asked the Secretary of State for Defence by what authority the military search of the Kilkeel fishing fleet was carried out on Friday, 13th February; what was the purpose and result of the search; why the captain of "The Jeanette" was ordered to leave his ship, contrary to maritime law, while the search was carried out; and whether, in view of the discourtesy by the troops involved, he will institute an inquiry into the circumstances.

Following the recent discovery of a small amount of ammunition and explosive mechanisms in the Kilkeel area, a routine search of fishing vessels in that area was carried out on 13th February as a deterrent to the smuggling of arms. The search was carried out in accordance with Regulation 4 made under the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Acts (Northern Ireland) 1922–43. No arms or ammunition were found. My inquiries into the other aspects of the case are not yet complete, and I will write to the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy with regard to the signs outside military establishments in Wales; and what steps he has taken to implement the Welsh Language Act, 1967 in his Department.

Welsh language unit designatory signs and similar notices outside military establishments in Wales will be provided as part of the normal barracks maintenance programme. Welsh versions of some Service forms used by the public have already been introduced. The provision of bilingual versions of other forms is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expectation of life of the Windfall sail-training yachts still remaining in the Services; and what arrangements he is making for their replacement.

The remaining Windfall yachts are well over 30 years old and are expected to reach the end of their useful lives within the next six years. The three Services will take this into account in their longer-term planning for the provision of sailing facilities to meet their varying needs. It is, however, too early to anticipate the outcome of consideration into the need for or type of replacements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff of his Department were employed in Scotland in 1969 to the latest convenient date; and how this figure compares with those for the preceding five years.

The numbers of civilian staff employed in Scotland on 1st July each year were as follows:

1964	…	…	…	22,000
1965	…	…	…	22,100
1966	…	…	…	21,900
1967	…	…	…	23,200
1968	…	…	…	23,800
1969	…	…	…	23,900

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will issue a circular drawing the attention of schools and local authorities to Commonwealth Day.

Schools receive the Queen's Message for Commonwealth Day from the Joint Commonwealth Societies' Council. I think this and the fact that the arrangement is described in the Department's annual circular on International Affairs and the Commonwealth in Education is sufficient notification.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will now publish the figures of immigrant pupils in January, 1969 which were expected in the near future last October.

Figures showing the percentages of Commonwealth immigrant pupils in January, 1969 in maintained primary and secondary schools in London and county boroughs with a population of 50,000 or more were given in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) on 19th February. General statistics for immigrant pupils are now available and will appear in Statistics for Education, 1969, Vol. 1, later this year. If in the meantime the right hon. Member wishes to receive details in respect of other specific areas I will do my best to provide them.—[Vol. 796, c. 167–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places there are in teacher training colleges compared with the number of student teachers; and what further plans he has for expansion.

The provisional number of students at present undergoing courses of initial or further training in colleges of education, colleges of education (technical) and departments of education in technical colleges is 111,077. A few colleges failed to fill all their places at the beginning of the current academic year while others recruited more than their target numbers. Existing plans provide for an increase in the number of places to 119,000 over the next 3–4 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his proposals for the celebration of Commonwealth Day.

The Joint Commonwealth Societies' Council continues to have the major responsibility for celebrations in Britain of Commonwealth Day, which, as in previous years, will be observed on the Official Birthday of the Head of the Commonwealth. The council is arranging a multi-faith Act of Witness to be held in the Guildhall on Friday, 12th June. Copies of Her Majesty's Common- wealth Day message will be distributed throughout Britain and the Commonwealth. In addition, Commonwealth flags will be flown on the approach to Horse-Guards Parade on the occasion of the Trooping the Colour.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will arrange for the flags of Commonwealth countries to be flown in Parliament Square on Commonwealth Day.

The flags of Commonwealth countries will, as last year, be flown in the approach to Horse-Guards Parade. It is not proposed that they should be flown in Parliament Square also.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the treaties or agreements under which the United Kingdom is committed to give military aid in specified circumstances to Australia, Ceylond and New Zealand.

