We hope to reach a decision on the grant application for this scheme in about two months.

asked the Minister of Transport what alterations to the proposed Marston bypass he has proposed to Warwickshire County Council; and if he will take steps to expedite the construction of this bypass, in view of the additional heavy traffic from the Kingbury oil terminal.

No alteration has been proposed, although we had doubts about the need for one roundabout. I am considering the scheme with a view to programming it for starting work in the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied that over 700 miles of motorway will be completed in England and Wales by 1st January, 1971, as stated by him on 24th July, 1968; and if he will make a statement.

I see no reason why 700 miles should not be completed, but as it will involve fairly recently let contracts meeting their very late completion dates in 1970, I cannot at the moment be absolutely certain none of them will slip over into early 1971.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents there have been at Heatherside Crossroads, Camberley, since the Halt signs on the Chobham Road were replaced by Give-way signs; and how many people have been killed or seriously injured as a result.

There have been seven accidents involving personal injury, resulting in three deaths and ten people seriously injured, since December, 1967, when the "Give way" signs were erected. This rate is not significantly different from that before. I understand that Surrey County Council intend to improve the layout of the junction.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a completion date for the Bedworth by-pass project.

Completion of the by-pass is expected by December this year.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) in view of the increasing number of serious accidents on the A30 between Okehampton and Launceston, if he will now provide the necessary finance to bring this road up to the required safety standard;(2) when a dual carriageway from Exeter to Okehampton on the A30 will be built.

My Green Paper "Roads for the Future" includes A30 from Exeter to Okehampton and Okehampton to Launceston among these routes suggested for comprehensive improvement to dual carriageway standards. I must await the outcome of the consultation and further evaluation which I have proposed before deciding when these improvements can be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to enable Anguillans to obtain access to their Post Office savings accounts now frozen in St. Kitts.

The matter is under discussion with the State Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his talks with the Premier of St. Kitts on the future of Anguilla.

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

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) on 16th May. The discussions are still proceeding.—[Vol. 783, c. 287.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish the report of the Beeching Commission on manpower requirements in Gibraltar.

The Report of the Beeching Mission to the Governor of Gibraltar is expected shortly. The report may touch on matters of a confidential nature and the question of publication has not yet been considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are serving with the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority in West Irian.

None. The United Nations Temporary Executive Authority was wound up in 1963.Two Britons are junior members of the staff of the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (U.N.R.W.I.), appointed in 1968 to advise, assist and participate in arrangements (which are the responsibility of Indonesia) for an "Act of Free Choice" by the people of West Irian this year.Four Britons are working in West Irian under quite different arrangements on development projects financed by the United Nations Fund for West Irian (F.U.N.D.W.I.).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Soviet authorities have recently granted consular access to Mr. Gerald Brooke.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on his discussions with the Russian Ambassador held in London on Friday, 9th May; and to what extent these talks dealt with the situation of Mr. Gerald Brooke now imprisoned in Russia.

As I told the House on 5th May, Her Majesty's Consul in Moscow saw Mr. Brooke on that day. He reported that Mr. Brooke appeared to be in reasonable physical condition.I remain in touch with the Soviet authorities about the case, which was discussed when the Soviet Ambassador called at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9th May.—[Vol. 783, c. 19.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action he has taken since 1st May to secure the release from prison of Mr. Anthony Grey, the Reuters correspondent now under close house arrest in Peking.

Representations continue to be made to the Chinese Government. Their Chargé d'Affaires was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today to discuss the cases of British subjects detained in China. He was asked once again to convey to his Government the very great importance we attach to Mr. Grey's early release. The Chargé d'Affaires had nothing new to say about Mr. Grey's case or about the cases of other British subjects detained in China.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent proposals he has received from the Anguillan leader Mr. Ronald Webster for home rule for Anguilla; and whether Her Majesty's Government will now seek to arrange this method of resolving the problem.

Mr. Webster has sent my right hon. Friend proposals for the future of Anguilla which include what he terms "constitutional entrenchment of Home Rule". As my right hon. Friend said in the House on 23rd April, it would be unwise at this stage to be dogmatic about the future of the island. Both time and consultation are needed.—[Vol. 782, c. 497.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the names of the house owners in Anguilla who were intimidated because of their opposition to the developments in the island and whose houses were burned down; how many houses were so burned down; and if he will make a statement.

Certain people in Anguilla who were opposed to the developments in the island were subjected to threats that their houses would be burned down. These threats, which were not carried out, could not be ignored in view of the burning of other houses previously, including that of the British doctor. The details of this case were given in my replies to the hon. Member on 1st and 8th May. It would not be in the interest of the persons concerned to give their names.—[Vol. 782, c. 270: Vol. 783, c. 129.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the decision of the Association of Child Care Officers to refuse to carry out work in connection with certain local authorities.

According to the press reports I have seen, the action taken by the association at its recent annual conference did not go so far as my hon. Friend suggests. Any question of local authority officers refusing to work would be one between them and their employers; but, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and I have said in reply to previous Questions, local authorities would be unwise to make changes in organisation which pre-empt the Government's decision on the recommendations of the Seebohm Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, on the information so far available to him, all constituencies in England whose electorates at 10th October 1968 were 80,000 or over and 30,000 and under.

