asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is happening to the Round Pond; and when it is to be fully restored for the enjoyment of people and swans, ducks and other wild fowl.

The Round Pond was drained this winter for cleaning and repair. It will be back in use by Easter.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many industrial staff were employed by his Department in Gibraltar on 1st March, 1969, and 1st March, 1970; and what steps he is taking to improve the productivity of his Department's building operatives in Gibraltar.

1,428 and 865.A substantial programme of training apprentices, operatives and supervisors has been introduced to improve the efficiency of my locally-engaged staff in Gibraltar. In addition, a team of advisers from my Department and the Department of Employment and Productivity is curently negotiating a productivity agreement with them.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many married quarters his Department has built for the Armed Services in the United Kingdom over the past five years.

19,845 in the five years ending 31st January 1970.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the number of visitors to Fountains Abbey during each of the last three years.

I am glad to say that the number of visitors increased from 144,900 in 1967 to 155,600 in 1968 and to 179,800 in 1969.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is his latest estimate of the effect on output in the building and civil engineering industry due to the shortage of steel.

I cannot frame such an estimate without imposing on the industry an inquiry which would be much more troublesome than the temporary nature of the shortage warrants.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the approximate numbers engaged in housebuilding at the most recent date available compared with the numbers one, two, three and four years ago.

No separate estimate is made in construction industry statistics of those purely engaged in house-building.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works to what extent since 1964 the Government's policy on Ministerial office accommodation in the Central London area has been carried out; and whether he will give as much detailed information as is readily available, for each year since 1964, of the amount of space held by his Department and the costs in rates or rents in each instance.

It is Government policy to concentrate as near to the centre as possible, and as far as practicable in Crown buildings, those Government staff who need to be in Central London. The aim is to disperse other staff as circumstances allow. Since 1963 some 15,000 Government jobs have been moved away from London, and there are plans to transfer a further 19,000 in the next few years. I will circulate the office space and cost figures requested by my hon. Friend in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the information:

OFFICE ACCOMMODATION IN CENTRAL LONDON
	Crown Offices		Leased Offices
Year Ending 30th September	Net Area million square feet	Notional Rent per annum £'000	Net Area million square feet	Rent per annum £'000
1965	3,108	2,855	6,312	5,798
1966	3,593	3,667	8,644	8,833
1967	3,712	4,439	8,758	10,466
1968	3,878	4,751	9,282	11,373
1969	3,886	5,424	9,426	13,154

Figures for rates payments for office accommodation are not available.In 1966 the Ministry's statistical returns for Central London were extended to cover a slightly larger area.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to public funds of adjusting the proportion of gross personal incomes per head of population taken by all taxes on incomes to align them with the proportion of gross personal incomes per head taken by taxes on income within the European Economic Community; and what is the estimated change in net personal disposable income per head resulting.

On the basis of figures for 1967, the latest available, our estimates are respectively £1,600 million and £29, but taxes on income cannot be considered in isolation from other taxes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total revenue from petrol tax, purchase tax on vehicles and vehicle licences in 1970; and what was the comparable total in 1964.

The figures are:

1969–70 (estimated)
	Revalued at 1963–64
		prices	1963–64
	£m.	£m.	£m.
Hydrocarbon oil duty on light oils and derv	1,205	984	536
Purchase tax on motor vehicles	216	176	123
Vehicle licences	422	344	171
Total	1,843	1,504	830

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to permit variation in the rate of exchange between the Scottish £ and the £ sterling.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates the locations for each of the eight Schedule E computer centres, whose locations have been decided, were decided; and when he expects to be able to announce the location of the ninth computer centre which is to be somewhere in the Midlands.

The information requested is as follows:—

Centre	Location decided
East Kilbride	July, 1963
Bootle	August, 1965
Cardiff	June, 1966
Shipley	August, 1968
Manchester	December, 1966
Washington	June, 1969
Edinburgh	August, 1968
Portsmouth	September, 1969

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the proportion spent in Wales of the total expenditure by Government Departments in display advertising in the last year for which the figures are available; and what proportion of the total was spent on display advertising in the Welsh language.

