asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of his recent discussions with the Sultan of Brunei and his advisers; and whether he will make a statement.

Discussions with the Sultan of Brunei and his advisers have not yet concluded. They have been delayed because His Highness Sir Omar, the Sultan's father, has unfortunately been unwell.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Bulgarian Government about the treatment of British citizens by the Bulgarian frontier officials; and what reply he has received.

A strong protest has been made about a considerable number of cases of this kind which have occurred. Assurances have been sought that harassment by Bulgarian frontier officials of this kind should cease. In reply the Bulgarian authorities have explained there were long-standing regulations to ensure against entry of foreigners who might introduce infection; they denied any physical force had been used and regretted any over-zealous conduct by officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government's representatives at the United Nations took, as President ad interim of the Security Council, upon receipt of the request from the Portuguese Government for consultations with the Security Council over the damage claimed to have been done to Portugal's economy by Rhodesian sanctions.

The United Kingdom representative at the United Nations, in his capacity as President of the Security Council at the time of the receipt of the Portuguese Government's communications of 13th October, 1969, authorised the United Nations Secretary-General to circulate the letter from the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs ad interim as a Security Council document in accordance with the provisional Rules of Procedure. No further action was necessary on his part.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek, from the International Court of Justice at The Hague, a ruling on the application of Article 50 of the United Nations Charter to the Portuguese request for consideration by the Security Council of its complaint regarding damage done to the Portuguese economy by sanctions against Rhodesia.

No. It is not open to Her Majesty's Government unilaterally to seek such a ruling.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom Her Majesty's Government recognise as the Governor of Southern Rhodesia.

I explained the situation in my statement to the House on 24th June. It is not intended to appoint a successor to Sir Humphrey Gibbs for the time being. The Southern Rhodesia Constitution Order of 1965 provides for the executive authority of Southern Rhodesia to be exercised by a United Kingdom Secretary of State.—[Vol. 785, c. 1219.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Duncan Report.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal in another place on 19th November and to what I said in the foreign affairs debate on 30th October.—[Vol. 305, c. 950; Vol. 790, c. 490.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent his conversations with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago have dealt with the possibility of Trinidad and Tobago forming a wider community which would include some of the Associated States and if he will report on the progress made so far.

The conversations with Dr. Eric Williams were confidential but the question of possible wider groupings of Commonwealth Caribbean countries was among those discussed. Progress will depend on the outcome of continuing discussions between the Governments of the countries concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by the mixed commission investigating the boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela.

The Mixed Commission is composed of representatives of the Governments of Guyana and Venezuala: its proceedings are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps Her Majesty's Government have taken and are taking in respect of the prevention of hi-jacking of aeroplanes and ensuring the release of the victims unlawfully detained by the Syrian authorities.

I have nothing to add to the answers which I gave to my hon. Friend on 17th November, and to the hon. Member for Wembley, South (Sir R Russell) earlier today. My hon. Friend will have learned of the release of the two passengers detained by the Syrian authorities.—[Vol. 791, c. 175.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will propose a convention to ensure international action against the attacks made by terrorists on airline passengers and other persons and buildings by nationals of countries other than those in which the attacks take place.

No. The safety of persons and buildings in a country is a matter for the authorities responsible for the protection of life and property in that country. Her Majesty's Government is, of course, actively engaged in the preparation in I.C.A.O. of a draft Convention for the extradition of hi-jackers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek to negotiate the necessary international agreements to make the piracy of aircraft an extraditable offence.

We have played an active part in the work of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a specialised agency of the United Nations, in drafting a convention which provides that hijacking should be an offence in contracting States and that it shall be regarded as an extraditable offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will take steps at the United Nations to initiate an independent inquiry into all matters connected with the alleged Pinkville massacres, in view of the threat to world peace.

No. The United States Government are making exhaustive investigations into these allegations, which they have said are abhorrent to the conscience of the American people. A trial has already been announced. In these circumstances I see no need for the action suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the report he has received from his official observers at the recent trial in Windhoek, South-West Africa; and whether he will publish their report.

No. Reports from officials to me are, of course, confidential. The purpose of sending observers to the trial, which was also attended by official representatives of the United States, Sweden and Germany, was to demonstrate once again our continuing concern as members of the international community at the holding of a trial of South-West Africans under the Terrorism Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the raping of six young British girls in Libya by Libyan soldiers; whether the advice rendered by the British Consul in Libya that the girls should let themselves be raped was made with his authority; and whether he will make a statement.

Two British women were raped by Libyan soldiers at the time of the recent coup. I am not aware of other cases of rape but four cases of sexual assault were reported by our Embassy.In the course of informal conversation with a small number of British women who sought his advice, the Consul explained to them that there were groups of young, over-excited and trigger-happy soldiers at large in Tripoli and mentioned the risks, for example death or serious injury, that could result if rape were resisted.Though no authority was sought for it, I consider that in the circumstances this advice was sound. The two women themselves have since written to the Embassy saying that they are convinced that this was "the only sensible and practical advice in the circumstances".

