asked the Minister of Technology what is the machinery for consultation between his Department and the Department of the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning.

There will be close and regular consultation in which all Departments concerned with furtherance of the Government's regional policies will take part. To this end I have set up within my Department a regional group, under the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Varley), in order to get the most effective working co-operation with the Departments responsible to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Local Government and Regional Planning, Scotland and Wales.

asked the Minister of Technology how many motorcars were registered in the United Kingdom for the first six months of 1969; and how this compares with the first six months of 1968.

569,036, 16 per cent. fewer than last year.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the production of motorcars for the first six months of 1969; and how this compares with the first six months of 1968.

936,402, 2 per cent. fewer than last year.

asked the Minister of Technology what estimate he has made of the number and value of motor car imports for 1969.

Nearly 110,000 cars, with a value of about £57 million.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps are being taken to make good the loss of gas-coal pro duction and to ensure that essential supplies of coke are maintained for domestic consumers.

Given the inevitable decline in gas coke production, I cannot guarantee it will remain available to all domestic consumers who would like to buy it. Both the National Coal Board and private producers are doing all they can to improve supplies of other solid smokeless fuels.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on his policy in relation to pit closures and on the administrative changes which have been made in the process of decision taking.

Policy on pit closures remains unchanged. My reply of 22nd October to my hon. Friend the Member for Merioneth (Mr. William Edwards) sets out the administrative arrangements within the Department. There is no change in the responsibilities of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales. But in England those aspects of regional planning, including the Regional Economic Planning Councils, which were not transferred to this Department are now the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning.—[Vol. 788, c. 283–4.]

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the removal from service of several nuclear power stations operated by Magnox Reactors and the expected effect on the total availability of generating plant to meet the coming winter loads.

All such stations continue in operation, but at reduced power output, as was explained on 13th October in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd). I am assured by the C.E.G.B. that no threat to winter supplies is foreseen as a result of this reduction in power, which represents rather more than 1 per cent. of the total C.E.G.B. system capacity.—[Vol. 788, c. 38.]

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in the light of his latest estimates, he still expects new nuclear power stations to be substantially more economical than new coal-fired stations in the 1970s;! and what is the estimate of generating costs per unit of electricity for the most up-to-date power station of each type under construction.

Yes, for base-load operation. Estimates for the Hinkley Point and Hartlepool A.G.R. stations of 0·52d. per unit were given in the reply to the hon. Member for Honiton (Mr. Emery) on 22nd April. The corresponding figure for the latest coal-fired power station at Drax is 0·61d. per unit.—[Vol. 788, c. 51.]

asked the Minister of Technology what plans he has to provide wider opportunities for employment for young people in the Petersfield constituency.

It is the Government's policy to provide wider opportunities for young people throughout Britain.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he intends to lay an order before Parliament under Section 9(2) of the Shipbuilding Industry Act 1967 to continue the life of the Shipbuilding Industry Board for a further year beyond the end of 1970.

I am considering, in consultation with the Shipbuilding Industry Board, whether the board's life should be extended.

asked the Minister of Technology what action his Department is taking in regard to the siting of a car production plant in Northumberland; 'what discussions on this matter have taken place; and if he will make a statement.

The Department maintains close contact with the motor industry and will continue to impress upon the firms concerned the advantages of undertaking expansion in the development areas, including Northumberland.

asked the Minister of Technology, in view of the fact that Concorde test routes are being discussed with local authorities, if he will ensure that Members of Parliament are informed of his proposals no later than members of local authorities.

The proposed route pattern is being discussed with the interested parties, including hon. Members whose constituencies might be affected. 1 hope to inform the House later this year of the route pattern finally selected.

asked the Minister of Technology what proportion of gas consumers has now been converted to natural gas; and whether he will make a statement on the improvements introduced into conversion techniques as a result of experience so far.

About 8 per cent. have now been converted. The gas industry draws on this experience to make modifications in organisation and to conversion sets and to identify the problems on which further research is required.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give the names of the British experts who attended the United Nations symposium on the economies of nuclear power reactors in Istanbul in October.

The scientific meeting referred to was a symposium on nuclear energy costs and economic development convened by the International Atomic Energy Agency and held in Istanbul from 20th–24th October 1969 at the invitation of the Government of Turkey.

asked the Minister of Technology if he is aware that Tyneside shipyards are facing a serious production crisis because of the worldwide shortage of nickel; and what steps he is taking to deal with this problem.

