asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representation he intends to give to weights and measures inspectors and other officers engaged in the collection of pesticide residues in foodstuffs when he extends the membership of his new panel for the collection of residues data.

The Association of Public Analysts has a representative on the new panel. He will form the link between the panel and food and drugs authorities. Appropriate officers of these authorities will be asked to co-operate as necessary in any residues surveys initiated by the panel.No extension of the new panel is envisaged at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance his Department is giving to North Nottinghamshire farmers who are facing financial loss due to the recent heavy flooding in that area.

I am seeking a detailed appraisal of the situation and I am asking my local officers to give all the technical help they can. Weather hazards are however one of the accepted risks of farming.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the size of the Agricultural Training Board's bank overdraft.

I have been asked to reply.The Board is not in overdraft. It has, however, received loans totalling about £400,000 from my Department.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will take steps to make funds available to provide financial assistance to enable those persons eligible under the legal aid system, who desire to buy the freehold of their property but cannot arrive at a satisfactory settlement with the ground landlord, to take the matter to the Lands Tribunal.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has accepted the priorities for extending the scope of legal aid and advice recommended by his Advisory Committee in its 17th Report. This gave first priority to the extension of legal aid to other proceedings, mainly in the magistrates' courts, and effect will shortly be given to this recommendation. In present economic circumstances funds are not available to give effect to other recommendations given lower priority, including the extension of legal aid to proceedings in the Lands Tribunal.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table showing actual expenditure, including Supplementary Estimates, at current prices, on the Defence Budget for each financial year from 1956–57 up to date.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 5th July, 1968. The figure then quoted for 1967–68 as a forecast out-turn is now an actual out-turn of £2,236 million. There is no actual out-turn yet available for 1968–69 but the provisional figure is £2,247 million.—[Vol. 767, c. 279.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated expenditure on defence outside the Defence Budget in 1968–69 and 1969–70: and what percentage of the gross national product these figures present.

If the hon. Member is referring to "Other Military Defence" expenditure as defined for the national income accounts statistics, the figures are, a provisional out-turn of £153 million for 1968–69 and an estimate of 125 million for 1969–70. These amounts represent, as a proportion of gross national product at factor cost, just over and just under one-third of 1 per cent., respectively.I would, however, draw the attention of the hon. Member to replies which I gave on 17th February, and 19th February which place these figures in context.—[Vol. 778, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary school classes of more than 40 children there were in Sheffield on 1st May, 1969; what percentage of all primary school classes in the city this represented; and what are the comparable figures for Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol.

The latest figures for January, 1968 are:

MAINTAINED PRIMARY SCHOOLS JANUARY, 1968
	Number of classes with more than 40 pupils	Number of classes in the local education authority's area	Percentage of classes with more than 40 pupils
Sheffield	338	1,403	24·1
Birmingham	683	3,096	22·1
Bristol	134	1,152	11·6
Leeds	280	1,450	19·3
Liverpool	482	2,067	23·3
Manchester	231	1,910	12·1

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for a copy of the Report on Scales of Salaries in Primary Schools, England and Wales, 1969, to be placed in the Library.

A copy of the Report was sent to the Librarian of the House on 2nd May.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many registered disabled persons are unemployed in the Harrow area now; what the figures were for the previous four years; and what percentage these figures were of the total number of unemployed in the area at the different dates.

On 12th May, 1969, 75 registered disabled persons were registered as unemployed at the Harrow Employment Exchange; 8·6 per cent. of the total number of unemployed registered there on the same date. On 13th May, 1968, the comparative figures were 83 and 9·6 per cent.; on 8th May, 1967, 58 and 6·9 per cent.; on 16th May, 1966, 22 and 4·9 per cent.; on 11th May, 1965, 23 and 4·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many registered disabled persons are unemployed in the Greater London Area now; what were the figures for the previous four years; and what percentages these figures were of the total number of unemployed in the area at the different dates.

On 10th March, 1969, the latest date for which information is readily available, 5,791 registered disabled persons were registered as unemployed at employment exchanges situated within the Greater London Area; 8·6 per cent. of the total number of unemployed registered at those offices on the same date. On 11th March, 1968, the comparative figures were 5,830 and 7·6 per cent.; on 14th March, 1967, 5,110 and 7·1 per cent.; on 14th March, 1966, 3,587 and 10·2 per cent.; on 8th March, 1965, 3,961 and 10·1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many disputes there have been involving electricians and other exhibition workers since the reference of their recent pay settlement to the National Board for Prices and Incomes on 18th March; and what is the estimated number of wage increases that have been concluded since the reference.

