asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now given consideration to the working party report on Service by Youth; which of the recommendations he has accepted; and if he will recommend that social studies with community service should be introduced into school curricula.

My right hon. Friend is now considering the report, but it will take some time to examine its implications. The House will be glad to know that there has been a very marked increase in the amount of voluntary service undertaken by school pupils. My right hon. Friend has already drawn the attention of education authorities to the value of this work and to suggestions by the Consultative Committee on the Curriculum in its Report "Community Service and Scottish Secondary Schools" on how it might be further developed. I shall send the hon. Gentleman a copy of this report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now give a specific date in April for the commencement of children's hearings under the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1969.

My right hon. Friend hopes to announce the precise date very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional expenditure will be made available to local authorities to meet the cost of servicing the children's hearings under the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1969, when they are operational.

The estimated cost will be taken into account in the rate support grant arrangements for 1971–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider introducing legislation to secure conditions in premises used for dog breeding on parallel lines to that legislation already in force with regard to boarding kennels.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the concern about this matter, but he is not convinced that Government intervention through legislation is justified. He will, however, keep the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many techers with English degrees and with over five years' teaching experience outside Scotland have been refused permission to teach, while awaiting further training, by the Reference Panel of the General Teaching Council; and in what subjects.

I regret that this information is not readily available. My right hon. Friend has written to the right hon. Lady about the particular case that she brought to his notice.

The responsibility for registration and conditional registration rests with the General Teaching Council: the reference panels are of course concerned only with the temporary appointment of unqualified staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with representatives of women's organisations in Scotland about the arrangements for membership of the reconstituted Women's National Commission.

These consultations are being conducted by the Government Co-Chairman of the Commission, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, who has kept in close touch with my noble Friend the Minister of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on housing policy following the publication of a return revealing a decline by nearly 8,000 in the number of houses under construction at the end of 1970 compared with the previous year.

Our policy is to encourage and assist the provision of houses where they are needed as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will seek the advice of the Scottish Planning Council about the retention of the former Waverley railway route as a unit for future transport development.

The views of the Scottish Economic Council will be sought in the usual way before a decision is taken on the disposal of the formation of the former Waverley railway route.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what help he proposes to give local authorities to adapt homes occupied by disabled persons;

(2) what advice he has given to local authorities with regard to building homes for the disabled.

My right hon. Friend has drawn the attention of local authorities to the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, and reminded them that its provisions affect their housing responsibilities. He has also sent them a technical handbook on facilities which should be included in houses for the disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how he accounts for the increase of 120 in the staff of his Department in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

Recruitment was necessary to fill vacancies existing at 1st July and to meet the requirements of projects authorised by the previous Government. The level of staff for the period up to 30th June, 1971, has not yet been decided, but the numbers at 1st April, 1971, will be held at least 84 fewer than authorised by the previous administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give general directions to the electricity boards not to increase the price of electricity to retirement pensioners until the next review of pensions has been completed.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Edinburgh Corporation on the effects of Edinburgh's exclusion from the development area; and what reply he has sent.

None. But I spoke to the Lord Provost about this matter last month when I told him that the question of Edinburgh's exclusion from the Scottish Development Area brought about by the last Government, was being examined as part of the present Government's overall review of regional measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received the resolution recently adopted by the Council of the Educational Institute of Scotland representing schoolteachers, against the Government's declared intention to abolish school milk for primary school pupils of over seven years of age; and whether, in view of this, he will reconsider his policy so that such children will not be deprived of school milk.

I do not think this resolution provides any ground for a change of policy. Older primary pupils who need milk for medical reasons will continue to get it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many families in Edinburgh have been rehoused from slum dwellings during 1970; and whether he will make a statement.

About 900 houses were closed or demolished in Edinburgh in the first nine months of 1970: figures for the last quarter are not yet available. The number of families rehoused is a different figure, which the hon. Member could no doubt obtain from Edinburgh Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the extent of the shortage of school teachers in the City of Edinburgh, primary and secondary, respectively, and the numbers of male and female teachers required in each school category.

