asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the White Fish Authority's proposals for a statutory minimum prices scheme for white fish.

My right hon. Friends and I are considering the scheme for Scotland and Northern Ireland which the Authority have submitted together with the objections which they received to their proposals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the effect on the fishing industry of the implementation of the Holland-Martin Commission's proposals.

The consultations on the Committee's recommendations which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade initiated with the industry are still in progress, and a statement would be premature.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.

A triennial review of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement is due in 1971, but I cannot forecast what changes, if any, might be made as a result.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ask the Food Standards Committee to prepare a nutritionally satisfactory standard for canned and powdered soups.

The Food Standards Committee has looked into this possibility. Its report is at present under consideration, together with the comments of interested organisations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now introduce regulations to control the use of antibiotics in intensive rearing of poultry and farm animals.

The use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine has been under consideration by the Committee, under the chairmanship of Professor Michael Swann, which was announced in reply to my hon. Friends the members for Wood Green (Mrs. Joyce Butler) and Wandsworth, Central (Dr. David Kerr) on 15th May last year. My right hon. Friends and I have now received the Committee's Report and I am glad of this opportunity to affirm our thanks to Professor Swann and his colleagues for discharging their difficult task so carefully and so expeditiously. We are studying the Committee's recommendations and the Report will be published as soon as possible.—[Vol. 764, c. 1213–14.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the continuing and increasing decline in the number of the national sheep flock, what steps he is taking to ensure that imports this year will not exceed last year's 59 per cent. of the total supply.

We were expecting some reduction in the sheep flock because the incentives given in recent years will take time to work through and the severe winter has accentuated the fall in some areas. This will inevitably mean that home production meets a smaller proportion of our requirements this year. We shall be looking at this thoroughly at the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations with the European Free Trade Association on the levy on imported fish fillets.

In November last the Government re-imposed on frozen fish fillets from E.F.T.A. countries the 10 per cent. import duty, not a special levy. This was done in conformity with a ten-year agreement made in 1959. Discussions on the régime to operate after the end of this year are currently taking place, but I am not yet in a position to report their outcome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make an Order under the Weeds Act, 1959, in respect of undeveloped land between Malvern Way and the Bath Road at Twyford, Berkshire.

No. The weeds do not present a serious threat to agricultural land.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received from the Federation of British Port Wholesale Fish Merchants Association their letter of protest against the White Fish Authority's proposal to seek approval for an increase in its general levy; and if he will state his plans and the answer he has sent.

The Federation's objection was among those transmitted to us by the Authority along with the General Levy Regulations which they made on 23rd September, 1969. All will be fully considered before my right hon. Friends decide whether to confirm the Regulations. Officials will be meeting the objectors in England and Wales on Wednesday, 29th October as part of the process of consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of recent developments in the European Economic Community, which is the latest estimated addition to the nation's food bill as a result of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated effect on consumer retail food prices as a result of Great Britain signing the Treaty of Rome, in view of recent developments in the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he now expects to be able to give an estimate of the total amount payable to the Guidance and Guarantee Fund of the European Economic Community from levies on imported foodstuffs as a result of the United Kingdom joining the Community under present conditions.

I have nothing to add to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to supplementary questions by the right hon. Member for Bexley (Mr. Heath) and the right hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe) following a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick) on 16th October.—[Vol. 788, c. 601–5.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to assist the harmonisation of hill farming and forestry interests in upland areas; and if he will make a statement.

I do not believe that there is any essential conflict between farming and forestry in hill areas; but the study of the best balance between them will be one of the functions of the Rural Development Boards which we are setting up in certain hill areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes taking to improve the codes of practice prepared by his Department in connection with the rearing and keeping of food animals under intensive husbandry systems.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my speech in the debate on these codes on 20th October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the proposed arrangements for sterilising condemned meat; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Condemned meat must, in general, be either sterilised on the spot or sent in a closed, locked and labelled vehicle or container for sterilisation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much agricultural land was flooded as a result of the high tide of 29th September; what advice he is giving to farmers whose land was flooded with salt water; and whether he will make a statement.

