asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many disputes there have been in the motor industry during the year to date; what are the numbers of men involved and working hours lost; and in how many disputes the conciliation procedures of the Trades Union Congress were employed.

Sixty-seven stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in motor vehicle manufacturing have been brought to the notice of my Department as beginning in January and February, 1970. All stoppages in progress in the industry during those months involved 45,300 workers and accounted for the loss of 143,000 working days at the establishments where the disputes occurred. These figures are provisional. I understand that the T.U.C. kept in close touch with developments on the major disputes but as the unions concerned were taking energetic steps to secure a resumption of work it did not consider that its intervention would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many disabled people during the last four years have for the first time placed their names on the Disabled Register as a consequence of becoming redundant.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will estimate the number of disabled people in employment who are not registered on the Disabled Register, and who do not therefore count for quota purposes as far as their employers are concerned.

Disabled workers can only be identified by my Department if they apply for registration. Since registration is voluntary I have no information on which to base an estimate of the number of eligible workers who do not choose to register.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many young people have sought the assistance of the youth section of the Mexborough and Womb-well Employment Exchanges during the past 12 months; and how many have been placed in employment.

During the 12 months ended 4th March, 1970, 562 and 182 young people were placed in employment by the Mexborough and Wombwell Careers Offices respectively. Figures are not available to show how many young people sought assistance during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a statement regarding the outcome of her discussions with the Federation of Bank Employers about the latest report from the National Board for Prices and Incomes on overtime rates in the clearing banks.

My officials have opened discussions with the banks on the report and the action to be taken on the board's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the aggregate cost to public funds of the National Board for Prices and Incomes reports on the banking industry to the present time.

I regret that this information is not available. The cost of these investigations cannot be separated from the cost of other work on which the board was simultaneously engaged without a disproportionate expenditure of time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the total amount of levy paid to each industrial training board by organisations later found to be outside the scope of the Industrial Training Act, 1964; how much of this incorrectly collected levy has been returned; and what action she is taking to see that any balance still outstanding shall now be returned.

Approximate figures of levy collected by the three boards principally concerned are:

Construction	…	£4½ million
Hotel and Catering	…	£900,000
Road Transport	…	£180,000

The Construction and Road Transport Boards have not made any special repayments of levy since the employers affected enjoyed the full benefit of grants and other services from the boards throughout the relevant levy periods. But the Hotel and Catering Board is repaying all levy paid in the current levy period by affected employers since many other employers had withheld levy payments pending the House of Lords' decision in the R.A.C. case.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what is the present size of the staff of the Construction Industry Training Board; what is its cost; and what were the equivalent figures for each financial year of the board since its inception.

Information for past years has been published in the board's annual reports which have been presented to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what representations she has received from the building trade unions about the effect on their membership of the growth of self-employment in the civil engineering and building industries; and what reply she has sent.

My right hon. Friend has had a number of representations and has expressed her concern on many occasions. This was one of the reasons why we set up the Phelps Brown Inquiry. As the House knows, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works will introduce a Bill shortly to control self-employed subcontracting in the construction industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many self-employed persons there were in the construction industries in each year from 1963 to 1969, inclusive.

Rounded estimates of the numbers of employers and self-employed persons in the United Kingdom are as follows:

• 195,000 in 1963.
• 200,000 in 1964.
• 210,000 in 1965.
• 215,000 in 1966.
• 235,000 in 1967.
• 245,000 in 1968.

Estimates for 1969 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the total increase in industrial productivity in Great Britain between October, 1964, and the most recent date for which figures are available; and what was the percentage increase in the comparable period before October, 1964.

Between the fourth quarter of 1964 and the third quarter of 1969 output per person employed in the United Kingdom increased by 16·9 per cent. in the industries covered by the index of industrial production. In the 4¾ years between the first quarter of 1960 and the fourth quarter of 1964 the corresponding increase was 14·3 per cent. Separate figures for Great Britain are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many temporary staff are employed in her Department; how many of these are secured from private employment agencies; and what is the cost over and above the normal establishment rates of pay.

