asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will modify the arrangements for monitoring aircraft arriving at Heathrow so that a count is kept of the proportion of aircraft arriving in both westerly and easterly directions which are instructed to join the glide slope at a height of less than 2,000 feet; and if he will publish these figures in the quarterly statistics of aircraft noise.

The proportion of aircraft approaching to land at Heathrow which are instructed to join the glide path at a height of less than 2,000 feet is of the order of 2 per cent. Most of these are slow, light non-jet aircraft. The cost of the monitoring proposed would, therefore, be disproportionate to any reduction in disturbance that might result.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he proposes to present the Bill creating a Civil Aviation Authority; and what will be the starting date for this body.

As regards the timing of legislation, I can add nothing to what I told this House on 18th March. The starting date for the Authority must depend in large part on the legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the proceedings of the special inquiry into the near-miss of two airliners near London on 9th January, 1970 will be held in public; and if he will publish the minutes.

No. The Air Navigation (Investigation of Combined Military and Civil Air Accidents) Regulations, 1969 require that the inspector's investigation now in progress shall be in private. However, as has already been stated in reply to the hon. Member for Wembley, South (Sir R. Russell) on 21st January, unless there are good reasons to the contrary, the report will be published.—[Vol. 794, c. 135–7.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what negotiations have recently been held at Ministerial and official level in the European Free Trade Association about the preservation of salmon fishing; and with what result.

None. This is not a matter which can be negotiated in E.F.T.A. But we are pursuing it vigorously in the appropriate international bodies and we have also made representations to those E.F.T.A. countries directly concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what policy is to be adopted by Her Majesty's Government's representative at the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade during disussions of recent preferential trade agreements between the European Economic Community and certain Mediterranean countries.

The aim of the examination of these agreements in the G.A.T.T., in which the United Kingdom representative takes part, is to form a judgment, in the light of the facts presented on their compatibility with the relevant G.A.T.T. provisions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if in view of the continuing uncertainty in the aviation industry and among aerodrome owners and operators about the future of municipal and privately-owned airports, he will now state the Government's proposals regarding their extension, develpment and operation.

The Government's proposals for the industry as a whole are set out in the recent White Paper on Civil Aviation Policy. There are no additional proposals in respect of the municipally and privately-owned aerodromes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the decision of the Ocean Steamship Company to cease calling at Chinese ports until the situation is clarified, he will make a statement on the future prospects for trade with China.

Trade with China has increased over the past year and our export performance has been particularly good. I have every hope that this trend will continue despite what I trust are temporary difficulties over shipping.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has yet completed his inquiries into the cause of the engine trouble, damage and losses sustained by the Aberdeen trawler "Malcolm Croan" on or about Sunday, 8th March off the coast of Donegal in Ireland; and if he will now make a statement of the result of his inquiries.

The inquiries have not yet been completed, but I shall make a statement as soon as I can.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure wine is only sold in bottle of a defined capacity or carrying a label clearly stating the capacity.

I propose to consult the interested parties shortly about proposals to make a number of additional goods, including bottled wine, subject to marking requirements under the Weights and Measures Act, 1963.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give for the longest convenient stated period of time the number of occasions when he has been requested to investigate limited companies under the Companies Acts; which companies were involved; and what action he took in each instance.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the information given to him in reply to his Questions of 18th February. It is not the Board's practice to disclose the names of companies which they are requested to investigate.—[Vol. 798, c. 127–8.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give complete details of the number of occasions he has been approached, and by whom, for investigations into matters connected with the administration and running of companies contrary to the Companies Acts of the following companies, namely, Hartley Bairds Limited, H. J. Baldwin Limited and Dollar Land Holdings Limited; what were the nature of the complaints made in each instance; and what action he has taken, or intends taking to inquire into these matters.

I apologise for the length of the Answer.It is not the Board's practice to disclose the identity of a person who communicates with them about the affairs of a particular company without his consent.As regards Dollar Land Holdings Ltd., the Board have been approached by 11 persons. As regards Hartley Baird Ltd. and H. J. Baldwin & Co. Ltd., it is not possible, without an undue expense of time and labour, to give precise figures, but the approximate figures are 550 and 360 respectively.In the case of Dollar Land Holdings Ltd., the complainants have referred to the failure of the directors to lay accounts before the company in general meeting and to acquire their qualification shares and to matters of general management and have alleged that the directors have omitted to give members all the information about the company's affairs which they might reasonably expect.As regards Hartley Baird Ltd. and H. J. Baldwin & Co. Ltd., the complainants have referred to the management of the companies' affairs and have alleged fraud or misfeasance and failure to give the members all the information about the affairs of the companies which they might reasonably expect.The Board have concluded that they would not be justified in appointing inspectors under Section 165

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of all profits after taxation by independent airlines for the period 1960 to 1969, inclusive; and what was the value of dividends paid out by such airlines for this period.

