asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will add to the information recently published concerning the comparative prices of food in London and Paris by giving particulars of any other items of foodstuffs, and their prices in the two capitals, which may be readily available to him from international sources.

I cannot usefully add to the information contained in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 2nd July.—[Vol. 786, c. 91–2.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether endosulfan or other insecticides with similar ingredients are now on sale in Great Britain with a warning attached to the containers thereof.

The terms of the voluntary Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme ensure that containers of insecticides on sale in Great Britain whose formulation includes endosulfan or other similar ingredients are labelled with appropriate warnings about the safety of human beings, livestock and wildlife and about farm storage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the fact that the United States Food and Drug Administration has proposed a limit of 25 parts per million of cylohexylamine in cyclamate sweeteners, compared with 100 parts per million in this country, he will now consider taking similar action to control the level of this compound in food and drink in the interests of public health.

Further research into cyclohexylamine is being carried out, as recommended by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee. My right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friends will reconsider the question of limits as soon as the results of this research are available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each sugar beet factory in the United Kingdom, showing the tonnage which each one is capable of shinning in a season, and the tonnage grown in the area served by each factory.

The following information relating to the 1968 crop has been provided by the British Sugar Corporation Limited:

Factory	Daily slicing capacity (tons)	Beet grown in factory area (tons)
Allscott	2,740	277,095
Bardney	4,138	433,686
Brigg	2,553	317,394
Bury St. Edmunds	5,858	759,893
Cantley	4,772	667,668
Cupar	1,966	108,015
Ely	4,321	510,181
Felsted	2,870	375,667
Ipswich	4,026	481,836
Kidderminster	2,809	205,833
King's Lynn	3,930	526,854
Newark	1,848	246,539
Nottingham	2,026	167,313
Peterborough	4,679	562,909
Selby	1,632	224,036
Spalding	4,436	445,727
Wissington	2,954	366,763
York	2,881	338,699

The beet grown in any particular factory area is not necessarily all processed by that factory; some of it may be processed in other factories in order to utilise the available slicing capacity most efficiently.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is now in a position to announce the Government's decision on the recent report of the Standing Advisory Committee on the pay of the Higher Civil Service.

The Standing Advisory Committee on the Pay of the Higher Civil Service under the chairmanship of Lord Plowden has recommended in its Ninth Report new rates of pay for the Higher Civil Service. (Copies of the Report are available in the Vote Office).The Committee's main recommendations are that the salary of Permanent Secretaries should be increased from its present rate of £8,600 to £14,000; that of Deputy Secretaries from £6,300 to £9,000; and that of Under-Secretaries from £5,500 to £6,750. The Committee also proposes that the central pay increase of 5 per cent. received by lower grades in the administrative, executive and clerical classes should be given to the Assistant Secretary grade.The Committee considers these rates to be the minimum necessary to reflect the responsibilities of the Higher Civil Service by comparison with similar positions in private industry and the nationalised industries, to ensure a continued supply of recruits of the right quality and to facilitate structural changes in the interest of greater efficiency. In framing its recommendations, the Committee took full account of the Report on Top Salaries by the National Board for Prices and Incomes (Cmnd. 3970).The Government are satisfied that the proposed new rates are right in principle and should be implemented when the requirements of income policy allow. The Committee has proposed a method of implementing the increases by stages and the Government accept that the first stage increase recommended by the Committee should be implemented from 1st July, 1969, since this is within the ceiling of 33 per cent. a year for the period since the last pay increase for the Higher Civil Service on 1st September, 1965. On this basis the rates for Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries and Under-Secretaries will be £9,800, £7,100 and £6,000 respectively. The Government also accept the proposal to give the 5 per cent. central pay increase to Assistant Secretaries from 1st July, 1969.The salaries of the Lower Judiciary are revised periodically in the light of movements in the salaries of higher civil servants in the appropriate range. In some cases a Statutory Order is needed to give effect to such increases, and an Order dealing with consequential first stage increases will be laid before both Houses of Parliament immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the five main functions of the Stores and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester.

The main functions of the establishment are:

(i) To keep abreast of industrial research on the development and processing of textile fibres and fabrics, plastics, rubber and light metals.

(ii) To conduct research into the application of new materials to Service requirements of Clothing and General Stores.

(iii) To design, develop, and prove new items of clothing and personal load carrying equipment of all types for Service use.

(iv) To design, develop and prove new items of General Stores, i.e., tentage and shelters, field cooking and heating and sleeping equipment and camouflage equipment.