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what compensation has been sought through his Department on behalf of British subjects who were attacked in Libya following the coup there last September; and with what result.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will state the number of British subjects who were given sanctuary in Her Majesty's Embassy and consular buildings in Libya in conse- quence of the danger faced as a result of the coup there last September.

None. But some British subjects were given temporary accommodation in private residences of Embassy staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give details of the personal risk run by the staff of Her Majesty's Embassy and consular officials in giving assistance to British subjects at the time of the coup in Libya last September.

Staff were called out during hours of curfew when most shooting took place and any movement in the streets was hazardous. On numerous occasions Embassy staff were held at gun point.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what infringements of diplomatic immunity affecting British officials occurred in Libya following the coup there in September last.

During the first week of September armed Libyan soldiers twice made unauthorised entry into British Embassy premises in Benghazi, and on one occasion a group of soldiers attempted to search the Embassy building in Tripoli. On all three occasions they withdrew after strong protests, and we subsequently received apologies from the Libyan authorities. In addition, individual members of British Embassy staffs in both Tripoli and Benghazi were at times subjected, during the first days of the coup, to harassment by Libyan soldiers as they travelled either from their homes to the Embassy offices or whilst endeavouring to visit members of the British community.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the reply received from the Libyan Government to his request that the perpetrators of assaults on British subjects will be brought to justice.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what premises were two British subjects raped by troops during the coup in Libya last September.

Those concerned have asked that this information should not be disclosed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is now in a position to announce the outcome of the talks between the British High Commissioner in Lusaka and the Zambian Government with regard to compensation payable to British subjects deported from that country without reasons being given to them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 5th May by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary.In spite of reminders, our High Commissioner in Lusaka is still awaiting a decision from the Zambian Government. —[Vol. 783, c. 2–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been sought by British companies which are joining with Canadian and United States interests for the purpose of oil drilling in militarily occupied territory in the Sinai Peninsula; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Ipswich (Sir Dingle Foot).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the circumstances in which Iceland is joining the European Free Trade Association.

I would refer the hon. Member to the communiqué issued after the recent Ministerial meeting of E.F.T.A., the text of which was reported to the House on 12th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to adjust the age limits in respect of exemption from statutory charges for dental treatment and prescription charges in the light of recent changes in the law relating to the age of majority.

No. The changes in the law relating to the age of majority do not affect the clinical considerations on which exemption from charges for prescriptions and dental treatment is based.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instrutions have been issued to dispensing chemists with regard to the procedure to be adopted in the event of National Health Service prescriptions being presented by persons unable to pay the prescription charge at the time of presentation of the prescription form.

Chemists are aware that people who have difficulty in meeting the charges for financial reasons should apply to my Department's local office.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the overwork imposed on special investigators and the long time taken in clearing up cases of abuse of supplementary benefits, he will now appoint 300 more investigators at London and regional headquarters of the Department as proposed by the two unions involved.

No. Staff requirements for this work are kept under constant review. The number of special investigators has been increased by 33 during the past 12 months to the present total of 183, and 23 further appointments, bringing the total to 206, will be made as suitable officers are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the case of a resident of Barking, of whose identity he has been informed, who entered the East Ham Memorial Hospital last May for a minor operation, was found by her sister, shortly afterwards, unconscious on the ward floor, has since suffered a steady deterioration in health, and attempted suicide on 31st October, 1969; and when the hon. Member for Barking may expect a reply to his letter of 25th September about this case.

I have written to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now announce a date when the new general hospital at Redditch will be started.

I am unable to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the hon. Member on 20th October. —[Vol. 788, c. 157.]

asked the Secretary of Stale for Social Services what is the average length of waiting time for admission of men and women other than urgent cases to the orthopedic wards of the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle.

Two months for men; 15 months for women.

Subject of Survey	Date Commissioned		Report Expected
*Nutrition of expectant mothers	November, 1966	…	Latter part of 1970
*Nutrition of pre-school children	November, 1966	…	Early 1971
*Home Help Service	January, 1967	…	Early 1970
Nutrition of the elderly in six areas in England and Scotland	April, 1967	…	Summer 1970
*Demand for dental health treatment	June, 1967	…	Received in the Department
*Chronic sick and handicapped	March, 1968	…	Summer 1970
*Family Planning Services	October, 1969	…	†
*Family Services with particular reference to one-parent families	October, 1969	…	†
Motherless families	September, 1969	…	1972
* Agent, Government Social Survey.
† Not yet known

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the proposal that the drug L-Dopa should be prescribed on the National Health Service to sufferers from Parkinson's Disease, in view of the side effects that this drug produces.

