asked the Minister of Overseas Development what are the Government's latest proposals to aid Malawi in road building and otherwise.

We are providing aid for Malawi during the current year totalling about £7·9 million. This includes development loans totalling £2·9 million, of which the Malawi Government plan to spend £436,000 in connection with road projects.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will make a statement about aid for the rebuilding of bridges in the Orientale Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other items in the British aid programme for that country.

A small team of Royal Engineers has recently finished supervising the reconstruction of 11 damaged bridges in the Orientale Province. The costs of about £42,000 for Bailey bridging material and about £7,000 for extra personnel costs have been met by my Department.The British Ambassador in Kinshasa has reported that this project has been outstandingly successful and that its impact has been out of all proportion to the modest cost to the British taxpayers.We also provide a small amount of specialised training in Britain for Congolese, mainly English language teachers.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will give details of the financial contribution made by Her Majesty's Government to those agencies, both private and official, which seek to extend knowledge of family planning techniques in the developing world; and whether he has any proposals to sponsor research into more effective and safe contraceptive devices suitable for use in such countries.

Since 1966, my Ministry has made grants totalling over £100,000 to the International Planned Parenthood Federation. In the current financial year, the grant has been increased to £100,000 a year and it will continue at that rate at least until 1971–72. In addition, a grant of £40,000 was made to the United Nations Trust Fund for Population Activities in 1968–69.Research into contraceptive devices has been initiated by the Director of the Population Bureau with the help of the National Research Development Corporation.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps he is taking to help developing countries to find alternative crops and uses for their existing products such as ground nuts, soya beans, and other oil seeds in view of the likely replacement of traditional sources of protein for animal feeding-stuffs by synthetic protein and non-protein nitrogens.

Even in the developed countries synthetic protein and non-protein nitrogens are only at an experimental stage. Their use for animal feeding-stuffs in developing countries is unlikely within the foreseeable future.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the question of alienated land in Swaziland and future development aid.

The Working Party of Experts appointed to examine the land question, to which I referred in reply to a Question from the hon. Member on 25th February last, submitted its report in March and this is now being studied by both Governments.We are providing general development aid amounting to £1·05 million in 1969–70 and up to £1·2 million per annum over the following two years.—[Vol. 778, c. 1263–4.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what representations he has had since the beginning of this year for an increase in the aid programme.

Since 1st January I have received five delegations representing various organisations. One hundred and nine letters have been sent to me direct or passed on to me by Members of the House. Many of these carried multiple signatures, or enclosed petitions, bringing the total number of signatures to over 1,000.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he has now come to an arrangement with the Government of Ceylon over the payment of pensions.

I am very pleased to report the Ceylon Government's agreement to modify, by an exchange of letters, the Public Officers' Agreement so that pensions covered by that agreement paid outside Ceylon shall be restored to and maintained at their pre-devaluation sterling values.The exchange of letters was made on 20th June.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what progress he has to report on the work of the Institute of Development Studies.

The Institute was founded in 1966. It now has an academic staff of 35, with library, administrative and secretarial support numbering 25.As part of its training activities, the Institute has to date run 10 study seminars on problems of current importance in the developing world, which have been attended by over 200 senior people from abroad. In addition, a number of short courses for British Government officials concerned with overseas development have been held.On the research side, more than 20 projects have been started, of varying lengths and complexity, all related to practical problems of development.In addition to those two main elements in the Institute's work, staff have undertaken advisory assignments in developing countries, and have organised and participated in conferences.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the functions of the new Technical Education Resource Group which he has set up.

I have set up the Technical Education Resource Group to help to meet the now critical needs for technical teachers in overseas countries and to assist with training in educational planning and administration for senior technical education personnel.The Technical Teacher Training Colleges in Britain will co-operate in providing an advisory and information service and in furnishing the key staff and training required both here and abroad in this important field.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the functions of the Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas.

