asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that over the last five years £200 million in foreign exchange has been paid under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement more than would have been paid by buying at world prices, if he will seek to modify that Agreement.

I have explained to the hon. Member in a letter why the price paid under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement cannot validly be compared with the so-called world price.The only way in which the Agreement can be modified, other than by mutual agreement between the parties, is by giving notice of three or six years, depending on which provisions are to be modified. Such notice cannot be given until 1971, and it is too early to say what changes, if any, it will be desirable to introduce then.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the results of the voluntary pesticides control scheme operated by farmers, the agrochemical industry and by his Department in respect of the use of the chemical dieldrin: and if he will make a statement.

The voluntary control scheme has in general operated satisfactorily. My right hon. Friend is however considering with the interested organisations proposals for legislation which would provide powers to make the present scheme mandatory.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to prevent the addition of sodium fluoride to milk by farmers or distributors; and if he will make a statement.

The sale by retail of milk so treated is already an offence under the Food and Drugs Act and I am not satisfied that it would be beneficial to amend the law to permit it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he proposes to take to prevent the Atlantic salmon from being over-fished by drift netting in the North Atlantic.

As a result of the advocacy of this Government, both North Atlantic Fisheries Commissions recently passed recommendations that fishing for Atlantic salmon outside national fishery limits should be prohibited. If accepted, these recommendations will provide an adequate safeguard, and in view of the strong support they enjoyed, I hope that they will be approved by all the countries concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the extent to which the wholesale price for a crate of home-grown lettuce has increased over the last year.

Weighted average prices for the indoor lettuce season which has just ended will not be available until the autumn. It would be misleading to use the unweighted weekly prices for comparative purposes in view of the wide fluctuations there can be in supply from week to week and from season to season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he proposes to do to ensure that the experiments and research of the Horticultural Advisory Council are made available to horticultural growers rapidly and in readily understandable form.

It is the constant endeavour of the National Agricultural Advisory Service to communicate to growers the results of research and experiment and the means of applying them in practice. The Horticultural Advisory Council does not do research or experiments but I look forward to receiving its advice on the problem of communication.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to ensure that tests for products containing new manufactured substances such as enzymes and proteins are adequate to prevent health hazards to consumers.

The Food and Drugs Act, 1955, already requires that all food sold for human consumption must be safe and wholesome. As regards tests, I would refer to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 12th March.—[Vol. 779, c. 303.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what commodities are now expected to make the greatest contribution in 1969 to the saving of imports.

All home produced food can be regarded as saving imports. But, as we have explained before, it is not practicable to make the sort of specific assessment that the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what progress has been made towards achieving the target for home-grown lamb under the selective expansion programme.

There is no specific target for lamb production under the selective expansion programme. The aim is first to check and then to offset the recent decline in lowland breeding flock numbers. But we have recognised this cannot be done quickly. The Annual Review incentives already given are bound to take time to work through; and the weather this spring has been a handicap, particularly in some areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has now made of the effect on meat prices of the ban on the importation of South American beef on the bone.

In the longer term no significant effect on meat prices need result from the ban on bone-in beef from South America. This ban comes into effect on 1st October, but we also propose to reduce the tariff on boneless beef so that a reasonable level of trade can continue to flow. It may take a little time also to make some of the physical and commercial adjustments involved in switching to boneless. But I see no reason to suppose that this will cause any serious dislocation of the trade in beef from South America.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of lager beer was consumed in this country in 1968; and how much of it was imported.

No official figures are available, but trade estimates indicate that total consumption was between 1¼ and 1½ million barrels. About a quarter of this was imported.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the objectives of the selective expansion programme are being achieved; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the progress of the selective expansion programme for agricultural production, and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Members to my right hon. Friend's speech during the Supply Day debate on 16th June, when he referred to the industry's progress towards the expansion objectives.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the current return on capital employed in agriculture; and how this compares with the present level of interest rates on farmers' borrowings.

None. Any such estimate would inevitably have to be based on arbitrary assumptions. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the fact that, contrary to the original plan, representatives of amenity societies are excluded from the working party on critical amenity land on Dartmoor, and that both the County Landowners Association and the National Farmers' Union are to be represented, whether he has accepted the invitation from the Dartmoor National Park Committee to appoint a representative to the working party.

My right hon. Friend has not received such an invitation but my Department would be willing to help if the Dartmoor National Park Planning Committee thought this would be useful.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement regarding the results of developments by the White Fish Authority of a fish-gutting machine at sea.

