asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the recent increases in the prices of Unilever's margarine and fats were approved by his Department under the early warning arrangements; and what reasons were given to him for these increases.

No. Unilever notified my Department under the early warning arrangements of proposed increases in the prices of its margarines and compound cooking fats. It was informed that a decision could not be reached until further information had been provided. After the early warning period had elapsed, the firm, owing to a misunderstanding, raised its prices before supplying additional information. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity and I have, however, now asked the National Board for Prices and Incomes to consider the trends of costs, prices and profitability in the margarine and compound cooking fats industry.

(i) The Law Commission's Proposals
Titles of relevant Reports	Date of Publication	Whether Implemented
Proposals to abolish certain ancient criminal offences (Law Com. No. 3).	22. 6.66	Criminal Law Act 1967.
Proposals for reform of the law relating to maintenance and champerty (Law Com. No. 7).	22.11.66	Criminal Law Act 1967.
Report on the powers of appeal courts to sit in private and the restrictions upon publicity in domestic proceedings (Law Com. No. 8: Cmnd. 3149).	23.11.66	Domestic and Appellate Proceedings (Restriction of Publicity) Act 1968.
Transfer of Land: Interim Report on root of title to freehold land (Law Com. No. 9).	14. 2.67	Law of Property Act 1969.
Imputed criminal intent (Director of Public Prosecutions v. Smith) (Law Com. No. 10).	28. 2.67	In part by section 8 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967.
Transfer of Land: Report on restrictive covenants (Law Com. No. 11).	22. 3.67	In part by section 28 of the Law of Property Act 1969.
Civil Liability for Animals (Law Com. No. 13)	21.12.67	Animals Bill now before Parliament.
Blood Tests and the proof of paternity in civil proceedings (Law Com. No. 16).	31.10.68	Family Law Reform Act 1969.
Landlord and Tenant: Report on the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, Part II (Law Com. No. 17).	22. 1.69	Law of Property Act 1969
Transfer of Land: Report on land charges affecting unregistered land (Law Com. No. 18).	22. 3.69	Law of Property Act 1969.
Proceedings against estates (Law Com. No. 19)	2. 5.69	Proceedings against Estates Bill now before Parliament
Interpretation of Statutes (Joint Report with Scottish Law Commission) (Law Com. No. 21).	11. 6.69	No.
Statute Law Revision: First Report (Law Com. No. 22)	8. 7.69	Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1969.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether a decision has yet been taken on whether the normal retiring age for civil servants is to remain at 60; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government do not intend to propose any change in the retiring age during the current review of Civil Service superannuation arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of officers in each Service, and each of the women's Services, who began in the ranks, and express each total as a percentage of the total number of officers.

Estimated figures, based on recent data, are shown for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force, and the corresponding Women's Services. I regret that the detail requested is not available for the Army.

	Officer Strengths as at 1st January, 1970	Officers who began in the ranks other than those who enlisted as potential officers (Estimated)	Percentage (b) of (a) (Estimated)
	(a)	(b)
R.N. & R.M.	10,975	3,400	31
R.A.F.	19,074	6,676	35
W.R.N.S.	244	203	83
W.R.A.F.	448	67	15

I apologise to my hon. Friend and the House that the facts on which my statement in column 1685 of HANSARD, 28th January, were based have since been shown to be wrong.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian personnel are currently employed in defence establishments in Wales.

About 11,600, not including those employed in Ministry of Technology establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when she will announce results from the current review of the structure and work of the employment exchanges.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what percentage of registrants at employment exchanges are in employment at the time of registration.

During the year ended 12th January, 1970, about 10 per cent. of adult registrants at employment exchanges were in employment at the time of registration. The proportion for the Professional and Executive Register is much higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many managers of employment exchanges are university graduates.

Sixteen.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many managers of employment exchanges have a salary of less than £1,500 per annum; and how many have a salary of more than £2,500.

131 have a salary of less than £1,500 per annum and 137 a salary of more than £2,500 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the average salary level of registrants with the Professional and Executive Register.

No statistics are kept of the salary of registrants but most are probably in the £1,500 to £2,500 range.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will take steps to provide for the Professional and Executive Register to act in conjunction with private employment agencies and for charging employers for the service.

My right hon. Friend is not contemplating any joint action of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish in HANSARD details for the longest convenient period since the introduction of the prices and incomes policy of the numbers and types of wages and salary applications which have been made, granted, delayed and refused, the average increases and the number of workers affected and their industries, and similar particulars for chairmen of nationalised and statutory boards, and civil servants.

