asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia flue-cured tobacco leaf was sold well below prices of tobacco of comparable quality obtained in previous years, while average prices in Southern Rhodesia were higher; and what action he will take to remove present obstacles to satisfactory marketing.

The main reasons were these. Bad weather in both territories increased the higher proportion of low-grade leaf, and the removal last year of the quota restrictions which had previously been placed on the quantities of Southern Rhodesian leaf which could be purchased at the Salisbury auctions reduced the incentive to buyers to attend the more isolated markets in Nyasaland and north-eastern Rhodesia. The entire Northern Rhodesian production in 1953 will be sold at the Salisbury auctions. The remedy for Nyasaland lies in concentrating on production of higher grade leaf, and this is being encouraged by the Government of the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what parts of the colonial Empire are served by foreign and not Empire and Commonwealth airlines.

No British colonial territory is now served exclusively by foreign airlines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what newspaper and broadcasting services are maintained by the Kenya Government for information and discussion of issues of importance to Africans.

According to my latest information the Kenya Government publishes 16 district news-sheets in various vernaculars and a fortnightly illustrated newspaper in Swahili. A weekly illustrated magazine in Swahili is also published by the East African Literature Bureau. Programmes are broadcast from Nairobi in Kikuyu for one hour daily, and in Swahili for 1½ hours daily, except Sundays. From Mombasa programmes in Swahili and Arabic are broadcast for one hour each on three days per week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to make available to the Government of the Windward Islands the necessary capital to enable them to implement the report of the United Nations expert, who recommends the establishment on the island of St. Lucia of a plant to produce thermal energy from the sulphur springs available on the island.

The expert carried out a preliminary investigation only. He reported that, before experimental drilling could be undertaken a detailed geological study of the area would be necessary. As a first step, two seismologists will shortly examine the area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to increase food production in the Colony of Barbados; and how far efforts are being made to establish a production and marketing board to assist an increase of production in the Colony.

This matter is in the first instance for the Government of Barbados. Plantation owners are required to cultivate vegetables on part of their land. The Colony's development plan, now under consideration by the Legislature, contains proposals for increasing food production, including fish and meat, and for improvement of the district agricultural stations and of the central livestock station which was established under a Colonial Development and Welfare scheme. It also provides for district markets, to be controlled and maintained by local authorities.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, when H.M.S. "Plym" was last refitted; and what was the cost.

Apart from her preparation for the atom bomb test, this ship was given a refit—the first since the end of the war—in the latter part of 1950 to ensure that she was in a reasonable state of preservation before being placed in a low reserve category. No alterations or additions were carried out and the cost was approximately £50,000.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty in which departments of the Admiralty there have been the greatest increases in civil staff; and in which there have been any reductions in the last half year.

The chief increases in the Admiralty civil staff during the last six months have been in the departments concerned with production and design and with civil engineering works. There was also a small temporary increase in the Directorate of Navy Accounts, because of the introduction of the new Pensions Increase Act. Reductions have been made in a number of departments, including those dealing with naval personnel, the Secretary's department, the common services and the Admiralty constabulary.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty for what purpose he purchased the naval armament vessel "Amherst"; how much he paid for her; what view on this purchase was given by his naval constructors; what were the dates, duration and cost of her first refit at Glasgow, of the further repairs at Milford Haven, and her prolonged repairs at Malta; and whether she is now due for further attention.

The "Amherst" was purchased in November, 1951 to replace the naval armament vessel "Bedenham" which was lost in the explosion at Gibraltar. Inspection in dry dock by naval constructors revealed only minor structural defects. Her refit and conversion into an armament vessel took place at Glasgow between 8th December, 1951, and 28th July, 1952, and some minor work was done at Milford Haven while she was loading, between 30th July and 9th August. While at Malta, between 23rd August and 21st November, alterations to the boiler firing arrangements were made and additional ballast fitted, as a result of experience on the outward voyage. No further major work on her is contemplated.It would be contrary to Admiralty policy to disclose publicly the price paid for the ship to her previous owners. The price to be paid for the major items of work carried out at Glasgow is still under negotiation. The costs subsequently incurred at Milford Haven and Malta were £722 and £9,250 respectively.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of motor vehicles in use by his Department at the most recent convenient date; how many of these are for carriage of goods only; how many for the carriage of more than 10 persons apiece; and what were the corresponding figures in 1937.

