asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the monthly sales and purchases of British Government Stocks by the Bank of England.

No. The figures are already given quarterly, and more frequent publication could be detrimental to future operations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial assistance he proposes to make available to business and other concerns in order to change their accountancy and other machinery to meet the demands of decimalisation; and if he will make a statement.

No special assistance is proposed in addition to the normal tax reliefs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to exempt all those on the Disabled Persons Register from payment of selective employment tax; and if he will estimate the cost of doing so.

No: there is no evidence that S.E.T. is a significant factor in relation to unemployment among the disabled. I estimate the cost at about £19 million at the proposed new rates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ask Professor Reddaway to submit an interim report on selective employment tax to be published prior to discussion on the matter during the Committee stage of the Finance Bill.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) on 15th May.—[Vol. 783, c. 1634–7.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to exempt architects and other creative workers from payment of selective employment tax.

Architects provide a service for their clients and are therefore subject to S.E.T. in respect of their employers in the same way as other professional men.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend exemption from selective employment tax to service industries within development areas.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated loss of revenue of refunding selective employment tax in respect of establishments employing a majority of workers in food distribution.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated additional revenue to be gained by making self-employed persons liable to selective employment tax.

I estimate the additional net yield at the present rates of tax would be of the order of £75 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will raise the norm for dividend increases in line with the rise in earnings over the last 12 months.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that consumer expenditure is increasing beyond his Budget forecast; and what steps he now proposes to take.

No. On the preliminary evidence, consumers' expenditure in the first quarter of the year was broadly in line with my forecast for the first half of the year as published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1969–70".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each of the sums of money repaid to various international organisations since November 1967; and if he will list the new loans raised to repay debts.

I will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT sums repaid to the B.I.S. and the I.M.F. since November, 1967. The only new loans since then which have been taken for the purpose of repaying other debt were the £104 million B.I.S. credit of November, 1967 and the $1,400 million I.M.F. drawing in June, 1968.Following is the information:

	£ millions
I.M.F.
November, 1967	104
August, 1968	35
November, 1968	42
February, 1969	83
March, 1969	51
B.I.S.
Equal monthly instalments from June, 1968, totalling to April, 1969	95

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an up-to-date forecast of the balance of payments position for 1969.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the earlier Questions today on this subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the results of his recent discussions with the International Monetary Fund on the rescheduling of the United Kingdom external debt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement on the result of the discussions he has had with the International Monetary Fund concerning the rescheduling of the Government's overseas debts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the result of the recent negotiations with the International Monetary Fund; what conditions were agreed to; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer hon. Members to my answers earlier today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates is the loss to the Exchequer from tax-avoidance devices for the payment of public school fees.

The information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it took him 13 days to reply to a communication sent to him on 19th April by the hon. Member for West Ham, North concerning selective employment tax payable by the Manor House Hospital; and whether he will in future expedite replies to Members of Parliament.

My hon. Friend indicated in his letter that he would be tabling a Question on this, which did not appear. The reply took ten working days to be sent. I am satisfied that letters from hon. Members are dealt with as speedily as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the prevailing shortage of shilling pieces as compared with the plentiful supply of sixpences, if he will take steps to mint the new 5d. pieces at two or three times the rate of minting 1s. pieces, so as to have sufficient coinage to take the place of both the 1s. and 6d. pieces in use at present.

I share the hon. Member's desire to encourage a greater circulation of 5p. coins. A substantial minting programme is already in hand and steps have been taken to encourage those who draw coins from the banks to ask for this denomination in preference to sixpences. The minting of shillings was discontinued last year and I hope it will be possible to cease minting sixpences later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps he is considering, through legislation or otherwise, to ensure that the work of Parliament is not hindered by industrial disputes; and if he will make a statement;(2) if, in view of the importance to hon. Members of obtaining the advice of lawyers, accountants, estate agents and other professional people regarding the Finance Bill, he will now take action to end the unofficial strike that prevented proper distribution of the Bill.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office are doing their utmost to ensure that Members receive the necessary papers and, for the moment we should allow these efforts to continue with our support. If the situation persists, or deteriorates, we shall have to consider what further steps should be taken to ensure that Parliament continues to function effectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of revenue raised by levying income tax on war widows' pensions.