I am not aware of any particular difficulties in Tyneside shipyards but if my hon. Friend has any specific point in mind, I shall certainly look into it.

asked the Minister of Technology what action he proposes to take following the Report of the Com

ANNUAL GRANTS TO RESEARCH ASSOCIATIONS
		1966		1967		1968
Research Association		Grant(£000)	Per cent.	Grant(£000)	Per cent.	Grant (£000)	Per cent.
Brush	…	6	60	6	60	6	60
Cast Iron	…	81	40	96	40	85	40
Ceramics	…	92	40	95	40	96	40
Coal Tar	…	32	33·3	33	33·3	30	33·3
Coal	…	162	30	142	30	116	30
Coke	…	48	30	54	30	55	30
Construction Industry	…	92	100	183	110	183	119
Cotton	…	116	33·3	109	33·3	110	33·3
Cutlery	…	14	66	14	65	16	60
Drop Forging	…	16	75	15	65	23	65
Electrical	…	98	28	98	28	99	*
Flour Milling and Baking	…	—	—	71	50	84	50
Food	…	47	50	51	50	80	54

I cannot accept this interpretation of the comments of the Commission, any points arising out of which would be considered in relation to negotiations for British entry into the EEC.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will name the two part-time directors of Beagle Aircraft Limited.

:Mr. P. G. Masefield.Mr. T. N. Ritchie.

asked the Minister of Technology when he expects the statutory accounts of Beagle Aircraft Limited to be published in accordance with the Companies Act.

The precise timing of the publishing of accounts is a matter for the board of the company.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will last the grants received by all the grant-aided associations listed in Annex III of his publication, The Ministry of Technology 1964 to 1969, for the last three financial years, and identify in each case the percentage rate of grant.

The figures are as follows:

		1966		1967		1968
Research Association		Grant(£000)	Per cent.	Grant(£000)	Per cent.	Grant (£000)	Per cent.
Fruit and Vegetable	…	20	50	20	50	24	50
Furniture	…	45	60	48	60	52	55
Gelatine and Glue	…	6	66.6	6	66. 6	7	66.6
Glass	…	44	50	53	50	36	90
Heating and Ventilation	…	23	60	23	60	24	60
Hosiery	…	26	40	23	35	21	35
Hydromechanics	…	44	46	55	45	61	45
Industrial Biology	…	98	150	104	150	106	150
industrial Psychology	…	71†	75	12†	75	17†	75
Scottish Textile (Jute)	…	25	61	28	64	29	66
Lace	…	14	70	14	70	13	70
Launderers	…	43	55	49	55	48	55
Leather	…	36	55	39	55	41	55
Linen	…	28	55	33	55	33	55
Machine Tools	…	70	75	75	75	72	75
Motor	…	67	30	87	30	94	33·3
Commonwealth Mycology	…	6	2021	13	2021	13	2021
Non-Ferrous Metals	…	86	45	93	40	98	40
Paint	…	33	41	31	36	33	36
Pira	…	—	—	—	—	102	44
Production Engineering	…	155	53	162	54	177	56
Rubber and Plastics	…	98	61	101	62	109	64
Scientific Instruments	…	149	155	234	180	243	171
Ship	…	388	55	420	58	507	62
Shoe	…	48	43	48	43	46	40
Spring	…	12	72	10	60	11	60
Steel Castings	…	45	50	48	50	47	50
Timber	…	78	55	74	54	67	55
Water	…	61	45	68	45	76	45
Welding	…	104	62	289	150	319	150
Welwyn Hall	…	33	70	40§	65	29	65
Wool	…	83	41	86	33·3	101	33·3
*Grant (normally 25 per cent.) based on expenditure on approved projects.
†Excludes grant of £6,000 for a specific project on a 100 per cent. cost basis.
‡Deficiency Grant.
§Covers period 1st October, 1966 to 31st December, 1967.

asked the Minister of Technology why, in the first five months of 1969 compared with the first five months of 1968, while the percentage of the value of our exports of leather footwear and slippers to European Free Trade Association countries, to European Economic Community countries and to the United States of America all rose, there was a decline in the percentage exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I know of no special reasons for the decline in these exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the first five months of 1969. Since then there has been a significant improvement. Some seasonal fluctuation in the pattern of trade must, however, be expected, and deliveries of footwear to this market tend to be con centrated in the summer and later months of the year. Future prospects are encouraging.

asked the Minister of Technology when he proposes to make available to industry details of the advantages of industrial expansion in both development and intermediate areas.

The advantages of the development areas have been extensively publicised. The incentives proposed for the intermediate areas were announced by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Economic Affairs on 24th April and 25th June and are already being advertised in the press and in literature issued by the Department. A Bill to aid intermediate areas is before the House.—[Vol. 782, c. 668–72; Vol. 785, c. 1506–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions tie has given to Her Majesty's representative at the United Nations with a view to obtaining financial contributions from other Member States towards the cost of the Beira Patrol.

No instructions have been sent to Her Majesty's Representative at the United Nations on this question. We have a commitment to the Beira Patrol under a Security Council resolution, and we have no new plans in this regard.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received the report of Sir John Field following his visit to the British Pacific Territories; and if he will make a statement.