For 1968–69, 1·38 per cent. and 0·02 per cent. respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost in the years 1967–68 and 1968–69 of the publications in English and Welsh, respectively, sold and distributed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

Printing and publishing costs for the financial years 1967–68 and 1968–69:

	In English	In Welsh	Bilingual English/Welsh
	£	£	£
1967–68	1,812,258	174	2,070
1968–69	2,049,503	9,056	1,881

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of corporation tax requires to be levied to produce the same revenue as in 1968–69 and 1969–70 on the basis that dividends by companies were treated as franked for income tax and that the requirement to account for tax under Schedule XII was abolished.

On the basis that companies would still have to account for tax on interest paid, the figures are 64 per cent. for corporation tax payable in 1968–69 and 62 per cent. for 1969–70. These estimates are based on the assumptions that there would be no consequent change in the existing levels of the profits, distributions or capital structure of companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss to the revenue by ending the differentiation of treatment for selective employment tax between transport owned by a distributor and transport run by a haulier.

I regret that the information on which an estimate could be based is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross capital formation he estimated was devoted to making good fire losses in the last convenient 12-month period.

I regret that data on which to make such an estimate are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport on how many occasions he has issued instructions to local authorities to increase speed limits on roads against the wishes of the local authority.

Four times in the last two years.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals have been made to him for closing the Southminster to Wickford branch line.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents there were on the M1, the M6 and the M45 in 1968 and 1969.

The following are the numbers of injury accidents reported:

			1968	1969
M1	…	…	512	649
M6	…	…	314	320
M45	…	…	16	16

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what money will be made available from the Exchequer to finance the construction of the Humber Bridge or the approach roads; and what is his estimate of the approximate amount.(2) if, in view of recent developments, he will make a further statement about the proposed financing of the Humber Bridge and the approach roads.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, West (Mr. James Johnson) on 17th February.—[Vol. 796, c. 70–71.]

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents there have been on Kingsway within the boundaries of the Cheadle and Gatley Urban District Council; and how many persons have been injured or killed therein during each of the last four years and during the first two months of this year.

Scheme					Estimated Start of Works			Estimated Date of Completion			Estimated Cost £
Gateshead Western By-Pass				…	June, 1970	…	…	May, 1972	…	…	7,292,000
A695 Blaydon to Scotswood Bridge					December, 1970		…	August, 1972	…	…	1,974,213
A694 Rowlands Gill to Dipwood Village	…	…	…	…	April, 1970	…	…	August, 1971	…	…	197,210
A694 Winlaton Mill		…	…	…	August, 1968 (actual)			September/October, 1970			96,000
A695 Paygate Crossroads			…	…	September, 1970		…	February, 1971	…	…	15,000
A6076 Andrews House Bridge				…	March, 1970	…	…	September, 1970		…	7,757

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements are being made to provide local authorities with additional money to implement urgent repairs to the highways in Northumber-

The following is the information:

	Accidents	Fatalities	Serious Injury	Slight Injury
1966	19	2	1	23
1967	23	1	9	25
1968	21	Nil	6	25
1969	21	4	10	24
Jan.—Feb.
1970	6	2	2	4

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what are the estimated dates and costs of completion of Gateshead Western Pass;

(2) what are the estimated dates and costs of completion of the road improvements on A695 at Scotswood Bridge, Blaydon-on-Tyne;

(3) what are the estimated dates and costs of completion of the road improvements to A694 at Dipwood Road, Rowlands Gill, County Durham;

(4) what are the estimated dates and costs of the completion of the highway construction on the A694, west of Winlaton Mill, County Durham;

(5) what are the estimated dates and costs of completion of the road improvements on A695 at Paygate Crossroads, Crawcrook, Ryton-on-Tyne;

(6) what are the estimated dates and costs of completion of the road improvements on A6076 at Andrews House Bridge, Marley Hill, Whickham, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

I am advised by the highway authorities that the information is as follows:land and Durham, arising from the ravages of a severe winter.

