asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints against the police by members of the public were brought to the attention of his Department in each of the years 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, and in 1969 to date; and if he will break down the figures into appropriate categories of complaint.

Any complaint made to the Home Office is referred to the appropriate chief officer of police.The number of all complaints locally recorded against police officers in England and Wales is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the breakdown by major categories of complaints against the police for the latest year for which figures are available.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Gwilym Roberts).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the recent public concern about the practice of the police investigating and reporting on complaints made against them, and having power to accept or reject the findings; and whether he will now introduce a system whereby investigations into alleged malpractices by the police are carried out by persons not connected with the police and/or the Home Office.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to an earlier Question today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if in view of the increase of traffic in Bastable Avenue, Thames View, Barking, the forthcoming opening of a new junior school, and the danger to children attending the existing infants' school, he will reconsider his decision not to provide a school crossing patrol at this point.

I understand that the Commissioner of Police has decided after careful consideration that he would not at present be justified in authorising such a patrol, but he will keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent immigration has increased or declined, in respect of those with work vouchers and those who are dependants, in the 12 months ended 31st May, 1969, compared with the equivalent period one year earlier.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to Commonwealth immigration. The latest available information is that in the twelve months ended 30th April, 1969, the number of voucher holders arriving was 16 per cent. lower than in the preceding twelve months, and the number of dependants 26 per cent. lower.The following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which countries have agreed to operate the new system for entry vouchers for Commonwealth immigrants to be issued at the point of Commonwealth departure; which countries have not yet agreed to do so; and by what date he expects to obtain acceptance by all Commonwealth countries.

Entry certificates are issued by our own posts overseas and no question of agreement by other Governments arises. All Commonwealth dependants coming here for settlement now require certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that official statistics show that in April 1969, 12,193 more Commonwealth immigrants were admitted to the United Kingdom under the 1962 Act than departed; when an increase of this size occurred previously; and if he will take further steps to ensure that such increases do not occur.

The figures quoted by the right hon. Gentleman do not refer to immigrants but to the balance of all arrivals over all departures, including temporary visitors for business or holidays, students and returning residents. This does not measure new immigration from the Commonwealth for settlement, which in April was 4,151—compared with 4,449 in April, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain from chief constables reports as to the lessons which have been learnt from the use of hidden television cameras for the prevention of crime in urban communities.

This has been done; and possibilities for the future are being studied by the Police Research and Development Branch of the Home Office in the light of experience gained in various police forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to assist police forces throughout the country to make use of every modern invention to reduce urban crime.

I am doing this with the aid of the Home Office Scientific Advisory Council, the Police Research and Development Branch, and the Central Research Establishment, Aldermaston.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the recent observations made by judges in the courts on the unnecessary use of public money through granting legal aid to persons who are able to pay for their own defence, if he will now instigate an inquiry into the working of the legal aid system, with the object of saving public funds.

The Departmental Committee on Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings recommended that the courts should be empowered to require legally assisted persons to contribute to the costs of legal aid, and legislation to this effect came into force on 1st October last. I see no need for any further inquiry at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to provide rewards from public funds for members of the public who attempt to apprehend criminals.

There are already arrangements for this at the discretion of police authorities. In the Metropolitan Police District there were 95 awards in the finacial year 1968–69.

asked the Secretry of State for the Home Department how many local authority staff have been trained in their war-time functions under the Civil Defence Act and regulations made thereunder; and how many are in need of training or refresher courses at Easingwold.

No precise figures are available. But many thousands of local authority staff have been trained in the past, and the facilities at Easingwold are designed to meet current basic needs. About 1,250 local government officers from England and Wales are attending courses there this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from local authorities proposing tighter controls over the continuing use of old domestic portable oil heaters which are dangerous if handled incorrectly or carelessly; and whether he will seek to make it an offence to sell a heater not conforming with the 1960 regulations.

Two local authority associations have recently recommended that oil heaters sold privately, whether direct or through auctioneers, should be brought within the scope of the Oil Heaters Regulations 1962 and 1966, which apply only to sales made in the course of a business. I am not convinced that statutory control of private sales, even if it were practicable, would make a significant contribution to safety. The best safeguard is for oil heaters always to be carefully used and maintained in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from local authorities about the sale of balloons filled with hydrogen in view of the danger to children should such balloons come in contact with fire; and if he will take steps to ensure that they are filled only with a safe gas.