On his visit to Pacific territories, Sir John Field was carrying out his normal staff liaison duties and no report was required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Her Majesty's Government abstained from voting in favour of a resolution in the Fourth Committee of the United Nations on 21st October which condemned the persistent refusal of South Africa to withdraw from Namibia.

We abstained on this resolution, and on Security Council resolutions 264 and 269, on which it was predicated principally because we thought it was unrealistic and could not achieve its aims of furthering the interests of the peoples of South West Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take on the resolution of the North Atlantic Assembly, a copy of which is in his possession, urging the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Governments to concert their actions towards bringing about a prompt return to democracy in Greece.

Her Majesty's Government have noted the terms of this resolution and are in full agreement with its objective of promoting an early return to democratic rule in Greece.This has been our continuing aim and we have naturally discussed it with other interested Governments. But in considering how it should be implemented we must also determine which is the most appropriate forum for pursuing such objectives.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give particulars of British nationals holding United Kingdom passports, now in custody in Rhodesia, specifying which are under trial and which are not; what arrangements are made for consular access to such prisoners; and whether he will make a statement.

I am unable to say how many British subjects or citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (it is not clear to me which category the hon. Member intends) are in custody in Southern Rhodesia or how many of those in custody hold United Kingdom passports. Since the usurpation of lawful authority in Southern Rhodesia we have been unable to extend any effective form of protection, and even before the illegal declaration of independence we should not have been in a position to do so in respect of those who were simultaneously Rhodesian citizens.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the proposals of the Government's committee for the celebration of the 25th Anniversary Year of the United Nations will be made public; and in what manner and on what date.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the number of poliomyelitis victims in and out of hospital; how much it costs to keep them; how many of them are earning; how the costs to the state of their maintenance compare with the actual costs; and if he will state his plans for the future in this sphere of the health service.

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given to this Question on 20th October.—[Vol. 788, c. 1491

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an assurance that his instructions to the management side of the National Whitley Council immediately concerned with negotiating a new salaries structure for the nursing profession are sufficiently flexible and generous to ensure that the nursing profession at all levels will receive salaries and conditions of service which will be acceptable to the public.

My representatives on the management side will play their due part in seeking a settlement acceptable to all those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what adjustments will be necessary in the pension rights of National Health Service employees as a result of the partial contracting-out proposals of Command Paper No. 4195.

I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 5th November. The detailed character of adjustments will be one of the matters to be studied with staff representatives before any decision is reached on whether to use the facilities for partial contracting out.—[Vol. 790,c. 1012–23]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many young chronic sick and disabled people between the ages of 16 and 60 years in each regional hospital board in England and Wales are in geriatric accommodation; why they are in that accommodation; and in which hospitals they are accommodated.

Information in this form is not collected regularly. The most recent information is from a special survey in April, 1967 which showed that the numbers of patients aged 15–59 receiving long-term care in hospital for chronic physical disabilities or illnesses in geriatric wards were:

Region	Number of Patients
Newcastle	101
Leeds	204
Sheffield	275
East Anglia	81
North West Metropolitan	93
North East Metropolitan	147
South East Metropolitan	142
South West Metropolitan	82
Wessex	95
Oxford	76
South Western	124
Birmingham	203
Manchester	261
Liverpool	81
Wales	139
Total	2,104

Of these, 1,473 or 84 per cent. were aged 50 or over; the mental and physical condition of many of these is such that the type of nursing care and supportive therapy available in geriatric wards may well be the most appropriate. For most of the remainder accommodation in special hospital units would be preferable. Hospital Boards have been asked to provide such units and we shall get reports on progress next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the need to avoid the unnecessary keeping of elderly, young chronic sick, disabled and mentally subnormal persons in institutions, especially those in the lower income groups, if he will take steps to ensure that home helps are so paid that there will be a sufficient supply of competent personnel to enable local authorities to carry out their obligations.

Pay of local authority staff is negotiated between representatives of the local authorities and of the Unions concerned. I understand that as a result of a national agreement affecting all workers within the scope of the National Joint Council for Local Authority Manual Workers, home helps have recently received an increase of 6 per cent. The Council are also carrying out a separate review of the pay of this group.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the area of Lancashire, Cheshire and the High Peak have been screened for cervical cancer since the start of the Government's campaign to make such examinations available to all women at risk.

I regret that this information is not available. The statistics

		Places provided 1960–64	Places provided, 1965–69	Places in plans submitted for 1970–71 and 1972–73
Administrative County of Lancashire	…	1,130	1,173	632
Administrative County of Cheshire	…	323	486	436
High Peak Division of Derbyshire	…	None	37	None

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are undergoing vaccination against rabies as a result of handling the instrument by which the rabid dog had been secured.

