asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the present position and future intentions of Her Majesty's Government on the African Groundnuts Scheme.

The Overseas Food Corporation is continuing the experimental programme described in Command 8125. The talks with the Tanganyika Government to which I referred on 25th February are still proceeding. I am not yet in a position to make a statement, but will do so as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish a White Paper containing a full report, minutes of committees, letters and memoranda since the shortage of fats arose, the dates when the United Africa Company and Unilevers were approached and their replies and including any other information on record; and why Her Majesty's Government have now decided to hand over the management of the groundnuts and subsidiary industries in Africa to these organs of private enterprise.

No. As I informed the hon. Member last week there is no truth in the report that the Government have decided to hand over the Groundnut Scheme to private enterprise. East Africa Industries Limited, with which United Africa Company are now associated, is in no way connected with the Groundnut Scheme, but is a subsidiary of the Colonial Development Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a full statement on the East African Industries Limited, the arrangements concluded with Unilever Limited, and on the proposed future developments.

During the war the Government of Kenya set up and operated a small factory near Nairobi, where pottery, refractories and miscellaneous chemicals were manufactured. This was intended as an emergency measure and to meet local war-time shortages. After the war some units of the enterprise were sold, but there remained the main body of the factory comprising plant for the manufacture of pottery and refractory bricks, a hydro-genation plant (principally cooking fat), sulphuric and hydrochloric acid plants, and general chemicals plant (principally liquid caustic soda and quick lime).In January, 1949, the Colonial Development Corporation agreed to participate with the Government of Kenya in the operation and development of this enterprise. A joint company, named East Africa Industries Limited, was formed with an authorised capital of £750,000 of which the Corporation has subscribed £300.000. The Kenya Government was allotted £150,000 as part consideration for the assets transferred. In addition the Corporation has advanced £60,000 on loan. The Kenya Government's interest is now held by the Industrial Management Corporation of Kenya.The Colonial Development Corporation has recently announced that agreement in principle has been reached by which Unilever Limited will take up a substantial shareholding and will be responsible for the management of the Company. It is planned later to extend the company's activities to the manufacture of margarine and soap. A technical mission from Unilever Limited is at present in Nairobi.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that shipowners are deferring the placement of orders for new ships, and are seeking cancellation of outstanding contracts because of the rising costs of shipbuilding in this country; that the finishing trades are not fully employed because of the lack of new passenger ships being built; and, in order to prevent widespread unemployment in this industry, if he will call a conference of all interested parties with the object of reducing costs.

I am aware of the anxiety which exists about shipbuilding costs in this country. Shipowners have their representative organisation through which they can make known their views to the representative organisation of the shipbuilding industry. The matter is one for discussion between these parties and I do not at present propose to interfere with the normal arrangements for consultations of this nature.Some fluctuation in the requirements for finishing trades is inescapable because of changes in the types of ships in the construction programmes of individual shipyards. Total employment in shipbuilding has, however, increased in the last three years; the small drop in employment on merchant shipbuilding caused by the steel shortage has been more than offset by the increased numbers employed on building and fitting-out naval vessels.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many persons the tug, H.M.S. "Trafalgar," is permitted to carry; with how many lifebelts and other safety devices she is equipped; and how many passengers were permitted to board her at about 7 p.m., on 15th June, when she was about to leave H.M.S. "Perseus" for Portsmouth.

There is no Admiralty tug of this name. I have written to my hon. Friend about the tug arrangements in general at the Review, but I should like to take this opportunity of reassuring the House that each of the tugs that were used carried life-saving equipment that was more than ample for the number of passengers that were embarked in her.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that all reference to the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service was omitted from the official programme of the Coronation procession, despite the fact that the Corps took part; and if he will give an undertaking that the proper dignity of this Corps will be maintained on all future ceremonial occasions when the Corps is represented.

Yes. I much regret this omission and steps will be taken to ensure that it does not happen again on any future similar occasion.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the duration of the new contract for pig swill at the Royal Naval Air Station, Brawdy.