I am afraid that I cannot make the desired estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in the national debt between 1952 and 1963; and what has been the increase since that date.

About £3,957 million, and £4,115 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue a direction to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue that where an aerial mast is erected solely for the pursuit of the hobby of amateur radio no proposal for an increase in rateable value should be made.

No. The basis on which a dwellinghouse is assessed for rates is the rent at which the property might be expected to let in the open market. Where the installation of an aerial mast is likely to affect the rent which a hypothetical tenant would be prepared to offer for the property, it is only fair that this should be reflected in the rateable value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in Economic Trends quarterly figures of overseas transactions of interests, profits and dividends, showing debit, credit and net amounts, private and official, respectively.

I am considering this question as part of a general review of the presentation of published balance of payments statistics.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total net increase in National Savings in 1968; what was the comparable figure in 1964; and by what percentage the 1968 figure exceeds that of 1964.

The total net increase in national savings in 1968 was £79 million; in 1964 it was £357 million. The 1968 figure does not exceed that of 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent discussions which officials from the International Monetary Fund have been having with his Department regarding the economy.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answers earlier today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has had regarding the annual costs of keeping guide dogs by blind persons as a deduction for tax purposes; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had several letters from individuals on this point recently; but I have no statement to make.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action his Department has recently taken to protect the £ sterling from the effects of speculation in West German marks; if he will now seek to secure an upward revaluation of the West German mark to assist the £ sterling; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer to the answer given on 13th May in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne).—[Vol. 783, c. 1211–13.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to control the powers of merchant banks to lend money, in the same way that the clearing banks are restricted.

No. Requests for restraint on lending comparable to that applicable to the clearing banks have been made to and acted on by the accepting houses and other banks in the United Kingdom and I see no need to introduce legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it was with his authority that details concerning Great Britain's borrowing from the International Monetary Fund were announced by Her Majesty's Embassy in Washington on 13th May; and whether he will make a statement.

No official announcement was made by the British Embassy on this subject on 13th May.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a statement on the progress of his talks with the Construction Materials Group on the policy for those in the construction industry to dispense with imported materials when suitable home-produced alternatives exist.

In March, 1968 my predecessor asked the Construction Materials Group to consider a suggestion by the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro) for publicity about home-produced equivalents of materials which were commonly imported. As a result the Building Centre agreed to call attention in its Materials Bulletins to materials, etc. wholly or mainly of British manufacture, and has been doing so since last autumn.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is his policy regarding high buildings on the edge of Royal Parks; whether he has been consulted about the proposal to build a 180 feet high tower opposite Albert Gate; and what effect he expects this will have on Hyde Park.

My general policy is to oppose the erection of further high buildings around the edge of the Royal Parks where such buildings are likely to have an adverse impact on the amenities of the parks. My Department was consulted about the proposed development opposite Albert Gate. We told the local planning authority that the proposed building would, in our view, present a bulky appearance as seen from Hyde Park and would obtrude in a most undesirable way on views from the Park.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether his Department and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government have come to a conclusion about the future of the five old houses which have been built into the ruins of the west front of Bury St. Edmunds' Abbey; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend and I have reached the conclusion which is shared by the Ancient Monuments Board and the Historic Buildings Council, that the best solution will be to combine the indefinite preservation of the present appearance of the West Front with the uncovering and display of as much as possible of the medieval remains and the protection of the rest. This would involve the indefinite retention of the three houses in the middle, with appropriate safeguards for the medieval fabric, and the transfer to my Department of the two end properties and certain minor additions at the rear for treatment in a way which would not impair the appearance of the West Front.I am now in touch with the Bury Corporation, who own the properties, with a view to implementing these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Power what proportion of the £65 million of capital expenditure by the British Steel Corporation between 30th September, 1968, and 31st March, 1969, was financed from internal resources.

The Corporation's capital expenditure in the six months between 30th September, 1968, and 31st March, 1969, amounted to £35 million. This was more than covered by internal resources. The figure of £65 million referred to by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the debate on the Second Reading of the Iron and Steel Bill on 8th May [Vol. 783, c. 785] covered requirements for working capital in the period as well, but not requirements to repay loans.

asked the Minister of Power what were the capital requirements of the British Steel Corporation between 31st March and 30th September, 1968, and separately between 30th September, 1968, and 31st March, 1969.