Two men already protected against rabies by vaccination have received booster doses of vaccine since handling the instrument.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what type of vaccine is being used to vaccinate persons bitten by or in close contact with the rabid dog; and for how long this type of vaccine has been in use.

Duck embryo vaccine has been in use in this country since 1962. It was first used in trials in the U.S.A. and elsewhere, in 1957 and recommended by a W.H.O. Expert Committee in 1960. relating to cervical cytology which are collected centrally do not include an analysis by place of residence. An analysis by hospital region is available, but none of the places mentioned by my hon. Friend is coterminous with such a region.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many new places were provided in homes for the elderly in the areas of Lancashire, Cheshire and the High Peak during the period 1965 to 1969; what plans have been submitted to him for additional places to be provided in these areas; and how the figures for the years 1965 to 1969 compare with those for 1960 to 1964.

I have been asked to reply.The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will arrange to make a staffed kidney unit available at Eastbourne.

Since an intermittent dialysis unit is already established at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, the South East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board do not consider that a further unit at Eastbourne is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to prevent confidential Departmental case papers being mishandled in future by 16 year old casual employees, as was the case in one cf his Department's local offices in Sussex recently.

I am satisfied that no general change in the Department's arrangements for handling confidential case papers is called for. A locally produced form which may have contributed to the mistake in the case in question has been modified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the numbers of persons involved, period, with dates, amount paid out and cost of paying out of supplementary benefit to the families of strikers at the Standard?

Organisation	Period	Number of payments of dependants of strikers	Cost (Rounded to £100) £
Standard-Triumph (Liverpool)	Began August, 1969	3,800 (to date)	27,600 (to date)
Rover (Cardiff)	(1) February-March, 1969	300	1,900
	(2) September-October, 1969
Vauxhalls (Ellesmere Port)	September, 1969	5,100	33,600
Girlings (Cwmbran)	October, 1968	300	1,800
Liverpool docks	(1) December, 1968	200	800
	(2) May, 1969
G.L.C. dustmen	October, 1969	2,400 (to 29th October)	13,400 (to 28th October)

Many families received more than one payment of supplementary benefit and it is not therefore possible to say just how many families were involved.The best estimate that can now be made of the administrative cost of disbursing this benefit is that it was of the order of £6,000—£6,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total number of abortions carried out in public and private health clinics in the years prior to and immediately after the passing of the recent Abortion Act.

The latest estimate is that 9,700 therapeutic abortions were carried out in National Health Service hospitals in 1967; the number undertaken in private establishments is not known. 22,509 abortions were notified for National Health Service hospitals and 15,140 for approved places during the first full year's operation of the Abortion Act.These figures relate to England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the Triumph Company, the Rover Company, the Vauxhall Company, the Girling Company, the Greater London Council dustmen and the dockers of London and Liverpool during the last 12 months.

The table below shows the estimated cost and number of payments made during the industrial disputes to which the hon. Member refers. There were no disputes leading to claims for supplementary benefit at the London docks.minimum and maximum charges approved by his regulations for individual abortions; and what were the number and nationalities of foreign women who underwent abortions prior to and immediately after the passing of the recent Abortion Act.

I have no powers to regulate these charges. In the first full year's operation of the Act 2,265 abortions in England and Wales were notified for women usually resident abroad, as follows:

West Germany	1,076
United States of America	481
Canada	236
France	138
Holland	86
Others	248
	2,265

I regret that comparable information for the period before the Act is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the county boroughs, boroughs, urban district and rural district areas which are short of doctors in England and Wales; what is the average number of patients and the average income including special payments per doctor in these areas; and what is the average number of patients and income per doctor, excluding the areas where the rural payments system applies, in the rest of England and Wales.

Information in this form is not available; but if my hon. Friend would let me know of any particular areas in which he is interested, I will see what information can be produced which might help him.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the working of the present procedure under Section 47 of the National Health Act, 1948, as amended in the 1951 Act, which causes old people to have to be returned from hospital to the place from which they came before local medical officers of health and medical practitioners can certify them to be in need of care and attention; and if he will make a statement.

I am not sure that Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, must necessarily have the effect the hon. Member suggests. Perhaps he would let me have details of any particular case he has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his policy on providing that all those professions primarily concerned will be represented on the working parties to be set up on the recommendation of the Zuckerman Report on the Hospital Scientific and Technical Services;(2)what will be the scope and purpose of the working parties to be set up on the recommendation of the Zuckerman Report on the Hospital Scientific and Technical Services;(3)when the working parties to be set up on the recommendation of the Zuckerman Report on the Hospital Scientific and Technical Services will start work.

I am not yet in a position to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Fortescue) on 13th October.—[Vol. 788, c. 21.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the current annual expenditure from public funds on abortions and family planning, respectively.

