asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce details of his determinations following the Annual Review.

I hope to be able to publish the Annual Review White Paper on Wednesday, 18th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will release part of Preston Barracks site for housing purposes.

There is a continuing defence requirement for Preston Barracks for a combined Pay and Record Office. It is not yet possible to say whether any part of the site will become available for disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what extra incentives are being offered to encourage Servicemen to retire before the expiry of their normal period of service.

I assume that the question refers to the compensation payable when Servicemen become redundant and leave the Forces before expiry of their normal period of service. The redundancy compensation scheme instituted in 1967 provides for tax-free lump sum payments plus, in the case of other ranks, an addition to any pension and terminal grant payable. Increases in these lump sum payments are now being calculated, consequent on the introduction, in April next, of the new pay structure announced in the House on 25th February, 1970.—[Vol. 796, c. 1200–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on his negotiations with local authorities in the Portsmouth area on the future use of the Royal Naval Air Station at Lee-on-Solent.

In December last the Portsmouth City Council asked for the views of the Ministry of Defence on a proposal that the naval airfield at Lee-on-Solent should become a joint military/civil airport. This proposal has been considered by the Ministry of Defence and the Portsmouth City Council have been informed that, subject to detailed negotiations, and on the basis of the civil air traffic foreseen up to 1980, the Ministry of Defence could agree to joint use of the airfield so long as it is required for naval purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the children in state-maintained nursery schools in Wales is educated through the medium of the Welsh language.

Of 1,596 children attending maintained nursery schools in Wales full-time in January, 1969, 20 were being taught through the medium of Welsh.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the increases in the index of retail prices for nationalised industries, food, housing, fuel and light, durable household goods, clothing and footwear, transport and vehicles, miscellaneous goods, services and for all other items in the index since 10th December, 1968.

The percentage increases between 10th December, 1968, and 20th January, 1970, the latest date for which the index is available, were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many disabled persons known to her

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she will take steps to make reports of prosecutions under the Factories Acts public in the interests of public safety.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 24th March, 1969, when the then Parliamentary Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Fernyhough), said "A summary and analysis of prosecutions taken under the Factories Act is published in H.M. Chief Inspector of Factories Annual Report. Newspapers publish accounts of cases which are of general or local interest."—[Vol. 780, c. 204.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the percentage unemployment rates for the employment exchanges affecting the Hamilton constituency for each month since 1964.

The Hamilton constituency forms part of the North Lanarkshire travel-to-work area. Percentage rates of unemployment can be calculated only for the travel-to-work area as a whole.Following is the information:Department were receiving instruction at training or rehabilitation centres in Scotland at the latest convenient date; and what plans she has to increase the facilities.

453 were attending training and rehabilitation courses arranged by my Department at the latest count, including 121 in Government Training Centres, 31 at colleges of further education, 5 training with employers, and 296 at rehabilitation units. A new combined Government Training Centre and Industrial Rehabilitation Unit is to be opened at Dundee in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct the British Embassy in South Africa to send observers to the trial of 10 members of the South-West African Peoples Organisation taking place under the Terrorism Act in the Transvaal.

As far as we know, no trial such as that described in the Question, is at present taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British missionaries, doctors and relief workers have been required to leave Nigeria; and what reasons were given by the authorities.

Seven missionaries who are United Kingdom citizens have been required to leave Nigeria after being found guilty on charges of illegally entering Nigeria.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the part being played by United Kingdom citizens in the relief of distress in Nigeria.

Of the 175 expatriate workers in the Nigerian relief operation, 93 are British, most of them paid for from funds provided by Her Majesty's Government.In addition to these, valuable relief work has been done by members of the Child Medical Care Unit, Enugu, which is financed under British technical assistance by the Ministry of Overseas Development. Other British citizens have also rendered much-needed assistance in the relief of suffering in the aftermath of the war.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action was taken by the British High Commission in Lusaka on behalf of British golfers imprisoned there and then deported from Zambia; and whether he will make a statement.

Six British golfers were refused admission to Zambia on 9th March and temporarily detained in a remand prison pending deportation. Following representations by our High Commissioner in Lusaka they were released and granted permission to stay in Zambia for 21 days. I am investigating a Press report that another British golfer has been detained pending deportation and I will write to the hon. Member when the result is known.I understand that the Zambian authorities have announced that individuals associating themselves in sport and other activities with South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and South West Africa will not be allowed entry into Zambia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Lady Crawford was refused admission to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will state the circumstances under which Lady Crawford who came from Rhodesia to Great Britain for medical reasons was detained at Heathrow airport and then refused admittance to this country.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend in the House on 12th March to the Question by the right hon. Member for Kinross and West Perth (Sir Alec Douglas-Home).—[Vol. 797, c. 1563–8.]