Maintenance of local roads in Northumberland and Durham is a matter for the local highway authorities. Maintenance of these roads, like the rest of their expenditure, is assisted by the rate support grant. The percentage of resources allocated to highway maintenance is for the authorities' own decision.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the London Borough of Newham has decided on an increase in general rate of 1s. 5d. in the £ and in the domestic rate by 1s. to 15s. 1d., in part due to the financial effects of the Ronan Point disaster; and whether, in the light of this new information, he will now revise the 50 per cent. grant to Newham for strengthening tower blocks.

I understand the proposed increases are attributable to a variety of reasons. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his Question on 20th February.—[Vol. 796, c. 259.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the further expansion of Harlow New Town.

My right hon. Friend will decide whether to proceed with an expansion of Harlow under the New Towns Act in the light of the final reports of the Roskill Commission and the South-East Joint Planning Study.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action has been taken, and notified to him, by the Countryside Commission and by the Yorkshire Dales West Riding Planning Committee about the afforestation of Upper Langstrothdale.

The recent decision of the Northern Pennines Rural Development Board to grant a licence for afforestation proposals at Langstrothdale was opposed by the Yorkshire Dales West Riding Planning Committee. The Countryside Commission decided not to oppose the proposals provided that the board imposed certain conditions designed to protect amenity. Representatives of the committee and of the commission are having discussions with the board with a view to improving the general arrangements for dealing with afforestation proposals. The committee has made representations to me, and I am consulting my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about procedure.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make known his decision in respect of the planning application by Coalite and Chemicals Limited to develop a site at Rossington, at an early date, in view of the need to increase the production of solid smokeless fuel.

A public local inquiry into this application took place between 3rd and 27th February, 1970. I will make known my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the average length of time that elapses between the evacuation of occupants from dwelling houses condemned by local authorities and the demolition of such properties; and what is his estimate of the number of such properties currently standing.

I regret that this information is not available. The period is bound to vary a great deal depending on particular circumstances, and most local authorities do all they can to make it as short as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total number of houses built in the county borough of Gateshead for each of the years 1964 to 1969, the number at present under construction, and the number ofo those for which approval of tender has been given.

The following numbers of dwelling were returned as completed in Gateshead in the years 1964 to 1969:

1964	…	…	…	572
1965	…	…	…	1138
1966	…	…	…	830
1967	…	…	…	860
1968	…	…	…	749
1969	…	…	…	980

At the end of January 1970, 1,399 dwellings, of which 59 were private, were under construction. All local authority dwellings in approved tenders had been started.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage by value of fire losses are in buildings whose structural requirements did not have any fire precaution laid down in the building regulations, in the last convenient 12-month period.

Most buildings, when constructed, were subject to the requirements of the building regulations or the building byelaws which preceded them, including requirements for structural fire protection. Separate figures for the fire losses in buildings not subject to these requirements are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that some exporters are being hampered from obtaining orders due to having to pay import duty on parts imported from the United States of America used in constructing machinery for export, whereas Canadian exporters can import free of duty and have an unfair advantage over British manufacturers; and whether he will in his forthcoming Budget take action to change this situation.

There are already adequate powers under existing legislation to relieve British exporters from import duty on imported parts where these are incorporated in exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of houses started and completed, respectively, by Stornoway Town Council in each of the years 1957 to 1969, inclusive.

The information is as follows:

		Started	Completed
1957	…	7	25
1958	…	20	29
1959	…	11	20
1960	…	—	11
1961	…	12	—
1962	…	—	12
1963	…	—	—
1964	…	28	8
1965	…	—	20
1966	…	24	—
1967	…	16	28
1968	…	—	12
1969	…	11	4

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what new school buildings, by local name, have been constructed in the Isle of Lewis since March 1964; what was the total cost, and his Department's contribution in each case; and if he will give the same information regarding school hostels.

