Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Friday, 15th May, 1970

Northern Ireland

asked the Prime Minister if he will list all the persons resident in Northern Ireland with whom he has had official meetings since 5th October, 1968; and if he will indicate the date in each case.

Apart from hon. Members who have asked to see me, I have had a number of meetings with Northern Ireland Prime Ministers and other Ministers, about which I have reported to the House in my replies to questions on 5th November, 1968, 22nd May, 1969, and 18th November, 1969, and in Command Paper 4154.—[Vol. 772, c. 688–93; Vol. 784, c. 660–69; Vol. 791, c. 1112–14.]

Agriculture, Fisheriesand Food

Food Prices

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much food prices increased in 1969; and what are the equivalent figures for 1970 to the latest convenient date.

Between 1969 and 1968 the Food Index showed an increase of 6·3 per cent. while household expenditure on food increased by 5·5 per cent. Between January and March, 1970, the Food Index showed an increase of 2·1 per cent. compared to 2·6 per cent. in the corresponding period of 1969. It should be noted that normally, because of seasonal factors, increases in the index in the early months of the year are disproportionately large. No information is yet available about household expenditure on food during 1970.

Civil Servants

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The following is the information requested:

STAFF IN POST
	United Kingdom based non-industrial	United Kingdom based industrial	Total
1st April, 1964	14,534	1,053	15,587
1st April, 1965	14,467	985	15,452
1st January, 1969	14,959½	1,088½	16,048
1st April, 1970 (latest available)	14,970	1,100	16,070

SALARIES AND RELATED COSTS
						£'000
1964–65	…	…	…	…	…	19,350
1968–69	…	…	…	…	…	25,560
1969–70	…	…	…	…	…	27,625

Tinned And Packaged Soups

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will introduce regulations to enforce a standard for tinned and packaged soups.

There are differing views among the interests concerned about the need for such regulations, and some further discussion is required. This is proceeding and I am arranging for it to be completed urgently.

Farms, East Sussex

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average acreage of farms in the administrative County of East Sussex in the years 1960, 1965 and 1970.

The figures, which relate to agricultural holdings exceeding one acre in extent, are as follows:

	1960	1965	1969
	acres	acres	acres
Crops and Grass only (i.e. excluding rough grazing)	63	71	96

Figures for 1970 are not yet available.

Some holdings with small acreage and output were removed from the agricultural census in 1968. The figures for 1969 are therefore on a slightly different basis from those for the earlier years; but after adjustment for this difference, it is estimated that the average size in 1965 would have been about 75 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of farm employees in the administrative County of East Sussex for the years 1960, 1965 and 1970.

The number of workers on agricultural holdings at June in East Sussex was:

1960	…	…	9,986 workers
1965	…	…	7,660 workers
1969	…	…	5,963 workers

Figures for 1970 are not yet available.Source:—June Agricultural Census. These include regular wholetime, regular part-time and seasonal and casual workers, both hired and family, i.e. all persons working on the holding except the farmer and his wife.

Sheep Rearing (Northern Ireland)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to stem the reduction in sheep rearing in Northern Ireland.

The increases in the guaranteed price of fat sheep and in the rate of grants for land improvement announced at the Annual Review should provide encouragement and assistance to the sheep industry as a whole, in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the United Kingdom, and so help to check the decline in flock numbers.

Skimmed Milk Powder

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the United Kingdom proposes to participate definitively in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Arrangements on Skimmed Milk Powder.

Yes. We have informed the Director-General of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that the United Kingdom will participate definitively in this Arrangement, which we are already observing in practice. The other countries which have also agreed to participate definitively are the European Economic Community, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan, Canada and South Africa.This Arrangement, together with the butter quota arrangements and the voluntary restraint on supplies of cheese from overseas, will make an important contribution to improved market stability in this country.The arrangement lays down a minimum export price of $20 per 100 Kg. (84s. 8d. a cwt.) f.o.b. for exports of skimmed milk powder, but permits exports for animal feed under approved arrangements to certain destinations at prices below the minimum export price.

ESTIMATED COST OF PROPOSALS APPROVED UNDER THE HORTICULTURE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME
United Kingdom Horticultural Production Businesses (£'000)
			Glasshouses			Fruit
		1967	1968	1969	1967	1968	1969
Quarter ending
March	…	1,699	2,449	2,427	337	658	384
June	…	1,449	1,915	2,319	417	755	471
September	…	2,040	2,494	2,806	294	421	423
December	…	2,337	2,271	2,874	146	205	260
Totals	…	7,525	9,129	10,426	1,194	2,039	1,538

			Vegetables		Hardy Nursery Stock, etc.
		1967	1968	1969	1967	1968	1969
Quarter ending
March	…	220	363	309	70	111	128
June	…	323	420	412	125	229	236
September	…	322	479	607	156	161	195
December	…	357	239	386	106	113	142
Totals	…	1,222	1,501	1,714	457	614	701

Notes:

(a) Rate of grant is 33⅓ per cent. plus 5 per cent. investment supplement.

(b) These figures do NOT include the cost of proposals submitted within the period but still awaiting approval.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increases in efficiency have taken place in the horticultural industry in recent years.

Over the last five years the horticultural industry has made considerable advances in technological efficiency and productivity. In the United Kingdom in the five years between 1964–65 and 1969–70 the acreage under horticultural crops rose by about 7 per cent. and the volume of growers' sales by about 10 per cent. The benefits to growers of their improvements were also reflected

Domestic market prices are not prescribed by the Arrangement.

Horticulture

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the rate of investment in horticulture; whether he is satisfied that it was maintained in 1969; and if he will make a statement.

While it is difficult to make an estimate of total investment in horticulture a useful indicator is the estimated cost of proposals for grant approved under the Horticulture Improvement Scheme. Grant-aided investment has increased in all except the fruit sector and this trend was well maintained in 1969. The figures for 1967, 1968 and 1969 are:in higher prices as the value of their sales over the same period rose by some 28 per cent. In the same period also the number of regular, wholetime workers on full time horticultural holdings in England and Wales diminished by 24 per cent. In the four years between 1964–65 and 1968–69 growers whose accounts have been analysed in the Farm Management Survey reduced the labour element in their costs from 37 per cent. to 35 per cent. Their greater reliance on mechanisation is illustrated by the corresponding increase in the machinery element from 12½ to 13½ per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase has been made during the past four years in the output of the main kinds of horticultural produce; and how this compares with the import of similar produce during the home season.

VALUE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OUTPUT AND COMPETING FRESH IMPORTS
						(£ million)
		1966–67		1967–68
Group		United Kingdom Output	Imports	United Kingdom Output	Imports	Remarks
Top Fruit	…	25·9	12·0	29·1	20·6
Soft Fruit	…	12·6	0·4	12·0	0·3
Total Fruit	…	38·5	12·4	41·2	20·9
Total Vegetables (in the open)		75·1	10·6	78·9	9·5	Excluding peas for harvesting dry
Vegetables under glass	…	18·0	12·9	19·9	11·4
Flowers under glass	…	18·2	0·8^*	19·5	1·0^*
Total Glasshouse	…	36·2	13·7^*	39·4	12·4^*
Hardy Nursery Stock	…	17·0	3·3	17·1	3·6
Flowers in the open	…	5·8	0·7^*	6·1	1·0^*
Bulbs	…	0·7	4·8	0·8	5·5
Total Hardy Nursery Stock Flowers	…	23·5	8·8^*	24·0	10·1^*

						(£ million)
		1968–69		1969–70
		(Provisional)		(Forecast)
Group		United Kingdom Output	Imports	United Kingdom Output	Imports	Remarks
Top Fruit	…	33·6	13·4	30·9	12·4
Soft Fruit	…	14·2	0·4	18·1	0·4
Total Fruit	…	47·8	13·8	49·0	12·8
Total Vegetables (in the open)		85·8	10·3	90·3	14·1	Excluding peas for harvesting dry
Vegetables under glass	…	21·8	13·3	22·3	13·9
Flowers under glass	…	20·1	1·4^*	20·6	1·2^*
Total Glasshouse	…	41·9	14·7^*	42·9	15·1^*
Hardy Nursery Stock	…	18·5	3·7	21·8	4·0
Flowers in the open	…	6·9	1·4^*	7·0	1·2^*
Bulbs	…	1·1	5·6	1·1	5·3
Total Hardy Nursery Stock Flowers	…	26·5	10·7^*	29·9	10·5^*
^*Import figures for flowers do not differentiate between "under glass" and "in the-open". For this table imports have been arbitrarily split in half between the two categories.
Notes:
(1) Channel Island production has been excluded from this table.
(2) Mushroom production has been excluded from this table.

The figures show that in general the value of home output has increased somewhat faster than that of competing imports of fresh produce, i.e. that the share of United Kingdom growers in their home market is increasing. The figures are as follows:

Glasshouse Industry

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the extent of the modernisation of the glasshouse industry in recent years.

The following information is derived from inquiries conducted by my Department in England and Wales in 1965, 1967 and 1969:

Age of glasshouses: Of 4,177 acres of glasshouses in March, 1969, 808 acres (19 per cent.) had been erected since August, 1966. This rate of building is nearly 50 per cent. more than that required for normal replacement, assuming that the average life of a glasshouse is 20 years. The 1967 inquiry showed 568 acres as having been erected between August, 1964 and March, 1967, and that in 1965, 349 acres erected between 1963 and March, 1965. The last figure is not strictly comparable with the other two, as holdings of an acre or less were not included in the inquiry.

Heating: The total heated glasshouse area in 1969 (January census) was 3,057 acres. 7 per cent. greater than two years earlier and 9 per cent. greater than in January, 190 (2,802 acres). The use of automatic control of temperature increased over the four years from about 50 per cent. to 70 per cent. of the heated area. Heating by oil showed regular gains at the expense of solid fuel (chiefly hand stoked). In 1969 large bore pipes were being used for heat distribution on nearly 1,900 acres (62 per cent.), as compared with nearly 2.200 acres (76 per cent.) in 1967—much the same as in 1965.

Watering methods: Hand-hose watering of borders declined from 48 per cent. of the total glasshouse area in 1965 to 30 per cent. in 1969. Automatic or semi-automatic systems predominated in 1969, the proportion having risen from 42 per cent. to 61 per cent.

Ventilation: The glasshouse area with automatic ventilation more than doubled between 1967 and 1969 and increased sevenfold since 1965, when it represented only about 1½ per cent. of the total area.

Carbon dioxide enrichment: The proportion of the glasshouse area equipped for CO, enrichment rose from 8 per cent. in 1965 to 12 per cent. in 1969.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the glasshouse industry towards the objectives put forward by the Economic Development Committee for Agriculture in " Agriculture's Import Saving Rôle".

The Economic Development Committee suggested that by 1972–73 it should be possible to save some 15,000 tons of imported tomatoes, "and imports of winter lettuce correspondingly." Between 1967 and 1969 the output of tomatoes in the United Kingdom increased by some 6,000 tons (7 per cent.) and that of winter lettuce by some 1,300 tons (about 10 per cent.).

Chicken Carcases And Eggs (Viruses)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has undertaken tests at the Houghton Poultry Research Station, or elsewhere, on chicken carcases or eggs to establish the presence of any viruses, and with what result.

In the course of investigating disease problems, some thousands of virological investigations on chicken carcases are undertaken by the Ministry each year. The annual Report on the Animal Health Services in Great Britain summarises the main results of this work. Such investigations would not normally be carried out on eggs. The Ministry undertakes these investigations in its own laboratories and does not use the services of the Houghton Poultry Research Station, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

Milk (Average Price)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average price received by wholesale producers for milk in Northern Ireland and in England and Wales at 31st March in each of the last 10 years.

The net average prices received by wholesale producers of milk are as follows:

Year ended31st March		Northern Ireland (Pence per gallon)	England and Wales (Pence per gallon)
1961	…	31·27	33·57
1962	…	30·88	33·42
1963	…	30·05	33·05
1964	…	31·07	34·78
1965	…	32·95	37·68
1966	…	33·03	38·03
1967	…	34·19	39·10
1968	…	34·20	39·58
1969	…	33·70	39·74
1970 (estimated)	…	34·50	39·40

Marek's Disease

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the estimated loss due to Marek's Disease in 1969–70 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Marek's disease is not notifiable, and records of losses due to the disease are not kept by my Department. It is, however, estimated that the financial loss to the industry in Great Britain may amount to about £10 million a year. A similar estimate is not available for Northern Ireland.

Warble Fly

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many notifications of Warble fly in cattle were received in 1969 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Warble fly infestation is not notifiable, and the Ministry does not maintain statistics on the number of cases.

Feedingstuffs, Northern Ireland(Cost)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to offset the high cost of feedingstuffs imported into Northern Ireland.

I have at present nothing to add to what has already been said. As my right hon. Friend mentioned in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Lord Hamilton) on 13th May, the disparity between the cost of feedingstuffs in Great Britain and Northern Ireland appears to be narrowing.—[Vol. 801, c. 1223–4.]

Farms, Cornwall (Assistance)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for giving additional assistance to farmers with less than 50 acres of arable land in Cornwall.

The full range of agricultural grants and subsidies and the assistance of the advisory services are available to any farm business providing a full-time livelihood. I have no proposals for changing these arrangements. The new grants which this Government have introduced to encourage co-operation can be of particular help to small farmers.

