asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has yet reached a decision as to whether he will now send to Kenya an all-party delegation of Members of this House with experience of emergency legislation and its administration.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Teeling) on 26th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the desert has encroached on the territory of Kenya in the last 20 years.

I doubt whether detailed figures exist which would confirm or disprove the alleged encroachment. I am, however, asking the Governor for whatever information is available locally and will circulate this in the OFFICIAL REPORT later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are being made for a proper film record of contingents of troops from the Colonial Territories participating in the Coronation procession for exhibition in the territories concerned.

The Central Office of Information has undertaken to make, on behalf of the Colonial Office, a two-reel film recording the part played by colonial troops in the Coronation celebrations. This film will be distributed to all the territories concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the party of British industrialists who recently visited the West Indies to look into the possibilities of further industrial development have yet submitted their report to him; and whether it is proposed to publish it.

I have received the report of the Mission and I am consulting the West Indian Governments about its publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Timber Mission, which recently visited the West Indies to investigate the production and marketing of West Indian timbers, has now submitted its report to him; and whether it is proposed to publish this report.

I have received the report and I am consulting West Indian Governments about its publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the most recent anti-tuberculosis drugs, as used in the United States of America, are now available in the West Indies.

Adequate supplies of the new drugs of proved value such as streptomycin, para-ammo-salicylic acid and iso-nicotinic acid hydrazid are available in the United Kingdom for use in the West Indian territories, but I have no information about the extent of their use.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total numbers of Nigerian palm oil mills in operation at the end of 1952; how many of these mills are either in course of construction or on order; how many of these are publicly owned, co-operatively owned, and in the hands of private enterprise, respectively; and what is the total capital value of the scheme.

Seventy-eight mills were in operation, eight more under construction and 78 on order. Of those in operation, 72 were publicly owned, one co-operatively, and five privately. The total capital expenditure from public funds so far is £1,100,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about the progress of the Gold Coast and Nigeria in dealing with swollen shoot.

Good progress has been made in the Gold Coast since the introduction last September of a more drastic procedure for the early removal of infected trees. Most farmers have cooperated with the Government to speed up the renewed cutting out campaign. All known infected trees in Ashanti, and almost all in the Western Colony and Trans-Volta Regions, have been removed. In the mass-infected area of the Eastern Region much remains to be done. In Nigeria the Government have continued without hindrance its policy of surveying and cutting out diseased trees to isolate the area of mass infection by means of a cordon sanitaire. The annual review of this policy is now proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to see that the public officials of the Gold Coast receive their salaries when they are due.

None. I have no reason to believe that public officials in the Gold Coast do not receive their salaries when they are due.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the advice tendered to Her Majesty by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the case of Zukas against The Queen; and whether he will discontinue the practice of Colonial Governments seeking the advice of the Judiciary on executive matters.

Yes, I am aware of the advice tendered to Her Majesty by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in this case. There is no question of Colonial Governments seeking the advice of the Judiciary on executive matters. The advice tendered by the Judicial Committee represents their decision on an application for leave to appeal to Her Majesty in Council from a judgment of the courts of Northern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that the Owen Falls Scheme will cost double the original estimate, he will appoint a committee to examine the estimated cost of £27 million for the Kafue Power Scheme before placing contracts.

I have not yet received the report on the Kafue Power Scheme and the Governor's comments upon it: but I can assure my hon. Friend that the estimates of expenditure will be most carefully examined before any contracts are placed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many post offices in Northern Rhodesia still have separate entrances for Africans and Europeans; how many have a common entrance with separate counters divided by a partition; and how many have a common staff to serve members of all races over a common counter in the order of their arrival.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many post offices in Northern Rhodesia still have separate entrances for Africans and Europeans; how many have a common entrance with separate counters divided by a partition; and how many have a common staff to serve members of all races, over a common counter, in the order of their arrival.

The answer to the first part of the Question is nine, the answer to the second is three, and the answer to the third is 57.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the increase in the number of African members of the Legislative Council of the Protectorate of Uganda, and of African members in the senior posts of the Civil Service.

There has been no change in the composition of the Uganda Legislature. A Standing Committee has been set up in Uganda to advise the Government on the recruitment, training and promotion of Africans for admission to the higher posts in the Civil Service. Meanwhile, training facilities to enable Africans to advance in the Service are being expanded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Chinese language, spoken by 40 per cent. of the inhabitants of Malaya, is not given equal status with that of English and Malay in the elementary schools of Malaya.

