asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for reports from chief constables on the action taken by the police in connection with members of the Welsh Language Society who have removed road signs in Wales, and on the steps being taken to protect travellers in Wales from the inconvenience caused by the removal of road signs.

The police are doing what they can to prevent offences being committed and to bring offenders to justice. They report the removal or defacement of road signs to the highway authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Leicester stating how many people were convicted in the City of Leicester for offences involving drugs in each of the years 1967, 1968 and 1969, and how many of such convicted persons were between the ages of 18 and 21 years and under the age of 18 years, respectively.

Following is the information:

PERSONS CONVICTED OF OFFENCES INVOLVING DRUGS AT, OR AFTER COMMITTAL FROM, LEICESTER CITY MAGISTRATES' COURT
	1967	1968	1969
Aged under 18	10	10	3
Aged 18 and under 21	29	32	17
All ages	63	73	46

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the rate of

POLICE CONSTABLES (PROVINCIAL FORCES)
RATES OF PAY FOR A CONSTABLE JOINING THE SERVICE AT THE AGE OF 22 OR MORE
			1950	1960	1965	1967	1969	1970
			£ p.a.	£ p.a.	£ p.a.	£ p.a.	£ p.a.	£ p.a.
Minimum	…	…	330	600	700	870	945	1,025
Maximum	…	…	420	970	1,105	1,205	1,310	1,420

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will announce a decision on police pay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on police pay.

The meeting of the Police Council arranged for 11th February was postponed; but I understand that the official side has undertaken to make proposals for a new pay structure at a meeting on 25th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average lapse of time between the triennial dates for police pay reviews and settlements over the past 10 years; and what steps are taken in anticipation of each review to prevent delay in the negotiations.

Under a Police Council agreement made in 1962 police pay is reviewed every two years with an effective date of 1st September. These reviews have taken, on average, two to three months to complete. The two sides usually begin preliminary negotiations in July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the rates of pay to policemen for the years 1950, 1960, 1965, 1967, 1969 and 1970, respectively; and if he will also give, for those years, the average weekly earnings for skilled and semi-skilled men in industry.

Following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not instruct his representative on the Police Council to recommend that in future police salaries should be adjusted by the same percentages and on the same dates as the salaries of judges, chairmen of nationalised boards and higher-paid civil servants.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 21st January. —[Vol. 809, c. 320–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Broderick Committee on Forensic Science and Pathology to make its report.

My right hon. Friend understands that he may expect to receive the Report of the Committee on Death Certification and Coroners later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will bring forward legislation to provide further means by which criminals may be made to make reparation to their victims, as proposed in a report by his Advisory Council on the Penal System.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government intend to take so that the demonstrator who uses violence and the criminal who causes personal injury or damages property will be obilged to compensate their victims.

I am grateful to my Advisory Council on the Penal System for its helpful report on reparation by the offender. I welcome its recommendations and am keeping them in mind for posible future criminal justice legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the working of the Community Relations Commission; and if he will make a statement.

I consider that the Commission plays an important part in the development of harmonious community relations, and I am confident that it will continue to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the programme for improving the amount of work for prisoners available in prisons in England and Wales.

Severe overcrowding has created problems; but the value of the output of prison industries and the number employed on productive work have increased substantially in the past year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications to High Court judges for bail were made in the last period for which figures are available; how many were successful; and, in respect of each figure, how many were made by counsel.

Statistics are not available in the form sought by the hon Member. In 1969, the latest year for which figures are available, 9,160 applicants for bail were made to High Court judges by the Official Solicitor, and about 500 other applications were made by solicitors or counsel for the accused.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to seek to implement the recommendations of the report by Justice on the prosecution process in England and Wales, a copy of which has been sent to him.

My right hon. Friend has, in consultation with his colleagues, recently considered these and similar proposals relating to the way in which prosecutions should be conducted in this country but he does not think that a fundamental reorganisation on the lines proposed would be justified at this time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to advise the editors of publications designed for young people of the dangers of glamourising drug taking.

The dangers of glamourising drug-taking must be self-evident to responsible editors. I do not think advice from me would help.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proopsals he has for providing immigration officials on duty at all times

PROFITS MADE BY THE STATE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS, AS PUBLISHED IN THE ANNUAL REPORTS PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT UNDER THE LICENSING ACT 1964 AND THE LICENSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1959
			Carlisle	Gretna	Cromarty Firth	Total(Scottish Districts)	Total(England and Scotland)
Year			£	£	£	£	£
1960–61	…	…	178,017	13,058	20,701	33,759	211,776
1961–62	…	…	202,354	16,436	21,351	37,787	240,141
1962–63	…	…	252,653	11,914	21,133	33,047	285,700
1963–64	…	…	247,057	12,072	25,152	37,224	284,281
1964–65	…	…	239,948	13,141	24,872	38,013	277,961
1965–66	…	…	221,816	14,856	26,286	41,142	262,958
1966–67	…	…	206,110	11,568	22,828	34,396	240,506
1967–68	…	…	166,804	6,511	13,581	20,092	186,896
1968–69	…	…	113,026	25,720	23,389	49,109	162,135
1969–70	…	…	212,171	17,055	30,225	47,280	259,451

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with police constables in England and Wales concerning special training of police for drug squads; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is in touch with chief officers of police about ways of improving the training of those officers who are to serve in drug squads. The Drugs Branch of the Home in the East Midlands Airport, thus avoiding uncomfortable and long delays for foreign visitors entering the country at the airport.

I understand that on only one occasion have passengers been delayed at the airport for immigration control. Permanent manning by immigration officers would not be justified on the basis of the present level of traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what profits were made by the State Management Districts in England and Scotland, respectively, in each of the last 10 years; and when he intends to introduce legislation to transfer these public undertakings to private owners.

With the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend is circulating this information in the OFFICIAL REPORT. A Bill to abolish State Management of the liquor trade was introduced on 2nd February.Following is the information:Office is assisting in the organisation of training courses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in view of recent accidents in crowded conditions at underground stations, he will consider introducing legislation to improve safety standards at places to which the public have access.

Existing legislation applying to places of public resort deals with such matters as the safe design and construction of buildings and equipment; safe and adequate means of ingress and egress; and fire precautions. The need for further legislation is kept under review by the various Departments concerned, but each case must be considered in relation to the specific risks or premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Younger Committee on Privacy to report.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger) on 29th October. [Vol. 805, c.170.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek to appoint an inter-departmental committee to consider privacy and confidentiality in Government-owned computer data banks.

No. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Joyce Butler) on 10th December, the Government are making their own investigations.—[Vol. 808, c. 188.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many councils and committees established to improve community relations have representatives or liaison arrangements with the localstations of the Metropolitan Police.

All the 23 community relations councils in the area covered by the Metropolitan Police have liaison arrangements with the local division of the force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations he has made into factors, other than pay and conditions, that influence the morale of prison officers.

Overcrowding is a major difficulty affecting the prison service. I have written to the hon. Member about the steps which are being taken to tackle this problem and to improve communications within the service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the future likely demands on the Probation Service; and what plans he has to meet them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to increase the number of probation officers.

The strength of the service at the end of last year was 3,426. I estimate that by the end of 1975 at least 4,400 whole-time officers will be needed to cope with increases in the present tasks of the service, and the Government are setting the target of 300 more than this to provide for more treatment of offenders in the community.Plans are now being made for 200 additional training places, of which one half will be available in the Autumn of 1971 in new courses being established at the Polytechnics of Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that sufficient people of the right calibre continue to enter the Probation Service; and if he will make the salaries paid in the Probation Service comparable with those paid by the children's departments of local authorities.

The Government are planning to provide 200 additional training places in order further to expand the probation and after-care service. Probation pay is a matter for consideration in the first instance by the Joint Negotiating Committee for the Probation Service. The Committee will be making recommendations to my right hon. Friend, and I have no doubt that due account will be taken of remuneration in the local authority social services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a further statement on the operation of the 1968 Gaming Act.