243 staff are employed on a casual short-term basis, of whom 56 are secured from commercial employment agencies at a total extra cost of about £300 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what representations she has received from builders regarding compulsory consultation on site safety; and what reply she has sent.

The National Federation of Building Trade Employers and the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors asked for the construction industry to be excluded from the application of Part II of the Employed Persons (Health and Safety) Bill because of the

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED, AT 9TH FEBRUARY, 1970 WHO LAST WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION (MINIMUM LIST HEADING 500 OF THE STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION) TOGETHER WITH AN OCCUPATIONAL ANALYSIS OF MEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED
	South East	East Anglia	South Western	West Midlands	East Midlands	Yorkshire and Humberside	North Western	Northern	Wales	Scotland	Great Britain
Total registered unemployed, males and females	27,301	2,916	7,748	8,623	7,251	14,592	15,688	15,660	10,111	20,412	130,302
Men registered as wholly unemployed	26,566	2,787	7,459	8,380	7,027	14,171	15,089	15,077	9,760	19,477	125,793
Carpenters, joiners and shutterers	1,649	191	448	465	447	1,095	999	1,056	312	1,238	7,900
Bricklayer	1,081	162	361	556	386	984	867	939	336	827	6,499
Mason, stone carver	24	1	99	4	3	27	19	10	16	100	303
Slater, tiler, thatcher, roofing felt fixer	205	5	37	60	24	73	116	62	33	291	906
Plasterer	450	54	142	98	94	265	263	251	158	233	2,008
Floor and wall tiler, mosaic worker, terrazzo worker, floor, etc. layer	115	14	27	34	11	47	75	63	12	64	482
Painter, decorator, signwriter	3,839	300	834	738	520	1,062	1,404	902	479	895	10,973

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many construction workers were unemployed in Great Britain in February; and if she will break the total figure down for regions and for individual trades in the regions.

At 9th February, 1970, 130,302 persons who last worked in construction were registered as unemployed in Great Britain. The remainder of the reply consists of the following table of figures:

	South East	East Anglia	South Western	West Midlands	East Midlands	Yorkshire and Humberside	North Western	Northern	Wales	Scotland	Great Britain
Hot water fitter, heating and domestic engineer	177	9	37	43	18	56	115	57	20	43	575
Other plumbers, gas fitters, etc.	910	56	155	193	125	369	376	279	165	230	2,858
Glazier	43	5	9	10	4	11	16	5	5	14	122
Pavier, road etc. surface layer	123	5	27	43	18	65	97	93	13	87	571
Steel bender and fixer	189	11	30	56	44	122	141	74	60	347	1,074
Scaffolder	250	10	36	78	77	223	132	95	64	207	1,172
Other miscellaneous building and civil engineering workers	2,067	101	199	348	215	729	581	720	407	1,105	6,472
Steel erector, sheeter	401	39	72	212	193	429	208	286	246	264	2,350
Electrician, cable jointer, linesman	500	50	128	84	104	255	267	295	192	247	2,122
Mechanical handling plant, etc. operator	429	57	127	216	232	405	311	495	272	453	2,997
Erector, millwright, maintenance fitter	102	9	21	47	23	87	78	89	63	52	571
Labourers	9,528	1,317	3,657	3,715	3,507	6,335	7,010	7,555	5,494	10,248	58,366
Other occupations	4,484	391	1,013	1,380	982	1,532	2,014	1,751	1,413	2,532	17,492

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Stamp Committee was first appointed.

28th October, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to amend Section 53 of the Police Act, 1964, to allow the police the same trade union rights as the remainder of Her Majesty's subjects engaged in industry, local government and civilian security services.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the constituency of Billericay and the county of Essex, respectively, during 1968.

87 children in Essex in the year ended 31st March, 1969. representing 2·6 per 10,000 of the population under the age of eighteen. 11 of these children were resident in the constituency of Billericay. We have no information as to the under-18 population of the constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the constituency of Bradford, West and the city of Bradford, respectively, during 1968.

