asked the Postmaster-General what is the average percentage saving in manpower by converting manual exchanges to the dial system.

It is not possible to give a comprehensive figure because conversion to automatic working has taken place gradually over many years and traffic has been continually increasing. The average saving in operational staff at six large exchanges converted in recent years has been of the order of 50 per cent.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the television transmitter for which a site is contemplated at Holm Moss in Yorkshire will be able to transmit television to any part of Scotland.

No.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he is yet in a position to allow Dyce aerodrome to be used again for model aeroplane flying.

Not yet. The situation is being reviewed and I hope that it will be possible to devise a scheme whereby model aeroplane flying may be resumed at Aberdeen (Dyce) aerodrome under reasonably safe conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what basis building material under our control is supplied or released to the German authorities in the Western Zone.

Structural steel is the only building material under Allied control, and allocations are made by the German authorities. Provided no Military Government policy is contravened these allocations are normally approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that John Robert Norgan, ex-Lancashire Fusiliers, has received a fair trial in Belgium; whether he has been satisfied that his case was given a fair hearing in the Appeal Court; what official British representative was present at the first trial, and at the appeal; what reports have been received by the Foreign Office on the original trial; and whether a copy of the evidence can be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the trial at Bruges was conducted in accordance with proper Belgian legal procedure and that Mr. Norgan was properly defended by a Belgian lawyer. No official British representative was present at the first trial, but His Majesty's Consul-General, Antwerp, visited Mr. Norgan in prison shortly after the verdict was given and satisfied himself as to the competency of Mr. Norgan's lawyer. Our Vice-Consul in Brussels attended the first hearing of the appeal at Brussels on 15th May and the second hearing on 30th May in company with the honorary legal adviser to His Majesty's Embassy. Further hearing of the appeal has been adjourned until 20th June.A transcript of the evidence, which consists of some hundred pages of testimony in Flemish and French, has been lent to His Majesty's Consul at Brussels, but cannot at present be removed from Belgium.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the recent developments concerning the Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement, he will now make a statement concerning his future action for compensation for the British shareholders in the Buenos Aires Tramways Corporation.

As the hon. Member is aware, the commercial negotiations between this country and the Argentine Republic are not completed yet although agreement in principle has been reached. At a meeting yesterday of the Argentine National Economic Council, His Majesty's Ambassador was assured by the competent Minister that they would make arrangements for direct discussions on this subject with representatives of the British companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the dissatisfaction in the Seychelles regarding the present Administration; and if he will consider again the recommendation for Governorship and senior administrative appointments made by the Financial Commissioner 16 years ago.

I am aware that certain persons have expressed dissatisfaction with the Administration. I am not convinced that it would be to the general advantage to accept now recommendations made 16 years ago when circumstances were different.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many students from Togoland have been awarded scholarships and are now studying in West African colleges or in this country; how many are receiving technical training in the Gold Coast; and how many are at Achimota and Ibodan.

At the end of 1948 four students from Togoland held scholarships for professional training in the United Kingdom. There was one student at the University College of the Gold Coast, and none at Ibadan. Eleven students were undergoing technical training and 77 were at Achimota or other secondary schools in the Gold Coast.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether members of the junior Civil Service in Nigeria are entitled to special study leave in Britain; how many have applied for this in recent months; how many have been refused; and what are the regulations and arrangements respecting this leave.

The grant of study leave was recommended by the recent Commission on the recruitment and training of Nigerians for senior posts in the Government service. This recommendation, which is in accord with existing policy, has been accepted by the Nigerian Government. I have asked the Acting Governor for the details requested and will write to my hon. Friend when they are received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the present shortage of meat, he will now give effect to the recommendations of the Evans Report for the development of the cattle industry in the Rupununi district of British Guiana.

Immediate attention is being concentrated on those developments in the Rupununi which do not depend on the provision of an all-weather road to the coast, since such a road is not likely to be practicable for some years. An abattoir has already been built and trial shipments of meat by air to the coast have been made.

asked the Minister of Education what is the accident rate among, women engaged in the school meals service; and what investigations are being carried out with a view to lessening the number of accidents.

It is the responsibility of local education authorities to give due attention to the incidence and causes of accidents among their employees, including those engaged in the school meals service. My right hon. Friend has no general information about the accident rate in this service and has received no evidence to suggest that a special investigation is called for.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether his attention has been drawn to the widespread protest which his decision to permit the removal of the top of Dulcote Hill, Wells, for the purpose of quarrying stone has occasioned; and what action he now proposes to take to preserve this skyline so essential to the setting of Wells City.

I am aware of these protests, which have apparently been made without knowledge of the terms of the permission which I have granted. The conditions attached to that permission impose limits on the area of quarrying in order to preserve that part of the skyline visible from the City.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now give the names of the chairman and members of the Local Government Manpower Committee for Scotland.

The following are the names:

asked the Minister of Health whether the passengers from the s.s. "Mooltan" who developed smallpox after reaching their destinations were vaccinated before they left the ship; and whether the three passengers who refused vaccination and went to Glasgow developed smallpox.

Excluding the original case and his wife, 10 passengers developed smallpox. Of these 10, nine were vaccinated before they left the ship but the tenth, I am informed, declined. The individual dates on which the 10 persons were infected on board the ship are of course unknown, but might have been at any time between 21st March and 2nd April. If the infection occurred some days prior to vaccination, vaccination would not necessarily prevent the disease developing. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the 18 contacts who went to Glasgow were all vaccinated or revaccinated before leaving the s.s. "Mooltan" and that none of them developed smallpox.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that as shown in the April report of the East and West Riding Regional Board for Industry, the import of expensive connecting rod boring machines from United States of America has caused unemployment amongst makers of a similar machine at Liversedge; why import licences involving the expenditure of dollars were authorised under such circumstances; and what action he proposes taking to economise in the use of dollars and to ensure that the fullest use is made of British manufacturing capacity.

The report issued by the Regional Board mentioned that a firm in Liversedge had recently had to stand off five of their employees owing to lack of demand for their connecting rod boring machines. The firm alleged that their machines are cheaper and better than comparable American machines. So far as I am aware, import licences for comparable American machines have not been issued for some years, but if my hon. Friend cares to give me details of the actual machine, I will make further inquiries.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give the administrative cost per ton of coal in the two years prior to the mines being nationalised; and the administrative cost per ton since nationalisation.

According to the National Coal Board's accounts for 1947, administrative expenses amounted to 0s. 6.7d. per ton, which represented the expenses of the national, divisional and area organisations, including production, marketing and other departments. The Board's accounts for 1948 have not yet been published. No comparable information is available for years prior to nationalisation.