Yes. At my invitation the council has recently assumed extended responsibilties. It was originally established by the universities in this country to advise on, and to assist, the development of higher education in the colonial territories and this work has been continued and extended since independence. It has become clear that advice and help can emanate most effectively from close contacts between people actually working in universities.At my invitation, therefore, the council has now accepted responsibility in general for our current arrangements for providing aid to all universities in developing countries except those in the Indian sub-Continent and in a number of non-Commonwealth countries, mainly in Latin America. It will continue to be our main source of advice on new initiatives in aid to universities within the general framework of our aid to education.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development in what form his Department maintains registers of former public servants from Commonwealth territories overseas.

An index is kept of former public servants of Commonwealth territories who were appointed under the auspices of the Colonial Office and its successor Departments in the overseas public service field.A separate index exists showing the membership, by countries, of former members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service.Separate records of a limited nature are also kept for specific purposes such as the payment of pension supplements and the operation of the Overseas Services Resettlement Bureau.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what assistance he is giving to avert the threat of a new plague of desert locusts.

The Anti-Locust Research Centre, which is part of my Department, is continuously engaged in the fight against locusts. In addition to research, it operates the Desert Locust Information Service, through which four months' warning was given of the 1968 upsurge, enabling effective control measures to be taken. In 1968 we also provided specialists and equipment to a value of £175,000 to the Desert Locust Control Organisation of Eastern Africa, whose work in Ethiopia was crucial in checking the outbreak.

asked the Attorney General whether he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions the case of those responsible for the current performances of the "Song of the Lusitanian Bogey" at the Aldwych Theatre for prosecution for incitement to racial hatred against the white persons of Great Britain under Section 6 of the Race Relations Act 1965, and for displaying insulting representations in public likely to cause a breach of the peace contrary to Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936.

This is the first complaint I have received about these performances but in view of the hon. Member's allegations, I have asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to look into this matter.

asked the Attorney-General how many cases have been referred to him for prosecution under the terms of the Race Relations Act; how many prosecutions have been initiated; and what are the main grounds on which he has refused to take proceedings.

Since the Act came into force I have received from a variety of sources complaints of approximately 103 alleged offences against Section 6 of the Race Relations Act, 1965. Prosecutions have been initiated against 15 persons. Several cases are under investigation. My main ground for not prosecuting in the other cases has been that the facts alleged in the complaint did not bring the case within the terms of Section 6.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he proposes to make bulk purchases of medicines for the National Health Service under Section 46 of the Patents Act.

Not at present. We are hopeful that negotiations with the pharmaceutical industry will provide supplies of medicines for the National Health Service at reasonable prices which would make such action unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to find a formula acceptable to both the pharmaceutical and the medical profession relating to the dispensing of prescriptions in rural areas.

I have already indicated that I should be prepared to reopen discussions on any alternative proposals which offer some prospect of agreement being reached with both professions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what details or estimates he has of the monetary value in a recent 12 months' period of National Health Service facilities extended free to non-United Kingdom citizens; and what is his estimate of the corresponding value of facilities similarly utilised by British subjects taken ill abroad.

The number of overseas visitors receiving free treatment under the National Health Service is notARRANGEMENTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES FOR PROVISION OF MEDICAL SERVICES FOR BRITISH SUBJECTS

asked the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will circulate details in the OFFICIAL REPORT of arrangements in foreign countries for British subjects taken ill abroad, corresponding to the National Health Service facilities available free to non-United Kingdom citizens.

I will circulate information about arrangements in foreign and Commonwealth countries for provision of medical services for British subjects, including arrangements limited to particular classes and services.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the action he is taking as a result of the petition and letter issued by the Committee for Ideals in Mental Practices, a copy of which has been sent him.

Since the wording of the letter suggests that the committee may be connected with scientology, I am sending the letter and petition to the hon. and learned Member for Northwich (Sir J. Foster), who, as I told the House on 27th January, is carrying out an inquiry into the practice and effects of scientology.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much it is costing annually to send his team of regional medical officers to persuade general practitioners not to prescribe proprietary medicines where equivalent generic drugs are available.

Information for an estimate is not available, since I have no separate assessment of the time spent on this by regional medical officers during their visits to general practitioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what advice he has already given, and what advice he now intends to give, to medical officers of health, in view of recently disclosed practices in Sheffield, about the disposal of contaminated medical waste, including human waste material and infected articles from home nursing and midwifery services on controlled tips; and under what circumstances incineration is required.(2) what advice he has already given, and what advice he now intends to give, to medical officers of health, in view of recently disclosed practices in Sheffield, about the transportation of contaminated medical waste material, such as incontinence pads, in the same vehicles as are used to supply meals for the meals on wheels service.