(vi) To produce specifications for the production of new items of equipment.

(vi) To make full use of all available facilities for the exchange of information and ideas with allied countries and industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will arrange an open day for the public to visit the Stores and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester.

There is no objection in principle to the S.C.R.D.E. being opened to the public, but I doubt whether there would be enough public interest to warrant the expenditure and disruption of essential activities attendant on an occasion of this kind.I will arrange for a limited number of parties to be shown round the establishment, if sufficient interest is shown.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total estimated cost to public funds and local authority funds of full-time education to persons in England and Wales over 17 years of age; and what is that cost per student.

I estimate total public expenditure on universities in Great Britain and on further education and teacher training in England and Wales is 1969–70 at about £660 million. Separate figures for expenditure on universities in England and Wales and on provision for full-time students only in further education are not available. Estimated current expenditure per full-time equivalent student, including expenditure on awards to students, is £1,054 in universities, £319 in further education and £812 in teacher training.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he is satisfied with the present level of pay and conditions of employment of teachers in technical colleges in relation to their level of recruitment; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps are being taken to improve the pay and conditions of employment of teachers in technical colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Recent negotiations on pay between the management side, on which I am represented, and the teachers' side of the Burnham F.E. Committee led to arbitration which will take place on 31st July. I cannot therefore comment on the issues involved, including that of recruitment.Conditions of employment in further education are negotiated between the employers alone and the teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) if she will publish a list of the statistical surveys completed, or still being conducted, by her Department during the last five years, or such shorter period as may be convenient;(2) if she will list the names of those Departments, and other agencies of her Department, which have carried out statistical surveys into industry and employment over the last five years.

Information is being assembled, and I shall be writing to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what advisory services are available for the young mentally handicapped seeking employment in Scotland, and if he will make a statement.

All careers officers of the Youth Employment Service in Scotland help mentally and physically handicapped young persons under the age of 18 and those over that age who are still at school, as well as the able-bodied. In addition, there are certain special facilities for the mentally and physically handicapped. Local authorities are being encouraged to appoint specialist careers officers for the handicapped, and so far one has been appointed in Scotland, in Edinburgh. Careers officers can also arrange for special assessment of handicapped young persons' working capacity, including any necessary psychology tests at the three industrial rehabilitation units in Scotland run by my Department. There are also part education/part assessment courses at two Scottish I.R.U.s designed to prepare handicapped young persons still at school for employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when Her Majesty's Government now expect to be in a position to ratify the International Labour Office Convention No. 100 on Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value.

My right hon. Friend will shortly be receiving a report on an inquiry carried out by my Department in consultation with the C.B.I. and T.U.C. into the costs of introducing equal pay in specific industries. She will then be resuming her talks with both sides of industry on the timing and phasing of a programme for implementing equal pay.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she is now taking to encourage the recognition of trade unions by employers; and if she will make a statement.

Questions of non-recognition where trade unions ask for help are dealt with by officers of my Department. Failing settlement through their intervention, complaints by trade unions can be considered for reference to the Commission on Industrial Relations, one of whose main functions is to examine recognition problems and to make recommendations. My right hon. Friend has made two references to the Commission already on this subject, and a number of other complaints on non-recognition are being dealt with by my Department.A number of proposals in the White Paper "In Place of Strife" relating to aspects of trade union recognition will require legislation, and there will be further consultation about these.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish the resolution or other instrument under which the United Nations General Assembly ruled that the post of Under Secretary General responsible for the Department of Political and Security Council Affairs must be held by a citizen of a Communist country or of a country within the geographical area under Communist rule; and what other United Nations posts are similarly confined to the citizens of specified countries.

There is no resolution of the General Assembly, or any ruling of any other body of the United Nations, that the post of Under Secretary General responsible for the Department of Political and Security Council Affairs, or any other post, must be held by a person from any specific country or area. Posts are filled by the Secretary General in accordance with the principles laid down in Article 101 of the Charter of the United Nations, and reiterated in Articles 4.1 and 4.2 of the Staff Regulations as established by General Assembly Resolution 590(VI) of 2nd February, 1952, namely: that the paramount consideration shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, and that due regard shall be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. In the case of posts in the top echelon it has been customary for successive Secretaries General, in conforming to these principles, to maintain the existing geographical balance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the French Government regarding the 10 per cent. increase in French exports to Rhodesia in the first four months of this year; and with what results;(2) what representations he has made to the Australian Government regarding the 23 per cent. increase in Australian imports from Rhodesia last year; and with what results;(3) what representations he has made to the French Government regarding the 10½ per cent. increase in French imports from Rhodesia last year; and with what results;

As the hon. Member was informed on 17th February, we keep in touch with friendly Governments about ways of making sanctions more effective, but it is for the Security Council, acting on the advice of the committee established in pursuance of resolution No. 253 of the 29th May, 1968, to determine whether any particular Government is in breach of its obligations under that resolution.—[Vol. 778, c. 3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Federal German Government regarding the $10 million-worth of Rhodesian copper imported into Germany last year; and with what results.