After consulting the Gaming Board, my right hon. Friend has decided that in future outside Greater London, clubs may be licensed for general gaming in any borough having a population of 125,000 or more, with a saving for those areas of lesser population in which licences have already been issued. The position in London will remain unchanged. Amending regulations will be made shortly to enable clubs in new areas to apply to the Gaming Board for certificates of consent before 31st October, 1971, with a view to obtaining licences from 1st June, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent the Race Relations Board from interfering in matters affecting the immigration policies of other countries.

As the Board's powers relate to practices within this country which are covered by the Race Relations Act, and not to policies in other countries, no question of legislation of the kind suggested arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations his Department have with local authorities regarding the implementation of projects approved under the Urban Aid Programme.

We consult the local authorities concerned about the implementation of particular projects if and when this seems necessary. For capital projects, there are quarterly progress reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has called for reports from chief constables about ways and means of combating urban hooliganism.

Chief officers of police are doing all they can, according to local circumstances, to prevent this sort of behaviour and to bring offenders to justice. I do not see any need to call for reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent he estimates his forthcoming legislation for control of United Kingdom immigration procedures will involve an increase in the personnel administering them.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the information which will be given in the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum when the Bill is introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to repeal Section 34 of the Prisons Act, 1877.

These provisions are now in Section 38 of the Prisons Act, 1952. The possible repeal of this Section will be considered in consultation with the local authority associations when a suitable opportunity arises for amending legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the law on the rights of parents and foster parents.

I think it right to await the final report of the Departmental Committee on the Adoption of Children before considering legislation in this difficult field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Constabulary giving the number of graduates recruitedduring each of the past six years.

I am informed that one graduate was recruited in 1969 and two in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent visit to Northern Ireland of the Minister of State for the Home Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's official visit on 28th and 29th January to Northern Ireland.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence to a Question by the Member for Belfast, South (Mr. Pounder) on 11th February.—[Vol. 811, c. 217–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents concerning explosive bombs took place in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

The information sought is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to receive the report of the wider investigation into the possible health hazards of enzyme washing powders which he instituted six months ago.

Within the next three months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time spent by juveniles in adult prison quarters after being sentenced to corrective training in borstal institutions.

About two-thirds of the young men sentenced to borstal training in England and Wales wait in local prisons before going to a borstal allocation centre. Over the last 12 months their average waiting period has been about four weeks; currently it is shorter than this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables joined the police forces in England and Wales during each of the last two years for which figures are available; and what steps he proposes to take to persuade more people to become special constables.

2,859 in 1969 and 2,703 in 1970. Chief officers of police are responsible for the recruitment of special constables, but some recruiting publicity is produced centrally. This includes posters, leaflets and films for showing on television.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the responsibility of the police forces in relation to peace-time emergencies.

The rôle of the police depends on the nature of the emergency. They will always be concerned to maintain law and order, save life and control crowds and traffic. In pursuance of those responsibilities police officers may have to undertake initial co-ordination of rescue or other activties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests Her Majesty's Government have received from the Government of Northern Ireland to assist in the restoration of order in the province and to secure the arrest of those responsible for committing and organising acts of terrorism in Ulster since July, 1969.

My hon. Friend will know that consultation with the Northern Ireland Government has been close and continuous, but no formal request for military assistance has been necessary since it was asked for and provided in August, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study is being made by the police forces in Great Britain of the methods used by the criminal forces in Northern Ireland. with a view to devising the most effective counter-measures to deal with similar tactics being employed by subversive elements in Great Britain.

Police methods are kept under continual review as part of normal procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reason for the delay in publishing the second part of the Himsworth Committee Report on the toxicity of CS gas, originally promised for the autumn of last year; and when it will be published.

I understand that the Himsworth Committee has not yet completed its extensive investigations and experiments, but that Part II of its report may be available by about the middle of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will propose the setting up of a national lottery, the net proceeds of which should be devoted primarily to medical research.

The question of a national lottery will be examined in the course of the general review of the law on lotteries to which I referred in the reply given to a Question from the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 20th January.—[Vol. 809, c. 301–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the view of the European Economic Community Commission that Commonwealth citizens acquiring British citizenship should not necessarily have the same rights as other British citizens to enter the labour markets of the wider Community, should Great Britain become a member of the European Economic Com- munity; and whether he intends to seek to amend the Race Relations Act in order to impose this discrimination.

I am not aware that the Commission has expressed such a view. Discussions with the E.E.C. on this topic are still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends that the Licensed Premises Committee appointed by his Department to plan the distribution of licensed premises in the Warrington New Town area shall be empowered to deal with licensing applications other than by meetings held in public, and for what reason is it proposed to grant them powers of private decision denied to other licensing authorities.

It is for the committee to decide whether or not to sit in private. When dealing with individual applications its functions are different from those of local licensing justices; it acts in an administrative capacity and is concerned solely to consider, on reference from the justices, whether an application conforms to its proposals for the distribution of licensed premises in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to deal with the increase in immigrant smuggling between France, Belgium and Great Britain and the bringing of dangerous drugs into the country by these illegal immigrants.

My right hon. Friend is in close touch with the police who have recently reviewed their arrangements for preventing illegal immigration and have strengthened their links with continental police forces. The forthcoming immigration legislation will provide an opportunity for considering the adequacy of penalties for being concerned in illegal immigration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the National Council for Civil Liberties and the Committee on United Kingdom Citizenship have claimed advanced knowledge of proposed legislation on immigration; and whether he will institute an inquiry to establish how and why the information was disclosed.

My right hon. Friend has not been able to establish the origin of Press reports about the content of the Bill which will soon be published, except that many of them appear to be based on inaccurate speculation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in order rapidly to alleviate prison crowding he will arrange for the erection of prison camps similar to those rapidly erected in wartime.

There are difficulties about this procedure. But the former Army camp at Ranby, near Retford, will receive its first prisoners later this year, and the Home Office has sought planning clearance for the adaptation of three other camps no longer needed by the services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what further action he is taking to improve prison conditions, and particularly to abolish the use of chamber pots and the practice of slopping out;(2) if he will give the number of prisoners detained in prisons built 100 years, 75 years, 50 years and 25 years ago and since, respectively, and what further action is being taken to modernise these buldings.

On 15th January about 19,200 people were in custody in prisons in England and Wales built over 100 years ago. The number in prisons built over 75, 50 and 25 years age was 24,000 24,400 and 28,900.Over £5 million will be spent in the current financial year on the modernisation, renovation, improvement and maintenance of prisons, borstals and detention centres in England and Wales. This will include extensive refurbishing and the provision of improved services and other facilities, for example, new workshops. These measures are designed to improve prison conditions as well as to enable the old prisons to cope with the increased numbers that have to be accommodated in them.Work has now started on the complete redevelopment of Holloway prison. All new prisons, including Holloway, are being so designed that slopping out will not be necessary but I cannot foresee the end of this practice in the majority of existing prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the amount of financial assistance being given by the Community Relations Commission towards the work of the community relations councils; and if he will make a statement.

I consider that the Commission's financial assistance to community relations councils is at the right level.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to raise the standard of certification for each burial to that required for cremation and to arrange for screening tests for poisons, a pathologist's examination and autopsy to be carried out so as to have results available within 24 hours.

The question of what medical certificates should be completed before disposal of a body by any method can be permitted is among those now being considered by the Departmental Committee on Death Certification and Coroners. The Committee is also considering the nature of the service in pathology which should be available to coroners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for improving the recruitment of graduates into the police.

My right hon. Friend is keeping the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he is making of the official Dutch system of Provadyo youth clubs, details of which have been sent to him, in the course of his assessment of the drug situation.

Such information as I have does not suggest that further inquiries are called for.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now satisfied that there are adequate numbers of police in London to assist the Greater London Council in controlling the nuisance of parked lorries in residential areas; and if he will make a statement.

I am not yet in a position to add to the reply I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Islington, South-West (Mr. George Cunningham) on 15th December.—[Vol. 808, c. 323–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the danger to road users, particularly children, in the illegal parking of heavy lorries in narrow streets in Capel Road, Forest Gate, E.7, in particular, and that the drivers of these lorries are using them as overnight sleeping quarters, and the public highway as public conveniences; and whether he will request the police to take action to have these lorries removed and prevent the obstruction and annoyance caused to the local residents.

I am sure the police do what they reasonably can to deal with any contraventions of the law when they come to notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will remove the present members of the Horserace Totalisator Board and appoint new members who have no interests with private companies connected with the horse-race and betting industry.

No. My right hon. Friend has full confidence in the disinterested performance of their responsi- bilities by the members of the Board, none of whom has any significant beneficial interest in the horse-racing or betting industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state on what date he appointed the members of the Horserace Totalisator Board; who were so appointed, their qualifications and other interests; and for what period their terms of appointment lasts.

Appointments to the Board are normally for periods of three years at a time; the chief qualifications sought in making them are knowledge and experience of the horseracing and financial worlds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had about Her Majesty's Government's attitude towards amendment of the Shops Act, 1950, from the London Borough of Redbridge.

None since a reply was sent last December to a letter from the Council urging amendment of the Act so as to allow all retailers to carry on six-day trading if they so wish.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the consultations which have taken place between his Department and outside interests on the forthcoming Immigration Bill.

I have not thought it appropriate to hold consultations outside the public service about my specific proposals, but I will inform High Commissions in advance of the main provisions in the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how the Daily Telegraph was able on Friday, 12th February, to publish full details of his proposed Immigration Bill a month before this was proposed to be introduced; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be readily available, for as long a period as possible, giving particulars of the number of police officers suspended without pay during investigations, the number subsequently exonerated from any charges, and the amounts of moneys lost during suspension; if he will state why Alan Barter has been kept in a state of suspension since 1st October on two-thirds pay; and when his case will be resolved.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that Police Constable Barter has been suspended under the Police (Discipline) Regulations and in common with other suspended officers is now entitled to full pay. It would be improper for me to comment furthern this individual case On the more general question of statistical information I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible giving such information as is readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons normally engaged in the building and construction industry in Scotland he estimates are unemployed on the basis of the latest figures available to him.

At 11th January, 1971, there were 25,985 persons registered as unemployed in Scotland who last worked in the construction industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons registering as steel erectors and improvers are unemployed in Scotland; and how the figures compare with 1968, 1969, 1970 at the same time.

At 11th January, 1971, there were in Scotland 509 wholly unemployed men who were registered for employment as constructional fitters and erectors. The corresponding figures for January, 1970, January, 1969, and January, 1968, were 302, 245 and 286.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that Swansea Borough Council has refused to allow ambulance personnel to belong to the Federation of Ambulance Personnel, that these personnel were given notice unless they joined a recognised union and, having joined the Transport Union, they have been fined a £15 levy and £5 back subscription and banned from overtime work for one year; and whether he will use his powers under the Conciliation Act, 1896, to remedy the situation.

I understand that the Swansea Corporation requires employees to be in membership of one of the trade unions represented on the appropriate negotiating machinery. The T. & G.W.U. has informed us that five members of the Federation of Ambulance Personnel who recently rejoined the union to comply with this requirement were charged the maximum entrance fee of £10 under the union's rules and that they were not charged arrears of subscription nor have they been banned from working overtime. There is no dispute within the meaning of the Conciliation Act, 1896, and it would be inappropriate for me to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment figures, male and female, for the South-West Scotland planning region for the last 12 months; and what was the number of redundancies notified to his Department in that region in the same period in respect of male and female employees.

