asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to make an acreage payment on barley and oat crops destroyed by natural disasters after 1st June and which became total crop failures.

No. I cannot regard crops failing before 1st August as available for harvesting and thus eligible for acreage payment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to promote the establishment of a sugar beet factory in the South-West, in view of the increased need for a break crop in Dorset and neighbouring counties and the fact that Kidderminster is a long distance away.

No. It is the responsibility of the British Sugar Corporation to determine the location of beet sugar factories, in the light of the relevant economic considerations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Government propose to take in order to alleviate the disadvantage of price differential in feedingstuffs to the Northern Ireland agricultural industry.

I have at present nothing to add to what was said by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in the Adjournment debate on 21st May.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount of sugar imported in 1968 within the terms of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement; what was the total value; and what estimate he has made of the total cost of buying the same amount of sugar at market prices.

Just over 1·7 million tons of sugar were purchased at the negotiated price under the Agreement, at a cost of almost £82 million free on board ship. The cost of this sugar if purchased from the same countries at the 1968 average world market price would in theory have been approximately £38 million. It is unrealistic, however, to assume that in the absence of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement this tonnage would have been available at this price.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the total imports of sugar in 1968 from each country covered by the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.

Imports of sugar during 1968 from the countries whose sugar industries are members of the Common-Wealth Sugar Agreement Were as follows:

				Tons
Antigua and St. Kitts	…	…	…	29,660
Australia	…	…	…	358,353
Barbados	…	…	…	130,310
British Honduras	…	…	…	22,810
Fiji	…	…	…	130,112
Guyana	…	…	…	142,920
India	…	…	…	24,817
Jamaica	…	…	…	213,653
Mauritius	…	…	…	484,257
Swaziland	…	…	…	84,466
Trinidad and Tobago	…	…	…	131,456

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what shortfall he estimates there will be in the supply of home-grown potatoes this season.

The extent of any shortfall in main crop potatoes this season depends on the demand for old and imported new potatoes in the next six months, on the keeping quality of the home crop—which looks like being above average—and on many other factors. As I see it at present, any shortage to be made up by importing main crop or processed potatoes is likely to be smaller than in 1962–63 when we imported something less than 200,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reduce the risk of indirect infection with rabies inside quarantine kennels.

Indirect infection with rabies inside kennels is no more than a possibility. Current research may shed some light on this. Meantime strict isolation, and high standards of hygiene, are the most effective defence against any form of indirect infection. Further quarantining of any animals exposed to the possibility of indirect infection will be prescribed where a rabies death occurs in approved premises.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which species of animals can be infected by and transmit rabies.

All warm-blooded species; although many of them are not commonly vectors of the disease.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not imposed quarantine restriction on imported cattle.

Imported cattle are subject to quarantine restrictions according to the disease risk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the ratio of civil servants in his Department to farmers in England and Wales

Country				Proportion of total consumption of timber and timber products met by home-grown supplies	Proportion of land area covered by productive woodland	Woodland area
				Per cent.	Per cent.	Million acres
United Kingdom	…	…	…	8	5·5	3·3
Belgium	…	…	…	43	19	1·5
Luxembourg	…	…	…		31	0·2
France	…	…	…	84	20	27
Italy	…	…	…	56	21	15
Netherlands	…	…	…	9	6	0·5
West Germany	…	…	…	58	29	17

No estimates are available for the planned acreage in the year 2000.

The ratios of the numbers of civil servants in my Department to the numbers of employers and self-employed persons in agriculture were approximately as follows:

1951	…	…	…	1 to 6·8
1964	…	…	…	1 to 16·7
1969	…	…	…	1 to 15·4

The 1951 figure takes account of the then separate Ministry of Food, but even now a significant number of the Department's staff are engaged on problems of general food policy, international trading relations, fisheries, and the like. Estimates of the numbers of employers and self-employed persons in agriculture in 1939 and 1945 are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish, on the basis of the information available to him from international sources, the following figures for the Common Market countries along with the comparative figures for the United Kingdom, namely, the degree of self-sufficiency in supplies of timber in every form including pulp and paper, the proportion of the land area covered by productive woodland, the present woodland acreage, and the planned acreage in the year 2000. respectively.

