asked the Minister of Food whether he will now free pork from rationing in view of the increased pig population.

No. I am satisfied that a piecemeal approach to the problem of derationing meat might well delay the attainment of our aim of general derationing.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate supply of carrots is available for the consumer during the current month.

The crop is late this year, but the recent rain should quickly improve supplies.

asked the Minister of Food what progress has been made regarding the construction of an abbatoir at Sunderland.

Working drawings and specifications are in preparation to enable tenders for construction to be obtained. It is not yet possible to say when work will be started on the site.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement about the progress of the negotiations with the Republic of Ireland concerning the Annex to the Trade Agreement of 1948.

I have today exchanged Notes with his Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland setting out arrangements which replace the present Annex to the Trade Agreement of 1948. The text will be issued as a White Paper as soon as possible. Meanwhile, advance copies are available in the Library.The new Annex is concerned chiefly with the trade in livestock and meat. Its main features are an undertaking by the Irish Republic to send to the United Kingdom not less than 90 per cent. of their total exports of cattle and beef, and an undertaking by the United Kingdom to continue the arrangements linking the prices paid for Irish livestock and meat to those paid to the United Kingdom fanner. In the present Annex the undertaking to send us not less than 90 per cent. of Irish exports applies only to live cattle. Since 1948 a substantial export trade in Irish beef has been developed and in the new Annex the undertaking applies to total exports of live cattle and beef, excluding only certain low-grade categories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the position of the Nigerian Farmers Bank; and what consideration the Administrator General has given to the desire of the majority of creditors for the reopening of the bank.

The Nigerian Farmers and Commercial Bank went into voluntary liquidation on 12th December and the Supreme Court made a compulsory winding-up order on 6th February last. An appeal against this Order has been dismissed by the West African Court of Appeal, but the voluntary liquidator has been granted conditional leave to apply to the Privy Council.After several extensions of time the handing over of the books to the Official Receiver is now in progress. I have no information suggesting that the majority of creditors desire the reopening of the bank.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the invitations which have been sent for the London conference on the Nigerian Constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there will be a preliminary conference in Lagos upon the proposed constitutional changes in Nigeria, before the full conference in London.

The invitations which were sent to representatives of all three regions of Nigeria asked them to attend a conference in London for a full exchange of views on the methods by which the redrafting of the Constitution should be undertaken, and on the interests which should be consulted in the process. These invitations have so far been accepted by the National Independence Party and the Northern People's Congress. Mr. Awolowo and Dr. Azikiwe declined but, as I informed the House on 10th June, the Governor has since explained to them more fully the purpose of the London talks and has appealed to them to reconsider their decisions.Their replies to this appeal suggest that they might be prepared to attend the London talks provided certain changes are made in the basis of representation and provided the main purpose of the London talks is "to consider those defects in the present constitution which make it unworkable, and to amend or revise the constitution in the light of such consideration."In view of this latest letter the Governor now hopes to persuade the leaders of the three major parties to meet him at a very early date to discuss how the gap thus narrowed can be closed, so that the Nigerian representatives attending the London talks may duly represent both majority and minority interests and carry the confidence of the Nigerian people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what improvement has taken place in respect of securing more accommodation for prisoners in Jamaica; and to what extent the incidence of crime has increased or diminished in Jamaica during the past five years.

Since my reply to the hon. Member on 25th February there have been further increases in accommodation for prisoners. The Tamarind Farm open prison has been extended to provide for a further 30 prisoners and work is proceeding to provide for another 60. The building of the new prison for long-term prisoners is going ahead. The incidence of crime does not appear to have varied much over the past five years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to institute fully democratic elections to district councils in the Protectorate of Sierra Leone.