Complete figures are available for the six years 1962–67. Total profits attributable to shareholders were £2·8 million and dividends £0·7 million, representing an average return on shareholders' funds of 4·1 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now finished his check on the stability characteristics of the distant water trawling fleet; and what percentage of existing trawlers so far examined does not meet the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation standards.

Yes. In a special investigation which was completed in October, 1969, the Board of Trade has checked the stability of 92 vessels representing a cross-section of of the total of 180 vessels in the distant water fleet. The Board already had the required information and was satisfied with the stability of 35 modern stern trawlers within the fleet. The remaining 53 vessels are being submitted voluntarily by the owners and of these 20 have already been examined. Thus, a total of 147 vessels (81 per cent of the fleet) have already come under the Board's direct scrutiny.In 22 per cent. of cases so far examined failure to meet I.M.C.O. standards was found to occur in varying degrees at some period of a voyage cycle. In all but six or seven of these cases the deficiencies revealed have been amenable to rectification without structural modification, i.e. by control of deadweight well within the capabilities of the operation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, what consultations he held with the Air Transport Licensing Board before informing British independent airlines that, if they do not voluntarily limit their inclusive-tour trans-Atlantic flights to one per cent. of all incoming scheduled flights, he will impose a corresponding restriction on their licences.

No suggestion has been made to British independent airlines for any such restriction on their flights.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of fish and fish products imported from Denmark in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what percentage of this total consisted of fresh salmon or salmon products.

From February, 1969 to January, 1970 £5·2 million of fish and fish preparations (excluding meal and flour), of which 4 per cent. consisted of salmon (fresh, frozen and canned).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the criteria which determine whether or not dumping duty should be imposed on imports into this country; and what criteria motivated the decision not only to impose a duty, but determined the scale of the duty, on nitrogenous fertilisers.

The criteria are those laid down in the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1969.In my Answer on 5th March to a Question by the hon. Member for Aberdeen-shire, West (Mr. James Davidson) I explained the reasons for imposing provisional anti-dumping charges on certain imports of calcium ammonium nitrate. The G.A.T.T. Anti-Dumping Code requiries that such charges shall not exceed the provisionally estimated margin of dumping. The present charges in all cases are somewhat less than the estimated dumping margins.—[Vol. 797, c. 157.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the increase in raw material stocks, work in progress, and finished stocks held by manufacturing industry and in the service

INCREASES IN INDUSTRY'S STOCKS
(£ million)
			Increase in		Value of the physical increase
			book values		At current prices		At 1963 prices
			1964	1969*	1964	1969*	1964	1969*
Manufacturing industry, total of which	…	…	593	779	421	225	411	206
Materials and fuel	…	…	192	224	152	23	147	26
Work in progress	…	…	269	316	182	77	177	63
Finished goods	…	…	131	240	87	125	87	117
Distributive trades, total	…	…	223	164	146	8	141	16
Grand Total	…	…	815	943	567	233	552	222
*Provisional.

Stocks held by the distributive trades are not analysed by type. No estimates are yet available for 1970. The comparative changes in volume between the two years are indicated by the value of the physical increase at constant 1963 prices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will hold a full inquiry into sea rescue, covering both the design of lifeboats and the use of aircraft.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the replies I have given today to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Wolrige-Gordon). The report of the Committee on the Marine Search and Rescue Organisation does not deal with the design of lifeboats, but no doubt the formal investigation into the loss of the Fraserburgh lifeboat will take its design into account.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further applications he has now received, and with what results, from the National Farmers Unions and others, concerning an increase in horticultural tariffs for pursuance of his policy of imports substitution.

The Board has received an application for an

The following is the information:increase in the import duty on carnations and is considering it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he refuses to appoint an inpector to inquire into matters connected with the Dollar Land Corporation and Dollar Land Holdings Limited; and what action he now proposes to take with regard to the non-production of company accounts to 31st December, 1968 and the failing of directors to obtain new share qualifications.

We have already informed my hon. Friend that the Board of Trade are not satisfied that there are grounds for the appointment of an inspector to investigate the affairs of Dollar Land Holdings Ltd. The investigatory powers of the Board could not in practice be exercised in respect of either of the two companies named Dollar Land Corporation Ltd. which are registered in North America and have no place of business in Great Britain. My right hon. Friend wrote to my hon. Friend on 23rd March on the matters raised in the second part of the Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy with respect to the use of Gatwick Airport, London, for scheduled services; and if he will make a statement.