The Committee on Safety of Drugs issued a public statement this morning which makes clear the general position. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.The committee has had full information about only one preparation of the drug, which is at present available in limited quantities only, and has cleared it for use in clinical trials organised by the Medical Research Council. The committee points out in its statement that doctors are at liberty to prescribe for their patients whatever they consider appropriate; but it has been unable to assess the quality and safety of preparations of L-Dopa for which chemical, pharmacological and toxicological data has not been provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many surveys of a statistical nature are at present being made, or have been commissioned, by his Department; what subjects are being covered; when the surveys began; and when a report is expected.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will initiate a public inquiry into the circumstances whereby a 7-year-old boy was left for nearly two months among 2,500 adult patients at St. Bernard's Mental Hospital, Middlesex; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a detailed report from the regional hospital board on this case. There were particular difficulties of treatment and the boy was admitted to the nearest psychiatric hospital, St. Bernard's, only as a temporary measure until a more suitable placement could be arranged. The boy was then admitted to the Park Hospital, Oxford, where I understand that he has done well and is now being treated as an out-patient. I do not consider that there are any grounds for a public inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will invite regional hospital boards to renegotiate fixed price contracts involving the supply of stainless steel products in view of the recent rise in the cost of such products caused by the nickel strikes in Canada.

No. The re-negotiation of contract prices is a matter for the parties to the contract, and a departure from the terms of a fixed price contract would not normally be entertained.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on the basis of the information sent to him by the hon. Member for Willesden, West, what is his estimate of the present amount included in the National Health Service drug bill in respect of the pharmaceutical industries representatives.

Until information is available from the new voluntary price regulation scheme we shall not be able to make any reliable estimate of this amount. My hon. Friend has supplied information suggesting that expenditure on representatives might be of the order of £13 million a year. We will bear this figure in mind but not all of this would be in respect of supplies to the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ask the Medicines Commission to provide him with a list of medicines commonly used in the National Health Service but which have been found to be ineffective.

The Standing Joint Committee on the Classification of Proprietary Preparations has for many years listed preparations that in its opinion are not of proven efficacy. Copies of its reports are sent to all doctors.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if full X-ray facilities are now available at all Medway towns hospitals.

Adequate facilities are now available at all these hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present nursing staff at each hospital in the Medway towns and how this compares with current establishment.

The following are the figures:

Hospital	Nursing staff (whole-time equivalent) in post on 31 October 1969	Nursing staff establishment
All Saints' Hospital, Chatham	261¼	272¾
St Bartholomew's Hospital, Rochester	184¾	175¼
Medway Hospital, Gillingham	96¾	81¼
St. William's Hospital, Rochester	41¼	32¼
Canada House
Maternity Home, Gillingham	23	22¾

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the consultant establishment at the Medway towns hospitals is complete; and at which hospitals and in what specialised fields there are shortages.

I am informed that there are the following vacancies:(

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the establishment for junior medical staff in all Medway hospitals is filled; how many vacancies exist; and what steps are being taken to fill them.

I am informed that there are four senior house officer vacancies. All are newly-created posts, and they are currently being advertised.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now authorise the increase in nursing establishment for hospitals in the Medway towns which has been submitted to him for approval by the regional hospital board.

The nursing staff establishment for the Medway and Gravesend Hospital Management Committee group is determined by the regional hospital board, which does not require my right hon. Friend's approval for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the number of general medical practitioners in the Medway towns on 31st October, 1969, compares with the number on 1st January, 1969, and the average number of patients on their lists.

The following are the figures:

	At 1st January, 1969	At 1st October,1969
Doctors providing full general medical services*	71	70
Average number of patients on lists†	2,881	2,955
Notes:
* The doctors enumerated are those with main surgeries in the Boroughs of Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester.
† The true numbers will be slightly smaller since it is not possible to eliminate all duplicate entries from doctors' lists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the scale of remuneration for radiographers in the National Health Service is adequate in the light of their responsibility, their training and the nature of their work; and if he will make a statement.

I have no doubt that the Whitley Council took these considerations into account in the last settlement, which gave increased pay from 1st January, 1969, and will do so again in the next review, for which I understand a claim is now in preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what allocation of beds and operating theatres is made fur patients undergoing operations on a payment basis at hospitals in the Manchester region.

My right hon. Friend has authorised 401 pay beds in hospitals in the Manchester region. This authorisation covers the use of facilities such as operating theatres, but I have no information as to the number of paying patients undergoing operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the official title of a male appointed to a hospital matron's post; and what is the number of such appointments at the most recent date and 12 months earlier.