On 18th March the exhibition stand fitting operatives were operating an unofficial ban on overtime working in the major London exhibition halls and the restriction continued until 16th May when the men resumed normal working. Other disputes of which the Department is aware were a one-day stoppage by stand fitting operatives on 24th March at Earls Court and an unofficial strike from 7th May to 12th May by stand fitters at Earls Court and Olympia. The exhibition electricians have worked normally during the period.Since the reference, no wage increases have been conceded nationally to electricians or other exhibition workers. Two companies were reported to be paying increases in breach of the standstill, but these companies promised to cease making the payments after discussion with my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she has now obtained further details of the settlement involving Armstrong Patents which resulted in a resumption of work on 10th February; and what is the additional increase in rates, earnings and productivity arising from this interpretation of the national engineering agreement.

This settlement was not a productivity deal negotiated as a result of the national engineering agreement but arose from the interpretation of the awards made under the agreement. The average increase in rates and earnings was 7½ per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the current state of progress in the discussions over pay between the bakery employees and John Newbould and Son; and if she will indicate the expected increase in rates, earnings and productivity of any settlement.

No claim or settlement has been formally notified to my Department for the 18 employees involved. I understand that an increase of 5 per cent. on the basic rate, payable only when workers are actually employed on a new machine which has been installed has been agreed.The other information asked for is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what is the present number of vacancies for skilled manual engineers in the Hounslow, Acton and Ealing area of London;(2) what was the number of vacancies for skilled manual engineers in the West London area, at the most recently available date.

At 9th April, 1969, the numbers of notified vacancies for men and women remaining unfilled in manual occupations generally regarded as skilled in the engineering and allied trades were 288 in the Hounslow, Acton and Ealing Employment Exchange areas and 1,385 in the Acton, Ealing, Hounslow, Harrow, Wembley, Ruislip, Uxbridge, Hayes. Southall, Willesden, St. Marylebone, Westminster, Hammersmith, Brentford, Fulham, Richmond and Feltham Employment Exchange areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been made by the British Government to the Israeli Government in pursuit of the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations of 4th July, 1967, which called upon Israel to cancel all measures taken to alter the status of Jerusalem; and if Her Majesty's Government will now seek to raise this question in the Security Council.

We have consistently made it clear that we cannot accept the validity of any action by Israel which tends unilaterally to alter the status of Jerusalem. We have been in touch with the Government of Israel on the subject, but details of our exchanges must remain confidential.We do not consider that it would serve a useful purpose to raise the subject in the Security Council in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the cultural agreement with the State of Israel.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 18th April. Some delay has occurred in preparing the Hebrew text for signature, but it is hoped the Convention will shortly be ready for signing. [Vol. 781, c. 303.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the names and dates of service of hon. Members of the House who have represented Great Britain since October, 1964, on the Council of Europe, the United Nations and other international bodies to which Her Majesty's Government appoints representatives.

The names of members of the House who are delegates to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe are given to the House on their appointment, the last occasion being in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Answer to my hon. Friend the member for Farnworth (Mr. Thornton) on 7th May, 1969.My hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Luard) was the United Kingdom representative at the United Nations General Assembly Fourth (Colonial and Trusteeship) Committee at the last two sessions of the Assembly and deputy leader of the United Kingdom delegation to the International Conference on Human Rights held in Tehran in 1968.On the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees the United Kingdom representatives have been the late Dame Edith Pitt, M.P. in 1964 and, since 1965, my hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, West (Mr. Randell).On the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women the United Kingdom representatives have been: 1965–66, my hon. Friend the Member for Clapham (Mrs. McKay), 1967, my hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. Lena Jeger), and 1968–69, my hon. Friend the Member for Halifax (Dr. Summerskill).—[Vol. 783, c. 100–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now make a statement arising out of his talks with the Premier of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla.

