asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been received from the Country Landowners' Association, National Farmers' Union, Agricultural Workers' Union, or other bodies, concerning armed trespass and the indiscriminate slaughter of wild life; and what are his proposals in this regard.

The National Farmers' Union wrote last month to a number of bodies, including my Department, suggesting that there should be created a new criminal offence of entering any land without lawful authority or excuse while in possession of a gun or ammunition or discharging a gun over any land without lawful authority or excuse. My right hon. Friend is considering their letter, in consultation with the representatives of chief officers of police, and it would be premature for me to express any view at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the concern at the possibility that toys now on sale in the shops may cause brain damage to children because of the lead content of the paints used, what action he proposes to take to ban the sale of these or any other toys that are contemplated of a like nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the extensive sale of toys painted with a high content of lead, creating dangerous hazards for many children; and whether he will issue regulations, under the Consumer Protection Act, to ban the manufacture and sale of all toys where lead paint has been used in their manufacture.

I understand that the manufacturers and importers concerned have already undertaken that the toys referred to will in future comply with the relevant British Standard, which prescribes a maximum lead content of 1·1 per cent. in the paint used. I am pursuing with the distributors the ques- tion of withdrawing existing stocks of the unsafe toys from sale. On the information at present before me I have no reason to doubt that, in general, children's toys satisfy the requirements of the British Standard, but as cases have come to notice where this is not so, I propose to include a requirement on this matter in regulations, dealing with other safety aspects of toys, which are being prepared under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, to ensure greater speed and safety for the public as well as for hon. Members in getting to New Palace Yard, he will request the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police to allow the traffic lights in Parliament Square to function at all normal times, whether Parliament is sitting or not.

The present arrangements were made in agreement with the appropriate authorities of the House in order to comply with the Sessional Order.Should it be the general desire that the traffic lights should operate while the House is sitting my right hon. Friend is very ready to reconsider the present arrangements in consultation with the Commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will hold consultations with the Prison Officers' Association with regard to housing priority on retirement from the service, in view of the present unsatisfactory position.

I sympathise with prison officers, as I do with officers of other services, who have difficulty in finding a house on retirement. My right hon. Friend is, of course, ready to consider any proposals which the Prison Officers' Association wish to put forward, but it would be wrong to hold out hope of any easy solution of this problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiry has been held into the recent escape of prisoners from Blundeston; and if he will make a statement.

Seven prisoners have escaped from Blundeston prison since its opening in July, 1963. Each incident was separately investigated. Certain defects were found in security, in the supervision of prisoners and in selection for outside activities. Suitable remedial action has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, so long as sufficient housing is not available in the areas concerned, he will instruct immigration officers to make greater use of their existing power to admit immigrants subject to conditions governing the length of stay or employment or occupation in this country.

This is one of the aspects of immigration control which I am reviewing, but the classes of immigrants who could be so restricted under existing law are limited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give Government assistance to the Birmingham University study, in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham, of the social effects of immigration.

I understand that this study is receiving support from funds provided by the Nuffield Foundation through the Institute of Race Relations, and I know of no request for Government assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Her Majesty's Government will set up a committee to inquire into the new methods of the prevention of crime and treatment of convicted persons now in operation in a number of countries in Western Europe.

The Royal Commission which was appointed earlier this year to make a fundamental review of our penal system, will no doubt inform itself in the course of its work about penal practice abroad. Her Majesty's Government are also represented on the European Committee on Crime Problems, a committee of the Council of Europe. The experience of Western European countries will certainly be taken into account in considering these problems, but my right hon. Friend sees no need for a committee to be set up especially for the purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has not granted a certificate of naturalisation to Mr. J. Abramowitz of Hendon, a stateless person married to a British subject, who was expelled from Cairo as a result of the Suez campaign in November, 1956, and who has resided with his wife in the United Kingdom ever since.

Section 26 of the British Nationality Act, 1948, provides that the Secretary of State shall not be required to give reasons for his decisions in naturalisation cases. It has long been the practice of successive Home Secretaries not to give their reasons, and my right hon. Friend is not convinced that there are sufficient grounds for departing from that practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about proposals for a new West Indian Federation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what developments have taken place in respect of the federation of the smaller British islands in the West Indies.

The Regional Council of Ministers met in Barbados from 28th to 31st October. With certain reservations by some of the delegations, they reached agreement on a draft scheme for a Federation of Barbados, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Antigua, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Vincent and St. Lucia. I understand that a revised draft scheme is now being prepared in the light of their conclusions. When it is submitted to me, I shall consider how best to proceed. I should like to see a federation on satisfactory terms brought about as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proportion of administrative and professional posts in the Hong Kong public service is filled by officers of local origin.