The information available is not sufficient to enable reliable cost estimates to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice is given by his Departmen: to local offices regarding the paying out of rent allowances where the private tenant is paying a high excessive rent; and what action is taken to advise the tenant to see a rent officer or go to the rent tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

The Supplementary Benefits Commission is empowered under the Ministry of Social Security Act, 1966, to provide for rents which are "reasonable in the circumstances". Where in a long-term case a rent is not regarded as a reasonable one for a supplementary benefit claimant to pay, having regard to the general level of rents being paid by other claimants in the locality, and there is no way in which he can meet the balance over what the Commission can allow, e.g. from capital, he is usually advised to look for cheaper accommodation. The Commission can thus restrict sums allowed for rent even where an approach has not been made to the rent officer or rent tribunal. Where however it seems in such a case that the rent officer or rent tribunal would be likely to reduce the amount of the rent, the claimant is advised to approach the appropriate authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will supply cars instead cf tricycles for married young chronic sick persons, in view of the need for such persons to convey their families so that they can easily obtain help in the event of a breakdown.

Some married disabled patients are already eligible for a car instead of a three-wheeler. When resources permit expansion of the invalid vehicle service the needs of the group referred to, along with others, will be carefully considered.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will revise the composition of panels to consider appeals against the refusal of his Department to register driving instructors, so that direct representation of this profession can be included.

No. It is important that members of appeals panels should be independent and not represent either side.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to amend Statutory Instrument No. 252, 1969, so that dual control accelerator devices do not have to be removed but only made inoperable.

No. The dual accelerator device is a positive control which is dangerous if used inadvertently. Removal is the only certain and universal way to ensure that it has been made inoperable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position regarding a replacement aircraft for British European Airways to follow the Trident 3B.

B.E.A. is still evaluating alternative types.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what checks are made on the altitude of aircraft taking off from London Airport, Heathrow.

There are no standing arrangements to check the heights of aircraft after take-off from Heathrow, but Air Traffic Control maintains radio contact with pilots during this procedure from whom height information is obtained when necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the report of the inquiry into the affairs of Pinnock Finance.

The inquiry by the inspectors into the affairs of Pinnock Finance Company (Great Britain) Limited has proved very complicated, but they hope to report to the Board of Trade by the end of the year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy with regard to the proposed formation of a consortium between British and European shipping lines for the Australian containership trade.

I understand that the recently announced Australian Container Service is not a new consortium but an attempt to co-ordinate the existing and prospective container ship services operated by British and other lines between the United Kingdom, the Continent of Europe and Australia. I shall watch the development of this service with close interest.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the industries according to the Standard International Trade Classification which his Department now sponsors.

It is not possible to categorise according to the Standard International Trade Classification, which is a classification of commodities rather than industries.The industries now sponsored by the Board of Trade are: newspapers, printing and publishing, films, hotels and tourism, distributive trades (other than foodstuffs), service trades, insurance, shipping and civil aviation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now give a date on which he expects to publish the White Paper indicating the Govvernment's plans in regard to the Edwards Committee recommendations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Government intend to publish their White Paper on civil aviation, following the report of the Edwards Committee.

Yes, Wednesday afternoon.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how he proposes without consulting the appropriate local authorities, to study the implications for amenity of increased use of the WoodleyMidhurst route.

The first task, if increased use of the route proves to be practicable, would be to assess the likely numbers, heights, and times of extra use, and the approximate numbers of people that would be respectively more and less exposed to aircraft noise disturbance.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many infringements there have been, in each of the past three years, of his Department's noise abatement requirements at British Airports Authority aerodromes; and what have been the main causes of infringement in each of those years.

There have been no infringements of the restrictions on night jet movements at Heathrow in the last three years. The other main requirement, regularly monitored, is that limiting noise at defined monitoring points. The required information in respect of Heathrow is —

Year	Departures	Monitored	Infringements
1966	59,501	51,930 (87·5℅)	498 (1·0℅)
1967	71,207	61,204 (86℅)	432 (0·7℅)
1968	79,685	71,121(89℅)	505(0·7℅)

More than half the infringements in 1967 and 1968 occurred when main runways were closed for maintenance. Monitoring did not begin at Gatwick until mid 1968. Infringements are running at the rate of about 0· per cent. of monitored take-off; about 89 per cent. of the total.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what imports of barley and wheat arrived in the port of Hull in the months of August, September and October of this year.

I have been asked to reply.Following is the information:

IMPORTS OF BARLEY AND WHEAT THROUGH THE PORT OF HULL
	August, 1969		September, 1969
	Tons	£'000	Tons	£'000
Barley	861	17	0	0
Wheat:
De-natured
wheat	16,915	388	5,324	121
Other	36,563	1,081	36,787	1,094
Figures for October, 1969 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is giving to the alternative short trunk road route north from Inverness to Wick, crossing the Beauly Firth at Kessock and the Dornoch Firth at Meikle Ferry.

