asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to advance research into the use of foam-strips for the mass-production of cheap prefabricated housing; and if he will make a statement.

The Military Engineering Experimental Establishment is experimenting on the use of foam slabs for constructional purposes. My right hon. Friend has asked to be informed of progress so that he can consider its application for housing purposes. The Building Research Station has already given advice on the use of cellular plastics generally in the building industry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the SUMS spent by the 10 National Parks Authorities in England and Wales in the year 1969 on interpretative and information services.

Following are the figures for the financial year 1969–70. The total was £84,299.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the distribution of Ordnance Survey maps in Scotland; and whether he will make a statement.

Distribution is in the hands of the Ordnance Survey main agent for Scotland and I am not aware of any grounds for dissatisfaction with the arrangements.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that certain costs incurred by those whose property is compulsorily acquired are reimbursed by the acquiring authority but this is not so in the case of extra costs of establishing a well-maintained allowance; and whether he will take steps to end this anomaly.

The bonus payment which may be given for a well-maintained unfit house is not strictly speaking compensation and the local authority cannot reimburse expenditure incurred in making a claim for one. But it is not necessary to spend much on a claim, particularly since the Housing Act 1969, which has simplified the system.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the amount of housing subsidy given in the last year for which figures are available to the Greater London Council.

About £8,100,000 in 1969–70.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the amount of housing subsidy given in the last year for which figures are available to the London Borough of Harrow.

About £123,000 in 1969–70.

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

In the light of information provided by the council I estimate that the cost to Whitehaven 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 7s. a week in a 52-week rent year.If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range 45s. to 65s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range 2s. to 4s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many 100 per cent. mortgages have been provided to date under the Government's scheme; in how many cases his Department incurred liability; and if, in view of the small risk and high security provided, he will now extend the scheme to new categories of house purchasers.

Over half the borrowers taking option mortgages are using the option mortgage guarantee scheme, but there is no reliable estimate of the number of 100 per cent. advances. The Government have incurred liability in only one case. The guarantee scheme, like the option mortgage scheme, helps people of modest means. My right hon. Friend sees no reason therefore to extend it to others, who are in a better position to afford a deposit or get any excess over the normal loan guaranteed by insurance policy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what amount has been authorised for mortgages granted or to be granted by the London Borough of Waltham Forest in each of the years 1964 to 1970.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further action is being undertaken to extend mortgages to those on average and just above average incomes.

In many parts of the country, house purchase is not beyond the means of a man whose income is at or just above the average. The improvement of the option mortgage subsidy has helped; and the increase in local authority house purchase lending already authorised for 1970–71 will further improve the opportunities for households of modest means to buy a house of their own.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the cost to public funds of the discussions leading up to the preparation of Statutory Instrument, 1970, No. 171, and of the drafting, printing and circulation of the Instrument.

The information requested, involving as it does costs incurred by several London authorities as well as by the Exchequer, could not be prepared without undue expense.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the number of houses under construction by local authorities in the Northern Region at the latest available date as compared with 12 months previously; and whether he will make a statement on the position.

Local authorities in the region had 11,116 dwellings under construction at the end of February this year, compared with 14,106 at the same time last year. In the Government's view it is most important that councils should increase their slum clearance and house-building programmes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many ratepayers in the Carnforth Urban District, the Lunesdale Rural District and the Lancaster Rural District received rate rebates during the years 1968–69 and 1969–70; and what was the total sum involved for each of these districts in each of these years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many ratepayers in the City of Lancaster received rate rebates during the years 1968–69 and 1969–70; and what was the total sum of money involved in each year.

There were 1,310 rebates in Lancaster in the first half of 1968–69 and 1,532 in the second. The total sum involved was £19,288. The figures for 1969–70 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rent rebate schemes he has approved and how many he has refused in England Wales since 1967.

Since 1967 my right hon. Friend has encouraged local authorities to introduce and improve rent rebate schemes but authorities do not require his approval for such schemes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Govern- ment if he is aware of the increased damage to Great Britain's seaside resorts, tourist industry and transport by pollution of coastal water; and if he will state in detail the steps he has taken and plans to take to remedy this growing problem.