Civil Service

Chairmen Of Public Boards (Salaryincreases)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will take steps to stop payment of salary increases of between 20 per cent. and 35 per cent. to chairmen of public boards.

The salary increases announced by the Government on 26th March for chairmen and members of nationalised boards were in the range 11–17 per cent. for the chairmen of the main boards. These increases were in accordance with the recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes in Report No. 107 for the second stage, the first having been accepted and implemented last year.

Defence

Royal Navy Education Examination

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how long the worked papers for the Education Examination, Royal Navy, are kept after the examinations.

The Royal Navy in its educational examinations follows the standard practice of civilian examining bodies in keeping the worked scripts of any examination until the next examination of the same type is held.

Death Penalty

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the new common code of offences and punishments for the three Services will include the death penalty.

I am not yet in a position to indicate what changes the Bill will make.

Barbed Wire (Loans)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give details, showing the usual practice adopted by his Department in loaning to public bodies and private individuals barbed wire; and what procedure must be adopted to obtain the loan from his Department of this material.

Loans of stores or equipment to individuals or to civilian organisations or authorities generally require the approval of the Ministry of Defence. The criteria against which applications are judged are that loans should be required for purposes of Service or national interest as distinct from private importance, that the requirements cannot be met from normal civilian sources, and that the loans can be made without detriment to military needs. An application to the Ministry of Defence for a loan must therefore state what is required and for how long, and why it cannot be obtained from the normal civilian market. It must also give a clear indication of the purpose for which it will be used.

Defence Establishmentswales (Cost)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total annual cost of defence establishments in Wales.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available. Total defence expenditure in Wales is estimated to be running at a rate of about £70 million a year at the moment, and about 11,600 civilians are employed in Ministry of Defence establishments in Wales.

Civil Servants

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of civil servants employed by the Ministry of Defence in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures for 30th April, 1970.

The information is as follows (information about numbers as at 30th April, 1970, is not yet available, and they are given as at 1st April, 1970).

	1st April,1964	1st January,1969	1st April,1970
Non-industrial	109,000	115,000	112,000
Industrial	176,000	152,000	146,000
Total	285,000	267,000	258,000
Cost (£m. for the relevant financial year)	256·0	322·6	365·9

These figures exclude locally engaged civilians overseas, for which the relevant figures, at the nearest available date, are:

1st July, 1964

1st January, 1969

1st January 1970

Locally engaged civilians overseas

111,000

76,000

71,000

Cost (£m.)

46·0

53·0

52·7

Arms Security Checks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in which counties and which county boroughs have arms security checks taken place between 1st May and 10th May.

Armagh, Belfast, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many arms security checks have been made in Great Britain in each of the last four weeks.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops of the Regular Army and how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were deployed in arms security checks in Northern Ireland on 8th May.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose the disposition of troops on particular dates, but during the period 1st to 10th May some 1,100 regular soldiers and some 220 members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were engaged on arms security checks in Northern Ireland.

Houses, Londonderry (Sale)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what negotiations for the sale of 34 houses in Clooney Park South, Londonderry, which are the property of the Ministry of Defence, have taken place between his Department and the former Londonderry Corporation; how many the corporation bought of these houses; and what negotiations are currently taking place with the Londonderry Commission for the sale of these houses for public use.

Negotiations to sell these houses to the Londonderry Development Commission broke down in September, 1969. None has been sold. There are no current negotiations to sell them.

Education And Science

Education Services (Salaries)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now take steps to increase the salaries of teachers and all within the educational services by 20 per cent.

No.

School Transport, Pembroke

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the school transport costs for the county of Pembroke and the extent of the Government grant aid for 1950–51, 1955–56, 1960–61, 1965–66 and 1969–70, respectively.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

Primary Classes, Tees-Side

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary classes with more than 40 children now exist in Tees-side County Borough; and what was the comparable figure 12 months ago.

In January, 1969, 296 or 20·6 per cent.; in January, 1970, 188 or 12·8 per cent.

University Entrance (Qualifications)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made by the Schools Council, in its discussions with the Standing Conference on University Entrance, on the adoption of uniformity of practice between all universities in recognising a Grade I Certificate of Secondary Education as equivalent to a pass at ordinary level General Certificate of Education.

I understand from the Schools Council that it expects shortly to receive from the Standing Conference of University Entrance an up-to-date statement on the practice of each university in this matter. If the hon. Member wishes, I will ask the Schools Council if it will keep him informed of developments, but, as I said in reply to his Question on 9th March, it is a matter which individual universities must finally decide for themselves.

Northmead School, Guildford

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what decision he has made about the change of status in the new Northmead School, Larch Avenue, Guildford; and what conditions he has attached to his decision.

I have approved the proposal that the new secondary school in Larch Avenue, Guildford, should be a Church of England aided school and have attached no conditions.

Immigrant Education Liaison Officers

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent the work of immigrant education liaison officers employed by local education authorities and that of teachers and voluntary counsellors engaged in developing relations between different ethnic groups is evaluated and assessed by his Department; and what results have been published or are in preparation.

The development of harmonious relations between different ethnic groups is a widespread responsibility. An indirect but valuable contribution can be made by immigrant education liaison officers, teachers, voluntary counsellors and others who bring immigrant families into closer contacts with the schools.I am aware of developments in this and associated fields from reports of H.M. inspectors in areas of substantial immigration. My right hon. Friend has recently commissoned the National Foundation for Educational Research to carry out a project into educational arrangements for schools with immigrant pupils, the report of which is expected to include some assesment of liaison arrangements with immigrant families.

Civil Servants

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The following is the information requested: the staff figure for 1st April, 1970 is the most up to date available.

STAFF IN POST
Date		United Kingdom based non-industrial	United Kingdom based industrial
1st April, 1964	…	3,332½	102
1st April, 1965	…	3,815½	105
1st January, 1969	…	4,180	127½
1st April, 1970	…	4,204	145½

SALARIES AND RELATED COSTS ON BASIS OF ANNUAL ESTIMATES
					£
1964–65	…	…	…	…	4,738,000
1968–69	…	…	…	…	7,880,000
1969–70	…	…	…	…	8,537,000

Examination Papers (Computerisedcorrecting)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what experiments are being carried out by his Department in connection with the computerised correcting of General Certificate of Education and other examination papers; and whether he will give an assurance that no actual papers will be corrected in this way before the matter is debated in the House of Commons.

AVERAGE SALARIES OF QUALIFIED GRADUATE TEACHERS IN MAINTAINED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Numbers as at 31st March, 1968. Salaries as at 1st April, 1968
			Age on 31st March, 1968
			Under 25	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44
Men
Number	…	…	3,251	7,519	6,734	4,930	4,000
Average Salary (£)	…	…	1,126	1,433	1,770	2,029	2,143
Women
Number	…	…	4,501	4,617	2,338	2,165	2,279
Average Salary (£)	…	…	1,127	1,342	1,637	1,819	1,947
Men and Women
Number	…	…	7,752	12,136	9,072	7,095	6,279
Average Salary (£)	…	…	1,127	1,398	1,736	1,965	2,072

Evening Institute Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of students enrolled at evening institutes both nationally and in the county of Essex in the years 1960, 1963 and 1969.

None. The marking of G.C.E. and C.S.E. examination papers is the responsibility of the individual examining bodies. The present nature of these examinations imposes very strict limits on the use of mechanical devices for marking papers. I cannot answer for examinations conducted by other bodies.

Graduate Teachers (Salaries)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the average salaries payable to qualified graduate teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools for the years ended 31st March, 1968 and 31st March, 1969 by age groups: 20 to 25 years, 26 to 30 years, 31 to 35 years, and 36 to 40 years, respectively.

Information on average salaries payable to qualified graduate teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools is available for the year ending 31st March, 1968 but figures are not yet available for the year ending 31st March, 1969.The table below shows the average salaries payable by age groups up to and including age 44, for men and women separately and for the total of men and women combined, for the year ending 31st March, 1968. The salary figure quoted are actually the salaries payable on the 1st April, 1968.

The national figures (England and Wales) were:

1960	…	…	…	876,974
1963	…	…	…	1,075,353
1969	…	…	…	1,352,552

Due to boundary changes following the restructuring of local government between 1963 and 1969, this information is not readily available for the county of Essex.

Higher Education Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the percentage increase in the number of students in higher education between 1962 and 1969–70.

The number of students in full-time higher education in Great Britain increased by some 101 per cent. between 1962–63 and 1969–70.

University, Cornwall

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science it he will provide funds for the establishment of a university in Cornwall by not later than 1980.

I can make no such commitment.

Arts Council Aid, Cornwall

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals the Arts Council has for giving additional aid to Cornwall for theatrical, musical and other cultural enterprises, as well as exhibitions of international art and the provision of suitable concert halls, theatres and art galleries.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

Export Marketing Studies (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make an increase in the amount of the grants provided for students of export marketing at universities and colleges of technology.

I am at present considering in consultation with the research councils the level of grants for postgraduate students, including students of export marketing, for the academic year 1970–71. The amount of the grant is related to that for undergraduates, which, as I announced on 6th May, will be increased from 1st September.

Demonstrations (Students' Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now take steps to ensure that educational grants from public funds are withheld from students who take part in violent and unlawful demonstrations.

No. This is a matter for the academic authorities and the local education authority.

Schools, Portsmouth (Buildingdevelopment Costs)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of those schools in Portsmouth for which building development costs have been approved in each of the past six years, and of those schools for which similar costs have already been approved in the current financial year.

The information is given in the following table:

MAJOR BUILDING PROJECTS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY, INCLUDING SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN PORTSMOUTH FOR WHICH APPROVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN
Financial year	School	Approved Cost
		£
1964–65	Southsea, Bamble Road County Infants' School^*	47,330
1965–66	Portsmouth, Church Street County Primary School^*	127,719
1966–67	Portsmouth, Battenburg Avenue School Clinic^*	86,866
1967–68	Portsmouth, St. Swithun's R.C. Primary School^*	98,583
1967–68	Portsmouth, St. Luke's C. of E. Secondary School†	223,000

MAJOR BUILDING PROJECTS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY, INCLUDING SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN PORTSMOUTH FOR WHICH FINAL APPROVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN
Financial Year	School	Approved Cost
		£
1968–69	Portsmouth, Manor Court County Secondary School†	132,172
1968–69	Portsmouth, Harbour View Special School^*	63,077
1969–70	Portsmouth, Arundel Street County Infants' School^*	46,674
1969–70	Portsmouth, Arundel Street County Junior School^*	101,088
1969–70	Portsmouth, Harbour View Special School Hostel^*	18,154
	Portsmouth, Manor Court County Secondary School†	184,968

MAJOR PROJECT INCLUDED IN STARTS PROGRAMME BUT NOT SO FAR FINALLY APPROVED
Financial Year	School	Approved Cost
		£
1970–71	Portsmouth, The Futcher School^* (estimated)	140,730
^* New school.
† Extension to existing school.

THE FOLLOWING ALLOCATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE FOR MINOR BUILDING WORKS NOT REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL APPROVAL
						£
1964–65	…	…	…	…	…	60,000
1965–66	…	…	…	…	…	84,705
1966–67	…	…	…	…	…	71,911

THE FOLLOWING ALLOCATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE FOR MINOR BUILDING WORKS NOT REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL APPROVAL
						Approved Cost
						£
1967–68	…	…	…	…	…	58,200
1968–69	…	…	…	…	…	77,170
1969–70	…	…	…	…	…	98,590
1970–71	…	…	…	…	…	100,000

New Schools

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new schools and how many places were approved for building from 1965 to the latest available date; and how many were approved in the previous five years.

The figures are given in the following table:

NUMBER OF NEW SCHOOLS AND PLACES FINALLY APPROVED
	New schools	New places
April, 1960—March, 1965	3,451	1,209,895
April, 1965—March, 1970	4,731	1,735,220

Primary School Classes, Warwick

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage for the county of Warwick for primary school classes with over 40 pupils.

In January, 1970, 10·9 per cent.

Foreign And Commonwealthaffairs

Uganda (British Businesses)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent he was consulted by the Government of Uganda before they announced their intention to take over British import and export business and to acquire a 60 per cent. share- holding in manufacturing and plantation companies, banks and insurance companies; and what steps he is taking to protect the interests of British investors.

We were not consulted in any way by the Government of Uganda. We have drawn the Uganda Government's attention to the requirement of customary international law for prompt, adequate and effective compensation for compulsory acquisition of the property of nationals of another country; and are giving further urgent consideration as to how the interests of British firms affected by the takeover measures can best be protected.

Moroccan Minister For Foreign Affairs(Discussions)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs.

My right hon. Friend's discussions with Mr. Boutaleb took place in an atmosphere of the greatest cordiality and his visit has contributed to the increasingly close understanding between the two countries. A joint communiqué was issued today at the conclusion of the visit, and I am placing copies in the Library of the House.

British Council Libraries

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list, in relation to the British Council, the membership of each British Council Library, the number of hooks borrowed from each library during the last most convenient 12-month period, the annual cost of each library, expressing the cost of new books separately, and for each library, the annual cost in relation to the annual membership of each British Council Library.

The most recent published figures for membership of British Council libraries and numbers of books issued on loan are given in Appendix XIV of the British Council Annual Report for 1968–69 a copy of which is available in the Library in the House. Corresponding figures for the period 1969–70 are still being collected by the British Council. The rest of the information requested will require some time to assemble and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Sudan (Relations)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Sudanese relations.