The following table gives the latest available statistics of self-sufficiency in supplies of timber and timber products, and of woodland areas, for the United Kingdom and members of the European Economic Community:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to make capital investment in fish farms in development areas eligible for investment grants.

These activities are outside the scope of the investment grant assistance now administered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology. The artificial farming of marine fish is still at the experimental stage and any question of assistance must await an assessment of its possibilities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement about the export of dogs to Japan.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Ruislip, Northwood (Mr. Crowder) on 25th June.—[Vol. 785, c. 273–4.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that in 1955 milk producers received 3s. 1¼d. per gallon and in 1969 3s. 4¼d., an increase of 7 per cent.; whether he is satisfied as to the milk producers' ability to compete with increasing costs; and if he will make a statement.

The period in question has been one of rising output and productivity. It would not be appropriate to comment on current trends in advance of the Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied at the present balance in agriculture between output and long-term fertility; and if he will make a statement.

As I told the hon. Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Gardner) on 3rd December, I have been concerned about this matter and I have therefore asked the Agricultural Advisory Council to advise on the effect of present practices on soil fertility and soil structure.—[Vol. 792, c. 295.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department last approved a new or newly reconstructed quarantine kennel.

5th December, 1969.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to control the numbers of seals on the North-East coast of England.

As the hon. Member is aware my right hon. Friend has been trying for some time to arrange for further culling of the seals on the Fame Islands. Unfortunately, the owners of the islands, whose consent is necessary under existing arrangements, remain unwilling to grant permission for further culls.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to implement the recommendations of the Swann Report.

Consultations have started on arrangements to give early effect to those recommendations already accepted and specified in my statement on 20th November. When arrangements for particular recommendations have been resolved, my right hon. Friends intend to use their powers under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1956, to further regulate the sale and supply of antibiotics and other substances used in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the gross value per annum averaged over a 50-year period at constant prices of the output obtaining from an acre of average hill land in the North of England growing trees of the most appropriate species and a similar acre of land devoted to hill sheep farming.

I estimate that at the end of a 50-year period the gross returns which might be expected from an acre of forestry in the North of England would be of the order of £900. A similar acre devoted to hill sheep farming might produce about £5 a year throughout the period. Because of the time-lag in forestry, a comparison between these figures would not be meaningful.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the annual cost to the Exchequer in the form of direct grants and subsidies averaged over a 50-year period at constant prices of an average acre of hill land in the northern half of England when devoted to forestry under dedication and hill sheep farming, respectively.

The present cost is about £1 10s. 0d. per acre in each case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of men directly employed each year on an average 10,000 acres of hill farming type land over a 50-year period when devoted to forestry and sheep farming, respectively; and if he will further estimate the ancillary employment due to transporting and processing the product.

I estimate that the number directly engaged in forestry at the present time is about 70 per 10,000 acres and for hill sheep about 30 per 10,000 acres. I can make no reliable estimate of the numbers employed in ancillary activities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of hill farming land, including land designated as national parks, in England are suitable for afforestation; and what is the present acreage of such land under productive woodland management.

About half of the 3 million or so acres of hill farming land in England is probably technically suitable for afforestation. About 600,000 acres of this type of land are already under productive woodland management.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the reduction by 5d. per 1b. on the import levy on pork to the Common Market and the extra 1,300 pigs exported as a result will increase the price of bacon to the home consumer.

The retail prices of bacon in this country are influenced by many factors. It is not possible to identify as a separate element the effect on bacon price levels of any extra pigs exported since the reduction of the Common Market levy on pork.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that in the next two months it is proposed to increase the prices of 293 grocery items including soft drinks, lard, cooking oil, canned meats, canned fruit, sausages, pies, cooked meats, nuts, spaghetti rings, baked beans and soups; and as these price increases will again raise the cost of living, what action he proposes to take to stop these increases.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the price increases for individual lines, including non-food items, listed in The Grocer for 6th December. All the significant food items are covered by my Department's price surveillance arrangements and I am satisfied that there have been no unjustified increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the corporation of Glasgow regarding the future of the city's fee-paying schools; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary had discussions with Glasgow Education Authority about comprehensive reorganisation and about the Education (Scotland) Bill, in October 1967 and December 1968, respectively, which covered the future of the City's fee-paying schools. I understand the authority has taken certain decisions on these schools on which I await details.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to relieve housing societies from requirements to provide detailed information to the Land Commission, in view of the fact that they are not affected by the Commission's operations.