98 children in Bradford in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 11·3 per 10,000 of the population under the age of eighteen. 17 of these children were resident in the constituency of Bradford, West. We have no information as to the under-18 population of the constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the constituency of Islington, North, and Islington Borough Council, respectively, during 1968.

34 children in Islington in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 5·5 per 10,000 of the population under the age of eighteen. 10 of these children were resident in the constituency of Islington, North. We have no information as to the under-18 population of the constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the constituency of Kingston upon Hull, West and the City of Kingston upon Hull, respectively, during 1968.

47 children in Kingston upon Hull in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 5·3 per 10,000 of the population under the age of eighteen. 14 of these children were resident in the constituency of Kingston upon Hull, West. We have no information as to the under-18 population of the constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the constituency of Liverpool, Scotland, and the City of Liverpool, respectively, during 1968.

35 children in Liverpool in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 1·7 per 10,000 of the population under the age of eighteen. Eight of these children were resident in the constituency of Liverpool, Scotland. We have no information as to the under-18 population of the constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the city of Birmingham during 1968.

198 children in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 6·4 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the City of Manchester during 1968.

133 children in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 7·8 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in Barrow-in-Furness during 1968.

Two children in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 1·1 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the city of Nottingham during 1968.

108 children in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 12·1 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the City of Portsmouth County Borough Council during 1968.

17 children in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 3·4 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the county borough of Stockport during 1968.

49 children in the year ended 31st March 1969, representing 12·2 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children per 10,000 population were made subject to a fit person order in the constituency of York during 1968.

Five children in the year ended 31st March, 1969, representing 1·8 per 10,000 of the population under the age of 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the constituency of Billericay and the county of Essex, respectively, up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted in 1968 at Billericay and Brentwood Magistrates' Courts was 1,477; this figure was about 83 per 10,000 parsons of all ages in that area. The figures for the Essex police force area were 7,904 and 75 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the constituency of Bradford, West and the City of Bradford, respectively, up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The numbers of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Bradford was 2,299, which was 78 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area. Corresponding information for the constituency of Bradford, West is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the constituency of Kingston upon Hull, West and the City of Kingston upon Hull, respectively, up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Kingston upon Hull was 3,915, which was 133 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area. Corresponding information for the constituency of Kingston upon Hull, West is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the constituency of Liverpool, Scotland, and the City of Liverpool, respectively, up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Liverpool was 7,560, which was 110 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area. Corresponding information for the constituency of Liverpool, Scotland is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the city of Birmingham up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Birmingham was 6,730, which was 63 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the city of Manchester up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Manchester was 8,657, which was 144 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in Barrow-in-Furness up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Barrow-in-Furness was 702, which was 110 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the city of Nottingham up to the age of 20 were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The numbers of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Nottingham was 1,946, which was 64 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the City of Portsmouth County Borough Council up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Portsmouth was 2,313, which was 106 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in Stockport up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in Stockport was 791, which was 56 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons per 10,000 population living in the constituency of York up to the age of 20 years were convicted of criminal offences during 1968.

The available information is as follows:

The number of persons aged under 21 convicted summarily in 1968 in York was 838, which was 77 per 10,000 persons of all ages in that area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the constituency of Billericay and the County of Essex, respectively, were receiving support during 1968 from the children's department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the constituency of Bradford, West and the City of Bradford, respectively, was receiving support during 1968 from the children's department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the constituency of Islington, North, and Islington Borough Council, respectively, were receiving support during 1968 from the children's department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the constituency of Kingston upon Hull, West and the City of Kingston upon Hull, respectively, were receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the constituency of Liverpool, Scotland, and the City of Liverpool, respectively, was receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the City of Manchester was receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the City of Nottingham were receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department, and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the City of Portsmouth County Borough Council were receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department, and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from Stockport was receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department and had a history of mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of families from the constituency of York were receiving support during 1968 from the childrens department, and had a history of mental illness.