I understand that the long-term contracts under which Rhodesian copper was being imported into Western Germany in 1968 have been terminated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the excess of Japanese imports of asbestos described as originating from South Africa over the corresponding South-African estimate of exports of asbestos to Japan now exceeds total Rhodesian exports of asbestos to all destinations prior to the Unilateral Declaration of Independence, he will review the operation of Her Majesty's Government's sanctions policy.

It is for the Security Council, acting on the advice of the committee established in pursuance of resolution 253 of 29th May 1968, to determine whether any particular Government is in breach of its obligations under that resolution. As my right hon. Friend told the House on 24th June, what is imperatively needed is the rigorous observance of the existing sanctions. Her Majesty's Government have been most careful to observe sanctions and to co-operate fully with the United Nations Supervisory Committee. We shall continue to press strongly for the resolute observance of the policy which the Council has already laid down.—[Vol. 785, c. 1224.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further consideration has been given to the use of increased police patrols on motorways.

Consultations are held with chief officers of police from time to time. They keep levels of patrolling of motorways under regular review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how soon he expects district valuers to complete their revaluation of police officers' owner-occupied dwellings, under the terms of the agreement made in standing Committee D of the Police Council.

Within three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what precise form of documentary evidence is required by immigration officers from male Commonwealth citizens already resident in the United Kingdom regarding their marital status, and whether the man is free to marry, before they permit female Commonwealth citizens limited entry into the United Kingdom on grounds that they are joining fiancés already here, as in the cases of some 2,774 women admitted in recent months.

The evidence is not necessarily documentary. The man is examined, either at the port or where he lives, as well as the passenger, and the immigration officer does not grant admission unless reasonably satisfied that the marriage is likely to take place within a reasonable time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give details of the £3,200 expenditure on purchases by the Countryside Commission for its demonstrations at shows; and to what extent competitive tenders were requested.

Of the £3,200 estimated costs of producing the Countryside Commission display, approximately £2,050 was spent on design and production of the main display structure and £750 on typography, graphics and photographic work. Competitive tenders were obtained for the main construction contract.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what he estimates will be the costs during 1969 of the Countryside Commission's attendance at various shows with its stand.

Between £5,000 and £6,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many people visited the Countryside Commission's stand at the Royal Show.

Some 2,500.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the total amount of Government grants to the Huddersfield County Borough in each year from 1959.

The total amount of Government grants to Huddersfield County Borough for each of the years 1959–60 to 1967–68 is as follows:

	£
1959–60	1,694,961
1960–61	2,046,509
1961–62	2,233,755
1962–63	2,338,552
1963–64	3,032,478
1964–65	3,416,895
1965–66	3,729,181
1966–67	4,252,298
1967–68	4,723,010

Complete figures for 1968–69 are not yet available. The latest estimates of rate support grants, housing subsidies and rate rebate grant for that year and the corresponding amounts for 1967–68 are as follows:

	1967–68	1968–69
	£	£
Rate support grant	4,014,824	4,339,510
Housing subsidies	178,374	191,914
Rate rebate grant	17,128	16,200

asked the Lord President of the Council why the stationery provided for use of Members of Parliament now has the commercial advertising words Gateway No. 1 printed on it; and if he will withdraw it from use and substitute another brand which has more effective gum.

The supply of some envelopes bearing the name brand was due to an error, and these will be replaced as soon as possible. The ineffectiveness of the gum on the envelopes has already been drawn to the attention of the Stationery Office.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is aware that there is a growing delay in getting replies from the Members' Telephone Room Extensions; and if he will take steps to provide more adequate staff so as to reduce this delay.

If the hon. Member will give me details of the delays, I will gladly look into his complaint: I have not received other representations about this particular service. Under the present arrangements, some delay may occur at peak periods, but a considerable improvement is anticipated when the new automatic exchange is installed, with modern message waiting facilities.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the cost to the Post Office of a single telephone instrument.