No. Where housing societies have purchased land the Land Commission may sometimes need to ask them for information required for the purpose of assessing levy on the person liable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to make a statement on the proposal to establish a passenger transport authority in the Glasgow area.

Not yet. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him on 19th November.—[Vol. 791, c. 1299–1300.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers have so far been dismissed from teaching for non-registration with the General Teaching Council since registration was made compulsory.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 3rd December to the hon. Gentleman.—[Vol. 792, c. 297.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a circular advising local authorities to set up registers of older people living in their areas.

Local authorities already receive information about elderly people in need of help from a variety of sources and I am not convinced that the compilation of a register would repay the great amount of work involved. Many elderly people do not need help and I would expect some to resent registration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time registrars have been appointed in secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

In January, 1969 there were 79 full-time administrative assistants, including registrars, employed in education authority secondary schools in Scotland. This was 25 more than in January, 1968. I hope that, as resources permit, education authorities will extend the policy of relieving head teachers and other teaching staff of administrative duties so that they may have more time for their professional duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many laboratory assistants are employed by the educational department of the county of Lanark; and if he will make a statement.

None at present, but I understand that the appointment of a number of laboratory assistants next term has been approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the progress made towards implementing the raising of the school-leaving age to 16 years; what representations he has had from organisations asking him to delay implementation; and what replies he has sent.

Yes, although the likely shortage of teachers in some parts of the country remains a cause for concern. I have received a copy of a resolution by the Educational Institute of Scotland in favour of postponing the raising of the school leaving age and have replied that it remains my intention to raise the age in 1972. Two education authorities have notified me of their endorsement of the Institute's resolution.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the total imports of oil seed rape during each of the last three years.

The following is the information:

U.K. IMPORTS OF RAPE SEED
	Year		Tons	£'000 (c.i.f.)
	1966	…	42,137	2,024
	1967	…	40,030	1,770
	1968	…	79,282	3,354
Jan.—Oct.	1968	…	73,430	3,151
Jan.—Oct.	1969	…	63,342	2,724

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Convention adopted in Brussels on 28th November by 28 nations, including Great Britain, under which shipowners will be held responsible for oil pollution of the sea and its consequences, and also on the second Convention giving nations the right to intervene after an accident to safeguard their interests in the face of pollution dangers.

As regards the first Convention, I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer given on 8th December to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell). As regards the second part of the Question, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that the Convention referred to defines the circumstances in which a coastal State may take measures on the high seas to prevent grave and immediate danger to its coastline, or coastal interests, in the event of accidents at sea involving pollution by oil. The Convention requires that measures taken by the coastal State shall be proportionate to the damage which is threatened. There is provision for the payment of compensation by any Party to the Convention which takes measures in contravention of its provisions and for compulsory conciliation followed by arbitration in case of dispute.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with Greece in the sale of nuclear power plant to them; and if he will make a statement on future trade relations with that country.

Negotiations between the parties concerned for the sale of a nuclear power station are still in progress. Exports to Greece are increasing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the safety of trawlers off Iceland during the winter months.

I have stationed a support ship off Iceland this winter to provide weather advice. Other recommendations of the Holland Martin Committee relating to the safety of trawlers in these waters are receiving urgent attention.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, following the agreement reached in consultation with his Department by a consortium of British firms to build in four years an irrigation system in Sadoua Carabia in Romania, what agricultural commodities in value and tonnage he estimates will be imported into this country as a reciprocal part of the agreement.