We have given no advice on these matters as refuse disposal is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report of the Joint Sub-Committee of the Standing Medical Advisory Committees which is reviewing screening in medical care and the value of regular health checks.

We are not expecting a single report. This review will be a continuing process, and the joint sub-committee will be stimulating research in this field and advising from time to time on the value of screening for certain conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals have now been submitted to him by the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board for the future use of Woking Maternity Hospital; and when he expects to reach a decision on this matter.

The regional hospital board has now carried out a feasibility study of the use of Woking Maternity Hospital for geriatric services, and I await its recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the principal reasons for the decline in the incidence of diseases of the chest requiring hospitalisation, reflected in the reductions in the average daily numbers of occupied beds allocated by National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales for the treatment of this disease, from 25,724 in 1955 to 9,563 in 1967.

The principal reasons are a substantial drop in the incidence of respiratory tuberculosis and a change in the method of treatment of tuberculosis patients which has greatly reduced their average length of stay in hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the principal reasons for the decline in the incidence of mental illness, requiring hospitalisation, reflected in the reductions in the average daily numbers of occupied beds allocated by National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales for the treatment of this disease, from 150,115 in 1955 to 121,941 in 1967.

The number of hospital admissions has increased but fewer beds are needed because the length of stay of in-patients has generally shortened and more patients are treated in day hospitals or out-patient clinics. The main reasons for this are improved methods of treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women from overseas have had pregnancies terminated privately in this country under the Abortion Act in recent months; and what proportion this represents of all abortions and of private abortions, respectively, during the corresponding period.

881 during the three months March to May 1969, representing 7 per cent. of all abortions and 17·5 per cent. of private abortions in the period.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of abortions performed under the Abortion Act on Birmingham women have been in National Health Service hospitals, private homes in Birmingham, and private homes in London; and what are the corresponding figures for Manchester and Wessex.

Out of 1,455 abortions notified up to the end of 1968 as those relating to women usually resident in the Birmingham hospital region, 814 or 55·9 per cent. were performed in National Health Service hospitals in that region, 42 or 2·9 per cent. in private homes in that region, and 550 or 37·8 per cent. in private homes in the four London regions. The corresponding Manchester figures are 1,433; 1,197 or 83·5 per cent.; 20 or 1·4 per cent.; and 179 or 12·5 per cent. For Wessex they are 642; 386 or 60·1 per cent.; nil; and 217 or 33·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the provision of blood under the National Transfusion Service to nursing homes registered for legal abortions, consultations have taken place with consulant pathologists, anaesthetists and gynaecologists as to the proper procedures to be carried out in regard to meeting the provisions of the appropriate Act.

There are no statutory provisions to be met when blood is provided. The appropriate procedures are a matter for the clinicians concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of pregnancies terminated privately in London under the Abortion Act have been those of women usually resident in the Birmingham area.

Out of 8,323 terminations notified from the four Metropolitan hospital regions up to the end of 1968, 550 or 6·6 per cent. related to women usually resident in the Birmingham hospital region.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current average total cost to central and local government of a confinement in hospital and at home, respectively, taking into account confinement grants and ante and post-natal care.

Information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to lay before Parliament the revised nurses' rules and the enrolled nurses' rules.

In the autumn, subject to completion of consultations with the General Nursing Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many patients who are in Hollymoor Psychiatric Hospital. Birmingham, are not in need of psychiatric treatment;(2) why pyschiatric hospitals are being used in old people's homes and for geriatric cases.

Seventy-three—in the opinion of the hospital's medical staff. Psychiatry and geriatric medicine overlap, and many elderly patients are borderline cases for different forms of care.While there are some old people in hospital who might more suitably be in homes for the elderly and

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider whether he will now seek to permit persons in the Part III category eligible to receive financial help to continue to receive it when they require full nursing care.

