asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he will now make a statement about the future of Ringway Airport.

Ringway remains one of our major international airports. It is owned and managed by the Manchester Corporation, the technical services being supplied by my Ministry. The future ownership of Ringway is the subject of negotiations between my Ministry and the corporation.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation whether he is aware that steps have been taken by the Royal Air Force to disperse flocks of birds from the vicinity of Royal Air Force airfields; and what similar precautions are taken near civilian airfields in this country.

Yes. My Ministry has kept in close touch with the experiments carried out by the Royal Air Force on this matter, but no successful solution of the problem has yet been found. However, it is not thought that flocks of birds are a serious menace to modern civil aircraft in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has now had an opportunity to look into the problem created by the fact that an average of 1,500 new refugees from the Iron Curtain countries arrive in the free countries of Europe every month, but are not subject to international care; that some of these refugees are directly or indirectly encouraged to leave their own countries by the contents of British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with this matter.

So far I have only been able to examine the position as regards arrivals from behind the Iron Curtain in Western Europe. These average about 340 a month; and provision for their care and maintenance is made by the authorities of the countries in which they arrive. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is responsible for protecting the interests of all refugees, and voluntary societies are also active in helping them. In addition there is a monthly influx of about 10,000 German citizens from East Germany, who are the responsibility of the German Federal Government.As regards the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question, I am not aware of specific efforts by the B.B.C. to encourage these people to become refugees, though doubtless many of them are influenced by the existence of greater freedom in the West. As regards the last part of the Question, we shall continue to watch the position carefully and shall always be ready to consider any concrete proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why many resettled squatters in Malaya have not been granted permanent title to their land.

All State and Settlement Governments have now agreed to grant permanent titles to land in resettlement areas. The issue of titles entails much detailed work in land offices. The Governments concerned are being urged to record approved applications without delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to implement Resolution VII on land reform in under-developed countries, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 12th January, 1952, designed to give effect to the Economic and Social Council's recommendations on land tenure, the welfare and living standards of rural populations, and related technical organisational, fiscal and social questions.

The recommendations embodied in this Resolution cover a very wide field of agricultural policy, and recognise that no one measure is suited to the conditions of all countries. Much of what is proposed is already being carried out by Colonial Governments in the course of developing agriculture in their territories. The recommendations are being studied in my Department and I will send the text to all Colonial Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the main differences in the Regulations in each of the territories of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, respectively, which apply to the European and African growing of coffee.

In Uganda and Tanganyika, where the Robusta variety of coffee is mainly grown, regulations do not differentiate between Africans and Europeans. In Kenya, Arabica is the only suitable variety and since this is much more selective in its requirements of soil and climate, etc., than Robusta it is essential, in the interests of both Europeans and Africans, that its cultivation and preparation for market should be carefully controlled.Outside the Native Lands coffee may be grown only under licence but a licensing system suitable for large European plantations is impracticable for the regulation of coffee growing by Africans on large numbers of small scattered plots. In the Native Lands, therefore, coffee may be grown only in areas which have been scheduled as suitable for its cultivation and where the Agricultural Department can provide the necessary expert supervision.All the main potential coffee growing areas have now been scheduled. Any African in a non-scheduled area who can satisfy the Agricultural Department that he has adequate suitable land, the requisite skill and the resources to plant, develop and maintain the plantation of coffee will be permitted to grow it.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps he proposes to take to bring the strike of Maltese dock workers to an end; on what basis his Department's decision on increased wages and arrears of wages was arrived at; and why his Department refuses to submit the dispute to arbitration.

As the House will be aware, since this Question was placed upon the Order Paper, the strike has been called off and representatives of the Malta General Workers' Union are to visit London for discussions on their claim. In the circumstances it would be better that I should not attempt to reply to the second and third parts of the Question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will publish a list of his Department's holdings of shares in private and public companies, indicating, separately, those companies in which they own all the shares.

This information is published annually as an Appendix to the Navy Appropriation Account. The position as indicated in the last Account issued, that for 1949–50, holds good today. I am having a copy of the account sent to my hon. Friend.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will take steps to ensure that the provisions for the transport of mails by air to Doha in Qatar are improved, with particular reference to the short terminal transit between Bahrein and Doha.

Airmails are despatched from this country to Bahrein six times each week and thence to Doha normally twice weekly by the only scheduled service available. There has been some difficulty recently in maintaining the service to Doha because of the condition of the airfield there. I am having further inquiries made about this and I will write to my hon Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there are a great number of people in Northampton urgently requiring telephones; and whether he is in a position to make a statement as to the prospects of an enarged exchange for Northampton.

The position at Northampton will be materially improved this summer, when a new relief exchange is to be opened and additional subscribers' cables will be available.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what action he is taking to rectify Article 47 (2) of the Telephone Regulations, 1951 (S.I., 1951, No. 2075), which has been brought to the special attention of the House by the Statutory Instruments Committee on the ground that its purport calls for elucidation.

This Article provides that Post Office telephone employees shall be permitted to enter into subscribers' premises at reasonable times in order to carry out any necessary operations on the subscribers' installations. It is a long-established practice for these employees to carry an authenticated document of identity and authority, and to produce this to the subscriber on request. The Statutory Instruments Committee drew the attention of the Post Office to the desirability of making this practice obligatory and this has now been done by means of Telephone Amendment (No. 1) Regulations, 1952, which were laid before Parliament on 5th March, 1952.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the report of the Sports Television Advisory Committee was completed; and whether he will issue a statement on its conclusions.

The Sports Television Advisory Committee presented a first report in May, 1951. The following are quotations from what I consider to be its main conclusions:

The penetration of television into the section of the public which attends sporting events is at present very slight and this makes it extremely difficult to detect and measure the effects of televising sports events, or to forecast these effects when television is more widely developed.

It follows that it will be necessary to continue our studies over a long period in order to assess the effects of an increased use of the television service and the way viewers change in behaviour with length of ownership of television sets.

At this stage the only point on which we can be reasonably certain is that the televising of certain major events, such as the Football Cup final, results in reduced attendances at other sporting events held on the same day, and that this effect is more marked at minor sporting events.

We draw attention to the harmful consequences of reduced gates at minor events. The less important clubs often operate on a slender financial margin, and this applies particularly to amateur organisations—so that any fall in attendance receipts may lead to a number of them having to close down. Apart from the entertainment thus denied to local supporters this is bad for sport as a whole, since the minor clubs form an important nursery for the development of sporting talent.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the date for the 292 (Eccles) Air Training Corps Squadron annual camp in 1952.

I hope that No. 292 (Eccles) Squadron will be told the date of this year's summer camp in about four weeks' time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why there is not granted to the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve officers in ground trades any such annual bounty as is granted to Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve non-commissioned officers and other ranks in ground trades and to all ranks of Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve aircrew; and whether he will rectify the omission.

It is not the practice to pay an annual bounty to officers employed on non-flying duties in any of the Auxiliary or Reserve Forces,; and it is not proposed to make any change in the present system of bounties for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent it is proposed to install test beds at Leavesden; and what measures are proposed to abate the nuisance which will be suffered by the local residents on account of noise.

I am not aware of any proposal to install test beds at Leavesden.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has investigated the complaint made to him by the Lanark branch of the National Farmers' Union that National Service men have been told to sign on for an extra year or be sent to the Far East: and what reply he has sent.

I have received no such complaint from this source.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the maximum quantity of apples, in volume or value, that may be imported from Europe in the present season; and what reduction this represents on the previous season.

It is not possible to say what will be the total value of apples to be imported from Europe this season. The quota for import licences of apples from Western Europe and certain other foreign countries outside the dollar area for the period 8th November, 1951, to 30th June, 1952, is £1 million, but actual imports will probably exceed this figure, as goods which were in transit when the November restrictions were imposed have been admitted without licence, and additional licences have been, or will be, issued to enable a number of outstanding contracts to be honoured. Imports will, however, be much lower than those in the corresponding period of 1950–51, which amounted to over £4 million c.i.f.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will provide a list of the teams which it is proposed to send to the United States of America during the current year under the auspices of the Anglo-American Productivity Council; and what is the present policy of his Department with regard to the continuance of this scheme.

I am informed that the following teams either have recently left for the United States of America or will leave during the next few months:

• Plant maintenance.
• Defence (ammunition).
• Conservation of fuel, heat and energy.
• Design for production (capital goods).
• Plastics moulding.
• Retail distribution.
• Heavy chemicals.
• Gas industry.
• Milk utilisation.

It is possible that arrangements may be made for visits by teams from some other defence industries this year.The arrangements for these visits have not been made by Government but by industry in this country and the United States, with the assistance of the Mutual Security Agency. I understand that the United Kingdom and American sections of the Council are now giving consideration to the future of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement about the rating revaluation and the investigation into the operation of the equalisation grants provided for by the Local Government Act, 1948.

It has become clear that the revaluation cannot be completed by April, 1953. The Government have considered whether it could be carried out in two stages, but we think it important to revalue all classes of property simultaneously even at the cost of some delay. New legislation will, therefore, be introduced giving power to postpone the date but we shall aim at finishing by April, 1956, at the latest and earlier if possible.In view of this, the Government have decided to begin in the new financial year an investigation into the operation of the equalisation grants. It must be understood that the Government cannot contemplate changing the system in any way which would increase the burden of grants on the Exchequer but this investigation will have the scope and be conducted in the manner required for the statutory investigation in the year in which the revaluation comes into operation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Statutory Rules and Regulations were in operation at the latest convenient date; and if he will take steps to reduce this number so that the law of supply and demand can operate freely.

Records of Statutory Rules and Orders and Statutory Instruments are not kept in a form enabling the information for which my hon. Friend asks to be given without the expenditure of much time and labour. I am, however, glad to be able to tell my hon. Friend that in Volume XXV of "Statutory Rules and Orders and Statutory Instruments Revised," which will be published in the near future, there will be found a numerical list of Instruments made under powers contained in legislation of a permanent nature (excluding Instruments which are local in character), showing in Part I those in force on 31st December, 1948.In Part II of this list will be found the Instruments made between 1st January, 1949, and 31st December, 1951. There will in addition be a table showing (among other things) which Instruments have been revoked or have become spent between these latter dates. An index of all these Instruments and details of the powers under which they were made will be found in "Guide to Government Orders," which will be published about April next and which will record the law as at 31st December, 1951.