The local authorities reported that the numbers of families given advice, guidance or assistance by them or on their behalf under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 during the 12 months ending 31st March, 1969 were:

Essex County Council	…	920
Bradford City Council	…	291
Islington London Borough Council	…	1,131
Kingston-upon-Hull City Council	…	402
Liverpool City Council	…	846
Manchester City Council	…	649
Nottingham City Council	…	765
Portsmouth City Council	…	347
Stockport County Borough Council	…	307
York City Council	…	52

I regret that neither information about the total number of families receiving support from local authority children's departments and the prevalence of mental illness in those families nor figures for particular constituencies are readily available. This information could be obtained only by a search through the individual case records kept by the departments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the chief constable as to how many police are currently employed by the Cheshire Police Authority; how many of these are employed for the protection of the Birkenhead, Bromborough and Eastham docks systems, respectively; and what administrative arrangements exists for liaison between these dock police and other police employed by the Port of Manchester Authority.

On 28th February the strength of the Cheshire Constabulary was 2,449, compared with 2,084 at the end of 1964, and of its Birkenhead Docks sub-division 54. The Bromborough and Eastham docks are policed by the Manchester Ship Canal police, whom the Cheshire Constabulary assist as required. The forces are in regular contact, and no formal arrangement for liaison has been made or is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, taking account of the numbers of immigrants who enter the United Kingdom illegally each year, he will estimate the number of Afro-Asian immigrants who were in Great Britain on 1st January, 1970.

Without a precise definition of the term "Afro-Asian immigrant" it is not possible to make an estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek a meeting with the joint stock banks to discuss the desirability of legislation to provide that no bank charges shall be made without the amount of such charges having been agreed with the customer.

No. I do not think legislation is called for. But I recognise that there is some public anxiety on this question, and I am sure that the banks are aware of this.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sanctions or disciplines he imposes on firms which decline to adhere to his policy of voluntary restrictions on investment in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

I am glad to say that no firms have declined to co-operate in the voluntary programme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of payments made by the Treasury to the Post Office in each of the last five

			National Savings Certificates	Premium Savings Bonds	Government Stock and Bonds	National Savings Stamps	Total
			£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s
1964–65	…	…	1,020	779	172	2,575	4,546
1965–66	…	…	1,070	868	220	3,048	5,206
1966–67	…	…	1,468	905	221	3,225	5,819
1967–68	…	…	1,349	936	187	3,291	5,763
1968–69	…	…	1,237	1,077	182	3,652	6,148
1969–70	…	…	1,404	1,175	199	4,509	7,287
1970–71	…	…	1,286	1,125	215	3,763	6,389

This table does not include management costs incurred by the Department for National Savings (formerly Post Office Savings Department). Inclusive costs (except for National Savings Stamps) are given in the annual reports of the Department for National Savings, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the total charges in each of the last five years for management expenses and other handling costs incurred by the Post Office in respect of National Savings Bank business that were met wholly from the Savings Bank funds.

The information is as follows:

		National Savings Bank Ordinary Accounts	National Savings Bank Investment Accounts (introduced June, 1966)	Total
		£000s	£000s	£000s
1964–65	…	6,771	—	6,771
1965–66	…	7,135	—	7,135
1966–67	…	7,140	50	7,190
1967–68	…	6,960	96	7,056
1968–69	…	6,933	142	7,075

This table does not include management costs incurred by the National Savings Bank (formerly Post Office Bank) Headquarters, which were met wholly from the Savings Bank Funds. Inclusive costs are given in the annual reports of the Department for National Savings, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider taking steps to enable Trustee Savings Banks to offer the public a years for management expenses and other handling costs for such savings media as National Savings Certificates, Premium Savings Bonds, Government stock and bonds and National Savings Stamps; and what payment he estimates he will make in respect of 1969–70 and 1970–71, respectively.

The information is as follows:personal loan service; and if he will make a statement.

Proposals recently submitted by the Trustee Savings Bank Association are being examined but I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why purchase tax is charged upon leaflets which contain a reply-paid card which constitutes more than 25 per cent. of the printed card, whereas if less than 25 per cent. of the printed card is used for the reply-paid card no purchase tax is paid; and whether in his forthcoming Budget he will take steps to remove this distinction.

