asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of applicants to the Ulster Defence Regiment who have been rejected without prior interview with their respective referees.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applicants to join the Ulster Defence Regiment have been refused to date.

As at 3rd April, 440 applications to join the Ulster Defence Regiment had been rejected. As regards the last part of his Question I would refer the hon. Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone to my answer on 25th March.—[Vol. 798, c. 415.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the foreign exchange costs of maintaining Shackleton aircraft in Madagascar for the Beira patrol are included in the estimate of £30,000 per annum.

No. The figure for other overseas areas in Annex H of Cmnd. 4290 includes £0·17 million in respect of the air element of the Beira patrol, bringing total overseas expenditure on the Beira patrol to £0·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries have some form of conscription.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries which have some form of conscription are Belgium, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey and the United States of America.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present expenditure of public funds in a full financial year on the provision of nursery education.

The latest year for which information is available is 1968–69, when expenditure on nursery schools by local authorities in England and Wales was just over £4 million. Figures for expenditure on nursery classes are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the concern of the parents of children at Beaminster Primary School who still have to use three buildings, some World War I huts, in different parts of the town at his refusal two years ago to consider rebuilding on the grounds that this was not an urban deprived area, he will now reconsider the case and give higher priority to rebuilding of schools in small towns in rural areas.

A tenth of the programme of about £17 million for the replacement of old schools in England and Wales which I have just announced for 1971–72 will go to some 25 projects in rural areas, including the replacement of Beaminster Primary School. Further progress will be made as fast as resources allow.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many temporary teachers are employed in England and Wales.

On 1st February, 1970, counting part-timers in full-time equivalents, about 2,600 temporary and occasional teachers were employed in maintained schools in England and Wales. The corresponding figure last October was about 3,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will detail the British Council offices which have been damaged by hostile acts in each of the last three convenient 12-month periods, stating the cost of making good the damage and the amount received in compensation.

During the three financial years 1967–68. 1968–69 and 1969–70, apart from the recent damage to the council's centre in Rawalpindi on the 27th March, 1970, the only instances of damage to council property by hostile acts occurred in June, 1967, during anti-British demonstrations. The figures given below are for the losses as shown in the council's register of losses, which in some instances allow for depreciation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent by the British Council in Rawalpindi in each of the last three convenient 12-month periods.

British Council expenditure in Pakistan as a whole in the three financial years ending 31st March, 1970 was: in 1967–68 £317,799 (actual); in 1968–69 £365,012 (actual); in 1969–70 £394,443 (estimated). Provision for Rawalpindi alone during these years was: in 1967–68 £67,138; in 1968–69 £94,848; in 1969–70 £101,642. Figures for actual expenditures are not available. These figures exclude expenditure made by headquarters on services (e.g. scholarships and cultural manifestations) as not all this expenditure can be broken down on a country or post basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give details of the damage to British Council property in Rawalpindi resulting from a riot by students protesting against an article in The Times on 14th March; what representations have been made about the incident by Her Majesty's Government to the Pakistan authorities; and what compensation has been received.

The damage consisted of windows and display cabinets broken, and some books destroyed: the watchman sustained minor injuries. The High Commissioner has discussed with the Pakistan authorities the incident, its implications and the article in The Times which gave rise to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will obtain a report from the Chief Con-

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the Chief Constable stating how many motorcars are at present used by the Lancashire police and the total number in 1964 of such cars in use by the Lancashire police and those borough forces now amalgamated with it.

I am informed that 731 motor cars are at present used by the Lancashire police, and that in 1964, the number of cars used by the Lancashire police and those borough forces now amalgamated with it was 365.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain a report from the Chief Constable stating how many personal radios are at present used by the Lancashire police and the total number in 1964 of personal radios in use by that force and those borough forces now amalgamated with it.

I am informed that 1,626 personal radios are at present used by the Lancashire police, and that the figure for December, 1964 was 100.

Following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in view of the death and destruction caused by bombs placed in civilian aircraft by the El-Fatah organisation, a member of that organisation, Mr. Abu Omar, was allowed to enter Great Britain and address a conference at Skegness on Friday, 27th March, 1970; and whether on security grounds he will take steps to prevent such entries in the future; and whether he will make a statement.

Leave to land was granted in accordance with the immigration rules. I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Moonman) on 22nd January.—[Vol. 794, c. 177.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has granted to Eva Harldsted, a Danish citizen, a permit to stay in Great Britain for one year and to work as a model; and whether he will give an assurance that permission will be given to Commonwealth citizens in similar circumstances.

No such permission has been given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of injury due to catapults have been reported to him during the last 12 months, or convenient date; and what proposals he has concerning the sale of catapults.

