asked the Minister of Transport if he will initiate further studies into the need for deep-water container terminals as a result of the increasing size of container ships.

No. The National Ports Council has already studied the position up to 1973 and has concluded that projects for container berths in being or in prospect are adequate.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the present effectiveness of breathalyser tests; and if he will make a statement.

The Road Safety Act is undoubtedly having a major impact in reducing road casualties, particularly in the late evenings. A minority of drivers are still disregarding it but I hope that as the level of enforcement rises their numbers will be much reduced.

asked the Minister of Transport what further action he plans to take to ensure that vehicles are fitted with safety belts.

As indicated in my reply on 10th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin), we are making regulations to include the fitment of seat belts as a compulsory feature in the annual vehicle test.—[Vol. 779, c. 960.]

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to be in a position to confirm the disk parking scheme submitted to him by the Birkenhead County Borough on 15th January, 1969.

Very soon.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will seek to make the fitting of a safety mirror device, details of which have been sent to him, or some similar device, compulsory on all commercial vehicles.

Ministry engineers have examined an underfloor scanning device which has been fitted by some operators of vehicles used for door-to-door deliveries, but the benefits gained from making it compulsory on all commercial vehicles would not justify the cost.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will tabulate his estimate of the number of vehicle miles, covered by all types of vehicle for each month of the current year, and in total in this country; and how these figures compare with those for the last two years.

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the latest information available:

VEHICLE MILES RUN BY ALL MOTOR TRAFFIC IN GREAT BRITAIN
	1969	Percentage changes
	Million vehicle miles	1967 to 1969	1968 to 1969
January	8,560	+ 9·8	+ 5·6
February	7,240	- 5·5	-10·9
March	9,340	+ 3·8	- 0·2
April	9,890	+ 8·7	+ 1·5
Total January to April	35,030	+ 4·4	- 0·9

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what steps he is taking in the interests of consumer protection to protect the purchaser of a motor vehicle from false information as to the mileage of the vehicle by the vendor or his agent tampering with the milometer;(2) if he will introduce regulations to ensure that the mileage of a motor vehicle is endorsed on the test certificate and that this information is copied into the log book of a vehicle by the issuing authority when a road fund licence is applied for.

It would not be appropriate to make regulations for this purpose: there could be no assurance that the figure so officially recorded was a true record of the vehicle's mileage. However, as a guide, we have made arrangements for showing car mileage on the test certificate form which has recently been reprinted and is now in use in many garages.

asked the Minister of Transport how many enforcement officers whose salaries are met by his Department are employed in the Greater London Council area on road fund enforcement duties; whether he is satisfied that there are enough such enforcement officers to carry out the increasing work involved in taking action against road tax evaders; and if he will make a statement.

The staff employed by the Greater London Council for this purpose consists of 29 inquiry officers and an office staff of 127. I understand that the council is reviewing the present complement. It will no doubt propose an increase if it thinks it necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to require applicants for driving licences either to produce a birth certificate or a statement signed by a competent witness that the applicant is over 17 years of age.

There is power in the Vehicle and Driving Licences Act 1969 to require evidence of date of birth to be given by driving licence applicants. But we intend to use this power only in cases of doubt or ambiguity, when we introduce a centralised driver licensing system.

asked the Minister of Transport in how many cases has land been sold or leased by British Rail to persons other than local authorities notwithstanding the express wish of the local authority concerned to acquire it.

The British Railways Board says that precise information is not readily available. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind perhaps he would let me know.

asked the Minister of Transport when he plans to make regulations under the Vehicle and Driving Licences Act 1969 to deal with drivers who suffer from epilepsy.

As soon as possible. But before the regulations can be made and brought into operation my right hon. Friend is statutorily required to consult all interested organisations, including the medical profession on this occasion, and this is bound to take some time.

asked the Minister of Transport what research he is promoting into the boring of large diameters in clay and the attendant design and construction hazards.