This dividing line, which is of long standing, has been generally accepted by the trade as a fair and convenient method of determining whether partially-printed leaflets designed to be completed in manuscript or otherwise are within the description "stationery" and hence chargeable with purchase tax. My right hon. Friend has had no other recent representations in favour of changing it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of his plans for the erection of Phase 2 of the Royal Mint at Llantrisant.

There has been no change in the Government's intention to transfer the Royal Mint to Wales and to close the existing Mint on Tower Hill by about the end of 1973. Planning is proceeding accordingly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has formed of the loss to the Inland Revenue through the increase in self-employment in construction since 1966, and whether he will make a statement.

In his report (Cmnd. 3714 S 414) Professor Phelps Brown illustrates the difficulty of making his estimate. However, on the basis of a small sample investigation relating to 1967 the loss was estimated at between £2; million and £3 million. As regards the future, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations of incidents, similar to the one in which two soldiers publicly displayed in Ulster a flag of the Republic of Eire, has been brought to the attention of the military authorities since 3rd September, 1969.

One similar allegation has been made. This was not substantiated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the fact that farmers in the Afikpo area of Nigeria are deterred from cultivating their land because of the danger from mines laid during the recent civil war, he will offer the Nigerian Government the loan of British Army units trained in mine detection and destruction.

It would be for the Nigerian Government to make a request for assistance of this kind: no such request has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what precautions he is taking to ensure that arms sold to the Portuguese Government are used only by forces allocated to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commands.

It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to supply arms to Portugal for use outside her N.A.T.O. responsibilities in Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has, in view of the expanding traffic in and through the Turks and Caicos Islands, for installing a modern telephone, radio and telex system through Cable and Wireless or otherwise.

A general technical survey of the Islands' telecommunications needs by Cable and Wireless is at present in progress. When the results of this are known steps can then be taken to decide how their communications requirements can best be met to cope with likely increased development.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will recommend to Her Majesty the appointment of a person undertaking to promote democracy to act temporarily as Prime Minister of Rhodesia to form a multiracial Government in exile, until free and democratic elections can take place in Rhodesia.

No, I do not think that such a proposal is appropriate in relation to Southern Rhodesia. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told my hon. Friend the Member for Reading (Mr. John Lee) on 13th March last year, the appointment of a constitutional Prime Minister for Rhodesia requires a prior return to constitutional rule.—[Vol. 779, c. 1561–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which countries, commonwealth or foreign, whose Governments Her Majesty's Government does not recognise de facto or de jure, respectively Her Majesty's Government maintains diplomatic consular, trade or administrative missions.

North Vietnam, Taiwan and Lesotho.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make a statement on the special conference convened by the Swiss Government with the International Civil Aviation Organisation to consider the security of aircraft following the air disaster in Switzerland on 1st February.

The conference will take the form of an extraordinary session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (I.C.A.O.) which is being convened at the request of 10 member states, including the United Kingdom. The latest news from Montreal, where the arrangements are being considered in the I.C.A.O. Council, is that the Assembly will meet in Montreal on 16th June.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the expenditure, in each of the last six years, on major road improvements and new roads in the West Midlands area.

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

asked the Minister of Transport when he will issue the statutory formula covering the method of calculating the costs of travel concessions which he is empowered to prepare under the provisions of Section 138(7) of the Transport Act, 1968.

We are about to circulate to the local authorities' and bus operators' associations, for their consideration, proposals for a method of calculation which might be prescribed in general terms. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the Department's letter.

asked the Minister of Transport what the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council has done since its formation in 1968.

I understand that the council has been meeting regularly and that members have visited a number of waterways. The greater part of the council's time has been devoted to the study of suggestions for additions to the British Waterways Board's cruising waterways. It has also had under consideration a variety of matters affecting the amenity or recreational use of the board's cruising and commercial waterways.

asked the Minister of Transport what action has been taken, of which his Department has been informed, on any recommendations made by the Advisory Council to the British Waterways Association.