I understand that British firms have undertaken to purchase £30 million of Romanian food and feedstuffs over the next ten years in connection with this contract. The commodities imported in any year will presumably reflect the supply and demand situation at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that local authorities in Scotland are assisting retired members of the Armed Forces to find suitable housing accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Advice has been given to local authorities in Scotland by the Scottish Development Department about the allocation of housing to ex-Servicemen. We have had no complaints on this score during the last year or so from men who were about to leave, or had recently left, the services.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what administrative steps he proposes to take to ensure that it is possible for the Armed Forces overseas to exercise their right to participate in an election by having a postal vote.

None. The Armed Forces overseas exercise their right to participate in an election by nominating a proxy.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost, including sums recovered from the shipping companies, of damage in transit to military equipment and stores shipped from British ports to Service units overseas in each of the last three years; and what proportion of this was attributable to wanton damage.

The figures which I gave in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 3rd December were gross figures, including sums recovered from shipping companies. Little if any of the damage can be positively attributed to wilful or malicious action.—[Vol. 792, c. 1459.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty's Forces are undertaking full-time courses in universities and colleges of higher education at the present time; and how the number compares with the 1963 figure.

The information required is as follows:

Service	Civilian Educational Establishments	Service Educational Establishments	Total
Royal Navy
1963	79	256	335
1969	191	214	405
Army
1963	102	128	230
1969	208	232	430
Royal Air
Force
1963	81	253	334
1969	289	285	574

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will cancel the Rugby match between the Combined Services Team and the Springboks which is now proposed to take place at Aldershot on 16th December.

It is Government policy to leave to individual clubs whether or not they should play the touring team, and in this the Combined Service Association are not considered to be in a different position to any other club.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to prevent any Service Rugby team from playing against the Springbok touring side.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware that a person, whose name has been sent to him, who has recently served a four-year sentence for arson affecting synagogues in Ilford and Hackney, is now a member of the 4th Battalion, Green Jackets, Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, based on The Cedars, Portway, E.15; and whether he will dismiss him.

I confirm that the individual concerned is at present a serving member of the TAVR unit mentioned. On enlistment he failed to disclose his previous civil convictions and action is being taken to discharge him. I am grateful to the hon. Member for raising this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what review he has made of the conditions of service and payments to members of Her Majesty's forces in Germany since the revaluation of the Deutschemark; and if he will make a statement.

The general conditions of service of Her Majesty's forces serving in Germany have not been affected by the revaluation of the Deutschemark. However, the rates of local overseas allowance have been adjusted to compensate for the effects of revaluation on their pay and allowances.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking to assist the paper and board industry in Scotland in view of recent redundancies.

The full range of development area assistance is available to the paper and board industry in the Scottish Development Area.

asked the Minister of Technology how many applications for industrial development certificates, and for what aggregate area, have been received from companies wishing to establish manufacturing facilities in Rugeley, Staffordshire; and how many have been agreed, and in respect of what aggregate area, for each of the years 1964–65, 196566, 1966–67 and 1967–68.

In the years 1964–68 inclusive, eight industrial development certificates for a total of 140,000 sq. ft. were issued for manufacturing projects over 5,000 sq. ft. in the Rugeley Employment Exchange Area; of these, three, for a total area of 50,000 sq. ft. were new to the area. There were no refusals in this period. I regret that owing to the risk of disclosure of individual projects figures for each year cannot be given.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what arrangements are made by Her Majesty's Government to extend the National Health Service to United Kingdom officials serving in posts in the United States of America through United States private health insurance schemes; and for how long the system has been in operation.

No such arrangements exist.Benefits equivalent to those of the National Health Service are instead extended to the United Kingdom officials in the United States of America through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Medical Scheme which provides for approprate reimbursement of the costs of medical and dental treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the results of his inquiry into the disease that is destroying life in and over the seas around British coasts, and in particular fish and wild fowl, seals and seabirds in the south-west of England.

There is no evidence of any mysterious disease. Investigations into the deaths of sea birds and seals have been co-ordinated by the Natural Environment Research Council which falls within my right hon. Friend's responsibility. They have held two meetings of all the scientists concerned with the seabird incident. Abnormal deaths of seabirds were confined to one species (Guillemots) in the northern Irish Sea and Clyde area over the period mid-September to mid-October. No single factor has been identified as being responsible. Neither fish nor wild fowl nor any other marine organism was affected.The Seals Research Unit of N.E.R.C. have also investigated deaths of the Seals in Cornwall with the help of M.A.F.F. Veterinary Investigation Officers. None of the evidence available indicates any cause of death other than starvation with subsequent secondary infections. This is a major cause of pup death in all seal colonies, often associated with bad weather conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations have been received from the United Nations authorities on the subject of the death of seabirds and seals off the British coast.