Arrangements for dealing with oil pollution have been made by local authorities covering the whole coastline of England. Responsibility for action to reduce the pollution of the sea by oil rests with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.I expect to receive general advice on the control and methods of discharging liquid wastes to coastal waters from the Working Party on Sewage Disposal, which is submitting its report to me soon.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the average cost per acre of land acquired for housing by local authorities in 1969 in inner London, the Inner London Education Authority area, in outer London, and in the remainder of England and Wales, respectively together with the corresponding average cost per acre for the year 1959.

The average cost of land acquired by local authorities under the Housing Act is estimated as £71,000 per acre in 1969 in the case of Inner London (the Inner London Education Authority area), £51,000 per acre in Outer London and £7,000 per acre in the remainder of England and Wales. These averages conceal wide variations, to such an extent that there is no consistency in them even from year to year; changes in the composition of purchases could easily lead to a fall in the averages when land prices generally are rising.Comparable information is not available for 1959.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether, in view of the concern of the Greater London Council and the Association of Municipal Corporations as a result of their discussions with him held on Thursday, 19th March to discuss the inadequacy of the 50 per cent. grant towards the strengthening of tower blocks resultant upon the Ronan Point disaster, he will agree to a further meeting to discuss this problem;(2) whether he will make a statement on his discussions with the Greater London Council and the Association of Municipal Corporations held on Thursday, 19th March on the question of the 50 per cent. grant towards the costs of strengthening tower blocks resultant upon the Ronan Point disaster.

I do not think a further meeting would be helpful. I still consider that a capital grant equal to 50 per cent. of the total admissible costs falling on local authorities is both fair and reasonable. I have also decided to reserve a very small fraction of the total grant to provide special assistance for one or two smaller authorities which may have an exceptionally heavy financial burden in relation to their resources. I have informed the local authority representatives accordingly. A circular on the terms of grant will be issued shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in making building regulations, the risks of Ronan Point type explosions are taken into consideration by his Department in deciding the strengths of walls and floors for traditional housing construction.

The recent amendments to the building regulations were designed to guard against progressive collapse, whether caused by explosions or otherwise. They apply to new buildings, traditional or otherwise, of five storeys and over.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many explosions there were in houses and flats in 1966, 1967 and 1968 of a similar type and intensity to that which caused the collapse at Ronan Point.

The number of explosions caused by gas resulting in severe structural damage to dwellings and notified to fire brigades in the United Kingdom was 22 in 1966, 12 in 1967 and 20 in 1968.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average overall increase in the gross domestic product in all European Economic Community and European Free Trade Association countries, excluding Luxembourg, between 1964 and the latest convenient date, from information available from international sources; how this compares with the overall increase in the United Kingdom in the same period; and what has been the shortfall in the national resources caused by falling behind the average increase in European Economic Community and European Free Trade Association countries.

From 1964 to 1967, the latest date for which comparable figures are available from returns made to O.E.C.D., the gross domestic product of the countries of the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association (excluding Luxembourg) increased on average overall by 10·6 per cent. (at 1963 prices and 1963 exchange rates). The comparable increase for the United Kingdom was 6·4 per cent. The difference represents about £1,400 million in 1967 in terms of the gross domestic product of the United Kingdom at constant market prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the overall shortfall in national resources between 1964 and 1969 as a result of not maintaining the growth of the gross domestic product, taking the average of the expenditure, output and income measures, at the rate at which it increased between 1959 and 1964.

Taking the average of the expenditure, output and income measures, I estimate that in 1969 g.d.p. was about £2,500 million lower, at constant 1963 prices, than if growth had proceeded between 1964 and 1969 at the rate achieved between 1959 and 1964. In the earlier period the rate of growth of g.d.p. exceeded the estimated underlying rate of growth of productive capacity. This was in the main due to high rates of growth in 1963 and 1964. These were accompanied, however, by a severe deterioration in the "basic" balance of payments, culminating in a deficit of £747 million in 1964. It has since been necessary to correct this imbalance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the rate of industrial gross fixed investment increased as a proportion of gross domestic product between 1951 and 1964, expressed as an annual rate; and what the corresponding figure is for the period between 1964 and the latest available convenient date.