The White Fish Authority is to be congratulated on its success in developing this invention. It achieves a higher standard, as well as much greater speed, than hand-gutting. It is expected to increase productivity and reduce fatigue amongst fishermen, and improve the quality of fish reaching the consumer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give for any convenient stated period a detailed list of national disasters for which his Department has been responsible for meeting the financial costs, indicating the respective contributions made by his Department and the local authorities.

The usual definition of a national disaster excludes even quite serious disruptions in any particular industry, including agriculture, where the problems in that industry do not have the same direct and substantial impact on the country as a whole.On that basis, during the last 10 years there have been no national disasters in respect of which my Department was responsible for meeting any part of the expenditure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to grant-aid any break crops other than field beans.

As stated in the 1969 Annual Review White Paper, further study of the potentialities of crops other than field beans will be undertaken later in the year in the light of experience in the 1969 season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now concluded his study of the report from the Embassy in Tokyo about the export of dogs to Japan; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Crowder) on 25th June.—[Vol. 785, c. 273–4]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the reports made to him on the developments in Northumberland for the siting of a pulp mill involving the use of Keilder Forest timber; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not received any official report on the subject but I understand that the sponsors of the project have commissioned a feasibility study.I am well aware of the keen local interest in this project and I have considered the question of timber supplies very thoroughly. I am afraid, however, that it would not be possible for the Forestry Commission to supply timber from its forests in Northumberland in anything approaching the volume required by a pulp mill of this size. I am convinced that premature felling is not a practical possibility because it would be unsound economically and would inevitably seriously reduce supplies in the longer term.

asked Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the standard of certain Danish butter being sold in the United Kingdom which was produced in February, 1966 and if he will make a statement.

The Danish dairy authorities exercise close quality control over the marketing of their butter in the United Kingdom. The right hon. Member was kind enough to send me part of

REPRESENTATIVE RETAIL PRICES (WITHOUT ALLOWING FOR DIFFERENCES IN QUALITY, ETC.) IN LONDON AND PARIS AT APRIL, 1969
								London		Paris
								s.	d.	s.	d.
Eggs	…	…	Standard		…	…	per dozen	4	3	5	11
Butter	…	…	New Zealand Dairy		…	…	per lb.	3	4
	…	…	Dairy		…	…				8	3
Cheese	…	…	New Zealand Cheddar		…	…	per lb.	3	3
	…	…	Gruyere		…	…				7	7
Milk	…	…	Bottled		…	…	per pint		10½		10
Sugar	…	…	Granulated		…	…	per lb.		9	1	2
Bread	…	…	White unwrapped 1¾lb. loaf			…	per lb.		11
	…	…	Parisien		…	…				1	3½
Beef	…	…	Sirloin, without bone		…	…	per lb.	9	0
	…	…	Steak, dressed		…	…				13	7
Lamb	…	…	Home-killed loin		…	…	per lb.	7	0
Mutton	…	…	Rib		…	…	per lb.			13	8
Pork	…	…	Home-killed loin		…	…	per lb.	5	6
	…	…	Chine, with bone		…	…				6	5
Potatoes	…	…	Old crop		…	…	per lb.		5		3
Tomatoes		…	Home-grown		…	…	per lb.	4	6	2	10
Cabbage	…	…			…	…	per lb.	1	6	1	5
Carrots	…	…			…	…	per lb.		9	1	0
Onions	…	…			…	…	per lb.		10	1	0
Apples	…	…			…	…	per lb.	2	3	1	6
Pears	…	…			…	…	per lb.	1	10	1	6
Bananas	…	…			…	…	per lb.	1	4	1	8
Oranges	…	…			…	…	per lb.	1	4	1	7
Fish	…	…	Plaice		…	…	per lb.	4	0
	…	…	Dab		…	…				5	2
Concentrated Orange Juice					…	…	per bottle	2	4	No quotation

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the large annual loss

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of figures giving the comparative retail prices in London and Paris of the following commodities, namely, eggs, butter, cheese, milk, sugar, bread, meat, fruit and vegetables, fish and soft-drinks, giving, in the case of Paris, figures which are available from international sources.

In view of differences in quality and definition, precise comparisons are not possible, but the following are such figures as are available.of good agricultural land for building and other purposes, whether he will now conduct a new inquiry into the means by which this loss can be limited.