The title is at the discretion of the hospital authority, I understand that the title of Director of Nursing Services is sometimes used; I regret that information is not available about the number of men appointed to occupy matron posts, but 20 of the 75 appointments so far made to the new posts of chief nursing officer of a hospital group have been men.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes in procedure he proposes in cases before the Industrial Injuries Commissioner; what negotiations he has held with trade unions about such changes; and if he will make a statement.

First, to give the Commissioner discretion on whether or not to hold an oral hearing where he has to determine an application for leave to appeal on a point of law from the decision of a medical appeal tribunal, or such an appeal (where the medical appeal tribunal or the Commissioner have already granted leave to appeal to the Commissioner), or where the medical appeal tribunal specifically refers to the Commissioner a point of law for his decision.Secondly, to give the Commissioner the right to proceed to determine any point of law stated in an application for leave to appeal as though it were a point of law arising on an appeal and as though the application were an appeal, pro-

						Oral hearings
Year				No. of appeals heard by Commissioner	Number	Claimant attended alone	Claimant accompanied by T.U. representative or legal adviser	T. U. representative or legal adviser attended without claimant
1966	…	…	…	49	32	10	9	10
1967	…	…	…	72	49	15	15	15
1968	…	…	…	57	28	9	6	10

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appeals were made to the Industrial Injuries Commissioner from decisions of medical tribunals in industrial injuries cases in each of the last three years; on how many such cases the claimant appeared in person; and in how many such cases a trade union or legal adviser represented the claimant.

In the years 1966, 1967 and 1968 63, 70 and 52 appeals respectively were made to the Commissioner from decisions of medical appeal tribunals on a point of law. In relation to the appeals heard by the Commissioner in those years, the information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the current rate of recruitment and establishment of matrons in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any general difficulty in recruiting for the existing matron posts or for the new posts which are replacing them as the new nursing administrative structure is introduced, but salaries are under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the amount of money paid out by his Department to members of the public on the basis of fraudulent or unjustified claims in the five years to 30th June 1969, respectively.

Officials of the Department never pay out benefit knowing that the basis of a claim is fraudulent or unjustified, and no estimate is therefore possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many special investigators are at present employed by his Department; and how far the present number of special investigators is below the authorised strength.

The present strength of special investigators is 183, which is 23 below authorised strength.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of fraud on the Department on the part of members of the public have been established in the two years to 30th June, 1969; and if he will give an estimate of the number of additional such frauds that have, in fact, occurred during the same period.

The number of people convicted of fraud against the Department for social security offences during the calendar years 1967 and 1968 were 4,130 and 5,909 respectively: no estimate of additional frauds can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the terms of any document which officers of the Department are called upon to sign as a condition of official employment.

Every civil servant on appointment signs a declaration which reads:

"My attention has been drawn to the provisions of the Official Secrets Acts, which are set out on the back of this document, and I am fully aware of the serious consequences which may follow any breach of those provisions.

I understand that the sections of the Official Secrets Acts, set out on the back of this document, cover material published in a speech, lecture, or radio or television broadcast, or in the Press or in book form. I am aware that I should not divulge any information gained by me as a result of my appointment to any unauthorised person, either orally or in writing, without the previous official sanction in writing of the Department appointing me, to which written application should be made and two copies of the proposed publication be forwarded. I understand also that I am liable to be prosecuted if I publish without official sanction any information I may acquire in the course of my tenure of an official appointment (unless it has already officially been made public) or retain without official sanction any sketch, plan, model, article, note or official documents which are no longer needed for my official duties, and that these provisions apply not only during the period of my appointment but also after my appointment has ceased. I also understand that I must surrender any documents etc. referred to in Section 2(1) of the Act if I am transferred from one post to another, save such as have been issued to me for my personal retention."

The back of the declaration reproduces Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 as amended by the Official Secrets Act 1920, and Section 1(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1920.Every officer of the Department is required also to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Department's staff rules.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the rules of employment in his Department governing the question of giving of information to the Press by officers of the Department.

The relevant sections of the staff rules are as follows:—

"No member of the staff may publish any book, article, letter, pamphlet or other work relating to or having a bearing on the official business of the Department or of another Government Department without first obtaining the written consent of the Department.…

Under the Official Secrets Acts it is an offence for an officer to disclose, either orally or in writing, to an unauthorised person any information he has acquired through his official duties or to which he has access owing to his official position. There is, however, no objection to his repeating information which has already officially been made public. The Official Secrets Acts cover material published in a speech, lecture, radio or television broadcast, in the Press or in book form; they cover non-secret as well as secret information and apply to all persons employed in the service of the Crown not only during an officer's employment but also when he has retired or left the Service. Particular care is necessary in respect of information received in confidence.… It is emphasised that information relating to an insured person or a claimant for benefit, pension, allowance, etc., is to be regarded as held strictly in confidence.…Disciplinary action will be taken in cases of unauthorised disclosure."

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the name, age, length of service, official status and official character of the officer of his Department who has recently been, or is likely shortly to be, dismissed on account of his having made public the details of frauds alleged to have been made on the Department.

