Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Friday, 20th June, 1969

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Cheddar Cheese

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on the outcome of his further discussions with overseas suppliers of cheddar cheese to the United Kingdom market.

On 2nd April my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced his findings on the application made to him for the imposition of anti-dumping or countervailing duties on certain imported cheeses. The Governments of New Zealand, Australia and the Irish Republic had already agreed to co-operate in a scheme of voluntary restraint on deliveries to our market in the two-year period to 31st March, 1970, and in the light of the findings on the anti-dumping application I have been discussing with our other suppliers appropriate levels of restraint in their cases. I am glad to say that I have been able to reach agreement with all the Governments concerned, and the Board of Trade is announcing today that in these circumstances it has been decided not to impose anti-dumping or countervailing duties on cheese. Details of the restraint agreements are given in the Table below.I shall continue to keep the position under close review.Following is the table:

CHEDDAR AND CHEDDAR-TYPE CHEESE
Permitted Imports—1st April, 1968 to 31st March, 1970
	Quantity: 000 tons
New Zealand and Australia	177·1
Irish Republic	35·0
Canada (see note 4 below).
Netherlands	11·0
France	10·0
Denmark	3·0
Norway	2·6
South Africa	1·3

NOTES1. After deducting the actual imports in 1968–69 from the quantities stipulated above for the two-year period the balance remaining for the current year (1st April, 1969 to 31st March, 1970) is 116·7 thousand tons.

2. Australia and New Zealand have agreed to operate restraint on a joint basis.

3. Imports of cheddar and cheddar type cheese from Eastern European countries do not come within these restraint arrangements, for they are already limited by quota under bilateral trading agreements. These supplies, together with small supplies from other sources, totalled approximately 1,000 tons in 1968–69, and the tonnage for 1969–70 is not expected to be in excess of that figure.

4. Canada. Because of the special circumstances of the trade in Canadian cheddar cheese (which is normally sold in Canada to United Kingdom buyers while immature, undergoes a long period of maturation either in Canada or the United Kingdom, and is subject to irregularity of shipment), restraint will be operated by limitation of sales by Canadian producers to United Kingdom buyers in accordance with a specific undertaking by the Canadian Government authorities. In the two-year period 1st April, 1968 to 31st March, 1970 such sales will be limited to 31,000 tons, of which 18,000 tons were sold in the year to 31st March, 1969. Actual imports to the United Kingdom are not expected to exceed 10,000 tons in the year to 31st March, 1970.

Employment And Productivity

Dock Workers (Tilbury)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the current state of progress in implementing the pay proposals of the Port of London Authority for dock workers at the O.C.L.-A.C.T. terminal at Tilbury.

As I indicated in answer to the hon. Gentleman's Question on 1st April, implementation of these proposals is linked, in the view of the union concerned, with current negotiations on the second stage of the Devlin modernisation programme which are continuing. [Vol. 781, c. 89.]

Tally Clerks (London Docks)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the annual percentage increase in rates, earnings and productivity for tally clerks in London docks during the 12 months ending on 31st May for 1969, 1968 and 1967, respectively.

Following is the available information. Weekly rates were increased by about 14 per cent. in January, 1969 and by about 20 per cent. in September, 1967. The last previous increase had been in January, 1966. Average earnings in the first quarter of 1969 were 16 per cent. higher than the average for the calendar year 1968, which was 16 per cent. higher than for 1967. As a rough general measure of productivity, the average tonnage of foreign trade other than fuels handled in the London enclosed docks per ship's clerk employed in the first quarter of 1969 was 2 per cent. higher than the average for the calendar year 1968, which was 15 per cent. higher than for 1967.

Transport Employers (Labour Dispute)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the circumstances, details of which have been sent to her, in which a transport employer paid a sum of money to a union convalescent home as a means of securing the termination of a labour dispute; and if she will make a statement.

No. This is not a matter for the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

Local Government

Property Developers (Planning Applications)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the anxiety caused to residents in certain areas by property developers making repeated applications for planning permission of an almost identical nature; and whether he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to ensure some degree of finality in such matters.

I appreciate the concern of residents; but it would be very difficult to define in practice the circumstances in which further applications would not be admitted.

Land (Compulsory Acquisition)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total value of all land, including buildings, brought into public ownership by compulsory acquisition for the period 1964 to 1969; what percentage of this was acquired by departments of central Government and what percentage by local authorities: what were the corresponding figures for each five-year period from 1945.

I regret that the information is not available.

Housing

Rent Determinations

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will issue a statement showing for the last 12 months to a convenient date the number of determinations of the rent officer in the London boroughs and for each provincial rent office, stating how many rents have been reduced, increased or kept the same, the number of applications for rent changes outstanding, the number submitted to the rent assessment committees and an approximate average of the original rents and of the rents agreed upon and registered;(2) if he will state the determinations of the rent officers, up to the most recent date available, for the London boroughs and for each provincial rent office, showing the numbers of rents increased, decreased or unchanged.

