asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on progress with computer education.

Since the hon. Member's Question on 6th March, the Schools Council and industry have together decided to sponsor a four-year project in the preparation of teaching materials for computing in school mathematics. In further education, courses in computer and related studies continue to expand; and facilities costing £3·4 million have been approved over the last four years. The University Grants Committee and the Computer Board have completed the first part of a study of future requirements in universities, and the Government are considering their recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the increase in his Department's expenditure on science during the past five years.

The Science Estimates, including social science, have increased by £57·7 million since 1963–64 to £94·7 million in the current year. This represents an increase of 155 per cent.

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

Yes. Good progress is being made in teacher supply, provision of buildings and curriculum development. Representations from one organisation, the National Women Citizens' Association, were made in May this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities and schools in England and Wales are using the initial teaching alphabet and with what results.

The latest available information is given in the Schools Council Report "Ita—An Independent Evaluation". 2,013 schools in the areas of 140 Authorities were using Ita in 1966. The conclusions in the report are generally favourable to the use of the Ita for children starting to read but this is not regarded as being the only possible new approach to the teaching of reading.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are now being educated in comprehensive schools as compared with the number in 1964.

772,612 in January 1969, as compared with 199,245 in January 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the result of his discussions with the North Riding Education Committee following his rejecting their proposals to build new primary schools in their area.

I have arranged to meet representatives of the North Riding Education Committee on 17th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which persons and organisations he has consulted on the question of his Department providing a nation-wide service specifically for deaf/blind children; and what action he proposes to take.

The Department has consulted local education authorities, and obtained information about children born since 1962 with severe impairment of both sight and hearing. The Department of Health and Social Security is also being consulted. My right hon. Friend proposes shortly to issue guidance to local education authorities whose responsibility it is to provide educational services. The Department organised last July a course for teachers concerned with the education of these children.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has taken to ensure that finger spelling and signing methods of communication are available to those severely deaf children who are unable to benefit from an oral education.

It is for teachers to decide what medium of teaching will be most effective. The Lewis Committee on the education of deaf children drew attention to the use already made of manual media in teaching in many special schools and I look to their report to stimulate interest in the use of these methods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that suxamethonium chloride can be purchased from chemists shops without restriction; and if he will take immediate steps to ensure that proper control is placed on the sale and purchase of this dangerous drug.

My right hon. Friend is referring this drug to the Poisons Board for advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will withdraw financial support to police forces assigned to the protection of the white South African touring team.

The police are present at these matches to preserve the peace not to protect the touring side.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when authority was given for the holding of arms by all police stations in the Metropolitan Police District except substations.

28th August, 1868.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the last 10 years authority has been given for the carrying of arms in the course of an operation by officers from each of the following stations in the Metropolitan Police District, namely, Savile Row, Notting Hill, King's Cross and Bow Street.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases where proceedings have been taken by the Metropolitan Police for motoring offences, either before or at the trial, notice has been given that an absolute discharge will be referred to either on, or in the event of, conviction.

It would involve a disproportionate effort to obtain this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will instruct the Metropolitan Police not to send notices of intention to submit lists of previous convictions invoking an absolute discharge when prosecuting for further and different offences; and whether he will request the Metropolitan Police to withdraw such notices which may have been sent during the past three months.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of robbery or attempted robbery in the Metropolitan area in the 12 months to the last convenient date involved the use of firearms; and if he will give comparable figures for each of the last four years.

The offences known to the police were as follows:

	Total robberies and attempted robberies	Firearm carried
		Actual	Supposed or imitation
1964	1,266	92	40
1965	1,609	114	53
1966	1,992	144	86
1967	2,012	171	42
1968	1,910	225	54
1969 (to 31st October, 1969)	1,820	229	53

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will obtain a report from the Commissioner of Police concerning the murder of a boy aged six years in the vicinity of the Swan and Sugar Loaf public house at South Croydon, whose genitals were cut off and who died as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

The Commissioner of Police has no knowledge of this alleged murder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of dependants of Commonwealth citizens admitted to this country from 1963 to the latest available date.