Twelve months from 1st July, 1953, terminable at any time by one month's notice by either party.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many requests for telephones still remain outstanding in the borough of Heston and Isleworth.

One thousand four hundred and twenty-one applications were outstanding on the 31st March, 1953, including 143 in course of provision. This figure, I am glad to say, shows a reduction of 509 as compared with the corresponding period last year.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, in order that the public may know which newspapers, in their leading articles and by other methods, are opposing the introduction of commercial television while, at the same time, applying for licences to operate commercial television stations, he will now reconsider his decision not to reveal which newspapers are among the applicants.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Hobson) on 20th May.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will now make a statement as to what greater capital development can be undertaken on television, particularly in the erection of three more low-powered stations.

A general statement on the development of television will be made very soon.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will make a statement on the Report of the Television Advisory Council.

The Report of the Television Advisory Committee will be published very soon.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he has received reports of the disappointing reception of the Coronation television broadcasts in Norfolk; and whether he will make a statement about the date by which he expects to be able to give a more satisfactory television service in the county.

The first task of the B.B.C., when the Government permit, will be to erect the five low-power stations which have been held up. I regret that I cannot at the moment make any statement about the Corporation's plans for further development of their television service. Their recent statement about their future plans was made in the exercise of their own proper responsibility under the Charter and no prior commitment on the part of the Government was sought or given. The Government's decisions or proposals with regard to the plan will be made known at the appropriate time.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when his Department intend to make television available in the Northern Highlands; where the station or stations will be situated; and which counties will be served.

The cost of extending television service to these and other outlying parts of the country would be very high, as not only would television stations be needed, but also long connecting links for distributing programmes from the existing network. I much regret that expenditure on the scale required could not be contemplated, at any rate for a very long time to come.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the number of per-

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the number of television or radlun receivers now operating, per 100 of the population, in the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, Denbigh, Merioneth, Cardigan, Montgomery, Flint and Chester, respectively.

The number of licensed television receivers per 100 of population is now approximately: —

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will now make a statement regarding the position of breakaway unions in his Department.

My noble Friend hopes to make a statement soon.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the cerificate numbers known to the executors or solicitors of a deceased person do not

I presume the hon. Member is referring to Post Office Regions. The approximate number of broadcast receiving licences current on the 31st May, 1953, was:represent the deceased person's total holdings of savings certificates, what is his practice with regard to the information he gives to the executors or solicitors about the remainder of the holding.

The practice is to furnish to executors or solicitors the full details of the remainder of the holding together with the value at the date of death of the holder. Executors and solicitors are asked to have a careful search made for the missing certificates and if they cannot be found duplicates are issued by the Post Office.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking, in consultation with the authorities concerned, to ensure that the public desirous of seeing the Review by Her Majesty the Queen of the Royal Air Force on 15th July are not hampered by traffic jams on the roads leading to Odiham.

As already announced, admission to the Review will be by ticket only, obtainable in advance from the usual ticket agencies. This should help to keep the traffic problem within bounds. In addition, a traffic routeing plan has been evolved in close consultation with the police, the motoring organisations, British Railways and the local bus company. Routes will be signposted and windscreen labels issued.For the benefit of those who cannot go to Odiham, detailed directions will be published indicating the places from which the flypast can be watched during its run into Odiham. These will cover a fairly wide area. Arrangements are being made, also, for a substantial part of the Review, including the flypast, to be televised.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air if he is aware that a scheme of extensions to the sewage disposal works at Wethersfield, Essex, was agreed between his Department and the Braintree Rural District Council after negotiations last January, but that, since details of the scheme were submitted on 27th April, only a postcard of acknowledgment has been received by the council, despite a further reminder on 3rd June; and if, in view of the continuing inconvenience to residents in this and adjoining parishes, he will expedite the necessary authority for this work to proceed at the cost of his Department.