£59 million in the first half-year and £82 million in the second.

asked the Minister of Power what rate of interest is represented by the £13 million which the British Steel Corporation have so far paid in respect of fixed interest on their commencing capital; and what period is covered by the payments.

The £13 million paid by the British Steel Corporation represents interest at 6½ per cent. on just under £134 million of its commencing capital for the period from vesting date up to 28th January, 1969.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in view of the persistent shortage of steel scrap, he will direct the British Steel Corporation to terminate its consultative arrangements with scrap merchants; and if he will make a statement.

I do not think this is a matter on which a direction would be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Power whether the representative oil prices from which his Department calculates actual prices of oil and oil derivative sales to industry are published at regular intervals, and in what form.

No. This information is volunteered to my Department on a confidential basis. It covers such matters as individual contract rebates off published prices negotiated between suppliers and consumers.

asked the Minister of Power what reasons Mr. Niall McDiarmid gave in tendering his resignation as a full-time member of the British Steel Corporation; why he is being reappointed as a part-time member; at what salary; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. McDiarmid was appointed a board member to 31st July 1970 or until his appointment as a group managing director ended whichever was earlier. He will be relinquishing his appointment as a group managing director and as soon as he does so he will automatically cease to be a board member. I have taken no decision to reappoint him as a part-time Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will introduce legislation to prevent local housing authorities from suspending the rent rebates scheme in respect of recently completed municipal housing estates;(2) if he will introduce legislation to prevent local housing authorities from establishing a rent structure between £8 10s. and £12 a week plus rates and internal repairs in newly completed housing schemes needed for slum clearance.

My right hon. Friend will be examining the basis of rent fixing for council housing and rent rebate schemes in the longer term review of housing finance, on which work has begun.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has now completed his study of the suggestions put forward for amending the Leasehold Reform Act; and if he will make a further statement.

Yes; as my right hon. Friend will be aware an amendment to the Leasehold Reform Act has been put down for inclusion in the Housing Bill.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwellings let by local authorities in England and Wales were modernised during the past year; how many then remained unmodernised; and if he will give similar figures for the county of Norfolk.

Last year Exchequer assistance was approved for the improvement of about 30,000 dwellings owned by local authorities in England and Wales. 743 of these were in Norfolk. 600,000 local authority dwellings in England and Wales are estimated to need improvement, but no separate estimate is available for Norfolk.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the recent estimate that it will cost £30 million to strengthen tower blocks to the standards he specified as a result of the Ronan Point disaster; what action he now intends to take to assist the councils concerned in this financial problem; and whether he will now give some immediate assistance to Newham, where the disaster occurred, towards overcoming their building and housing problems.

I have seen the estimate of £30 million but cannot confirm its accuracy. My right hon. Friend has already said that the Government will help financially and he is meeting the local authority associations on 2nd June to discuss arrangements for so doing and to go into the question of cost. My right hon. Friend has very much in mind the needs of Newham.

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he will take steps to make more information available to the public on the indirect costs of conversion to North Sea gas and on the possible dangers, following the recent inquest at Cambridge into the death of a man by overgassing;(2) what is the minimum experience and training for a gas converter; if he is satisfied that the present training provides adequate protection for the general public; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will issue a general direction to the gas boards to provide complete inspection of all conversions to North Sea gas carried out by sub-contractors.

I regret very much this unfortunate accident, but I am glad to say that accidents since conversion to natural gas started have been very rare. As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Ince (Mr. McGuire) on 22nd April [Vol. 782, c. 53.], over half a million converted consumers are now using natural gas but there have been only 24 accidents involving personal injury. The arrangements for training converters, for supervision of their work, and for giving guidance to consumers are all covered fully in the contracts between Gas Boards and their contractors or, where the conversion is done by Boards themselves, by their internal organisation. I do not think I could usefully add to these arrangements and I am sure that the gas industry and their contractors will continue to exercise the utmost care about safety in converting consumers to natural gas.

asked the Minister of Power what was the quantity of North Sea gas piped to the land in 1967–68 and 1968–69, respectively; and what was the equivalent in tons of coal.

310 million therms and 940 million therms, equivalent to about 1·1 million and 3·4 million tons of coal respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the fact that the First Review of the Hertfordshire County Development Plan was submitted in December, 1963, he will expedite the inquiry into his proposed modifications thereto in order to bring a greater degree of certainty into planning considerations in the county.