New primary schools were completed at Tong and Stornoway at a total approved cost of £422,000; and one hostel at Stornoway at an approved cost of £205,000. In addition, the approved cost of alterations and extensions to existing schools was £68,000. My Department makes no direct financial contribution towards local authorities' capital expenditure on educational building. Central Government assistance for revenue expenditure, including loan charges, is given through the rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the ratio of teachers to pupils in secondary schools in each of the six largest education authorities in Scotland.

The figures for January 1969 are as given in my reply of 8th December to my hon. Friend except in the case of Glasgow, for which they should have read as follows:—

ALL TEACHERS	QUALIFIED TEACHERS
16·6:1	17·8:1

The revised figures for Glasgow are the result of more recent information about numbers of pupils.—[Vol. 793, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what special inducements he proposes to recruit teachers of mathematics and science into secondary school teaching.

The new pattern of salary scales that has been proposed by the Management Side of the Scottish Teachers Salaries Committee is designed to increase the attractiveness of service in secondary schools to graduate teachers of all academic subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on further education in Scotland in 1963–64 and in the last convenient 12 months.

Expenditure on further education in 1963–64 was £17·2 million, including expenditure in connection with the Scottish College of Commerce, the Heriot-Watt College and the Royal College of Science and Technology, all now in the university sector. The provisional outturn for 1968–69 is £28·8 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the funds provided for mortgages by local authorities in Scotland in each of the past 10 years; and what is the sum authorised for 1970.

Mortgage advances by Scottish local authorities during the last 10 financial years were as follows:

				£ million
1959–60	…	…	…	0·9
1960–61	…	…	…	1·4
1961–62	…	…	…	3·6
1962–63	…	…	…	3·8
1963–64	…	…	…	3·8
1964–65	…	…	…	4·6
1965–66	…	…	…	5·5
1966–67	…	…	…	5·2
1967–68	…	…	…	4·6
1968–69	…	…	…	5·6

For 1969–70 I asked local authorities to keep their lending to the level of 1967–68.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the provision of buildings and equipment at Jordanhill College for the training of teachers for further education.

Work started in November, 1969, on a new building at Jordanhill College of Education, Glasgow, equipped to provide improved facilities for the training of teachers for further education.

					County Council Houses			Croft Houses
					Started	Completed	Under construction at 31st December 1969	*Approved	*Grant paid
Barra	…	…	…	…	28	16	12	2	3
South Uist	…	…	…	…	24	—	24	53	21
Benbecula	…	…	…	…	6	6	—
North Uist	…	…	…	…	31	—	31	12	4
Harris (including Scalpay)				…	24	13	22	18	10
* Detailed information about the progress of work between approval and the submission of a claim for grant is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of new school building in the Outer Islands of Inverness-shire since

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now publish the figures for crimes of violence in Scotland committed during 1969 together with the comparable figures for 1968.

Provisional figures for 1969 are now available; and these and the 1968 figures are given in the following table:

CRIMES MADE KNOWN TO THE POLICE—SCOTLAND
Year	Murder	Crimes of violence
1969 (provisional)	30	3,365
1968	41	3,586

The murder figures are corrected up to the end of the year to which they relate. The following crimes are classified as crimes of violence—murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, assaults, threats, rape, assault with intent to ravish, indecent assault.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what number of county council houses and croft houses, respectively, have been started in each of the Islands of Barra, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist and Harris, including Scalpay, since March, 1964; how many in each of those islands have been completed; and how many in each island are in course of construction.

The information is as follows:March, 1964; and what was his Department's total contribution.