Following is a statement in tabular form.The latest 12 months period for which the information asked is substantially available is the year 1968 but a recent addition to our computer analyses permits the supply of cumulative figures in respect of determinations for each rent registration area for the whole period since the commencement of rent regulation in 1966 to the end of May, 1969.In both cases the information is based on computer analyses and relates to cases where the basis on which registered rents were determined was comparable with the basis on which the previous rent was registered. The results of the analyses relate to the final rent in each cases whether fixed by Rent Officers or on appeal by Rent Assessment Committees. Numbers of cases referred to Rent Assessment Committees for each registration area are not readily available but numbers of cases decided by committees are included in the Table.

RENT ACT 1968: APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF FAIR RENTS
I—Year 1968
				Determinations Analysed						Number of cases (Incl. in column 2) determined by R.A.C.	Number of applications for registration in hand 31.12.68	II—Period 1966 to May, 1969 inclusive Determinations Analysed
					Number of Previous Rents			Average					Number of Previous Rents
Rent Registration Areas (Counties, County Boroughs and London Boroughs)				Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased	Previous Rent	Registered Rent			Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased
								£ p.a.	£ p.a.
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)	(11)	(12)	(13)
Bedfordshire		…	…	73	52	1	20	224	204	Nil	61	257	182	4	71
Berkshire		…	…	38	17	Nil	21	162	159	7	40	203	93	11	99
Buckinghamshire			…	212	62	11	139	258	275	2	76	763	260	29	474
Cheshire	…	…	…	305	41	9	255	151	186	8	56	830	119	33	678
Cornwall	…	…	…	90	7	7	76	66	93	5	13	195	27	16	152
Cumberland		…	…	15	3	1	11	56	74	1	1	72	15	6	51
Derbyshire		…	…	223	45	27	151	83	101	Nil	1,466	521	122	57	342
Devon	…	…	…	137	25	12	100	129	164	5	52	485	95	50	340
Dorset	…	…	…	118	14	8	96	131	183	7	39	389	46	51	292
Durham	…	…	…	108	47	3	58	87	94	20	7	338	155	14	169
Essex	…	…	…	204	43	19	142	150	178	8	53	537	174	45	318
Gloucestershire		…	…	100	18	10	72	155	179	4	11	298	76	41	181
Hampshire		…	…	216	37	15	164	171	202	22	50	565	116	31	418
Herefordshire		…	…	13	7	Nil	6	143	163	1	4	36	24	—	12
Hertfordshire		…	…	362	49	15	298	147	225	23	83	689	127	31	531
Kent	…	…	…	757	112	44	601	126	164	15	98	2,139	315	100	1,724
Lancashire		…	…	736	187	84	465	96	114	32	49	1,749	596	197	956
Leicestershire		…	…	110	17	4	89	83	103	1	143	266	62	18	186
Lincolnshire Holland			…	11	4	4	3	103	100	Nil	1	38	12	6	20
Lincolnshire Kesteven			…	6	3	Nil	3	112	93	Nil	3	24	9	1	14
Lincolnshire Lindsey			…	56	10	8	38	96	112	2	29	156	46	15	95
Norfolk	…	…	…	67	15	10	42	109	133	Nil	7	227	40	30	157
Northamptonshire			…	71	34	5	32	97	108	2	7	136	71	9	56
Northumberland			…	162	45	5	112	106	127	9	38	652	183	116	353
Nottinghamshire			…	139	37	3	99	116	147	3	6	338	123	16	199
Oxfordshire		…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	14	22	13	2	7
Rutland	…	…	…	9	1	Nil	8	54	65	Nil	Nil	17	4	2	11
Shropshire		…	…	16	3	1	12	91	108	1	13	53	13	6	34
Somerset	…	…	…	208	22	14	172	144	179	9	23	594	75	35	484
Staffordshire		…	…	173	19	13	141	102	156	1	99	454	115	51	288
Suffolk, East		…	…	114	54	20	40	224	224	3	2	219	124	29	66
Suffolk, West		…	…	25	12	4	9	123	101	Nil	7	52	31	4	17
Surrey	…	…	…	382	61	19	302	190	236	19	24	1,115	173	66	876