The total number of motor vehicles was 6,300 on 1st December. Of these, 2,500 are for the carriage of goods and 360 for the carriage of more than 10 persons apiece. Thirty per cent. is used overseas and rather less than a third at naval air stations. I regret that corresponding figures for 1937 are not available.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will make available sufficient materials in order to provide a reasonably efficient service in the Norton and Woodseats areas of Sheffield, where the position at the moment is that persons wanting new or shared lines may have to wait several years.

I regret that shortage of plant is causing delay in connecting up new subscribers in these areas. New cables will be provided as soon as possible but a firm date cannot yet be given because predominantly business areas must have first claim on our limited resources. I only wish I could give my hon. Friend a more hopeful reply.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why his Department is seeking to enforce the sharing of a private telephone line, when the existing telephone has been in the same hands since January, 1946.

Since January, 1948, it has been a condition that new and removing residential subscribers should share their lines if called upon to do so. In fairness to all concerned this rule has to be applied in those cases where a subscriber, on removal, retains his old telephone number. I understand that is the type of case which the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will arrange for telephone accounts to be rendered quarterly, instead of half-yearly as at present.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas) on 5th November, 1952.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for telephone installation in the city of Bradford have been dealt with in the last 12 months; and how many are still outstanding.

Two thousand three hundred and seventy-eight applications have been met. One thousand six hundred and twenty-two are outstanding, excluding 759 in course of being met or under inquiry.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware there are over 400 telephones listed in the Edinburgh Telephone Directory for Government Departments, many of them with branch exchanges; and if he will decline to add to the number already existing until members of the public have had their long-standing requests adequately met.

The number of lines to Government Departments in Edinburgh is 29 less than it was a year ago. The essential needs of Government Departments, as of the public generally, must continue to be met, so far as Post Office resources permit, and an absolute ban, as suggested in the second part of my hon. Friend's Question would in my view, be impracticable.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General at what rate he anticipates new telephone services will be extended in the Shrewsbury area in the forthcoming year.

About 320 lines are expected to be connected during the next 12 months in the area of the Shrewsbury telephone exchange.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones in Leicester are outstanding to the latest convenient date.

Three thousand, eight hundred and forty-one applications were outstanding on 30th November, 1952.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will include Cardiff among the cities to be connected with the International Telex Service in 1953, in view of the need for Cardiff exporters to be in quick communication with the Continent.

The claims of applicants in the Cardiff area will not be overlooked; but only a limited number of connections can be made in 1953 and there are a large number of earlier applications.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why there is only to be one commemorative stamp for the Coronation.

My noble Friend hopes it will be possible to have Coronation stamps in three or four denominations, A 2½d. stamp will certainly be issued, but details of the others have not yet been settled. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what is the amount being spent in the current year on the mechanisation of Post Office work; and how this compares with the amounts spent in the two previous years.

It is expected that a sum of the order of £4 million will be spent on the mechanisation of Post Office work, including telecommunications, during the current financial year: the comparable figure for the year 1950–51 was just over £1¾ million and for 1951–52 about £2½ million.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many machines have now been installed in post offices for printing and issuing postal orders; whether these machines are proving successful in increasing efficiency; and what plans exist for extending their use.

Five machines are now in use experimentally. Four of them were installed as recently as August this year. It is too early to say whether use of the machines is likely to be of real benefit and a much longer trial will be necessary before there can be any question of extending their use, especially as they are rather expensive.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether manufacturers of office and similar machinery have been invited to make a close study of Post Office needs and methods with a view to increasing the degree of mechanisation in Post Office operations.

Yes. It is the established policy of the Post Office to seek advice from manufacturers of office and similar machinery whenever it seems likely that their special experience will be of help. As an example, some 200 machines of different designs are at the moment under trial at various post office counters—all products of consultation with manufacturers.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why letters and packages despatched by the Railex method cannot also be registered.

Railex packets are handled under an agreement with the railways which does not provide for registration: the matter is being reviewed in conjunction with the railway authorities and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for the new books containing stamps of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to be on sale in time for the Coronation.