The Government of Sierra Leone is alive to the need for more representative membership of these councils but considers it advisable to have a further period of trial of the present arrangements, which only came into effect at the beginning of 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the representations made by the National Council of Sierra Leone, it is the intention at an early date to reconsider the constitution at Sierra Leone.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds Chief Gomani has been deposed and the Reverend Michael Scott deported from Nyasaland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the exclusion of the Reverend Michael Scott from Nyasaland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Reverend Michael Scott has been deported from Nyasaland.

As regards Chief Gomani, I have nothing to add to the reply I gave on 10th June to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White), the right hon. Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Dugdale) and the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 10th June.The Governor of Nyasaland considered that the Reverend M. Scott's association with Chief Gomani, who was engaged in unlawful activities, constituted a threat to security, and he was consequently declared a prohibited immigrant and deported.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what persons or groups have recommended publicly breaches of the law in Nyasaland or Central Africa recently as a means of preventing Central African Federation.

Such measures have been publicly recommended in Nyasaland on a number of occasions by a small body of Africans styling themselves variously the Nyasaland Chiefs' Conference, the Nyasaland Chiefs' Council and the Supreme Council of Chiefs, Congress and People.The Nyasaland African Congress have publicly advocated the non-payment of African taxes. Native Authority Msamala ordered his people not to pay taxes, but was taken to task by his Council and promised to withdraw his instructions.The case of Chief Gomani was described in my reply to the hon. Lady the Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White) and others on 10th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, notwithstanding the financial benefits which will accrue to Nyasaland under Federation, Her Majesty's Government, with its continued responsibility for that territory, will continue to assist as far as possible its economic and social development.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government have recently made a further allocation under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts of £500,000 to Nyasaland, to assist with an expanding programme of capital development in economic and social projects. This sum, together with another additional £500,000 allocated a year ago, brings the total Colonial Development and Welfare allocation to Nyasaland to £3.872,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the last periodic inspection took place of the Kandang Kerbau Women's Hospital, Singapore; if he is satisfied that the accommodation and facilities provided are up to the standard required; and how it compares with similar hospitals in Great Britain as regards operating facilities.

The Governor tells me that he is not satisfied with the present accommodation and facilities at the hospital. But a start has already been made on improvements under the medical plan. These should, during the coming year, bring the hospital up to the latest standards in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the effect of the new Education Ordinance of the Federation of Malaya on Chinese Schools, in view of the apprehension that Chinese schools are to be closed down and that Chinese teachers will be thrown out of employment.

The object of the Ordinance is to make better provision for education and it contains no provision for closing Chinese schools and throwing Chinese teachers out of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the terms of reference of the Malayan Rubber Inquiry; how many constitute the committee; and to what extent the membership of the committee has been agreed as acceptable to organised labour and to the producers.

The terms of reference are to investigate:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the total Government expenditure in Africa on the groundnuts scheme, and a full report on the proposed arrangements for a private concern to take over ownership or managerial responsibility.

According to the published accounts of the Overseas Food Corporation the total amount expended from the Consolidated Fund to 31st March, 1951, was £38,753,300.With regard to the second part, there is no truth in the report that the groundnuts scheme is to be handed over to private ownership or management.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now abolish banishment without trial.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White) on 3rd December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which Colonies the "Soviet Weekly" is banned; and why.

The exercise of the power to ban periodicals is a matter for the colonial Governments concerned. I am asking them about the "Soviet Weekly," and I shall circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the history of the Colonial Empire is taught in schools in the Colonies.

Most history teachers in colonial schools devote part of their syllabus to the history of their own and neighbouring territories. Much has been done in recent years to produce suitable text books for this purpose and several more are in course of preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is proposed to extend the franchise to women in Fiji.

A majority of unofficial members of the Fiji Legislative Council voted against the extension of the franchise to women in December, 1949. I am unaware of any change in the council's views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the increase of scorpions, locusts and other pests, following the destruction of baboons in Gambia, who previously destroyed these insects; and whether he will review the present method of payment for tails of these baboons the killing of which is at present being carried out by inhumane methods in many cases.