The inquiry will begin on 1st July at Hertford.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will include in the terms of reference of the present advisory committee on rehousing in clearance areas, the problems of small shopkeepers on weekly tenancies in such areas.

The Committee in question is a sub-committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee appointed

"to review the practice of housing authorities in allocating tenancies and rehousing, and to suggest rules or principles to be followed in these matters".

So far as a small shopkeeper on a weekly tenancy in a clearance area may wish to be rehoused by the housing authority, his case is already within the committee's terms of reference, but it would be difficult to include any other of his problems within them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total of subsidies available in each of the first five years to the London Borough of Brent in respect of the Chalkhill Redevelopment Area.

The precise amount of subsidy which will be payable cannot be given until approved costs have been ascertained and the representative rate of interest determined. The development will however benefit from the increased subsidies available under the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967, which, exclusive of expensive site subsidy, are equivalent to about 40 per cent. of the all-in cost of a dwelling.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the size of the Land Commissioner's office staff in Wales; and what is the total estimated salary and wages bill this year in respect of the Principality.

67 as at 19th May, 1969. The estimated salary and wages bill for the year is £105,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales upon what evidence he bases his assessment that 80 per cent. of the people of Wales do not speak Welsh.

In referring to

"eight out of ten of the Welsh people"

I was speaking in general terms. At the time of the 1961 census (which provides the latest figures), 26 per cent. of the population were recorded as being able to speak Welsh, leaving 74 per cent. who were not so recorded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated saving to the United Kingdom's balance of payments by the production of British wine rather than the import of a similar amount of wine from overseas.

If we drank only home-produced wine, the estimated saving would be about £35 million after making allowance for the imported material used in the production of British wine. But the comparison is not a good one. There are well-known reasons of taste why these products are only interchangeable to a limited extent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what representations she has received from the Fire Brigades Union on the fatal accident inquiry into the fire at James Watt Street, Glasgow, on the 18th November last; and what reply she has sent.

After considering the outcome of the fatal accident inquiry the union submitted supplementary evidence to the Department Committee on the Fire Service making suggestions about the more effective use of the fire brigades in connection with statutory fire provisions. Their memorandum was also submitted to my Department in connection with the proposed new safety, health and welfare legislation which is being prepared to replace the Factories Act and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act. In reply the Department undertook to consider the union's comments. This consideration will, of course, include any recommendations made by the Departmental Committee and any observations by other interested organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish in HANSARD a detailed list of trade unions which have officially notified her of their support of the White Paper, In Place of Strife; and how many have notified her that they are against the penal clauses.

I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend on 24th April.—[Vol. 782, c. 115.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will take steps to set up an independent inquiry into labour relations in the Scottish motor industry.

It is not proposed to set up a special inquiry, but the possibility of a reference to the Commission for Industrial Relations in respect of one or more of the companies involved will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are the provisional estimates of the employee activity rates in mid-1968 for males and females, respectively, in Scotland.

The mid-1968 male employee activity rate in Scotland was 74·5 per cent. and the corresponding female activity rate was 40·4 per cent.These activity rates are based on the 1968 mid-year estimated numbers of employees (including the registered unemployed) aged 15 and over, and on the 1968 mid-year home population estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the total number employed by the industrial training boards in the Principality of Wales, including Monmouthshire, and by the Central Training Council; and how many of these are directly engaged in training.

The information is not immediately available; I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what was the total of financial aid in the form of grants and loans provided by the United Kingdom Governments to overseas countries between 1945 and 1963; and what sums are owing to the United Kingdom.

Bilateral economic aid to developing countries totalled £1,216·7 million made up of grants £778·3 million and loans £438·4 million. £100·8 million of the grants were technical assistance. Of the £438·4 million loans, £339 million capital repayments were outstanding at 31st December, 1968. In addition £202 million was contributed to multilateral agencies concerned with development and £102·2 million was advanced on loans to the Commonwealth Development Corporation, of which £75 million was outstanding on 31st December, 1968.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many inspectors or officials from his Department have visited the New Hebrides in the last five years.

Forty-two, of whom nearly half have been concerned with mapping work.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what action has been taken by his Department to improve the social and economic life of the people of the New Hebrides.