The needs of our growing population cannot be met without some encroachment upon agricultural land; but we always seek to limit the amount of land taken and to avoid the use of high quality land as far as possible. I do not see in what way a new inquiry could contribute further to these aims.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him by the National Federation of Women's Institutes about the use of cyclamates pending the completion of tests into the accumulative effects of these sweeteners; and what reply he has sent.

The National Federation has reported to my right hon. Friend a resolution passed at its recent annual meeting, requesting the Government to ban the use of cyclamates in sweets, foods and drinks until more exhaustive tests as to their long-term and cumulative effects have been carried out.We have replied that all the available evidence as to the safety-in-use of cyclamates has been studied by our advisory committees and that, in the light of their advice, Ministers are satisfied that there is no justification for amending the Regulations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now introduce new labelling regulations for artificial sweeteners in food and drink to show the acceptable daily intake, the quantity by weight contained in the product and the name of the artificial sweetener.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave today to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the decrease in the number of wool producers in the course of the past year; and to what factors he attributes this decrease.

The number of registered wool producers in the United Kingdom fell by 7,209—about 6 per cent.—in the year ended 21st June, 1969. To some extent this reflects the displacement of flocks in some parts of the country by other livestock and cereals and the continuing reduction in the total number of separate agricultural holdings. However, as with other types of farm enterprise, there has also been a tendency over recent years for production to become concentrated on a smaller number of farms, but with a steadily increasing average size of flock.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help he is giving to farmers in Nottinghamshire who have uncultivated acres of land due to the bad weather over the past 18 months.

In the debate on agriculture on 16th June my right hon. Friend and I indicated the difficulties, and the objections of principle, to compensating farmers for the risks of the weather. Although we have the deepest sympathy with the farmers concerned, we could not justify asking for exceptional powers.Thevarious branches of the Ministry's advisory services in the region are continuing to provide advice both collectively and individually where this is needed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will take measures to decontrol special milks; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no such measures in mind.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what preparation he is making to ensure that adequate supplies of beef will be available following the ban on the importation of South American beef on the bone.

As my right hon. Friend explained in the House on 1st May, the Government intend to reduce the tariff on boneless beef so that a reasonable level of trade may still flow. Discussions to this end have been taking place, and the revised rate of tariff will be announced as soon as possible. The Government has already taken steps to ensure the expansion of home-fed beef production as part of its agricultural expansion programme and long-term prospects are good.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that there will be adequate supplies of potatoes from the 1969 crop, in view of his decision to allow only 85 per cent. of the standard acreage to be grown; and if he will make a statement.

Production depends on yield as well as acreage and it is too early to forecast the likely yield for the 1969 crop. As I explained in reply to the hon. Member on 22nd and 27th January, the Potato Marketing Board's 1969 quota was calculated to secure plantings consistent with the United Kingdom acreage required to meet the demand for main crop potatoes if yields were not significantly below the expected level.—[Vol. 776, c. 47 and c. 251.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will include provision for a warning mark on packs containing poisonous or dangerous chemicals in regulations under consideration in implementation of the Farm and Garden Chemicals Act.

Discussions on the classification and marking of pesticides according to toxicity are taking place under the Council of Europe (Partial Agreement) and we do not wish to prejudice these by taking unilateral action now.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will invite Professor Brambell to consider his proposed Codes of Practice for Factory Farming, with a view to their amendment.

No. These codes were prepared by an independent advisory committee chaired by Professor Hewer of London University. In preparing the codes the committee took account of a considerable body of comment made by interested parties, on the drafts circulated in September, 1968. These included comments from Professor Brambell and his colleagues.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the usual length of time Members of Parliament have to wait before claims for expenses incurred in carrying out duties on Select Committees of the House are met.

The Fees Office normally pay such claims within seven days of the receipt of the appropriate documents.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will seek to implement the report of the House of Commons (Services) Committee on Members' travelling expenses.

I am well aware of Members' concern in this matter, and I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer about this report.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is satisfied with the arrangements made to prevent members of the public making recordings of the debates of the House with a view to subsequently broadcasting them without authority.

I am satisfied that all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent members of the public making recordings of the debates in the House.

asked the Minister of Technology what studies are being undertaken at present on patterns of mobility of young scientists and engineers between the United Kingdom and Europe; and whether he will make a statement on his policy on co-ordination of research material on the subject with other European countries.

I understand that a survey is being carried out by U.N.E.S.C.O. of existing bilateral and multi-lateral arrangements which facilitate the mobility of research workers between the countries of Europe. I do not know of any other studies of this kind.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the position of Upper Clyde shipbuilders.