British European Airways have informed the Board of Trade and the British Airports Authority of B.E.A.'s wish progressively to build up the number of their scheduled services flown from Gatwick Airport London. In this B.E.A. are influenced by the growing commercial attractiveness and operational desirability of expansion of services at Gatwick Airport and the growing congestion at Heathrow. B.E.A. plan to start a limited number of day scheduled services at Gatwick in 1971 and under B.E.A.'s plans they should have achieved a substantial number of scheduled services at Gatwick by 1974. The Board of Trade and the B.A.A. welcome B.E.A.'s intention.Heathrow is not yet saturated, but it is becoming progressively more difficult to accommodate additional flights, not only at the traditional peak hours. B.E.A.'s plans anticipate action which will have to be taken by other companies as well, during the next few years. The Board of Trade hope that others also will see the advantages of Gatwick, and plan ahead, as B.E.A. are doing, and so minimise need for compulsory moves at a later date.Meanwhile, airlines serving London from abroad with scheduled services will not be compelled to use Gatwick. But newcomers to London must recognise that, if they choose to serve Heathrow in the first instance, they can have no guarantee of continued ability to use Heathrow. The strong advice to them, consistent with that to others, is therefore to establish services at Gatwick in the first instance.The volume of services that can be accommodated eventually at Gatwick will depend upon the scale of facilities and the protection of the environment. In particular these services will be without prejudice to any decisions that may be taken in respect of limitations of night jet movements. The B.A.A. are already examining their future investment and development against the prospect of a very considerable expansion of traffic there, including the traffic arising from B.E.A.'s plans.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has given consideration to the publication of information about numbers of reports of air-misses involving civil aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. It is proposed to publish annually the total numbers of reports of air-misses, in United Kingdom airspace, involving civil aircraft and public transport aircraft, divided into categories as determined by the Air-Miss Working Group according to the degree of risk, if any. Annual total numbers of aircraft movements will also be given. The information for this and future years will be published in the Annual Survey of Accidents to Aircraft on the United Kingdom Register. With permission I will publish the numbers in respect of the years 1963 to 1969 in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

AIRMISS REPORTS INVOLVING CIVIL AIRCRAFT
	1963
	Public	Other
Class of Aircraft	Transport	Civil
Category*: A	2	4
B	16	15
C	45	38
Totals	63	57
Aircraft Movements ('000)
Total Civil/Military	4,540
Total Public Transport†	495

	1964
	Public	Other
Class of Aircraft	Transport	Civil
Category*: A	7	4
B	20	12
C	57	35
Totals	84	51
Aircraft Movements ('000)
Total Civil/Military	4,590
Total Public Transport†	522

	1965
	Public	Other
Class of Aircraft	Transport	Civil
Category*: A	3	6
B	11	20
C	35	43
Totals	49	69
Aircraft Movements ('000)
Total Civil/Military	4,590
Total Public Transport†	544

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will amend the regulations governing the number of required emergency exits for civil airliners registered in this country so that ventral doors and staircases are not to be included in that number.

I am advised that the Air Registration Board are considering revision of the relevant British Civil Airworthiness Requirements governing the number of emergency exits required for civil aircraft registered in the United Kingdom. Ventral doors and staircases are not regarded as required emergency exists but when provided some limited credit for additional passengers is permitted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing emergency exits from Boeing 707, 727 and 737, DC 9, DC 8, VC10, Trident I and II, BAC 1–11, Caravelle and Comet, operated by airlines registered in this country; whether he will amend them to increase their number; and whether he will make a statement.

Of the aircraft mentioned, only the Boeing 707, Boeing 737, VC10, Trident I and II, BAC 1–11 and Comet are operated on the United Kingdom register. The British Civil Airworthiness Requirements relate the number and type of emergency exists to the seating capacity of the aircraft. I am advised that the Air Registration Board consider there is no justification for amendment of their requirements so as to increase the number of exits required by the existing seats in these aircraft.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing emergency exits from Boeing 747 aircraft operated by airlines registered in this country; whether he is satisfied that the double door and double slide method of exit conforms with these specifications; and whether he will make a statement.

The requirements governing emergency exits in aircraft are contained in Section D of the British Civil Airworthiness Requirements which are issued by the Air Registration Board. No specifications for double doors and slides are included but I am advised by the Air Registration Board, who are nearing completion of their investigation of the Boeing 747 for United Kingdom certification, that they are regarding the double door and slide method of exit as a satisfactory means of complying with the intention of their requirements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing the maximum time to be taken in emergency exits from aircraft registered in this country in civil use; and whether he will make a statement.

There are no regulations which specifically govern the maximum time to be taken in an emergency evacuation but the design requirements laid down in British Civil Airworthiness Requirements, in particular for the provision of doors and emergency exits, and the provisions of the Air Navigation Order, 1966 relating to escape facilities and the training of crews are intended to ensure that passengers are afforded the maximum opportunities of egress in an emergency.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek powers to require civil airliners registered in this country to be fitted with illuminated emergency exit signs of a crashproof type.