Gross domestic fixed capital formation by all industries except dwellings and public services, expressed as a proportion of gross domestic product at factor cost, increased by 2·0 per cent. a year between 1951 and 1964; between 1964 and 1969 (based on seasonally adjusted figures for the first three quarters of the year) the corresponding rate of increase was 0·2 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his estimate of the economic and financial benefits to central and local government, by extending clean air policies to the exhausts of road vehicles, in view of the production of a car in the United States of America, details of which are in his possession, which emits one-twentieth of the gaseous effluents of an orthodox vehicle; and whether he will send representatives from his Department to the United States of America to study this vehicle.

I am aware of American research to develop a pollution-free car and I am following it closely.No measurable economic or financial benefits to central or local government are likely to result from the use of such cars in this country, although there are, of course, other arguments besides the directly economic ones.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking in conjunction with the Clean Air Council, to collaborate with British industry, to enter into a research programme for the abatement of atmospheric pollution by diminishing the fumes from exhausts of motor vehicles; and what plans he has to introduce legislation to strengthen clean air policy in this regard.

The British motor industry has already developed methods of reducing certain pollutants in car exhausts. I am considering whether any further regulations are needed to control emissions from motor vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the breakdown now occurring in rural bus services caused by the restriction on drivers' hours provided for in the Transport Act, 1968; and if he will now seek to amend the Act so as to give greater flexibility to operators.

We have already provided for exemptions to assist in the maintenance of essential public transport after full consultation with the bus industry as indicated in my reply of 24th February to the hon. Member. I am not aware that further action is required.—[Vol. 796, c. 277.]

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the National Bus Company to reach an early agreement with local authorities on the question of the introduction of concessionary fares.

No. The implementation of travel concessions schemes is a matter for settlement by the local authorities with the bus operators concerned on mutually acceptable terms. I am sure the National Bus Company is prepared to play its part in such negotiations.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will agree to an independent valuation being made of the assets and earnings of the Manchester Ship Canal Company in view of the dispute over the terms of compensation for this company under the Ports Bill.

No. I see no reason to depart from the Stock Exchange valuation basis usual in cases of this kind.

asked the Minister of Transport how much is paid by the Post Office by way of vehicle licences in respect of its motor fleet; how much was paid prior to the reorganisation of the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

From 1961 annual payments were made equal, as nearly as possible, to the excise duty which would have been payable if Post Office vehicles had not been exempt from duty. The amount so paid for the last complete financial year before the reorganisation of the Post Office was some £3 million. There is no reason why the amount paid in excise duty since reorganisation should be materially different from the amount which would have been paid, but for reorganisation, in lieu of duty.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the nature and progress of the work undertaken by the Government to improve and enlarge the potentialities and modernisation of Aberdeen Harbour.

Improvements are the responsibility of the Aberdeen Harbour Board. It has reconstructed Blaikie's Quay with the help of grants from my right hon. Friend totalling £190,000. I understand my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is granting £60,000 towards improvements in the fishery section of the harbour, where further developments are being considered.

asked the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received on the possibility of setting up a Select Committee on Defence; and what replies he has sent.

None, other than Questions posed to me in this House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of convictions for burglary in the present county of Surrey in 1964 and 1969, respectively.

In 1969 in the area covered by the Surrey Constabulary, 552 persons were convicted of burglary and aggravated burglary, including attempts. The changes introduced by the Theft Act, 1968, prevent the compilation of a corresponding figure for 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of convictions for burglary in England and Wales in 1964 and 1969, respectively.

In England and Wales in 1969, 64,307 persons were convicted of burglary and aggravated burglary, including attempts to commit such offences. In view of the changes introduced by the Theft Act, 1968, it is not possible to compile a corresponding figure for 1964.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that recent official figures show that beef now costs 86 per cent. more on the Continent, that veal is 43 per cent. more, that the price of lamb is 155 per cent. higher and that mutton costs 178 per cent. more; and whether when giving his recent estimate of the costs of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market these prices were taken into account.

The estimated effect on food prices was fully taken into account in the Government's recent assessment of the economic implications of United Kingdom accession to the E.E.C. (Cmnd. Paper 4289) which gave representative quotations of retail prices for meat in the United Kingdom and the E.E.C. There have been no significant changes in the basis of this estimate since then.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now announce the members of the Committee of Inquiry into Rabies in Great Britain.