The studies being carried out of alternative lines for the reconstruction of the A9 between Inverness and Dingwall include the possibility of a crossing at Kessock. If these studies suggest that a crossing of the Dornoch Firth might profitably be investigated, I will consider doing this.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students were admitted to Hamilton College of Education in the current session; how many were refused; and if he will make a statement.

351 new entrants were admitted. Of the qualified candidates who applied timeously only one was refused admission; this was on medical grounds. There were 54 candidates whose applications were received too late for consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the value of the total lobster catch in the waters round the Hebrides in 1968.

The value of the lobster catch landed in the whole of the Outer Hebrides in 1968 was £64,677.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the numbers of patients on the waiting lists for geriatric beds and beds for the mentally ill in Ayrshire; and how long on average such patients have to wait for admission.

On 5th November 212 persons were waiting for geriatric beds in Ayrshire. The average waiting time for admission is between two and seven weeks. At 30th September 61 persons were waiting for beds for the mentally ill. Information about waiting times for patients in the latter category is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those councils in Scotland a majority of whose committees are closed to the Press and public.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of abortions carried out in public and private health clinics in the years prior to and immediately following the passing of the recent Abortion Act; what were the minimum and maximum charges approved by his regulations for individual abortions; and what were the number and nationalities of foreign women who underwent abortions during this period.

The information is not available prior to 27th April, 1968, the date on which the Abortion Act, 1967, came into operation. In the year ending 26th April, 1969, 2,408 abortion operations were carried out in National Health Service hospitals and 58 in approved places in Scotland. I have no powers to regulate the level of fees charged by private nursing homes or by doctors to private patients. The information required under the Abortion (Scotland) Regulations, 1968, does not include the nationality of the woman, but for abortion operations performed during this period four notifications showed the usual place of residence as outwith the United Kingdom as follows:

	Operation performed in
Country of Usual Residence	N.H.S. Hospital	Approved Place
Canada	1	1
United States of America	1	0
West Germany	1	0
	3	1

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he is making in his talks with Airdrie Town Council, Lanark County Council and British Waterways with a view to the adoption of a scheme for the infilling of the Monkland Canal, and the removal of this danger within the Burgh of Airdrie; and if he will make a statement.

Airdrie Town Council, which would be responsible for initiating any scheme for the infilling of this stretch of the Monkland Canal, has stated that at present it has no proposals to put forward, in view of its other financial commitments. The council is aware that such a scheme would be eligible in principle for a Government grant of 85 per cent. of the approved net cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to amend the law to ensure that local authorities have statutory powers to provide owner-occupiers of houses with roads and pavements at the expense of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The law on this matter is being examined at present to see whether changes are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proposals he has considered for the construction of a dual carriageway on that stretch of the Whistleberry Road lying between Bothwell Bridge and the main street of Blantyre.

This is one of Lanark County Council's proposed road improvements which I am considering, along

Crimes of Violence*, SCOTLAND
	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
Number of cases made known	2,276	2,623	2,929	3,535	3,586
Number of persons convicted or found guilty	990	1,090	1,209	1,395	1,427
*Crimes of violence comprise murder, attempt to murder, culpable homkide, assault, threats, rape, assault with intent to ravish and indecent assault.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many primary school classrooms in the Hamilton Constituency less than 35 children are taught and in how many in the Isle of Lewis.

I am asking Lanarkshire Education Authority and Ross and Cromarty Education Authority to send this information to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the doctor-patient ratio in the Hamilton Constituency and what is the ratio in the Isle of Lewis.

I regret that it is not practicable to give the precise ratio of family doctors to patients in the Hamilton constituency, since the practice districts do not coincide with the constituency boundaries. However, the doctor-patient ratio in practices based in the Hamilton constituency is 1 to 2,701. In the Isle of Lewis the ratio is 1 to 1,349.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of with those of other Scottish highway authorities, in compiling an approved principal road programme for 1971–74.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the numbers of offences of violence against persons and the number of convictions in each of the last five years.

The number of cases of crimes of violence against the person made known to the police in Scotland during each of the last live years together with the number of persons convicted or found guilty is shown ill the table below.the annual increase in the number of school leavers with university entrance qualifications for the years 1971, 1973 and 1975; what will be the shortfall of university places; and what action he proposes to take to avoid a recurrence of the shortages of the early 1960s.

