§ 60. Mr. Lathamasked the Attorney-General how many cases in the past year have gone from the lower courts to the Court of Appeal; how this number compares with the figures for the previous three years; and how many cases are presently outstanding to be heard in the Court of Appeal.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIn 1970, the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal disposed of some 8,300 cases. Comparable figures for 1967, 1968 and 1969 were 5,798, 7,898 and 8,613, respectively. On 20th June, there were 1,917 applications outstanding.
In 1970, 917 appeals were set down for hearing in the Civil Division in the Court of Appeal. Comparable figures for 1967, 1968 and 1969 were 834, 948 and 948, respectively. At 18th June, 1971, 266 appeals remained undisposed of.
LOCKHEED TRISTAR
§ Q10. Mr. Rostasked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Castle Donnington, and seek an opportunity of seeing at first hand a Lockheed Tristar.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to visit Castle Donnington; and I understand that the present Tristar development programme does not include further visits there by the aircraft.
PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT POMPIDOU (TALKS)
§ Q11. Dr. Gilbertasked the Prime Minister if he found an identity of view on the partial nuclear test ban treaty 349W in his recent talks with President Pompidou.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing to add to my statement of 24th May about my talks with President Pompidou.
§ Q14. Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Prime Minister whether he now proposes to make a further visit to Paris to have discussions with the President of France.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so.
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
§ Q12. Mr. Douglasasked the Prime Minister if, following the latest negotiations in Brussels, he will seek an early meeting with the Heads of Government of the European Economic Community nations.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so, but I look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Italy to London next week.
§ Q13. Mr. Ashtonasked the Prime Minister what is the average number of letters he has received daily since 1st June making representations against entry into the European Economic Community.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 17th June to a Question from the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis).—[Vol. 819, c. 134.]
INDIA AND EAST PAKISTAN (AID)
§ Q15. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Health and Social Security in providing aid to the cholera and famine affected areas of East Pakistan and India; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterYes. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has standing arrangements with the Department of Health and Social Security and with private British charities which enable relief operations to be mounted at any time without delay. These enabled us to respond quickly when the needs of India350W were made known. As to East Pakistan, I would refer the hon. Lady to the statement which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made yesterday.
MACCLESFIELD
§ Q16. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Macclesfield in the next three months.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so.
NORTHERN IRELAND (DEVELOPMENT REVIEW)
§ Q17. Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Prime Minister whether he will now announce the names of those to carry out the review of the prospects of economic and social development in Northern Ireland which was agreed at his meeting with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland on 1st April.
§ The Prime MinisterYes. I am glad to say that Sir Alec Cairncross has agreed to be Chairman of this Review; and that Mr. Darwin Templeton, a Northern Ireland accountant, and Mr. Charles Villiers, a merchant banker who was formerly Managing Director of the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, have agreed to serve as members.
UPPER CLYDE SHIPBUILDERS LIMITED
§ Q18. Mr. Millanasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official meeting with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on 21st June.
§ Q19. Mr. McCartneyasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Limited, following his meeting with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on 21st June.
§ The Prime MinisterThe deputation from the Scottish Trades Union Congress expressed to me their concern about the future of shipbuilding on the Upper 351W Clyde. In reply I set out the facts of the situation, pointing out that there was no indication of when the company could be expected to return to solvency. I emphasised that the Government wished to maintain shipbuilding on the Upper Clyde; and that measures were being taken, in conjunction with the provisional liquidator, to keep the work force intact while the team of advisers investigated the possibilities for reconstruction.
NORTHERN IRELAND (OFFICIAL VISIT)
§ Q20. Mr. Maginnisasked the Prime Minister if he will now make an official visit to Northern Ireland.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so.
INTERNATIONAL DISASTER FORCE
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if he will seek to discuss with President Nixon and other Heads of State the creation of an international disaster force, along the lines suggested by U Thant.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so, but Her Majesty's Government have submitted a Memorandum to the Secretary-General, and United Kingdom representatives will take part when the Secretary-General's report on disaster relief is discussed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in July. The report, which concerns natural disasters only, does not in fact suggest an international force, but recommends the establishment of a small office for co-ordination.