asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the progress so far of the transfer of traffic from roads to railways following upon the Transport Act, 1968.

I cannot say how much traffic was transferred from road to rail during 1969, but freightliner traffic increased by 45 per cent. during the year and there was also an increase in other rail freight, excluding coal.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the braking standards and provisions of heavy goods vehicles being constructed for 44 tons gross vehicle weight; and whether he will make a statement.

This is something which I am currently investigating as part of my consideration of the industry's proposal that there should be a 44 ton weight limit.

asked the Minister of Transport what guidance has been sought by, and given to, the manufacturers of goods vehicles with regard to the manufacture of vehicles whose weight or dimensions exceed the present legal limit.

There have been discussions on various technical aspects of heavier and in some cases marginally longer vehicles. In these discussions we have emphasised that there can be no presumption that the limits will be raised.

asked the Minister of Transport what discussions he has had with bus undertakings, prior to laying regulations, about the effects of drivers' hours reductions.

I have had extensive consultations with the organisations representative of both sides of the bus industry. My proposals for exemptions to deal with certain special categories of services, and for temporary exemptions to assist in the maintenance of essential public transport, will be placed before the House shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total capital expenditure incurred by British Railways on new passenger locomotives, passenger rolling stock, freight locomotives and freight rolling stock, respectively, during 1969.

The British Railways Board informs me that in 1969 there was no capital expenditure on new locomotives. Its provisional figures show that about £13 million was spent on new passenger rolling stock and about £6 million on new freight rolling stock.

asked the Minister of Transport how many trains were derailed in 1969; and what were the comparable figures five and 10 years previously, respectively.

The provisional figure for reportable derailments on all railways in Great Britain during 1969 is 417. Comparable figures for 1964 and 1959 were 236 and 215 respectively.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has yet made a decision on the proposed electrification of the main line from Crewe to Glasgow.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport what improvements are planned, and when, to the Shildon to Heighington trunk road.

Proposals to improve this principal road have been submitted by the Durham County Council as highway authority and are under consideration for inclusion in our preparation list.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made with the Bishop Auckland bypass.

The scheme is in preparation by Durham County Council, as highway authority. It has not yet been included in our firm programme.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his estimate of the number of driving test bookings that will be handled after 2nd February by the proposed centres at Aberfeldy, Alloa, Blairgowrie, Callander, Crieff, Cupar, Dunblane, Dunfermline, Kinross, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Pitlochry and St. Andrews.

Applications for driving tests at the centres to which my hon. Friend refers will from 2nd February be handled by the main office of the Scottish traffic Area in Edinburgh instead of the sub-office in Aberdeen. This change will not affect the number of tests conducted at these centres, which amount to about 400 a week at present.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, during the winter months, he will restrict the speed on all motorways whenever an advance weather report indicates that such restriction is desirable; and if he will make an announcement to this effect on the previous day.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport how many casualties were caused by the multiple accidents which occurred on 8th December in the fog on the M6; how many arose from vehicles crossing the central reservation; and if he will now construct crash barriers on this motorway.

Three people were killed, seven seriously injured and seven slightly injured. None of the accidents was caused by a vehicle crossing the central reserve. I shall consider the question of crash barriers on M6 as soon as I have completed my review of criteria.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will investigate the multiple crashes which occurred during fog on the M1 and M6 in the last few days with a view to establishing whether articulated vehicles are more difficult to control in such conditions.

Inquiries disclose no evidence that difficulty in controlling articulated vehicles was a factor in these accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport when he now estimates that the M1-M5 link motorway will be started and completed; and if he will make a statement.

Preparatory work has not yet reached the stage at which a firm starting date can be set.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will authorise a special piercing rear light to be used on vehicles on motorways only when there is blockage of traffic, with a view to preventing pile up accidents.

Specially bright red rear lights are already permitted—though they must not be used unnecessarily so as to dazzle people. The use of all four flashing direction indicators is also permitted as a hazard warning device.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the cause of the delay in announcing a date for the commencement of work on the A61-A590 Arnside Link Road.

There has been no delay. The position remains as stated in my answer to my hon. Friend's Question on 9th December last.—[Vol. 793, c. 57.]

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of the number of lives saved by the breathalyser since its introduction.