One officer has been dismissed from 31st December, 1969, but on more general grounds than those cited in the question; namely, because he deliberately broke important staff rules by:

1. Sending, for publication in the Press, articles relating to the official business of the Department without first obtaining the authority of the Department.

2. Disclosing information acquired by reason of his official position and in particular information about individual claimants which was obtained in confidence in connection with claims to supplementary benefit; and

3. Expressing publicly his views on matters of national political controversy, an activity prohibited to officers in the executive grade.

He was reminded of these staff rules at an interview on 6th October (after publication of his first article) and in writing on 29th October after publication of his second article on 25th October. Despite this he published a further article on 22nd November, 1969. The Department was left with no alternative but to dismiss him for serious breaches of the Civil Service staff rules. It is not customary to publish names of dismissed staff but in this case the name has already been published, in the Press. This officer is Mr. Robin Page, age 26 years, with 5½ service as an executive officer. His official conduct had hitherto been satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what superannuation gratuity and pension rights will remain secured to an officer of the Department who is dismissed on the grounds of his having made public official information coming to his knowledge in the course of his official employment; what rights, under his regulations, such an officer will have to redundancy payments; and what efforts will be made by the Department to secure him alternative employment.

An officer who is dismissed for misconduct has no right to any pension or gratuity under the Civil Service Superannuation Acts. No payment in respect of redundancy arises in such cases. The Department has no obligation to secure alternative employment but would consider what help could be given if the officer asked for assistance.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will now give the additional costs caused through faults that have developed in nuclear power stations.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dorset, West Mr. Wingfield Digby) on 1st December.—[Vol. 792, c. 188–9.]

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list, from figures available to him from international sources, the financial assistance provided for the energy sector in the United Kingdom and other major industrial countries.

Energy industries in major industrial countries are subject to a wide range of differing measures of financial and other assistance, and direct comparisons are, therefore, apt to be misleading. I will, however, write to my hon. Friend when I have assembled the available information.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the work of the Industrial Liaison Centre at Sunderland.

Since September, 1965, the industrial liaison officer at Sunderland has visited over half the smaller manufacturing companies in the area. He has recently been handling about 250 inquiries a year. Comments from industry suggest that his work is generally appreciated.

asked the Minister of Technology what use is being made of the low cost automation centre at Sunderland Polytechnic.

The centre is providing courses and advisory and demonstration services for local industry on all aspects of low cost automation. These services have been used extensively by industry in the eight months since the centre became fully operational.

asked the Minister of Technology if, following the publicity given by his Department to the financial advantages obtainable under the Local Employment Bill, he will give the number of firms, showing the number of jobs involved which have shown interest in the Mexborough and Wombwell Employment Exchange areas.

Notifications of intent to apply for building grant for projects in the Mexborough and Wombwell exchange areas have been received from three firms, whose estimates of the additional jobs to be provided total some 300. Two other firms have made inquiries about grants in these areas.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the percentage of reclaimed rubber used in the total rubber consumption of the country; whether he is satisfied with this percentage; and what steps he is taking to increase the amount of reclaimed rubber to save imports.

About 6 per cent. in the first half of this year. I am satisfied that our manufacturers are using reclaim wherever they can.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the current position with regard to the development programme of the Concorde aircraft.

The Concorde development programme is continuing, and the two prototypes have now completed 170 hours of flight test. I have, for the present, nothing further to add to my statement on this subject on 10th November.—[Vol. 791, c. 20–2.]

asked the Minister of Technology whether he is aware that the moving map display in use in the Concorde supersonic transport aircraft is based on an invention of Mr. John Hargrave in 1939, and that 10 of the 12 basic component parts in the moving map were covered by Mr. Hargrave's Patents 525812 and 528555, which were incorporated in the Ministry of Aviation Patent 926448 (Navigational Apparatus) of 1960 to 1963; and whether he will make an ex-gratia payment to Mr. Hargrave.

I am aware that the moving map display shown in the Ministry's patent has resemblances to devices shown in prior publications, including those in Mr. Hargrave's patents, which lapsed in 1946.The display installed in Concorde aircraft was developed by a contractor from Ministry designs (illustrated by patent No. 926448) but these originated at R.A.E. about 1959–60 independently of Mr. Hargrave.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking, in view of the industrial and export advantages which the new British invention of plastic-coated steel corrosion-free bodies for use in vehicles possess, to facilitate the manufacture of this invention.