Out of a total of 1,799 officers 832, or 46 per cent., are local officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the present situation in British Guiana; and what action he proposes to take in respect of that colony after its forthcoming general election.

The inter-racial violence associated with the sugar strike earlier this year has ceased. The Legislature stands dissolved and the electoral campaigns of the parties contesting the elections to be held on 7th December are in full swing.As regards the second part of the Question, we are committed to holding a constitutional conference after the elections to settle outstanding constitutional issues and to fix a date for independence. I cannot at this stage say when the conference will be held.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he has taken to secure from the Governments for which he is responsible the voluntary restriction of emigration to this country.

As the House now knows, the Government are examining the working of the present controls. In this examination we shall consider what matters there are on which discussions with colonial Governments may be called for and they have been so informed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals he is making to the Government for which he is responsible for the prior training of intending emigrants to this country with a view to their more readily adapting themselves to conditions in this country.

I would refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Gurden) earlier today.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the Cadco project in Glenrothes, Fife, consequent on the liquidation of the Cadco Building Company; and whether he will inquire into the reasons why the project was allowed to proceed so far without adequate financial control.

I understand that the Glenrothes Development Corporation see no prospect of the project continuing. The Board of Trade has not made any grant or loan to the Cadco companies and there are no grounds, therefore, for an inquiry by my right hon. Friend on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend. Nor is my right hon. Friend at present aware of any other ground which would justify his making an inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for speeding up the references to, and the reports from, the Monopolies Commission; and what action he proposes to take to act speedily upon receipt of these reports; and whether this will include action upon the Report connected with electrical components used in motor cars.

My right hon. Friend has arranged for these matters to be reviewed. As regards the last part of the Question, three of the four recommendations in the Report have been dealt with; the remaining recommendation, concerning the publication of prices and terms, has wider implications which are being studied.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many live cattle, bulls, bullocks, cows and heifers, were imported into the United Kingdom in the nine months to the latest convenient date; and if he will give corresponding figures for the exports of live cattle during the same period.

The following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a firm is planning to develop 14 halls and to open and develop sundry other places of entertainment; and if he will take steps to bring places of entertainment of this kind within the ambit of his recent White Paper on office building.

No. The control announced in the White Paper is directed at office development.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to continue the Government grant for Welsh books for adults after 1965; whether he will increase such grant; and to what sum per annum.

I am reviewing the arrangements for this grant, which is due to end in 1965. As an interim measure it has been decided to extend the grant for a further year at this year's level of £5,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware of the urgent need for a review of grants to university students; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards this matter.

The Standing Advisory Committee on Grants to Students is at present engaged on such a review and I expect to have the results early next year. This accords with the procedure recommended in the Anderson Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to re-examine the negotiating machinery for teachers' salaries; and whether he will make a statement.

The Second Reading of the Remuneration of Teachers Bill is to take place later today or tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will allocate a larger sum of money to the Devon education authorities, so that the date of the new primary schools at Bideford East the Water and Northam can be brought forward.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many married women teachers have now returned to service in the schools.

The table below analyses the total number of those who have returned since a publicity campaign was first launched in February. 1961. The figures for the last eight months show that the increase this year is 17 per cent., and represents the highest rate yet achieved. I am grateful to local education autho-

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of the information supplied to him by the deputation from the West Ham Education Authority on 22nd October, he will give further consideration to their claim that the approved school-building programme is inadequate to meet their needs; and whether he will discuss this subject with the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

I shall be happy to discuss the West Ham authority's school building programme with my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the threat to rural delivery services, owing to increased costs, if he will take steps to alleviate the hardship to those living in the countryside by exempting such services from the increased fuel tax.

I am afraid that I cannot agree to any relief from this necessary increase in taxation apart from that which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has offered to the bus industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the establishment of a Civil Service Staff College.

I think that it will be best to follow the recommendation of a working party appointed by the Joint Committee on Training of the Civil Service National Whitley Council that the possibility of establishing a central institution for the higher training of civil servants and others should be further considered when more experience has been gained of the work of the Centre for Administrative Studies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in compliance with the principle set out in the White Paper, namely that the 15 per cent. charge will not apply to basic raw materials for industry, he will take steps to remove this impost from acrylonitrile, tariff item 29.27, when brought into Northern Ireland.

No. The phrase "basic raw materials" in the White Paper of 26th October was intended in a generally descriptive sense. The temporary import charge is intended to apply widely over the field of manufactured and semi-manufactured materials. The charge must apply to imports into Northern Ireland equally with imports into other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies have contracts with the Government worth more than £1 million per annum.

I regret that this information is not readily available in the form asked for by the hon. and gallant Member. I am making inquiries of all the Departments concerned and will send him what information I can.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the names of those companies which are now engaged upon Government contracts of over £5 million per annum.

I regret that information is not available in precisely the form sought by the hon. and gallant Member. However, the following is a list of companies having one or more Government contracts, each of which is worth more than £5 million in total.

• Associated Bridge Builders Ltd— consortium of Sir W. Arrol and Co. Ltd. Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co. Ltd., Dorman Long Bridge and Engineering Ltd.
• Associated Electrical Industries Ltd.
• Automatic Telephone and Electric Company Ltd.
• Bristol-Siddeley Engines Ltd.
• British Aircraft Corporation Ltd.
• British Eagle International Airlines Ltd.
• John Brown and Co. Ltd.
• Cammell Laird and Co. (Shipbuilders and Engineers) Ltd.
• Christiani and Nielsen Ltd. with Lehane, McKenzie and Shand Ltd. (in consortium).
• Christiani-Shand Ltd.
• Richard Costain Ltd. with Higgs and Hill Ltd. (in consortium).
• Dowsett Engineering and Construction Ltd.
• Elliot Brothers (London) Ltd.
• English Electric Company Ltd
• Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd.
• Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd.
• Ferranti Ltd.
• Harland and Wolff Ltd.
• Hawker-Siddeley Aviation Ltd.
• Hawker-Siddeley Dynamics Ltd.
• Hawthorn Leslie (Shipbuilders) Ltd.
• John Laing Construction Ltd.
• Sir Alfred McAlpine and Son Ltd. with Leonard Fairclough Ltd. (in consortium).
• Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons.
• A. Monk and Co. Ltd.
• Sir Lindsay Parkinson and Co. Ltd.
• Rolls-Royce Ltd.
• Rolls-Royce and Associates Ltd.
• Joseph Sankey and Sons Ltd.
• Scott's Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd.
• Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd.
• Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd.
• Short Brothers and Harland Ltd.
• Tarmac Civil Engineering Ltd.
• Vickers Armstrong (Engineers) Ltd.
• Vickers Armstrong (Shipbuilders) Ltd.
• George Wimpey and Co. Ltd.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will implement the Report of the Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income regarding the treatment of expenses under Schedule E and Schedule F; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that the recommendation of the Royal Commission which the hon. Member has in mind is that in favour of a relaxation of the expenses rule under Schedule E. On this, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Spring Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether fixed interest stock on redemption will be subject to the proposed capital gains tax;(2) whether holders of War Loan who acquired their stock at par will be subject to the proposed capital gains tax if they sell at a price higher than that existing on Budget day 1965;(3) whether he will exempt life insurance policies with profits from his proposed capital gains tax;(4) whether overseas income will be subject to double taxation arising from the proposed corporation tax; and if he will make a statement;(5) if investment trusts and pension funds will be subject to the proposed capital gains tax when adjusting their portfolios.

I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await the proposals which my right hon. Friend will present.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish in HANSARD the text of the official communication which he received from the Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic; and what was the nature of his reply.

As the British Government do not recognise the East German authorities, we cannot receive official communications from them.

asked the Prime Minister what official documents were made available to the author of the book, "The Mare's Nest", extracts of which have been published in a Sunday newspaper, containing decisions by the Cabinet of 1939–45 and the Defence Committee on the manufacture of weapons and their use against the enemy; and by what authority they were so made available.

I understand that the author had access to the collection of papers of the late Lord Cherwell; and that these contained copies of a number of Defence Committee and Chiefs of Staff papers. In addition, he was permitted to see certain relevant operational records of the Royal Air Force.

asked the Prime Minister if he will state the total number of the present Government and also the number of its members whom he intends shall receive payment for their services, in excess of the members of the former Government who received such payment, and the estimated total cost of the salaries and expenses of the members of the present Government in excess of the like cost of members of the former Government during the latest comparable period.

The answer to the first part of the Question is 108, including six Assistant Government Whips; to the second part 18, again including the six Whips; and to the third part £62,000 annually in respect of salaries. As regards expenses there is nothing that I can add to the Answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Shepherd) on 12th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will define the responsibilities of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in connection with the social services.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale) on 17th November. It would not be in accordance with long-established practice to go into greater detail than I have already given.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the Report of the Brambell Committee.

We must see how the work progresses—but I am not unhopeful that the Committee will be able to complete its task by next summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the Royal Observer Corps group headquarters building at Oxford will be completed.