No new schools were completed but the total approved cost of alterations and extensions to existing schools was £134,700. My Department make no direct financial contribution towards local authorities' capital expenditure on educational building. Central Government assistance for revenue expenditure, including loan charges, is given through the rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give

BASIC DAY SCHOOL SCALES
1		2		3		4
Main categories of teacher		Present Scale		Proposed Scale		Percentage Increases
		Min.	Max.	Min.	Max.	Range	Average
		£	£	£	£
First and second class honours graduates in secondary schools		1,125–2,125 in 11 steps		1,300–2,355 in 11 steps		10.2–15.6	11.2
Third class honours graduates in secondary schools.		1,075–2,125 in 13 steps				10.8–23.3	15.3
Ordinary graduates and practical and aesthetic equivalents in secondary schools.		1,015–1,795 in 13 steps		1,175–2,080 in 13 steps		13.5–15.9	15.2
Well-qualified teachers of practical and aesthetic subjects		910–1,690 in 13 steps				21.6–29.1	23.1
Ordinary and honours graduates in primary schools.		910–1,690 in 13 steps		1,025–1,880 in 13 steps		10.1–12.6	11.1
Teachers of physical education in seconday schools.		830–1,690 in 15 steps				11.2–24.3	13.8
Less well-qualified teachers of practical and aesthetic subjects (mainly music) and 4-year trained primary teachers.		840–1,575 in 15 steps				19.4–29.2	21.4
Practical and aesthetic teachers with other qualifications in secondary schools.		780–1,515 in 15 steps				24.1–35.2	28.3
3-year trained primary teachers		780–1,515 in 15 steps		980–1,690 in 15 steps		11.1–25.6	15.0
BASIC FURTHER EDUCATION SCALES
1		2		3		4
Main categories of teacher		Present Scale		Proposed Scale		Percentage Increases
		Min.	Max.	Min.	Max.	Range	Average
		£	£	£	£
All first class honours graduates, and other teachers in Grade I posts.		1,270–2,345 in 11 steps		1,400–2,580 in 11 steps		10.0–10.5	10.1
Third class honours graduates in Grade II or Grade III posts.		1,220–2,345 in 13 steps				10.0–20.3	14.5
Ordinary graduates (and broadly equivalent teachers) in Grade II or Grade III posts and other teachers in Grade II posts	…	1,050–1,920 in 13 steps		1,180–2,120 in 13 steps		10.0–12.7	10.4
Other teachers in Grade III posts		930–1,750 in 14 steps		1,080–1,925 in 14 steps		10.0–16.1	11.0

The basic scales now offered are shown in the tables below. In addition, the offer provides for a 15 per cent. increase in responsibility allowances, and for doubling, in secondary schools only, the present inducement payment of £100 for teachers serving in schools of serious staff shortage.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of applicants in the city of Carlisle and the county of Cumberland who have been exempted from prescription charges.

Some 9,000 up to February, 1970; but about 95 per cent. of people eligible for exemption do not need to apply for a certificate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the county borough of Gateshead concerning the vehicles used by handicapped persons, and the inadequate servicing facilities available.

No such representations have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress is being made for a replacement centre for physically handicapped persons in Government action in order to deal with the social consequences of child poverty.

I regard this as one of the most important aspects of my responsibility for co-ordinating the social services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total prescriptions dispensed by chemists under the National Health Service in England and Wales for amphetamines and barbiturates in the years 1967, 1968 and 1969; and what proportion they formed of all National Health Service prescriptions.

The available information is as follows:the county borough of Gateshead; and if he will make a statement.

This centre is included in the current lists of welfare building projects for which I hope to be able to recommend loan sanction in 1970–71.

asked the Secretary for Social Services what are the regulations governing the availability of various National Health Service facilities to registered aliens temporarily resident in this country.

None has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the total number of elderly persons in Brighton Corporation old people's homes administered by the Welfare Services Department are paying for their total costs of residence.

I assume my hon. Friend has in mind the proportion paying the full standard charge. I am informed that this is 2·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the current value of the funds accumulated on account of self-administered occupational pension schemes.

I am informed by the Government Actuary that the current figure is about £7,500 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the current value of the funds accumulated on account of insured occupational pension schemes.

I am informed by the Government Actuary that the current figure is probably of the order of £3,000 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to reduce further the number of assaults made by patients on nursing staff in hospitals.