At the present time my Department is not directly sponsoring any research into the specific problems of tunnelling in clay and the attendant hazards.I am, however, fully aware of the importance of reducing tunnelling costs, particularly as a contribution to easing traffic congestion in urban areas. With this in mind my Department is taking the lead in an inter-departmental study, centred on the Joint Transport Research Committee, to establish the need for improved methods of tunnelling in all geological conditions, the implications of cost reduction on demand, the required programme of research and development, and the case for Government support. For some time we have also been conducting a survey of related public and private interests, including those of the tunnelling industry, and this will be the basis of a United Kingdom contribution to an organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development Conference on Tunnelling to be held in May 1970.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the income from the licensing of motor vehicles by category and in total in each month in the current year; what is the cumulative total to date; and how these figures compare with those for the previous two Years.

AMOUNT OF VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY COLLECTED (AFTER DEDUCTION OF AMOUNTS REFUNDED)
			Private Cars	Motor Cycles	Buses, Coaches and Taxis	Goods Vehicles	Tractors	Trade Licences	Totals All Groups
			£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.
1969
April	…	…	26·60	0·50	0·22	10·93	0·24	0·07	38·56
May	…	…	25·03	0·47	0·21	10·60	0·20	0·01	36·52
Total	…	…	51·63	0·97	0·43	21·53	0·44	0·08	75·08
1968
April	…	…	23·35	0·51	0·20	10·06	0·22	0·07	34·41
May	…	…	27·35	0·55	0·20	11·72	0·21	0·01	40·04
Total	…	…	50·70	1·06	0·40	21·78	0·43	0·08	74·45
1967
April	…	…	17·03	0·45	0·16	6·45	0·15	0·04	24·28
May	…	…	17·02	0·45	0·18	7·30	0·16	0·01	25·12
Total	…	…	34·05	0·90	0·34	13·75	0·31	0·05	49·40
Figures for June and July are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Transport how many motor vehicles have been licensed in Great Britain in each month of 1969, in each category and in total, and how these figures compare with those for the previous two years; and what is the number of licences for

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF ROAD MOTOR VEHICLES IN GREAT BRITAIN WITH LICENCES CURRENT AT THE END OF EACH MONTH*
TABLE A									Thousands
1967			Total	Cars	Motor Cycles and Three Wheelers	Public Service Vehicles	Goods Vehicles	Agricultural Tractors and Engines	Vehicles Exempt from Duty
August	…	…	13,009	9,694	1,237	88	1,501	428	61
September	…	…	13,182	9,859	1,240	89	1,504	430	61
October	…	…	13,071	9,743	1,228	89	1,504	436	61
November	…	…	13,065	9,736	1,221	89	1,518	438	61
December	…	…	13,203	9,912	1,219	87	1,491	435	60
1968
January	…	…	12,958	9,737	1,185	85	1,472	420	60
February	…	…	13,022	9,802	1,176	85	1,476	422	60
March	…	…	13,296	10,057	1,180	86	1,486	425	61
April	…	…	13,249	10,014	1,177	88	1,483	426	61
May	…	…	13,427	10,194	1,179	89	1,477	427	62
June	…	…	13,246	10,070	1,152	90	1,448	425	61
July	…	…	13,355	10,166	1,152	91	1,458	427	62
August	…	…	13,500	10,292	1,156	92	1,463	427	62
September	…	…	13,305	10,132	1,137	93	1,454	428	62
October	…	…	13,413	10,230	1,133	93	1,466	428	63
November	…	…	13,496	10,327	1,127	94	1,457	429	63
December	…	…	13,249	10,122	1,109	89	1,439	428	62
1969
January	…	…	13,315	10,243	1,101	91	1,414	405	60
February	…	…	13,344	10,297	1,087	92	1,406	401	60
March	…	…	13,107	10,080	1,067	92	1,406	401	60
April	…	…	13,356	10,308	1,069	94	1,419	406	60
* Previously published estimates have been revised.
Crown Vehicles excluded.

Following is the information:new vehicles, less the number of old vehicles not re-licensed in each month, and in total, stating the net increase or decrease.

Following is the information from August, 1967. I regret that figures for the months before then are not readily available.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the value of wholesale and retail petrol sales for use in motor vehicles in each month of the current year and in total at both constant prices and at current prices; and how the monthly and total figures compare with the previous years.

Information is not available in the form requested, but the following are figures published by the Ministry of Power which show the quantities of motor spirit delivered to dealers and commercial users in the United Kingdom.