Her Majesty's Government wish to maintain their present cordial relations with the Government of the Sudan. With regard to the Southern Sudan, their policy has not changed since the grant of independence to both Northerners and Southerners within a united Sudan in 1956. Her Majesty's Government naturally do not give support to any separatist organisation, and we welcome the efforts of the Sudanese Government to find a peaceful settlement in a framework of regional autonomy and to promote the integrated economic development of the whole country.

Home Department

Ministers (Police Passes)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will obtain from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis full details of the Commissions Pass as issued to certain Ministers; who receives these and for what purposes; how many have been issued; and under what statutory authority the Commissioner issues these and who decides which person is to receive such passes.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

Diplomatic Missions(Traffic Offences)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases there have been during the six months September, 1969 to February, 1970, inclusive, in which members of dip. lomatic missions in England have repudiated charges or penalties for which they were liable on account of traffic offences; and from which missions the offenders came.

Police records indicate that, during the period from 1st September, 1969 to 28th February, 1970, 180 traffic incidents were reported in which members of diplomatic missions were alleged to have committed offences (including 82 parking offences) and there were 10,736 cases of cancellation of fixed penalty notices issued under section 80 of the Road Traffic Regulations Act, 1967 in respect of such persons. Particulars are as follows:

Mission	Alleged Traffic Offences	Fixed Penalty Notices
Afghanistan	—	79
Algeria	—	8
Argentine	6	256
Australia	2	24
Austria	1	10
Barbados	—	31
Bolivia	—	2
Botswana	—	18
Belgium	—	22
Brazil	2	3
Bulgaria	1	282
Burma	—	10
Cambodia	—	4
Cameroon	1	54
Canada	3	14
Ceylon	2	355
China	—	19
Colombia	—	8
Congo (Kinshasa)	—	82
Costa Rica	—	3
Cuba	4	168
Cyprus	1	189
Czechoslovakia	—	123
Denmark	—	11
Dominica	1	20
Ecuador	—	14
El Salvador	1	—
Ethiopia	1	72
Finland	1	44
France	16	119
Gambia	1	2
Federal Republic of Germany	8	50
Ghana	4	653
Greece	3	286
Guyana	1	24
Haiti	1	38
Hungary	2	665
Ireland	—	123
India	3	95
Indonesia	2	84
Iran	2	415
Iraq	1	243
Israel	8	124
Italy	1	39
Ivory Coast	1	165
Jamaica	1	294
Japan	6	7
Jordan	—	225
Kenya	1	12
Korea	2	12
Kuwait	2	177
Laos	—	2
Lebanon	1	2
Liberia	1	103
Libya	—	69
Luxembourg	1	—
Malagasy	—	53

Mission	Alleged Traffic Offences	Fixed Penalty Notices
Malawi	—	3
Malaysia	4	101
Malta	—	13
Mauritius	2	—
Mexico	—	175
Morocco	2	150
Nepal	1	2
Netherlands	1	2
New Zealand	2	—
Niger	—	52
Nigeria	12	564
Norway	1	42
Pakistan	7	321
Panama	—	12
Paraguay	—	44
Peru	—	54
Philippines	—	2
Poland	1	314
Portugal	1	28
Rumania	1	29
Saudi Arabia	2	649
Senegal	2	96
Somali	1	67
Sierra Leone	5	105
Singapore	—	9
South Africa	2	10
Spain	1	20
Sudan	—	40
Sweden	1	2
Switzerland	—	19
Tanzania	2	33
Thailand	—	30
Trinidad and Tobago	—	3
Tunisia	1	103
Turkey	4	529
Uganda	4	222
United Arab Republic	5	385
U.S.A	6	19
U.S.S.R	6	109
Uruguay	—	6
Venezuela	2	54
Vietnam	1	9
Yemen	—	1
Yugoslavia	2	104
Zambia	2180	198
	180	10,736

Stolen Cars (Police Squads)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain reports from chief constables and list those police forces in England and Wales with separate squads dealing with stolen cars.

Special attention is given to the problem in every force.My information is that in 20 men are employed full time on such duties.

Police Fraud Squads

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain reports from chief constables and list those police forces in England and Wales with separate squads specialising in fraud.

Every force has either a fraud squad of its own or (if the volume of investigation into company fraud does not warrant a separate squad) access to the specialist squad of a neighbouring force. I am writing to the hon. Member.

Police (Graduates)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain from chief constables reports as to how many graduates are now serving in police forces in England and Wales; what ranks they hold; and how many are below 30 and 40 years of age, respectively.

On 31st December, 1969 the numbers were as follows:

Rank	Number of graduates	Number below 30	Number below 40
Constable	75	70	5
Sergeant	12	7	3
Inspector	33	3	25
Chief Inspector	12	—	6
Superintendent	13	—	3
Chief Superintendent	10	—	2
Commander	1	—	—
Assistant Chief Constable	4	—	—
Chief Constable	4	—	—
Commissioner of Police of the Metro-polis	1	—	—
Total	165	80	44

Police Advisory Board

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the Police Advisory Board has met in the respective calendar years since it was set up; why there has been so long an interval since its last meeting; and when he next expects to call the board together.

The board first met in 1966 and met three times in that year, four times in 1967, once in 1968 and once in 1969. I expect it to meet again in July. In addition, the board appoints working parties to examine particular problems, and much work is carried forward between meetings by this means.

Police Recruits(Educational Attainments)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain from chief constables reports showing a breakdown of police recruits in England and Wales last year in terms of their educational attainments, under the headings graduates, two or more A levels, five or more O levels, under five O levels and no O levels, respectively.

The information is as follows:

Graduates	…	…	26
2 or more A levels	…	…	199
5 or more O levels	…	…	1,176
1 to 4 O levels	…	…	2,391
No O levels	…	…	2,997

Immigrant Leaders (Consultation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the arrangements for regular consultation between his Department and leaders of immigrant communities in Great Britain.

It is one of the functions of the Community Relations Commission to keep in close touch, through the local community relations councils, with the immigrant organisations and communities, but I am always ready to consider representations made to me by immigrant organisations, and meetings with their representatives are a regular feature of Ministerial and official visits to particular areas.

Police (Community Relationstraining)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on training facilities in race relations for all police recruits, particularly those in areas with multiracial communities.

Every recruit receives instruction in community relations as part of his basic training, and he commonly receives additional instruction in his own force. Particular attention is given to the subject by the police forces that serve multi-racial communities. My right hon. Friend is setting up a working party to review existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will obtain reports from chief constables and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the numbers of police personnel in areas with multi-racial communities working exclusively on race relations and details of the training with which they have been provided.

The following table has been compiled from information sent to the Home Office towards the end of 1969. A special course has been held each year at Manchester University for the last four years for officers engaged on this work.

NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WORKING ON RACE RELATIONS
	Full-time	Part-time
Bedfordshire and Luton	—	4
Birmingham	2	12
Bradford	22	—
Bristol	—	2
Cheshire	—	1
Derby County and Borough	—	1
Gloucestershire	—	1
Hampshire	—	1
Hertfordshire	—	2
Kent	—	2
Lancashire	—	3
Leeds	—	4
Leicestershire and Rutland	—	4
Liverpool and Bootle	—	1
Manchester and Salford	1	—
Metropolitan	5	67^*
Northampton and County	—	1
Nottinghamshire Combined	—	1
Sheffield and Rotherham	—	6
Somerset and Bath	—	1
Tees-side	—	1
Thames Valley	—	5
Warwickshire	—	7
West Midlands	—	2
West Yorkshire	—	5
^*13 of these are full-time community liaison officers based in divisions who spend the major part of their time on race relations work.

Immigration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the number of dependants, of 17 and 18 years of age, of aliens resident in this country admitted to Great Britain in each of the past four years, the number of similarly aged dependants of Commonwealth residents admitted during the same period of time, and the numbers in both categories who applied for admission but were refused during the same period of time.

I regret that this information is not available.

Police (Houses Of Parliament)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of policemen on duty in and around both Houses of Parliament while both Houses are sitting.

59.

Civil Servants

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of civil servants employed by the Home Department in 1965, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figure for 30th April, 1970.

The following is the information requested; the staff figure for 1st April, 1970 is the most up to date available.

STAFF IN POST
Non-industrial
	1.4.65	1.1.69	1.4.70
Prisons, Borstals, Detention and Remand Centres	10,533	13,428	14,424
Others (including Immigration Officers)	4,839	6,016	6,561
Total	15,372	19,444	20,986

Industrial
	1.4.65	1.1.69	1.4.70
Prisons, Borstals, Detention and Remand Centres	1,286	1,457	1,528
Others	2,581	2,562	2,380
Total	3,867	4,019	3,908

Salaries and related costs on basis if annual; estimates.
Financial Year1964–65	£20,854,000
Financial Year 1968–69	£34,701,000
Financial Year 1969–70	£41,454,000

Welsh Language

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forms will be issued by his Department under the Children and Young Persons Act; and how many of these forms will be issued in both the English and the Welsh language.

About 50. It is intended to have Welsh translations of some 20, which go to children and their parents.

Offensive Material (Distribution)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the distress caused to relations by such cases, he will refer the action of a publishing company, whose name has been sent to him, which has sent offensive material through the post addressed to the husband of a constituent of the hon. Member for Bolton, East, although he died two and a half years ago, to the Committee on Privacy with a request for an interim report.

Details of complaints of this kind shall be included in the Home Office evidence to the Committee on Privacy. The submission of an interim report is a matter for the committee itself.

Hollesley Bay Colony Borstal

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement defining the neighbourhood surrounding Hollesley Bay Colony Borstal within which be is prepared to pay compensation to private residents as a matter of grace for damage to property.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement, setting out the circumstances under which the Home Office accepts liability for loss or damage by persons unlawfully at large from Hollesley Bay Colony Borstal and similar institutions, in view of the cases Greenwell versus the Prison Commissioners, the Home Office versus Dorset Yacht Company Limited, and the Privy Council appeal decision in the matter of Kodeeswaran versus the Attorney-General of Ceylon.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many absconders there have been from Hollesley Bay Borstal in each of the past four years; how many private motor vehicles have been damaged or stolen by absconders in each period; and in how many such cases has compensation been paid.

I will write to the hon. Member.

Immigrant Children (Urban Programmeholiday Courses)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance the Government is planning to make available, under the Urban Programme, for schemes under which volunteers provide holiday courses for children from immigrant communities.

Aid will be provided under the Urban Programme to local authorities sponsoring at least seven experimental schemes which will combine language teaching with holiday activities.With the help of students from universites and colleges of education, it is hoped that schemes will take place in Bedford, Bristol, Ealing, Huddersfield, Leicester, Manchester and Rochdale.

Northern Ireland (Britishstandard Time)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department from which organisations and individuals in Northern Ireland he has received representations in the past 12 months against the continuation of British Standard Time.

My right hon. Friend has received only two representations against British Standard Time from Northern Ireland. One was from a member of the general public in Antrim and the other was from the Presbytery of Temple Patrick forwarded by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in Belfast.

Electrical Appliances (Colour Code)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received requesting delay in the application of the Electrical Appliances (Colour Code) Regulations 1969; and what action he proposes to stake as a result.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from a num- ber of trade associations asking for a postponement of the date, at present 1st July, 1970, on which three core-flexible cords in the old British standard colours (red, black, green or green/yellow) ceased to be permissible on domestic electrical appliances offered for sale. My right hon. Friend proposes, subject to urgent consultations now taking place with all the interested bodies, to make amending regulations changing this date to 1st April, 1971 for sale by retail and 1st November, 1970 for other sales.

Petrol Bombs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for further legislation against the making, possession and use of petrol bombs.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving the throwing of petrol bombs have been reported so far this year; and in what proportion of these cases charges have been preferred against individuals.

I am seeking the information and will write to the hon. Member.

Housing And Localgovernment

Greater London Development Plan(Inquiry)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now say when the inquiry into the Greater London Development Plan will open.

The inquiry will formally open on 7th July, 1970, with a short session to deal with procedural matters only. The main inquiry will start on 6th October, 1970.The inquiry will be held at County Hall, which has been made available by courtesy of the Greater London Council, for the early stages of the inquiry in July and in the autumn of this year. Notices giving details of the inquiry arrangements will be sent to individual objectors shortly.

Chronically Sick And Disabled People(Brighton)

asked the Minister of Houssing and Local Government how many applications have been received from Brighton Corporation for subsidy under the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967, for providing accommodation for the chronically sick and disabled.

None yet, but I would expect the corporation to examine the needs of handicapped people in Brighton and build specially designed housing for them with the benefit of the increased subsidy available. In addition, local welfare authorities have powers that enabled them to carry out adaptations in disabled person's homes.

Rate Rebates

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many people in the County Borough of Huddersfield received rate rebates in each year since its inception to the latest available date.

The average numbers are as follows:

Year				Average Number of Rebates
1966–67	…	…	…	3,643
1967–68	…	…	…	2,799
1968–69	…	…	…	2,783
1969–70	…	…	…	2,768

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the numbers of rate rebates given by Nuneaton Borough Council and Bedworth Urban District Council in the years 1963 to 1969.

