asked the Secretary of State for Scotland upon what economic information the decision was based to impose a levy on the shellfish industry while withholding a subsidy.

The shellfish industry has hitherto benefited from the work of the White Fish Authority, including the provision of grants and loans for vessels, loans for co-operatives and processing plants, research and development, without contributing to the cost of the Authority. The levy represents rather less than 1 per cent. of the average wholesale price of shellfish and is not related in any way to the question of subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take in relation to those local authorities who are failing to provide houses for their citizens.

My right hon. Friend keeps the programmes and progress of local housing authorities under constant review, and brings pressure to bear on individual authorities when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to take to ensure greater provision of houses by local authorities.

I refer to my reply to another Question by my hon. Friend earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what Government grants are being provided for the Anderston Comprehensive Redevelopment Scheme in relation to the new bridge, houses, roads and factories; and if he will make a statement.

Government grants and subsidies are payable for buying land in the comprehensive redevelopment area and preparing it for redevelopment; for building houses; and for new principal roads, including the Kingston Bridge. Applications for some of these grants are still to come, and I cannot identify the precise amount of assistance which relates to this area alone.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of how the £60,000 of Government funds granted by him for improvements in the Aberdeen harbour fishery section were and will be spent; if he will indicate how far the work has progressed; and when it will be completed and ready for use.

In March, 1969, I offered grant of £49,000 to Aberdeen Harbour Board towards the cost of reconstruction of 600ft. of Commercial Quay and in March of this year I offered £11,000 towards rebuilding that part of the fish-market on the reconstructed section. The quay reconstruction has been completed and the Harbour Board is about to accept a tender for the fishmarket building, which is expected to be ready for use before the end of this year.In addition, I have very recently offered a further £60,000 grant to the Harbour Board towards the cost of reconstructing Mearns Quay.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the British Hotels and Restaurants Association is not represented on the reconstituted Scottish Food Hygiene Council; and whether, in order to associate the hotel and restaurant industry with the work of this Council, he will take steps to remedy this.

It is not possible to ensure that every interested organisation is permanently represented on advisory bodies of this kind. The Association is always invited to offer comments on proposals for regulations of direct concern to its members.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to protect the western sea shores of Scotland from the pollution spread by dead seagulls which have in turn died from the effects of pollution.

I would expect the local authorities to deal with any nuisance caused in this way, and I am not aware of any serious problem at present. No instances of oil pollution affecting the western coastline have been reported to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to permit payment to opticians of a domiciliary examination fee for visits to bedridden or home confined patients and to alter regulations prohibiting examination within 12 months without prior permission for country areas in which great inconvenience is caused.

Fees and expenses are now available for opticians who dispense glasses on domiciliary visits at the request of hospital authorities, and permission for a second sight-test within 12 months is readily given in appropriate circumstances. I am, however, considering these matters further in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of section V beds in Scottish hospitals in the years 1963 to 1969, inclusive; and if he will express the section V beds as a percentage of the total bed state for those years.

The numbers of beds made available for private patients are as follows:

Date		Number of beds	Percentage of N.H.S. bed complement
31st march,1963	…	657	1·00
31st march,1964	…	617	0·94
31st march,1965	…	614	0·94
31st march,1966	…	590	0·91
31st march,1967	…	571	0·88
31st march,1968	…	435	0·67
31st march,1969	…	345	0·53

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of primary and secondary school places in Ayrshire in 1969; and how this compares with the year 1964.

I am asking Ayrshire Education Authority to let my hon. Friend have this information. It is not kept centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail, separately, the money spent on primary and secondary school building in Ayrshire in the period 1964 to 1969, comparing this with the previous five-year period.

Following is the information:

AYRSHIRE EDUCATION AUTHORITY
School building: value of work done
Period	Primary	Secondary
	£m	£m
1965 to 1969, inclusive	1·9	5·4
1960 to 1964, inclusive	1·1	1·9

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the starting date for the Muirkirk Primary School and the total cost involved in building this school.

I understand that work started on the site this month. The total estimated cost is £121,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the final completion date for the Auchinleck Academy; and what proportion of the work, expressed in percentage terms, has been completed to date.

Ayrshire Education Authority expects that the school will be completed in December, 1970. I have asked the Authority to send my hon. Friend the further information that he desires.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total acreage acquired by the Land Commission in Scotland to date; and what is the total acreage sold in Scotland and for what total sum.

323 acres acquired of which 166 have been sold for £112,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average wage for male full-time agricultural workers in the year April, 1968, to March, 1969.