I—Year 1968
				Determinations Analysed						Number of cases (Incl. in column 2) determined by R.A.C.	Number of applications for registration in hand 31.12.68	II—Period 1966 to May, 1969 inclusive Determinations Analysed
					Number of Previous Rents			Average					Number of Previous Rents
Rent Registration Areas (Counties, County Boroughs and London Boroughs)				Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased	Previous Rent	Registered Rent			Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased
								£ p.a.	£ p.a.
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)	(11)	(12)	(13)
Sussex, East		…	…	320	27	30	263	183	218	4	174	1,225	126	102	997
Sussex, West		…	…	259	21	49	189	204	236	6	59	969	61	161	747
Warwickshire		…	…	112	14	11	87	164	220	1	152	379	94	29	256
Westmorland		…	…	31	5	Nil	26	73	147	Nil	6	55	7	1	47
Wight, Isle of		…	…	41	7	1	33	135	165	Nil	8	129	25	2	102
Wiltshire	…	…	…	64	14	4	46	143	173	1	4	233	46	20	167
Worcestershire		…	…	71	30	11	30	141	147	1	9	217	86	42	89
Yorkshire, East Riding			…	27	7	4	16	99	115	Nil	4	76	22	16	38
Yorkshire, North Riding				64	15	5	44	93	102	3	9	173	41	21	111
Yorkshire, West Riding			…	581	136	37	408	73	86	18	2,264	1,077	261	83	733
Anglesey	…	…	…	18	2	1	15	62	69	1	2	25	5	2	18
Breconshire		…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	2	6	4	1	1
Caernarvonshire			…	45	6	Nil	39	73	137	19	1	74	18	Nil	56
Cardiganshire		…	…	4	2	Nil	2	164	128	Nil	1	11	9	Nil	2
Carmarthenshire			…	11	8	2	1	144	107	1	4	44	27	5	12
Denbighshire		…	…	5	2	Nil	3	59	74	2	Nil	26	13	1	12
Flintshire		…	…	18	5	2	11	115	133	Nil	8	78	32	2	44
Glamorganshire		…	…	99	28	6	65	79	97	9	73	331	119	17	195
Merionethshire		…	…	2	1	Nil	1	123	149	1	Nil	4	2	Nil	2
Monmouthshire		…	…	23	4	2	17	70	85	1	50	79	22	2	55
Montgomeryshire			…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	1	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Pembrokeshire		…	…	6	3	1	2	92	79	Nil	13	26	8	2	16
Radnorshire		…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	3	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Isles of Scilly		…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely	…	…	…	77	14	2	61	148	182	3	5	241	44	9	188
Huntingdonshire and Peterborough				12	8	Nil	4	170	136	Nil	6	53	21	1	31

RENT ACT 1968: APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF FAIR RENTS
I—Year 1968
				All Cases Determined						Number of cases determined by R.A.C.	Number of applications for registration outstanding at 31.12.68	II—Period 1966 to May, 1969 inclusive Determinations Analysed
					Number of Previous Rents			Average					Number of Previous Rents
Rent Registration Areas (Counties, County Boroughs and London Boroughs)				Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased	Previous Rent	Registered Rent			Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased
								£ p.a.	£ p.a.
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)	(11)	(12)	(13)
Barnsley	…	…	…	181	9	1	8	59	56	1	1	42	29	1	12
Barrow-in-Furness			…	136	2	Nil	134	46	64	Nil	Nil	349	12	1	336
Bath	…	…	…	40	6	10	24	167	195	Nil	5	118	14	17	87
Birkenhead		…	…	121	18	5	98	147	170	2	Nil	271	85	15	171
Birmingham		…	…	292	106	26	160	186	197	17	53	1,025	468	139	418
Blackburn		…	…	12	4	3	5	61	62	3	2	44	24	5	15
Blackpool		…	…	65	7	5	53	122	163	1	13	178	25	14	139
Bolton	…	…	…	11	5	Nil	6	70	65	3	3	37	21	3	13
Bootle	…	…	…	72	44	7	21	122	105	1	5	210	126	13	71
Bournemouth		…	…	182	12	15	155	176	223	8	34	475	34	62	379
Bradford	…	…	…	87	35	3	49	87	83	1	5	300	89	8	203
Brighton	…	…	…	271	42	25	204	163	193	4	31	693	113	79	501
Bristol	…	…	…	177	63	12	102	176	190	19	46	608	193	35	380
Burnley	…	…	…	21	13	Nil	8	56	50	Nil	1	59	28	2	29
Burton-on-Trent			…	20	7	3	10	101	91	Nil	2	64	37	4	23
Bury	…	…	…	7	5	Nil	2	102	101	Nil	41	29	20	2	7
Canterbury		…	…	9	1	3	5	144	186	Nil	1	39	3	4	32
Carlisle	…	…	…	9	7	1	1	97	69	Nil	Nil	33	28	1	4
Chester	…	…	…	7	3	Nil	4	131	143	Nil	56	19	8	—	11
Coventry	…	…	…	72	16	29	27	144	151	1	1	451	89	73	289
Darlington		…	…	15	12	1	2	143	123	3	Nil	63	50	8	5
Derby	…	…	…	50	6	2	42	113	160	Nil	25	146	17	23	106
Dewsbury		…	…	23	4	3	16	54	64	Nil	Nil	29	5	4	20
Doncaster		…	…	29	16	6	7	147	135	1	5	82	50	17	15
Dudley	…	…	…	15	11	Nil	4	169	142	1	Nil	40	28	2	10
Eastbourne		…	…	180	23	4	153	173	216	7	13	499	78	23	398
Exeter	…	…	…	26	3	1	22	149	187	3	3	100	43	1	56
Gateshead		…	…	232	60	23	149	61	67	3	4	455	164	39	252
Gloucester		…	…	15	11	1	3	154	122	1	Nil	35	20	3	12
Great Yarmouth			…	11	1	5	5	85	101	Nil	3	37	11	11	15
Grimsby	…	…	…	38	20	1	17	110	102	Nil	2	123	69	3	51
Halifax	…	…	…	21	6	5	10	62	60	Nil	Nil	51	22	6	23