The United Kingdom has no treaty obligation to provide military assistance specifically for the defence of Australia and New Zealand. However, with Australia and New Zealand the United Kingdom is a party to the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty, Manila, 8th September, 1954 (Cmnd. 265), which would involve provision of military assistance in specified circumstances in the treaty area.In the case of Ceylon the relevant treaty is the Defence Agreement of 11th November, 1947 (Cmnd. 7257).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the purposes and functions of the Consolidated Educational and Training Programme for South Africa, a Special Account of the United Nations Organisation to whose annual budget the United Kingdom contributes 20 per cent or £50,000.

If the hon. Member is referring to the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa, this provides money for the education of Africans who have left the countries of Southern Africa under white minority or colonial rule. It covers Africans from Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, South-West Africa and Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will identify the official regulations governing the payment of departmental staff accompanying Foreign Office Ministers attending meetings overseas in a party, as distinct from a Ministerial, capacity.

As I explained in my replies to the right hon. and learned Gentleman's Questions on 2nd and 9th February, when attending such meetings I remain in charge of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.For this reason payment for accompanying official staff is charged to public funds in accordance with Diplomatic Service regulations.—[Vol. 795, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, since the General Officer in Command of British troops in Northern Ireland assumed control of the Ulster Special Constabulary, how many persons have left that force to join the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a Green Paper on Crime and Crime Prevention, measuring the results achieved by his Department and the police force in this country against those registered by comparable departments and forces in other countries, from information available from international sources, and outlining his plans for the more effective preservation of law and order in the future.

Every effort is made to take advantage of experience overseas but differences in criminal law, police organisation and social background tend to render comparison meaningless; and, whilst my right hon. Friend will keep my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind, a Green Paper would not assist at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will prepare and present an annual Law and Order Budget in which progress in the prevention and punishment of crime can be measured against the costs incurred and an assessment of future costs given.

I doubt if a budget of precisely this nature would be practicable. But an important start has been made on one aspect through the introduction by certain police forces, with my right hon. Friend's encouragement, of a system of programme-budgeting designed to reveal the true costs of the various forms of police activity. To complement this, work is in hand to evolve performance indicators against which it is hoped that the effectiveness of different activities may be judged. Great importance is attached to this work, which is still in the development stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adults and children, respectively, were killed or injured due to dangers created by derelict industrial buildings during each of the last five years in the county borough of Bolton, in the North-West Economic Planning Region and in England and Wales, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department since his announcement of restrictions of entry of male fiancés from the Commonwealth on 30th January, 1969, how many applicants from the Commonwealth were refused during 1969, and how many alien males seeking entry to marry were refused over the same period.

The only available information is that between 16th May, 1969 and 31st December, 1969, 247 male Commonwealth fiancés were refused entry certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to arrange for the village of Knockholt in Kent to be included within the Parliamentry boundary of the Sevenoaks Division, following the transfer of Knockholt to the Sevenoaks Rural District Council's area.

Not at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest most convenient stated period of time, details which are readily available showing the number of persons without a previous conviction who have been remanded in custody, without trial, for periods of four weeks or more, excluding those awaiting trial for murder.

Such details are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the restrictions regarding the number of letters which may be received and written by convicted and young prisoners; and if he will give consideration to the need for the preservation of prisoners' contacts with their families through visiting.

I would refer my hon Friend to paragraphs 91 and 92 of the White Paper "People in Prison" (November, 1969: Cmnd. 4214).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the concern felt by magistrates and others, he will provide further facilities for the detention of young people on remand or awaiting transfer to borstals; and if he will make a statement.

As indicated in paragraph 192 of the White Paper "People in Prison" (Cmnd. 4214), the long-term building programme includes the provision of additional places in remand centres, and two new borstal allocation centres. My right hon. Friend shares the concern that has been expressed about the problems resulting from the recent increase in the number of young men committed to custody and is considering whether any further measures can be taken to alleviate them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a further statement about bridge and whist clubs being able to charge table money from 1st July when Parts I and II of the Gaming Act, 1968, come into operation.

Bridge or whist clubs which are genuine members' clubs and wish to charge more than 6d. a day per person table money from 1st July should register under Part II of the Gaming Act, 1968, with the gaming licensing committee of the local justices. Applications for registration must be submitted to the clerk to the justices before the end of February. Proprietary clubs are not eligible for registration and will need to meet the cost of providing facilities for gaming by adjusting their annual subscriptions.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation's Advisory Committee's request for assistance in dealing with the danger of Venice sinking into her lagoon; and whether she will give an assurance that any governmental financial contributions will be in addition to the overseas aid budget.