The Association of Municipal Corporations has recently recommended legislation requiring lighter-than-air balloons to be filled only with a safe gas such as helium. Unfortunately helium is much too expensive for this purpose and since only eleven cases of hydrogen-filled balloons exploding have been reported in the last 40 years and the resulting injuries have all been of a minor nature, I am not convinced of the need for legislation. The Home Office has already taken steps in other ways to discourage the sale and distribution of hydrogen-filled balloons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the civilianization of jobs within the police service.

Excluding cadets, the total civilian strength of the service in England and Wales has increased as follows over the past five years:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the number of persons in this country who have led subsequently law-abiding lives after having been convicted of murder and served terms of imprisonment.

Since 1st January, 1955, in England and Wales 244 murderers have been released on licence after serving imprisonment, and of these seven have been convicted of further acts of serious violence. Figures are not readily available for other offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the latest convenient stated date the total number of police, both male and female, in the Metropolitan Police Force who originated from countries of the Commonwealth outside Great Britain; from which countries they came; and what position or rank was held by each of these Commonwealth immigrants.

The only relevant information I have is that at present there are serving in the force one police constable who comes from Anguilla; two women police constables from Jamaica; and one cadet from Trinidad. An applicant from Kenya has been accepted, but has not yet taken up duty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set up an independent inquiry into the circumstances involved in the case of Regina v. Lovesay and Peterson, in view of the words of Lord Justice Widgery at their appeal.

Allegations of misconduct by police officers concerned in the case are at present under investigation by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis under Section 49 of the Police Act, 1964. My right hon. Friend will consider the case further when he has received the Commissioner's report on the results of this investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police into the circumstances in which in the case of Regina v. Lovesay and Peterson, the court and the defence were not informed that a prosecution witness, whose name has been sent to him, had 32 previous criminal convictions.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for High Peak (Mr. Peter M. Jackson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has completed his interim assessment of the effects of British Standard Time during the past winter; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to Questions by the hon. Members for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) and Londonderry (Mr. Chichester-Clark).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate and make recommendations on the use of animals for live experiments.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to an earlier Question today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that local residents in Janson Road, Stratford, E.15, and others in the area, are suffering nuisances, public disorder and road obstruction caused by lorries parking in the road, preventing the free flow of traffic and, on occasions, preventing traffic from moving at all; and whether he will instruct the police to take action to prevent these nuisances.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that the police pay attention to obstruction in Janson Street as it occurs. My right hon. Friend has no authority to issue directions in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the Metropolitan Police to prosecute Securicor and other such firms who use uniforms which are almost identical to police uniforms contrary to Section 52 of the Police Act, 1964.

My right hon. Friend has no authority to give instructions in the matter: it is for the chief officer of police to decide whether to prosecute for an offence committed in his police area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek powers to enforce the payment of fines within six months of the imposition of the penalty or of the expiry of the time permitted by the court for payment, whichever is the later.

My right hon. Friend has no present proposals to vary the arrangements for the enforcement of fines, which were reviewed and modified by Parliament only two years ago in the Criminal Justice Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the composition of the North East Development Council; what it has cost to public funds since it was established; what are its achievements; and whether he will make a statement.

The Council's membership consists of local authorities, industrial and commercial firms and organisations, trades unions, and members of Parliament for North East constituencies. Since April, 1964 the Council has received Government grants-in-aid totalling £115,000 towards its work, which I consider is playing a useful part in helping to attract new industry to the North East.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the cost to public funds of the Northern Economic Planning Council since it was established.

This cost cannot be readily isolated from the wider costs of the Department in the region. However, the estimated current annual cost of the Northern Regional Office of my Department is £60,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what action the Northern Economic Planning Council has taken regarding Sunderland and the Wearside area.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to his Question of 2nd April in which I explained that the Council in its Outline Strategy for the Northern Region up to 1981 has identified the Tyne/Wear Sub-Region as one of the areas of major economic growth.—[Vol. 781, c. 123.]

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will make a statement about the progress the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation is making in achieving its statutory objectives.