The Confederation of Health Service Employees has from time to time made representations to me and my predecessors about aggressive patients and about occasional incidents in which nurses have been injured. It has stressed the need for adequate staffing in hospitals which treat such patients, and has pressed for security units for particularly violent patients. The level of staffing and conditions in all hospitals should be such as to keep violence by patients to the minimum. Regional hospital boards are giving urgent consideration to means of improving conditions, including numbers of nursing staff, in all types of psychiatric hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the closure of hospital accommodation at Bristol Royal Infirmary due to shortage of nursing staff.

I am informed that one small ward is at present closed because of shortage of nursing staff. The board of governors is at present considering a report on this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will accept as having degree status those students who qualify in speech therapy in the schools and colleges recognised by the College of Speech Therapy.

No distinction is made as regards eligibility for employment or terms and conditions of service in the National Health Service; all National Health Service speech therapists are required to possess a certificate from the College of Speech Therapists that their training satisfies the National Health Service (Speech Therapists) Regulations 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent over the past five years in modernising older schools in Wales; and what was the equivalent sum for the previous five years.

Information on the amounts spent over the past five years in modernising old schools in Wales is not available. The amounts authorised for major projects specifically intended to replace or improve old schools in Wales in programmes from 1967–68 to 1971–72 inclusive totalled just over £7 million. In addition, many basic needs projects and also minor projects authorised during this period contained an element of improvement. Comparable figures for the previous five-year period are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many speech therapists were employed by local education authorities in England and Wales at the last convenient date and five years earlier.

672 in December 1968, 481 in December 1963. In terms of full-time staff they represented the equivalent of 471 and 385 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many speech therapists have qualified in England and Wales in the five most recent years for which figures are available.

			1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70
			£	£	£	£	£
Boys Clubs of Wales	…	…	Nil	4,300	4,750	5,000	5,250
Presbyterian Church of Wales		…	Nil	300	300	350	370
Provincial Youth Council of Church in Wales	…	…	1,750	1,800	1,900	2,000	2,000
Welsh Association of Youth Clubs			7,500	7,500	7,850	8,600	9,000
Girl Guides Association, Wales	…	…	1,500	1,550	1,650	1,730	1,800
Council of Social Service (Wales and Monmouthshire)	…	…	800	800	800	840	840
Welsh League of Youth	…	…	9,000	9,350	9,800	10,300	10,800

In addition, the Government grant-aided a large number of local voluntary organisations in Wales during the same period towards the capital cost of providing or improving youth facilities.These grants can be summarised as follows:—

	£
1965–19 offers of grant amounting to	37,146
1966–14 offers of grant amounting to	35,826
1967–38 offers of grant amounting to	64,747
1968–29 offers of grant amounting to	68,501
1969–27 offers of grant amounting to	39,095
They include capital grants made to Boys Clubs of Wales (£1,959).
Girl Guides Association Wales (£2,060).
Welsh League of Youth (£8,492).

asked the Prime Minister if he will give an assurance that it will continue to be the policy of Her Majesty's Government to strengthen the economic development of the Merseyside and other development areas.

Yes.

The numbers are as follows:

1965	…	…	…	123
1966	…	…	…	122
1967	…	…	…	128
1968	…	…	…	135
1969	…	…	…	138

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the total contributions made by direct grant from the Government to youth organisations in Wales in the past five years; and if he will indicate the organisations which have received such grants.

In the past five years the Government have paid direct grant to youth organisations in Wales towards their training, headquarters and regional organisation expenses as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if he will initiate the establishment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the wages and salaries of all those public servants whose present incomes fall below the average for manual industrial workers.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if, following on the White Paper "Britain and the European Communities—An Economic Assessment", which he presented to Parliament on 10th February, he will have prepared a further White Paper on an Economic Assessment of a Free Trade Area between the European Free Trade Association and the European Economic Community

No.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the publication of the White Paper on Britain and the European Communities, he will now cause to be published a Blue Book on the Brussels negotiations 1961–63.

No

asked the Prime Minister if he will have further talks with President Nixon to discuss matters of mutual interest.