No increase in scorpions, locusts or other pests has been observed, since the campaign was launched in 1951 against baboons, and other animals which were estimated to be destroying one tenth of the crops. No reports of inhumane methods have reached me.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the tonnage of the orders for cargo ships and tankers, respectively, which have been cancelled in British shipyards in the last two months; and the principal reasons for such cancellations.

The cancellations of merchant ship orders notified to the Admiralty by shipbuilders since the beginning of April amount to 18,330 gross tons of dry cargo vessels and 54,110 gross tons of tankers. No reason is normally given for cancellation other than that it is at the request of the owners.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what has been the reason for the exceptional amount of low flying by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm around Lee-on-Solent in recent weeks, causing annoyance to householders, when organised low flying is not part of the review arrangements and when undertakings have been given that squadron practices of low circuits and simulated approaches to flight-decks would be carried out at Royal Naval Air Station, Ford, not Lee.

Unfortunately, the concentration of aircraft at Lee-on-Solent for the Review of the Fleet coincided with a period of unfavourable weather. In particular, a persistent northerly wind limited the use of runways in such a way as to make disturbance to local residents inevitable.I regret the inconvenience caused by these activities, but they were an essential preparation for the naval fly-past which formed a notable feature of the Review. The flying task of the air station has now returned to normal.Although much of the flying involving simulated approaches to flight decks has been transferred to the Royal Naval Air Station at Ford, it is impossible to avoid the use of Lee-on-Solent for this purpose at times.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will issue a special stamp in commemoration of the climbing of Mount Everest.

My noble Friend has examined the suggestion with every sympathy, but regrets that in the light of long-established traditional policy and of practical difficulties he is unable to adopt it.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether a decision has been reached about the making of an entry in Post Office savings books to the effect that interest on the money deposited is liable for Income Tax.

No. the matter is still under consideration.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will make arrangements for all post offices to show clearly the name of the town, village or district in which they are situated on the outside of their premises for the better information of tourists, especially those from overseas.

At offices generally it is customary to display a sign, or a notice which can easily be read from outside, indicating its name, and I have always supposed that these arrangements were adequate. If my hon. Friend will let me know of any particular place he has in mind I shall be glad to make inquiry.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he has investigated the advantages, in suitable circumstances, provided by long-distance road haulage for the rapid transmission of mail.

It is the practice of the Post Office to consider the use of all available forms of transport for the conveyance of mail. If my hon. Friend has any particular service in mind I shall be pleased to look into the matter.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General to what extent the internal services of the British European Airways Corporation are employed in order to speed up the transmission of mail.

About 125 million items of correspondence a year are now being carried by British European Airways on their internal services. Transmission of mail by air has greatly improved the speed of mail deliveries to some outlying parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if his Department's plans for a television service in Aberdeen will also serve the Northern Highlands.

The B.B.C. inform me that their television station to be erected near Aberdeen is not planned to serve the Northern Highlands.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if Her Majesty's Government will reconsider the decision to allow commercial television, in view of recent examples of the way in which commercial firms handle the most sacred events.

The American system to which the right hon. Gentleman is presumably referring has no relation to the position here, and the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if his attention has been drawn to the use which is being made of American commercial presentation of the British Broadcasting Corporation's Coronation television broadcast, as propaganda against commercial television in this country; and if he will make it clear that under the Government proposals for commercial television in this country presentation of the type alleged would not be permissible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) if he will draw the attention of the television controlling body to the need for special restriction on commercial advertising on Sundays;(2) if he will place before the controlling body on commercial television the need for banning advertisement for gambling concerns.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will instruct the controlling body on commercial television to consider the possible impact on commercial television on the theatrical industry, in view of the apprehensions of the Theatre National Committee.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will bring before the television controlling body the need to protect the livelihood of many thousands who are engaged in the dramatic art, and to limit the use of imported or other telefilms on commercial television.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will bring before the controlling body on commercial television the need for limiting the use of American telefilms on any station licensed for commercial television.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will bring before the controlling body on commercial television the need to ban advertising by the liquor interests from television.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will place before the controlling body on commercial television the need for laying down quotas for the use of home-produced telefilms as is now done in cinemas.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will place before the Television Advisory Committee the desirability of banning advertisement for the liquor trade on commercial television.