The Premier of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla and I had a series of useful discussions during his recent visit to London on the setting up of a Commission to study the Anguilla problem in the light of constitutional and other factors and to make recommendations leading to a satisfactory and durable solution. We have agreed that the Commission will be appointed later in the year.Our discussions also covered a number of matters relating to the administration of Anguilla by Her Majesty's Commissioner, on which agreement was reached.It has been agreed in consultation with the Ministry of Overseas Development that the unexpended balance (about £500,000) of Colonial Development and Welfare funds already allocated to the State, together with a similar sum representing succeeding allocations of development aid in the period up to 31st March, 1972, should be made available towards the construction of a jet airstrip in St. Kitts. It has also been agreed that a special development grant amounting to £150,000 over the next two years shall be devoted to agreed development projects in Nevis.The following are the terms of reference of the Commission:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further information he has received from the international observers in Nigeria about the conduct of the Nigerian war.

The International Observer Team to Nigeria has recently issued a further report on its activities during the period 7th March to 30th April, 1969. The report includes an account of conditions in areas recently occupied by the Federal Army and the Team's inquiries about air operations. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what request he has received from the Federal Government of Nigeria about assistance in training the Nigerian Navy; and what reply he has given.

The Nigerian Government had asked us to provide a naval training team to assist with the training of the Nigerian Navy long before the civil war began. This request was fully in keeping with the help which we would normally be prepared to give to a country to which we had granted independence, and negotiations for a team reached an advanced stage. However because of the war the proposal was shelved.Now that the Federal Navy is no longer actively engaged in the war—the secessionists having been pushed back from the Eastern Nigerian sea board—the Federal Government has once again asked us to provide a team and we have agreed to meet their request. A small team, approximately eight strong, will therefore be sent out in due course to help train the Nigerian Navy for its postwar rôle.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how much money was raised through selective employment tax in the North East Region for each year since its inception; what is the estimated yield for the current financial year; and if he will give corresponding figures for the amount paid out through the regional employment premium and other aids to industry.

It is estimated that the net yield in a full year would be £16 million, £24 million, and £30 million, at the respective rates of tax obtaining, on introduction of the scheme, from September, 1968, and as proposed from July, 1969. Direct Government assistance on a preferential basis to industry in the Northern Development Area in the financial years 1966–67, 1967–68, and 1968–69 is estimated at about £15 million, £50 million, and £80 million, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving the use or threatened use of shotguns and other firearms, respectively, were known to the police in England and Wales in each of the years 1964 to 1968, inclusive.

Indictable offences known to the police numbered as follows in 1967 and 1968, the only years for which the information is available.

	1967	1968
Shot guns used or presented	183	200
Short-barrelled or sawn-off shot guns used or presented	17	49
Other firearms used or presented	591	626

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Metropolitan Police on the circumstances whereby their request to the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast an urgent police description was recently censored.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that on two occasions the B.B.C. declined to broadcast a phrase in a police statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police on the illegal methods of some private detective agencies, in view of recent incidents concerning two firms, details of which have been supplied to him.

The information supplied by my hon. Friend has been referred to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who is making inquiries. I will write to my hon. Friend when these inquiries are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations he has made into the use of Ranby Camp, Retford, as a corrective establishment; and what conclusions he has reached.

A Home Office official has visited the camp and my right hon. Friend will shortly be contacting the local authorities concerned. No decision will be taken about the use of the camp by the Home Office until there has been full consultation with the local authorities.

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 1969 electorates are between 30,000 and 40,000.

The complete list is as follows:

Constituency	1969 Electorate
Liverpool, Scotland	30,326
Manchester, Cheetham	30,369
Battersea North	30,698
Newcastle upon Tyne Central	32,325
Bermondsey	32,900
Paddington South	32,902
Paddington North	33,306
Walthamstow West	33,746
Battersea South	33,807
Liverpool, Exchange	34,078
Gateshead West	34,472
East Ham North	34,569
Bristol Central	35,081
Lambeth, Vauxhall	36,113
Brentford and Chiswick	36,462
Birmingham, All Saints	37,029
Bradford East	38,214
East Ham South	38,337
Birmingham, Small Heath	38,377
Leominster	39,367
Berwick upon Tweed	39,417
Holborn and St. Pancras South	39,562

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will obtain from chief constables reports as to which police forces throughout the country are making use of hidden television cameras for the detection of crime.

Arrangements already exist for my right hon. Friend to be kept informed of the use of television cameras for police operational purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of places for the Emergency Child Care Training Course, 1968–70 at the North Western Polytechnic Child Care Department; and how many places have been allocated for 1969–71.