I—Year 1968
				All Cases Determined						Number of cases determined by R.A.C.	Number of applications for registration outstanding at 31.12.68	II—Period 1966 to May, 1969 inclusive Determinations Analysed
					Number of Previous Rents			Average					Number of Previous Rents
Rent Registration Areas (Counties, County Boroughs and London Boroughs)				Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased	Previous Rent	Registered Rent			Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased
								£ p.a.	£ p.a.
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)	(11)	(12)	(13)
Hartlepool		…	…	29	16	7	6	102	87	2	2	51	29	14	8
Hastings	…	…	…	82	15	7	60	136	165	5	6	281	76	18	187
Huddersfield		…	…	17	3	4	10	55	61	Nil	18	80	19	8	53
Ipswich	…	…	…	60	42	2	16	208	178	2	5	195	152	17	26
Kingston-upon-Hull			…	107	59	39	9	107	91	1	20	528	364	114	50
Leeds	…	…	…	415	58	44	313	105	140	2	88	655	142	57	456
Leicester	…	…	…	142	49	1	92	131	129	4	7	875	160	5	710
Lincoln	…	…	…	28	17	3	8	110	108	Nil	1	101	55	18	28
Liverpool		…	…	509	241	34	234	119	120	8	48	1,624	833	126	665
Luton	…	…	…	168	117	5	46	190	190	7	18	475	239	13	223
Manchester		…	…	325	122	64	139	155	150	2	4	983	536	97	350
Nswcastle-upon-Tyne			…	324	74	23	227	116	143	15	83	829	337	61	431
Northampton	…	…	…	11	9	Nil	2	175	134	1	Nil	59	30	4	25
Norwich	…	…	…	70	20	3	47	125	155	3	9	267	80	15	172
Nottingham		…	…	249	49	8	192	80	91	19	136	617	175	21	421
Oldham	…	…	…	127	9	4	114	46	55	Nil	4	209	51	7	151
Oxford	…	…	…	5	2	Nil	3	209	199	Nil	12	33	13	2	18
Plymouth		…	…	176	38	21	117	118	149	3	76	591	180	65	346
Portsmouth		…	…	190	12	51	127	158	187	Nil	53	507	58	88	361
Preston	…	…	…	34	18	1	15	103	84	3	Nil	99	58	5	36
Reading	…	…	…	41	19	1	21	160	167	4	3	97	45	3	49
Rochdale		…	…	24	3	Nil	21	31	53	Nil	7	35	10	1	24
Rotherham		…	…	45	33	Nil	12	92	77	2	1	104	71	4	29
St. Helens		…	…	25	12	Nil	13	89	92	Nil	Nil	125	51	7	67
Salford	…	…	…	92	80	1	11	110	82	18	6	293	231	7	55
Sheffield	…	…	…	190	37	95	58	84	87	Nil	10	542	201	244	97
Solihull	…	…	…	19	3	1	15	115	167	2	2	46	9	3	34
Southampton		…	…	208	40	10	158	166	194	11	29	511	131	22	358
Southend-on-Sea			…	518	140	15	363	170	202	22	109	1,456	329	48	1,079
Southport		…	…	53	4	10	39	173	199	3	4	126	18	15	93
South Shields		…	…	138	35	4	99	62	74	2	54	687	180	38	469
Stockport		…	…	21	19	1	1	131	97	1	2	76	59	1	16
Stoke-on-Trent		…	…	27	19	1	7	122	102	4	290	202	62	27	113

I—Year 1968
				All Cases Determined						Number of cases determined by R.A.C.	Number of applications for registration outstanding at 31.12.68	II—Period 1966 to May, 1969 inclusive Determinations Analysed
					Number of Previous Rents			Average					Number of Previous Rents
Rent Registration Areas (Counties, County Boroughs and London Boroughs)				Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased	Previous Rent	Registered Rent			Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased
								£ p.a.	£ p.a.
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)	(11)	(12)	(13)
Sunderland		…	…	105	42	6	57	81	92	Nil	13	331	166	21	144
Teesside	…	…	…	49	23	5	21	85	81	1	4	386	26	38	322
Torbay	…	…	…	20	4	2	14	202	236	1	10	34	7	4	23
Tynemouth		…	…	119	38	5	76	85	100	25	17	235	80	14	141
Wakefield		…	…	15	8	Nil	7	95	89	2	Nil	23	11	2	10
Wallasey	…	…	…	122	17	12	93	125	164	Nil	8	348	87	35	226
Walsall	…	…	…	73	26	15	32	123	127	Nil	5	315	139	56	120
Warley	…	…	…	42	19	Nil	23	126	141	4	7	124	55	2	67
Warrington		…	…	32	14	3	15	85	80	Nil	2	86	45	14	27
West Bromwich		…	…	15	7	3	5	169	148	Nil	1	121	22	7	92
Wigan	…	…	…	22	12	4	6	97	84	Nil	2	56	32	7	17
Wolverhampton			…	42	24	2	16	176	169	7	1	236	63	9	164
Worcester		…	…	21	8	5	8	134	136	Nil	4	61	26	12	23
York	…	…	…	30	11	7	12	120	116	3	Nil	111	36	15	60
Cardiff	…	…	…	139	83	4	52	166	154	15	28	507	261	21	225
Merthyr Tydfil		…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	4	9	6	1	2
Newport	…	…	…	12	8	2	2	169	165	Nil	Nil	37	22	2	13
Swansea	…	…	…	38	17	4	17	127	131	Nil	6	140	80	10	50
Westminster		…	…	1,178	222	133	823	374	438	253	162	2,779	559	353	1,867
Camden	…	…	…	225	345	49	531	273	302	208	241	2,021	753	233	1,035
Islington	…	…	…	528	185	42	301	217	222	38	66	1,703	791	178	734
Hackney	…	…	…	953	694	18	241	227	180	443	132	2,305	1,619	51	635
Tower Hamlets		…	…	222	154	6	62	158	125	39	61	1,137	766	125	246
Greenwich		…	…	240	90	25	125	162	164	26	39	902	339	94	469
Lewisham		…	…	418	212	21	185	197	191	69	84	1,263	671	57	535
Southwark		…	…	509	205	25	279	144	156	6	339	1,784	788	55	941
Lambeth		…	…	564	148	79	337	217	242	30	109	2,090	607	265	1,218
Wandsworth		…	…	484	71	66	347	200	244	22	84	1,602	294	258	1,050
Hammersmith		…	…	276	99	27	150	217	219	13	71	1,139	545	87	507
Kensington and Chelsea				78	11	5	62	325	408	19	108	1,018	258	89	671
Waltham Forest			…	693	46	205	442	140	180	6	122	2,055	302	556	1,197
Redbridge		…	…	177	23	7	147	188	253	3	20	555	150	24	381
Havering	…	…	…	86	14	10	62	177	226	4	40	332	86	39	207

