asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when the Government office blocks in Horse-ferry Road will be completed and occupied, and by which Ministries.

Completion should take place in the late autumn of this year. The building will then be occupied by the headquarters of the Ministries of Housing and Local Government and Transport. The Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning and his staff will also be accommodated in the building.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what contribution has been made by his Department to the restoration of Abbeydale industrial village.

£10,000 in repair grants and considerable technical advice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net increase in National Savings in the first quarter of 1970; and what were the comparable increases in the first quarters of 1968, 1966 and 1964, respectively.

£64 million in the first quarter of 1970, compared with £71 million in the corresponding quarter of 1968, £4 million in 1966, and £133 million in 1964.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring up to date table 32 of the 110th Inland Revenue Report, Command Paper No. 3508, to cover the financial years 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70; and what are his estimates for 1970–71 used in estimating the yield of income tax.

It is planned to resume publication of this table in next year's edition of Inland Revenue Statistics and to include the figures for 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69. The new figures will not however be comparable with those for earlier years which include the income tax assessments on the trading profits of companies. As regards the last part of the Question, it is not the practice to publish estimates of current incomes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level his Department assumed for the National Debt and for Bank Rate in estimating central Government debt interest payments in 1970–71; and what is his estimate of the saving in 1971–72 and 1972–73 from interest rates ½per cent., 1 per cent., 1½ per cent., 2 per cent., 2½ per cent., or 3 per cent. lower.

The National Debt figures used in estimating central Government debt interest payments in 1970–71 were £33,070 million outstanding at 31st March, 1970, reducing by £1,062 million during the year. Bank Rate was taken at 7 per cent. I am not prepared at this stage to give estimates of the effect of varying the rates of debt interest payments by the central Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what replies he has sent to organisations in Scotland asking for the setting up of an Export Import Bank.

I have not been able to trace any representations from organisations in Scotland on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport at what intervals parking meters are tested for accuracy; and what percentage is found to be inaccurate and by how much.

The testing of parking meters is a matter for the local authorities concerned but generally they are tested at four-weekly intervals and overhauled every 12 months. Information on the reliability of parking meters is not readily available and to obtain it would be disproportionately costly and time consuming.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive firm proposals from the Railways Board following the examination by the Greater London Transport Group of schemes for the improvement of the approaches to London Bridge and Victoria stations.

The Railways Board tells me that it hopes to submit proposals later this year for the first stage of work on the approaches to London Bridge, and next year for work on the Victoria approaches.

asked the Minister of Transport what consultations he has had with the Birmingham and West Bromwich Corporations, with a view to reducing the traffic congestion at the junction between the Walsall Road A34 and the Queslett Road, both in the short term and with regard to flyover schemes in the long term.

Discussions with the two highway authorities began in 1966; recent consultations explored the possibility of providing extra lanes on the approaches to the junction.Separate consultation has taken place with West Bromwich County Borough Council about providing a two-level junction in the longer term, but this must await the results of the West Midland Transportation Study which are not expected before 1971.

asked the Minister of Transport when the dualling of the A34 between the Scott Arms and Perry Barr in the City of Birmingham will be started.

This is a local highway authority scheme.Difficulties have been experienced in land acquisition and in order to make progress the scheme has been split into two parts. A flyover junction at Aldridge Road (Perry Barr) will form Stage I. Dualling northwards to Scott Arms (Queslett Road) will form Stage II.Tenders have been received for Stage I, and we hope to authorise Birmingham City Council's application for grant assistance very shortly. We understand from the Council that when authority is given it anticipates no delay in placing the contract.Information from the Council indicates that it now anticipates a start of works on Stage II in April, 1971.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the proposal to the driving instruction firms under the Road Traffic (Driving Instruction) Act, 1967, for the licensing of trainee instructors, providing one trainee to four full-time instructors, will lead to redundancies in some firms and will handicap recruitment thus reducing road safety; and whether he will take steps to postpone the operative date or alter the ratio for at least one year to enable firms to reorganise.

The proposals to which my hon. Friend refers are to be the subject of further discussion between my Department and the interests concerned before any decision is taken. But I see no reason to postpone the introduction of compulsory registration on 1st August, 1970.

asked the Minister of Transport what overall increase there has been in bus fares between 1964 and the present day.