Since the Road Safety Act, 1967, came into force, the number of road deaths has fallen on average by about 1,000 a year. The particularly heavy reduction in accidents between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. indicates that the drink and drive legislation played the greater part.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he proposes to take in relation to the memorandum submitted to him by the Law Society relating to breath testing.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro) and my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy) earlier today.

asked the Minister of Transport what new appointment he is making to the Lancaster Port Commission.

A casual vacancy has arisen and I will be appointing a new member as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what is his estimate of the compensation to be paid to the city and county of Bristol for the whole of their dock undertaking under the provisions of the Ports Bill;(2) what is his estimate of the value of the lands, buildings and rights represented by the Bristol City Docks to be vested in the National Ports Authority under the provisions of the Ports Bill.

The proposals in the Ports Bill in relation to the harbour undertakings of local councils are for a transfer on terms usual for transfers within the public sector. The National Ports Authority will make a payment to the corporation to cover the interest on, or redemption or repayment of, loans and advances outstanding in relation to the undertaking. Compensation will be paid only for expenses arising out of severance of the undertaking from the corporation's other activities. In these circumstances it would not be appropriate, even if it were practicable, for me to make any estimate of the value of the undertaking or of particular parts of it.

asked the Minister of Transport when he now anticipates that the responsibility for subventions arranged by British Railways towards services provided by municipal and independent operators will be transferred to the National Bus Company.

Negotiations are in progress, and I cannot yet say when the transfer of responsibility is likely to take place.

asked the Minister of Transport how many properties belonging to British Railways are available for sale to the nearest available date; and what is the average time taken to receive authority for such sales to proceed to completion.

The British Railways Board is responsible for disposing of its surplus property. I understand that it completed about 2,500 sales in 1969, but information about the number of properties for sale at any given time is not readily available. In normal circumstances it authorises a sale within about a month of agreement on a price.

asked the Minister of Transport how many acres of land formerly occupied by railways have been released for house-building during the last three months.

British Railways are responsible for the disposal of their surplus land; they say that in the last three months of 1969 they sold approximately 1,800 acres of land, but they do not know how much of this will be used for house building.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the confusion caused by different regulations for parking of vehicles without lights in different towns; and whether he will take action to get the procedure standardised.

Yes. My Department will be consulting representative bodies on proposals for standard rules based on a simplified version of the regulations at present in force in London.

asked the Minister of Transport what instructions he has given to examiners conducting road safety tests on cattle floats to ensure that there is not undue delay in livestock reaching their destination.

We have issued no specific instructions to examiners conducting road safety checks on laden cattle floats, because we would not expect any undue delay to arise from these activities.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the enforcement of present statutory requirements relating to motor vehicle tyres; and if he will make a statement.

The combined efforts of the police and vehicle examiners provide a reasonable standard of enforcement which will not be relaxed.Prosecutions for tyre offences increased from 6,395 in 1967 to 18,168 in 1968 and figures for 1969 are likely to be higher again. Tyre defects were a reason for failure in the annual test of about 5 per cent. of cars and about 2½ per cent. of heavier goods vehicles during 1969.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now introduce an annual test for commercial vehicles, including a requirement relating to noise levels.

Annual tests of mechanical condition are already required for all commercial vehicles over three years old, and by April, 1971 will be required after one year, and thereafter annually, for the heavier vehicles. We are considering the possibility of introducing a noise check into the heavy goods vehicle test.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now ask the appropriate transport users' consultative committee for a report on the effects of weather on the operations of British Railways, Southern Region, in view of the fact that the information made available to passengers about cancellations and delays is inadequate.

No. My right hon. Friend does not think it appropriate to refer this matter to the Consultative Committee. It is, of course, always open to the committees to look into this aspect of the problem if they think it right: indeed, I know that the Central Committee has recently put some views to the Railways Board.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the Railways Board to ensure that when passenger trains take more than twice the advertised time to complete a journey the fare paid by passengers will be refunded.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport when the new computer-controlled warning lights will be provided on the stretch of the M6 road at Thelwall.

Early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport what will be the amount of the grant payable by his Department in the second half of 1970 towards the cost of providing the Euston-Stranraer boat train; and whether he will make a statement.

In his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Manuel) on 18th December, 1969, my right hon. Friend explained that he had restricted the grant for the Euston-Stranraer service to six months to enable an examination to be made of the most suitable future arrangements for providing the service. This examination has not yet been completed.—[Vol. 793, c. 395–401.]

asked the Minister of Transport what improvements both major and minor, have been made to the A127 between Gallows Corner and Southend during the last five years; and how much each of these cost.