I—Year 1968
				All Cases Determined						Number of cases determined by R.A.C.	Number of applications for registration outstanding at 31.12.68	II—Period 1966 to May, 1969 inclusive Determinations Analysed
					Number of Previous Rents			Average					Number of Previous Rents
Rent Registration Areas (Counties, County Boroughs and London Boroughs)				Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased	Previous Rent	Registered Rent			Total Number	Reduced	Unchanged	Increased
								£ p.a.	£ p.a.
(1)				(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)	(11)	(12)	(13)
Barking	…	…	…	32	12	6	14	180	187	4	16	142	89	14	39
Newham	…	…	…	267	102	9	156	135	155	54	16	919	501	20	398
Bexley	…	…	…	91	35	6	50	178	219	6	19	314	93	33	188
Bromley	…	…	…	200	31	12	157	190	251	11	106	780	166	113	501
Croydon	…	…	…	189	70	19	100	207	219	6	21	799	271	49	479
Sutton	…	…	…	111	11	12	88	209	266	4	52	444	74	37	333
Merton	…	…	…	197	17	23	157	211	277	7	44	690	106	82	502
Kingston upon Thames			…	179	29	28	122	274	305	28	32	442	105	65	272
Richmond upon Thames				285	32	35	218	287	334	22	64	871	144	124	603
Hounslow		…	…	159	39	11	109	223	268	17	24	522	176	23	323
Hillingdon		…	…	204	26	14	164	182	274	6	13	550	85	61	404
Ealing	…	…	…	513	88	23	402	224	287	171	87	1,583	510	77	996
Brent	…	…	…	302	90	39	173	246	270	13	141	1,193	441	115	637
Harrow	…	…	…	162	12	13	137	253	311	6	20	587	47	97	443
Barnet	…	…	…	600	85	36	479	292	350	67	146	1,890	344	116	1,430
Haringey	…	…	…	615	183	25	407	206	233	69	106	1,810	686	69	1,055
Enfield	…	…	…	109	37	27	45	229	221	14	43	438	165	66	207
City of London		…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	6	—	—	6

Ministry Of Defence

Castlelow Firing Range, Pentlands Hills

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of the development of the firing range at Castlelow in the Pentlands Hills.

About £50,000.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Mr Gerald Brooke

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that complete details concerning his Department's intervention in connection with matters concerning Gerald Brooke have been published in the Press and on the radio and television, before an official announcement has been issued, that subsequent official announcements have confirmed these unofficial announcements; and whether he will cause an investigation to be made into how these details have been communicated to these unofficial sources.

No investigation is required. Ministers and officials have all along been careful not to say anything in public which might make the position of Mr. Brooke worse than it is now. However, in view of the growing Press speculation which was apparently touched off by articles based on reports from Moscow, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office News Department were authorised to say on 14th June that negotiations were in progress between ourselves and the Soviet authorities to avert a further trial, but that no agreement with the Soviet authorities had yet been reached. Anything appearing in the Press or other communications media which goes beyond this is speculation.

United Kingdom And Europe (Youth Exchanges)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will increase the British contribution of about £100,000 for youth exchanges between the United Kingdom and Europe, bearing in mind that nearly half this amount is spent on exchanges with the Soviet Union and other countries of Eastern Europe.

Her Majesty's Government are considering how the level of exchanges with Western European countries might be raised, but believe that the main impetus for such exchanges must come from local initiative and voluntary organisations. The large proportion of assistance provided for exchanges with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe is due partly to the comparatively greater cost of arranging exchanges with these more distant countries.

Overseas Development

India

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is Great Britain's share of the £100 million debt relief pledged to India for 1969–70; and how its terms compare with those made by other members of the consortium.