Production of plastic-coated steel has reached 50,000 tons per annum and is continuing to rise steadily. The British Steel Corporation has recently approved plans for a further increase in production capacity. Development work on further applications of this material is being actively pursued.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will issue a White Paper itemising the effects, industry by industry, of British entry into the Common Market, in the light of their representations on the matter.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th October on the subject of a White Paper. The facts will be presented to the House as helpfully as possible but I doubt whether it will be practical to include an industry by industry analysis.—[Vol. 788, c. 602–5.]

asked the Minister of Technology what is his latest estimate of the comparative cost of generating electricity by nuclear power stations and those using coal and oil, respectively, taking into account capital cost, both for the latest types in operation and also for the latest power stations planned but not yet completed.

The C.E.G.B. is currently conducting its annual review of base-load generating costs, and up-to-date estimates should be available about the end of next month.

asked the Minister of Technology why he has closed down the Computer Aided Design Committee; to which body or to whom the sub-committees, including the Mechanical and Information Retrieval Group which currently has a project running, will now report; and by what facility or technique he now plans to ensure that the views of the computer industry are taken into account other than by informal links with individual civil servants.

The Computer Aided Design Committee was set up to establish the importance of the computer as an aid to design. Through the valuable work of its sub-committees and otherwise, it has been successful. It would not be right, in view of this success, for so many able and public spirited men to continue to give their valuable time. It was stated at the last meeting of the committee that the chairmen of sub-committees should report to the Head of the Systems and Automation Division. This continues to be the case. Sponsorship of the computer industry is the responsibilty of the Electronics and Computers Division. In the special case of computer aided design, responsibility rests with the Systems and Automation Division through the Director of the Computer Aided Design Centre near Cambridge.

asked the Minister of Technology what procedure is laid down by his regulations for the Atomic Energy Authority to follow in making decisions on the award of pensions to employees exposed to radiation hazards and who subsequently contract leukemia; and if he will make a statement.

Under the authority's superannuation schemes employees who are retired on ill-health grounds before minimum pensionable age are eligible for retirement benefits if they have sufficient length of service and otherwise qualify under the rules of the schemes. These arrangements apply irrespective of the nature of the illness: they apply only to people who are members of an authority superannuation scheme at the date of their ill-health retirement.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give consideration to taking steps to provide coking coal subsidies to safeguard the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

The B.C.S. and N.C.B. are in close discussion about future prospects. I have no reason to think that the steel industry cannot be adequately supplied without subsidies.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) when consultations about the Green Paper, "Roads for the Future—An Inter-Urban Plan", were completed; and when he intends to make a statement of the Government's future intentions in this respect;(2) from which organisations he has received observations concerning the Green Paper on "Roads for the Future—An Inter-Urban Plan"; what were the main points in the representations; and what action he proposes to take.

I have received observations from over 265 organisations, authorities and individuals, and I am sending the hon. Member a complete list. Almost all those commenting support the general concept of comprehensive route improvements and many suggest the inclusion of additional routes in the strategic network. All observations are still being carefully examined and evaluated, and I hope to announce decisions on the shape of the future interurban strategic road network early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date construction will begin of the Liddington to Maidenhead sections of the M4; and on what date he estimates that the various sections will be open to traffic.

The contract for the Liddington-Wickham section has been let. Tenders for construction of the remainder of the route between Wickham and Holyport near Maidenhead have been received and are under consideration. All of these contracts should be completed by about the end of 1971.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Road Safety Act, 1967, to permit random tests on drivers between 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 4 a.m. on Sundays.

I would not wish to vary the law between different times of the week in this way.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of the A30 between the 30 miles per hour limit west of Exeter and the 30 miles per hour limit east of Launceston are covered by a single white line forbidding a driver travelling from Exeter to Launceston to overtake; and how many miles are covered by a single white line forbidding a traveller from Launceston to Exeter to overtake.

Some six miles are covered by double white lines, one unbroken and the other broken, forbidding a driver travelling towards Launceston to overtake; some 5½ miles are so covered in the opposite direction.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the number of track miles in use by British Railways at the end of each of the years 1960 to 1968, inclusive, and the estimated number of track miles that will be in use at the end of 1969 and 1970.

Estimates of the total track miles that will be in use at the end of 1969 and 1970 are not available. The figures will be published, as usual, in the Railways Board's Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for those years. The information for 1960–68 (which includes both running lines and sidings) is as follows:

1960	…	…	…	49,181
1961	…	…	…	48,889
1962	…	…	…	47,417
1963	…	…	…	46,434
1964	…	…	…	44,080
1965	…	…	…	41,355
1966	…	…	…	38,464
1967	…	…	…	36,498
1968	…	…	…	33,976

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals about manufacture and repair he has received from British Railways; and whether he has approved them.

The British Railways Board has submitted to me, in accordance with Section 48(4) of the Transport Act 1968, proposals as to the manner in which it is to carry on activities of manufacture and repair for outside persons under Section 48(2) of that Act and manufacture for purposes of the business of the board and of other nationalised transport authorities under Section 13 of the Transport Act 1962.I have approved the proposals without modifications or conditions. As the proposals are lengthy and could not be conveniently set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT, I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Vote Office. Members of the public can obtain copies on written request to my Department.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has put to the International Conference at Brussels on the issues of civil liability arising from accidents or other oil leakages at sea.