100 in both years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places for the Emergency Child Care Training Course at the North Western Polytechnic Child Care Department were allocated to the West Riding County Council Children's Department in 1968; how many were taken up; to what extent and for what reasons the initial allocation was exceeded; how many places have been allocated to the West Riding County Council for 1969; how many have been filled; and what requests the council has made to exceed its initial allocation for the 1969–71 course.

Five places for the 1968 entry were allotted to the West Riding County Council, to which a sixth was added when a few places allotted to other authorities were not taken up. Six places for the 1969 entry have been allotted to the Council; the selection process is not yet complete and it remains to be seen whether all these will be filled. As yet there has been no request from the Council for a further allocation.

asked the Secretary of of State for the Home Department how many potential students for the Emergency Child Care Training Course at the North Western Polytechnic Child Care Department were sponsored through the clearing house system operated by the Central Training Council in Child Care; and how many students already allocated a place were unsuccessful in having a local authority to sponsor them for 1968 and 1969.

Fourteen applicants for the 1968 entry who were assessed as suitable for training could not be accommodated within the quota of the authority to whom they originally applied, and were referred to the clearing house accordingly. Three withdrew; the remaining 11 were found places with other authorities who had vacancies in their allocations. The corresponding operation for the 1969 entry is not complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable concerned on the authorised establishment and the actual strength of the police force in the West Mercia Constabulary and on the extent of any shortage of police officers in the county of Herefordshire.

Yes. I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alleged offences against Section 4 of the London Cab Act, 1968, have been investigated by the Metropolitan Police since the Act came into operation; and in how many cases were prosecutions obtained.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations have been made to him regarding increases in local government allowances, financial loss allowances and subsistence and travelling allowances; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

On 30th April proposals were sent to my right hon. Friend on behalf of the local authority associations and other bodies concerned for increases in the maximum rates of financial loss, subsistence and car travel allowances payable to elected members. They have been asked to provide evidence in support of the proposals and this is awaited.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will provide the Cohen Committee on the Voluntary Housing Movement with adequate clerical and research facilities, in view of the fact that the Committee has not been able to meet since 18th March through lack of these facilities;(2) on what date his Department first received representations from the Cohen Committee on the Voluntary Housing Movement asking for additional clerical and research facilities; and why no action was taken prior to 10th May, 1969;(3) on what date he expects to receive the report of the Cohen Committee on the Voluntary Housing Movement; and what action he is taking to speed up the work of the committee.

At a meeting on 18th February, 1969, the subcommittee made a formal request for the services of a full-time research officer to facilitate the processing of the large amount of evidence submitted. An Officer subsequently recruited to the Department took up duty on 12th May, 1969, as full-time assistant to the secretary of the sub-committee. I do not yet know when the subcommittee is likely to report.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing the growth in sales of very high frequency sets in the areas of the British Broadcasting Corporation's local radio stations since the experiments began in November, 1967.

Detailed information on this matter is not available.

asked the Postmaster-General what research is carried out by the Government into possible radiation hazards from colour television.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my predecessor's Answer to her question on 1st February, 1968. As colour television sets comply with internationally agreed safety standards and radiation from them is substantially below the specified safe level, research would not be justified.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will seek powers to ensure that independent television consortia adhere to the undertakings regarding programme quality given in successful tendering for franchises, and to impose sanctions in cases where they violate the undertakings in consideration for which they were awarded contracts.

No. Programme quality on independent television is the responsibility of the Chairman and members of the Independent Television Authority, and I do not intervene.

asked the Postmaster-General what changes he intends to make in Post Office charges when the ½d. is demonetised.

With effect from 1st July, the following changes will be made:

1. The additional fee required for the late posting of letters on Travelling Post Offices will be increased (for the first time since 1880) from ½d. to 1d.

2. Those Overseas C.O.D. Trade Charge Fees which at present include halfpennies will be rounded down to exclude the ½d.

3. Where the total payment for telegrams ends in a halfpenny it will be rounded down.

asked the Minister of Power (1) how much steel production has been lost during 1968 and the first quarter of 1969 through production difficulties other than unofficial strikes; and if he will make a statement;(2) how much steel production was lost during 1968 and the first quarter of 1969 through unofficial strikes.

I am asking the Chairman of the Corporation to write to my hon. Friend about losses of production in the public sector. No information is available about losses of production in the private sector.

asked the Minister of Power on what date he was informed of the terms of the settlement of the dispute between the slingers and crane drivers at the Corby tube works and the management of the British Steel Corporation; and what is the precentage increase in rates, earnings and productivity arising from that settlement.