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many ponds and fountains are maintained by his Department; how much money is extracted from them each year; and what happens to the proceeds.

To obtain the information requested in the first and second parts of the Question would involve a disproportionate amount of staff time. Any money found when ponds and fountains are cleaned is credited to the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will take steps to allow Oxfam to erect a sign in front of the carp pond at the Jewel Tower encouraging tourists to throw money into the pond for charity; and whether he will take steps to allow Oxfam to keep the money that is already in there.

The moat of the Jewel Tower is a public amenity. I do not think it would be desirable to use it as a means of raising contributions for a private charity however worthy the cause.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings his Department has held in Scotland in connection with the Government's intention to work out detailed proposals for local ombudsmen in consultation with local authority associations and other interested bodies; and with whom the meetings have been held.

None, as yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the timber blown down in the January, 1968 gale remained to be cleared as at 1st February, 1970.

The Windblow Action Group has estimated that at 31st Decembber, 1969—the latest date for which

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what staff from his Department have given evidence to the Constitutional Commission; and what staff from his Department are attached to the commission.

Eleven senior officials of my Departments have given evidence to the Commission. Two members of the staff of my Department are at present serving on the Commission's Secretariat.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the housing subsidy to be paid in 1969–70 to new town development corporations in Scotland.

£2,665,714.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many rate rebates have been paid in the burghs of Dunfermline, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath and Inverkeithing in each year since the operation of the scheme, and to what value.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many rate rebates have been paid in the burghs of Kirkcaldy, Buckhaven and Methil, King-horn and Burntisland in each year since

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing for 1970 onwards the amount of capital investment for school building applied for by each local education authority, the amount he has approved for each authority and the total school population of each education authority, respectively.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 6th February, 1970 to the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire for the estimated costs of education authorities' proposals for the period 1970–72 and the allocations for the first part of the period. The latest available school population figures are as at January, 1969, and were given in my answer to my hon. Friend's Question on 21st July, 1969.—[Vol. 795, c. 220–1; Vol. 787, c. 279.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans for the future of Jordanhill College School.

I have just received the views of the college governors in response to my invitation to them to review the future of the school. The governors have decided to discontinue charging fees and are arranging that the intake of pupils for the operation of the scheme, and to what value.

The available information is as follows:session 1970–71 shall not involve selection by ability or aptitude. For the longer term, they have not expressed any view as to whether the school should continue. I am now considering their reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the age of the youngest person to have oral contraceptives supplied under the National Health Service.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the adequacy of retirement pensions in Scotland measured in terms of the devaluation of the £ sterling, in view of the higher cost of living in Scotland and the rise in the cost of living generally.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the special concessions allowed by Government Departments to retirement pensioners and indicate which of these are available to a limited number of persons.

The answer I gave to the hon. Member on 21st November, 1969, applies to all Government Departments. There is one minor exception to this policy, which is that retirement pensioners are admitted to ancient monuments and certain historic buildings in care of the Government at half price.—[Vol. 791. c. 387.]

asked the Minister of Technology (1) whether in the event of continuing disagreement between interested parties on charges made to developers for installing gas and electricity in new housing developments, he will seek power to impose a solution on all concerned;(2) whether he will give an assurance that he will announce his decision on charges to developers for installation of gas and electricity in new housing developments before the beginning of the summer recess.

Taking further powers is one possibility.A decision on this difficult problem will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Technology how many grants have been made under Section 7 of the Local Government Act, 1960.

I assume the hon. Gentleman refers to the L.E.A. To 31st March 1969, Departments responsible for the basic services had made offers of grant towards 221 schemes.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further stat-ment on the independent inquiry he is proposing to set up into North Sea Gas conversions.

Professor Frank Morton, O.B.E., of Manchester University has accepted my invitation to undertake this inquiry. Professor Morton is Professor of Chemical Engineering and a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of that University.His terms of reference are

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all countries from which toys and their parts were imported in 1969, giving the value of the imports from each country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that toy pianos finished with paint containing 21·03 per cent. of lead, compared with the permitted maximum of 0·05 per cent., imported from China, are on sale in shops in the London Borough of Brent; and if he will prohibit the importation of such goods, in view of their lethal danger to children.

The sale or possession for sale of toys coated with paint containing more than a specified maximum level of lead is prohibited under the Toys (Safety) Regulations, 1967, and any importer who offers such goods for sale is committing an offence under the Consumer Protection Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the proposed obligation on all future types of subsonic jet aircraft to comply with specified noise standards is to apply to military aircraft.