No representations have been received from the United Nations Authorities on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will seek powers to obtain from local authorities details of their proposals relating to the number of trade unions recognised for the implementation of closed shop policies.

No. The conditions of service of local authority employees are a matter for agreement between the parties concerned and I can see no purpose in requiring such information.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the figures for unemployment,

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED, IN DUMFRIESSHIRE
(Thousands)
	June, 1964			June, 1968
	Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	3·4	0·4	3·8	2·8	0·4	3·1
Mining arid Quarrying	1·2	0·1	1·3	0·8	—	0·8
Food, Drink and Tobacco	0·4	0·3	0·7	1·0	0·6	1·5
Chemicals and Allied Industries	2·0	0·1	2·1	2·2	0·3	2·5
Metal Manufacture	—	—	—	—	—	—
Engineering and Electrical Goods	0·9	0·1	1·0	1·0	0·1	1·1
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering	—	—	—	—	—	—
Vehicles	0·2	—	0·2	0·1	—	0·1
Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	0·1	—	0·1	0·1	—	0·1
Textiles	0·2	1·1	1·3	0·2	1·1	1·4
Leather, Feather Goods and Fur	—	—	—	—	—	—
Clothing and Footwear	—	—	—	—	—	—
Bricks, Pottery, Glass Cement, etc.	0·1	—	0·1	0·1	—	0·1
Timber, Furniture, etc	0·4	—	0·4	0·5	0·1	0·5
Paper, Printing and Publishing	0·1	0·1	0·2	0·1	0·1	0·2
Other Manufacturing Industries	0·6	0·5	1·1	0·6	0·5	1·2
Construction	2·7	0·1	2·8	2·4	0·1	2·5
Gas, Electricity and Water	0·4	0·1	0·5	0·4	0·1	0·5
Transport and Communication	1·4	0·2	1·6	1·1	0·3	1·4
Distributive Trades	1·8	2·2	4·0	1·3	1·8	3·1
Insurance, Banking and Finance	0·3	0·2	0·4	0·3	0·2	0·5
Professional and Scientific Services	1·0	2·8	3·8	1·1	3·4	4·5
Miscellaneous Services	1·1	1·9	3·0	1·3	1·9	3·2
Public Administration	1·1	0·6	1·7	1·1	0·3	1·4
Persons not classified by industry	—	—	—	0·1	0·1	0·2
All industries and services	19·1	10·8	30·0	18·6	11·3	29·9

The following is the information:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE DUMFRIES, ANNAN, LOCKERBIE AND SANQUHAR EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
		Registered unemployed	Percentage rate
12th October, 1964	…	1,166	3·9
11th October, 1965	…	1,020	3·3
10th October, 1966	…	1,224	4·0
9th October, 1967	…	1,622	5·3
14th October, 1968	…	1,782	6·0
13th October, 1969	…	1,617	5·4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity the number of people in employment under heads I to XXIV, table 40, Digest of Scottish Statistics, in Dumfriesshire on 1st September, 1964 and 1st September, 1969.

Employment estimates for local areas are available only for each mid-year and the latest are for June 1968. Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1) what has been the percentage increase in employee earnings and productivity over the past three, six and 12 months, respectively;(2) what factors are used to calculate percentage changes in national productivity.