The conference, which ended on 29th November, adopted a convention based on a compromise initiated by the United Kingdom delegation led by Lord Devlin. Except in certain limited circumstances it places liability on the tanker owner up to a maximum of £56 a gross ton and subject to a ceiling of £5·8 million. It also provides for compulsory insurance.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the monthly figures of exports of pigs, live and carcase, from the United Kingdom in each of the years 1967, 1968 and 1969.

The following is the information:

UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS
		Swine, live		Meat {fresh, chilled or frozen) of swine
		Number	£'000	cwt.	£'000
1967
January	…	1,795	50	8,253	135
February	…	1,182	31	6,890	122
March	…	1,025	38	6,966	124
April	…	1,208	37	3,990	83
May	…	1,065	33	5,180	92
June	…	1,370	50	5,591	105
July	…	1,192	37	1,951	24
August	…	1,333	36	2,966	59
September	…	1,181	46	6,831	117
October	…	990	26	3,085	53
November	…	136	5	2,570	45
December	…	613	14	3,143	45
Total	…	13,090	402	58,429	1,024
1968
January	…	811	21	454	7
February	…	803	24	1,658	26
March	…	1,349	38	1,031	16
April	…	1,786	51	1,103	17
May	…	977	26	3,952	68
June	…	338	9	1,070	19
July	…	723	21	6,187	99
August	…	1,285	27	1,694	29
September	…	1,187	30	1,384	25
October	…	1,451	42	6,279	106
November	…	1,391	56	3,762	59
December	…	1,198	44	3,858	70
Total	…	13,299	389	36,364	611
1969
January	…	1,185	49	7,525	99
February	…	1,070	35	13,441	192
March	…	3,858	49	12,261	173
April	…	13,293	140	17,797	255
May	…	10,390	124	20,855	331
June	…	10,866	141	23,147	354
July	…	10,831	148	12,052	186
August	…	4,315	63	8,057	129
September	…	4,479	81	20,935	336
October	…	6,180	108	28,752	458
Total	…	64,447	907	166,723	2,545

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to initiate an international standard on tug stability.

Recommendations on the stability standards of new sea-going tugs and other sea-going ships plying on international voyages have recently been circulated to member Governments by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in the recent negotiations with Romania, any further imports of Romanian temperate foodstuffs, of a kind produced in the United Kingdom, were envisaged or encouraged; and which foodstuffs were so covered by the agreement resulting from those discussions.

Most of our imports of temperate foodstuffs from Romania enter the United Kingdom under open licence. For those goods still subject to quantitative restrictions import quotas for the year 1st October, 1969–30th September, 1970, were negotiated in September last. The list of quotas, which includes some temperate foodstuffs, was published in the Board of Trade Journal on 8th October.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the level of exports to and imports from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I am disappointed that our exports to the U.S.S.R. have not continued to grow this year, following the very sharp rise last year, but fluctuations are to be expected when the figures reflect the completion of very large contracts. The rise in imports from the U.S.S.R. is accounted for chiefly by commodities such as furs and skins, diamonds and silver for which London is an entrepôt.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to fulfil the undertakings given by the then Minister of State during the Committee stage of the Companies Act, 1967 in April, 1967, to the Association of International Accountants.

The undertakings given by the then Minister of State were fulfilled by him and his successor. Deputations from the association were received on 6th February and 26th June, 1968.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that during the first half of 1969 4,726 tons of Chinese rabbit carcases were imported into the United Kingdom at a cost of over £1,100,000, reflecting a price below the cost of production, he will now take steps to stop these imports which are causing damage to domestic producers of rabbit meat.

Imports of rabbit meat from China in the first half of 1969 were 3,676 tons, value £862,700 c.i.f. If the hon. Member has any reliable information about Chinese costs of production, I shall be glad to have it. I understand that, following discussions with the Board of Trade, representatives of the British producers are considering the possibility of making an application under the anti-dumping legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive a report from the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Pergamon Press Limited and International Learning Systems Corporation Limited.

The inspectors had hoped to report by the end of this year. Unfortunately, delays now make it unlikely that the report will be available before the middle of next year.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will publish as a White Paper the formal exchanges between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of Tanzania on the question of the payment of the pensions of former colonial civil servants.

No. These exchanges were confidential.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans she has for extending to the Pacific the cheap book scheme.

My Department attaches considerable importance to the extension of the Low Priced Book Scheme to the Pacific, and a proposal to this effect was put to the publishers concerned earlier this year. Unfortunately the publishers, after consulting their agents in Australia and New Zealand, were unable to give the proposal enough support for an extension at present.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what further proposals she has to help in the longer-term reconstruction required arising from the recent Tunisian floods; and what is the total value of aid already given to Tunisia.