The area of agricultural land flooded by the exceptional tide of 29th September was of the order of 2–3,000 acres, mostly along Humberside. All farmers known to be affected have been recommended to defer cultivations until the soil has been tested for salt content; further advice will be based on the test results.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has now had from the Danish Government on the possibility of acceptance by Denmark of some restrictions on their fishings for salmon in the North Atlantic; and if he will make a statement.

None. I have nothing to add to the reply to the Question from the hon. Member for Moray and Nairn (Mr. Gordon Campbell) on 16th October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received against the proposed codes for the welfare of livestock.

I have received from animal welfare societies and members of the public some 340 representa- tions criticising the codes in whole or in part.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what communications he has had from the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries since the three-day official visit of the Minister to Great Britain last spring relating to increased trade, industry and communications between Norway and Scotland.

None. As my hon. and learned Friend was informed on 25th June, there were no official discussions during this visit by the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries, the object of which was to see activities of interest to him in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a further statement on his investigations into the effect of deep-sea oceanography on the lives, increase, decrease and health of the fish in the North Sea fishing grounds and those further North.

Oceanographic research does not have any significant effect on the fish populations in the North Sea and other fishing grounds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food if he will now require particulars of the acceptable daily intake to be shown on all food products containing cyclamates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to prevent increases in the import of food containing cyclamates following its banning in the United States.

I am reviewing urgently all aspects of the use of cyclamates, including labelling, and expect to make an announcement later this week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether in view of new developments in connection with the possible toxicity of cyclamates he will take legal liability for the current official advice given by his Department that cyclamates do not involve any danger to human health or life if consumed in moderate quantities.

The question of legal liability for any advice given by my Department is a matter for the courts to decide.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of farmers in the area of Mid-Wales now designated to be a Rural Development Board Area have notified him that they are opposed to the setting-up of the Board; and whether he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Very few farmers have written to my right hon. Friend and me directly but we have of course taken note of the views conveyed to us by the Inspector who conducted the public inquiry. We are also aware of the opposition that has been expressed more recently on behalf of some farmers in the area though we have also seen favourable expressions of opinion on behalf of others. There will be full opportunity for discussion in the House when the Draft Order is laid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the number of river front warehouses, within the Hull City boundary, which are not flood-proof and contributed to the flooding on 29th September; and what action his Department is taking to get these defective warehouses made flood-proof to prevent further flooding.

I am informed by the Hull Corporation that with one exception, relating to a 20 ft. length of wall with which it is dealing, all warehouses on the river front within the city boundary conform with the requirements of the Hull City Act 1925. As I said on 15th October, any raising of the statutory levels of protection is a matter for the corporation to consider in the first instance, in consultation with the Yorkshire Ouse and Hull River Authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to introduce a system of labelling eggs, meat and poultry produced under intensive methods so that members of the public who are opposed to such methods may choose alternative foodstuffs.

No. I do not consider that there would be any advantage to the consumer in labelling foods according to their system of production.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what increase there has been since October, 1964, in the number of established non-industrial civil servants, excluding staff of the Post Office.

35,000.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether a decision has yet been reached on whether to site the Civil Service College or any of its branches in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the Answer which my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster-General gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Moonman) on 21st July. —[Vol. 787, c. 1207–8.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total cost of establishing, maintaining and staffing the Department of Economic Affairs up till the time it was abolished as a Ministry or up till the most recent date for which figures are available; how many persons were employed by it; and how the staff will be redeployed.

The total cost of establishing, maintaining and staffing the Department of Economic Affairs from October, 1964, to September, 1969, was about £6·75 million. Its staff numbered 102 in October 1964, rose rapidly to 416 by April, 1965, thence to a peak of 593 in January, 1968, fell to 554 in May, 1968, and remained at around this figure until October, 1969.As regards the reallocation of the staff, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given today by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mrs. Ewing).

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he takes to draw the attention of those who accept part-time public service to their rights to make provision for their retirement under the Finance Act 1956.