No. For any period long enough to be useful, the cost would be disproportionate.

AUTHORISED STARTS 1970–71
		£
Mansfield
Ethel Wainwright County Infants	New school for 240 pupils	64,355
Southwell County Infants	New school for 240 pupils	60,255
Stapleford
Albany County Infants	New school for 240 pupils	64,355
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Carsic Lane County Primary	Instalment (280 places) of new school for 320 pupils.	72,045
Mansfield
Berry Hill County Infants	New school for 240 pupils	61,255
Hucknall
Wood Lane County Primary	New school for 320 pupils	79,650
Worksop
Prospect Hill County Primary	New school for 320 pupils	80,157
Blidworth
Church of England (Aided) Primary	New 8 class school for 320 pupils	80,157
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Stanton Hill Junior	New school for 320 pupils	79,650
Radcliffe-on-Trent Secondary	Extension to 4 fe (300 places)	173,420
Southwell
Edward Cludd Church of England (Controlled)
Secondary	Extension by 1 fe (150 places)	87,825
	TOTAL	903,124
Minor Works		280,000
Special allocation for raising the school leaving age		475,000
	GRAND TOTAL	1,658,124

PRELIMINARY LIST (PROJECTS EXPECTED TO START IN 1971–72)
Chilwell
Comprehensive School	5 fe instalment of new 8 fe school (750 places).	370,749
Eastwood
Hall Park Secondary School	Extension by 1 fe (150 places)	98,527
Arnold
Redhill County Secondary School	Extension to 6 fe (390 places)	207,425
Kimberley
County Secondary School	Extension by 2 fe (300 places)	164,379
Carlton
Gedling County Secondary School	Extension by 2 fe (300 places)	174,211
Selston
Matthew Holland County Secondary School	Extension to 5 fe (150 places)	98,334
Worksop
Cavendish/Hartland Comprehensive School	Extension to 8 fe (210 places)	72,020
Chilwell
Field Lane County Infant School	New school for 240 pupils	64,355
	TOTAL	1,250,000
Minor Works		290,000
Special allocation for raising the school leaving age		665,000
	GRAND TOTAL	2,205,000

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list the school-building programme and expenditure involved on each school for Nottinghamshire in 1970–71 and 1971–72.

The programmes, as announced, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is now the procedure, following the Government's acceptance of the Latey proposals, for pupils who have attained the age of 18 years in secondary schools who wish to withdraw from school assembly and religious education in circumstances where their parents are unwilling to request that they be excused.

No case of this kind has come to my notice. The statutory provisions relating to the procedure for the withdrawal of pupils from religious education have not been affected by the Government's acceptance of the Latey proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use of computers is made in the Passport Office.

The Passport Office makes no use of a computer at the present time. However, a study is currently in progress to determine what part of the passport issuing processes might economically be computerised without detriment to an expeditious service to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of United Kingdom passports at present in circulation, the total administrative cost of issuing a new passport to a citizen for the first time, of renewing an expired passport and issuing a fresh passport, respectively; and what are the corresponding charges made to individuals in respect of these services.

1,095,750 passports were issued in the United Kingdom in 1969 and the approximate number of passports currently valid is 6½ million. It is not possible to cost with complete accuracy any one of the many different services provided by the Passport Office but it is estimated that the total administrative cost of issuing a passport in 1969 was £1 9s. and the cost of the renewal of a passport 13s. No separate statistics are maintained of passports issued other than for the first time. The fee for the issue of a passport is £2 and that for the renewal of an existing one is £1.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available to Her Majesty's Government as a party to the Antarctic Treaty about the six Soviet scientific stations established on that continent; and if he will place in the Library of the House a map of Antarctica showing the location of British, Soviet, American and other establishments, and the numbers of scientific and other personnel whose presence at these bases have been notified to the United Nations, or to Great Britain as a party to the Treaty.