Rate rebates did not begin until 1st April, 1966. The average numbers given up to 31st March, 1970, are as follows:

Year		Nuneaton B.C.	Bedworth U.D.C.
1966–67	…	1,230	513
1967–68	…	1,036	520
1968–69	…	1,014	518
1969–70	…	1,023	508

Grants, Huddersfield

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the total amount of Government grants to the Huddersfield County Borough in each year from 1959 to date.

The total amount of Government grants to Huddersfield County Borough for each of the years 1959–60 to 1968–69 is as follows:

				£
1959–60	…	…	…	1,694,961
1960–61	…	…	…	2,046,509
1961–62	…	…	…	2,233,755
1962–63	…	…	…	2,338,552
1963–64	…	…	…	3,032,478
1964–65	…	…	…	3,416,895
1965–66	…	…	…	3,729,181
1966–67	…	…	…	4,252,298
1967–68	…	…	…	4,718,441
1968–69	…	…	…	4,995,302

Complete figures for 1969–70 are not yet available. The latest estimate of 1 rate support grants for that year is £4,883,165.

Colliery Shale Heaps(Rating)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to prevent local authorities levying rates on colliery shale heaps in view of the work of the National Coal Board and the Ministry of Transport which has led to the use of unburnt shale as a fill for major roads.

Under the existing law local authorities are obliged to levy rates on heaps which are rateably occupied and assessed. I would, however, draw my hon. Friend's attention to my reply today to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price). Colliery spoil heaps from which shale is being extracted are mineral hereditaments which will benefit from the changes I am proposing.

Tub Closets, Huddersfield

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that there are still 192 tub closets in the County Borough of Huddersfield; and if he will authorise a grant-in-aid with the object of replacing them.

I am aware of this problem. The improvement grants scheme introduced by the Housing Act, 1969 enables the local authority to give grants towards replacing these closets by water closets.

Flats (Rating Valuation)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many representations he has received about the disparate valuation for rating purposes of flats as compared with houses of comparable room space and amenities; and if he will make a statement.

About 50 in the last four years. Both flats and houses are assessed on the basis of the rent they would be expected to command if let on the open market. Differences in rateable values for otherwise comparable properties therefore reflect differences in rental values.

Ground Rents

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will consider giving greater publicity to the Inclosure Act, 1854 and the Landlord and Tenant Act, 1927 so that those who are bound by law to collect ground rents can be informed of the means of securing redemption from their release therefrom; and if he will consider introducing amending legislation to enable release to be obtained even if some in a given section refuse to seek redemption.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

Town Centre Maps

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) how many informal town centre maps are at present under consideration in his Department;(2) what is the average length of time from receipt of informal town plans by his Department to his approval of them; and what is the earliest date of any scheme still awaiting approval.

Informal town centre maps are not submitted to me for consideration or approval.

Smokeless Fuel Plant, Rossington

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the need to import smokeless solid fuel from abroad to meet the immediate needs of the market, he will make known, forthwith, his decision on the proposal to build a smokeless fuel plant at Rossington.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

Mineral Hereditaments (Rating)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to treat mineral royalties for tax purposes as if half the royalty were an income receipt and the other half a receipt of capital, he will take steps to ensure that only half mineral royalty payments are regarded as rents for the purpose of assessing mineral hereditaments to rates.

I have decided that the basis of assessing mineral hereditaments to rates should be adjusted to take into account the proposal of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in relation to the taxation of mineral royalties. I am considering the detailed adjustments which might be appropriate, and in due course will be consulting the various interested organisations with a view to making an Order under Section 35(2) of the General Rate Act, 1967 to take effect from 1st April, 1971.

Tidal Flooding Defence, London

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether any decision has been reached with regard to the defence of London and Lower Thamesside against the risk of tidal flooding; and if he will make a statement.

In the statement which I made in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg) on 20th January last, I said that the Government were determined that London and Lower Thamesside must be defended against tidal floods and that, as soon as the necessary studies had been completed, they and the responsible authorities would decide as a matter of urgency on the nature and siting of the defences required.In the light of the Greater London Council's report and of all other information available at the present time, the Government have today asked the Greater London Council to proceed with the studies necessary to enable them to recommend a precise site for a drop-gate barrier between Woolwich Reach and Blackwall Reach. As soon as a site has been approved, the design of the barrier itself will be commenced.

The G.L.C. has also been asked to undertake, in association with the London Transport Board, a study of the need for and possibility of interim measures in the period before the barrier is complete. The policy committee under the chairmanship of my noble Friend Lord Kennet will continue to supervise all these studies.

The Government are today inviting the Greater London Council and the Kent and Essex River Authorities to discuss the manner in which progress towards the construction of the barrier and related works can now be made.

Indoor Swimming Pool, Harrow

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give greater priority to the proposal of the London Borough of Harrow for an indoor swimming pool so that it can be included in the 1970–71 programme; and whether he will receive a deputation from the London Borough of Harrow to discuss this project.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now authorise the building of an indoor swimming pool in the London Borough of Harrow.

I will write to the hon. Member.

River Ouse, Skelton

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the minimum mean daily flow of the River Ouse at Skelton since records were commenced in November, 1956.

No figures for this flow at Skelton are shown in the Yorkshire Ouse and Hull River Authority's statutory survey of water resources. I am however, asking the river authority what information it has on this point, and I will write to the right hon. Member.

Housing Improvement Grants,Nuneaton And Bedworth

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the numbers of housing improvement grants made available by Nuneaton Borough Council and Bedworth Urban District Council in each of the years 1960 to 1969.

Figures of grants approved are as under:

				Nuneaton Borough Council	Bedworth Urban District Council
1960	…	…	…	208	137
1961	…	…	…	206	141
1962	…	…	…	201	151
1963	…	…	…	266	99
1964	…	…	…	236	126
1965	…	…	…	221	37
1966	…	…	…	107	78
1967	…	…	…	161	62
1968	…	…	…	212	68
1969	…	…	…	148	51

Housing Subsidies

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list for each of the years 1960–70 the annual amounts of subsidies for housebuilding received by Nuneaton Borough Council and Bedworth Urban District Council.

			Nuneaton Borough Council	Bedworth Urban District Council
			£	£
1959–60	…	…	101,987	45,629
1960–61	…	…	101,592	45,776
1961–62	…	…	93,426	43,660
1962–63	…	…	96,709	47,001
1963–64	…	…	103,006	42,616
1964–65	…	…	99,462	47,531
1965–66	…	…	100,121	49,352
1966–67	…	…	107,381	50,909
1967–68	…	…	129,311	57,802
1968–69	…	…	143,762	69,234
1969–70	…	…	141,569	69,555

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 Nuneaton Borough Council and Bedworth Urban District 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 the information provided by the council I estimate that the cost to Nuneaton Borough Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, have been equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 10s. a week in a 52-week rent year. The council had no houses other than those for old people under construction on 1st January, 1970.I estimate that the cost to Bedworth Urban District Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 196–70, have been equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 8s. a week in a 52-week rent year. If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might have been equivalent to rent increases in the range 50s. to 65s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or about ls. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings in shillings and pence, on the basis of the abolition of housing subsidies to Worksop Borough Council, Worksop Rural District Council, Retford Borough Council, Retford Rural District Council, Bingham Rural District Council, Carlton Urban District Council and Arnold Urban District Council, respectively, all in Nottinghamshire, excepting for old people's accommodation.

In the light of information provided by the councils, I estimate that the cost of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, have been equivalent to average increases in council house rents of the order shown in the following table.

Authority			Average Weekly Increase
East Retford B.	…	…	8s.
Worksop B.	…	…	12s.
Arnold U.D.C.	…	…	7s.
Carlton U.D.C.	…	…	6s.
Bingham R.D.C.	…	…	9s.
East Retford R.D.C.	…	…	13s.
Worksop R.D.C.	…	…	13s.

Rents

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the numbers of cases dealt with by the Rent Officer and Rent Assessment Committees in Nuneaton and Bedworth in the years 1968 and 1969; and if he will give details of the numbers of decisions resulting in increases or decreases.

In 1968 115 fair rents were registered in Nuneaton and 291 in Bedworth; in 1969 the numbers were 34 and 35 respectively. The 1968 figures include a number of dwellings referred to the rent officer in block references.Analyses of registrations are available only for the registration area in which these districts lie, Warwickshire, and deal only with cases in which the basis on which the fair rent rested was comparable with that on which the previous rent was fixed. There were 112 such cases in Warwickshire in 1968; in 14 the previous rent was reduced, in 11 it was confirmed and in 87 it was increased. In 1969 there were 152 such cases: 18 reductions, nine confirmations and 125 increases of the previous rent. Of these 264 "comparable cases" only five were referred to rent assessment committees; in four of these the previous rent was reduced, and in one increased.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that certain landlords seek to escape determination of a fair rent by rent officers, by getting tenants to agree to joint applications to rent officers for the registration of excessive rents which landlords wish to charge; and what steps he has taken in the matter.

Rent officers know of the risk that a landlord might pressurise a tenant into jointly applying for an excessive rent. But the possibility that joint applications might be so used as a loophole in the 1965 Rent Act was stopped from the start. A rent specified in a joint application will not be registered automatically. The rent officer must, by law, satisfy himself that the rent is a fair one within the meaning of the Rent Act before he can register it. If he considers that the rent proposed in a joint applica- tion is not fair, he will go through the normal procedures in order to determine a fair rent and will register it.

Land Commission

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total value and acreage, at the latest available date, of land purchased by the Land Commission since its inception; and what is the total value and acreage of land sold by it.

At 30th April, 1970, the Land Commission had acquired 2,220 acres of land at an estimated gross cost of £8,238,200 and sold 320 acres for £647,500 and disposal of a further 190 acres is under consideration.

Civil Servants

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

I will write to the hon. Member.

Housing, Reading

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received from Reading Corporation with regard to the corporation's plans for housing for the period 1971 to 1974.

The Corporation has not started any new housing scheme since February, 1969. It is now proceeding with two schemes totalling only 50 dwellings. Substantially larger schemes will be needed if it is to clear the 742 unfit dwellings given in its slum clearance returns to the Minister for 1970–74 and deal with priority lists and other housing needs in the town.

Fire Defence Systems(Rating Valution)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to change the existing rate values of property so that an increase in rates will not follow the installation of a fire defence system; and if he will make a statement.

There are many features which may affect the rental value of property by making it safer or in other ways more valuable to the occupier. One cannot readily justify singling out one feature, even such an important one as a fire defence system, for exceptional rate relief. It is unlikely that the prospect of any small increase in rateable value which might arise would deter people from installing apparatus to protect their property.

Local Government Reorganisation,Devon And Cornwall

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now give an undertaking that the proposals of the Redcliffe-Maud Commission for the inclusion of Torpoint, Saltash and the St. Germans Rural District in a new Plymouth Unitary Authority will be rejected by his Department, and that the present County Borough of Cornwall shall remain unaltered in any reorganisation of local government.

I will write to the hon. Member.

Rate Support Grant

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total amount of rate support grant given to Nuneaton Borough Council and Bedworth Urban District Council in the year 1970–71; and what was its equivalent in the year 1963–64.

The latest estimate of the rate support grants for 1970–71 for these two local authorities, and the corresponding grants for 1963–64 are as follows:

	Rate Support Grants	Corresponding Grants
	1970–71	1963–64
	£	£
Nuneaton Borough Council	303,745	89,766
Bedworth Urban District Council	231,797	76,965

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the amount of rate support grant paid to the following councils in 1964–65 and 1970–71; and what is the equivalent in rate poundage, namely Worksop Borough Council, Worksop Rural District Council, Retford Borough Council, Retford Rural District Council, Bineham Rural District Council, Carlton Urban District Council, Arnold Urban District

						Rate support grants 1970–71		Corresponding grants 1964–65
Worksop Borough Council	…	…	…	…	…	£143,927		£71,627
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic.	…	…	…	…	…	3s.	1d.	1s.	4d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…	1s.	5d.	1s.	4d.
Worksop Rural District Council	…	…	…	…	…	£85,291		£39,291
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	3s.	8d.	1s.	7d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…	2s.	0d.	1s.	7d.
East Retford Borough Council	…	…	…	…	…	£100,605		£54,830
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	4s.	5d.	2s.	3d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…	2s.	9d.	2s.	3d.
East Retford Rural District	…	…	…	…	…	£25,413		£13,061
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	1s.	8d.		3d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…		Nil		3d.
Bingham Rural District Council	…	…	…	…	…	£205,190		£58,094
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	3s.	9d.	1s.	4d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…	2s.	1d.	1s.	4d.
Carlton Urban District Council	…	…	…	…	…	£164,224		£40,479
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	2s.	7d.		7d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…		11d.		7d.
Arnold Urban District Council	…	…	…	…	…	£134,195		£33,075
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	2s.	8d.		8d.
						1s.	0d.		8d.
Nottinghamshire County Council	…	…	…	…	…	£22,251,534		£12,447,275
Additional rate poundage assuming no grants:
Domestic	…	…	…	…	…	17s.	11d.	12s.	4d.
Other	…	…	…	…	…	17s.	11d.	12s.	4d.
^* East Retford Rural District Council no longer qualifies for the resources element because of a significant increase in the rate product per head of population in recent years.

Questions To Theprime Minister

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to appoint a Select Committee to inquire into the methods of determining the sequence on the Order Paper of Oral Questions to the Prime Minister.