I understand no such settlement has yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department will hold discussions with local authority associations with a view to ensuring that social work departments will operate a common system of records and statistics in order that social problems can be adequately identified and new social needs assessed.

The Social Work Services Group are preparing, for discussion with the local authority associations, a common return of statistical information to be made annually by the social work departments of local authorities. This return will serve to throw light on the nature and extent of social welfare problems being encountered by the local authorities, and will be of assistance in planning the development of social work services in future.So far as the local authorities' internal records are concerned there are obvious difficulties in attempting uniformity, and there can of course be no question of the Government imposing this, but the Social Work Services Group will keep in mind the extent to which uniformity of record keeping might be desirable and will review the matter in the light of initial experience of the operation of social work services under the new Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the effects of the Icelandic Government's decision to allow their trawlers to operate within their 12-mile limit on the future profitability of the Scottish fleet; and if he will make a statement.

I am not yet able to make any estimate of the effect, if any, that the Icelandic proposal may have.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what date he has now fixed for the start of the new general hospital in 1970 to be built at Airdrie House, Airdrie; what is the estimated cost of the project; and what is his latest estimate of the types of medical services to be provided.

The Western Regional Hospital Board hopes that work will start in September, 1970; it estimates the cost of the hospital as £6·1 million and intends to provide accommodation for the following departments:

• Medicine.
• Surgery.
• Orthopaedic Surgery.
• Gynaecology.
• Dermatology.
• Paediatrics.
• Ear, Nose and Throat.
• Accident and Short Stay.
• Geriatric Assessment.
• Infectious Diseases/Isolation.
• Acute Psychiatric.
• General Practitioner Maternity.

In addition it is planned to provide a Health Centre on the site.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what restrictions are placed by the Inspectorate of Nuclear Installations on industrial and residential development in the vicinity of nuclear power stations of the type of Hunterston A.

The Inspectorate advises me about the desirability of any proposed development near the Hunterston A station and the decision rests with me.Each proposal is examined on its merits, and the considerations which I take into account vary according to the nature of the development.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will amend the National Insurance regulations so that private nurses supplied by nursing agencies shall be treated as self-employed persons under class 2.

Date			Disablement Pension (100 per cent. rate)		Unemployability Supplement		Constant Attendance Allowance (maximum)		Allowance for Lowered Standard of Occupation (maximum)		Widow's Pension
			s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
1946	…	…	45	0	20	0	40	0	11	3	35	0
1948	…	…	45	0	30	0	40	0	20	0	35	0
1951	…	…	45	0	35	0	40	0	20	0	35	0
1952	…	…	55	0	35	0	50	0	20	0	42	0
1955	…	…	67	6	45	0	60	0	27	6	52	6
1958	…	…	85	0	55	0	70	0	34	0	66	0
1961	…	…	97	6	63	0	80	0	39	0	76	0
1963	…	…	115	0	74	0	100	0	46	0	90	0
1965	…	…	135	0	87	6	110	0	54	0	105	0
1967	…	…	152	0	97	6	120	0	61	0	117	0

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has received regarding the safety of the drug Stimplete; and if he will make a statement.

Stimplete is a liquid preparation containing phenobarbitone and dexamphetamine sulphate and, like all other drugs acting on the central

My right hon. Friend will be glad to consider any evidence the hon. Member may have on the case for such a change.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total amounts paid in industrial injury benefits for each year since 1964.

The amounts were as follows:

Financial year	£ million Industrial Injuries Benefit Expenditure
1964–65	77
1965–66	93
1966–67	93
1967–68	99
1968–69 (estimated)	105

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the increases in the basic rates of war pensions and of the main supplementary benefits and allowances payable with war pensions on each occasion that they have been raised since 1946.

The information requested is given in the following table:nervous system, is dangerous if taken in excessive quantities. The preparation has been on the market in this country for at least nine year and has not therefore been considered by the Committee on the Safety of Drugs, whose remit is restricted to the assessment of new drugs or reformulations proposed for clinical trial or marketing after 1st January, 1964. Doctors' attention has however been drawn to the dangers inherent in the prescribing of amphetamine preparations generally. The product will in due course become subject to the provisions of the Medicines Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of individuals with a net taxed investment income in excess of £600 per annum who are presently drawing unemployment benefit.