I understand that the council has passed a number of recommendations to the British Waterways Board for the restoration of certain remainder waterways with a view to their possible inclusion in the cruising network. At the board's request, the council is now in the process of producing for the board's consideration a list of priorities and detailed reports in support of its recommendations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to announce his decision on matters affecting the redevelopment of Woking town centre which were the subject of public inquiries held in October, 1969.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and I hope to reach decisions shortly.

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 each of the 32 London boroughs stated separately are abolished excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.

I estimate that the cost to Harrow 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 10s. a week.If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range of 60s. to 80s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range 8s. to 10s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.Comparable figures for the London Borough of Lewisham were given in my reply on 13th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Dickens). Calculations for other London boroughs have not yet been made.—[Vol. 797, c.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the current cost of the average council house now under construction; what is his estimate of the rent increase necessary following abolition of current subsidies, and his estimate of the equivalent subsidy on the basis that the cost of such a house were pooled with other existing houses; and what is his estimate of the increase required on the basis that all pooled subsidies were abolished.

I estimate that the average all-in cost in England and Wales of a council house now under construction is £4,340. The basic Exchequer subsidy on such a house completed in 1969–70 is equivalent to 60s. a week; if the rent of a new house costing £4,340 were to be set at the average level of standard rents for existing houses I estimate that the difference between that rent and the cost rent would be about £5 10s. a week. If all Exchequer subsidies were abolished I estimate that the cost in England would be equivalent to a rent increase of about 7s. a week to over 30s. a week, depending on the authority, if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the standards and costs of building old people's grouped homes are leading to the imposition of excessive rents; and if he will take steps to increase subsidies for such houses.

The subsidies now being paid for old people's housing are the most generous ever paid. They are directly related to the capital cost of providing specially designed housing to specified minimum good standards, and now meet nearly half of such costs. With the present level of Government help, local authorities should provide rebates for tenants whose means are small and my right hon. Friend the Minister has specifically recommended them to do this on the basis of an illustrative rent rebate scheme circularised in June, 1967.

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 Brighton Corporation 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 Brightton Corporation 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 9s. a week.If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range 60s. to 80s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range Is. to 2s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has studied the proposals of local authorities to introduce rent discrimination against new tenants; if he will introduce legislation to prevent discrimination in rents against new tenants or any other group of tenants; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no power to intervene in the rents fixed by local authorities for individual dwellings because this is by law their responsibility. There are objections of principle to withdrawing this fundamental responsibility and in practice local authorities are best placed to discharge it and to answer to their electors for the way they do so.

asked the Minister of Technology to what extent the future of the South Eastern Electricity Board programme to make safe service terminals in consumer premises in the West Surrey electricity district has been dictated by shortage of funds.

The board's programme to complete work on service ter- minals by the end of 1973 was adopted, I understand, as a reasonable and sensible target after consideration of a number of factors including physical resources, economic prudence and the good safety record of the board.

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will give estimates of the percentage increase in electricity costs to the consumer in 1975, 1980, and 1985, respectively, resulting from the undergrounding from henceforth of all Central Electricity Generating Board power lines in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

No: future transmission construction will depend on the growth and location of electricity demand and the siting of generating capacity. It is not possible to undertake for so far ahead the detailed predictions required to provide the estimates requested.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give a list of those power stations, in respect of which permission to convert from coal to any other fuel has been given to the Central Electricity Generating Board, stating the dates upon which such permission was granted.

