asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends not to extend the import levy system to pigs and pigmeat as long as imports of bacon are regulated by the Bacon Market Sharing Understanding and as long as the United Kingdom is virtually self-sufficient in pork.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 4th December.—[Vol. 807, c. 495.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an up-to-date assessment of the losses caused by the fowlpest epidemic; and if he will now set up an independent inquiry into the causes and consequences of the present outbreak, including the advisability of using live vaccine.

By 13th January there were 3,938 outbreaks involving flocks with about 26½ million birds. No information is available on the number of birds which have died from the disease but in some flocks which have not been properly vaccinated losses have been high. I am not satisfied that an inquiry would be justified.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply why Stansted has ceased to be acceptable for the training of pilots for the British Overseas Airways Corporation; and if he will state the requirements that have necessitated the transfer to Thurleigh.

In the past B.O.A.C. has used both Stansted and Thurleigh for part of its training programme. In the future more will be done at Thurleigh and less at Stansted. Thurleigh is more suitable because of the difficulty of fitting in training flights with commercial operations at Stansted.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply what is the size of the training school at present stationed at Stansted that is intended to be moved to Thurleigh; and by what date the transfer will be completed.

There are no plans to transfer any training school to Thurleigh.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he envisages any alterations or extensions to existing runways at Thurleigh to facilitate the training of pilots belonging to the British Overseas Airways Corporation and other airlines; how many additional units of housing will be required to accommodate the pilots and staff; and where these will be located.

No alterations or extensions to existing runways are envisaged. No additional units of housing will be required since no B.O.A.C. staff or pilots will be stationed at Thurleigh.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether it is proposed to add to the acreage already held by the Government at Thurleigh either by the acquisition or leasing of additional farm land.

There is no present intention or foreseeable need to acquire additional land at Thurleigh.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how the assignment of additional training facilities at Thurleigh will fit in with the existing defence establishments and defence requirements of the area.

The normal research and development programme of the establishment will take precedence.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply in view of the Roskill Commission's Report that the Third London Airport should not be located at Thurleigh, whether he will reconsider locating the new wind tunnels at that site, or whether tenders have been accepted for building them at Farnborough.

Only one new wind tunnel is in the planning stage at present. Tenders for its construction at Farnborough have been accepted.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply if he will indicate the measurement of noise likely to be experienced when the transfer of the pilots' training school has been completed at the following towns and villages, Bedford, Thurleigh, Milton Ernest, Riseley, Pavenham, Oakley, Sharnbrook, Bolnhurst, Keysoe and Pertenhall and give comparative figures of the noise from aircraft now being experienced in these areas.

No training school is being transferred. The additional training flights will result in an increase from a current 30,000 aircraft movements to 40,000 per annum. There will be an increase in flying activity between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturdays. Noise contours are in course of preparation, and at this stage it is impossible to quantify noise levels for the 10 places mentioned in the Question. None of B.O.A.C.'s aircraft has noise levels higher than those of aircraft currently using the airfield.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he is prepared to give an assurance that Thurleigh will not be used for commercial flying by international airlines on regular routes but will be confined to the training of pilots, general research and development and defence purposes.

There are at present no plans for the use of Thurleigh as a commercial airport. It will be understood that Government have not yet reached any decision on the recommendations of the Roskill Commission.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply if he will state the number of movements likely to be attained at Thurleigh by June, 1972, measured at an annual rate; and how this compares with the number of movements experienced at Stansted at the present time.

Movements at Thurleigh are expected to reach an annual rate of 40,000 in June, 1972, compared with a current annual rate at Stansted which I understand to be about 44,500 (calendar year 1970).

asked the Minister of State for Defence what representations had been made to the Army for protection by or on behalf of Mr. Andrew Jardin who was recently shot dead in his home at Hannahstown, Belfast; and why the protection was not forthcoming.

No such representations were made to the Army by, or on behalf of, Mr. Jardin.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what reports he has had from the Army of armed uniformed members of the Irish Republican Army, which is outlawed in Northern Ireland, parading at Milltown burial grounds, Belfast, recently; and why no arrests were made.

None. The question of arrests in such circumstances would in any case be a matter for the R.U.C.

asked the Minister of State for Defence to what extent his Department's proposal to transfer the artillery range from Shoeburyness to Royal Air Force, Pembrey, is dependent upon a Government decision to develop Foulness as a third London airport; and if he will list the other reasons for the proposed transfer.