Those appointed to part-time unpensionable posts can normally be relied upon to decide for themselves how best to provide for their old age. However, the attention of departments is being drawn to the hon. Member's point.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what consideration he is giving to making pension provision for part-time members of the boards of nationalised industries and others in similar part-time service.

The Government are not currently considering any changes in the present practice of treating part-time appointments as non-pensionable. The attention of the relevant Departments is being drawn to the hon. Member's point.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his intention to bring the management of clerical grades in his Department under unified control.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has now completed his review of the circumstances that led to the unauthorised take-off of an American aircraft from Mildenhall Air Force Base, and if he is satisfied that all possible steps have been taken to prevent a further incident of this kind; and if he will make a statement.

I have now had from the United States Air Force authorities a detailed account of this unfortunate incident. We have been taken very fully into their confidence on the conclusions they have reached and the measures they have now taken to reinforce existing procedures for the safeguarding of aircraft. It is clear from the facts given us that the incident was the outcome of highly exceptional circumstances. The American authorities have taken it, nevertheless, as the occasion for a detailed review and overhaul of their security procedures. These procedures remain the responsibility of the United States Air Force; but I am well satisfied with the evident care which they have taken to examine the circumstances of the incident and to draw appropriate conclusions from it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why it has now been decided that following the reductions in the overall numbers employed in Chatham Dockyard as announced in the Defence Estimates 1969 there is to be a further reduction; and if he will estimate how many further jobs are involved.

The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1969 announced a total reduction of some 5,000 members of the labour force of the three Southern Dockyards by the mid-1970s. No further decision to reduce dockyard numbers has been made nor do we foresee taking such a decision.Indeed in Chatham Dockyard as the hon. Member knows we have for some time been engaged on a vigorous recruiting campaign to preserve and improve the balance of trades in the Yard. The recent increase in industrial wages should help significantly in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what rôle it is intended that Chatham shall play in the overall dockyard organisation.

As has been made clear on many occasions Chatham Dockyard will be the main Yard for the support of nuclear Fleet submarines: it will also have other important tasks including the refitting of frigates and other conventional vessels.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men in Chatham Dockyard will be permanently required for the repair and refit of nuclear submarines; and how many will be permanently required for carrying out its other functions.

The numbers of men to be employed at Chatham Dockyard on nuclear submarines as compared with other ships or work will vary widely according to the stage of the refit and the balance of trades needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units equipped with 81 millimetre mortars are issued with 3-inch mortar ammunition.

3-inch mortar ammunition can be fired from the 81 millimetre mortar and provides good training value. Existing stocks of 3-inch are therefore being issued to both the Regular Army and the TAVR. When these are used up 81 millimetre will become the normal issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions are placed on the issue of sights to Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units equipped with 81 millimetre mortars.

Further quantities of the Sight Unit C2 are now on order for the Regular Army and T.A.V.R., both of whom have some already. When these are delivered, the requirements of both will be satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units are issued with ammunition boots instead of D.M.S. boots.

Ammunition boots were issued to the Territorial Army and so members of the T.A.V.R. who were in the T.A. may well still be wearing them. But T.A.V.R. units are now normally issued with D.M.S. boots unless the sizes required are not available from stocks of that pattern. In that case ammunition boots may be issued instead.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units are issued with 1937 pattern webbing.

There are still substantial stocks of 1937 pattern webbing in good condition and these are therefore still being used by the T.A.V.R. and much of the Regular Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what mileage allowance is currently made to Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve personnel in respect of the use of private transport for official purposes.

For travel by private vehicle on authorised duty journeys, members of the T. & A.V.R. may be paid mileage allowance at the same rates as apply to members of the Regular Army. The rates are 9d. a mile for the first 7,000 miles in a year, and 5½d. a mile thereafter for a normal motor car. For very small cars, motor cycles etc. there are lower rates. An additional ½d. a mile is paid for each official passenger carried.In cases where there is no official requirement for a member to use his own car for a journey, or the journey could be made by public transport, a lower rate of 3¾d. a mile—or 2½d. a mile for the smaller vehicles—is payable. Where passengers are carried in these circumstances, an additional 1d. a mile is payable for each passenger.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the petrol allocation to Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units is adequate; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, I am satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure there has been, in the current financial year, on publicity for the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve.