In accordance with Article VII(5) of the Antarctic Treaty, signatory nations with expeditions in the Antarctic exchange information annually about their plans for the next summer navigation season and the following winter.Under this procedure the Soviet Government have informed Her Majesty's Government about continued Soviet activities at the following five stations (date of establishment in brackets): "Mirny" (1956), "Vostok" (1957), "Novolazarevskaya" (1961), "Molodezhnaya" (1962) and "Bellingshausen" (1968). They have also reported that a search will be made for a site for a sixth station to be named "Leningradskaya", to be established either this season or next on the Oates Coast. If a suitable site is discovered and the station is successfully established this season, we would expect to be informed of its position by the Soviet authorities in accordance with Recommendation II-VI of the Second Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which calls for the exchange of information on the modification of planned activities notified under Article VII(5) of the Treaty.Soviet scientific work in the Antarctic is primarily concerned with collecting geophysical observations, but Soviet experts have also undertaken a considerable amount of topographical and geological survey and glaciological research. Her Majesty's Government receives annually from Moscow a list of all the scientists with a note on the subjects they will study; a detailed programme of the scientific work; information about aircraft and ground vehicles, radio communications, landing conditions for aircraft and facilities for rescue and medical aid. In addition, the exchange of scientists which takes place from time to time under Article III of the treaty provides an opportunity for participating nations to obtain detailed information about the scientific programmes at each others' stations.A map showing the stations to be occupied in the treaty area during the Antarctic winter season of 1970 is being prepared and will be placed in the Library as soon as it is completed. Particulars of the stations by nationality expected to be in operation during the coming winter season, and the estimated numbers of personnel engaged, are as follows:

Nation	Number of Stations	Number of Scientists	Number of Support Personnel
Argentina	7	39	79
Australia	3	24	32
Chile	3	22	37
France	1	14	13
Japan	1	16	14
New Zealand	2	24	24
South Africa	1	10	8
United Kingdom	6	41	40
U.S.A.	4	27	200
U.S.S.R	5*	91*	123*
Totals	32	308	570
* Figures do not include "Leningradskaya".

In the summer re-supply season the population of the Antarctic treaty area of course goes up for a short period (to about 3,000 people at the present time, including additional scientists).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give an assurance that Her Majesty's Government's collaboration with the Dutch and German Governments for the producing of enriched uranium from the gas centrifuge process is not conditional upon British membership of Euratom.

The intention of Her Majesty's Government to collaborate with the Netherlands and German Governments on the development and exploitation of the gas centrifuge process for enriching uranium is not dependent upon the outcome of our application to join Euratom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will arrange for an inquiry into the reasons why a Hull police constable, in darkness at night, took a legally separated husband in his police Panda car to his wife's house, with him forced his way into the house and took part in an hour's assault on the wife until ordered out by Crowle Street Police Station;(2) whether he will call for a report from the chief constable as to why a Hull woman, who made a complaint of assault by her legally separated husband and a police constable, was detained at the Central Police Station for four and a half hours, and as to why, soon after she had left the station, two other criminal investigation department officers were sent to her house to ask her to go to the station on the following day for a second statement, when she was detained for two and a quarter hours;(3) whether he will call for a report from the chief constable as to why two statements of complaint by a Hull woman of assault by her legally separated husband and a police constable were taken, one by a Crowle Street male inspector and the other by a Gordon Street female criminal investigation detective officer, and as to any discrepancies between these two statements and one taken from a witness;(4) whether he will call for a report from the chief constable as to why a senior Hull police officer instructed a Gordon Street criminal investigation department woman officer to take a second statement from a woman who had complained of an assault by her legally separated husband and a police constable, omitting all references to the police constable;

My right Friend has called for a report and will write to my hon. Friend when he has had an opportunity to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for licences under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 were made to the Home Office in 1968; and with what result.

2,693 licences were granted in 1968. The number of licence applications received by the Home Office, and the number of refusals, are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute proceedings for forgery against those responsible for the letter, purporting to come from the Race Relations Board, asking firms to raise the proportion of their Afro-Asian employees to 25 per cent., which has been circulated in the Birmingham area.

I understand that no such letter has been issued by the Race Relations Board.Any prosecution would be a matter for the police, who are, I understand, making inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the general practice adopted by the Metropolitan Police regarding the keeping of records of motoring offences; why records of such offences which occurred less than nine months ago in the Tottenham area have been destroyed; and whether all records are destroyed within nine months.

Where a fixed penalty is paid, the Metropolitan police copy of the original notice is usually destroyed seven months after the date of issue. Where a fixed penalty has not been paid and proceedings have been taken for the alleged offence, the copy of the notice is usually destroyed six months after the court hearing. In either case the copy may be kept longer if there has been correspondence on the subject. In cases not dealt with under the fixed penalty system, records of convictions are kept for much longer periods. Records are also kept of disqualifications from driving during the currency of the disqualification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the chairman, joint deputy chairman and members of the Community Relations Commission are paid from public funds; and whether they are entitled to claim expenses.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "Yes".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reason for the delay in the publication of the Holroyd Report on fire prevention; and when he now intends to publish it.