I am asking the education authority to send this information to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the teacher shortage in secondary schools in 1973.

Revised forecasts of the child population indicate that with a pupil/teacher ratio of 14.5 to one, the basis of the estimate of 3,100 made in 1969, the shortage in 1973 would be 3,700. However, my Department is engaged on studies designed to produce a more reliable measure of staffing needs and I would prefer to await the outcome before making a new estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many children in primary schools in Edinburgh are receiving only part-time education;

(2) how many schoolchildren attending secondary schools in the City of Edinburgh are receiving only part-time education.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement as to the delay in intimating to the appropriate regional hospital board the starting date of the building of the proposed new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

No such delay has occurred. A starting date for Phase I of this development cannot be settled until final plans are available and the estimated cost determined. These stages should soon be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of primary school teachers who graduated from training colleges in each of the years 1965 to 1970.

The numbers of students awarded a Teching Qualification (Primary Education) were as follows: 1965 1966 1967 1,451 1,840 1,950 1968 1969 1970 2,431 2,190 2,553

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of the sugar beet factory at Cupar, Fife.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, East (Sir J. Gilmour) on 16th December.—[Vol. 808, c. 363. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for increasing the campaign against the dangers of excessive cigarette smoking.

As I indicated in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 27th January, the Scottish Health Education Unit intends to nearly double its expenditure on anti-smoking activities in the next financial year.—[Vol. 810, c. 137. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will convene a conference of headmasters of secondary schools and medical officers of health to discuss ways of meeting the problem of drug-taking among school pupils.

No. I do not think that a national conference would serve any useful purpose at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what non-departmental advice he receives regarding the pathology of lung disease.

It would be exceptional for me to require such advice in the exercise of my functions. If I did, I could obtain if from one of my standing advisory committees or through my consultant adviser from experts in the particular field. In so far as industrial lung disease is concerned, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Secretary of State for Social Services on 2nd February about the advice which is made available to him on a Great Britain basis.—[Vol. 810, c. 1438.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has now had concerning the proposed admission charges to museums and national art galleries; and what exemptions from such charges he intends to make.

I am now considering the written views of the Trustees of the Scottish Institutions on the arrangements for charges, and my Department will be discussing these with the Trustees in due course. The possibility of exemption for certain categories of visitors will be among the matters discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to have consultations with the new town development corporations on the question of the reduction of housing subsidies.

Consultations with the development corporations on the Government's proposals have already begun. As I have repeatedly indicated to the hon. Gentleman and others, these proposals are not intended to reduce subsidies but to redirect them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he has refused to give grants to intending teachers accepted as students by the Open University.

Under the Special Recruitment Scheme for teachers grants are available for full-time degree courses. Such a course will normally enable a student to obtain his degree and enter training more quickly than would a part-time Open University course.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now ready to introduce legislation on the reform of the licensing laws.

As I stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison), on 8th December, I have decided to establish a committee of inquiry to review the Scottish licensing laws. We should obviously await the outcome of its review before contemplating legislation on this subject.—[Vol. 808, c. 92. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy towards freight charges for which he is responsible in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

My responsibility for freight charges is limited to those levied by shipping companies to which I give a grant under the Highlands and Islands Shipping Services Act, 1960. I am at present reviewing the principles upon which these charges are based, in consultation with the Scottish Transport Group and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the present system of administering the school meal service in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Education (Scotland) Act, 1962, it is the duty of the education authorities to administer this service. I see no need to alter that arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the increase in farmers' costs in 1970.

Estimates are being prepared and will be available at the same time as the results of the 1971 Annual Review are announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the law relating to the inspection of chemist shops stocking amphetamines; and if he will make a statement.

No. This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs and I would refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office, to the hon. Gentleman yesterday that this deficiency will be remedied when the Misuse of Drugs Bill becomes law.—[Vol. 810, c. 341–2. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a circular to local education authorities recommending them not to make charges for the eating of sandwiches in school dining rooms or classrooms.

