asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether his Department proposes to build houses to accommodate key personnel transferred from other parts of the United Kingdom.

In general, no. Exceptionally, however, the Admiralty may consider providing living accommodation for a key civilian whose duties require him to live within a particular establishment or very close to it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what sum is to be charged to the Duke of Argyll for the services of naval vessels and personnel at Tobermory up to 18th April.

These charges will be assessed at the end of the operation, and I cannot say what they will be at 18th April.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the basis of the merit award increases of pay in His Majesty's dockyards; what constitutes the merit concerned; by whom it is assessed; and how this increase affects the lowest-paid employees in the dockyards.

The new scheme of merit pay is based on an agreement of the Shipbuilding Trade Joint Council for Government Departments. In general terms it applies to craftsmen paid under the Admiralty wages structure for craftsmen and to men in minor trades and titular grades. The minimum rate is not affected by the scheme but after a period of probation men may be advanced according to individual merit to higher rates within specified ranges, and subject to certain broad controls, on the proportion of men borne in each range. In assessing merit, craftsmanship is regarded as of primary importance, but consideration is also given to other qualities such as diligence, timekeeping and dependability as well as seniority. The assessments are made by the management of the establishment or department concerned.The scheme was designed to recognise the craftsmen's skill and does not apply to the lowest-paid dockyard employees, namely, the ordinary and skilled labourers, who have their own distinct and separate wages structure.

asked the Minister of Food what proportion of the soap ration is actually being taken up; and what are the comparative percentages of margarine, cooking fats and butter being taken up against the full ration.

About 98 per cent. of the soap ration is being taken up. The corresponding estimates are about 90 per cent. for margarine and cooking fats and about 99 per cent. for butter.

asked the Minister of Food under what regulations the stepmother of Mr. Geoffrey Holdsworth, then a hospital patient at No. 1 Distinguoidus Hospital, Provincial, Plama de Mallaca, Baleares, Spain, was prevented from sending him honey; and what steps he will take to ensure that the sick away from home will not be denied similar small comforts.

The facts given in a letter in "Time and Tide" of 11th March, on which I understand the Question is based, do not enable me to reply with certainty, but I expect that the parcel was refused by the Post Office because it did not conform with the gift parcel regulations in Article 4 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order, 1949, which require unrationed food to be accompanied by an equal weight of rationed food. These regulations are necessary to prevent serious diversion of unrationed food from this country, but where they would lead to hardship every consideration will be given to an application for an Export Licence made to the Board of Trade. However, if the hon. Member has any additional information on this particular case, I should be obliged if he would let me have it in the hope that I might do something useful.

asked the Postmaster-General why certain letters posted in the London area on 11th April, 1950, were postmarked 28th April, 1950.

A mechanical mistake occurred in the operation of a postage meter franking machine by a firm; the letters referred to were franked and posted by a private firm. I understand that their error was due to a mistake by one of their employees.

asked the Postmaster-General in which towns and cities of Great Britain central post offices have been built since the war, are at present under construction, or are awaiting the completion of plans and the fixing of a starting date, respectively.

Following is the information required:

POST-WAR PROVISION OF NEW CENTRAL POST OFFICES
Completed	Under construction	Being planned
Aldeburgh	Newmarket	Plymouth
Brodick	Edgware	Exeter
Halesworth	Lancing	Bromley (Kent)
	Sutton (Surrey)	Epsom
	Worcester	Saxmundham
	Shaftesbury	Diss
		Oakham
		Lymington
		Rainham
		Blantyre
		Eyemouth

asked the Postmaster-General the time necessary for letters posted in a London suburb to be delivered in a Glasgow suburb; and whether there is yet any prospect of restoring deliveries later than noon in the outer London suburbs.

In towns such as Richmond in the outer London suburban area, letters posted up to 5–6 p.m. in the street posting boxes and up to 7–7.30 p.m. at head post offices are due to be delivered in Glasgow next weekday. Manpower considerations preclude the provision of a later delivery in the outer London suburbs.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue licences to television rediffusion companies so as to put them on the same basis as audio radio rediffusion companies.

I am prepared to issue licences for television wire broadcasting on terms corresponding in general to those applicable to sound wire broadcasting. The detailed arrangements are not, however, yet complete and the industry is to be consulted on technical matters.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has completed his inquiries into the allegations made by the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club against his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Yes: the investigation has shown that the postal packets, of which registration particulars were available, were all delivered at the place of address. There is no evidence that any packet either addressed to or sent by the Club has been stolen in the post. I understand that the Club propose to publish a statement to that effect in their programme for next Saturday. I am satisfied that the results of the investigation exonerate the Post Office from the charges made.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to reduce the amount of superficial damage caused to Post Office vehicles by carelessness and bad driving by Post Office staff.

I rebut the implication that any undue amount of damage to Post Office vehicles is caused in the way suggested in this Question. Many of the vehicles are constantly operating under difficult conditions and in general a high standard of driving is maintained. In 1948, 20,000 Post Office drivers received safety first awards.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now grant recognition to the National Association of Telephone Supervising Officers.