Every effort will be made to have books containing some stamps of the new reign on sale by Coronation Day but, because of the manufacturing problems involved, I regret that I cannot give a firm assurance.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General in view of the subversive and unpatriotic nature of some of the broadcast talks on the British Broadcasting Corporation, he will now undertake to answer questions relating to the British Broadcasting Corporation's programmes.

No. As set out in paragraph 5 of the White Paper on Broadcasting, the Government is following the traditional policy of allowing the B.B.C. independence in its programmes.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if, in view of the successful tests of full-screen television equipment, he will grant permission to relay British Broadcasting Corporation television transmissions of the Coronation to cinema audiences.

This question is under consideration and I hope to make a statement soon.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what information he has on the responsibility for the present interference on the 1,500-metre wavelength in the North-Eastern Region; and what action he proposes to take to see that this interference is removed.

I am informed that owing to interaction between the wireless waves in the atmosphere, the B.B.C. European Service is occasionally heard at night in North-East England as a background to the Light Programme on the long wavelength. The B.B.C. hope to take steps early in the New Year which will eliminate the interference or reduce it appreciably.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what progress has been made towards providing the television service for the North-East; and if he will give the estimated date for its commencement.

Work is proceeding on the temporary television transmitter which the B.B.C. plans to instal at Pontop Pike in time for the Coronation and the Post Office arrangements for providing programme links to the station are also well in hand. It is too early to estimate when a television service will begin.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will seek to promote a wavelength conference similar to that held at Copenhagen in 1948, and endeavour to secure an extra allocation of medium wavelengths for this country.

No. I see no hope of such a conference reaching agreement on a new plan which would give the United Kingdom an extra long or medium wavelength. Other countries would also like extra wavelengths for broadcasting.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why the public interest is not represented on the Television Advisory Committee.

The public interest is well represented on the Committee. The Chairman has had a long and distin- guished public career, and three of the members are public servants. There are also three independent members chosen for their wide general experience. The remaining members are drawn from the radio industry and the B.B.C., both of which have an essential contribution to make to the Committee's deliberations.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many of the members of the Television Advisory Committee are directly or indirectly financially interested in commercial television.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) why he appointed out of the nine members of the Television Advisory Committee a person or persons who have a direct or indirect financial interest in commercial television;(2) if he was aware of the financial interest in commercial television of one member of the Television Advisory Committee before appointing him to that committee.

asked the Assistant Post-master-General how many members of the Television Advisory Committee have direct or indirect financial interest in commercial television.

The broad grounds for selection of members of the Television Advisory Committee were given by my noble Friend in his statement of the 29th October in another place. No member of the Committee was appointed as representing commercial television interests though I understand that one representative of the radio industry has a direct interest in commercial television. Indirect interest might possibly arise in the case of the other representative of the industry and even perhaps in the case of the B.B.C. representative.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the director of the commercial television company which has applied for a commercial television licence will continue to sit upon the Television Advisory Committee, which advises the Postmaster-General upon the granting of such licences.

The hon. Gentleman is under a misapprehension. I would refer him to paragraph 9 of Command Paper 8550.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will make known to this House the advice tendered to the Postmaster-General by the Television Advisory Committee on commercial television.

The Television Advisory Committee primarily advises my noble Friend on technical matters, but he will be ready to consider this suggestion in due course. I would remind the hon. Member of the undertaking given in paragraph 8 and the provisions of paragraph 9 of Command 8550.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether any member of the Television Advisory Committee is representative of theatrical interests.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 30th October, 1952, to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Knutsford (Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport).

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when he will make known to this House the terms and conditions on which commercial television will be allowed.

In accordance with paragraph 8 of Command Paper 8550 Parliament will have an opportunity to consider before the licensing of the first station, the terms and conditions under which competitive television will operate. It is still too early to say when this will be.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what are the prospects of improvement of sound reception of British Broadcasting Corporation programmes in North Cornwall in time for the Coronation.

I am informed that the B.B.C. are seeing if it is possible to provide the West Home Service programme from Redruth, but there is little prospect that the northern part of the county would benefit to any extent. The Corporation regret that until they are able to go ahead with very high frequency services, reception cannot be improved in all the places where this would be desirable.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to improve broadcast reception in Devonshire for the Coronation.