In the six years between 1964 and 1969 there was an average increase in stage service fares of approximately 20 per cent. overall. This compares with an average increase in the six-year period 1959–64 of approximately 28 per cent. overall.

asked the Minister of Transport how many applications have been made to withdraw bus services in Brecon and Radnor; how many have been allowed; how many services have been restricted during the last 12 months; if he will give the names of the companies concerned; and which services were a replacement following rail closures.

Services can be discontinued by the operator surrendering the licence; the Traffic Commissioners' approval is not required. Two services have been withdrawn in Brecon and Radnor during the last 12 months, Brecon-Hereford, a former rail replacement service, operated by Western Welsh Omnibus Co. Ltd., and Velindre-Hay on Wye, operated by Wye Valley Motors Ltd. Information about reductions in services is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Transport what were the amounts of fuel grant and new omnibus grant made payable to omnibus undertakings in Gateshead for the last five years; and if he will give an estimate for the year 1970.

With the exception of Gateshead and District Omnibus Co., Ltd., the undertakings which operate services in or through Gateshead also cover a wider area and it is not possible to isolate the totals of the grants for Gateshead alone.The figures available are as follows:

Financial Year	Fuel Grants	New Bus Giants(PayablefromSeptember,1968)
	£	£
Gateshead & District Omnibus Co. Ltd.
1965–66	10,326	—
1966–67	10,489	—
1967–68	13,560	—
1968–69	25,897	2,303
1969–70	41,211	Nil
Estimate 1970–71	41,000	Not available

Northern General Transport Co. Ltd.
1965–661..	40,784	—
1966767	95,340	—
1967–68	89,716	—
1968–69	163,544	Nil
1969–70	273,841	24,283
Estimate 1970–71	277,000	Not available

asked the Minister of Transport if he will issue a general direction to British Railways requiring them to extend monthly season tickets for additional periods in accordance with past practice.

No. This is essentially a matter of management for the Railways Board.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of the amount of the fill material required for the proposed new sections of the M18 and M62.

5·;4 million metres.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to prohibit persons from using lay-bys for the purposes of sleeping in their cars overnight.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the volume of traffic using the A329 through Pangbourne; and how this compares with the designed capacity of the road.

A census in 1968 showed around 20,000 passenger car units per day using A329 in Pangbourne. With waiting vehicles permitted, the theoretical capacity is about 7,500 p.c.u. per day.

asked the Ministry of Transport what is the estimated increase in the volume of traffic using the A329 through Pangourne subsequent to the completion of the M4.

It is considered that no significant increase will occur.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now authorise the construction of the Pangbourne bypass.

Not at present. Other more urgent schemes have priority.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what general improvement areas have been declared under the Housing Act, 1969, by Brent Borough Council in the South Kilburn area.

The Council has not declared any general improvement areas so far. I understand however that it is investigating an area of about 4 acres adjacent to the South Kilburn redevelopment area for such treatment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the total grants for housing paid to local authorities in England and Wales in 1969–70; what is the estimated grant for 1970–71; and what is the amount payable under the 1967 Housing Subsidies Act, included in these totals.

The information is as follows:

ENGLAND AND WALES
	1969–70	1970–71 (estimated)
	£	£
Government housing subsidies to local authorities*	126·1	165·6
1967 Act subsidies includedin the above	42·3	681·3
* These are subsidies payable to locai authorities on the provision of new dwellings under all subsidy legislation, including payments for transmission to Housing Associations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what provision he intends to make for expenditure on housing in priority areas under the Local Authority (Social Need) Act.

Priority areas in the urban aid programme in almost all cases are contained within housing priority areas in which no limit is placed on building programmes for subsidy purposes. A few grants have been made under the Local Government Grants (Social Need) Act, 1969, for the purchase of properties for the temporary accommodation of homeless families. Grants for environmental improvement under the Housing Act, 1969, are available in any general improvement areas declared.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the difficulties of Newham Council in strengthening tower blocks according to his regulations, as a result of the Ronan Point disaster; and, as the costs are estimated to be more than £900,000, whether he will undertake to make a grant of £450,000 spread over 10 years.