The I.R.C. has presented its second report and accounts, copies of which are now available in the Vote Office. The report describes in detail the Corporation's general approach to its task of promoting industrial efficiency and profitability and assisting the economy. Hon. Members will see that the I.R.C. has achieved considerable progress in many sectors of industry, particularly in electrical and mechanical engineering whose performance is so important to the balance of payments.I am happy to be able to inform the House that the I.R.C. will pay a dividend of £750,000 gross on its Public Dividend Capital. This is because the I.R.C. has achieved profitability a year earlier than anticipated in its first Report and Accounts.I should like to take this opportunity of expressing the Government's warm thanks to the Chairman—Sir Joseph Lockwood, the ex-Chairman—Sir Frank Kearton, the Managing Director—Mr. Charles Villiers, and members of the Corporation for their valuable work.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what advice has been given by Her Majesty's Government on the provisions in the draft revised byelaws for the Confederation of British Industry relating to the nationalised industries.

Draft revised byelaws have been formally submitted by the Confederation of British Industry for the approval of the Privy Council.When the C.B.I. was formed in 1965 provision was made for nationalised industries to become associate members. It was clearly understood that, as associates, nationalised industries would in no way be implicated in any politically controversial pronouncements by the C.B.I.In revising its byelaws, the C.B.I. has proposed that nationalised industries (as well as other classes of associate members) should be offered a form of full membership. The nationalised industries would be known as Public Sector Members. The draft revised byelaws make it explicit that Public Sector Members shall be at all times dissociated from pronouncements on questions that might be the subject of political controversy.The Government accordingly accept in principle the inclusion of the new provisions in the draft revised byelaws.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the success of the postal bus running from Llanidloes to Llangurig, he will now introduce similar services into other parts of Montgomeryshire and rural Wales.

We have no immediate plans.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the practice of his Department where there is no indication on an official paid letter whether it is to be sent by first or second class mail.

Under the Inland Post Regulations, 1968, it is a second class letter.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated total cost so far to the British Broadcasting Corporation of providing local radio services.

The B.B.C. tells me that the operating costs of the eight experimental local radio stations are running at the rate of about £65,000 to £70,000 a year each on average. Slightly more than half of this cost is being met from local contributions.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is satisfied that the existing level of provision of television services adequately meets public demand; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to doubt that, overall, the viewing public are satisfied.

asked the Postmaster-General what proposals have now been made to him with regard to the extension of radio presentation on medium wavelength; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the average waiting time for a new telephone subscriber to be connected on the New Abbey Exchange near Dumfries; and when he expects to install new equipment so that the waiting list can be reduced.

There are four outstanding applicants who have been waiting on average 11 months. New equipment is expected to be installed by December this year when all will be given telephone service.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the General Post Office Telephone Service charge 2s. if a customer requests a detailed statement of a bill for trunk call charges, etc.; and whether he will refer this to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

All bills already show the date of trunk calls made via the operator. The charge is made only when a customer wants regularly particulars of the numbers called. This involves us in extra work. The charge made does not cover the cost of providing the information.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress has been achieved in discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the Trades Union Congress.

I would ask my right hon. Friend to await the statement to be made later today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) whether in her proposed Industrial Relations Bill she will give consideration to introducing penal clauses to fine employers who cause or take action to encourage strikes by their employees;(2) whether she is aware that one of the causes of strikes is the need for workers to obtain increases in wages and salaries to off-set rises in the cost of living and in prices of consumer goods; and whether, in her forthcoming Industrial Relations Bill in any penal clause, she will seek to make fines payable by manufacturers and distributors who increase prices without first obtaining permission from her Department.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether, before preparing and publishing her Industrial Relations Bill, she will take the opportunity of sending an investigating team to Australia to ascertain how their Act has been operating during the past few months.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that the National Board for Prices and Incomes are having some 300 cases per week referred to them by the general public of price increases; and what action her Department has taken or intends taking to advertise that such complainants should send their complaints to the Ministry concerned.

I understand that complaints to the N.B.P.I. about price increases have averaged 116 a week this year. As has been explained from time to time to the Press, Consumers Associations and individuals, such complaints should be made direct to the Departments concerned, the addresses of which can be obtained at any employment exchange. I am satisfied, however, that the arrangements for transferring complaints received by the Board do not cause significant delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that some nationalised industries charge their customers a fee if a request is made for a detailed explanation of an invoice; and, in view of the inflationary effect of this, contrary to the Government's prices and incomes policy, whether she will cause an investigation to be made with a view to stopping this practice.

