asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he is aware that the Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board is using its journal to influence voting in connection with the forthcoming revocation poll; and whether he will take action to prevent this practice;(2) whether he is aware that the Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board is using moneys compulsorily levied from registered producers to influence voting in favour of the scheme remaining in force; and what action he is taking to stop this practice.

I am not aware that actions of this kind would be contrary to the Act or the Scheme. Nor is it for me to initiate any action.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that a number of girls aged 11 years, notwithstanding acceptance as suitable for entry to Worthing High School for Girls, have now been directed to the experimental bilateral King's Manor School, Shoreham by Sea; and if, in view of Section 76 of the Education Act, he will now direct the West Sussex Education Committee to find these girls grammar school places at Worthing High School for Girls, or at some other conventional grammar school.

There are more candidates for the accessible grammar schools in this area than there are places available. The authority therefore provides a grammar school course at King's Manor School to meet the increase in the demand. I see no grounds on which I could intervene on behalf of same children at the expense of displacing others who live nearer the Worthing High School for Girls.

asked the Minister of Education if he will set up an immediate public inquiry into the situation which has arisen in south-east West Sussex, where the wishes of many parents, whose children, aged 11 years, have been selected on merit for grammar and high school places, are being ignored by the West Sussex Education Committee, contrary to Section 76 of the Education Act.

When more candidates apply for admission to a particular school than can be accommodated there, some parents are inevitably disappointed. I have no evidence that the local education authority has not done its best to meet the wishes of parents within the limits of the accommodation available, and I do not consider that a public inquiry would help.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which members of the United Nations are in arrear with their contributions towards the expenses of the Organisation as apportioned under Article 17 of the Charter; how much they are in arrear, respectively; and which members are contributing to the United Nations emergency forces in the Congo and the Gaza Strip, respectively.

My hon. Friend will find a statement of contributions and arrears to the United Nations regular budget, the United Nations Emergency force Special Account and the Congoad hoc Account in the Secretariat document ST/ADM/SER.B/146, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how the United Kingdom voted on the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1953 urging all members to ratify the Convention on Genocide.

The United Kingdom delegate to the United Nations General Assembly abstained on the vote on resolution 795 (VIII) which called on States to accelerate their ratifications of, or accessions to, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The resolution was adopted by fifty votes to none with eight abstentions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps are being taken to ensure that any European space project is subject to the general control of a committee of appropriate Ministers from the countries concerned and of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my Answer to a similar Question by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Dr. King) on 26th July.Her Majesty's Government would of course like to see liaison between the Council of Europe and the European Space Research Organisation (E.S.R.O.) if the latter is eventually formed. But no decisions on the control of European space projects have yet been taken, as arrangements are still in the formative stage. Her Majesty's Government would expect that control of such organisations would rest with the participating Governments.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps are being taken towards the creation of a Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and its relations with existing European Parliamentary assemblies.

The question of a link between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Parliamentarians is still being considered by member Governments in the light of Recommendation 245 of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe. As an interim measure, it has been agreed to continue the existing arrangements with the Council of Europe.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the names of the successful tenderers far the three groups of drugs he recently decided to purchase centrally; what basic prices have been fixed; how these compare with average prices paid hitherto; what royalty payments have been fixed with the patent holders; and what will be the duration of the contracts coming into force on 1st September, 1961.

Examination of tenders is not yet complete.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost to the National Health Service of cadavers imported into the United Kingdom for use in teaching hospitals; how many were imported during 1959 and 1960; and what were their countries of origin.

Cadavers are not used in teaching hospitals. They are not imported for use in medical schools.

asked the Minister of Health what is the current stock of cornea in corneal banks in the United Kingdom; what are the average waiting lists for corneal grafts in ophthalmic hospitals; and what steps he is taking to publicise the functions of corneal graft banks and the steps necessary to bequeath cornea to them.

Corneas have to be used soon after they are received. In January the waiting list in England and Wales for corneal grafting operations was about 590. The Royal National Institute for the Blind in co-operation with my Department is preparing a leaflet to bring to the attention of the public the need for eyes and the action that donors should take.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will consider opening a National Assistance office in the Borough of Willesden to assist retirement pensioners and others who have at present to travel some distance to the Paddington, Hampstead, and Wembley branches of his Department.

The Board hopes to open a local office in the Borough of Willesden when suitable premises can be obtained.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the total number of people in the Borough of Willesden in receipt of National Assistance.

I regret that the number of persons in Willesden receiving weekly National Assistance grants is not known precisely, as the borough is at present served by two offices which between them also serve the whole of two other boroughs and part of a third.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone subscribers this year were subject to additional rental charges in country districts; what average additional rental was paid by them in a full year; how many applicants now awaiting connection will be subject to the excess connection charge; what will be the average cost; and what are the figures for Scotland, and England and Wales, respectively.