The following are the figures:

COMMONWEALTH IMMIGRATION, JANUARY, 1963 TO OCTOBER, 1969 DEPENDANTS ADMITTED
	Old Commonwealth	New Commonwealth	Total
1963	1,775	24,459	26,234
1964	1,722	35,738	37,460
1965	1,986	39,228	41,214
1966	2,896	39,130	42,026
1967	2,730	50,083	52,813
1968	1,843	42,036	43,879
January to October, 1969	1,320	24,094	25,414
Totals	14,272	254,768	269,040

In addition 4,771 United Kingdom passport holders were admitted as dependants during March to December, 1968, and a further 3,726 during January to October, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend the visa of Mr. Christopher Nwanaga, a Biafran student remanded at Risley Remand Centre, to allow him to continue his studies in this country.

Mr. Nwanaga was admitted in 1966 for 12 months as a student. He overstayed for 2 years without seeking an extension of stay, gave up his studies and took full-time employment. On 14th October he was convicted of breach of his conditions of admission and recommended for deportation by Manchester City magistrates court. After full consideration of all the relevant circumstances, including the question whether return to Nigeria would be a hazard for Mr. Nwanaga, my right hon. Friend decided to give effect to the recommendation of the court and signed a deportation order on 12th November. Further representations were then received and considered, but they disclose no proper grounds for failing to give effect to the recommendation of the court and arrangements will now be made for Mr. Nwanaga's departure.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will seek a meeting with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry to consider the results of the first six months' work of the Trades Union Congress in carrying out its solemn and binding undertaking regarding the settlement of industrial disputes.

There is close and continuing contact between my Department and the T.U.C. about the handling of industrial disputes, and my right hon. Friend sees no need for a meeting on the lines suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many miners are still unemployed in the Sunderland area; and how many of them are in receipt of the special mining industry redundancy payments.

In the area covered by the Sunderland, Pallion and Southwick Employment Exchanges there were at 10th November, 1969, 375 males registered as wholly unemployed who last worked in coalmining (Minimum List Heading 101 of the Standard Industrial Classification). I am not able to give a precise figures in answer to the second part of the question, but all the 184 redundant mineworkers unemployed at 8th September (the latest date for which I have figures covering this category) were aged 55 and over, and most of these would be eligible for benefit under the Redundant Mineworkers Payments Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why Report No. 132 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes, Command Paper No. 4178, does not contain a note of the persons and/or organisations who submitted evidence to the Board.

The Board is an independent body, and the contents of its reports are its own concern. It is not the Board's normal practice to list in reports those who have given evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether, following the communication from her Department of 4th December to the hon. Member for Coventry, North, she has now examined the procedures for the granting of special exemptions in cases where women are engaged in night-work in factories; and what proposals she has for revising the procedures for these exemptions.

I am still reviewing the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why her Department did not reply until 28th November to the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, drawing attention to the practice of company directors of evading the Government's incomes policy, in view of the fact that the information contained in this reply was negative.

I am sorry there was some delay in replying to my hon. Friend's letter of 10th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity why, in several cases, she has stopped or held up wage and salary increases to lower-paid workers when these increases have been slightly above the Government's norm; and whether in formulating her new policy she will ensure that company directors who have increased their salaries consistently and by amounts in excess of the norm will be subject to similar controls.

It is not clear from the Question what particular cases my hon. Friend has in mind. If he will let me have details, I will write to him. The Government's productivity, prices and incomes policy for the period after 1969 is set out in the White Paper (Cmnd. 4237) which is published today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time details of the number of cases where she has, in accordance with her policy of assisting to raise the pay of the lower-paid workers, taken positive action to increase the pay of these categories of workers, nationally and in the employ of her Department.

Positive action to increase the pay of low paid workers can only be taken by employers and unions. The Government has encouraged and will continue to encourage such action by making special provision for increases to low paid workers in the White Papers on prices and incomes policy. The pay of civil servants is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which organisations for which he is responsible are now carrying out research and trials on food additives, including alternatives to saccharines and cyclamates, with a view to determining their effect on man and his environment; and what is the cost of this work for the current year.