There are no immediate plans for a further personal meeting.

asked the Prime Minister if he will transfer responsibility for providing remedies for the effects of condensation in new houses from the Minister of Public Building and Works to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, and to the Secretary of State for Scotland.

No. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works is in close touch with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Scotland on this matter.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, full and complete details of appointments made by the Government since October, 1964 of Ministers, ex-Ministers, Members and ex-Members of both Houses of Parliament, to which position and at what salaries in each instance.

No. The cost of providing this information would be disproportionate.

asked the Prime Minister if he will review the practice to be observed by Ministers when travelling in public transport.

No. The practice is the same as that followed by our predecessors.

asked the Attorney General what is the present strength of the High Court Bench, set out in Divisions with the corresponding establishment provided by law.

In addition to the Heads of Divisions, there are at present 66 puisne Judges of the High Court. Ten are attached to the Chancery Division, 39 to the Queen's Bench Division and 17 to the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division. The maximum number authorised by statute is 70 and the minimum 25. There is no separate maximum for each Division but the minimum for the Chancery Division is five, for the Queen's Bench Division. 17, and for the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, three.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate has been made of the loss to agricultural production in Mid-Wales and the border counties through the failure to find adequate means of dealing with the Warfarin-resistant rats in the past five years.

No estimate has been made, and it would be difficult to make one. But surveys have shown that the numbers of rats on farms inside the warfarin-resistance area are now lower than those on other farms immediately outside it. This, doubtless, reflects to a large extent the intensive efforts made by the Ministry to prevent the outward spread of resistant rats and to persuade occupiers within the area to destroy rats on their land.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present area of Mid-Wales and the border counties infested by rats known to be Warfarin-resistant; and how this area has extended over the past five years.

It is impossible to say with precision but the area is probably about 1,200 square miles. This is approximately three times the area believed to be affected five years ago.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the total amount of beef imported from Argentina during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(2) what was the total amount of lamb imported from Roumania during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(3) what was the total amount of lamb imported from Australia during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(4) what was the total amount of lamb imported from Argentina during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(5) what was the total amount of beef imported from New Zealand during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(6) what was the total amount of beet imported from Australia during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(7) what was the total amount of lamb imported from New Zealand during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented;

(8) what was the total amount of beef imported from Yugoslavia during the year 1969; and what proportion of total domestic consumption this amount represented.

The information required is set out in the following table:

IMPORTS OF BEEF AND VEAL IN 1969
	Tons	Percentage of United Kingdom usage
Argentina	122,648	10
Argentina	122,648	10
Australia	17,330	1½
New Zealand	15,415	1½
Yugoslavia	14,858	1½
IMPORTS OF LAMB IN 1969
	Tons	Percentage of United Kingdom usage
Argentina	Nil	—
Australia	16,859	4
New Zealand	300,212	63
Roumania	12	—

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if, in view of the fact that industrial accidents in the Darlington district are nearly twice the national average, she will list the industries in the districts in which these accidents occur, together with the number of accidents for each industry, stated as a percentage of the employees in that industry.

The information available relates to accidents in factories in 1969, and is as follows:

Industry	Number of accidents	Number of accidents expressed as a percentage of the employees in the industry
Food	429	11·2
Chemicals	145	5·4
Metal Manufacture	197	6·0
Engineering and Electrical	1,289	9·6
Vehicles	460	6·2
Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	118	6·4
Textiles	253	3·2
Clothing, Footwear	129	2·6
Bricks, Pottery	156	9·7
Timber and Furniture	204	8·0
Paper, Printing and Publishing	30	6·0
Rubber	—	—
Plastics Manufacture and Fabrication	176	7·3
Gas	5	11·1
Electricity	14	6·0
Laundry and Dry Cleaning	1	1·6
Motor Vehicle Repairs	110	4·4
All others excluding Construction	111	15·0
Total	3,827	6·8

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to what extent she estimates that the level of unemployment in the North-West is attributable to stagnation in the construction industry.