	Dealers*	Commercial Users*
	(thousand tons)	(thousand tons)
1967	10,846	1,238
1968	11,692	1,116
1967—January	755	108
February	750	97
March	928	106
April	845	103
May	957	108
June	1,047	125
July	959	99
August	1,040	98
September	948	95
October	893	100
November	886	109
December	838	90
1968—January	858	92
February	842	88
March	967	105
April	953	85
May	1,019	100
June	984	89
July	1,110	104
August	1,137	93
September	967	82
October	1,004	99
November	943	91
December	908	88
1969—January	906	98
February	807	85
March	953	97
April	1,049	104
May (provisional)	1,064	95
* From January, 1968 agency pick-up sales are included under dealers and not as previously under commercial consumers. These sales amounted to 11 thousand tons in January, 1968.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a further statement about the future of 70 miles-per-hour speed limits on motorways.

No. I have nothing to add to the statement on speed limit policy of 5th March. I hope it will be possible for us to raise the overall 70 m.p.h. limit slightly to 120 k.p.h.—about 75 m.p.h.—in 1973.—[Vol. 779, c. 420–5.]

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the monthly figures of fatalities and serious injuries experienced on the roads of Wirral during the past five years un to the most convenient recent period.

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, and as my hon. Friend has requested, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the information:

	Casualties
	Fatal	Serious
June, 1964–May, 1965	53	441
June, 1965–May, 1966	44	450
June, 1966–May, 1967	58	491
June, 1967–May, 1968	38	406
June, 1968–May, 1969	38	402

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total number of persons killed or injured in road accidents in the first six months of 1969; and what were the comparable figures for the first six months of 1968.

Figures for the first six months of this year are not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member when they are.

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatal accidents occurred on the M1 in May and June 1969; and if he will make a statement.

There were eight fatal accidents on the M1 in May and June 1969.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will defer his decision respecting the trans-Pennine route over the projected Wood-head Pass until such time as he is able to determine the effect of the completed M62 on traffic flows between Sheffield and Barnsley to Manchester and Liverpool; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what evidence has now been submitted to him regarding the need for a trans-Pennine motorway between Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and the West;(2) what are the alternative routes he is now considering for the next trans-Pennine motorway after the M62; whether he has yet decided which route will receive priority; and if he will now state the year when construction will commence and be completed for the routes that are now being considered.

Two project feasibility studies are being carried out in the South Pennine area to examine the need for high standard roads between Sheffield and Manchester and between Derby and Stoke. Reports on both studies are expected at the end of the year and will take account of all relevant factors, including likely traffic flows on M62. I will subsequently announce the schemes on which detailed preparation work will continue. It is too soon to forecast possible routes or starting dates.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to write to the hon. Member for Winchester concerning the situation at the Bar End Junction on the Winchester bypass.

My right hon. Friend is fully aware of the urgency of this matter and hopes to be in a position to write to the hon. and gallant Member in a few weeks' time.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the toll of road accidents now rising again, he will reconsider the Terrell Plan for Road Safety submitted to his predecessors.

I have studied Mr. Terrell's plan personally, and I am satisfied that it does not afford a practicable way of reducing road accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport when construction of the Sudbury by-pass road in Derbyshire will commence.

It is too early yet to give a firm date for the start of work on this by-pass.The proposed line was published on 27th March and the two objections received are now being considered. Proposals for the associated side road works were published on 8th July and are still in their statutory objection period.

asked the Minister of Transport how the amount spent on roads in Essex in the year 1968–69 compares with that for the year 1964–65.

The amount spent in 1967–68, the latest year for which figures are available, was £8·85 million; the amount in 1964–65 was £11·48 million.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the improvements to the A449 at Lloyd Hill, Lower Penn, are still scheduled to start in the current financial year.

No. We are at present aiming at starting in June, 1970. Whether this can be achieved will depend on progress with the land acquisition procedures, which are about to begin.

asked the Minister of Transport what factors he took in account in deciding that a 40 miles per hour speed limit through the village of Wellow, Hampshire, would not be enforceable.

Speed readings taken in West Wellow in February show that over 70 per cent. of drivers exceed 40 m.p.h. through the village. It is likely therefore that a 40 m.p.h. limit would not be observed voluntarily by the great majority of drivers. In these circumstances, it would not be possible for the police to enforce the limit on the scale necessary to make it effective.

asked the Minister of transport what plans his Department has for the improvement of the A39 Trunk Road at Otterham Station and Helebridge.