Malay and English are the official languages of the Federation. The policy is to use one for instruction in the national schools now being established, and to teach the other as a subject. But it is no part of this policy to suppress any of the various racial cultures. It is therefore the intention to teach Kuo Yu as an additional language in any class containing 15 or more children, for which this is desired.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Chinese schools have been compulsorily closed in Malaya during 1950, 1951 and 1952; and what were the reasons for their closing.

I am consulting the High Commissioner and will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if a full inquiry will be held into the rubber industry of Malaya as recommended by the Whitton Award; and if he will arrange for experienced trade unionists from this country to sit upon the Board.

The Government of the Federation of Malaya have decided to appoint a Commission to inquire into the rubber industry and I am in consultation with the High Commissioner about its membership.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the discontent among the rubber workers of Malaya caused by the employers' failure to implement fully the recent arbitration decision in this industry which is destroying confidence in this industrial machinery; to what extent this award is binding on both parties; and what steps he is taking to secure its full implementation.

The employers have not failed to give effect to the award which provided for payment of wages on three scales related to the average price of rubber over the preceding quarter. But there has been discontent because they have not agreed in advance to give effect to the award if the price of rubber falls to the lowest of the three levels to which the arbitrator related his award. The award cannot be enforced against either party, but negotiations to avoid a dispute if the price of rubber does fall are continuing with the help of the appropriate Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the industrial unrest in Malaya, if he will send out a team of experienced trade unionists to discuss with the trade unions in the Federation the best methods of establishing a similar system of negotiations and arbitration to that existing in this country.

The Federation of Malaya is not in a state of industrial unrest and advice on any improvement required in the machinery of negotiation is already available through a qualified local staff and my advisers in the Colonial Office, one of whom is at present in Malaya. If additional help seemed necessary the Government of the Federation would not hesitate to seek my aid in approaching trade unions in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what estimates he has received of the size and activities of Communist groups in Siamese territory along the northern Malayan border; and what steps are being taken by the Government of Malaya, in conjunction with that of Thailand, to deal with the situation.

I have seen Press comments on this subject, and have asked the High Commissioner for a report on the situation so far as it affects Malaya.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why there has been a delay of more than 10 months in setting up the controlling body foreshadowed in the Government White Paper, "Broadcasting," Command Paper No. 8550; and whether he will now publish the instructions given to this committee and its composition.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the cause of the delay in setting up the controlling body envisaged in paragraph 9 of Command Paper, No. 8550, "Broadcasting," seeing that some 10 months have elapsed since the issue of that document.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what steps he has taken towards the setting up of the controlling body envisaged in paragraph 9 of the White Paper, Command Paper No. 8550, published in May, 1952.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is yet in a position to publish the names of persons chosen to serve on the controlling authority envisaged in paragraph 9 of the White Paper, Command Paper No. 8550.

My noble Friend expects to make a statement tomorrow indicating the progress made towards setting up this body.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the estimated amount of capital expenditure required for the introduction of very high frequency broadcasting.

The type of modulation has yet to be fixed and it is not yet known to what extent very high frequency transmissions may affect medium wave and long wave transmissions. For these reasons it is not possible at this moment to make any reliable estimate of costs.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the progress of the work at Pontop Pike; and if he can now give the estimated date for the beginning of the television service.

As already announced, work is proceeding on the B.B.C. station at Pontop Pike and on the Post Office connecting links. It is not yet possible to say when the station will be opened, but test transmissions will be started as soon as possible with a view to giving the fullest assistance to radio dealers in the installation and adjustment of television sets before Coronation Day.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air if he is aware of the damage, amounting to some £1,000, caused to the local sewage disposal works by discharges of oil from the airfield at Wethersfield, Essex; whether he has now replied to the letters addressed to him on 6th, 9th and 13th March by the Clerk to the Braintree Rural District Council, and the urgent telephone messages of 9th and 13th March, only formal acknowledgments of which had been received by 20th March; what steps have been taken to prevent further damage and to treat this matter as one of urgency; and what compensation will be paid for the damage already done.

I am in correspondence with the hon. Member about this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the development of a radar-guided bomb.

It would not be in the public interest to publish details of the work of research and development which is in progress on guided bombs. I can however assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman that the importance of this work is fully recognised both in the Air Ministry and in the Ministry of Supply, who are of course responsible for development in this field as in others.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air how many deserters from the Royal Air Force applying for the amnesty have been found ineligible; and how many of them have been arrested as the result of applying.