The total number of persons registered as unemployed in the South-West planning region of Scotland in each month during the past year was:

	Month		Males	Females	Total
1970—	February	…	2,613	777	3,390
	March	…	2,409	803	3,212
	April	…	2,189	662	2,851
	May	…	2,060	594	2,654
	June	…	1,964	537	2,501
	July	…	2,070	660	2,730
	August	…	2,060	634	2,694
	September	…	1,956	596	2,552
	October	…	1,981	617	2,598
	November	…	2,136	691	2,827
	December	…	2,141	749	2,890
1971—	January	…	2,306	809	3,115

Comprehensive figures of redundancies are not available as not all are notified to my Department. However, records show that redundancies affecting 143 workpeople (108 males and 35 females) were notified to my Department during the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of production days lost in industry from 1960 to 1970 due to inter-union recognition disputes, stating what percentage these represent of the total days lost due to industrial action.

Separate figures for this particular category of stoppage for the period quoted are not available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the final number of days lost to industry in 1970 in respect of strikes, lockouts, industrial accidents and illness given in major categories, including influenza, and rheumatism, broken down by sex.

The provisional total of working days lost in 1970 as a result of stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the United Kingdom is 10,970,000. Final figures will not become available until May.The following is the latest available information relating to days of incapacity notified for national insurance purposes in Great Britain

DAYS OF CERTIFIED INCAPACITY* YEAR ENDING 31ST MAY, 1969
	Days (millions)
Sickness	Males	Females
Mental, psycho-neurotic and personality disorders	21	10
Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs	16	5
Diseases of the circulatory system	37	6
Diseases of the respiratory system:
Influenza	13	3
Bronchitis	33	4
Other	22	7
Diseases of the digestive system	18	4
Diseases of the bones and other organs of movement:
Rheumatism	4	1
Arthritis and spondylitis	11	4
Other	10	2
Accidents and poisonings other than those which attracted benefit under the Industrial Injuries Acts	24	4
All other causes	46	25
All causes	255	74
Industrial Injury
Industrial accidents and prescribed industrial diseases	20	3
* Days of incapacity following termination of injury benefit are included under sickness.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of the research project carried out by the Dundee College of Technology for the Wool, Jute and Flax Industry Training Board into instructor selection.

The project was not completed. The cost incurred was £241 17s. 6d.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that strikes are to take place on 1st March and 18th March affecting all industries and businesses which employ workers connected with the engineering industry; and whether he will, before these dates, take action to meet the trade unions concerned to discuss their grievances and to see what action he can take to prevent these strikes taking place.

My right hon. Friend continues to be ready to discuss the proposals in the Industrial Relations Bill with the representatives of the trade union movement even though he deplores the decision of the A.U.E.W. to use the strike weapon in support of political objectives.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that on Sunday, 21st February, the Trades Union Congress is to hold a meeting and demonstration of trade unionists in London regarding the Government's Industrial Relations Bill; and whether he will request the Trades Union Congress to grant him the facilities of addressing this meeting.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes", and to the second "No".

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received in recent months from the Greater London Council on the need to reorganise and rationalise safety regulations for place of work in metropolitan areas.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent he estimates the cost of living will rise as a result of the recently implemented increase in postal charges, the rise proposed in the television licence and the several increases in petrol and the one announced; and when he expects these prices to fall.

I estimate that the recently-implemented increases in postal charges, the announced rise in the charges for television licences, and the increases in petrol prices which took effect at the end of December will raise the General Index of Retail Prices all-items figure by about one-third of a point. A further increase of lp a gallon in the price of petrol would raise the index by a further one-eight of a point.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will explain to the Women's National Commission at its first meeting since its reconvening, on 24th February, why she changed its structure and constitution without consultation with its membership.

The changes were made with a view to increasing the effectiveness of the Commission and keeping down the running costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary school classes in the County Borough of Sunderland have more than 35 pupils; and what steps are being taken to eliminate oversize classes in Sunderland.

In January, 1970, 346. Sunderland shares in the current general improvement in staffing standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of classes in secondary schools with more than 30 pupils in the County Borough of Sunderland.

In January, 1970, 168.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she has studied the proposal to establish a self-supporting university free of direct State financial support, details of which have been sent to her; and what estimate she has made of the implications of the project on her Department's plans for the future of higher education.