The committee has not completed its report, but hopes to do so by Easter. There will be no avoidable delay in publishing it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the practice of evading payment of road fund licences, not registering vehicles, and parking on yellow band areas, relying on the fact that, there being no record of ownership, a ticket fine is unenforceable; whether he is satisfied that the method of traffic wardens going to the addresses of the last registered owner will overcome this problem; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the difficulties that face the Metropolitan Police in enforcing these provisions, and of the measures being taken by the Commissioner to overcome them. I hope that the employment of traffic wardens will help in the enforcement of the law relating to parking and will also reduce the burden that would otherwise fall on regular members of the force.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to publish the report of the Northern Technical Working Party of the Water Resources Board.

The Water Resources Board's Report on Water Resources in the North will be published later this month. The report of the Board's Northern Technical Working Party was to be published at the same time, but it has been delayed by printing difficulties, and will appear a few weeks later.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if, in advance of local government reorganisation, which by creating larger units will risk more teachers and public employees becoming ineligible for local government service, he will review the criteria for disqualification of such people.

As explained in paragraph 78 of the White Paper on the reform of local government in England, the Government take the view that with the creation of fewer and larger authorities a liberalisation of the law on disqualification is desirable, and they propose to discuss the matter with local authorities and others concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will undertake an examination of the work of the Northern Economic Planning Council with a view to increasing the potential for further job opportunities in the Blyth constituency and throughout the Northern Region in view of the present unemployment position and the proposals for further pit closures.

I would not regard this as appropriate. The Government are in broad agreement with the pattern of development indicated in the council's outline strategy for the North up to 1981 published last April. This identifies as a major area of growth the Tyne/Wear area, which includes Blyth.My right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology continues to give all encouragement possible to firms to take full advantage of the substantial assistance available for industrial expansion in the development areas and of the additional incentives to incoming industry in special development areas such as Blyth.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning whether he will seek to ensure that in recommending the composition of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution the public health inspectors employed by local authorities are adequately represented.

I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will list the business experts of national standing who have recently worked at the Supplies Division of his Department; and if he will publish their reports.

Members of the Panel of Businessmen under the Chairmanship of Sir Robert Bellinger; P.A. Management Consultants Ltd.; the Anne Shaw Organisation. Their reports are confidential to the Department and will not be published.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the number of items on the catalogue list of the Supplies Division of his Department at the end of each of the last five years; and if he will give the total value of the stocks held of these items on the same dates.

The information requested is as follows:

		Number of Items in M.P.B.W. Coded Catalogue	Value of Stock
			£
December, 1965	…	4,241	1,540,000
December, 1966	…	4,163	2,600,000
December, 1967	…	4,581	3,850,000
December, 1968	…	3,913	3,500,000
December. 1969	…	3,542	3,700,000

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the total value, during the most recent convenient year, of items procured by his Department on behalf of each of the following Departments, namely, Defence, Health and Social Security, Transport, Employment and Productivity, Agriculture, Board of Trade and Technology.

The total value of items procured by M.P.B. during the financial year 1968–69 on behalf of the Departments named, was as follows:

		£
Defence	…	13,200,000
Health amp; Social Security	…	7,000,000
Transport	…	10,000
Employment amp; Productivity	…	1,385,000
Agriculture, Fisheries amp; Food	…	3,500
Board of Trade	…	18,000
Technology	…	11,000

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will list those Government Departments for which his Department does not procure office furniture, liquid and solid fuel, and firefighting equipment, respectively.

None, except that Ministry of Defence procures its own boiler fuels as well as vehicle and aviation fuels for most Departments.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the total value of his Department's stock, the spare footage of its stores holding and the number of its staff at the end of 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969, respectively.

The information requested is as follows:

Date		Total Stores Staff	Value of Stocks (Figures are for succeeding March)
			£
December, 1964	…	589	1,780,000
December, 1965	…	730	4,900,000
December, 1966	…	748	4,175,000
December, 1967	…	735	3,830,000
December, 1968	…	625	3,990,000
December, 1969	…	580	3,825,000
			(Estimated)

Although at various times there was unallocated space, because of the ebb and flow of stocks there was no spare footage.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether his department proposes to publish its trading accounts.