My right hon. Friend has not yet received a formal application for grant from Newham. But grant will be at the rate of 49 per cent. of admissible expenditure, as set out in Circular 29/70, and will be in the form of outright capital payments made as the work proceeds. Loan sanction will be available for that part of the expenditure not met by grant.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he has decided that powers to prevent the circularisation of political leaflets with other material by local authorities are not necessary.

I know of only one occasion when this has happened. As I explained to the hon. Member, it was done without the knowledge of the local authority, and it stopped it as soon as it heard of it. I have no reason to suppose that local authorities cannot be relied on to act properly in such matters, and legislation on the subject would be full of difficulty.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the quota for the advances by the London Borough of Southwark for house purchases laid down by his Department for 1970–71 is relatively less than those approved for the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth and Lewisham.

The quota for each of the four London boroughs mentioned is 90 per cent. of the amounts advanced by them during 1966–67, when authorities were asked to lend to broadly the same classes of borrower on whom they have again been asked to concentrate.A small amount of this year's total allocation has been held back for distribution in June to authorities to whom an allocation based on their lending in 1966–67 may for good reason not meet their present need adequately.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given to housing authorities regarding the application of housing improvements policy to properties classifiable as slums; and whether he will make a statement in this regard with reference to Brent Borough Council's proposals for that part of South Kilburn which has not been redeveloped.

I understand that in South Kilburn the council is considering rehabilitation in place of redevelopment which was earlier proposed for the houses adjoining the present clearance area south of Carlton Vale.Local authorities were advised by circular in September, 1969, that area improvement is not an alternative to slum clearance. This was reaffirmed at a meeting with Brent Council representatives early this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what contribution his Ministry has made to the urban programme, for the relief of housing poverty and the improvement of the environment in areas of housing stress.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what inter-Departmental reviews have been made of the policy of sanctions against Rhodesia since the declaration of a republic.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member on 4th May.—[Vol. 801, c. 1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the countries which have, in the last two months, withdrawn their consular representatives from Rhodesia advised him of their intention to do so.

The Governments of the following countries have closed their consular offices in Southern Rhodesia since the 2nd March: Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, West Germany and the United States of America. They gave notice of their intention to close on various dates between 4th and 17th March. In addition, on 30th April, the Portuguese Government announced that their Consul-General in Salisbury would be withdrawn. He left on 9th May though the office remains open. There are now no consular officials in Southern Rhodesia holding our authorisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which smokes have been expressly reserved by successive British Governments from the scope of the 1925 Geneva Protocol.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for York (Mr. Alexander W. Lyon) on 2nd February this year.—[Vol. 795, c. 17–18.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the standard of married quarters offered to United Kingdom civil servants serving in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, but the majority of civil servants in Bahrain are accommodated in hirings. The general standard of hirings is acceptable, but availability of property in the area is such that they are not always up to the standard we would expect of service hirings in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government for purposes of riot control to rely only on CS gas to the exclusion of CN gas; and when CN gas ceased to be used.

Yes. CN has not been used by British Forces at least since 1963. I understand it has never been used in the United Kingdom for riot control purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what study he has made of the differences in effect on human beings of CN gas and CS gas; and if he will publish the results.

British studies on CN were made some 40 years ago and detailed results are not now available. Studies on the effect on human beings of CS were made prior to a patent application for CS devices in 1959 and were published as part of the patent documents for British Patent 1964, No. 907660. More recent studies were published in the Report of the Secretary General of the United Nations on Chemical and Bacteriological (Biological) Weapons which was prepared with British participation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government possesses for riot control purposes stocks of both CS gas and CS smoke; and what is the distinction between the two.

Stocks of CS cartridges and grenades are kept for riot control purposes. They disseminate CS in the form of smoke. CS is not a gas.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning why he has refused to meet a deputation from the five county boroughs in the West Midlands who are concerned about the proposals contained in the Maud Report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas). I have agreed to meet a deputation representing all the county boroughs in the proposed metropolitan areas.—[Vol. 801, c. 246.]

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will review the definition of derelict land for the purposes of the Annual Derelict Land Survey, with a view to including land in current use for tipping, which is subject to planning permission for future development, or which is unusable.