The Government of Italy have set up, in consultation with U.N.E.S.C.O., an International Advisory Committee on Venice. The committee has recommended that the Italian Government should draw up, before the end of 1970 and in association with U.N.E.S.C.O., a general plan for saving the city.Last month the Director-General of U.N.E.S.C.O. sent to all Member States a list of priority projects estimated to cost nearly £1½ million and invited Governments, public and private bodies and individuals to contribute technical or financial aid in carrying them out. The projects include the protection of monuments, works of art, buildings and libraries, and research into subsidence and the flooding of the city.This invitation was addressed to the Ministry of Overseas Development as the Department responsible for Britain's relations with U.N.E.SC.O. No Government financial aid is envisaged, but the possibility of contributions from other British sources, including technical advice and assistance, is being studied. Britain gave generously after the floods in Florence and Venice in 1966. The Italian Art and Archives Rescue Fund raised some £171,000 for restoration work in both cities, and a further £275,000 for humanitarian relief was raised by Government and private subscription.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what action he proposes to compensate viewers in areas where B.B.C.2 television has been delayed.

None. A broadcast receiving licence grants permission to install and use wireless telegraphy apparatus and does not guarantee the reception of any particular service. The B.B.C. is completing its extensive programme of B.B.C.2 transmitters as quickly as circumstances permit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the percentage increase of imports of cotton towels into the United Kingdom in 1969 as compared with 1968; and what proportion of these imports in each year was duty-free.

In terms of quantity, imports fell by 17 per cent. between 1968 and 1969. Duty-free imports made up about 90 per cent. of the total in both years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of imports into the United Kingdom of heavy electrical switchgear during each of the last three years; and how much of this was imported from the European Economic Community.

Following is the information:

U.K. IMPORTS OF SWITCHGEAR, SWITCHBOARDS AND CONTROL PANELS (EXCLUDING MOULDED CASE CIRCUIT BREAKERS) EXCEEDING 660 VOLTS
	£ thousand
	1967	1968	1969
Total	499	1,169	1,087
Of which E.E.C. countries	93	190	259

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take further steps to ensure that insurance companies meet their obligations under the Insurance Companies Acts and particularly with regard to the protection of policyholders and the public under the Insurance Companies Act, 1958.

The Board of Trade's supervisory powers over insurers were strengthened by the Companies Act, 1967 and we shall continue to make use of them when appropriate. If my hon. Friend has any specific suggestions for improving these powers, I will consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he takes when awarding grants towards the cost of repairs of historic buildings under the Historic Buildings and Monuments Act, 1955 to ensure that the public have a right of access to view the premises upon which the grants have been spent.

The offer of grant is made to an owner subject to conditions, one of which concerns suitable arrangements for the public to have access to the buildings. Grant is awarded only if the owner accepts the conditions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the average wholesale and retail prices of home-killed beef in mid-October 1959, 1964 and 1969; and what were the major causes of the changes.

Average wholesale and retail prices of home-killed beef, per lb. in mid-October 1959, 1964 and 1969 were as follows:

	1959		1964		1969
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Wholesale price of Scottish killed sides	2	3½	2	8¾	2	11½
Retail price of:
Sirloin, without bone	5	4¼	6	9	8	7
Brisket, with bone	2	2½	2	7½	3	5

The wholesale prices are based on information acquired from Smithfield Market Scottish killed sides are the only form of British beef for which Smithfield prices are now generally available. The retail prices are derived from returns collected by the Ministry of Labour in 1959 and 1964, and the Department of Employment and Productivity in 1969.The main causes of the changes in these prices are variations in the total quantity of beef available on the United Kingdom market, the strength of demand for beef and the increased costs of production and distribution in the meat and livestock industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many adult male and female workers in full-time employment were receiving less than £700 per annum gross at the latest date.