No. Trading-type accounts for a few aspects only of the Ministry's activities are being introduced on a trial basis, primarily as an aid to management. They do not fall to be presented under the terms of the Exchequer and Audit Department Act, 1921.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the value of the 1970 to 1972 school building programme, originally proposed by each local education authority, and what in each case is the value of the allocation so far made.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Members for Ayr (Mr. Younger) and Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galbraith) on 26th January and the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North (Earl of Dalkeith) on 28th January.—[Vol. 794, c. 267; Vol. 794, c. 268; Vol. 794, c. 355.] Education authorities were not asked to submit estimates of their total school building requirements. In addition to Ayrshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh, however, most authorities sent me proposed programmes in varying degrees of detail. The available information is as follows:

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDING STARTS
Education Authority		Estimated Cost of Proposals for period 1970–72	Allocation for first part of 1970–72 period notified in August, 1969
		£m.	£m.
Aberdeen (Burgh)	…	1·1†	0·17
Dundee	…	2·2	0·90
Aberdeen (County)	…	1·5	0·30
Angus	…	1·8*	0·30
Argyll	…	0·5*	0·13
Banff	…	1·3	0·10
Berwick	…	0·1†	0·03
Bute	…	—	—
Caithness	…	—	0·02
Clackmannan	…	1·1	0·14
Dumfries	…	1·1*	0·22
Dunbarton	…	1·7	0·80§
East Lothian	…	1·0†	0·20
Fife	…	2·6*	0·60
Inverness	…	2·5	0·34§
Kincardine	…	—	0·06
Kirkcudbright	…	0·2*	0·07
Lanark	…	7·8║	2·60§
Midlothian	…	1·7	0·33§
Moray and Nairn	…	0·2*	0·08
Orkney	…	—	—
Peebles	…	0·1(2)	—
Perth and Kinross	…	—	0·23
Renfrew	…	4·9§	1·15§
Ross and Cromarty	…	0·9*§	0·05§
Roxburgh	…	0·9	0·20§
Selkirk	…	0·3§	0·12
Stirling	…	2·6‡	0·70
Sutherland	…	0·2*	0·02
West Lothian	…	2·1¶	0·50
Wigtown	…	0·3*	0·08
Zetland	…	0·6	—
* Proposals for second part of period are for raising the school leaving age only.
† Approximate estimate by Department of cost of proposals.
‡ Incomplete as all proposals not costed.
§ Provisional.
║ Exclusive of primary schools.
¶ 1970–71 only.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what new allowances he is providing for members of local authorities to compensate them for loss of earnings, etc.; when he proposes to instruct local authorities to pay these allowances; and from what date they will be retrospective.

I refer my hon. Friend to the Local Government (Financial Allowance) (Scotland) Regulations 1970 and the Local Government (Travelling Allowances, etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1970, which were laid before the House on 4th February and come into force today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish mortality figures in respect of pregnancy and childbirth in 1969.

Twelve deaths from pregnancy and childbirth were registered in Scotland during 1969. (This figure is provisional.)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will introduce the minimum prices scheme for white fish for Scotland.

I can add nothing further as yet to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 22nd January.—[Vol. 794, c. 187.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any proposals to make brucellosis in man a notifiable disease.

Potential sources of infection can be more readily identified by other means.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if fenfluramine treatment for obesity has been approved by the Medicines Commission; and if he will advise general practitioners on its prescription.

Fenfluramine was available for medical use before either the Committee on Safety of Drugs or the Medicines Commission was established, and neither body has been asked to approve its sale. Adverse reactions are reported to the Committee on Safety of Drugs and will be kept under review. It is not my function to advise doctors on their choice of available drugs but Prescribers' Journal and Proplist have both made recent references to the use of fenfluramine.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware of the present practice whereby those retirement pensioners requiring a supplementary payment to pay for increased rents undergo a means test basis and that these rent increases are paid to the landlord without test; and whether he will take steps to reverse this system and have a means test on the landlord to ascertain whether he needs to increase his rent.

Although a retirement pensioner who claims supplementary benefit for the first time following a rent increase will have to undergo a test of means to establish the amount, if any, of supplementary pension to which he is entitled, a further test of this kind is not necessary where a person whose rent is increased is already receiving supplementary benefit. The Supplementary Benefits Commission does not, of course, have power to inquire into a landlord's means unless he is himself claiming supplementary benefit. Any question of putting restrictions on a landlord's right to increase the rent of his property is one for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that official figures show that the average wage is now £24 16s. 6d., £1 16s. 7d. per week more than a year ago; and to what extent the payments to pensioners and those on social security benefits corresponded to the increase in the income of an average wage earner.

Over the period October, 1968 to October, 1969 average earnings increased by 8 per cent. In November, 1969 retirement pensions were increased by 11 per cent. and for supplementary benefits the increase amounted to 11½ per cent. taking the increases in October, 1968 and November, 1969 together.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the survey on domiciliary cases of younger chronic sick will be completed.