Transfer from Part III accommodation to hospital should not alter the amount of national insurance or supplementary benefit which the patient retains for his personal needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total amount paid out to date in supplementary benefits to the families of men involved in the industrial dispute at British Leyland Motors Limited.

Up to 20th June, the day before the dispute ended, about 9,300 supplementary benefit payments were made totalling approximately £52,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on his plans to remove the grade and class provisions of National Insurance which disqualify from benefit workers who are affected by strikes.

The Government intends to include the necessary amendments in legislation in the next Session of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of persons in receipt of retirement pensions who draw these pensions out-with the United Kingdom.

About 110,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent account has been taken of the effect of devaluation in the payment of retirement pensions to those living outwith the United Kingdom; and if he will reconsider the present practice in which increases in pensions are not paid to those living abroad.

I am satisfied that there are no good reasons for modifying the present practice or for taking account of devaluation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what he now will be in 1975 and 1985, respec tively, the number of residents in Great Britain who are coloured immigrants from the new Commonwealth, or one or both of whose parents was such an immigrant, on the assumption that the current rate of net immigration and the current birth rate remain substantially unchanged.

The assumptions laid down by the hon. Member are unrealistic and it would be misleading to base estimates on them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what day the Supplementary to Medicine section of the Working Party on the Rehabilitation Services commenced its work; who are the members of the committee; and whether the question of domiciliary as distinct from hospital treatment will be included in the examination.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Remedial Professions Committee, the setting up of which was announced last week. The first meeting of this new and separate Committee is taking place today. With permission, I will circulate the list of the members in the OFFICIAL REPORT together with its terms of reference.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the problems of the disablement income group are to be considered by the Working Party on the Rehabilitation Services.

The sub-committee of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee will be concerned with aspects of the group's problems which relate to the medical rehabilitation of the disabled. We are, of course, already well aware of the views of the group on cash benefits for the disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the fact that the Greater London Council boroughs are unaffected by the Radcliffe-Maud Report, if he will issue a circular advising them that the local social services should be reorganised in line with the Seebohm Report.

Decisions on the Seebohm Report cannot be taken without looking beyond Greater London. The Government will reach and announce their decisions as soon as possible, and meanwhile I again endorse the view that no action should be taken by local authorities that might subsequently prove to be incompatible with those decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how soon a statement may now be expected regarding the date for implementation of the Seebohm Report.

I have nothing to add at the moment to the Answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Moonman) on 16th June.—[Vol. 785, c. 8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the figures at 31st December, 1968, or at the latest available date, of widows under 30 years of age. between 30 and 40 years of age, and between 40 and 50 years of age.

The Registrars General estimate as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport why he has so far refused to make an order for a 30 m.p.h. speed limit on Paxton Road, Offord d'Arcy, Huntingdon, as requested by the county and parish councils; and whether he will now do so.

The county council's application for consent to a 30 m.p.h. speed limit on this length of non-principal road was refused because the conditions did not meet the required criteria. Local authorities need not now seek our consent to make speed limit orders for non-principal roads, but I would not expect them to approve proposals which do not comply with the criteria published last April.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of homegrown timber is currently being used in the construction of motorway fencing.

Approximately 28 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has received the representations from the Public Transport Users Association asking him to take steps to limit the use of British streets and roads by the increased number of motor cars, often occupied by only one person; what plans he has for measures to safeguard the lives and to ensure safety of pedestrians; and what reply he has sent to the representations.

Without further information I cannot identify these representations.

asked the Minister of Transport which lengths of motorway currently in use, or planned for the future, are not expected to receive the volume of traffic required to justify three lanes in each direction.

Motorways are planned with dual two or three lanes according to the best estimates that can be made at the time they are designed of the traffic they are likely to carry fifteen years from opening. Some of the dual two-lane motorways now in use or planned may, therefore, ultimately carry traffic that would then justify the provision of dual three lanes, but it would be very difficult to predict the lengths on which this is not likely to happen.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state the criteria, especially in regard to estimated traffic flow rates, that are used in deciding whether a motorway should be constructed with two or three lanes in each direction.

The criteria used for rural and urban motorways are given in the publications "Layout of Roads in Rural Areas" and "Roads in Urban Areas", and copies are available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for improving the flow of traffic and the safety of pedestrians at the Rushington roundabout on the A35 in the parish of Eling.