As was made clear to the Roskill Commission and at the public inquiry in Wales last year into the Ministry of Defence's proposals for Pembrey, the growth of air traffic over South-Eastern England is likely in any event to cause the closure of the Shoeburyness Range in due course. On that basis, a decision to build a third London Airport at Foulness would merely advance the date of that closure.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will give, for each of the calendar months in 1970, the rise or fall in the numbers of men and personnel in the Armed Forces, and the rise or fall in the costs of the defence budget for these stated months.

The month-by-month variations in the strength of the Armed Forces during 1970 were as follows. The figures are for United Kingdom personnel only, all ranks, both sexes.

		Rise of fall compared with previous month
31st December, 1969	376,284
31st January, 1970	376,239	-45
28th February, 1970	374,159	-2,080
31st March, 1970	373,010	-1,149
30th April, 1970	371,790	-1,220
31st May, 1970	372,160	+370
30th June, 1970	371,217	-943
31st July, 1970	369,573	-1,644
31st August, 1970	368,429	-1,144
30th September, 1970	370,772	+2,343
31st October, 1970	372,517	+1,745
30th November, 1970	371,235	-1,282

asked the Minister of State for Defence why, in view of the fact that they were not employed on military services, the cost of the labour of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men engaged on clearing refuse for the Tower Hamlets Council was not charged against this council for the 308¼ manhours that they were engaged; and whether in future when Servicemen are used for such purposes he will take steps to ensure that the employers who benefit from the use of such labour pay the full and inclusive cost.

In charging local authorities for the help of the Armed Services in these circumstances, it has been for many years the practice only to consider the extra costs. The local authorities do not save money by the use of troops. The charge is either the extra costs incurred by the Ministry of Defence or the full cost that the local authority would otherwise have paid, whichever is the greater. In this case the former applied.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will review the amount of land at present being held for training purposes by the Service Departments in this country.

The terms of reference of the committee set up to review defence land holdings include training areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on his future policy towards grants to passenger transport authorities.

I have no plans to alter my existing policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's intention regarding the construction of a Channel Tunnel.

I hope to be able to make a statement before long.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is being conducted into the causes of lorries overturning on curves, especially in relation to the speed of the vehicle and the weight and height of the load.

Government-supported research of the kind described is being conducted by the Motor Industry Research Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish the recommendations of the Working Party on Street Name Plates and House Numbering which reported in 1968.

I do not propose to publish the report of the working party. Comprehensive advice has already been issued to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are making a loss on the operation of meter parking schemes; and if he will give their names.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents to motor vehicles involving death and serious injury occurred on the five-mile section of road Al between South Mimms and Hatfield during 1970; and how many drivers and passengers were killed or seriously injured

Accidents to motor vehicles from January to November, 1970, inclusive were two fatal, 17 serious injury; involving three fatalities and 20 persons seriously injured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment the estimated number of persons engaging in labour-only sub-contracting in the construction industry in the United Kingdom at the present time.

I refer to the hon. Member to my reply on 16th December to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Boyden).—[Vol. 808, c. 342]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Service voters he estimates were registered on the electoral roll in each of the last four years.

For the United Kingdom: 230,549 in 1967; 225,278 in 1968; 210,886 in 1969; and 142,189 in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken, or intends taking, to publicise the fact that since 1st January, 1971, traffic wardens are empowered to issue an automatic ticket fine of £2 sterling for the non-display of a current Road Fund licence; and whether he will seek to keep separate records to show the number of such cases reported and the fines imposed and/or collected for convenient stated periods.

My right hon. Friend notified the Press, in the usual way, of the Parliamentary progress of the Statutory Instrument extending traffic wardens' functions. He will consider whether, for future years, he would be justified in extending the statistics available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will relate the costs of naturalisation to the income of applicants.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will reduce the cost of obtaining British naturalisation.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will make the necessary arrangements for the review body to be appointed to inquire into the salaries, conditions of service and pension rights of Members of Parliament to be furnished with all of the answers to various Parliamentary Questions on these subjects, giving answers which show the changing value of Members' salaries, both in purchasing power and in comparison with other salaries.

The Office of Manpower Economics which will provide the secretariat to the Review Body will be fully equipped to make inquiries into all matters relevant to the Review Body's work. The Government will consider nearer the time what evidence it may wish to present to the Review Body.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what rules govern the use of National Health Service facilities in hospitals by private practice consultants.

The position is governed by sections 1 and 2 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968. I am sending the hon. Member copies of hospital memoranda relating to these sections.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the Junior Hospital Doctors Association about the use of National Health Service facilities in hospitals; and what reply he has sent.