I am not aware that such a charge is generally made by nationalised industries, and I see no need for a special investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give an assurance that public funds will be made available, through the Arts Council or by other means, to facilitate the speedy reconstruction of the Maltings Concert Hall at Aldeburgh, in view of the international importance of the festivals held there.

I share the sorrow which every music lover must have felt at the loss of this fine building and I offer my sympathy in particular to Mr. Britten and his colleagues. I am glad to be able to say that the insurance cover, together with the contributions from the public which have been flowing in to Aldeburgh, should be sufficient not only to replace the building but to carry out certain refinements in the original design. It is not therefore expected that any call will need to be made on public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made with the application of cell, tissue and organ cultures in medical research as alternatives to experiments on live animals licensed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.

Some notable advances have been made in the use of such alternatives, for example in the study of drugs and hormones and in toxicity tests of pesticides; but the use of experimental animals will continue to be essential in the foreseeable future for certain kinds of research. The M.R.C. is willing to consider giving financial support to promising lines of investigation into alternatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are included in the border zone for grammar school education each year; and how many hours on an average are spent by the border zone panels in considering these lists.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress there has been in the constructing of the Welsh National Agricultural College for Wales.

A building allocation of £200,000 has been made for the first instalment of teaching accommodation for the College; this project has been included in the Further Education Starts Programme for 1969–70. The Building work on the residential and communal accommodation for the joint use of this College and the College of Librarianship, Wales, will also start this year. The Cardiganshire Education Authority, who are establishing the College as agents for the Welsh Joint Education Committee, have appointed a private firm of architects to carry out the development of the whole of the campus site near Aberystwyth which will also include other educational establishments. A schedule of accommodation for the College of Agriculture is being drawn up as a matter of urgency with a view to enabling a start to be made in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money is being allocated by Her Majesty's Government in 1969 for research into the problem of the autistic child.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley, on 19th December last. The estimated expenditure in 1969 on Dr. Rutter's project referred to in that answer is £2,000. In addition work on the problem of the autistic child is included as part of the Medical Research Council's research programme in the field of mental health and applied psychology but no figure is available of the expenditure directly attributable to the work on autistic children within this programme.—[Vol. 775, c. 439–40.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has now received the further information which he has asked the authority to provide regarding the proposed extensions to the Monkwearmouth Comprehensive School, Sunderland; and if he will make a statement.

I received the information asked for today. I shall now consider this proposal together with those of other authorities for inclusion in the preliminary list of projects on which building work is expected to start in 1971–72. It is hoped that a decision will be reached within about the next six weeks.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement regarding the next stage in the building of the Humber Bridge, following the recent meeting between his officials and the Humber Bridge Board.

The meeting between officials of my Department and those of the Humber Bridge Board and their consulting engineers, was held on 9th June for the purpose of exchanging views and information, and explaining the extent of the Ministry's interest on the questions of the preparation, financing, design and construction of the Bridge. The Board has the necessary powers, under the Humber Bridge Act, 1959, to design and construct the Bridge and approach roads, to acquire the necessary land and to raise funds, and it will therefore be for the Board to proceed with the necessary design work and land acquisition with a view to beginning construction in 1972 and completing it in 1976. We have expressed our willingness to co-operate in ensuring the achievement of that target and shall keep in close touch with the Board.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the recent series of accidents involving skidding, on the M4 motorway, he will expedite the proposed action for dealing with this hazard.

We have given the utmost priority to this matter. Tenders for surface dressing the elevated dual two-lane section were opened yesterday. They are now being considered with the intention that the works should start in July. Tenders for the dual three-lane asphalt section are due on 25th June and it is hoped that this work will follow that on the elevated section. Tenders will be invited next month for the widening and resurfacing of the length from Langley to the Windsor Interchange.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the cause for delay in proceeding with the proposed road from Shoreham Port to Newhaven Port; and what plans he now has for that proposed road.

Proposals to meet traffic needs in the area must await the results of the Brighton Transportation Study now in progress.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the report of the Transport Users' Consultative Committee on the proposal to discontinue the local rail services between Newport, Gloucester and Cheltenham; and when he expects to announce his decision.

I expect to receive the report of the Transport Users' Consultative Committee on this proposal soon after a public hearing to be held on the 16th July. I will then consider their report together with all the other relevant factors before reaching a decision. My hon. Friend will, therefore, appreciate that at this stage it is not possible to indicate when my decision will be announced.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give details of the questions relating to political affiliations printed on the forms which employees who are to become responsible for motor taxation have to answer.