As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, I am reviewing the general question of recognition of staff associations in the Post Office. Claims for recognition from individual associations will be dealt with in the light of the outcome of this review.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken to check the membership figures submitted to him early this year by the Engineering Officers (Telecommunications) Association; and whether he will state his reasons for doubting the accuracy of these figures.

I have not arranged for a check of the Association's membership figures pending the outcome of my review of the position. I express no opinion as to the accuracy of those figures.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the present number of telephones per thousand of the population of Great Britain as compared with 1938.

One hundred and three today as compared with 65 in 1938.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that applicants for telephones in Thurso have been waiting for a considerable time although there are 40 vacant places on the exchange board and that ducts to distribution poles are available for additional lines; and if he will take immediate steps to have the situation investigated and remedied.

Additional equipment has recently been installed in the Thurso exchange and waiting applicants will be connected up as quickly as our local labour resources permit.

asked the Postmaster-General how many elementary schools in Cardiff, Glamorgan and Wales respectively, have no telephones; and whether he will in future give first priority to the provision of telephones in schools.

The Post Office has no information as to the number of schools without telephones. Schools are included in the priority classes for the provision of telephone service, and if the hon. Member has any particular case of difficulty in mind, I shall be glad to make inquiry.

asked the Postmaster-General whether steps are now being taken to find a suitable site for a television station to serve North Wales.

No steps are at present in contemplation to provide a television station in North Wales. It is too early to say what steps may be practicable further to extend the coverage of television on the completion of the present plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will reconsider the age of entry for boys to the Air Training Corps, in view of the fact that the present age of 14 years is too early to be effective.

The minimum age for entry to the Air Training Corps was reduced from 15 to 14 years in June, 1948. Some representations to revert to the higher age have been received and this point was recently discussed at a series of conferences of chairmen of A.T.C. local committees. Opinion was overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the 14 year age limit, and after careful consideration, I am satisfied that the present rule is in the best interests of the A.T.C. and should stand.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the explosion in the British European Airways Corporation Viking aircraft which took place over the English Channel on 13th April.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the explosion which occurred in a British European Airways airliner during a flight from London to Paris on 13th April, 1950.

This matter is still the subject of investigation. All I can say now is that the damage was caused by an internal explosion, not due to any inherent fault in the aircraft or to anything normally carried in it. The explosion blew large holes in both sides of the fuselage, and put the aircraft's rudder completely out of action and severely reduced the use of its elevators. I should like to commend the sturdy construction of the Viking and pay my tribute to the coolness and skill of the pilot and the fortitude of his crew in getting the machine safely home.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what is the estimated increase in running expenditure of British Overseas Airways Corporation and the British European Airways Corporation as a result of the increase in the price of petrol; and whether he expects this additional cost to be met by increasing the present deficit or by increasing fares and charges.

The increased annual cost in 1950–51 to the two Corporations is estimated at rather over £300,000. As to the second part of the Question, no decision has yet been reached.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what arrangements have been made regarding leave with pay for members of the Civil Service who are volunteers in the Territorial Army.

Civil servants who are volunteer members of the Territorial Army are granted special leave with pay to attend camp as follows:

• Staff who are entitled to 18 days' annual leave or less—the whole of the period spent in camp subject to a limit of 12 working days:
• Staff who are entitled to 19–23 days' annual leave—three-quarters of the period spent in camp subject to a limit of nine working days:
• Staff who are entitled to 24 days' annual leave or more—half the period spent in camp subject to a limit of six working days.

The balance of the period of absence for staff in the two latter categories may be taken either as annual leave or as special leave without pay.These terms apply to all full-time civil servants except temporary staff with less than six months' service. Proportionate allowances are made for part-time staff and staff working a five-day week.Civil servants who, as National Service men, are posted to the Territorial Army on the completion of their full-time National Service and who do not volunteer for full membership of the Territorial Army, are required to take annual leave or special leave without pay during their attendance at camp.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many dollars he has authorised to be expended by the Colonial Development Corporation in connection with the poultry scheme in Gambia.

Two hundred and sixty-two thousand four hundred and fifty.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of houses per annum built in Edinburgh by the local authority and private enterprise respectively between 1919 and 1939 and in each year since 1945.