There are several possible ways of defining productivity, but the only series for which comprehensive information is available for the whole economy is that which expresses production measured by the gross domestic product (output based at constant prices) as a ratio of changes in the employed labour force (comprising employees in employment, employers, self-employed persons and H.M. Forces). This index is published regularly in the Employment and Productivity Gazette. The most recent figures relate to the first quarter of 1969 and the changes over the preceding three, six and 12 months were -0·8 per cent., +0·2 per cent. and +1·5 per cent. respectively.Changes in average earnings per employee are measured by the monthly index of average earnings. The most recent figure relates to September, 1969, and the seasonally adjusted changes over the preceding three, six and 12 months were +2·1 per cent., +4·1 per cent. and +8·1 per cent. respectively.However, the above figures are not directly comparable because of the different time periods and different bases. A better measure of the relationship between earnings and productivity is provided by the index of wages and salaries per unit of output, which expresses the total wage and salary bill as a ratio of the gross domestic product (income based at constant prices). This index is published in the

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will detail those countries which since Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of independence have withdrawn diplomatic consular or trade missions previously operating in Salisbury.

Belgium, Finland, Japan, and Turkey have closed their consular offices in Salisbury. In addition, Switzerland and West Germany have withdrawn their consular representatives, but maintain administrative officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now publish the Civil Service Report on some aspects of the work of the Community Relations Commission.

No. I have written to the hon. Member explaining my reasons for this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he confirmed the compulsory purchase order for the site bounded by Scotland Road, Boundary Street, and Stanley Road, known as the Rotunda; and why it has not been developed.

A compulsory purchase order for part of this site was confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government in 1957. A further part of the site was, I understand, acquired by Liverpool County Borough Council by agreement and the remaining part was the subject of another compulsory purchase order which was confirmed by the Home Secretary and the Minister of Housing and Local Government in November 1965. The acquisition of this last part of the site is now proceeding. I understand that the city council are reconsidering the use of the site because of the difficulty of developing it for housing at satisfactory cost by reason of traffic noise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further steps he is taking to speed up the reclamation of derelict land, in view of the increase in the amount of derelict land over the last four years.

Following the publication of the Report of the Hunt Committee, the Government announced an enlarged national programme for derelict land clearance. The Local Employment Bill introduced this session enable additional aid to this end to be given to local authorities over a wide area. The increase in the survey figures for derelict land is not a sign that additional land is being despoiled but is the result of new survey work by local authorities and the reclassification of land no longer in operational use due to recent railway and colliery closures.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he has not sent a reply or acknowledgment to a letter addressed to him on 3rd November, 1969, by the planning officer of the City of Exeter concerning proposed alterations to a scheduled property known as The Retreat at Topsham, Exeter, nor to a follow-up letter sent by the owner, Mr. W. H. Cherry, of The Mill House, Thorverton, Exeter, on 25th November, 1969; and when a full reply on both letter will be sent.

The hon. Gentleman is misinformed. An acknowledgment of the city planning officer's letter was sent on 6th November. The question raised was whether a particular structure was covered by the statutory listing of buildings on either side. This involved reference to plans, and legal considerations. A reply (of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy) was sent to the city planning officer on 5th December and a letter was sent on the same date to Mr. Cherry, informing him of this and saying that the city planning officer would no doubt get in touch with him.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what encouragement is given by her Department to skilled technicians to volunteer for assistance in training in basic technical skills in developing Commonwealth countries.

By its support for the societies participating in the British Volunteer Programme my Department assists their efforts to recruit skilled technicians to serve as volunteers overseas. My Department and the British Volunteer Programme seek the co-operation of both sides in industry in releasing young skilled technicians for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many requests were received by her Department, and from which developing Commonwealth countries, for volunteers at skilled technical level for the years 1966 to 1968, respectively.

The number of requests for volunteers at the skilled technician level from developing Commonwealth countries for the years 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69 were as follows. (The figures in brackets show the numbers posted by the voluntary societies.)

		1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
Central and Southern Africa
Botswana	…	12 (6)	8 (3)	10 (4)
Lesotho	…	11 (4)	4 (1)	3 (2)
Malawi	…	25 (12)	13 (8)	13 (10)
Swaziland	…	8 (4)	3 (1)	7 (2)
Zambia	…	14 (6)	6	5
East Africa
Kenya	…	25 (11)	19 (15)	19 (13)
Tanzania	…	20 (3)	19 (11)	17 (12)
Uganda	…	12 (4)	9 (5)	5 (3)
West Africa
Gambia	…	3	3 (1)	2 (1)
Ghana	…	15 (6)	12 (8)	12 (4)
Nigeria	…	32 (29)	40 (3)	31 (6)
Sierra Leone	…	6 (2)	2 (2)	9 (2)
India Ocean
Seychelles	…	—	—	1 (1)
Mediterranean
Malta	…	3 (2)	4 (3)	3 (2)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what revision of hospital capital and current expenditures he proposes to make in order to make the amount spent per head of population in the West Midlands equal to that in the South-East.

