asked the Minister of Aviation Supply if he will request the accountants investigating Rolls-Royce to discover what is the current number of firm orders by airlines for the Lockheed Tri-jet, excluding the number apportioned to Air Holdings Limited; and what is the number of such orders received in the past 12 months.

There is no need to ask the accountants. I am informed by Rolls-Royce that the number of firm orders by airlines for the Lockheed Tristar is 173, of which 29 are on Air Holdings Ltd.'s account.None of these orders has been placed in the past 12 months.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he is satisfied with the techniques of the Receiver of the Beagle Aircraft Company; what final decisions have been reached as to the winding-up of the company; what part of the assets have been sold; what is the present position of the sub-contracting division at Shoreham-by-Sea; and what has been the cost to date to public funds of the work of the Receiver and his staff.

I have confidence in the professional competence of the chartered accountant appointed as receiver, manager and liquidator of Beagle Aircraft Limited. I understand that in order to wind up the company's affairs to the best advantage it has not yet proved possible to reach final decisions but that meanwhile the factory at Rearsby has been closed down and its assets sold, all rights in the Bulldog and other Beagle aircraft have been sold to Scottish Aviation Limited, and a considerable quantity of work in progress has been completed and delivered against prior contracts. The sub-contracting division at Shoreham-by-Sea is being maintained in operation pending conclusion of negotiations for disposal. The remuneration of the re- ceiver, manager and liquidator will be determined in due course in conformity with recognised practice in these matters; to date no payment has been made out of public funds.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply what research is being carried out within his Department on the effects of supersonic aircraft such as Concorde at stratospheric levels, with particular reference to the lasting adverse effects of engine emissions.

Research into the effect of pollution on the upper atmosphere is undertaken by the Meteorogical Office. The available evidence indicates that exhaust gases from supersonic aircraft are unlikely to have any measurable effect on global temperature or climate.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many supersonic test flights by Concorde over Cornwall are envisaged; and over what period will these flights take place.

Forty to fifty flights, including those that have already taken place, are envisaged over the next three years.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many complaints regarding the supersonic testing of Concorde over Cornwall had been received at the latest date of collation.

The Department had received 313 complaints and 119 claims for damage from Cornwall by 16th November, 1970.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many complaints, and up to what date, concerning the supersonic testing of Concorde over Cornwall have been received from the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of his constituents.

My hon. Friend has notified me by 16th November of 156 complaints he had received about these tests. Seventy-six of these complaints were in the form of letters which were forwarded to my Department.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many letters supporting Concorde supersonic test programme have been received from people living directly beneath, or immediately adjacent to, the flight path; and up to what date these figures relate.

By 16th November three such letters had been received.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply if he will examine the possibility of a more extensive and accurate early warning system to advise the public of Concorde's supersonic tests, by greater use of the medium-wave and long-wave services of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

In addition to giving 24 hours' advance warning of when flights may be expected, the British Aircraft Corporation will in future inform B.B.C. regional radio stations in the areas concerned when Concorde has taken off for a supersonic flight on the west coast route. I hope this will provide a more accurate warning.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply if he will initiate an immediate social survey in the areas affected by supersonic test flights of Concorde to establish the difference between public reaction to tests as a temporary inconvenience and general reaction to the prospect of scheduled supersonic flights over land.

A survey of reactions to Concorde test flights already being undertaken covers the point that my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will allocate more Parliamentary time for the Secretary of State for the Environment to give oral answers to Questions in view of the curtailment of the time previously available for Questions on housing and local government, transport, and public building and works, which has followed upon the reorganisation of Government Departments.

asked the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received from hon. Members about the Order of Questions from 27th October to 24th December.

I suggest we give the roster a trial, though I am, of course, willing to consider, through the usual channels, changes if that proves to be the general wish. In reply to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars), I have not received any other representations.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will recommend to the House that an admission charge be made to visitors to the Strangers' Gallery of the House of Commons.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether as the Government have agreed to pay up to £3,000 to £4,000 per annum extra salaries to higher-paid civil servants and others in receipt of salaries of up to £20,000 per annum, he will increase the pay of all the House of Commons staffs by 43 per cent.

No. There are well-established procedures for ensuring that the rates of pay of the staff of the House are linked to the rates of pay of comparable grades in the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether in view of his decision to encourage the sale of existing new town houses to their tenants, he will take steps to encourage the sale of commercial and industrial land in new towns to its users.

My right hon. Friend will consent to sales of industrial and commercial land where that is the most businesslike way for new town corporations to pursue their objectives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue further directions to local housing authorities on the policy to be followed in allocating council houses.

My right hon. Friend is in consultation with the local authority associations about the issue of further guidance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in his restructuring of council house subsidies, he will give an assurance that all existing subsidy arrangements will be carried out.

The existing distribution of subsidies is not compatible with a reformed system of housing finance under which the rents of council dwellings will be based on the fair rents principle with generous rebates for those tenants who cannot afford the full fair rent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for how long restoration work has been going on at St. Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury; when it will be completed; and what the total cost will be.

Work started in 1957 and will be completed next year at a total cost of some £40,000. Extensive and intricate repairs have had to be undertaken and progress has been hampered by the exceptionally exposed and isolated nature of this hilltop site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to take steps to remove from the Rent Act, 1968 properties with a rateable value of over £250 in London and £150 outside London.

My right hon. Friend will wish to consider the report by the Committee on the Rent Act, chaired by Mr. Hugh Francis, Q.C., before deciding whether any change in the present rateable value limits is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to provide for the sale of council houses by local authorities which have policies opposed to this.

My right hon. Friend has no power of compulsion in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the number of houses built to date in the private and public sectors, respectively, this year; what is his revised estimate for total construction in the current year; and how this compares with the previous two years.

From the beginning of January to the end of September this year, 133,000 public sector and 123,700 private sector dwellings were completed in Great Britain.The overall total of completions in 1970 is likely to be rather lower than the 1969 figure of 366,800 and well below the 413,700 completed in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now introduce amending legislation to ensure that local authorities demolish housing blocks and rows of houses in single streets only when they have been completely vacated.

I do not think that it would be wise to have an invariable rule of this kind, and I am confident that authorities in general do their best to avoid harsh treatment on the one hand and danger or vandalism on the other. I am examining the case which my hon. Friend put before me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to protect tenants from fire risks in multi-accommodated properties; and what measures he proposes to give local authorities and fire service inspectors greater powers to enforce standards in such properties that will reduce fire risk to a minimum, provide adequate alarm facilities, and easy escape equipment.

Housing authorities already have power under the Housing Acts to require provision of means of escape from fire in houses in multiple occupation or closure of part of such a house if the provision of means to escape should prove too expensive. My right hon. Friend has no proposals for further measures at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has been having with the County Councils Association in the light of problems arising from the development of premises for intensive animal husbandry permitted by Class VI (i) of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1963; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newark (Mr. Bishop) on 30th October. It would not be appropriate to say anything at this juncture on proposals made by one of the bodies invited to comment. I do, however, appreciate my hon. Friend's concern and I assure him that the review of the General Development Order is proceeding as expeditiously as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to prevent improvements made to existing houses from raising the rateable value of such houses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Sir C. Taylor) on 27th October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people benefit from rate subsidies; what is the total value of this subsidy to the latest available date; and what proposals he has to give further publicity to the scheme.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the rate rebate scheme. In England and Wales just over 800,000 householders benefited in 1969–70, and over the 4 years of the scheme a total of over £52 million has been allowed in rebates. The increase in income limits operative from 1st October will benefit a larger number of householders in future. My Department have recently distributed in mass, to local authorities, post offices and voluntary organisations the explanatory leaflts and posters. As a research project, my right hon. Friend intends to organise a concentrated publicity campaign in one local authority area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now appoint a date as required by Section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, concerning the issue of a badge which will enable parking facilities for the disabled.

Consultations upon the Government's proposals for the provisions of the regulations governing the issue and use of the new badges are now being held with the local authority associations and organisations representing disabled persons. An order bringing Section 21 into force will be made as soon as finality is reached on those consultations and the regulations are ready for introduction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will, in consultation with local authorities, initiate a study to examine the practicability of permanent savings in local authority operations shown to be possible as a result of strike conditions.

I am already in touch with local authorities about the need to achieve all possible operational economies through modern management techniques, particularly work-study.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what precautions are taken to ensure that resurfaced trunk roads are properly compacted before being reopened to traffic.

Maintenance of trunk roads is undertaken on my behalf by local highway authorities who, with my agreement, adopt specifications and standards of work which provide for adequate compaction of resurfaced roads before they are reopened to traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what technical experts he has on his staff with regard to running track construction and maintenance; and whether he will offer assistance to Worksop Borough Council concerning the maintenance problems at their sports centre.

I receive advice on such matters from the Technical Unit for Sport, which, if requested by the council, will be glad to offer whatever help it can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take the necessary steps to secure that pensions and allowances paid under the war pensions scheme are no longer treated as income for the purpose of deciding eligibility for rate rebates.

This point will be considered in the current review of local government finance, which includes an examination of the rating system. In the meantime I do not think it would be advisable to make further changes in the rate rebate scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that the recent public service dispute has shown that the issue of bags for refuse collection is more hygienic, cheaper and speedier; and whether he will send out a circular advising all local authorities to adopt the system whereby dustmen take and deliver bags, obviating the necessity of having to travel back from their vans to ratepayers' premises to return the emptied dustbin.

The adoption of a particular system for house-to-house collection of refuse is for the local authority to decide but copies of the 1967 report of the Working Party on Refuse Collection, which referred to these paper bags and plastic bags for such collection, were sent to all local authorities with a circular from my Department (No. 34/67) recommending the Working Party's conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the evidence submitted to him regarding the maladministration and inefficiency of the Greater London Council, he will give the reasons why he will not introduce legislation to abolish the present Greater London Council and restore the former London County Council.

No evidence has been submitted to my right hon. Friend which could possibly justify the abolition of the Greater London Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what targets he intends to adopt for the clearance of derelict land following his consideration of the matter.

We intend to give every encouragement to local authorities in the priority areas to clear derelict land as soon as possible. We intend as part of our regional policy to step up activity in this sphere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether decisions have yet been reached about providing better arrangements for compensating householders and shopkeepers whose property suffers substantial loss in value owing to highway and other development in its immediate vicinity.

I would refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. David Stoddart) on 10th November that we are comprehensively reviewing the compensation code.—[Vol. 806, c. 102.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many smoke control orders have been withdrawn or suspended; and what reasons have been given by local health authorities.

None has been withdrawn. By 13th November, 466 orders had been suspended in whole or in part. The reason, in each case, was local shortage of solid smokeless fuel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ensure that the investigation into the proposed Thames Flood Barrier at Silver-town Reach, Woolwich will include detailed studies on the possible effects of the barrier on flooding in areas downstream of the site.

Detailed studies have been made of the effects of the closure of a barrier at different stages of the tide on river levels at all places downstream. The information gained is being used by the Essex and Kent River Authorities and the Greater London Council in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in considering the design standard of any works necessary in their areas, either as a consequence of, or associated with, the operation of a Thames flood barrier.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the duties of his Department with regard to the environmental problems created by military establishments;(2) which Minister in his Department is responsible for the environmental problems caused by military establishments.

If the matter is one of river pollution or air pollution I am responsible. If the hon. Member cares to let me know of any specific aspect he has in mind I will gladly give him a specific reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to permit the use of lorries and trailers weighing up to 56 tons on British roads, bearing in mind their effect on the environment and on aspects of health, pollution and damage to buildings; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to make an announcement in the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to the port of Liverpool.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport Industries has made a number of visits to the port and expects to make another visit soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government has for the construction of a tunnel between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will explain the reason for the delay in the construction of a pelican crossing on the A18 at Edenthorpe, about which the hon. Member for Don Valley has already written to him.

I am writing to the hon. Member explaining this delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received representations from the Fife and Kinross Concessionary Bus Fares Working Party requesting his assistance in arranging a meeting between the Scottish Bus Group and the Working Party to discuss the implementation of a concessionary fares scheme for Fife; and when he intends to reply.

The Department has now written to the county council in answer to its representations of August, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to bring about international standards in the field of motor vehicle design and manufacture.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 30th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet).—[Vol. 805, c. 220.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to standardise on motor vehicle paint colouring known to reduce the risk of accidents.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the number of fatal and serious accidents in 1968 and 1969 which involved vehicles crossing the central reservations on motorways.

Following are the figures for the 55 miles of the London-Birmingham section of the M1 without a central barrier; information for the rest of the motorway system is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will do away with amber lights at automatic traffic controls as is the practice in many other countries.

No. The general experience of continental countries is that amber lights are an aid to safety. Con- tinental signals without amber lights are gradually being replaced in accordance with the Vienna convention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware of the large number of oil and paraffin lorries which are untaxed, uninsured, with defective brakes and tyres and leaking oil making retail deliveries to households; and whether he will take action to ensure that such vehicles are periodically checked and inspected on a similar basis to the London taxis.

I have no evidence to support the first part of the hon. Member's Question. The answer to the second part is "No"

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many autistic children there are in Scotland; how many of them are receiving specialist treatment and teaching in autistic units; how many are in mental institutions; how many remain in their own homes without specialist treatment; and what steps he intends to take towards improving educational facilities for these children.

Information about the numbers of autistic children has not hitherto been collected centrally but I have asked education authorities to include it in their statistical return for 1970–71. Responsibility for identifying such children and for ensuring that they are appropriately treated rests with education authorities or, where the handicap is very severe, with the social work departments of local authorities. I have no reason to suppose that they are not carrying out this duty.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure full implementation of the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970.

Guidance has been issued to local authorities and hospital authorities, and further circulars are in course of preparation on the sections of the Act which are my concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional financial provision is being allocated to primary school building.

The total amount of capital investment for school building to start in 1972–73 is being increased by £4 million. The whole of this sum will be used for the provision of additional places to enable primary school class sizes to be reduced and for the improvement and replacement of primary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional administrative costs will be involved in the National Health Service in Scotland as a result of increased prescription charges.

There will be some expense arising from the increase of prescription charges to 4s. on printing of forms and notices. As most of these would have had to be reprinted because of decimalisation the additional cost due to the increased charge will be minimal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average cost of individual items on each prescription dispensed in 1965 and in each subsequent year to the present date.

The Report on Health Services in Scotland in 1969 contains figures of the average cost for the years 1965 to 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made in the reduction of milk sales as a result of Her Majesty's Government's decisions to withdraw the subsidy on welfare milk and the abolition of school milk for children over 7 years of age in primary schools.

While I would expect some reduction during the course of 1971–72, it is too soon for it yet to be possible to make a forecast of the amount.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present cost of the subsidy payable on cheap welfare milk in Scotland; what will be the total saving involved in its elimination; and what representations he has had on the matter from teachers and medical organisations.

£3·4 million a year. In addition, free welfare milk is supplied at present at a cost of £900,000. With the raising of the income level for entitlement to free milk, the cost of such supplies is expected to rise to about £1·3 million. The net annual saving will therefore be some £3 million.I have received no representations from teachers or medical organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance will be available in the future to local authorities taking part in the overspill housing programme.

The provisions under the 1957 Act governing town development schemes and the grant which they earn are unchanged. Until the local authority associations have been consulted I cannot give details of the refashioned housing subsidies.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much he estimates municipal house rents will rise in the City of Aberdeen in order to reach an economic rent level; and over how long a period he expects this rise to take place.

The movement of rents to the levels announced by the Government will depend on the outcome of consultations with the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if under his new proposals, the fair rent for council tenants and those of private landlords will be determined by the rent officer or by the local authority.

Fair rents in the private sector will be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Rent Act, 1965. For the present it is not practicable to apply these provisions to council houses in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for encouraging Lanarkshire County Council to demolish old property in areas where there is need to do so; and if he will make a statement.

Under our proposed reform of housing finance, special assistance will be given towards the high cost of slum clearance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will raise the amount of grant for crofters building their own houses.

I am considering representations which have been made by the crofters unions in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will approve outstanding schemes of public works in the Western Isles to relieve the unemployment situation.

I have brought forward four improvement schemes on principal roads, costing £52,000: and work has recently started on a large road improvement scheme which will also provide more jobs. I am dealing urgently with applications for approval of other public works schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for the Government to bear a further share of the costs borne by those local authorities in Scotland who have schemes for granting concessionary fares to retired people; and if he will make a statement.

The terms on which local authorities bear the cost of schemes for concessionary fares are governed by the relevant provisions of the Transport Act, 1968. There are no proposals to amend these.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much is currently paid by central Government to Lanark County Council for housing purposes; and what is his estimate of the housing grant to be given as a result of the refashioning of the system of subsidies and rents.

£1,651,844 was paid to Lanark County Council in 1969–70.Estimates cannot be made for individual authorities under revised arrangements until these have been finalised in consultation with the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much is currently paid by central Government to Rutherglen Town Council for housing purposes; and what is his estimate of the housing grant to be given as a result of his decision to refashion the present system of subsidies.

£157,471 was paid to Rutherglen Town Council in 1966–70.Estimates cannot be made for individual authorities under revised arrangements until these have been finalised in consultation with the local authorities.

asked the Secretery of State for Scotland what consultations have now taken place with local authorities regarding cuts in housing subsidies.

Consultations with the local authority associations will start shortly on our proposals to change the structure of housing finance.These proposals are being made, not in order to cut subsidies, but to direct them in future to those in need.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, before announcing new charges for hospital-supplied appliances, he will consult the appropriate medical organisation and hospital authorities.

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Roger White) on 28th October.—[Vol. 805, c. 153–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of rebates to private sector tenants he estimates is to be met by a contribution of rates in the City of Aberdeen; and if he will express this as a rate at current poundage.

This will depend on the outcome of our consultations with local authority associations. As was made clear in the statement in the House on 3rd November the Government will meet the greater part of the cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each sheriff court district in Scotland for the last year or some other convenient period the number of applications for legal aid in criminal cases which was received, the number of such applications granted, and the percentage which the number granted bears to the number of applications.

The relevant figures for the period 1st April, 1969 to 31st March, 1970 are given below. These figures relate to applications for legal aid in connection with both summary proceedings and proceedings on indictments.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what research and inquiries into land use are being carried out currently by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

A study is being carried out jointly by my Department, the Department for the Environment and the local authorities to produce a standard land use classification for all departments and authorities having an interest in land. It is hoped that this will eventually make it practicable to arrange that all information about land use is comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the increased number of legal personnel and sheriff court sittings, he will appoint a sheriff principal exclusively for the county of Lanark; and if he will make a statement.

I have no power to recommend such an appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will allow local education authorities to continue to provide non-vocational courses in further education centres at the present concession fees to retirement pensioners.

Yes. It is the responsibility of individual education authorities to determine the fees for non-vocational courses in their respective areas and to make what concessions seem to them appropriate for particular groups of students.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to prevent those practices of collusive tendering for public building contracts which were condemned by the Restrictive Practices Court last July; and what evidence is available to him that such practices have been engaged in over the last 10 years.

I have no evidence of such practices in tendering for public building and civil engineering contracts in Scotland. I have recommended to regional hospital boards an improvement in their existing safeguards against such practices and I intend to consult the other public bodies for which I have responsibility about the desirability of similar action in their fields.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement in respect of the future of industrial development certificates.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30th October in reply to a question by the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars).—[Vol. 805, c. 236.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he proposes to administer the granting of industrial development certificates for the purpose of attracting new industries to the development areas.

We will administer the control so as to encourage mobile projects to locate in the development and intermediate areas wherever possible and take advantage of the incentives available there.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many redundant miners over 55 years of age are in receipt of benefit under the 1967 Coal Act in the Morpeth constituency and in England, Scotland, and Wales, respectively.

In England, Scotland and Wales on 26th September, 1970, the numbers of redundant mineworkers age 55 and over in receipt of benefit under Section 3 of the Coal Industry Act, 1967, were 18,531, 2,161 and 2,998 respectively. These figures are not maintained on a constituency basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for the intensification of industrial training programmes in the North-East.

I have been asked to reply.More training places are being provided at the five Government training centres in the North-East and a new centre is to be opened at Middlesbrough in the spring of 1971. Training facilities in the North-East will also be increased by the new measures announced by my right hon. Friend in his reply to the hon. Member for the High Peak (Mr. Le Marchant) on 4th November.—[Vol. 805, c. 383–4.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the evasion of the Beira blockade of a shipment of ammonia to Rhodesia; and what steps he intends to take to improve the naval establishment in the area to prevent future evasions.