I am pleased to say that the following have agreed to serve as members of this committee:

• Ronald Waterhouse, Esq., Q.C.
• Captain Sir Thomas Barlow, Bt., D.S.C., R.N. (Retd.).
• G. W. R. Couzens, Esq., J.P.
• Professor W. F. H. Jarrett, Ph.D., D.V.S.M., M.R.C.V.S., M.C.Path., F.R.S.E.
• Stuart H. Seaton, Esq.
• Professor A. B. Semple, C.B.E., V.R.D.
• Dr. C. E. Gordon Smith, M.D., M.R.C.P., M.C.Path.
• Dr. F. G. Startup, B.Sc., Ph.D., M.R.C.V.S.
• Professor Sir Solly Zuckerman, O.M., K.C.B., F.R.S.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now received the report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes on the plant bakers' proposal that the price of large loaves should be increased by 1d.; what is the board's finding; and what conclusion the Government have reached.

In November and December, 1969, the major plant bakers applied under the early warning arrangements for an increase of 2d. in the price of the large loaf. The Government accepted an increase of 1d. but referred the further 1d. to the National Board for Prices and Incomes for examination.The board is publishing its report today. Its conclusion, after examining the financial position of the industry, is that the proposed further increase of a penny in the recommended retail price of large loaves should now be approved. The board's conclusion is based on the view that the increase is required in order not to prejudice investment essential for efficient bread production. The Government accept the board's conclusion, and I have so informed the major plant bakers. The increased prices will take effect from Monday, 20th April. The price of small loaves sold by these bakers is not affected.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why the number of non-industrial civil servants increased from 412,900 in 1964 to 491,300 in January, 1970, and why salaries and wages increased from £636,425 in 1963–64 to £1,031,304 in 1969–70; and if he will now take action to reduce them.

The increase in numbers reflects necessary increases in the volume of work; the increase in salaries and wages reflects this increase in numbers and changes in Civil Service pay rates. It is our intention to keep the size and the cost of the Civil Service to the minimum consistent with the tasks it has to carry out.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has for raising the salaries of the chairmen of the boards of nationalised industries; and whether he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend will have seen from my answer of 26th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Basset-law (Mr. Ashton) that the Government have decided to implement the second stage increases recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in Report No. 107.—[Vol. 798, c. 521.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will make a further statement on the negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the Common Market with special reference to the effect of Great Britain's entry on the wages of British workers and the cost of living in Great Britain.

No. I have nothing to add to what was said about the negotiations by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his reply to the hon. Member for Banbury on 19th February, 1970, and to the White Paper on Britain and the European Communities: An Economic Assessment (Cmnd. 4289), which was debated in this House on 24th and 25th February, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government accepts Recommendation No. 595 on the role of the Council of Europe member-states in the Second United Nations development Decade, adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th January, 1970; and whether they will comply with the proposals contained in paragraph 13 of this Recommendation, in particular as they relate to increasing net capital transfers to the developing countries as soon as possible to 1 per cent. of gross national product.

This Recommendation is still under consideration by the Com- mittee of Ministers. In relation to increasing net capital transfers to the developing countries to 1 per cent. of gross national product, I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development on 27th November, 1969.—[Vol. 792, c. 633–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government accept Recommendation No. 594 on the development of modern language teaching in Turkey which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th January, 1970; and whether they will take action on the proposals contained in point 8(c) of this recommendation.

Recommendation 594 is acceptable to us in principle. We are now considering detailed proposals by the Council of Cultural Co-operation for the implementation by Her Majesty's Government of point 8(c) of this recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions he has given to the staff of embassies in Latin-America in view of the recent abductions of diplomats in that area.

The threat has caused us concern for some time. Several months ago we sent instructions on precautionary measures to Heads of Missions. I am in touch with them again in the light of the currently intensified threat.For obvious reasons it would be unwise to reveal the nature of the precautions that are being taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help has been given by Her Majesty's Government to Turkey to assist with relief measures for victims of the recent earthquake disaster.

Seventy large tents, 4,000 blankets and 5 tons of rice were flown to Turkey from Cyprus in three aircraft of the Royal Air Force on 1st and 2nd April. Cargo space on two Royal Air Force Hercules aircraft was made available to the Disasters Emergency Committee to transport 500 tents from the United Kingdom on 2nd April. Cargo space on the two aircraft taking my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Chief of the Defence Staff to Ankara on 5th April was also used to transport urgently needed foodstuffs donated by the Disasters Emergency Committee. Five hundred bottles of blood plasma supplied by the Department of Health were flown to Turkey on 5th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will make a statement about the membership of the Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Council.