I expect the report on the survey of chronic sick and physically handicapped adults living at home to be completed by the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the response of local authorities to his advice on the way in which good neighbour schemes may supplement the home help service; and if he will now repeat his advice.

The information I have suggests that authorities are increasingly turning to schemes of this kind in the development of the home help service. I hope to issue further guidance to them shortly on this and other aspects of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what difficulties are occurring in introducing computers into the hospital service; and whether he will make a statement.

The introduction of computers into the hospital service is proceeding steadily. Regional boards have used computers in accounting and statistics for some years. My Department has financed the provision of numerous small computers for such hospital functions as laboratory services. One large computer has been installed in a London teaching hospital, and the design of systems for several others is well under way. The main problem will be to assess the effectiveness of computers in hospital functions and hence the justification for their use on a wide scale. In this I hope to be aided by the Advisory Committee on Medical Computing that I appointed during 1969.

asked the Minister of Technology if he is aware that a shortage of steel plate is threatening employment among companies using this plate; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this shortage.

I have received no evidence of any such shortage.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the value of the physical increase in the stocks of manufacturing industry at 1963 prices in the first three quarters of 1964; and what was the comparable figure for 1969.

£307 million and £153 million, respectively.

asked the Minister of Technology if, in view of the number of accidents and complaints, he will direct the Gas Council to slow up the conversion of commercial and domestic appliances to make them suitable for use with natural gas, so as to ensure a safe and trouble-free service to the public.

There are no plans to slow down the overall rate of conversion. As to accidents, my right hon. Friend is awaiting the information to which he referred in replies on 26th January to the hon. Members for Heywood and Royton (Mr. Barnett) and Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Dudley Smith).—[Vol. 794, c. 236.]

asked the Minister of Technology what studies he has made of the capital and operating costs of a steam generating heavy water reactor of 200, 300, 450 and 600 MW(e) built in Scotland or Northern Ireland; and what is his estimate of the additional expendi- ture arising because experience on water reactors in the United Kingdom is limited.

As part of its work on the steam generating heavy water reactor the A.E.A. has carried out assessments (sometimes in conjunction with a generating board) of the capital and operating costs of a station using such a reactor at a number of sizes. Its conclusions have been made known to the generating boards and to the design and construction companies on which the prime responsibility for exploitation of the system now rests. I understand that these companies are taking these studies further. The design data used are fully supported by experience with the prototype reactor at Winfrith, and all costs likely to be incurred by the board concerned have been included in the assessments. Whether in a particular case a steam generating heavy water reactor would cost more or less than a gas-cooled reactor must depend on the circumstances of that case, e.g. size of station required, date of ordering.

asked the Minister of Technology what arrangements he has made with the Central Electricity Generating Board to use extra coal in the year starting 1st April, 1970, in accordance with the Coal Industry Act, 1967; and if he will make a statement.

As part of the continuing review of fuel policy, I have been considering the level of future support for coal by the C.E.G.B. Demand for coal has been running above supply and stocks have fallen sharply. As a result, extra coal used by the C.E.G.B. under Section 6 of the Coal Industry Act, 1967, has been reduced from 6 million tons in 1968–69 to about 2 million tons in 1969–70, and with coal no longer in excess supply no additional use seems called for in 1970–71, when the C.E.G.B.'s coal demand is expected to reach a record level.In these circumstances, the board is now planning to convert to oil three power stations—Littlebrook B, Brunswick Wharf and part of Portishead B—which it already had statutory consent to convert and in respect of which it has been receiving compensation for the extra cost of continuing to use coal. This does not affect the Government's intention to introduce legislation to extend until 31st March, 1974, powers to support extra coal consumption should the coal position make this necessary.

asked the Minister of Technology what steps he is taking to assist the steel castings industry to meet demands placed upon it in the next few years.

I am in close touch with the steel castings industry and am examining with it what might be done within the range of existing powers to grant assistance.In addition, the I.R.C. has been asked to develop further the contacts which it has with many firms in the industry, to see if it can be of any further help.The I.R.C. has already assisted companies in the industry and can help in many different ways. I hope firms will continue to approach it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's policy on financial aid for the training of civil airline pilots.