The Hampshire County Council is the highway authority for this principal road and it is for it to make plans for the improvement of traffic flow and the safety of pedestrians on it. Possible measures for improving conditions on A35 in the vicinity of Rushington roundabout are being discussed with my Department.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now announce a further list of trunk road schemes to be prepared for inclusion in the road programme; and whether schemes in earlier announcements are now entering the firm programme.

Yes. The list will be published tomorrow and will be available in the Vote Office at noon. A number of schemes previously announced as having been selected for the preparation pool have already entered the firm programme and others will do so shortly, following acceptable preparation.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will issue a general direction to the Board of London Transport to improve the bus services in the Outer London area.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the new Gibraltar constitution.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 12th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Mr. George Jeger). It has been announced in Gibraltar that the date for the first election under the new Constitution for the House of Assembly will be 30th July.—[Vol. 784, c. 296–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action he now proposes to take to assist the people of Gibraltar, in the light of the latest Spanish restrictions.

The position of Her Majesty's Government on this matter was made clear in the course of my right hon. Friend's replies to Questions on 26th June.—[Vol. 785, c. 1709–15.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware of the increasing difficulties in the supply by air of relief for Biafrans; and what discussions he has had with the Nigerian Government about them.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster (Mr. Henig) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions Her Majesty's Government intend to make towards the initial installation and towards the continuing operation of the International Institute of Human Rights to be established in Strasbourg through the generosity of M. René Cassin.

Her Majesty's Government have not been invited to make any contribution towards this Institute. But we are watching its development with sympathetic interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the future of United Kingdom companies operating in Rhodesia.

The position of United Kingdom companies operating in Rhodesia is unchanged; they remain subject to the provisions of the Southern Rhodesia (United Nations) (No. 2) Order. 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations were held with other governments represented in Salisbury, Rhodesia before it was decided to close the Residual Mission.

My right hon. Friend indicated in his statement to the House on the 24th June our reasons for closing the Residual Mission. Given the unique position of the Mission the question of consulting other Governments did not arise. Governments having consular representation in Salisbury were informed when the decision had been taken.—[Vol. 785, c. 1219.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made for the continued payment of United Kingdom pensions in Rhodesia.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Overseas Development gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Tilney) earlier today.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been granted for industrial development in Cardiff in each year since 1966; what was the estimated number of jobs created by these developments; and how many jobs have actually been created.

The information asked for is given in the table below. I regret that information on the number of jobs actually created is not available:Following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further representations he has received from the Government of the Argentine Republic on the effects on Anglo-Argentine trade of the implementation of the proposals in the Northumberland Report.

Discussions with the Argentine Republic on matters arising from the Government's decisions on Part I of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Foot-and Mouth Disease are continuing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many live calves have been exported from the United Kingdom during each of the last five months; and what were the corresponding figures for 1968 and 1967.

Figures for this year are given on page 112 of the monthly Overseas Trade Accounts. Calves were not separately distinguished in the trade statistics in earlier years but, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, there were no exports in the corresponding months of 1967 and 1968.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many members of the Tourist Boards of the United Kingdom and the British Travel Association, respectively, have attended conferences abroad at the public expense or with the assistance of his Department; and if he will give details.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is the responsibility of the Government of Northern Ireland. In the past three years only one member of the British Travel Association and the existing voluntary Scottish and Wales Tourist Boards has attended a conference abroad at public expense or with the assistance of the Board of Trade. A member of the Board of B.T.A. attended a conference on transatlantic travel organised by the European Travel Commission in Amsterdam in March, 1969.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many men and women, respectively, are employed in the advance factories which have been built in Carmarthenshire since 1964.

Since October, 1964 five Board of Trade advance factories have been authorised for Carmarthenshire. Of these three have been built of which one has been let. I regret that I am unable to disclose the numbers employed in an individual factory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to decentralise air transport and to develop airports in Scotland and municipal airports in England and Wales so as to avoid the expense of setting up a third London airport.