This information is not available. No account is taken of investment income in determining claims to unemployment benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will introduce legislation to restrict the right to draw unemployment benefit to individuals whose net taxed investment income does not exceed £600 per annum by a process of sworn declaration.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to ensure that B.C.G. is available to every child at birth irrespective of any tuberculosis contact.

On the advice of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee B.C.G. vaccination is generally given to tuberculin-negative children between the ages of 10 and 14 but if desired can be given in infancy.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to amend the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, in order to make it compulsory for all premises where food is sold to the public to be registered before a business is opened by a certificate of registration covering the premises in addition to the individual person making the application.

No. Powers already exist under Section 17 of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 to extend the registration provisions of Section 16 to any food busi ness premises. They have not so far been used because the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960, and 1962, have provided adequate control.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the expenditure by the National Health Service on drugs for each of the last 10 years in tabulated form showing, respectively, the percentage in each year supplied by pharmaceutical firms of foreign origin and the percentage of such supplies that were liable for fixation of prices under foreign patent laws.

We are not aware of any supplies of drugs to the National Health Service that are liable for fixation of prices under foreign patent laws. Analysis of expenditure by country of ownership of the supplying company is readily available only for the general medical and pharmaceutical services and for the years 1961 to 1967. The table is as follows:

Year	Total net ingredient cost (England and Wales £ million	Percentage supplied by companies owned overseas Percentage
1961	43·9	71
1962	47·6	72
1963	51·9	72
1964	59·0	71
1965	70·7	69
1966	78·6	69
1967	84·3	69

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the outlay of foreign currency during the last 10 years caused by the supply of drugs to the National Health Service from pharmaceutical firms of foreign origin, including those liable under foreign patent laws to fixation of prices; and what steps have been taken to prevent such loss of currency and with what results.

None; no special steps have been taken in relation to such firms; the analysis in the report of the Committee of Enquiry into the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and the National Health Service (Cmnd. 3410) showed that the effect on the balance of payments of the operation of foreign-owned firms was broadly neutral.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what structural alterations have recently been completed at the Ongar War Memorial Hospital.

In September, 1967, a day room was provided at a cost of £1,600, partly paid for by the League of Friends.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients have been submitted to South Ockendon Hospital since 14th April, 1969.

None for long-term care; five for short-term care under arrangements made before 14th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the working group, announced by the former Minister of Health on 25th July last, has reported yet; and whether its report will be discussed with the profession.

The Working Party on the Responsibilities of the Consultant Grade reported earlier this year to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and to me. Copies of the report are being distributed widely to members of the profession but it cannot be on sale in the Government Bookshops or elsewhere until the industrial dispute preventing its publication is ended. The Health Departments and the profession are agreed that discussions should begin as soon as possible on the basis not only of this report but also of the report of a subcommittee appointed by the profession to consider the hospital staffing structure. Neither the Health Departments nor the profession are committed to any of the recommendations made in the Working Party's report.

asked the Minister of Technology why the export of commercial vehicles fell from 179,404 in 1964 to 149,855 in 1968; and what steps he has taken or intends to take to arrest this decline and increase exports of commercial vehicles.

The fall in production for export was attributable largely to increasing competition from overseas manufacturers and to production losses caused by industrial disputes in 1967. The decline was arrested during 1968, when there was an increase of 7.5 per cent. over 1967. The first quarter of 1969 was an all time record for any quarter—some 32 per cent. above the corresponding period of 1968, and nearly 12 per cent. above the first quarter of 1964, after making adjustments for the difference in the number of weeks covered. No further action is called for at present.

asked the Minister of Technology why the export of wheeled tractors declined from 160,005 in 1964 to 130,089 in 1968; and what steps he has taken or intends taking to arrest this decline and increase exports of wheeled tractors.

This decline in numbers is misleading. Tractors are now larger and more expensive and some are now assembled overseas. The value of deliveries for all wheeled tractor exports has increased from £102 million in 1964 to some £108 million in 1968, at constant prices. At a time when world tractor exports were declining this is no mean achievement and I am sure that United Kingdom tractor manufacturers will not relax their efforts.

asked the Minister of Technology (1) whether he will publish the figures for January to March, 1964 for the production of commercial vehicles for the home market and for export, respectively;(2) whether he will publish the figures for the period of January to March, 1964, for the production of cars for the home market and for export, respectively.