No. This will not be necessary as I have nothing to add to my statement to the House on 19th June.—[Vol. 785, c. 721–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total net recruitment to Scottish police forces during each of the latest six months for which figures are available.

In December, 1968, January and February, 1969, there were net gains of 3, 12 and 2 officers respectively. In March, April, and May, 1969, there were net losses of 6, 22 and 9 officers respectively. The net loss of 20 officers over the six months was offset by additional appointments to Scottish police forces including 34 traffic wardens and 19 clerical and technical staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that concealed closed-circuit television has been effective in helping police in Scotland to detect crime and bring offenders to justice; and whether he will make a statement.

The use of closed-circuit T.V. systems for crime detection is still in the experimental stage and its poten tial is under study by the Home Office Police Research and Development Branch. I am not satisfied that I should at present recommend its general use by Scottish police forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland now have electorates of less than 30,000.

The registers of electors published in February, 1969, show that the following Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland have electorates of less than 30,000:

• Banff.
• Caithness and Sutherland.
• Glasgow, Central.
• Glasgow, Gorbals.
• Glasgow, Kelvingrove.
• Orkney and Zetland.
• Ross and Cromarty.
• Western Isles.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest position of the plan for redevelopment of Blantyre; and when the public inquiry is to be held.

I understand that a town map for Blantyre is being prepared by Lanark County Council. Until this has been submitted to me I cannot say whether a public inquiry will be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he made the Teaching Council Scotland Act, 1965 (Amendment of the Constitution of the Council) Order, 1969; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 6th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Hannan).The purpose of the Order is to extend the period of office of the present Council by six months.—[Vol. 779, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of the pupil-teacher ratio for each Scottish education authority for the latest available date and the position for the comparative date in 1964.

The information is as follows:

PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO
	1964	1968
Burghs
Aberdeen (City)	19·2	18·7
Dundee	23·3	23·1
Edinburgh	24·7	23·8
Glasgow	26·2	26·0
Counties
Aberdeen (County)	21·0	20·0
Angus	22·8	22·4
Argyll	20·1	19·4
Ayr	23·8	22·9
Banff	20·5	21·4
Berwick	19·4	18·5
Bute	19·3	19·2
Caithness	22·4	21·7
Clackmannan	22·0	21·2
Dumfries	23·2	22·5
Dunbarton	25·7	24·2
East Lothian	22·9	23·2
Fife	22·5	22·2
Inverness	21·1	20·8
Kincardine	21·0	20·1
Kirkcudbright	19·8	19·5
Lanark	26·1	26·7
Midlothian	23·2	23·2
Moray and Nairn	24·8	23·7
Orkney	19·1	18·3
Peebles	21·1	21·9
Perth and Kinross	21·9	20·9
Renfrew	26·5	26·5
Ross and Cromarty	20·3	19·7
Roxburgh	22·4	22·8
Selkirk	22·8	22·1
Stirling	24·0	23·2
Sutherland	16·9	17·4
West Lothian	24·1	22·5
Wigtown	23·8	21·6
Zetland	17·5	17·8
SCOTLAND	24·0	23·6

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of principal doctors admitted for the first time to Scottish medical lists for the three years 1966 to 1968, respectively.

The information is as follows:

Year Ended	First Admissions
1st October, 1966	126
1st October, 1967	129
1st October, 1968	125

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the representations he has received in connection with the Green Paper, "Administrative Reorganisation of the Scottish Health Services"; and if he will make a statement.

The list of the 128 organisations which have submitted written comments on the Green Paper is as follows. I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what estimate he has made of the number of teachers who will be required in 1972–73 in local authority primary schools, local authority secondary schools, grant-aided primary schools, and grant-aided secondary schools, respectively;(2) what, according to the latest available official estimate submitted to him by education authorities and other school managers, is the shortage of certificated or registered teachers in public and grant-aided schools in Scotland.

The latest available estimate submitted to me by education authorities and other school managers was in December, 1967, when the total additional number of qualified teachers estimated to be required in order to eliminate oversize classes and replace unqualified teachers and teachers over age 70 was 3,868.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the ratio of pupils to teachers in primary schools and secondary schools managed by education authorities and managers of grant-aided

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

Education Authority Schools

Primary (including nursery)

30·6

30·8

Secondary

…

…

…

15·9

16·0

All schools

…

…

…

25·3

25·0

24·7

24·2

24·0

23·7

23·6

23·5

23·6

Grant-Aided Schools

Primary (including nursery)

27·6

27·8

Secondary

…

…

…

14·2

14·4

All schools

…

…

…

18·0

17·8

17·7

17·4

17·4

17·5

16·9

17·0

17·2

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements there are in Scotland for making awards to members of the public who assist in the apprehension of criminals.