The terms of reference of the Select Committee on Procedure already enable that Committee to consider my hon. Friend's suggestion. He will have noted that in its recent report on Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

The relevant grant figures and the additional rate poundages that would have been payable if these amounts had fallen to be met by rates are shown below.Questions the Committee recommended certain changes which would affect the order of Questions to my right hon. Friend.

Chancellor Of Theduchy Of Lancaster

Civil Servants

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

None.

House Of Commons(Members' Facilities)

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a complete list of the persons and officials who are, additionally to Members of Parliament, permitted to use the facilities provided in the Members' Library, the Members' Dining Room, Strangers' Dining Rooms, Members' Tea Room, Members' Cafetria, Strangers' Bar, Annie's Bar, and the Members' Smoke Room.

Officers of the House are entitled to use the Library and all its services. By courtesy, access and limited use of its resources are allowed to Peers and Officers of the House of Lords, Commonwealth Clerks and Librarians on attachment, and, in the mornings only, bearers of cards issued by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The rules relating to the use of Refreshment facilities are contained in the Refreshment Department booklet, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is aware that the Smoke Room is the only place which is reserved at all times for the sole use of Members; and whether he will arrange the accommodation so that a room of more than some 800 square feet is reserved for the sole use of Members of Parliament.

In addition to the Smoking Room, the Members' Lounge, off the Commons private corridor, and the Chess Room are also reserved at all times for the sole use of Members. The total area of these two rooms is about the same as that of the Members' Smoking Room. There are also three rooms reserved for the sole use of Lady Members.

Parliament Square(Traffic Control)

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will make a statement about a new system of traffic control in Parliament Square.

Yes. The Services Committee has agreed to a request by the Commissioner of Police for an experiment this summer in the use of traffic lights in Parliament Square, even when the House is sitting. It will entail the alteration of the traffic island at the East End of George Street and the installation of new filtering lights from George Street, so that Members' cars may more easily reach New Palace Yard from that direction. Apart from the saving in police manpower, it is hoped that the improvement in traffic flow, which the police expect to result, will overcome the difficulties which Members have recently experienced in reaching the House.

Overseas Development

Civil Servants

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what was the total number of civil servants employed by her Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

When the Ministry came into existence in October, 1964, the staff numbered 984. Subsequently the numbers and annual costs have been as follows:

1st April, 1965^*	1st January, 1969	1st April, 1970
1,234	1,520	1,473
£1,278,000	£2,502,750	£2,745,750
(1964–65)	(1968–69)	(1969–70)
^* Including cost of staff of Department of Technical Cooperation prior to October, 1964.

Posts And Telecommunications

Old People's Accommodation(Television Licences)

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will make a statement on the type of old people's accommodation in which pensioners are eligible for the concession to obtain a television licence for one shilling; and if it includes old people's flatlets or bungalows where there is a resident warden.

The old persons' home licence, at a charge of ls. per eligible resident, is available to retired people of pensionable age living in old persons' homes as defined in Regulation 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcast Licence Charges and Exemption), Regulations 1970 (S.I. 1970 No. 548). Old people's flatlets and bungalows provided by or in conjunction with local authorities under Part V of the Housing Act, 1957 where there are some communal facilities, such as a resident warden, are eligible.

National Giro

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what has been the total capital investment in the National Giro to date; what are the total gross annual running costs, including depreciation, but before revenue, of the National Giro; what is the estimated gross revenue which the National Giro will receive in the current operating year; what profit or loss it is budgeted to make in that year, and if he will express this as a percentage of capital employed.

There are all matters for the Post Office.

Television Licences (Refunds)

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will issue a general direction to the Post Office to make provision for refund of a due proportion of a television licence where the licence holder moves to an area where there is no reception of television.

No. It would not be practicable for me to give refunds in these circumstances: a precise line cannot be drawn between areas where there is reception of television and where there is no reception.

Pirate Radio Station

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what was the cost of the operation recently performed to activate a transmitter in order to put the pirate station Radio North Sea International off the air.

This small operation was part of the continuing activities of my Ministry against the operators of illicit transmitters. As such the cost has not been separately identified.

Civil Servants

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what was the total number of civil servants employed by the Post Office in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and on the date the Post Office became a public corporation.

The following is the information at the nearest dates for which figures are available:

	Total number of civil servants employed in the Post Office (part-timers counted as ½)
31st March, 1964	376,687
31st March, 1965	384,280
1st January, 1969	418,579
30th September, 1969^*	419,917

	Pay and related expenditure
	£ millions
Financial year 1964–65	427·7
Financial year 1968–69	567·7
^* Post Office became a public corporation on 1st October, 1969, and its employees ceased to be civil servants.

Public Building Andworks

Ministers' Official Residences

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how much has been spent, from October, 1964 to the latest convenient date, in refurbishing and refurnishing each of the official residences provided for Ministers.

Excluding normal maintenance of buildings and furnishings, the amounts are as follows:

10, Downing Street	Nil
11, Downing Street	£300
1, Carlton Gardens	Nil
Admiralty House	Nil

Official Cars (Radio Telephones)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many of the vehicles in the official car service are connected with radio telephones, when these were introduced; at what costs; for what purposes; and what is is annual cost of upkeep.

Four vehicles in the Government car service are equipped with radio telephones, installed at various dates between 1965 and 1967.One set was bought outright at a cost of £320 but the other three sets are hired from Pye Telecommunications Ltd. at a total annual rental of £453.The sets are provided to enable Ministers to keep in touch with their offices and to transact official business while travelling within a radius of about 25 miles from the centre of London.The cost of upkeep is included in the annual rental of the hired sets but the owned set is maintained by the supplier on a no-charge basis. In addition, an annual fee of £30 for each of the four sets is paid to the Post Office for use of its network.

Police, Palace Of Westminster(Toilet Facilities)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many showers, baths, wash basins, urinals and water closets are available within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster for use by the police.

I am advised by the authorities of the Palace of Westminster that shower and bath facilites are not provided for the police within the precincts. All lavatory accommodation generally available to the staff or public may be used by the police, and in addition there are a number of wash basins in police rooms.

Forbes Committee

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works on how many occasions the Forbes Committee has so far met; when the last meeting took place; for what date the next meeting is fixed; and whether he will make a statement on the progress of the Committee's work.

The inquiry has met twice. The last meeting was on 19th September, 1969. No date has been fixed for the next meeting, but it is expected to be held shortly. The inquiry has been concerned so far with assembling evidence. After the first meeting of the inquiry, a questionnaire was sent to a wide selection of bodies concerned with the industry to sample views on registration. A second series of inquiries was sent out after the inquiry's second meeting. These concentrated particularly on obtaining the views of major building clients—principally industrial organisations, hospital boards, and local authorities—on the possible benefits of registration. The inquiry is to meet shortly to consider the replies.

Civil Servants

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The following is the information. The staff figure for 1st April, 1970 is the most up to date available.

Staff in Post		U.K. based non-industrials	U.K. based industrials
1st April, 1964	…	20,336	40,256
1st April, 1965	…	20,766	38,837
1st January, 1969	…	22,844	36,025
1st April, 1970	…	23,560	33,412

Salaries and Related Costs on basis of Annual Estimates
	£'000
1964–65	62,112
1968–69	89,773
1969–70	96,265

Government Offices, Horseferryroad—Marsham Street

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works by what date the new Government offices in the block lying between Horseferry Road and Marsham Street will be occupied; how many Government employees will occupy it; and what their functions will be.

The building will be completed in the late autumn, and occupation will follow immediately. It will accommodate about 3,600 headquarters staff of the Ministries of Housing and Local Government and Transport and the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning and his staff.

Scotland

Highlands And Islands (Industrialderating)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the financial advantage to industry in the area of the Highlands and Islands Development Board of the 50 per cent. industrial derating.

If industrial subjects in the area of the Highlands and Islands Development Board had not been derated, it is estimated that the additional rates payments in respect of them in 1969–70 would have been about £450,000.

Hospitals, South Ayrshire(Ward Maids)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many hospital boards of management a five-day week is in operation for ward maids; and when it will be introduced for ward maids in Southern Ayrshire.

The information is not readily available, but I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Island Hospital Patients(Air Transport)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether, in view of the transport difficulties involved and the physical suffering endured by patients, particularly expectant mothers, having to be taken in emergency in small boats from the Isle of Barra to hospital in South Uist, he will consider making an arrangement under which the use of a helicopter will be available at the request of the local doctor;(2) if he will now consider making arrangements for the availability in emergency cases of a helicopter, at the request of doctors in the Outer Hebrides, for the transport of patients to mainland hospitals when other means of travel art not immediately available or involve hardship and delays, or danger to the life of the patients concerned.

Emergency cases in the Outer Hebridges are normally sent to hospitals on the mainland, and air ambulance facilities using fixed wing aircraft are available from Barra, Benbecula and Stornoway. Doctors can ask for the assistance of a services helicopter if the case is one of critical emergency and there is no other suitable transport available. In the case of normal obstetric cases who are considered suitable for confinement in the Bute Hospital, Daliburgh, the patients travel by steamship on the routine service from Castlebay to Lochboisdale and are taken into hospital a few days before the expected confinement date. If the timing does not enable them to travel by the steamship service, they may be transported by the motor boat ferry from Eoligarry on Barra to Kilbride on South Uist; and if the weather is unsuitable for this ferry boat the Castlebay lifeboat may be used to transport them to Lochboisdale. If my hon. Friend has any particular difficulties in mind, perhaps he would let me know.

Marine And Aeolian Erosion(Barra)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland from which private individuals and from which public bodies in the Isle of Barra he has received representations regarding the problems of marine and aeolian erosion of the island's coast in the last five years.

In 1967 I received representations on this subject from a local county councillor and from Barra District Council.

Western Isles (Derelict Sites)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list by local description the derelict sites in the Isle of Lewis for the clearance of which the county of Ross and Cromarty has applied for financial assistance and received it, respectively, in each of the last five years; and what the total cost and his percentage of it was in each case;(2) if he will list by local description the derelict sites in the Outer Islands of Inverness-shire for the clearance of which Inverness County Council has applied for financial assistance and received it, respectively, in each of the last five years; and what the total cost and his percentage of it was in each case.

I have received no such applications from the county councils.

Croft Buildings(Grants And Loans)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now increase the level of grants and loans, respectively, for the building of croft houses and other qualifying croft buildings.

The level of these grants and loans is under consideration, and I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

Lobster Landings (Western Isles)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the estimated total quantity and value of lobster landings in each of the last 10 complete years at each district in the Western Isles constituency for which figures are separately taken.

The only information on this subject readily available for the period in question relates to landings in the Stornoway district as a whole and is given in the table below.

WEIGHT AND VALUE OF LOBSTERS LANDED IN STORNOWAY DISTRICT 1960–69
Year				Cwts.	£
1960	…	…	…	1,892	56,701
1961	…	…	…	1,646	49,621
1962	…	…	…	1,602	49,253
1963	…	…	…	954	33,111
1964	…	…	…	1,005	36,377
1965	…	…	…	1,086	47,304
1966	…	…	…	980	42,990
1967	…	…	…	1,163	45,309
1968	…	…	…	1,295	64,677
1969	…	…	…	1,503	85,614

Eriskay, Berneray And Vatersay(Vehicle Ferries)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made with the provision of vehicle ferries to serve the Islands of Eriskay, Berneray and Vatersay on the lines recommended in the Report of the Highland Transport Board in 1967.

No proposals for the introduction of vehicle ferry services to Eriskay, Berneray or Vatersay have been put to me by Inverness County Council, which is responsible in the first instance for deciding whether the provision of such services would be justified.

Herring Landings (Stornoway)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the estimated total quantity and value of herring landings at Stornoway in each of the last 10 years.

The information is given in the table below.

WEIGHT AND VALUE OF HERRING LANDED AT STORNOWAY DISTRICT 1960–69
Year				Cwts.	£
1960	…	…	…	137,015	118,042
1961	…	…	…	74,255	73,124
1962	…	…	…	75,660	74,848
1963	…	…	…	79,356	72,111
1964	…	…	…	58,669	42,333
1965	…	…	…	54,377	34,121
1966	…	…	…	99,929	42,361
1967	…	…	…	44,795	31,051
1968	…	…	…	45,030	25,386
1969	…	…	…	178,140	173,877

Road Works (Western Isles)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of his Department's contribution towards the cost of road works in each of the islands of South Uist North Uist, Benbecula, Harris and Grim-say from October, 1964, to date.

The total amounts of grants authorised in this period are as follows:

				£
South Uist	…	…	…	108,618
North Uist	…	…	…	185,688
Benbecula	…	…	…	18,713
Harris	…	…	…	783,735
Grimsay	…	…	…	74,247

Isle Of Barra (Hotel)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made by the Highlands and Islands Development Board with its plans for a hotel in the Isle of Barra; and if he will give an estimated starting date for its construction.

The board has received my approval in principle for this project and is now negotiating for a site at Tangusdale. I cannot yet say when work will start.

City Areas (Rate Reductions)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the areas of each city in Scotland which qualify for reduction of rates, and on what grounds.

Reductions in rates in the cities are given under general and local enactments in respect of particular classes of property or particular properties: there is no city area in which all the lands and heritages qualify for reductions in rates.

Kingston Bridge, Glasgow

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies were made of traffic density and traffic flow over the new Kingston Bridge in Glasgow before plans for building it were approved; and what consultations with local residents and with Glasgow Corporation were held by officials of his Department before such plans were approved.

Glasgow Corporation's consultants made comprehensive traffic studies for the whole of the inner ring road, including Kingston Bridge. The bridge was indicated in the first quinquennial review of the corporation's development plan, published in 1960, when there was an opportunity for objections. The corporation discussed its proposals fully with officials of my Department before detailed plans were approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what routes through Pollokshields will be classified as trunk roads after the Kingston Bridge is opened to traffic; and what he expects the traffic density to be on them for each year between 1969 and 1974.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the total cost of the Kingston Bridge across the Clyde; and what proportion of the cost is to be borne by the ratepayers of Glasgow.

£11·5 million, of which Glasgow ratepayers will bear 25 per cent. less the appropriate share of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the annual rating loss to the City of Glasgow caused by the destruction of buildings to make way for the construction of the approach roads to the new Kingston Bridge.

This information is not readily available, and I would not feel justified in asking Glasgow Corporation to extract it. Any reduction in local rating resources is made up through the resources element of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the total cost of the road alterations on both banks of the Clyde as a result of the construction of the Kingston Bridge; and what proportion of the cost of these alterations is to be borne by the Glasgow ratepayers.

The cost of such works cannot readily be ascertained. In so far as they are an integral part of the Kingston Bridge scheme, Glasgow ratepayers will bear 25 per cent. of the cost, less the appropriate share of rate support grant.

Darnley Street, Glasgow

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans have been submitted to him for the widening of Darnley Street, Glasgow; and when such plans will be implemented.

None, but I understand that Glasgow Corporation is considering traffic management proposals to improve the flow of traffic on the road.

Shields Road Bridge, Glasgow

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans have been submitted to him to widen Shields Road, Glasgow, and to reconstruct the Shields Road Bridge over the railway south of Scotland Street, respectively.

I have approved plans by Glasgow Corporation to widen Shields Road between Scotland Street and St. Andrew's Drive, in conjunction with the reconstruction of Shields Road Railway bridges by British Rail.

Pedestrian Crossings

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria are used by the Scottish Development Department by which to judge when pedestrian crossings should be set up.

The relevant criteria are set out in Scottish Development Department Circular No. R199 dated 27th February, 1969. I have sent a copy to the hon. Member.

Health Services Andpublic Health Act, 1968

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to bring Section 15 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968 into force.

On 1st September, 1970.

Civil Servants

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1965, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figure on 30th April, 1970.

The information is as follows:

STAFF IN POST
	Non-industrials	Industrials	Total
1st April, 1965	6,873½	839½	7,713
1st January, 1969	7,765½	852	8,617½
1st April, 1970	8,038	891½	8,929½

SALARIES AND RELATED COSTS ON BASIS OF ANNUAL ESTIMATES
						(£000s)
1965–66	…	…	…	…	…	9,787
1968–69	…	…	…	…	…	12,610
1969–70	…	…	…	…	…	14,505

The figures above include the numbers and costs of staff in the Prison Service in Scotland: the total numbers of prison staff were 1,306 (1st April, 1965), 1,700 (1st January, 1969) and 1,845½ (1st April, 1970).

Nursery Schools

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children were in attendance at education authority and grant-aided nursery schools and classes in January, 1965; and how many attended in January, 1969.

6,225 children were in attendance at education authority and grant-aided nursery schools and classes in January, 1965. In January, 1969, the corresponding figure was 9,290, an increase of 49 per cent.

Adult Education

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future of adult education in Scotland.

I consider there is a need to review the provision of adult education in Scotland. I have therefore appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Professor K. J. W. Alexander, Professor of Economics, University of Strathclyde with the following remit:

"To consider the aims appropriate to leisure-time courses for adults which are educational but not specifically vocational; to examine the extent to which these are being achieved at present; and, with due regard to the need to use available resources most effectively, to make recommendations."

Social Services

Brighton Health Department(Doctors)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to remedy the shortage of doctors in Brighton's Municipal Health Department, particulars of which have been brought to his attention.

I understand that there are no vacancies at present.

Supplementary Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many current cases are known to his Department of heads of families drawing supplementary benefit, whose previous employment resulted in their being paid less than the appropriate scale of supplementary benefit.

At the end of February 28,850 claimants had their supplementary benefit restricted under the wage stop provisions of the Ministry of Social Security Act, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of people currently living on supplementary benefits; and what was the number on the same date in 1964.

The number of recipients of a regular weekly payment of supplementary benefit at November, 1969 was 2,688,000 covering the requirements of 4,097,000 persons; the numbers under the National Assistance scheme at November, 1964 were 1,961,000 and 2,774,000 respectively.

Old-Age Pensioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present number of old-age pensioners; what proportion of these is in receipt of supplementary benefit; and what are the equivalent figures for 1969.

In Great Britain in March, 1969, there were 7·2 million pensioners (including elderly widows) of whom 28·4 per cent. were receiving supplementary pension. It is provisionally estimated that in March, 1970 there were about 7·4 million pensioners of whom approximately 27·5 per cent. were receiving supplementary pension.

Retirement Pensions And Socialsecurity Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that a number of State employees have recently received between 20 per cent. and 35 per cent. increase in their salaries; and whether he will now increase retirement pensions and all social security benefits by a minimum of 33⅓ per cent.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 13th April. 1970.—[Vol. 799, c. 165.]

Sickness Benefit And Retirementpension

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances under his regulations persons receiving sickness benefit are entitled to opt to continue receiving this benefit on reaching the age of 65 years, rather than transfer to retirement pension; and what steps are taken to inform them of this option.

Men below the age of 70, and women below the age of 65, are only treated as retired if they have given notice to that effect. Any man under 70 (or woman under 65) in receipt of sickness benefit who has not given notice of retirement remains eligible for sickness benefit, at the same rate as the flat-rate retirement pension which would be paid if he did retire, as long as he continues to satisfy the relevant conditions. A leaflet (N.I. 15) which accompanies the letter sent to men approaching their 65th and women approaching their 60th birthday in order to remind them of their right to claim a retirement pension refers to continued entitlement to sickness benefit if notice of retirement is not given, and also explains the tax position.

Pensioners, Sheffield (Supplementarybenefit)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners are in receipt of supplementary benefit in Sheffield.

In February, 1970, about 26,000 retirement pensioners, excluding the wives of male recipients, were receiving a supplementary pension from the five local offices serving the city of Sheffield, two of which cover territory outside the city boundary.

Council Rents (Supplementarybenefit)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases at the present time the Supplementary Benefits Commission has refused to meet the full cost of council rents; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a breakdown of this figure by the local authorities involved.

Regular returns of the number of unmet rents are not made and it is therefore not possible to say more than that the number of local authority rents not met in full is now probably between 5,000 and 6,000 most of which are in the London area. Detailed records are not available for individual local authorities.

Civil Servants

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of civil servants employed by Departments comparable to his existing Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures for his Department on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The industrial and non-industrial staff employed in this Department or in its predecessors on the relevant dates were as follows:

1st April, 1964–56,978 (including 112 industrials).
1st April, 1965–58,631 (including 106 industrials).
31st December, 1968–69,579 (including 181 industrials).
1st April, 1970–70,338 (including 177 industrials).

The figure for 1st April, 1970, is the most recent available.The corresponding staff costs were as follows:

			£
1964–65	…	…	54,153,000
1968–69	…	…	73,558,000
1969–70	…	…	79,172,000

Widows (Pensions)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimation of the cost of providing pensions for widows under 50 years of age at the rate proposed in the National Superannuation and Social Insurance Bill for the year of widowhood but increasing with age so that the full flat-rate pension became payable to all widows at 50 years of age.

£20 million.

National Superannuation(Employee's Contribution)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates will be the contributions in 1982 of an employee earning the national average wage under the terms of the National Superannuation and Social Insurance Bill, assuming trends in the economy continue at the same rate as in the financial year 1970–71.

No such estimate can usefully be made.

Cosmetic Arms

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services since what date cosmetic arms without harness have been available to the National Health Service.

This type of arm was first fitted to a patient in Britain by the Ministry's Research Department in 1957 and has been generally available to patients in the National Health Service for whom it is prescribed since 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is currently being conducted into the improvement of cosmetic arms without harness.

No research is currently being conducted by my Department into the improvement of these arms, but development work is proceeding on the associated type of hand used: a field trial is to be conducted in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cosmetic arms without harness supplied to the National Health Service are imported.

Arms of this type supplied through the National Health Service are not imported.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent cosmetic arms without harness supplied to the National Health Service are made under licence from patents held abroad.

The manufacture of these arms in Britain does not involve the need for a licence.

Prescription Charges

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what income was received from prescription charges in 1969; and what is the estimated sum for 1970.

For Great Britain rather over £17 million in each year after allowing for administration and other costs.

Hospital Building (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the expenditure on hospital building in 1969.

Expenditure on hospital capital building in England in the financial year 1969–70 is estimated at £97.7 million.

Parkinson's Disease (L-Dopa)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the increase in cost to the National Health Service drug bill of the full use of L-Dopa for treating Parkinson's Disease.

Estimated expenditure in the current financial year is £2 million. The cost is expected to rise to about £3 million a year when supplies of L-Dopa are fully available.

Drugs (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who were the main suppliers of drugs to the National Health Service in England and Wales in the years 1962 to 1969; what were the amounts paid to each in these years; and what percentage these figures represent of the total revenue expenditure on the National Health Service.

Information in this form is not readily available but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will be writing to my hon. Friend.

Central Middlesex And Willesdengeneral Hospitals (Transport Forvisitors)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to enable patients to be visited in the Central Middlesex and Willesden General Hospitals after 14th June when the public transport bus service which served these hospitals previously is due to be cancelled.

I understand that service number 187A is being withdrawn, but that the route will be substantially covered by service number 112 in conjunction with service number 187 which is being augmented. I am asking the hospital authority to report on the situation as it affects visitors.

Drugs (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount spent on drugs in the National Health Service in England and Wales in the years 1960 to 1969; and what percentage these figures represent of the total revenue expenditure on the National Health Service.

The information is as follows:

Year		Net ingredient cost in Pharmaceutical Service plus cost of drugs used in hospitals	Percentage of column (2) to total National Health Service revenue expenditure
(1)		(2)	(3)
		£ million
1960	…	63	8·5
1961	…	68	8·8
1962	…	72	8·9
1963	…	78	9·1
1964	…	87	9·3
1965	…	101	9·8
1966	…	112	9·9
1967	…	121	9·9
1968	…	129	9·8
1969	…	141	9·7

Hospital Capital Expenditure,Liverpool And Wirral Peninsula

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish details of the level of capital expenditure on improved hospital facilities in the area of the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board, and in the Wirral Peninsula, specifically, during each financial year during the past 10 years.

Expenditure on hospital capital building in the area of the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board including capital expenditure by the Liverpool Board of Governors, and in the Wirral Peninsula, during the past 10 years was as follows:

		Liverpool Regional Hospital Area	Wirral Peninsula
		(£000)	(£000)
1960–61	…	1,469	177
1961–62	…	1,772	247
1962–63	…	1,463	135
1963–64	…	2,344	157
1964–65	…	2,080	110
1965–66	…	3,196	327
1966–67	…	5,136	406
1967–68	…	5,720	607
1968–69	…	5,415	998
1969–70 (estimated)	…	6,082	708

The figures for the Wirral Peninsula include expenditure by the North Wirral Birkenhead and Central Wirral Hospital Management Committees and on the Manor Hospital and Ellesmere Port Hospital in the West Cheshire Hospital Management Committee.

Nurses And Doctors (Salaries)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Service whether he will now increase the salaries of nurses and doctors and all hospital employes by 20 per cent.

No.

Family Planning Advice

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish a list of those local health authorities which have notified their intention to include facilities for family planning advice within the health centres they are proposing to build.

NURSING AND MIDWIFERY STAFF AT NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITALS IN HUDDERSFIELD
				(Figures are in terms of whole-time equivalents)
	Storthes Hall Hospital	Mansion Hospital	Hudders-field Royal Infirmary	Saint Luke's Hospital	Holme Valley Memorial Hospital	Princess Royal Maternity Home	Bradley Wood Sanatorium	Mill Hill Hospital
Nursing Staff	480·5	14·5	411·25	244·75	17·5	4·5	27·5	82·5
Midwifery Staff	—	—	6	7·75	—	33·5	—	—
Nursing and Midwifery Staff born in(a) Overseas Commonwealth
Malaysia	1	—	33	—	—	—	—	—
West Indies	37	—	20	29	—	7	2	15
Ghana	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Nigeria	4	—	3	—	—	—	—	—
Hong Kong	7	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mauritius	17	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Malta	1	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
Pakistan	2	—	—	1	—	—	—	—
Ceylon	1	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
Uganda	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
Tanzania	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	—
Sierra Leone	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
Brunei	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
Kenya	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
India	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—
Australia	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
Total	74	Nil	63	31	Nil	9	2	15
(b) Irish Republic	2	Nil	33	12	Nil	4	Nil	2
NOTE: Separate figures for Northern Ireland are not readily available.

Balderton Mental Hospital,Nottinghamshire (Children)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of children waiting for admission to Balderton Mental Hospital, Nottinghamshire; what is the average length of waiting time; whether there is any shortage of beds or staff; how many

I regret the information is not available.No record is kept of notifications of intention to provide such facilities, nor do local authorities always specify in advance all the services to be provided.