The definition is sufficient to indicate the immidate scope for action by local authorities but it has been under review and the Minister of Housing and Local Government has put to the local authority associations proposals for widening its ambit.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning what consideration he has given to the recent decisions taken at the Council of Europe on the Declaration passed by the European Conservation Conference; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. I am placing in the Library of the House for the information of Members copies of the Declaration and of the Communique issued following the recent meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the relevant Departments to improve safety and health in industry; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. There will however be an opportunity for further consideraiton of this matter following the inquiry into the prevention of accidents and ill-health at work which was announced by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State on 2nd March.—[Vol. 797, c. 61–2.]

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the course of the 25th anniversary year of the United Nations, he will invite U Thant to visit London.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will invite U Thant to visit London in connection with the 25th anniversary year of the United Nations.

The United Nations' Secretary General will be visiting London on 14th and 15th June, as the guest of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied as to the coordination between Ministers responsible for the administration of Her Majesty's Government's policy in relation to Scientology.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister by what means he now maintains contact with the Rhodesian Government; and what communication he has had with Mr. Ian Smith since the declaration of a republic.

By no means, and none.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now convene a conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers to discuss the Rhodesian situation.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy) on 26th March.—[Vol. 798, c. 1648–9.]

asked the Prime Minister what recent communications he has had from the illegal regime in Rhodesia.

None.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will advise the setting up of a Royal Commission to inquire into the possible relationship between violence portrayed on television and the commission of violent crime.

No. I think that at present the right way to pursue this is through the discussions which my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications are having with the B.B.C. and the I.T.A.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on Scottish affairs.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Scottish Trades Union Congress officials during his visit to this year's Annual Congress.

I would refer to my reply earlier today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton).

asked the Prime Minister if he will submit plans to the forthcoming Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference for closer practical co-operation in policies towards southern Africa.

We are in regular contact with Commonwealth Governments on this as on other international issues.The agenda of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Meeting is however a matter for the Commonwealth Secretary General to settle with all Commonwealth Heads of Government.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public statement made on television on 16th April, 1970, concerning the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding demonstrations during the visit to England of cricketers from South Africa.

I would refer to my reply earlier today to a Question by the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas).

asked the Prime Minister if he will transfer to the Department of Health and Social Security from the Department of Employment and Productivity the responsibility for producing statistics relating to family incomes.

No. The Departments concerned already work very closely together on this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his regulations require traders to specify the country of origin and price of bacon in retail shops.

My right hon. Friend has made no regulations requiring either the country of origin or the price of bacon in retail shops to be specified. But the Merchandise Marks (Imported Goods) No. 3 Order, 1934, requires imported sides and joints of bacon to be marked with an indication of origin, namely " Empire ", " foreign ", or a definite indication of the country in which the bacon was manufactured or produced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the annual national food bill for each year from 1964 to 1969, with an estimate for 1970.

The estimated expenditure on food in the United Kingdom is:

	£million
1964	5,592
1965	5,795
1966	6,080
1967	6,260
1968	6,464
1969	6,825

The figures include the cost of food to catering establishments and to institutions such as hospitals and schools, as well as households' expenditure on food. I regret that no estimate is available for 1970.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of Irish store cattle react to the tuberculosis test after arrival in this country.

In 1969, 0·32 per cent. of store cattle imported from the Republic of Ireland reacted to tuberculin tests carried out in the course of the normal farm testing programme. For store cattle imported from Northern Ireland the figure was 0·02 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that farm rents are rising by 7s. per acre of crops and grass, annually; and, in view of the fact that this increase erodes the increase of the Price Review to farmers, what action he intends to take.

The amount of any changes in average rents is established each year through an annual rent inquiry. I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the increase of 7s. per acre of crops, grass and rough grazing shown by the latest inquiry for England and Wales. Changes in rent are included in the costs taken into account at Annual Reviews and the figure just mentioned was taken into account in this way at the 1970 Annual Review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she intends taking to resolve the industrial dispute at the Royal Worcester Ceramics Limited works at Tonyrefail, Glamorganshire, which has now taken the form of a lock-out.