As the answer is rather lengthy I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the information:

A. TRUNK ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
	£
Footbridge at Fortune of War, Laindon	13,857
Improvement of Rayleigh Weir Roundabout	105,190
South carriageway Brook Road—bus layby	2,000
Pound Lane, North Benfleet. Deceleration splay	4,000
Widening and superelevation at junctions A127/Rayleigh Spur	21,919
Realignment of bends west of Summer Hill Garages, Basildon	12,840
Acceleration and deceleration lane and bus layby Gardiners Lane, Basildon	10,000
Bus layby at Pipps Hill, Basildon	5,000
Turning spaces at Pound Lane, Church Road and Bracken Mount, Basildon	5,159
Turning spaces at Nevendon Road North and Pipps Hill, Billericay	4,471
Improvement west of Nevendon Roundabout to the Harrows Public House	50,868
Laybys south-west of Pipps Hill, Basildon	3,150
Splays at junction with Childer-ditch Lane, Little Warley	10,500
Realignment between Hovefields and the Cricketer's	10,500
Improvement east of A176 to west of Nevendon Roundabout	69,108
Dunton Flyover	646,115
Widening from Childerditch Lane to east of A176 underpass	125,782
Nevendon Roundabout. Removal of roundabout and installation of traffic signals (interim scheme pending grade separation)	37,150
Improvement of southern and northern carriageways Rayleigh Weir to Southend Borough Boundary	69,000
Total	1,196,609

asked the Minister of Transport what consultations he held with the local road safety office in Guildford and with residents of Orchard Road, Burpham, before reaching his decision to make permanent the prohibition of vehicles making a right-hand turn into Orchard Road.

No direct consultations were held, but the Guildford Borough Council no doubt had advice from its road safety officer when recommending to my right hon. Friend that he should make the experimental prohibition permanent. My right hon. Friend has also been informed by correspondence of the views of the residents of Orchard Road.No decision will be taken until objections lodged have been considered and weighed against the merits of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the decision of the London Transport Executive to double the price of its 6d. fares upon the introduction of decimal coinage.

No, not at this stage. When detailed proposals are available the Government will consider whether reference to the board should be made.

asked the Minister of Transport how many countries have ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic; and, of those, how many make it obligatory on motorists to carry advance warning triangles.

Her Majesty's Government have not yet been informed that any country has ratified the convention.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made towards an international standard for advance warning triangles carried by motorists.

A draft is being discussed by a working party of the Economic Commission for Europe. It is possible that outstanding points will be resolved at the working party's next meeting in March.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to amend the law relating to the supply by agencies of relief drivers to road haulage firms; and whether he will make a statement.

The Road Traffic Act, 1960 and the Transport Act, 1968 require the employer of a lorry driver to hold a carrier's licence and an operator's licence in appropriate cases. This is causing some difficulty as there are a number of agencies which employ drivers solely for hiring to road haulage firms, but do not themselves operate any vehicles. I am considering whether any change in the law is needed to deal with this situation.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make it a condition of his approval of plans submitted to him for the extension of London Transport Railways in South-West London that such plans shall provide for a service through Roehampton; and if he will make a statement.

No. Proposals for individual London Transport projects are now initially a matter for the London Transport Executive and the Greater London Council.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the blighting implications for Bebington of the proposal by the Merseyside Land Use and Transportation Study for a major crossing of the Mersey between Bromborough and Liverpool, he will make a statement of his policy on the feasibility, desirability, timing and detailed routing of such a scheme.

The study indicated that a third crossing of the Mersey in this area was ultimately desirable, but not before the 1980s. It is for the local authorities on Merseyside to initiate for my right hon. Friend's consideration proposals for a crossing, including the timing and route.

asked the Minister of Transport how many complaints he has received over the last year from people who were refused a refund of the driving test fee.

I regret that the information which my hon. Friend requires is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost and effort.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will review the policy of refusing any refunds for driving test fees where three clear days' notice have not been given in cases where it was impossible for the person so involved to give such notice.

We have recently completed such a review and have concluded, reluctantly, that we cannot recommend any change in the present law, which is designed to keep down costs in the interests of all candidates.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he has taken to ensure that as far as possible local labour will be employed in the construction of the new Hylton Bridge over the River Wear.