£4 11s. for the type of instrument usually fitted.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone instruments are installed in the United Kingdom on private premises, apart from those in PABX systems.

At 31st March, 1969, 12·6 million residential and business telephones. We cannot readily extract from this total the number of telephones connected to PABX systems.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the value in the accounts of the Post Office of telephone instruments owned by the Post Office and installed in private premises and houses throughout the United Kingdom.

A net book value of about £70 million, including the associated internal wiring.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the amount of capital expenditure over the next five years for investment by the Post Office in telephone instruments that will be installed in private premises or houses.

The programme of Post Office capital expenditure over the next five years is currently under review.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) when discussions started with the companies on the question of selling telephone apparatus direct to the public; and which companies have been consulted;(2) when the last meeting was held with any of the companies to discuss the question of selling telephone apparatus direct to the public.

From mid-1968 onwards there have been discussions with manufacturers and others on this and related matters. In the light of the views expressed, I invited the Telecommunication Engineering and Manufacturing Association, which represents major manufacturers of telephone apparatus in the United Kingdom, to join with the Post Office in detailed examination of the scope for widening the range of apparatus available to subscribers in a manner that would be consistent with the essential responsibilities of the Post Office in respect of maintenance and installation. Detailed studies with nominated representatives of the association commenced in May, and the most recent meeting was on 7th July.

asked the Postmaster-General for what reason physicians and surgeons have been omitted from the 1969 edition of the Classified Trades and Professions volume of the London Telephone Directory.

Physicians and surgeons are listed in the seven parts of the 1969 London Yellow Pages classified directory being issued to all subscribers in each of the districts covered. The London commercial classified directory, issued only to businesses, lists firms primarily serving industry and commerce.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the annual cost to public funds of transmitting to the addressee postal packages whose contents have been lost by the Post Office with a covering request to the addressee for details of such contents.

We do not keep central records, but we estimate it to be small.

asked the Postmaster-General why a letter posted as second class mail in Cambridge and addressed to Palmers Green takes four days to be delivered; and whether he will improve the postal delivery service.

Second class letters posted in Cambridge for Palmers Green should be delivered by the second working day after posting. If my hon. Friend will let me have the envelope of any letter that has taken longer I will gladly look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will list the 15 Government research establishments, out of the 170 establishments in being on 4th July, on which his Department spent most during the financial year 1968–69; and if he will show the expenditure on each of the 15 separately.

My Ministry's accounts were not kept in a way which

			Year	Local Authority	S.S.H.A.	Total	(2) as a percentage of(3)
				(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Glasgow	…	…	1966	3,604	1,359	4,963	27
			1967	4,389	1,156	5,545	22
			1968	4,051	440	4,491	10
Hamilton	…	…	1966	254	—	254	—
			1967	16	67*	83	81
			1968	167	85*	252	34
* Houses for overspill.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the Henry Report on Registration of Title to Land in Scotland.

I have received the committee's report, and arrangements for its publication are in hand. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation to Professor Henry and the other members of the committee for all the hard work they have put into the report. I shall be considering its terms most carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were built by the Scottish Special Housing Association in each of the local authority areas in Lanarkshire during each of the last three years; what is his estimate of the numbers to be built in the next three years; and what these figures represent as a percentage of the housing programme of each of the authorities concerned.

Figures for houses completed in the last three years are given in the table below. I cannot give precise estimates for the next three years, but the association has substantial projects in hand or in prospect, mainly in the landward area of Lanarkshire, for economic growth, and in Glasgow for general needs in discharge of outstanding commitments.

asked the Minister of Technology what request he has had from M. Raymond Mondon, the French Transport Minister, for an early meeting to discuss the Concorde project.

M. Mondon has not made any formal request for a meeting with me, but we hope to be meeting within the next month or two.

asked the Minister of Technology how many options have now been taken out on Concorde; and how many options will be needed to make this a profitable project.

74 delivery positions have been reserved for 16 airlines. We hope that there will be sufficient Concordes sold to make a profit on production and to recover part of the development costs. The number of sales necessary to achieve this will depend on the final development and production costs.

asked the Minister of Technology if he has now received any representations to put back the already delayed production schedule of the Concorde project; and if he will make a statement.

No representations have been received but discussions on the phasing of the programme are in progress.

asked the Minister of Transport why he has altered the speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour in Kingshill and Uley Road, Dursley, in view of the housing and factory developments in the area and the projected increase in the school population debouching on to this road; and whether he will make a statement.