I have recently received an open letter from the Chairman of the Junior Hospital Doctors Section of the Medical Practitioners Union making allegations about abuse of the National Health Service by some consultants in the interests of their private patients. I shall be replying to it and will send the hon. Member a copy of my reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will review, with a view to amending legislation, the assumption that if a person claiming supplementary benefit has capital of £2,000 he can obtain from it an income of £7 a week.

No. The treatment of capital under the Ministry of Social Security Act does not rest on the assumption that any particular income can be obtained from it. The notional income taken into account from sums over £800 is set at a higher level than the capital would normally earn on the principle that capital over that amount should, if necessary, be drawn upon to some extent for living expenses before supplementary benefit becomes payable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give, for each of the calendar months of 1970, the monies spent on the National Health Service, the total staffs employed and the number of new hospitals commenced and completed; and to what extent wage and salary costs rose during the same stated monthly dates due to increases in the number of staffs employed or to adjustments in actual salary and wage scales.

I regret that complete information is not available. The following figures show, for England, the total estimated monthly expenditure on central administration, the Hospital etc. Services, the Executive Council Services and the Miscellaneous Health and Welfare Services from October, 1969, to September, 1970. (No comparable figures are available for Local Health Services):

	£million
October, 1969	83
November, 1969	89
December, 1969	112
January, 1969	90
February, 1970	94
March, 1970	115
April, 1970	101
May, 1970	107
June, 1970	118
July, 1970	117
August, 1970	101
September, 1970	124
Total	1,251

No monthly staff figures are available but the numbers of staff directly employed, excluding those employed by local health authorities, at the beginning and end of the above period were 534,390 and 544,519 respectively. Details of wage and salary costs etc. are not available for these dates but it is estimated that in 1970–71 they will be approximately £105 million more than in 1969–70 and that of this amount about £96 million will be attributable to wage and salary awards including increased rates for national insurance.The numbers of additional, replacement or virtually reconstructed hospitals which began or completed construction

					Number of
Month and year					Hospitals commenced	Hospitals completed	Major intermediate phases commenced	Major intermediate phases completed
October, 1969	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	—
November, 1969		…	…	…	1	1	2	1
December, 1969		…	…	…	1	—	1	2
January, 1970	…	…	…	…	1	—	1	1
February, 1970	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	1
March, 1970	…	…	…	…	1	—	3	1
April, 1970	…	…	…	…	—	1	—	—
May, 1970	…	…	…	…	—	1	1	2
June, 1970	…	…	…	…	—	1	1	2
July, 1970	…	…	…	…	—	—	3	3
August, 1970	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	2
September, 1970		…	…	…	1	—	2	1
Total	…	…	…	…	5	4	17	16

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give, for each of the calendar months in 1970, the number of recipients of the various stated social welfare benefits and the amounts of such benefits paid; and, taking 1st January, 1970, as then having a purchasing value of 100, what was the rise or fall in the purchasing value of these benefits in each month compared with 1st January, 1970.

Statistics of the number of recipients of most social security benefits are not collected monthly. The numbers of beneficiaries under the various schemes in December, 1969, and December, 1970, and the average monthly costs for the first 10 months of 1970 are estimated to have been as follows.

	Recipients (millions) December		Average monthly expenditure in 1970 £m
	1969	1970
National Insurance (including industrial Injuries) Benefits	9·43	9·64	220
Family allowances	4·19	4·23	28
War Pensions	0·54	0·52	11
Supplementary Benefits	2·69	2·77	40

From January, 1970, to November, 1970, on the basis of the General Index of Retail Prices, the value of benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the report of the Royal College of Physicians, he will now require a health warning to be printed on packets containing tobacco and snuff.

My right hon. Friend has started discussions with representatives of the tobacco manufacturers and has made proposals to them about the presentation of information to the public on the health implications of cigarette smoking.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what bed at Bromham Mental Hospital, Bedford, became unoccupied and so free to take a new patient on Saturday, 19th December, 1970.

None. The patient was admitted as an emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision is made by mental hospitals for the admission of people who become violent and threaten the security of others.

The majority of psychiatric hospitals have some secure accommodation for such patients. The special hospitals at Broadmoor, Rampton and Moss Side provide accommodation for patients whose disorder calls for a high degree of security.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures of the number of retired people in receipt of State pension.

Our latest estimate is that about 7½ million receive national insurance retirement pension or widows' pension or supplementary pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that mothers of illegitimate children who are working will not be worse off under the Family Insurance Supplement Scheme, and so give up work to be dependent on supplementary benefit.

The introduction of family income supplement will not worsen the position of any mothers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce a scheme to make provision for a fatherless child's allowance.

This is one of the matters being considered by the Finer Committee on One-Parent Families.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the pupil/ teacher ratios in Wales and Carmarthenshire respectively in 1969–70, in primary and secondary school, respectively.