£28,000 has so far been allotted for local publicity to the Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Associations and to the various Central Volunteer Headquarters. There has not yet been any expenditure on national publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now arrange for payments to Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve other ranks to be made into bank accounts.

The reorganisation of arrangements for paying TAVR soldiers is nearly complete and the majority are now paid by Giro Order. By the end of the year all TAVR soldiers will be paid by this method. A check will be made thereafter to establish whether there is a demand for payments to be made into a bank account.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units have been issued with A510 wireless telegraphy sets in place of 62 sets.

There were insufficient stocks of the A13 to re-equip TAVR units with this set in place of the now obsolescent 62 set. They have therefore been issued with the A510 until stocks of the A13 set become available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take action to make available the former Royal Air Force houses in Worthington Avenue, Heywood, which have been empty for up to two years.

The houses were declared surplus in September, 1968, when they were provisionally offered to Heywood Corporation. The Corporation having rejected them, they are about to be offered for sale by public tender.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the way in which his Department disposes of houses no longer required; what has been the average length of time such houses have been empty; and how many empty houses are waiting to be sold at the present time.

Surplus houses belonging to the Ministry of Defence are normally offered to other Government Departments and local authorities; if these do not require them, they are sold to the best advantage. The number in the United Kingdom awaiting disposal at the end of September, 1969, was about 700. The present average length of time they have been empty during disposal is about seven months.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the amount paid in civilian wages in the Hebrides for work on the rocket range in 1968.

About £72,000 in 1968, rising to about £200,000 when development of the range is complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what changes there have been in the commitment of the Parachute battalions to N.A.T.O. as announced on 10th May, 1968; and whether these battalions are still part of the Strategic Reserve.

There has been no change. The Parachute Force of two battalion groups is earmarked for assignment to N.A.T.O.: it remains part of Army Strategic Command.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what chemical experimental work for his Department is being conducted at any university or college in Scotland; and if he will give an assurance that he will not sponsor or assist such work at such places in the future

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to work being conducted for the Chemical Defence Establishment. The only work in this field at universities and colleges in Scotland consists of a study at the University of Edinburgh into endocrine factors concerned in the control of blood pressure and a study at the University of Strathclyde into the synthesis and chemical behaviour of quinones and quinone methides. Both studies are unclassified and there will be no bar to publication of their results. The Ministry of Defence will continue, as necessary, to seek the assistance of universities and colleges, in Scotland and elsewhere, in furthering the interests of the security of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why an electrical mechanic, age 21 years, whose name has been given to him, who was injured in a naval football match in March, 1966, and prematurely discharged in March. 1969, was not given vocational training in the three-years interval; why his employment exchange was not notified by his Department of his discharge and qualifications; and why the Department of Employment and Productivity was not informed for resettlement training.

Preliminary inquiries indicate that the rating concerned was given the opportunity of applying for a pre-release resettlement course but did not take it and that the Employment Exchange and the Department of Employment and Productivity were notified of his discharge and qualifications in the normal way. I am, however, making further detailed inquiries and I will write to the hon. Member when they are complete.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a full and detailed list of the various Boards and Committees, which the Government have set up since 1964 to deal with wages, prices and incomes, the salaries paid to the members and the total costs of these Boards and Committees to the latest convenient stated date.

I have been asked to reply.The only body set up since 1964 to deal generally with prices and incomes matters has been the National Board for Prices and Incomes. Expenditure on salaries fees, travelling and incidental expenses in respect of the N.B.P.I. from 1st April, 1965, to 31st August, 1969, has been £2,396,969. A broad estimate of other expenditure is £900,000. The chairman's salary is £15,000 per annum, a deputy chairman's salary is £9,500 per annum, and full-time Board members receive £6,500 per annum. Part-time members of the Board are paid pro-rata according to the amount of time they devote to the Boards affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that the action of London Transport has provoked an official dispute, now in its fifth week, with members of the A.E.F. at Acton and elsewhere; and whether she will intervene.