My right hon. Friend has had no such reports during the last 12 months. He has no proposals for restricting the sale of catapults.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning how many joint meetings of the Welsh Council and the South-West Economic Council or of committees thereof have been held; what subjects have been discussed; and what such meetings are planned.

No formal meetings have been held. The chairmen of the two councils meet from time to time to discuss matters of common concern. It is possible that ad hoc meetings may be arranged later as may seem necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the total numbers of crimes and the total numbers of crimes of violence in each year since 1964 for the police area of the Lothians and Peebles.

The numbers of crimes and crimes of violence made known to the Lothians and Peebles police from 1964 to 1969 are shown in the table below.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the school population in each year from 1960 to the nearest available date took five O levels or better; and, in the same period, what percentage took two highers or better.

The ordinary grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education was not introduced until 1962. The table below shows the qualification held by school leavers in each of the years in question.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what sum is proposed to be spent on counter-evasion measures in detecting evaders of television licence payments in the current year.

About £950,000.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what areas in Scotland did not have satisfactory reception of the British Broadcasting Corporation at the end of 1969.

B.B.C.2 television, in course of provision, now covers 75 per cent. of the population of Scotland compared with 53 per cent. at the end of

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will publish the new salary scales of each grade of nurses.

The following are the scales which have so far been issued to employing authorities. These cover the largest groups of staff. The rest of the scales will appear in a Whitley Council Circular which I will send the hon. Member a copy as soon as it is published.

asked the Minister of Technology what is his latest estimate for 1969–70 of the cost of investment grants, and of industrial building grants, respectively.

Final out-turn figures are not yet available, but they are expected to be very near to the present estimates of £590 million and £21 million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the nationalised undertakings and Government Departments that do not operate a traders' credit transfer system.

It is for each Government Department and nationalised undertaking individually to use whatever money transfer facilities it finds most cal and best suited to its circumstances. The credit transfer system is one of the facilities available but I do not have the information requested about its actual use.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, the criteria used by valuation officers to assess the rateable value of a property.

The rateable value of any property is based on the rent at which it might reasonably be expected to let from year to year in the open market. Valuation Officers therefore take account of any factor and any evidence which would, in their view, have a bearing on that hypothetical open market rent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the proportion of overseas visitors to the United Kingdom during the last year for which the figures are available who spent at least one night in Wales.

In 1966, about 3 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to National Carriers Limited to introduce a traders' credit transfer system.

No. It is for the management of National Carriers Limited to arrange methods of payment to suit its own circumstances and the convenience of its customers. A general direction would be inappropriate.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the lack of Huddersfield direction signs on both the north- and south-bound carriageways of the M1; and if he will take steps to rectify this matter.

We are satisfied that Huddersfield is signed on both carriageways at junction 38 near Haigh.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to him by the dock unions regarding the proposed closure of the Surrey Docks, for which his approval has been sought; and what replies he has sent.

In January I met representatives of the Transport and General Workers' Union, the National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers, the National and Local Government Officers' Association and the Watermen, Lighter-men, Tugmen and Bargemen's Union, accompanied by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bermondsey (Mr. Mellish).The unions raised various objections of principle to closure of the Surrey Commercial Docks and expressed the view that the docks could be made an economic proposition. They suggested that the docks should remain open for an experimental period during which unions and management could work to improve their prospects. I explained that my formal standing was confined to consideration of the Port of London's application for my approval of its proposal to close the docks under the "safeguarding" provisions in Schedule 4 of the Ports Bill. Apart from this, a decision whether or not to close the docks was a matter of management for the Port of London Authority.The unions subsequently put their views to me in writing, and I forwarded copies of those views to the authority. The authority's director-general later met representatives of the unions in order to discuss their suggestions, and the authority has provided me with a report of those discussions.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to him by the Port of London Authority regarding the proposed closure of the Surrey Docks, for which his approval has been sought; and what replies he has sent.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply by the Prime Minister to his Question on 9th April, 1970. I have not yet notified the authority of my decision.—[Vol. 799, c. 124–5.]

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to him by shipping companies arising from the proposed closure of the Surrey Docks, for which his approval has been sought; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to him by port employers arising from the proposed closure of the Surrey Docks, for which his approval has been sought; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when the Code of Guidance in respect of grants for rural bus services in Wales will be issued to local authorities.

I hope this will now be done quite soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total receipt of moneys paid by visitors for entry and literature at Welsh ancient monuments in 1968–69 and 1969–70.

For the financial year 1968–69 receipts from admission to Welsh ancient monuments were £84,420 and receipts from sales of guide books and other items were £27,103.For 1969–70, the provisional figures show that receipts from admission increased to £138,422 and receipts from sales to £55,982.