The C.E.G.B. has been given specific permission to convert four power stations which are currently coal-burning to another fuel—Littlebrook B, part of Portishead B, Brunswick Wharf and Fulham: the consents are dated 20th, 23rd, 27th January, 1956, and 22nd December, 1969 respectively and I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to my hon. Friends the Members for Blyth (Mr. Milne) and Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 6th February and 2nd March. The C.E.G.B. also has some power stations under consents permitting dual-firing but I am not aware of any proposals to change their fuelling.—[Vol. 795, c. 226–227; Vol. 797, c. 18.]

asked the Minister of Technology (1) for how many years he estimates that the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Chapelcross will produce electricity for the South of Scotland Electricity Board;

The A.E.A. inform me that there is no technical reason why the Chapelcross power station should not continue in operation for many years but that its life will be determined by economic factors. In time it will become gradually more difficult for the station to compete with newer and more advanced power stations.Subject to continued satisfactory operation Chapelcross will be producing electricity for the South of Scotland Electricity Board until at least 1976, when the current supply contract expires.

asked the Minister of Technology why the percentage of disabled staff in his Department is below 3 per cent.

Because insufficient numbers of registered disabled persons have offered themselves for employment.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will state the number of industrial development certificates issued in each of the last 12 months, respectively.

The information asked for is given in the following table:

Industrial Development Certificates approved from 1st March, 1969, to 28th February, 1970, in Great Britain:
Month	…	…	Number
March	…	…	522
April	…	…	437
May	…	…	426
June	…	…	412
July	…	…	472
August	…	…	355
September	…	…	351
October	…	…	369
November	…	…	394
December	…	…	340
January	…	…	386
February	…	…	400

asked the Minister of Technology what measures he is taking to publicise the appeals procedure for disputed claims within the Redundant Mineworkers (Payments) Scheme.

I am discussing the best method with the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to local education authorities as to the provision of alternative transport when bus companies are affected by strikes; and whether he will make a statement.

Education authorities know the local situation better than I do and they are in a better position to cope with the difficulties. I do not think general advice by me would help matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the total number of ancillary staff appointed to primary schools when the service began, the nature of their duties and the annual cost in each of the six largest education authorities in Scotland.

The numbers of ancillary staff in education authority primary schools have built up gradually and in January, 1969 amounted to 455 full-time and 228 part-time employees. Their duties vary from school to school but mainly consist of assisting teachers with those aspects of their work which do not require professional skills. Details of the annual expenditure of education authorities on ancillary staff in primary schools are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what total lengths of motorway and all-purpose dual carriageway trunk roads have been added to the Scottish road programme since 1965; and what lengths of motorway and all-purpose dual carriageway trunk roads were, or he estimates will be, in use and under construction, respectively, in 1965, 1970 and the mid-1970s.

The White Paper "The Scottish Economy 1965–70" described the Government's programme of motorway and dual carriageway construction until the early 1970s. Of the further road programme proposed in the White Paper "Scottish Roads in the 1970s" (Cmnd. 3953), some 20 miles of motor

(Miles)
	End 1965		End 1970		Mid-1970s
	In use	Under construction	In use	Under construction	In use
Motorways	7	25	62	19	About 130
All-purpose dual carriageway trunk roads	112	19	150	22	172

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the fact that of over 50 members on the four boards of the Science Research Council two of those appointed were based in Scotland; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and I have had correspondence with our hon. Friend the Member for Rutherglen (Mr. Gregor Mackenzie) about Scottish representation on the Science Research Council and I have assured him that all concerned are much alive to the need to take appropriate account of Scottish interests in questions of this kind; there are, in fact, now four Scottish academic members among the members of the council and its boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what specific advertising he has instituted in the Press and on television in connection with the Special Recruitment Scheme to attract potential teachers out of industry; what is the total cost of the advertising broken down between Press and television; and which are the newspapers or journals involved.

During the period December, 1969 to April, 1970 just under £5,000 will be spent by my Department on advertisements in the press aimed at the recruitment of teachers. In advertisements accounting for over half of this total expenditure the Special Recruitment Scheme is specifically mentioned and way and dual carriageway schemes are in preparation, and others will be added as resources permit.It is too early to estimate mileage under construction in the mid 1970s. The other information requested is as follows:wherever appropriate information about the scheme is sent in reply to letters of inquiry arising out of the whole campaign. I am sending the hon. Lady a list of the newspapers and periodicals in which advertisements have been placed. £2,000 has been spent on making two short films which are currently being shown on television. One of these films is specifically about the Special Recruitment Scheme, and the other draws attention to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what new proposals he has to foster the Gaelic language and culture in the current year.