It is not the Ministry's practice to require its contractors for highway works to employ local labour but in so far as suitable labour is available locally, contractors should find it advantageous to employ them.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the River Wear Commissioners about the development of a small containerisation berth at Sunderland.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has concerning the future of toll bridges.

I have nothing to add to what I said earlier today in reply to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten).

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the intended withdrawal by London Transport Executive of two bus services of the three at present serving Parliament Hill Fields will cause passengers inconvenience and involve fare increases through enforced interchange; if he will scrutinise these proposals in accordance with the

	Casualties
	Fatal	Serious	Fatal and serious	Percentage change on previous year
1965—Thursday, 23rd-Monday, 27th December	132	1,546	1,678	ֵ
1966—Friday, 23rd-Tuesday, 27th December	192	1,799	1,991	+19
1967—Friday, 22nd-Tuesday, 26th December	123	1,262	1,385	-30
1968—Sunday, 22nd-Thursday, 26th December	142	1,499	1,641	+18

			Private cars and private vans licensed	Percentage change on previous year	Driving licences held	Percentage change on previous year
			('000s)		('000s)
1965	…	…	8,917	ֵ	15,000	ֵ
1966	…	…	9,513	+7	15,650	+4
1967	…	…	10,303	+8	16,400	+5
1968	…	…	10,816	+5	16,800	+2

Under the Transport (London) Act, 1969 the operation of bus services in Greater London is a matter for the London Transport Executive, subject to the policy control of the Greater London Council. The Government are, of course, concerned in the question of whether any general price increases proposed by the Executive conform to the prices and incomes policy, but I am not aware of any firm proposals of this kind which warrant a reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes at this stage.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will analyse the road accidents, including deaths and injuries over the Christmas and New Year periods, for the last five years, allied with, in separate figures, the increase in licensed cars on the road and licensed drivers, and presented in the appropriate percentages.

The presentation of a special analysis in the full detail requested would entail undue expenditure, but the following information already available gives the main details required for the Christmas periods from 1965 to 1968. Similar analyses have not been made for the New Year. I will write to the hon. Lady when definitive figures for 1969 are available.

asked the Minister of Transport when he intends to publish the intended route for the M3 through the Winchester area; and whether a route through the Itchen Valley one of the alternatives which is under consideration.

We have received the results of a feasibility study investigating possible routes for a new high grade road between Popham and the South of Winchester. When these have been examined in detail my right hon. Friend will announce a decision about the selection of a scheme for further preparation. Proposals for a preferred line will subsequently be published in accordance with established statutory procedures. A route to the east of Winchester is one of the alternatives cohered by the study.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will refer the increase by the British Railways Board in platform tickets from 3d. to 6d. to the National Board for Prices and Incomes; and whether he will make a statement.

No. The Railways Board is following the recommendation of the National Board for Prices and Incomes that it should adopt a policy of market pricing in fixing its charges for the services and facilities which it offers.The Railways Board has told me that the price of 3d. for a platform ticket has remained in force for five years and it has decided it should now be increased to a price more in accord with present-day costs.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value of road building projects within the Gateshead area approved in each of the last 10 years and the estimated value of approved expenditure in 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72.

I regret the information is not immediately available but I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to replace the traffic island which used to stand in Parliament Square opposite the entrance to New Palace Yard.

This is a matter for the Greater London Council, as highway authority, and the Metropolitan Police. I understand the island is to be replaced shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the National Bus Company to make an investigation into the present standard and quality of passenger services provided by its subsidiary companies, and publish the results of the investigation.

I do not consider a general direction either appropriate or necessary. The National Bus Company is aware of the deficiencies in some of the services, primarily owing to staff shortages, and is making strenuous efforts to overcome them.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will issue a general direction to the Railways Board to instal de-icing equipment on points on all passenger routes.

No. This must be a matter for the Railways Board, which already has a continuing programme for the installation of points heaters.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent his Department has carried out spot checks on road vehicles to see whether the various regulations on licences, brakes, tyres and road-worthy certificates were being complied with, and with what results; and what plans he has for such investigations during 1970.