The following is the information:

Police authorities in Scotland are by statute empowered, on the recommendation of chief constables, to make monetary awards to members of the public who substantially assist in the apprehension of criminals. In other cases letters of commendation may be sent by chief constables to the persons concerned. Medals or certificates may also be awarded, for instance from the Sir James Duncan Medal Trust Fund or under certain local authority arrangements. A particularly courageous action may warrant a Commendation from Her Majesty The Queen, or a recommendation for an appropriate gallantry award.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway, dual carriageway and other roads have been completed in each year since 1960; and how many additional miles are expected to be completed before the end of 1970.

This information is available only for roads in respect of which direct government grant is given. Thus the table below does not include unclassified roads—except township roads; or, since 16th May, 1967, classified roads which are not principal roads.

			Miles
	New and improved trunk and classified roads
Financial year	Motorways	Other dual carriageways	Single carriageway
1960–61	—	10	103
1961–62	—	13	63
1962–63	—	32	80
1963–64	—	18	118
1964–65	6	12	95
1965–66	1	27	159
1966–67	9	20	106
1967–68	6	14	136
1968–69	16	18	98

I expect that by the end of 1970 a further 11 miles of motorway, 13 miles of all purpose dual carriageway, and 24 miles of single carriageway trunk road will be completed. These are major trunk road schemes; mileages for other schemes are not readily available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of new potatoes have been imported into the United Kingdom this year; and how this amount compares with imports in each of the last three years.

The figures are given on page 22 of the Overseas Trade Accounts relating to the periods concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the public speech made by his regional controller at Sunderland on 3rd May was made with his authority.

The regional controller was not at the time acting in his official capacity and no question of approval arose.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what instructions he has given to his regional controllers on the making of public statements concerning departmental policy.

Regional controllers are authorised to outline departmental policy on any suitable occasion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he now has for the use of the site formerly occupied by Messrs. Mayor and Coulson Limited at Rutherglen.

We are seeking a suitable tenant for the Board of Trade factory at Rutherglen which was recently vacated by Mayor and Coulson Ltd.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish details of the services available from his Department for younger business men and trade unionists who wish to arrange conferences, meetings and seminars in cities in member States of the European Economic Community where British Weeks are held.

Interested parties should get in touch with the Export Council for Europe of the British National Export Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which parts of the coast of Great Britain have been the victims of spoliation by oil discharges from shipping in the last three years; how many and which ships have been identified as responsible for each of these discharges; what steps he has taken against the owners of these ships; and with what result in penalties and in compensation to the relevant local and other authorities and persons affected.

Pollution has occurred in a number of harbours and coastal areas, particularly in the South-West, the South and South East. In areas outside harbours it is rarely possible to identify its source. The Board of Trade has prosecuted the masters of the "Australis" and the "Adi Jayanti". Fines of £150 and £500 respectively were imposed. Harbour authorities have undertaken many prosecutions in this period and substantial fines have been imposed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now make a statement upon the findings of the Holland Martin Committee upon safety of the trawling industry.

I expect publication towards the end of July. As I have said, I shall make a preliminary statement on publication.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the proposed fare structure for Loganair services between Scotland and Scandinavia.

I hope that agreement will be reached in due course to establish a fare for direct flights between Aberdeen and Stavanger, which will permit Loganair also to charge less from Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what steps she is taking to resolve the dispute among trawlermen in Aberdeen with a view to the restoration of normal supplies of fish.

Following discussions on 1st July between the employers and the union under my Department's chairmanship proposals are being put to the strikers on 3rd July.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will refer to the Commission on Industrial Relations the negotiating practices of Mr. Law, an officer of the Transport and General Workers Union.

My right hon. Friend is obtaining information on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress she is making in her negotiations with the Agricultural Training Board.

My Department and the Agriculture Departments are at present having consultations with the National Farmers Unions about future arrangements for the Board's operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science where the new supervisory and craft forestry training centre will be located.

I am considering with my colleagues the future provision of courses in forestry at the supervisory and craft levels. This review will include the question of the number and location of centres.

asked the Postmaster-General when the United Kingdom licence fee for sound radio was last increased; and how it compares with the equivalent fee in Sweden, Norway, West Germany. France, Italy and Austria from figures available to him from international sources.