As the period of appointment of some members expires at the end of March and there are also some vacancies, I have reviewed the membership and appointed a few new members. I am circulating a full list of the members of the council in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those members who have served hitherto.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will make a statement about the membership of the Northern Economic Planning Council.

As the period of appointment of some members expires at the end of March and there are also some vacancies, I have reviewed the membership and appointed a few new members. I am circulating a full list of the members of the council in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those members who have served hitherto.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will make a statement about the membership of the North-West Economic Planning Council.

As the period of appointment of some members expires at the end of March and there are also some vacancies, I have reviewed the membership and appointed a few new members. I am circulating a full list of the members of the council in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those members who have served hitherto.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will make a statement about the membership of the West Midlands Economic Planning Council.

As the period of appointment of some members expires at the end of March and there are also some vacancies, I have reviewed the membership and appointed a few new members. I am circulating a full list of the members of the council in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those members who have served hitherto.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will make a statement about the membership of the East Midlands Economic Planning Council.

As the period of appointment of some members expires at the end of March and there are also some vacancies, I have reviewed the membership and appointed a few new members. I am circulating a full list of the members of the council in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those members who have served hitherto.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the square footage of the office accommodation provided or to be provided in the two phases of the National Savings Bank at Cowglen, Glasgow, and in the Savings Certificate and Save As You Earn building at Durham, respectively.

These buildings provide the following amounts of net office accommodation:

• Saving Certificate and Save As You Earn Building, Durham—256,355 sq. ft.
• National Savings Bank, Cowglen, Phase I—269,900 sq. ft.
• National Savings Bank, Cowglen, Phase II—138,700 sq. ft.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had in the past year from Ross and Cromarty County Council regarding the proposed road between North Tolsta and Ness, Isle of Lewis; and what has been the nature of his replies.

I received one enquiry from the county council about the possibility of a Ness-Tolsta road being approved. The council was told that this scheme would have to be considered along with the more general recommendations for new roads which the Highlands and Islands Development Board was expected to put forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has completed his study of the Army survey of the route of the proposed Ness-Tolsta road, Isle of Lewis; and if he will make a statement.

I have noted the contents of the Royal Engineers' preliminary report to Ross and Cromarty County Council. I understand that the council is awaiting a more detailed survey, still to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what requests he has had in the last 12 months from Ross and Cromarty County Council for special financial assistance towards the cost of full reconstruction as a single operation, or by phases, of the Pentland Road, Isle of Lewis.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much land in Scotland is currently owned by the Forestry Commission, by educational or research institutions, by the National Trust, by the Nature Conservancy, by the Electricity Boards, by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and by other public bodies not included above; and if he will give the total acreage for each category.

I regret that some of this information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate effort. The information which I have is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the concern of medical authorities regarding the effect of enzyme detergents on the hands and arms of users, he will order a full inquiry, with a view to providing adequate protection against the outbreak of skin disease.

I am awaiting the results of the inquiries to which my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Home Office referred in his reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson) on 26th March.—[Vol. 798, c. 480.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many housing authorities in Scotland failed to operate approved allocation schemes in 1967, 1968 and 1969; and if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those whose allocation schemes currently do not conform with the recommendations of his circular.

Housing authorities do not require my approval of their allocation schemes. The following local authorities have informed me that they consider the advice in SDD Circular No. 63/1968 unsuitable in some respects for their circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for increasing and improving the sea protection and rescue services relevant to North Sea fishing fleets; and what are the present numbers and personnel of each.

My Department operates eight fishery protection vessels, with a complement of 159 officers and men, around the coasts of Scotland. Plans for improvement must await the report of the Committee under the Chairmanship of the hon. Lord Cameron which is reviewing the law regarding fishing in Scottish coastal waters and its enforcement.Questions relating to sea rescue services are for my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to extend the Aberdeen-based meals-on-wheels service to remote country districts; and if he will make a statement on the progress of the scheme.

The provision of the meals-on-wheels service is a matter within the responsibility of each local authority. I understand that local authorities in the North-east of Scotland, with the cooperation of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service, already provide a service in a number of rural areas and that the service is being gradually extended.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners in Scottish prisons, and which prisons, have been transferred during each of the last five years from unskilled to skilled productive work of national utility and what was the nature of the training for, and the product of, the work in each case.