Her Majesty's Government have offered Tunisia a grant of £50,000 for urgently needed reconstruction equipment. We are also prepared to provide finance for the offshore costs of a radio/telephone link in central Tunisia to which I referred in my reply of 27th November to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd).—[Vol. 792, c. 592–3.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if, as part of the terms for repayment of the British £8 million development loan offered to the Zambian Government, she will arrange for that Government to buy a number of Beagle Bulldog aircraft, which the Zambian Air Force has standardised as its primary military trainer, and which are to be sold by Beagle Aircraft Limited, a company wholly owned by Her Majesty's Government.

No. Loans offered by my Ministry are for economic and social development and not for defence purposes.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many skilled technicians are assisting in the training of industrial workers in each developing Commonwealth country for the years 1966 to 1968, respectively.

Comprehensive information is not available, but the following table shows the numbers of technical and vocational teachers (other than those in universities and higher technical institutes) who were serving overseas on the dates shown under schemes involving bilateral financial assistance.

	31.12.67	31.12.68	30.6.69
Cyprus	1	1	5
Malta	17	17	21
Botswana	2	2	6
Ghana	17	17	17
Kenya	49	24	21
Lesotho	2	2	5
Malawi	20	22	27
Mauritius	2	1	1
Nigeria	52	44	22
Sierra Leone	6	6	4
Swaziland	2	6	3
Tanzania	30	22	16
Uganda	44	37	35
Zambia	75	84	86
Barbados	3	1	1
Dominica	1	—	—
Jamaica	4	2	3
Trinidad	1	—	—
Turks and Caicos	1	—	1
Associated States (Gen)	—	—	1
Caribbean (Gen)	—	1	—
Guyana	5	4	4
Seychelles	2	—	—
Ceylon	—	1	—
India	2	3	6
Malaysia	2	2	—
Singapore	1	—	4
BSIP	6	6	10
Fiji	12	15	20
GEIC	1	2	3
New Hebrides	—	10	12
Western Samoa	—	—	1
	360	332	335

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what reductions he proposes to make in the pensions of members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Service in order to accommodate the Gcvernment's proposals in respect of National Insurance.

The superannuation terms of members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Service are governed by the Superannuation Acts and associated legislation, which are under review by the Joint Superannuation Committee of the Civil Service National Whitley Council. It is not profitable to try to prejudge the outcome of that review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been carried out with a view to eliminating louping-ill in sheep; whether an effective vaccine has been found; and when he expects it to be available to sheep breeders.

Louping-ill does not lend itself to eradication, and research has, therefore, been directed to developing an effective vaccine. Although the results of recent work have been promising and good progress is being made, it is still too early to judge when a vaccine will be available commercially.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animals were subject to quarantine for rabies on 1st January, 1969; and what additions have been made to the list.

The number of animals undergoing quarantine in approved premises in Great Britain on 4th January, 1969, was 2,134; up to 4th December, 1969, a further 3,979 animals had been imported into Great Britain and quarantined in these premises.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a copy of the regulations affecting quarantine kennels; and when these were last revised.

I have placed in the Library copies of the current Quarantine Regulations covering both cats and dogs, and exotic canines and felines. The last significant revision of the former was in 1965; the latter were introduced in 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the Press correspondents who were invited to attend the briefing on the multi-rôle combat aircraft in his office on the afternoon of 14th May, 1969.

There was no attributable Press briefing in my office on 14th May, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men there were in the British Army of the Rhine, excluding Berlin, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Headquarters outside Germany and the Advanced Base in Belgium on 1st October, 1964, and 1st October, 1969, excluding 6th Brigade also, respectively.

I understand that the hon. Gentleman wishes the answer also to exclude N.O.R.T.H.A.G. H.Q. in Germany but to include officers and women, and to interpret "6th Brigade" as those elements of 6 Brigade and 36 Heavy Air Defence Regiment which have been re-deployed to the United Kingdom since 1968. For 1964 therefore 6 Brigade is not excluded:On this basis the answer is:

on 1st October, 1964	…	50,150
on 1st October, 1969	…	48,100

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress is being made in paying emergency allowances to servicemen serving in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Most servicemen serving in Northern Ireland who are entitled to the Northern Ireland emergency allowance should by now be receiving it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much land in Scotland is currently owned by his Department.

42,637 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the number of teachers in state schools with 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 and more years' teaching experience, respectively.

The information is not available in the form requested. The following figures, for March 1967, give the years of service taken for salary purposes, which are very different from those of actual teaching service.

Years of service for salary	Number of qualified full-time teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools
Under 5	68,188
5 or over but not more than 8	40,633
9 or over but not more than 13	40,937
14 or over	139,524