Since the scheme proposed by the council is a complex one and would cost between £30,000 and £40,000 of public money, we had to examine it in detail. The council have now been in-

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the continued lack of adequate funds for road maintenance has obliged the Cheshire County Council to

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he is satisfied that Section 40 of the Civil Aviation Act, 1949, covers injury to members of the public or damage to their property caused by aircraft crashes or accidents; what representations he has received on this matter from the Local Authorities (Airport) Committee; and what reply he has sent to them.

In general, the purpose of the Section is to provide compensation for surface damage caused by aircraft, but it is for a court of law to determine its application in any particular case. An inquiry on this point was received from the Committee, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the correspondence.

asked the Minister of Transport the monthly figures for road accidents during the first five months of this year and during the comparable period last year.

The figures are:spend as much of the available money as possible on renewing road surfaces and that, in consequence, there is little left for the increased provision of white lines and other improvements essential to road safety; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

My right hon. Friend recognises that the restrictions on the amount of money that he is able to allocate to county councils for the maintenance and minor improvement of classified roads means that they cannot do all the work of this kind which would be desirable in normal circumstances. He has done his best to give Cheshire its fair share of the available funds.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to restrict the use of dazzling headlights.

Regulations are in force to ensure that drivers are provided with means such as dipping devices in order to prevent dazzle, and advice on the subject is contained in the Highway Code. As I indicated to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckinghamshire, South (Mr. R. Bell) in reply to a Question on 16th March, my Department are at present studying a Report by the Road Research Laboratory on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what percentage of the farms in each of the sub-areas in the Eastern Electricity Area have an electricity supply.

I am informed by the Eastern Area Electricity Board that the approximate percentages of farms are as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture what proportion of the cattle in England and Wales are attested; and whether he will circulate in HANSARD a detailed list setting out the proportions by counties.

Thirty-seven per cent. of the cattle in England and Wales are attested. The proportions by counties are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport when the Isle of Wight County Council may expect to hear in reply to their application for consent to use capital funds on the acquisition of a highway depot and chalk pit at Cemetery Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight.

A letter was sent to the county council on 16th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the regulations of his Department concerning the submission before publication of books written by former members of the Foreign Service about their official duties; and, in view of the grave imputations made against the conduct of officials at the Foreign Office during the inter-war period in the book, "Diplomatic Twilight," whether this book was submitted to him and approved.

As regards the first part of the Question, the policy of Her Majesty's Government remains as indicated in the reply given on 1st August, 1946, by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Lewisham (Mr. H. Morrison). The scrutiny of any books submitted, so far as the Foreign Office is concerned, is directed to ascertaining whether publication would involve the disclosure of any secret information, or would otherwise be directly injurious to the public interest. But the Foreign Office neither possess nor can they exercise powers of censorship.As regards the second part of the Question, the manuscript of the book recently published as "Diplomatic Twilight" was submitted to the Foreign Office over two years ago. The author was informed that from the point of view of disclosure of confidential information there was no objection to publication, but his attention was drawn to the undesirability of public attacks by one former Civil Servant on others. I would add that the imputations made in this book against the conduct of high officials at the Foreign Office during the inter-war period are not in accordance with the facts and are therefore unwarranted.

asked the Minister of Food the terms of the arrangements which have been made with importers of wheat and with flour millers in this country in preparation for the Government's proposed decontrol of the flour milling industry on 31st August of this year.

The terms of the arrangements for the decontrol of cereals and feedingstuffs were set out in a White Paper (Cmd. 8745) presented to Parliament on 20th January, 1953. Details of those arrangements were left for further discussion with the interests concerned. Most of them have since been settled and some have already been put into effect. Those remaining are now under active discussion with the trades concerned.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take the necessary steps to ensure a more satisfactory distribution of newly-recruited nurses in view of the acute shortage in Midland hospitals.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 5th March to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Sorensen) about the distribution of nursing staff in the London area.