asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many Extended Service Commission naval officers have volunteered to serve for the second period of service.

Up to date 152 Extended Service Commission officers in the different branches of the Royal Navy have volunteered to serve for a second period of service. It is expected, however, that during the next six months further volunteers will be forthcoming from the Executive Branch, as many of these officers have not yet reached the stage at which they are required to make a decision.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether further permanent commissions are to be granted to the Extended Service Commission naval officer before May, 1953.

No. It is not the intention to grant further permanent commissions in the Royal Navy to officers who now hold Extended Service Commissions.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give consideration to the possibility of extending special credit facilities to the Government of Israel for the purchase of herrings, mackerel and pilchards in this country when these fish are in surplus supply.

I do not think that this would be justifiable in present circumstances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the omission from the annual White Paper on the National Income of the usual table showing an estimate of the income retained in each income range after payment of Income Tax and Surtax and of excluded personal income, he will arrange to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, or to publish in other appropriate form, up-to-date information on this subject in continuance of Table 12 of Command Paper No. 8203.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 21st October to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Speir).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the total amount which has been paid to date to the Treasury in respect of development charges under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947.

Up to 17th October, 1952, £12,258,000 had been paid in cash and a further £7,235,000 had been set off against claims on the £300 million.

asked the Minister of Transport how many bridges in Gloucestershire under his jurisdiction, destroyed by enemy action during the last war, still remain unrepaired.

Only one bridge in Gloucestershire has not been repaired—Pilley Bridge, in Cheltenham.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the difficulties being incurred in the erection of authorised street lighting columns by reason of the unavailability of steel; and whether he will review the position in an effort to achieve improvement.

I am aware that the need to restrict the allocation of steel for the manufacture of street lighting columns has resulted in reductions of output by the firms concerned. Larger issues of steel will be made as soon as there is an improvement in the supply.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has considered the proposals sent to him from the West Bromwich Corporation for a national road safety campaign to which the Council have given the name "Operation Proof"; and whether, in view of the fact that the proposals have received the approval and support of many road safety federations and local authorities, including the Ilford Borough Council, if he will sponsor, during 1953, a road safety campaign on the lines suggested in these proposals.

I understand that the road safety scheme "Operation Proof" is being studied in detail by the Road Safety Committee of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. My right hon. Friend proposes to consider the scheme further when the comments of that Committee are available.