No. I am assured, however, that military aircraft will continue to be operated in the United Kingdom so as to cause the least disturbance consistent with operational needs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many meetings of the Banks Committee on Patent Law have been held; and when the report is expected.

The Committee has held 49 meetings. As I told the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Dudley Smith) on 17th February, the report is expected early in May.—[Vol. 796, c. 108.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there was a decline in United Kingdom exports to India from £81·55 million worth in 1967 to £65·5 million in 1969; if he will state the reasons for this; and to what extent he estimates the decline is due to the Tripartite Agreement between India, the United Arab Republic and Yugoslavia.

Yes, I think this decline must be primarily attributed to India's shortage of free foreign exchange and need to use this for essential imports, particularly raw materials and foodstuffs which we do not supply. During our study of this problem, which included helpful discussions last year with the Indian Government, we have found no evidence that the Tripartite Agreement might be a contributory factor, though the position is being kept under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now introduce legislation to control the activities of estate agents in Scotland.

While I agree that in this field some measure of regulation in Great Britain is very desirable I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he purports to prevent increases in the price of the Daily Telegraph or any other national newspaper during the course of 1970 by any amount or amounts deemed by the respective proprietors to be appropriate, with or without prior notification to his Department, without statutory authority so to do.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in supposing that I purport to prevent increases in newspaper prices without statutory authority. Under the prices and incomes policy voluntary arrangements for the prior consideration of proposed price increases exist between my Department and the managements of the Daily Telegraph and other national newspapers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the minimum quantity of decimal currency that the Decimal Currency Board will allow retailers to purchase to train their staff is £100 worth and that this is too high for shopkeepers employing between two and 10 staff; and if he will give the Board a general direction to lower the minimum.

The Decimal Currency Board has announced that the minimum order for decimal bronze coins of each denomination will be reduced to £60 by June, 1970, to £20 by October, 1970 and to £1 by January, 1971. This phased programme will enable smaller orders to be met by banks when supplies of coins are available locally, and it is designed to meet the different needs of the various enterprises which it is intended to help.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many health centres have been opened in Wales since 1964, and how many have been approved or are under construction, or active consideration, respectively.

13 Health Centres have been opened; 16 are being built; 4 have been approved for building; and 9 are being actively planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons in Rhondda have benefited by the rate rebate scheme since its inception to the latest available date; and what was the average amount of rebate.

The latest figures for rate rebates for Rhondda Borough Council are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount granted from public funds to Rhondda Borough Council under the Rating Act, 1966, in rate rebates; and how this compares with the total granted under the Rating (Interim Relief) Act, 1964.

Exchequer grant was paid to Rhondda Borough Council in respect of rate rebates allowed in each of the following years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Rhondda Borough Council were abolished, excepting old peoples' accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.

I estimate that the cost to Rhondda Borough Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings (excepting old people's accommodation) would in 1969–70 be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 27s. a week in a 52-week rent year. If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range of 40s. to 109s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range of 5s. to 7s. a week if pooled over the whole housing stock.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the farming community about Warfarin-resistant rats; and what reply he has sent.

I have received no such representations but there has been correspondence during the past four years between the National Farmers' Union and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on this subject. In December, 1968, the union's county branches directly involved asked the Ministry to continue its holding operations in Montgomery and Shrop-shire designed to slow down the outward spread of Warfarin-resistant rats while research continued to find alternative poisons, and they were informed that their views had been noted. The operations have, in fact, been continued but a reappraisal of the situation is currently being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to encourage all local authorities in Wales to prepare structural plans for their areas.

The County Councils of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire and the county borough councils of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport have so far been invited to prepare structure plans. I am keeping the question of further invitations under review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to which of the boards, councils and committees to which he appoints members other than civil servants he has appointed women members; and how many in each case.

The list is as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Halifax County Borough Council were abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Halifax County Borough Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excluding old people's accommodation, would in 1969–70 be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 16s. a week in a 52-week rent year. If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range of 50s. to 65s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range of 4s. to 6s. a week if pooled over the whole housing stock.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the total Exchequer housing subsidies to the former county borough of Croydon and the present London Borough of Croydon for the years 1962 to 1969, inclusive.

The housing subsidy payments made to the former Croydon County Borough Council and the present London Borough of Croydon in respect of new housing provided by them under the Housing Acts have been as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many council houses have been sold in Brighton in each year since 1945 to date.

The number of dwellings sold by Brighton C.B.C. were:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for subsidised dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to the London Borough of Lewisham were abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.

In the light of information provided by the council I estimate that the cost to Lewisham London Borough Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing subsidised dwellings, excluding old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names and qualifications of the members of his Building Regulations Advisory Committee.

Following is the information: