asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if a further indemnity is to be given to Niger Agricultural Project Limited in respect of future trading losses.

The company have not applied for a further indemnity. If they do so it will be for the Nigerian Government to decide whether or not it shall be given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what report the expert mission on the high cost of the Gambia Rice Farm has made to him.

The appointment of this mission was an internal arrangement of the Corporation to inquire into one of its own schemes. Its report was therefore made to the Corporation and not to me.

As the report undoubtedly contains valuable constructive suggestions which have been made at public expense, will my right hon. Friend see whether it is possible in some way to make it available to those who are interested?

I shall be very glad to bring the suggestion to Lord Reith's notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on the decision to abandon the scheme under which, on 6th August, 27 selected Gold Coast students were to leave for three-year scholarship training at Bedford College.

I am told by the Government of the Gold Coast that this scheme has been abandoned because of the increased cost of maintaining colonial scholars in the United Kingdom and of the recent decision of that Government, on grounds of public interest, to conserve all available funds for the urgent economic development of the territory. A suitable alternative course of training will be provided next session at the Kumasi College of Arts, Science and Technology.

The Director of Education, Bedfordshire, who was originally asked by the authorities in the Gold Coast, to arrange the course of training at the North Bedfordshire Technical College, has of course been told. I much regret any inconvenience caused to the college by the change of plan.

Will the right hon. Gentleman deal with a report which I am told has gained currency in the Gold Coast by giving assurance that the decision is in no way connected with any recommendation which the right hon. Gentleman has made for slowing up the social development programme of the Gold Coast?

I can only say that attention was first drawn to the matter by the hon. Baronet's Question. He may like to know that 25 of the 27 students have accepted the alternative award at Kumasi College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the recommendation contained in a report dealing with education in Gambia that an independent co-educational nondenominational secondary school was needed and should be built in Gambia, whether a grant from the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund will he made for this purpose.

This recommendation was unfortunately rejected by the Gambia Legislative Council, the majority of whose members were unwilling to cooperate in the establishment of one independent non-denominational school. The question of a grant does not therefore arise.

Was the reason for the rejection financial grounds? Was it found that they could not really afford it? In those circumstances would it be possible to secure some financial assistance from the Colonial Development Fund?

I have not the full details of the debate which took place in the Legislative Council, but the rejection of the recommendation was moved by Mr. Garba-Jahumpa in the Legislative Council and that is all the information I have at the moment. If the hon. Gentleman is interested, I will get some more.

I understand that what I have said was the cause of the circumstances. Will the right hon. Gentleman favourably consider assistance from the Fund?

I am afraid I cannot go into that now. The recommendation has been rejected by the Legislative Council which has a majority of unofficial members. At the present moment I must abide by their decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the statements made by Major McKee, Northern Rhodesian Commissioner, in London, on 29th May, to which his attention has been drawn, and which seek to question the policy of the development of trade unions and co-operatives in Northern Rhodesia, represent the attitude of Her Majesty's Government.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and of the Northern Rhodesian Government is to encourage the development of trade unions and co-operatives in the territory. Major McKee, in the speech to which the hon. Member refers, made it clear that he was speaking in a personal capacity.

Is it not traditional and very desirable that a gentleman in this position, which is a semi-diplomatic one, should not ventilate his personal political prejudices on any occasion but should stick strictly to a neutral attitude on political questions?

This gentleman is a servant of the Northern Rhodesia Government.

The Northern Rhodesian Government comes directly under the responsibility of the right hon. Gentleman. Will he make it quite clear that he does not agree with the expression of views made by this gentleman?

I have already said what the policies of Her Majesty's Government and the Northern Rhodesian Government are, which conflict with the views expressed by this gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Government of Southern Rhodesia proposes to remove 113,000 Africans from Crown land and alienated land in the European area; and whether, in the light of this, he will reconsider his policy of federating Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland to Southern Rhodesia.

The resettlement programme of the Southern Rhodesian Government is a matter for my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. In any case, since land and land settlement remain the responsibility of the territorial Governments, under the Draft Federal Scheme I see no connection between this and the second part of the Question, to which the answer is: "No, Sir."