The following is the information:

			Houses built by
Year			Edinburgh corporation	Private Enterprise
1919 …	…	…	—	—
1920 …	…	…	15	10
1921 …	…	…	163	27
1922 …	…	…	380	87
1923 …	…	…	494	2
1924 …	…	…	89	82
1925 …	…	…	851	524
1926 …	…	…	789	991
1927 …	…	…	1,112	1,064
1928 …	…	…	1,295	595
1929 …	…	…	570	684
1930 …	…	…	319	909
1931 …	…	…	630	891
1932 …	…	…	1,101	1,358
1933 …	…	…	2,274	2,255
1934 …	…	…	758	2,357
1935 …	…	…	858	2,284
1936 …	…	…	402	2,234
1937 …	…	…	618	2,605
1938 …	…	…	1,146	2,387
1939 …	…	…	830	1,562
1940 …	…	…	242	576
1941 …	…	…	102	93
1942 …	…	…	48	26
1943 …	…	…	52	6
1944 …	…	…	82	6
			15,220	23,615
Post-War
1945*	…	…	157 (9)†	23
1946*	…	…	139 (4†)	21
1947*	…	…	422	230
1948*	…	…	913	208
1949*	…	…	971	144
			2,602(13)†	626
* Excluding temporary houses.
† Scottish Special Housing Association houses included in the yearly total.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report of the committee of inquiry into the proposed scheme for Shetland wool; whether he intends to publish the whole report; and what opportunities will be afforded for discussion of the report.

I am unable to say when the report of the public inquiry into the objections lodged to the draft Shetland Wool Marketing Scheme may be expected but there will be no undue delay. Reports by commissioners on public inquiries into schemes under the Agricultural Marketing Acts are confidential to the Minister. Accordingly these reports are not pub- lished. Any amendments of the scheme which I may desire to make in the light of the commissioner's report will, however, in terms of the Statute, be notified to the representatives of the promoters.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many acres have been taken over by the Forestry Commission, in Ross and Cromarty, since 1945; and how many of these have already been planted.

Eighteen thousand three hundred acres of land have been acquired under the Forestry Act, 1945, of which 7,600 have been placed at the disposal of the Forestry Commission. Five hundred and thirty-two acres of this land have been planted to date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take on the petition recently sent him by 96 residents in Newburgh, Fife, against the proposed conservancy of the Tay Estuary.

The petitioners are concerned about the recommendations in the report by the Scottish Wild Life Conservation Committee (Cmd. 7814) that part of the Tay Estuary, including Mug-drum Island, should be created a national nature reserve. I have already informed the petitioners that this is a suggestion only, and that formal responsibility for the selection of nature reserves in Scotland rests with the Scottish Committee of the Nature Conservancy. So far, the Conservancy have not proposed a nature reserve in the area in question, but if they do so I shall see that the petitioners' views are fully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why a tanker lorry is required by the North of Scotland Milk Marketing Board for the distribution of buttermilk from Wick to farmers who have to pay 25 per cent. extra for this delivery service.

In the interests of hygiene and cleanliness the Board have made these arrangements for delivery of separated milk from the Wick depot to farms by tanker: the Board arc not prepared to allow farm carts to enter the depot to take delivery of the separated milk. These arrangements have been accepted by farmers interested (mainly pig producers) at a meeting which was convened by the Board for the purpose of explaining the proposals.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will present to every householder a free copy of the Highway Code.

When the Highway Code was revised in 1946 a copy was delivered free to every household. Copies can be bought for a penny each. I do not propose to consider another free distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) if he is satisfied that the system of allocating contracts in connection with the United Nations headquarters gives every reasonable opportunity to foreign firms to participate; (2) what British firms have submitted tenders for the provision of materials. equipment and furnishings for the United Nations headquarters; how many of these tenders have been accepted; and what is the value of any tenders which have been accepted.

As regards office equipment and furniture a purchasing commission headed by an official of the United Nations Secretariat is at present visiting several countries in Europe and the Middle East to explore the possibility of placing orders there. The mission will visit this country next month.As far as building materials are concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. R. Robinson), on 13th March. The present system of allocating contracts is being continuously and carefully watched by our representatives in Washington and New York. I am unable to give the facts and figures asked for since these commercial transactions are not conducted through Government channels. It is known, however, that some British firms have secured contracts for stationery and office supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of youths at Borstal institutions; what is the average number at each of the 14 institutions; and how these figures compare with the proportion of staff and masters originally laid down as the minimum required.

On 18th April the number of youths in Borstal institutions was 3,077. The average number at each institution during the past 12 months is given in the following table. No fixed ratio of staff to inmates has ever been laid down. The present ratio of staff in post to inmates in establishments used exclusively as Borstal institutions is 1:3.8. The comparable figure for 1939 was 1: 4.8.

Institution	Daily Average population 12 months ended 31st March, 1950
Borstal	295
Camp Hill	267
Feltham	295
Gaynes Hall	111
Hewell Grange	105
Hollesley Bay	305
Huntercombe	118
Latchmere	117
Lowdham Grange	228
North Sea Camp	119
Nottingham and Gringley Camp	212
Portland	293
Portsmouth	116
Usk	143
Wandsworth	71
Wormwood Scrubs	181

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average monthly escape figures from Borstal institutions; and what proportion of these youths are taken back to these institutions.

During the year ended 31st March, 1950, the monthly average number of persons who escaped from Borstal institutions was 96.5. 93 per cent. of these absconders have been returned directly to a Borstal institution, and a further three per cent. have been returned after serving sentences of imprisonment for offences committed while they were at large. Three per cent. are serving sentences of imprisonment for further offences and one per cent. have not been recaptured.