We share the view of the Gloucester County Council, which sought our consent to the change, that the previous 30 m.p.h. limits were not a realistic or effective restriction. As they were already very widely ignored and the characteristics of the roads naturally limit speeds above 40 m.p.h., we would not expect any significant increase in speeds as a result of changing the limits and there should not be any reduction in the safety of the road.

asked the Minister of Transport when a decision will be made about the erection of traffic lights and the new road planning scheme at the triangle between Rayners Lane, Imperial Drive and Village Way in Harrow.

This is a proposed Greater London Council traffic management scheme which will be considered for grant-aid if and when it is submitted for approval.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the cost to the banks of administering the provisions of Clause 18 of the Finance Bill.

I have no reason to think that Clause 18 of the Finance Bill will involve the banks in any administrative costs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Inland Revenue will require taxpayers to keep duplicate bank accounts so as to be able to separate out interest charged on allowable items from interest charged on disallowable items under Clause 18 of the Finance Bill.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he will issue a circular to local authorities advising them on the changes in the organisation of the social services recommended by the Seebohm Committee; and whether he will request local authorities not to proceed with any proposed reorganisation of their committees which is not in accordance with the principles of the Seebohm Report;(2) when he expects to implement the recommendations of the Seebohm Report in Wales.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services told the House on 7th July, the Government hope to make an interim announcement on the Seebohm Report before the recess. In the meantime, I hope that Welsh local authorities will not take any action that might subsequently turn out to be inconsistent with the eventual decisions.—[Vol. 786, c. 163–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when the examination of possible lines for the M4 motorway from Newport to the beginning of Eastern Avenue by-pass, Cardiff, will be completed.

I expect to receive a report from my consulting engineers early in 1970. I shall then consider what route to propose in the draft Orders I expect to publish later in the year under the Highways Act, 1959. If objectors then put forward alternative proposals I shall examine them.

asked the Minister of Power if he will now make a statement on the proposals by the British Steel Corporation to site an ore terminal on Teesside.

The British Steel Corporation is in process of announcing its ideas for developing an ore terminal at Red-car, Teesside, at a cost of £15 million. This would be intended to serve its developing Teesside complex, but there could also be a rail link with Scunthorpe. The terminal could berth 100,000-ton carriers from 1972 and could be developed to take such larger ships as the river approaches permit, thus enabling the corporation to benefit from lower delivered ore costs. The corporation's capital investment programme of which this proposal forms a part, and is still being considered by the Government, requires my approval. The approval of the Minister of Transport under the Harbours Act, 1964 will also be needed.The B.S.C. has assured me that this proposal in no way lessens its interest in developing ore terminals in other areas in the United Kingdom and, in particular, that the possible development of an ore terminal on the Clyde is not affected by it. The corporation recognises that the deep water approaches to the Clyde make it especially suitable for large ore carriers. The British Steel Corporation is in discussion with the Clyde Port Authority on the latter's proposals for the establishment of an ore terminal at Hunterston, and hope that these discussions will be brought to a conclusion by the end of the year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a list of the statistical surveys completed, or still being conducted, by the Business Statistics Office during the last five years, or such shorter period as may be convenient.

Following are the surveys which the Business Statistics Office (before 1st January, 1969, the Census Office) has completed since 1965 or is at present engaged on:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the names of those Departments, and other agencies of his Department, which have carried out statistical surveys into industry and employment over the last five years.

The great majority of statistical surveys carried out by the Board of Trade are conducted by Statistics Division, including the Business Statistics Office. A few surveys, for the most part occasional and some on a very small scale, have also been conducted during the past five years by the following divisions: Accountants; Civil Aviation; Distribution of Industry; Economic Services; Industries; Insurance and Companies; and Tariffs.There is no commonly accepted definition of what constitutes an agency of the Board of Trade, so I will write to the hon. Member about this part of the Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the total expenditure to date by United Kingdom tourists in Spain since the introduction of the £50 tourist allowance; what proportion this represents of total United Kingdom tourist expenditure overseas during the period; and what were the corresponding figures for the corresponding period preceding the introduction of the allowance.

Estimates are readily available only for the calendar years shown below. The large increases in the figures for Spain for 1968 are partly a consequence of exchange advantages there following devaluation.