Minimum rates of wages for agricultural workers are laid down by Orders of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board, according to the category of work involved. On the basis of the numbers of male full-time workers employed in the various categories in the period in question the average minimum rate was approximtaely £12 10s. and the average of total earnings approximately £15 12s. per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of unpaid fines in Scotland at the most recent date for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in the same month of the previous five years.

I do not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many offences involving the possession or taking of drugs were brought before courts in Scotland in 1969 in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; how many of these offences related to persons under 21 years of age; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years.

I am circulating below a table showing persons proceeded against for offences against drugs legislation during the period and the numbers under 21. More detailed figures for 1969 will be available later in the year.The information is as follows:

CONTRAVENTION OF DRUGS LEGISLATION 1961 TO 1965—SCOTLAND DANGEROUS DRUGS ACTS AND DRUGS (PREVENTION OF MISUSE) ACT 1964
			Number of persons proceeded against in Scotland
		All ages	Under 21
1969 (provisional)	…	187	100
1968	…	100	45
1967	…	75	31
1966	…	39	12
1965	…	22	8
1964	…	30	2

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the value of his contribution in the form of grants, covering loan charges, in respect of the Ardhasaig, Tarbert area (Phase III) and Dieraclett water supply schemes, respectively, in the Isle of Harris.

£35,000, £27,000 and £33,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is estimated that work on the water supply schemes for the Floddabay, Lickisto and Seilebost districts in the Isle of Harris will begin.

I have asked the Inverness-shire Regional Water Board to send my hon. Friend this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when work on the water supply schemes for South Lochboisdale and South Boisdale, respectively, in the Isle of South Uist, is to begin; and what is the estimated cost of each scheme, and the form of his contribution, expressed in money terms, in each case.

This is a single scheme, estimated to cost £47,000, on which grant is estimated at £35,000. I understand that the Board hopes to make a start on it this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made with afforestation in the Isle of Lewis; and if he will make a statement.

The Forestry Commission has 1,764 acres of plantable land on the Isle of Lewis including some experimental plots. So far, 79 acres have been planted—including 14 acres of the experimental plots—and planting is expected to continue at the rate of about 150 acres a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of financial assistance given to agriculture in each of the last 10 years, at current prices.

The information is as follows

AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES AND GRANTS. SCOTLAND
Financial Years (April-March)	£million
1960–61	…	41·74
1961–62	…	53·72
1962–63	…	47·17
1963–64	…	46·33
1964–65	…	41·59
1965–66	…	39·67
1966–67	…	44·25
1967–68	…	48·85
1968–69	…	49·39
1969–70 (latest forecast)	…	52·52

NOTES1. Figures of Exchequer support to agriculture in the United Kingdom are published each year in the Annual Review White Paper. Corresponding figures for Scotland for the three latest years are published in " Scottish Agricultural Economics".2. The figures exclude administrative expenses but include payments in support of milk prices in Scotland.3. The table excludes grants specifically for horticulture. For the last three years these are as follows:

£million
1967–68	…	…	…	0·12
1968–69	…	…	…	0·19
1969–70	…	…	…	0·19

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will reply to the letter dated 23rd March, 1970, regarding the case of Mr. J. M. Suttie, of Carnoustie, and the Land Commission.

The hon. Member will by now have received my reply to his letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to increase and extend public access to the seashore and beaches, as a contribution to Conservation Year.

On present information I do not think that any special steps are needed, but if my hon. Friend has evidence of access difficulties I will be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has now been made towards the abolition of fee paying in Scottish schools; and what steps he intends to take against those local education authorities who are unwilling to comply with the legislation dealing with this matter.

I would refer my hon.£ million Friend to the reply given today to the hon. Members for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. MacArthur), Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor), Edinburgh, North (Earl of Dalkeith), and Edinburgh, West (Mr. Stodart).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will inquire into the circumstances in which private landlords in Fife and elsewhere are seeking excessive rent increases for houses over 100 years old.

The machinery for determining whether any increases proposed are excessive is provided by the Rent Act, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to contain the present rate of rise in costs to the house building industry in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

We shall continue to encourage measures which will improve the productivity and efficiency of the house building industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make a statement of the Government's intentions concerning the Hunter Report.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my

REMUNERATION IN GENERAL HOSPITALS
			Gross Pay at April			In Terms of 1964 Prices			Increase 1969–70 in real terms at 1964 prices
			1964	1969	1970	1964	1969	1970
			£	£	£	£	£	£
3rd year Student Nurse
aged 21	…	…	365	528	714	365	438	562	124
Staff Nurse:
Minimum	…	…	600	785	930	600	636	732	96
Maximum	…	…	750	985	1,182	750	817	931	114
Ward Sister:
Minimum	…	…	800	970	1,200	800	804	945	141
Maximum	…	…	1,050	1,315	1,554	1,050	1,090	1,224	134

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a White Paper on local government finance.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what married accommodation is available for junior hospital doctors.