A third London Airport will be necessary in any event to meet rapidly increasing traffic. I agree, however, there is much to be said for the growth of international services from airports outside the London area. We shall bear this in mind in our review of civil aviation policy following the publication of the Edwards Report.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a further statement on his plans regarding contracting out of the scheme for national superannuation and social security outlined in Command Paper No. 3883 for the local government employees who are members of occupational pension schemes.

No. The consultations with representatives of occupational schemes and others concerned referred to in paragraph 150 of the White Paper have not been completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the loan sanctions granted to the county borough of Carlisle from October 1964 to date, specifying the purpose for which the sanctions were granted.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will reply to the communication addressed to him on 11th June by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, concerning the payment by the Newham Borough Council of 60 per cent. of the costs involved in the Ronan Point disaster.

I replied on behalf of my right hon. Friend on 23rd June.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total value of rate rebates granted to the county borough of Carlisle during the past year; how many claimants benefited; what was the rebate worth on average for each claimant; and what was the total value of rate relief granted by Her Majesty's Government for the same period.

In 1968–69 rebates amounting to £20,030 were afforded in Carlisle. The number of recipients was 1,499 in the first half of the year and 1,614 in the second half. The average amount of rebate to each claimant was £12 17s.The Government grant towards the cost of the rebates amounted to £15,022.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government by what date he has requested the County Councils Association to give its views on the Redcliffe-Maud Report.

Invitations to the local authority associations to send me their comments on the report will be issued shortly. I propose to proceed by stages, dealing first with general structure and later with more detailed points.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made by the Committee on Public Participation in Planning; and when he expects to receive its report.

The Committee on Public Participation in Planning has finished its work, and its report will be published at the end of July.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek to amend the Leasehold Reform Act to extend its provisions to maisonettes and flats.

No. This question was fully discussed during the passage of the legislation, and the problems over safeguarding common interests and the interests of adjoining occupiers have not materially changed since then.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the number of houses built by private builders and the local authority, respectively, in the county borough of Hartlepool, and in Hartlepool and West Hartlepool before their amalgamation, for each of the years 1959 to 1968.

The figures are shown below:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses are scheduled for demolition in the county borough of Sunderland for the years 1969, 1970 and 1971; and how many were cleared under slum clearance programmes in the years 1945 to 1968.

Slum clearance was not resumed after the war until 1955. Between 1955 and 1968 Sunderland County Borough demolished 5,317 unfit houses as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were completed in each year from 1945 to 1968 in the county borough of Sunderland in both the public sector and the private sector; and how many are programmed for 1969, 1970 and 1971.

I expect that about 100 local authority dwellings will be approved in Sunderland this year and another 100 in 1970, though these figures are subject to review. The programme for 1971 has not yet been settled. Since the war annual completions in each sector have been as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice has been sent by his Department to local authorities on the need to establish efficient services for dealing with their housing repairs.

The Central Housing Advisory Committee in its report "Councils and their Houses", which was published in 1959 and commended to local authorities, said that it was in the interest of landlord and tenant alike that a house should be well looked after. Whichever officer was made responsible for repairs and maintenance, systematic control of the progress of the work was essential, and the authority should satisfy itself that the system was such that it worked smoothly from start to finish. The efficiency and quality of the work achieved by the repair service would depend largely on good organisation and supervision.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will send a circular to all local authorities recommending their housing departments to issue receipts for applications for housing received or to take such other steps so as to remove doubts about the depositing of applications.

My right hon. Friend has received no evidence on these points which would justify a circular, but if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consultation he has had with the London Borough of Lambeth about the progress of that council in maintaining the rate of house construction contained in its seven-year housing programme which has been submitted to his Department.

There are frequent consultations between officers of the council and the department on housing progress in Lambeth. These are within the context of the seven-year programme prepared in 1965 and the programme then agreed for the first four years of the period. I understand that a full report is to be considered by the council shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total value of the standard improvement grant and discretionary grant paid over the past four years to the county borough of Carlisle.

During the four years up to the end of 1968 the council gave a total of £37,703 in grants to private owners, towards which the Government contributed an amount representing three-quarters of the annual loan charges on this sum over a period of twenty years. During the same period, improvements to the council's own houses attracted Government contributions of £489 per annum for 20 years on a similar basis.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he intends to make the scheme for metric house shells mandatory on local authorities in respect of all two-storey municipal house building; and whether he will make a statement.