Subject to the acquisition of land and the satisfactory completion of the other preparatory processes, I hope to start work on the improvement scheme at Otterham Station this autumn and on the Helebridge scheme before the end of 1970.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the fact that the main route from the centre of London to the beginning of the MI motorway has been seriously affected for over a year due to road improvement works in the Swiss Cottage area and in view of the time it is taking for the work to be done, what action he proposes taking to remove this handicap to motorists within the next year.

None. Roadworks at Swiss Cottage are the responsibility of the Greater London Council as highway authority. It is making every effort to keep traffic dislocation to a minimum. The main work, which is ahead of schedule, is expected to be completed by April next year.

asked the Minister of Transport on what earnings figure he will base his decision concerning the future of the Mid-Hants Railway; and whether he will make a statement.

The figure of direct earnings we have received from the Railways Board is £29,000 p.a.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now give approval for the scheme to replace the railway station at Falmouth at an estimated cost of £5,600.

In principle, we agree that a new station is desirable. My right hon. Friend's approval must be dependent on the outcome, which he cannot prejudge, of a necessary closure proposal for the section of line between the present station and the proposed new site.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the present situation in Gibraltar.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the situation in Gibraltar; what requests for assistance he has now received from the Gibraltar Government; and what steps he has taken in furtherance of the undertaking he gave to support the Gibraltarians.

Essential services are working smoothly and steady progress is being maintained with the process of adjustment following the recent arbitrary Spanish restrictions. The people of Gibraltar continue to show great resolution in dealing with the difficulties with which they are faced.The Governor with his advisers is giving urgent and careful attention to the measures required to counter the effects of these latest Spanish restrictions. We have assured the Governor that as soon as priorities are settled we stand ready as we have done in the past, to help Gibraltar bring jointly agreed projects to fruition.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Zambia following the threats that have been made to private property owned by British subjects.

None. Action of the kind which the hon. Member seems to fear would require legislation in the Zambian Parliament and so far as I am aware no such legislation has been introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will raise at the United Nations Organisation the question of the legality of South Africa's incorporation of South West Africa, and in particular propose that the United Nations expel South Africa from that body in view of her seizure of United Nations Trust Territory.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the details and dates of those occasions in the past three years when Her Majesty's Government stated its policy to the United Nations General Assembly on the South African seizure of South West Africa; and in which way the British Government voted on each such occasion.

A list of the principal recent occasions on which Her Majesty's Government have stated their policy on South West Africa is given below.

Date of Speech	Debate on General Assembly Resolutions	United Kingdom Vote
19th October, 1966	2145 (XXI)	Abstained
27th October, 1966	2146 (XXI)	For
25th April, 1967	2248 (XXII)	Abstained
19th May, 1967
16th December, 1967	2324 (XXII)	For
16th December, 1967	2325 (XXII)	Abstained
16th December, 1968	2403 (XXIII)	Abstained

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will raise at the United Nations the question of the detention and trials of Namibian citizens under the South African Terrorism Act, 1967.

We have often stated our views at the United Nations on the Terrorism Act and its extension to South West Africa. We have, moreover, voted for Security Council resolutions condemning such trials. We are prepared to repeat these views if the question of the detention and trials of South West Africans is again raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which territories are still recognised by Her Majesty's Government as United Nations Trust Territories; and what consular facilities are available to to British citizens visiting each of those trust territories.

There are two remaining Trust Territories, New Guinea and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The latter is in the consular district of our Consul at Honolulu. Any United Kingdom citizen requiring assistance in New Guinea which cannot be provided by the local authorities may apply to the British High Commissioner in Canberra.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to make a further statement on the recommendation of the Seebohm Committee, that a unified social service department be established in each local authority.

I have nothing yet to add to my reply on 7th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd), and others.—[Vol. 786, c.163–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek powers to prevent local authorities from reorganising their committees in a way which is contrary to the principles of the Seebohm Report; and if he will make a statement.

The Government will reach and announce their decisions on the Seebohm Report as soon as possible. Meanwhile 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 when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Hornsey dated 12th June and marked urgent, regarding the case of his constituent Mr. M. J. Cornhill.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report of the investigation on Scientology which he has commissioned.