Yes, with interest, but it is too early to estimate the probable contribution of this project to the expansion of higher education provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will consider giving further financial assistance to the Pre-School Playgroups Association to enable at least two more assistants to be provided to the National Adviser; and if she will make a statement.

Subject to Parliamentarly approval of the Estimates, the grant which my Department makes to the PreSchool Playgroups Association will be increased from £3,500 this year to £7,000 in 1971–72. I hope at least to maintain this higher level of grant in 1972–73 and in the following year. The additional grant will enable the Association to strengthen its valuable advisory services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what special steps she is now taking to provide financial assistance for library expenditure in Portsmouth following the decision of the City Council to postpone building plans as a result of the Government's new policy for the finance of local government; and whether she will make a statement.

None. I understand that the Finance and Policy Committee of the City Council was due to consider a recommendation on this matter today. A final decision is not expected before 9th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will end the practice whereby students' grants are reduced on their marriage.

No such reduction is made for men students. In the case of women students, it is made, generally speaking, only when the woman lives at home with her husband, and he is not a student. Representations received by the Department on behalf of these students are being considered during the current review of awards.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what papers in Northern Ireland carried the Army advertisement headed, "Something different every day", carrying the Union Flag: what papers carried the same advertisement without the flag; and what price was paid for both these type of advertisements during the last 12 months.

The Belfast Telegraph and Belfast Sunday News carried the advertisement with the Union Flag; the newspapers which have carried the one without are numerous and have included those in the Ulster Associated Press Group, the Dungannon Observer Series, the Morton Newspaper Group, and others. About £102 and £460respectively has been spent since August, 1970, when these particular advertisements first appeared in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence for what purpose the security forces have recently visited Rathlin Island; and why an elaborate system of communications is being installed there.

A routine visit was made recently to Rathlin Island to examine the possibility of carrying out military training there. No improvements to communications have been undertaken.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he can now state on what terms he is proposing to loan money to Yarrow Limited; and over what period the loan has to be repaid.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry stated on 11th February, the terms and conditions of this loan have not yet been worked out.—[Vol. 811, c. 808–813.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if, in deciding to lend money to Yarrow Limited, he took into account the difficulties this would create in awarding contracts on the basis of the lowest tender.

The existence of this loan would be one of the factors which would be taken into account in assessing future competitive tenders for warship contracts.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will give an assurance that the proposed loan to Yarrow Limited will not affect his Department's existing new construction facilities for frigate building in Devonport Dockyards.

Since the Leander Class frigate, H.M.S. "Scylla", was completed in Devonport Dockyard in January, 1970, the new construction facilities there have been occupied by the building of a research and development vessel. This vessel will not be completed before the end of 1971, and in this period there are no plans for building frigates in the yard. This situation is unaffected by the loan to Yarrow Limited.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will give an assurance that in future all new frigate construction will be put up for open tender, as in the past, and that the practice will continue of choosing the lowest tender from commercial firms.

There is no intention to change the method of awarding orders for the construction of frigates.

asked the Minister of State for Defence in view of the concern about the future of commercial new construction factories for frigates, building which has prompted his Department to propose a loan to Yarrow Limited, if he will give an assurance that he will consider the possibility of extending new construction facilities within the Royal Dockyards.

There are no plans to extend new construction facilities within the Royal Dockyards.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what representations he has received following the proposed loan to Yarrow Limited from other commercial shipyards with a frigate-building capacity such as Harland and Wolf, Swan, Hunter, Cammell Laird and Vosper Thornycroft.

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether the contracts placed with Yarrow Limited in 1968 for new frigates have been fulfilled within the quoted contract price, or what is the expected total increase in cost; and if the liability for it will be met by Yarrow Limited.

The payments made to Yarrow Limited will be those properly due to it under the terms and conditions of the contract.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the future fulfilment of the Maritime Airborne Early Warning rôle by the Royal Air Force.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1971 (Cmnd. 4592).

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will give details of the employment of the Ulster Defence Regiment since its formation.