Hospitals, Huddersfield (Nurses)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nurses are employed at the hospitals in Huddersfield; how many of these are from Commonwealth countries and Ireland, respectively; and if he will indicate the country of origin in each case.

The information requested is tabulated below:complaints have been made to the authorities by parents concerning self-inflicted injuries by their children; and what action he proposes in the case reported to the hospital and to his department by the hon. Member for Bassetlaw on 21st April.

Nineteen children are waiting for admission; most of these have had periods of short-term in-patient care or have been day patients. Children admitted during the year ending 31st March, 1970, had waited on average about 20 months. The adequacy of the number of children's beds will be reconsidered when I have completed my review of policy for services for the mentally handicapped. The children's wards are not understaffed. There is no record of any complaints by parents having been made to the hospital concerning self-inflicted injuries by children. I have written to my hon. Friend about the individual case.

Technology

Power Stations

asked the Minister of Technology when he will announce a starting date for the commencement of the second coal-fired power station at Drax, Yorkshire.

The Central Electricity Generating Board's current power station plan provides for the completion of the second half of the coal-fired station at Drax. But the actual dates when stations—after the station at Heysham for which tenders have been received—will be put in hand must remain for determination later in the light of forecast requirements for future generating capacity. I am therefore unable to give any firm dates for the construction of the Isle of Grain, Sizewell B, and Drax II, the remaining three of the four stations referred to in my right hon. Friend's statement in the House on 29th October.—[Vol. 790, c. 303.]

Natural Gas (Accidents)

asked the Minister of Technology how many fatal and serious accidents there have been in relation to the installation of natural gas supplies to the latest convenient date; what action has been taken by his department; and whether he will take steps to ensure the safety of supply to communities, like that of Portsmouth, still to receive such supplies.

My hon. Friend will know that my right hon. Friend the Paymaster-General has asked Professor Morton of Manchester University to undertake an inquiry into the safety of natural gas as a fuel. Professor Morton hopes to make his report in June.As regards statistical information, from the reports my hon. Friend received up to the end of 1969, fatalities or serious accidents due to natural gas were certainly no worse than those attributable to town gas.

Nuclear-Powered Merchant Ship

asked the Minister of Technology whether he has yet received the report on the economics of a nuclear-powered merchant ship; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received the report on this study. It carefully reviews all the information available and takes into account the operation of nuclear-powered vessels on both a single-ship and a fleet basis. The report offers the conclusion that nuclear-powered merchant ships will not become competitive with conventional ships within the foreseeable future. It reveals that, in addition to the cost of development, there would be a continuing need for a subsidy to cover operating costs. The report indicates that the development of such a vessel would not add to the short-term employment prospects in the shipbuilding industry.In preparing the report a wide range of interested parties have been consulted. I propose to publish the report as soon as possible.

Board Of Trade

Air Service, Wales(Short Take-Off Aircraft)

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will undertake a survey of the feasibility of establishing an air service in Wales served by short take-off aircraft.

My Department is always ready to give advice on proposals to improve air services in Wales, but this is primarily a matter for interested airlines to consider.

South Africa (Trade)

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were Great Britain's net exports to, and net imports from, South Africa for each of the years 1964 to 1969.

The only available figures of exports to and imports from South Africa are those recorded in the trade statistics. These show that total trade was:

					£ million
				Imports c.i.f.	Total Exports f.o.b.
1964	…	…	…	183	239
1965	…	…	…	181	265
1966	…	…	…	191	247
1967	…	…	…	220	262
1968	…	…	…	272	266
1969	…	…	…	302	293
The above figures include revised estimates for parcel post.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to increase British trade with South Africa.

The normal range of export services provided by the Government and B.N.E.C. is available to encourage our exports to South Africa.

Civil Servants

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total number of Civil Servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The following is the information requested; the staff figure for 1st April, 1970, is the most up-to-date available:

		United Kingdom based non-industrial	United Kingdom based industrial
1st April 1964	…	7,761	48
1st April, 1965	…	9,526	9
1st January, 1969	…	18,109	781
1st April, 1970	…	16,520	767

Salaries and related costs on the basis of Annual Estimates:
1964–65	…	…	…	£12,316,000
1968–69	…	…	…	£30,495,000
1969–70	…	…	…	£31,982,000

There were inter-Departmental transfers of work and staff during the period covered by the question. Staff were transferred to the Board of Trade from Ministry of Transport in 1965 and 1969 and from the Ministry of Aviation in 1966. Staff were transferred from the Board of Trade to the Diplomatic Service in 1964, to the British Museum in 1966, to the Ministry of Technology in 1966 and 1969, and to the Department of Employment and Productivity in 1969.

Patents (Committee's Report)

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has yet received the Report of the Banks Committee on Patents; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. It will be published as soon as possible.

Boac Excursion Trips (Guesthouse Accommodation)

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will issue a general direction to the British Overseas Airways Corporation requiring the Corporation, when arranging excusion trips from New York to London, to provide guest house accommodation throughout the United Kingdom.

No.

Aircraft (Emergency Instructions)

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will require a standard set of emergency instructions for British-registered aircraft.

No. There is no present evidence that greater standardisation would serve any useful purpose. Emergency instructions are among the matters inspected by my Flight Operations Inspectorate and so are kept under review.

Transport

Headlamps (Dazzle)

asked the Minister of Transport what report he has received from the Road Research Laboratory, following the Parliamentary Question by the hon. Member for Tiverton on 11th November, 1966, on the extent to which rectangular headlamps promote dazzle, and whether they should be banned under the Construction and Use of Vehicles Regulations.

Tests undertaken in 1967 showed that there was slightly more glare from the types of rectangular headlamps than from round headlamps. Rectangular lamps have since been modified so as to reduce glare, and no fresh regulation appears to be required.

A5, Tamworth

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of delays to traffic on the A5 in the borough of Tamworth during resurfacing operations; what representations he has received about these delays; and what action he is taking to avoid a repetition of such delays.

It has not been considered necessary to estimate traffic delays during a necessary and routine maintenance operation.The Secretary of the Tamworth and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce has sent four telegrams to my right

Scheme					Expected Completion Date
A31 Picket Post—Handy Cross		…	…	…	July, 1970
A27 Windhover Gyratory System		…	…	…	March, 1971
A27 Portchester Diversion		…	…	…	October, 1970
B2149 Havant By-Pass to Langstone High Street		…	…	…	February, 1971
Western Approach Road, Stage 3	Southampton	…	…	…	September,1970
Docks Approach Road, Stage 3	Southampton	…	…	…	March, 1971
Western Road, Stage 1	Portsmouth	…	…	…	January, 1971
Inner Ring Road, Southern Section, Stage 1	Portsmouth	…	…	…	April, 1972
A272/A31 New Inn Junction, Chilcomb		…	…	…	August, 1970
A333 Bishops Waltham		…	…	…	July, 1970

National Bus Company

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the National Bus Company about amendments to the Transport Act, 1968 in order to subsidise its operations.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to regulate the number and size of fare increase applications by component companies of the National Bus Company.

No. It would be contrary to normal practice to interfere in this way. Moreover these are matters which essentially depend upon local circumstances and regulation in the way suggested would import an undesirable rigidity into the system.

hon. Friend complaining about traffic delays due to the resurfacing works.

It is the normal practice to erect warning and diversion signs and, additionally where possible, to advise motorists by radio through the Motoring Advice Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. These measures are in use during the current resurfacing operations.

Road Improvements, Southernhampshire

asked the Minister of Transport what road improvement schemes are now in progress in Southern Hampshire; and what are the expected completion dates of each.

Road improvement schemes each costing over £25,000 on trunk and principal roads in Hampshire south of A272–A30 are:These companies are subject to the statutory licensing procedures specifically provided to safeguard the public interest.

Roads Programme

asked the Minister of Transport what are the total estimated commitments outstanding on 31st March last and the total estimated new commitments in 1970–71 in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for principal roads and loans to highway authorities. Respectively.

The provisional totals for England of commitments outstanding on 31st March, 1970 are as follows:

	£ million
Trunk roads (including Motorways)	457
Principal Roads (Grants)	151
Loans	1
	609

and the estimated new commitments in 1970–71 are:

	£ million
Trunk roads (including Motorways)	210
Principal Roads (Grants)	110
Loans	5
	325

Figures for the rest of Great Britain are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the estimated value of schemes for trunk roads, including motorways, urban principal roads and inter-urban principal roads, respectively, in preparation as distinct from schemes which are programmed at 31st March last.

The present estimated value of schemes in preparation or subject to feasibility studies as at 31st March, 1970 is as follows:

	£ million
Trunk roads (including Motorways)	1,150
Urban Principal roads	675
Inter-Urban Principal roads	100
	Total 1.925

M27, Portsmouth-Southampton

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has now been made towards the construction of the South Coast Motorway M27 between Portsmouth and Southampton.

The inspector's report following the public inquiry into the M27 proposals is still under consideration. My right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as possible.

A5, Tamworth

asked the Minister of Transport when the present repairs to the A5 at Tamworth, Staffordshire, will be completed; why directional signs for alternative routes to avoid congestion are not adequate; and whether further repairs to the A5 are likely to be started in the vicinity of Tamworth after the finishing of the present operations.

The resurfacing works on the A5 at Tamworth should be completed by 23rd May.

No representations have been received about the inadequacy of directional signs but those erected in the Mile Oak area were initially ignored by motorists and police assistance was necessary.

No further major repairs are planned for the immediate future.

Roads (Sanitary Installations)

asked the Minister of Transport whether the reports on the operation of the 34 sanitary installations along certain stretches of trunk roads have yet been studied; and what conclusions he has reached.

The reports are being studied but it will take a little time for conclusions to be reached.

Blind Persons' Guide Dogs(Bus Fares)

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the bus undertakings which charge fares for guide dogs accompanying blind persons, and those which do not.

No. These charges are a matter for the individual undertakings concerned.

Harwich Harbour Conservancy Board

asked the Minister of Transport by what authority representatives of Her Majesty's Government serve on the Harwich Harbour Conservancy Board; and what action those representatives have taken to seek the co-option of representatives of riparian owners or local authorities other than those with immediate dock interests.

Of the members of the Harwich Harbour Conservancy Board appointed under Section 4 of the Harwich Harbour Act, 1863, one is appointed by the Treasury, one by the Minister of Defence and two by the Minister of Transport. I know of no provision for the co-option of members to the board.

Civil Servants

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total number of civil servants employed by his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April. 1970.

The following is the information requested. The staff figure for 1st April, 1970, is the most up to date available.

STAFF IN POST
	U.K. Based non-industrial	U.K. Based industrial
1st April, 1964	7,597	156
1st April, 1965	6,592	350
1st January, 1969	8,087	798
1st April, 1970	8,493	842

Salaries and related costs on the basis of annual estimates are:—
1964–65	1968–69	1969–70
£8,690,000	£15,670,000	£17,519,000

Notes:

(1) Shipping responsibilities except those relating to ports, sea transport and defence shipping-planning were transferred to Board of Trade in April, 1965 but M.O.T. assumed responsibility for the Road Research Laboratory from D.S.I.R. at the same date.

(2) Sea transport matters were transferred to Board of Trade in January, 1969.

London Airports(Communications)

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will institute a cost-benefit study of possible communication links between Central London and Maplin Sands and Heathrow Airport.

No. But as I told my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, North-East (Mr. Bradley) on 7th May, we are arranging to publish this month the results of a cost-benefit study of possible rail links between central London and Heathrow Airport.—[Vol. 801, c. 189.]

A38, Saltash-Lanivet, Anda30, Exeter-Bodmin

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will give an undertaking that the A38 from Saltash to Lanivet will be completed as a dual carriageway by not later than 1975;(2) if he will give an undertaking that the A30 between Exeter and Bodmin will be converted to a dual carriageway by not later than 1975.

No.

Road Bridge, Gunnislake

asked the Minister of Transport if he will provide additional funds to enable the Cornwall County Council, in conjunction with the Devon County Council, to build a new road bridge at Gunnislake.

I will write to the hon. Member when I have obtained some information about this proposal.

Exeter-Plymouth Motorway

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now undertake to include a motorway between Exeter and Plymouth in the 1975 to 1980 road building programme.

No. The present plan to complete the dualling of the all-purpose trunk road between Exeter and Plymouth by the mid-1970s will adequately cater for future traffic demands.

Bristol-Exeter Motorway

asked the Minister of Transport when he anticipates that the proposed motorway between Bristol and Exeter will be completed.

By the mid-1970s.

National Finance

Overseas Private Investment

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the overseas private investment by the United Kingdom, shown in Table 20 of Command Paper No. 4328, was financed by overseas borrowing in each of the years 1964 to 1969.

In the years 1964 to 1969 the net amount of overseas borrowing to finance private investment abroad is estimated as follows:

	…	…	…	…	£ million
1964	…	…	…	…	46
1965	…	…	…	…	77
1966	…	…	…	…	41
1967	…	…	…	…	138
1968	…	…	…	…	257
1969	…	…	…	…	145

Borrowing in any period is not necessarily applied to the financing of investment in that period and there has been some growth in recent years in the temporary application of borrowed funds in short-term form. These amounts cannot be estimated directly, but were substantial in 1969, as indicated in Economic Trends for March, 1970 (pages xvii and xviii).