During the 12 months ending on 30th September, 1969, the numbers of vehicles checked in respect of mechanical condition were as follows:

Heavy goods vehicles	102,660
Light goods vehicles, cars and motor cycles	3,842

38,611 (38 per cent.) heavy goods vehicles had prohibitions imposed, of which 10,233 (10 per cent.) had immediate effect. This shows a slight reduction in the proportion of defective vehicles.1,832 (64 per cent.) other vehicles checked fell short of the standards of the annual test of vehicles three or more years old. This failure rate has risen, largely due to the inclusion of tyres as a specific testable item.Our officers have no powers to require production of test certificates, but in general if a vehicle is of testable age, a current test certificate must accompany any application for an excise licence.With regard to compliance with carriers licensing regulations, during the same period some 238,000 vehicles were checked, and approximately 6,800 summonses issued, resulting in over 1,100 prosecutions.During 1970, although we consider that the remaining stages of plating and testing, and the completion of inspections of operators maintenance arrangements, must continue to receive high priority, we intend to carry out at least as many spot checks of vehicle conditions as in 1969. Enforcement effort in respect of licensing and allied matters is expected to remain at about the current level.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects the Marshall Committee to report on trunk road maintenance.

Publication of the committee's report, which will cover the maintenance of all classes of road, is expected towards the middle of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the accident rate for fatal, serious, slight and all injury accidents for motorways and for trunk and principal roads, respectively, in Great Britain for the latest convenient period.

The information is not available in the precise form requested. The following rates are the most recent available:

ACCIDENTS PER HUNDRED MILLION MOTOR VEHICLE MILES
	Fatal accidents (1968)	Serious accidents (1968)	Slight accidents (1966)	All injury accidents (1966)
Motorways	2	10	24	40
A roads	6	56	173	251
B roads	5	64	185	271

Trunk and principal roads are mainly A roads: a small proportion are B roads.Rates for slight and for all injury accidents are given for 1966, data not being available for 1968. With the subsequent general fall in accident rates they will be higher than the equivalent rates for 1968.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give an assurance that the tolls to be charged for goods transported by rail through the Channel Tunnel will be reduced in respect of train loads conveyed by liner train to and from destinations other than the Channel Tunnel terminals.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain) today.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress British Railways are making with the development of the advanced high speed passenger train; and if he will make a statement.

The development programme for the advanced passenger train which is being carried out by the British Railways Board at its research centre at Derby is proceeding satisfactorily. The board has placed various contracts including those for the building of body shells and of gas turbines for the experimental trains. It is expected that an experimental train will be running on the track in the latter half of 1971 and that two prototype trains will be in service in 1974.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to announce his decision in respect of the appeal lodged with him by a number of local authorities in North Derbyshire against the withdrawal of scholars' concessionary fares by the North Western Road Car Company Limited.

My right hon. Friend has not yet reached a decision on this appeal but hopes to do so shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what studies are being made of methods of avoiding accidents caused by stationary vehicles already involved in accidents being run into by other vehicles, especially after dark.

We are studying the relative merits of the hazard warning devices at present permitted and shall make proposals shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will issue a general direction to British Railways that they should make free parking at railway station car parks available to season-ticket holders.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to reduce the restrictions under which local authorities can offer reduced bus fares to retirement pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Provisions in the Transport Act, 1968 and the Transport (London) Act, 1969 have already removed restrictions on local authorities' powers to arrange these concessions if they so wish.

asked the Minister of Transport if he intends to proceed with the implementation of the special authorisation procedure for road haulage in 1970.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave him on 9th December last on this subject.—[Vol. 793; c. 64.]

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent the recent bilateral agreement between the United Kingdom and Italy will restrict the movement of United Kingdom foreign trade carried by international road vehicles.

The agreement provides for 2,400 journeys per annum for British hauliers and a similar number for Italian hauliers. The quota is well below the needs of our hauliers, and Anglo/Italian trade will suffer to the extent that traffic cannot satisfactorily be transferred to Italian vehicles or other means of transport. We have made strong representations to the Italian authorities about the inadequacy of the quota, and negotiations on this subject are at present in progress.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the growing tendency of narrow roads and streets to become virtually impassable due to two- and three-lane parking, and that this impedes the free flow of the public service vehicles such as those of fire, ambulance and police services; and what steps he intends taking during 1970 to alleviate this problem.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 11th November, 1969. My right hon. Friend would take appropriate action if this situation arose on a trunk road.—[Vol. 791; c. 57.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the London Borough of Brent or its predecessor, the Borough of Willesden, last designated slum property in its area; how many units were so designated; and if he will make a statement.