The Air Navigation Order, 1966, requires approved emergency lighting systems in public transport aircraft to facilitate the evacuation of the aircraft notwithstanding the failure of the normal lighting systems. I am advised that for approval of these systems the Air Registration Board requires them to illuminate the exits and signs and give general illumination to aid evacuation. These systems are required to operate automatically in crash conditions and so far as practicable to be crash proof. The requirements, including specifically the illumination of exit signs, are at present being reconsidered in the light of recent developments in systems and equipment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade it he will list the runway categories of the major airports in this country.

Runway 10R at London Heathrow and Runway 28 at Liverpool have Category II landing facilities. In addition, I.L.S. equipment which meets the Category II performance standard is installed as follows:

• Heathrow 28L and 10L.
• Birmingham 33.
• Manchester 24.
• Gatwick 09.
• Prestwick 31.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing the carriage of lifejackets and liferafts by civil airliners registered in this country, whether flying over land or sea; whether he will introduce legislation to increase the number of these; and whether he will make a statement.

The carriage of lifejackets and liferafts is governed by the provisions of Article 10 and Schedule 5 of the Air Navigation Order, 1966, copies of which are available in the Library. Consideration is being given to some extension of the conditions in which lifejackets are required to be carried but no legislation to increase the number of lifejackets or liferafts is contemplated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to require the carriage of lifejackets and liferafts on all civil airlines registered in this country, whether they fly over sea or not.

Consideration is being given to extending the existing regulations to require that lifejackets should be carried when a significant proportion of the take-off or approach path lies over water; there appears to be no present justification for changes in the requirements as regards liferafts but the matter will of course be kept under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation requiring that all cushions, pillows, etc., carried on civil airliners registered in this country shall be capable of floatation.

No. I consider that the approved types of lifejackets provide optimum protection for passengers and that cushions and pillows should not be required by legislation to be capable of floatation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft and ships are being used to maintain the Beira patrol; and what is the annual cost of these ships and aircraft, according to the measurement of slice-costing employed by his Department, beyond the extra cost of £400,000.

Two destroyers or frigates and one Royal Fleet Auxiliary, with air reconnaissance, are normally employed on the Beira Patrol. They are found from the general purpose combat forces which are not individually "slice costed". Their running costs, which would be incurred wherever they were deployed, amount to about £2,750,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of men rejected from the Ulster Defence Regiment on grounds of age, medical standard and inability to fulfil the requirements of the new force, respectively, to the nearest date.

As at 20th March, 336 applications to join the Ulster Defence Regiment had been rejected. It is not our custom to publish an analysis of the reasons why applications to join the Army are not accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to date of publicising the Ulster Defence Regiment.

£29,655 has been spent on newspaper and television advertisements and the production of leaflets.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve recruits were recruited in Northern Ireland during each of the years, 1967, 1968 and 1969; and whether he will give a figure for each county of the province.

The following are the figures of recruits to TAVR units in Northern Ireland during the years 1967, 1968 and 1969.

	1967 (1st April to 31st December)	1968	1969
Belfast and Antrim	2,463	457	633
Armagh	283	41	28
Down	109	68	51
Fermanagh	134	64	63
Londonderry	521	90	124
Tyrone	152	52	34
Totals	3,662*	772	933†
* Including about 3,000 who transferred from the former Territorial Army on 1st April, 1967.
† Includes transfers from TAVR III.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that house rules are being imposed by some German landlords on British Service tenants which are affecting morale; and whether he will take steps to improve arrangements for the renting of property by Service families.

Most married families in Germany are housed in publicly owned married quarters or in accommodation hired by the Ministry of Defence. A small number, however, for whom official quarters or hirings are not available occupy accommodation which they obtain privately and the terms of these tenancies are a matter between the individual and the landlord. I am not aware that the rules imposed by German landlords are any more restrictive than those imposed by landlords in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will state the number of weapons lost by Her Majesty's forces serving in Northern Ireland during the past two years; and whether he will make a statement.

Five submachine guns and three 9 mm. pistols.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many members of Her Majesty's Services are currently serving with the armed forces of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman;

(2) how many British officers in Her Majesty's Services have been seconded to the service of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman annually from 1965 to the present time;

(3) how many British citizens, including members of Her Majesty's Armed Services, have been killed and wounded in military operations in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman in each of the last five years;

(4) to what extent British Royal Air Force bases, planes and personnel are being used to assist the armed forces of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman in anti-guerrilla activities;

(5) how many bombing attacks have been made by British military aircraft on villages and livestock in areas in which guerrillas are active in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman;

(6) what military aid has been supplied to the Sultan of Muscat and Oman during the course of the last five years; and whether this aid is supplied under the terms of the 1951 Treaty;

(7) if he will make a statement on the future of British bases and other military commitments in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman.