This information is not collected centrally on a routine basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a statement about the hospital pharmaceutical service. hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 18th February, 1970.—[Vol 796, c.122.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the gross pay of a third-year student nurse, a staff nurse, and a ward sister in an average general hospital in April, 1969, and April, 1970; and what are the increases as expressed in terms of 1964 prices.

The information is as follows:

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 25th February which set out in detail the recommendations of the Working Party on the Hospital Pharmaceutical Service and described the immediate action being taken on them. —[Vol. 796, c.355.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement about teachers' salaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further consultations he has had with the teaching profession regarding increases in salaries; and if he will make a statement.

As hon. Members will be aware the Scottish Teachers Salaries Committee reached agreement on 17th April. The settlement, which is subject to acceptance by the bodies represented on the Teachers' Side of the Committee, will take effect from 1st April and will cost about £11 million or an increase of 15·7 per cent. in the current salaries bill of £71 million. A restructuring of the basic salary scales is a feature of the settlement, and the increases for individual teachers will range from 10 to 35 per cent.Hon. Members will be glad, as I am, that these negotiations have been successfully concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were rehoused from slums or unfit houses in Glasgow in 1969; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years.

As I did not have these particular figures I asked Glasgow Corporation to send them to the hon. Gentleman, and I understand that it has done so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what increases in all service industries during the year June, 1969, to June, 1970, will be required to fulfil his prediction of a 60,000 increase in employment in the sector contained in paragraph 26 of Command Paper No. 2864; and how this compares with the outturn in each of the previous five years;(2) what net increase in employment in all production industries, manufacturing industries, gas, electricity and water, respectively, will be required between June, 1969, and June, 1970, to fulfil the predictions contained in Table A on page 8 of Command Paper No. 2864; and how this will compare with the outturn in each of these categories in each of the previous five years.

The industrial analysis for Scotland of the June, 1969, figures is not yet available, and I cannot yet add to the replies I gave to similar Questions by the hon. Gentleman on 25th February.—[Vol. 796, c.345–7]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the increase in the price of lamb in the Price Review will halt the rundown of hill farms in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The further increase of 3d. per 1b. in the lamb guarantee and the higher rates of grant under the Hill Land Improvement Scheme and the Lime Scheme are designed to encourage greater productivity and growth in the hills and uplands and to reverse the decline in lowland sheep.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many further education or technical colleges have been built since 1960; and what has been the increase of students, male and female, in each year to the nearest available date.

Twenty-four new education authority colleges have been built since 1960 and one central institution has been completely replaced. Between sessions 1959–60 and 1968–69 the number of day students increased by over 43,000.The following table gives the increase in each year.

FURTHER EDUCATION CENTRES AND CENTRAL INSTITUTIONS, SCOTLAND
FULL-TIME AND DAY/BLOCK RELEASE COURSES
		Increase in number of Students over previous Session
Session		Men	Women	Total
1960–61	…	Separate figures for men and women not available		2,268
1961–62	…			5,857*
1962–63	…			3,852
1963–64	…			4,942†
1964–65	…			5,208‡
1965–66	…			900
1966–67	…	5,860	1,133	6,993
1967–68	…	4,379	1,165	5,544
1968–69	…	5,625	2,210	7,835
*Last year in which former Royal College of Science and Technology included.
† Last year in which former Scottish College of Commerce included.
‡ Last year in which Heriot-Watt included.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified teachers, male and female, are employed in further education full-time in Scotland; how many part-time; and what is the rate of increase envisaged in these establishments by the end of 1970.

In December last 5,420 teachers— 4,354 men and 1,066 women—were employed full-time in colleges of education, central institutions and education authority further education centres. Of these, 3,733 held a Scottish teaching qualification and of the remainder all but a small proportion held appropriate academic or technical qualifications. On the basis of recent trends I would expect the numbers of full-time teachers to rise by about 6 per cent. by December, 1970. I regret that information about part-time teachers is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to improve the efficiency of the Scottish Statistical Office.