The fee for a sound only broadcast receiving licence was increased from £1 to £15s. on 1st August, 1965. According to the latest information, the corresponding fees, expressed in sterling, in the countries named range from £2 to £3 17s. 6d.Following is the list:

	£	s.	d
Sweden	3	12	6
Norway	3	0	0
West Germany	2	10	0
France	2	10	0
Italy	2	0	0
Austria	3	17	6

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will give a precise definition of the boundary of the Leith Employment Exchange with special reference to grey area treatment.

I will ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to write to the hon. Member giving precise details of the employment exchange boundary within which intermediate assistance will apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what local authorities were given military aid in flood emergencies during the last 12 months; what charges have been made to them: and what charges have been waived.

Fifty local authorities were given service assistance in flood emergencies during the last 12 months. Full details of charges raised or waived are not readily available. The financial principles governing service assistance of this kind are set out in a Ministry of Defence pamphlet on Military Aid to the Civil Community. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of the policy laid down in paragraph 35 of Command Paper No. 4089 on Information and the Public Interest, he will now give the cost in the current year of the Stores and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence for Equipment on 28th February, 1969.—[Vol. 778, c. 369.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost of the work of the four Parliamentary Boundary Commissions in carrying out their general review from 1965 to 1969.

The estimated total cost is £95,238, of which £7,187 is attributable to printing and publication of the Reports.

asked the Minister of Power why he intends to continue to require the gas and electricity industries to publish the average actual prices by fuel and by region which they charge to industry.

My right hon. Friend does not require such publication. The industries publish these details of their own accord.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement on the accident at an oil depot at Padworth near Reading as a result of which the water supply for the borough of Reading was threatened.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Aston) on 25th June.—[Vol. 785, c. 290.] The inquiry has now been completed, and its findings will be studied by the Department as soon as they are available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for each region of Great Britain, and for Northern Ireland, the amount paid in selective employment tax for

								£ million
				South East	East Anglio	South Western	West Midlands	East Midlands
Gross Yield
1966–67	…	…	…	206	16	34	61	37
1967–68	…	…	…	367	28	61	107	66
1968–69	…	…	…	473	36	78	137	84
				Yorkshire and Humberside	North Western	Northern	Wales	Scotland
Gross Yield
1966–67	…	…	…	54	77	34	25	55
1967–68	…	…	…	95	136	60	44	98
1968–69	…	…	…	120	174	76	57	126
				South East	East Anglia	South Western	West Midlands	East Midlands
Additional Payments
1966–67	…	…	…	12·0	1·0	2·0	6·0	3·0
1967–68*	…	…	…	40·0	3·0	6·0	18·0	9·5
1968–69†	…	…	…	—	—	0·5	—	—
				Yorkshire and Humberside	North Western	Northern	Wales	Scotland
Additional Payments
1966–67	…	…	…	4·0	6·5	2·0	1·5	3·5
1967–68*	…	…	…	13·0	20·0	7·0	5·0	11·0
1968–69†	…	…	…	—	4·5	7·0	3·0	10·0
* Payable to all manufacturing industries.
† Payable to manufacturing industries in Development Areas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of bank lending in sterling to the overseas sector.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the current Financial Statistics, Table 48, column 7.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to set up an independent inquiry into the cost, in foreign exchange, of the International Commodity Agreements of which the United Kingdom is a member.

The following table shows the available estimates for Great Britain. I will write to the hon. Member about refunds. The selective employment tax is a transferred tax so that questions relating to its incidence in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Government.

No. Assessment of the potential cost depends essentially upon assumptions as to the levels of price and supply in the absence of these agreements. I do not think that any estimate, whether prepared by the Government or by independent sources, would be meaningful.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the numbers of male and female staff, respectively, he estimates will be employed at the Inland Revenue Computer Centre sited in the Bradford/Shipley area.

It is expected that when fully set up this Centre will have a staff of some 2,600; it is not possible at this stage to say what the proportion of male to female staff will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the present situation in Gibraltar; and what steps are being taken to improve communications and sustain normal life there.

All aspects of the situation in Gibraltar are being kept under continuous review in consultation with the Governor, and at this stage I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told the House on 23rd and 26th June.—[Vol. 785. c. 181; Vol 785, c. 1709–15]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the South African Government to obtain the release of all Namibian citizens imprisoned or detained under the terms of the Terrorism Act, 1967

I have no reason at present to suppose that such representations would in any way help the persons concerned.