The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman is a fully sovereign and independent State with which Her Majesty's Government has no defence treaty. The Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation of 1951 (Cmnd. 8462) contains no military aid commitment. Assistance to the Sultan of Muscat and Oman in the defence field is provided under the arrangements referred to in the Exchange of Letters of 25th July, 1958 (Cmnd. 507). These arrangements also cover the use by the Royal Air Force of the airfields at Masirah and Salalah.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that the number of officers leaving the Army and the Royal Navy prematurely after three-year degree courses at Oxford University sponsored by his Department is approximately four times higher, expressed as a percentage, than the figure for other officers; and whether he will make a statement about the matter.

Records are not maintained in a form which would enable me to comment constructively on the Question posed by my hon. Friend. If, however, he would like to make his information available to me I shall be glad to investigate the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what, for the longest convenient stated period of time, was the number of visits arranged by his Department for Members of Parliament to visit British forces in the British Army of the Rhine; whether such Members were allowed freedom to travel wherever they wished in areas under his control; who paid for these visits; whether they came within his Department's category of private visits; and why the proposed visit in April is so described by his Department.

Since 1960 six group Parliamentary visits to the British Forces Germany have taken place and a further three to the Second Tactical Air Force only. The programmes for these visits have in recent years been drawn up following consultation with the members concerned. The extra cost of the visits was met partly from public funds, and partly from the non-public funds of those Service messes at which the visitors were entertained. For the reasons given in my answer to a similar Question put on 18th March, 1970 by my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin), Members participating in these visits, including that proposed for next month, have always been regarded as guests of the Services. They make the visits in their personal capacity; this will be made clear in the forthcoming Press release about the April visit.—[Vol. 798, c. 142.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why, in the case of the impending visit of eight Members of Parliament and two peers to Germany to see the British Army of the Rhine, with the use of Royal Air Force aircraft and other military transport and official facilities, he is issuing a Press notice that this is a private visit; and whether his Department intends to provide insurance cover in the event of an accident.

The notice will not refer to a private visit. The answer to the second part of the Question is No; but in the event of an accident while travelling in R.A.F. aircraft, causing injury or death, my Ministry will accept liability under the provisions of the Carriage by Air Acts 1961 and 1962. This is the normal practice when civilians are carried for whatever purpose as passengers in Crown aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why he is arranging for eight Members of Parliament and two peers to use public transport and public facilities at public expense to go on a private tour of Germany; and under what statutory authority he is using public funds for such purposes.

The visit is being arranged so that a limited number of those Peers and Members of Parliament interested in defence matters may inform themselves of the activities of the British Forces in Germany. No specific statutory authority is required; the costs are met from the limited amount voted by Parliament for entertainment and publicity purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many non-attributable Press briefings he has held since he was appointed to his present office;(2) whether it is the practice of his Department to make classified information available to the Press by means of non-attributable briefings.

It would not be consistent to disclose details of briefings that are non-attributable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends taking this year to encourage farmers to spray crops before the blossoms open in order to protect bee colonies pollinating blossom.

Farmers will be encouraged to spray crops before the blossoms open; this will be done by a Press notice, by a broadcast announcements, by advisory leaflets and by N.A.A.S. advice to individuals; and, indirectly, by letters sent to the National Farmers' Union and to the National Association of the contractors, manufacturers and merchants concerned in the spraying of crops.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the report of the Committee on Rabies in Dogs; and if he will issue advice to Servicemen and others returning to this country on the question of the importation of dogs and cats.

I cannot say at this stage when the Committee will report but it will be very much aware of the urgency of this enquiry. We have advised the Ministry of Defence, shipping and airlines and other organisations concerned of the arrangements for the ban on the importation of canines and felines.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had in the last two years with the Dutch Government or their leading engineers on the subject of coast preservation.

Sea defence works are initially the responsibility of river authorities and grant-aided projects are examined technically by our engineers. We are advised on research needs by a committee of experts. In addition the Hydraulics Research Station for which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology is responsible, provides an advisory service to authorities and consulting engineers. A fruitful exchange of visits and ideas is maintained through all these channels with the Dutch counterparts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the average price paid to the producer for milk, eggs, apples, pears and green vegetables in the latest month for which figures are available, and the prices paid by the consumer.

For apples, pears and green vegetables it is not possible to give any producer or consumer prices to enable a meaningful comparison to be made. For milk and eggs such details as are available are as follows, but I should emphasise that strictly comparable figures for retail and producer prices cannot be given.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the quantity and value of fertiliser and lime to be used in 1970; and what proportion of this had been bought by farmers before 18th March, 1970.