The Beira patrol exists to prevent shipments of oil destined for Rhodesia reaching the port of Beira. It is not concerned with other cargoes.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if the pay ledger account sheet/transfer list on which is stated the date of discharge of men from the Royal Navy and which is not accepted either as proof of final discharge or final payment, will be replaced by a document that is accepted as proof of final discharge and payment by social security employment officers, in view of the fact that the present system causes delay in discharged men obtaining social security benefits.

No. Although the pay ledger account sheet does not of itself provide this evidence, this and other documents given to Royal Naval personnel on discharge provide all the evidence required to prove that they have been discharged and are entitled to claim any appropriate social security benefits.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the fire at Gordon Barracks, Gillingham, on 30th October.

A fire which occurred at about 2 a.m. on 30th October, 1970 at Gordon Barracks, Gillingham, destroyed a wood-framed hutment. Seventeen soldiers were sleeping in the part of this which was in use, but they all evacuated the bulding without injury. The fire started in the unoccupied part of the hutment and its cause is being investigated.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the rule concerning the flying of flags and standards from Government House, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland; what flags and standards can be displayed; and on what days and hours they have to be displayed.

This building may fly the Royal Standard and the Union Flag during the hours of daylight on appropriate occasions. In addition, personal standards may be flown by the Governor while in residence and by a visiting member of the Royal Family in the absence of Her Majesty.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement of policy for improving arrangements for the periodic revision of public service pensions, with special reference to the parity principle and the needs of retired officers of the armed forces and their widows.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my statement yesterday.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give, in addition to the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Parliamentary Commissioner, a detailed list of civil servants and other State employees, on salaries of £3,500 per annum or more, who will between 1st November, 1970 and January, 1971 receive a 40 per cent. increase.

No employees in receipt of salaries for which the Government are responsible have been awarded an increase of 40 per cent. between 1st November, 1970 and January, 1971.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give in detail particulars of all civil servants and employees of the State, chairmen of nationalised boards, &c., who were on 6th November in receipt of salaries in excess

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give the average cumulative increases paid to the higher paid civil servants and chairmen of nationalised boards since October, 1964 and his estimate of the increase

The Prime Minister's salary was raised to its present level on 1st April, 1965. No civil servants were on 6th November in receipt of higher salaries than the Prime Minister. For information concerning chairmen, deputy chairmen and members of the main nationalised boards I would refer to my reply to the hon. Member's Question of 10th November. Other posts in receipt of salaries for which the Government are responsible, and which are higher than that paid to the Prime Minister, are:necessary in the salary of the Prime Minister to give him a similar increase.

The average increase in salaries of the higher Civil Service and chairmen of the main nationalised boards from October, 1964 to the present was about 39 per cent. in both cases. The Prime Minister's salary was increased by 40 per cent. with effect from 1st April, 1965, and no further increase would therefore be required to meet the terms of the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether, in view of the various increases in the salaries of chairmen of State boards up to the present £17,500 per annum and the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase on 1st January, 1971 up to £20,000 per annum;(2) whether, in view of the various increases in salaries of the chairmen of nationalised boards now in receipt of £15,000 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase on 1st January, 1971 to £17,000 per annum.

As I told the hon. Gentleman on 3rd November, the Government have no intention of reconsidering these increases.—[Vol. 805, c. 326.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of Deputy Secretaries in the Civil Service were raised on 1st July, 1970 from £7,100 per annum to £8,050 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase of such salaries up to £9,000 per annum on 1st January, 1971;(2) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of the Head of the Civil Service, the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, and the Secretary to the Cabinet were raised on 1st July, 1970 from £10,400 per annum to £12,700 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower paid to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase of such salaries up to £15,000 per annum on 1st January, 1971;(3) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service were rasied on 1st July, 1970, from £9,800 per annum to £11,900 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase of such salaries up to £14,000 per annum on 1st January, 1971;(4) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of Under Secretaries in the Civil Service were raised on 1st July, 1970 from £6,000 per annum to £6,510, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint on the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase up to £6,750 per annum on 1st January, 1971.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, as a means of combating inflation, he will take steps to reduce all State and Civil Service salaries of £10,000 per annum and above by 10 per cent.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why the Government's most recent policy of calling for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to prevent inflation is not being applied so far as the higher-paid civil servants and State board employees are concerned; and whether he will therefore take steps to stop the recently announced 43 per cent. increase in the pay of civil servants on £10,000 per annum.