The expert Committees that advise my right hon. Friend on the safety in use of food additives, including saccharin and cyclamates, take full account of the research data available in this country and abroad. But the responsibility for arranging for research to be carried out rests with industry. Guidance to industry is given in the Memorandum on Procedure for Submissions on Food Additives and on Methods of Toxicity Testing published by H.M.S.O. in 1965. Some toxicological testing is done at the British Industrial Biological Research Association, which is financed by industry and grant-aided by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will give a general direction to the Post Office Board that all towns as large as or larger than Corby, Northants, are to be shown on the maps in the latest area telephone directories.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the amounts of the education element in the rate support grant for Warwickshire in the years 1963 to 1969.

Under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1966, rate support grant is not allocated to particular services. But in the negotiations for the present biennium (1969–70 and 1970–71) it was assumed that expenditure on education would be growing nationally at about 3¾ per cent. The estimated rate support grants for Warwickshire County Council for 1969–70 amount to £17,541,911. The corresponding grants for 1963–64 amounted to £11,441,383.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in adjusting the rate support grant to allow for the saving accruing from the increase in the charge for school meals on 1st April, 1970, he will also allow for expenditure on the employment of more teachers.

The saving on school meals expenditure will be taken into account when the effect of any future increases in the level of prices, costs and remuneration on relevant expenditure for rate support grant in 1970–71 is considered but changes in numbers of staff cannot be taken into account. The next main review of the grants will determine the level of grants for 1971–72 and 1972–73. The estimated number of teachers available for service, as well as the revised charge for school meals, will be taken into account in the review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will refuse consent to Wolverhampton's proposal to sell more than seven acres of building land in Tettenhall to private developers, in view of the fact that there are more than 4,000 families on the housing waiting list.

Wolverhampton have not approached my right hon. Friend for permission to sell this site, but they do not have to do so unless it was compulsorily acquired, or is proposed to be sold at less than market price.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what factors have led to increases in the cost of housing repairs and management; and what effect this has on council house rents.

Expenditure on repairs and management is affected by the level of salaries and wages, the cost of materials, the size, character and age of the housing stock, the standard achieved, the efficiency of operations and the extent of works carried out as between one year and another. The statistics published by the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants, which cover most local authorities show the combined average cost of repairs and management in England and Wales as £23 7s. 0d. per dwelling in 1963–64 and £33 3s. 0d. per dwelling in 1967–68. How far this increase was reflected in rent increases depended on the housing account balances and rent policies of each local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in how many overseas dependencies of the United Kingdom not recognised by the United Kingdom as lawfully constitutted and administered States do foreign countries maintain diplomatic, consular or trade missions not accredited to some lawfully constituted British executive authority.

I assume that the hon. Member wishes to raise further questions relating to Southern Rhodesia. Only Diplomatic representatives, but not consular or trade missions, are accredited. As I said in answer to the Question from the hon. Member on 8th December, the accrediting of diplomatic representatives is a matter between States, and the question does not therefore arise in relation to Southern Rhodesia or any dependent territory. The position remains that of the 18 countries with consular missions in Rhodesia at the time of i.d.i., five have withdrawn their consular representatives completely, three have down-graded their missions, and of the remainder, three have only honorary consuls. The presence of consular representatives does not, of course, imply recognition.—[Vol. 793, c. 20–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table showing the number of civilian employees and their annual cost at headquarters and at outstations separately, on 1st April of each year since 1964.

The information requested is set out in the table below. The annual cost figures covering pay

					Headquarters		Outstations
					Numbers	Cost (£m.)	Numbers	Cost (£m.)
1st April, 1964	…	…	…	…	20,855	—	382,200	—
1964–5	…	…	…	…	—	22·3	—	270·0
1st April, 1965	…	…	…	…	20,215	—	361,600	—
1965–66	…	…	…	…	—	24·7	—	284·2
1st April, 1966	…	…	…	…	20,063	—	357,700	—
1966–67	…	…	…	…	—	26·1	—	299·2
1st April, 1967	…	…	…	…	18,739	—	351,400	—
1967–68	…	…	…	…	—	25·6	—	318·3
1st April, 1968	…	…	…	…	13,712	—	344,300	—
1968–69	…	…	…	…	—	19·3	—	347·3
1st April, 1969	…	…	…	…	13,258	—	329,200	—
1969–70	…	…	…	…	—	20·9	—	360·3

Although as the hon. Member is aware there have been some adjustments in the numbers of staff classified as headquarters and outstations between 1st April, 1964, and 1st April, 1969, the above table shows that there has been a net reduction of 60,597 in the total number of civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence within this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish

					Headquarters		Outstations
					Numbers	Cost (£ m.)	Numbers	Cost (£ m.)
1st April, 1964	…	…	…	…	3,352	—	450,600	—
19646–5	…	…	…	…	—	8·4	—	384·0
1st April, 1965	…	…	…	…	3,343	—	452,300	—
1965–66	…	…	…	…	—	8·4	—	401·6
1st April, 1966	…	…	…	…	3,313	—	447,100	—
1966–67	…	…	…	…	—	10·0	—	449·5
1st April, 1967	…	…	…	…	3,276	—	446,900	—
1967–68	…	…	…	…	—	9·8	—	437·3
1st April, 1968	…	…	…	…	3,020	—	426,900	—
1968–69	…	…	…	…	—	8·9	—	440·1
1st April, 1969	…	…	…	…	2,946	—	402,200	—
1969–70	…	…	…	…	—	9·1	—	447·2

Although as the hon. Member is aware there have been some adjustments in the numbers of staff classified as headquarters and outstations between 1st April, 1964, and 1st April, 1969, the above table shows that there has been a net reduction of 48,806 in the number of military personnel employed by the Ministry of Defence between 1st April, 1964, and 1st April, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons have been executed for military or other service offences since 1939; and how many of these executions were carried out overseas.

The information requested is set out in the table below. The annual cost figures covering pay and allowances represent provision made in the original Estimates for each year specified.

During the period 1st January, 1939, to 1st January, 1969, there were 49 executions as a result of sentences passed in accordance with the Service Discipline Acts; 48 of these were carried out overseas. The last in the Army was in 1953; the last in the R.A.F. in 1943; there have been no executions in the Royal Navy since 1860.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made with regard to the disposal of the site of Cateswell Barracks, Stratford Road, Hall Green, in the city of Birming- ham; and if he will state the date upon which the sale will take place.

There is no Government or local authority requirement for this property and it is to be sold on the open market. The date of sale will be fixed immediately the planning authority has given the outline planning permissions which have been applied for.

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 non-attributable briefing on the multi-rôle combat aircraft in his office on the afternoon of 14th May, 1969.

It is not the practice for journalists to reveal the source of any unattributable briefing they receive and it is certainly not for me to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the cost of the land purchased by his Department adjacent to the A5 trunk road in the borough of Tamworth; what is the present annual income from this land; and what is its proposed use.

The cost of the land acquired, including two plots of which parts were used for improvements of the A5 in 1967, was £13,902; the current annual income is £159; 2,360 square yards are to be sold and the remaining 7,494 square yards are being retained for the time being in case they are required for improvement of the A5.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he has taken to inform local authorities of the provisions of Section 138 of the Transport Act, 1968, which enables them to provide concessions for elderly people on non-municipal buses.

Information about local authorities' powers under these pro- visions was sent to local authority associations in a circular of 29th January, 1969. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. Local authorities are free to arrange these concessions on non-municipal bus services, if they wish to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed strike of the British Road Services.

I understand from the National Freight Corporation that normal working has now been resumed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Torquay can expect a reply to a letter addressed to the Financial Secretary, enclosing constituents' representations about the new fifty penny piece, which he wrote and despatched on 7th November, 1969.

I have now replied both to the hon. Gentleman's letter of 7th November and to his further letter of 24th November in which he revised a view he had earlier expressed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of public expenditure in 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, and 1973–74 at 1965 survey prices, on a definition consistent with that used in the National Plan.

The estimates of public expenditure for 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1973–74 at 1965 Survey prices on a definition consistent with that used in the National Plan are £13,350 million, £13,800 million, £14,200 million and £14,625 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring up to date by giving further details for 1968–69, 1969–70, and, where available 1970–71, the figures for total supply expenditure, public expenditure, gross domestic product, etc., which he furnished on 4th March, 1969.