The temporary B.B.C. station at Fremington, near Barnstaple, is to be replaced tomorrow by the first part of a permanent station on the same site. The coverage should then be extended to include such districts as Great Torrington. The B.B.C. expects that when the station is completed, reception will be improved within a radius of 10 to 15 miles.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is now in a position to say what television relay arrangements he will be able to make for the people of the South and South-West of England by 2nd June next.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what are the prospects of improving television reception in Cornwall and, particularly, in North Cornwall.

I would refer the hon. Members to the general statement about television which I made on 8th December.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware of complaints of interference caused by television receivers to the reception of sound broadcasting; and if he will take steps to make it an offence for manufacturers to market television sets which cause such interference.

I am aware of the complaints but my noble Friend has no powers under which he could make it an offence for manufacturers to market television sets which cause interference. I understand that manufacturers are voluntarily modifying their designs to reduce the risk of such interference being caused.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many airfields have grass drying machines installed; who operates them; who is responsible for the management and cultivation of the land; and what acreage of grass is affected by these arrangements.

Grass dryers are installed on 23 Royal Air Force airfields. They are operated by private contractors or by farmers. The Air Ministry is responsible for the management and maintenance of the land at these airfields. This includes draining, harrowing, rolling and seeding. The contractor is responsible for obtaining and applying artificial fertilisers to make good the loss caused by the removal of the grass. The area affected is about 4,500 acres.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air on how many airfields are arrangements made for letting the grass cutting rights; what arrangements are made for the management and cultivation of the land; and what acreage of grass is affected by these arrangements.

There are 52 Royal Air Force airfields without dryers at which grass drying contracts are let. The acreage affected is 10,500. The arrangements for the management and cultivation of the land are the same as at airfields at which dryers are installed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the yield and protein content and total quantity of dried grass collected from airfields; where the dryers are installed on the airfield; and where the collecting rights are let.

The annual yield is about one ton an acre and the protein content about 16.9 per cent. irrespective of whether the dryers are installed on the airfield or not. 15,000 tons of dried grass meal was collected from Royal Air Force airfields this year and 4,500 tons of this was collected from airfields on which dryers are installed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air on what proportion of the acreage of aerodromes under the control of the Air Ministry grass is cut for drying; and if the application of fertiliser to the land is allowed to stimulate fresh growth

The answer to the first part of the Question is 9 per cent., but this represents no less than 65 per cent, of the area under grass on aerodromes under the control of the Air Ministry which is regarded as suitable for grass drying. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he has considered the use of the Bennie rail-plane for traffic between aerodromes and Central London.

Yes. There are however special difficulties in the use of this system for the transport of traffic between airports and the centre of London.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement on the future of the aerodrome fire service.

After a thorough review of the present fire-fighting arrangements in the light of post-war experience, I have decided on a substantial re-organisation and re-equipment of the aerodrome fire services. The object of the re-organisation is to increase the speed of rescue operations and therefore the chances of success during the first few crucial minutes of an aircraft fire. At the same time, standardisation of equipment and the elimination of obsolete vehicles should achieve considerable economy.The new arrangements will be introduced progressively as more modern equipment becomes available. There is bound to be some reduction in staff, though all possible steps will be taken to minimise hardship on this account.

asked the Minister of Food by how much the average retail price of coffee has recently been increased; and what factors have caused that increase.

The price of coffee is not controlled and precise information about average prices is not, therefore, available. I understand, however, that one or two well-known blends have recently gone up by amounts varying from 4d. to 10d. a lb., no doubt because the proportion of coffee purchased at current high world prices has had to be increased in the blends.

asked the Minister of Food what was the consumption of full-price fresh milk for each of the months of October and November.

For October, 110.25 million gallons. The figures for November are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Food what is the total number of pigs slaughtered in 1949–50–51, and the first half of 1952; and how many of these were in each case slaughtered on their owner's premises.

The number of pigs purchased by the Ministry of Food and the number licensed for slaughter by self-suppliers between 1st January, 1949, and 30th June, 1952. in Great Britain are as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether any decision has yet been reached on the period of service for men who will be incorporated in the European Army.

This is not a matter for which Her Majesty's Government is responsible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will now make the necessary arrangements for free letter and parcel postage to be given to Her Majesty's Forces in Korea and Malaya.

British troops serving in Korea under United Nations Command are entitled to send an unrestricted number of Forces light-weight letters free of charge to the United Kingdom. No extension of this concession is contemplated.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will make a statement on the position of the mobile force; how far it is increasing in strength; and what is the additional cost entailed.