It is estimated that 1·8 million nutrient tons of fertilisers and 4·5 million tons of lime, valued at £148 million and £10·2 million respectively, will be delivered to farmers in the United Kingdom during 1970. About one-quarter of the fertilisers and one-seventh of the lime is likely to have been delivered by 18th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now state the outcome of his negotiations with overseas suppliers of Cheddar cheese to the United Kingdom market.

I am glad to say that arrangements have now been concluded with all the Governments concerned for voluntary restraint on deliveries of cheddar and cheddar-type cheese to our market in the period 1st April, 1970 to 31st March, 1971. Details of the tonnages are set out in the table below.

CHEDDAR AND CHEDDAR·TYPE CHEESE
Imports—1st April, 1970 to 31st March, 1971
	Quantity (thousand tons)
New Zealand and Australia	86·6
Irish Republic	17·5
Canada	(see note 3 below)
Netherlands	5·4
France	4·9
Denmark	1·5
Norway	1·3
South Africa	0·65

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that the Teachers' Special Recruitment (Scotland) Scheme has provided sufficient recruits from married men with families to support; and if he will make a statement.

The number of men over age 26 receiving assistance under the Scheme has increased from 863 in 1966–67 to 1,252 in the current session. In addition to allowances for their dependants, such men are entitled to a mature student's allowance if their income prior to entering the Scheme was above a certain level. The statistics kept by my Department do not distinguish married men with families.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why student nurses who have passed the final examination are not registered as registered general nurses until they are 21 years of age.

This is a matter in the first place for the General Nursing Council for Scotland, whose rules do not permit registration under the age of 21.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the maximum house improvement grant in 1964 and in 1970; and, taking into account the fall in value of money and the increase in house building and repair costs since 1964, what estimate he has made of the value in real terms of the level of grant in 1970 compared with the level of grant in 1964.

The maximum amount of improvement grants was increased from £400 to £500 from 16th August, 1964 and to £1,200 from 25th August, 1969. The recent increase is far in excess of the increase in the level of building costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been paid to local authorities and development corporations, respectively, for the conversion or improvement by them of dwellings since the passing of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1969 to the nearest convenient date; how many dwellings have been improved or converted; and how this compares with the similar period of each of the previous three years.

There can have been few improvements approved since the Act came into force on 25th August, 1969 which have been completed and paid for.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has held about the development and regulation of camping and caravan sites in Sutherland; if he will take steps to ensure that the interests of crofters are safeguarded; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions about camping and caravanning in Scotland are proceeding with the Crofters Commission, the Countryside Commission for Scotland and other bodies, including Sutherland County Council. I can assure my hon. Friend that the interests of the crofters are being fully borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the rise in building costs, he will increase the limits of cost for school building.

Yes. I am increasing the cost limits for school building projects by nine per cent. Education authorities will be given further details in a circular to be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new council houses were started in 1966 and 1969, respectively, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy, Dumfries, Dunfermline, Dumbarton, Perth, Stirling, Arbroath, Buckhaven, Bearsden, Johnstone, and the counties of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll, Berwick, Caithness, Sutherland, Dumfriesshire, Kinross, Renfrew and Moray.

The numbers were as follows:

		1966	1969
Burghs
Glasgow	…	4,548	1,239
Edinburgh	…	1,890	1,762
Dundee	…	1,110	1,026
Aberdeen	…	1,342	1,228
Kirkcaldy	…	366	335
Dumfries	…	50	8
Dunfermline	…	16	282
Dumbarton	…	47	186
Perth	…	177	410
Stirling	…	57	456
Arbroath	…	118	497
Buckhaven	…	60	213
Bearsden	…	—	—
Johnstone	…	39	50
Counties
Aberdeen	…	622	517
Angus	…	32	61
Argyll	…	189	217
Berwick	…	43	60
Caithness	…	—	98
Sutherland	…	22	29
Dumfries	…	104	—
Kinross	…	—	—
Renfrew	…	171	97
Moray	…	35	242

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of Government subsidies paid for public authority housing in each of the last 10 years.

The information is as follows:

£ million
1959–60	…	…	…	15·9
1960–61	…	…	…	16·9
1961–62	…	…	…	17·5
1962–63	…	…	…	18·1
1963–64	…	…	…	17·7
1964–65	…	…	…	20·4
1965–66	…	…	…	21·8
1966–67	…	…	…	23·4
1967–68	…	…	…	26·0
1968–69	…	…	…	29·2

These figures include all subsidies for new houses, and improvement grants, paid under present and superseded legislation to local authorities, New Town Development Corporations, the Scottish Special Housing Association, and other housing associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of slum houses demolished or closed in the five years 1960 to 1964, and the comparable figure for 1965 to 1969.