The total value of British aid given to the New Hebrides from 1964 to the end of 1968 was about £2¼ million. This has included expenditure on social and economic projects as well as on administration. It includes contributions to projects carried out jointly with the French administration in the Condominium. Consultancies and other forms of technical assistance have also been provided.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals his Department has to improve agriculture in the New Hebrides.

Her Majesty's Government contribute towards the capital and recurrent expenditure of the Joint Agricultural Department, including the operational costs of the agricultural extension service. The improvement of agriculture in the Condominium is a matter for the Joint Administration to consider in the first instance. My Agricultural Adviser may be visiting the territory later this year, and I would be prepared to consider a request for further technical advice.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proposals his Department has to improve facilities and to encourage tourism in the New Hebrides.

A Joint Mission has been set up by the British and French Govments to look into future aviation developments in the Condominium, with special reference to the needs arising from the tourist potential of the territory. In the meantime the British and French Governments together are contributing towards the cost of improvements to the existing airport at Vila, and to the construction of a new wharf.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many claims against the Nigerian Government made by United Kingdom citizens in respect of past services have been notified to his Department; how many have been settled satisfactorily during 1968; and how many are still outstanding.

My Ministry have been able to trace 39 cases involving complaints about various financial matters relating to past public services. 16 were settled satisfactorily during 1968, leaving 23 outstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money is currently being spent on education below university level in England and in Wales; and what of these two sums are current expenditure, and what capital expenditure.

The following table gives the information:

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES FINANCIAL YEAR 1967–68
(£ millions)
	Current	Capital	Total
Universities (including awards to students)	145·1	68·3	213·4
Other education (including school meals and milk but excluding local libraries and museums)	1,305·0	236·1	1,541·1
Totals	1,450·1	304·4	1,754·5

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in order to assist the repatriation of British graduates who have obtained appointments in North America and elsewhere abroad, he will require the authorities of appropriate educational bodies for which he is responsible to give special consideration in making appointments to such graduates who have notified his Department that they wish to return to Great Britain.

My right hon. Friend has no powers to require employing authorities to give special consideration to such graduates, but I hope that they will invite applications for their appointments in a way that allows expatriate graduates to be considered on equal terms. Facilities for helping scientists and technologists who wish to return are already available through the North American Joint Interview Board, the Science Research Council Fellowship Scheme, and the Scientists' Appointments Service.

asked the Prime Minister if he will invite to London the leaders of Rhodesian opinion who have publicly expressed their opposition to the illegal régime.

As my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor) on 5th May, Rhodesian visitors representing different shades of opinion frequently call on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to state their views on the situation in Rhodesia.—[Vol. 783, c. 3–4.]

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his further talks with representatives of the Trades Union Congress at Downing Street on future industrial relations policy.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his meeting with representatives of the Trades Union Congress on 12th May.

asked the Prime Minister what was the result of his discussions with the Trades Union Congress General Council on the question of the proposed Industrial Relations Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Together with my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State, I met the T.U.C. General Council on 12th May to continue our discussions arising out of the Government's proposals for legislation this session on industrial relations. The General Council outlined proposals for action by the T.U.C., which are to be discussed by a Special Congress on 5th June. In discussion the First Secretary of State and I sought clarification of the General Council's proposals, and a number of points have since been pursued in a memorandum which the First Secretary of State has sent to the T.U.C. The First Secretary of State and I are having a further meeting with the General Council tomorrow.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a summary of those matters transacted in the Cabinet meeting on 3rd April which the Cabinet themselves decided should be given publicity.

No. I have nothing to add to what I said in reply to a Question by the right hon. Gentleman on this subject on 29th April.—[Vol. 782, c. 1156–7.]

asked the Prime Minister whether he will seek from the Cabinet agreement to make available the following information, namely, on what date he formed his Inner Cabinet, who were appointed, for what purpose this Inner Cabinet was initiated, how many meetings have been held, and who attended each of these meetings.