The table below brings up to date the information given in reply to the hon. Member on 4th March, 1969,

OUTTURN AT OUTTURN PRICES
£ million
	1959–60	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65
Total Supply Expenditure	4,530	4,986	5,364	5,679	6,025	6,510
Public expenditure as defined in national plan(3)	7,078	7,625	8,459	8,922	9,707	10,472
Public expenditure as defined in Treasury analysis in "National Income and Expenditure 1969"(8).	9,017	9,681	10,686	11,099	12,067	13,062
Gross Domestic Product at Factor Cost	21,547	22,959	24,341	25,459	27,458	29,418
Gross National Product at Factor Cost	21,813	23,217	24,610	25,794	27,872	29,818
Taxation(10)	7,052	7,443	8,389	8,747	9,120	10,075

					Estimates
	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71
Total Supply Expenditure	7,137	8,136	9,893	10,810(1)	12,022(2)	n.a.
Public expenditure as defined in national plan(3)	11,725	12,801(4)	14,649(5)	15,715(6)	16,530(7)	17,044(7)
Public expenditure as defined in Treasury analysis in "National Income and Expenditure 1969"(8).	14,466	15,959(4)	18,165(5)	19,169(6)	20,057(9)	20,754(9)
Gross Domestic Product at Factor Cost	31,419	33,076	34,805	36,530	n.a.	n.a.
Gross National Product at Factor Cost	31,875	33,498	35,223	37,020	n.a.	n.a.
Taxation(10)	11,415	12,484	13,707	15,727	17,750(11)	18,413(11)
(1) Issues to departments from the Consolidated Fund.
(2) Total Estimates presented to date; no account is taken of possible underspendings.
(3) Excludes capital expenditure by the nationalised industries, the broadcasting authorities and the Covent Garden Market Authority, and debt interest.
(4) Includes introduction of S.E.T. additional payments for part year.
(5) Includes S.E.T. additional payments for full year and introduction of R.E.P. and investment grants.
(6) Provisional outturn.
(7) As in "Public Expenditure 1968–69 to 1973–74" (Cmnd. 4234), excluding relative price effect, at 1969–70 outturn prices. Imputed rent is excluded.
(8) Includes capital expenditure by the nationalised industries, etc., and debt interest.
(9) As in Cmnd. 4234 at 1969–70 outturn prices. Imputed rent is excluded.
(10) Taxes on income, expenditure and capital, local rates, and National Insurance, National Health and Redundancy Fund contributions.
(11) As included in Cmnd. 4234, Table 1.2 at 1969–70 outturn prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring up to date, by including estimates for the years 1970–71 to 1973–74, details of the annual increase in public expenditure at constant prices published on 6th March, 1969.

The year-to-year percentage increases are as follows:

				Percentage increase
1960–61 on 1959–60	…	…	…	4
1961–62 on 1960–61	…	…	…	7½
1962–63 on 1961–62	…	…	…	1
1963–64 on 1962–63	…	…	…	4½
1964–65 on 1963–64	…	…	…	3½
1965–66 on 1964–65	…	…	…	6½
1966–67 on 1965–66	…	…	…	3½
1967–68 on 1966–67	…	…	…	7

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake research in his Department into the correlation between home and export production and performance, and the consequences of various fiscal policies on the part of Great Britain's major export competitors; and whether he will make a statement.

These are wide issues which, in different aspects, often receive attention, sometimes as topics for specific research, but if the hon. Member has any particular project in mind perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the works undertaken by his Department for the Ministry of Defence during the past five years in which an original estimate cost of over £4¼ million has been exceeded by more than 20 per cent.

It is not the practice to publish lists of Defence works services. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources are available under the Social Work (Scotland) Act to assist new community centres established in Glasgow.

Most community centres are provided by education authorities and town councils and expenditure on them is reek onable for rate support grant. Under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937 local authorities are empowered to make grants to voluntary organisations providing community centres. While local authorities are also enabled by the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1968 to make grants to voluntary organisations the sole or primary object of which is to promote social welfare, I would not expect them to use their powers under this Act to establish community centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland where the Scottish forestry education and training centre is to be located.

After full consideration of proposals from several education authorities and of views expressed by many interested bodies, including both sides of the industry, I am inviting Inverness Education Authority to make permanent provision for craft level courses, temporary arrangements for which are helpfully being undertaken by Midlothian Education Authority during the current session.Existing facilities at Inverness Technical College will be used at the outset, but I am asking the Authority to put plans in hand for a new centre at the College. This will be designed specifically for forestry education and training and will be developed in close consultation with the Industry Training Board to meet the needs of this expanding industry in Scotland.As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has announced in reply to another Question, supervisory level courses will be provided on a Great Britain basis at the Cumberland and Westmorland College of Agriculture and Forestry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the fraud rate in claims for National Assistance by single women and deserted wives.