Complete figures for the last quarter of 1969 are not yet available, but the number of houses closed or demolished in the five years 1965 to 1969 is likely to be about 88,000, as against 62,569 in the previous five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the present situation in areas seriously affected by drought in Fiji in late 1969 such as the Yasawas, Nacula Island and Sigatoka Valley.

The Governor has recently reported that the drought in these areas is over and the situation is returning to normal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what artistic contribution the United Kingdom Government are making to the artistic programme of the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972.

I am advised that arrangements for cultural events during the 1972 Olympic Games are being made by individual theatre and concert managements in Munich, acting in co-operation with an Olympic Cultural Committee. Three approaches for possible British appearances have been received by the British Council. Two of these are still tentative; the third is in negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why part of the Anglo-German Youth Exchange Fund is used for the Linked Towns programme.

The provision on the British Council Vote for British-German civic links is distinct from that for British-German youth exchanges. The civic links fund is used to assist exchanges of civic and administrative heads, chief education officers, youth officers and the like between linked counties, towns, districts and communities. Civic links provide among other benefits a valuable framework within which youth exchanges may be developed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will extend the Anglo-German Youth Exchange programme.

As stated in my Written Answer of 20th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch, (Mr. Alan Lee Williams), Her Majesty's Government intend that the present provision of £30,000 made by the British Council for British German Youth Exchanges should be increased to £50,000 in 1970–71, subject to Parliamentary approval.—{Vol. 798, c. 233–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate the number of young persons exchanged between Great Britain and Germany in each of the last three years, indicating the proportion financed by Germany and the proportion financed by Great Britain.

No comprehensive central record exists of all such exchanges between Great Britain and Germany, though the number is estimated to be well over a quarter of a million.The British Council keep records of exchanges of young persons which are supported from central Government funds. The numbers were as follows:

			To Britain	To Germany
1966–67	…	…	4,202	4,480
1967–68	…	…	4,841	5,687
1968–69	…	…	4,823	4,850

Each of these visits was financed partly by the British and partly by the German side. The proportion of the financial contribution by each side varied from visit to visit, but overall the German side made the greater contribution in each of the years mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries in which the British Council does not operate.

The British Council is not represented in any form in the following independent States (though they have budgetary provision for some cultural activities in the case of a few of them):

Albania.	Jamaica.
Barbados.	Korea.
Bolivia.	Laos.
Bulgaria.	Liberia.
Burma.	Lichtenstein.
Burundi.	Malagasy Republic.
Central African Republic.	Mali.
	Mauritania.
Chad.	Monaco.
Chinese Peoples' Republic.	Mongolian Peoples'
	Republic.
Congo (Democratic Republic of).	Muscat and Oman.
	Nauru.
Congo (Popular Re public of).	Nicaragua.
	Niger.
Costa Rica.	Panama.
Dahomey.	Paraguay.
Dominican Republic.	Philippines.
Ecuador.	Rwanda
E1 Salvador.	San Marino.
Equatorial Guinea.	Senegal.
Gabonese Republic.	Southern Yemen.
The Gambia.	Syrian Arab Republic.
Guatamala.	Togo.
Guinea.	Trinidad and Tobago.
Haiti.	United States of
Holy See.	America.
Honduras.	Upper Volta.
Iceland.	Viet-Nam.
Ireland (Republic of).	Western Samoa
Ivory Coast.	Yemen.

Nor is the British Council represented in Taiwan, East Germany, North Vietnam and North Korea.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British Council officials have diplomatic status, and in which countries;(2) in which countries the British Council's representative is also the Cultural Attaché at the British Embassy.

Country				Number ofBritish Council officers	Remarks
1.	Algeria	…	…	1
2.	Australia	…	…	1
3.	Belgium	…	…	1	Also Cultural Attaché Luxembourg
4.	Cambodia	…	…	1
5.	Canada	…	…	1
6.	Ceylon	…	…	4	Representative also Cultural Attaché, Maldives
7.	Chile	…	…	4
8.	Cuba	…	…	1
9.	Czechoslovakia	…	…	2	Council not represented as such
10.	Denmark	…	…	1
11.	France	…	…	2
12.	Greece	…	…	2
13.	Guyana	…	…	1
14.	Hungary	…	…	1	Council not represented as such
15.	Japan	…	…	3
16.	Mexico	…	…	3
17.	Nepal	…	…	1
18.	New Zealand	…	…	1
19.	Rumania	…	…	1	Council not represented as such
20.	South Africa	…	…	2
21.	Soviet Union	…	…	1	Assistant Cultural Attaché Council not represented as such
22.	Spain	…	…	1
23.	Sweden	…	…	1
24.	Tunisia	…	…	1
25.	Turkey	…	…	2
26.	United Arab Republic	…	…	3	Council not represented as such
27.	Uruguay	…	…	2
	Total			45

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the British Council does not operate in the United States of America, in view of the fact that it does so in other English-speaking countries.