As university entrance qualifications involve a number of variable factors and are different for different universities the estimates used are in terms of numbers of school leavers with three or more higher grade passes in the Scottish Certificate of Education. The figures are:

	1971	11,800	1973	13,200	1975	15,100
	1970	11,100	1972	12,600	1974	14,200
Annual increase		700		600		900

Past experience indicates that a considerable number of leavers thus qualified will enter other sectors of higher education or employment and not apply for admission to university.Decisions have yet to be taken by the Government about the number of university places to be provided in the next quinquennium, both in Great Britain and, within the Great Britain total, in the Scottish universities. I am in close touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary came into operation on 1st May, 1968, of State for Education and Science about and I am not yet in a position to judge the Scottish elements in the forecasts of their effect. the demand for university places.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he is yet ready to announce further appointments to the Board of the Post Office.

I have appointed Mr. A. S. Ashton to be the Member for Finance and Corporate Planning. Mr. Ashton is Executive Finance Director of Esso Petroleum Limited, and I am grateful to it for agreeing to release him from his present engagements on 1st January, 1970, to take up his new appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the total cost to date, including public inquiries, of the Parliamentary Boundaries Commission for England;(2) what is the total cost to date, including public inquiries, of the four Parliamentary Boundaries Commissions for the United Kingdom.

£95,238 of which the estimated cost of the Commission for England is £79,700.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving the use, or threatened use, of shotguns were known to the police in England and Wales in the first six months of 1969; whether he is now satisfied that the controls over possession, purchase and acquisition of shotguns provided under the Firearms Act, 1968, are effective; and if he will make a statement.

The statistics are not yet available. The controls came into operation on 1st May, 1968, and I am not yet in a position to judge their effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for shotgun certificates had been made to the police in England and Wales by 31st October, 1969; how many certificates had been issued; and how many applications refused.

I have not felt justified in asking chief officers of police to provide this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the London Gazette received notification that the Warrant of Remission exercising the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in respect of Mr. and Mrs. Kroger had been signed.

This is not a matter for notification in the London Gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to receive the Holroyd Report on fire prevention.

Early in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of recent fire disasters, if he will introduce legislation giving protection to people in premises not already covered by the Factories Acts and similar legislation.

I intend to introduce new legislation, when Parliamentary time permits, designed to strengthen and rationalise the law relating to fire precautions in certain residential establishments and places of public resort. The House will also recall that my right hon. Friend, the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity has under consideration proposals for new safety, health and welfare legislation to replace both the Factories Act, 1961, and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, taking 1964 as 100 he will state the percentage increase in gross domestic product at factor cost and in public expenditure, in the subsequent years up to and including 1968.

The average annual rate of increase at constant prices in gross domestic product at factor cost was 2·3 per cent. over the period 1964 to 1968: over the same period the average annual rate of increase in public expenditure, excluding selective employment tax additional payments, regional employment premiums and investment grants, capital expenditure by the nationalised industries, etc., and debt interest, was 4.8 per cent. The hon. Member will appreciate that the total of public expenditure is not a very reliable measure of the share of resources taken by the public sector.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the dollar value of the United Kingdom's gold and currency reserves, including Her Majesty's Government's dollar portfolio in October, 1964; on what dates and at what dollar values this portfolio was absorbed into the reserves; and what was the total value of the reserves in October, 1969.

The dollar value of the reserves and the Treasury portfolio at end-October, 1964 was $3,772 million. Transfers from the portfolio to the reserves were of $885 million in February, 1966 and of $490 million in November, 1967. The value of the reserves at end-October, 1969 was $2,482 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the sterling value of all travellers cheques and foreign currency issued to United Kingdom residents for foreign travel for holiday purposes, on medical grounds, for business reasons and in other specified categories, respectively, during the 12 months or the nearest convenient annual period before the introduction of the current £50 restriction; and what were the equivalent figures for the last 12 months or in a similar convenient period on the same seasonal basis.

The following are estimates, based on the International Passenger Survey, of overseas travel expenditure by United Kiigdom residents:

				(£ million)
	Holiday	Business	Other	Total
1965	219	40	31	290
1968	184	50	37	271

Travel on medical grounds is included under the heading "Other".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many members of the public have laid complaints of irregular rounding up of prices quoted in the decimal coinage; and if he will make a statement;(2) what measures he proposes to introduce to investigate allegations of irregular rounding up of prices on the introduction of decimal coinage; and if he will make a statement.

Although some prices are now being quoted in both £ s. d. and decimal currency, only the former price has any status until 15th February 1971, and I am not aware of any complaints. The Government's policy towards the conversion of prices to decimal currency was explained in the White Paper "Decimal Currency: the Changeover" (Cmnd. 3889) published last January. The Government do not believe that the business community will try to take advantage of the situation. Where prices are the responsibility of the Government, it will be for the Department concerned to investigate any complaints.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is being paid annually by the Treasury in pensions to Rhodesian residents; how much is owed to British residents in the form of blocked funds deposited with the Ottoman Bank and other banks in Rhodesia; and if he will seek powers to enable him to block equivalent funds from the balances held by these banks in Great Britain.