At the recent India Consortium meeting in Paris members agreed that for 1969–70 $100 million (£42 million) of aid to India should be in the form of debt relief. Most members indicated their probable contributions, subject to the necessary governmental or parliamentary approvals, and these will be confirmed later in the year. The United Kingdom has agreed to contribute its full share of $18 million (£7·5 million) in the form of an interest-free debt refinancing loan repayable over 25 years with a grace period of seven years before repayments begin. For information about the terms on which donors contributed last year I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. David Steel) on 12th May.—[Vol. 783, c. 149–50.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will state the amount of aid pledged to India for 1968–69 and for 1969–70, and the terms under which it has been made available.

£35 million for 1968–69 and £38 million for 1969–70 in the form of interest-free loans repayable over 25 years with a grace period of seven years before the repayments begin.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will state the proportions of the project and programme components of aid supplied to India in 1965 to 1969.

During the four years between 1965–66 and 1968–69 the aid agreements between the United Kingdom and India have provided for non-project aid of £117·3 million (91 per cent.) and project aid of £11·7 million (9 per cent.).

Nigeria

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what financial assistance has been granted by Her Majesty's Government to Nigeria in the past 12 months.

The most recent 12 month period for which figures are available is the financial year ending 31st March, 1969.The provisional totals are given in the Table below:

Provisional disbursements of Bilateral Economic Aid to Nigeria
Financial year 1968–69
£,000
GRANTS
Financial Aid
Higher Education (Buildings and Equipment)	844
Reconstruction and Rehabilitation	25
Emergency Relief	958
Technical Assistance
Students and Trainees in the United Kingdom	299
Experts	904
Equipment	53
Other^*	43
LOANS
ODM. Telecommunications	2,130
E.C.G.D. Section III—
Development	232
Niger Dam	973
Telecommunications	59
Total	6,521
^* Includes consultancies, surveys and local training.

In addition to the above disbursements the Commonwealth Development Corporation invested £26,000 in Nigeria during this period. It is estimated that surveys carried out by the Directorate of Overseas Surveys will add about £125,000 to the above provisional total.

Hospitals

Mentally Retarded Children (Hertfordshire Admissions)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the numbers of mentally retarded children at present on the waiting lists for accommodation in each of the mental hospitals in Hertfordshire.

The following numbers are of children under age 16:

Harperbury Hospital	57
Cell Barnes Hospital	13
Leavesden Hospital	93

These figures relate to the catchment areas of the Hospitals and not to the County of Hertfordshire.

Hospital Services, Rugby (Working Party)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many times the working party on the future of hospital services in Rugby has met; and on what date was the last meeting held.

The working party, which is reviewing the organisation of the hospital service in the whole of the area served by the Coventry Hospital Management Committee, has met six times. It last met on 14th March, and I understand that it will be meeting again next month.

Pathologists (Fees)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what authority a part-time consultant pathologist employed by the National Health Service receives a fee for visiting a private nursing home to supervise blood transfusions if such visits take place during a session for which he is being paid by the National Health Service; and why a full-time consultant is not allowed to take a fee in similar circumstances.

Neither whole-time nor part-time consultants in the National Health Service are allowed under their terms of service to receive a fee in these circumstances.

Private Nursing Homes (Blood And Plasma)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent he consulted consultant pathologists before he issued his directive that the Blood Transfusion Service should supply free blood and plasma to private nursing homes and private hospitals.

Hospital authorities were recently reminded of the long established policy that blood and plamas should be supplied free to private hospitals and nursing homes; no consultation was therefore called for.

Nursing Homes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the criteria on which he decides to license nursing homes to ensure that the facilities available are adequate and safe.

Nursing homes require no licence from me but must be registered with the appropriate local authority under the public Health Act, 1936. Under the Nursing Homes Act, 1963 I have power to make regulations as to the conduct of nursing homes and this has been exercised in the Conduct of Nursing Homes Regulations 1963 (S.I., 1963, No. 1434). In addition I am arranging for all homes seeking approval under the Abortion Act, 1967 to be inspected by my officers before re-approval is given.

Post-Mortem Room Technicians (Pay)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the negotiations on the future pay and status of postmortem room technicians commenced in the Whitley Council B; how many meetings have been held; and when he expects these negotiations to be concluded.

December, 1968; there have been two joint meetings as well as

				Place of Birth of mother
Leicester C.B.		British Isles	West Indies	India	Pakistan	Africa	Cyprus	Others	Total
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Number of births in area^*
1. Domiciliary	…	196	7	2	1	2	—	3	211
2. Institutional	…	559	27	100	6	24	—	28	744
^* Births included are those to mothers usually resident in the area and those (if any) occurring in the area to mothers usually resident outside England or Wales.

correspondence between the two Sides of the Council and I hope that a formal agreement will soon be concluded.

Social Services

Eec Countries (Exchange Programmes)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what exchange programmes exist between health and social workers employed in the public service with their counterparts in member countries of the European Economic Community; and in what way his Department is encouraging employing authorities to sponsor such exchanges.