The recently-announced pay increases for higher civil servants and nationalised industries board members reflect salary movements since the last increases for these groups in September, 1965, and April, 1964, respectively. The salary levels to be implemented for the Higher Civil Service from January, 1971, are those recommended by the independent Standing Advisory Committee on the pay of the Higher Civil Service as appropriate to the circumstances of mid-1969. The increases for chairmen and members of nationalised boards are those recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in its Report No. 107 of April, 1969.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give, for the latest convenient stated date, the total costs per annum of all Ministerial and junior Ministerial salaries and expenses, the Ministerial car service, the cost of houses and flats and services where provided, and the saving to the Exchequer on the basis that all of these ancillary benefits are taxed at the normal rates of taxation.

The total annual cost of Ministerial salaries is currently £485,975; the estimated annual cost of providing official cars for the use of Ministers is £160,000; the approximate annual cost of official residences occupied by Ministers is £11,500. I regret that the information about Ministerial expenses

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make available the conciliation services of his Department to resolve the industrial dispute involving drivers employed by Spencer Abbott of Birmingham, in view of the hardship caused by the resulting difficulties in delivery of boiler fuel.

The dispute affecting drivers employed by Spencer Abbott & Co. Ltd., involves a union claim for replacement of bonus payments by overtime payments and for an increase in the basic weekly rate from £21 10s. to £28 5s. I understand that the company has offered an increase on the basic rate of £3 15s. per week and that it

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males and females over and under 18 years of age were registered at employment exchanges in the Scottish regions and sub-regions, respectively, at the latest convenient date; and what these figures represent as a percentage of the insurable population.

Following is the information for the planning regions of Scotland:regards the union's claim as exorbitant. In these circumstances I do not propose that my Department should intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will provide finance to enable the Construction Industry Training Board to repay its outstanding commitments immediately.

The board is considering other steps to overcome its present financial difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date he anticipates publishing the report and accounts of the Construction Industry Training Board for the year ended 30th March, 1970.

It is expected that the report and accounts will be published on 17th December, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether those firms which are owed grants by the Construction Industry Training Board, and which are now faced with further levy demands, may offset the former against the latter.

I understand that the Construction Industry Training Board has already announced that it is considering the possibility of an offsetting arrangement on the lines suggested by the hon. Member, coupled with the payment of grant by instalments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the number of official and unofficial strikes, respectively, of which his Department had information in 1968, 1969 and to the latest available date in 1970.

Separate estimates are available only for stoppages known to have been official. The great majority of the remainder would have been unofficial.Following is the information available:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware of the number of cases of people over 50 years of age who may have served in a firm for 12 years or more, having to be given notice through ill-health and thereby forfeiting their right to redundancy payment and possible schemes for benefit one retirement; and whether he will amend his regulations to provide that a percentage of redundancy payment can be made to them.

As I explained on 12th November in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Greville Janner), I do not think it would appropriate to make payments under the Redundancy Payments Scheme to employees who are dismissed in such circumstances.—[Vol. 806, c. 587.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to extend the scope of Remploy to provide additional sheltered employment in areas affected by pit closures.

Remploy's scope already extends to such provision; for example, 85 ex-miners are employed at the Ashington factory.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what conditions he has laid down to both sides of industry regarding the use of the conciliation machinery of his Department; and in what circumstances he is prepared to withhold this device in a dispute.

The power to offer conciliation is discretionary. Each request for conciliation will, as previously, be considered in the light of all the factors involved. No general criteria have been laid down.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the average payment received by dustmen employed by local authorities during the week commencing 9th November in places where, as a result of the recent strike, they receive extra amounts for doing the work which they did not do whilst on strike.

I have been asked to reply.None; this is a matter for the local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make arrangements for the translation, as soon as practicable, of major policy documents of the European Economic Community during the period of the negotiations on the British application for entry to the Community.