Statistics of production in calendar months are not available. The numbers of cars and commercial vehicles

		Cars			Commercial Vehicles
		For home market	For export	Total	For home market	For export	Total
29th Dec, 1963—1st Feb., 1964	…	110,771	74,578	185,349	29,057	17,502	46,559
2nd Feb., 1964—29th Feb., 1964	…	94,344	60,071	154,415	21,420	14,322	35,742
1st March, 1964—4th April, 1964		108,273	70,096	178,369	25,834	15,499	41,333

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will publish figures for January to March, 1964, for the production of wheeled tractors for the home market and for export, respectively.

Statistics of production are not availble. The numbers of wheeled tractors delivered by United Kingdom manufacturers were:—

Calendar months	For home market	For export	Total
January	4,314	18,668	22,982
February	4,205	16,364	20,569
March	5,345	14,874	20,219

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons the report he has received on the fire on board the M.S. "Blenheim" of Oslo in the North Sea on 21st May, 1968.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute proceedings under the Trade Descriptions Act against Spanish tourist agencies which advertise in the United Kingdom offering holiday accommodation in Spain, in view of the fact that holidaymakers arriving in Spain find that the hotel in which they had been booked either was not built or is in the course of erection.

Locals Weights and Measures authorities are under a duty to enforce the provisions of the Act concerning false statements about accommodation. If anyone has grounds for thinking that a particular statement

asked the President of the President of the Board of Trade by what amount imports of frozen plaice fillets from Denmark and Holland have increased in the first three months of this year compared with the same period of 1968.

Imports from Denmark fell from 336 tons in the first three months of 1968 to 287 tons from the Netherlands this year; imports increased from 59 tons to 356 tons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what representations have been made to him by the fishing industry to introduce anti-dumping regulations against frozen plaice fillets from Hollands and Denmark;(2) whether he is aware that frozen plaice fillets are being sold in this country at a price lower than their cost of production; and if he will consult with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with a view to take the necessary action.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary told the hon. Member on 7th February, 1968, that the British white fish industry can apply to the Board of Trade for anti-dumping action if they have prima facie evidence of dumping and of material injury caused or threatened to them thereby. No such application has been made. The Board of Trade would not enquire into the cost of production of these goods unless they needed to do so when considering an anti-dumping application.—[Vol. 758. c. 127.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to extend the facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department to permit the provision of buyer credit for contracts below £2 million.

I have given general authorisation to the E.C.G.D. to facilitate buyer credit transactions for contracts for United Kingdom goods and services of a value not less than £1 million. It is intended gradually to extend this facility further, with the co-operation of the clearing banks. There will be no change as regards length of credit. The permissible length of credit and repayment terms generally will be the same under a buyer credit as they would be under a supplier credit for the same transaction, but technically the buyer credit may sometimes be the more convenient method for the exporter or for the buyer and it is intended therefore to allow wider use of the buyer credit technique in step with the Department's ability to cope with the demand.

asked the Pesident of the Board of Trade what action he has taken under Section 8 of the Civil Aviation Act, 1968, to designate the aerodromes the managements of which are required to provide adequate facilities for consultation with various local interests.

The following thirteen aerodromes have been designated under this Section by an Order which came into effect on 21st May 1969:

• Birmingham.
• Bournemouth (Hurn).
• Bristol (Lulsgate).
• East Midlands.
• Glamorgan (Rhoose).
• Glasgow.
• Leeds and Bradford.
• Liverpool.
• Luton.
• Manchester.
• Shoreham.
• Southampton.
• Southend.

Further Orders will be made if and when the need is established.

asked the Minister of Transport which countries have ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

The Convention was signed by 34 countries, including the United Kingdom, at Vienna, but remains open for additional signatures until the end of this year. Her Majesty's Government have not so far been informed by the depository of any ratifications.

asked the Minister of Transport which countries so far comply with the Recommendation of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic that the carriage and use of advance warning triangles be obligatory for all motor vehicles other than two-wheelers; and which countries make this a condition of entry by vehicles from abroad.

I understand that advance warning triangles are obligatory in Austria, Belgium (from 15th June, 1969), Greece, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, West Germany and Yugoslavia and that apart from Luxembourg and Poland this device must be carried by vehicles entering these countries from abroad.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps are being taken to obtain the agreement of the Governments of Greece, Spain and Sweden to recognition of British driving licences for touring purposes.