My officers had discussions with representatives of the London Transport Board and the two unions concerned but were unable to resolve the problem. Following consultation with my officers the T.U.C. have, I understand, been in touch with the unions and a meeting is being arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that the Family Expenditure Survey shows that the average weekly household income is now £30; whether she will give a list of industries where the rates of pay fall below this figure; whether when restricting wage increases she will ensure that no stoppage or hold up in wage awards is made by her Department when the average wage rate falls below £30 per week.

There are very many industries where nationally negotiated rates of pay fall below £30 a week and I do not consider the work involved in preparing a list would be justified. I do not see the logic in trying to raise wage rates to the average level of household incomes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware of the growing practice of independent television companies of paying high fees for broadcasts similar to those for which the B.B.C. have paid lower fees; whether this is within the Government's Wages, Prices and Incomes policy; whether she will refer it to the Prices and Incomes Board; and whether she will make a statement.

I am not aware of any general practice of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will give for the longest most convenient stated period of time full details of the various freely negotiated wage settlements which have been stopped or delayed in payment by Her Majesty's Government or any of their appointed agencies, the number and types of workers affected and during this period the number and types of price increases which have been stopped or reduced by Government intervention.

Listed below are cases in which pay increases have been the subject of a statutory Order under Part IV, or of a Direction under Part II, of the Prices and Incomes Act 1966, together with the number—in some cases approximate—of workers involved in each case. Also listed are the numbers of the relevant Statutory Instrument or Report by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in which can be found details of the coverage of each Order or Direction. In the case of the Direction concerning Members of the Association of Film Laboratory Employers, the coverage is to be found in a Notice of Direction published in the London Gazette on 8th August this year.As regards prices, one statutory Order (S.I. No. 1321/1966) was made under Part IV of the Prices and Incomes Act, 1966, concerning certain laundry and cleaning charges.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will make a statement on her decision to agree to the wage demand of the stand erectors and others at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre; whether this was in accordance with the criteria of the Government's incomes policy; why this decision was reached so speedily; and why she has not taken similar action to resolve the dustmen's dispute.

In the case of the exhibition industry, settlements were notified to my right hon. Friend for incomes policy clearance on 6th and 10th October which she accepted on Monday, 13th October. I see no need to apologise for dealing with these settlements quickly. The situation in the case of the dustmen is quite different and was dealt with fully in reply to Questions on Monday, 16th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, in view of her policy to exclude penal clauses from industrial relations legislation, how compliance with the legislation, by employers, employees and trade unions, will be enforced.

The Government's policy was set out in the statement to the House by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister of Thursday, 19th June, 1969.—[Vol. 785, c. 700–701.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when she will publish a White Paper on the next stage of the Government's industrial relations proposals; and whether she will include in it the additions she proposes to make to Part II of the 1966 Act when it is reactivated.

The Government's proposals for industrial relations legislation will be announced after further consultations with the T.U.C., the C.B.I. and other organisations concerned. My right hon. Friend has made no proposals for additions to Part II of the 1966 Act when it is reactivated.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how much public money has been advanced to the Agricultural Training Board since 29th April, 1968; and whether this Board is now self-sufficient.

The Board has received loans from public funds to the value of about £560,000 since 29th April, 1968. The Board is expected to pay its way as soon as outstanding levies are collected and it is possible to introduce the new arrangements for funding the Board announced in the Government proposals of 13th August.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when publication of the accounts of the Agricultural Training Board for the year ending 31st March, 1969, may be expected.

Publication of the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry Industry Training Board for the period ended 31st March, 1969, is scheduled for about two weeks' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many meetings the interdepartmental committee involved in the calculation of regional prices indices has held; and where.

The committee has held one meeting, on 12th November, 1968, in London. A further meeting will be held shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why a naval electrical mechanic, age 21 years, whose name has been given to her, who was injured in a naval football match in March, 1966, but retained in the service for three years, until March, 1969, was refused a resettlement course by the Hull Employment Exchange; and why the exchange took no steps to place him in employment consistent with his 3½years' specialist naval training.