The pupil/teacher ratios in maintained primary and secondary schools in Wales in January, 1969 (the latest published figures), were respectively 25·3 and 18·3. The corresponding figures for Carmarthenshire were 20·6 and 18·3.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on an elected Council for Wales.

This is a matter which will fall to be considered in the light of the report of the Royal Commission on the Constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to encourage the development of light industry in Cardiganshire.

The Government will continue to do all it can to attract industry to Cardiganshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what targets he has for the erection of houses, both in the public and private sector, for the next five years; and how these compare with the average number of houses built in Wales in the years 1965 to 1969 inclusive.

I do not intend to set targets. I am confident that local authorities and private builders alike will carefully assess local need and build to meet it.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the number of health centres in Wales, the capital cost of each at time of building, the date of completion in each case, and the number of general practitioners in each centre.

There are twenty-five health centres at present. The folowing

Local Health Authority			Center					Cost £	Completion Date	Number of General Medical Practitioners
Anglesey	…	…	Beaumaris*		…	…	…	Not available	1.1.69	2
Carmarthenshire			Llwynhendy*			…	…	Not available	2.10.67	2
Glamorgan		…	Glyncorrwg		…	…	…	10,979	1.5.67	1
			Talbot Green*			…	…	Not available	1.1.68	2
			Gorseinon		…	…	…	63,688	2.9.69	7
			Kenfig Hill*		…	…	…	Not available	15.5.69	2
			Hirwaun		…	…	…	44,809	7.9.70	2
			Taffs Well		…	…	…	39,077	9.11.70	3
			Resolven		…	…	…	26,538	1.4.69	2
			Radyr	…	…	…	…	31,461	23.11.70	1
Monomouthshire			Church Street, Tredegar†				…	Not available	Not available	5
			Park Street, Tredegar†				…	Not available	Not available	3
			Brynglas House, Ebbw Vale†					Not available	Not available	2
			The Park, Blaenavon†				…	Not available	Not available	3
			Barclays Bank, Rhymney†				…	Not available	Not available	3
			Risca	…	…	…	…	50,466	August, 1965	6
			cwm	…	…	…	…	21,787	11.12.68	1
			Rogerstone*		…	…	…	Not available	10.6.68	3
Montgomeryshire			Welshpool*		…	…	…	Not available	1.4.69	4
Pembrokeshire		…	Haverfordwest			…	…	38,605	12.10.70	5
Cardiff C.B.C.		…	Butetown		…	…	…	63,700	1.7.66	6
			Trowbridge		…	…	…	36,461	7.10.68	8
			Trowbridge Road, Rumney					36,461	7.10.68	8
			Llandeyrn		…	…	…	88,236	1.9.70	3
Merthyr C.B.C.		…	Dowlais		…	…	…	36,443	1.8.70	5
Swansea C.B.C.		…	Fforestfach		…	…	…	63,912	6.4.70	10
*Former local authority clinics with extensions to provide rooms for general medical practitioners.
† Former Medical Aid Society premises taken over in 1948

asked the Secretary of State for Employment the totals of persons employed in central and local government, respectively both manual and professional/clerical; and if he will give comparative figures for 1964 and 1970.

Following is the information available:

TOTAL CIVIL SERVICE STAFF IN POST AND NUMBERS EMPLOYED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND IN POLICE FORCES
	Civil Service		Local Authorities and Police Forces in Great Britain
	Non-industrial	Industrial
June, 1970	495,000	205,770	2,386,333
July, 1964	412,000	241,000	—
June, 1964	—	—	1,963,545

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how soon he expects to receive the report of

I cannot yet say when the report of the Robens Committee on Safety and Health at Work will be available. The Committee is still undertaking its inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of the salaries, fees, and expenses to be paid to members of the court of inquiry into the power workers' dispute; and whether those in receipt of State salaries will receive these payments additionally to their normal public salaries.