Consultations with the local authority associations are still in progress and my right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what part of the £37,785 spent on the Countryside Commission in the year 1968–69 was spent in Scotland.

Virtually all of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects assisted by the Countryside Commission in Scotland since its inception and the amount of financial help provided in each case.

The following is the list:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the gross and net costs of lime supplied to farmers in Scotland in the years 1964 and 1968, respectively; what quantity of lime this represented; and how much of it in percentage terms was produced in Scotland.

For 1968 the gross and net costs of lime delivered to Scottish farmers, derived from subsidy claims paid in that year, were £2 19s. 6d. and £18s. 11d. respectively. The quantity delivered was 778,000 tons of which 54 per cent. was produced in Scotland. For 1964 the corresponding quantity was 1,019,000 tons. Other comparable figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers currently employed by the education authorities of the counties of Banff, Moray, Nairn and Inverness, 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 24th June the position was as set out below. As to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 25th June to the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. MacArthur)—Vol. 785. c. 277.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce legislation to provide full compensation to local authority councillors in Scotland who lose their jobs as a result of spending the time necessary to fulfil council duties.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish figures showing when and to what extent prices per bushel of wheat imported from North America in accordance with the Wheat Trade Con vention have been less, or more, than equivalent domestic prices in North America.

I regret that figures are not available but almost all Canadian wheat is marketed by the Canadian Wheat Board, which sells at the same price to both domestic and overseas buyers. Wheat exported from the United States may either receive a subsidy or be subject to a tax. Both have been applied since the Wheat Trade Convention came into force

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has now received from the Meat and Livestock Commission to encourage and to improve home production; and what reply he has sent.

No formal representations have been received from the Meat and Livestock Commission about the improvement of home production. But on matters of this kind my right hon. Friend is always ready to hear their views and advice; and informal contact is regularly maintained between my Department and the Commission.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will arrange for women members of the Civil Service whose pensions are based on the 1859 Superannuation Act to be given the option of commuting a proportion of their pension for a capital sum; and what are the reasons for refusing this class such facilities hitherto.

The Superannuation Act makes no provision for the commutation of pensions payable on retirement. All women members of the Civil Service earning pensions under the Superannuation Act 1859 were in 1935 given an irrevocable option to adopt the new provisions then introduced, which give rise to a smaller pension and a lump sum additional allowance.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what percentage income increases have recently been concluded for non-industrial civil servants in the engineering, architectural, surveying and other professional fields; and to what extent was comparability a factor in these increases.

The pay of the works group of professional classes has been increased by 5·2 per cent. with effect from 1st January, 1969, and these civil servants will receive on average a further 6·9 per cent. on 1st January, 1970. The pay increases are being implemented in two stages to conform with the requirements of the White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy in 1968 and 1969, Cmnd. 3590. These grades, having last been surveyed in 1964, were surveyed during 1968 by the Civil Service Pay Research Unit, an independent, fact-finding body. The rates which will be reached on 1st January, 1970, are based on the evidence of rates paid for comparable work outside the Civil Service on 1st January, 1969, adjusted to take account of differences in conditions such as hours worked, leave and superannuation, in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, 1953–55.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what proposals he has received concerning the pay of top civil servants; and how he intends to deal with them.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in answer to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 19th June that the report had been received and was being considered. I have nothing to add to that answer.—[Vol. 785, c. 145.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent Her Majesty's Government is participating in the work of the Intergovernmental Council for Automatic Data Processing.

The Civil Service Department provides the United Kingdom delegate, who is also a vice-chairman, to the Intergovernmental Council for A.D.P. The aim of the council is to exchange information about data processing prob lems which are peculiar to central government. The inaugural meeting was held in Edinburgh in August, 1968, and a second meeting was held in Oslo earlier this month.Member countries have been asked to contribute equally towards secretarial expenses. Parliament will be asked in due course to approve the necessary Supplementary Estimate of about £200. Meanwhile, this sum will be paid from the Civil Contingencies Fund.