No.

asked the Prime Minister what is the present allocation of Ministerial responsibility for the school building programme; what responsibility has been given to the Secretary of State for Social Services for the allocation of public funds between social services as set out in Table II of the Financial Secretary's Memorandum; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has the Ministerial responsibility for the school building programme. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is responsible for all estimates and expenditure within the field of health and social security.While he also has the task of co-ordinating the work of the social services as a whole, responsibility for estimates and expenditure falls on the appropriate Departmental Minister. In accordance with the provisions of the annual Appropriation Act, neither he nor any other Departmental Minister has power to reallocate funds voted by Parliament for one purpose to any other Vote. The Permanent Secretary as Accounting Officer is responsible to Parliament and to the Public Accounts Committee for ensuring that these rules are observed as was made clear in my right hon. Friend's Answer to a supplementary question by the hon. Member for Somerset, North (Mr. Dean) yesterday.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will, with the approval of the Cabinet, alter the practice whereby the composition of Inner Cabinets has not been published and arrange for the composition of the present Inner Cabinet to be published regularly as part of the list of Her Majesty's Government in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will give a breakdown of the professionally qualified, full-time staff of the Public Trustee, and the number of full- and part-time clerical and non-professional staff at the latest convenient date.

Particulars as at 1st May, 1969, are as follows:

1. Professionally qualified full-time staff:

(a) Legal

• 1 Public Trustee.
• 1 Assistant Public Trustee.
• 2 Assistant Solicitors.
• 20 Senior Legal Assistants.
• 9 Legal Assistants.

(b) Surveyors

1 Chief Property Adviser.

2 Senior Property Advisers.

2. Clerical and non-professional staff:

(a) 475 Full-time.

(b) 20 Part-time.

asked the Attorney-General, how many estates have been handled by the Public Trustee during the years 1967–68 and 1968–69; and if he will tabulate them by value to the nearest £5,000, stating the number in each category.

On 31st March, 1967, 13,134 trusts and estates were under the Public Trustee's administration. By 31st March, 1969, 1,455 of these had been entirely distributed, 336 new trusts had been accepted and 557 estates accepted for administration under Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration, making a total of 12,572 trusts and estates then under his administration. The following table gives such particulars as are available of the size of the 557 estates accepted during the period:

	1967–68	1968–69
Under £5,000	135	148
£5,000—£10,000	55	61
£10,000—£20,000	38	42
£20,000—£25,000	9	8
£25,000—£50,000	16	17
£50,000—£75,000	3	6
£75,000—£100,000	9	2
Over £100,000	4	4
	269	288

Information of the values of other trusts and estates administered by the Public Trustee during the period could only be given after special valuations in each case and I regret could only be made available at a disproportionate expenditure of time and money.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what persons or bodies from Scotland he has consulted as to the siting of a Civil Service training centre in Scotland.

As I explained in my Answer to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Guildford (Mr. David Howell) on 28th April, no decision on the location of the third centre for the Civil Service College has yet been made. But before a decision is taken, other Ministers concerned will be consulted.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the average amount of pension payable following the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1969, to retired members of the Civil Service.

Approximately £370 a year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give figures showing the number of pensions still in payment to civil servants who retired before each of the following years, namely, 1960, 1958, 1956, 1954 and 1952, or before such other dates as may be convenient within the same period of years.

The figures are estimated to be as follows:

Retirement before:
30th September, 1960	102,000
30th September, 1958	74,000
30th September, 1956	52,000
30th September, 1954	37,000
30th September, 1952	29,000

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement of his recent discussions with Mr. Robert Bradshaw, Prime Minister of the St. Kitts Federation; to what extent these discussions dealt with the Anguilla situation; what consideration Her Majesty's Government is giving to Mr. Bradshaw's request for the supply of machine guns, tear gas, bombs and other arms; and what information Mr. Bradshaw has given about the purpose for which these arms are to be used.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on the 19th May to the hon. Members for Essex, South-East (Mr. Braine) and Banbury (Mr. Marten). [Cols. 88 and 89.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, having regard to the disturbances in Malaysia, he will make a statement on the position of British nationals, including Her Majesty's forces, in that country.