The last clearance areas in Brent were those covering 342 unfit houses declared at South Kilburn in April, 1964, and June, 1965. Compulsory purchase of these and some fit dwellings was confirmed in December, 1966. I understand that some 320 houses are still standing. Ninety-eight of these are boarded up, 59 obsolescent properties not classified as slums when the order was confirmed but which have probably deteriorated are still occupied, and 165 houses confirmed to be unfit are still standing and occupied by more than 500 families. In addition, 350 houses occupied by some 700 families are still standing in the area of the earlier Stonebridge redevelopment scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that the conversion to decimal currency of the coin locks on public conveniences by local authorities and others does not lead to an increase in the cost of spending a penny.

My right hon. Friend does not control these matters. As to the introduction of decimal currency generally, he has asked local authorities to play their part in seeing that an overall increase in prices does not result.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is satisfied that the procedure for arriving at fair rents under the Rent Act, 1965, is operating equitably as between landlords and tenants; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that rent officers and rent assessment com- mittees are properly determining fair rents in accordance with the principles laid down in the Rent Act, 1965 (now the Rent Act, 1968). A committee recently set up under the chairmanship of Mr. Hugh Francis, Q.C., is inquiring into the operation of the rent regulation system, and my right hon. Friend would prefer to await its report before considering whether to make any statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total amount paid out by the Government under the mortgage option scheme in each of the years of the scheme's operation; and what proportion of this money has gone to assist Scottish house-buyers.

The amounts paid out by the Government in England, Wales and Scotland respectively are as follows:

• 1st April, 1968–31st March, 1969—£6,650,529; £92,572; £39,151.
• 1st April, 1969–31st December, 1969—£6,369,753; £101,261; £33,265.

The amounts to be paid in the last quarter of the financial year 1969–70, when the increased rates of subsidy apply, will include amounts paid to lenders who submit claims not quarterly but annually. These amounts are paid according to the location of the lender's registered or head office, not according to the location of the property on which the loan is made, and since a number of English building societies operate on a substantial scale in Scotland and Wales it can be supposed that an appreciable amount of the payments from the English Vote is for the benefit of Scottish and Welsh borrowers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what grants from the Exchequer are available to local authorities for the maintenance, upkeep or preservation of buildings of historic or architectural interest.

Under the Historic Building and Ancient Monuments Act, 1953 grants may be made to local authorities towards the cost of repairs to, and the maintenance and upkeep of, individual buildings (including the contents and adjacent land) of outstanding historic or architectural interest in their ownership or tenancy. The cost of local authority grants for these purposes to owners of historic buildings which form part of a group of outstanding interest may be reimbursed in part.With the agreement of the Treasury grants may be given in some circumstances towards local authority expenses in acquiring individual buildings of special architectural or historic interest.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many prosecutions have been undertaken each year by local authorities since the Noise Abatement Act came into operation in 1960.

I regret that this information is not centrally available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has to protect the tenancies of occupants of premises now excluded from the benefit of the Rent Act by over-assessment for rates; and if he will make a statement.

None. The House of Lords has established that the relevant statutory provision is operating as intended.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now make a statement about the response to his Department's recent advertising campaign about the services of rent officers.

Applications to rent officers by tenants for registration of fair rents during the two months of the campaign and during the next two months, compared with the four months preceding the campaign increased by 20 per cent. in London and 44 per cent. outside London. There were considerable variations within London, and between panels in the rest of England.Both in London and the rest of England a majority of rent officers report inquiries as being about 30 per cent. more than usual during the campaign period.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now make an order bringing Part II of the Caravan Sites Act, 1968 into operation.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I intend, in the very near future, to make an Order bringing Part II into force in England and Wales with effect from 1st April, 1970. We trust that local authorities will now go ahead and provide sites for gipsies as quickly as possible. We shall be issuing a circular of advice and will shortly be consulting the local authority associations about it.We pay tribute to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) and other hon. Members for the considerable contribution they have made towards finding a solution to this problem.I very much hope that the gipsies themselves will respond to this step by making a real effort to avoid the damage to amenity which at present sometimes results from their stay on unauthorised sites.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in Government expenditure between December, 1964 and January, 1970.

Central Government expenditure (excluding investment grants, regional employment premiums and selective employment tax additional payments) at constant prices rose by 22 per cent. between the year ending 31st December, 1964 and that ending 30th September, 1969—the latest 12 month period for which figures are available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the fact that it is more advantageous for many couples to live in sin than to marry because of the present income tax regulations, if he will consider allowing husband and wife to decide as to how they want to have their income tax assessed.