Exchange programmes involving professional employment require greater freedom of estabilshment, including reciprocal recognition of professional qualifications, than is at present practicable; but through their membership of the Council of Europe and the World Health Organisation the Government co-operate in arrangements under which a number of doctors and other health workers are awarded fellowships to study the work of their colleagues in this country and in the countries of the European Economic Community. Social workers also participate in the fellowship awards of the Council of Europe, and in the exchange and study programmes organised by the United Nations European Social Development Office at Geneva.

Births (Leicester)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of births in March and April this year in the city of Leicester disclosed by the survey requested by him, classified by place of birth of the mother, and whether institutional or domiciliary.

The information is as follows:

Replies To Correspondence

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why his Department did not send until 16th June a pre-printed formal acknowledgement card to the hon. Member for West Ham. North, for the receipt of a letter dated 11th June; and whether he will take further steps to expedite replies to correspondence received by his Department.

The letter in question was received by my office late on Friday, 13th June.

1971 Census (Commonwealth Immigrants)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in order to establish the exact number of Commonwealth immigrants in the United Kingdom by that date, as well as their offspring, he will include in the 1971 census forms detailed questions on ethnic origin.

In the census pre-test which was conducted at the end of April in six selected areas in Great Britain, the country of birth of each individual enumerated was asked for and also the country of birth of both parents of each individual. If the evaluation of this test indicates that reliable data can be collected in this way, then these questions will be proposed for the 1971 Census.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many foreign languages and dialects he proposes to print the 1971 census forms in order to assist those Commonwealth immigrants in the United Kingdom who cannot speak, read or write English.

				Place of birth of mother
London Borough of Brent		British Isles	West Indies	India	Pakistan	Africa	Cyprus	Others	Total
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Number of births in area^*
1. Domiciliary	…	87	3	—	—	2	—	—	92
2. Institutional	…	697	247	50	40	56	10	70	1,170
^* Births included are those to mothers usually resident in the area and those (if any) occurring in the area to mothers usually resident outside England and Wales.

It is proposed in the 1971 Census to follow the procedure adopted in 1966 of printing both census forms and notes in Welsh as well as English and of printing the notes, but not the forms, in a number of other languages, which probably include Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Polish, Greek and Italian.In districts where there are large concentrations of immigrants, some enumerators will, if possible, be recruited from the immigrant community itself.

Children's Allowances (Commonwealth Immigrants)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if under his regulations children's allowances are payable in respect of the offspring of the second and subsequent polygamous wives of Commonwealth immigrants resident in the United Kingdom.

The Acts relating to the National Insurance, Supplementary Benefits and Family Allowances Schemes each provide that if the appropriate qualifying conditions are satisfied account is taken of all dependent children irrespective of the marital status of the claimant.

Births (Brent)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the numbers of births in March and April, 1969 in the London Borough of Brent disclosed by the survey requested by him, classified by place of birth of mother, and whether institutional or domiciliary.

The information is as follows:

Health

Health Checks

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans his Department has to encourage overall health checks in individual areas in the country; if he will state the names of those areas where this has already been carried out; and what conclusions have been reached by his Department on such health checks.

Regular health checks are encouraged for groups at special risk, such as expectant mothers and babies. A joint sub-committee of the Standing Medical Advisory Committees for England and Wales and Scotland has been set up to review and report on screening in medical care and they will advise on the merits of health checks generally. Areas where we know that health checks of the kind my hon. Friend has in mind have been carried out are Darlington, Epsom and Ewell, Rotherham, Salford and Southwark. The Report of my Department's Social Science Research Unit on the 1966 Rotherham Screening Clinic will be published shortly.

Medicines Act (Licences)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the administrative regulations governing the application for licences under the Medicines Act will be available.

Not before next Spring.

Scotland

Teachers (Registration)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many teachers currently employed by the education authorities for the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen, respectively, have failed to re-register with the General Teaching Council since 1st April; and if he will give an undertaking that no action will be taken against such teachers;(2) how many teachers currently employed by the education authorities of the counties of Berwickshire, Roxburgh, Selkirk, and Peebles, respectively, have failed to re-register with the General Teaching Council since 1st April; and if he will give an undertaking that no action will be taken against them.

At 9th June the position was as set out below. As to the second part of each question, the answer is "No".

Education Authority	Teachers in the schools who have not re-registered
Berwick	1
Roxburgh	28
Selkirk	4
Peebles	1
Edinburgh	200
Glasgow	855
Dundee	81
Aberdeen	229

Technology

Press Releases

asked the Minister of Technology why it was decided to distribute his Department's press notice number 181/69, announcing the first issue of Timberlab News, by first class mail; to how many addresses it was sent; and what was the total cost of issuing this press notice.

Press releases are normally sent by first class mail to meet Press requirements. Some 850 copies of this notice were despatched to the Press. It is not practicable to assess the cost of an individual release.

asked the Minister of Technology how many Members of Parliament were on the distribution list of his Department's press notice number 178/69, which contained the next of his speech at the opening of the new nuclear power station at Oldbury-on-Severn; by what criteria they were selected; and what was the cost of issuing this press notice.

Twenty hon. Members, including the hon. Member himself, receive copies of all my Department's Press releases as office-holders in the main party and inter-party committees concerned with science, technology and related subjects.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the total cost of issuing his press notice number 179/69.

It is not practicable to assess with any accuracy the cost of an individual Press release.