At present the Board of Trade contributes to the cost of the ab initio training of suitable students for commercial pilots' licences both by payments to the College of Air Training at Hamble and by bearing part of the cost of such training at other approved schools.The latter arrangements were foreshadowed in the White Paper on Aviation Safety (Comnd. 1965 of May, 1962) and were intended to apply for a limited period while improved standards and facilities were being introduced. They have now been in operation for five years, and after careful review I am satisfied that their original purpose has been served. I have therefore decided to bring them to an end on 1st April, 1970, but commitments already undertaken for training which extends beyond that date will be honoured.The more long-standing support to the College of Air Training was intended to secure wider aims, and I propose to continue to provide financial assistance but at a reduced level which will stabilise at £100,000 per annum.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much the Government's contribution will be to the cost of siting the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Subject to my final approval of the Birmingham scheme, the Board of Trade will make available up to £1·5 million towards the cost of the project.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what bodies have made representations to him in the last two years on the siting of the National Exhibition Centre.

I have received representations from trade associations, chambers of commerce, local authorities, the Confederation of British Industry and the Operatives' Side of the National Joint Council for the Exhibition Industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the near mid-air collision that occured over Wallasey on Thursday, 5th February.

On Thursday, 5th February, an Aer Lingus Boeing 737 aircraft, on route from Dublin to Manchester, reported an air miss with an Aero Commander aircraft. The Aero Commander was an executive aircraft on route from Rochester to Warton. The incident took place at 0910 hours. G.M.T. near the Wallasey Very High Frequency Omni Directional Radio Range (V.O.R.). Air Traffic Control had cleared the Boeing 737 to descend to flight level 60 (approximately 6,000 feet). On approaching this level, whilst flying in good weather, the Boeing pilot saw the Aero Commander aircraft cross his track one half to three quarters of a mile ahead. No avoiding action was necessary by either aircraft, but the separation distance was appreciably less than the minimum required to be provided in controlled airspace. An investigation into this has been put in hand immediately.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress the Road Research Laboratory has made in its work on apparatus for operating a system of user road pricing; and whether he will make a statement.

The laboratory is developing two types of apparatus. Both operate on the principle of charging a fixed amount when a vehicle crosses specific points within the pricing area.The first (on-vehicle) method requires vehicles to be fitted with a meter which records, cumulatively, at each pricing point. The alternative (off-vehicle) method requires vehicles to be fitted with an identification unit which, on passing a point, communicates the vehicle's identity to recording apparatus at the roadside or elsewhere, thus enabling a record to be compiled for each vehicle.Clockwork and battery powered on-vehicle meters are being developed to the production prototype stage; completion of the battery version is expected within the next few months. Prototype equipment for an off-vehicle system is also expected to be available for detailed research shortly.The intention is to subject samples of these prototype units to environmental testing and to carry out operational tests on a small scale on laboratory premises.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited was nationalised.

14th March, 1968.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list those bus companies which have been taken over by the National Bus Company since its inauguration.

Gosport and Fareham Omnibus Co., Ltd., Jones Omnibus Services Ltd., Meredith and Jesson (of Wrexham) and Arthur Rowe & Sons (Cudworth) Ltd. The N.B.C. has also taken over Luton Corporation Transport, and the acquisition of Exeter Corporation Transport is almost complete.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the preparations for the introduction of the centralised systems of vehicle and driving licensing authorised by the Vehicle and Driving Licences Act, 1969; and whether he will make a statement.

The contract for the main computer equipment has been placed and construction of the first phase of the central office buildings at Swansea is well advanced. A full review has been completed of all the work remaining to be done, as a result of which it is now planned that centralisation shall start by the beginning of 1974 with full operation of both systems by the end of 1976. This is up to two years later than that contemplated earlier, and I am, therefore, discussing with the local authorities concerned the action necessary to keep the existing systems in being for the longer period. The main build-up of local recruitment for the new central office in Swansea is planned to begin in 1972.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of administering the capital gains tax on chattels and of the administrative saving and loss of revenue, respectively, resulting from excluding chattels sold for less than £5,000 from the tax.

I regret that the information on which reliable estimates could be based is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer from how many firms he has required for the month of March, 1969, details of all transactions in chattels of over £1,000 value.

17.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the date on which his Department first asked art auctioneers, art dealers and others to supply details of all transactions during the month of March, 1969, involving chattels at a price of more than £1,000; and what was the length of time he gave them for their replies.

14th July, 1969; and 30 days in the first instance; extensions being allowed as necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of possible evasion of capital gains tax on chattels disposed of for more than £1,000 during the month of March, 1969, his Department has investigated or is investigating.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of transactions of over £1,000 which have been reported to his Department by the organisation from which he requested this information in respect of March, 1969, under the requirement of paragraph 7(6) of Schedule 10 to the Finance Act, 1965.