The present system is more favourable for the great majority of married couples than taxing them as two single people. I have, however, noted the hon. Lady's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of the £116 million in miscellaneous capital transactions contained in Table D of the Scottish Budget.

Following is the information:

	1967–68
	£ million
Accruals of purchase tax, etc.	-65
Receipts from certain pension "funds" (net)	66
Net borrowing by Northern Ireland central government	7
Changes in cash balances, etc.	108
	116

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of the £251 million in miscellaneous receipts contained in Table D of the Scottish Budget.

Following is the information:

	1967–68
	£ million
Miscellaneous taxes on expenditure	54
Motor vehicle duties, Northern Ireland	7
Accruals of purchase tax, etc.	65
Other interest and dividends	83
Surplus revenue, THC and ISHRA	5
Receipts of interest by National Insurance Funds, etc.	44
Balancing item	-7
	251

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, as at 1st January, 1970, the companies in which the Government has an indirect shareholding through public corporations or nationalised industries; and what is the value and number of shares held in each case.

The information is contained in the annual reports and accounts of the nationalised industries and public corporations. I shall send copies of these documents to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of Inland Revenue staff in each of the last 10 years, and the number of hours overtime worked in each year.

The numbers of staff at 1st April each year were:

1960	56,042	including casual clerical staff
1961	58,168
1962	57,253
1963	59,770
1964	58,022
1965	57,708
1966	59,518
1967	61,118	excluding casual clerical staff
1968	63,591
1969	65,241

The approximate hours of overtime worked during each year ended 31st March were:

	Hours
1960	1,100,000
1961	1,300,000
1962	1,100,000
1963	1,760,000
1964	850,000
1965	440,000
1966	800,000
1967	1,070,000
1968	2,100,000
1969	1,900,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the result of her recent consultations with representatives of the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry on the latest version of prices and incomes policy.

The Government decided their policy on productivity, prices and incomes after the end of 1969 as set out in the White Paper (Cmnd. 4237) in the light of the views expressed to my right hon. Friend by the T.U.C. and the C.B.I. The T.U.C. and C.B.I. have since publicised their views on the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of persons

		1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
Coal mining
Number of persons killed	…	198	216	160	151	115
Percentage to total persons employed	…	0·038	0·045	0·036	0·036	0·031
Other mining and quarrying
Number of persons killed	…	46	40	31	30	43
Percentage to total persons employed	…	0·086	0·076	0·062	0·061	0·091
Building and Construction
Number of persons killed	…	271	230	288	197	238
Percentage to total persons employed	…	0·0218	0·0179	0·0225	0·0165	0·0205
Motor car manufacturing
Number of persons killed	…	10	9	9	8	9
Percentage of total persons employed	…	0·0025	0·0022	0·0022	0·0021	0·0023
Fishing
Number of persons killed	…	30	49	34	21	84
Percentage to total persons employed	…	0·117	0·194	0·141	0·091	0·384

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the capital cost of the new Engineering Industries Training Board building in Croydon.

About £95,000.

asked the Prime Minister what is the cost to public funds of the visit of the Prime Minister's representative, Lord Hunt, to Nigeria.

I have been asked to reply.The cost to public funds in respect of Lord Hunt himself is estimated at £480. The additional cost for the party of four who accompanied him is estimated at £1,800.

asked the Prime Minister if he has accepted the invitation

The particulars requested are as follows:of the Roumanian Prime Minister to pay an official visit to Roumania; whether a date for this visit has been fixed; and whether he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.There is nothing at this stage to add to paragraph 15 of the communiqué issued at the conclusion of the visit of the Roumanian Prime Minister on 29th November, which is available in the Library.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set up an inter-departmental survey of East-West trade during the 1960s, and a project plan for the development of United Kingdom trade in this expanding market during the 1970s; and whether he will make a statement.

No. I am satisfied that the existing inter-departmental arrangements for keeping under review the development of trade with these countries are adequate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider taking steps to provide a Government subsidy, similar to that available in certain circumstances under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, to encourage local authorities to provide attractive and properly furnished municipal camping sites.

We have no plans at present to provide a Government subsidy for the purpose mentioned.