Copies of a report on the calling out of the force for the period 1st April to 31st December, 1970, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.I will arrange for future similar reports to be made available at quarterly intervals while it continues to be necessary to call out the regiment for emergency service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the hardship caused to separated wives by reason of delays in receipt of maintenance payments caused by the unemployment of their husbands, he will devise administrative changes to correct this.

A separated wife who is entitled to supplementary benefit can already be protected from hardship by the arrangements outlined in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster (Mrs. Kellett) on 12th January. A separated husband drawing unemployment benefit jeopardises his title to dependency increases if he does not pay them over promptly, but we are considering possible ways to deal more effectively with a few exceptional cases.—[Vol. 809, c. 40–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the rent allowances paid to war widows are calculated in cases where they are buying their homes by means of mortgages; and how this differs from the calculation of rent allowances for owner-occupiers for supplementary benefit purposes.

A war widow's rent allowance, which is paid only where there is a child, is intended to help her with the cost of the accommodation she needs because of the children and is subject to a maximum of £2.50 a week. Where a war widow is an owner-occupier her notional rent is calculated on the basis of the gross annual value of the property plus the yearly rates—including water rate and drainage rate. Ground rent, chief rent, and (in Scotland) feu duty is not included, nor is any account taken of payments of capital or interest on a property which is subject to a mortgage. No allowance is given in respect of the first 30p a week, so calculated.Persons entitled to supplementary benefit receive a rent allowance based on the actual rent, whether or not there is a child in the family. In the case of an owner-occupier, the outgoings allowed in the calculation of the rent allowance are the sum of interest on any mortgage —but not repayment of mortgage capital—general and water rate, ground rent (feu duty in Scotland) and an allowance to cover insurance and repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases the full rent payable is not taken into account in calculating entitlement to supplementary benefit; how many of those affected are, respectively, single men, single women with children, unemployed, Commonwealth immigrants, council tenants, other unfurnished tenants, and furnished tenants; and what is the average unmet rent in each category.

In November, 1969, the latest date for which information is available, the net rent payable by 23,000 claimants of supplementary benefit was not met in full; the average amount unmet was £1.09. It is not possible to analyse these figures for all the categories listed by the hon. Member; the information available is as follows:

	Number of claimants	Average amount of unmet rent £
Women under pension age with children *	3,000	1·17
Unemployed	4,000	1·33
Local Authority tenants	4,000	Not Known
Furnished accommodation†	6,000	Not Known
Unfurnished accommodation†	17,000	Not Known
* Includes separated wives, widows and divorcees.
† Includes all types of accommodation, i.e. local authority, private landlord, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the recruitment of staff to the new Basildon Hospital is on schedule; and whether any difficulties experienced have been in particular categories of staff and in which categories.

As the first phase of this new hospital is not expected to open before mid-1972 the recruitment of staff is still at an early stage, but I am informed that it is on schedule and that no difficulties have been experienced to date with particular categories of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will instruct the General Nursing Council, on receipt of a letter forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Pontefract, that questionnaires to nursing students, taking their final examinations, asking them to give details of their religion and political party membership must stop forthwith, and questionnaires already completed must be destroyed immediately.

The General Nursing Council is an independent statutory body including elected members of the nursing profession and is not subject to my direction but no doubt they will take note of the views which have been expressed in the profession and elsewhere about the questionnaire.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations have been made to his Department, and by whom, that bronchitis and emphysema should be prescribed as industrial diseases in coalmining; whether his Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has considered this; and if he will give the matter consideration.

Representations have been made by the Trades Union Congress and member unions, and bronchitis and emphysema have received careful study in consultation with the Medical Research Council. On present evidence these conditions do not satisfy the requirements for prescription laid down by Section 56(2) of the Industrial Injuries Act. In these circumstances no useful purpose would be served by referring the question of prescription to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress being made by his Industrial Diseases Sub-Committee of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on the question of pneumoconiosis review.

I understand that the Sub-Committee is at present taking oral evidence.