It is estimated that in the tax year 1967–68 there were 0·8 million males aged 18–64 and 3 million females aged 18–59 who were covered by the P.A.Y.E. scheme, who paid at least 48 national insurance contributions as full-time or part-time employees and had gross earnings in that year of less than £700. Separate figures for full-time workers are not available, but would be lower.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will make a statement concerning the industrial dispute at the Ford Motor Company.

Some 4,500 employees at Swansea and Halewood are on strike over the current pay negotiations. The T.G.W.U. has accepted the company's pay offer and is recommending a resumption of work but the A.E.F. has deferred a decision pending consideration by a delegate conference today. The company has warned that continuance of the strike may lead to considerable lay-offs by the end of the week. I am, of course, keeping in touch with developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what instructions she has issued to the Factory Inspectorate with regard to encouraging the use of flame-retardant flexible polyether foam as a substitute for inflammable foam plastics.

In my right hon. Friend's statement of 15th May last year on the Glasgow fire disaster she stressed the need for a better understanding of the fire risks from inflammable materials such as foamed plastic. Many inflammable materials are used in factories and even the flame-retardant version of foamed polyether is not free of fire risk. The vitally important thing, therefore, is the proper observance of fire precautions. As my right hon. Friend said in her statement, the factory inspectorate has paid special attention to this in the case of upholstery works.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the total number of males and females, over and

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT (PROVISIONAL) AT 9TH FEBRUARY, 1970, AND ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED, AT JUNE, 1968, IN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS IN LANARKSHIRE
			Men 18 and over	Boys under 18	Women 18 and over	Girls under 18	Total	Percentage rate*	Employment estimate at June, 1968 (thousands)
Airdrie	…	…	767	97	238	47	1,149	5·1	169·1
Bellshill	…	…	400	32	151	13	596
Blantyre	…	…	343	17	51	6	417
Cambuslang	…	…	239	23	60	14	336
Carluke	…	…	89	8	46	12	155
Coatbridge	…	…	928	113	329	45	1,415
East Kilbride	…	…	283	23	90	11	407
Hamilton	…	…	961	27	376	24	1,388
Larkhall	…	…	239	12	137	16	404
Motherwell	…	…	581	14	200	13	839
Uddingston	…	…	339	17	104	10	470
Wishaw	…	…	651	49	297	25	1,022
Lanark	…	…	292	17	112	20	411	5·8	7·6
Lesmahagow	…	…	273	3	46	3	325	11·8	2·8
Shotts	…	…	257	19	114	15	405	6·5	6·2
* Percentage rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the total numbers registered as unemployed as percentages of the estimated numbers of employees, employed and unemployed. Percentage rates can be calculated for the whole of the North Lanarkshire travel-to-work area but not separately for its constituent parts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by how much the Index of Retail Prices rose between November, 1964 and December, 1969.

The General Index of Retail Prices rose by 23·5 per cent. between 17th November, 1964 and 16th December, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many disabled or partially disabled people in Hartlepool are receiving training of any kind out of public funds; and how many trained people and organisations are involved.

Four Hartlepool people who are disabled within the meaning of the

Following is the information:Disabled Persons (Employment) Act are at present under training for employment with financial support from my Department. The training is being provided by four organisations — the Hartlepool College of Art, the Billingham Government Training Centre, the Hartlepool Workshop for the Blind, and a private comptometer firm.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware of the development of a new flame-retardant polyether foam; and if he will take steps to ensure the use of this new material, where applicable, in all contracts placed by his Department.

The Department is aware of the flame retardant grade of "polyether foam" and already specifies this material for building and engineering purposes in appropriate circumstances.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will set out taking 1963 figures as 100 and at constant prices, the building costs for the United Kingdom and the Common Market countries, from information available to him from international sources.

The following figures are extracted from the 1967 and 1968 editions of the Annual Bulletin of Housing and Building Statistics for Europe, published by the United Nations:

COST INDICES FOR HOUSING CONSTRUCTION 1963=100
	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
Belgium	109	115	119	124	127
France	107	113	116	118	(a)
Italy (b)	128	131	(a)	(a)	(a)
Netherlands	109	114	120	120	128
United Kingdom (c)	102	106	111	113	118
Western Germany (d)	105	109	113	110	115