The British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur have been in constant touch with the British community throughout the disturbances, which have not been directed against foreigners. Apart from someone cut by flying glass, there have been no reports of harm to British lives or property. Her Majesty's forces have not been involved in the disturbances, most of which have taken place in Kuala Lumpur where no British forces are stationed.

asked the Lord President of the Council what were the reasons given to the staff by the Catering Sub-Committee for the dismissal and suspension from duties of certain of the staff of the Refreshment Department of the House of Commons on Monday 12th May; what action he is taking to have good staff relations restored; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The staff concerned were informed of the reasons for these decisions of the Catering Sub-Committee. The steps taken followed the most careful consideration, and were in due exercise of the Sub-Committee's powers. The decisions were subsequently rescinded while negotiations with the union concerned are going forward.The Catering Sub-Committee is very anxious that good staff relations should be maintained in the Department, and it has no doubt that, with the help of the union, this can be achieved.

asked the Postmaster-General when B.B.C.2, colour B.B.C.1 and colour B.B.C.2, respectively, will be available to viewers in Dumfriesshire.

Viewers in Dumfriesshire are expected to be able to receive B.B.C.1, and B.B.C.2, both in colour, when the station at Caldbeck opens in the second half of 1971.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the number of persons employed by North Eastern Gas Board, Yorkshire Electricity Board, and Central Electricity Generating Board, in the Bradford Employment Exchange area, giving figures for men, women, young persons and skilled manual workers, with separate details for Shipley.

I do not collect statistics in this degree of detail, but I am asking the chairmen of the boards concerned to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Power if he will direct the Bristol Steel Corporation to employ suitable staff to purchase and maintain adequate stocks of steel scrap.

This is a matter for the B.S.C., and I am asking the Chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Power how many representations his Department has received to date in connection with conversions to North Sea gas.

58 since the programme began in April 1968.

asked the Minister of Power when North Sea gas will reach the consumer in Scotland.

In 1970.

asked the Minister of Power if he will now announce the date and venue of the public inquiry into the National Coal Board's application for opencast mining at the Anker site in North Warwickshire.

This is being co-ordinated with an inquiry in respect of a proposed reservoir on a part of the site. My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to announce the date and venue.

asked the Minister of Power how many men were employed in the coal-mining industry in Scotland in the years 1967–68 and 1968–69, respectively.

Average numbers were 39,200 and 33,100 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT details, available to him from international sources, of subsidies paid from public funds to the families of men who have withdrawn their labour in pursuance of an industrial dispute in Sweden, Germany and those parts of the United States of America in which such payments exceed those made in the United Kingdom.

Neither the International Labour Organisation nor the International Social Security Association regards public assistance as being part of social security, and they do not publish much on the topic. The following notes on public assistance provision for strikers in the countries mentioned are based on in formation obtained by Labour Attachés last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the dates upon which the following percentage reductions in purchases for the National Health Service from Company A took effect, namely, aldomet 15 per cent., benemid 17 per cent., cogentin 9 per cent., colbenemid 5 per cent., cortisone acetate tablets 25 milligram 25 per cent., cremomycin 16 per cent., cremotresimide 22 per cent., decadron 14 per cent., edecrin 20 per cent., hydrocortone tablets 10 milligram 22 per cent., hydroderm 26 per cent., hydromet 21 per cent., hydro-saluric 35 per cent., hydro-saluric K 32 per cent., indocid 8 per cent., salupres 10 per cent., saluric 13 per cent., sulphasuxidine 9 per cent., tetrazets 6 per cent., tryptixol 85 milligram 48 per cent.

The percentages listed are total reductions since 1st January, 1962. The individual reductions are as follows:

	Individual Reduction Percentage	Date
Aldomet	5·0	Jan., 1966
	5·5	Dec,1967
	6·0	*
Benemid	9·9	Nov., 1966
	7·6	Jan., 1968
Cogentin	9·0	Feb., 1962
Colbenemid	5·4	Jan., 1968
Cortisone Acetate Tabs.	10·0	April, 1964
25 mg.	16·7	Nov., 1965
Cremomycin	8·9	April, 1963
	7·8	Jan., 1966
Cremotresamide	15·8	Oct., 1962
	7·3	May, 1964
Decadron	4·8	Sept., 1962
	10·0	*
Edecrin	20·0	Jan., 1968
Hydrocortone Tabs. 10 mg.	22·1	Aug., 1964
Hydroderm	17·5	Nov., 1964
	10·0	*
Hydromet	7·1	May, 1966
	10·0	Dec., 1967
	6·0	*
Hydrosaluric	15·0	Feb., 1963
	15·0	Jan., 1966
	10·0	*
Hydrosaluric K.	10·0	Feb., 1963
	10·0	Jan., 1966
	7·5	Dec, 1967
	10·0
Indocid	3·6	Jan., 1968
	5·0	*
Salupres	10·0	Feb., 1963
Saluric	3·1	May, 1962
	10·0	*
Sulphasuxidine	9·0	Oct., 1962
Tetrazets	6·0	Oct., 1962
Tryptizol 25 mg.	45·5	Jan., 1962
	5·0	*

The date has yet to be announced for the reductions marked

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the discussions regarding payment for student nurses' meals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the recent talks in the Whitley Council on the question of the remuneration of student nurses.