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Southern Rhodesia the South African policy of apartheid is being applied and the native peoples are being separated from the whites? Does he think that will inspire confidence among the Africans in Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia in the proposals for federation?

This question appears to me to be designed to raise prejudice against Southern Rhodesia in relation to federation, and it is a suggestion which I must unequivocally reject.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is not this the same subject as that embodied in my Question No. 94 to the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations? Why should the subject be divided in this way?

I am afraid I cannot answer the point, but I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he has taken to implement the undertaking to bring before the Commissioners for regulating the Offices of the House of Commons the appointment of a fourth Clerk at the Table of this House.

I have written to Mr. Speaker and I understand that he is taking up the matter with the other Commissioners.

Is the Secretary of State aware that this statement will give very great satisfaction to the House and to the Colonial Legislatures who have received such help from the Table Office and particularly from the Clerk-Assistant?

This gives me an opportunity of adding to what the hon. Member has said by expressing my very great gratitude for the work that has been done in this matter by the Table Office.

As a matter of interest, where does the right hon. Gentleman propose to place the body?

Perhaps we might have the views of the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a further statement on the tax position of United Kingdom companies operating in the Colonies.

Yes, Sir. The present position is as follows. On 28th May, 1952, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced his intention to issue a general consent under Section 468 of the United Kingdom Tax Act, 1952, in the case of United Kingdom companies desiring to set up locally controlled subsidiaries for the purpose of starting new industries in the Commonwealth. I should make it clear that the general consent will be limited to new industries, and that in other cases applications under the Section will still be required. My right hon. Friend said, however, that in considering such applications full weight would be given to the great importance of development in the Colonial territories.

As I understand it, this will only apply to new industries. Can the right hon. Gentleman give us some more definite idea about how the old industries will be affected? He said their applications will be favourably received, but can he give us any further information on the position?

I think the shortest answer I can give to that is that only three out of 400 applications from older industries have, in fact, been refused.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amendments have been made to the Cooperative Ordinance in Uganda; and what steps have been taken to eliminate racial discrimination in the coffee industry in the Protectorate.

As the answer is long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the reforms which have been introduced by the Governor, Sir Andrew Cohen, have been received with the greatest appreciation by the farmers and peasants of Uganda? Will he consider extending these reforms to the neighbouring East African countries?

That is quite another question, but the setting up of the Commission of Inquiry by the Governor and the acceptance in the main of its recommendations has, of course, marked a forward step.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what resolution has been adopted by the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations in regard to the appeal of the Wemeru against eviction from their land: and what action Her Majesty's Government proposes to take.

I am arranging for the Council's Resolution, which is long, to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am consulting the Governor about the action to he taken.

In view of the scarcely veiled rebuke which is embodied in this Resolution, will the right hon. Gentleman consider having some discussions with the representatives of the tribes to alleviate homelessness, hunger, and the subjection to disease from which they are suffering, and will he carry out the proposals of the Trusteeship Council in not carrying through these forcible evictions in the future?

I regard the supplementary question as largely tendentious in nature and could not answer it now. The hon. Gentleman will see the Resolution, which I do not think supports what he has said in his supplementary question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will now make a statement on the future of the Navy Ordnance Inspection Department.

I have made some progress in this matter since I replied to my hon. and gallant Friend on 30th January, but I regret I am not yet in a position to make a statement on this subject.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why workers are being declared redundant at the R.N.T.F., Alexandria, while at the same time work is being sent out from that factory to other firms under sub-contracts in areas where labour is in short supply.

Reduced foundry work at the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, may entail a slight reduction in numbers employed, but no men have yet been declared redundant. Every effort will be made to find alternative work in the establishment for the small number of men—unlikely to exceed six—who may be displaced from the foundry. No work is being subcontracted unnecessarily.

Could the Minister tell me if there has been a definite change of policy in this particular factory, because my information is that work which was previously done in the factory is now being sub-contracted to many other firms?

No, Sir, there is no change of policy. In only one case has work which is within the capacity of the factory mentioned been sub-contracted to a private firm. In that case it was essential to maintain that particular firm's trade capacity which was required in addition to the work done by the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory mentioned in the Question.

Will the Minister have an Investigation made to make sure that the full capacity of this factory is utilised?

indicated assent.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many acres of land within the boundaries of the city of Plymouth are owned or held by his Department; and whether he will conduct a survey to discover whether this land is being fully used.

About 1,070 acres of land are owned or held by the Admiralty within the city boundaries of Plymouth. All this land is in full use except for some 50 acres which are reserved for known future requirements. No survey is therefore considered necessary.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Admiralty has much greater facilities for playing fields than many of the civilian users, who would like to have such facilities, and will he make a more detailed survey and see if the answer he has given me is really correct?

I do not think a survey is really necessary. Of the land in the vacant acreage mentioned, 30 acres are for a possible overflow from the Marine barracks, seven acres for storage purposes taken over from the Ministry of Works, and the remaining 12 acres are for a possible extension of the dockyard.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the composition of the board which interviews candidates for Dartmouth.

I should like to apologise to the House and to the right hon. Gentleman for misunderstanding a supplementary question which he put to me last week when I gave him details of the Dartmouth Committee when he was inquiring about the interviewing board. I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for giving me the opportunity of putting things right.

There are four naval officers and four civilians. The President is a Flag Officer and the Vice-President an Executive Captain. There are also Captains from the Engineering and Supply and Secretariat Branches. The civilian members are a director of education from a local education authority, a headmaster, a psychologist or testing officer, and a member nominated by myself.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is some public disquiet at the reduction in the percentage of secondary schoolboys now going to Dartmouth and also at such cases as the Croom case which received great publicity recently? Will he assure the House that no directive has been issued by this Government altering the policy advocated and carried into force by the last Government?

I do not think that we should exaggerate the difference in the entries mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman—the difference between an average of seven and an average of nine in entries. As to the Croom case, I see that the boy was turned down twice by the previous Government and twice by the present Government. As for any fresh directive going out to the Dartmouth interviewing board, I assure the right hon. Gentleman that nothing of the sort has occurred. In fact, he may be glad to hear that I have sent a letter to the board in which I have stressed the importance of the interviewing board looking well below the surface for potential officer-like quality.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us of what type of school the headmaster of whom he spoke is the head?

The headmaster at the last interviewing board was Mr. Hardy whose very valuable services were constantly used both by the previous Government and by this one. He was headmaster of Cheltenham and Shrewsbury.

May I ask whether the psychologist to whom my right hon. Friend referred has sea-going experience, because people react somewhat differently under the stress of heavy weather at sea to the way they react on shore?

I am afraid I must have notice of that question. But I should like to inform the House that I have seen this psychologist at work; and he struck me as the kind of person equally admirable for both ashore and afloat.

Is it the case that the psychologist's advice is available to the board but he is not a full member of the board for the purpose of making a selection?

I think that the hon. Member is wrong. I attended a full meeting of the board and certainly the psychologist put his marks into the full sum, as did all other members of the board.

The right hon. Gentleman asked us not to exaggerate, so may I ask him if he still holds that view when grammar school boys have done at least as well this year as ever before and their places have been reduced by 50 per cent.?

I ask the House to believe that we are not making a distinction between possible would-be cadets according to the places where they were educated. The fact remains that the general all-round quality this year has not been quite as satisfactory as it was last year. I hope for an improvement in the coming 12 months.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will review the practice whereby a naval pensioner is denied the full pension at the married man's rate in those cases where he is living apart from his wife; and if he will review the case of Mr. Frederick Reddington, particulars of which have been supplied him, and exercise his discretion in favour of Mr. Reddington.

Yes, Sir. I have studied the case again, and after full consideration have decided to allow Mr. Riddington the option of being treated as married or single. He will, of course, have to inform the Admiralty of the amount of his wife's income.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that his answer will give great satisfaction and that it would have saved me quite a lot of correspondence if I had received it earlier?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the present duties and the future intended use of H.M.S. "Formidable."

Her Majesty's Ship "Formidable" is at present in reserve. Her future is under consideration.

Can my right hon. Friend say how long this ship has been in her present state and when his Department will arrive at a decision as to what will happen to this vessel?

I cannot say how long the ship has been in the state to which my hon. Friend referred, but I can say that a decision is now not very far away.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when he expects to receive the report of the committee which he appointed to consider the problem of recruitment of cadets for officer-training; and whether that report will be published.

The committee has only recently started work and I cannot at this stage say when it will report. It would be contrary to established Admiralty practice to publish a report of this nature, but I will, of course, make a statement to the House when I have considered the report and taken decisions upon it.

May I thank the Minister for his reply and ask him if he is aware that on this side of the House we were delighted last week at the declaration that he is determined that boys of ability, whatever their social origin, shall have a chance to become officers in the Navy, but that in our opinion the recent Dartmouth results show a departure from that policy, that, therefore, this report becomes of key importance, and that we look forward to his statement with interest?

I must correct the hon. Gentleman. Really there has been no departure from the policy laid down by my predecessors and from the pledge which was twice given by myself to this House—and I give it a third time—on the point mentioned in the Question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the terms of the remit to the committee which is examining entry to Dartmouth; and what is the composition of the committee.

As the terms of reference are rather long, I will, with permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The composition of the committee which I have set up, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education is as follows: The Chairman of the Committee is the Judge Advocate of the Fleet. The other members are the former Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel (Training); the Director of the Naval Education Service; the Headmaster of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; the Headmaster of Hele's School, Exeter; the Director of Education, North Riding of Yorkshire; two civil officers of the Admiralty; two representatives of the Ministry of Education; and a representative of the Scottish Education Department. The Admiralty provide the Secretary of the Committee. I will, with permission, circulate details of the names in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the First Lord assure the House that the committee will not simply be looking into this question from the narrow point of view of social origins, but will be looking into it also from the point of view that there is a big reservoir of possible naval officers which has not so far been touched, and that there should be a method of entry which will encourage a number of these people to come in?

I would ask the hon. Gentleman to wait until he sees the terms of reference of this committee which will be in HANSARD tomorrow. He will see that they are very wide and, I think, will cover the points he has raised in his supplementary question.

Am I right in thinking that there is no representative of an ordinary State-aided grammar school or county secondary school on this committee, and as those are the boys most vitally affected, why has he not put at least two headmasters of that type of school on the committee?

There are two headmasters of different types of school, quite apart from the County Director of Education and the member supplied by the Ministry of Education to this committee. I think that when the hon. Gentleman sees the names he will see that every phase of education is represented.

Is it not clear that the majority of the committee have affiliations with the Admiralty, whose views are well known on this subject, and that as to the rest, the majority are drawn from the type of schools who are not concerned with promoting this entry, and therefore is it not further clear that there is considerable class prejudice against this type of entry?

And it applies to more than the Admiralty.

The hon. Gentleman really has no right to make that allegation, and I beg him to wait and see the names of the committee which he can read tomorrow in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I repeat that I think they will satisfy him.

May I ask the First Lord if he is aware that I heard him read the names and can judge the composition of the committee? Further, is he aware that views have been expressed by very senior officers in the Navy that they much prefer the public school type of entry to the other boys, and that therefore this committee is prejudiced before it starts work?

I must make it quite clear that the people on this committee connected with the Royal Navy and the Admiralty are not prejudiced in the slightest way in favour of one form of entry or another as suggested by the hon. Gentleman.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why Messrs. Finewood Products Limited, who were placed on the Admiralty list of contractors on 20th February, 1951, have received no invitation to tender since that date.

This firm has not, in fact, been on the Admiralty list of contractors. The particular Department approached by the firm in February, 1951, has had no requirements within the firm's capacity since that date. The company have now been advised how to proceed if they wish to apply for admission to the list covering all Admiralty requirements which are found to be within their manufacturing capacity.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action he is taking, in view of the necessity for increasing exports, to assist the shipbuilding industry to complete its export orders more speedily.

As indicated in the White Paper "Economic Survey for 1947" (Command No. 7046) the shipbuilding industry—whether building for foreign or United Kingdom owners—is recognised to be of just the same importance, as an earner of foreign exchange, as an industry producing entirely for export. Merchant ships building for foreign owners are not, therefore, given preference over those building for United Kingdom owners.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that today we have 24 more berths unoccupied than nine months ago and, unless the Government do something about it, it is making nonsense about the statements of giving priority to export?

I think that is a different question. The details given to me are different from the information which the hon. Gentleman has.

The details I have given are given in this week's "Lloyds List."

The hon. Gentleman should not be misled by "Lloyds List." It is somewhat different to the figures given by the Admiralty. The Admiralty deal with keels laid down and "Lloyds List" deal with the stage when work on prefabricated sections begins. They are not really comparable.

Will my right hon. Friend agree that if this situation had been taken care of 15 months ago by the previous Administration these berths would now be filled? It is their responsibility.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that unemployment in the shipbuilding yards in the east of Scotland is certainly worsening every week, and that only last week a further 50 shipbuilding workers were discharged from the shipbuilding yard of Henry Robb, Leith? What steps is he taking to increase the allocation of steel to maintain these people in employment?

That is another question. There are other Questions on the Order Paper dealing with that matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how the tonnage of merchant shipbuilding commenced on the North-East Coast during the second quarter of 1952 compared with that commenced in the corresponding quarter last year.

The only figures I can supply relate to vessels actually laid down. Tonnage laid down on the North-East Coast during the second quarter of 1952 totalled 102,935 gross tons, compared with 164,993 gross tons in the corresponding quarter of last year.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that his figures are disturbing, though perhaps not quite so disturbing as others which were previously available? Whilst I endeavour to reconcile them, will he review the whole question of steel allocation and see whether it can be improved?

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there are very large numbers of orders on the books of many of these firms and that they cannot go ahead because of the short allocation of steel? Will he look at this matter again?

I have another Question about the future allocation of steel and I will answer the hon. Member's point when I come to it, if I may. Firms have full order books and keels are laid down as slipways are vacated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what factors have caused the substantial fall in the percentage of the tonnage of world merchant shipbuilding commenced in British shipyards.

Fluctuations in the quarterly statistics of new tonnage started are to be expected. The substantial drop in the percentage of world tonnage started in British yards for the second quarter of this year does not accurately reflect the real trends, though the percentage of world shipping actually under construction in United Kingdom shipyards has in fact been falling slightly for some time. The resurgence of the shipbuilding industries in Germany and Japan and the greater activity in the United States shipyards, are the main factors which account for this.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his announcement about the allocations will give considerable satisfaction to the industry? Will he also look at the problem of out-of-sequence deliveries, about which there are many complaints, and will he see whether he can improve the position?

I will certainly watch the position.

Does it occur to the right hon. Gentleman that there is another factor in this situation entirely apart from the allocation of steel, which he agrees is not the main factor, and that is that other countries are actually subsidising the construction of vessels?

Would the First Lord indicate what safeguards there are regarding the steel imported from America arising from the visit of the Prime Minister? Is it suitable for export needs and for needs arising in this country?

That type of question is one for the Minister of Supply and perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put it down to his Department.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to pay attention to Merseyside in order to see that, from the point of view of shipbuilding, Merseyside gets its proper supplies?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I am paying full attention to Merseyside.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what assurances he can give that the proportion of United States steel allocated for shipbuilding will be of the type and quality essential to that industry.

None of the steel imported from the United States is specifically earmarked for shipbuilding. Within the limits of the tonnage of steel they are licensed to acquire, shipbuilders are free to procure supplies of the types and qualities they need from any United Kingdom steel supplier.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware, firstly, that there are over 2 million tons gross on the order books of the shipbuilding firms of this country, which is 37 per cent. of the world tonnage, but that only 19.7 per cent. of new tonnage is being laid down, which means that 206,000 tons were laid down in the second quarter of the year? Secondly, is he aware that that new tonnage is the lowest laid down since 1945, and that on the Clyde at least there will be considerable indignation if steel allocation is going for the export of tanks before the export of ships because over one-third of that tonnage is for export?

If I were the hon. Gentleman I should not draw conclusions too hastily over so short a period. The shipbuilding industry fluctuates considerably, and I think the period of time with which he is dealing at the moment is far too short.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the recent decline in shipping construction of all kinds in the United Kingdom: and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir. I am glad to say that the steel allocation for merchant shipbuilding will be increased from October next. The precise increase has not yet been settled, but it will not be less than 5 per cent.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman a question which I have asked him before today but on which I have not received a satisfactory reply, namely, what encouragement is being given to shipowners to place orders for tramp ships?

I am afraid that I cannot say and that I must ask the right hon. Gentleman to put that question on the Order Paper.

This question arises out of all the other Questions which have been asked about shipbuilding. I want to know whether consideration is being given to the construction of tramp shipping as well as of tankers and intermediate cargo liners and the like?

The position is being watched, but I cannot say that any special steps are being taken to encourage building along the lines mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman. The annual basis for the allocation of steel at the new rate for the fourth quarter will enable shipbuilders to achieve higher production than they have been enabled to reach at any time since the war.

Having regard to the increased steel allocation in the autumn, will my right hon. Friend ensure that the North-East Coast receives its fair share, because there has been some mystery about the steel allocation to the North-East Coast and I want to know whether we shall be all right in future?

I assure my hon. Friend that she need not have any misgivings on that account. I understand that the misunderstandings of some weeks ago have been cleared up, and I am sure that the North-East Coast will have its full and fair share.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the falling off in ship construction which has occurred in the last quarter is due solely to the shortage of steel or whether there is any other reason?

The shortage of steel is really only a minor reason for this falling off in orders. Other countries have begun to take advantage of the fact that our order book is full and, like Japan and Germany, they themselves have started to build to a great extent on their own account.

The Question referred to the construction of all types of ships and the Minister's answer referred to merchant shipping. Can he say to what extent, if any, naval construction has fallen behind as a result of the shortage of steel?

Apart from a few isolated cases of shortage of certain items, I think I can assure the hon. Gentleman that naval shipbuilding has not fallen behind.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why, in view of Section 34 (2) (a) of the Post Office Act, 1908, as amended by the Post Office (Amendment) Act, 1935, an aeroplane company, of which he has been informed, which recently sent a helicopter on a sales demonstration tour conveying greetings from the Lord Mayor of Bristol to the Lord Mayors of the cities visited, in some cases landing in front of their respective town halls, have been informed that they have committed a breach of the Postmaster-General's monopoly for the conveyance of mail; and if he will take no further steps to interfere with such enterprises, in view of their publicity value.

There was no wish on the part of the Post Office either to be officious or to detract from the publicity value of this goodwill enterprise, but strictly speaking a technical offence had been committed and in such cases it is customary for advice to be given in a friendly way to the promoters. There is of course no question of taking proceedings in this case.

Subsection (2, a) of Section 34 of the Post Office Act, 1908 only refers to letters sent by a private friend on his journey, and is not applicable to a case of this sort. Subsection (3) of that Section, as amended by the Post Office (Amendment) Act, 1935, expressly forbids the carrying of letters by pilots or passengers on board aircraft passing between, to, or from places within a British postal country.

The monopoly of carrying Her Majesty's mails, dates back some three hundred years, and I need not trouble the House either with its subsequent history or the reason for its maintenance.

If it is illegal for the Lord Mayor of Bristol to ask a personal friend to carry a personal letter to another Lord Mayor, is it not equally illegal for Mr. Speaker to send a personal letter by means of a Parliamentary delegation to the Speaker of another House of Commons?

If my hon. Friend reads subsection (3) of Section 34 he will find that it more accurately covers the case he has mentioned.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many vacancies for sub-postmasters are unfilled in rural offices; and what steps are being taken to fill these vacancies.

There are at present 192 vacancies, representing rather less than 1 per cent. of the rural offices in the United Kingdom, and of these 58 are in process of being filled. All the remaining vacancies have been advertised and, in those cases where candidatss are not forthcoming, the practice is to seek the help of local councils and residents, in addition to renewed advertisement and other special steps.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there are some 3,000 postmasters who are getting less than £3 a week? Is it fair to expect people to act as maids of all work for half a dozen Government Departments and social welfare agencies in return for this miserably inadequate remuneration?

All I can assure the hon. and gallant Member is that the number of vacancies is considerably less than it was a year ago.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give an indication of the subjects discussed with the Post Office Advisory Council during 1952.