The organisation and training of the mobile columns, the creation of which was referred to by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, on 5th March last, has continued at virtually no additional cost to the Services and there has been an effective increase in their state of readiness.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether any progress has yet been made with the project of Middle East Defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Discussions are continuing satisfactorily with other Governments concerned on the basis of proposals circulated by Her Majesty's Government in August. The proposals, which included suggestions for the setting up of a planning group for a Middle East Defence Organisation, were sent to the Governments of the United States, France, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. I am not in a position to make any statement about the discussions at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how far the Overseas Buying Committee insist that exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics must be on a proportional basis between capital goods, consumer goods and raw materials; what roughly are those proportions; and if he will press for an increase of consumer goods exports and especially of textiles.

I am not clear what body my hon. Friend has in mind but in any event it would not be practicable to insist on a proportional division of our exports in the manner suggested. The great bulk of this trade consists of re-exports of raw materials. We are very anxious to sell consumer goods and especially textiles to Russia. This has been constantly impressed on the Soviet Delegation here and my right hon. Friend

asked the Minister of Transport if police "No Entry" signs set up under his Regulations are to be construed as permitting traffic solely in the opposite direction.

asked the minister of Transport who are the members of the Road Safety Committee.

The members of the Departmental Committee on Road Safety are as follows:

We are advised that in itself a "No Entry" sign simply prohibits the entrance of vehicles to the street indicated by the sign from the direction in which the sign faces.

asked the Minister of Supply what is the estimated cost of towing the salvaged part of the floating dock from Singapore and breaking it up in this country; and what is the estimated value of the metal to be recovered.

No public funds are involved in towing this dock to the United Kingdom, which is being arranged and paid for by the British Iron and Steel Corporation (Salvage) Ltd., acting on behalf of the steel industry. On arrival, the floating dock will be broken up and the scrap sold to steelworks at the controlled price.

asked the Minister of Supply, in view of the risk of total loss in towing the salvaged floating dock from Singapore to this country, if he will consider breaking it up in Singapore and sending the steel to this country as a cargo of scrap.

I am informed that British Iron and Steel Corporation (Salvage) Ltd.,

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of dentists in Scotland are earning incomes in excess of the recommendations of the Spens Report; and how many are earning substantially less than the sum recommended.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the revenue derived from Purchase Tax, at the several rates of tax and at the different tax categories, on cutlery and silverware, respectively, for the financial years from 1946–47 to date, together with an estimate of the return for the current year.

I regret that receipts of Purchase Tax on silverware or articles incorporating silver are not separately recorded. The following table shows the amounts of tax derived from cutlery and from the classes of goods in which silverware is included:

The recommendations of the Spens Report were in terms of net incomes under 1939 conditions, for all professional work, whereas current statistics relate to gross incomes for National Health Service work alone. Adequate information is not available for the adjustments needed in attempting a valid comparison.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give special attention to the position of National Service men who have recently married and who are under impending orders to embark for service in the Far East, so that they may, where circumstances permit, have the special privilege of a pass to enable them at least one or two nights a week to stay at their homes, always on the understanding that they report to the depot in time for their duties on the following day; and whether he is aware that there are several cases where passes have been refused to men whose homes are in the close vicinity of the depot or camp.

Regulations already allow this privilege to be granted at the discretion of commanding officers. These regulations apply to all National Service men, married or single, who have completed the first six weeks of their basic training, whether or not they are under orders for service overseas. If my hon. Friend will give me details, I shall be glad to look into particular cases where passes have been refused.

asked the Secretary of State for War to give further details of the £520,000 that has been spent on pay of permanent staff and on unit administration of the Home Guard.

£40,000 has been spent on unit administration and £480,000 on the pay of permanent staff.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has yet reached a decision to make gin traps illegal.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Peter Freeman) and the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross) on 4th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he proposes to publish the interim Report of the Committee on State Immunities.

As stated in the Introductory Note to the Report on Diplomatic Immunity submitted by the Inter-Departmental Committee on State Immunities (Cmd. 8460), it is not proposed to publish the Committee's report on the second of the two subjects examined by that Committee, namely State Immunity, in view of its interim nature.