DEATHS ON FISHING VESSELS—SCOTLAND
		1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
INSHORE VESSELS (below 80 feet length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	10	10	9	8	11
(b) Died of injuries	…	1	1	—	1	1
(c) Population at risk	…	8,596	8,569	8,618	8,338	8,101
		(including 2,068 partially employed)	(including 2,088 partially employed)	(including 2,084 partially employed)	(including 1,847 partially employed)	(including 1,740 partially employed)
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	·116	·116	·104	·095	·135
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	·048	·048	—	·054	·012
NEAR WATER VESSELS (80 feet-109·9 feet length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	1	—	—	—	1
(b) Died of injuries	…	—	—	—	—	—
(c) Population at risk	…	638	614	614	603	596
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	·156	—	—	—	·167
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	—	—	—	—	—
MIDDLE WATER VESSELS (110 feet-139·9 feet length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	2	15	1	—	4
(b) Died of injuries	…	1	—	—	—	—
(c) Population at risk	…	984	931	878	932	936
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	·203	1·61	·113	—	·427
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	·101	—	—	—	—
DISTANT WATER VESSELS (140 feet and over length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	1	—	—	1	—
(b) Died of injuries	…	—	—	—	—	—
(c) Population at risk	…	31	31	47	31	31
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	3·22	—	—	3·22	—
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	—	—	—	—	—

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of fishermen who were lost at sea and died of injuries received while at sea in the inshore,

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of fishermen who were lost at sea and died of injuries received while at sea in the inshore, middle and distant water fishing fleets in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date; and if he will express the casualties as a percentage of those employed in each category at the time.

The information requested is given in the following tables, which also cover deaths in the near water fishing fleet.middle and distant water fishing fleets based on ports in England and Wales in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date; and if he will express the casualties as a percentage of those employed in each category at the time.

The information requested is given in the following

DEATHS ON FISHING VESSELS—ENGLAND AND WALES
		1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
INSHORE VESSELS (below 80 feet length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	—	1	3	3	2
(b) Died of injuries	…	—	—	—	1	—
(c) Population at risk	…	7,757	7,587	6,488	6,400	6,129
		(including 3,712 partially employed)	(including 3,811 partially employed)	(including 3,155 partially employed)	(including 2,964 partially employed)	(including 2,511 partially employed)
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	—	·013	·046	·046	·032
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	—	—	—	·015	—
NEAR WATER VESSELS (80 feet-109·9 feet length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	1	9	—	—	1
(b) Died of injuries	…	1	2	—	—	—
(c) Population at risk	…	1,600	1,572	1,534	1,460	1,305
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	·062	·572	—	—	·076
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	·062	·127	—	—	—
MIDDLE WATER VESSELS (110 feet-139·9 feet length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	1	2	1	2	—
(b) Died of injuries	…	—	—	—	—	—
(c) Population at risk	…	1,714	1,714	1,617	1,548	1,476
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	·058	·116	·061	·129	—
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	—	—	—	—	—
DISTANT WATER VESSELS (140 feet and over length):
(a) Lost at sea	…	6	8	20	3	62
(b) Died of injuries	…	5	1	—	2	2
(c) Population at risk	…	4,347	4,236	4,302	3,778	3,311
(a) as a percentage of (c)	…	·138	·188	·464	·079	1·87
(b) as a percentage of (c)	…	·115	·023	—	·052	·060

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present average acreage of farms in England and Wales; and how this compares with the figure for 1960.

The figures, which relate to agricultural holdings exceeding one acre in extent, are as follows:

Based on	1969 (acres)	1960 (acres)
Crops, Grass and Rough Grazing	111	80
Crops and Grass only	99	71

The 1969 figures are based on a holding count which excludes some 47,000 holdings with a small acreage and a negli-

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Army personnel did not accompany a Royal Ulster Constabulary patrol in Balaclava Street, Belfast, on Wednesday, 14th January.

The reintroduction of unaccompanied Royal Ulster Constabulary patrols into the Falls Road area of Belfast is part of the progressive restoration of normal policing in all parts of the province.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the

		County Antrim	County Armagh	Belfast	County Down	County Fermanagh	County Londonderry	County Tyrone	Total*
Total applications to serve in Ulster Defence Regiment	…	192	259	329	224	63	271	274	1625
Members of the Ulster Special Constabulary (included in total applications)	…	57	179	22	98	33	152	159	700
* Thirteen applicants have not yet stated which county battalion they wish to join; none of these is a member of the Ulster Special Constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will identify the service vessel in which it was planned to ferry supplies, transport and ammunition to 45 Royal Marine Commando on exercises in Norway; why she had to be withdrawn from the exercise; and why no service substitute was available.