I have as yet nothing to add 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 what progress has been made in the steps taken to ensure that no nurse or student nurse in National Health Service hospitals is paying more for her meals than the net increase in her salary in the current year.

Hospital authorities have been asked to ensure that meals are available at the standard charges. It was the intention of the pay-as-you-eat scheme that nurses should be able to decide for themselves whether to take meals at the standard charges or to spend more or less.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give a list of those industries which he now sponsors.

The industries sponsored by the Ministry of Technology are given below under the Standard Industrial Classification, Minimum List Headings:

Order V	Chemicals and Allied Industries
279/3	Explosives and Fireworks (part).
Order VI	Metal Manufacture
312	Steel Tubes (part).
313	Iron Castings (part).
321–3	Non-Ferrous Metals (part).
Order VII	Mechanical Engineering
331	Agricultural Machinery (except Tractors).
332	Metal Working Machine Tools.
333	Pumps, Valves and Compressors.
334	Industrial Engines.
335	Textile Machinery and Accessories
336	Construction and Earth Moving Equipment.
337	Mechanical Handling Equipment.
338	Office Machinery.
339	Other Machinery.
341	Industrial including Process Plant and Steelwork.
342	Ordnance and Small Arms (part).
349	Other Mechanical Engineering not elsewhere specified.
Order VIII	Instruments Engineering
351	Photographic and Document Copying.
352	Watches and Clocks.
353	Surgical Instruments and Appliances (part).
354	Scientific and Industrial Instruments and Systems.

asked the Minister of Technology what plans he has to increase the capital investment at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, apart from the projected new wind tunnel.

It has been the policy for some time to keep new capital investment at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, to a minimum. This policy will continue pending the decision on the third London Airport. Apart from the projected new wind tunnel the only new, relatively small, capital facility at present under consideration is a rolling platform to simulate the movement of the deck of a small ship at sea, to be used in aid of naval helicopter development. In addition, there are several schemes under consideration for improving the efficiency and extending the facilities provided by existing major pieces of plant.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent the development of Concorde has benefited from the use of the wind tunnel facilities at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford.

The Bedford tunnels have contributed essential data to every phase of the development of Concorde. They participated in the initial investigation of the aerodynamics of slender wings which enabled the fundamental aerodynamic design principles for slender-wing supersonic transport aircraft to be formulated, and demonstrated the feasibility of economical flight at Mach numbers near two. The tunnels continued to play a vital rôle throughout the aimed research programme which led to the evolution of the Concorde configuration and the subsequent development of the prototype and pre-production aircraft.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent the development of the Lightning aircraft has benefited from the use of the wind tunnel facilities at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford.

The tunnels provided essential aerodynamic design, performance and stability data. These included the basic high-speed design data and the final check-out performance and stability measurements. Additional work was related to the carriage of missiles and stores, accident investigation and the development of later marks of aircraft.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent the development of the Jaguar aircraft has benefited from the use of the wind tunnel facilities at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford.

The tunnels provided essential aerodynamic design, performance and stability data. These included the initial high-speed and low-speed data from which the basic aircraft shape was settled, more detailed design data for the spoilers, the effects of the external stores and the final definitive performance and stability measurements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints he has received concerning inertia selling; and whether he now intends to take steps to stop the abuses.

Fifteen so far this year. So far the nature and the volume of these complaints does not suggest that further legislation could provide a suitable remedy, but we shall continue to watch the position carefully.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to introduce import quotas and restrictions as a means of solving the United Kingdom's balance of payments problems has been affected by their decision to apply to join the Common Market which prevents such restrictions on trade.

Not at all.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the latest trade deficit, he will now introduce a system of import quotas.

No.