The inquiry by the hon. and learned Member for Northwich (Sir J. Foster) is still in progress and I cannot yet say when it will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total contribution from employers in Wales to the National Insurance current account for the year 1967–68, or the latest year for which the figures are available;(2) what was the total sum paid by insured persons in Wales to the National Insurance Fund current account for the 1967–68, analysed into contributions of Her Majesty's forces, other employed persons, self-employed persons and non-employed persons, respectively.(3) what was the total sum paid from Wales to the National Insurance fund current account in lieu of graduated contributions for the year 1967–68;(4) what was the total amount of retirement pensions paid to persons resident in Wales during the year 1967–68.(5) what was the sum paid in 1967–68 in sickness benefits to persons in Wales;(6) what was the total sum paid in unemployment benefit in 1967–68 to persons registered as unemployed in Wales;(7) what was the total sum paid to persons in Wales in widows' benefits and guardians' allowances during the year 1967–68;(8) what sum was paid in maternity benefits in 1967–68 to person in Wales;(9) what sum was paid in disablement benefits in 1967–68 to persons in wales;(10) what sum was paid in injury benefits to persons in Wales in 1967–68;

The estimated figures for 1968–69 are set out below. I regret that some of the detail asked for is not available.(1)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the health hazards to employees in pathological and research laboratories in hospitals resulting in a short life expectancy among such laboratory technicians, he will arrange for a statistical examination of the health history of these persons.

In the absence of evidence that there are health hazards which result in a short life expectancy for laboratory technicians I should not feel justified in singling them out for special statistical enquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures of people on the waiting lists for treatment in hospitals in England and Wales.

534,890 on 31st December, 1968. This represents a reduction of 2,115 over 1967. Although the reduction is small it is the first recorded since 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he instructed the management side of the National Whitley Council to refuse the £1 a week grant agreed for student and pupil nurses under 21 years of age to student and pupil nurses over 21 years of age.

Although I have three representatives on the management side of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council who can express views on my behalf, decisions are taken by the full management side.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the difficulties which will be caused to patients and nursing staff at Forest Gate Maternity Hospital by the withdrawal of London Transport's service 278A on Sundays; and if he will arrange for ambulance or other facilities to be made available at the hospital on Sundays.

The ambulance service will continue to provide transport for patients whenever this is medically necessary. I understand that the hospital management committee have decided to make urgent representations to the London Transport Executive to arrange a special bus service on Sundays at visiting times.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has yet received the recommendation of the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board regarding the future use of Woking Maternity Hospital for geriatric services; and if he will make a statement.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the results of his inquiry seeking information from London abortion clinics about the extent of immigration for the purpose of abortion.

The seven nursing homes concerned have all disclaimed any knowledge of any arrangement with a Danish organisation to accept Danish women for abortions and of any arrangement with taxi drivers at airports. The total number of Danish women who have had abortions at the homes between 1st June and 4th July is stated to be four.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to make an investigation into the procedures used by private abortion clinics in London to persuade women who arrive in this country, and who are seeking abortions, to use their particular facilities.

I am already keeping a careful watch on the use by women from abroad of places approved under the Abortion Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to announce the findings of the Government's social survey into the adequacy of the family planning services in the United Kingdom.

The survey is now being planned. It is too early to forecast when results may become available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider making a specific grant to local health authorities for a limited period to encourage them to implement the provisions of the National Health Service (Family Planning) Act, 1967.

I have no powers to make a specific grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many operations for therapeutic sterilisation were carried out on men and women respectively, in National Health Service hospitals in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

From the 10 per cent. sample Hospital In-Patient Inquiry, it is estimated that the following numbers of therapeutic sterilisation took place in 1966:—

Male	Female	Comment
410		Medically necessary for the health of the man.
	5,180	After delivery or abortion.
	3,900	Division and litigation of the fallopian tubes.
410	9,080

In addition, female sterilisation was effected in a proportion of 52,600 cases of hysterectomy where sterilisation would not have been the primary purpose of the operation.Comparable figures for later years are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the gross cost of providing optical and ophthalmic services outside the hospital service and the amount recovered by charges for each of the last three years.