No. I have no reason to suppose that any Scottish education authority makes or is contemplating such a charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has agreed to allow Renfrew County Council to proceed with the improvement of the Glasgow—Greenock—Monkton trunk road, A742, at the Greenock burgh boundary.

Subject to completion of the remaining statutory procedures, I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service which Departments are exempt from the staff ceiling that has been imposed as a general rule in the Civil Service.

None.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what further action he intends to take to reduce unnecessary secrecy in the Civil Service.

The Government intend to continue the trend towards greater openness in Government business.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish a description of the system of programme analysis and review which the Government have now approved.

I cannot add anything at this stage to the description given in the White Paper on the Reorganisation of Central Government (Cmnd. 4506), and to what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 14th January, 1971.—[Vol. 809, c. 125.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) when he expects to complete his review of the location of Government work; and if he will make a statement;

(2) by what criteria he will decide on appropriate locations for the dispersal of Government work from London.

I expect the first stage of the review to be completed by the end of 1971. The criteria for selecting locations will be chiefly those of operational efficiency and economy on the one hand, and regional policy on the other. These criteria will also apply to cases of dispersal which arise apart from the review.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is now able to make a statement on the Government's policy of reducing the number of civil servants; whether he will announce the range of committees, commissions and advisory bodies whose work is now under scrutiny; what estimates he has made of the number of civil servants who will be declared redundant; what savings will be made in any given year; and to what extent the Industrial Relations Bill will affect these arrangements.

We plan to keep the number of non-industrial staff at 1st April this year well below the ceiling of 505,300 set by the previous Government. Manpower requirements beyond that date are at present under review. We will take into account the related points to which the hon. Member refers. Announcements will be made in due course.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why, in view of the fact that permanent secretaries of the Civil Service have, between July, 1969, and January, 1971, been awarded a 53.1 per cent. salary increase, and deputy secretaries 37.9 per cent., he will not agree to increase the industrial civil servants' wages by the same or similar percentages.

These increases were made in accordance with the recommendation contained in the Ninth Report of the Standing Advisory Committee on the Pay of the Higher Civil Service. This report did not cover the pay of industrial civil servants.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of non-industrial civil servants at the latest available date.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 1st February, 1971.——[Vol. 810, c. 274.]

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply what sum his Department has authorised Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited to incur on the development of the Olympus 593 engine for Concorde up to the latest convenient date.

Rolls-Royce (Bristol Engine Division) has been engaged on the development of the Olympus 593 engine since 1962, but on 14th February, 1969, it was awarded a contract to continue development up to the stage of initial entry into service. The contractual details are commercially confidential, but expenditure on development up to 31st December, 1970, totalled £110 million.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministerial salary payable to the Parliamentary Secretary in his Department.

438 civil servants in the Ministry of Aviation Supply are on a fixed salary above, or a salary scale wholly above, the Parliamentary Secretary's salary of £3,750 per annum.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of his own Ministerial salary.

Six civil servants in the Ministry of Aviation Supply have a salary in excess of the Ministerial salary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the value of council house contracts in England and Wales put out to tender in the second half of 1970.

The information is not yet available. The number of dwellings approved in tender by local authorities and new towns in England and Wales in the second half of 1970 was 62,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he is taking to reduce the high level of unemployment amongst construction workers on Merseyside.

The measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 27th October, 1970, will help to stimulate demand in construction in development areas, of which Merseyside is one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses and flats have been offered for sale by the London Borough of Lambeth; and how many have been sold to date.

The hon. Member should apply for this information direct to the London Borough of Lambeth. The council itself dicided these matters and has the precise information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings have been completed in the county borough of Bootle in the years 1966 to 1970, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Following are the figures: Dwellings completed Public Private Total 1966 … … 184 19 203 1967 … … 302 30 332 1968 … … 735 60 795 1969 … … 85 32 117 1970 … … 171 152 323

I am not aware of any special circumstances in Bootle which call for a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses and flats were built or modernised by housing associations in the London Borough of Islington during 1970; and how these figures compare with the previous five years.

The hon. Member should apply for this information direct to the London Borough of Islington.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses and flats were started and completed in the London Borough of Islington in 1970; and how these figures compare with each year from 1960 onwards.