I would ask the hon. Gentlemen to await the general statement on television development, which is to be made shortly.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will make available in the Library the full report received by the British Broadcasting Corporation of the way in which the American broadcasting companies departed from the agreement not to allow commercial advertising to be introduced into the Coronation broadcast.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what report he has received from the British Broadcasting Corporation in regard to the arrangements made with the United States of America networks for their showing the Coronation programme.

My noble Friend has asked the B.B.C. for a report on what happened so far as the information is available and he will consider placing it in the Library as soon as it is received.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the sound and television broadcasts of the Coronation provided for American networks by the British Broadcasting Corporation were interrupted in America by crude advertisements; and whether he will ask the Television Advisory Committee to report to him on this aspect of commercial television.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made yesterday by my noble Friend. This is not a matter for the Television Advisory Committee, which is almost entirely concerned with technical questions.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether a decision has now been reached to provide a television service for Aberdeen.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give an assurance that Portsmouth will be given high priority when the Government contemplates the erection of any new television stations in the near future.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is now in a position to make a further statement with regard to the extension of television facilities to Cornwall by the provision of the proposed low-power station in the British Broadcasting Corporation's programme at Plymouth, or otherwise.

A general statement about the development of the television service will. I hope, be made soon.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will extend the time for cheap telephone long-distance calls to cover the period from 5.30 p.m. to midnight.

No. Extension of the cheap rate period would result in a considerable financial loss to the Post Office.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephones at Stithians, Cornwall, are still waiting for them; and what prospects they have of getting telephones soon.

At 31st March, 1953, there were 72 applications outstanding, including 15 in course of being met. I hope that it will be possible to connect the majority of the remainder in the first half of next year, when a new cable is provided.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephones at Redruth are still waiting for them; and what prospects they have of getting telephones soon.

One hundred and one applications were outstanding on 31st March, 1953, including 20 in course of provision. We hope to provide additional cables during the next two years and this will enable us to meet the bulk of the remaining applications.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when a public telephone kiosk will be provided on the Lincoln Hartsholme Estate; and whether he will ensure that sufficient distribution points will be installed to meet all applications for private telephones now in hand.

The installation of a kiosk is almost completed and it should be working in a few days. Cable distribution points will be available within a month or so to meet all applications now in hand for telephones on the estate.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) at what time and date the cable fault developed affecting Enterprise Exchange, London Telecommunications Region; and what was the time and date it was repaired;

The first fault developed during the night of 7th-8th June, affecting, ultimately, 119 subscribers' lines. It was traced at noon on the 8th to a fracture of the cable sheath, probably due to electrolytic erosion in Church Hall Road, East Barnet. Service was completely restored on a temporary basis by noon on the 10th. A further fault developed at 8.45 a.m. on 11th June on another section of the same cable due to the same cause, and more than 400 subscribers were affected. Restoration on a temporary basis was completed at 11.30 a.m. on the 13th.Since there was likely to be some delay in restoring service to some of the subscribers they were notified by letter. As individual lines were reported or found faulty, "number unobtainable" tone was applied to them and the operators were notified and prepared lists of subscribers affected by the breakdown.I regret that, without more precise details, I have been unable to find out why the required information was not given promptly, even to the subscriber who dialled Enterprise 0101.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the average speed of answer after 7 p.m. at the Streatham, Willesden and Enterprise exchanges in the London telephone area; and on what date the last snap timing check was made.