Educational and cultural exchanges between the United States and the United Kingdom already take place on a large scale under a wide variety of auspices (including sometimes those of the British Council): and it has not been thought that the contribution which could be made by British Council representation in that country would justify diversion of resources from other tasks elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what progress has been made with the implementation of those aspects

The table below lists the countries were one or more British Council officers have diplomatic status, showing how many are thus privileged in each case. In all these countries the senior British Council officer serves on the staff of the British Ambassador or High Commissioner with the title of Cultural Attaché (or an equivalent title):of the Duncan Report affecting the British Council;(2) what provision is being made for the British Council's Budget in the year 1970–71, in the light of the recommendation in Chapter VIII, paragraph 28 in the Duncan Report.

Her Majesty's Government are still studying the recommendations made in the Report. In particular, they are considering with the British Council what steps might be taken to expand the Council's activities in Europe while not losing sight of the important rôle played by the Council in the rest of the world. Meanwhile, subject to Parliamentary approval, some increased provision will be made by redeployment of existing resources for Council activities directed towards Western Europe and for cultural manifestations generally in 1970–71.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will investigate the possibility of providing mobile bookshelves on wheels to enable British Council libraries to be used for meetings and other activities when no alternative accommodation is available.

The Council is examining the feasibility of this suggestion in the light of local circumstances.

			Estimated Net British Council Overseas
Country			Population (in millions)	Expenditure £	£ thousand per million capita
Afghanistan	…	…	16·1	23,047	1?4
Algeria	…	…	12·9	47,712	3·7
Argentina	…	…	23·6	100,567	4·3
Australia	…	…	12·0	25,312	2·1
Austria	…	…	7·4	53,693	7·3
Bahrain and Southern Gulf	…	…	0·4	24,453	54·4
Belgium and Luxembourg	…	…	10·0	24,439	2·4
Brazil	…	…	88·2	133,756	1·5
British Honduras	…	…	0·1	12,127	121·0
Cambodia	…	…	6·6	11,396	1·7
Cameroon	…	…	5·6	10,617	1·9
Canada	…	…	20·8	15,977	0·8
Ceylon	…	…	12·0	42,154	3·5
Chile	…	…	9·4	62,174	6·6
Colombia	…	…	19·8	27,622	1·4
Cuba	…	…	8·1	18,638	2·3
Cyprus	…	…	0·6	65,825	109·7
Czechoslovakia	…	…	14·4	19,564	1·4
Denmark	…	…	4·9	11,111	2·3
Ethiopia	…	…	24·2	135,188	5·6
Finland	…	…	4·7	33,651	7·2
France	…	…	49·9	131,924	2·6
Germany	…	…	58·0	224,235	3·9
Ghana	…	…	8·4	109,777	13·1
Greece	…	…	8·8	92,105	10·5
Guyana	…	…	0·7	17,185	24·6
Hong Kong	…	…	3·9	41,945	10·7
Hungary	…	…	10·3	13,445	1·3
India	…	…	523·9	485,834	0·9
Indonesia	…	…	112·8	68,300	0·6
Iran	…	…	27·0	180,940	6·7
Iraq	…	…	8·6	38,767	4·5
Israel	…	…	2·7	48,585	18·0
Italy	…	…	52·8	173,108	3·3
Japan	…	…	101·1	125,927	1·2
Jordan	…	…	2·1	58,165	27·7
Kenya	…	…	10·2	104,509	10·2
Kuwait	…	…	0·5	34,450	69·0
Lebanon	…	…	2·6	55,749	21·4
Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland	…	…	1·9	43,443	22·9
Libya	…	…	1·8	89,000	49·4
Malawi	…	…	4·3	32,069	7·5
Malaysia	…	…	10·3	127,857	12·4
Malta	…	…	0·3	28,638	95·3
Mauritius	…	…	0·8	17,879	22·4
Mexico	…	…	47·3	40,990	0·9
Morocco	…	…	14·6	34,319	2·3
Nepal	…	…	10·7	18,050	1·7
Netherlands	…	…	12·7	24,004	1·9
New Zealand	…	…	2·8	6,991	2·5
Nigeria	…	…	62·7	313,467	5·0
Norway	…	…	3·8	23,831	6·3

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will express the British Council's budget in each country of operation as a sum per million of the population.

The table below provides the information requested in respect of countries where the Council is either represented as such or maintains staff: