asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for letters to be delivered individually to each house at Hazlemere Camp, near High Wycombe.

I am looking into this matter and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General to what extent the Post Office is undertaking development work in the field of electronic switching equipment for telephone exchanges.

There has been considerable progress in the design of this entirely new type of telephone switching equipment, as a result of research work at the Post Office Station at Dollis Hill. The aim is to provide telephone exchanges operated entirely by electronic means instead of by the present type of electromechanical switch. The electronic apparatus has no moving parts, is almost instantaneous in operation, and may eventually prove more economic in first costs as well as maintenance.The immediate outcome of the work at Dollis Hill is an experimental installation of six electronic directors, which have recently been installed in the Richmond Telephone Exchange. (A director, which handles half a million calls a year, is the part of the exchange which steers the individual calls to the exchanges required.) This new installation probably represents the first instance in the world of the use of a fully electronic item of switching equipment in a public telephone exchange. The new apparatus will be closely watched by Post Office engineers in order to see how it works under the heavy pressure of traffic within the London system.I am sure that the House will note with satisfaction that this very promising development arises out of the independent research work at the Post Office Station at Dollis Hill, and that this country is in the front line of development in this new field. There are many research problems and practical difficulties still to be overcome, and it will be some years before the basic electronic design can be developed as a complete switching system available for manufacture and for installation in new exchanges.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many pigs are being kept on property under the control of his Department.

About 6,000.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the danger arising from the consumption of fruit and vegetables which have been canned for a long period; and if he will take steps to make it obligatory to indicate on all tinned and packed food the date on which the contents were packed and that on which it would become dangerous for human consumption and to make it an offence to offer it for sale after that date.

No. The prolonged storage of properly canned fruit and vegetables does not of itself create a health risk.

asked the Minister of Food how many officials of his Department attended at Saint Augustine's Magistrates' Court, Canterbury, on 21st May, in connection with the prosecution of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Barker of King's Road Stores, Herne Bay; how many of the said officials gave evidence; and what were the fines imposed.

Six officials were required to attend the court. One gave evidence. Mr. and Mrs. Barker were each fined £1.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he proposes to take to ensure fair distribution of unrationed goods now in short supply.

I cannot accept the assumption that unrationed foods are not fairly distributed.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent the consumption of milk has fallen generally and, in particular, among people in the lower income groups since the beginning of the present year.

There has been no significant fall in the consumption of milk, either generally or among people in the lower income groups, since the beginning of the year.

asked the Minister of Food what is the total quantity of tinned milk now being supplied weekly in Dagenham; and how this compares with the national average.

Our statistical information does not enable us to say how much tinned milk is supplied to any particular town.

asked the Minister of Food what progress has been made in preparing a revised system of allocating scarce ingredients to food manufacturers; and whether he will make a statement.

Representatives of the industries concerned are being invited to express their views on certain changes, and my right hon. and gallant Friend hopes to make an announcement on the matter shortly.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the hardship imposed on cattle traders in Northern Ireland by compelling them to prove origin of cattle, he will consider amending the regulations governing the seizure of cattle suspected of being illegally imported from the Republic of Ireland.

My right hon. and gallant Friend cannot agree that these regulations which have been in force for many years impose hardship on genuine traders.

asked the Minister of Food what is the estimated surplus of potatoes required for human consumption from the 1951 crop; and what steps have been taken to dispose of this surplus to the United States of America, where a severe shortage was experienced.

About 600,000 tons, mainly consisting of stocks which are unsuitable for export. The stringent regulations imposed by the United States of America upon the import of potatoes in general preclude exports from this country.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence what protection is offered to British Forces in Korea against the use of the napalm bomb.

All protective measures possible are being taken against the use of the napalm bomb by the enemy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence to what extent the napalm bomb has been used against the United Nations' Forces in Korea.

The napalm bomb has not been used against the United Nations' Forces in Korea.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the urgent need for wealth-producing schemes in the Colonies, especially in order to forestall famine in future in many territories, he will depart from the present practice of spending under the 10-year development plans only about as much on economic development as on social services.

Expenditure within development plans must be related to the long-term needs of each territory but Her Majesty's Government continue to emphasise to all colonial Governments the importance of devoting particular attention to economic development at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what wealth-producing schemes have been sanctioned in the Colonies as the result of the work of the Colonial Primary Products Committee, apart from those undertaken by the Colonial Development Corporation and the Overseas Food Corporation.

The purpose of the Committee was to review the possibilities of increasing colonial production of different commodities in the light of present and prospective world needs. Their reports provided, as was intended, a useful background against which specific schemes of development could be planned both by Colonial Governments and by private enterprise. It is not possible to say which of the various schemes that have been started since the Committe reported result directly from the Committee's work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how the time taken to turn round ships in colonial ports in 1952 compares with that of pre-war years.

In the absence of detailed records it is not possible to make a precise comparison, but it is understood that in some colonial ports ships are turned round at least as quickly, if not more quickly, than in pre-war years. At those places where the rate has deteriorated through for example increases in traffic and cargo urgent steps are being taken to improve port facilities so as to reduce delays.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the prospects of the United Kingdom obtaining appreciable supplies of beef and mutton from Colonial Territories.