Chairmen of courts of Inquiry are normally entitled to a fee of 18 guineas per day and members to 8½ guineas a day. No fees will be paid to the two members of the court of inquiry into the power workers' dispute who are in receipt of State salaries, and the third member has indicated that he does not intend to claim a fee. Members of the court would be entitled to the usual travelling and subsistance allowances if the circumstances arose.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give, for each of the months in the

CHANGE COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS MONTH FOR EACH MONTH IN 1970 (United Kingdom except where otherwise stated)
					January	February	March	April	May	June
Provisional estimates of employees in employment in Index of production industries* (000's)
Actual numbers			…	…	11,149·2	11,127·5	11,108·9	11,099·9	11,078·2	11,044·1
Changes		…	…	…	-111·9	-21·7	-18·6	-9·0	-21·7	-34·1
Registered unemployed (000's)
Actual numbers			…	…	667·0	660·8	660·2	652·4	612·0	578·8
Changes		…	…	…	+57·0	-6·2	-0·6	-7·8	-40·4	-33·3
Index of Average Earnings
All industries covered seasonally adjusted (Great Britain)
Percentage				…	+0·2	+1·5	+1·4	+0·6	+1·0	+1·5
Stoppages of work due to industrial disputes (provisional)
Stoppages beginning in month
Actual numbers				…	337	444	431	431	344	369
Changes			…	…	+185	+107	-13	—	-87	+25
Working days lost in all stoppages in progress in month (000's)
Actual numbers				…	446	880	874	928	907	964
Changes			…	…	+54	+434	-6	+54	-21	+57
General index of Retail Prices, percentage changes
All items		…	…	…	+0·8	+0·5	+0·6	+1·5	+0·3	+0·3
Electricity		…	…	…	—	—	—	-0·1	-0·1	-0·1
Gas	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	+0·1	—
Coal and Coke			…	…	+6·7	+0·3	+0·1	+0·1	-6·1	—
Postage and telephones				…	—	—	—	—	—	—
Dividends† (£ million)
Actual numbers			…	…	—	—	439	—	—	496
Changes (quarterly)				…	—	—	-24	—	—	+57
					July	August	September	October	November	December
Provisional estimates of employees in employment in Index of production industries* (000's)
Actual numbers			…	…	11,051·8	11,055·6	11,030·7	11,013·4	10,992·9	··
Changes		…	…	…	+7·7	+3·8	-24·9	-17·3	-20·5	··
Registered unemployed (000's)
Actual numbers			…	…	607·2	644·6	665·6	633·5	638·2	657·8
Changes		…	…	…	+28·5	+37·3	+21·1	-32·1	+4·7	+19·6
Index of Average Earnings
All industries covered seasonally adjusted (Great Britain)
Percentage change				…	-0·1	+2·5	+0·7	-1·5	··	··

Following is the information available:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received of the numbers of British subjects, and others, detained and restricted in Rhodesia; and to what extent there has been an increase, or decrease, since the Unilateral Declaration of Independence and since the Prime Ministership of Sir Edgar Whitehead, respectively.

According to Rhodesian sources, there were on 13th November, 1970, 143 people under detention and two people in restriction in Rhodesia. Two weeks after the illegal declaration of independence, there were 47 people under detention and 276 in restriction.At the time of Sir Edgar Whitehead's resignation as Prime Minister there was no one under detention and there were 34 people in restriction.Therefore, since the Prime Ministership of Sir Edgar Whitehead there has been an increase of 143 in the number of people under detention and a decrease of 32 in the number of restricted persons. Since the illegal declaration of independence there has been an increase of 96 in the number of people under detention and a decrease of 274 in the number of restricted persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the negotiations for the entry of the United Kingdom into the European Economic Community, he will seek to ensure that manufactured and semi-manufactured products from India, Pakistan and Ceylon are not subject to the Common External Tariff.

The major part of these products will benefit from the introduction of the U.N.C.T.A.D. scheme for Generalised Preferences. We have asked the Communities to agree, as they did in the 1961–63 negotiations, that trade agreements be concluded with any of these countries if they seek them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the United States Government about the consequences for international trade on the basis that African member states of the Commonwealth achieve associate membership status with the European Economic Community.

The United States' position on preferential trading arrangements is well known and they have recently reminded us of this in the context of the U.N.C.T.A.D. scheme for Generalised Preferences and international trade policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to publish the texts of agreements reached with the European Communities.

Until I am in a position to present the results of the negotiations as a whole to the House I shall continue the present practice of giving information about the nature of the provisional agreements reached in my regular statements on the progress of the negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has had from the European Economic Community Commission and Council of Ministers about the size and market share of the British Steel Corporation, in the event of the United Kingdom becoming a member of the European Economic Community.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, under the terms of the Treaty of Rome and subsequent European Economic Community regulations, the United Kingdom would be allowed to retain preferences accorded to United Kingdom exports in Commonwealth markets.