In 1965, the last full year of the National Assistance scheme, the National Assistance Board examined nearly 152,000 casepapers representing the total load of claims from deserted wives, divorced women with children and women with illegitimate children. A preliminary examination discarded 97,000 cases as not dserving further investigation. In the remaining 55,000 cases detailed investigation was completed and it was considered that evidence of fraud had been found in 11,000 of them; that is a fraud rate of 20 per cent. of suspect cases and under 7½ per cent. of the total numbers in this category of claimant. Since then there have been smaller, limited inquiries, and none of these suggests that the percentage of fraud among these claimants has increased, although the number of claimants in this category has risen substantially since 1965. Naturally, the morea particular inquiry concentrates on the most suspect cases, the higher the fraud rate is likely to be in relation to the scope of the inquiry. It must also be remembered that in this field (deserted wives and fatherless families) a case of fraud may often be accompanied or provoked by grave social and human problems and, indeed, not be readily separable from them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for increasing the number of speech therapists in the National Health Service.

Numbers of of speech therapists employed in the National Health Service have increased over the last 4 years at an annual average rate of 6 per cent. Assessment of future needs must await the report of the Committee of Enquiry into the Speech Therapy Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that Mr. Stanley Fenwick of 1 Park Terrace, Swalwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, is not being given the necessary medical treatment under the National Health Service; and if he will make an inquiry into the matter.

Mr. Fenwick is not at present on the list of a doctor in the National Health Service. The Durham Executive Council have written to him explaining that he should apply for acceptance by a doctor and that if he cannot get accepted, he should seek the help of the Executive Council. Meanwhile, if he needs treatment in an emergency, he may approach any doctor in the National Health Service in his area.

asked the Minister of Technology if the annual return and first year accounts of the wholly Government-owned Beagle Aircraft Limited will be filed by March, 1970, under Sections 126 and 131 of the Companies Act, 1948, in view of the fact that Beagle Aircraft (1968) Limited No. 935754 was incorporated on 19th July, 1968, and that the name of this company was changed to Beagle Aircraft Limited in August, 1968.

The filing of the first annual return and accounts of Beagle Aircraft Ltd., for the period ended 31st March, 1969, is the statutory responsibility of the Board of that company.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will give an assurance that the debts to its suppliers owed by the Beagle Aircraft Company which is 100 per cent. owned by the Government will be paid.

Until the Receiver and Manager appointed on 2nd December, 1969, has completed his examination into Beagle's affairs, the company's ability to meet its creditors will not be known.

asked the Minister of Technology whether Beagle Aviation Finance Limited is wholly owned by Her Majesty's Government in the same way as Beagle Aircraft Limited; and what is the purpose of the former company.

Her Majesty's Government have had no connection with or interest in Beagle Aviation Finance Limited.

asked the Minister of Technology what percentage of private households only receive electricity for both heating and lighting purposes; and what were the corresponding percentages for 1949 and 1959.

Most households are connected to the public electricity supply. From sample surveys the Electricity Council estimate that about 80 per cent. of electricity consumers in England and Wales own one or more electric space heating appliances. Corresponding figures for 1949 and 1959 are 60 and 65 per cent. respectively. Precise information about the proportion of households which receive only electricity is not available, but if my hon. Friend has any particular point in mind perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he is aware that since the establishment of the National Coal Board many pits have been closed and many workers, both industrial and non-industrial, have been made redundant, whereas the salaries and expenses of the Board have risen; and whether, in view of the Government's policy of reducing expenditure, he will take action to reduce the cost of administration by reducing the membership of the Board, their salaries and expenses.

Yes, and No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations for a trans-Siberian air route for the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

Discussions with the U.S.S.R. about such a route have taken place over the last few months at both government and airline level and indeed are in progress in Moscow at the present time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for a re-examination of the 1946 Bermuda Agreement between this country and the United States of America for the regulation of air services between the two countries; and whether he will make a statement.

We already have much in mind the practical working of the Air Services Agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States of America.