Payment of pensions from the votes of Government Departments to Rhodesian residents is at an annual rate of some £580,000. The value of the funds owed to British residents and blocked by the illegal regime is not known. Under present rules no payments can be made by U.K. residents to Rhodesia except in respect of pensions and for various humanitarian reasons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to levy a tax of 20s. in the £ sterling on fees paid to convicted persons or their wives by publishers.

No. But I am aware of public concern about this matter and am considering whether it would be possible to take other measures for dealing with it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he takes to recover tax on fees paid to British nationals living abroad by publishers in this country.

Section 470, Income Tax Aot 1952, requires any person making such payments to deduct income tax at the standard rate and pay it over to the Inland Revenue. I am advised that this does not apply to payments made to those who are authors by profession, nor does it apply if the recipient is living in a country with which we have a double taxation agreement requiring us to exempt such payments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of minting the new 50p piece; and what estimate he has made of the cost of withdrawing the present 50p piece and re-issuing it in a larger size comparable with the present half-crown piece which is to be withdrawn.

On the cost of minting I have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary on 4th November to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North (Earl of Dalkeith). We have made no estimate of the cost of replacing the present 50p piece with a coin of larger size.—[Vol. 790, c. 801–2.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive the recommendations arising from the current official investigation into the tax treatment of the various provisions for retirement benefits.

This review is well advanced and my right hon. Friend hopes to be able to give some indication of its results before long.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present rate of purchase tax on new harps and new pianos; and whether he will remove the tax on harps no later than in his next Budget.

Thirty-six and two-thirds per cent. and exempt respectively. I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many days of grace between shipment and presentation of the export documents were allowed in each of the last 12 months.

Shipping bills for certain exported goods had to be lodged before shipment. Specifications for other exported goods should have been lodged within six days after exportation; but some of these specifications were lodged belatedly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the date, in each of the last 12 months, up to which export documents received in the statistical office of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise at Southend were included in the export figures for the preceding month.

The monthly export statistics relate to documents received at the Customs Statistical Office until shortly before the end of that month. Documents received subsequently are included in the figures for the following month. There has been no change in this practice at any stage in the past 12 months.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of the additional grant which has been allocated to the Government of Northern Ireland specifically for new housing development in Ulster.

Housing in Northern Ireland is a service to which the United Kingdom Government make no specific grant; the financial aspects of the decision of the Northern Ireland Government to set up a central housing authority are being discussed between the two Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy for increasing the number of technically trained entrants to industry by securing a reduction in number of those who drop out from the lower stages of their technological training; and whether he has considered the evidence of Dr. J. Gardner of Bradford Technical College in his Survey of Students' Reading 1964, a copy of which has been sent to him.

I expect a continuation of the progress which has taken place in recent years as a result of the introduction of new patterns of courses and of an increased number of systematic schemes of training and education following the introduction of the Industrial Training Act. I do not think that the limited survey referred to lends itself to generalisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the percentage of schoolchildren who qualify to receive a grammar school education who live in the urban district council areas of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Abram, Billinge with-Winstanley, Ince-in-Makerfield and Ottell, respectively, and how this compares with the regional and national average in England and Wales.

The precise information is not available, but the Lancashire local education authority tells me that the percentages of pupils in these areas leaving primary schools in July 1969 who proceeded to grammar schools, though not necessarily in the same areas, were as follows:

	Per cent.
Ashton-in-Makerfield	24·8
Abram	14·0
Billinge-with-Winstanley	24·3
Ince-in-Makerfield	15·0
Ottell	27·7

Comparable regional and national averages are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the amount now allocated for primary and secondary school building in the Upper Aglorigg Division education area, indicating the schools involved and the townships in which they are situated.

The following project is included in the starts programme for 1969–70:—Meltham County Primary (Melthatn) £61,651.The following projects are included in the starts programme for 1970–71:—Kirkhe,aton North County Primary (Kirkburton) £66,405.Denby Dale, Scisset Church of England Primary: (Denby Dale) £61,983.The following projects have been included in the recently compiled preliminary list from which the 1971–72 starts programme will be drawn:—Calne Valley, Golcar County Junior (Coln Valley) £42,728.Shelley County Secondary (Denby Dale) £428,237.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to reach a decision on the proposal of Lancashire County Council to close Houghton Green County Primary School, and to exchange the buildings of the Manorfields County Primary School and the St. John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School, Denton.

As soon as I have completed my consultations with the Lancashire local education authority on objections to the proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many of the 8,500 vouchers available under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act were taken up in 1968; and how many of these were for persons from Malta.

Employment vouchers have a currency of six months. It is therefore not possible to relate issues to usage in a particular year.Information about arrivals of voucher holders in 1968 was published in Command 4029 issued in May, 1969.