There is nothing in the Treaty of Rome or Community legislation which would prevent the United Kingdom continuing to benefit from preferences in Commonwealth markets. It is for the Commonwealth countries which grant us such preferences to determine their future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken to help British companies or individuals obtain compensation for assets expropriated in recent years in Algeria, Egypt, Guinea, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

Appropriate diplomatic support is being given to the claims of United Kingdom nationals whose property has been expropriated in recent years in the countries named by my hon. Friend, other than the United Arab Republic, and who have not yet been offered proper compensation. In the case of the United Arab Republic Her Majesty's Government have put forward an international claim towards the settlement of which some progress was made in discussions with a delegation from the United Arab Republic in London last month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with Commonwealth and other countries regarding his policy to impose import levies; and with what results.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the countries with which negotiations are proceeding with a view to imposing levies on imported foodstuffs; which food imports are involved; what progress is being made in the negotiations; and if he will make a statement.

We have had discussions with: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, the European Economic Community. Finland, Irish Republic, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Uruguay, United States of America and Yugoslavia. Details of these consultations, which are continuing, are confidential. I would also refer to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) and others on 27th October, 1970.—[Vol. 806, c. 4–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will detail the goods and services where Her Majesty's Government accept responsibility for price variations, stating the Minister responsible in each case and the degree of responsibility accepted.

No. This could only be done at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will approach the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation with a view to amending routing and navigational requirements in the English Channel.

Yes. We are con-consulting United Kingdom maritime interests next week with a view to making proposals to I.M.C.O. on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from Trinity House, the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, and the Institute of Navigation about navigation regulations, routing and collisions in the English Channel; and what reply he has sent.

Proposals for reversing the flow of traffic in the Dover Strait, which were put to the Board of Trade in August, 1969, by Trinity House and the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, were fully considered in the Board's Safety of Navigation Committee, but the Board was not prepared to support the proposals. This Committee has also been considering the United Kingdom policy on revision of the Collision Regulations. Trinity House, the Honourable Company and the Institute of Navigation have taken part in these discussions, as have other interested maritime organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement about the recent collision in the Dover Straits between a Texaco Panama tanker, "Texaco Caribbean" and the "Paracas", a Peruvian flagship.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House on 13th January.—[Vol. 809, c. 66–72.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the numbers of collisions between ships in the English Channel in each of the years 1960 to 1970; and whether he will make a statement.

Statistics of collisions in the Dover Strait, published in the Journal of the Institute of Navigation on the basis of information from "Lloyd's List", show that the following collisions took place between June, 1960, and May, 1970:

1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64
19	14	12	19
1964–65	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
10	9	3	5
	1968–69	1969–70
	13	9

There were four collisions in June, 1970, and one in August. No later information is available.The routing scheme was introduced in June, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for licences to operate charter flights were made by foreign airlines in each of the years from 1960 to the present, and how many were refused.

The number of applications was:

Year	Charters other than inclusive tours	Inclusive tour Charters
1960	1,364	Totals not available
1961	2,026
1962	2,728
1963	2,624	6,490
1964	3,407	6,280
1965	3,602	5,806
1966	3,901	5,636
1967	4,226	6,780
1968	4,580	5,144
1969	7,389	5,384
1970	9,584	6,088

The figures are of the number of single flights sought to be operated.In 1970 formal applications for permission for 39 charters other than inclusive tours were refused and one permit was revoked. (This total includes flights disallowed for reasons other than noncompliance with the conditions for group charter services.) I will write to the hon. Member giving comparable information about inclusive tour charters. I regret that totals of refusals or revocations in years earlier than 1970 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if a report of the inter-departmental review of the search and rescue organisations for marine purposes in the United Kingdom will be available, and when.

The Report of the Committee to review the Marine Search and Rescue Organisation of the United Kingdom was published in April last year. A copy is available in the Library.

1970
Month			Total Saleable Output	Change on previous month	Exports		Imports		Pits Closed
					Volums tons	Value £'000	Volume tons	Value £'000
			'000 tons
January		…	10,750	-3,393	278,394	1,371	104	2	1
February		…	12,603	+1,853	294,040	1,543	996	8	—
March		…	15,422	+2,819	378,527	2,009	1,101	11	4
April		…	11,612	-3,810	269,836	1,503	245	6	2
May		…	12,300	+688	283,594	1,378	1,393	10	1
June		…	13,471	-1,171	325,345	1,719	253	9	—
July	…	…	10,324	-3,147	287,560	1,494	219	3	—
August		…	8,245	-2,079	132,406	730	92	2	1
September		…	13,272	+5,027	320,124	1,692	623	19	1
October		…	11,629	-1,643	315,693	1,645	579	22	—
November		…	9,012	-2,617	211,067	1,208	343	11	—
December		…	13,648	+4,636	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	—
Total		…	142,288	—	3,096,586	16,292	5,948	103	10
Notes:
(1) "Total saleable output" includes N.C.B. deep-mined, opencast and licensed mines output.
(2) The total saleable output for March includes end of year adjustments.