On 12th February, 1970, 15,688 workers whose last job was in the construction industry were registered as unemployed in the North-West Region. This represented 19·7 per cent. of all those registered as unemployed in the region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by what proportion the number of male employees in employment has risen or declined in Carmarthenshire since 1964.

Between June, 1964 and June, 1968, the latest date for which figures are available, the estimated number of male employees in employment in Carmarthenshire decreased by 5·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many aliens were admitted in each of the last five years for work in agriculture of horticulture.

Information is not available in the form requested but permits issued in each of the last five years for aliens to work in agriculture and horticulture are given below. The number of such work permits which were actually used is not known.

1965	…	…	…	1,138
1966	…	…	…	987
1967	…	…	…	776
1968	…	…	…	643
1969	…	…	…	546

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a list of the boards and committees to which he appoints members other than civil servants; and if he will state the number of members serving on each such board or committee.

I appoint members other than civil servants to the following boards and committees:

	Number of members (other than civil servants)
Advisory Committee on the Administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876	10
Advisory Committee on the Deprivation of Citizenship	2
Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence	20
Advisory Committee on the Protection of Birds for England and Wales	14
Advisory Committee on Race Relations Research	10
Advisory Committee on Service Candidates	9
Advisory Council on Child Care (including sub-committees)	51
Advisory Council on the Penal System	17
Advisory Council for Probation and After-Care (including After-Care and Parole Committee and Recruitment and Training Committee)	26
Boards of Visitors of Prisons, Borstals and Detention Centres	About 1,000 for 80 establishments
Carlisle and District State Management Advisory Committee	16
Central Committee on Common Police Services	24
Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council	35
Civil Defence Industrial Advisory Committee	6
Community Relations Commission	12
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board	9
Criminal Law Revision Committee	13
Fire Service College Board	13
Fire Service Research and Training Trust	5
Gaming Board for Great Britain	5
Higher Police Training Committee	13
Home Office Scientific Advisory Council	11
Horserace Betting Levy Board	8
Horserace Totalisator Board (formerly Racecourse Betting Control Board)	4

	Number of members (other than civil servants)
Irish Soldiers' and Sailors' Land Trust	4
Local Review Committees (Parole)	About 680 for 65 committees
Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England	1
Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland	2
Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales	1
Parole Board	20
Poisons Board	14
Police College Board of Governors	13
Police College Advisory Committee	10
Police Promotion Examinations Board	16
Race Relations Board	12
Standing Committee on Crime Prevention	19
State Management Districts Council	6
Committee of Inquiry into the Medical and Toxicological Aspects of CS	8
Departmental Committees on the Adoption of Children	18
Departmental Committee on Death Certification and Coroners	10
Departmental Committee on the Fire Service	11
Departmental Committee on the London Taxicabs Trade	8

I also make appointments to various committees in my capacity as Secretary of State concerned with agriculture in Northern Ireland, and I will send details to the hon. Member if he wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has decided that it would not be appropriate to publish the proposals which he has received from Members of Parliament on means and methods of dealing with the crime wave.

Because he doubts whether it would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest convenient period the number of physical, sexual and indecent assaults, attempted and actual, in the Metropolitan Police Area and the London Borough of Newham, respectively; in how many instances arrests have been made and prosecutions ensued and with what results; and for the same period of time the number of parking tickets that have been issued to motorists in the same areas.

Following are figures for 1969.

	Metropolitan police District	Borough of Newham
Offences against the person	9,830	318
Arrests	6,699	210
Fixed penalty notices for offences against Orders restricting the right to park, issued:
by members of the police force	84,411	3,350*
by traffic wardens	706,743	—
* Estimated total for clearways and other restricted streets; there were no controlled parking zones in Newham.

The other information sought is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the 1969 crime figures for the area covered by the Brixton Police Station compare with 1968; and how the difference between these years compares with the figures for the Metropolitan Police Area.

Allowing for changes due to the Theft Act, 1968, there was a decrease in crime figures for Brixton for 1969 compared with 1968 of 5 per cent.; the comparable figure for the Metropolitan Police District was a rise of 7·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of murders committed in Cornwall in 1969.