On the medical evidence then available, he was not considered fit either for the course of training he had chosen or for civilian employment in which his specialist naval training could be used. If he reapplies for training, I will arrange for him to be medically examined again.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will take steps to decentralise industrial training and to site several of the industrial training boards' headquarters in Scotland.

I have no powers to direct industrial training boards to locate their offices in any particular areas. About half of the boards already have area offices or officers in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many people were unemployed in Scotland on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many unfilled vacancies existed in Scotland on that date.

At September, 1969, 77,418 persons were registered as unemployed in Scotland, including 76,626 who were wholly unemployed, and 19,345 of the vacancies notified to my Department remained unfilled.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the effect of the suspension of the International Committee of the Red Cross relief flights to Biafra on the famine situation and the death rate.

There are no reliable statistics or firm evidence about the pre- cise effect of the suspension of the I.C.R.C. airlift, although some reports indicate that there is severe shortage in some areas, especially among refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding the increase in the death rate in Biafra; and what further assistance Her Majesty's Government propose to provide.

My right hon. Friend receives many communications on the subject of Nigeria, representing various points of view, but few of these are concerned specifically with the question of the death rate in the rebel area.Her Majesty's Government keep constantly under review the question of further assistance, taking account of the opportunities open to us.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what authority he has made the father of John Claxton, who recently died whilst in the custody of Her Majesty's Government at the Portslade Detention Centre, responsible for the funeral expenses of his late son; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Home Secretary why in view of the fact that the Home Office are refusing to pay the funeral costs of the boy John Claxton they are at the same time claiming the Social Welfare State funeral benefit payable to this boy's next of kin.

Mr. Claxton was informed that, where relatives make their own arrangements, the Home Office does not normally accept liability for funeral expenses of inmates of prisons and borstals. But he was told at the same time that the Home Office hoped to be able to help in this case. I can now state that an ex gratia payment will be made which will more than cover the amount of the National Insurance Death Grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which are the countries whose diplomats have declined to pay traffic penalties in the Metropolitan Area since the last list was compiled in November, 1968; and on how many occasions.

During the period of ten months from 1st November, 1968, there were 26,145 cases in which members of diplomatic missions did not respond to a fixed penalty notice issued under Section 80 of the Road Traffic Regulations Act, 1967. Particulars are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance was provided to the Australian authorities by the Metropolitan Police in connection with the identification and location of Ronald Arthur Biggs.

The Metropolitan Police have, in the normal manner, been in touch with the Australian police on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to publish a new Edition of the Home Office pamphlet "Murder".

I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department out of which Vote he intends to make the ex-gratia contribution towards the costs of Mr. A. R. McWhirter following upon the undertaking given on his behalf in the case of The Queen v. The Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte McWhirter.

The Home Office Vote.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total amount of the costs incurred on his behalf in the action entitled The Queen v. The Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte McWhirter.

It is not yet known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the number of deaths which have occurred in the Portland Borstal Centre during the past six months; when these occurred; and what was the cause of death in each instance.

During the past six months, two trainees at Portland Borstal have died. The first death, on 8th August, was due to pressure on the brain following a haemorrhage. The Inquest has been adjourned, and another trainee charged with murder. The matter is thus sub judice.The second death, on 8th September, was due to natural causes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publicly give special recognition to all the Metropolitan Police who were connected with bringing the Kray twins to trial and sentence.

There is already wide public recognition, with which I gladly associate myself, of the work done in this notable police operation. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that he had commended in the orders of the force a number of the officers principally concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now cause an official investigation to be made into all aspects of the way in which prison rules and regulations were consistently and persistently broken by the Kray twins.

I have no evidence that the rules and regulations have been consistently and persistently broken by these prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it compulsory for clerks to city justices to make available to Members of Parliament records or notes of court proceedings they possess concerning constituents' cases in which the constituent has requested their help.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage of houses in rural Norfolk are without a piped water supply.

