asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what consideration he has given to the representations received from the hon. Member for Wednesbury regarding the non-delivery of letters addressed to African political prisoners who are British protected persons detained without trial in Southern Rhodesia; and what representations he has made to the Federal Government.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the letter which he wrote to my right hon. Friend on 18th May. I replied to this letter on 29th May with the suggestion that he might take the matter up direct with the High Commissioner for the Federation. My right hon. Friend is not aware of any grounds on which it would be appropriate for him to make representations to the Federal Government in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will provide facilities for African pupils in Swaziland to sit for the London Matriculation examination.

Facilities are provided for African and other pupils in Swaziland to take the London Overseas General Certificate of Education—which has superseded the London Matriculation examination—as private pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to what extent African children in the High Commission Territories at present study for examinations set by the educational authorities of the Republic of South Africa; and what changes are now proposed.

In Basutoland no schools enter candidates for examinations set by educational authorities in the Republic of South Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the findings of the constitutional commission for Uganda; and to what extent the recommendations are accepted by Her Majesty's Government.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 19th June, in which he explained that the Report will be considered by all concerned between now and the September Conference, but indicated that in his view the Report offered much promise of an acceptable solution being found to the major constitutional problems confronting Uganda today.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his expectations that planned shipments of Polish eggs would not extend beyond late May or early June have been realised; and if he will state the current weekly releases of Polish eggs on the United Kingdom market.

As I stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 27th April, the Polish authorities informed me that planned shipments of eggs to the United Kingdom in any quantity would not extend beyond late May or early June. Current Polish sales for consumption in the United Kingdom are not more than 10,000 boxes per week, which I consider to be within the terms of their earlier statement of intentions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in providing employment in the development districts designated under the Local Employment Act; and what changes he proposes to make in the list of these districts.

I am glad to say that considerable progress has been made. There are now over 90,000 jobs in prospect in the development districts as a whole.I am satisfied that the following districts can no longer be considered as development districts within the terms of Section 1 (2) of the Local Employment Act:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many bills of exchange and promissory notes Stamp Duty was charged in the financial year 1959–60; on how many and to what total amount it was charged in 1960–61; on how many it is estimated that Stamp Duty will be charged in 1961–62; and what will be the total at present rates.

I regret that the numbers of such documents are not known for any year. The net receipt of the duty in Great Britain in 1960–61 was £1,511,000. The estimated yield in 1961–62, at the rates before the changes proposed in the Finance Bill, was just over £1,500,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to accept the Stoke Edith needlework panels, now at Montacute House, Somerset, in settlement of Estate Duty; and if he will make a statement.

The Stoke Edith needlework panels were offered to the State in settlement of duty payable on the estate of the late H. T. H. Foley, Esq. They have now been accepted under Section 34 (1) of the Finance Act, 1956, at a cost to the National Land Fund of £12,813, after allowing for Estate Duty exemption.The panels consist of three needlework hangings dating from the early eighteenth century. They are well known in the literature of Engish embroidery, and by reason of their great scale, spirited drawing and execution, and their satisfactory condition, are by far the finest known to have survived from the reign of William and Mary or Queen Anne. One panel depicts a classical scene, but the other two have special interest because they show contemporary costume and the formal gardens of Stoke Edith House, for which the panels were made, as they then were. The panels have always been in the Foley family and were kept in Stoke Edith House until it was burnt down in 1927. For the last ten years they have been lent to the National Trust for display at Montacute House, Somerset.The Treasury has now given the necessary direction to enable the panels to continue to be displayed by the National Trust at Montacute House. Provision has been made for the possible transfer of the panels to the Victoria and Albert Museum at a later date. They are at present in the museum undergoing restoration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the figures contained in his

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, when the present uniforms are being renewed, he will give traffic wardens a more attractive and more dignified uniform.

The Commissioner of Police hopes, in due course, to replace the present uniform of traffic wardens in the Metropolitan Police District by one of better quality and cut. He is currently considering representations from the wardens about their uniform and equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the methods of operation of traffic wardens in Leicester are proving more effective than those adopted by the wardens in charge of parking meters in London and elsewhere; and what steps he will take to effect an improvement in respect of the latter.

The employment of traffic wardens must still be regarded as in the experimental stage. I am sure that the Commissioner of Police, who is responsible for the traffic warden organisation in the Metropolitan Police District, will follow with interest the experience gained at Leicester and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police instructions were issued in con- reply on 11th April 1960 for the rise and fall in the price of imports and exports from 1951 and the internal rise and fall in the cost of living and the £ sterling.

The following figures—based on 1951=100—bring up to date the table I gave in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 11th April, 1960:nection with the recent wedding, details of which have been set to him by the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford, which affected the usual parking places in the vicinity of St. Clement Dane's Church; between which hours of the day the restrictions were in operation; and in how many cases cars were towed away, necessitating the payment of a £2 removal fee by their owners.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that he issued directions that between 6.0 a.m. and 6.0 p.m. on 20th June, 1961, vehicles were not to be permitted to wait in certain streets in the vicinity of the church.Fourteen cars which had been parked in disregard of the directions were removed by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of additional police on duty in the vicinity of St. Clement Dane's church in connection with the recent wedding there, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford; what was the total of police hours involved; from whom the request for extra police came; and to what extent the expense incurred is recoverable from the parties concerned.

The Commissioner of Police arranged for 59 police officers to be on duty near St. Clement Dane's from 3.15 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. on 20th June. In addition, 12 officers were detailed to control traffic in the surrounding area, and 23 officers were held in reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the judgment given in the case of the Huddersfield Friendly and Trading Societies' Club; and whether he will introduce amending legislation to legalise the playing of tombola in clubs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Small Lotteries and Gaming Act, 1956, and the Betting and Gaming Act, 1960, in view of the decision in Payne and Others v. Bradley.

I would refer to the Answer given yesterday to a Question by the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when an amnesty for the surrender of firearms was last held; and how many weapons were then handed in.

It was announced on 14th February, 1946 that chief officers of police had been asked to arrange that proceedings would not be taken against anyone who surrendered by 31st March, 1946, firearms or ammunition illegally held. 75,996 weapons were surrendered by the latter date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the maximum penalty imposed for the illegal possession of firearms in each of the last five years.

I have this information only for the Metropolitan Police District. There, the highest fines imposed in each of the past five calendar years have been £15, £20, £10, £50 and £40 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now received replies from the representatives of the local fire authorities whom he undertook to consult about the request made to him by the National Association of Fire Officers and the Fire Brigades Union for an independent inquiry into the fire service; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. None of those consulted favours an independent inquiry into pay and other conditions of service at the present time. It is generally thought that this might undermine the established negotiating machinery of the service. The replies suggest, however, that the representatives of the fire authorities are prepared to consider the issues raised by the deputation I received from the National Association of Fire Officers and Fire Brigades Union in the general context of the needs and responsibilities of a changing service. I have informed those organisations that in these circumstances, rather than appoint an independent inquiry, I hope that direct discussions with the fire authorities will now be undertaken.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations were made to Her Majesty's Government by a deputation from the British Council of Churches on the safety of British missionaries in Angola; what was the reply given to them; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply yesterday to the hon. Members for Blackburn (Mrs. Castle), Leyton (Mr. Sorenson), Barking and Leeds, East (Mr. Healey).

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the consultations which he has had with the Ruler of Kuwait regarding General Kassem's claim to sovereignty over Kuwait.

As I informed the hon. Gentleman yesterday, Her Majesty's Government have been in consultation with the Government of Kuwait and have assured the Ruler of their support. The hon. Gentleman will understand that details of these consultations must remain confidential but I can reassure him that Her Majesty's Government have made it clear that they do not accept in any way General Kassem's claim to sovereignty over Kuwait.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what developments there have been since Sir George Rendel went to Cairo earlier in the year to hasten a settlement of the claims of the officials dismissed by the Egyptian Government in 1951; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton (Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop) on 15th May and 5th June. We are continuing to press for a very early decision.

asked the Minister of Transport when final financial approval will be given to the Sandfields-Baglan link road, Port Talbot, so that work can commence on it.

I have informed the local highway authority that I have authorised the issue of the grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet considered the criticisms of the Report of the Fleck Committee of Inquiry into the fishing industry made in the Herring Industry Board Report for 1960; if he will now indicate his policy in this matter; and what steps he plans to take.

My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and I are taking into account the observations made by the Herring Industry Board in our consideration of the Fleck Report. We hope soon to announce our proposals on the Report as a whole.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the number of children in Wales who are being taught in classes over the statutory number of forty in primary schools and over thirty in secondary schools; and how these numbers compare with the comparative average numbers for 1960.

Figures for January, 1961, will not be available until later in the year. In junior classes in 1960 there were 20,000 pupils or 7·7 per cent. of the age group, compared with 22,300 or 8·4 per cent. in 1959. In senior classes there were 102,600 pupils or 59·3 per cent. in 1960 compared with 100,780 or 60·2 per cent. in 1959.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has yet completed his consultations with local authorities and other bodies in connection with the project for a Thames flood barrier; and if he will make a statement.

Recent discussions with the principal authorities concerned and with the consulting engineers reveal that there are still reservations about the effect of a barrier on navigation and in other ways. I hope shortly to put to these authorities suggestions as to how further technical study of these difficulties may best be undertaken.