Apart from a little canned beef from East Africa and some mutton from the Falkland Islands, there is at present no surplus beef or mutton available in Colonial Territories. In most territories there is a large and growing demand for meat which is at present unsatisfied. Imports of carcass meat from many parts of Africa would in any case be impossible owing to the risk of infecting our own livestock with rinderpest.I fear, therefore, that there is little prospect of obtaining appreciable supplies for the United Kingdom from the Colonies in the foreseeable future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps to expand the growing of maize in the Colonies.

Maize, which, in the Colonies, is almost entirely a peasant crop, is more exacting in its soil and climatic requirements than cereals such as sorghum and millet, but where conditions are suitable cultivation is being encouraged, primarily to meet local requirements. If a suitable hybrid maize could be developed, that would increase production. Apart from that, any large expansion could only be at the expense of other crops.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which Colonial Territories it is the custom to hold referenda on particular problems.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action has been taken as a result of the appointment by the Government of British Guiana in 1950 of a committee to make recommendations for the organisation, improvement and expansion of the coconut and copra industries.

The committee's report, which was submitted recently is now being studied by the British Guiana Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Colonial Development Corporation scheme on Andros Island is exceeding its estimated production costs by 100 per cent.; whether he is aware of the serious results which will follow in this sparsely populated island if it should fail; and whether he will examine alternative methods not under the operation of the Colonial Development Corporation by which the scheme may be placed upon a sound basis in the interests of the local community.

I am aware of the statement in the Corporation's Annual Report for 1951 that "1952 production costs would probably be nearly double original estimates." I agree that it would be regrettable if the scheme were to fail and I am confident that the Corporation is doing everything possible to find the sound basis of operation to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with the scheme for eradicating disease-carrying mosquitoes from the Cayman Islands.

Good progress has been made. Nearly 4,000 buildings have been sprayed, fish which eat larvae have been introduced into wells and pools, and experiments for controlling mosquitoes by the oiling of swamps and by land-clearance are being carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider, in conjunction with the Government of Trinidad, amendment of the law so as to permit women to serve on juries.

Arrangements for jury service are a matter within the discretion of the Trinidad Government. The question of amending the law to enable women to serve as jurors was recently considered by the Trinidad Government, when the local Jury Ordinance was under review. It was then decided not to pursue the matter since there is no general demand for the inclusion of women as jurors and that jury service by women would create difficulties under local conditions. In the circumstances, I do not propose to take any action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will consider the setting up of a Burnham-type committee to negotiate salary scales for teachers in Nigeria.

A joint negotiating committee on teachers' salaries already exists. It consists of an independent chairman and two non-voting members appointed by the Government, with equal numbers of representatives of the teachers and of the employing agencies. The committee has met twice and is examining comprehensive proposals put forward by the teachers' panel for a revision of salaries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will detail the number, qualifications, work and tenure of office of official labour and trade union advisers to the Governments in the respective African British Colonies.

There are heads of Labour Departments in all the territories concerned except Zanzibar (where the senior Commissioner acts as Labour Commissioner) and Somaliland, and these officers are responsible for advising the Governments on trade union and labour matters.They are employed generally on permanent and pensionable terms, a few being engaged on contract. They are either officers of the Colonial Administrative Service with suitable local experience and aptitude or men sent out from the United Kingdom with experience in labour administration or in the trade union movement.Broadly speaking, the aims and duties of every Labour Department are:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress has been made in the selection of a chief for the Bamangwato tribe.

Progress towards the selection of a chief for the Bamangwato tribe has been interrupted by the outbreak of disorder about which I made a statement to the House yesterday. The restoration of law and order is now the first essential. My noble Friend is advised, however, that there is reason to hope that once law and order have been re-established in the Reserve the great majority of the tribe, who are moderate, loyal and peaceable, will turn to the essential business of selecting a new chief.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the request of the Gambia Government, in Savingram, S.2881H/67, 17th May, 1951, to permit three officers previously employed by the Gambia Government to import to the United Kingdom on the most favourable terms possible cars privately bought by them for official use; and what steps he has taken in this matter.

I understand that two of the officers referred to have since taken up other employment abroad, and that in consequence the question does not arise in their cases. As regards the third officer, I am in communication with the appropriate Government Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what request has been made by the Maltese Government for economic and financial assistance; and what reply has been made.

All that I can say now is that the possibility of some further measure of financial assistance from Her Majesty's Government is at present under discussion with a delegation of Maltese Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further reports he has received about the loss of life and damage of property caused by the hurricane in Fiji towards the end of January.

My right hon. Friend has received a full report from the Acting Governor of Fiji on the hurricane which struck the Colony on 28th January. It is now known that 35 persons were killed or are missing presumed killed, whilst 1,109 persons were injured, 58 of them seriously.Detailed estimates of the damage to property caused by the hurricane confirm that the total losses are of the order of £F1 million (i.e. about £900,000 sterling). Of this sum about half represents capital damage and the other half loss of income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy on higher technological education.

The Government consider that a most important means of increasing productivity in industry is to improve the facilities for higher technological education. They are convinced that this can best be done by building up at least one institution of university rank devoted predominantly to the teaching and study of the various forms of technology. I am, therefore, urgently exploring the practical possibilities to see the best way of doing this.As regards the last Government's White Paper, I should say that we fully recognise the important contribution which some technical colleges can make to higher technological education, and details of our proposals for making improved financial assistance available for selected colleges and courses therein will be announced shortly. We do not, however, propose to establish a non-teaching, award-making body under the title of the Royal College of Technology.