During the last six months, the N.C.B., whose responsibility it is, has taken all possible action to bring about an improvement in these figures but unofficial strikes and disappointing productivity have adversely affected production.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give an estimate of the total costs of closing pits and opencast mining for any convenient stated period of time, and the actual or estimated loss of coal production; and to what extent the decision to re-start opencast mining will change the situation regarding output and cost of coal.

The output of all colleries closed since 1947 (in their last full year of operation) if added together

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give for each of the calendar months of 1970; the rise or fall in national production, giving separate details for internal and export production, import and export, earnings and payments, the amount of coal produced and imported and the numbers of pits closed; and to what extent during the last six months action has been taken to bring about an improvement in these figures.

The following is the information:would total about 74 million tons but, of course, they were closed because they were exhausted or uneconomic or for geological reasons. No direct costs of major significance, other than redundancy payments, therefore arose. Opencast sites are closed when the planned amount of coal has been extracted. Opencast output in 1970–71 is estimated to be 8 million tons, and the National Coal Board plans to increase this to 10 million tons in 1971–72. Opencast coal is generally cheaper to extract than deep-mined coals.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the benefits which can accrue to British export trade from the Congress of International Ironmongers Association which is to be held in London from 21st June to 25th June, he will take steps to ensure that adequate recognition is given thereto by Her Majesty's Government both as regards participation and hospitality.

The Department has been in touch with the organisers about participation in this Congress, but I regret that official hospitality cannot be extended.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he intends to take under the Gas Act, 1948, and the Gas (Consultative Council) Regulations, 1949, concerning the request by the South Western Gas Consultative Council on 17th December, 1970, and 4th January, 1971, to the South Western Gas Board to reconsider increased charges, which were ignored by the Board.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Dr. David Owen).—[Vol. 809, c. 106.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for the further use of the fishery protection vessel "Miranda" and her crew after she has finished her winter patrols in April, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to us the trawler support vessel "Miranda" to support the fishing fleets in other areas after her present winter service on station off the north-west coast of Iceland.

The way in which the "Miranda" may be used in the summer is under consideration and both sides of the fishing industry will be consulted about it. The first priority was to get "Miranda" off to Icelandic waters for the winter and to gain experience of her operation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give, for each of the calendar months in 1970, the rise or fall in either cash figures if available, or percentages, of the cost of government, taking account of all costs including Ministerial salaries and goods and services supplied.

Monthly figures of expenditure by the central Government are not available but figures for the first two quarters of 1970 can be found in Tables 16 and 17 of Financial Statistics No. 104, December, 1970. The third quarter figure will be published in the next issue of Financial Statistics due on 27th January, 1971. Similar information for the whole of the public sector appears in Tables 11 and 12 of that publication.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what ordinary tax concessions exist which can be used by parents of a child and by other close relatives who wish to contribute towards the cost of full-time private education for the child.

I have nothing to add to my answer of 13th November last.—[Vol. 806, c. 290.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will have the ruts and ravines in the roadway of York Gate, Regents Park, N.W.1, filled in as soon as possible.

This is a private roadway maintained by the Crown Estate Paving Commission. I understand that the imperfections in the surface are due to the heavy traffic, particularly lorries used for the restoration and conversion of the Regency Terraces around Regent's Park, which these roads were not constructed to bear. Temporary repairs are made from time to time but when the restoration of the terraces has been completed, the surface of this road will be relaid by the Crown Estate Paving Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total public expenditure on education in Great Britain in 1969–70; and what is the estimated total for 1970–71.

The latest figures at present available are: 1969–70 (at out-turn prices) £2,283 million; 1970–71 (at 1970 public expenditure survey prices) £2,369 million. Expenditure on local libraries is excluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will give, for each of the calendar months of 1970, the rise or fall in the number of schools built or commenced to be built and the expenditure on the education services.

Figures about school building are collected on a quarterly basis. In the first three quarters of 1970 270, 164 and 122 new schools excluding special schools, were started in England and Wales and 60, 186 and 220 were completed. Figures for the fourth quarter are not yet available. Expenditure on education is recorded only by financial years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many independent schools within the area of the Nottinghamshire County Council area are registered, and how many are recognised as efficient under Rule 16 of the Education Act, 1944; and what action is being taken to ensure efficiency.

In this area there are 25 independent schools of which eight are recognised as efficient. On the second part of the Question, I invite attention to my right hon. Friend's reply yesterday to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for West Flint (Sir A. Meyer).—[Vol. 809, c. 103.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many independent schools are now registered, and how many are recognised as being efficient under Rule 16 of the Education Act, 1944; if she will require teachers at such schools to be qualified as required in state schools; and how soon the report of the inquiry started into the working of private schools three years ago may be expected.