Dwellings have been provided in this borough by the Islington London Borough Council and its predecessors, by the Corporation of London and by the Greater London Council; as not all the information asked for is available in the Department I would refer the hon. Member to the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an official visit to Louth in connection with his responsibilities for sport.

I have no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private tenants in furnished accommodation have applied during the last year to a rent tribunal, after two confirmations of their security of tenure, for a third extension; how many of these applications were granted; and what were the corresponding figures for those claiming a fourth and fifth extension of their tenure.

In 1970, 318 tenants in England and Wales applied to rent tribunals for a third or subsequent extension of their security of tenure and it was granted in 183 cases (58 per cent.). Figures for fourth and fifth applications are not kept separately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to prohibit the flashing of headlamps, as a means of passing messages from one driver to another, in view of the fact that he has described this practice as extremely dangerous.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what criteria grants are made to sporting organisations.

Grants are made on the advice of the Sports Council and Regional Sports Council to assist in fostering the development of sport and physical recreation in the widest sense.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the dangers on the A30 at Bridestowe, Devon, he will provide a footbridge or pedestrian crossing for the village.

A count of traffic flows on the A30 at Bridestowe taken last 26th November showed peak hour averages of 36 pedestrians and 198 vehicles. These flows are too low to justify either a pedestrian crossing or a footbridge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the latest accident on the A30 at Bridestowe, Devon, he will make an early start on the proposed bypass for this village.

I was very sorry to hear of the accident on 27th January (alleged to be due to brake-failure of a lorry) and offer my sympathy to those suffering from its results. I confirm my undertaking of last December to consider a scheme to bypass Bridestowe for inclusion in a future extension of the preparation pool.

asked the. Secretary of State for the Environment what appeals have been lodged against the decision of the Traffic Commissioners to permit the Yorkshire Traction Company Limited to re-route its No. 28 bus service along Romwood Avenue, Swinton, Mexborough.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to introduce compulsory sight tests for learner drivers.

All learner drivers are already subject to an eyesight test when taking the driving test.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to provide for compulsory sight tests on the triennial renewal of driving licences.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he intends to take to improve the safety of lorries.

Various aspects of lorry safety are under investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what criteria the Government intend to use in determining an appropriate selling price for the business of Thos. Cook & Son Ltd.;

(2) if the sale of the business of Thos. Cook & Son Ltd. will be made to the highest bidder.

The price will depend on the bids that are received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the existing assets of the Transport Holding Company.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Transport Holding Company's Annual Report and Accounts for 1969, which were presented to Parliament on 14th July, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is able to make a statement on the designated new town in central Lancashire.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the timetable for the acquisition of land and the bringing into use of the Lutterworth southern bypass.

The timetable for land acquisition for this principal road scheme is a matter for the Leicestershire County Council as highway authority. It has not yet secured a place in the firm programme, but the county council proposes that work should start in 1973; construction would take about two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that concentration on generally improving the infrastructure of North-East England will result in industrial expansion; and what other plans he has to improve the industrial situation in the area.

I believe that improvements to the infrastructure of the North-East, will, with the Govern- ment's other regional policy measures, contribute to industrial expansion. A change from the national economic stagnation of the previous years would also benefit the North-East.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now announce his decision in respect of the confirmation of the Hoddesdon-Ware Bypass Order.

A decision will be announced next week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to ensure that the preparation of structure plans by local authorities is not held up in advance of the reorganisation of local government, in view of the serious effect on land release programmes that such holdups could have.

We are already proceeding, in advance of local government reorganisation, with the phased changeover to the new development plan system. D.O.E. Circular 10/70 sets out the action appropriate for dealing with the short-term problem of land availability until structure and local plans are prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in his discussions with local authorities concerning a speedier programme for the preparation and implementation of structure plans under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968; and whether he will make a statement.

As I told my hon. Friend on 29th January, I am drawing up a programme which will be discussed with the local planning authorities concerned shortly.—[Vol. 810, c. 213.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce legislation to implement the Government's intention to speed up the preparation of development plans.