None at present, because British drivers can readily obtain the necessary international driving permit. But I will consider with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the possibility of obtaining recognition of our national licence by Greece and Spain.Sweden accepts British licences. I regret the omission of Sweden from the list of countries given in the answer to the hon. Member on 29th April, 1969.—[Vol. 782, c. 215–16.]

asked the Minister of Transport what will be the rate of interest payable by the British Waterways Board on its revised commencing capital debt under the Transport Act, 1968.

The Board's commencing capital debt was reduced in the Transport Act, 1968, from £19,252,928 to £3,750,000 on the basis that the Board's estimated net maintainable revenue would not allow them to bear greater interest liabilities than would be represented by interest charged at a rate of 6 per cent. on a debt of £3¾ million. I have accordingly directed that the rate of interest shall be 6 per cent. from 1st January, 1969.

asked the Minister of Transport why the starting date of the Potteries D Road, Etruria to Talke, given by his Department in October, 1968, as January, 1969, was postponed two months after this date to 1970.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the total estimated commitments outstanding on 31st March last in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for principal roads, including loans to highway authorities, respectively.

The provisional totals for England of commitments for new road construction and improvements outstanding on 31st March, 1969, are:

	£m
Trunk Roads (including Motorways)	435
Principal Roads (Grants)	121
Loans	3
	559

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the urgent need for a bypass at Wangford on the A12 trunk road, he will now give a firm date for the scheme which was fixed in 1964.

This scheme is now being considered for a start in the early 1970's.

asked the Minister of Transport what communication he has had from the Humber Bridge Board; and what steps he is now taking to begin the construction of the Humber Bridge in view of the Government's decision to complete this bridge by 1975–76 following the recommendations by the Humber Feasibility Studies Region.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the decrease in expenditure by local authorities on maintenance of minor roads in England during 1968–69; what is his estimate of expenditure on minor roads in 1969–70; by what percentage these expenditures in constant terms are less than in 1967–68; and how many local authorities have intimated to him that this decrease is due to cuts in local government support grants.

Expenditure by local authorities on the maintenance of minor roads is shown in the following table at November, 1968, prices:

	£m.
1967–68	91	actual outturn.
1968–69	84	local authority estimates.
1969–70	82	estimated expenditure included in Cmnd. 3936 [Public Expenditure in 1968–69 to 1970–71].

Actual figures for 1968–69 will not be available until later this year.The figures reflect the cuts in local authority expenditure required by the Government in Cmnd. 3515 [Public Expenditure in 1968–69 and 1969–70] and the Government's view that there is no serious risk involved in continuing to impose severe restrictions on maintenance expenditure on minor roads in 1969–70.The hon. Member will appreciate that it is a matter for local authorities how they spend rate support grant money.A few local authorities have intimated that they will cut expenditure on highways in 1969–70 because of restrictions in rate support grant.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the deterioration in road safety in the last two years on that part of the trunk road known as Braun-stone Lane, Leicester, between A46 and A47; and what action he is now taking.

Leicestershire County Council is the highway authority for Braunstone Lane. We have received no representations from it about safety on this road.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received since 1st May concerning public expenditure on overseas aid and development; what replies he has sent; and what action he intends to take.

Over a thousand. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of my reply to these letters. The level of overseas aid will be considered in the annual review of public expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated loss to the revenue in a full year of reducing the surcharge of 10 per cent. on the duties on, respectively, beer, wines, spirits, hydrocarbon oils, petrol substitutes, power methylated spirits and tobacco, imposed on 22nd November, 1968, to 5 per cent.

No such estimate has been made; it would be purely hypothetical because the regulator surcharge was terminated on Budget Day and the basic rates of duty altered by varying amounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the revenue in a full financial year from penny play amusement with prizes machines operated under Section 2 of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1964, and Section 49 of the Betting and Lotteries Act, 1963;(2) what is his estimate of the revenue in a full financial year from amusement with prizes machines charging 3d. or less a time operated under Section 2 of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1964, and Section 49 of the Betting and Lotteries Act, 1963.

No separate figures for penny play machines are available; but the yield of duty from amusement with prizes machines charging 3d. or less a time is estimated to be of the order of £2 million to £2½ million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will exempt men over 50 years of age from the proposed addition to selective employment tax with a view to encouraging employers to engage or retain men over this age.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he now expects to receive an initial report from Professor Reddaway about the selective employment tax.

I would refer to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Sheldon) on 11th February.—[Vol. 777, c. 273.]