Owing to a stoppage of work affecting some 150 A.E.F. members which arose over the non-engagement of two fellow members the company have laid off the other 200 employees, who belong to the Ceramic and Allied Trades Union. The T.U.C. is considering with the parties how the dispute can be resolved. My officers, who have also had discussions with the parties, are keeping in touch and will give any help they can.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the insurance regulations governing the employment of long distance lorry drivers.

I have been asked to reply.There are none, apart from the compulsory motor insurance requirements of the Road Traffic Act, 1960, and the provisions of National Insurance legislation. However, the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act, 1969, requires that, subject to the provisions of the Act, every employer carrying on any business in Great Britain shall insure and maintain insurance against liability for bodily injury or disease sustained by his employees in the course of their employment in Great Britain. The Act will be brought into operation in due course when the necessary regulations have been prepared and laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the inadequacy of aerosol fire extinguishers to put out fires in the home; if he will take steps to make it compulsory to label these extinguishers with their limited capacity as fire extinguishers; and if he will make a statement.

Before any Government action could usefully or justifiably be taken in relation to small fire extinguishers it is necessary to establish acceptable criteria against which they could be tested. Discussions with this end in view are in progress with the British Standards Institution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice or guidance he now has given to local police authorities about the charges to be made to cricket clubs for the services of police officers to assist at forthcoming matches between English and South African teams.

The Metropolitan charges have recently been increased to take account of the increase in police pay and the reduction of the working week. I have arranged for the provincial. police authorities to be informed of the revised Metropolitan charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why information as to the total arrears for non-paid fines for which the time for payment had expired, in England and Wales, respectively, is not available; and if he will take steps to collect the relevant information for the future.

Fines the time for payment of which has expired are not easily distinguishable, because the courts have power, which is frequently exercised, to allow further time; and it would not be right to impose this additional accounting burden on justices' clerks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions vehicles belonging to the Bulgarian Embassy have infringed parking regulations in the past year.

According to police records, during the 12 months up to 31st March last 768 fixed penalty notices were issued but subsequently cancelled on grounds of the diplomatic immunity of members of this Mission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the document, a copy of which is in his possession, issued to Members of Parliament by the Militant Trade Union Committee inciting sedition and urging the Police Force and the Army to support the revolutionary action they propose; and whether he will refer this to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked to answer this Question. I have referred the document to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will move to appoint a Select Committee to consider the necessary amendments to the Agriculture Acts in order to have a new Price Review within 28 days.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the fact that the expense of clearing oil pollution from beaches falls inequitably on different authorities depending on their population, he will review the present arrangement for financial assistance to local authorities for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

I see no need to alter the present arrangements which, like those for many other Government grants, are related to expenditure. They do not preclude the payment of grant exceeding 50 per cent. in a major emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new nursery schools have been started and completed in each year since 1960; and how many places were provided in each case.

The information is as follows:

		Started		Completed
Year		Schools	Places	Schools	Places
1960	…	—	—	3	190
1961	…	1	40	—	—
1962	…	—	—	1	40
1963	…	1	74	—	—
1964	…	2	140	1	74
1965	…	—	—	1	80
1966	…	1	80	1	60
1967	…	3	280	1	80
1968	…	1	80	3	280
1969	…	3	240	1	80

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has approved for the reorganisation of secondary education on comprehensive lines, both immediate and long-term, in Airdrie.

The approved final pattern for pupils at non-denominational schools consists of two all-through comprehensive schools and will be introduced in August in the extended Airdrie Academy and a new school at Petersburn (Caldervale High School); for R.C. pupils there will be one new all-through comprehensive school which it is understood the authority hopes to include in its 1970–72 building programme. No interim arrangements have been proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the maximum cost of a denture prescribed under the National Health Service for a patient; and what liaison with the Dental Estimates Board takes place when the cost of a denture may be regarded as excessive.

The maximum fee prescribed in regulations for a single denture varies from £7 5s. to £16 according to the material used and the number of teeth; additional fees up to £5 are payable where the teeth are backed or for lingual and palatal bars. In general, the provision of dentures, except initial provision in vulcanite or synthetic resin, requires the prior approval of the Scottish Dental Estimates Board, and in special cases not covered by the scale of fees laid down in the regulations such fee is payable as the board may approve.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will favourably re-examine the disparately low amount of money allowed for overseas travel and study to medical-staff applicants from the East Anglian Regional Hospital Board's area, in view of recent relaxations of currency restric- tions for private and business purposes, and the fact that the allocation in the board's area for the previous year, which was taken as the basis for calculating the limit for the current year, was one of the lowest on record.