As a necessary first step, the Department is to discuss the proposed legislation with the local authority associations, on the basis of papers sent to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings in London have a rateable value of between …250 and …400.

I regret that this information is not available. But there are about 106,770 dwellings in Greater London with rateable values of over …200 and up to (and including) …330 and about 41,500 with rateable values of over …330.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings outside London have a rateable value of between …100 and …200.

Just over 1½ million dwellings outside London in England and Wales have a rateable value of over …100 up to (and including) …200.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many adult workers in the employ of local authorities in England and Wales were employed on the basis of incentive bonus schemes on 1st July, 1970, or the nearest convenient date.

At July, 1970, an estimated 150,000 full-time manual workers and craftsmen and a small number of part-timers and clerical staff were so employed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish his White Paper on local government reorganisation.

In the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider the use of a helicopter service for air/sea rescue purposes in North-West Scotland.

Service helicopters can be made available to assist surface craft in rescue operations in this area when required. The occasions on which they are needed for this purpose, however, have been infrequent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now list the categories of industries which in the Government's view will now profit from Great Britain joining the Common Market and those which will not profit.

All categories of British industry are potentially capable of profiting from Great Britain joining the Common Market. Within the categories, some firms will do better than others depending on their response to the new situation and the opportunities it affords.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of his own Ministerial salary.

Eighteen officers in my Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of my own.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministerial salary payable to each of the Under-Secretaries of State in his Department.

846 officers in my Department are in receipt of salaries on scale the starting points of which are above that of the Ministerial salary of the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State. In addition, 1,586 officers receive salaries on scales which at the upper end exceed that of the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministerial salary payable to each of the Ministers in his Department.

Twenty-one officers in my Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministerial salary payable to each of the Ministers in my Department.

INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT MOVEMENTS AT AIRPORTS IN THE MIDLANDS AND YORKSHIRE* January—July, 1970 January—July, 1969 Arrived Departed Arrived Departed Birmingham … … … … … 1,941 1,886 1,882 1,933 Brough … … … … … — — 19 15 Coventry … … … … … 55 57 68 67 East Midlands … … … … … 341 350 300 315 Leeds/Bradford … … … … … 341 336 537 543 2,678 2,629 2,806 2,873 *Including some all-cargo flights.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in relation to the trade deal negotiated with Romania, in which the supply of irrigation plant will be offset by importing agricultural products, what is the quantity of canned pigmeat to be imported; and if he will give an assurance that this will be stictly limited in any future deals.

In accordance with an undertaking given by the former Administration to the Romanian Government, which I assume the hon. Member has in mind, the Romanian quotas for canned pigmeat will be increased by an annual value of £500,000. As regards the present Government's policy on imports of canned pigmeat from East European countries, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friends the Members for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Wiggin) and Dorset, South (Mr. Evelyn King) on 2nd December, 1970.—[Vol. 807, c. 409.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is

asked the secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of international passenger-carrying air movements into and out of the airports of the Midlands and York-shire, namely Birmingham, Brough, Coventry, East Midlands and Leeds/Bradford, in 1970.

Following is the information, which is available to July, 1970. For purposes of comparison the same information is shown for the corresponding period of 1969.

aware of the concern following the recent collision of aircraft over Nottinghamshire; and if he will cause an inquiry to be held with the Ministry of Defence and the Chief Inspector of Accidents, with a view to greater safety procedures being required.

I was distressed to learn of the collision between two R.A.F. Canberra aircraft near Mansfield. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence that an R.A.F. Board of Inquiry into this disaster is now in progress. The investigation of this accident, which concerns military aircraft only, is not the responsibility of the Chief Inspector of Accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many advance factories are presently available for occupation in Scotland; and how many formal inquiries have been received from industrialists in respect of these factories in the last two months.

Nine advance factories provided under the Local Employment Acts are at present available in Scotland. There have been four inquiries in all for these factories in the past two months.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the monthly number of fare-paying air passengers flown on scheduled and on inclusive tour and charter services, respectively, from Leeds/Bradford Airport in 1970.