The construction of the protected accommodation should be completed by the end of November and that of the above-ground administrative accommodation by the end of the year. The installation of communications will begin shortly and it is hoped to complete it by next March.The Oxford building will complete the group headquarters programme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will initiate discussions with the London County Council, the Greater London Council and other borough councils concerned to ascertain from these bodies what amendments or changes they feel should be made in the proposals for local government in London and Greater London before the operation of the new Act in 1965.

I have not had any formal discussions with the London County Council, the Greater London Council or the borough councils. But I have very little doubt of the strength of feeling that exists in certain quarters in favour of amending those provisions of the Act which deal with the responsibilities for some specialised aspects of the Children's Service throughout Greater London.The Government now have this matter under consideration and I will make a further statement as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will make arrangements in order that the increases in the retirement pension, widow's pension, war pensions and industrial injuries benefits announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11th November may be brought forward before Christmas by an instruction that the present pension books have been increased in value from, say, Friday, 11th December.

No. This would not be practicable.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many days will elapse between the recent announcement of increased retirement pensions arid the first payment at the new rate; and how this compares with similar increases since 1945.

One hundred and thirty-eight. The figures for the similar operations are: 1951—146 for pensioners 5 years or more over pensionable age and 174 for the remainder; 1952—174; 1954–5—145; 1957–8—82; 1960–1—152; 1963—124. These figures are not comparable since the first public announcement of new rates does not always come at the same stage of the overall programme.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) whether she will give instructions to the National Assistance Board that, pending the introduction of the increases in pensions and industrial injuries benefits announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11th November, the scale rates of assistance shall be raised to the new levels immediately;(2) whether she is aware that the National Assistance Board's present scale rates of assistance are several shillings per week below current retirement pension levels and that, to ensure that new scale rates are up to new pension levels, the increases will need to be revised upwards so that they are more than the pensions increases; and if she will take action to see that this is done.

As regards the level of the new scale rates which the Board will be proposing, I would remind my hon. Friend that the Board's scales do not include rent, for which provision is made separately. The effective level of the improved scale rates will, in fact, be above that of the improved retirement pension level.As regards the timing of the improved scale rates, I am afraid that immediate implementation would be impracticable. However, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already announced, the Board will, during the next few weeks, be taking special steps to ensure that the old and others who may have special difficulties get additional help. For the details, I would refer my hon. Friend to what I said on 16th November in answer to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey) and Glasgow, Gorbals (Mrs. Cullen).

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will promote further standardisation of housing built by Government Departments so that Government employees are not faced with great expense in adapting furniture and fittings when required to move.

Standard designs are already widely used for houses built for Government employees. These designs will be improved from time to time. As newer types of houses are developed and older types continue in use, it will never be possible to achieve complete standardisation, but I hope that we shall go a long way towards doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the reorganisation of the water service in Central Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have reviewed the position and have concluded that it would be in the public interest to promote a major re-organisation of the administrative structure of the water service in Central Scotland on the lines recommended by the Scottish Water Advisory Committee. Arrangements are accordingly being made for the publication of draft Orders under the provisions of the Water (Scotland) Acts.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he is aware that the Smithfield Meat Carriers' Association intends to increase its charges by 10 per cent. from Monday, 16th November; and, as this will increase the price of meat and the cost of living, if the price review committee will investigate this.

My right hon. Friend is not yet ready to announce the detailed arrangements for the price review body, including the scope of references to be made to it. Discussions about these and other matters affecting prices and incomes policy are to be held with representatives of employers and trade unions.My right hon. Friend is aware of the increase in charges to which my hon. Friend has drawn attention. He is advised that it will not add a significant amount to the cost of living.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent the motormen of the south-eastern section of the Southern Region of British Railways are working to rule; from whence these rules emanate; and if he will make a statement.

I have no responsibility for the working rules of British Railways, and it would be inappropriate for me to make any statement.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the increasing congestion of roads in the counties of Somerset and Dorset, particularly in the Poole area, he will withhold his consent from the proposed closure of the Somerset and Dorset railway line.

I am awaiting a further report from the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for the South Eastern Area. Until I have examined it along with the other factors, including the traffic implications, I cannot say what my decision will be.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in his examination of the particulars of passenger closure sent to him by the Railways Board, he will require or accept submission by authoritative bodies such as county councils or Members of Parliament in order that in his preliminary investigation he may be informed of main and general objections to closure.

The object of my preliminary investigation is to avoid unnecessary public discussion of proposals which are clearly unacceptable, at least for the time being. This object would be defeated by consulting the local authorities at this stage.I shall, of course, welcome and take fully into account representations from local authorities and hon. Members on matters other than hardship, after any proposal has been formally published.