The gross cost of the general ophthalmic services in England and Wales in the financial years ended 31st March, 1967, 1968 and 1969 was £20·1 million, £21·1 million and about £22·5 million, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what was the gross cost of providing general dental practitioner and denture services and the amount recovered by charges for each of the last three years.

The gross cost of the general dental services in England and Wales in the financial years ended 31st March, 1967, 1968 and 1969 was £70·2 million, £72·6 million and about £75·4 million, respectively.Income from charges to patients in these years was £11·7 million, £12·3 million and about £14·1 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an inquiry into addiction to Chinese heroin.

Chinese heroin and heroin from other sources do not present different treatment problems. My right hon Friend the Home Secretary is actively investigating the illegal importation and distribution of this drug and my Department is in close touch with treatment centres concerning reports of its use.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now reached his conclusions about the revised proposals for reorganisation of the National Health Service; and when he plans to make a statement on them.

I would refer the Member to my answers to the hon. Member for Farnham (Mr. Maurice Macmillan) and other hon. Members on 7th July.—[Vol. 786, c. 949–50.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to arrange a series of short television programmes informing the public of the health hazards resulting from cigarette smoking to be transmitted at peak viewing hours.

Television programmes are a matter for the broadcasting authorities. There have been programmes on the health hazards of smoking, and the short public service films which the B.B.C. show include five on that subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of leprosy were diagnosed in Great Britain per week during the first six months of 1969.

Twenty cases were notified in all, or rather less than one per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the proportion of illegitimate births, expressed as a percentage of live births,

ENGLAND AND WALES
		Live Births			Infant Deaths (under 1 year of age)
				Illegitimate only			Total
Year		Number of Illegitimate Live Births	Total Number of Live Births	Percentage	Number	Rate per 1,000 Illegitimate Live Births	Number	Rate per 1,000 Live Births	Percentage
		(A)	(B)	(A) of (B)		(C)		(D)	(C) of (D)
1959	…	38,161	748,501	5·1	1,044	27·4	16,629	22·2	123·4
1960	…	42,707	785,005	5·4	1,127	26·4	17,118	21·8	121·1
1961	…	48,490	811,281	6·0	1,225	25·3	17,393	21·4	118·2
1962	…	55,376	838,736	6·6	1,510	27·3	18,187	21·7	125·8
1963	…	59,104	854,055	6·9	1,536	26·0	18,042	21·1	123·2
1964	…	63,340	875,972	7·2	1,665	26·3	17,445	19·9	132·2
1965	…	66,249	862,725	7·7	1,649	24·9	16,395	19·0	131·1
1966	…	67,056	849,823	7·9	1,646	24·5	16,147	19·0	128·9
1967	…	69,928	832,164	8·4	1,655	23·7	15,266	18·3	129·5
1968 (provisional)		69,806	819,272	8·5	1,633	23·4	14,982	18·3	127·9

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will indicate his policy in relation to the conclusions section of the Report from the Select Committee on Agriculture published in February last; and whether he will make a statement.

I welcome this opportunity to express to my hon. Friend and members of the Select Committee the Government's appreciation of their report. It makes a valuable contribution to the wider understanding both of agriculture's place in the national economy and of the considerations the Government must have in mind in the development of its policies for agriculture. On many aspects of general policy the Committee's views are much in line with our own. In some respects they suggest changes in emphasis and further lines of inquiry. We shall be taking these conclusions into account in deciding the continuing development of our policies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of countries to which dogs were exported in the first five months of 1969, together with the quantities and values to each; and if he will state, from information available to him from international sources, which of the importing countries have legislation in force against cruelty to animals.

Apart from greyhounds, which are separately recorded, dogs are included in the trade statistics heading for other live quadrupeds not normally used for human food. Separate figures are not available.According to information received last year from the International Society for the Protection of Animals, the great majority of the importing countries have laws against cruelty to animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many ponies were exported from Great Britain in the month of June this year.

Ponies are not separately shown in the overseas trade accounts. My Department's records show that in June, 214 horses of 14·2 hands and under were exported after inspection for fitness to travel, and that a further seven were exempted from inspection.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the difficulty and expense of collating and giving full and complete particulars of cases throughout the country, he will give the information which is readily available for cases that have been awaiting trial for 12 months or more, in a selected and stated number of courts.