According to the 1961 Census, 16,306 dwellings or 16·62 per cent. of all dwellings in rural districts in Norfolk were then without a cold water tap. Some of those with a tap may not have been supplied from the mains. Even at that time, however, a mains supply was available nearby to some of those dwellings and since then grant has been awarded for schemes to make a piped supply available for the first time to about a further 4,000 properties. Because each of these figures is on a slightly different basis it would not be possible to deduce an up-to-date percentage from them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage of houses in rural Norfolk are without hot water, fixed baths and internal closets.

The report of the sample census held in 1966 showed that for rural districts in Norfolk the percentages were as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the circumstances which led him to arrange for the hon. Member for Hartlepool and officers of the West Hartlepool Borough Council to meet in his Department on the 31st January, 1967; what was the outcome of that meeting; to what extent it saved time in starting on the Hartlepool shopping centre; and what estimated extra costs was the Borough Council relieved of, following the representations made to him at this meeting.

This meeting was concerned with the structural fire precautions required under the Building Regulations in connection with the West Hartlepool Central Area Redevelopment scheme. In the light of explanations given by my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Hartlepools (Mr. Leadbitter), council officers and the council's appointed architects agreement was reached about a relaxation of the regulations for the first stage of the scheme. This avoided extra costs of at least £100,000, and several months' delay in starting the scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if it is the practice of his Department to prepare transcripts of meetings between his Department and representatives of local government.

It is not the practice of the Department to take transcripts—of the nature of verbatim reports—of such meetings with local government representatives, but normally a short note of the gist and conclusions of meetings is made for departmental record purposes.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will move for the granting to Members of Parliament of an allowance of 61s. 6d. for each night they have to stay in London on a similar basis to that now applied to the junior ranks of the Civil Service.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the proposals contained in the First Report from the Select Committee on Procedure 1968–69 concerning scrutiny of public expenditure and administration.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the speech I made on this subject during yesterday's debate, and to that of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make arrangements for a digital clock to be added to the close circuit television so that the business in the Chamber may always be accompanied by the correct time.

I am making inquiries into the practicability of this suggestion, for which I am grateful.

asked the Lord President of the Council in view of the fact that the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland covers the activities of seven Government Departments in England, if he will arrange for Scottish Questions to be answered at intervals more frequent than at present.

I am in consultation with the usual channels about the question roster for next Session. No decisions about Scottish questions have yet been taken.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendation on the provision of free secretarial assistance to Members in accordance with the Sixth Report of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services).

The Government are still considering this matter in the light of Members' views. I will inform the House of the Government's proposals as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council what steps he proposes to take to improve the acoustic arrangements in the House of Commons, following the communication sent to him by the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North on this subject on 29th September.

Work on equipment in the Chamber to improve the audibility of speakers was begun during the Summer Recess. The work will be completed in the Christmas Recess.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement about the unveiling of the Churchill Memorial Statue.

It is expected that the statue will be completed in time for it to be placed on the vacant plinth to the left of the Churchill Arch during December. Lady Spencer-Churchill has kindly agreed to unveil it.As the statue is on a somewhat larger scale than that of Lloyd George on the other side of the Arch, the height of the plinths and the base of the Lloyd George Statue have been adjusted. When the new statue has been unveiled, Members will be able to judge whether or not this is a satisfactory solution.I understand that Mr. Speaker would be prepared to waive the ten-year rule in this instance, this being the wish of the House.

asked the Minister of Power when he expects to announce his decision on the site of the administrative headquarters of the Tube Division of the British Steel Corporation.

In their Second Report on Organisation (House of Commons Paper, No. 163, 11th March, 1969), the British Steel Corporation announced their conclusion that the multi-product Group organisation set up on vesting date should cease to exist and that they had put in hand a detailed examination of the feasibility of replacing it by a system of Product Divisions which would be better adapted to promote rationalisation and the optimum use of production facilities.The Corporation have since, in the light of their detailed studies, concluded that this new system would be practicable, and ought to be introduced, and have consulted me on the broad lines of such a re-organisation. The intention will be to set up four main Product Divisions as follows:—

asked the Prime Minister following recent alterations in Government structure, what changes there have been in the responsibility of different Ministries for the various items covered by the Department of Employment and Productivity's early warning arrangements.