The following subjects have been discussed: (1) Post Office finance; (2) Telephone development; (3) The new stamps; (4) Overseas cable communications; (5) Overseas telegraph rates.

Can the Minister say whether the Advisory Council are prepared and willing to discuss subjects suggested by the users of the Post Office services?

I should be pleased to place before my noble Friend any suggestion that my hon. Friend might care to make in that direction.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what additional precautions are now taken by his Department to ensure the safety of valuable mail in course of transit by rail.

It would not be in the public interest to give details of precautions taken to ensure the safety of the mails, and I feel sure the hon. and gallant Member will not press me to do so. I can, however, assure him that the arrangements for safeguarding all mails conveyed by rail are being overhauled in collaboration with the railway authorities and strengthened where necessary.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his assurance that he has done something to improve the lamentable state of affairs in the Post Office, which has been revealed by recent occurrences, is greatly welcomed and will do something to strengthen the rapidly diminishing confidence in the Postmaster-General and his Assistant?

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he has any further statement to make on the mail van ambush and robbery which occurred near Oxford Street in May.

I regret that at present there is nothing which I can usefully add to the reply which I gave to the right hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 11th June last.

Is the Minister still having Departmental inquiries with regard particularly to the routeing of this vehicle and also with regard to the question of substitution of vehicles?

Yes, that is so.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that the Government have set a bad example to the gangsters by attempting to rob the nation of £40 million on transport?

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General, in view of the fact that the capital expenditure involved in co-operating over television with France was more than the proposed expenditure to give television to the North East Coast, he will now consider providing this service for this part of Great Britain.

I am informed by the B.B.C. that there was no capital cost in the normal sense of the word since the equipment used was not specially bought or manufactured but forms part of the B.B.C.'s standard equipment for outside transmissions.

Is my hon. Friend aware how grateful I am that he has now given me this information in public because, when I originally asked for the information by letter, he was unfortunately unable to give it to me? Further, is he aware how important it is to the North-East Coast that we should know that expenditure is not being incurred in other areas while we are being left out?

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government officially by the Jockey Club on the subject of television programmes; and what his reply was to these representations.

My noble Friend is meeting the stewards of the Jockey Club in the near future.

Has not the hon. Gentleman been told about the discussion on television policy which took place at the recent annual general meeting of the Jockey Club in which the Prime Minister took part? May we know something about those negotiations or discussions, because the activities of the Prime Minister in the Departmental field are always matters of ominous public importance? May I have an answer? Does the hon. Gentleman know anything at all about it?

I have answered the Question on the Order Paper.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will request the British Broadcasting Corporation to secure a site for the proposed television transmitter for South Devon and Cornwall which will provide satisfactory reception for the whole area, instead of securing a site on North Hesary Tor which would isolate most of West Cornwall from effective reception.

The B.B.C. inform me that it would not be possible to find a site from which satisfactory service could be given over the whole of Cornwall as well as those parts of Devon outside the effective range of Wenvoe.

May I ask the Minister to request the B.B.C. to reconsider their decision, because as yet they have carried out no tests whatever as to whether a suitable site can be found to give effective reception to South Devon and the whole of Cornwall? Does the hon. Gentleman realise that the site which the B.B.C. have selected is in the Dartmoor National Park? Will he ask the B.B.C. to reconsider this?

The B.B.C. have not yet asked the Post Office to acquire any site.

Does my hon. Friend appreciate that we in Devonshire, too, are very unhappy about the proposed site for this television mast, and are not a bit satisfied that a full reconnaissance has been carried out? Will he look further into this matter?

I will convey the remarks of the two hon. Gentlemen to the B.B.C.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the total expenditure agreed in respect of television transmitters since the Pontop Pike Television Station was postponed.

Expenditure on television transmitters is a matter for the B.B.C., within their allotted capital investment.

is my hon. Friend aware that that answer will cause the greatest suspicion on the North-East Coast and will make us believe that we are not getting a fair deal? Am Ito understand that there has been more capital expenditure on transmitters than would have given us our Pontop Pike station on the North-East Coast? [Interruption.]