Unlicensed Vehicles

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that recently the Greater London Council's Enforcement Officer of Roads in North London found that out of 370 vehicles parked in these roads and streets 54 did not carry a current road fund licence; and what is the loss to the Revenue at the latest convenient stated date represented by 15 per cent. non-payment of road fund licences.

Enforcement is a matter for the police and the local taxation authorities. I do not accept that the general level of evasion is as high as 15 per cent.

Houses (Capital Gains Tax)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the practice of the Inland Revenue to levy capital gains tax on a house owned by a child and occupied by the child and its parents; and if he will make a statement.

A gain accruing to an individual, irrespective of age, on the disposal of a dwelling-house which has been his only or main residence throughout his ownership is exempt from capital gains tax. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind and would like to write to me about it, I will look into it.

Income Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total yield for income tax in the last financial year; and what was the equivalent figure in 1964.

The estimated net receipt of income tax in 1969–70 was £4,910 million. The figure for 1964–65—which then included income tax on companies—was £3.088 million.

Taxation (Collection Cost)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of collecting every £ sterling of income and surtax in 1964; and what were the comparable figures for the tax year 1969.

In 1964 the cost was 3·60d. per £ gross received for taxes on income and profits and in 1969 3·17d. for taxes on income, profits and capital gains. Separate figures for income tax, surtax and capital gains tax are not at present available.

Civil Servants

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of civil servants employed in Treasury-controlled departments in 1964, and the annual cost; what were the figures on 31st December, 1968; and what were the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The following is the information requested; the staff figure for 1st April, 1970 is the most up-to-date available.

STAFF IN POST
	U.K. Based non-industrials	U.K. Based industrials
1st April, 1964	2,633	—
1st April, 1965	2,767	—
1st January, 1969	1,744	2
1st April, 1970	1,793	3

				Salaries and Related Costs, on basis of Annual Estimates
1964–65	…	…	…	£3,912,000
1968–69	…	…	…	£2,846,000
1969–70	…	…	…	£3,241,000

The figures cover the Treasury, the subordinate departments borne on its Vote, and the Rating of Government Property Department. The staff numbers in respect of 1st January, 1969 and 1st April, 1970, and the salary figures for 1968–69 and 1969–70 reflect the setting up of the Civil Service Department on 1st November 1968 and the provision from that date of a separate Vote for the Cabinet Office.

£ Sterling

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what on the basis of the £ sterling being worth 20s. on 8th October, 1964, is its value on the latest convenient date.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the £ sterling as 20s. 0d. in October, 1964 its value in March, 1970, the latest date for which information is available, is estimated at 15s. 10d.This estimate is based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for calendar years adjusted by movements in the Retail Price Index for the months at the beginning and end of the period.

United Kingdom Coins(Specimen Sets)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to issue specimen sets of United Kingdom coins.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has agreed in principle that specimen sets shall be struck at the Royal Mint, Llantrisant. Mint officials will shortly be consulting leading numismatists and others about the potential market for these coins in the United Kingdom and overseas. Details will be announced when this consultation has taken place.

Bank Of England (Unclaimed Funds)

asked Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to enable the Treasury to claim funds in the Bank of England which remain unclaimed for more than 50 years.

						£ million
		1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
Agriculture
Grams and Subsidies	…	264	235	227	259	264
Net lending	…	—	—	—	—	—
Total	…	264	235	227	259	264
Assistance to Private Industry (1)
Subsidies (2)	…	—	1	43	168	168
Grants (3)	…	23	19	23	329	456
Net lending	…	35	34	13	14	63
Total	…	58	54	79	511	687
(1) A negligible amount of expenditure by local authorities is excluded.
(2) These figures include selective employment tax additional payments and regional employment premiums amounting in total to £41 million in 1966–67, £165 million in 1967–68 and £156 million in 1968–69.
(3) These figures include investment grants of £301 million in 1967-68 and £432 million in 1968-69. Investment grants replaced the previous system of investment allowances, which, being an offset to tax, are not included in the Table.

Surtax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the loss of revenue involved to the Exchequer in 1970–71 of reducing surtax upon earned income in such a way that no one would be required to pay more than 10s. in the £ upon his marginal earnings, and the further loss through extending the same concession to unearned income.

No. Unclaimed funds on banking accounts with the Bank of England, the amount of which is extremely small, are a liability of the Bank. Amounts equal to unclaimed moneys due on Government stocks managed by the Bank are already paid to the National Debt Commissioners in accordance with S(5) of the Miscellaneous Financial Provisions Act, 1955. I see no need for further legislation.

Grants, Loans And Subsidies

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the amounts of moneys paid from public funds to private industry and farmers in cash grants, loans, or other forms of subsidies for each of the years from October, 1964, including grants of the type made to assist firms such as Cammell Laird.

The information requested by financial years is as follows:

I will write to the hon. Member when I have the figures.

Retirement Pensioners (Taxation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount taken in taxes from retirement pensioners in 1964 and 1969, respectively; and the total amount taken in taxes from retirement pensioners between 1960 and 1964 and between 1965 and 1969, respectively.

The estimated amounts of income tax and surtax paid by national insurance retirement pensioners for the years 1964–65 to 1967–68 are as follows:

				£ million
1964–65	…	…	…	240
1965–66	…	…	…	311
1966–67	…	…	…	308
1967–68	…	…	…	329

Figures are not available for other years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of making retirement pensions free of income tax.

The cost of exempting National Insurance retirement pensions would be about £175 million for 1970–71.

Nurses (Taxation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates will be the total amount of taxes taken from nurses in 1970, compared to 1964.

Information on which to base the desired estimate is not available.

Family Allowances

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net cost to the Exchequer in 1970–71 of increasing family allowances to 25s. per week for all children including the first and making them free of tax.

About £765 million for Great Britain for the full year, assuming that the clawback was abolished simultaneously but the child tax allowances remained unchanged.

Child Allowances

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net increase in revenue to the Exchequer to be obtained by ending the child allowances.

About £720 million for 1970–71, asuming that family allowances and clawback remained unchanged.

Wales

District Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the shortfall of district nurses in each county in Wales; and what action he will take to remedy it.

The latest figures available are those at the 30th September, 1969 and, expressed in whole time equivalents, are as follows:

Anglesey	…	…	·5
Brecon	…	…	3·0
Caernarvon	…	…	3·3
Cardigan	…	…	Nil
Carmarthen	…	…	2·8
Denbigh	…	…	Nil
Flint	…	…	Nil
Glamorgan	…	…	·5
Merioneth	…	…	Nil
Monmouth	…	…	Nil
Montgomery	…	…	Nil
Pembroke	…	…	Nil
Radnor	…	…	·5
Cardiff	…	…	Nil
Merthyr Tydfil	…	…	Nil
Newport	…	…	·7
Swansea	…	…	2·0
			13·3

With a total complement of 674, it is not surprising that there are some vacancies, and I do not consider any special action by me is called for.

Rural Community Councils

asked the Secretary of State for Wales with whom the Development Commissioners are having discussions in Wales as to the future role of rural community councils in the Principality; and whether any report will be issued after consultations have been concluded.

An independent report has been prepared for the Development Commissioners as part of their current review of the work of the Rural Community Councils in England and Wales. Consultations are taking place with my Department and the Council of Social Service for Wales and Monmouthshire, as well as with the National Council of Social Service and the 12 Rural Community Councils in Wales. As a part of these consultations, a paper on the main findings of the report will shortly be circulated by the Development Commission to the organisations concerned.

Rate Rebates

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons in Wales have benefited by the Rate Rebate Scheme since its inception; what is the total amount in rebates; and how this compares with the amount under the Rating (Interim Relief) Act, 1964.

61,752 ratepayers in Wales received rebates in 1966–67, 54,010 in 1967–68 and 55,017 in 1968–69. The total amount of rebates for the three years was £2,267,187. Relief to individual ratepayers under the 1964 Act totalled £9,020.

Welsh Language

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many appointments in local government in Wales, during the last three years, have been advertised on the basis that a knowledge of the Welsh language was essential; and whether he will make a statement.

I regret that the information is not available. Each local authority is responsible for advertising appointments to its own staff.

Housing Improvementofficers

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many housing authorities in Wales have appointed improvement officers under the Housing Act, 1969; and what steps he has taken to encourage such appointments.

Housing authorities are not required under the Act to appoint improvement officers, nor to notify me if they do so. My Department does, however, take every opportunity of stressing to local authorities the desirability of nominating or appointing an officer with the specific duty of encouraging improvements. Three authorities are known to have done so and one has advertised the post.

Civil Servants

asked the Secretry of State for Wales what was the total number of civil servants employed in his Department in 1964, and the annual cost; and what were the figures on 31st December, 1968, and the relevant figures on 30th April, 1970.

The Welsh Office was not established until 1st April, 1965.The following is the other information requested; the staff figure for 1st April, 1970 is the most up to date available.

STAFF IN POST
	U.K. Based non-industrial	U.K. Based industrial
1st April, 1965	364	1
1st January, 1969	536	2
1st April, 1970	774^*	2

				Salaries and Related Costs on basis of Civil Estimates
1965–66	…	…	…	£529,000
1968–69	…	…	…	£838,000
1969–70	…	…	…	£1,347,000^*
^* Health and Tourism became the responsibility of the Welsh Office on 1st April, 1969.

Housing Subsidies, Conway

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimates he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents which would be needed for existing dwellings on the basis that housing subsidies to Conway Borough Council were abolished, except old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase in rents which would be needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.

I estimate from information supplied by the local authority that the cost to Conway Borough 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 8s. 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 of 42s. to 91s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range of 5s. to 7s. a week if pooled over the whole housing stock.

Local Authority Home Loans

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount available to local authorities for home loans in the County of Caernarvonshire in the financial years 1969–70 and 1970–71.

The total amounts available to local authorities for home loans in the County of Caernarvonshire in the financial years 1969–70 and 1970–71 are as follows:

1969–70	…	…	£117,570
1970–71	…	…	£315,926

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the amounts available to each of the urban districts and boroughs in the Conway division of Caernarvonshire in the financial years 1969–70 and 1970–71.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring in this Question to the amounts available for home loans to each of the urban districts and boroughs in the Conway constituency of Caernarvonshire in the financial years 1969–70 and 1970–71. The figures are as shown:

	1969–70	1970–71
	Allocation	Allocation
	£	£
Bangor B.C.	14,000	30,181
Conway B.C		^*
Bethesda U.D.C.	15,000	26,809
Betws-y-Coed U.D.C.		^*
Llandudno U.D.C.		10,000
Llanfairfechan U.D.C.	4,500	10,000
Penmaenmawr U.D.C.		10,000
Nant Conway R.D.C.		10,000
Ogwen R.D.C.		^*
		^*
^* No schemes for home loans are available. The County of Caernarvon itself operates no home loan scheme.

Local Authorities, Conway(Subsidies)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of central Government subsidies to local authorities in the Conway division of Caernarvonshire in the financial year 1963–64; what was the comparable figure in the last financial year; and what this represented as an average subsidy for each council house in these years.

I will write to my hon. Friend giving the information requested.

Volume 801: debated on Friday 15 May 1970

Written Answers To Questions

Northern Ireland

Agriculture, Fisheriesand Food

Food Prices

Civil Servants

Tinned And Packaged Soups

Farms, East Sussex

Sheep Rearing (Northern Ireland)

Skimmed Milk Powder

Horticulture

Glasshouse Industry

Chicken Carcases And Eggs (Viruses)

Milk (Average Price)

Marek's Disease

Warble Fly

Feedingstuffs, Northern Ireland(Cost)

Farms, Cornwall (Assistance)

Civil Service

Chairmen Of Public Boards (Salaryincreases)

Defence

Royal Navy Education Examination

Death Penalty

Barbed Wire (Loans)

Defence Establishmentswales (Cost)

Civil Servants

Arms Security Checks

Houses, Londonderry (Sale)

Education And Science

Education Services (Salaries)

School Transport, Pembroke

Primary Classes, Tees-Side

University Entrance (Qualifications)

Northmead School, Guildford

Immigrant Education Liaison Officers

Civil Servants

Examination Papers (Computerisedcorrecting)

Evening Institute Students

Graduate Teachers (Salaries)

Higher Education Students

University, Cornwall

Arts Council Aid, Cornwall

Export Marketing Studies (Grants)

Demonstrations (Students' Grants)

Schools, Portsmouth (Buildingdevelopment Costs)

New Schools

Primary School Classes, Warwick

Foreign And Commonwealthaffairs

Uganda (British Businesses)

Moroccan Minister For Foreign Affairs(Discussions)

British Council Libraries

Sudan (Relations)

Home Department

Ministers (Police Passes)

Diplomatic Missions(Traffic Offences)

Stolen Cars (Police Squads)

Police Fraud Squads

Police (Graduates)

Police Advisory Board

Police Recruits(Educational Attainments)

Immigrant Leaders (Consultation)

Police (Community Relationstraining)

Immigration

Police (Houses Of Parliament)

Civil Servants

Welsh Language

Offensive Material (Distribution)

Hollesley Bay Colony Borstal

Immigrant Children (Urban Programmeholiday Courses)

Northern Ireland (Britishstandard Time)

Electrical Appliances (Colour Code)

Petrol Bombs

Housing And Localgovernment

Greater London Development Plan(Inquiry)

Chronically Sick And Disabled People(Brighton)

Rate Rebates

Grants, Huddersfield

Colliery Shale Heaps(Rating)

Tub Closets, Huddersfield