All the statistical services within the Scottish Office are being reviewed and reorganised. On the economics side, a senior economic adviser is to be appointed later this year who will, as part of his job, direct the work undertaken at present by the Scottish Statistical Office. On the social side, a chief statistician has already been appointed to co-ordinate statistical developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what costs have been incurred by local authorities in Scotland in cleaning up oil pollution since 1st January, 1970; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that this information is not available. No applications for grant have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of offences known to the police which involved the use of firearms in each of the last 10 years.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that an adequate bus service is being provided in Scotland; how many routes have recently been curtailed or discontinued; and if he will make a statement.

Responsibility for providing bus services rests with the individual operators, subject to the Traffic Commissioners' control. Details of services withdrawn are published annually in the Commissioners' Report to the Minister of Transport; those for the year ending 31st March, 1970, are not yet available but will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as possible. Particulars of services curtailed are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage increase in the charges to those nurses living in at their hospitals; and if he will take steps to stop this erosion of pay increases.

These charges are a matter for the Whitley Council. It has been the practice in the past to raise lodging charges in proportion to the salary increase, but on this occasion the percentage increase is broadly 10 per cent. compared with the recent salary increase of 20 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons are employed or retained by his Department who can act as inspectors of companies; what their salaries or retainer fees were during the last convient period; and what are their qualifications.

In the main the Board of Trade appoint practising barristers and accountants as inspectors under Section 164 and 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, to investigate the affairs of companies. Officers of the Board are appointed in appropriate cases and also in cases in which the Board inspects the books and papers of companies under Section 109 of the Companies Act, 1967, 16 officers of the Board are engaged in such work and, if necessary, the services of others can be drawn upon. Their annual salaries vary from £2,500 to £4,400. 11 of these officers are qualified accountants or secretaries and 5 are qualified lawyers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what licences he issued for the export of aircraft and aircraft components owned by Messrs. Handley Page following the firm's takeover by the Craven Corporation; how many aircraft were transferred abroad; and in what form these exports were requited.

It is not the practice to disclose information about the issue of export licences to individual firms. Information about the number of Handley Page aircraft transferred abroad is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the representations made to him by shop stewards of the Handley Page aircraft company concerning the disposal of certain assets of the company following the intervention in its affairs by an outside company.

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what studies he has made of alternative beacons to the proposed Wisley Beacon, with a view to variations in use over periods of time.

The site at Wisley was chosen after a prolonged search as best suited to serve the needs of the air traffic control system in the London terminal area. Even when otherwise feasible it is not considered desirable, in the interests of safety, efficiency or reduction of total noise disturbance to duplicate the network of navigational aids in order to permit short-term changes in the pattern of air traffic.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date he expects the Wisley Beacon to be completed and in operation.

Subject to early completion of the consultation with the local planning authority the beacon should be in operation towards the latter part of next year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what studies he has made of the pattern of aircraft flights from Heathrow over Surrey in an easterly direction, with a view to providing more varied routes than those at present offered by the channelling system over the Midhurst and Dunsford Beacons.

The present easterly route out of Heathrow towards Midhurst and Dunsfold was chosen with much care to reduce total disturbance to the minimum. All the evidence at present available suggests that the spreading of routes, even if otherwise operationally feasible, would increase total disturbance by subjecting larger numbers of people to noise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for varying the routes taken by aircraft taking off in a westerly direction from Heathrow over Surrey.

Routes to the west have been chosen to cause the least disturbance to the smallest number of people and I have no plans at present to vary them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the hon. Member for Bromley can expect a reply to his letter of 10th February, 1970, regarding the release of his constituent, Sapper Keith Curtis.

I have replied to the hon. Gentleman on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the safety precautions to be taken when nuclear-powered vessels are in Portsmouth Dockyard and on the arrangements which have been made for emergency action should an accident involving radioactive leakage occur to any such vessel.

The Royal Navy's nuclear-powered submarines contain the fullest safety measures and are operated under the most stringent operating procedures, such that the likelihood of any accident is exceedingly remote. Detailed safety schemes for the contingency of an accident have nevertheless been drawn up in conjunction with the local authorities and with representatives of the other Ministries involved, for all ports which such submarines may use, including Portsmouth Dockyard. In addition, the berths approved for use have been selected so as to minimise the effect on the public of any accidental release of radioactivity. These precautions are closely similar to those taken in the vicinity of land-based reactors. Careful arrangements are also made for training and exercising personnel in accident procedures. An interdepartmental committee advises the Secretary of State for Defence on the appropriate precautions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the testing of naval internal combustion engines cannot be carried out on part of the 80-acre site declared by his Department to be becoming surplus to his requirements at Priddy's Hard rather than in new construction in a residential area at Blackbrook, Fareham.