No specific figures are kept for cases that have been awaiting trial for 12 months or more. In civil cases, where the parties are ready for trial, the trial will, in the absence of exceptional circumstances, commence in less than 12 months unless the parties otherwise desire it. In criminal cases, the delay between committal for trial and trial, or before trial in a magistrates' court where a case is ready for trial, is likely to be substantially less than 12 months in the absence of exceptional circumstances. If my hon. Friend has any particular cases of delay which he would like to raise, I will gladly consider them.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in the case brought by the Metropolitan Police against Mr. Albert Frank Palmer, a company director, he will state what he was charged with, and when, how long it took for his case to come to trial, what were the reasons for the delay, when it was dismissed, what were the total costs involved to the prosecution, and how much in costs Mr. Palmer is owed by the prosecution.

Mr. Palmer was arrested on 21st February, 1968, and charged with an offence under Section 84 of the Larceny Act, 1861, of making a false statement in order to deceive shareholders in Rolls Razor Ltd. Committal proceedings began on 24th April, 1968, and the magistrate discharged Mr. Palmer on 17th December, 1968. It is not possible to isolate the costs of the committal proceedings against Mr. Palmer, who was charged along with five others. The total costs of the prosecution were approximately £24,500. The magistrate did not order that Mr. Palmer's costs should be paid by the prosecution but ordered that they should be paid out of public funds. The time taken before and during the committal proceedings was due to the highly complex matters which had to be investigated and dealt with.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has considered the correspondence, dated 9th July, from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, giving particulars of delays in dealing with legal cases, particularly at the Middlesex Sessions and Surrey Quarter Sessions; and whether he will have investigations made into the delays in the Greater London Council area so far as court cases are concerned.

The speed with which cases are dealt with by courts of quarter sessions in Greater London, Surrey and elsewhere is a subject which comes within the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Assizes and Quarter Sessions to which I referred when replying to a question by the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 30th June. I do not consider that any other general investigation is required before the Royal Commission reports. As to the specific matters relating to Middlesex and Surrey Sessions which were raised in the correspondence dated 9th June. to which my hon. Friend refers, my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is making inquiries and a reply will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as these have been completed.—[Vol. 786, c. 27–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement in regard to the recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes about the remuneration of service doctors.

I believe that it is right that the Board's Report should have established the principle that the pay of Service doctors should be equated with the average earnings of general practitioners. Not only has this resulted in a substantial immediate increase, very much in excess of the normal incomes policy ceiling; it will also guarantee that the pay of Service doctors remains in step with future movements of pay in civilian life.The Board does not believe that limitations on Service doctors in their professional careers are sufficiently distinctive to justify retention of the explicit 15 per cent. lead formerly enjoyed by Service doctors in comparison with the National Health Service general practitioner. I appreciate that this is bound to be disappointing. On the other hand in April, 1970, doctors and dentists, in common with other Servicemen, will be paid a "military salary" which takes account of the so-called "X" factor. The "X" factor will be designed to compensate all Servicemen, including doctors and dentists, for their liability to danger, turbulence and the adverse balance of Service conditions of employment generally, as compared with those prevailing in civilian life.The hon. Member has asked me to clarify my reference in my reply of 16th June to free accommodation and rations for Service doctors for the next 12 months. I was, of course, referring to single men. Under the existing pay code they are paid less than married men; and to the extent that they receive free accommodation and rations they are paid less than general practitioners. This situation will continue until the pay of the single man is raised to the same level as that of the married man as the result of the introduction of the military salary in a year's time.In my reply to the hon. Member on 16th June, I was reported as suggesting that civilian general practitioners were overpaid. I certainly did not mean to imply anything of the kind. What I meant to say was that Service doctors are regarded as being underpaid in relation to the nature of their work, when the Board examined their problems. General practitioners deserve what they earn as much as, and perhaps more than, the members of all other professions. This increases my satisfaction that the worth of the Service doctor should be no less adequately regarded than that of general practitioners.—[Vol. 785, c. 43–44.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the properties in Central London owned by the Government for use by the Armed Services together with their rateable values, rates payable, and estimated current market values with vacant possession.

In view of the detailed nature of the points raised I will write to the hon. Member.