The Ministry of Technology becomes responsible for notification of price increases, and public sector pay increases, for the industries which it now sponsors and which were formerly the responsibility of the Ministry of Power and the Board of Trade.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish in HANSARD details of the assurances which he gave to New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister concerning the safeguarding of New Zealand's interests if Britain enters the Common Market; and to what extent such safeguards and assurances will apply to Australia as well as New Zealand.

The New Zealand Government are aware that Her Majesty's Government will seek the maximum accommodation for New Zealand's interests, and that our position with regard to the safeguarding of New Zealand interests was set out in the Statement made by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary to the Council of Western European Union on 4th July, 1967, and laid before the House on the same day as Command Paper No. 3345. I repeated these assurances to the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Marshall, in the course of our conversation on 17th October. It has always been recognised that New Zealand's case, in the event of British entry into the European Communities, is of an altogether special kind.

asked the Prime Minister how many of the 550 employees formerly with the Department of Economic Affairs are already redeployed.

Most of the staff of the former Department of Economic Affairs have already been re-allocated to the Departments which have taken over responsibility for its functions. About 100 common services staff have been allocated to the Civil Service Department, either to be absorbed there or to be redeployed to other Departments in due course.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take the earliest opportunity of arranging for a Ministerial television broadcast to explain to the country how Britain's economic situation is improving; if he will ensure that in relaxing any of the restrictions imposed some years ago the Government's first step will be to lift those impositions which fall most heavily on the poorer sections of the population, such as the charges on the welfare services.

I have no plans at present to make a Ministerial broadcast.On the second part of the Question I would refer to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to a supplementary question by my hon. Friend yesterday.

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether he is aware of the growing practice of unnamed officials and civil servants from Whitehall issuing statements denying, altering, amending and contradicting announcements made by Ministers; and whether in future he will ensure that this is done by Ministers of the Crown or junior Ministers and not by persons who have no responsibility to the House of Commons;(2) whether he will give an assurance that when civil servants and/or Government Departments impede Members of Parliament from carrying out their duties to their constituents, he will, on being given the particulars, take whatever action may be necessary to ensure that such impediments cease.

No doubt my hon. Friend will let me know what he has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now arrange for the issue of a White Paper on the immediate effects predicted of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market on Scottish unemployment, on prices in Scotland and on the cost of living index in Scotland.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th October on the arrangements for providing information to the House about the possible effects of joining the European Economic Community. I would, however, remind the hon. Lady that a detailed analysis of the consequences of membership for particular parts of the United Kingdom is not practicable.—[Vol. 788, c. 601–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what special safeguards he proposes for the Scottish legal system on the United Kingdom's application to join the Common Market being successful.

I am advised that no special safeguards are necessary as there is no fundamental factor of a legal or constitutional nature which affects the special position of the Scottish legal system.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a separate White Paper on the constitutional implications of the Treaty of Rome with regard to the Treaty of Union of 1707; and if he will make a statement.

No, for the reasons which I have already given to the hon. Member in reply to her Question on 18th January, 1968.—[Vol. 756, c. 655–6]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to local authorities concerning council house rents during the past two months.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his proposed discussions with local authorities on local government reorganisation will deal with the question of the financial implications of the Wheatley Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice concerning local authority finance he will give to local authorities before they have to submit their recommendations to him on the Royal Commission on Local Government in Scotland.

I am at present seeking the comments of the local authorities on the broad pattern of local government structure and the distribution of major functions. Financial arrangements and many other matters will be discussed later but, as I explained after my statement on 14th October, the Government are already examining the financial issues.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the discussions which he plans to have with local authorities on the Wheatley Report will include consideration of the reallocation of the capital debt of the existing local authorities.

Not at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with the National Farmers' Union of Scotland about the proposal to close the sugar beet factory at Cupar.

The Scottish National Farmers Union asked me to intervene in a decision which was properly the concern of the British Sugar Corporation. This I felt unable to do for the reasons given to the House by my hon. Friend on 25th July.—[Vol. 787, c. 2316–31.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of people who have been forced to emigrate from the Highland area owing to the imposition of selective employment tax.