Only the smaller engines are tested at Blackbrook Farm and for this purpose a set of new specially insulated test beds are being provided in a specially designed building incorporating acoustic lining in the fabric. To site this new building at Priddy's Hard would give rise to increased manpower and running costs. It would also be several years before a site at Priddy's Hard could be available and this itself already has residential properties on its northern boundary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence where test-running of naval Deltic engines is being carried out within the Fareham and Gosport area.

At the Royal Naval Aircraft Yard, Fleetlands.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times the price of the standard white loaf has been increased since October, 1964.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 15th April. — [Vol. 799, c. 235–6.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why a number of the prices for wool in respect of the 1970 clip have been reduced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the effect on the income of a sheep Farmer with 600 Blackface ewes of the price schedule which has been issued for the 1970 wool clip.

This schedule is the responsibility of the British Wool Marketing Board. The effect of price changes on individual farmers' returns depends on the quality of the wool they sell, the composition of their flocks and the fleece weights in any particular season. All these factors can vary considerably and make any specific estimate impracticable. However, I understand that the reductions on Blackface wool will average 5 per cent. to 6 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the use of the weedkiller 2, 4, 5-T, in view of the United States decision to impose certain restrictions on the use of this material.

The American authorities have imposed restrictions on some of the uses of 2, 4, 5-T, hitherto permitted in the U.S.A. and have advised on precautions to be followed where the chemical is used.According to preliminary information from the U.S.A. this action was taken because some American preparations contained dangerous concentrations of a highly toxic impurity and because evidence made available only last week from further tests on nearly pure 2, 4, 5-T taken from current American production suggests that when injected in large doses it may produce deformities in unborn mice.It should be made clear that the material as manufactured and used in the United Kingdom contains only a trace of the impurity. The scientific sub-committee of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals reviewed the use of 2, 4, 5-T in 1965 and again in March of this year in the light of further information. It found no reason to change the recommendations for safe use. Nevertheless, when notified of the American action I requested a copy of the new evidence as a matter of urgency. This has arrived today and I am arranging for the Advisory Committee to examine it immediately. I will make a further statement as soon as possible.This substance has been in use here for 10 years and no harmful effects have been shown to be associated with its use. Pending the outcome of the examination of the new evidence I do not think I would be justified in imposing limitations on our current uses. But I must emphasise that all agricultural chemicals should be handled with care and used strictly in accordance with the instructions on the label.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total public expenditure on grants to university students and all students in higher education in Great Britain, respectively, in 1969–70.

In 1968–69, the latest year for which firm figures are available, total expenditure by local authorities, the education departments and research councils in grants to students in further and higher education amounted to £129· 5 million, including about £.66· 0 million for university students. The total includes some expenditure, not separately identifiable, on grants to students taking non-advanced courses in further education establishments. I expect that expenditure in 1969–70 will prove to have been somewhat higher.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons he estimates are required to submit a form P11D for the year 1969–70; and what estimate he has made of the number of these exempted by an increase of the limit from £2,000 to £2,500, and the consequent saving of man-hours to the Inland Revenue.

About 440.000 forms P11D were rendered for the year 1967–68, the latest year for which figures are available. There is not sufficient information to make an estimate of the effect of the suggested increase in the limit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations the Inland Revenue has received in each of the last five years about delays in making tax refunds.

Statistics are not kept on this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what extent the outflow from the United Kingdom of interest, profits and dividends of the private sector and the public sector, respectively, has increased since 1964; and to what he attributes these increases.

An average annual increase of about 9 per cent. for the private sector and about 14 per cent. for the public sector. The increase for the latter is mainly due to the cost of servicing loans incurred between 1964 and 1968. Since the end of 1968 there has been a substantial repayment of debt. Over the whole period higher earnings by overseas owned companies in the United Kingdom, together with higher remittances on portfolio and other investment, account for the increase on private account. At the same time receipts by the United Kingdom of interest profits and dividends increased by about 8 per cent. per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the slum clearance programme for old-type council houses in Wales; how many have been demolished over the period 1965 to 1969; and how many are scheduled for demolition in the current year.

714 houses in local authority ownership have been demolished over the period 1965–69. The majority of council houses are less than 50 years' old and the question of slum clearance does not normally arise. The information sought by the last part of the question is not available.