Following is the information, which is available to July, 1970: PASSENGERS DEPARTING FROM LEEDS/BRADFORD AIRPORT 1970 Scheduled services Charter flights * January … … 4,495 123 February … … 5,707 204 March … … 7,142 674 April … … 9,430 859 May … … 12,971 582 June … … 14,248 299 July … … 17,106 486 71,099 3,227 * Including inclusive charters. It is not possible to separate the small number of passengers carried free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will institute an inquiry into how many licensing arrangements have been made between British firms and their foreign counterparts, to enable spare parts to be manufactured for defence equipment previously supplied to South Africa by the United Kingdom.

I have been asked to reply.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give special support to the horticultural industry, in view of the recent increase in fuel oil prices which will mean a 50 per cent. rise in the cost of glasshouse heating.

No. My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot en- courage users of fuel oil to look for special Exchequer support on this account.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's latest estimate of the total increase in agricultural production costs since the last Price Review.

This information will become available when the White Paper is published following the completion of the 1971 Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministerial salary payable to the Parliamentary Secretary in his Department.

224 civil servants in my Department have a minimum salary in excess of the salary payable to the Parliamentary Secretary, excluding the Parliamentary Allowance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of his own Ministerial salary.

Six civil servants in my Department have salaries in excess of my Ministerial salary, excluding Parliamentary Allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many mentally subnormal people are awaiting admission to hospital in Wales; and what is the number who have been waiting for six months or longer.

176, of whom 119 have been on the waiting list for six months or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are awaiting admission as patients to the Cardiff Royal Infirmary and Llandough Hospital, Cardiff, respectively; how many in each case have been waiting for longer than six months; and what steps he is taking to reduce the waiting period.

1,673 and 917 respectively. 512 and 377 respectively have been waiting for more than six months. The Welsh Hospital Board is continually reviewing waiting lists at hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff, and of which grades, have been involved in the work of child care in Wales in his Department in London and Wales.

I have been asked to reply.

Some of the time of the following staff were given to the work of child care in Wales which was transferred to the Welsh Office on 1st January, 1971:

In London 1 Assistant Secretary. 1 Principal. 1 Higher Executive Officer. 1 Executive Officer. 1 Clerical Officer. 1 Chief Inspector. 1 Deputy Chief Inspector. 1 Senior Medical Inspector. 1 Medical Inspector.

In Wales 1 Superintending Inspector. 6 Inspectors. 4 Clerical Staff. 3 Typists.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many additional staff, showing their grades, will be required to carry out the new functions of the Welsh Office for child care in Wales.

Twelve additional posts were added to the complement of the Welsh Office on 1st January, 1971.

The grades were: 1 Superintending Inspector. 4 Inspectors. 1 Principal. 1 Higher Executive Officer. 1 Executive Officer. 2 Clerical Officers. 2 Typists.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many geriatric cases are awaiting admission to hospital in the Cardiff and district area; and what steps are being taken to increase the number of beds available for such cases.

At 31st December, 1970, there were 19. I hope to make a statement soon about hospital services in the Cardiff area.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is aware that the Regional Adviser in Paediatrics to the Welsh Hospital Board, Professor 0. P. Gray, has advised the appointment of a paediatrician to serve Mid-Wales based at Aberystwyth; and what steps he has taken to ensure that the Welsh Regional Hospital Board carries out this recommendation.

I am not aware of any such recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospital casualty units have been closed in South Wales in the last two years, and where.

Crickhowell Hospital, which has a casualty unit, was permanently closed in 1970 following the opening of Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny. Two units at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, and St. James' Hospital, Tredegar, are at present closed through lack of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that the Forestry Commission makes a proper and adequate contribution to the cost of fox control by means of foot packs in Wales.

The Forestry Commission's subscriptions to fox destruction societies in Wales are to be improved. In upland sheep rearing areas selected societies will receive a bonus of 2s. for each fox destroyed, and societies using foot packs will additionally receive 75 per cent, of their costs for each day they are operating with prior approval on the Commission's land, up to a maximum of £6 a day.