The average speeds of answer during the evening at Streatham and Willesden exchanges for the month of May were 8·0 seconds and 11·1 seconds.For Bowes Park, which serves Enterprise subscribers, the average speed of answer for April (the latest figure available) was 12·5 seconds; a few snap checks made on the nights of 8th and 9th June gave averages of 66 seconds and 3·2 seconds.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will issue a White Paper detailing the extent of the trade done by, and through, the means of British-owned ships with Communist China since the entry of the Chinese Communists into the Korean war.

No. I do not think the issue of a White Paper would serve any useful purpose. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has today made a full statement about our trade with China in reply to Questions by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) and the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. T. Reid).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will publish in HANSARD the following documents relating to the retired pay of Service officers, Admiralty Monthly Order 2483A, dated 19th July, 1919, Army Order 324 of 1919 and Air Ministry Weekly Order 1003 of 1919 and the relevant documents by which the officers in receipt of pensions prior to 1935 were informed that such pensions were no longer to be adjusted to the cost of living but were to be frozen at 9½ per cent. below the 1920 level.

I regret that these Orders are too voluminous to reproduce in HANSARD, but copies of them and of the Army etc. Orders of August, 1934, and May, 1935, will be placed in the Library of the House. I am publishing in HANSARD copy of a notice issued in October, 1932, announcing the decision of the Government that emoluments of Crown Servants (including retired pay) would thereafter cease to vary automatically with changes in the cost-of-living index figure, and copy of a pro-forma letter of June, 1935, informing individual Army officers of the level at which their retired pay was to be consolidated.The copies are as follow:PAYMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE,WHITEHALL, S.W.I.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the amount of the basic pension now being paid to a lieutenant-colonel of 25 years' service who retired in 1939; and the amount of the basic pension now received by an officer of equivalent rank and service who retired in 1952.

Assuming the lieutenant-colonel was a combatant officer retiring in 1939 his retired pay would have depended on his age. As an example, if he was 46 on retirement the rate would have been £543 a year. This would have been increased unconditionally to £583 14s. 6d. a year under the 1944 pensions increase scheme.The rates of retired pay and terminal grant to which a lieutenant-colonel would have been entitled on retirement in 1952 will be found in Appendix 1 of Cmd. 8323.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many, respectively, entered for, and passed, each examination at the end of the Initial Training School courses at Royal Air Force stations, Kirton-in-Lindsey and Jurby, during 12 months to the latest convenient date.

The proportion of passes to failures among trainees who completed Initial Training courses at R.A.F. Stations, Kirton-in-Lindsey and Jurby, during the year ending 31st March, 1953, was, on average, 3 to 1 at each school.

asked the Minister of Education how soon she expects to be in a position to announce a decision about separate representation of graduate teachers on the Burnham Committee.

I am not contemplating a change in the constitution of the Burnham Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people of foreign origin have been given British naturalisation each year since 1935.

Following are the figures of certificates of naturalisation granted and registered during the period 1st January, 1935, to 31st May, 1953:

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he is taking to establish new industries with a view to providing employment for the skilled workers now being made redundant in the steel and tinplate industry;(2) what alternative employment he is providing for the redundant men in the steel and tinplate industry of South-West Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made on this matter by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and Minister for Welsh Affairs on 22nd January. My Department and the Ministry of Labour have been, and are, doing all they can to help the workers affected to find alternative work, either in existing industry or by the attraction of new industry to the area. I am glad to say that of those declared redundant this year less than a quarter are still registered as unemployed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the question of Anglo-Brazilian trade.

No. The discussions with the Brazilian Government are still at an exploratory stage.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the concessions in respect of amateur-grown tobacco are to be renewed this year.

Yes. Amateurs will continue to be allowed to grow and cure tobacco for their own use free of duty, and growers' associations not established or conducted for profit will be permitted to cure amateur-grown tobacco, subject to compliance with the standing conditions. Growers should, however, verify that any association to which they intend to send tobacco for curing has been approved under these conditions.