One hundred and sixty-one of the 404 Royal Air Force deserters who have applied for the amnesty have been found to be ineligible. One man was arrested as a result of his application but has now been released.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action he proposes to take on the recommendations of the Goddard Report regarding rabbit control.

I am not sure to which recommendation my hon. Friend refers. In order that I may reply, perhaps my hon. Friend will let me know which recommendations he has in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will endeavour to arrange for a percentage increase in the D level of Purchase Tax for outsize garments.

As the hon. Member is aware, we examined this possibility very thoroughly last year but were forced to the conclusion that any such relief was impracticable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any statement to make on the future treatment of members of the Armed Forces, wherever serving, as being on active service for Estate Duty purposes.

Yes. During the war all members of the Armed Forces were regarded as being on active service against an enemy, and their estates were therefore given relief from Estate Duty. This practice has been continued up till the present time. It is now proposed to terminate it and, in the case of deaths of members of the Armed Forces occurring as from today from a wound inflicted, accident occurring or disease contracted or aggravated on or after 1st April, 1953, the exemption conferred by Section 71 of the Finance Act, 1952, will be given, in accordance with the terms of that Section, only where the death occurred on service of a warlike nature, such as service in Korea or Malaya in present circumstances or on service which, in the opinion of the Treasury involved the same risks as service of a warlike nature. The position of deaths occurring after that date from causes arising before it will remain unaffected.

asked the Minister of Food what increases have taken place in the prices of sweets since they were derationed.

Where increases have occurred they have been generally of the order of 2d. per lb.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the existing system used by certain local authorities and others of holding back both monthly and final payments on building work may add anything up to approximately 3 per cent. on the total cost without gaining any benefit, as the same result can be covered by an appropriate bond; and if he will circularise local authorities urging prompt payment in all cases.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular issued to local authorities last year which made suggestions for the reduction of retention money and stressed the need for prompt payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the White Paper on Industry and Employment in Scotland and the proposed digest of Scottish Statistics are to be published.

The White Paper and the Digest will be published at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation the gross revenue from aircraft landing fees at State-owned customs airports in the United Kingdom during the financial year 1951–52; the gross revenue that is now estimated to accrue from this source during the financial year 1952–53; and the estimated revenue from this source at current rates during the financial year 1953–54.

The revenue accruing to the Ministry of Civil Aviation from aircraft landing fees at Customs airports in the United Kingdom controlled by the State, actual and estimated, is as follows: 1951–52, £629,158; 1952–53, £685,000; 1953–54, £755,000.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation the net revenue from contracts let for the provision of catering, book-stalls and other passenger amenities, including revenue from the sale of works of art at customs airports in the United Kingdom in 1951–52; the revenue that is now estimated to accrue from this source in 1952–53; and the estimated revenue to be derived from this source in 1953–54.

The revenue accruing to the Ministry of Civil Aviation from contracts let for passenger amenities at Customs airports in the United Kingdom, actual and estimated, is as follows: 1951–52, £41,900; 1952–53, £52,500; 1953–54. £63,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War why inquiry for the hire of a charter aircraft was not made before a decision was reached to halt the supply of newspapers to British Forces in the Suez Canal Zone last week.

The airlift each day of newspapers to the Canal Zone is only some 15 cwt., that is a small part of an aircraft's payload. Daily delivery is therefore dependent on there being each day a need for an outward flight carrying freight or troops. The traffic normally allows this, but interruptions, such as occurred last week when a considerable number of Service aircraft were needed at short notice for an operational task, have occurred from time to time. The change in programme last week would have resulted in a gap of three days but this was adjusted to reduce the gap to one day, A special charter could not have improved upon this arrangement.

asked the Minister of Works how many building operatives were engaged in Scotland on school building, housing, industrial building and hospitals, respectively, in the months of January and June for each year for 1947 to 1952, inclusive.

asked the Minister of Works what arrangements have been made for giving surplus Government furniture to the victims of the floods.

I have arranged to place at the disposal of the Women's Voluntary Services all surplus domestic furniture of

The information asked for is as follows:suitable type which was available to the Ministry at the time of the floods or has subsequently accrued. It is difficult to assess the value of such furniture, which is normally sold by competitive tender or by auction, but I estimate that it amounts to approximately £33,000. A Treasury Minute on this subject has been laid on the Table today.