OVERSEAS TOURIST EXPENDITURE BY UNITED KINGDOM RESIDENTS*
	(a) In Spain†	(b)Total	(a) as a percentage of (b)
	£ million
1965	40·5	250	16·2
1966	41·7	253	16·5
1967	39·5	225	17·5
1968	46·4	221	21·0
* Excluding expenditure on business visits abroad, and international sea and air fares.
† Including the Canary Islands.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the foodstuffs which the United Kingdom has been committed to take in the recent trade agreement with Rumania.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to contracts which have recently been signed between certain British firms and Rumanian organisations under which British firms will supply irrigation equipment and machinery to Rumania and other British firms have undertaken to purchase foodstuffs from Rumania. The foodstuffs involved are grain, meat and meat products, fresh fruit such as peaches, melon and grapes, fruit pulp, peppers and aubergines, all of which may already be imported without quantitative restriction under existing arrangements; small quantities of other foodstuffs will be imported within the prescribed quotas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consult with the British Airports Authority and the Greater London Council about the possibility of developing a short take-off and landing airport on the site of the Surrey Docks, so that an air service could be operated between Gatwick, Heathrow and the centre of London at cheaper rates than helicopters can provide.

The Board of Trade is already associated with the Ministry of Technology, the British Airports Authority, the Greater London Council and other interested parties in assessing the feasibility of V.T.O.L./ S.T.O.L. operation from city terminals, including the Surrey Docks. Until these studies have made further progress proposals for developing a particular site would be premature.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for improving the organisation of hospitals for dealing with emergencies caused by accidents and for extending the facilities for the treatment of accident cases.

Regional hospital boards, whose responsibility it is in consultation with boards of governors to plan the accident and emergency provision in the region, have recently been asked to review their services, with a view to concentrating their resources in a way which will permit a wider range of treatment to be made available in larger centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being undertaken in National Health Service hospitals into the causes of the accidents for which patients have been admitted; whether he will undertake to publish the results of such research; and if he will make a statement.

Hospital authorities are encouraged to provide information to bodies undertaking studies in the prevention of accidents. Statistics are regularly collected and published on the types of injury caused by road traffic accidents, accidents in the home and accidents occurring elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for increasing the facilities at teaching hospitals for instruction in the treatment of accidents; and if he will make a statement.

The universities as autonomous institutions are responsible

SCHEDULE
PLACES APPROVED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SECTION 1(3) OF THE ABORTION ACT 1967 FOR TREATMENT FOR THE TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
Name of Applicant						Name and Address of Approved Place
Mr. B. P. Waters (Secretary)		…	…	…	…	Florence Nightingale Hospital,
						19, Lisson Grove, London, N.W.1.
Nuffield Nursing Homes Trust			…	…	…	Fitzroy Nuffield Nursing Home,
						10–12, Bryanston Square, W.1.
Dr. S. Balfour-Lynn	…	…	…	…	…	The Harley Street Clinic,
						35, Weymouth Street, W.1.
Mr. M. Afsharian	…	…	…	…	…	Langham Street Clinic,
						31–33–35, Langham Street, W.1.
The Trustees	…	…	…	…	…	The London Clinic,
						20, Devonshire Place, W.1.
Miss M. A. M. Watson (Secretary)			…	…	…	Twenty Seven Welbeck Street Ltd.,
						27, Welbeck Street, W.1.
Mr. I. Bierer	…	…	…	…	…	Avenue Clinic,
						12, Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, N.W.8.
Miss P. Castle and Mr. M. Longley			…	…	…	West Hampstead Clinic,
						9, Hilltop Road, N.W.6.
Mrs. M. Guyatt	…	…	…	…	…	Heywood Nursing Home,
						London Road, Stanmore, Middlesex.
Dr. A. Bruce and Dr. J. M. Berman			…	…	…	St. Mary's Nursing Home,
						46, Sunny Gardens Road, N.W.4.
Miss M. Bell	…	…	…	…	…	Old Court Clinic,
						19, Montpelier Road, Ealing, W.5.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the directors of all nursing homes approved for the purpose of abortions and the number of forms agreeing to abortion under the Abortion Regulations, 1968, Statutory Instrument No. 390, which have been signed by those doctors having a financial interest in private nursing homes.

The following is a list of the places currently approved for the purposes of the Abortion Act, 1967, showing in each case the applicants who originally sought my approval. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent, before licensing the setting up of private abortion clinics, he takes into account the estimated demand by these services on regional blood transfusion services.

Before approving a home I require it to have satisfactory arrangements for the supply of blood, but the extent to which these homes require blood supplies in emergency is relatively too small to constitute a significant demand on the blood transfusion service.