There are 2,616 independent schools in England and 79 in Wales of which 1,359 in England and 50 in Wales are recognised as efficient.Part III of the Education Act, 1944, requires that all independent schools should provide efficient and suitable instruction, and this implies that teachers must have suitable qualifications or experience. But my right hon. Friend does not intend to make it a requirement that teachers in independent schools should hold any particular qualifications.The inquiry referred to in the Question was made by a previous Minister of State and the report is not available to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of the fact that in 1969 three deaths of children under 16 years of age occurred in school or college swimming pools, and that a further death occurred in the River Thames during a school swimming test, she will request local education authorities to draw the attention of schools to Education Pamphlet No. 53, especially the section on swimming and the need to observe local regulations regarding swimming instruction.

Those responsible for swimming instruction are generally very well aware of the need for close supervision of pupils during swimming lessons and tests. Teachers are constantly reminded of it by local branches of the English Schools Swimming Association, to which very many schools belong.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give the monthly rise or fall in the numbers of civil servants employed in all the Government Departments for each of the months of the calendar year of 1970.

There have been rises in non-industrial staff numbers of 380, 790, 490, 540, 1,440, 985, 660, 1,575, 510 and 1,330 respectively in each month from January, 1970, onwards. End-year figures are not yet available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in HANSARD full details of all wage and salary increases given to any person or group of persons which exceeded 10 per cent. between June, 1970, and 1st January, 1971, so far as State employees, civil servants, or those in receipt of Treasury money for whom he is responsible were concerned; on how many occasions, and by what percentages, these persons received wage and salary increases since 1964; and what increases are to be given in 1971.

Industrial civil servants have received the following increases in basic pay:

	Per cent.
From 1st July, 1967	7½
From 1st July, 1968	3½
From 1st July, 1969	8½
From 1st July, 1970	13

Figures on a comparable basis are not available for earlier years. Their pay is due to be reviewed from 1st July, 1971.Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries have received the following increases since 1964:

	Permanent Secretary	Deputy Secretary
From:	Per cent.	Per cent.
1st September, 1965	4·9	8·6
1st July, 1969	14·0	12·7
1st July, 1970,	21·4	13·4
1st January, 1971	17·7*	11·8
*Permanent Secretaries have voluntarily waived this increase until 1st July, 1971.

No other significant groups fall within the terms of the Question.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent between 1st June, 1970, and 1st January, 1971, there has been an increase in sav- ings in the cost of running the various Ministerial Departments and the Prime Minister's office in particular; and whether he will publish as much information as may be readily available showing the rise and/or fall in the number of staff, their wages and salaries, in as many of the Ministerial offices as possible and the Prime Minister's office in particular.

On 1st June, 1970, there were 83 Ministerial offices with a staff of 592 at an estimated annual cost of £1,117,000. Comparable figures for December, 1970, were 68 offices, 531 staff and £995,000. It is not possible to give meaningful comparative figures department by department because of changes in departmental responsibility since June.The figures for the Prime Minister's office (included above) are 63 staff and about £150,000 per annum at both dates.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, in support of the Government's policy of reducing public expenditure, he will take steps to stop, control or restrict retirement payment to the chairmen of nationalised boards and other public servants who voluntarily relinquish or are dismissed from their public appointments.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is aware that very many workers took time off prior to the official Christmas public holidays and on New Year's Day; and, as a means of encouraging workers in industry to report for work on these days, if he will abolish the official holidays granted to civil servants, public servants and Members of Parliament on these days.

I am aware of the situation described in the Question. Civil servants are not granted a holiday on New Year's Day except where this reflects general local practice or the day is a bank holiday, as in Scotland. In these cases a day off is allowed in place of one of the days allowed at Christmas. It is not clear that industrial absence would be materially affected by a change in these longstanding Civil Service arrangements. The arrangements in other parts of the public service and for Members of Parliament are not the responsibility of the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is aware that the approximate cumulative percentage increase in the pay of senior civil servants during the period from 1st Janu- ary, 1964, ranged between 4·8 per cent. for assistant secretaries to 1st April, 1970, and 6·2 per cent. for permanent secretaries to 1st July, 1970; and what were the latest figures quoting the 1st January, 1971, increases.

There is no later figure for Assistant Secretaries. The revised cumulative annual figure for Permanent Secretaries is approximately 7·2 per cent., taking into account their voluntary waiver of the increase for six months.