There are no such questions on the form which has been issued for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the rents fixed by the rent assessment committees in London, Birmingham and Southampton are higher than those for similar dwellings in the rest of the country; and if he will now introduce amending legislation to ensure that rent assessment committees exclude the housing shortage factor from their consideration.

Section 46(2) of the Rent Act, 1968, following Section 27(2) of the Rent Act, 1965, requires rent officers and rent assessment committees to assume in fixing fair rents that the local demand for dwellings of the type under consideration does not substantially exceed the supply; hence, the re- quirement my hon. Friend is seeking is already embodied in legislation.No figures are available to illustrate average rents of similar dwellings in different registration areas; the figures I am supplying in answer to another Question by my hon. Friend give the average rents registered for all dwelling considered by rent assessment committees.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will state the average increase in rents fixed by the rent assessment committees in London, Birmingham, Southampton and each of the London boroughs, respectively, and that for the rest of the country and for the whole country to the latest convenient date, compared with the previous controlled rents of these dwellings;(2) how many rents have been fixed above and below, respectively, the previous controlled rent by rent assessment committees in London, Birmingham, Southampton and each of the London boroughs, respectively, and in the rest of the country and in the whole country to the latest convenient date.

I regret that this information is not available, since the statistical material on tenancies for which rents have been registered under the rent regulation machinery does not indicate whether a tenancy was previously controlled.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the average rent determined by rent assessment committees in London, Birmingham, Southampton and each of the London boroughs, respectively, and that for the rest of the country and for the whole country to the latest convenient date.

This information is available from the commencement of the rent regulation scheme in 1966 up to the end of 1968 for cases where the basis on which the rent assessment committee determined the rent was comparable with the basis on which the previous rent rested.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the average rent determined by rent assessment committees in London, Birmingham, Southampton and each of the London boroughs, respectively, for a two-bedroomed terraced house with a bathroom, and without a bathroom, respectively, and that for these two types in the rest of the country and for the whole country to the latest convenient date.

This information is not available, and could not be obtained without undue cost and disruption of other work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the names, ages, present trade or occupation, or, if retired, the previous trade or occupation, of the chairmen of the rent assessment committees of London, Birmingham and Southampton.

There are 77 members of the London Rent Assessment Panel who are appointed by the Lord Chancellor to act as chairmen of rent assessment committees, 17 in Birmingham and 10 in Southampton. With permission, I will circulate the names, occupations and age groupings in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the statistics he has received from the 58 authorities which he asked to collect statistics of the use by people, according to their place of origin, of various social services.

As the hon. Member will have gathered from my right hon. Friend's reply to Questions on 24th March from my hon. Friends the Members for Poplar (Mr. Mikardo) and Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt), this is an exploratory statistical inquiry into the use being made of certain health services, undertaken at his request by selected local authorities and hospitals. When all the returns are received we shall certainly consider publication.—[Vol. 780, c. 206–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what progress is being made on implementing the Tunbridge Report;(2) what plans he has to start a number of pilot schemes before the Tunbridge Report is fully implemented, as suggested in the Report;

I have nothing at present to add to what I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) on 21st April.—[Vol. 782, c. 12–3.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the rateable value per head of the population in each of the following, the County Borough of Luton, the Boroughs of Dunstable, Hemel Hempstead, St. Albans, and Watford, the Urban Districts of Leighton-Linslade, Berkhamsted, Bushey, Chorleywood, Harpenden and Rickmansworth and the Rural Districts of Luton, Ampthill, Elstree, Hemel Hempstead, St. Albans, Watford, Berkhamsted and Hitchin; and what is the product of a penny rate in each.

Following is the information required for the year 1968–69:

asked the Prime Minister what official facilities were provided by Her Majesty's Government in connection with the visit of the Leader of the Opposition to Washington.

Her Majesty's Embassy in Washington arranged some of the right hon. Gentleman's calls and at his request booked his hotel accommodation and made preliminary inquiries about his appearances on television and the luncheon given for him at the National Press Club.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Prime Minister of Israel.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a Question by him on 17th June. The talks were, of course, confidential, and the House will not expect me to go into any further detail about the matters discussed.—[Vol. 785, c. 81–2.]

asked the Prime Minister whether he has now received the report of the Plowden Committee on pay for the higher paid civil servants; whether he proposes to implement the proposed increases; what will be the average cash increase and percentage increase in existing salaries; and whether he will seek to apply such increases uniformly to all civil servants and employees of the State, including nurses and hospital workers, and to Ministers and Members of Parliament.