I am aware that the restriction of expenditure on travel involving foreign currency is causing some difficulty to Regional Hospital Boards generally. I am calling for facts and figures so that I can consider the matter further.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what expert evidence has been submitted to him on the relationship between the curtailment of smoking and the use of soft drugs.

None, and I know of no evidence for the inference that the one may lead to the other.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of persons who died aged 90 years or over during the decade 1960–69 and the comparable totals for each of the two previous decades.

I regret that the information is not yet available for 1969. For the period 1960–68 the number was 207,640 in England and Wales. Comparable figures for 1940–48 and 1950–58 (when the populations at risk were smaller) are 85,074 and 138,330.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now completed his examination of those private nursing homes performing abortion operations; and what action he now proposes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 27th April to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Rene Short) in which I listed the establishments which had been approved with effect from 27th April, 1970, following my examination of applications from proprietors together with those whose applications were deferred or refused. In no instance was approval given for more than three months. I am arranging for further inspection of all these places before the current approvals expire.—[Vol. 800, c. 213–14.]

asked the Minister of Technology if he will include the Portslade and Dover gas works among those which he is discussing with the gas boards, with a view to deferring their closure, in view of the effect which this would have on supplies of smokeless fuel in the South-East next winter.

There are no proposals to close either of these works in the current year ending 31st March, 1971.

				1969			1970 (Estimate)
				Domestic	Non Domestic	Breeze	Domestic	Non Domestic	Breeze
National Coal Board		…	…	None	346,000	149,000	None	280,000	120,000
Gas Council	…	…	…	104,000	144,000	133.000	41,000*	85,000	135.000
Private Producers	…	…	…	None	110,000†		None	110,000†
* In completion of outstanding commitments entered into for the year ended 30th April, 1970.
† Non Domestic and Breeze combined.

asked the Minister of Technology what is the estimated cost of imposing a 0·3 per cent, levy on the present value and level of the United Kingdom coal and steel production.

About £7 million per annum, at 1969 production levels.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the proposals of the Thorneycroft Committee on export procedures; and if he will make a statement outlining his proposals arising from its recommendations.

I gave immediate welcome to this report as a valuable contribution to the Government's efforts to reduce the procedural and documentary complications which hinder the activities

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will make a statement on the progress of his negotiations concerning the long-term future of shipbuilding on Merseyside.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend, the Paymaster General's statement to the House on 7th May on Cammell Laird and Company Limited.—[Vol. 801, col. 590–98.]

asked the Minister of Technology in what quantities, in what form and from what United Kingdom source supplies of coke are being exported.

Coke exports in 1969 and the estimates for 1970 are as follows:of our exporters. I am setting up a board under the chairmanship of Lord Thorneycroft to develop the recommendations of the report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of foreign exchange used in each of the last three years for the purchase of tobacco or tobacco products.

Information on foreign exchange used for the purchase of tobacco is not available. Imports of tobacco and tobacco manufactures valued c.i.f. were respectively £89·3 million, £116·6 million and £114·6 million in the years 1967 to 1969.

asked the President of the Board of Trade under what international agreement he makes regulations about ship-to-shore radio; and what is now the size and tonnage ruling concerning coastal traffic round the British Isles.

Rules about the carriage of radio equipment on ships registered in the United Kingdom are made under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts. They take account of the radio provisions contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, and the radio regulations of the International Telecommunication Union. Passenger ships of any size, and cargo ships of 1,600 gross tons and above must fit radiotelegraphy, and cargo ships of 300 gross tons and upwards but less than 1,600 gross tons, and fishing vessels above 140 feet in length must fit either radiotelegraphy or radiotelephony equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements are being made in his Department for taking part in the negotiations to join the European Economic Community; and whether an official from his Department will be permanently stationed in Brussels during the coming negotiations over British accession to the European Economic Community.

My Department is taking part in the preparations for the negotiations to join the European Communities and officials of the Department will be available to join the negotiating delegation in Brussels as required.