About 3,000 subscribers in country districts have been paying excess telephone rentals, the total excess rentals amounting to about £45,000 a year. I am sorry that the other information asked for by my hon. Friend is not readily available. In relation to the changes which I announced on Monday last, the excess connection charge will not be payable by any new subscriber to whom an application form had been sent, for signature, before the 26th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average pension at present being received by women and men teachers, respectively, who retired before 1951; and what are the average pensions being received by men and women teachers who retire in 1961.

The average pensions at present of women and men teachers who retired before 1951 are £238 and £347 per annum respectively. These include increases under the Pensions (Increase) Acts of 61·3 per cent. and 47·4 per cent. respectively. The figures for teachers who retired in the year ending 31st March, 1961, are £437 per annum and £608 per annum respectively. These include small increases under the Pensions (Increase) Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sentences of preventive detention have been passed by the criminal courts in Scotland since the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, 1949 came into force; of what duration such sentences have been; and how many prisoners there are in Scottish gaols still serving sentences of preventive detention.

Since the relevant provisions of the Act came into force on 1st May, 1952, ten sentences of preventive detention have been imposed by Scottish Courts.One of these sentences was of 12 years; three were of 10 years; two of 8 years; one of 7 years; one of 6 years; and two of 5 years.There are at present three men serving sentences of preventive detention in Scottish prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of Her Majesty's Government's decisions regarding salaries and wages, what new measures he intends to introduce to secure an increase in the recruitment of teachers.

Scottish teachers have received increases from 1st July when the new Teachers' Salaries Regulations came into operation. These were designed to encourage the recruitment of more teachers, particularly graduates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Dunfermline Town Council in respect of care of mothers and young children welfare foods; and what reply he has sent.

The town council earlier this month conveyed to me its protest against the recent revision of charges for welfare foods. In reply I am drawing the council's attention to the debate in the House on 19th April last and to the decision which was then reached.

asked the President of +the Board of Trade (1) what was the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and all Commonwealth countries collectively, for the years 1958, 1959 and 1960, respectively;(2) what was the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and New Zealand for the years 1958, 1959 and 1960, respectively;(3) what was the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and Australia for the years 1958, 1959 and 1960, respectively;(4) what was the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and the Union of South Africa for the years 1958, 1959 and 1960, respectively;(5) what was the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and Canada for the years 1958, 1959 and 1960, respectively.

This information is available from the Trade and Navigation Accounts which are documents presented to the House.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he is giving to securing the amendment of international agreements which prevent the Government giving tax relief to United Kingdom exporters; which agreements are involved; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom Government have accepted obligations under the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the European Free Trade Association Convention on the use of artificial aids to exports. The Government's policy is to secure the elimination of export subsidies, including those which take the form of reliefs of direct taxation or social security charges. To this end the Government have sought to strengthen the international rules restricting the use of artificial aids to exports. This policy enjoys the support of both sides of organised industry as being in the commercial interest of this country as a major exporting nation.

asked the Minister of Transport why Southend has been omitted from the list of sites for classified road schemes of over £300,00 grant value which have been authorised for certain other county boroughs for the years 1961–62, 1962–63 and 1963–64; and whether he proposes to arrange for such a grant in respect of Southend before the end of 1961.

I have included in the three-year classified road programme for 1961–62–1963–64 those schemes which appeared to command the highest priority throughout the country. I see no prospect of approving any over £300,000 scheme for Southend in that period.

asked the Secretary of State for War what measures he is taking to encourage recruiting into those corps which are getting too small a share of recruits in proportion to their needs.

In order to improve recruiting in certain corps which are not getting a sufficiently large share of recruits in proportion to their needs, I propose to allow certain men who enlist on a 22-year engagement the option of leaving after four years instead of six. This will apply to the two main trades in the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Army Dental Corps, and to all men in the Royal Military Police and the Army Catering Corps.

asked the Minister of Power the number of craftsmen recruited to the mining industry during the past twelve months to the nearest date.

In the year ended 27th May, 1961, 6,723 craftsmen were recruited to collieries and central workshops operated by the National Coal Board.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state the number of craftsmen who have left the mining industry during the past twelve months to the nearest date.

In the year ended 27th May, 1961, 6,094 craftsmen left their employment at collieries and central workshops operated by the National Coal Board and 1,263 were transferred to other grades in the Board's service, including other engineering grades.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has now returned to Mr. Julius Nyerere's representations urging the closure of the Portuguese consulate in Dar-es-Salaam.

I had some discussion on this matter with Mr. Nyerere when he was in London but I am not yet ready to add to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member on 24th July.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of people in the Borough of Willesden registered as unemployed at the Willesden Employment Exchange, giving the proportion which that figure represents as a percentage of the total working population in the borough, together with separate details of Commonwealth immigrants at present registered at the exchange without employment.

815 persons were registered as unemployed at the Willesden Employment Exchange on 10th July; 492 Commonwealth immigrants were so registered on 17th July. I regret that it is not possible to provide percentage rates of unemployment for particular parts of London.