I have received this report, and the Government are considering it.

asked the Prime Minister whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that Ministers should give precedence to their Parliamentary business.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the absence from the House of my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary last Monday. I would refer to what my right hon. Friend said about this in his speech in the debate on Tuesday.—[Vol. 785, c. 306.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the implications for Royal Naval dockyards in Great Britain of the present difficulties in Gibraltar.

I do not anticipate any major change in the normal levels of support given to Gibraltar from the home dockyards in the present situation. The programme of work in Gibraltar Dockyard has been adjusted to meet the effects of the withdrawal of the Spanish labour force, without significant implications for the home yards.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to publish the Government's letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 17th June in reply to a similar Question by the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne).—[Vol. 785, c. 78.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why retailers of soft furnishings are required after 27th May, 1969, to pay purchase tax on the full value of materials which are made up into curtains, even if those materials were purchased and in stock before 27th May and were not therefore previously taxable.

As from 27th May, 1969, curtains became chargeable with tax on their full wholesale value, including the cost of all materials used and the cost of making up; and no abatement of tax is allowable on the ground that the materials used came from untaxed stock. This applies equally to curtains made in the making-up departments of detail shops and in other manufacturing establishments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it remains the Government's policy to continue the practice of not asking the Director of Public Prosecutions, whose consent is necessary, to proceed against those who now make a voluntary disclosure of gold coins which they were under a legal obligation to disclose on 27th April, 1966, under Statutory Instrument No. 438, 1966.

The Treasury is continuing this practice for the time being.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will prepare a feasibility study of the contribution which the United Kingdom could make to a multi-national and European programme of technical assistance by young people to the developing countries.

No. There is no programme of European multi-national technical assistance to which the United Kingdom could contribute, since the policy of the European Economic Community is to concentrate on capital aid. But the British volunteer programme has links with non-Governmental volunteer organisations in Europe.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the latest estimate for the United Kingdom progress towards the 1 per cent. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development target for the year 1968, broken down into gross official flows, repayments of capital, commercial credit, and private investment, expressing each as a percentage of the latest estimate for gross national product at market prices; and if he will provide the figure for receipts of interest on aid loans during 1968.

The figures I gave to my hon. Friend on 2nd May [Vol. 783, c. 6–8] are the best available and I confirm as final figures the provisional estimates there for official flows including interest on aid loans.These figures represent the following percentages of gross national product:

asked the Minister of Power if he has received the report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on non-alloy bright steel bars; and if he will make a statement.

The Report of the N.B.P.I. (No. 118) is published today. It recommends that producers should be allowed to raise prices of non-alloy bright bars only to the extent that the purchase price of their own mix of black bars (from which bright bars are made) has risen, based on the B.S.C. price list, plus 14s. a ton for the increase in conversion costs. How these increases are to be applied to the various types of non-alloy bright steel bar should be left to the individual company.The Government accepts these recommendations, and makers of non-alloy bright steel bars may now raise their prices to this extent if they so wish. Any other increases in bright steel bar prices will continue to be subject to early warning in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ask the Scottish Law Commission to report on the consequences for Scotland of the proposed reform of the divorce law in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am aware of the Scottish Law Commission's views on the matter, and I have nothing to add to my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total subsidy paid to owner-occupiers under the mortgage scheme in the county of Lanark since the scheme's inception.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will publish the corrected export figures for the years 1967 and 1968.

I am considering the possibility of publishing a series for recent

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the total housing subsidy paid to Lanarkshire County Council for the past fiscal year;(2) what were the housing subsidies paid annually to the county of Lanark for the years 1964 to 1968.

The available figures relate to financial years, and are as folows:years of the value of total exports, making allowance for estimated under-recording.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Wales Regional Council of the Confederation of British Industry about industrial blight in South-East Wales; and what reply he has sent.

The Wales Regional Council of the Confederation of British Industry have drawn my attention to the effects of industrial development in South-East Wales of exclusion from the development area. I have informed the Council that their views will be carefully considered.