Publication

asked the Minister of Technology what is the total cost per issue of his Department's publication New Technology.

£3,000. New Technology has a circulation of over 60,000, most of which copies go to industry as part of the Department's programme for the dissemination of technological information.

Press Section (Staff)

asked the Minister of Technology how many staff were employed in the press section of his Department on 1st June, 1969, and on the corresponding dates in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Staff numbers on 1st June in the years in question were as shown in the following table:

1966	24
1967	22
1968	22
1969	19

Carbon Fibres (Manufacture And Development)

asked the Minister of Technology if he will take steps to ensure that the manufacture and development of carbon fibres for Imperial Chemical Industries using National Research Development Council patents is placed on Teesside.

I cannot anticipate the outcome of the discussions between I.C.I. and N.R.D.C. announced in the Press on 12th June, but I can assure my right hon. Friend that if a decision is made to establish a new large scale plant regional requirements will not be overlooked.

Board Of Trade

Touring Caravans (Sales)

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many touring caravans were sold in Great Britain during each of the last five years.

This information is not available.

Export Figures

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the under-assessment of British exports in recent years, he will give revised figures for exports and the corresponding trade surplus or deficit for each month of the last five years.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Farnham (Mr. Maurice Macmillan) on Thursday, 19th June.—[Vol. 785 c. 149–50.]

Aviation

Airports (Aviation Movements)

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many general aviation movements took place during each of the past four years at each of the airports administered by the British Airports Authority.

The figures are:

General Aviation^*Movements at airports administered by the British Airports Authority
	1965	1966	1967	1968
Heathrow	6,016	7,142	8,182	10,164
Gatwick	11,714	14,458	16,525	18,209
Stansted	2,875	4,107	4,599	4,341
Prestwick	1,415	1,760	1,879	2,508
^* Including local pleasure flights, commercial flights other than by air transport operators, aero club flights and flights by private operators.

Transport

Pillion Passengers (Insurance)

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of his intention to introduce legislation to make insurance cover for motor cycle pillion passengers compulsory, he will consult insurance companies with a view to making such cover more readily available than at present to those who seek it voluntarily in advance of legislation.

Insurance of a liability is essentially a matter of commercial judgment for the insurer concerned. I understand that some insurers are considering offering passenger liability cover to those solo motor-cyclists who want it on a voluntary basis, and we would certainly welcome moves in this direction.

Roads

Construction Schemes

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will publish the latest revision of the list originally distributed to certain contractors in October 1968 of the 37 road construction schemes due to start in 1969;(2) if he will publish the text of the letter and the accompanying list sent to certain contractors in October 1968 outlining 37 road construction schemes due to start in 1969.

No. As I explained to the hon. Member on 9th June in reply to his supplementary question, these lists were issued to contractors to help them with their forward planning. An additional purpose was to enable the Ministry to get some idea of what schemes individual contractors might be interested in. The lists were, therefore, working documents and, as was explained to the contractors, they gave only tentative starting dates and were in no way a statement of the Ministry's firm programme. To publish these lists would, therefore, not be helpful and would be likely to give rise to further misunderstanding.—[Vol. 784, col. 947.]

A62-A670 (Saddleworth Junction)

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents have been reported during 1969 near the junction of A62 and A670 at Bleak Hey Nook, Saddleworth; and how many of these have resulted in death.

One, on 16th June, resulting in a fatality.

Railways

Railway Schemes (Grants)

asked the Minister of Transport for how many schemes involving capital expenditure on railway lines attracting grants he asked to see details in December, 1968; in how many of these cases the Railways Board did not supply details by 1st June, 1969; and if he will give details of these schemes.

There was insufficient time last year to examine all the schemes involving capital expenditure on grant-aided services which had been indicated by the Railways Board. My right hon. Friend therefore agreed with the Board that for the time being any investment project affecting a service with a cost to that service exceeding £25,000, or such lesser figure as he determined, should be submitted for approval. Schemes that are subject to these arrangements are only submitted as and when the Railways Board have prepared details of the project.

National Finance

Taxpayers (Professional Advice)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the proportion of taxpayers whose individual tax returns are made by accountants, banks and other professional advisers; and what steps he is taking to simplify the tax system so as to make it easier for people to fill in their own tax returns.

No precise estimate can be made but the proportion is small. My right hon. Friend is constantly seeking means of simplifying the tax system and recently met representatives of the accountancy profession to discuss how best to make progress.

Gold Coins

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons have been prosecuted since 13th December, 1968, for failing to declare their holdings of gold coins as required by Statutory Instrument No. 438, 1966; how many persons have been convicted; on what dates; and with what sentences.

Strictly speaking offences do not arise on failure to declare but in respect of buying, selling and holding gold coins without Treasury permission. There have been three prosecutions in respect of such offences involving eight people; all leading to convictions. One at Middlesex on 23rd January, 1969, involving one person who was fined £25. One at Blackpool also on 23rd January, 1969, involving six people, three of whom were fined £350, one fined £300, one fined £250, and one fined £500. One at Nottingham on 13th February, 1969, involving one person who was fined £25 with forfeiture of the coins concerned.

Volume 785: debated on Friday 20 June 1969