£ million
	Foreign currency Loans Outstanding	Repayments in 1970
Loan Agreement	Sterling value, 31st December, 1969	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
U.S.—Line of Credit	1,236	—	—	—	27	27
Lend Lease	193	—	—	—	4	4
ECA	103	—	2	—	3	5
MSA	17	—	1	—	—	1
Ex-Im Bank Lines of Credit	231	—	22	—	23	45
Canadian Credit	361	—	—	—	8	8
Germany—EPU	18	—	—	10	—	10
Bundesbank	23	—	—	—	—	—
Offset Agreement	52	—	—	—	—	—
Portugal	17	—	—	5	—	5
International Monetary Fund	1,104	83	83	—	—	166
TOTAL	3,355	83	108	15	65	271
These figures do not include those debts arising from Central Bank transactions, details of which are not customarily published.

613.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of processing the returns which he has received from auctioneers and persons carrying on a trade of dealing in tangible movable property for the month of March, 1969.

It would require an undue expenditure of time and effort to ascertain this; but it cannot be substantial.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the transactions during March, 1969, of which he has received the details, he requested under paragraph 7(6) of Schedule 10 of the Finance Act, 1965 were for under £5,000, between £5,000 and £10,000, and over £10,000.

485, 79 and 49, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the amount of capital outstanding at the end of 1969 on each foreign loan to the United Kingdom, including drawings from the International Monetary Fund, and the amount due to be repaid in each quarter of 1970.

The information is given below:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown, according to spending authority, of the total figures for new construction and improvements

		£ million at 1969 Survey prices
		1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72
New construction and improvements
Central government	…	155·8	196·4	221·0	250·0
Local authorities	…	210·9	210·0	222·5	244·9
Public corporations (New Towns)	…	4·4*	—	—	—
		371·1	406·4	449·5	494·9
Maintenance
Central government	…	23·5	23·9	25·9	26·2
Local authorities	…	159·0	148·8	160·2	177·9
		182·5	172·7	186·1	204·1
* In subsequent years this expenditure is classified to local authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of staff to be employed at each Schedule E computer centre planned to come into operation in the next 10 years, and the number of taxpayers to be handled from each centre.

The information is as follows:

Centre		Approximate number of staff employed when Centre fully set-up	Number of taxpayers (approximate) Million
East Kilbride	…	1,500	2
Bootle	…	2,600	3
Cardiff	…	2,700	2½
Shipley	…	2,600	3
Manchester	…	4,600	4
Washington	…	2,650	2½
Edinburgh	…	3,600	2½
Portsmouth	…	3,150	3
Midland	…	2,900	3

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of exempting persons earning up to £400, £500, £600 and £700 per annum, respectively, from income tax, with no alteration to personal or other tax allowances; and what is the estimated number of people rendered exempt at each level.

I am afraid that I cannot make the desired estimates for an exemp-

The following is the breakdown required:tion based on only one particular type of income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the revenue of a reduction of 2½ per cent. in the standard rate of income tax.

About £180 million for a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of a reduction of 2½ per cent. in the rate of corporation tax.

On the Basis of the Budget Estimate for 1969–70, £120 million for a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the increase revenue obtainable from a rise of 2½ per cent. in long-term capital gains tax.

About £13 million for a full year on the basis of the Budget estimate for 1969–70.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what areas he is using National Insurance numbers as the reference numbers for taxpayers; and what plans he has for extending their use so that all taxpayers have only one number for both National Insurance and taxation records.

National Insurance numbers are used as reference numbers under P.A.Y.E. for employees whose tax affairs are dealt with at the Inland Revenue Computer Centre at East Kilbride in Scotland. They will also be used as the reference numbers for employees in other areas as the remaining Computer Centres come into operation over the next decade.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of Pay As You Earn taxpayers whose codes changed during the most recent convenient 12-month period; what proportion this is of all Pay As You Earn taxpayers; and if he will indicate the number of taxpayers whose codes changed twice, three times, four times or more than four times, respectively, during the period.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost to the Inland Revenue of changing the Pay As You Earn codes of taxpayers during the most recent convenient 12-month period; and what is the average cost to the Inland Revenue every time an individual taxpayer's code is changed.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. There are many reasons why a taxpayer may have to be re-coded and it is not possible to give a realistic estimate of the average cost of doing so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of Pay As You Earn codes used by his Department, indicating the number of taxpayers at present classified under each code.

There are at present 335 P.A.Y.E. codes, but information about the number of taxpayers classified under each of them is not available.