There is both skilled and unskilled work of national utility available in all prisons, and prisoners are selected and trained for the various tasks in accordance with their aptitudes. The total value of work done in Scottish penal establishments in the financial year 1968–69 was £638,352. Information about prisoners transferred from one class of work to another could not be collected without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beds are laid aside for fee-paying patients in the Carlisle hospitals; how much was taken in fees during the past financial year; and how much this works out per person receiving treatment.

There is accommodation for eight private patients in the Carlisle hospitals. The beds are also used by non-paying patients. In the financial year 1968–69, £8,632 was collected in hospital charges at an average cost of £50 to each patient. These figures exclude the fees paid by patients to doctors for medical treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress is being made in the City of Carlisle regarding health centres; and if he will make a statement.

There are no health centres in Carlisle at present, but I understand that if the interest of general practitioners in having a health centre warrants it the local health authority is ready to consider sympathetically a request from the executive council to provide one.

asked the Minister of Technology, in view of the intended closing down of Chambers Packaging Limited on the Team Valley Trading Estate with the loss of 130 jobs, what steps he is taking to ensure the minimum hardship to those at present employed and to provide alternative employment.

Subject to Chambers Packaging Ltd.'s rights under the existing lease, the Department will endeavour to find a new tenant for the factory when it becomes vacant. The local officers of the Department of Employment and Productivity will do all they can to help those affected by the redundancy to find new jobs, including training opportunities where appropriate.

asked the Minister of Technology if, owing to the world demand for coking coal, he will give special financial aid to the National Coal Board so that further development of this kind of coal can take place.

No. It is up to the National Coal Board to plan its production and sales on a commercial basis in the light of prospective demands for coking coal.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will ascertain and publish the amount, in tons, of the known reserves of coking coal in the Yorkshire coalfield, with the names by which the seams of coal are known, before making grants to the National Coal Board under Section 1 of the Coal Industry Bill.

No. The National Coal Board takes into account the supply of and demand for different coals in making decisions about the future of individual collieries.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will give a general direction to the relevant gas board to prevent the closure of any gasworks in the North-West until supplies of solid smokeless fuel become easier.

A general direction would not be appropriate, but we are keeping supplies of solid smokeless fuels under close review.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will take steps to encourage hospitals, schools and other buyers of gas coke to convert their appliances to coal in time for next winter, thus freeing smokeless fuel for use by householders in smokeless zones.

This is a matter for the authorities concerned, but I am in close touch with the responsible departments about the future availability of fuels.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the work being done by the Newham Export Club in increasing exports, his Department will assist this club in its efforts; and whether he will make a statement.

The Board of Trade's export staff in the London region have been closely in touch with this Export Club at and since its inauguration and I am confident that this close cooperation in increasing exports will continue.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent his Department is assisted in increasing exports to Israel; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures giving the change in the amounts of exports to Israel during 1968 and 1969, respectively.

British exports, including re-exports, to Israel rose by £38 million and £15 million in 1968 and 1969 respectively. I am confident that this reflects the increased activity of British exporters who have taken advantage of assistance provided by the Board of Trade in co-operation with the British National Export Council's Committee for Israel and our Embassy in Israel.

asked the President of the Board of Trade at what stage and on what date he will give detailed and final figures of the total cash loss to public funds of the recent disputes at London's Heathrow Airport, which, as of 24th March, 1970, were of the order of £½ million.

The best estimate that can be made without disproportionate effort is about half a million pounds.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Federal Aviation Agency has made a regulation providing that no passenger may occupy a seat adjacent to the emergency exits of passenger aircraft; and if he will study the need for a similar regulation in the United Kingdom.

I am not aware that the Federal Aviation Agency has made such a regulation in these terms. It has, however, a requirement for aircraft with double doors that there must be at least one seat adjacent to each exit that could be occupied by a cabin attendant.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to provide for a replacement rescue service for the South-West after the withdrawal of the Royal Air Force helicopter service from Chivenor, North Devon; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 25th March to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. WolrigeGordon). I will include the use of helicopters for marine search and rescue purposes in the statement I will make on the report of the committee which has been reviewing the marine search and rescue organisation of the United Kingdom.—[Vol. 798, c. 1416–17.]