I am reviewing the distribution to Hospital Boards of resources for the capital building programme to secure the aim expressed in "The Hospital Building Programme" (Cmnd. 3000) of achieving a common satisfactory service in all parts of the country. I am also considering how the allocation of hospital revenue funds can be adjusted with a view to speeding up the removal of inequalities in standards of service without seriously disrupting the hospital services in the better off Regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are now awaiting admission to hospitals in the Medway towns for operations; and to what extent the numbers on the waiting lists has increased since 31st October, 1968.

At 30th September, 1969, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,636 patients were awaiting admission. The comparable figure for 1968 is 1,630. Figures for 31st October, 1968 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what researches have been made by his Department into the properties of the drug L-Dopa in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease; and with what result.

None. I am advised, however, that there is evidence suggesting that L-Dopa is efficacious in the treatment of some forms of Parkinson's disease. The Medical Research Council has arranged clinical trials of the drug which are continuing. As regards submission to the Committee on Safety of Drugs, I would refer the right hon. Member to my reply on 8th December to the hon. Member for Torrington.—[Vol. 793, c. 10.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the annual number of qualified speech therapists completing their training for the years 1960 to 1969.

I have been asked to reply.The figures for 1960–68 are as follows:

1960	…	…	…	…	99
1961	…	…	…	…	106
1962	…	…	…	…	101
1963	…	…	…	…	110
1964	…	…	…	…	126
1965	…	…	…	…	123
1966	…	…	…	…	122
1967	…	…	…	…	128
1968	…	…	…	…	135

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for improvement of wages and conditions of employment for qualified speech therapists in the National Health Service.

Pay and conditions of service of speech therapists in the National Health Service are a matter in the first instance for the Whitley Council. The last pay increase negotiated by the Council was effective from 1st January, 1969 and I understand that a new claim is in preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the ratios of qualified speech therapists in the National Health Service to population for the various regions of the country.

At 30th September, 1968, the number of hospital service speech therapists per million population of the areas listed was as follows:

(a)	England and Wales	2·9
(b)	England	3·0
(c)	Wales	2·4
(d)	English Regional Hospital areas:
	Newcastle	2·2
	Leeds	2·8
	Sheffield	1·9
	East Anglian	1·3
	Metropolitan Areas	4·5
	Oxford	6·9
	South Western	1·6
	Birmingham	2·0
	Manchester	1·3
	Liverpool	2·9
	Wessex	1·9

I am writing more fully to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he will introduce legislation to enforce a statutory minim urn distance between vehicles using motorways during fog and other poor road conditions;(2) whether he will introduce a lower maximum speed limit on motorways during fog;(3) what research is being conducted by his department into the prevention of accidents on fog-bound motorways;(4) whether, following recent accidents, he will take steps to install comprehen- sive fog and accident warning systems on all motorways;(5) whether he will make a statement on recent multi-vehicle collisions on motorways.

Regulations about separation distances and speeds in fog would be virtually impossible to enforce and could themselves create danger. Fog and accident warning systems already exist on all motorways. The latest form of remotely controlled sign giving advisory speed limits and other information is being installed on the more heavily trafficked motorways initially and later on them all. There is no substitute for careful driving and the proper allowance for weather conditions by drivers which is inherent in the observation of these warnings. The Ministry's recently published Driving Manual gives sound advice on driving in fog. I will examine the evidence about the accidents of the last few days but I do not expect research to produce solutions which only responsible driving can produce.

asked the Minister of Transport what efforts have been made through his Department to improve traffic conditions on Stanmore Hill, Stan-more; and if he will make a statement.

None. This is a metropolitan road for which the Greater London Council is the highway authority. Neither that Council nor the London Borough of Harrow has proposed any improvement schemes in respect of Stanmore Hill for inclusion in our programme. I understand however that the traffic control signals at the junction of Stanmore Hill and Stanmore Broadway are to be modified and that the borough engineer is considering the need for a footway on the eastern side of Stanmore Hill.

asked the Minister of Transport what efforts have been made through his Department to improve traffic conditions in the vicinity of Queensbury Circle, Stanmore; and if he will make a statement.

Following representation from my hon. Friend my Department gave approval in March, 1968 to the borough council's application for a pedestrian crossing to be provided in Streatfield Road near its junction with Honeypot Lane at Queensbury Circle. Neither the Greater London Council nor the London Borough of Harrow have put forward any proposals to the Department for other improvements in the vicinity of Queensbury Circle.

asked the Minister of Transport what information he has sent to local authorities regarding the provisions of the Transport Act 1968 on concessionary fares for old-age pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Information about local authorities' powers under these provisions was sent to local authority associations in a circular of 29th January, 1969, of which my hon. Friend has a copy. Under the provisions, local authorities are now free, if they so wish, to arrange schemes for concessionary fares with local bus undertakings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the equity and of the preference stock of the Compagnie Financiére de Suez is held by the Exchequer; and what is the current value of each holding.

The Government's shareholding is almost 17 per cent. of the total share capital. The current value is about £18·8 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide estimates, from information available to him from international sources, for the percentage growth in gross national product at 1963 constant prices and at 1963 exchange rates between 1964 and the latest period for which information is available for the following countries, namely Canada, the United States of America, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The figures are given below for the period 1964–67. They are based on returns made to O.E.C.D. and are the latest available from that source.

GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT CONSTANT (1963) MARKET PRICES
AVERAGE ANNUAL PERCENTAGE INCREASE 1964–67
Canada	…	…	5·4
U.S.A.	…	…	5·1
Japan	…	…	9·1
Austria	…	…	3·1
Belgium	…	…	3·4
Denmark	…	…	3·6
Norway	…	…	5·0
Portugal	…	…	6·0
Switzerland	…	…	3·0
Sweden	…	…	3·3
Turkey	…	…	6·9
United Kingdom	…	…	2·2

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the reduction in the number of gaming machines in use since the Finance Act, 1969.

We do not have a firm figure of the total number of gaming machines in use before the changes implemented on 1st October, nor, as yet, do we know the number of machines which will be licenced under the new provisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the effect on revenue receipts in 1970–71 of a removal of earned income relief combined with, for earned income, a reduction in the reduced rate of 2s. and in the standard rate of 2s. 3d.;(2) what is his estimate of the effect on revenue receipts in 1970–71 of a removal of earned income relief combined with an increase in the standard rate of 1s. 9d. for all incomes above £5,000 per annum;(3) what is his estimate of the effect on revenue receipts in 1970–71 of a removal of earned income relief combined with, for earned income, the removal of the reduced rate and a reduction of the standard rate of income tax by 2s. 3d.

I regret that the estimates cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made, on any convenient constant price basis, in the estimates for public expenditure in 1969–70 and in 1970–71 as between programmes published in January, 1968 in Command Paper No. 3515, the programmes published in February, 1969 in Command Paper No. 3936, and the programmes published in December, 1969 in Command Paper No. 4234.

Details of the changes between the estimates of public expenditure programmes for 1969–70 published in Cmnd. 3515 and those published in Cmnd. 3936 were given in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for the Isle of Ely (Sir H. Legge-Bourke) on 7th July, 1969. Estimates of expenditure in 1970–71 were not given in Cmnd. 3515. The table in Appendix II to "Public Expenditure 1968–69 to 1973–74" (Cmnd. 4234) compares the estimates of public expenditure programmes for both 1969–70 and 1970–71 as published in Cmnd. 3936 with the latest estimates of expenditure. All these comparisons are on a comparable price basis.—[Vol. 786, c. 206–7.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of interest paid on behalf of Her Majesty's Government under central bank transactions from 1962–63 to 1968–69, inclusive.

It is not customary to dislose details of transactions between Central Banks.