On the information so far available the list of such constituencies is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to make a statement on the case of Dr. A. E. Laurence.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain from the chief constable a report showing the authorised establishment and the actual present strength of the police force in the County of Herefordshire.

Herefordshire is policed by the West Mercia Constabulary. Separate establishment and strength figures are not required for parts of a police area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to provide that magistrates may not sit for long periods without a break for rest and refreshment.

I have no evidence that any special steps are necessary for this purpose but if my hon. Friend has particulars of any specific instances I would be willing to examine them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she is taking to resolve the wage dispute involving creamery workers; and whether she will make a statement.

Unofficial strike action has been taken by workers in some creamery establishments in South-West England, Wales and Scotland during the past two weeks in support of local claims for increases in pay. There has now been a resumption of work in South-West England and in Wales. I understand that meetings are being held today in Glasgow between the employers and unions concerned and in London between representatives of the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers, the Transport and General Workers' Union and Unigate Ltd. I hope that these meetings will lead to a general resumption of normal working.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many people are now employed in North-East Scotland; and if she will classify them by skills, age and sex.

Analyses of employment for local areas are available by industry and for males and females separately. Similar analyses by age and showing skills are not however compiled. Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will state the number of persons employed by her Department in the Bradford Employment Exchange area, giving figures for men, women, young persons and skilled manual workers, with separate details for Shipley.

The number of persons employed by my Department in the areas covered by Bradford Employment Exchange and Shipley Employment Exchange as as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress she is making in assisting road hauliers in the preparation of productivity agreements.

My Officers are in close touch with both sides of the road haulage industry and my manpower advisers and consultants are assisting individual firms in negotiating productivity agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Porductivity how many doctors came to Great Britain from India and Pakistan as holders of category B vouchers in each of the years 1962 to 1968; and how many of these have left the United Kingdom.

Analyses of the voucher holders arriving in Great Britain have only been made since 1967. In that year 702 doctors arrived from India and 160 from Pakistan. In 1968 the figures were 782 and 176 respectively. No records are kept of voucher holders leaving the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many hours were lost through industrial disputes in the Scottish motor industry in the first three months of 1969; and what were the comparable figures in the first quarter of 1968.

In official statistics loss of time through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes is measured in terms of "days lost". It is provisionally estimated that 16,000 working days were lost in the first three months of 1969 through stoppages in the motor vehicle industry in Scotland. The corresponding figure for the first quarter of 1968 was 500.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the difficulty which interested parties are experiencing in obtaining copies of the Edwards Report, he will extend the period during which he is prepared to receive representations on the findings and recommendations.

There is no fixed time by which comments must be received, though obviously the sooner the better if there is to be a White Paper this summer. We are doing our best to make copies available to all who particularly need them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to make a statement of his policy on the Edwards Committee Report on air transport licensing.

We hope that a White Paper will be published before the Summer Recess.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will inquire into and report upon the causes of the presence of the oil slick off the coast of Cumberland and what action is being taken against those concerned; and if he will take steps to reimburse the local authorities concerned for the losses caused.

It is probable that the slick was part of a quantity of fuel oil which escaped when the British tanker "Hamilton Trader", was in collision with a German cargo vessel off Liverpool on 30th April. We are holding a preliminary inquiry into the circumstances of the collision and must await the result before deciding whether action against any person is justified. The local authorities concerned can claim grant from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government at the rate of 50 per cent. of expenditure necessarily incurred by them in dealing with any oil pollution which this slick may have caused.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of marble imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

The following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of persons employed by his Department in the Bradford Employment Exchange area, giving figures for men, women, young persons and skilled manual workers, with separate details for Shipley.

The number employed by the Board of Trade in the Bradford Employment Exchange area is 9 men and 6 women. There are no young persons or manual workers amongst this number and none work at Shipley.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the

The information is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the number of firms which will be leviable on the coming into effect of the Hosiery and Knitwear Industry (Scientific Research Levy) Order 1969 now before Parliament in draft; and what is his estimate of the total number of employees of those firms, and their aggregate payroll.

The total number of firms within the industry as defined in the schedule to the draft of the Order is estimated to be around 1200. The number of firms leviable will depend on the size of their turnover (less certain deductions as defined in paragraph 6 of the Order) during each levy period of 6 months. Those whose net turnover does not exceed £5,000 will not be liable for that period. No estimate has been of the total number of employees of these firms or of their aggregate payroll since such estimates are not relevant to the operation of the Order as drafted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the annual yield to the Hosiery and Knitwear Industry (Levy) Deposit Account on the coming into effect of the Hoisery and Knitwear Industry (Scientific Research Levy) Order, 1969, now before Parliament in draft.

Based on the estimated turnover of the industry in 1967 and on the assumption that sales will continue to increase, the annual yield to the Hosiery and Knitwear Industry (Levy) Deposit Account should reach at least £100,000. A more precise estimate will not be possible until after the expiry of the first levy period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the Finance Bill were printed and how many were sold before the Second Reading of the Bill in each of the last four years, shown separately; and what are the respective figures this year.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total value of United States investment in the United Kingdom, and of United Kingdom investment in the United States of America, respectively.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of selective employment tax paid by independent schools annually; and how much of this is refunded.

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