Twelve books have already been published under the Gaelic Books Grant Scheme and others will be published shortly. This year for the first time the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board is including Gaelic among the subjects for the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies. The Education Authorities' Joint Committee for Gaelic Text Books, which has already sponsored the production of books for use in primary schools, has several secondary school books in course of preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the survey he conducted at the end of January, 1970, into staffing of secondary schools in Scotland.

The survey was designed to provide information about the organisation and staffing of secondary schools, mainly with a view to determining more objective staffing standards and to enabling more accurate estimates to be made of staffing requirements and shortages in particular subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many educational establishments for handicapped children have been set up in Scotland since 1964; and, of these, how many were built specifically for the purpose and how many were converted.

Twenty-six, of which five were conversions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received to date regarding the proposed closure of the Glasgow Physiotherapy Hospital; and what reply he has sent.

14 representations have been received; one was from the local authority, one from a patient and 12 were from Members of Parliament, of which eight were on behalf of constituents and four on behalf of the patients' committee. All replies have indicated that I am satisfied with the National Health Service facilities being provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many alternative places for physiotherapy treatment will be available for the present patients of the Glasgow Physiotherapy Hospital; whether he is satisfied as to the adequacy of the number of physiotherapists in practice and in course of training to meet the demand of 1970 and the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Physiotherapy treatment is not assessed on the basis of numbers of places. I am satisfied that the additional facilities already available or being built at the Southern General and other hospitals in Glasgow will provide the treatment required under the National Health Service by patients of the Glasgow Physiotherapy Hospital. I have no reason to believe that the number under training in National Health Service training schools in Scotland will not be sufficient to maintain the number employed in the Service in the next three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to implement the Government's policy of limiting primary school classes to 30 pupils in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary on 19th November.—[Vol. 791, c. 1304.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the up-to-date numbers of clerical assistants in schools in Scotland and Lanarkshire, respectively.

In January, 1969, there were 957 full-time and 762 part-time clerical assistants employed in education authority schools in Scotland. The corresponding figures for Lanarkshire were 142 and 8.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the disparity between salaries paid to Scottish trained primary teachers and their English counterparts and to the higher minimum entrance qualification for a Scottish college of education.

The separate salary structures that have evolved in the two countries reflect differences in the arrangements for training teachers and for their employment in the schools. Under the proposals made on 6th March by the Management Side of the Scottish Teachers Salaries Committee the starting salary of the non-graduate primary teacher in Scotland would be the same as the English equivalent on 1st April, 1970. The average salary of Scottish day school teachers under the Management Side's proposals would be appreciably higher on 1st April, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to end the dangers to consumers of frozen chicken of salmonella infection by requiring that a warning as to length of time required for thawing out or for cooking is clearly given.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 18th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Gorbals (Mr. McElhone).—[Vol. 796, c. 118.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what way the practice of his Department in dealing with those sentenced to life imprisonment for murder differs from the practice in England.

There is no difference in substance in the practice of the two Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the Salmon Report has been implemented in Scotland, particularly in regard to standards in the management of hospital nursing.

The nurse staffing in six hospital groups has been restructured in accordance with the management standards recommended in the Salmon Report; a seventh scheme becomes operative on 1st April, 1970; and several more schemes are in an advanced state of preparation. Courses in management training for nurses are being run under the aegis of the Scottish Nursing Staffs Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the final schoolbuilding allocations for the 1970–72 period have now been announced to local authorities.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to establish in Scotland a laboratory for the testing of bulls for export.

Facilities for this service are expected to be available at Lasswade by August of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what level of milk production he anticipates in Scotland in 1970; and how this will compare with 1969.

According to Board estimates, total milk production in Scotland in 1970 will be close to 250 million gallons as it was for 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to maintain educational services in Scotland, in view of the teachers' strike.

This is the responsibility of the education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the increased cost to agriculture of the implementation of the Transport Act.